Still, if you’re new to eco-travel, ecolodges are a great place to start. Frame your trip around an ecolodge that stands out. Look for places that have gained international recognition and awards for the conservation and community work they are doing. Look for places that meet third-party green certification standards. Find your fantasy ecolodge, then make it the centrepiece of your trip.

Here are a few ideas for inspiration.

An eco-chic lodge at Ecohotel, one of the three 'ecohabs' near Santa Marta, Colombia. Photo courtesy of Ecohabs Santa Marta

Ecohabs Santa Marta in Colombia

Think outside the resort box and opt for one of the three ‘ecohabs’ at Ecohabs Santa Marta, a chic addition to one of Colombia’s most prized natural areas, Tayrona National Park, where lush green forests and stunning coast are just waiting for exploration near the popular beach town of Santa Marta.

If you go with Ecohabs Tayrona or Ecohotel, you get a beachfront spot without any high-rise interference. Or venture a little farther inland to Ecohabs Minca, and you’ll be immersed in thick vegetation against a mountain backdrop.

The #1 reasons to stay at Ecohabs Santa Marta: they’re designed to be visually integrated into their surroundings, built primarily with local materials and include ethnic aspects inspired by the huts of Tayrona’s indigenous tribes.

Click here to learn more about Ecohabs Santa Marta.

San Miguel del Bala in Bolivia

When people think Bolivia, they often imagine jagged snowcapped mountains, dizzying altitudes and a vast white plain of salt. But to the northeast of La Paz, Bolivia shares the low-lying Amazon basin with Brazil, Colombia and Peru. Here you can visit Rurrenabaque, Bolivia’s gateway to Madidi National Park in the Amazon jungle, where you’ll find some of the most lauded ecotourism projects in South America.

One great example is San Miguel del Bala, a lodge owned and operated by an indigenous Tacana community. With help from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and a few large nongovernmental organisations, the group of 35 families built the lodge and provided themselves an alternative to traditional extractive trades like logging and hunting.

The #1 reason to stay at San Miguel del Bala: after taking in the incredible biodiversity of Madidi National Park, you can relax with a weaving class with women from the local community.

Click here to learn more about San Miguel del Bala.

The water catchment system on the Chumbe Island bungalows near Zanzibar, Tanzania, demonstrate the green technology that makes it a certified long-run destination. Photo courtesy of Chumbe Island Coral Park Lodge

Chumbe Island Coral Park in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Off the coast of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania is the hypnotic Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar. Although officially part of Tanzania, the island is very much its own place, with a strong cultural identity and amazing natural assets.

A short boat ride from Zanzibar takes you to Chumbe Island, a coral sanctuary. Here you’ll find the Chumbe Island Coral Park lodge that is using the latest in eco-technology. For example, each eco bungalow has a water catchment system that allows it to capture its own freshwater supply during the rainy season. The water is then filtered and pumped for use.

The #1 reason to stay at Chumbe Island Coral Park: It meets the standards of Global Ecosphere Retreats, which certifies it as a long-run destination.

Click here to learn more about Chumbe Island Coral Park.

Sukau Rainforest Lodge in Borneo, Malaysia

Go wild in Malaysia with a visit to Borneo’s most prestigious ecolodge, the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Getting there takes some doing – the last leg of the trip involves a short boat ride down the Kinabatangan River and into the depths of the Sukau Rainforest. It’s ideally located as a jungle trekking adventure home base.

Sukau Rainforest Lodge has been turning heads since 1997, when it won its first award: the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award. Since then, it has gained distinction from major players like Trip Advisor, Ecoclub.com and most recently the World Travel Awards.

The #1 reason to stay at Sukau Rainforest Lodge: guests can join its reforestation campaign by taking a moment to plant their own rainforest tree.

Click here to learn more about Sukau Rainforest Lodge.

The walls of Adrère Amellal near Cairo, Egypt, blend seamlessly into the surrounding desert landscape. Photo courtesy of Adrère Amellal

Adrère Amellal in Cairo, Egypt

In the deserts surrounding Cairo, Egypt, a desert ecolodge called Adrère Amellal has the fantastical beauty of a nomad’s weary hallucination. The handcrafted buildings of stone and clay blend into the natural landscape surrounding them, as if they could disappear at any moment. This is an upscale retreat with top-notch culinary options.

The #1 reason to stay at Adrère Amellal: with no electricity, the rooms are softly lit with a dozen beeswax candles and the starry desert sky.

Click here to learn more about Adrère Amellal.

Volunteering abroad, also known as voluntourism, is on fire. More and more, all kinds of people are looking for travel experiences where they can serve the under-served, globally. Who can disagree with such noble intentions? In fact, voluntourism is often hailed as one of the most constructive forms of tourism out there.

Voluntourism Economics

Like anything new and fast-growing, voluntourism can go awry. Opportunistic travel companies commercialize what should be kept in the non-profit sector, charging voluntourists a hefty premium. NGOs use voluntourists as a fundraising mechanism, taking more advantage of their willingness to pay than their willingness to work. As voluntourism gains scale in certain destinations, it can even affect local labor markets in ways the voluntourists never imagine. Rightly so, skeptics have started blowing whistles and calling for best practices.

Two Sustainable Bolivia volunteers paint a flagpole at Atendi. Photo courtesy of The International Ecotourism Society/Cynthia Ord.

The economics of voluntourism is a hot issue in the larger debate about voluntourism’s impacts. Where are voluntourist dollars going? How much stays with the coordinating organization, and how much enters the local economy in a meaningful way? If you’re thinking about volunteer travel, these are the kinds of questions that are worth asking. If you’re an organization that is coordinating volunteer tourists, these are the kind of questions that are important to answer. Transparency is key.

Volunteering with Sustainable Bolivia in Cochabamba

Sustainable Bolivia is a registered non-profit organization in Cochabamba, Bolivia’s third-largest city. Here, it partners with 28 local non-profit organizations to coordinate volunteer and internship opportunities for international students and professionals. The organizations span a number of fields of development: public health, the environment, education, human rights, and social services.

Volunteers choose which organization they would like to get involved with, depending on their experiences, educational background, and interests. With its diverse network of local non-profit organizations, Sustainable Bolivia is in a good position to match volunteer skills and resources with the places in and around Cochabamba that could use them the most.

Engineers who want to work on appropriate technology solutions find a good match with Energetica, which works on alternative energy sources in the rural communities of Bolivia. Doctors and health care professionals have a number of choices for applying their skills, like Atendi where they can work with kids with disabilities, or Centro de Salud Cerro Verde if their interest is in reproductive health. For creative types and performers, Sustainable Bolivia has an artist residency program and a partner organizations like Performing Life, which provides underprivileged youth with workshops to develop juggling and other circus show skills.

Screen shot of mini grant reporting on the Sustainable Bolivia website.

The Mini Grant Program at Sustainable Bolivia

In 2009, the administration of Sustainable Bolivia started thinking about how they could make volunteer impacts more transparent. They realized that volunteers were the ones who were working directly in the field, in close contact with local partner organizations. The volunteers could see firsthand the most pressing needs on site at their projects.

