Namibia: 2021 – Epupa Falls to Etosha Pan – Olifantsrus

The Etosha pan ("Land of Dry Water") is a large endorheic salt pan, forming part of the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin in the north of Namibia. It is a hollow in the ground in which water may collect or in which a deposit of salt remains after water has evaporated. At 130 km's long and up to 50km's wide in places, it is comfortably the largest salt pan in Africa and is the park's most distinctive and dramatic feature, visible even from space. The large mammals in Etosha National Park include lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, giraffe, wildebeest, cheetah, hyena, mountain and plains zebra, springbok, kudu, gemsbok and eland. Among the smaller species you will find jackal, bat-eared fox, warthog, honey badger and ground squirrel. Olifantsrus is Etosha’s newest camp and the first accommodation option in the park to offer a camping only experience, allowing you to feel that little bit closer to the incredible African bush all around you. Situated in the wilder, more remote and previously less-utilised western section of the park, Olifantsrus is approximately 60kms from Galton Gate, 130kms from Okaukuejo and 50kms from Dolomite Camp. Rare and shy species such as black rhino and black-faced impala are well-established in this quieter part of the park.

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Namibia: 2021 – Epupa Falls & Himba Tribe

The Himba are a semi-nomadic tribe whose existence centres on herding and breeding sheep, cattle and goats. The women are known for covering their bodies with otjize, a mixture of butter fat and ochre which gives their skin and plaited hair a reddish tinge. Traditionally both men and women go topless and wear skirts or loincloths made of animal skins.

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Namibia: 2021 – Palmwag to Epupa Falls

The border river between Namibia and Angola, the Kunene, plummets down a 40 metre deep gorge at the Epupa Falls close to the nearby village of Epupa. In the Herero language Epupa means “falling water”. Raw Africa at its best. My favourite place in Namibia. One of the highlights of Kaokoland in the far northern reaches of Namibia, Epupa is a magical belt of makalani palm forest on the perennial Kunene River.

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Namibia: 2021 – Kolmanskop to Luderitz to Sossusvlei

Kolmanskop is a ghost town in the Namib in southern Namibia, ten kilometres inland from the port town of Lüderitz. It was named after a transport driver named Johnny Coleman who, during a sand storm, abandoned his ox wagon on a small incline opposite the settlement.

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Namibia: Fish River Canyon – Ais Ais to Klein Aus

Ai-Ais Hot Springs Resort is at the source of a mineral and sulphur-rich hot spring, and means 'burning water' in the local dialect. This resort is situated at the southern end of Namibia's Fish River Canyon. Ai-Ais is part of the Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park which includes both the Richtersveld in South Africa and Ai-Ais in Namibia. Desert Horse Campsite at Klein Aus Vista is a magical campsite. Here, wild horses of the Namib roam and desert sand blows through old diamond towns.

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Namibia: 2021 – Giant’s Playground to Fish River Canyon

The Giant’s Playground is located on the outskirts of Keetmanshoop, in the south of Namibia. It features a series of 180 million year old dolerite boulders that span over a surface area of 180,000 km squared. Nearby is the popular Quivertree Forest hosting trees as old as one hundred to two hundred years old. The Fish River Canyon, is located in the south of Namibia. It is the largest canyon in Africa, as well as the second most visited tourist attraction in Namibia. It is comprised of a gigantic ravine, in total about 160 kilometres long, up to 27 km wide and in places almost 550 meters deep.

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Namibia: 2021 – Quiver Tree Forest

The Quiver Tree Forest is located about 14 km north-east of the town of Keetmanshoop, on the road to the small village of Koës, in southern Namibia. Here grows, on a private farm, about 250 specimens of the quiver tree, or aloe dichotoma, which is a tall, branching species of aloe, indigenous to the Northern Cape region of South Africa, and parts of Southern Namibia. The unusual look of aloe dichotoma has made this area a popular tourist attraction. The quiver tree is not really a tree, rather a plant of the genus aloe, as evident from its scientific name, and one of the few species of aloe that reaches tree proportions —it can grow 7 to 9 meters high. It has a stout stem that may grow to one meter in diameter, and is covered with beautiful golden brown scales with sharp edges. The crown consist of numerous forked branches, which gives the species its name dichotoma, which means forked. The quiver tree is so named because native bushmen used to make quivers from the branches of the tree. Aloe dichotoma doesn't have real wood but a soft pulpy tissue, that can be hollowed out easily. One end of the hollow section is closed off with a piece of leather and used by the bushmen to hold arrows. The natives also used large hollowed out trunks to store food and water. The fibrous tissue of the trunk has a cooling effect as air passes through, allowing the natives to store perishables for longer durations.

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Australia: Sydney (2011)

Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia's largest cities, is best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design. Massive Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay port are hubs of waterside life, with the arched Harbour Bridge and esteemed Royal Botanic Garden nearby.

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Canada: Vancouver to Vancouver Island 2008

Vancouver, a bustling west coast seaport in British Columbia, is among Canada’s densest, most ethnically diverse cities. A popular filming location, it’s surrounded by mountains, and also has thriving art, theatre and music scenes.Vancouver Island, off Canada’s Pacific Coast, is known for its mild climate and thriving arts community. On its southern tip is Victoria, British Columbia’s capital, and its boat-lined Inner Harbour, neo-baroque Parliament Buildings, grand Fairmont Empress Hotel and English-style gardens. Harbour city Nanaimo, home of chocolate-and-custard Nanaimo bars, has an Old City Quarter with shops, galleries and restaurants. In 1949, the world's first double chairlift was built on Grouse Mountain, replacing a two to three hour hike from the skiers' bus stop at the base of the mountain.

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USA: Glacier National Park, Montana, Idaho & Washington

Glacier National Park is a 1,583-sq.-mi. wilderness area in Montana's Rocky Mountains, with glacier-carved peaks and valleys running to the Canadian border. It's crossed by the mountainous Going-to-the-Sun Road. Among more than 700 miles of hiking trails, it has a route to photogenic Hidden Lake. Other activities include backpacking, cycling and camping. Diverse wildlife ranges from mountain goats to grizzly bears. Idaho is a northwestern U.S. state known for mountainous landscapes, and vast swaths of protected wilderness and outdoor recreation areas.

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