Travels around the world (JNomade)

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May 10, 2024 — Argentina

The Serrania del Hornocal is a spectacular site also known as the Cerro de los 14 colores, or 'Hill of 14 colours'. This landscape was formed millions...

Humahuaca and Coctaca

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May 9, 2024 — Argentina

Humahuaca is a pretty village where you can base yourself to explore the sites of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. It was founded in 1594 and its name derives...

Quebrada de Humahuaca

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May 7, 2024 — Argentina

The Quebrada de Humahuaca is a 155-kilometre-long valley in the Andes mountain range. It is famous for its magnificent, colourful mountain scenery, its...

Salinas Grandes and Cuesta de Lipán

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May 3, 2024 — Argentina

From Purmamarca, I took a short excursion to visit the Salinas Grandes. To get there, I crossed the Cuesta de Lipán, a road that climbs towards the...

Tilcara

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May 2, 2024 — Argentina

Long before the arrival of the Incas, the Quebrada de Humahuaca and consequently Tilcara were inhabited by numerous indigenous groups. The Omaguacas...

Purmamarca

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May 1, 2024 — Argentina

I'm back in the mountains, but this time I'm confining myself to the pre-cordillera and visiting the villages of the Quebrada de Humahuaca at an average...

A touch of green

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Apr 30, 2024 — Argentina

In the last article, I was in San Antonio de las Cobres and had intended to discover several other places in the high mountains of Argentina. However...

San Antonio de los Cobres and around

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Apr 27, 2024 — Argentina

San Antonio de los Cobres is a mining town in the province of Salta where I stayed for a few days to visit the surrounding area. It was an excellent...

Fantastic landscapes

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Apr 25, 2024 — Argentina

Phew, the fantastic scenery never stops in this part of the country! All this scenery in a single day and two hundred kilometres of trails...

Salar de Arizaro and Tolar Grande

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Apr 24, 2024 — Argentina

The Salar de Arizaro is less spectacular than its neighbour, the Salar de Antofalla, but it still has a very special feature. A volcano with almost perfect...

Salar de Antofalla

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Apr 23, 2024 — Argentina

The Salar de Antofalla, in the province of Catamarca, boasts some fantastic landscapes. This 150-kilometre-long stretch of salt itself has many interesting...

Antofagasta de la Sierra and around

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Apr 22, 2024 — Argentina

A few kilometres south of the town of Antofagasta de la Sierra are two magnificent volcanoes. The older volcano, Antofagasta, erupted approximately 340,000...

Laguna Grande and Laguna Diamante

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Apr 20, 2024 — Argentina

An excursion to the Laguna Grande and Laguna Diamante is another spectacular activity to do from El Peñón. The route starts from the village at 3,400...

El Peñón - Piedra de Pomez - Carachi Pampa

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Apr 18, 2024 — Argentina

El Peñón is a small village in the province of Catamarca. In itself, the village would be quite ordinary were it not for the natural wonders that surround...

Exploration and the Fiambalá thermal baths

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Apr 9, 2024 — Argentina

Route 76 leading to Laguna Brava is just as magnificent as the latter. I descend from an altitude of 4210 metres to San José de Vinchina at 1450 metres...

Driving north and Laguna Brava

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Apr 5, 2024 — Argentina

I'm taking a great leap forward in time! The last article recounted my adventures with the two Thierry in Bolivia in November 2022, and now I'm presenting...

Salar de Uyuni with the two Thierry

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Nov 1, 2022 — Bolivia

Here we are at the famous Salar de Uyuni. Even though I've already been to the salar in 2019 and also in 2005, I had to bring the two Thierry's, because...

Laguna and Salar de Coipasa

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Oct 27, 2022 — Bolivia

Laguna Coipasa, surrounded by the Salar de Coipasa, is a salt lake no more than 3.5 metres deep. It is difficult to access, as to get close you have to...

Chullpas (funerary towers)

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Oct 25, 2022 — Bolivia

We leave Sajama Park heading south. We drive all day at an altitude of over 4,000 metres. The semi-desert landscapes are beautiful despite their austerity...

Sajama National Park

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Oct 23, 2022 — Bolivia

After two days at average altitudes below 2,500 metres, we're back on the Altiplano plateau. To get to Sajama, we had to do a lot of driving through a...

Bolivian landscapes

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Oct 21, 2022 — Bolivia

After descending the Death Road, we drive for a while along the flanks of the Andes at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 metres, before climbing to...

La Paz and the Death Road

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Oct 19, 2022 — Bolivia

After crossing the border, we thread our way through the stationary trucks. A strike at the border crossing brought freight truckers to a standstill...

Puno - Lake Titicaca - Border with Bolivia

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Oct 17, 2022 — Peru

Puno is a small town on the shores of Lake Titicaca. At an altitude of 3,820 metres, the climate is cool but pleasant. We made a brief stop there for...

The adventure continues

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Oct 15, 2022 — Peru

We've been travelling through the high mountains of Peru for a week now. The scenery is often breathtaking, yet we've seen no other travellers on these...

Peruvian landscapes

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Oct 11, 2022 — Peru

We continue our journey through the Peruvian countryside, taking in some magnificent scenery...

The high mountains of Peru

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Oct 9, 2022 — Peru

I continue my journey with the two Thierry on high mountain trails. As you can see from the photo, we're at a pass at almost 4,500 metres altitude. One...

With Thierry and Thierry

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Oct 7, 2022 — Peru

I've been wanting to explore Patagonia and Brazil for quite some time now. So why am I taking to the roads of Bolivia and Peru? Quite simply, to ride...

On the road #2

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Oct 6, 2022 — Peru

The name Sóndor comes from «Suntur Wasi» in Quechua and means «house of the condor». It was built by the Chanka culture (AD 1000...

Cusco

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Sep 29, 2022 — Peru

Cusco has been steeped in history for centuries, having been an important urban centre for both the Incas and the Spanish. Even today, the city is economically...

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Sep 27, 2022 — Peru

Over a million people visit Cusco and the famous Machu Picchu every year. Despite this incredible number, I saw virtually no tourists on my loop north...

Ollantaytambo

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Sep 24, 2022 — Peru

Ollantaytambo is an ancient Inca fortress and archaeological site located in Peru's Sacred Valley. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it dates back to the...

Salineras de Maras

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Sep 23, 2022 — Peru

Salinas de Maras is a salt extraction site dating back to pre-Incan times. The site includes some three thousand terraced salt pans where mineral-rich...

Chinchero and Moray

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Sep 22, 2022 — Peru

In addition to the ancient Inca ruins, Chinchero is also a large Peruvian village. Juxtaposed to the archaeological site, the Spaniards built a beautiful...

Saqsaywaman (Sacsayhuamán)

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Sep 21, 2022 — Peru

Saqsaywaman, also called Sacsayhuamán, is an archaeological site located near Cusco. It was built during the 15th century. It served as a fortified complex...

Q'enqo

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Sep 20, 2022 — Peru

Q'enqo, Qenko, Kenko, or Quenco is one of the most important huacas (holy places) in the region of the capital Cusco. Its name means 'zigzag'. Right in...

Puka Pukara and Tambomachay

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Sep 19, 2022 — Peru

Tambomachay is an archaeological site of the Inca Empire. It is also known as El Baño del Inca or 'The Bath of the Inca'. It is formed by a series of...

Tipón

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Sep 18, 2022 — Peru

Tipón is an Inca archaeological site located 22 km from Cusco near the town of the same name. The site is surrounded by an imposing defensive wall 6...

Pikillaqta, Rumiqolqa, and Huacarpay

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Sep 17, 2022 — Peru

This archaeological site located 30 km east of Cusco is a fortress of ancient Peru dating back to the pre-Inca period. The site was an important place...

Pisac

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Sep 16, 2022 — Peru

Pisac, also spelled Pisaq in Quechua, is a beautiful Inca archaeological site in the Sacred Valley. The exact date of its construction is subject to debate...

On the road #1

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Sep 14, 2022 — Peru

After the jungle in Bolivia and Peru, it's a return to the Andes. Over a distance of less than 200 kilometres, I went from an altitude of 257 metres at...

Tambopata National Reserve

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Sep 6, 2022 — Peru

For 3 days I explored the Peruvian jungle in the Tambopata National Reserve. My main goal was to go to Collpa Chuncho where you can observe the beautiful...

Puerto Maldonado

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Sep 4, 2022 — Peru

In Puerto Maldonado, I stayed at this small lodge before taking a trip into the jungle of the Tambopata National Reserve. It was a very quiet stay as...

The far north of Bolivia

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Aug 28, 2022 — Bolivia

The far north of Bolivia was interesting despite the oppressive heat, humidity and dust on the roads. With temperatures hovering around 35 degrees Celsius...

Trinidad to Guayaramerín

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Aug 23, 2022 — Bolivia

Travelling through the Amazon basin, I thought I was going to be riding on beautiful roads surrounded by lush rainforest and exotic animals. My experience...

Santiago de Chiquitos

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Aug 15, 2022 — Bolivia

Chochís

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Aug 12, 2022 — Bolivia

Chochís is a small village of a few hundred inhabitants located in the province of Chiquitos. The name Chochís comes from a plant used for its textile...

Jesuit Mission Circuit

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Aug 10, 2022 — Bolivia

The seven Jesuit missions on this circuit were forgotten for over two centuries. In 1986, the release of the film The Mission, starring Robert de Niro...

On the road #1

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Aug 8, 2022 — Bolivia

Santa Cruz has a population of about 1.9 million (3.8 million for the whole metropolitan area). It lies at the foot of the Andes Mountains, in the llanos...

From Culpina to Ipati via backcountry roads

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Aug 5, 2022 — Bolivia

After three weeks in Tarija, I hit the road again in the Bolivian backcountry. I passed through roads not often used by travellers. In a few days, I drive...

Tarija and its surroundings

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Jul 20, 2022 — Bolivia

On the way out of the Cordillera de Sama, there are impressive views of the villages of San Lorenzo, Rancho Norte, San Mateo and the city of Tarija in...

Cordillera de Sama Biological Reserve

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Jul 11, 2022 — Bolivia

The itinerary I had chosen for visiting the Cordillera de Sama Biological Reserve turned out to be more complicated than anticipated. I had planned to...

Cruce de Rocillas - Mecoya - Cañas Loop

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Jul 10, 2022 — Bolivia

Small loop in the far south of the country, in the department of Tarija...

Padcaya and the Reserva Nacional de Flora y Fauna Tariquía

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Jul 9, 2022 — Bolivia

The trail to the Tariquía Reserva climb about 1000 metres from the village of Padcaya to the start of the reserve itself. I already added this place...

El Valle de la Concepción

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Jul 7, 2022 — Bolivia

The Valle de la Concepción is the heart of the Bolivian wine region. In order to taste some of the country wines, I stopped in the village of Uriondo...

Yacuiba and Aguaragüe National Park

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Jul 6, 2022 — Bolivia

After my stay in Salta, Argentina, I head directly to Bolivia passing through the border at Yacuiba (Bolivia) and Professor Salvador Mazza (Argentina)...

Salta

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Jul 1, 2022 — Argentina

Salta is the capital of the Salta Province in northwestern Argentina. The city, nicknamed Salta la Linda (Salta, the beautiful), is known to have preserved...

Cuesta del Obispo and Quebrada de Escoipe

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Jun 28, 2022 — Argentina

The Cuesta del Obispo is a portion of the road between Cachi and Salta with a length of about 20 kilometres. It peaks near the Piedra del Molino at an...

Cachi and its surroundings

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Jun 26, 2022 — Argentina

After leaving Los Cardones Park, on the way to Cachi, this mirador offers nice views on the mountains. Cachi is a pretty village in the Valles Calchaquíes...

Parque Nacional Los Cardones

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Jun 24, 2022 — Argentina

Los Cardones National Park, near the towns of Cachi and Payogasta, was created in 1996 to protect various biomes located at altitudes between 2,600 and...

Seclantás and the Camino de los Colorados

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Jun 23, 2022 — Argentina

The small village of Seclantás is within the Valles Calchaquíes along Ruta 40. Its population is only around 300 people. This road takes its name from...

Molinos and its surroundings

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Jun 22, 2022 — Argentina

I leave Angastaco and I continue driving on Ruta 40 in the direction of Molinos. I reach the small village of Molinos around noon. Once there, I notice...

Angastaco et la Quebrada de las Flechas

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Jun 21, 2022 — Argentina

Ruta 40 from Cafayate to Molinos is a real treat for the eyes. The landscapes are fantastic and every time one thinks he has seen the best, he is wrong...

Cafayate

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Jun 19, 2022 — Argentina

Cafayate is a small town in the Valles Calchaquíes whose region is famous for the quality of its wine. The most well-known wine is the torrontés, a...

Quebrada de las Conchas (Cafayate)

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Jun 17, 2022 — Argentina

Quebrada de las Conchas, also known under the name Quebrada de Cafayate is a magnificent canyon located in the Valles Calchaquíes near Cafayate. The...

Ruinas de los Quilmes

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Jun 16, 2022 — Argentina

The ruins of Quilmes, also called the Sacred City of the Quilmes, is located at the foot of the Cerro Alto del Rey some 60 kilometres south of Cafayate...

Amaicha del Valle - Museo Pachamama

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Jun 15, 2022 — Argentina

The Pachamama Museum in Amaicha del Valle is an interesting curiosity located on the way between Tafi del Valle and Cafayate. The museum offers four rooms...

Tafi del Valle and El Mollar

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Jun 12, 2022 — Argentina

The road from San Miguel de Tucumán goes through the spectacular gorge of the Los Sosas River. It sneaks it way along the river through a dense subtropical...

From Andalgalá to San Miguel de Tucumán

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Jun 11, 2022 — Argentina

A few kilometres after the city of Andalgalá, I drive to the mountains via the Cuesta la Chilca. The word cuesta can be translated as 'slope' 'hill'...