In February of that year, the innovative new mini grant system was introduced. It’s a system where volunteers can decide exactly how their money is used in the community, and Sustainable Bolivia has one more way to measure and report contribution its to parter organizations. How does it work? For each month that a volunteer works with Sustainable Bolivia, $75 goes toward a mini grant. So, a volunteer that stays for three months has $225 to use toward their volunteer project in the way they think is most appropriate.

In order to apply their mini grants, volunteers are required to fill out an application explaining their project plans and budget. Then, once it has been approved, the volunteer is also required to submit receipts. This process allows for an organization-level reporting system on how volunteer money is being spent.

In keeping with the transparency that Sustainable Bolivia values, it publishes all mini grant activity on its website. On this fascinating page, viewers can see what each volunteer has done with each local partner organization. You can see a short description of the project, the application form, and the receipts showing where the money was spent. More than an ingenious system that ensures transparency about volunteer funds, it’s an elegant composite portrait of the kinds of activities that volunteers can do at Sustainable Bolivia and what the organization is about.

Blogging and Hula Hoops

I applied to spend time at Sustainable Bolivia through their artist residency program, asking if online content creation counts as a form of art. They were happy to accept me as their resident writer. Once I arrived, I had a meeting with Michelle, the national director, about the best way to use my volunteer time. Their website blog had become a little neglected, she said. I loved the idea of helping bring it back to life. By the end of my three month stay, I had five new posts published on the blog.

Hula Hooping with Performing Life members in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Photo courtesy of The International Ecotourism Society/Cynthia Ord.

As my time there passed, I was looking for ways to apply my own mini grant funding. The mini grant program inspired me to close my laptop and get involved on the ground level. My first week there, I had seen a show put on by Performing Life, amazed by the talent of its kids in juggling, diabalos, and unicycles. Since I’m a circus hobbyist myself, I was especially impressed by 13-year-old Scarlet and her fire poi spinning skills. I wanted to learn from her. I noticed that the organization could use some hula hoops to make its circus equipment more complete, and I started planning a project for my mini grant resources.

With my mini grant money, I went to the massive La Cancha local market and bought everything needed to make high-quality, performance-level hula hoops. I found PVC tubing, connectors, duct tape, electrical tape, and even some shiny decorative tape to finish the hoops with color and flair. My mini grant funding went a long way in Bolivia. By the end of my time there, I had made 15 new hula hoops, which were a big hit with the Performance Life kids.

All the materials for hula hoop construction had only cost about $75. There was still more mini grant funding left. I wanted to donate it directly to Performing Life, but Michelle explained to me that it rolls over to the next volunteer working with Performing Life. In this way, they can keep things totally transparent and visible about how the funding is spent. It gave me another idea – maybe I’ll go back and be that next volunteer myself.

To apply for an internship or volunteer opportunity at Sustainable Bolivia, get in contact through the Sustainable Bolivia website.

“I suggest you take an airplane,” he said.

Maybe his advice was because I was a woman travelling alone. Maybe it was because that bus route had been plagued by protesters and blockades in Puno, Peru, for the past month and bus companies were cancelling trips on that road or rerouting them in order to avoid the blockades, adding four more hours to what was normally an eight- to 10-hour long route. Maybe it was because overland border crossings tend to be a little rougher than the customs lines at airports. Or perhaps it was simply because I was in a tourist information office and tourists tend to seek the path of least resistance.

I considered my options: a 14-hour overnight bus ride or a one-hour flight. “I think I’ll hope that the blockades clear up and take the bus,” I said.

The bus terminal is where long journeys to other parts of Peru and South America begin. Photo by Flickr/Martintoy

I made my decision for a combination of reasons. I bought my bus ticket from Cusco to La Paz in part because there was no online booking system for the one Bolivian airline offering flights. I also made my decision because, with La Paz around 12,000 feet above sea level – 1,000 feet higher than Cusco – I figured the bus trip would be better way to adjust to the difference. I made my choice because there was a price difference of about $90 and also because I had been thinking a lot about airplane travel: its heavy carbon emissions and its insulation from the local experience of place and journey in which I believe.

The Long, Local Ride

That night at 10pm, I boarded the first of three buses for a trip that actually lasted over 20 hours. During the first stretch from Cusco to Puno, I got out my blackout eye mask and my travel pillow. Cold, I pulled out my travel towel and used that as a blanket. I was caught in a half-sleep delirium that lasted all the way to Puno, our first stop, at 5am, when we were all unloaded and instructed to wait at the terminal for an hour and a half for a different bus that would take us to the border.

A 90-minute layover at a bus terminal in Peru at 5am? My ticket hadn’t said anything about that. Crankily, I made my way to the upstairs cafe and ordered a chamomile tea. I sat at a table with the woman who had been sitting next to me on the bus and we huddled by a little space heater. She was Peruvian, but had emigrated to Spain several years ago and now she was home on vacation to see her family and to take care of some paperwork. We shared experiences and pondered immigration laws. As we parted ways on different buses, she called out in Spanish, “The time passed so quickly. Take care!”

To cross the border between Peru and Bolivia, bus passengers walk under an arch. Customs and immigrations offices await on both sides. Photo by Flickr/T-Oh! & Matt

My second bus took me to the border. At customs, we were all unloaded again and shuffled through the first line for an exit stamp from Peru. We walked under a brick arch that was the border and on to Bolivian Immigration, the office I had been dreading for months. In retaliation against the U.S. and its difficult visa policy toward Bolivians, Bolivia requires a number of documents and a large fee from Americans seeking tourist visas. I had assembled my passport, my letter of invitation, my yellow fever vaccination card, two passport-sized photos, a bank statement, my itinerary as proof of onward travel and the cash payment.

When I presented the folder to the official, he leered at me. “Nice photo,” he said. “Can I have one to keep?” I blinked, sleep-deprived and dazed. “Is all the paperwork okay?” I asked. He hardly glanced at all the requisite documents that I had collated so carefully. He took the dollar bills and examined them closely. “This one has a tear in it. So does this one. We can’t accept these. The bank will not take them from us.” Five out of six of my bills were unacceptable. Meanwhile, the bus driver was glaring at me for delaying the bus. Frantic, I rifled through my emergency cash reserves and found just enough bills that were acceptably new.

I made my way back to the bus and collapsed into the seat for a six-kilometres sprint into the nearby town of Copacabana, Bolivia. We stopped, unloaded everything again and waited for a different, smaller bus that would take us to La Paz. That left me with just 20 minutes to scramble down the main road in search of a food stand. I returned to the bus stop just in time to reload my luggage and take my seat.

Crossing the Strait of Tiquina on Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, involves unloading passengers and steering the buses onto bus-only barges. Meanwhile, passengers cross on 'lancha' motorboats. Photo by Flickr/jimmyharris

The Final Stretch to La Paz

On the bus, a Japanese woman (also travelling solo) and I shared a package of cookies and watched out the window as the blue landscapes of Lake Titicaca rolled by. Unfortunately just as I was finally feeling fed, warm and comfortable enough to try to nap, the bus stopped again and we were asked to unload.

