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8 of the best Nevada hot springs

Warm water and a classic Nevada view — nothing more required. Photo: Sydney Martinez, via TravelNevada

1. Trego Hot Springs

Burning Man side trip, anyone? Ditch the clothes and you’ll be right at home soaking in the buff at Trego Hot Springs. Located on the east side of the playa in the southern Black Rock Desert, this deep warm-water pond provides an all-natural mud bath thanks to the sediment that makes up the bottom of the spring. Just be careful getting in — there are a few other springs in the area that are at scalding temperatures, so it’s always wise to dip a toe first before making the full plunge.

Find it: From Gerlach, head south on NV 447, then turn left on 48. This turns into Jungo Road. After 14 miles, hang a left on Trego Road and the springs will be approximately half a mile up on the right.

2. 12 Mile (Bishop Creek) Hot Springs

12 Mile Hot Springs is one of the most scenic places to take an au naturel dip in northern Nevada. Located outside Wells at the foot of the Humboldt Range, this massive, gravel-bottom soaking pool sits right on the creek with views of the rocky cliffs that flank the river’s edge. The pool is the ideal temperature, hovering right around 100 degrees — if you get too hot, you can always take a quick (and chilly!) dip in the river.

Find it: From the town of Wells, make a left on 8th Street and drive 9.1 miles. Look for a dirt road on the right just past a series of old ranch houses. Head down this road for 2 miles until you reach the springs. Note: The road can get pretty hairy, and a high-clearance vehicle is recommended. If your car can’t make it to the end, go as far as you can and walk the rest of the way.

3. Fish Lake Valley Hot Springs

In Nevada’s Great Basin, Fish Lake Valley Hot Springs is sandwiched between the Silver Peak Mountains and the White Mountains, while Boundary Peak — Nevada’s tallest — is directly west of the springs. The site comprises a large concrete hot pool and two natural warm ponds. Free camping, fire pits, and grills can attract a weekend crowd, so be prepared to don that birthday suit with other hot spring junkies.

Find it: From the junction of NV 264 and 773, head south on 264 for almost 6 miles. Look for a gravel road on the east side of the highway. Follow this for 7 miles until you reach the parking area.

Use this map to find all 8 Nevada hot springs on this list. Note: Some locations are approximations.

4. Arizona Hot Spring

The three tiered pools at Arizona Hot Spring are some of the most accessible from the Vegas strip. Just 45 minutes from downtown, they’re located in a narrow slot canyon above the Colorado River, where vertical canyon walls are as close as six feet apart, giving the springs a cave-like feel. The pools are built up with sandbags, and temperatures range from lukewarm in the lowest pool up to a blazing 111 degrees in the source pool. Wanna get naked? Go for a late-night trek and soak when you’re least likely to run into families.

Find it: This spring sits on the Arizona side of the Colorado River, but is most easily accessed via the Las Vegas / Boulder City area. Park at the trailhead parking lot located 4.2 miles south of the Hoover Dam on US 93. From there, hike 3 miles down the wash until you come to the Colorado. Follow the river a quarter mile downstream, going over a hill that drops you at the beach. Walk up the canyon and climb the 20ft ladder to reach the first pool.

5. Gold Strike Hot Springs

Gold Strike Hot Springs are a second set of cascading pools on the Colorado River, where water trickles straight out of fractures in the canyon walls. Like Arizona Hot Spring, they’re located within Lake Mead National Recreation Area and can be reached via a four-mile hike down a narrow, rocky canyon.

The trail itself is awesome, requiring scrambling and lowering yourself over several large boulders using ropes that have been installed at major obstacles. It’s nothing that a moderately limber adult can’t handle, but you’ll want to keep those clothes on until you reach your final destination. For a more unique adventure, you can also paddle to Gold Strike Hot Springs from Hoover Dam through the Black Canyon section of the Colorado River. There are a ton of Boulder City-based outfitters who rent kayaks or canoes and provide round-trip transportation.

