Unfortunately, the year 2020 has been the worst of all for all those who loved or had to travel. Many airlines went bankrupt as well as other travel companies. It was the first year when we didn’t travel at all until now. Recently, some flights have resumed and some restrictions eased. However, we can never be sure if that doesn’t change in the near future. In this post I will describe what it’s like to fly during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. I also want to add that the flight I took was not for leisure or vacation.
Ever wanted to visit the magnificent National Parks of the western USA? That might be complicated if you can't drive or don't have too much time. However, there is one solution - we have visited 8 of the most important National Parks in 9 days - yes it was rushed and exhausting, but the experience was unreal. Here's how we did it with all the pros and cons.
It was always my dream to see the Grand Canyon and the other exceptionally magnificent National Parks and canyons in Utah and Arizona, such as: Bryce, Antelope Canyon, Arches and Monument Valley. Finally, having had visited nearly 70 countries, I planned a trip to the USA. We didn’t have too much time - only 9 days and we couldn’t drive. So, the only option was, as a last resort, an organized tour. Something we always try to avoid. How did it go? How much did it cost? Was it efficient? What were the downsides and upsides of such a journey?
Slovenia is mostly known for the amazing lake Bled. Few actually know what this tiny country hides one of the most spectacular Alpine valleys - the Triglav Lakes valley. The purest rivers and mountainous lakes surrounded by silver rocky peaks and karst formations can be found here. Don’t miss this incredible hiking trail - stay a few days more in Slovenia and enjoy the best of what nature has to offer. Contrary to similar places of this sort in neighboring countries (Italy, Austria, Croatia), you won’t find crowds here - therefore the whole area seems even more enjoyable. In this post I’ll describe the trail and how we got here from lake Bled and continued onwards to the Soca River valley.
Are you wondering if it's safe to travel to Egypt? Besides the amazing ancient monuments and great fun, these are the not so great things you must be aware of before traveling to Egypt. It's better to be prepared rather than disappointed.
I traveled to nearly 70 countries before Egypt, therefore I’d had some expectations and thought I had prepared myself mentally before visiting the lands of pharaoh. Nevertheless, many things still managed to surprise me in Egypt. The following part is based on my subjective experiences and may differ from what others experienced. However, I would like to share what it was like to follow the trail of ancient Egyptians - from Cairo down to the Sudanese border. I haven’t been to the resorts, so I can’t comment on that.
A couple of years back, we visited the Serbian capital - Belgrade. And to be honest, it wasn't my favorite city in the Balkans - you can read my post here. This year, we decided to go back and rediscover Serbia again. Not only did we give Balgrade another chance but also wanted to see some other places in this little Balkan country. One of them was the beautiful Uvac River Canyon - a place that can be tricky to get to and is virtually unknown among tourists outside of Serbia. In this article I'll focus mainly on how to reach the Uvac River Canyon by public transport (if you cannot drive). I will also show the exact points of the maps where to start the hike if you have your own car and where the best viewpoints are.
The main attraction of Lencois Maranhenses is of course the endless dunes which I described in the previous post. However, the second day of our trip in the region was no less exciting. The Pequenos Lencois which literally means "little Lencois" can also boast beautiful dunes filled with temporary lakes, rain forest rivers abundant with wildlife, golden beaches and tiny villages. And what's best, it's pretty much off the beaten path and you'll see very few tourists here.
Olinda is an amazingly beautiful and brightly colorful town located north from the Recife metropolitan area in Brazil. The region is famous for its paradise beaches with coral reef pools (see my post here). But apart from the natural wonders, you can also find such architectural gems as the little town of Olinda here. Although Olinda receives many tourists, hardly ever any of them is from abroad. People know only about Rio when asked about Brazil. And there's so much to discover! Take a look at the beautiful photos from Olinda and don't miss it during your trip in the north of Brazil.
