adventure

Top African Nations You Need To See This Year

Angela Manning Travel , , , , , , ,
Top African Nations You Need To See This Year

Source: Gabriel Le Naour on Pixabay

Africa has always been a continent of contrasts. With so many unique countries and different cultures in one area, it’s easy to see why it can be one of the most interesting places to visit for those looking for a bit of a challenge. If you haven’t explored any of Africa before, this handy guide to the top African nations to add to your must visit list will surely help you make some decisions regarding where you really want to visit and the challenges you may face there. It’s the ideal first timers guide to the African continent. 

Egypt

Egypt may have a bit of bad press in the media due to different problems that arise throughout the country, but don’t let that stop you from heading over there. The reality is that almost every incident is isolated, with increased security and crackdowns with regard to any potential issue that comes up. Egypt is one of the most unique places to visit, with the pyramids, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel just waiting to be visited. For great coastal areas, check out Hurghada, Marsa Alam, or Dahab on the Red Sea coast off the Sinai if you want something a bit less resort-based. 

Take a trip into the Western Desert to visit the likes of the Black and White Deserts near Bahariya, but if you a really unique experience, check out the small village of Siwa Oasis, toward the Libyan border. This small town is home to a natural spring that you can swim in which is purported to have been one of Queen Cleopatra’s favourite relaxation places. Additionally, the old village of Siwa, made of mud and built into a hillside, is home to an old Oracle palace which was often frequented by Alexander the Great. Sounds pretty cool, right? 

Morocco

Morocco is another northern Africa nation which is an absolute delight to visit. Morocco, located on the northwestern coast of Africa, just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain is a Muslim country that is quite similar to Egypt, but with slightly different influences given its time as both Spanish and French colonies. The Atlas Mountain range is a great place to do some hiking, and you will likely have to traverse it in order to access the Sahara out in towns like Merzouga where you can go on overnight Sahara tours with Berber tribespeople into the dunes and stay in a traditional Berber camp. 

If you’re looking for an interesting experience though, why not consider stopping off in Marrakesh to visit the souks – a maze-like collection of covered shops and cafes that take twists and turns deep into the backstreets of the city, offering up almost anything you could possibly want to get your hands on. As an added bonus, you can stay in riads (guesthouses) within the souks themselves, making for the perfect place to stop off overnight. Try a traditional hammam (steam bath) with various types of scrubs if you want to experience the cleanest skin you will probably ever have. For those looking to experience the real life side to Morocco, head up to Fes to take a tour of the leather dyeing vats. Book yourself a cheap flight to Morocco and get ready for a fantastic experience.

Kenya

Kenya has long been one of the most popular and developed of the African nations, meaning many people who are looking for the ultimate holiday experience often will think of Kenya well in advance as one of their potential stops. Chances are that Nairobi will be your first port of call and while some people may not think that it has much to offer, nothing could be further from the truth. With Nairobi National Park offering fantastic safari options, Kenyan Bomas (traditional tribal homes) on display in the Bomas Tourist Village and other nearby attractions including the Karuna forest, it’s easy to see why staying a night or two in Nairobi is a great idea.

If you’re looking for a great safari nation, Kenya is it. The Maasai Mara National Park in the south towards the border with Tanzania is a perfect area in which to explore the wildlife of the country. For the beach lovers, Mombasa on the coast is one of the most ideal places to head, with a whole variety of beautiful resorts and stretches of white beaches with lots of opportunity for watersports such as kitesurfing, windsurfing, diving and more.

So if you’ve been looking for a challenging but interesting trip, consider one of these awesome African destinations. There are so many to choose from, but these three are some of the best with some of the higher levels of tourist infrastructure in place. So book yourself a trip today – you’re in for the trip of a lifetime!

 

Plan Your Perfect Path – Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

Angela Manning Travel , , , , ,
Plan Your Perfect Path – Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro with its magnificent views and eye-catching wildernesses in one of the must-do adventures in Africa. This Tanzanian mountain holds the title of being the largest mountain in Africa and has had many travellers braving its ranges and being filled with pride and wonder when they reach its peak.

