The Great Rift Valley is a lowland region, or depression, that stretches from the Middle East all the way down to Mozambique in Africa. In Kenya, this topographical scar is characterised by a series of lakes and volcanoes from Lake Turkana in the north, to the Mara and Arusha regions of Northern Tanzania to the … Continued
Snaking high above the Sacred Valley the popular Inca Trail leads hikers to Machu Picchu – the fabled Lost City of the Incas. During a four- of five-day trek, hikers traverse a variety of microclimates from arid cactus zone through native Polylepis forest and bleak high altitude grassland, to bromeliad and moss-festooned cloud forest, all … Continued
Forming the border between Namibia and Angola, the Kunene River is a permanently flowing watercourse in an untamed landscape and traditional home to Himba people. The region offers a wonderfully contrasting experience to other areas of Namibia, with the chance to explore by boat and spot water-loving animals such as crocodiles and rare birds such … Continued
The Argentine Lake District is a beautiful area of azure glacial lakes, snow-capped peaks, rivers, waterfalls and ancient forests. Centred around the towns of San Martin de los Andes to the north and Bariloche to the south, it is a wonderful area for hiking, horse riding, rafting, fishing, sailing on the lakes and other outdoor … Continued
Chile’s Lake District stretches over 200 miles from Temuco in the north to Puerto Montt in the south, and spills over the border into Argentina to the east. It is a region of 12 great lakes, snow-capped volcanoes, dense forests, and rich farmland. Up until the 1880s the landscape was dominated by thick forests of … Continued
Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City) is one of Colombia’s great archaeological sites. Accessible only by foot on a strenuous three-day hike through the humid foothills and valleys of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the city’s ruins were discovered by tomb robbers in the late 1970s. Built around 900 AD by the Tayrona people (Colombia’s … Continued
The Marau Peninsula, south of Salvador de Bahia, is sandwiched between Camamu Bay (Brazil’s third largest) and the Atlantic Ocean. This wild, unspoilt, beautiful peninsula offers vast beaches, small patches of Atlantic rainforest and crystal clear rock pools with good snorkelling. The leeward bay is dotted with small islands, local fishing villages and serene, palm-fringed … Continued
The annual migration of over two million animals through the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem is certainly one of the world’s great wildlife events. Dominated by wildebeest but also involving zebras, gazelles and expectant carnivores, its timing varies according to the annual rains. The short rains begin in late October or November, drawing the herds from the Mara … Continued
Little visited by foreign tourists due to rough waves, rip tides and black volcanic sand beaches, the Pacific coastline of Guatemala is nevertheless one of great beauty and major interest to wildlife enthusiasts for its whale and turtle watching possibilities. The small town of Monterrico is set on a long beach pounded by surf and … Continued
A visit to Panama would be incomplete without witnessing this incredible engineering feat, usually by visiting Miraflores Lock with its excellent museum’s historical displays. The canal has a long history, having defeated the French who thought that, having built the Suez Canal, they would be able to manage to build Panama’s. After toiling from 1881 … Continued
Flanked by Andean peaks and rising to an altitude of over 3000m (10,000ft), the fertile valley of the Urubamba River was the bread basket of the Inca empire as well as providing safe passage from high mountain passes to the jungles of the Amazon basin. Today it is a patchwork of farming terraces, small villages, … Continued
In the northeast of Sao Tome is an area of savannah grassland with some large baobabs to be seen. This area is particularly rewarding for birdwatching, with different species seen from those inhabiting the rainforest. Within the area is the famous Blue Lagoon, a peninsula with an old lighthouse joined to the mainland by a … Continued