From Hualfín to Andalgalá

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Jun 9, 2022 — Argentina

One of the attractions of the region is los Termas de Hualfín. It is a very basic place surrounded by fantastic scenery. On the site, it is possible...

Trip to the Laguna Blanca

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Jun 8, 2022 — Argentina

Small trip from Villa Vil to the Laguna Blanca in the reserve of the same name. This reserve became a biosphere reserve in 1982. It protects several brackish...

Villa Vil - Homemade bread

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Jun 7, 2022 — Argentina

With the family where I stayed during my time in Villa Vil, I had the opportunity to learn about making bread in a traditional oven. Before the pandemic...

Villa Vil

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Jun 6, 2022 — Argentina

Villa Vil is a small village of about 500 people in the province of Catamarca. It is the ideal base for a trek to see Los Castillos, a spectacular rock...

On the road #3

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Jun 4, 2022 — Argentina

The town of Tinogasta is quite forgettable, but to the north, there are some old adobe (mud brick hardened in the sun) buildings worth a visit. The Oratorio...

On the road #2

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Jun 1, 2022 — Argentina

Here are some photos of interesting sites along the way. The archeological site of Hualco dates from around DC 700 to 1000. It predates the arrival of...

Mejicana Mine

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May 31, 2022 — Argentina

From the town of Famatina, 35 km north of Chilecito, a trail leads to the Mejicana Mine (station 9). The mine's entrance is located there, at an altitude...

Chilecito

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May 30, 2022 — Argentina

Chilecito, at the foot of the Sierra Famatina with its peaks over 6000 metres, is an old mining town with an abandoned cableway linking the city to the...

Parque Nacional Talampaya

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May 25, 2022 — Argentina

Talampaya is another spectacular park next to Ischigualasto Park. The main appeal of the place is the Talampaya Canyon with its vertical walls nearly...

Parque Provincial Ischigualasto

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May 23, 2022 — Argentina

The Ischigualasto Park, also known as Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the year 2000. It contains a variety...

Road from Barreal to Calingasta

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May 18, 2022 — Argentina

In Barreal, I met again my Argentinian friends Christian and Silvina. It was Silvina birthday on that beautiful autumn day, and we lunched together on...

El Leoncito National Park

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May 16, 2022 — Argentina

The El Leoncito Park offers magnificent mountain landscapes in a semi desertic environment. There are a few nice treks available, and two observatories...

Paso Internacional Los Libertadores

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May 12, 2022 — Argentina

From Uspallata, the road to Chile leads to the Paso Internacional Los Libertadores, a mountain pass linking Argentina and Chile. The old road climbs to...

Uspallata and around

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May 11, 2022 — Argentina

The name is quite simple and means the 'hill with seven colours.' A trail that goes to Mendoza. I drove the first half of it to enjoy the scenery. The...

Road from Villavicencio to Uspallata

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May 10, 2022 — Argentina

The road crossing the Villavicencio private reserve is an ancient way that linked Buenos Aires to Santiago de Chile during the colonial days. The Hotel...

On the road #1

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May 8, 2022 — Argentina

In the middle of nowhere, this huge Christo Rey appears on a hill. From the statue, the view on the plain and the Andes mountains is fantastic...

Potrerillos

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May 6, 2022 — Argentina

Construction of the Potrerillos Reservoir was finished in 2002 in order to provide hydroelectric power to Mendoza. It is located in the beautiful foothills...

Manzano Histórico

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May 4, 2022 — Argentina

The tiny village of Manzano Histórico, located at the foot of the Andes Mountains, protects fantastic scenery and rivers with pure water. It also has...

Reserva natural Bosques Telteca

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May 1, 2022 — Argentina

First travel day after the pandemic. I visit the Reserva natural y cultural Bosques Telteca, also known under the name Altos Limpios. The reserva protects...

Two years later - Palmira, Mendoza

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Apr 20, 2022 — Argentina

Finally, it's time to travel again! After 2 years, 2 months, and 21 days, I once more set foot in South America in order to continue my trip that began...

COVID-19 pandemic... In Quebec for 2 years, 2 months and 21 days.

Santiago de Chile

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Dec 23, 2019 — Chile

During the Christmas and New Year's holiday season, I stayed in Santiago, the capital of Chile. In fact, I stayed there almost a month to relax and essentially...

Pingüino de Humboldt National Reserve

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Dec 21, 2019 — Chile

This village is one of the two access points for a visit of the Pingüino de Humboldt Reserve. From this place, it is possible to take a tour boat to...

Pacific Coast - part 2

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Dec 19, 2019 — Chile

After my journey to the Nevado de Tres Cruces Park, I return to the coast for a few days.You will find that even though beaches in Chile are sometimes...

Nevado de Tres Cruces National Park

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Dec 17, 2019 — Chile

The park Nevado de Tres Cruces is one of the hardest to reach in Chile due to its remoteness, and the lack of services in its surroundings.I successfully...

Pacific Coast - part 1

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Dec 15, 2019 — Chile

Scenery along the coast...

From San Pedro to the coast

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Dec 12, 2019 — Chile

Chacabuco was a mining town at the time of the saltpetre-produced nitrate boom. It once sheltered up to 5,000 people, but it is now a ghost town with...

Back in San Pedro de Atacama

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Dec 11, 2019 — Chile

After a detour through Bolivia, I am back in San Pedro to visit the last popular sites around town. The town in itself is not very interesting, but the...

Lagunas Route - Going back to San Pedro

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Dec 9, 2019 — Bolivia

Here we go, all good things have an end... After a superb week with Caroline, it's time to part ways. I go back to San Pedro in Chile while Caroline continues...

Uyuni - Train Graveyard

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Dec 5, 2019 — Bolivia

My journey with a partner ended in Uyuni, a small town right next to the salar. Next to the town, a nice train graveyard can be visited...

Salar de Uyuni

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Dec 3, 2019 — Bolivia

With Caroline, the second leg of our journey in Bolivia was to drive on the Salar de Uyuni, the biggest salt flat in the world. It was an awesome experience...

Lagunas Route

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Nov 30, 2019 — Bolivia

Here we are, in Bolivia, in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve. Caroline and I just started the famous Ruta de las Lagunas. The altitude...

Meeting bikers

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Nov 28, 2019 — Chile

In San Pedro de Atacama, in the Chilean desert, I met Steve and Priscilla, a couple from California. They bought motorbikes in Peru and want to go down...

Laguna Chaxa

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Nov 25, 2019 — Chile

In the middle of the Atacama Salt Flat, the Laguna Chaxa is one of the most visited sites near San Pedro. In the morning, numerous tourists gather to...

Excursions around San Pedro de Atacama

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Nov 21, 2019 — Chile

The region around San Pedro de Atacama is bursting with fantastic landscapes. During about a week, I make excursions for discovering high mountains, and...

El Tatio to San Pedro de Atacama

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Nov 20, 2019 — Chile

Looking at the map, you will notice I made a big detour through the city of Calama after leaving the El Tatio Geysers. I was not in need of any supply...

El Tatio Geysers

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Nov 18, 2019 — Chile

The El Tatio Geysers are a very popular attraction visited from San Pedro de Atacama. Over an area of 10 km2, one can admire numerous geysers, steaming...

Backcountry route to El Tatio

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Nov 17, 2019 — Chile

I am now heading in the backcountry and the high mountains of the Andes Mountains. I am still in the great Desert of Atacama which still offers me superb...

La Noria and the Pintados Geoglyphs

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Nov 16, 2019 — Chile

La Noria is another oficina salitrera, a mining town where lives were revolving around digging for saltpetre used in nitrate plants.Nowadays, there are...

Humberstone and Santa Laura

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Nov 14, 2019 — Chile

Nowadays, Humberstone is an interesting ghost town. In its heyday, it was a lively town with a grand theatre, a large swing pool, a ballroom, a school...

Protests in Chile

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Nov 12, 2019 — Chile

Surprise! It is a national protest day in Chile. All around the country, the main roads have been blocked for many hours.I am at the entrance of the village...

Iquique to Pisagua

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Nov 11, 2019 — Chile

Following the breakdown of my motorbike in the Huasco salt flat, members of the group offered me to stay a few days in their bunker. One of theirs, with...

More awesomeness in the north

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Nov 7, 2019 — Chile

Small church lost in the middle of nowhere. There was nobody around the place. The village of Isluga is vacant during a large portion of the year. It...

Salar de Surire

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Nov 6, 2019 — Chile

Salar de Surire Natural Monument is an enormous salt flat (with borax) located at an altitude of 4245 metres. It is almost entirely contained within the...

Las Vicuñas National Reserve

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Nov 5, 2019 — Chile

I continue to drive in this reserve located directly south of the Lauca National Park. It is a region with fantastic landscapes.Curiously, I didn't see...

Lauca National Park

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Nov 3, 2019 — Chile

Starting from Putre, I begin several days of an expedition in the high mountains of northern Chile. I will pass through several parks and salars (salt...

Exploring Northern Chile

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Nov 1, 2019 — Chile

From Arica, I did a few excursions in the backcountry, but without reaching the highlands. My first loop was on the route called the Missions Road, then...

Arica and around

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Oct 29, 2019 — Chile

After an easy crossing at the border, my first stop is Arica. Even with a population of 233,000 inhabitants, the city is pleasant and calm. It is a very...

Pacific Coast - part 5

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Oct 20, 2019 — Peru

While stopping close to the ocean, I stumbled upon this peculiar fishing area. I don't know which kind of shell they are, but I think it was fairly excessive...

From Nazca to the coast

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Oct 19, 2019 — Peru

After Nazca, I make a detour towards the mountains before going back to the coast. I want to see a fairly rare species of animal; the guanaco. I visited...

Paracas National Reserve

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Oct 16, 2019 — Peru

The first time I passed through the village of El Chaco, gateway to the Paracas National Reserve, I saw way too many tourists for my taste and I was completely...

Cañon de los Perdidos

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Oct 14, 2019 — Peru

The cañon de los Perdidos is often translated as the Lost Canyon, but I prefer the name Canyon of the Lost People. Indeed, before reaching the region...

Ancient civilizations around Nazca

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Oct 13, 2019 — Peru

The site of Cahuachi was an important ceremonial centre of the Nazca culture, from AD 1 to 500.The site of 1.5 km2 contains more than 40 mounds topped...

Nazca and Palpa Lines

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Oct 12, 2019 — Peru

This small museum is dedicated to Maria Reiche, an archeologist and mathematician who devoted a large part of her life to the study and conservation of...

Pacific Coast - part 4

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Oct 6, 2019 — Peru

Tambo Colorado has been a military and urban administrative centre around AD 1140 and 1532.The complex was built with adobe bricks following the tradition...

Huancavelica and the Santa Barabara Mine

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Oct 2, 2019 — Peru

Huancavelica is an old mining town founded in 1571. The main resources of the region were mercury and silver. When the mine was operating, the town has...

Central Highlands - part 2

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Oct 1, 2019 — Peru

This itinerary of 220 kilometres was very interesting since there were so many llamas in the fields (especially near the Nor Yauyos-Cochas Reserve). At...

Vilca, Huancaya, and Vitis

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Sep 29, 2019 — Peru

Vilca, as the two other villages shown in this post, is located in the Nor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape Reserve.It is a pretty and quiet village where the...

Nor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape Reserve

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Sep 27, 2019 — Peru

The Nor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape Reserve protects a mix of magnificent snowy mountains, bright blue-green lakes, canyons, and rivers.It's not a hidden...

Central Highlands - part 1

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Sep 26, 2019 — Peru

After more than one week in Lima, I am heading to the Central Highlands. From San Mateo, I leave the main road behind and head into the outback.It was...

Pacific Coast - part 3

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Sep 19, 2019 — Peru

Back on the coast after a few weeks in the mountains. The archeological site of Cerro Sechín dates from 1600 BC, and was discovered in 1937.The main...

Cordillera Blanca

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Sep 14, 2019 — Peru

After the canyons, I took a few days off in the town of Caraz.From my hotel room, I was seeing the Cordillera Blanca. A magnificent show just after sunset...

Driving magnificent canyons

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Sep 10, 2019 — Peru

In the region I am about to visit, the most famous canyon is Cañon del Pato or, in English, Canyon of the Duck. However, before reaching that canyon...

Mountain Roads

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Sep 8, 2019 — Peru

One of my favourite activities; no history to read, no need to speak a foreign language, no schedule to follow...Just the simple pleasure of driving my...

Ruins around Huamachuco

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Sep 6, 2019 — Peru

Around Huamachuco, three sites are worth a visit if you like ruins from ancient civilizations. Even if you don't like ruins, I recommend a quick visit...

On the way to Huamachuco

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Sep 5, 2019 — Peru

A nice drive in the Andean Mountains over a distance of about 150 kilometres.The altitude is around 2750 metres. Second day driving toward Huamachuco...

Polloc Church

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Sep 3, 2019 — Peru

The church, also known as Santuario Virgen del Rosario de Polloc, is also a very interesting excursion around Cajamarca.It is one of the nicest churches...

Excursions around Cajamarca

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Sep 2, 2019 — Peru

Cumbemayo is an astounding example of pre-Inca engineering. This aqueduct, built more than 2000 years ago, extends over an incredible length of 9 kilometres...

Cajamarca

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Sep 1, 2019 — Peru

Now it is time to leave the coast and to head into the Andes Mountains.After the grey sky of the coast, the pure air, blue sky, and awesome landscapes...

Ancient civilizations around Trujillo

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Aug 30, 2019 — Peru

El Brujo consists of three different structures (huaca), with one that is especially impressive for its mural reliefs.The complex was mainly used from...

Pacific Coast - part 2

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Aug 28, 2019 — Peru

Pimentel is a nice coastal village located 12 km from Chiclayo. During the high season, its beaches are busy with numerous locals. The beach is suitable...

Ancient civilizations around Chiclayo

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Aug 24, 2019 — Peru

The Sicán culture thrived in the Lambayeque region from AD 750 to 1375. The Nation Museum of Sicán shows some beautiful golden artefacts from that culture...