What was it this time? We had reached the Strait of Tiquina. Here, I realised why we had had to change to a smaller bus back in Copacabana. Buses are transported across the stretch of lake on barges, while the passengers a ferried in lancha motor boats.

At around 6pm, I was finally in a taxi in La Paz on the way to my friend Raul’s house, where I would be visiting for a few days. His mom opened the door and I staggered in with my luggage, dizzy from the journey and the altitude. “You look like you have the hangover of a lifetime,” she laughed. “Drop everything and sit down. I’ll make you some mate de coca.”

The 20-hour journey by bus from Cusco, Peru, ended with a taxi ride in Bolivia's high-elevation capital city of La Paz. Photo by Flickr/Claudius Prößer

Raul joined us at the kitchen table and I relayed anecdotes from the 20-hour bus marathon I had just completed. “Do you wish you had taken a plane instead of the bus?” his mother asked. I paused, undecided. Then Raul spoke up: “I think you’ve had a more Bolivian experience taking the bus. Bus travel in South America – long bus rides – is a part of life for people in South America. The bus trip you’ve just made is standard for us. Some are much longer.”

Now, looking back, the answer is a definitive: No, I don’t wish I had taken a plane from Cusco to La Paz. The 20-hour bus-bus-bus-boat-bus-taxi ride was a rite of passage into the local experience of South American life. And the $90 savings meant I could buy more local alpaca goods here in Bolivia!

We’ve searched our worldwide network for destinations with the top five natural baths and hot springs that are well worth the journey. Some of these pools have attracted powerful patrons, from ancient royalty to modern celebrities, but all of them are unique natural phenomena caused by geothermal activity just beneath the surface of the earth or natural endowments of salt and minerals.

Travellers from far and wide are attracted to the mud bath in Dalyan, Turkey. The naturally cleansing mud treatment is rinsed off in showers and clearwater hot springs. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Rev Stan

Mud Baths of Dalyan, Turkey

On the Mediterranean coast of western Turkey, the quiet town of Dalyan is set in an environmentally protected area of great natural beauty. Myth has it that Cleopatra herself would travel to Dalyan, and in more recent times the likes of Dustin Hoffman, Sting, Jack Nicholson, David Bowie and Prince Felipe de Carlos of Spain have made a point to stop here. What attracts them to this small town? It must be the glorious natural mud baths of Dalyan.

Visitors will smell the mud and pools before they see them as they contain sodium chloride, hydrogen, sulfur, bromide and fluoride; they are also naturally radioactive. The mud may smell and feel strange at first. Under the Mediterranean sun, it dries on your skin and you can feel it cracking if you move or smile. But once you rinse off, your skin is left feeling fresh, tight and exfoliated.

The mud bath is complemented by pools attached to two clear hot springs in which the temperature of the water fluctuates between 30°C and 38°C, and the pH is about 6.5. Two of the pools are located indoors in a traditional dome-topped building used alternately by men and women. The largest pool is outdoors, where men and women can bathe at the same time.

Sonja Grau, the whl.travel local connection and a travel professional in Dalyan, loves the mud baths. “I’ve been going there for over 10 years. I actually go to the hot springs to treat my rheumatic pains. It really helps. After two weeks I feel so much better and the best part is I can take that feeling with me back home and it last for about two more months.”

Safaga, Egypt, is known as the "healing zone" because its waters have high salt concentrations with beneficial therapeutic effects for bathers. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/MatthiasKabel

Healing Salt Waters of Safaga, Egypt

Sometimes all the natural elements conspire to create an environment that is perfect for the rejuvenation of human health. This ideal combination of sun, sea and sand has come together in Safaga, Egypt, to boost the immune system; reduce conditions like rheumatism, muscle tension and psoriasis; and relieve fatigue and stress.

The healing waters of Safaga have a salt concentration that is 35% higher than that of most other seas due to the extraordinary number of corals native to the area. Bathing in this added salinity helps blood circulation, and the chemical composition of the water is therapeutic in many ways, so much so that the area is locally referred to as the “healing zone.”

The type of therapy enjoyed in Safaga is called climatotherapy and many local spas and resorts in the area have capitalised on the unique blend of rich minerals and healing waters. Spas offer other forms of treatments too, like pearl baths, hydrotherapy, underwater massage and water treatments, while specific remedies are geared to the alleviation of common ailments. In addition to the skin-soothing sea, the local black sand contains the added uranium, thorium and potassium 40 that is said to originate from volcanic craters under the Red Sea and help with therapeutic care for arthritis, skin inflammations and joint edema.

This pollution-free port city is an easy trip outside of Cairo and a popular weekend vacation destination for local Egyptians and foreigners alike.

The hot springs in Santorini, Greece, are volcano-heated. The best hot springs are on Nea Kameni and Palaia Kamen, tiny uninhabited islands. Photo by Mega Travel Advisor

Volcanic Hot Springs of Santorini, Greece

A volcano gave birth to the picturesque Santorini archipelago off the coast of mainland Greece in the area that, as legend has it, was the location of lost Atlantis. Here the surface waters have curative properties and, since the volcano hasn’t seen any real action since 1950, swimmers can relax and indulge directly in the warm waters heated by its core or roll around in a pleasant mud bath.

Geologists believe that the water around the islands has more highly concentrated levels of iron and manganese, and that the waters closer to the active core have high levels of sulphur dioxide; all these lovely minerals are known to do wonders for the skin and help with rheumatism, arthritis and other aches. The mud under the water is especially laced with sulphur, so lather up to get a treatment you would pay top dollar for in a spa.

The uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni and Palaia Kameni are the most popular among hot-spring bathers. There are easily organised Santorini springs tours that cart visitors around the islands and, in some areas where the water is shallow, encourage guests to dive right off the traditional Greek boat and swim out to the springs. After a sweat-drenching hike to the volcano’s summit for a view of the complete rim, a refreshing dip in these therapeutic springs and a breathtaking Santorini sunset is the perfect way to close the day!

A highlight of every Salar de Uyuni tour in Bolivia is the early-morning visit to the Laguna Polques hot springs. Here, steam rises from the spring's surface into the chilly dawn air. Photo courtesy of Flickr/einalem

High Altitude Hot Springs of Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

A visit to the surreal landscapes of the Salar de Uyuni is part of even the most basic Bolivia itineraries. Multi-day tours meander from a train graveyard to the endless white expanses of the great salt flats, then to lagunas full of pink flamingos, and finally a geyser basin full of hot springs.

The hot springs are best enjoyed in the early morning, when the sharp cold of the high-altitude nights hasn’t released its grip. At Salar de Chalviri, the Laguna Polques hot springs are one favourite. Don’t forget your swimsuit and several layers of clothes for afterward; Uyuni is basically a high-desert climate where temperatures reach extremes.

The geothermal activity under the surface of Uyuni creates all sorts of wonders for travellers to explore. Sol de Manana is a cluster of boiling mud pools where geyser pressures spurt up to three metres. Extinct volcanoes, such as the Nevado Sajama and the Licancabur Volcano, rise along the horizon. At the foot of the Licancabur Volcano is Laguna Verde, a green lake coloured by arsenic, lead, copper and other heavy metals.

