1.Anse Major Trail 

Distance: 3.1 km, Elevation:75 m, Total ascent/descent: 218m

This is one of the easy hikes and maybe one of the popular one as well.

The hike starts at the end of the road in Bel Ombre see google map the pin.

If you drive you can park your car in front of “La Scala Restaurant” or you can take the bus to Bel Ombre and get off at the last bus stop. The hike is 3km following the coast and you will see beautiful views of Indian Ocean and as well as many amazing rock formations along the way. When you reach Anse Major which is a beach then you can swim and relax. The only access to Anse Major beach is on foot. There is no car access to the beach. 

There are 2 beaches of Anse Major which are close to each other. Anse Major is suitable for swimming and snorkeling.  

 

  1. Dans Gallas Trail 

Distance: 2.5 km, Elevation:516 m

This is a nice hike as views are amazing over Beau Vallon and Morne Seychellois National Park also at the end of the trail there is a viewing point where you can see the other side of the island the capital city of Victoria and the ocean. See the point where to start the walk, there is a bus stop also close to the start of the trail. You can park your car close to the Forestry unit. This is not a popular hike as you would be most likely on your own while walking the trail.  It is one of the only hikes that boasts views of the East and West coasts of Mahé.

Wonder through semi-natural landscape with timber plantation of Santol, Eucalyptus and Albazia providing  ideal habitats for the Seychelles fruit bat and endangered Scops owl. Find the Seychelles medical plants like Bois joli coeur ( for cough) and Bois sandel (for asthma).  

 

3.Mount Copolia 

Distance: 1.4 km, Elevation:242 m

   

The summit of Mount Copolia is  497 m above sea level and it is located In the Morne Seychellois National Park. See the map for a starting point. The trail starts in front of Copolia lodge. It is 1.4km long and there is some steep section of the hike.There is a bus stop close by.  There is a nice view point just 100 meter before you reach the peak of Copolia. You may see endemic Seychelles bulbul.

4.Morne Blanc Trail 

Distance: 1.6 km Elevation:630 m

This trail is close to the Tea Factory, you can park your car at the tea factory and walk to the start of the trail around 250 meter also you can visit the tea factory ( Mon-Sat from 9.00-16.00) There is also a bus stop at the tea factory if you don’t drive. The trail is only 1.6km but it is steep with 630 meter elevation gain. The view is amazing at the top and you will see the west coast of the island. You may hear the calls of the world`s smallest frog which is 1cm in length and endemic to Seychelles.

  1. Trois Freres Trail

Distance: 1.4 km Elevation: 411 m

The trail starts in the Sans Souci area which is also very close to Victoria capital. You can walk from Victoria to the start of the trail. There is parking for cars at the start of the trail also close by the bus stop. The trail is 1.4km with 411 m elevation gain.

Want to visit Seychelles see the trip details click the link below

The link  Seychelles 11-18 October 2020

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You can visit Abisko National Park in Winter and also in Summer while you will see magnificent Northern Lights in winter, in summer you will experience midnight sun especially between end of May till mid July the sun never goes down below the earth’s horizon. Actually there are  more than 10 reasons to visit Abisko National Park but I listed my top 10.

  1. Watching the Northern Lights

Yes the best place to see Northern lights is Abisko National Park. This is not because I am saying this is what Scientists say. The reason is Abisko has micro climate where the sky is clear in most of the days of the year so in order to see Northern lights you need clear sky and that is what Abisko offers. Because of the so-called “Blue Hole” effect that the lake and surrounding mountains of Abisko have that’s why Northern lights are easy to see from Abisko. Many people choose to go to Norway or Iceland in hopes of seeing the Northern Lights because maybe they have seen many advertising about those countries but the fact that most of the places in these countries are coastal. Iceland is an island and also Norway has coast to the ocean. Coastal climates are more temperamental with more frequent cloud cover. So this will decrease your chances of seeing the Northern lights dramatically. If you go inner land in those countries your chance to see Northern lights will be better.   Abisko has dry climate where the sky is clear most of the nights. Scientists agreed that the Northern lights in Abisko are among the most reliable in the world, with an 80% success rate of seeing the lights if you stay in Abisko for three nights. Abisko National Park has the highest success rate to see Northern Lights due to clear sky and the position of Abisko. The park is away from light pollution that is another good reason to enjoy watching Northern Lights away from city lights. Moreover the location of Abisko is 250km above the arctic cycle at the latitude of 68 North so this location is perfect to watch Northern Lights displays. In 2015 Lonely Planet dubbed Abisko as the world’s most illuminating experience.