Find it: Just past the Hacienda Hotel & Casino on US 93, take exit 2. Make a left at the stop sign and drive down Gold Strike Canyon Road until you reach the trailhead.

6. Spencer Hot Springs

Spencer Hot Springs are primitive pools with a few nice manmade additions. First, you have the option of skinny dipping in a large metal tub. Being closest to the heat source, soaking here can get pretty steamy. When you’re ready to take it down a notch, use the diverter to adjust the temperature…or make a dash to the in-ground spring. Some nice rock shelving has been added to this natural pool for comfortable seating. In either pool, you’ll enjoy views of the open desert landscape backed by the peaks of Central Nevada’s Toiyabe Range. Look out for the local brood of wild burros while you bathe.

Find it: From Austin, Nevada, head east on 50 and then south on 376. Make an immediate left on NF 001. After 5.6 miles you’ll reach a fork. Go left for another 1.6 miles and you’ll find the metal tub. Continue on another 500 or so yards to reach the second pool.

Photo: Sydney Martinez, via TravelNevada

7. Alkali Hot Springs

Once a popular resort a few miles north of the semi-abandoned ghost town of Goldfield, Alkali Hot Springs now consists of two small concrete soaking tubs that vary in temperature from 100 to 108 degrees. While the water can get a bit murky, the remoteness of these springs means you should have them all to yourself, making them perfect for late-night nudie stargazing. Camping here is also free.

Find it: Head 4 miles north of Goldfield, Nevada, on US 95 and hang a left on Silver Peak Road. At mile 7, the springs will be on your left.

8. Ruby Valley Hot Springs

In the middle of a vast marsh at the edge of Elko County’s Ruby Wildlife Refuge, you’ll find a dozen or so isolated potholes framed by Nevada’s high-alpine Ruby Mountains. The main soaking pool is 50 feet across and deep enough to swim in, and depending on the season, temperatures range from 90 to 103 degrees. The surrounding field can get muddy, but there’s a couple of wood platforms at the edge of the cerulean pool where you can strip down or work on your full-body tan post-soak.

Find it: From Elko, drive south on NV 227 for 6.8 miles. Then turn south on NV 228 towards Jiggs. Drive 30 miles and continue on to Harrison Pass Road, which becomes Forest Road 113. Continue on Forest Road 113 for 5.8 miles and turn north (left) onto Ruby Valley Road. Take your first right onto Harrison Pass Drive. Follow this for 1.1 miles and continue onto Ruby Wash Road for 1.5 miles. Finally, make three slight rights, now on rough terrain, to reach the springs.

This post is proudly produce in partnership with our friends at TravelNevada.

Story behind the shot: Mount Muir

AFTER spending the first 2 days at Camp Muir, and unable to establish a second camp higher on the mountain due to bad weather, the decision to make the summit bid from Muir was made. We arose to mint climbing weather on the third day.

It was game time.

We slowly started our ascent for the summit just after 1am, but by the time the team made it to the Ingraham Flats, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to reach the top. Just a couple of days before, I had hurt my hip while crouching down to take photos with a heavy pack. The pain was flaring up more and more with each step. I wanted to keep going, I felt that I could had gone a lot higher up the mountain, but at the same time I did not wanted to become a liability for my team.

It was a tough decision, but I started making my way down to Camp Muir. That’s when I snapped this shot of the Cowlitz Glacier and the amazing sky. I left with unsettled business, but I’ll be back next season.

My 6 dumbest travel mistakes

Photo: Donye nhy’m [Kim]

1. Converting wrong and getting way too much cash from an ATM

Those living in the European Union, like me, are spoiled. We use euros and we can use them in the vast majority of the EU. Traveling to France or Spain or Germany? No problem. In Hungary however, they use the Hungarian Florint (HUF). One euro is now 312 HUF. If you don’t pay close attention to currency conversion, like I did, you might end up withdrawing 10 times the amount of money you need, two days before departure. Oops. I converted the extra back to euros but lost a lot of money in the exchange process.