The thermal building of Hotel des Thermes is set adjacent to the hot-water Lake Ranomafana in Antsirabe, Madagascar. The baths inside are a well-kept local secret. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/Bernard Gagnon

Thermal Baths of Antsirabe, Madagascar

After venturing out to observe lost lemur species and Madagascar’s outstanding biological diversity, head to the central city of Antsirabe to relax in one of its many medicinal hot springs. There are a handful of springs in and around Antsirabe. One can even buy ‘Visy gasy’, bottled therapeutic water.

Some of the recommended thermal pools are found next to Lac (lake) Ranomafana (hot water) in the Ranomafana National Park; the pools are the perfect temperature and one can also get a massage or go for night swims in the complex.

Within Antsirabe, guests staying in the Hotel de Thermes can take advantage of an on-site thermal bath that comes out at a toasty 52°C at a depth of 22 metres, but reaches just the right temperature at the surface. There is also a naturally heated indoor swimming pool. Many of these springs have been in use since the 19th century, when Norwegian missionaries came and named Antsirabe, which means “the place of much salt”.

Here is our selection of five great places for a Carnival carouse outside of Brazil.

Costumes are key in the Carnival celebration on the Maltese island of Gozo. Some take the disguise aspect so seriously that they will conceal their identities completely by remaining silent. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Thyes

Malta and Gozo

The central Mediterranean island of Malta is known to spiral into madness, absurdity and lively celebrations for the five days of Carnival, the most colourful event on the Maltese calendar. The holiday has been celebrated in Malta since the 16th century, giving it a momentum that has been building for hundreds of years.

The small island of Gozo, just to the northwest of Malta, is particularly notorious for its own version of Carnival, hosted in its capital city of Victoria on It-Tokk, its main square, and in the village of Nadur. Gozitans take pride in their parallel and distinct celebration of Carnival, which they sometimes interpret a little differently than their Maltese counterparts.

For example, in Nadur, the costumes take on a whole new level of absurdity, highlighting the grotesque and ensuring complete anonymity. In fact, in Nadur, the masqueraders are so serious about remaining unrecognised that they will don sacks, sheets, wigs and outrageous makeup. They will even stay silent to conceal their voices, which is why the party in Nadur is known as the Silent Carnival.

Each village around Rijeka, Croatia, has its own distinctive bellringer costume that appears in the International Rijeka Carnival, one of the biggest in Europe. Animal masks are most common, but variations include flower hats and coloured paper streamer headpieces. Photo courtesy of Kvarner County Tourist Board on Flickr/whltravel

Kvarner, Croatia

Croatia is another Mediterranean country with a flair for celebrating Carnival. Its all-out annual festival is headquartered in the coastal city of Rijeka in the Kvarner region, which plays host to huge street parties, costumes and parades that draw masses of people.

Croatia’s own traditions and customs make its Carnival party unique, and the most iconic revellers are the bell ringers. Shepherding in the Carnival magic, the bell ringers dress in lambs-wool costumes and huge animal masks. They band together along a procession route from village to village, and ring the bells they wear around their waists. Bell ringers from each region have their own costume and musical walk, but all of them play the same role: to ward off evil spirits. Villagers welcome them with wine and refreshments.

The several days of Carnival in Croatia culminate with a massive procession in Rijeka. The International Carnival Parade tends to be around five kilometres long, with thousands of participants from both Croatia and abroad. They outdo themselves each festival season with elaborate costumes and decorations for their floats. Spectator numbers surpass 100,000, forming a sea of masks, merriment and revelry.

The Tourism Board of Seychelles is excited to promote its first annual International Carnival of Victoria, kicking off a new tradition of large-scale celebration that will rival the biggest Carnival parties worldwide

Victoria, Seychelles

The Seychelles sells itself as a “melting pot of cultures,” an appropriate slogan given the rich blend of influences and traditions that characterise this island nation in the Indian Ocean. It is also fitting that the island aspires to host the biggest international celebration of Carnival worldwide.

This year, from March 4th to 6th, Seychelles’ capital city of Victoria, found on Mahe Island, hopes to attract the representatives of Carnival celebrations from all around the globe to an international melting pot of festivities. The initiative came from the Seychelles Tourism Board, which is planning this high-profile event as a showcase for both participating countries and for Seychelles itself as a premier international destination.

Alain St. Ange, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, told reporters “We envisage attracting a strong and varied contingent from abroad. Pledges of support have been given by several international carnivals and others probably including South Africa.”

The paint and plumage of Carnival costumes in Madeira, Portugal, reveal the vibrancy of one of Europe's most famous street parties. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Jamie Neely

Madeira, Portugal

Madeira is a Portuguese island that has long been a destination for fun lovers and pleasure seekers. The capital city, Funchal, certainly knows how to host a party! Its annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display reaches Guinness World Record proportions and its celebration of Carnival has gained notoriety as one of Europe’s most raging street festivals.

This year (2011), the festival begins on the 5th of February and lasts until the 8th. Thousands of participants will fill the streets in outlandish costumes that rival the most exquisite plumage and glam in Rio de Janeiro. Samba bands will play music in the streets, providing a baseline for days of dancing, singing and merrymaking.

As with many of the Carnival celebrations worldwide, Madeira’s is a burlesque. Costumes are caricatures of famous personages and parade floats are fun-poking allegories on wheels. After four days of fiesta, the revelry finally winds down for the seriousness of lent.

Unlike in Rio, the dances in Oruro never change because each one corresponds to a Bolivian folk story. The Caporales dancers shown above are presenting the story of the Yungueno slaves, and their rich costumes show the money that their slave owners paid for (and profited from) them. Photo courtesy of Maureen Valentine

Oruro, Bolivia

At 3,708.5 metres of elevation, high in Bolivia’s altiplano, is the cultural centre of the nation for the 10 days leading up to Ash Wednesday. During this time of the year, Oruro shows its true Carnival colours with ornate costumes, pumping music and plenty of heavy drinking.

An intermingling of pagan beliefs with the Catholic faith, typical Bolivian dance groups like the Morendaas, Tinus, Caporales and Llameradas parade through town and act out myths from Bolivian culture while dressed in elaborate garb that has taken the entire year to fashion. Two of the major players are the devil and the archangel and when they both arrive in the Carnival stadium on Sunday morning before Lent, there is a battle of dance that symbolises the confrontation of good and evil.

During the day, wearing a poncho and glasses is advisable; local children are out in full force with water balloons and spray foam to attack any easy targets – and gringos are notably easy targets. Also, a wise traveller books reservations in advance; the arid highlands of Bolivia can be unpleasantly cold and this small town of 250,000 will swell to more than double its size during Carnival.

Riders are ferried to the top of Bolivia's El Camino de la Muerte (the World's Most Dangerous Road) using minibuses.

