Three Alternative Safari Destinations

October 30th, 2011

The safari, it is a unique type of holiday that leaves every person speechless. Being able to observe the rarest animals in a wall free, wild habitat is one of life’s privileges; no wonder it’s been such a popular holiday choice for so many years. When many think of the word safari, they immediately think of Africa, but the world offers so much more. Here are the top three alternative Safari destinations.

India

This exciting journey takes you along the foothills of the Himalayas, while visiting all the incredible sights of India on the way. Visit the magnificent palace of the Taj Mahal in Agra, then to Kathgodam and climb the foothills of the biggest mountain range on the planet. I forgot to mention the Tigers, Elephants, Chital and a leopard as some of the animal sights you can expect to encounter in the Corbett National Park. This fascinating trip gives an excellent insight into Asian culture and gives you the opportunity to witness the rarity to tigers within their own habitat, what could be better?

The Galapagos Islands

The chain of 61 islands is home to one of the largest arrays of wildlife in the world, with giant tortoises, Komodo Dragons and marine Iguana amongst some of the weird and wonderful animals it has to offer. The trek offers you the opportunity to experience the culture of the area, visiting Ecuador’s capital of Quito. A trip to Cotopaxi National Park is breathtaking, marvel at the world’s highest active volcano or climb to 4800m to visit the Jose Rivas Refuge. It’s then off to the volcanic island of Santa Cruz, where you can spot dolphins and sea lions playing in the waters. Also visit Tortuga bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in not only the Galapagos, but the world.

Borneo

The Safari of Borneo gives you a lesson in culture like no other, allowing you to live the life of a tribesman. The Iban tribe, once feared as a murdering tribe, now welcome you can taste their exquisite rice wine, hike exclusive jungle trails and learn the ancient art of the blowpipe. On your journey through the rainforest, get close to the beautiful Orang-utan, a currently critically endangered animal. Firstly you will visit the Sepoilok reserve, where constant conservation is in place to protect these animals; and finally roaming in the wilds of the Sakau rainforest. Expect to also see wild boar, turtles and hornbills amongst thousands of other species on your trip.

There are three of the best safari destinations, each with their own unique types of wildlife and habitats. Look into other types of safari and see what amazing trips you can find.

Posted in Vacation Destinations

Getting Around in Southern Patagonia

October 26th, 2011

As you begin to plan a trip to Patagonia you might find that gathering information about the area is one of the most difficult parts! In this article I want to help you learn more about transportation in the southern most part of the continent.

First, if you can find a map of the area it will make this easier for you to visualize. Southern Chile and Argentina are connected to the rest of the continent by plane, vehicle and boat. Obviously plane is the most time efficient, but many of the small towns you will want to visit do not have an airport. The area is extremely interconnected by a network of public transportation. I think that using this system provides for a less stressful and more economic vacation, but first you must know a little about it.

Plane: By plane is the more time efficient method. There are two main airlines in Chile, LanChile and Sky Airlines. Both go to all major cities (Santiago, Puerto Montt, Balmaceda and Punta Arenas), however Sky is the only airline that will fly to a small airport in Puerto Natales. Argentina is controlled by one large airline called Aerolineas Argentinas, they fly to all major cities in Argentine Patagonia (Bariloche, Rio Gallegos, El Calafate and Ushuaia). Another very small airline in Argentina is LADE, they have a limited schedule but are more economical (you must buy a LADE ticket in cash while in Argentina, it is a small airline).

If you plan on flying to multiple cities I recommend checking out Lan’s South America Air Pass, it will help you to get discounted fairs all over the continent.

Santiago (SCL) and Buenos Aires (EZE) are the only international airports in the two countries, so if you want to go from Chile to Argentina by plane you will always have to connect through their international airport and pay the entrance fees (approx. 140 USD in each country).

Boat: Historically the only way to arrive in Southern Chilean Patagonia was by boat. Even today the Southern Ice Field prevents anyone from traveling from Northern Chile to Southern Chile on land, you must either enter Argentina or navigate the fjords. The Chilean government subsidizes a weekly ferry from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales, this boat is very economical and for a long time one of the only ways to arrive so far south. There are many cruise ships that leave from Valapariso and will take you to Punta Arenas.

If you want to go further south to see Cape Horn there are many small cruise ships that will take you from Punta Arenas in Chile all the way around the horn and back to Ushuaia in Argentina. Ushuaia is where most of the cruises leave to go to Antarctica. If you don’t get seasick and enjoy spending some time on a ship, you will love the scenery that is unique to these fjords.

Roadways: Most of the major roads in Chile and Argentina are paved. You can rent a car and travel them independently, but sometimes this can prove to be stressful and complicated. I prefer to take a bus in-between the various cities. The network of buses throughout South America is amazing. The schedules are fairly convenient and extremely economical.

You can travel from Santiago south by bus for two days to reach Punta Arenas, but they have regular daily departures. If you want to travel from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia you can take a 10 hour bus, leaving in the morning and arriving later that night. You can also go from Bariloche to Rio Gallegos by bus and from there to El Calafate. Generally the schedules are convenient and sometimes the buses even pick you up from your accommodation.

Posted in Vacation Guides