Global Basecamps, in collaboration with Maasai Wanderings, contributes to a variety of ecotourism and community outreach programs in Tanzania. In 2004, Maasai Wanderings visited a Maasai village called Ilkurot (which means “dusty place”) just north of Arusha, and saw that the schools were in desperate need of supplies and repairs, and there was no nursery school.

This photograph flawlessly captures two cheetahs standing ready and vigilant in the rays of another remarkable day in Tanzania. Distinctively the fastest moving land mammal, these incredible cats are capable of achieving speeds in excess of 70 mph (110 kph) in pursuit of prey.

For whl.travel, a company dedicated to improving the travel experience and the ethical standards of tourism from the bottom up and for everyone involved, it is hardly surprising that many local partners are actively involved in voluntourism initiatives. Here we spotlight a few whl.travel destinations that encourage travellers to get involved in local projects with the promise of a true cultural experience and exchange.

As summer takes its final bow (or winter, depending on which end of the planet you’re standing), it’s easy to think of the months ahead as a bit of a barren travel wasteland. Please don’t! Not only are off-season holidays far from the madding crowd more relaxed and easier on the wallet, but they take advantage of milder temperatures for outdoor pursuits that can be not all that fun when it’s just too darn hot… or cold! Here we put the ‘off’ season myth to bed with a selection of what to do and where after summer’s curtain call.

In December 2007, a global call for votes on 440 destinations in 220 countries netted a pared-down list of 77 sites, all vying for one of seven coveted spots as the New Seven Wonders of Nature. Then, on 21 July 2009, a panel of experts announced the even more select list of only 28 finalists….