Backpacking solo can be a true test of an individual’s spirit and endurance.  A trip alone through the wilderness requires great strength of both mind and body, not least because it means that a person must rely entirely on his or her own physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual resources while exploring the vast natural areas that still characterize much of the United States.

Best destinations and places for backpacking addicts

 Few other backpacking destinations can rival the magnificent Pacific Crest Trail – an excursion that takes backpackers along more than 2,500 miles as they travel through the states of Washington, Oregon, and California.  This trail has the advantage of passing close to many cities and towns, allowing solo backpackers to emerge so they can replenish their supplies and perhaps indulge themselves in a day or two in a hotel, complete with amenities such as a pool.  Having a swim after a week’s trekking is a real luxury.

Backpacking addicts on the East Coast will want to experience the Long Trail in Vermont.  The oldest hiking trail of its length in the nation, the Long Trail extends nearly 300 miles and crosses the entire state of Vermont.  Those who traverse its length will find themselves crossing the summits of several peaks in the Green Mountains.

An excellent backpacking destination for beginners is Texas, where the Lone Star Trail offers more than a hundred miles of generally flat terrain with forests to provide shade.  Those who are just starting out with solo backpacking may find that a less strenuous hike is a good way to build confidence before tackling trails with a great deal of elevation gain.

How to have an unforgettable experience while backpacking alone

 One of the best ways to have an unforgettable experience while solo backpacking is to take full advantage of the freedom that a hike alone offers you.  Group hikers may have to deal with a regimented routine of resting for ten minutes at the top of every hour, or stopping for lunch when everyone else prefers.  When alone, however, you can take rest and meal breaks whenever you please.  You can break camp early and set off at first light, or stay an extra few days at a lake that turns out to be more pleasant than anticipated.  Being able to control your own timetable means that you can truly revel in the freedom of being in the wilderness.

Tips and advice for solo backpackers

 The solo backpacker must be particularly conscious of personal safety.  This means planning ahead to be sure that adequate supplies – including all maps required – are on hand throughout the adventure.  Since solo backpackers will not have a “hiking buddy” to fetch help in case of an emergency, it is imperative to hike alone only on well-traveled trails.  This precaution will help to ensure that a passing stranger can be sent for assistance if it becomes necessary.  Ideally, an injured hiker should not have to wait more than a few hours before someone comes down the trail.

Common sense also requires that a solo backpacker prepare an itinerary ahead of time and adhere to it as much as possible.  Family and friends should know the exact route the solo backpacker intends to take.  This will mean that if the hiker fails to emerge from the wilderness on time, search and rescue teams will have a good idea about where to look.

Although reception may be spotty, hikers should also be certain to take their cell phones along, but should keep them turned off as much as possible to conserve battery power.  In an emergency, turn the phone on.  Even if it is not possible to get enough signal to make a call, the switched on phone may be helpful to search and rescue teams through the technology available to pinpoint a live phone’s location.  Those that go backpacking know its important to ensure you have somewhere to stay and are not going to be stranded, there are a number of simple hotel booking options that can be explored, even this can be done on a mobile now.

Solo backpacking provides hikers with a challenge on several levels at once, but the rewards are worth the effort required. Those who backpack alone will get to know themselves on a deeper level not often enjoyed by campers who only experience the natural world in the company of others. Along the way, solo backpackers will build physical strength, mental confidence, and a heightened understanding of the importance of nature – qualities that will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives.

For some people, retirement is simply a chance to put their feet up and enjoy not going to work, but for others it offers the opportunity to move to a new country and begin a new life.  Those who live in countries with cold and damp winters may yearn to get away to somewhere where they can enjoy good temperatures and plenty of sunshine all year round.

Top retirement spots in the sun

The United States is a popular destination for those who want to live in warm temperatures.  It features some of the sunniest regions in the world, and there are plenty of incentives for those who want to move there.  Officially, the sunniest place in the country is the city of Yuma in Arizona.  It is located in a desert region and therefore has very little rain.  Florida and California are two states with plenty of great spots where retirees can enjoy all year round sunshine.  There is a great deal of Florida land for sale, for those who wish to build their own home for the retirement years.

Spain has always been a popular destination for expatriates.  Property costs in some parts of the country are quite low, and the cost of living is also very reasonable.  Many people originally came as tourists, and felt so comfortable with the Spanish lifestyle that they have returned as retirees.

Another country that has also attracted plenty of retirees in recent years is Thailand.  Expatriates can choose from country living, busy cities or coastal locations, and the cost of living is extremely low when compared to the West.  The people are known for being friendly and welcoming, and the weather is perpetually warm.