Pacific Coast - part 1

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Aug 22, 2019 — Peru

The Pacific Coast of Northern Peru is a mix of beauty and horror. There are few nice villages and small towns with nice beaches, but the majority of the...

An awesome country

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Aug 20, 2019 — Ecuador

After three months in Ecuador, the country is now one of my favourite. I like everything in this small country; the mountains, the markets, the villages...

Road to Zaruma

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Aug 19, 2019 — Ecuador

It's the end of my visit in Ecuador. I am heading toward the small town of Zaruma for a night, and the next day, I will cross the border and enter Peru.Curiously...

Cajas National Park

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Aug 16, 2019 — Ecuador

The Cajas National Park, only 30 kilometres from Cuenca, is a vast mountainous area of páramo and glacial lakes. This very wet and foggy region is considered...

Cuenca and the surroundings

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Aug 14, 2019 — Ecuador

Cuenca is one of the most beautiful cities in Ecuador after Quito. The capital is more impressive, but it's not a city where I would like to live since...

Baños and the surroundings

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Aug 8, 2019 — Ecuador

I am now driving towards the town of Baños.As usual, instead of going by a fast-paved road, I drove some small mountain roads in order to enjoy the scenery...

On the road #2

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Aug 5, 2019 — Ecuador

A nice excursion near Otavalo is to go to the Lagunas de Mojanda at an altitude of 3720 metres. A popular place of interest is to visit the Mitad del...

Otavalo

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Aug 3, 2019 — Ecuador

Otavalo is famous for its legendary craft market. If someone wants to buy a souvenir from Ecuador, it's the place to come. But watch out, bargaining is...

On the road #1

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Aug 1, 2019 — Ecuador

Mindo is a small village known for the number of bird species in its surroundings; more than 400 have been observed. However, during the nice season...

Quito

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Jul 20, 2019 — Ecuador

Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is located in spectacular scenery at an altitude of 2800 metres, surrounded by lovely mountains. The “Old Town”...

Cayambe-Coca National Park - part 2

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Jul 11, 2019 — Ecuador

I'm still exploring the Cayambe-Coca National Park from the city of Cayambe. Yes Cayambe is a city, a park, and a volcano.This time, I went to the mountain...

Cayambe-Coca National Park - part 1

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Jul 9, 2019 — Ecuador

The park is home to Cayambe Volcano, the third-highest summit of the country with a height of 5790 metres. It's a vast territory that I explored from...

Looking for condors

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Jul 7, 2019 — Ecuador

I went to Laguna de Secas to see condors. On the internet, everybody says that they are easy to observe. It was the truth!On the previous photo, there...

Cotopaxi Volcano

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Jul 5, 2019 — Ecuador

The Cotopaxi Volcano is a magnificent symmetrical cone covered by a glacier. To see this awesome summit in all its glory requires a bit of luck since...

Laguna Quilotoa

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Jul 2, 2019 — Ecuador

The Quilotoa is a crater lake, with a width of about 3 kilometres, that was created after the collapse of a volcano that erupted some 600 years ago. The...

The Quilotoa Loop

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Jun 30, 2019 — Ecuador

The Quilotoa loop is a circular road going around the famous Laguna Quilotoa. It's a popular itinerary with hikers since the roads and trails cross picturesque...

Zumbahua

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Jun 29, 2019 — Ecuador

Zumbahua is a small town located about 12 km south of Laguna Quilotoa, at an altitude of 3800 metres. The main highlight of the place is the weekly market...

Saquisilí's market

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Jun 27, 2019 — Ecuador

The market in Saquisilí has been one of the most impressive I've seen in Ecuador. The day starts with the animals market, on the outskirt of town, and...

Pujilí's market

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Jun 26, 2019 — Ecuador

The small town of Pujilí is host to an interesting biweekly market. The market is located in the centre of town, on the central plaza.You will notice...

The Highlands - part 3

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Jun 25, 2019 — Ecuador

Here are more photos of the magnificent mountains of Ecuador.I'm still following the Trans-Ecuador Trail, and consequently, I meet courageous cyclists...

Salinas de Guaranda

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Jun 23, 2019 — Ecuador

Salinas is a superb village very popular with travellers and locals alike. In addition to being picturesque, Salinas could be described as a small gastronomic...

Chimborazo Region

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Jun 21, 2019 — Ecuador

The Chimborazo volcano is the tallest mountain of Ecuador at 6263 metres. Due to the shape of Earth, the Chimborazo is both the furthest point from the...

A long day

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Jun 16, 2019 — Ecuador

The mountains of Ecuador are magnificent, but they can hide a few surprises. A few parts of my itinerary follow the trail called Trans-Ecuador. The trail...

The Highlands - part 2

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Jun 15, 2019 — Ecuador

My journey through the mountains of Ecuador is still going on. The landscapes are still spectacular. On these mountain roads, there are often road signs...

Nariz del Diablo

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Jun 13, 2019 — Ecuador

Nariz del Diablo means the Devil's Nose. It's a superb region with fantastic landscapes, but also where the Trans-Andean train was crossing a steep cliff...

The Highlands - part 1

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Jun 11, 2019 — Ecuador

Departing from Guayaquil on the coast, I head toward the Andean Mountains. It's the longest mountain range in the world with a length of 7100 kilometres...

The first 6 weeks

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Jun 9, 2019 — Ecuador

As I write these lines, I have been in Ecuador for almost 6 weeks. My first stop in the country has been the town of Tulcán, a pleasant mountain town...

Guayaquil - part 2

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Jun 8, 2019 — Ecuador

Here is the second part of my stay in Guayaquil.Park Bolivar is also nicknamed the park of iguanas because of the many reptiles that permanently lives...

Guayaquil - part 1

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Jun 7, 2019 — Ecuador

Guayaquil is the second city in importance in Ecuador after the capital Quito. However, it's the economic heart of the country with its 2.7 million inhabitants.It's...

Parque nacional Machalilla

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Jun 3, 2019 — Ecuador

Machalilla Park is the only coastal park in Ecuador. Created in 1979, the park protects about 50 km of beaches, 400 sq km of tropical dry forest, and...

Pacific Coast

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May 28, 2019 — Ecuador

When I was in panama, in the oppressive heat, I was dreaming of the mountains with its colder climate. But before exploring the Ecuadorian mountains...

From Tulcán to the Pacific Ocean

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May 26, 2019 — Ecuador

Some magnificent scenery on the trail from Tulcán to the Pacific Coast...

Tulcán

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May 24, 2019 — Ecuador

Tulcán is the kind of town I love. At an altitude of 3000 metres, the refreshing climate is excellent. Few tourists stop here since the town is not famous...

The other side

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May 20, 2019 — Colombia

Welcome to South America!I completed the first step of my great journey of explorations through the Americas. I am on the other side of the famous Darien...

DR650 Maintenance and problems log

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May 15, 2019 — Various

Maintenance:0 km (starting from Quebec, the bike has 18896 km) +8200 km +10415 km +23500 km +27317 km +33607 kmAfter a 6 months break at home...

DR650 Modifications List

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May 14, 2019 — Various

Here is a list of modifications made on the bike and a few comments on them.When I refer to the TAT, it means the Trans-America Trail. This trail is...

Hasta Luego Central America

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May 14, 2019 — Panama

My trip to Panama started with a visit of the Bocas del Toro Archipelago where I stayed one week to explore beaches and the jungle on some of the islands...

Colón Province

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May 7, 2019 — Panama

The Panama Canal cuts through the Isthmus of Panama and ends in the Atlantic Ocean in the Colón Province. Unlike the capital, the city of Colón is not...

Panama City and its Canal

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May 1, 2019 — Panama

Panama City, a capital with more than 1,5 million inhabitants. Panama is the name of a city, a province, and also a country. Located on the Pacific Coast...

End of the road

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Apr 24, 2019 — Panama

Finally, it's done! I reached the end of the road... I am in Yaviza, a small remote village at the edge of the Darién Jungle.Sorry? What are you saying...

On the road #2

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Apr 23, 2019 — Panama

This artificial lake was created in 1976, after the construction of a dam on the Río Bayano. Nothing better than a short stay in this small hostel located...

Azuero Peninsula

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Apr 16, 2019 — Panama

The Azuero Peninsula is probably the place where the rainy and dry seasons are the most obvious. Despite the fact that the rain has started in the mountains...

On the road #1

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Apr 10, 2019 — Panama

Some landscapes around Baru Volcano and the village of Boquete.Since the rainy season has already started, I chose to turn back. I will come back in...

Bocas del Toro

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Apr 7, 2019 — Panama

Bocas del Toro is a province located in the extreme northwest of the country. It's also an archipelago of magnificent islands with beautiful beaches and...

Back on the road

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Apr 3, 2019 — Costa Rica

After a stay in Quebec, with my new camera and a good idea of my itinerary for next months, I flew back to Costa Rica. A fairly long trip since I had...

Manzanillo, Cocles and Puerto Viejo

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Apr 2, 2019 — Costa Rica

Cocles is the name of the village where I stayed a few days while visiting the surroundings. In the garden of the hostel, there were several interesting...

Cahuita

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Mar 31, 2019 — Costa Rica

Cahuita is a laid-back village with about 3,000 people. With its black- or golden-sand beaches, and a national park adjacent to it, Cahuita is a nice...

I do a 14-day round-trip to Quebec in order to buy a new camera and new lenses. I also renew my driver's licence.

A slight detour to Quebec

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Mar 7, 2019 — Costa Rica

I am trying to add a new element to my site. From now on, when you see this image in the list of posts, it will be about a text describing my latest adventures...

On the road #2

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Feb 25, 2019 — Honduras

The region around Trujillo is very nice. There are interesting villages, some beautiful beaches, nice mountains in the background, and the town of Trujillo...

Río Cangrejal and Pico Bonito

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Feb 19, 2019 — Honduras

On the following panorama, one can see the mountains of the Pico Bonito Park over the plains near the city of La Ceiba. This vast park is a dense jungle...

On the road #1

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Feb 17, 2019 — Honduras

Omoa is a small fishing village along the Caribbean Coast. On weekends, the village comes to life with locals from the neighbouring town of Puerto Cortés...

Lago de Yojoa and around

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Feb 15, 2019 — Honduras

Superb park located on the east side of Lake Yojoa. Nothing better than a kayak excursion to enjoy the beauty of Lake Yojoa...

Cuevas de Taulabé

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Feb 12, 2019 — Honduras

This cave has been explored up to a depth of 921 metres. However, only the first 300 metres are lit. ...

Comayagua

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Feb 10, 2019 — Honduras

Comayagua was founded in 1537 and was destroyed shortly thereafter during the indigenous rebellion that started with Chief Lempira. It ended with the...

Ruta Lenca - part 2

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Feb 8, 2019 — Honduras

Erandique is the most beautiful village of the region, and possibly of the country. The village was at the earth of the Lenca rebellion waged by the indigenous...

Ruta Lenca - part 1

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Feb 7, 2019 — Honduras

The Lenca Road is located in the southwest of Honduras. It's a mountainous region with superb landscapes and numerous century-old villages. The Lenca...

Gracias

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Feb 3, 2019 — Honduras

The small colonial town of Gracias was founded in 1536, and it once was the capital of Honduras. The early colonists had a long conflict with the Lenca...

Parque Nacional Montaña de Celaque

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Feb 2, 2019 — Honduras

Celaque National Park is one of the most beautiful parks of Honduras. The major part of the park is located at an altitude of 1800 metres or more. The...

Macaw Mountain

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Jan 31, 2019 — Honduras

At first glance, this animal centre is a bit depressing with its cages in such a beautiful environment. Don't be fooled by appearances. The place is a...

Copán Ruinas

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Jan 29, 2019 — Honduras

Copán Ruinas, despite its names, is a small town in southwest Honduras where are located the country's most important Mayan ruins. Curiously, the town...

Nueva Ocotepeque to Copán Ruinas

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Jan 26, 2019 — Honduras

After crossing the border between El Salvador and Honduras, I had to choose between a nice 175 km paved road with so-so scenery or a harder 100 km dirt...

La Palma

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Jan 25, 2019 — El Salvador

La Palma is a small mountain village famous for its distinctive art and craft. Nearly 75% of the population live from the art trade and from tourism...

On the road #3

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Jan 23, 2019 — El Salvador

Here are a few landscapes from northwestern El Salvador.Despite the fact that the dry season is not even halfway through, the lack of water is already...

Parque Nacional Los Volcanes and Caldera de Coatepeque

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Jan 22, 2019 — El Salvador

Here are the two most spectacular places in El Salvador. The national park and the caldera are both located next to each other. The Coatepeque Caldera...

San Salvador and around

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Jan 15, 2019 — El Salvador

Normally, I rarely visit any country's capital since they often have few charms, lots of traffic, pollution and violence. San Salvador is among the cities...

Suchitoto and around

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Jan 11, 2019 — El Salvador

Arcatao is a lovely mountain village near the border with Honduras. My old guidebook, published more than 12 years ago, mentions that this village has...

Perquin and El Mozote

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Jan 8, 2019 — El Salvador

Located in northeastern Salvador, Perquin had a major role during the civil war that ravaged El Salvador for 12 years, from 1980 to 1992. The war raged...

Northeastern El Salvador

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Jan 7, 2019 — El Salvador

Here are a few photos taken in northeastern El Salvador. The paintings in this cave are some 10,000-year-old according to some archeologists. The cave...

Pacific Coast

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Jan 5, 2019 — El Salvador

One of my favourite places in El Salvador! The beaches along the country's Eastern Pacific Coast are amongst the nicest of all the region. I had the opportunity...

On the road #2

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Jan 4, 2019 — El Salvador

A few photos of nice sites in the country. The Pacific Coast around the Bay of Jiquilisco is barren of any trace of tourism development. It seems there...

