When it comes to safaris and ecotourism, Zambia often takes a back seat to the likes of Botswana, Kenya, and Tanzania. But this large country in south-central Africa is positively packed with eco treasures, and its marquis attraction i
Though Costa Rica is Central America´s (and perhaps all of Latin America´s) premier star when it comes to ecotourism, there´s also an undersung but incredibly rich trove of eco treasures to be explored next door in Honduras, w
This scintillating southeast Asian country is renowned for its many historic temples, colonial architecture, geological wonders, fine beaches, and mouthwatering cuisine, but Vietnam also offers plenty of cool experiences - some of which are unusual,
The "Isle of Enchantment" offers an amazingly diverse menu of options to visitors, in capital San Juan and well beyond - history and culture, for sure, but also tasty eating, drinking, and beaching, along with memorable partyi
Portugal's answer to Spain's Canary Islands, the Azores are a nine-island grouping 1,529 kilometres (950 miles) out in the Atlantic Ocean west of the Iberian Peninsula. The largest (759km²/293 square mi.) and most populous of the archipelago,
Our planet's vast, remote, southernmost continent - larger than Europe - is a much-coveted "final frontier" for many travelers. And booking Antarctica vacation packages via cruise ship offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see froz
The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are one of the most breathtaking sights one can ever experience. The mixture of unearthly colors display including magenta, emerald green and turquoise is so worth watching. You would be luc
Various land-based outfits observe many of similar self-imposed rules. For example, Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), part of the Grand Circle Corporation family of companies, connects customers with the people and cultures of destinations around the
Visitors to part of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru (where it's the national animal and is even on the country's coat of arms) may come across this quintessential South American mammal, a camelid related to guanacos, llamas, and a
I am a hiker. But at home no one uses a machete to blaze the trail prior to walking on it as did our guide Souza, creating a path in the overgrown rainforest step by step. Slicing, swatting, swooping, chopping, no branch, bush,
There is a saying in Rwanda, "God roams the world but comes to rest in Rwanda."
And so do 700-pkus mountain gorillas (over half of the surviving species in the world) who inhabit Volcanoes National Park. This is a stunning area surrounded to t
Over the years the level of accommodation in Africa has constantly been on the rise, especially with regard to luxury game lodges and camps. The top end traveller now has many excellent options to choose from and is virtually spoiled when selectin
When I encountered my first giant sequoia in Mariposa Grove, my head did not tilt back far enough to see the top. Walking around the trunk practically required a GPS. Leaving noise and civilization behind to walk among these
The quiet village of Monkey River in southern Belize is habitat to a plethora of flora and fauna, and as a result the nature tour conducted around herehas been rated one of the top in the country. Exotic tropical birds, butterflies, crocodiles, igua
In addition to the fantastic safaris of the interior and the coastal beaches, one of the highlights of Kenya for visitors is the climbing and hiking on and around Mount Kenya, designated by UNESCO as both a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserv
Last month I posted on this blog about Africa's six tallest peaks, so I thought I'd follow up with more about the highest and most famous of those: Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro (dubbe "Kili," for short). And reaching a maximum 5,895 meters (19.3
Ecuador, a country embedded between tourism powerhouses Colombia and Peru, is sometimes overlooked by the average traveller. But even apart from the inimitable Galápagos and colonial gems like Quito and Cuenca, it's also got some quite cool adventu
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta has been described as the world’s most important concentration of endangered wildlife on the planet. In the past, it was scarred by drug crops and off limits to tourists because of the dangers posed by Colombia’s n
When you think Dubai and the UAE, it's mostly manmade marvels that spring to mind - the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall, Palm Islands, and the like. But there is a more "eco" side to the Emirates, as well - and not just parks and gardens like Dubai