Panama is another attractive destination for retirees.  Panama City’s popularity has seen property prices rise in recent years, but there are plenty of other parts of the country where prices are low and residents have access to modern facilities.  The country has great beaches, plenty of shops and a low cost of living.  Retirees to Panama can also take advantage of a number of discounts open to them, such as reductions in public transport fares and discounts on restaurant, entertainment and even airline ticket prices.

Benefits of retiring to the sun

A sunny climate is perfect for those who want to live more of an outdoor lifestyle.  It is so much harder to be motivated to go hiking, swimming or cycling when the weather is miserable.  For some people, moving to the sun might be due to doctor’s orders in view of the health benefits.  Damp or cold weather can be aggravating for some health conditions, and a warmer climate can contribute to a better quality of life.

Most importantly, moving to another country can assist in making a retirement income go that little bit further.  There are some Caribbean islands, or areas of the Far East, where a pension income is considered to be something of a fortune, and retirees can live in relative luxury.  Not everyone can rely on a substantial retirement income, but if moving to a different country can help make it stretch a little further, then relocating should be seriously considered.

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A common lament that tourists make about their holidays abroad is that after a few weeks of eating out and not exercising, they have lost their usual momentum toward optimal good health.  There is no reason, however, why travellers need to fall behind in their fitness routines.  Indeed, a holiday can provide tourists with an opportunity to recharge their exercise batteries by trying something a little bit different.  Instead of working out in the static environment of a gym with state of the art machines, tourists can go “back to basics” and make running their exercise of choice while on holiday.

Reasons to run

Modern transportation systems are wonderful for helping travellers get around efficiently, but they do leave some tourists feeling a little bit disconnected from the fascinating world regions they have journeyed so far to see.  Taking a morning run each day can help a tourist to gain a true feel for the land and its people, bringing them into contact with scenes from everyday life that are often missed when visitors do all their exploring by car, train, or subway.  The small produce market located up a side street or the young mothers playing with their children in a local park will be barely noticed by passengers in motorized transport.  Running, of course, gives tourists a chance to soak in the culture and ambiance of a new region so that they can truly claim they have come to know it.

Best practices

Well-travelled tourists who have made running a part of their normal holiday routine stress the importance of enjoying the experience.  At home, an avid fitness enthusiast may be committed to running five miles per day on a treadmill.  On holiday, however, it is best to remain flexible.  Setting a target of 30 or 60 minutes “on the run” may be more practical than trying to measure miles, even with a pedometer.

It is also important to remember that all runs are not created equal.  Running along the beach, for example, is a great deal more strenuous than pounding hard pavement.  This can mean that a shorter run provides just as much exercise.

Planning ahead

Tourists who want to make sure that they run every day will probably find that a morning run works out better than one in the evening.  Sightseeing and other activities can take longer than expected and might push an evening run into the hours of true darkness, when running may not be safe, particularly in rural regions without excellent street lighting.  Running in the morning is also the coolest option in some regions, where daytime heat can linger long into the evening hours.

One of the most important tips for running while traveling abroad, however, will resonate with all experienced tourists: plan ahead.  In generations past, this might have posed a challenge, but with the availability of detailed information online, travellers can now call up maps for cities all over the world and research their running routes in advance.  This allows running enthusiasts to avoid the “hit or miss” approach to touring an area on foot.  Instead, they can deliberately plan routes that take them past fascinating local sights.

It is easy to see, then, that a “holiday on the run” may be the most enjoyable kind of all.

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It is often said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but when it comes to understanding the soul of an entire nation, there may be no better way than to attend a major sporting event.  After all, visiting the great art galleries and museums while abroad will only allow a tourist a glimpse into the “high culture” of a nation.  The very atmosphere of such places – most often hushed and reverent – will also keep tourists from a full understanding of how ordinary, average people behave when not watching their p’s and q’s.  Attending a sports event while traveling, on the other hand, can give a tourist an entirely different perspective on life in another country.

La Bombonera

Soccer is the most important sport in most of Latin America; Argentina is no exception.  This stadium located in the nation’s capital city, Buenos Aires, is considered legendary even though it holds less than 60,000 screaming enthusiasts.  Obtaining tickets in advance is advisable since matches frequently sell out.  The best games to see are the ones between the home team, the Boca Juniors, and their long-standing rivals, River Plate.  These matches are bound to be not only the most interesting, but also the noisiest, and not just because of the enthusiasm in the stands.  The stadium itself is also designed in such a way that sounds tend to become amplified – so much so that the fans have a nickname of their own: la doce, which means the twelfth man in Spanish.

