Finding Solitude in Banff National Park: The Skoki Valley
We planned a trip to see the Canadian Rockies. I’d never been to Banff, but it’s a popular spot. My first objective while planning this vacation was to find some time away from the maddening crowd. Objective achieved. Canadian National Parks How are Canadian parks different from US National Parks? In many ways they’re similar. Huge areas preserved primarily for nature-based recreation. A variety of campgrounds, lakes, and trails provided for people to get back to nature. But in Alberta parks, at least, there are entire towns within the Parks. Entire towns. Like Jasper. Banff. Waterton. Just sitting there providing all sorts of services, with pricetags ranging from not-cheap to…
Birding Tours: Finding the Best Guide for Your Travels
I always use the same birding tour company when planning a big trip. Why? Because they’re great. And also because I’m lazy. This technique can work for you too! But maybe not. Who am I to tell you how to live your life? Now get out there and bird, folks. But first, find a good bird guide! Decisions, Decisions Okay, look. There are loads of companies out there providing wildlife-oriented tours, especially of the feathered persuasion. Birding companies aren’t remotely rare. So I’m just going to tell you who I’ve used before (and recommend), and a tiny bit about why (when I feel like it). And, full disclosure, no tour…
An Amazon Ecolodge Experience at Rio Cristalino
Brazil is a great wildlife destination. But it’s also a huge country with an overwhelming number of possible birding destinations – from coastal Atlantic forests and cerrado to cloud forests and the Pantanal. But despite all the options, it’s almost impossible to skip the rain forests of the Amazon River, especially when the itinerary includes a comfortable Amazon ecolodge like Cristalino Jungle Lodge. My trip to Brazil was a packaged tour with Rockjumper Birding Tours. I spent ten days traveling through the Pantanal and the cerrado habitats north of Cuiaba. But they also offered an option to extend the tour, adding a 4-night/5-day excursion to the Amazon. So although my…
Brussels: Great Chocolate and the Grand Place
Ah, Belgium. On an itinerary entirely focused on London and Paris, Brussels was a last-minute addition mostly to add a new country to our travels (and eat chocolate). Is a single day enough to explore Belgium? Nope! But a single day in Brussels was plenty of time for us to realize that Belgium is absolutely worth a return trip. I do mean to experience more of the country, of course. But, let’s be very honest here: I also mean I want to eat Belgian chocolate until I am physically ill and then wake up the next day to do it again, sometimes with a side of frites. Stop judging me.…
Poor, Unfortunate Soles: A Walk in the Left Bank in Paris
One of the great joys of Paris is how utterly, delightfully walkable it is. It’s a huge city, yes, so the fantastic metro is a wonder for increasing access to most of the city. But once you know where you want to go, the absolute best way to explore – if you’re able – is simply to point yourself in the right direction and walk those tootsies off. That’s exactly the approach we took when took a walk through the neighborhoods of Paris’ Left Bank. Walk It Out My travel partner during my last trip to Europe would probably be the first person to accuse me of being entirely too…
The Inexperienced Hiker’s Guide to the Grand Canyon
What is a long day hike into the Grand Canyon really like? How should someone prepare for the rim to river hike? What should my fitness level be? These are legitimate questions that should be considered if someone is about to attempt an arduous hike into the Grand Canyon. If you’re an experienced hiker with plenty of challenging hikes under your belt, I might not have much insight to offer you. But if you’re new to the desert southwest and/or long, grueling day hikes? I’m your girl! I have already made the ill-advised missteps, and I’m happy to share them with you. Whether this is “for your information” or just…
