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We had a wonderful stay at Dar Tassa and enjoyed every second of it. What a beautiful place and what nice and kind people.
Mohammed guided us through the mountains. He spoke English very well and was very kind and told us everything we would like to know
The food was a highlight: they made us some of the best veggie tagines we've had in Morocco and only wish we'd had longer to savour the peace and tranquility of the place.
Borneo is an island off mainland Malaysia. It is awesome. I climbed Mount Kinabalu (the biggest mountain in South East Asia) while there. I reached the summit at sunrise and got the best views of my life.
While there I also got to relax at some wonderful natural hot springs and visit the amazing orangutans. Sabah contains one of only three sanctuaries in the world, so I felt privileged to see them. In addition, the people are extremely friendly and everything is cheaper than on the mainland - a top spot!
South East Asia
Pinnawella is an amazing place and a fantastic way to see and understand the elephants of Sri Lanka. One of the first elephants you come across is chained up. Yes, I know what you are thinking - so was I - but it turns out that this gentle giant is chained for his own safety, as he is totally blind and would struggle to survive in the wild.
Bath time in the river is amazing and the setting is simply beautiful. I was in Sri Lanka only 2 months ago and it is a wonderful place. You really have to go - they are such lovely people and the country is so beautiful!
www.indiaescapes.co.uk
www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=43
Delightful place to stay, great location for exploring the north lakes away from the crowds.
near Cockermouth, Cumbria
www.escapetocumbria.co.uk
Brazil Expedition is a team that provides guidance and vehicles for many different sorts of tours.
They drive you to Tijuca Forest, a completely reforested area of Rio. There you will get to see all kinds of vegetation, some wildlife, and a waterfall. You can also make a light hike up to the top of Pedra Bonita, one of Rio’s nicest views. There you will enjoy a view of Rio few people have had the privilege to see, and watch the hanggliders and paragliders jumping off the ramp. And last but not least, the Brazil Expedition staff take you to great soccer games in Maracana, the bigger soccer stadium in the world.
They are very professional and language skilled.
www.brazilexpedition.com
tours@brazilexpedition.com
21 9998 2907 (Eduardo)
The Sierra de Montánchez is a protected area of granite sierra, holm and cork oak forest, with well preserved villages situated right in the middle of Extremadura so ideal for visiting the world heritage towns of Caceres, Trujillo and Merida.
The main town of the Sierra de Montánchez is Montánchez, a place famous for air dried jamon and the romantic Moorish castle. The hiking in the area is fabulous, a gorge with ruined water mills, ancient Moorish paths through the terraced olive groves, endless paths through the cork oak forest. Bird watching is a delight, nothing to disturb the natural habitat of hundreds of species. Microclimate in Montánchez so very equable weather conditions especially in spring when the mountain explodes with millions of wild flowers.
Could try 0034 678447876 Information about the area (English speaking)
A lovely B&B in peaceful surroundings - it has beautiful rooms and welcoming owners who will cook a nice evening meal for you if you don't want to go out to eat.
There are red kites behind the house and the famous dolphins to see in the firth at Fortrose, two miles from the B&B.
Hillhaven, Ordhill, Fortrose, The Black Isle, Scotland IV10 8SN
01381-620826
07719-889550
In the early morning, there are groups of people practicing all types of kung fu and tai chi chuan. Many people contentedly entertain each other with music, songs or quietly playing cards. You can also practice with them if you are so inclined. This is another good activity for the jetlagged.
What makes the temple unique is the century-old trees - line upon line of Chinese cypress, Chinese juniper and scholar trees. Some of the cypresses are more than 600 years old. Dr Henry Kissinger, when he visited the temple, stated that while the USA could recreate the Temple of Heaven if it desired, it could not create the trees!
This is a glorious mixture of woodlands, craggy cliffs and ravines that cut through the river Krka which runs from Knin, a formerly war-torn town on the borders of Bosnia-Herzegovina, to the Adriatic coast just a few miles north of Sibenik.
The best way to explore it is by boat and there are several firms which offer such trips. Starting at an extraordinary site reminiscent of a water-crossing in a Clint Eastwood western (it is actually used for filming westerns!), I traveled through a dramatic gorge which opened out on to a sparkling blue lake in the midst of which was a solitary island containing a Fransican monastery. Apparently, all the aspiring monks have to survive here for 12 months before being accepted for further training.
After a 45 minute break and a visit to the monastery museum, our day cruise continued down to the breathtaking waterfalls of Skradinski Buk, where we spent two glorious hours wandering over specially built wooden walkways above the countless streams rushing down to merge in a lake some 40 metres below. An unforgettable day.