2. Losing my debit card and not having a credit card (twice)

In the Netherlands, we only use debit cards. Credit cards are hardly accepted in general stores and only used for big or online purchases. So I didn’t have one. I only had a debit card. And if you only have one card, you better not lose it. This turns out to be easier said than done..

Summer 2010: I was working at a summer camp in New York and went shopping on my day off. The lady behind the counter was in a hurry and there was a long line waiting, so, instead of putting my card back in my wallet, I threw it in the shopping bag to sort it out later. Big mistake! By the time I got back to the camp, I had totally forgotten it was still in the little plastic bag, and threw the bag out as waste and I only realized a few days later that my card was gone. I rushed to the garbage, but by then it had been picked up. My card was gone.

It wasn’t a total disaster as I hardly used it while working at the summer camp and I had enough time to order a new one. It’s a different story, however, when you lose your card at the airport on the day of arrival. When withdrawing money from an ATM in the Netherlands, the machine first gives you back your card and your money after that. In Beijing, it’s the other way around. After landing, I withdrew some money. But instead of giving me my card back, the machine dispensed my money, kept my card, and asked if I wanted to withdraw more. I was so impressed by the cool Chinese money that I totally forgot about my card. Only when I got to my hostel, I realized my card was gone and the ATM had swallowed it. Great way to start my trip!

3. Losing my visa documents

As a tourist you don’t need a visa for the US if your country is part of the visa waiver program (ESTA), but if you stay longer than three months you do. And so I had a visa when working at the aforementioned summer camp in New York. One time I suddenly needed them and I remembered I had put them in a really, really safe place…but I couldn’t remember where that really, really safe place was. Seriously, those moments are the worst. I turned the entire place upside down and eventually found them in my night drawer. Looking back, I’m not entirely sure why I thought that was the perfect place to put them, but I got them back. So, 1) store your visa documents in an actual really, really safe place and 2) don’t forget where that really, really safe place is!

4. Having two months of salary wired to the wrong bank account

This is probably the dumbest mistake of them all. By far. I had over $3,000 of salary in my US bank account, but of course I wanted to bring it back to the Netherlands. So I was going to wire transfer it to my Dutch bank account. I filled out all the forms at the bank in New York.. yup, looked good, all set. It would show up in my Dutch bank account in a few days. So I checked, and checked again, and checked again. After a week still nothing. After 1.5 weeks, still nothing. But by now, all my colleagues had received their salaries, but where had my money gone?! I checked the forms again and realized I had entered the wrong bank account number…so $3,000 gone?

Thankfully, it was no one’s bank account number, so the money was still stuck and on hold somewhere in the wire system. When I called the lady at the bank in New York from Toronto, she was like, “But you signed the form, confirming the details.” Yeap I did, but apparently I didn’t pay enough attention. All turned out okay eventually, but I was very lucky it hadn’t ended up in someone else’s account, as it’s then pretty much up to the willingness of that person to give it back.

5. Forgetting travel health insurance and ending up in a US hospital

My parents are always really keen on insurances, but none of us had ever traveled outside Europe when I took off to New York back in 2006. So I had a health and travel insurance, but as it turned out the insurance only covered me in Europe. None of us had thought about this.

And then it happened. While camping in the Catskill Mountains of Hudson Valley, a pot of boiling water tipped over and burned my entire foot — second-degree burns, big yellow, jelly blisters. Not cool. There was no fast way out of the mountains, so when we got back to civilization the next day I was brought to the hospital. They popped the blister, put some cream on, and applied a few bandages. A few weeks later I got the bill — over $800! Yes, that’s a shitload of money for some burn cream and bandages! Imagine the cost of getting hit by a truck! Lesson learned — never travel without proper insurance.

6. Forgetting my luggage on a plane/train station

Ok, full disclosure: I also made this mistake twice.