But why – you might rightly ask – why did over 25,000 thrill seekers risk their lives travelling down the Death Road in the last year alone? After all, the dizzying high-altitude outpost of La Paz remains well-stocked with options for those craving excitement; at 3,660 metres in elevation, a walk amongst the sky-high labyrinthine streets and local markets can become a breathless challenge in itself! Nearby, looming mountains and glaciers entice outdoor enthusiasts, whilst nightlife junkies can dine out and guzzle on at the infamous cocaine bar, called Route 36, and the city’s never-ending party scene. So what makes the Death Road so enticing?

Originating at the 4,650-metre La Cumbra pass, the road connects La Paz to northern Bolivia’s Amazon, descending through 69 kilometres (43 miles) of awe-inspiring rainforest scenery to arrive at the sleepy town of Coroico. The road itself is no wider than 3.2 metres at any stage and the lack of guardrails covering the 600-metre precipitous drops means that there is no room for error when negotiating its hairpin bends.

The group of riders takes a break on the Death Road of Bolivia to dangle their legs into the void of a 600m drop.

Sadly, accidents on the road have been commonplace. On 24 July 1983, a tourist bus fell into the canyon and over 100 passengers died in Bolivia’s worst ever road accident. The road eventually achieved its worldwide notoriety in 1995 when the Inter-American Bank christened it “The World’s Most Dangerous Road.” According to one estimate, it has claimed between 200 and 300 lives per year.

Then, in 1998, Kiwi backpacker Alistair Matthew and a British friend raced down the road and revelled in the intoxicating combination of beautiful scenery and imminent danger. He then started the first company, Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking, to offer tourists the chance to cycle down the World’s Most Dangerous Road. Now there is a multitude of tour agencies offering the same thrill, all with varying degrees of quality and safety; no backpacker wants to miss out. Make no mistake, it’s big business, and you can expect to pay the price of a week’s accommodation to get a decent bike and guide to offer you the chance to die!

The author, pictured in protective gear, stands next to the precipitous drop that marks the edge of the Death Road, Bolivia.

Although these days the road permits only one-way traffic and the surface is much improved, racing down it still gets the juices flowing. The road surface is still little more than a bumpy dirt track with large stones and mud pockets ready to catch the unsuspecting cyclist off guard. The weather is also unpredictable; a combination of clouds, rain, fog and dust makes visibility extremely poor, masking the 600-metre drop into oblivion. Even an experienced cyclist would have to have a hard heart not to quiver at the number of gravestones lining the descent, reminding those alive of those not so fortunate. And the deaths have not dried up: at least 18 backpackers have died since tours down the Death Road started, meaning the decision to tackle those precipitous drops should not be taken lightly. One wrong turn, one wayward rock, one unseen bump, and it could all go badly wrong.

So what’s it like? Awesome! The myth-like status of the road, the ever-present danger, the dizzying elevation, the beautiful landscape and the camaraderie of tackling something together with fellow bikers means it really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Depending on the weather and time of the day, you are more than likely to start the descent in clouds, and the sheer extents of the drops and beauty of the scenery will only become apparent as you ride down. When the clouds eventually clear, you can see why the route is not so popular.

Lush vegetation clings to the almost sheer cliff face that towers above and below the narrow lane of Bolivia's Death Road.

The attraction of two wheels means you can breathe in the landscape whenever you like, stopping between the crosses marking those who have fallen off to admire a series of stunning waterfalls and seductive precipices. Brave bikers are gifted some incredible photo opportunities; the greenery stretching into the distance makes a refreshing change from the rock hue of La Paz. Once you become settled, the experience is more of a beautiful scenic route with a health and safety warning, rather than a terrifying, death-defying spiral into doom. Experienced mountain bikers will not see what all the fuss is about, but for the excitable novice, the ride really is a thrill a minute.

Most tour agencies offer the chance at the bottom of the Death Road to relax in Coroico and have a well-earned lunch and beer with fellow thrill-seekers. You can spend the night or get the bus back to La Paz, T-shirts emblazoned with the coveted phrase. Upon finishing – if you are so lucky – spare a thought for the fallen. That’s before the combination of altitude and adrenaline takes you through the non-stop celebration in La Paz! It might be dangerous, but it’s a must. On yer bikes, travellers!

A view of the stunning Bolivian countryside that lies far below the Death Road.

Like the monolithic 'el Fraile' (the Monk) in the Kalasaya Temple in Tiwanaku, some of the statues at Tiwanaku, Bolivia, have withstood the test of time. Other stones used to build the main structures have been looted over the years, but the impressive site is still of great spiritual, historical and cultural significance. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/Fulsen

Tiwanaku, Bolivia

The city of Tiwanaku (alternative spelling Tiahuanaco) is located at 4,000 metres above sea level in the mountains near the southern shore of Bolivia’s famous Lake Titicaca.The area was home to a pre-Incan society that survived from 1600 BC to 1200 AD; it is considered the cradle of Andean civilisation. The Incas that later colonised the region apparently believed that the ancient Tiwanaku was built by the god Viracocha, who rose from the depths of the lake and created the first humans. Hailed as the Stonehenge of the Americas, the monumental remains of this great culture have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and include several temples, a pyramid, symbolic gates, monoliths and mysterious face carvings.

On June 21st each year, around 5000 people congregate in Tiwanaku to celebrate the summer solstice at the Aymara Indians’ New Year, called Machaj Mara. Popular with followers of New Age religions from around the world, the highlight of the festival is sunrise, when the rays of the sun shine through the temple entrance on the eastern side of the complex. Then it’s time to party. Locals in colourful ceremonial clothing and visitors celebrate together by drinking singani (Bolivian grape brandy similar to pisco), chewing coca leaves, sacrificing llamas and dancing until dawn.

The stunning natural setting of Ulpotha is one of its great attractions. The eight-acre site by a small lake at the base of the Galgiriwiya mountains is considered sacred land, associated with Lord Kataragama, an incarnation of the son of Shiva. The area's seven hills feature in ancient spiritual lore.

Ulpotha, Sri Lanka

The traditional working eco-village of Ulpotha is hidden in an exquisite, secluded, wooded dell at the foot of the Galgiriyawa mountains, about a two-hour drive northwest of Kandy in Sri Lanka. The village has been a pilgrimage site for thousands of years and is now a yoga, spa and Ayurveda retreat open to guests for part of the year.

Ulpotha has been nominated for numerous awards over the years and regularly makes it onto lists of the world’s best spas compiled by glossy magazines, television shows and travel websites. Guests can avail themselves of Ayurveda therapies and yoga classes led by practiced experts, although taking part in these activities is by no means compulsory; anyone preferring to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and delectable vegan cuisine can do just that.

The retreat is run as a non-profit and all proceeds from paying guests go to support the locals who manage the attached self-sustaining organic farm and staff the facility when it is open. Other on-site ventures include a biodiverse organic farm, reforestation of village and surrounding land and a free Ayurvedic clinic open year round to villagers (it treats over 100 patients a week).