Chapada Diamantina National Park in Brazil turned out to be an amazing and unique off the beaten path destination - it offers what nature's got best! Caves, waterfalls, jungle and incredibly picturesque Table Mountains. It's everything that an adventurous person would love. In this post I'll focus on the mountains - I'll show you what they are like and what's the easiest way to get there.
The city of Sao Luis is usually not included in the itinerary of foreign visitors coming to Brazil. It's completely off the beaten path and yet it can offer some beautiful, although neglected historical buildings in the city center and world class, unique natural phenomenon you can find nearby - the spectacular sand dunes of Lencois Maranhenses. It was actually Lencois Maranhenses (take a look at my post about it) that brought us to Sao Luis. We also met some friends that we had known before and who lived in Sao Luis now. Thanks to this, we had a chance to explore this unknown city deeper.
Recife is one of the largest and most important cities in the northern part of Brazil. It's the capital of Pernambuco state which, although offers amazing natural and cultural attractions, is pretty unknown to an ordinary visitor from abroad. I hadn't had any expectations about Recife, thinking it's another big city filled tightly with the forest of high-rise buildings. Even though we were only passing through Recife, having no plans to stay there longer, it surprised us in a nice way - especially the old historical center and the beautiful waterfront.
Chapada Diamantina National Park is perfect for those who love wild, untouched nature and off the beaten path places with virtually no tourists. Besides the world's class wonders such as spectacular caves with clear blue waters where you can swim as well as table mountains covered with cactuses and succulents, Chapada Diamantina offers in no way less impressive rivers and waterfalls. During our 3-day stay in this beautiful National Park, we had a chance to explore quite a lot, however, there's so much more to see and in this post you'll see only a fraction of what you can expect. Nevertheless, those 3 days were more than enough to fall in love with Chapada Diamantina!
The 4th, last part of the series of articles about The Amazon will be dedicated to all those who visit the city of Manaus and don't have too much time to spend in the jungle itself (or prefer an easier way to explore the area). And even those who have experienced the amazing adventure in the rain forest will be surprised how many things you can see around Manaus during just a one day trip. We were! You'll have a chance to see a native, local tribe, houses on water, beautiful lake covered with water lilies with plenty of wild birds and curious little monkeys. But the best highlight of the trip is swimming with pink dolphins!
The Amazon region is mainly known for adventurous tours exploring the wildlife, jungle treks and river boat/canoe trips. Literally nobody would come here to enjoy the city life. However, the capital of the Amazonas state in Brazil, although located right in the middle of the world's largest rain forest, is a real metropolis with over 2 million inhabitants. The city is basically isolated from the rest of the country which preserves the original culture of the native tribes and gives it the unique touch. And, of course it is the starting point and gateway to the rest of the truly exciting area of the Amazon in Brazil.
Right in the place where the borders of three countries (Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay) meet, lies a true natural gem for all those who love adventure and breathtaking scenery. Iguaçu Falls are righteously placed among the greatest and most spectacular waterfalls on the planet. They can easily compete with the famous Niagara Falls or Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe. What is absolutely amazing about Iguaçu Falls is the fact that it's less commercialized than Niagara and you are literally surrounded by the miles of rain forests in the center of the national park. There are around 275 falls and cascades within the area creating nature's unforgettable spectacle that cannot be missed while visiting Brazil or Argentina!
Lençóis is a little, charming town in the middle of a large Natural Reserve - Chapada Diamantina National Park in the northern part of Brazil. Usually not visited by western tourists (in contrast to Rio de Janeiro), Chapada Diamantina is a proof that Brazil has much more to offer than Copacabana Beach. To get there, it is easy to catch a bus from the beautiful city of Salvador in Bahia. And then, Lençóis is usually the first step to visiting the vast swathes of The National Park. This cozy, quiet town with cobblestone streets and colonial architecture is as enjoyable as the spectacular highlights of the area: Blue Caves, waterfalls and magnificent table mountains. Especially after dark, when you can sit down in one of the restaurants or bars when you're back from the adventurous trips in the area.
