The word safari is Swahili for travel, trip or journey. In the travel industry, safari refers to a type of travel that typically involves these elements:
At least one country in Africa Extensive sightseeing, with an emphasis on wildlife sightings An expert guide (although some self-guided safaris can be arranged, it is not recommended)For animal and nature lovers, few types of travel are as rewarding as a safari. Many who have been will tell …
Dear Travel IQ: My husband and I are making our lifelong dream a reality: this summer, we’re going to Italy! And not just Italy – we’ll be making our way through Germany, France, Belgium and England! Unlike my husband, though, I’m pretty worried about “fitting in”: I don’t want someone taking advantage of us because they know we’re tourists. On top of that, I sometimes have social anxieties about standing out in a crowd. …
Trying to impress that special someone? Consider these steamy Spanish stays to wine and dine your sweetheart.
1. Ski and Spa at Sant Roc Hotel, Solsona:
If romance and an adrenaline rush are one in the same for you and your sweetie, then a stay near the Spanish Pyrenees Mountains is the way to go. At the foothills of the Pyrenees, Solsona is an ancient village made up of stone houses and snug cafes. Spend …
Encountering the gorilla in its natural habitat is an extraordinary experience. The distinction between the observer and the observed is blurred, and you never know just how near the gorillas will venture for a closer look! For animal and nature lovers, the opportunity to meet a mountain gorilla face to face can prove to be the experience of a lifetime.
A gorilla safari is not for the timid traveler. It is an extremely active journey …
Everyone loves shopping while traveling, and visiting a local market is often the best way to find treasures or souvenirs to bring home.
Many traditional local markets don’t operate the same way as shopping mall stores and boutiques, where the price tag has the final say. At these native markets, bargaining for the best deal is the norm. It can be awkward getting started, so here are some tips to help you get familiar with …
I arrived in Brussels with a half empty suitcase, a few dozen Euros and a mission: to scour the Belgian capital for the best chocolate money could buy and to fill my suitcase with the rich, creamy fruits of my labor.
With dozens of shops, workshops, tastings and an even an entire museum devoted to chocolate, however, Brussels can be a bit overwhelming— even for serious chocoholics. As it does with most things, the city …
Until I went on a Caribbean cruise recently with a bunch of girlfriends I always thought “duty-free” was just another excuse to get all those vacationers into the shops to stuff their shopping bags full of items that could be had back home for roughly the same price. I learned on this trip that I was completely wrong.
This time, because some of my girlfriends were actually going to the pre-port shopping talks I have …
Fishing is a part of human heritage. Before our agrarian skills emerged, we were hunters and gatherers. The history of hunting and fishing dates back to ancient times when humans hunted with sticks and fished using pieces of bone as hooks and lengths of vine as line. Today’s fisherman has far more sophisticated equipment and is generally inspired less by the thought of dinner, but more to relax on the water, reeling in a few …
Dear Travel IQ: Packing is the bane of my life. I can never fit everything I need into my bags and I never have everything I need when I arrive. I feel like I should go without any luggage and just buy what I need when I get to my destination. Help!
Signed: Equipaje in Charlotte, NC
It’s the night before your plane departs for some wonderful and exotic vacation locale. …
Ski holidays are to winter what the beach is to summer. They’re fun, family-friendly and give you the chance to revert back to childhood for some good old fashioned frolicking in the snow. While the snow-bunny herds flock to the fashionable ski resorts – where crowded slopes and booked-out accommodations mean that skiers pay a premium for powder – why not pack your skis and head to one of the lesser known destinations. Just like …
Whether you are an aspiring chef or simply an epicure, culinary travel promises the opportunity to truly savor your vacation. This growing trend of experiencing authentic cooking and dining around the world allows you to broaden your education and your palate at the same time. What a decadent way to travel!
The genre of culinary travel includes trips that focus on learning to create local dishes, those that emphasize tasting and wine pairing, and everything …
Some of the most beautiful places in the world are not found on land, they are alive underwater, in the coral reefs of crystal clear waters where entire sea life habitats exists. So, how do you get to enjoy this beauty? Not by bus, plane or train — the only way to experience this delight is by strapping on a dive cylinder and putting on some flippers.
Scuba diving is a fast-growing sport that takes …
When Marcus Aurelius founded Vienna (then Vindobona), he did so with the sharp foresight of a realtor — location, location, location!
While Vienna itself has an incredible offering of tourist attractions, it is beautifully located in close proximity to a number of different sites. These new and exciting locations give you respite from the hustle-and-bustle tourism of Vienna, and all are convenient day trips away from the Gateway to the East. Four day-trip locales stand …
Valparaiso, for want of a better word, is a shanty town on the coast of Chile. Starting from its docks, sitting in that all too commonly found water, colored grayish brown by the offal of container ships, it extends up scattered hills away from the sea. The city grows up with them; it’s a bit all over the place – disjointed and beautiful. It makes up a sort of patchwork cloth of a city, with …
