The first tented camp we ever stayed in was Angata Ngorongoro Camp, a camp situated on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. If you go on safari in Tanzania, your itinerary will almost inevitably include the Ngorongoro Crater. Descending into the crater is a bit like entering the mythical Garden of Eden as it is teeming with wildlife and probably offers the best opportunity to see a black rhino in Tanzania. Angata Ngorongoro Camp sits on the northern rim of the crater near the Lemala Gate. The small camp has 8 eco-friendly luxury tents with en-suite bathrooms, outdoor seating areas, hot showers, and even warm robes. At night, you can view the sunset from the outdoor seating area of your tent and then walk with one of the security guards to the Lounge for drinks or the Mess Tent for dinner. The camp’s great location allows for a quick morning… Read the rest
Fashionable Camera Straps from iMo
We just invested in our first DSLR camera this summer in preparation for our trip to Africa, and I loved having the opportunity to accessorize it with a fashionable camera strap from iMo. This Hong Kong based company sells cotton tape, neoprene, jacquard, and leather camera straps that can be used for a variety of cameras, including mirrorless cameras and DSLR cameras. The most unique aspect of the company is the large variety of available camera strap designs offered at affordable prices. Far from the boring logo-imprinted black and brown nylon straps that accompany most camera purchases, these straps are colorful, bold, fun, and unique. Interested in a new camera strap that fits your personality? Read on for our review of our iMO camera strap that was field-tested on the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, in the back of a Land Cruiser traversing the rough dirt roads of the Serengeti, and on… Read the rest
Top 10 Things to Do in Karatu Tanzania
On our recent trip to East Africa, we spent two days in the colorful town of Karatu Tanzania which served as a relaxing pause from our wildlife safari. Located along the northern safari circuit, Karatu serves as gateway to the Ngorongoro Highlands and is located between Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater. Due to its location, many safari goers end up overnighting or stopping here for a quick break earning it the nickname “Safari Junction”. The busy downtown of Karatu is a mix of old and new with safari vehicles, local buses, and brightly colored tuk-tuks riding alongside Maasai herders and ox-carts, while just outside town cultivated Iraqw farms and villages merge into the green vegetation of the Ngorongoro Forest. If you do an Internet search for top things to do in Karatu Tanzania, you may end up with the erroneous impression that there is nothing to do in this town. In addition… Read the rest
Karatu Simba Lodge: Eco-friendly Lodging with Stunning Views in Karatu Tanzania
Karatu Simba Lodge is a eco-friendly lodge located near the Ngorongoro Forest in Tanzania. Many safari travelers stop for a night in Karatu because of its strategic location between Lake Manyara National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Karatu Simba Lodge is committed to environmental conservation with its reliance on solar power and emphasis on water conservation; however, the lodge also offers all the amenities that weary safari travelers will be wanting after a day of bumpy, dusty roads, including en-suite flush toilets and hot showers, wireless internet, a swimming pool, complimentary afternoon tea and coffee, and nightly campfires. The lodge sits off the main road along the northern safari circuit amongst a series of small farms and offers beautiful views to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Forest. If you’re lucky you might even get to spot elephants, buffalo, baboons, or other animals wandering outside the forest from the safety… Read the rest
1 Day Nairobi Itinerary: How to Spend a Day in Nairobi Kenya
During our recent trip to Kenya, we had to decide how to best spend a day in Nairobi since we had only a limited amount of time in the city. We share our own detailed 1 day Nairobi itinerary to help other travelers plan their own visit. Nairobi is Kenya’s capital, the most populous city in eastern Africa, and a major business, political, and financial hub in Africa. Most tourists arrive at the NBO airport and then head out the next day for safari, earning the city the nickname “Safari Capital of the World”. However, Nairobi is worth at least a day or two of exploration as the city offers parks, shopping, art museums, cultural attractions, the chance to get up close with wildlife, and even safari game viewing! We share what we did in one day in Nairobi with a detailed stop-by-stop itinerary of where we went and the… Read the rest