Stade Velodrome

The Stade Velodrome, located in Marseille, France, is notable for being a place where the most passionate and enthusiastic soccer enthusiasts in all of France assemble.  The reason? Quite possibly the stadium is so popular because the fans that come to see a match are remarkably close to the action.  The Stade Velodrome is the home ground for the soccer team known as Olympique de Marseille, and it has been the venue for such prestigious events as the 1998 FIFA World Cup.  For many years, it was the largest home stadium to any French football team, seating more than 60,000 enthusiasts.

The stadium is currently undergoing renovations that have trimmed its capacity a little as it prepares to host the European Football Championship in 2016.  By that time, the Stade Velodrome will seat as many as 67,000 fans eager for exciting soccer action.

San Siro

San Siro is not only Italy’s largest stadium, holding over 80,000 soccer fans, it is also home to both Inter Milan and AC Milan, which gives tourists a great many opportunities to see a match while they are in the country.  Even better, because the matches are not usually sold out, tourists may not even need to plan that far ahead.  Matches take place nearly every weekend during the soccer season, but tourists should be aware that identification is required at ticket kiosks, which incidentally, only take cash.

Attending a sporting event while on holiday is an enjoyable way to pass an afternoon, but it is also a fantastic way to meet see the local culture in a completely natural context.

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Travelling abroad has a great deal to recommend it, but one of the very best things it can provide is a chance to try something completely new.  Sand surfing, also known as sandboarding, is a recreational activity that cannot be experienced in many areas of the world.  To try sand surfing for themselves, tourists must journey to the areas of the world that have large sand dunes.  This means travelling to nations with significant desert regions or that have beach conditions that are conducive to forming very large sand dunes.

Understanding sand surfing

As the name suggests, sand surfing uses a board rather like a surfboard.  Sand surfing boards, however, are designed to hold your feet in a fixed position; for this reason they generally feature straps or bindings.  Some sand surfers, however, do opt for a board that lacks these bindings.

Taking part in sand surfing is somewhat similar to snowboarding, with one significant exception – there are currently no sand surfing areas that provide the equivalent of a ski lift.  It is unlikely that such a lift could even be constructed due to the inherent difficulties of building on shifting sand.  Therefore, after riding a sand dune down to the bottom, enthusiasts must make the somewhat arduous and hot climb up to the top of the dune to continue their fun.  This actually provides excellent aerobic exercise, making sand surfing an outstanding fitness activity.  Some enthusiasts have found ways to avoid the climb; they simply use dune buggies or vehicles designed for all-terrain use to reach the top.  A partner can then drive the vehicle back down for the next run.

Why sand surfing is becoming so popular

Sand surfing, as opposed to snowboarding, is available to tourists all year round while ski resorts tend to be open only seasonally.  Additionally, sand surfing can be a much more economical activity.  Because there are not really any developed resorts, costs are kept very low.  In some areas, people who wish to sand surf can simply pick a likely-looking dune, hike to the top with their board, and get started.  Meals and lodging can likewise be very affordable due to the relatively small numbers of people who are currently seeking out the places in the world that are best for sand surfing.

Sand surfing in Peru

Although sand surfing areas are available in world regions that include Australia, South Africa, and the United States, one of the best places in the world for sand dunes is the South American nation of Peru.  In fact, the very largest sand dune on earth is located in Ica, one of the five provinces that comprise the nation.  This is the Duna Grande (Large Dune), which sometimes measures as much as two kilometres in height – because of the shifting nature of sand dunes they do vary in height from year to year.

Peru has been holding the world’s premier sand surfing competition since 2009.  Called the Copa Sandboarding Peru, the contest of balance and coordination takes place near Paracas, which is in Ica province.  Also notable are the large dunes located near Lima, which is the capital city of Peru.

Sand surfing in Peru provides tourists with the chance to try something both offbeat and new – and if you can secure a reasonably priced flight you can do it without breaking the bank.

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One of the benefits of travel has always been the chance to experience alternate modes of living.  Hundreds of years ago, this tended to refer mostly to cultural differences.  In the modern age, however, technological differences can be just as profound, even when traveling exclusively in Europe.  This is because not all European nations are on quite the same page when it comes to an awareness of ecological issues or how to address profound challenges such as climate change.

Amsterdam: city of the bicycle

Few cities can boast that the most prevalent method of transportation within their limits is human-powered.  Amsterdam, with more than 550,000 bicycles for its 750,000 permanent residents, is the exception.  Tourists with an interest in green technologies should make the capital of the Netherlands their first stop, and not only because of the bicycle angle.  The city has also been surging forward toward alternative power since 2009, when a number of projects emphasising wind and solar energy were initiated.