It’s the world’s largest free-standing mountain and consists of three volcanic cones, and it has attracted a host of climbers each year from the more advanced to amateurs. It would be a spectacular achievement to reach the summit, so why not make it a goal of yours? Here are some things to consider before taking the climb. Ascend the scree and feel the victorious feeling that comes from Kilimanjaro Climbing:

The Route

Over the years as this mountain has increasingly become more of a tourist attraction there have been more routes developed to enable climbers reach the top. Wanting a challenge or complex climb? There’s a route for you, or if you’re worried about acclimatisation and want a way that will provide you with a bit more ease, then there’s also a way for you to take. Take on the mountain at your desired pace. If you’d like a more scenic path and want the opportunity of seeing various wildlife and wilderness then seek out a path that will offer that. Whatever you desire to see there’s a route that can be taken that will help make those desires a reality.

There are five main routes available to climb: Marangu, Machame, Lemosho, Rongai and Umbwe. All these routes vary in there difficulty and dynamics.

Number of Participants

Whether you’re a small or a large group, or just an individual looking for a great adventure, you can take the journey. If it is just one or two of you, you can join group tours or even have the luxury of getting a private expedition.

There’s no harm in joining up with other groups, this could be a great way of engaging with like-minded people, and building some great and lasting friendships.

A private climbing tour could give you and whoever you’ve come with some more privacy. It can be quite overwhelming for some trying to preserve and push past the difficult stages with loads of people watching. Sometimes just that close someone to cheer you along is all you want.

What sort of Tour would like?

There’s a range of different options available when taking the Mount Kilimanjaro tour. You can have options of what sort of scenery you would like to see to add to the overall experience. You could even have the option of visiting the safaris alongside your journey and get a glimpse of some extraordinary animals from giraffe to zebra, rhinos and more.

Think of the amount of days you would like to travel as well. Consider the risks that come with low acclimatisation and take the mountain at a steady pace for you. You don’t have to rush it. Take your time and enjoy every bit of the journey.

Checklist For A Great Summer Road Trip

Angela Manning Travel , , , , , ,
Checklist For A Great Summer Road Trip

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With summer upon us and the kids soon out of school, you might be wondering just what to do with them all summer long. It can be a daunting prospect of having them home all day, so why not consider taking a family vacation somewhere fun! Even if you can’t afford to jet off to a far flung locale for a beach escape, there are plenty of things you can do in and around your local area, such as going on road trips of varying durations. Road trips are a great way to spend some time with the family for a whole variety of reasons. But how can you get ready for a great road trip that the kids will be talking about for years? Here is a quick checklist you can use before any road trip to make sure it’s full of fun and enjoyable memories you will cherish forever.

Check Your Vehicle

Making sure your vehicle is ready to hit the road for a lengthy drive is one of the first things you should do before any road trip. After all, being stuck on the side of a motorway with cranky children is not anyone’s ideal plan when it comes to crafting great family memories. Visit your nearest Ford dealership to get your car looked at and serviced to make sure it’s running in top condition, and replace any potential problems that may need attention.

Buy Road Worthy Snacks

Snacks are a great way to keep the kids (and you!) happy on the road. It can be long stretches between stops and those roadside services can sometimes jack the prices up a bit, making it a costly adventure to buy a snack or two enroute. Stocking up on lots of healthy snacks will keep your  mind at ease as well, knowing that your kids are still getting essential vitamins and minerals even when on the road.

Pick A Great Route

Routes around the country can vary and you should pick a great route that fits well with your schedule as well as the interests of both you and the family. Perhaps going on a road trip to visit a relative in another county could be a great option for a summer road trip, or maybe you’ve always wanted to check out that one great location in the country but haven’t gotten there yet. Road trips to popular places include Cornwall, the Lake District, the Peak District and the Isle of Skye.

Be Flexible

Flexibility is always a great attitude to have on any family vacation and results in a lot of fun had by all. Being flexible includes being okay with stopping off for lunch, stopping to take pictures, maybe taking a small detour to check out a cool attraction or lookout point and of course, being okay with changing plans slightly on the fly if something happens like an attraction is closed. Being flexible will help everyone stay relaxed and enjoy the experience.