Fine European Dining at Machweo Wellness Retreat near Arusha Tanzania
The day we completed our trek of Mt. Kilimanjaro, we headed back to Arusha to enjoy the warm beds and gourmet dining at Machweo Wellness Retreat & Fine Dining. We were told during our recent trip to Africa that “you don’t come to Tanzania for the food”, which is likely true given the stunning scenery, amazing wildlife, and endearing people to be found in this enchanting country. Ethan and I found the food to be quite tasty throughout our travels in Tanzania, but travelers looking for restaurants serving up gourmet dishes may be hard-pressed to find good options. Tucked away in the green hills just outside of Arusha, travelers will be pleased to discover not only a small boutique hotel but a restaurant that has been critically acclaimed for its European-African fusion four-course gourmet meals. Sitting side-by-side Onsea House and Machweo are two properties jointly run by the Janssens, a… Read the rest
Full Details of Our Mount Kilimanjaro Trek along the Rongai Route
Mount Kilimanjaro is the hike of a lifetime for many seasoned hikers and amateur climbers as while it is one of the Seven Summits, it requires no technical climbing and no real experience. However, rising to an elevation of 19,341 ft. and taking most people an average of 6 days to complete the trek, it is no walk in the park. Ethan and I attempted our climb of Mount Kilimanjaro as part of a charity climb to raise money for Vision for the Poor through their biannual Climb for Sight event. There are several routes you can take to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and we chose the Rongai Route, which is also called the Nalemuru Route, and we chose to do our hike with the Tanzanian-based trekking and safari company Amani Afrika. We’ll discuss how to pack for Mount Kilimanjaro, how to choose a trekking company, and how to choose a route in… Read the rest
Our Charity Climb of Mount Kilimanjaro for Climb for Sight
This past January Ethan and I made the decision to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to help support a non-profit organization called Vision for the Poor. Through our climb, we raised donations from both individual and corporate sponsors to be used to support the treatment of children and families in need of sight-saving eye surgery and new eyeglasses in Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, Peru, and Tanzania. We just completed the climb about one week ago and Ethan summited and got to stand on the top of Africa as Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 19,341 ft. (5,895 meters)! Neither of us are mountain climbers and while Mt. Kilimanjaro does not require technical climbing, it is quite a difficult trek because of the altitude and the final steep ascent at the top. I found this out first hand as while Ethan successfully… Read the rest
Thai Nguyen: A Visit to Vietnam’s Tea Region with Footprint Travel
As tea lovers, Ethan and I were excited to visit the Thai Nguyen province with Footprint Travel’s Tea & Bike Tour. Thai Nguyen province is the primary tea growing region of Vietnam and is famous not only for its green tea, but also for its beautiful Nui Coc Lake and mountain scenery. Located about 2 hours from Hanoi, this region is a popular local vacation destination for Vietnamese travelers who want to relax on and around Nui Coc Lake, but has yet to be widely promoted as a tourist destination for Westerners. Vietnam’s tea region is a great place to add to your Vietnam trip itinerary if you appreciate tea and/or want a break from crowded Hanoi. There is much to do in this scenic province, but we focused our visit specifically on the tea-related attractions. Our private day tour from Hanoi with Footprint Travel included stops at a local… Read the rest
Drinks with a View: 10 Best Rooftop Bars in Ho Chi Minh City
We love to find places that offer good views of a new city and the rooftop bars in Ho Chi Minh City provided not only an excellent opportunity to get a good orientation to the city, but also the chance to savor some delicious cocktails. Ho Chi Minh City, often still referred to as Saigon, is a booming city on the rise—quite literally! You’ll see the shorter historical French colonial buildings next to giant sleek glass-and-steel skyscrapers throughout the downtown area making for an interesting city landscape. We discovered that there are essentially two places to look for good rooftop bars in the city: hotels (old and new) and business towers. You have a wide array of choices from historical colonial-era hotels to up-and-coming glitzy nightspots, depending on whether you feel like contemplating the war-era days of Graham Greene or hanging with hipsters in a modern lounge. You can also have… Read the rest
Our Favorite Castle in Germany: The Mighty Burg Eltz