The statue of Mary, erected in 2001 in Medjugorje, Bosnia & Herzegovina, to mark the 20th anniversary the vision of the Virgin Mary, is located on Apparition Hill, where the event was first witnessed by six Croation children on June 24, 1981. Thousands of pilgrims climb the hill every year, chanting the rosary as they go. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/Beemwej

Medjugorje, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Launched onto the spiritual travel map in the summer of 1981 when six children saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary, the small town of Medjugorje, Bosnia & Herzegovina, nestled in the hills close to Mostar and the border with Croatia, has become a premier pilgrimage site for Catholics. Once a community of only 400 inhabitants, mostly farmers, the village now caters to visitors from around the world.

Millions have visited the hallowed spot on the mountainside, now called Apparition Hill, keen to worship at the site of the vision. The local church, St James’s, offers Mass in more than 10 languages, including Croatian, Italian, Spanish and English, in addition to a daily prayer service in the evening and there are plenty of tours and accommodation for the faithful.

Medjugorje literally translates as ‘area between two mountains,’ and the location is simply stunning, so even for the non-religious, there is plenty of distraction. The surrounding area is densely forested and boasts picturesque waterfalls, vineyards (the local wine is not to be missed) and plenty of sleepy villages. One word of advice: accommodation often books up quickly, so it is advisable to check ahead with the whl.travel local connection to avoid disappointment.

The Great Mosque of Kairouan, also known as the Mosque of Uqba, was built by the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi from 670 AD. It covers an area of 9,000 square metres and is considered the oldest place of worship in the western Islamic world, as well as a model for all later mosques in the Maghreb. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/Patrick Giraud

Kairouan, Tunisia

Situated in northern Tunisia, the thousand-year-old city of Kairouan is often regarded as the fourth holiest city in Islam after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. As the oldest Muslim place of worship in Africa, the Great Mosque of Kairouan (first built in 670 AD) has been an important place of pilgrimage for centuries for Muslims, especially those not able to make the long Hajj; it is said that seven trips to Kairouan are equal to one trip to Mecca.

The name Kairouan actually means ‘caravan,’ which is a reference to the city’s beginnings as a stopping place for the desert-trade caravans on the lucrative trans-Sahara trade route. It was turned into an Islamic religious centre in 694 and only Muslims were allowed to enter its walls until relatively recently. As a result it was seen as an outpost of Islam and seat of Muslim scholarship, protecting the faith against the surrounding Jewish and Christian communities.

Although non-Muslims are not allowed inside the mosque, the doors are kept open to allow visitors to see inside and tours to the holy city can be arranged through the whl.travel local connection in Hammamet, an hour’s drive away.

Ahu Tongariki is the largest ahu (stone platform) on Easter Island. Its moai were toppled during the island's civil wars and in the 20th century the ahu was swept inland by a tsunami. It has since been restored with 15 moai, including an 86-tonne monolith that was the heaviest ever erected on the island. All the moai here face sunset during the summer solstice. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/Rivi

Easter Island, Chile

Considered to be the world’s most remote inhabited island, Easter Island (otherwise known as Rapa Nui) in the southeast Pacific may have become a part of Chile in the late 1800s, but it is very much Polynesian at heart. This World Heritage Site is famed for the hundreds of towering volcanic stone statues, known as moai, dotted around the island and positioned on massive stone platforms called ahu.

Easter Island is also one of the most mystical places on earth, as so much of its history is shrouded in mystery: why and how were the moai built (they can weigh up to 75 tonnes and measure up to 10 metres in length) and what decimated the civilisation that built them? Locals believe the monoliths represent deceased ancestors. Because of this visitors can look, but, out of respect, mustn’t touch. Some experts suggest that Easter Island is an important point on a grid of sacred sites spanning the globe and it may have originally been settled purely because of the significance of its location. As with everything else concerning the island’s origins, though, nothing has yet been proven!

Formed from an expanse of transformed, prehistoric lakes, Salar de Uyuni – the largest salt flat in the world – is a truly jaw-dropping sight. This completely unique geographic curiosity features prominently on the majority of Bolivian itineraries that allow travellers to make the most of their time and the gorgeous highlights.

The combination of awe-inspiring beauty and the rich culture of the high Andes creates a unique travel experience in the Salar de Uyuni of Bolivia. Photo by Javier Ignacio Acuna Ditzel

The salar is a photographer’s dream, an awesome natural grab bag of red mountains, red and green lakes, hot springs, geysers, volcanoes, giant cacti and a host of strange animal species, such as vicuñas, Bolivian viscacha, flamingos and culpeos. Even amateur shutterbugs have tons of fun, taking goofy and memorable perspective trick shots. When the salar is coated with water, it becomes the largest mirror in the world, a vast reflection that appears to go on forever. This is a phenomenon not to be missed.

After running around on the salt flat all day, visitors find special welcome in a comfy bed. As the Salar is growing in popularity, tourism infrastructure is keeping pace. There are now Salar de Uyuni hotels to suit all budgets. It’s always advisable to book ahead, as no one would want to be left out in the cold – literally – at Uyuni’s elevation of 3.670m (12,040 ft) above sea level.

Adventure is one of the leading reasons why people come to this region of Bolivia. Luckily, there are plenty of Salar de Uyuni tours ensuring all such needs are met. Tours range from easy day trips to eight-day expeditions that take you from the peaks of volcanoes to ancient tombs from pre-Inca times.

The whl.travel local connection, Terra Andina Bolivia, has plenty of experience in the region. “For more than 10 years, we have worked to improve our business practices and best meet the needs of our employees. We train our employees regularly (language training, cooking and first aid courses); the wages we pay to our staff are above those paid locally; we always respect the environment and we ask that our local providers to do the same; and we participate in local development projects. We believe that we operate our business in a responsible way, such as the other whl.travel partners, and we are proud of joining this network because we share common values regarding tourism activities.”

www.uyuni-bolivia.travel is the first whl.travel destination in the great nation of Bolivia.

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EN ESPAÑOL / IN SPANISH:

Formado por una extensión de lagos prehistóricos que se transformaron, el Salar de Uyuni – el salar más grande del mundo – es un lugar que lo dejará boquiabierto. Esta curiosidad geográfica única, se detalla enfatizadamente en la mayoría de los itinerarios Bolivianos, lo cual permite a los viajeros aprovechar al máximo su tiempo y las maravillas más destacadas.

The Salar de Uyuni of Bolivia is too salty for much vegetation to take root, so wildlife is scarce. One might nevertheless run into a herd of alpacas or llamas in search of some blades of grass. Photo by Phil Whitehouse

El salar es el sueño de todo fotógrafo, una increíble caja de pandora natural de montañas rojizas y lagos color verde y rojo, aguas termales, géiseres, volcanes, cactus gigantes y una gran cantidad de especies de animales raros, tal como las vicuñas, la vizcacha Boliviana, los flamencos y los culpeos. Incluso los recién iniciados en la fotografía profesional pueden divertirse mucho, fotografiando divertidas y memorables tomas complicadas y en perspectiva. Cuando el salar está cubierto de agua, se convierte en el espejo más grande del mundo, un extenso reflejo que parece no tener límites. Este es un fenómeno imperdible.