The first time I was traveling back from the US and everything went wrong. Flights were cancelled and changed, and someone in my group suddenly wasn’t listed on the flight — complete chaos. Instead of flying to Amsterdam we were put on a flight to Paris and so I spent those seven hours trying to come up with a plan. When the plane touched down I had so much on my mind! Number 1 was finding the airline desk and getting us on another flight to Amsterdam as soon as possible. And so I just jumped from my chair, got myself out of the plane as fast as I could and tried to sort things out. Meanwhile, I totally forgot my carry-on luggage on the plane — including passport, wallet, laptop. I only realized it an hour after the fact. Luckily, the plane was still at the gate and one of the flight attendants went back inside to get it for me. (Thank you Air France for helping us out in so many ways that day!)

The second time was at a train station in Canada at Niagara falls. My friend and I had been waiting a while and carried lots of bags with us during that trip. And when the train finally arrived, we jumped up, ran to it, and tried to get a good seat. Totally forgot one of the bags. Thankfully, nothing really important or valuable was in it as I never got it back! Maybe it’s still out there somewhere, traveling.

This article originally appeared on Flying Dutch Girl and is republished here with permission.

3 American habits I lost in Finland

Photo: CollegeDegrees360

A YEAR AGO, I moved to Helsinki with my Finnish wife Johanna and our one-year-old son. I had a feeling that moving to Finland would change me. I just didn’t know how until recently.

Like you, many of my habits have been shaped by my culture of origin. In Finland, I’m navigating across a different cultural landscape and I’m watching several of my American habits slip away.

I don’t mind being naked with strangers

In the land of 3.3 million saunas, it is inevitable that you will eventually find yourself naked with people you don’t know. And not care whatsoever.

I didn’t realize that I had reached this level of Finnishness until last month. A close friend of mine from New York was visiting us in Helsinki and I insisted that — on his last night in Finland — he must join me for a trip to one of the city’s public saunas.

I explained that Finns go naked — but men and women have separate saunas. The sauna is not, in any way, sexual. Coed saunas exist in Finland, or so I’ve heard, but the general consensus is that they’re creepy.

I was convinced that my American friend would fall in love with the Finnish sauna culture, savoring the searing heat and the refreshing dip in chilly seawater. But I was wrong. Very wrong.

Before entering the sauna via the changing room, I smiled and quipped to my friend, “This is where we leave the towels, man.” My friend was not amused. Clutching his towel around his waist, he growled “no way” indignantly.

Unfazed by my friend’s reluctance, I hung up my own towel and strolled into the sauna Finnish-style. I found a spot on the top platform — along with another naked man. A few moments later, my American buddy timidly opened the door to the sauna and located a spot on the lowest bench, still gripping his towel as if his life (or manhood) depended on it.

He lasted about three minutes before declaring “enough” to me and the other naked strangers in the dimly lit room. Since we had already agreed to swim in the sea, I followed him out of the sauna and outside onto the deck where there were stairs leading into the water. (Keep in mind that it’s November, so the sea hasn’t frozen over yet in Helsinki, but it’s getting close).

I descended the stairs first and submerged my whole body into the sea, except for my head. Finnish friends have taught me to avoid putting my head under so that I won’t suffer permanent brain damage.

After I had grabbed my towel from the railing at the top of the steps, my friend — true to form — climbed down the stairs so that the water was up to his knees and, immediately, he bolted back up the steps where he quickly snatched his towel.

Without saying a word to each other, we headed back inside. I ditched my towel in the changing room and walked back into the steamy sauna. I assumed my friend would show his face a few moments later, but he never came. This was when I started to wonder if I had ruined my friend’s trip to Finland.

When I emerged from the sauna, my friend was changing into his clothes. Apparently, he had just taken a long, hot shower in his bathing suit and he was ready to put this sauna experience behind him.

I don’t ask “How are you?” carelessly.

In Finland, “How are you?” is a dangerous question — because you may actually get a truthful response. And before asking this question, you need to ask yourself if you can handle the truth.

At one dinner party, I’m reaching for a slice of rye bread and to be polite, I ask a middle-aged friend of my wife’s family how she’s doing. She thanks me for asking and goes on to explain how she’s not sleeping very well. Not only that, but she’s convinced that she needs to take medication for her sleeping disorder, but she won’t be able to get medication for some time. I nod without saying anything, caught off guard by her honesty. Too much information, I’m thinking.