Burg Eltz is the German castle that has impressed us the most and currently holds the title as our favorite castle in Germany. Even in a region where it is almost impossible to not stumble over some ruined castle, this castle really stands out. Burg Eltz sits in a forested green valley alongside the babbling Elzbach Creek in the Mosel Valley, hidden away from the traffic of the main roads. Walking up (or down) to this magnificent castle provides for a really knockout view, as it looks today much as it did in 1540 when the last major part of the castle was built. Unlike the vast majority of castles along the Mosel and Rhine Rivers, this was one of the few that was not destroyed or badly damaged. Its history is quite fascinating as it has been owned within the same family since at least the 12th century and continues… Read the rest
Guide to Halong Bay Cruises in Vietnam & Our Cruise with The Au Co
Halong Bay is considered one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Vietnam, and a Halong Bay cruise is a must-do on many travelers’ lists. Imagine an emerald bay peppered with about 2,000 tiny vegetation-topped islands which feature numerous caves, lagoons, coves, and coral reefs. This breathtaking UNESCO heritage site has recently received the honor of being named one of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the world and is not surprisingly one of the most popular attractions in Vietnam. Most visitors need little convincing to visit, but the array of cruise options can be daunting as hundreds of boats ply across the waters of Halong Bay each day. Cruises range widely in price and companies offer a variety of cruise lengths, itineraries, amenities, and activities. We’ll share our tips on how to choose a Halong Bay cruise, answer common questions about Halong Bay cruises, and review our own recent… Read the rest
Dreaming of Turkey: Colorful Turkish Hammam Towels from sorbet ltd
These colorful handwoven Turkish hammam towels from sorbet ltd have us dreaming of Turkey! Ethan and I have been thinking about visiting Turkey within the next year and we were very delighted to have the opportunity to review a set of sorbet-colored hammam towel hand-woven in rural Turkey. These towels, also called peshtemal towels, have a long and important history in Turkish social life and have been worn as clothing, used in ceremonial bathing of brides to be, and today are mainly associated with their use in traditional Turkish baths or hammams. Recently, Turkish hammam towels have also been popping up on beaches, pool lounge chairs, yachts, and in travelers’ suitcases as these towels are not only beautiful but lightweight, quick-drying, and made of natural absorbent fibers. We’ve used ours mainly as beach towels on our travels, and we’ll share our review with you of our experience with these towels. Review… Read the rest
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi: A Historic Hotel in Vietnam’s Capital
The Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi serves the dual role of being both a historical landmark and a luxury hotel. Opened in 1901 by two French investors, the French colonial-style hotel soon became one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic hotels and today is the oldest continuously operating hotel in Vietnam, This grande dame has not rested on her legendary laurels but continues to modernize and innovate, undergoing massive renovations over the past few decades, including the opening of an award-winning spa in 2009. Honored to be the first Sofitel Legend property (only a handful of Sofitel properties carry this distinction), the hotel offers three restaurants, three bars, seven function rooms, an exclusive Club Lounge, a heated swimming pool, a health club, and the luxurious Le Spa du Metropole. A unique offering by the hotel is a daily guided Path of History tour that provides guests with not only an opportunity to learn more about the hotel’s history… Read the rest
Up at 4am: Early Morning Adventures in Hanoi Vietnam
One morning while in Hanoi Vietnam, we got up before 4:00am to go on an early morning city tour. Crazy, right?! Now, we are not early morning people by any means, but we trusted our guide and reluctantly got ourselves out of our comfortable beds to explore Hanoi at 4:00am. We are so glad we did as there are things that you only have the opportunity to experience early in the morning in Hanoi and few tourists venture out at these hours. We explored chaotic early morning markets, witnessed the changing of the honor guards ceremony, joined the local early risers for tai chi at Hoan Kiem Lake, searched for a magic turtle, and had breakfast with the locals in the Old Quarter. All that before 8:00am! Interested? We’ll give you a list of places in Hanoi Vietnam you might want to visit on a morning venture of your own and… Read the rest