Alegría

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Jan 3, 2019 — El Salvador

Alegría is a nice mountain village worth some days just to enjoy the quiet central plaza, restaurants, and a cool and pleasant climate. Perched on the...

La Costa del Bálsamo

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Dec 31, 2018 — El Salvador

Here are some landscapes from the country's Western Pacific Coast. The beaches in the region are known for their very good surfing waves. It's here that...

Santa Ana

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Dec 28, 2018 — El Salvador

Santa Ana is the third-largest city in El Salvador, and the only city with somewhat intact colonial architecture. The city doesn't offer much in terms...

On the road #1

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Dec 27, 2018 — El Salvador

After the Route of the Flowers, I am heading toward the city of Santa Ana, visiting a few interesting sites on the way. This scenic site has some surprises...

Ruta de las Flores

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Dec 24, 2018 — El Salvador

The Route of the Flowers is very popular in El Salvador. It's a route of some 36 km linking a series of small charming mountain towns. Although its name...

Parque Nacional El Imposible

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Dec 20, 2018 — El Salvador

After passing the border, I drove toward the El Imposible National Park. Its name comes from a gorge that was very difficult to cross for farmers and...

The Pacific Slope

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Dec 14, 2018 — Guatemala

The Guatemalan Coast has a few nice attractions, and is endowed with some decent beaches for surf enthusiasts. As you already know, beaches are not my...

Quetzaltenango (Xela) and around

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Dec 11, 2018 — Guatemala

Santiaguito Volcano is located at the foot of Santa Maria Volcano, and a few kilometres from the city of Quetzaltenango. It's still active, and sometimes...

Market Day

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Dec 7, 2018 — Guatemala

Markets in Guatemala are very colourful. In the mountains, people with Mayan ancestry still wear traditional outfits. Among the three markets I visited...

Lago de Atitlán

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Dec 2, 2018 — Guatemala

Lake Atitlán is born from a massive eruption some 84,000 years ago. The quantity of magma expelled from the Earth's depth caused the surface terrain...

Acatenango and Fuego Volcanoes

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Nov 28, 2018 — Guatemala

After Pacaya Volcano, I wanted to tackle the Acatenango Volcano. Its summit towers at 3880 metres, almost 1300 metres higher than Pacaya. This time, I...

Pacaya Volcano

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Nov 25, 2018 — Guatemala

Guatemala is a nice place to explore volcanoes, some of which are active. However, since I travel with a motorbike, I don't have any backpack and my equipment...

Around Antigua

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Nov 23, 2018 — Guatemala

When you are surrounded by volcanoes, it's a must to drive around in search of beautiful landscapes. Here are a few images of the region around Antigua...

Antigua

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Nov 22, 2018 — Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala, or simply Antigua is a splendid colonial town and it's a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala...

Lago de Amatitlán

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Nov 19, 2018 — Guatemala

Lake Amatitlán, with the Agua Volcano in the background, is located only 25 kilometres from the capital. For such a nice lake, it's surprising to see...

Ipala Volcano

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Nov 18, 2018 — Guatemala

Located at the top of Ipala Volcano, this small crater lake is about 1 kilometre long, and is at an altitude of 1493 metres.I spent a night camping on...

Lago Izabal

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Nov 16, 2018 — Guatemala

Lake Izabal is the largest one in Guatemala, and it's the source of Rió Dulce. There are several nice sites to visit all around the lake. Here are a...

Rió Dulce - Finca Tatin à Livingston

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Nov 15, 2018 — Guatemala

During the boat tour, I stopped at this hotel on the Tatin River, a tributary of the Rió Dulce. I slept in one of these dormitories that has spaces for...

Rió Dulce

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Nov 13, 2018 — Guatemala

Rió Dulce is a river as well as a town once named Fronteras. Before the construction of the bridge linking the shores of the Rió Dulce, the town really...

Verapaz Department

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Nov 11, 2018 — Guatemala

Alta Verpapaz et Baja Verapax are two mountainous departments in the centre of the country. This region is populated by the Rabinal Maya, a group known...

Chajul

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Nov 7, 2018 — Guatemala

Small town of about 50,000 inhabitants, Chajul is very traditional. The town is also part of the Ixil Triangle, and it's located some twenty kilometres...

Area around Santa Maria Nebaj

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Nov 6, 2018 — Guatemala

Santa Maria de Nebaj is a municipality in the Quiché region. The region is also known as the Ixil Triangle for its people. Personally, I don't think...

San Mateo Ixtatán

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Nov 4, 2018 — Guatemala

San Mateo is a mountain village with mainly Mayan population. The women of the area wear very colourful huipiles. The landscapes around the village are...

Western Highlands 2/2

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Nov 3, 2018 — Guatemala

Did I ever tell you that I love riding a motorbike? Yes, it's tiring, the rain and cold can be a major deterrent, and it's not possible to sleep anywhere...

Todos Santos - Day of the dead

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Nov 2, 2018 — Guatemala

The Day of the Dead is normally celebrated on November 1st, but in Todos Santos, the day is postponed to November 2nd to allow for the horse race.The...

Todos Santos - Horse Racing

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Nov 1, 2018 — Guatemala

The most famous events of the Todos Santos fiesta is the horse race. During the days preceding the race, the competitors celebrate, dance, and drink a...

Todos Santos Cuchumatán

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Oct 30, 2018 — Guatemala

Todos Santos is usually a small quiet town where inhabitants proudly wear brightly coloured traditional clothing. In many regions, only women wear traditional...

Western Highlands 1/2

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Oct 28, 2018 — Guatemala

After more than 6 months in Quebec, I am back in Mexico to retrieve the motorbike that was in storage in Tapachula. I had left it outside, under a blue...

I take a break for a few months in Quebec... From Quetzaltenango, I drive to Tapachula in Mexico to store the motorbike. The city is about 20 kilometres from the Mexico-Guatemala border, and it is a 'Free Zone.' This means, I don't have to register the motorbike with a temporary import permit. After my break in Quebec, I drive back to Guatemala where I will continue my trip.

Quetzaltenango

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Mar 26, 2018 — Guatemala

It's the end of the first stage of my trip. After a few days in this city, I will return to Quebec for a few months. My mother is selling her house and...

Semuc Champey

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Mar 22, 2018 — Guatemala

The site is a series of pools with turquoise to green-emerald coloured water. It is easy to spend a full day swimming in each of the pools. ...

Naj Tunich

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Mar 19, 2018 — Guatemala

Naj Tunich was a pleasure to discover due to its remoteness. Indeed, I had very few information on its location, and I had to rely on an imprecise map...

Grutas de Lanquín

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Mar 19, 2018 — Guatemala

A superb cave near the village of Lanquín. The cave extends for several kilometres, but only the first hundreds metres are easily accessible. ...

Sayaxché and Ceibal

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Mar 17, 2018 — Guatemala

Sayaxché is a very ordinary small dusty town. However, the road to get there comes up against the River of Passion (Río de la Pasión). There is a ferry...

Lago Petén Itzá

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Mar 15, 2018 — Guatemala

After the jungle, a few days of rest around lake Petén Itzá were very welcome. Many people choose to stay on the island of Flores, but I chose to base...

Tikal

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Mar 13, 2018 — Guatemala

Tikal is the most famous site in Guatemala, and it is known for its numerous temples reaching as high as 44 metres, well above the forest canopy.The first...

El Petén

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Mar 11, 2018 — Guatemala

After crossing the border, I ended up directly in the El Petén region of Guatemala. It is a hot and humid region, with dense jungle, and numerous archeological...

Caracol

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Mar 9, 2018 — Belize

Caracol is the most important Mayan archeological site of Belize. It is located in the thick jungle near the border with Guatemala.The city had its peak...

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

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Mar 7, 2018 — Belize

This reserve is a superb mountainous area with awesome forests, rivers, and waterfalls. The rivers and falls are great places to swim.....

On the road

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Mar 4, 2018 — Belize

Mennonites are also present in Belize. There are many communities, and most of them are relative to those that came from Canada. An underground river...

Nature and animal life

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Feb 28, 2018 — Belize

This sanctuary has the reputation to be an excellent place for birds observation. As far as I am concerned, it was not a great success. Indeed, February...

Lamanai and Altun Ha

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Feb 25, 2018 — Belize

Lamanai was occupied as early as 1500 BC, and it was a very important ceremonial centre. Its peak seems to have been from 200 to 100 BC, and its main...

The North

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Feb 23, 2018 — Belize

I got a surprise when I first stepped into Belize. After more than 4 months in Mexico, my Spanish was getting quite decent. Thus, when I got to the border...

Yucatán Peninsula 3/3

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Feb 19, 2018 — Mexico

Here is a fantastic show from Mother Nature. Looking at this small hole at the bottom of the hole, it's easy to think it's boring. Indeed it is. However...

Yucatán Peninsula 2/3

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Feb 17, 2018 — Mexico

Here are some interesting archeological sites in the Yucatán Peninsula. They are less-visited sites and for some of them, the highlight is the road to...

Tulum

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Feb 14, 2018 — Mexico

Tulum is a small town, a spectacular beach, and an archeological ruin.Yucatán is famous for its idyllic beaches, but Tulum has been the only one where...

Ek' Balam

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Feb 12, 2018 — Mexico

The city of Ek' Balam reached its peak in the 8th century, then it was suddenly abandoned. The X'Canché Cenote was more interesting than the ruins. I...

Chichén Itzá

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Feb 9, 2018 — Mexico

Chichén Itzá is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is surrounded by at least five cenotes that are an important source of water in this arid region. For...

Yucatán Peninsula 1/3

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Feb 7, 2018 — Mexico

Cenotes are natural pit, or sinkhole, in a specific type of rock. They are mostly found in North and Central America, more specifically in the Yucatán...

Uxmal

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Feb 5, 2018 — Mexico

Uxmal is one of the most important Mayan sites in Mexico. The city once had a great influence on the region and its neighbouring towns such as Sayil...

Ruta Puuc

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Feb 4, 2018 — Mexico

Ruta Puuc means Road of the Hills. It's a series of roads in the Yucatan Peninsula where several ruins with similar architecture can be seen. Archaeologists...

Campeche and Comalco

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Feb 2, 2018 — Mexico

In 1517, when the Spanish arrived, Campeche was only a small Mayan village named Ah Kim Pech. The Mayas of the area were very hostile toward the Spanish...

Palenque

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Jan 31, 2018 — Mexico

Palenque is one of the best examples of Mayan architecture. Moreover, the site is even more interesting since it is located in the dense jungle.The name...

Lagunas de Montebello Area

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Jan 26, 2018 — Mexico

This superb region is a mix of lakes, ruins, and forest. There are dozens of lakes to see and some old Mayan ruins. A lake at the border of Guatemala...

Comitán and Tenam Puente

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Jan 23, 2018 — Mexico

The nice colonial town of Comitán is very nice, especially its central park. Small Mayan ruins near Comitán. This site may have been in use up to AD...

Around San Cristóbal de las Casas

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Jan 20, 2018 — Mexico

The region around San Cristóbal is dotted with superb villages and fantastic landscapes. One of the villages, San Juan Chamula, is very independent...

San Cristóbal de las Casas

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Jan 18, 2018 — Mexico

San Cristóbal is a splendid town known for its colonial architecture. Around the town, there are numerous traditional villages with ancient beliefs and...

Chiapa de Corzo

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Jan 16, 2018 — Mexico

The town of Chiapa de Corzo was one of these places where you stop at random and where you end up staying much longer than initially anticipated. At first...

Chiapas

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Jan 13, 2018 — Mexico

Chiapas is a low-lying region covered in jungle in the eastern part of Mexico. Among the poorest states, it is mainly populated by indigenous people...

Sanctuario de la tortuga la Escobilla

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Jan 11, 2018 — Mexico

In the beginning, I thought my stay at the Escobilla Turtle Centre would be short. I witnessed to the release of baby turtles with other tourists, and...

Oaxaca Coast

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Jan 2, 2018 — Mexico

What a lovely place to spend a few days during New Year's Eve. While my Canadian/Quebec compatriots are freezing in temperatures around -30 degrees Celsius...

Oaxaca de Juárez

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Dec 23, 2017 — Mexico

Oaxaca is a pretty city in the mountains known for its culture and food.Surrounded by villages, markets, hiking trails, and interesting archeological...

Monte Albán

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Dec 22, 2017 — Mexico

Monte Albán is one of the most important archeological sites of Mexico. It competes with other great sites such as Teotihuacán, Palenque, or Chichén...

Mitla and Yagul Ruins

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Dec 21, 2017 — Mexico

The ruins of Mitla are located in the centre of the modern village of San Pablo Villa de Mitla. The ruins date from a few centuries before the Spanish...

Hierve el Agua

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Dec 20, 2017 — Mexico

Located at an altitude of 1,800 metres, this site is a splendid bubbling mineral springs. A natural infinity pool was created next to a cliff, offering...

Tlacotalpan

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Dec 18, 2017 — Mexico

Tlacotalpan is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's a colonial town from the 19^th century, well preserved and renovated. The colour palette of...

El Tajín

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Dec 12, 2017 — Mexico

This site was probably founded in AD 100 by the Totonac culture, El Tajín means thunder, lightning, or hurricane in the Totonac language. The city reached...

Cuetzalan

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Dec 10, 2017 — Mexico

Superb village in the mountains. Its name means Place of the Quetzals; a quetzal is a forest bird from Central America. The village's public market is...

Cantona

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Dec 9, 2017 — Mexico

Cantona is one of my favourite archeological sites. The Mesoamerican site stretch over 12 km² and was inhabited from AD 600 to 1000. No mortar...

Puebla

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Dec 8, 2017 — Mexico

Puebla is a city of 1.5 million inhabitants known for its historic centre with more than 1,000 colonial building and no less than 70 churches. The city...

Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park

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Dec 7, 2017 — Mexico

Yes, a park's name quite difficult to pronounce, but with incredible scenery. Iztaccíhuatl is a dormant volcano while Popocatépetl is active and its...