In the United States, if I ask someone how he or she is doing, that person knows that I’m most likely being polite and I’ll be met with the standard answer (“Good, thanks”). This happens even when things are not going well at all for that individual. If someone dares to share that he or she is just “okay” or “fine”, I know that this person is going through a major crisis and I should probably back off.

On another occasion, I’m at Hesburger — the Finnish fast food equivalent of McDonald’s — and I step up to place an order. I start with the traditional American pleasantry, “Hi. How are you?”

The jaw of the young Finnish woman behind the counter drops. She stammers, looks down and then, mumbles, “Uh, I’m okay.” I wonder if I just offended her by my warm greeting?

About 20 minutes later, I stroll up to the counter again and order an ice cream sundae with caramel sauce. This time I leave out “How are you?” and surprisingly, she looks more comfortable. I mention that I’m American and somehow that makes sense to her. She smiles faintly and under her breath, she mutters “Oh, that explains it.” In that moment, she surely has forgiven me for asking “How are you?” without caring.

I don’t grab coffee to go.

In America, we like things on-the-go. We eat breakfast in the front seats of our cars. We eat lunch at our desks, catching up on emails. And of course, we drink coffee on the run. America runs on Dunkin’, right?

In Finland, people slow down when they drink coffee. They sit down. They sip leisurely. They chat. They’re so relaxed that I often catch them staring into space.

Given our on-the-go obsession with coffee, one might suspect that Americans would far outpace Finns in coffee consumption. Nope.

The United States isn’t even in the top ten when you rank actual coffee consumption per person. The average Finn drinks twice as much coffee as the average American.

The fact that Finland is leading the world in coffee drinking, behind the Netherlands, doesn’t surprise me at all. Everywhere I go in Helsinki I’m offered coffee. And it’s hard to say no. Before moving to Finland, I averaged about one cup each day in Boston; now I’m up to four cups.

And the most surprising thing is that I rarely take coffee to go. I’ve learned from my colleagues to adopt the Finnish way of taking breaks to drink coffee — from actual mugs.

But a couple of weeks ago, I had an American relapse. I needed to rush out of our apartment, and I didn’t have time to sit down for a cup of coffee. I knew exactly what this situation called for.

Frantically, I rummaged through the shelf that held our coffee mugs and sippy cups. Eventually, I found one silver to-go mug, but its black cap was warped. And when I poured the coffee in, the bottom of the mug started to hiss and form tiny bubbles. Arrgh, this will spill all over me in the subway, I thought.

I shouted gruffly to my wife, “Why don’t we have one decent thermos in this house!?”

Johanna—without the slightest hesitation—snapped back, “Because we live in Europe. And Europeans don’t take coffee to go!”

2 climbers are about to make history

The Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park is considered to be the hardest climbing route in the world. As of the writing of this piece, it has never been successfully climbed without the aid of ropes. But by the time you read this, that may well have changed: two men, Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell, are attempting to make it all the way up the 32 sections (called “pitches”) in a free climb — meaning that they will not be using ropes to help them up, only to prevent them from falling to their deaths.

The entire endeavor is expected to take well over two weeks — they were over halfway up 11 days in, but still had around a week left before they get to the top.

El Capitan is a granite formation in California’s Yosemite National Park. It is an incredibly popular rock climbing destination, and has been climbed plenty of times in the past. This instance is notable because it’s the first free climb of the Dawn Wall, the hardest route on the formation.

The two climbers are assisted by a team that drops supplies down to them, and are joined by a team that is documenting the journey up the formation. They have solar-powered equipment that allows them to give constant updates on social media.

The Dawn Wall route, according to climber Alex Honnold, is “almost not possible” to climb.

Of the 32 pitches on the Dawn Wall, only 13 have been free climbed.