Watching the Northern Lights
Colourful Northern Lights in Abisko

2. Experience the Natural Beauty of the Park

Lappland in northern Sweden is home to a number of spectacular national parks, the most scenic of these being Abisko National Park. Abisko National Park is not only one of the most beautiful national parks in Sweden but also in Europe. It is a must to visit for every nature lover. You should visit both in winter and in summer. You will experience midnight sun in summer. Sun never goes down from the end of May to mid July also you can hike into national park. You must see frozen waterfalls and canyon. It is a 15 min walk from STF tourist station. Don’t forget to make the photo of Lapporten (The Lapp Gate: A gateway to Lapland)  The Lapp Gate is a startling U-shaped valley between two of Sweden’s tallest mountains, Tjuonatjåkka and Nissotjårro. This perfectly symmetrical valley, from a distance looks like a giant hole cut through the mountain range, was shaped by glaciation.

Abisko national Park
Abisko National Park

3. See wildlife of Abisko National Park

The park has wildlife. You can spot easily Moose in the park. The park is home to lynx and wolverine. Martins, stoats, lemmings, and elks wander the wilds of the park, and many small species of bird, such as the arctic warbler, circle its skies.

Walks in Abisko National Park in Winter

4. Walk on the frozen lake of Torneträsk

Torneträsk Lake is just by the national park. It is 70km wide lake. In winter you will have the chance to walk on it. It is safe to walk even you can drive snowmobile on it.

Walking on frozen Torneträsk Lake
Jumping on frozen lake

5.Dog Sledding

Abisko has good tour operators and one of the adventure tour you must try is Dog sledding. You will drive your own dogs on the hills of abisko national park. A  dog sledding tour where you will be driving your own sled in the wilderness that surrounds Abisko. One person, one sled, it’s you and the dogs. But  don’t worry, there is always 2 guides joining the tour. Maybe some of you are against animal activities in tourism. But this one is different as huskies have been domesticated for exactly this kind of life. It is what they were born to do. The dogs live in great conditions. They are given love and rest time.  They really love what they do. They actually get so excited as they’re being harnessed up.

6. Ice Climbing

Do you want Adrenaline  and enjoy vertical ice? Abisko is a perfect place for trying out ice  climbing. Don’t worry you don’t need to have any experience of climbing or ice climbing. You will get an introduction on technique that how to get started  climbing. It’s not only a fun and exciting activity, it also takes place in a breathtaking and beautiful place surrounded by frozen waterfalls in all shades of blue.  Take the opportunity to try it!

7. Ice fishing 

Try fishing on one of the many frozen lakes in the Abisko surroundings. Ice fishing is a peaceful but yet exciting activity. While waiting for the fish to strike you sit down and relax on a cosy reindeer fur and gaze at the wonderful arctic winter landscape. If you are lucky,you will catch trout or arctic char. It is very delicious fish.The abundance of clean lakes makes this part of Sweden great for fishing.

Ice Fishing on Torneträsk Lake

8. Explore Abisko National park on snowmobile trip

Take unforgettable  snowmobile trips in  breath your greatest winter adventure which taking you  natural areas of Abisko. The tour is around 2 hours. There are 3 options of the tour. You  can chose sitting in the sled behind the guide driving the snowmobile or you can chose  driving the snowmobile yourself or 3rd option is for sitting in the sled.

9. Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-country skiing provides a way to see the Abisko National Park in winter. The park stretches out over a huge valley with beautiful mountains around

10. Visit the visitor center of Abisko National Park

The permanent exhibition has plenty of information about the national park, including an overview of its flora, fauna and cultural history. The visitor centre is open as follows:

December–mid-February: Thursday – Saturday–3pm–5pm;

Late-February–May:Daily 2pm–6pm;

June–August: Daily 9am–6pm;

September–November:Tuesday–Saturday:9am–6pm

We organize Northern Lights&Arctic Adventure trip to Abisko National Park every year since 2015. So far we organized 14th trips. Our success rate is %93 to see the Northern Lights. Only 1 group out of 14 trips was not lucky to see the Northern Lights but they truly enjoy the arctic activities which we mention above. We think you should not travel to see only Northern Lights but you should experience arctic activities while you are in such places. Thus please choose places to go with activities you can do during the day. If you are interested to join the next trip see details at the link

http://myescapetonature.com/tours/northern-lights/ Or the other trip http://myescapetonature.com/tours/northern-lights-2/

If those dates do not suit you please get in touch with us as we can arrange your booking in Abisko.