So if you’ve been wondering what to do with the kids this summer and you want to entertain the option of a road trip, hopefully this article has helped give you a bit of a starting point on how best to get road ready for this year’s great family getaway.

Fun Times In Florida – Why You Should Check It Out This Year

Angela Manning Travel , , , , , ,
Fun Times In Florida – Why You Should Check It Out This Year

Been thinking about the next best place to go for your summer holidays this year? Have you been looking for something that you maybe haven’t done before and you want to try something a bit new and interesting but you aren’t sure what? Many people are quick to head off on beach holidays in the Mediterranean or other locations like Portugal or the Azores, but why not go one step further and take off stateside this summer to check out one of the most welcoming regions – the south east!

The Region

The southeastern corner of the United States is one of the most beautiful and most popular areas for holiday makers – with children and without. From the gorgeous parks and cities of Alabama with their own small stretch of coastline to the fantastic variety that Florida has, there is something to do for everyone in this area. Don’t forget the welcoming inland state of Georgia, with its old plantations and estate homes that add to an air of southern sophistication of days of old.

What To See?

By far for both couples and families with children the best state of the region is Florida. Spend a day at SeaWorld watching the various marine life go about their day, or if it’s a blazingly hot day take to the water yourself in one of Florida’s many water parks filled with fun slides and themed water rides. For children of all ages (and adults too!) Disney World Florida is one of the main attractions offering restaurants, Disney themed rides, dinners and even accommodation. For something new and unique you can organise a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas – a chance for the kiddos to spend time with their favourite characters while you bask in the sun on the deck. For couples don’t miss the Florida Keys – a gorgeous stretch of white sand islands in the very, very south of the state.

More Choice

Florida isn’t just all water and theme parks though. From famous Miami Beach where you can kick back with locals to enjoy some of the best sunny spots to Daytona Beach where you can take in the famous Daytona 500 car race there are a number of things to do that don’t involve Disney. Check out Universal Studios – still a theme park but film themed where some of your favourite films come to life (like getting to take your photo with the shark from JAWS) along with themed rides into the magical world of films and TV. Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Centre are two other sights that must be seen, especially for science geeks where you can step back through time to experience the story of mankind’s space exploration including moon landings.

So if you’re looking for something exciting and new to try this year, why not try Florida? The Sunshine State proves to be a family favourite year after year and for good reason. With gorgeous coastline on nearly all sides, close proximity to other states worth visiting and a number of great attractions, it’s easy to see why this is one of the main go to states for families from around the world.

Shahriar Ekbatani on Preparing for a Travel Photography Journey

Angela Manning Travel , , ,
Shahriar Ekbatani on Preparing for a Travel Photography Journey

Travel photography is interesting for both amateurs and professionals alike. However, Shahriar Ekbatani knows like no other how hard it is to travel while also bringing your camera equipment. This is why it is so important to know what everything does, so that you can bring the things that matter, and leave the things you don’t really need at home.

Shahriar Ekbatani on Packing

If you have ever been on a photography trip before, you will know how hectic it is. You probably have a huge list of equipment that you want to bring. This is why you need to start by thinking of a few key things:

  1. What you expect in terms of the type of photographs you want to take.
  2. What the climate will be like where you are.
  3. How long you will be going for.

Equipment Protection

The second thing you need to consider is your protection. You must have a high quality bag in which you can hold your lens, your memory cards, your battery, and your camera. If you can afford it, buy a hard case. They cost a little more, but you can use them again and again and they can withstand harsh climates.

Optional and Not So Optional Extras

There are always a couple of extras you need as a backup. This is where things get complicated, however, because you don’t want to waste space packing things you won need anyway. Usually, your backup will compromise of memory cards, filters, and batteries, but you do need to know how many you need. As such:

  1. Find out how many pictures you can take on one battery and how long it takes you to shoot that much. This will tell you how many batteries you need for one day.
  2. Have two cases with memory cards, one with empty ones and one with used ones. Memory cards don’t take up much space, so you shouldn’t compromise on the quality of your images just so you can shoot more pictures.

