Browsing: Destinations

You stare out at the most enormous vista you’ve ever seen. You’re surrounded by a silence that’s so calm, yet so all-consuming that you let out a nervous giggle just to make sure you’re still part of it. You stretch your arms out as far as they can go to either side to see if you can give the view a vast bear hug, but the panorama escapes and trickles through your fingers towards the …

Read More

Tourists tend to choose Colombia or Brazil over Peru as their preferred jungle getaway, but Iquitos is definitely worth a visit. And since the Amazon has recently made the provincial list of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World, now is the perfect time to plan a trip.

Top Iquitos Attractions

Most Amazon tourists are primarily interested in seeing exotic wildlife, as the Amazon is home to one in every five living animal species. …

Read More

Colorado is known for seasonal activities such as skiing and hiking, but there’s something more unique you can do there any time of year. The craft spirits business in Colorado is booming, and you might want to hit the road (not while you are drinking, of course) and check it out. All of these distilleries welcome you to arrange visits and tastings.

Boulder Distillery, Rob’s Mountain Gin-Boulder
You can fly into Denver from just …

Read More

There is no water anywhere in the world quite like the Caribbean. I have been to beaches all my life but the first time I saw the incredible, innumerable shades of blue and green that make up the Caribbean I was truly amazed. Sparkling jade, dark and mysterious emerald, clear turquoise, pale blue topaz – it’s a whole jewelry box of colors. Diving into the Caribbean is an experience like no other, with jewel-bright fish …

Read More

Approximately 20 kilometers north of downtown Quito, smack through the middle of Ecuador, stands the official marker for the Equator…but does it really mark the fabled line? It appears the answer is not quite as rock-solid as the materials used to build the marker.

The “Mitad del Mundo” (or ‘Middle of the World’) is a large, government-sanctioned official marker visited by tour buses, private tourists and public transit about one hour outside of Ecuador’s capital …

Read More

As far as winter destinations go, Quebec’s Mont Tremblant is no one-trick pony. Sure, it boasts the biggest peak in the Laurentians and attracts downhill thrill-seekers from all across North America, but the mountain isn’t just for slope lovers. In fact, during my short, day-and-a-half visit, I quickly learned — with outdoor activities so plentiful, a village so charming and restaurants with food so delicious — finding time to sneak in a few runs is …

Read More

1. Secure bib.

2. Strip off charred skin revealing white meat.

3.Dunk generously in romesco sauce.

4. Tilt head back and bite sweet onion in half.

5. Savor.

6. Repeat 19 more times.

These are the basic steps to eating calçots, a seasonal Catalan food that is something between a sweet onion and a leek. Millions of these toothsome winter treats are served sizzling off the barbecue from January to April in Catalonia, Spain.…

Read More

One of the nicest things about the world’s greatest art galleries is that they tend to be in the world’s greatest cities – which is incredibly convenient. Once you’ve walked through kilometres of galleries and squinted at countless treasures until your arty-farty quotient is exhausted, you can soak up the vibe of the city around you. Theatres, restaurants, pubs, clubs, parks and shops galore will inject new life into tired eyes and feet, so you’re …

Read More

Somewhat dishevelled in my saggy seated Bermuda’s, I passed through customs and sashayed into the arrivals hall at Windhoek’s Hosea Kutako International Airport. A sign bearing my name was flashed by the chauffer sent to deliver the SUV I’d hired.

As I was low on time, a quick vehicle overview was conducted in the airport car park. It was a Nissan double-cab, kitted out for high-end self-drive safari excursions; it came complete with a roof …

Read More

Dear uninformed tourist,

I’m sorry for calling you uninformed, and I thank you for showing an interest in my home country of South Africa. Unfortunately, you tend to get some facts about the country a little bit wrong. So, before you ask me one of these questions for the umpteenth time, I thought I’d tell you a bit about what’s really behind the most common assumptions everyone makes about South Africa.

“How come you’re white

Read More

In Arabic, Egypt is sometimes called Umm Al-Duniya, or the mother of the world. The Nile River, which waters the country, could give it some stiff competition for that title. Considered the world’s longest river, the Nile’s waters have fostered human civilization for thousands of years. No country knows that better than Egypt: The nation’s survival depends on the river, and has since the time of the Pharaohs. While the Nile is a reference …

Read More

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 …

Read More

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. …

Read More

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 …

Read More