Luego de recorrer el salar todo el día, los visitantes se sentirán más que bienvenidos en una cama cómoda. Mientras el salar crece en popularidad, la infraestructura turística no se queda atrás. Ahora existen los hoteles del Salar de Uyuni para todos los presupuestos. Se recomienda reservar con anticipación, ya que nadie querrá dormir afuera en el frío – literalmente – a una altitud de 3.670m (12,040 pies) sobre el nivel del mar.

La aventura es una de las principales razones por las cuales la gente viene a esta parte de Bolivia. Afortunadamente, hay muchos tours por el Salar de Uyuni asegurando que todas sus necesidades estén cubiertas. Los tours van desde viajes por el día fáciles a expediciones de ocho días que lo llevarán desde la cima de volcanes a antiguas tumbas de los tiempos pre-Inca.

El contacto local de whl.travel, Terra Andina Bolivia, tiene mucha experiencia en esta región. “Por más de 10 años, hemos trabajado para mejorar nuestros hábitos laborales y así alcanzar las necesidades de nuestros trabajadores. Entrenamos a nuestros trabajadores regularmente (clases de idiomas, de cocina y de primeros auxilios); los salarios de nuestro staff están por sobre el promedio local; siempre respetando el medio ambiente y le pedimos lo mismo a nuestros proveedores locales; y participamos en proyectos de desarrollo local. Pensamos fielmente que manejamos este negocio de una manera responsable, tal y como los otros socios de whl.travel, y nos sentimos orgullosos de ser parte de esta red al compartir valores en común respecto a las actividades turísticas.”

www.uyuni-bolivia.travel es el primero destino de whl.travel en la gran Bolivia.

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EM PORTUGUÊS / IN PORTUGUESE:

Formada a partir de uma extensão transformada de lagos pré-históricos, Salar de Uyuni – a maior planície salgada do mundo – é verdadeiramente uma vista assombrosa. Essa curiosidade completamente geográfica única aparece com destaque na maioria dos itinerários boliviano que permitem aos viajantes fazer a maior parte de seu tempo e as belíssimas destaques.

Incahuasi Island is found far out in the middle of the great Salar de Uyuni salt flat of Bolivia. Thousand-year-old giant cacti (Trichocereeae) have found an unlikely niche on these islands. Photo by Maureen Valentine

O salar é o sonho de um fotógrafo, um amontoado natural de impressionantes montanhas vermelhas, lagos vermelhos e verdes, fontes termais, geysers, os vulcões, os cactos gigantes e uma série de espécies de animais estranhos, tais como vicunhas, viscacha boliviano, flamingos e culpeos. Mesmo os fotógrafos amadores têm toneladas de divertimento, tirando fotos divertidas e memoráveis usando os truque da perspectiva. Quando o salar é coberto com água, torna-se o maior espelho do mundo, uma grande reflexão que parece continuar para sempre. Este é um fenômeno imperdível.

Depois de correr ao redor da planície salgada durante todo o dia, os visitantes encontram boas-vindas especiais em uma cama confortável. Como o Salar está crescendo em popularidade, a infra-estrutura turística está mantendo o ritmo. Há atualmente hotéis no Salar de Uyuni para todos os bolsos. É sempre aconselhável reservar com antecedência, pois ninguém quer ficar do lado de fora no frio – literalmente – em Uyuni que está a 3.670m (12.040 pés) acima do nível do mar.

Aventura é uma das principais razões pelas quais as pessoas vêm a esta região da Bolívia. Felizmente, há uma abundância de passeios no Salar de Uyuni assegurando que todas as necessidades sejam atendidas. Tours vão desde passeios de um dia até expedições de oito dias, que vão levá-lo dos picos de vulcões antigos a túmulos da época pré-inca.

A conexão local da whl.travel, Terra Andina Bolívia, tem muita experiência na região. “Por mais de 10 anos, temos trabalhado para melhorar nossas práticas de negócios e melhor atender as necessidades de nossos colaboradores. Nós treinamos nossos colaboradores regularmente (ensino de línguas, culinária e cursos de primeiros socorros), os salários que pagamos para os nossos funcionários estão acima daqueles pagos localmente, sempre respeitamos o meio ambiente e pedimos que nossos fornecedores locais para façam o mesmo, e nós também participamos de projetos de desenvolvimento local. Acreditamos que operamos nosso negócio de forma responsável, como os outros parceiros da whl.travel, e estamos orgulhosos de participar dessa rede porque partilhamos valores comuns em matéria de turismo.”

www.uyuni-bolivia.travel é o primero destino da whl.travel na Bolívia.

Leaf Peeping in South Korea

‘Leaf peepers’ have plenty of places from which to choose to lose themselves in a dazzling swirl of red and gold. Despite the name, this is not some seedy voyeuristic pastime; rather it’s the wholesome autumnal treat of checking out the colours of the changing leaves. The New England states of the USA are perhaps the most famous locale for spotting fall foliage, but there other notable places off the well-trodden leaf-peeping path. South Korea is quickly gaining a reputation for spectacular autumn colours that rival its more famous neighbour, Japan. Called danpoong in Korean, the annual September-to-November leaf season is a big draw for locals and visitors alike, and with regular danpoong updates from around the country made by the Korean Meteorological Administration, it’s easy not to miss the spectacle!

Jirisan is considered one of the most important mountains in South Korea and the beautiful autumn foliage season begins here in mid-October. By the end of November, the leaves have all turned a deep shade of crimson. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/eimoberg.

Leafy mountainous areas such as Mt. Halla on Cheju-do Island are the best places to get your fill of fall foliage, but even the capital, Seoul, with its tree-lined streets, has a fair share of wow factor. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Changdeokgung Palace boasts a number of beautiful landscaped gardens that are home to hundreds of varieties of trees. The autumnal explosion of colour makes for a very popular day trip, so be prepared to ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ with up to 3,500 other eager peepers a day.

Fungi Foraging in Belarus

Mushroom picking is very popular right across the European continent when the cooler, wetter autumn months see these tasty little fellas popping up all over the place like, well…like mushrooms. Hordes of pickers head out to the forests, wicker baskets in tow, to claim their bounty. Much like its neighbours of Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia, the former Soviet state of Belarus is big on mushrooming and these fruits of the forest figure heavily in the local diet.

The Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve of Belarus is home to over 463 species of mushroom. Its delicate ecosystem also boasts nearly a thousand plant species, many not found elsewhere in Europe, and a thriving animal population including many rare and endangered species such as lynx, wolf, bison and bear. Photo courtesy of www.berezinsky.com

Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, about 120 kilometres from the capital, Minsk, is one of five national parks in Belarus recognised and supported by UNESCO. Set up in 1925 to protect rare animal species in the north of the country, Berezinsky is a pristine environment of forests, bogs, reservoirs and meadows, as well as a fungi-foraging paradise. However, its special land status means that mushroom and berry picking are strictly limited to designated areas on the outer edges of the reserve, close to the villages. Day trips can easily be arranged from Minsk, but novice ‘shroomers should always go with an experienced local, or, at the very least, use a reference book for guidance.

Mountain Biking in Bolivia

The charmingly named Camino de la Muerte or ‘Road of Death’ links the Bolivian capital of La Paz with the small town of Coroico in Yungas, three hours away. The road has earned its cheery moniker on account of the huge vertical drops, hairpin bends, narrow passes and worryingly high number of fatalities that make it stand out in a country already not known for its road safety.