They prefer to do most of their climbing in the twilight hours of dusk and dawn, where it’s cold enough to keep their fingers from sweating. Regardless, the two have received multiple cuts on their fingers thanks to the razor-sharp rock edges, and have had to take days off to let their fingers heal.

Jorgeson, with torn fingertips, has fallen behind Caldwell in recent days, but the two still plan on making the summit together.

All photos via Big UP Productions.

What country in the world best fits your personality? [QUIZ]

What only London skateboarders see

Skateboarding … changes the way you see the world: you spend all day looking for ditches.

— Harmony Korine

Skateboarders notice things that non-skaters don’t — the height of curbs, the angle of handrails, number of stairs, launch points, cracks in the pavement. Skating fast and hard in urban areas is as much an art form as it is a sport, and A Guide to Cracks & Curbs: London does this street art justice. Check it out, and next time you’re strolling or rolling down the street, take a look around — you might be surprised at what you see.

50 things to do in Africa

Photo by p r o m i s e

IN OCTOBER OF 2009, we began our attempt to visit nearly every country in Africa. At each stop, we met with farmers, community organizers, labor activists/leaders, unions, NGOs, funding and donor communities, and local press, and we blogged the experience.

Having visited more than 17 African countries so far, and spoken with hundreds of travelers, we’ve accumulated the following list. If you’re looking for something to do in any of the countries on the continent, here are some ideas to get you started.

And if you know of a cool or interesting activity that you don’t see here, please add it in the comments.

1. Algeria: Spend a day walking in Algiers to see Turkish palaces and the Martyrs Monument. The Dar Hassan Pacha Palace is a good one.

2. Angola: Head to Luanda in February for their annual carnival and join other expats for live shows and movies at Karl Marx. Claudio Silva has more in 5 Reasons to Go to Angola in 2009 (And Beyond).

3. Benin: See lions, leopards, hippos, and more at the Parc National de la Penjari. In Contonou, we hear the bar Le Costa Rica is a lot of fun.

4. Botswana: The best-value walking safari in Southern Africa is right next to Gaborone at a place called Mokolodi Nature Reserve. We love their permaculture projects, and they offer rhino tracking and safaris by horseback.

5. Burkina Faso: Explore Ouagadougou, one of our favorite capitals in Western Africa, then head to “Bobo” — Bob-Diolasso — the country’s second city.

6. Burundi: Check out the the craft market or relax at Saga beach.

7. Cameroon: Spend three days hiking Mount Cameroon (the highest peak in Western Africa) and visit rescued wildlife at the Limbe Wildlife Center.

Photo by muse1nspired

8. Central African Republic: You can try for Dzanga-Sangha National Park — very tough to reach without a chartered plane, but an incredible place to spot wildlife.

9. Chad: We’ve read about a Sunday afternoon music and dance party at a place called Plantation right outside N’Djamena.

10. Congo: We’ve been told that tours to the Parc National d’Odzala are worth the hefty cost. You can go trekking with the chance of spotting elephants, monkeys, and gorillas.

11. Cote d’Ivoire: Spend a few days in Abidjan for excellent food, drinks, and nightlife.

12. Democratic Republic of the Congo: We’ve heard about the Chutes de Lukia, where you can swim in natural lakes and then pay a visit to botanical gardens.

13. Djibouti: Walk Djibouti City for a day, and then head to the Bay of Ghoubet to snorkel with whale sharks.

14. Equatorial Guinea: See forest elephants and other wildlife on day hikes in Monte Alen National Park, and on your way back through Malabo check out the Marcado Suma market.

15. Egypt: Nick Rowlands tells you what you need to know in What NOT to Do in Egypt.

16. Eritrea: Another place that few travelers visit, Eritrea retains strong Italian influence in its espresso, cappuccino, gelato, pasta, and pizza, found everywhere in the capital city of Asmara.

17. Ethiopia: We ended our most recent trip in Addis Ababa, one of our favorite cities in Africa. Within the bumper-to-bumper traffic, people herd sheep and vendors hawk everything from Mentos to vacuum cleaners. The country is also famous for the rock churches of Lalibela.