Malinalco

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Dec 5, 2017 — Mexico

Taxco de Alarcón

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Dec 2, 2017 — Mexico

Taxco became rich from numerous silver deposits exploited during nearly 400 years and still harbour a rich colonial heritage. Nowadays, these deposits...

On the road - Butterflies and food

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Dec 1, 2017 — Mexico

The monarch's sanctuary hasn't been a great success. I visited the sanctuary during the butterfly high season, but by some misfortunes, I didn't see as...

Mexico City

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Nov 28, 2017 — Mexico

How do I feel about a city of more than 22 million inhabitants? Some suburbs are very nice, but the population density and especially the traffic jams...

National Museum of Anthropology

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Nov 26, 2017 — Mexico

The National Museum of Anthropology showcases an impressive art collection on Mexican cultures from prehistory to modern times. The most interesting sections...

Teotihuacan

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Nov 24, 2017 — Mexico

The pyramids of Teotihuacan are among the most famous and most visited of Mexico. The site is located 50 km north-east of Mexico City and is a UNESCO...

Edward James's Las Pozas

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Nov 21, 2017 — Mexico

Las Pozas is the creation of the British poet Edward James. It's a garden with surrealistic structures built between 1962 and 1984 in a subtropical forest...

Real de Catorce

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Nov 17, 2017 — Mexico

The road to the town is 24 km path made of cobblestones. Imagine all the work to do it.It's a nice road, but it is a bit bumpy. Fortunately with a motorbike...

Zacatecas

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Nov 15, 2017 — Mexico

Zacatecas, founded in 1548 by the Spanish, is another city designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Like Guanajuato, the wealth of the city is due...

Aguascalientes - Museo de la Muerte

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Nov 14, 2017 — Mexico

In the previous post, I told you about the fascination Mexicans have with death. Here is another example of it, a museum entirely dedicated to the death.In...

Guanajuato - Museum of the Mummies

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Nov 12, 2017 — Mexico

WARNING: If you don't like what you see at the beginning of this post, don't go any further. There are mummies of babies and very young children below...

Guanajuato

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Nov 11, 2017 — Mexico

Ah Guanajuato, what a fantastic place! It is a very photogenic city, and you will quickly understand why it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.The city of...

San Miguel de Allende

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Nov 9, 2017 — Mexico

San Miguel de Allende is a beautiful city with a colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, and superb lighting of certain buildings at nights. In 2008...

Morelia

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Nov 8, 2017 — Mexico

Morelia is the state capital of Michoacán and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The historical centre is superb and very well preserved. Morelia, founded...

Pátzcuaro

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Nov 7, 2017 — Mexico

When arriving in Pátzcuaro, one has the immediate impression that something is different in this town. Indeed, it has not been founded by the Spanish...

Volcán Paricutín

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Nov 6, 2017 — Mexico

Volcano Paricutín is still quite young at 80 years old and with a height of 2800 metres. On February 20, 1943, while a farmer was labouring its field...

Pacific Coast - Michoacán

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Nov 4, 2017 — Mexico

Highway 200, also known as Carretera Pacífico in Spanish, follow the Pacific Coast for about 2000 km and crosses seven Mexican states. Here are a few...

Guadalajara

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Oct 31, 2017 — Mexico

Guadalajara is the second-biggest city of Mexico with 1.5 million people; 4 million when counting the greater metro area.The city has a superb downtown...

Puerto Vallarta

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Oct 29, 2017 — Mexico

I am not a fan of beaches, but here I am in a very touristy seaside town resort. To my great surprise, I loved this town. The beaches are nice, the waterfront...

Durango

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Oct 26, 2017 — Mexico

Durango is a pretty colonial city in the state of Durango. Located at an altitude of 1880 metres, in a semi-arid climate, average annual temperatures...

Francisco 'Pancho' Villa

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Oct 25, 2017 — Mexico

Who is Francisco Villa, nicknamed Pancho Villa? He is one of the most famous historical figures of the Mexican Revolution in the years 1910 to 1920.I...

The Mennonites of Chihuahua

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Oct 23, 2017 — Mexico

At the beginning of this journey, during our crossing of the United States on the Trans-America Trail, Alvaro, Thierry and I have met a Mennonite community...

Copper Canyon region - 4 of 4

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Oct 20, 2017 — Mexico

In the last part, I present you the classic Copper Canyon. It is the touristy part where most people go. The train starting from Los Mochis and reaching...

Copper Canyon region - 3 of 4

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Oct 18, 2017 — Mexico

Up to now, the trail from Urique to Batopilas, has been the most difficult one that I drove in solo. Before starting the trail, I knew that the first...

Copper Canyon region - 2 of 4

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Oct 17, 2017 — Mexico

The landscapes in the first part were fantastic, but those I was about to see after Cerocahui were even more impressive. A few kilometres after Cerocahui...

Copper Canyon region - 1 of 4

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Oct 14, 2017 — Mexico

The Copper Canyon (Barrancas del Cobre, in Spanish) is a series of canyons located in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua. Six canyons and...

Álamos - Pueblo Mágico

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Oct 11, 2017 — Mexico

The Pueblos Mágicos are villages or towns that offer a 'magical' experience with their beauty, culture, or history. Álamos is the first magical site...

First days

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Oct 6, 2017 — Mexico

I entered Mexico by the border post at Tecate. On the American side, there is no real village, but on the Mexican side, there is a bustling town.Crossing...

The last days in USA

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Oct 2, 2017 — United States

My journey continues toward the south through the mountains. The scenery is fantastic. Here are some landscapes of the last week in the United States...

Reno, Nevada

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Sep 28, 2017 — United States

Reno is a mini Las Vegas. I say 'mini' since Reno is far from being an equal to Las Vegas. It is far less impressive, and there are fewer illuminated...

Trans-America Trail - the end

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Sep 24, 2017 — United States

We reached the Pacific Coast in Oregon, but we didn't complete the last kilometres on the Trans-America Trail. Because of a tight schedule and also since...

Trans-America Trail 3

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Sep 9, 2017 — United States

After many adventures, we are finally in Oregon, on the Pacific Coast.It is the end of our journey on the Trans-America Trail. Thierry and Alvaro are...

Trans-America Trail 2

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Sep 8, 2017 — United States

Our journey continues in Utah, one of the most scenic areas of the TAT. In turn, some sections of the route are very difficult especially when carrying...

Guns country

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Sep 7, 2017 — United States

The United States is the best country for guns. Many Americans claim high and loud their right to have a firearm. Indeed, in the American Constitution...

Meeting Mennonites

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Sep 3, 2017 — United States

Who are the Mennonites? Do you remember the movie Witness (1985) with Harrison Ford? That film is about Amish, but Mennonites live in a similar way.For...

Trans-America Trail 1

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Sep 1, 2017 — United States

Here we are at the start of the Trans-America Trail, clean, shaved, and with bikes and luggage in good conditions. The TAT crosses the United States from...

A new start

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Aug 1, 2017 — Quebec

Motorbiking is a new adventure for me and it's the first time I drive. I hope I am going to like it and be able to accomplish the whole journey. Even...

Back to square one

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Jan 14, 2016 — Tanzania

Here is my last post for this trip. The trip is completed and I sold the vehicle, the fridge, and all the stuff I cumulated for a number of years.I take...

Amboseli National Park

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Oct 20, 2015 — Kenya

I really wanted to visit this park before leaving Africa. The park is famous and you probably already saw a picture of it. Indeed, the iconic photo of...

Gombe Stream National Park

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Oct 17, 2015 — Tanzania

This park is the smallest of Tanzania with only 52 km². However, it is an important one since it shelters a small population of chimpanzees.It...

Katavi National Park

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Oct 13, 2015 — Tanzania

I wasn't sure about visiting this park since tsetse flies have a reputation for being nasty. In the end, I spent a whole day there. Wow, it is a very...

Lake Tanganyika

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Oct 11, 2015 — Tanzania

Lake Tanganyika is the second-biggest freshwater lake in the world (in volume). It is also the second deepest in the world.The lake extends for 676 km...

Chongoni Rock Art

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Oct 6, 2015 — Malawi

Chongoni, near the town of Dedza, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The area shelters 127 rock art sites dating from at least 2,000 years. Of these 127...

Mulanje Massif

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Oct 1, 2015 — Malawi

The Mulanje Massif is a huge granite inselberg rising by an average of 2,000 metres above the plains. The characteristic of the massif is its isolation...

Majete Game Reserve

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Sep 30, 2015 — Malawi

This reserve is a peculiar place. Several species have been reintroduced after going extinct due to poaching. Species (such as the nyala) never existed...

Lengwe National Park

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Sep 29, 2015 — Malawi

Lengwe is a small park that greatly suffered from poaching in the past. Nowadays, several animals are still victims of snares installed by farmers and...

On the road

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Sep 28, 2015 — Malawi

For the last few years, the value of the kwacha has been going down on the financial markets. In 2010, $US 1 was worth about 150 kwachas. In September...

Zomba Plateau

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Sep 26, 2015 — Malawi

The Zomba Plateau is a small rocky mountain of about 130 km². Altitudes can reach up to 2,087 metres with cliffs of 1,200 metres. Unfortunately...

Liwonde National Park

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Sep 24, 2015 — Malawi

It is in this park where animals are the easier to observe in Malawi. I was surprised to observe around a hundred elephants.Of all the game parks and...

Mua Mission

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Sep 20, 2015 — Malawi

The Mua Mission is a fascinating site for three reasons. The mission by itself has a superb church and a hospital. In addition, the KuNgoni Art Centre...

Nyika National Park

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Sep 12, 2015 — Malawi

This large park, located at an average altitude of 2000 metres, is known for its mountains scenery. It is also possible to see several species of antelopes.It...

Vwaza Wildlife Reserve

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Sep 11, 2015 — Malawi

The Vwaza Reserve protects the Vwaza Swamp and Lake Kazuni. Since the reserve is infested with tsetse flies, I stayed near Lake Kazuni at the entrance...

Livingstonia

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Sep 8, 2015 — Malawi

Livingstonia is perched at 700 metres above Lake Malawi. The road to get there is a series of hairpin bends so tight that the last of them is only 4 km...

On the road

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Sep 6, 2015 — Tanzania

Here are miscellaneous photos. A restaurant with a baobab in the middle...

Lions in the Selous

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Sep 2, 2015 — Tanzania

Around midday, I went to a picnic site to have a lunch. I wasn't paying attention to what was going on around me.As soon as I opened the door to get out...

Selous Game Reserve

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Sep 1, 2015 — Tanzania

The Selous is the largest reserve of Africa with 54,600 km². The reserve was once famous for its large herds of elephants. Unfortunately...

Swahili cities

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Aug 28, 2015 — Tanzania

East Africa was known by the Greeks since 400 BC. Important trading posts had been established in the region. In the early part of the first millennium...

At the border

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Aug 27, 2015 — Mozambique

To get to the border of Tanzania, the Ruvuma River must be crossed. It is possible to do so by using the Unity Bridge, which entails a detour of 700 km...

Quirimbas National Park

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Aug 21, 2015 — Mozambique

The Quirimbas National Park is a group of 32 islands. The easiest one to visit is called Ibo Island. It's the only island with infrastructure for low-budget...

On the road #2

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Aug 20, 2015 — Mozambique

In Mozambique, there are many kilometres on flat land with few interesting scenery. From time to time, there are little rocky hills sprouting from the...

Niassa Game Reserve

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Aug 17, 2015 — Mozambique

The Niassa Reserve is located in northern Mozambique. It is a vast territory split in a dozen concessions; some are for hunting, others for research...

Lake Niassa

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Aug 14, 2015 — Mozambique

Lake Niassa, also called Lake Malawi, is very well known to travellers on the Malawian side. However, the section of the lake located in Mozambique is...

Mossuril Bay

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Aug 11, 2015 — Mozambique

The Mossuril Bay is located on the continent in front of Mozambique Island. It also has some relics from the Arabs and Portuguese era. Church built in...

Ilha de Moçambique

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Aug 8, 2015 — Mozambique

Mozambique Island is a World heritage site as selected by UNESCO. It's a small island with 3 km in length and 500 metres in width. This island has a history...

Gurué

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Aug 2, 2015 — Mozambique

Gurué is a picturesque town surrounded by tea plantations and mountains. People in the area are welcoming and smiling. I spent almost a week there, waiting...

Tonight, I am sleeping at the police station

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Jul 29, 2015 — Mozambique

I wanted to sleep on the side of the road like I did so many times, but local people were afraid that I was a thief… Around twenty people, with a police...

On the road #1

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Jul 28, 2015 — Mozambique

After spending a night at this luxury hotel, I was telling people that I spent a night in a 5-star lodge directly on the ocean... and all this was free.Here...

Vilankulo and Archipélago de Bazaruto

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Jul 25, 2015 — Mozambique

The Bazaruto Archipelago is a group of paradisiacal islands with white sand and superb clear and turquoise water. These islands are part of a protected...

Diving in Tofo

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Jul 14, 2015 — Mozambique

I did several dives in Tofo and I decided to rent a camera and try underwater photography. The visibility wasn't very good for photos and the equipment...

Tofo and around

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Jul 10, 2015 — Mozambique

Ah, here is the famous village of Tofo, known to backpackers for its vibe, beaches, parties, and scuba diving. In season, it is possible to see humpback...

Ponta do Ouro to Maputo

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Jul 6, 2015 — Mozambique

Ponta do Ouro is located at the southernmost point of Mozambique. I was told to go there mainly for excellent diving. It is a nice area with pretty beaches...

Hlane Royal National Park

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Jun 30, 2015 — Swaziland

Here is a weird park. It is not very big and is surrounded by a fence. Inside, it seems as if there are three sections each separated by a fence. In one...

Mantenga Nature Reserve

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Jun 27, 2015 — Swaziland

This tiny reserve is a good place to experience the Swazi culture. Indeed, the cultural village is far more interesting than the nature itself.The village...