Climb Mt Ngauruhoe while you do the Tongariro crossing. Awesome views.
Tongariro is NZ's first national park and one of the first in the world. Ski on another active volcano - Ruapehu - also the inspiration for Mt Doom in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings.
Bryce Canyon's colorful hoodoos (especially at dawn and dusk) give it an ethereal beauty that is more mesmerizing than the much larger Grand Canyon. Geologically, it's not a canyon, but a series of amphitheaters.
The entrance fee is $25 per car and many visitor facilities are closed in winter.
Roughly 100 miles north of the Grand Canyon (north rim) and 270 miles east-northeast of Las Vegas.
www.nps.gov/brca
Tel: 1 (435) 834-5322
Lake Louise is stunningly beautiful, if only you can ignore the enormous and ugly Fairmont Chateau hotel and its $65m refurbishment, the car lot the size of several hypermarkets and the crowds. If you walk for an hour or two up one of the well-laid trails you might get some tranquility.
But my tip, if you're still reading, is to stay on Highway 1, just a few more miles over the Great Divide, and visit Yoho Park across the provincial border. If you can get on the parks bus (book in advance) up to Lake O'Hara, or walk the car-free 11km trail in, you will have delightful lakes and mountains to share with a handful of campers and the lucky few at the lodge built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in Swiss chalet style.
There are miles of beautiful trails and more challenging alpine routes, glaciers and waterfalls, and the odd bear. Bliss! And if you've time to spare, Emerald Lake is great too.
Highway 1 from Banff heading west to Lake Louise, good tourist office for advice on everything. But right next door is Yoho and its well worth the few miles extra
This is a stunning national park up in the Andes in the north of Chile, next to the Bolivian and Peruvian borders. Crystal clear lakes reflecting snow capped volcanoes, wildlife such as vicunas and eagles and so peaceful! A perfect place.
Nearest town is Putre, about 3 hours from the city of Arica in northern Chile.
www.gochile.cl/eng/Guide/ChileNationalParks/Lauca/Lauca-1.asp
This is quite possibly the most beautiful place on earth, nothing but golden sandy beaches, turquoise seas and flora and fauna to walk through. Sunsets, estuaries that will chase you across a flood plain.
You can choose to walk inland or by the beaches spending as much or as little time as you like there. Arrive by kayak or walk in, leave by water taxi admiring the splendor you have just tramped through. If you have not been there then go. Now.
www.doc.govt.nz/templates/PlaceProfile.aspx?id=38455
This is the Government website which is a little light on details but has the necessary details. It is on the South Island at the north tip near the ferry crossing.
Probably the most amazing of the Greek active volcanos (others include Santorini, Methana, Milos). The island of Nisyros is located south of Kos and is accessible with ferry and hydrofoil.
Travelling on the high plateaus of Qinghai with Tibetan and Mongolian tribes, along the source of many great rivers and cultures in the not-seen parts of West China can be a thrilling experience.
On to Xinjiang and the heavenly mountains of Tianshan and Kunlin with Central Asian peoples that have persisted here for centuries. Have a look at the photographs here:
picasaweb.google.com/inveniocataya/XiBeiNorthWestChinaTrip
Cycling is a great way to see Hong Kong in the autumn sunshine, and this film shows you how to pack in rural scenery, temples, local food and even a day at the beach.
If you have broadband, download the high-res version by following the link below; otherwise you can watch it low-res in eight episodes on youTube by searching for HK cycling bend.
Helicopter company Airlift offer a number of flight itineraries from their base in Kinsarvik. It’s a thrilling way to survey the fjord, swooping low through canyons, over the water and soaring above the mountains to where the Hardangervidda begins.
During the winter this sizeable mountain plateau is a cross-country skier’s heaven. In summer, when the snow melts, the land takes on a slightly barren and desolate appearance but a network of marked trails and rest huts open it up as a hiking destination. A popular jaunt is the six-hour round trip to the Trolltunga (Troll’s tongue), a dizzying outcrop of rock where those with a strong stomach can stand and enjoy an impressive panorama.
This is a perfect place for sea-kayaking in the south part of Stockholm archipelago. A lot of beautiful islands where you can camp. You can borrow a map of the area and get suggestions and help were to kayak and where to camp.
Askfatshamnen Dalarö
08-501 501 80
0739-74 10 34
www.dalarokajak.se
The ideal place for fossil enthusiasts. On the beaches and foreshore of Swanage but also in other coasts of Dorset you will find thousands of them.
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