Cleaning

You should also have a few cleaning products with you. It is all too easy to have your equipment damaged by moisture, smudges, finger prints, dust, and more. Hence, you must carry:

  • A brush to remove small debris.
  • A hurricane blower to get rid of larger particles.
  • Lens cleaning solution and microfiber cloth to polish the lens.

Shahriar Ekbatani’s Final Tip

While this may not be possible for most people, if you can carry an extra camera, you should. Your camera may be your most expensive piece of equipment, it is also your most expensive one. You can buy extra batteries and memory cards pretty much anywhere. You can even have your equipment cleaned somewhere. But if you’re in the middle of nowhere and your camera suddenly breaks, then your entire trip will be ruined. Investing in an extra camera, even if it is one of slightly less good quality, is always a good idea.

Reasons Why Seniors Should Travel the World

Angela Manning Travel , , , , , ,
Reasons Why Seniors Should Travel the World

Travelling is often thought of as an activity that suits people of a much younger age. From the moment a traveller steps in the airport, they are already walking long distances to reach a certain place while carrying heavy bags. Then when they get to their destination, they continue walking, carrying heavy bags, plus getting in on the action by trying out all the activities. Those things require huge amounts of energy, which may be hard if a person is at a certain age.

But to tell you the truth, that is a total misconception. If anything, travelling revitalises and refreshes the mind and the body. It is actually a lot easier to travel when one is older. It is looking as if the age limit for travelling is just an excuse for some people not to try it at an older age.

Hesitations are understandable, and there will always be doubts when it comes to rigorous activities such as this. So in this article, let us rundown the reasons why seniors are the perfect travellers and a couple of tips on how they can be comfortable during their trip.

Advantages of Travelling in your Senior years

Expenses are not a big issue

Seniors are at an age where their kids already have jobs and managing households of their own. So the major expenses they are thinking about are just groceries and medications. If they have significant retirement savings, travelling would not be an issue. Important things like the travel insurance for seniors may seem to be more expensive because they are older. But a surplus in wealth means that they can afford this and add more to their budget to make sure that they are relaxed and worry-free during the trip.

Travel whenever they want

For the much younger people, one of the major things that hinders them from traveling for a long time is their job. As employees, there is a certain number of time-offs you can take, and going beyond it may have certain consequences. But as seniors, they do not have to worry about things like this. They can schedule their travel anytime they want, weather and health permitting of course. They can even stay in one place for as long as they want, and allow themselves to truly understand the cultures of the people around them.

Medical conditions are not too big of a problem

The major concern for seniors traveling are their medical conditions. This is a valid concern, but we do have to remember that they know their body better than us. They know their triggers and what needs to be done when something happens. However, we cannot just brush this aside, yes? So to give us a peace of mind, go with them to their doctor. Ask if they can be given a medical certificate which says that they are allowed to travel for the length of time they plan to go on the trip. Create a checklist of medications they need to bring for this trip and see if they have brought all of it with them.

A Guide for Senior Travelers

Look at the inclusions of your travel insurance carefully

Pay close attention to the medical inclusions. Make sure that you will not have problems with expenses when you go see a doctor during your trip.

Choose your preferred travel time

Choose a time that can allow you to rest while in transit. To do this, look at your routine at home. Do you like waking up early in the morning or are you the nocturnal type?

Plan activities ahead of time

You may have the budget and the time to travel wherever you want, but that does not exactly mean you need to do every activity you see. The best way to ensure that you remain safe during the trip is by pre-planning all the activities you can get involved in. You may not be able to do a bit of bouldering, but maybe you can go kayaking if the current is not too violent.

Do not pack too much

Avoid bringing big bags for your trip, especially if it is a long one. Pack only the essentials like your medication and climate-friendly clothes. Then just avail of laundry services when you are there.

Traveling is an activity that should be enjoyed by everyone, seniors included. Age should not be a hindrance to see at the world and appreciate how diverse and wonderful it is. So take advantage of every opportunity to travel, no matter how old you are.