A small country

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Jun 24, 2015 — Swaziland

The Kingdom of Swaziland is one of the smallest countries of Africa and is ruled by King Mswati III. The latter is one of three remaining monarchs...

Kruger National Park

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Jun 16, 2015 — South Africa

Kruger Park is one of the most famous game parks of Africa like other parks such as Serengeti. Before my very first journeys in Africa, I dreamt of exploring...

Drakensberg Escarpment

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Jun 13, 2015 — South Africa

The Drakensberg Escarpment marks the point where the highveld plunges down over 1000 metres to the lowveld. It is a very picturesque area with a myriad...

Pilgrim's Rest

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Jun 12, 2015 — South Africa

Pilgrim's Rest is a small village established when gold was discovered in 1873. For 10 years, diggers worked on small-scale alluvial claims. In the 1880s...

Elephant Coast - Mkhuze Game Reserve

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Jun 6, 2015 — South Africa

All right, more animals again! Yes, but what a show!Since I had been successful in the last park, I installed myself in a hide and I waited all day for...

Elephant Coast - iSimangalizo Wetland Park

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Jun 3, 2015 — South Africa

This long coastline of 280 kilometres stretches from the border with Mozambique, near Kosi Bay, to the town of St Lucia. All this area is nicknamed the...

Elephant Coast - Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

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Jun 1, 2015 — South Africa

Despite the number of parks and animals I have seen in the past months, the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park was an impressive experience. As in any parks, it is...

Durban

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May 31, 2015 — South Africa

I don't write posts on cities very often since most of the time I think they are boring and ugly. Cape Town is a notable exception and, to a lesser degree...

Wild Coast

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May 28, 2015 — South Africa

The Wild Coast stretches for nearly 350 kilometres from East London to Port St Johns. Contrary to many other places in South Africa, this area is not...

Garden Route

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May 23, 2015 — South Africa

This reserve protects a 4 km peninsula with a rugged coastline of cliffs and rocks.There is a superb trek on a circular trail around the peninsula. Landscapes...

Graaff-Reinet, Nieu Bethesda, and Barberton

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May 20, 2015 — South Africa

This town is nicknamed the 'Jewel of Karoo'. It is the fourth oldest colonial town of South Africa and has a nice architectural heritage. This house is...

Karoo Parks

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May 18, 2015 — South Africa

The Karoo region is a vast plateau with a semi-arid climate. This ecosystem covers about one third of the area of South Africa. There are some nice parks...

Tsitsikammma National Park

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May 8, 2015 — South Africa

In this park, I did a superb hike of 5 days and 4 nights with Anik, whom I have been travelling with for the past few days. Normally, the hike is limited...

Addo Elephant National Park

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May 7, 2015 — South Africa

In a park that has the word elephant in its title, one would expect to see many of them, but it's not necessarily the case. In guidebooks, it is mentioned...

Wild Coast - Bulungula

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May 4, 2015 — South Africa

Bulungula is a small and remote village on the Wild Coast accessible by a bumpy gravel road that is annoying to drive. Once at the destination, we were...

Malealea

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May 1, 2015 — Lesotho

Malealea is another pretty village of Lesotho where several activities are possible. There, I did a nice trek in a magnificent gorge.I did the trek with...

Semonkong

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Apr 29, 2015 — Lesotho

Semonkong (Place of Smoke) is a small mountain village where horses are all around. Most villagers get about using this animal and it gives the impression...

Dams in Lesotho

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Apr 25, 2015 — Lesotho

A huge hydroelectric project is currently going on in Lesotho. It has started some 10-15 years ago and should go on for another 10 years. The project...

Ts'Ehlanyane National Park

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Apr 22, 2015 — Lesotho

It is the only park I have visited in Lesotho. There, I have done a nice trek of about 15 km through nice scenery. Lesotho's climate is quite unpredictable;...

Landscapes of Lesotho

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Apr 21, 2015 — Lesotho

Most of the time, people travel from point A to point B to visit the nicest sites of a country. The road is sometimes boring, but sometimes it can be...

Sani Pass

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Apr 20, 2015 — Lesotho

The previous post was about Sani Pass. It described the drive up from South Africa to the Kingdom of Lesotho. Now I have reached the small border post...

Drakensberg - Sani Pass

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Apr 15, 2015 — South Africa

The Sani Pass is a link between the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho. It's a spectacular ride around hairpin bends...

Mountains of the dragon - Drakensberg

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Apr 12, 2015 — South Africa

The Drakensberg forms the border between South Africa and the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. This vast region got the World Heritage status in 2000. At...

Golden Gate Highlands National Park

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Apr 10, 2015 — South Africa

The Golden Gate Highlands National Park is a small park protecting part of the Maloti Mountains. It is located north of the Drakensberg Mountains near...

Kimberley - The Big Hole

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Apr 6, 2015 — South Africa

Kimberley was a very important mining town at the end of the 1800. In the ancient volcano, named the Big Hole, diamonds were discovered.Nowadays, the...

Pilanesburg & Mokala National Parks

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Apr 3, 2015 — South Africa

After a few days in town visiting museums, nothing is better than a going back in an African park. It is still a lot of fun and it allowed me to test...

Johannesburg - Soweto - Pretoria

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Mar 28, 2015 — South Africa

Johannesburg has the reputation of a dangerous city where crimes are very frequent. As Nairobi in Kenya, the list of crimes is impressive: home thefts...

From Livingstone in Zambia, I head toward Lusaka, and then I drive through Zimbabwe in two days. Finally, I drive to Johannesburg in South Africa where I store the vehicle. I take a break for 6 months in Quebec.

Home Sweet Home for a while

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Nov 1, 2014 — Quebec

I am back home... After 13 months living in my small van and driving in African territory, I was in need of some vacations. You are going to tell me that...

Victoria Falls in September

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Sep 14, 2014 — Zambia

When I came back to Livingstone near the Victoria Falls, I decided to see the waterfalls in the dry season. I wanted to see the difference with the rainy...

Victoria Falls

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Sep 4, 2014 — Zimbabwe

I am back to the Victoria Falls after 6 months of travel. In February, I have visited the falls on the Zambian side. This time, I am on the Zimbabwean...

Hwange National Park

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Aug 30, 2014 — Zimbabwe

Hwange National Park is the largest park in Zimbabwe. It is known for the large quantity of animals it protects and by the considerable density of elephants...

Lake Kariba and around

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Aug 24, 2014 — Zimbabwe

Lake Kariba is the biggest artificial lake (in volume) in the world. It was created after the Kariba dam was built between 1955 and 1959 on the Zambezi...

Mana Pools National Park

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Aug 19, 2014 — Zimbabwe

This park is named Mana Pools because of its four waterholes; Mana means four in the local language. However, it is not the four pools that are the most...

Nyanga National Park

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Aug 10, 2014 — Zimbabwe

Nyanga Park is famous for its mountainous scenery, its rivers and waterfalls. It boasts the highest mountain of Zimbabwe; Mount Nyangani at 2592 metres...

Chimanimani National Park

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Aug 6, 2014 — Zimbabwe

The Chimanimani Park is a small paradise for hiking. I spent a few days visiting several locations of the park such as waterfalls. It is also possible...

Chirinda Forest

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Aug 4, 2014 — Zimbabwe

This small luxuriant forest is quite a surprise in an African country. It is a rain forest located at an altitude of about 1500 metres. The forest is...

Gonarezhou National Park

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Aug 1, 2014 — Zimbabwe

The Gonarezhou National Park is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. This park covers three countries; Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa...

A country in ruins

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Jul 27, 2014 — Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a country that often gets depicted negatively. A country that suffered from civil war, a country with parks devastated by poaching, a country...

Matobo National Park

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Jul 21, 2014 — Zimbabwe

The Matobo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It consists in two areas; one is a game park and the other is a recreational park. In most parks...

Off-road driving of an old van

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Jul 15, 2014 — Various

Ha! The joy of having a vehicle on the African continent; great outdoor spaces, 4x4 trails, African animals and the freedom to go where one wants. However...

Khama Rhino Sanctuary

—

Jul 9, 2014 — Botswana

The Khama Rhino Sanctuary protects about forty white rhinos and a few black rhinos. Often, in such places, it is quite difficult to see rhinoceros unless...

Nwetwe and Sua Salt Pans

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Jul 5, 2014 — Botswana

Nwetwe is part of the Makgadikgadi Pan that is made of many salt pans such as Nwetwe, Sua and Nxai. This network of salt pans was once covered by Lake...

On the road

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Jul 4, 2014 — Botswana

Sometimes, we discover a nice place where service is excellent and the place itself is very appealing. In Africa, it is sometimes difficult to get good...

Tsodilo Hills

—

Jun 29, 2014 — Botswana

The Tsodilo Hills are located north-west of Botswana. If you follow my trip on the Google map, you will notice that I made a detour through Namibia. In...

Road signs

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Jun 24, 2014 — Various

At some point, I had the weird idea of taking photos of road signs that I thought were interesting. The idea took form in Ethiopia because of signs drawn...

King's feast

—

Jun 19, 2014 — Botswana

In the previous post, I was writing about the reasons that keep me doing more game drives. Here is one; these lions have killed this big buffalo and have...

Chobe National Park - Chobe Riverfront

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Jun 17, 2014 — Botswana

I am now along the Chobe River parts of the Chobe National Park.Yes, I am still visiting a park and presenting you with photos of animals. I don't know...

Chobe National Park - Savuti

—

Jun 15, 2014 — Botswana

The Chobe Park is divided in three main zones known as the Chobe Riverfront, the Linyanti Marshes, and Savuti. I visited two of these regions and I now...

Moremi Game Reserve

—

Jun 12, 2014 — Botswana

Botswana is a fascinating country with most of it almost entirely made of two ecosystems. On one side, there is the Kalahari Desert with its sand, yellow...

Makgadikgadi National Park

—

Jun 9, 2014 — Botswana

The Makgadikgadi Park is a desert area part of the great Kalahari Desert. It is a huge land of several dozens of kilometres. The main interest in this...

Kalahari Desert

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Jun 1, 2014 — Botswana

As stated in the previous post, the Kalahari Desert covers about three quarters of Botswana and there is sand everywhere; it is the largest contiguous...

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

—

May 25, 2014 — South Africa

Kgalagadi Park is a wild land covered with white or red sand where thorn trees survive under a scorching sun. It is part of the Kalahari Desert that covers...

Augrabies Falls National Park

—

May 21, 2014 — South Africa

Augrabies Falls are created by the Orange River flowing through 18 km long canyon with cliffs reaching 200 metres high. The canyon is the main attraction...

Attractions near Cape Town

—

May 10, 2014 — South Africa

The World of Birds is a centre that shelters many species of exotic animals that have been confiscated because they were kept illegally or just badly...

Cape Town

—

May 2, 2014 — South Africa

Ah, we finally reached Cape Town, a somewhat mythic city with great praises from guidebooks and travellers. What can I say except they are quite right...

African Penguins

—

Apr 29, 2014 — South Africa

At Stony Point, near the village of Betty's Bay, a huge colony of African Penguins can be observed. They can be seen strolling around, swimming, fighting...

From place to place

—

Apr 18, 2014 — South Africa

We are continuing our exploration of new places in South Africa.Here, we are at Cape Agulhas. This site is the most southern point of the whole Africa...

Cango Caves

—

Apr 17, 2014 — South Africa

Our first days

—

Apr 13, 2014 — South Africa

We are now in South Africa after more than 7 months on the road. Many people say that the country is not Africa anymore, but the Western World. I partly...

Fish River Canyon

—

Apr 11, 2014 — Namibia

This magnificent canyon measures 160 km in length, and up to 27 km in width, and reaches a depth of 550 metres. Seeing it, one can think of the Grand...

Kolmanskuppe Ghost Town

—

Apr 8, 2014 — Namibia

Kolmanskuppe is an old diamond mining town. The town once had a casino, a bowling alley and a theatre. However, the town was abandoned after the First...

Luderitz and around

—

Apr 6, 2014 — Namibia

In certain respects, Luderitz is somewhat similar to Swakopmund. The German influence is everywhere in the architecture of the houses and churches. There...

Sossusvlei and around

—

Mar 26, 2014 — Namibia

Sossusvlei is a salt pan ('vlei' in Afrikaans) located in the Namib Desert. It is a small salt lake dry most of the year. It is surrounded by dunes reaching...

Solitaire

—

Mar 25, 2014 — Namibia

Solitaire is a tiny village with basically only one property with a restaurant, a campsite and a fuel station. It is a desert region with only a few farms...

Windhoek, capital of Namibia

—

Mar 22, 2014 — Namibia

Windhoek is a nice capital with about 350,000 inhabitants. Nevertheless, there are few things to do in this city except the good restaurants and the numerous...

The Spitzkoppe and the Erongo Mountains

—

Mar 19, 2014 — Namibia

This mountain of 1,728 metres is very scenic and apparently resembles the Matterhorn in Switzerland. It is a very nice region where to walk around. There...

Namib-Naukluft National Park

—

Mar 16, 2014 — Namibia

The Namib-Naukluft Park encompasses the Namib Desert and also the Naukluft Mountains. Both environments are very different and magnificent. The part of...

Swakopmund and Walvis Bay

—

Mar 14, 2014 — Namibia

Namibia was once a German colony. Therefore, the city architecture has a strong German influence. For us, it is the nicest town that we had the chance...

Cape Cross Seal Reserve

—

Mar 13, 2014 — Namibia

The Cape Cross Reserve shelters around 100,000 seals coming here to reproduce each year. This area is very rich in fishes due to the Benguela current.It...

Dorob and Skeleton Coast National Parks

—

Mar 11, 2014 — Namibia

The Dorob National Park exists only since 2010 and consumes the old 'West Coast Tourist Recreation Area'. The park protects a desert zone where lichens...

