A hutted camp at the head of the Injisuthi Valley, in the northern section of Giant’s Castle Game Reserve, is a breathtakingly beautiful base from which to explore some moderately strenuous hiking trails. Views are dominated by the impressive mountain peaks of Champagne Castle (3,248 m), Monk’s Cowl (3,234 m) and Cathkin Peak (3,149 m), … Continued
One can drive to the top of this 3,400 metres (10,000 feet) high volcano, with its dormant fumarole and extinct, green crater lake, winding through changing vegetation zones until reaching the moonscape at the summit. Seeing the clouds stretch below is wonderful, and on a clear day you can see both coasts.
One of the youngest, Isabela is also the largest of the Galapagos Islands with five of its greatest volcanoes including Wolf, the highest at 1,646 metres. Despite Isabela’s size, there are relatively few landing sites because most of the island is covered in solidified lava. The town of Puerto Villamil in the south-east houses a … Continued
Famed for its stunningly eroded, Jurassic sandstone runiforme scenery, strange plants, canyon-dwelling lemurs and pandanus, the Isalo massif rises majestically from the flat Horombe plateau. The park offers wonderful hiking through impressive gorges, canyons and forested areas of fire-resistant tapia on which the endemic Malagasy silk worm feeds (harvested for centuries to weave expensive burial … Continued
Found in the far southwest of the Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ishasha is generally more forested, greener and less-visited than the park’s northern sectors. There are healthy numbers of elephant, buffalo, hippo and Uganda kob as well as black and white colobus monkeys and other primates. It is also an excellent location for birding with … Continued
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 328,000 hectare iSimangaliso Wetland Park encompasses South Africa’s largest inland body of water, Lake St Lucia and protects a rich variety of habitats and wildlife. The eastern shore of Lake St Lucia is bordered by the highest vegetated dunes in the world, towering to an amazing 200m, separating the … Continued
Established to protect and manage a huge, one million-acre rainforest reserve, Iwokrama holds records for the number of its bat (90) and fresh water fish (420) species. There have been over 500 species of birds recorded including five of macaw, 24 species of hummingbirds, and 29 species of raptors (including harpy eagle, crested eagle and … Continued
Over the years, the remote desert location of Jaisalmer kept it almost untouched by outsiders. The city is a mix of fascinating culture and harsh climatic conditions, together amounting to a memorable visitor experience. As the sun sets, the sandstone buildings emit a lustrous glow that gives Jaisalmer its sobriquet, the ‘Golden City’. Today, the … Continued
In 1980 Gujarat created India’s first Marine National Park spread over an area of nearly 458 square kilometres in the Gulf of Kutch, 30 kilometres from Jamnagar. Here corals come in an amazing variety of shapes and sizes, from the convoluted brain coral to ones that resemble deer antlers. Turtles, shrimp, sponge, eels and sea … Continued
Although not the largest, Java is the main Indonesian island and seat of the federal government. Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta, is home to more than half of the population of Indonesia, but for most visitors is little more than a jumping off point to explore Java. The island offers impressive scenery with a chain of … Continued
Johannesburg (often shortened to Jo’burg) is normally only used as an overnight stop between flight connections or onward travel. Undeniably troubled by crime issues, the city nevertheless has sights of significant interest. Jo’burg offers the visitor a chance to see the gold fields which fuelled the city’s growth and also to understand South Africa’s past … Continued
The orca capital of the world