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I will call “Iron Oro Train” as Sahara Express as I think it is more suitable to call it as Sahara Express because I never know any other train which cross some part of Sahara. This is the only train runs some part of Sahara Desert and also cross most of the Mauritania from West to the North East. Actually, this train is mainly to carry the iron from iron mine to the harbour of Nouadhibou. It is not for passengers but because of luck of transport and road from Nouadhibou to directly East Mauritania people use it as transport. There are at least 3 trains run from Nouadhibou to Zoureat but only 1 of them has passenger wagon even though most of the people do not use passenger wagon because it is not worth to use it without proper sitting places. Not many people want to use the passenger wagon but instead they take one of the empty carriage wagon and to ride this wagon is for free of charge. Also if you want to ride passenger wagon it is not expensive it should be around £6. Anyway let me give you more information how to get this train. The train which stops for passenger usually between 2pm to 4pm. So to be for sure to take the train I went to train station which is outside of the city at the entrance of the city of Nouadhibou took a taxi from the city. As a foreigner the taxi driver will want expensive fare for the ride but 50 Mauritania Ouguiyas (£1.2) is enough that is what I pay. I would recommend always ask your hotel receptionist or if you eat in a restaurant or drink coffee ask the stuff about the price what locals pay so you will have exact idea how much it will cost you. I went to train station at 2pm so when I arrive, I asked the locals waiting for the train and they told me that the train would come between 6pm to 7pm so be ready to wait long hours. There was small kiosk at the train station to get something to eat but also take food and drinks with you as the train journey will be 12 hours. 
So when the time was coming around 7pm the security guys told me that the train will be at 1am 🙂
I was not angry that the train will start to run late but rather I was happy as if I take the train late so I will see more landscape on the way when the sun will start to rise around 6.30am also be aware that as the train cross the desert it is cold and windy at night. I would suggest you take good sleeping bag and good outdoor dresses with you.
The train arrived at 00.40. It usually waits at the station around 15 minutes so you have enough time to get on the train.
The adventure train journey started at 1am I could not sleep much that night as it was cold and windy so This journey is only for adventurous people.
I put my alarm for 6am as the sun rise was around 6.30 and I wanted to see the first lights over Sahara Desert.
I slept a little bit that night and wake up at 6am and saw how the train cross the desert. Then amazing sunrise over Sahara Desert.
The landscape was amazing. I was lucky to see it. Also, I cant wait to see the 3rd biggest monobloc in the World. It is Ben Amera. more info here.
it is 60km before Chaum where you get off the train. I think one of the highlights of this epic journey is also to see the 3rd biggest Monoblock and also there were many more Monoblock rising on the desert. 
Yes at the end after 12 hours train journey arrived to Chaum where I got off from the train. There are a few minibuses waiting people to transfer to Atar city. So dont worry about the transport. 
I took the minibus and paid 200 Mauritania Ouguiyas (£5) it took 2 hours to arrive to Atar with very good roads. I was so tired and just get a room on the first hotel I see at the center.

Facts about the Iron Oro Train (Sahara Express)
[ ] Be ready at station at 2pm 
[ ] The best way to have this journey is from Nouadhibou to Chaum. The reason is the carriage wagon goes empty.
[ ] The train journey usually takes 12 hours from Nouadhibou to Chaum
[ ] Take with you good sleeping bag, matt, polar dresses, food and drink
[ ] The train on the way stops at some stations to give way to the train coming on other directions. I think at least 3 trains runs at each direction maybe more.

