If you want to tell people you have seen Rio de Janeiro, there are a few “not to miss” attractions and one of them is the Pão de Açucar (Sugar Loaf). Most people go to the summit of Sugar Loaf the normal way: by cable trolley. Few people know that there are alternative, more adventurous ways to get there. One of them is a walk to the top (referred to as “costão”), a three hour walk which involves a little rock climbing, but nothing too difficult. I did it with no prior climbing experience and w
The best way to experience Nepal’s unbeatable combination of natural beauty and cultural riches is to walk through them. The immense contrasts in altitudes and climates found here support an equally spectacular mix of lifestyles, vegetation types and wildlife.
Trekking in the mountains of Nepal is more a cultural experience than a wilderness expedition. You will be passing through picturesque villages inhabited by diverse ethnic groups. You will see Chhetri farmers working in their fields and Ta
Three Great Non-Travel, Travel Books
Often a non-travel novel creates the vividness and depth of a town or village or city better than travel book might.
But recommending a book is always tricky, so here are three recent reads and likes:
In Travels with a Tangerine, Tim Mackintosh-Smith sets out to follow the footsteps of the great Arab/Muslim traveler, Ibn Battuta who left his native Tangier in 1325, covered three times the distance of Marco Polo, and returned 30 years later…after some 75,000
The Annapurna Circuit is approximately 200 km trek in Nepal around the Annapurna mountain range in the Himalayas. However this route has become much shorter than the previous days due to road accessibility recently. The entire trek begins an altitude of 1100 meter and reaches an altitude of 5416 meter in the “Thorung La” Pass by touching the edge of the fabled Tibetan plateau. The magnificent mountain scenery, colorful traditional culture, people’s life style and awesome nomad land are main attr
The best way to experience Nepal’s unbeatable combination of natural beauty and cultural riches is to walk through them. The immense contrasts in altitudes and climates found here support an equally spectacular mix of lifestyles, vegetation types and wildlife.
Trekking in the mountains of Nepal is more a cultural experience than a wilderness expedition. You will be passing through picturesque villages inhabited by diverse ethnic groups. You will see Chhetri farmers working in their fields and Tam
Are you bored of lounging on sun-beds or bruising your bum on the slopes? Do you want a break that can give you a genuine sense of well-being and achievement? An active break in Aviemore and the Cairngorms National Park can tick all these boxes.
Nestled in the rugged and handsome heart of the Scottish Highlands. Wild and untamed in its majority, the setting invokes a passion in you from the moment you step off the plane at the bijou Inverness Airport. The cool clear mountainous air brushes yo
Everest. One word, wow. It was a beautiful clear day. Our Buddha Air flight was on a 17 seat Beechcraft. This aircraft is a small tubular unit with one seat on each side of the aisle. A six foot tall person cannot stand erect in the aisle. My wife dislikes small planes and she was uncomfortable at first. Once we got to the mountains, her demeanor changed.
We flew out of the domestic airport. This is a major tourist attraction, and we found out why.
We left at 6:30 in the morning and were back in t
The best way to experience Nepal’s unbeatable combination of natural beauty and cultural riches is to walk through them. The immense contrasts in altitudes and climates found here support an equally spectacular mix of lifestyles, vegetation types and wildlife.
Trekking in the mountains of Nepal is more a cultural experience than a wilderness expedition. You will be passing through picturesque villages inhabited by diverse ethnic groups. You will see Chhetri farmers working in their fields and Ta
As I stand at the top of the Rio Grande Gorge in the wild lands outside of Taos, New Mexico, I peer down into a 900-foot tunnel of sandstone-brown with a thin string of color – the Rio Grande – at the bottom. It has taken millions of years for this spot to look this way. And it takes only seconds to take my breath away.
When you realize you’re about to go down into the Gorge, it takes your breath away, as well. You can climb down into it, as some do. Or you can do as I’ve done, starting at the bo
As I stand at the top of the Rio Grande Gorge in the wild lands outside of Taos, New Mexico, I peer down into a 900-foot tunnel of sandstone-brown with a thin string of color – the Rio Grande – at the bottom. It has taken millions of years for this spot to look this way. And it takes only seconds to
take my breath away.
When you realize you’re about to go down into the Gorge, it takes your breath away, as well. You can climb down into it, as some do. Or you can do as I’ve done, starting at the bot
The world has been spinning for about twenty minutes now. It is the top of the fourth day of my horse-pack trip into the High Sierras. After a long day of riding my legs were weak, I stepped over a rill meandering through the grass, sank into the moss and lost my balance. My fall was shortstopped by a jagged branch jutting upward from a slumbering log that lodged in my rib cage. Fired by John Muir’s rapturous account, “My First Summer in the Sierra,” I had never asked myself what would happen to
Recently in Puerto Rico I attended the Saborea (savor), a “culinary extravaganza.” The event is a series of tastings and parties that culminates at Escambron Beach, ocean side under enormous tents. One tent showcased tastings from island chefs and Puerto Rican rum. Yum! The other tent was set up as a food theatre where two chefs had 45 minutes to create their own signature dish that was then judged side by side by a panel. The chefs were either Food Network or Bravo TV stars, or stellar local ta
In our second instalment of West Africa’s best adventure travel destinations, we explore Ghana, a Land of sunshine and reputed for the friendliness of its people. Rich in history, and home to the Ashanti Kingdom, a once prosperous and powerful dynasty, this country is a great place to start of in Africa due to its ‘user-friendliness’ and offers a great deal of opportunities for the demanding traveller looking for the next best beach, the most succulent dish, the intense cultural encounter, or th
Image by Costaricatripguide via Flickr
Arenal Volcano, one of the most famous destinations of Costa Rica, is known for its volcanic history and landscape as well as being a great destination for a relaxing holiday.
Of course, the volcanic landscape is not barren than other destinations, but the geology of the Arenal Volcano has its own unparalleled natural beauty. To take in all that the Arenal Volcano has to offer, a tour by horse, hiking or car will give you the best opportunities to see what s
It’s not often that the tiny Central American country of Honduras steals its way onto the outside world’s front pages. But most of the turmoil surrounding the June 28 ouster of overreaching president Manuel Zelaya seems to be roiling more outside the country than inside, in places like Caracas, Managua, and even Washington DC. Most Hondurans, by contrast, seem relieved by recent events, and it’s been largely business as usual within the country, including its growing tourism industry. In my opin
Sometimes it's good to be cautious--and other times it's better to go with your gut.