Mursi children in Ethiopia. Photo by Dietmar Temps

18. Gabon: Lonely Planet recommends connecting with the Ebando Association to learn traditional arts and dance.

19. Gambia: Head to Serekunda to visit the Katchikali Crocodile Pool, take traditional drumming and dance lessons, and trek the Bijilo Forest Park.

20. Ghana: We visited the Cape Coast Castle, where slaves from all over Africa were imprisoned before being shipped to the U.S. and Europe.

21. Guinea: Join up with the Environmental Research Institute in Bossou to see chimpanzees, or hike the rainforests of Foret Classee De Ziama.

22. Guinea-Bissau: Hippos at Ilha de Orange, beach at Poilao Marine Park. If you’re there in February, catch Bissau’s carnival.

23. Kenya: Head North to Samburu to meet with pastoralists and see wildlife; while in Nairobi make sure you try the Indian restaurant Haandi. Check in with a Matador destination expert for more.

24. Lesotho: In the south, walk from Semonkong to the 200m Maletsunyane Falls.

25. Liberia: Explore the markets of Monrovia, followed by a drink at Mamba Point Hotel.

More like this: 44 Organizations Providing Internships, Volunteer Vacations, and Long-Term Programs in Africa

26. Libya: Visit the 800-year-old World Heritage old town of Ghadames.

27. Madagascar: Four hours east of Antananarivo, trek the rainforest in search of lemurs. Save a few days for the capital (don’t miss the lunch buffet at Hotel Sakamanga).

28. Malawi: Before heading to Lake Malawi, spend a few days in Lilongwe and visit the Lilongwe Wildlife Center, a sanctuary space for rescued, confiscated, orphaned, and injured wild animals.

29. Mali: Timbuktu might be too dangerous at the moment, so spend a couple days enjoying Bamako’s live music and nightlife, and make sure to grab dinner at Soukhothai.

30. Mauritania: After a visit to the fish market in Nouakchott, try a camel ride in Atar, or bird watch at the Parc National du Banc d’Arguin.

A camp at Mt. Kilimanjaro. Photo by Abhimanyu

31. Mauritius: Swim the ocean and hike the rainforest in the same long afternoon at Grand Bay.

32. Morocco: Get lost in the traditional markets of Marrakesh, where you can see everything from a dentist pulling teeth, to snake charmers, to unidentifiable dried fruits. When you’re ready to head out, try 5 Views of a Lesser-Known Morocco.

33. Mozambique: Enjoy coffee and wifi at Nautilus in Maputo, then hit the white-sand beaches of Tofo.

34. Namibia: Travel to Namib-Naukluft park and trek through the dunes of Sossusvlei to watch the sunrise.

35. Niger: Lonely Planet says there’s a giraffe herd 60km east of Niamey around Koure.

36. Nigeria: In Lagos, see live jazz at New Afrika Shrine, shop the fabric markets, and grab some Indian grub at Sherlaton restaurant. Matador Goods editor Lola Akinmade will be happy to add to this.

37. Rwanda: Spend a day at the Kigali Memorial Center to learn about the Rwandan genocide. For us, it was another reminder of how easily we turn our backs on events in Africa and our apathy towards a continent we know so little about.

Photo by Massmo Relsig

38. Sao Tome & Principe: See exotic flowers at the Flora Speciosa, visit the Corallo Chocolate Factory, and see a local coffee plantation.

39. Senegal: Catch a live performance at the Institut Francais, go dancing at Youssou N’Dour’s nightclub Thiossane, and pay a visit to the photogenic town of Saint Louis.

40. Sierra Leone: Once you’ve hit all of Freetown’s bars, try a canoe trek in Outamba-Kilimi National Park.

41. South Africa: So much to do here, but make sure to fit in a walking tour of Soweto and a visit to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg.

42. South Sudan: Africa’s newest country suffered through years of Civil War before it gained its independence. Now, as it gets back on its feet, it’s making a name for itself thanks to its incredible wildlife. So if you’re thinking of doing an African safari, why not try it in South Sudan?