 

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Naim

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Havana Beautiful City calling just few years before Ciudad Maravilla. Founding in 1519 is arriving to 500-year-old. Her eclectic architecture mixed with her peoples and his especially clima can made tourist experiment a very special and wonderful adventure. Walk the Porticos of the city can see how Cuban live nowadays. How they do shopping’s and a very warm and communicative way they live

Sun ☀ light is especially beauty, Old Havana tour. Walking In the old city allow you to see the Amassing beauty of the colonial city. Old decadent and a total renew building shoes how was and how beauty can be these cities across the time.

Doors 🚪 windows, fences all with beauty and unique way

Almost every start in Havana are made with white marble from Carrara Italy

The beautiful house of man that was brought all from Italy can be visited in Vedado neighbourhood Villa Lita

If you would like to explore beautiful Havana with me please contact me via whatsapp +53 5 2963524 or email:raul.home@nauta.cu
Raúl Javier Home Cartaya

The 10 Best things to do in Cuba

  1. Cuban Music:

Cuban music is one of the world’s most popular music, not only on the Caribbean islands but also in the whole of Latin America. You can hear many live performances playing at most of the cosy bars in Cuba. If you are looking for the best nightlife, go to Trinidad.

  1. Cuban cigar:

The world’s best cigars grow in Cuba, mostly in the western part of Cuba around Pinar del Rio. If you would like to taste the best cigars, head to Cuba. You can visit cigar factories and see how cigars are prepared or visit farms in Vinales and one of the farmer’s will show you how they roll the cigars.

There are lots of different cigar brands in Cuba. The top 3 brands are Cohiba, Monte Cristo, Romeo and Juliet.

      

  1. Cuban Rum:

Cuban rum is renowned as being one of the best in the world. There are 2 main brands: one of the most internationally known is Havana Club, but locals say that the best rum is “Santiago de Cuba”. You can only find this rum in Cuba and it is available in most shops. The more aged the rum is, the better its quality and of course, the more expensive it is. I would recommend trying a 7 year old dark rum -that is one of my personal favourites.

  1. Vintage American Cars:

Be sure to experience a ride in a vintage american car while in Cuba but dont just take a 2 hour Havana tour, try to take a longer trip to explore other cities to make the most of the authentic Cuban car experience.

       

  1. Cuban Salsa:

While you are listening to live Cuban salsa music, why not learn to dance salsa. Dont be afraid, Cuban people are very friendly and willing to teach you the basic Salsa steps. Cuban salsa is a unique style of salsa that is enjoyable to dance at any age.

https://www.facebook.com/myescapetonature/videos/1048460505289250/

https://www.facebook.com/myescapetonature/videos/1068460883289212/

https://www.facebook.com/myescapetonature/videos/1048479595287341/

  1. Watch the sunset:

Dont miss any sunset in Cuba. If you are in Havana, head to Malecon where you can watch the sunset and listen to locals play live music while drinking your rum. Malecon is a place for social gatherings.

If you are in Trinidad, head to the beautiful Playa Ancon beach which is a 20 minute car ride and watch one of the best sunsets where the sun goes down in the Caribbean sea.

If you are in Vinales, head to one of the hills where you can watch the sun go down from the Mogote green hills of Vinales.

       

  1. Visit Che mausoleum in Santa Clara:

You will most likely see Che Guevara’s posters and statues more than Fidel. Che is the hero of Cuba who fought for the Cuban revolution with Fidel. Try to visit his mausoleum in Santa Clara.

     

  1. Hike and horse riding in Vinales valley:

Vinales valley is surrounded by beautiful Mogote hills, a paradise. To visit certain parts of this valley, it is best to hike or horse ride in the valley to fully appreciate these beautiful hills.

 

  1. Dine at the best restaurants in Cuba.

Most people who travelled to Cuba before 2011 complained about the bad food in Cuba but since 2011, the Cuban government allowed private restaurants to open due to tourists’ demand, now there are good restaurants in most big cities and you can even dine in a restaurant where Barack Obama himself dined. Those restaurants are very popular and advance booking is required.

These are some restaurants that we suggest:

Havana/San Cristobal, Los Nardos, Castropol, Paladar Los Mercaderes

Trinidad/San Hose, Vista Gourmet

Vinales/Casa de Don Tomas, La Toma,

  1. Explore the best beaches in Cuba:

Playa Ancon is one of the best beaches in Cuba and it is only 20 min drive by car from Trinidad- it is a must-see!

If you want to join next trip to Cuba see details http://myescapetonature.com/tours/viva-cuba/