The old walled city of Xi’an, China, is filled with historical buildings and a very authentic Muslim Quarter with bazaar and mosque. However, the most spectacular attraction is the Army of Terracotta Warriors [MORE...]
Tancho Cranes and Whooper (or Hooper) Swans annually migrate from upper Siberia in Russia to the relatively less harsh winters of eastern Hokkaido Island of northern Japan. Watch as these cranes do their love dances in the snow and feel free to join the swans in the thermal spring waters of the lake. When bird spotting in the deep freeze gets too tiring, soak in one of the many romantic outdoor natural thermal springs while your surroundings get covered in snow. End the day with Japanese cuisine around the fireplace, and sleep on your tatami mat after sipping on a cup of green tea. Sounds good? It is! Lets go JAPAN! [MORE...]
At the northern tip of Pakistan, immediately south of Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor and the wild frontier of China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is the autonomous territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. It lies at the confluence of three of the world’s most impressive mountain ranges: the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush. Five of the “eight-thousanders” (peaks above 8,000 m) are located here with another 50+ peaks above 7,000 m. This remote area is also known for its glaciers, turquoise lakes, and friendly people. [MORE...]
Yemen, officially known as the Republic of Yemen, is located on the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, south of Saudi Arabia and west of the Sultanate of Oman. Being the second largest country in the Arabian Peninsula it has a long coastline and claims ownership over more than 200 islands. While large parts of Yemen are desert or semi-desert, some mountain peaks rise up to 3,700 m (12,100 ft) above sea level. Yemen has long existed at a crossroads of cultures with a history dating back to as early as 5,000 B.C. The collection of ancient castles, fortresses and many [MORE...]
The Republic of Iceland, located in the North Atlantic Ocean, has a population of almost 320,000 with Reykjavík as its largest city where approximately two-thirds of the population live. Reykjavík is a modern town with advanced infrastructure and when you’re here, it sure doesn’t feel like some far-off tiny island best known for its fire and ice. As soon as you leave the highways and byways of Reykjavík, you will quickly sink into the tranquillity of the country-side where the fierce natural past of Iceland becomes evident. Located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with the eastern part [MORE...]
Ushuaia, pronounced [u’swaia], is the capital of the province of Tierra del Fuego in southern Argentina. While this is not the most southern settlement, it is generally labelled as the “southernmost town” in the world, a title long disputed by the much smaller Puerto Williams. Puerto Williams, southeast of Ushuaia on the Chilean island of Navarino, is further south but has only 2,900 inhabitants compared with Ushuaia’s population of more than 60,000. As Ushuaia is commonly regarded as the “southernmost town,” it leaves Puerto Williams with the title of “southernmost village.” [MORE...]
Greenland should be every intrepid traveller’s dreamland. This rugged island of ice and rocks has almost no boundaries to the true adventurer. Located between the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland was ceded from Norway to Denmark in 1814 and is currently an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark. While it is the world’s biggest island, over three-quarters of its surface is covered by the only contemporary ice sheet outside of Antarctica. It has a coastline (39,330 km / 24,440 mi) about the same length as the Earth’s circumference [MORE...]
The Mon and Kayin States in southeastern Myanmar (Burma) offers great off-the-beaten-track adventures. Head down to Mawlamyine, Set Se Beach, Kyaikhto, as well as Hpa-An (in neighbouring Kayin State) and Bago (in neighbouring Bago State), and return to Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon. This region is off the “standard tourist trail” so in some areas you may travel for many days without seeing another foreign traveller. The tourist infrastructure is rather insignificant, but there are hotels and guesthouses mainly focused on local tourists and business people. Public [MORE...]
Shughnan is a village and a district in Badakhshan Province in the mountainous northeast of Afghanistan and also a district in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in Tajikistan. The administrative centre of the Shighnan District of Afghanistan is called Qaleh Barpanjeh (قلعه برپنجه). The administrative centre of the Shughnon District of Tajikistan is called Khorogh. In ancient times the area was known for its ruby mines, which are mentioned in the writings of Marco Polo In modern times Shughnan and its vassal Roshan were states whose native rulers, the mirs of Shighnan, claimed [MORE...]
Capital City, Dushanbe Getting to Dushanbe is still one the challenges in this part of the world. Few airlines, even from neighbouring countries, fly into the capital of Tajikistan. An interesting entry by land is from Samarkand in Uzbekistan. A long 10.5-hour train ride goes through mostly desert landscapes and some mountainous regions and also stops at a few small villages. When the train eventually comes to a standstill in the small Uzbek town of Denau, to the southwest of the Tajik capital, take a 30-minute taxi ride to the Uzbek / Tajik border. This is another border crossing in [MORE...]