Despite being described by the Inter-American Development Bank as the world’s most dangerous road, the precipitous road from La Paz to Coroico in Bolivia sees thousands of tourists each year hurl themselves down it. With sheer drops, steep descents, some pretty rough terrain in parts and the possibility of sharing your narrow strip of turf with an oncoming truck, the potential for disaster keeps the punters coming back for more!

A rite of passage for cycling enthusiasts, backpackers and adrenaline junkies from all over the world, the route is now well served by tour companies that provide bikes, safety gear, guides, refreshments and lunch along the way. The five-hour tour begins at La Cumbre, 4,700 metres above sea level, before plunging down 1,200 metres along the cliff edge. At the bottom is some well-deserved R & R, as well as a souvenir T-shirt proudly stating ‘I Survived the Road of Death.’

The mellow colonial town of Coroico is welcome too as a place to unwind after the big-city bustle of La Paz. Coroico is situated on the outskirts of the Amazon rainforest and enjoys warm weather and clear blue skies in marked contrast to the harsher, chillier conditions of Bolivia’s Altiplano. A popular weekend getaway, Coroico is pleasantly quiet at other times, when bargain hunters can easily find discounted accommodation. In addition, September and October, when the weather is cool, dry and sunny, are ideal times to visit, sandwiched as they are between the peak-tourist and rainy seasons.

Whale Watching in the Cook Islands

The Cook Islands of Raratonga, Atiu, Mangaia, Mauke and Mitiaro are ideally situated in the path of migrating humpback whales headed to their summer feeding grounds off the coast of New Zealand and the Antarctic. In October it’s therefore possible to watch these majestic creatures breaching and cavorting at the reef’s edge. As the reef is often as close as 10 metres to shore, a beachside sun lounge may be the best viewing platform, thus leaving the animals undisturbed.

The second-most-visited island in the Cook Islands, Aitutaki is surrounded by reef and and is famous for its stunning turquoise lagoon and endless white-sand beaches. It is only 45 minutes from Raratonga by plane.

Also worth mention is Aitutaki Lagoon, 220 kilometres north of Raratonga on the island paradise of Aitutaki. The turquoise waters boast a rainbow display of fish, as well as eagle rays, giant clams and turtles. Day trips can be arranged from Raratonga on planes that depart several times a day.

Mountain Climbing in Tanzania

Flush against Tanzania‘s northern border with Kenya, just over 200 miles south of the equator, Mt. Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest peak and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world – is at its best in September and October. Temperatures are pleasantly warm, rain and cloud cover are minimal and the views are excellent as a result. Plus, the number of people attempting to scale the 5,895-metre peak becomes a mere trickle in October, which is great news for solitary soul-searchers. There are nine ways up the ‘Roof of Africa,’ with the Marangu Route offering the most in the way of comfort, including shops and sleeping huts. Hardcore climbers may prefer the Umbwe Route – no beds or beer on this path, but the overnights in caves will still seem pretty enticing after a hard day’s hike!

Comprising three inactive volcanic cones, Mt. Kilimanjaro is not only the highest mountain in Africa, but one of the most celebrated peaks in the world. Around 22,000 climbers attempt the ascent every year, with 40% never making it to Uhuru peak, 5,893 metres above sea level. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Muhammad Mahdi Karim

Tanzania has plenty of other tricks up its sleeve during September and October, with diving and sailing on Zanzibar, and game viewing on the mainland all at their best. The coastal winds taper off, which means it’s a good time to hit the beaches near Dar Es Salaam (or even Kenya’s Mombasa), and the drier weather means animals tend to congregate around water sources. To catch the latter, in addition to nearby game drives in the World Heritage-listed Selous Game Reserve (Africa’s largest protected game reserve) or the Mikumi and Udzungwa Mountain national parks, a definite must-see is the migration from the north of Tanzania to the Maasai Mara in Kenya, when thousands of wildebeest and zebra cross the Mara River. One of the greatest wildlife shows on earth!

Having noted the presence of facial hair on some of the Monoliths of Tiwanaku, in Bolivia – an enigma given the absence of beards in contemporary Andean people – Heyerdahl repeatedly set out to test the hypothesis that the natives had not only sailed across Lake Titicaca, but also across the ocean and made contact with people of a different race, specifically the Polynesian islanders of the South Pacific. His remarkable successes have offered one explanation to another curiosity he noted: the discovery of endemic South American plants, such as tobacco and coca leaves at Ramses’ tomb in Egypt.

The ancient civilisations of Bolivia, such as the Tiwanaku, Chiripa and the Inca, were known to have navigated on Lake Titicaca using reed boats. There are some theories, however, that the huge stone blocks at Tiwanaku were brought  to the site on this kind of boat from at least 170 kilometres away. Sailing from the extreme northern part of the lake, the Tiwanaku would either have had to make numerous trips for the challenging project or have built several reed boats for the transportation.

Using the same boat-building techniques and boats, Heyerdahl undertook his most famous expedition, Kon-Tiki, sailing from Callao, Peru, to the Tahiti Islands. ‘Kon-Tiki’ is also the name of the curious bearded monolith which inspired him; it can still  be found in the middle of the Semi Underground temple at the Tiwanaku archaeological site. Heyerdahl’s boat’s sail – today displayed at the Kon-Tiki Museum in Oslo – has a picture of the face of this controversial monolith.

Demetrio, whose hands are pictured above, was part of Heyerdahl’s famous boat-building team. Following successful completion of the Kon-Tiki expedition, Heyerdahl wanted more, so he arranged other projects. Ra I was Heyerdahl’s first attempt to cross the Atlantic from Morocco. In 1969, the boat made in Chad with local technologies and local materials such as papyrus foundered. The following year, Heyerdahl arranged a contest at the small Bolivian Island called Suriki on Lake Titicaca and discovered four brilliant boat makers: Paulino Esteban, Demetrio Limachi and his two younger brothers. This foursome led construction of Ra II, which completed the Atlantic journey; the Tigris, which in 1977  demonstrated that trade and migration could have have been possible between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley Civilizations; and many others.

A reed boat is fully made by hand. As the picture shows, straw is woven to create a very thin but resistant cord, which goes all the way from one end of the boat to the other. A regular boat of about four metres long and 1.5 metres wide can be made by one person in two weeks, but the huge boats, such as those used by Heyerdahl, took more than three months to complete by a team of at least 10 people. The life of one of these boats is no longer than one year, since it starts decomposing and gradually disappears – a fully biodegradable navigation system.

Unfortunately, this ancient art is in danger of becoming a lost art, since only a few people still make such boats, and usually only for touristic purposes. Fortunately, Demetrio, who, along with his brothers, was in 1990 recognised as an honoured citizen by the Bolivian Government, has passed on his wisdom to his nephew, Fermin Limachi, who strives to maintain the family art. Fermin actively participates in important traditional craft projects around the world, such as the Aboras 1, 2 and 3 and, in the near future, Abora 4. You can read more about the project on www.abora3.com.