Damaraland - Brandberg Mountains

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Mar 10, 2014 — Namibia

The Brandberg Mountains are famous for its numerous rock paintings. As for the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein, these paintings could have been done...

Damaraland - Twyfelfontein

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Mar 9, 2014 — Namibia

Twyfelfontein means 'Doubtful Fountain'. During colonial time, the farmer who named this water source was not sure if the fountain would flow permanently...

Damaraland - Petrified Forest

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Mar 8, 2014 — Namibia

We are in a desert zone and we went to see a forest. Weird, isn't it?In fact, it is about an area where ancient trees now transformed in rock are scattered...

Damaraland

—

Mar 6, 2014 — Namibia

Damaraland is another region of Namibia with a semi-desert climate. The landscapes are magnificent and there are nevertheless some animals well adapted...

Kaokoveld - part 2

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Mar 3, 2014 — Namibia

Here is the second post on the Kaokoveld. You can see the first part by clicking the following link: part 1. Epupa Falls are located on the Kunene River...

Kaokoveld - part 1

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Mar 1, 2014 — Namibia

The Kaokoveld is a huge region in northwestern Namibia. The region is sparsely populated, and few roads are accessible with a small car. There are a lot...

Waterberg Plateau

—

Feb 22, 2014 — Namibia

The Waterberg Plateau is a curious rock formation in the middle of a pain. It is a sandstone plateau 50 km long by 16 km large. The plateau is divided...

Etosha National Park

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Feb 18, 2014 — Namibia

We spent 3 days in Etosha Park. All books say that it is better to visit in the dry season to spot the animals easily. Despite the fact we were in the...

On the road #1

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Feb 15, 2014 — Namibia

Here, I show some interesting sites that we have visited crossing the northern part of the country. In 1920, this meteorite has been found on a farm land...

Bwabwata National Park

—

Feb 9, 2014 — Namibia

Bwabwata Park is located in the far north-east of Namibia in a small region called the Caprivi Strip. It is a narrow strip of about 450 km located between...

Mosi-oa-Tunya Game Park

—

Feb 6, 2014 — Zambia

This park near the town of Livingstone and the Victoria Falls is tiny. However, it shelters a varied and impressive fauna.This park was the first safari...

Victoria Falls

—

Feb 5, 2014 — Zambia

Victoria Falls are very impressive even though they are quite difficult to photograph. Depending on the season, the volume of water can be 10 times bigger...

On the road

—

Feb 3, 2014 — Zambia

We left Ethiopia on January 10th and here is a post on Zambia. There is a gap of nearly 20 days between these two countries; what happened?After Ethiopia...

The tribes of Ethiopia

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Jan 4, 2014 — Ethiopia

Of all the tribe of Ethiopia, the Mursis are possibly the most fascinating. They are famous for the lip plate that women wear on the lower lip. Surprisingly...

Bale Mountains - The fauna

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Dec 25, 2013 — Ethiopia

The fauna in the Bale Mountains is exceptional, I am showing the species that I managed to photograph... There are several more species...

Bale Mountains

—

Dec 24, 2013 — Ethiopia

We spent Christmas time in the Bale Mountains in the end. The park has been a great surprise since the landscapes are wonderful, the fauna is interesting...

Lake Assal

—

Dec 16, 2013 — Djibouti

Lake Assal is the most impressive place in Djibouti. It is a extremely salted lake located 153 metres below sea level. In fact, it is the lowest place...

Djibouti landscapes

—

Dec 15, 2013 — Djibouti

Djibouti is a desert and volcanic country with a very arid climate and temperatures near 35 degrees Celsius during the day... sometimes even up to 40...

Djibouti Town

—

Dec 13, 2013 — Djibouti

When we looked at an African map to plan our trip in Ethiopia, we noticed this small and barely visible country. We knew about this country only the name...

Valley of Wonders

—

Dec 10, 2013 — Ethiopia

The Dakhata Valley is nicknamed the Valley of Wonders due to some peculiar rock formations offering nice scenery.This valley of about 12 km is on the...

Harar - Hyena-feeding

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Dec 9, 2013 — Ethiopia

Yes, it is really a wild hyena. These animals have a bad reputation mainly because of the movies depicting them as evil beasts. Personally, I think that...

Town of Harar

—

Dec 8, 2013 — Ethiopia

The city is located at the foot of the Ahmar Mountains, and to the north is the huge Danakil desert. At an altitude of 1856 metres, Harar has a different...

Ethnological museum of Addis Ababa

—

Dec 5, 2013 — Ethiopia

On the ground of the Addis Ababa University, there is an ethnological museum. In this magnificent building, once the palace of Emperor Haile Selassie...

Tigray region

—

Nov 30, 2013 — Ethiopia

The Tigray is a large region northeast of the country. It is a semi-arid zone known for its magnificent churches and spectacular landscapes. In this area...

Danakil - Erta Ale volcano

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Nov 26, 2013 — Ethiopia

The Erta Ale volcano is the most active volcano of Ethiopia. This volcano has a lava lake (sometimes two) that is active since at least 1906. Volcanoes...

Danakil - Le Dallol

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Nov 25, 2013 — Ethiopia

This strange and visually stunning area is made of various minerals such as sulfur and salt.Enjoy the superb photos of this place. Yes, it looks like...

The Danakil Depression

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Nov 24, 2013 — Ethiopia

The Danakil depression in northeastern Ethiopia is a fantastic region. This zone results from the convergence of three tectonic plates that created astonishing...

Axum

—

Nov 18, 2013 — Ethiopia

Axum, it's a modern town, but also an old empire, a culture, and a lot of history. Axum was the cradle of one of the most important civilizations of Ethiopia.This...

On the road #2

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Nov 16, 2013 — Ethiopia

Ethiopians are in general very nice, but when they are behind the wheel, they are sometimes a bit stupid. The road is blocked by a bulldozer that must...

Simien Mountains

—

Nov 10, 2013 — Ethiopia

The Simien Mountains have been described by Homer (the Greek poet) as the playground where the Greek gods came to play chess. A very nice way to say that...

Gonder and its castles

—

Nov 7, 2013 — Ethiopia

The royal enclosure would have started when King Fasilidas decided to permanently base himself in Gonder in the 17th century. From that moment, the royal...

Around Gonder

—

Nov 6, 2013 — Ethiopia

Ethiopia is really a fascinating country. The landscapes are fantastic and the realms that once flourished in the region are surprising. After Lalibela...

Around Lalibela

—

Nov 3, 2013 — Ethiopia

Lalibela is famous for its rock-hewn churches, but it is also a very interesting place by itself. The market is one of the nicest we have seen and attracts...

Churches of Lalibela

—

Oct 31, 2013 — Ethiopia

Lalibela is a small town at an altitude of 2630 metres where twelve monumental churches have been hewn in volcanic rock. Classed by UNESCO as a World...

Debre Tabor - Lalibela Road

—

Oct 29, 2013 — Ethiopia

This road starts at Lake Tana then continues toward Debre Tabor to eventually end up in Lalibela. Almost everywhere in Ethiopia, landscapes are fantastic...

Ethiopian Orthodox Church

—

Oct 28, 2013 — Ethiopia

The religion in Ethiopia is very present in everyday life. Ethiopians seems to be very religious, and there are an astonishing number of churches everywhere...

Bahar Dar, Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls

—

Oct 27, 2013 — Ethiopia

Bahar Dar, located at the southern tip of Lake Tana, is a nice town with many palm tree-lined streets and a nice walk along the lake's shore. We stayed...

Muger river and Blue Nile Gorges

—

Oct 23, 2013 — Ethiopia

Many people wonder about what is there to see in Ethiopia. Those that are 35 years or older may remember images of hunger broadcast in the eighties. Others...

On the road #1

—

Oct 13, 2013 — Ethiopia

In the north, Axum is well known for its huge stelae. However, other sites with more modest and less well-carved stelae are present in various sites around...

Dorze and Chencha

—

Oct 11, 2013 — Ethiopia

Dorze is the name of a village, but also the name of an Ethiopian tribe. These people live in the Guge Mountains and the most obvious characteristic is...

Introduction to Ethiopia

—

Oct 7, 2013 — Ethiopia

Hurrah! Ethiopia! On the photo, we are at the border of Kenya and Ethiopia (according to the GPS). What a road! But great scenery!We didn't reach that...

From Lake Turkana up to Ethiopia

—

Oct 4, 2013 — Kenya

After some hundred kilometres in very arid regions, we finally reach Lake Turkana. On the photo, one can see the road that goes down toward the lake...

Going to Lake Turkana

—

Oct 2, 2013 — Kenya

In order to reach Ethiopia, we took a road rarely used, via Lake Turkana. Some people told us that we won't be able to get through with our van. Others...

The vehicle

—

Sep 30, 2013 — Kenya

At the beginning of each trip, I present the modifications made on the vehicle. For this big trip, I stopped at Jungle Junction's in Nairobi. In this...

Nice surprise

—

Sep 5, 2013 — Quebec

Before leaving, I got a very nice surprise from my family. Monique and Jacques had a party by inviting some cousins and friends to their camping in Quebec...

Break on Tiwi Beach

—

Dec 23, 2012 — Kenya

It is here that we are going to enjoy Christmas time. We are on this beach since December 6th. We are both agreeing to say that we are not missing the...

Surprise!

—

Dec 20, 2012 — Kenya

Mombasa

—

Dec 5, 2012 — Kenya

Mombasa is a major port city in Kenya. It is in fact an island linked to the continent by some bridges. It has been funded in 950 by the Arabs who were...

Mida Creek

—

Dec 3, 2012 — Kenya

Mida Creek is an eco-tourism site managed by the community. The site protects a mangrove. This type of ecosystem is characterized by trees that have their...

Gede Ruins

—

Dec 1, 2012 — Kenya

The Gede ruins are one of the most beautiful ruins of the Swahili culture of Kenya. Even though they are not as magnificent as Machu Picchu or else Tikal...

Marafa Depression

—

Nov 29, 2012 — Kenya

If you have ever been in the southwestern United States, this place will make you think about Bryce Canyon. The place is fairly unique in the country...

Nairobi - capital of Kenya

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Nov 24, 2012 — Kenya

Nairobi is mostly known as a dangerous city where crimes, often violent, are very frequent. Obviously, most travellers are somewhat afraid of the city...

On the road #1

—

Nov 20, 2012 — Kenya

Unbelievable but true! Normally, one should be seeing water everywhere there are water hyacinths (floating plants). Unfortunately, this introduced plant...

Samburu Reserve

—

Nov 18, 2012 — Kenya

The Samburu Reserve is located in the middle of the country in a semi-desert zone. It has several new species that we had never seen up to now.In the...

Ol Pejeta

—

Nov 16, 2012 — Kenya

The 'Ol Pejeta' site is an old ranch converted in a conservation area. It is a private site that protects several rare species of African animals. It...

Mount Longonot National Park

—

Nov 10, 2012 — Kenya

The park has been a really pleasant surprise for both of us. Indeed, we very much enjoyed the site and the trek we did there. Why? Simply because the...

Hell's Gate Park

—

Nov 9, 2012 — Kenya

This park is named Hell's Gate because of numerous thermal springs in its underground. Indeed, at several places, steam in spurring out of the ground...

Lake Bogoria

—

Nov 7, 2012 — Kenya

In Kenya, one of the most famous parks is Lake Nakuru because of its millions of flamingoes. However, the rains have been much more frequent than normal...

Cherangani Hills

—

Nov 3, 2012 — Kenya

These hills might not be impressive to you, but for us they were representing landscapes from colder countries. Indeed, we were at higher altitude and...

Saiwa National Park

—

Oct 30, 2012 — Kenya

This small park protects the Saiwa Swamp and shelters a species that we had never seen before: the sitatunga. It is a kind of antelope.Well, to be honest...

Kitale Museum

—

Oct 28, 2012 — Kenya

To visit a museum with old stuffed animals after some wonderful safaris, a crazy idea isn't it? Yes, but we didn't come here to what's inside the museum...

Ruma National Park

—

Oct 24, 2012 — Kenya

We visited Ruma Park for a particular species: the Roan antelope. In Kenya, this specie would be unique to this park.Of course, nothing is simple in Africa...

Things are moving around in Uganda!

—

Oct 11, 2012 — Uganda

In this blog, I tried to show you something else than static photos. I put some videos on various themes in order to show you what we are experiencing...

Mount Elgon region

—

Oct 10, 2012 — Uganda

Mount Elgon region is very scenic and dotted with numerous falls coming from the mountain range. We have chosen to explore the Sipi Falls.One of the camping...

Nyero - Rock paintings

—

Oct 8, 2012 — Uganda

Nyero is a small far-away village near the town of Kumi. At this place, it is possible to see several rock paintings.The paintings' age is subject to...

Murchison Falls National Park

—

Oct 5, 2012 — Uganda

Murchison is the biggest park in Uganda with its 3840 km2. In the sixties, this park contained an incredible fauna; it was possible to see elephant herds...

On the road #2

—

Oct 4, 2012 — Uganda

You already know about Lake Albert, we were at the south of this huge lake when we visited the Semuliki Wildlife Reserve and the Ntokoro Village.This...

Ziwa Rhinoceros Sanctuary

—

Oct 2, 2012 — Uganda

In Uganda, there is no more rhinoceros in the wild. Two species of rhinos were living in the countries: the white rhinoceros and the black rhinoceros...

Kampala - The capital

—

Sep 27, 2012 — Uganda

Kampala is a capital with more than 1.7 million inhabitants. Like many big cities in developing countries, Kampala swims in a chaotic and polluted sea...

Ssese Islands

—

Sep 25, 2012 — Uganda

The Ssese Islands are a group of islands in Lake Victoria. The main one, called Bugala, is the easiest to visit.The island is accessible with a car using...

Semuliki Wildlife Reserve

—

Sep 22, 2012 — Uganda

Before getting to the reserve, there was a superb viewpoint on the Semuliki Forest. The forest extends from the left of the road up to Congo.We didn't...

