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I stood at the main temple, closed my eyes, pressed my palms, and intoned the Heart Sutra. I didn’t understand it, and enlightenment didn’t come, but no matter. I still had 1400km and 87 temples to go. Like most aspiring ‘henros’, or pilgrims, we started from Tokushima, on Shikoku’s east coast. While there’s no mandatory route – provided you visit all 88 temples – most henros undertake a clockwise circuit around the island’s perimeter, with a few inland forays. The majority of temples are clustered around towns, a few on remote peninsulas, and over a dozen perched atop lofty peaks - with the m ..read more

An African safari might just be the best holiday you can give yourself as the exceptional experiences that the continent offers are unforgettable adventures. Once you set foot on its shores, Africa takes hold of you. The epic scale of wide spaces is inspiring, the diversity makes every moment special and the rhythm and sounds of the bush play with your senses as every day brings you a deeper sense of enchantment. What is a safari? The word safari conjures up images of wildlife, vast African savannahs, wide skies and 4x4 vehicles gliding across the plains. Safari means “journey” in Swahili, the ..read more

Is Safari safe for me? As a Professional Nurse, I wish more people asked themselves this before booking their holiday. We always encounter something unexpected when we travel. It wouldn't be so exciting if we knew everything that would happen in advance! We don’t want any of those surprises to be ill health. In the following article, I will explain how to keep yourself medically safe by preparing adequately for your Safari. Safety First, Safari Second… Going on a Safari for most people is a once-in-a-lifetime trip to tick off their bucket list. If you are one of those people, you have probably ..read more

As the world comes to grips with the uncertainty of coronavirus lockdowns, game reserves are turning to technology to give them a fighting chance of survival. The pandemic comes at an inopportune time as well. Nature-based tourism was a rising star that was growing at 10% -12% per annum, substantially more than other forms of travel.  With the lockdown of global travel and adversity for the African safari industry, comes opportunity through incredible demand for virtual safaris. As the world comes to grips with the uncertainty of coronavirus lockdowns, game reserves are turning to te ..read more

South Africa is very well known for its wildlife safaris. The diversity of South Africa's wildlife does not end on land, though. Whale-watching in Cape Town and Hermanus provide the opportunity to see first hand what coordinated conservation action can achieve. These tours also offer exciting experiences and fantastic photo opportunities. Key Considerations Whale watching tour operators work hard to provide you with the best viewing but tours differ in the viewings as in all wildlife safaris Ocean tours do run the risk of seasickness if you know you are at risk ask your pharmacist for tab ..read more

New calls to ban bullfighting have been voiced from the activists – La Tortura  No Es Cultura (Torture Is Not Culture) after Spain's first bullfight, since lockdown, ended with another slaughtered animal. New calls to ban bullfighting have been voiced from the activists – La Tortura  No Es Cultura (Torture Is Not Culture) after Spain's first bullfight, since lockdown, ended with another slaughtered animal. AS Spain enters their new normal phase, more restrictions are lifted, people will be planning their annual jaunt to the Iberian coast as the locals gear up for their prised fiestas ..read more

Topologically speaking, prominence is the elevation you must climb to reach a mountain’s summit, assuming you’ve taken the shortest route from the highest point on the same landmass. Everest is simple enough - the world’s highest peak is by definition its most prominent spot - but everything else is more complicated. For instance, while some consider Lhotse to be the world’s fourth highest mountain at 8516m, because it’s attached to Everest by the South Col, its prominence is a paltry 610m. Whereas, since it’s on an island, Hawaii’s Mauna Kea boasts 4205m of both elevation and prominence, maki ..read more

Clifford Roberts took a cruise and mused about cruise tourism against the backdrop of climate change and COP27 in Egypt. This is a story about a cruise, but it must begin with an admission. I’ve always regarded the industry with some scepticism. In the face of a dire climatic meltdown now being highlighted again at the UN Climate Change Conference, ships filled with tourists cocktailing their way across devastated oceans was something no responsible person should associate with, I thought. Earlier this year, when protesters in Norway called the cruise companies “parasites”, decrying amongst ot ..read more