43. Sudan: We suggest visitors find an organization to volunteer with. There’s no better way to get to know this beautiful yet turbulent country.

44. Somaliland: Definitely a road less traveled. I’ve read that the beaches of Las Geel are beautiful, that the country is relatively safe for Westerners, and that Hargeisa is worth a wander.

45. Swaziland: There’s whitewater rafting on the Usutu River — along with crocodiles and 10m waterfalls.

A Maasai Warrior. Photo by Gary Simmons

46. Togo: Spend a few days in Lome for markets, restaurants, coffee shops, nightlife, and dancing.

47. Tunisia: Take a tour of the desert and visit Douz, where you can go camel trekking.

48. Uganda: First, go whitewater rafting at the source of the Nile (near Kampala) and visit Lake Victoria. Then, if you can afford it, go gorilla trekking or hiking in .

49. Tanzania: Spend four days hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro, then head south to Zanzibar Island for a spice tour and beautiful beaches.

50. Zambia: Start in Lusaka, and then head to the Copperbelt to visit the chimpanzee sanctuary (animals rescued from poachers) at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage.

51. Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls is huge, but we liked Harare better. Time your visit to enjoy the Harare International Festival of the Arts (April).

This article was originally published on July 7, 2010.

Projections in the Forest [video]

Artists Friedrich van Schoor and Tarek Mawad set out to do something truly unprecedented — map a “bioluminescent forest.” They spent six weeks in the forest fascinated by the silence and natural occurrences, especially the phenomenon of “bioluminescence.” They personified the forest to accentuate the natural beauty by creating luring luminescent plants and glowing magical mushrooms that will, quite frankly, blow your mind (drugs not required).

7 reasons you must visit Chamonix

CHAMONIX, A FAMED MOUNTAIN RESORT in the French Alps, sits in the shadow of one of the tallest mountains in Europe, the glorious Mont Blanc. With ultimate steep slopes, amazing off-piste possibilities, bottomless powder, and six resorts to choose from, it is a dream location for any hardcore skier and snowboarder.

Within seconds, Chamonix instantly captured my soul in a way that changed my relationship to the snow and mountain landscape forever. If you are a passionate winter-sports enthusiast, a landscape/sports photographer, or just a nature enthusiast, then Chamonix is the place for you.

All photos by the author.




1

Twin peaks

The cable car from Argentiere stops at 3,295 meters on the peak of Grand Montets. You will never forget the first time you see these two peaks. This route will take you past the glacier—which is beyond epic.

2

True heroes

I love this shot. This is a team of volunteers who took a special-needs group into the mountains. It makes me wonder, who are the real heroes? The men facing physical obstacles or the men that took them up there to enjoy the most epic but incredibly demanding route in the Alps.

3

Crazy!

Here is one crazy dude who climbed down the mountain to find his lost camera. Wow those French guys are insane! I found this intrepid man on Facebook two months later and sent him this picture!

Intermission


37
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1
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4

Jump for joy

One thing you learn from the mountain is that you should never overestimate your skill level. If you are not ready to ride, leave it for another day. This is a friend of mine who experienced exhilarating highs and rock bottom lows riding this valley. This shot was taken at the end of the tour. She was so delighted, she jumped a meter in the air for this shot.

5

Ice grotto

One of the highlights of this region is it's glaciers. This fast moving ice grotto is the longest glacier in France. The glacier's speed, although not perceptible to the naked eye, is considerable. From more than 120 metres a year in its upper part, the spectacle moves about 90 metres per year

6

Wonderland

Can you believe that this place is exists? Near the head of the valley about 7km from Chamonix is the village of Argentiere. It marts the starting point for the Telepherique du Lognon cable car up to Les Grands Montets. A wonderful place to hunker down and refuel.

7

Heaven?

I have walked the streets of Chamonix so many times, oh god I love this place. Except for the numerous sport shops and restaurants it has a wealth of places for some Après Ski entertainment. Take a evening stroll and follow the music—you'll find the party!