Kasenda craters

—

Sep 18, 2012 — Uganda

The Kasenda craters region is dotted with ancient craters often flooded with water, sometimes filled with forest and sometimes used for agriculture. There...

Queen Elizabeth National Park

—

Sep 15, 2012 — Uganda

The Queen Elizabeth National Park is located between lake Edward and lake George. The Kazinga channel linking these two lakes is located at the centre...

Lion or not lion? That is the question!

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Sep 14, 2012 — Uganda

Post written by Melanie.We saw a lion's footprint, a biiiigggggg lion's footprint... We saw lion's paws... We saw a lion's tail... We saw a lion's belly...But...

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

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Sep 10, 2012 — Uganda

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Park, located in the Rift Valley, has an area of only 331 km2. This park, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, shelters...

Lake Bunyonyi

—

Sep 6, 2012 — Uganda

Lake Bunyonyi, located in the south-west of Uganda, is quite popular on travellers itinerary. There is a very nice road that runs along the north shore...

On the road #1

—

Sep 1, 2012 — Uganda

A small break in Kisoro after a month of travel in Rwanda. We camped at this place for 5 days. In the background, one of the volcanoes of the Volcanoes...

The country of a thousand hills

—

Aug 29, 2012 — Rwanda

Rwanda is nicknamed 'the country of a thousand hills'.In this article, I am showing you great scenery and interesting places. One day, at the end of the...

Alongside Lake Kivu

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Aug 25, 2012 — Rwanda

Lake Kivu, located west of the country, extends for nearly 100 kilometres. It is also a border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This lake has...

Nyungwe Forest National Park

—

Aug 19, 2012 — Rwanda

The Nyungwe Forest extends for 1015 km2 and protects the largest mid-altitude forest in Africa. It shelters a rich biodiversity with no fewer than 1050...

Craft and dance

—

Aug 14, 2012 — Rwanda

Here are a few types of crafts and dance that are still being done in Rwanda. Following the genocide of 1994, several techniques and part of the know-how...

The genocide of 1994

—

Aug 13, 2012 — Rwanda

In this article, I don't pretend to exhaustive information on the genocide. I will try to give you an outline of the events to help you understand the...

Kigali - Rwanda capital

—

Aug 12, 2012 — Rwanda

This small city located in the country's centre is probably known only because of the 1994 genocide and the numerous movies made following this sad event...

On the shore of Lake Muhazi

—

Aug 10, 2012 — Rwanda

Rwanda is endowed with numerous rivers and lakes. Here is a small visit to Lake Muhazi located north-east of Kigali.Our first camping around the lake...

Akagera National Park

—

Aug 8, 2012 — Rwanda

Akagera National Park, north-east of the country, has an area of 1085 km2. It is located at an altitude of 1600 to 1800 metres and is home to several...

First Impressions

—

Aug 6, 2012 — Rwanda

What did I know about Rwanda? Nothing, except for the genocide of 1994. In fact, I knew vaguely the story of the genocide (two ethnic groups fought each...

On the road #4

—

Jul 29, 2012 — Tanzania

Here are a few pictures of our last week in Tanzania. We spent times around Lake Victoria relaxing and exploring the area. The town of Bukoba is located...

Bujora - Sukuma museum

—

Jul 28, 2012 — Tanzania

We visited this museum for two reasons. The first was that we wanted to learn about one of the many cultures (tribe) in the country. The second was that...

Ukerewe Island

—

Jul 26, 2012 — Tanzania

Lake Victoria is the largest in Africa and the second largest fresh water lake in the world (after Lake Superior in Canada). This vast region is very...

Serengeti National Park

—

Jul 24, 2012 — Tanzania

If you ever watched an animal documentary, chance that one of them was filmed in the Serengeti is quite high. This park is probably the most famous of...

Lake Natron and around

—

Jul 22, 2012 — Tanzania

The road between Mto wa Mbu and Lake Natron is very beautiful. It is Maasai territory, a very colourful tribe living a very traditional life. A lot of...

Ngorongoro crater

—

Jul 18, 2012 — Tanzania

The Ngorongoro crater is one of the most impressive sights of Tanzania. This crater is the biggest complete (the walls are intact) and not flooded caldera...

Manyara National Park

—

Jul 16, 2012 — Tanzania

Lake Manyara is at the heart of the Rift Valley. This park is very nice in the good season when numerous migratory birds stop in it. The park is located...

Tarangire National Park

—

Jul 15, 2012 — Tanzania

I already visited this park in 2011 and published a blog (see Tarangire National Park). Since I liked this park a lot and that I believed that Melanie...

A thief and his friend

—

Jul 14, 2012 — Tanzania

After Melanie's arrival, we stayed a couple of days in Arusha in order to finish fitting the van and do some shopping. Where we were staying, there is...

The vehicle

—

Jul 13, 2012 — Tanzania

During my first trip (), the vehicle did not contain a bed, nor any storage compartments for equipment and food. For this trip of nearly 6 months in East...

Usambara - 4x4 required

—

Dec 3, 2011 — Tanzania

When I was in the Usambara Mountains, I camped at a very nice place called Mambo Viewpoint. At this place, the owners talk to me about a 4x4 path going...

Usambara Mountains

—

Dec 2, 2011 — Tanzania

The Usambara mountains are less visited and also not well known compared to the busy sites such as Kilimanjaro, Serengeti or Zanzibar. However, I found...

Pangani

—

Dec 1, 2011 — Tanzania

Pangani is a small town that had some importance when the Arabs were involved in trading along the coast of Tanzania (Zanzibar among others).Caravans...

On the road #3

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Nov 30, 2011 — Tanzania

I stopped on a beach to relax, read and drink a few beers. It was a welcome break, but after 2 days with temperature around 35 degrees, I hit the road...

Saadani National Park

—

Nov 29, 2011 — Tanzania

Saadani in the only coastal park of Tanzania. Very few animals can be seen, but on the flip side landscapes are beautiful. First mud hole to test my new...

Salt production

—

Nov 28, 2011 — Tanzania

On the Indian Ocean Coast, north of Bagamoyo, I stumbled upon this salt production plant.Big ponds are filled with a few centimetres of sea water. Then...

Bagamoyo

—

Nov 27, 2011 — Tanzania

Bagamoyo is a small city on the Indian Ocean Coast. It has been a city of importance in the 1800s. Around the beginning of the 1800s, Bagamoyo was the...

Ruaha National Park

—

Nov 26, 2011 — Tanzania

This park is located more or less in the centre of the country. With the recent addition of a huge area of marshland to the park, it has become the biggest...

African Children

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Nov 25, 2011 — Tanzania

The image often conveyed by the media, often shows children in misery or within a refugee camp with a big belly and flies on their face and also with...

On the road #2

—

Nov 6, 2011 — Tanzania

At several places around Kolo Village in the Irangi Hills, there are rock paintings, some of which date from some 3000 years and others only a few centuries...

On the road #1

—

Nov 5, 2011 — Tanzania

« On the road » is a title I use for a series of photo without any precise theme or to group several topics in one blog. They are photos taken...

From very very close

—

Nov 4, 2011 — Tanzania

This is a short story to show you how close animals can be seen in parks. If you think this elephant was taken with a super zoom, you are dead wrong...

A glimpse of Uganda

—

Nov 1, 2011 — Uganda

With a small family, I did a custom trip and with some excursions in Uganda. Here are a few photos of that expedition...

Tarangire National Park

—

Oct 29, 2011 — Tanzania

Located in the north of Tanzania, this park is among the famous parks of the northern circuit such as the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro. This small park...

Vehicle introduction

—

Oct 28, 2011 — Tanzania

Here is the vehicle as bought: a Toyota HiAce 1994; 4 wheel-drive. After buying the vehicle, I made the following modifications:...

Into Maasai country

—

Oct 1, 2011 — Tanzania

The Maasai people are found mainly in the north of Tanzania and the south of Kenya. They are pastoralists and semi-nomad warriors. They are well known...

Serengeti National Park

—

Aug 1, 2011 — Tanzania

Serengeti, a name that conjured dreams long before I set foot there. Younger, I watched plenty of documentaries on African animals and it was so fascinating...

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

—

Jun 1, 2011 — Tanzania

We are now in the Ngorongoro, a conservation area where the Maasai people also live. Surprisingly, they share the land with lions, leopards, and hyenas...

Lake Manyara National Park

—

Mar 1, 2011 — Tanzania

After the treks to the summit of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, there is nothing more fun than going in safari for a few days. It is so easy as it...

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (gorillas)

—

Oct 23, 2010 — Uganda

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the last habitats of the majestic mountain gorillas. It is one of the two subspecies of the eastern gorilla...

Queen Elizabeth National Park

—

Oct 22, 2010 — Uganda

The Queen Elizabeth Park is a superb place with a great abundance of animals. It is one of the most well known and visited parks in the country. One of...

Chimpanzees of Kibale National Park

—

Oct 21, 2010 — Uganda

One of the highlights of Uganda is the possibility to observe chimpanzees. A walk in the Kibale Park is done with a ranger and the maximum allowed time...

Lake Kyaninga, Bigodi, and Katunguru

—

Oct 20, 2010 — Uganda

During a long break between my groups, I decide to do an excursion in Uganda. After a long and uncomfortable 12-hour ride on a bus, I reach Fort Portal...

Zanzibar, Stone Town, and Pemba

—

Oct 1, 2010 — Tanzania

Zanzibar is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean located east of Tanzania. The three main islands are Unguja, also called Zanzibar, Pemba to the north...

Trek from Tighza to Ighrem Akdim (Ighil M'Goun)

—

Jul 11, 2010 — Morocco

This trek in the High Atlas was in July. At that time of the year, we were a few months into the dry season, and its impact on the scenery was quite obvious...

Trek from Aït Bouguemez to the Anergui Valley

—

May 9, 2010 — Morocco

This awesome trek in the High Atlas mountain range offers some fantastic landscapes. It's a walk through quiet villages with some friendly folks. In addition...

Moulay Driss Zerhoun and Volubilis

—

May 3, 2010 — Morocco

Moulay Driss is the most important pilgrimage site in Morocco. Since it is a holy place, the village was forbidden to non-Muslims until 1912, and it is...

Kilimanjaro National Park - part 2

—

May 1, 2010 — Tanzania

I found this aerial photo of Kibo on the Internet... I edited it to clearly show the trail we follow. On day 4, we sleep at School Hut at 4700 metres...

Meknes

—

Apr 29, 2010 — Morocco

Meknes is one of the four royal cities of Morocco with Rabat, Fez and Marrakesh. It was founded in the 11^th century during the reign of Sultan...

Fez

—

Apr 26, 2010 — Morocco

Inside its thousand-year-old medina, Fez is home to numerous mosques, fountains, gardens, madrasas, tanneries, and small shops. Surrounded and protected...

Trek north of Kalaat M'Gouna

—

Apr 19, 2010 — Morocco

This trek over a few days in the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains was with an organized group. In fact, my goal was to evaluate a French travel agency...

Kilimanjaro National Park - part 1

—

Apr 1, 2010 — Tanzania

The trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro takes place over a period of seven days; we reach our goal at dawn on day 6. It's a long and somewhat difficult...

Chefchaouen

—

Mar 27, 2010 — Morocco

Chefchaouen, also known as Chaouen, is one of the most beautiful towns of Morocco. Perched in the Rif Mountains, it has a superb medina with winding alleys...

Tétouan

—

Mar 24, 2010 — Morocco

The town of Tétouan is superbly located at the foot of the Rif Mountains. Its main highlight, in addition to its fantastic scenery, is its old medina...

Ceuta

—

Mar 22, 2010 — Spain

When someone asks me if I ever visited Spain, I automatically answer no. But it is not true. Accessible from Morocco and within the African continent...

Asilah and Tangier

—

Mar 20, 2010 — Morocco

During the summer months, the village of Asilah is bustling with sun-seeking Moroccan tourists who want to enjoy the beach and the medina. When I was...

Larache and the ruins of Lixus

—

Mar 18, 2010 — Morocco

Larache is a small town on the Atlantic Coast of Morocco that sees few tourists. The place is quiet and nice to visit. The main reason I came here is...

Rabat and Chellah Historic Site

—

Mar 15, 2010 — Morocco

Rabat is the political and administrative capital of Morocco and its population is 1,660,000 inhabitants. Contrary to Casablanca, the city is rather charming...

Casablanca

—

Mar 14, 2010 — Morocco

Casablanca is a modern city with a population of 3.7 million people. It is the largest one in Morocco and the commercial and business centre of the country...

Expeditions with high-school students

—

Feb 28, 2010 — Morocco

When I was in Morocco, I guided two groups of high-school students for their after-school trip. In both cases, the custom-tailored trip was the same and...

Essaouira

—

Feb 22, 2010 — Morocco

Essaouira is one of my favourite cities in Morocco; a surprise since I don't like touristy sites. The medina (old city) is surrounded by an ancient rampart...

On the road

—

Feb 20, 2010 — Morocco

The town of Ouarzazate doesn't have tourist attractions apart from the nice Taourirt Kasbah. However, the scenery around the town is incredible. The region...

The ksar of Aït Benhaddou

—

Feb 18, 2010 — Morocco

I already visited the ksar with groups of students, but the place is so photogenic that I wanted to have more time to enjoy it. I walked into the narrow...

Marrakesh

—

Feb 13, 2010 — Morocco

Marrakesh is the first taste of Morocco for most travellers. Founded in AD 1062, the city is filled with historic sites, local markets, Koranic schools...

Arusha National Park and Mount Meru

—

Jan 1, 2010 — Tanzania

The trek to the summit of Mount Meru in the Arusha National Park is done in 4 days. On day 1, we leave the hotel to go to the park, and after checking-in...

Arusha

—

Dec 22, 2009 — Tanzania

Treks and safaris in Tanzania are organized with local companies that provide fantastic logistical support. Make no mistake about it, it's the local team...

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