Monument Valley
Monument Valley is a place where time stands still, long enough for you to feel the harmony and peace of the last western frontier. Monument Valley, on the Arizona and Utah border, is a semi-autonomous Navajo nation of 165,000 people. The reservation covers one third of the 130,000 square-mile Colorado Plateau and features endless geological wonders. The nearest major airport to Monument Valley is Flagstaff, Arizona (about a three-hour drive). While there is lodging just outside the park, I stayed at the
Amtrak’s California Zephyr
Active World Journeys travel blog: Cross Country Trip on Amtrak’s California Zephyr. Those who know me know that I’m an outdoor enthusiast and nature lover. When I travel it usually involves some kind of active component such as hiking or kayaking or bike riding. But I’ve always had a multi-day overnight train trip on my travel bucket list. To me it harkens back to America before plane travel was affordable for most people and before the highways and interstates were built.
Spain’s Hidden Gem Beaches, Exhilarating Hikes, and Best Food and Drink Tours
I really should not be telling you about one of the best kept secret vacation spots in the world. I want it for myself, and I especially don’t want the locals to get upset with me for blogging about it to the world at large. But oh well, here it goes. I really should not be telling you about one of the best kept secret vacation spots in the world. I want it for myself, and I especially don’t want the
South Africa Safari Adventure
It was finally here, our South Africa Safari Adventure. Our South Africa Safari Adventure was a chance to see the Big 5 animals in their natural environment (lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, and buffalos) as well as giraffes and other exotic African animals! We flew into Johannesburg and rested up for a couple of days, seeing the Mandela House Museum in the suburb of Soweto where Nelson Mandela lived from 1946-1962 before his long prison sentence for standing up against the apartheid government
Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
Grateful in the mist – gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking in Uganda. Did you know? Uganda has 50% of the world’s mountain gorilla population. There are about 450 gorillas in the sanctuary of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where we had the opportunity to trek to a particular family named “Mishaya” on a recent primate safari tour in Uganda, Africa. The tour also featured chimpanzee tracking. After flying into Entebbe, Uganda we made our way first to Kibale National Park to track chimpanzees, the
A Bicycle Journey through the Florida Keys
Ahhh – the Florida Keys are just one of those places that has its own unique feel. When you’re there, you get the sense that everything runs on “Keys’ time.” It’s laid back and bohemian atmosphere makes it one of those popular destinations for just getting away from it all. It has world class scuba diving and fishing as well. There are many ways to experience this part of the state but we chose a bicycle journey through the Florida Keys We decided
National Parks List: Exploring America from “Sea to Shining Sea”
Active World Journeys. Capital Reef. Exploring America from “Sea to Shining Sea” with a list of the beautiful US national parks to visit this summer after we are all Covid vaccinated. As more and more Americans are getting vaccinated, this summer looks like it will break records for domestic travel as the floodgates open and people take their travel lives back. It will be great for local economies that were hard hit in 2020 by shutdowns and capacity limitations due to the
Adventures in Badlands and Black Hills
South Dakota offers dynamic scenery and iconic national landmarks and it should be high on your adventure list if you haven’t already been.
Chasing Waterfalls and Wine in the Finger Lakes
In upstate New York, the Finger Lakes region brings together two fabulous experiences for an active traveler like me who likes a tasting reward at the end of a hike
Discovering Turkey and the “WOW” Effect
Active World Journeys in Turkey. Turkey is a place of tantalizing ancient civilizations and spectacular natural wonders. With more ancient Greek and Roman sites than in Italy and Greece combined, and having more than half of all the places mentioned in the bible, Turkey is chock-full of dynamic history, fabled stories and iconic characters. In Southern Turkey, along the Mediterranean coast, is one of the world’s 10 best long-distance trekking routes – The Lycian Way. Local tour guide experts at Demavend Travel took me