Barcelona: efficient public transport

This city along northern Spain’s Mediterranean coast is another place where many locals find they have no need for a car.  Instead of biking about town, large numbers of Barcelona residents make use of an integrated public transport network that involves not just subways, but also street trams, funiculars, and even cable cars.  Tourists can enjoy seeing how a city with hundreds of years of history has transformed itself to meet the need to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Munster: fuel from refuse

Most cities have an enormous challenge just finding places to dispose of all the rubbish that residents generate.  Munster in Germany, however, avoids the need to devote landfill space to biodegradable rubbish.  Instead of allowing such refuse to pile up and blight the landscape as it decomposes, Munster puts it to good use, recycling it to produce a variety of energy forms including heat and electricity.  This means that Munster residents – more than 250,000 of them in all – must sort their household rubbish before setting it out for pickup.  Such an achievement is remarkable in itself, for in some European cities, there would not currently be such a level of commitment among the public to doing the real tasks that are required for going green.

Riga: the advantages of nature

In most places, becoming an eco-city requires either a shifting of priorities or the installation of significant infrastructure.  In Riga, Latvia, however, going green is the result of never having lost an emphasis on retaining the natural world in the region.  Riga is surrounded by ample peat bogs and lush forests that naturally convert carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Latvia is hardly resting on its laurels; as one of the cleanest cities in Europe, Riga has been instrumental in helping Latvia to achieve one of the best carbon emission records in the entire EU.

Eco-tourism is a relatively new phenomenon, but as more people become interested in sustainable living and the reduction of pollution in all its forms, it is likely to grow in popularity, particularly in Europe, where so many cities are already at the forefront of the movement to go green.

Top image by Ian Sane

A gap year experience is frequently touted as beneficial because it can help young people to promote themselves more effectively when it comes to university entrance or when they enter the job market.  These are significant advantages, to be sure, but they are far from the only benefits that result from living abroad.  Instead, a gap year spent in one foreign nation or several can help a student to learn important lessons that will stay with him or her for a lifetime.  These lessons can often be transformational, causing the student to grow and mature in directions that might never be explored at all, otherwise.

Challenging assumptions

Spending time abroad immerses students in a culture different from their own.  This can help individuals to challenge their own assumptions about life and people – assumptions that prior to the trip abroad, they might not even realise they possess.  For example, in the Central American nation of Costa Rica, it is customary for patrons in fast food restaurants to leave their used papers, trays, and utensils on their table when they depart, rather than clearing the items themselves.  This behaviour would be considered boorish in a fast food restaurant in the UK, but in Costa Rica, the assumptions underlying eating out are somewhat different.  The ethos there is that fast food restaurants employ people to clear the tables, and that if patrons do it for themselves, they will be putting someone out of a job – someone who most likely needs the job very badly.  Thus, in Costa Rica, it is considered unreasonable to clear one’s own table.

Gaining self-reliance

The very nature of a gap year takes students hundreds or thousands of miles away from the support structures they have depended on all their lives.  Without family or friends close at hand, such students must learn to think for themselves.  This means a great deal more than managing their own finances and travel arrangements from country to country.  It also means being able to deal with the unexpected, resolving conflicts and complex problems as they arise.  Some call this learning by experience while others refer to it as attending the “school of hard knocks,” but one thing is certain: after a year fending for themselves, students on a gap year have grown tremendously in both confidence and self-reliance, qualities which will stand them in good stead no matter what future path they eventually pursue.

Appreciating home

It really is true that “there’s no place like home,” but just like Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz, most people have to leave home for an extended period before they can truly appreciate it.  The climate and food choices that characterise a student’s home nation may never seem exceptional at all until that student spends a year elsewhere and begins to miss them.

Gaining such an appreciation for one’s home nation can mean a richer, more fulfilling life after returning home.  Instead of taking home for granted, it will acquire the special gloss it deserves as a unique place in its own right.

A gap year or other time spent abroad truly can mean coming home a changed man – or woman, as the case may be.

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In the land of make-believe and fairy tales, the idea of doing Walt Disney World on a budget might seem to be stretching the imagination a little too far, however with some advance planning, and an eye for a bargain, it’s perfectly possible to have a great vacation at a relatively affordable cost. Here are a few tips:

Plan at home

Before setting off, take the chance to monitor the availability of discount vouchers for anything that will be useful when on vacation. For example restaurant offers by chains or discount codes that are released periodically to reduce the cost of a hotel stay at Disney World, no matter when the vacation actually takes place. A good store of these will help to reduce the costs of both your accommodation and food.

Know when to go

Start with when is the cheapest time to go; definitely choose to have a vacation off-season rather than taking a trip during the most popular times. Avoiding Thanksgiving Week is essential, instead choose a period during mid-November through mid-December or mid-January through mid-February. Prices will also be cheaper during the early part of May and through September.

Book your transport well ahead of time to get the best possible deals. The Magical Express service takes visitors from Orlando airport to their resort, and there is plenty of transportation available on site, including frequent bus services, boats and a monorail.

Know where to stay

Having booked a trip during the “value season”, choosing accommodation means selecting what suits your budget. Resorts are divided into five categories, Deluxe being the high end, the most select and therefore the most expensive. The Moderate category offers a better deal and the Value category is the most inexpensive – yet it still provides the opportunity to enjoy a full Disney themed resort experience.

The other options are to go camping in one of the campgrounds, with or without a cabin as there’s space for pitching tents or parking up an RV. Or why not rent a villa at the Disney Vacation Club (DVC)? This is cheaper if done directly via a DVC owner? Off-site hotels or villas close to the Disney gates will be cheaper than utilizing the accommodation on site.

Buy your tickets in advance

Tickets bought at the gate will be more expensive than those bought well in advance; a good broker will be able to get Disney tickets at the best possible rate. The length of stay also makes a difference – the longer the stay the cheaper the per-day expense. Walt Disney World is vast and it’s highly unlikely every single resort and park will be included in a single vacation; focus on base tickets covering a few key attractions, such as Magic Kingdom or Disney Studios, and dispense with the Park Hopping option, which will save money.

Eat smart

Eating out is a fun part of any vacation and it’s not necessary to eat in all the time just to save money. When dining out a good balance can be achieved by eating at full-service restaurants during lunch hours, when the menu will be cheaper than the evenings, and selecting counter service restaurants where generous portions can easily be shared.

Top image by Christian Lambert

Interested in dance? Why not organise a holiday that focuses not on the natural wonders or cuisine of each nation visited, but instead concentrates on learning about traditional forms of dance?  Although moving in choreographed ways in time with music seems to be a universally popular human trait, this impulse is expressed very differently from one region of the world to another.  Tourists on a “dance holiday” can attend classes in various musical traditions so that they can learn to perform national dances, or they may simply prefer to watch them being performed.  Either method is bound to result in a holiday that energises not just the body but also the mind and spirit.

Attend a community pow-wow in the United States

Native American dances are always an important part of pow-wows, which are large gatherings that often include several different tribes.  Dancers are arrayed in traditional costumes representing tribes as diverse as the Lakota Sioux and the Apache, and then proceed to demonstrate the intricate dance traditions that have been practiced by their tribe for centuries.  Native flutes and drums provide the music, and everyone attending the pow-wow is usually welcome to join in when it is time to perform the “Round Dance,” a perennial favourite with natives and visitors alike.

Indulge in belly dancing in the Middle East

Belly dancing is traditional in several nations, including Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey.  Many of the motions needed for belly dancing heavily involve the abdominal area – hence the name – but the hips, chest, arms, and shoulders are also instrumental in creating the sultry and romantic impression associated with this dance form.

Many fine restaurants in the Middle East feature belly dancers as a form of entertainment for the diners, which means that tourists do not have to search for long in order to find a location to see the dances performed.  Those who opt for courses in the art will find that belly dancing is excellent for toning the stomach, pelvic, and hip regions of the body.

Flow free with the Kpanlogo in Ghana

In the West African nation of Ghana, the Kpanlogo dance originally associated with the Ga people is now performed throughout the country.  The motions of this dance are widely regarded as “free flowing” and continuous, with dancers hardly ever pausing.  Kpanlogo music is likewise popular in Ghana and it is played in clubs in all the major cities.  Unlike many African dances, however, this one only originated in the decades since World War II when dance bands began to make it popular.

“Act out” dances in India

A stop on a worldwide dance tour might well be India, where traditional dances have actually involved into a form of theatre known as dance-drama.  These dramas typically act out stories that tell tales from Hindu mythology, but as India is a nation with dozens of different regions, each with its own unique traditions and even language, there are many variations on each theme.

As these few examples demonstrate, dance is a way to learn about the unique identity and culture of a people.  Going on a worldwide dance holiday, therefore, means that tourists can literally bring parts of the world home with them.

South America 

South American countries are famous for their exciting rhythmic dances; the samba, bossa nova and many other forms originated there.  Classes in the various dance forms are readily available.  If you want to learn how to dance a sultry tango, head for Argentina where the best exponents of the dance form are to be found.

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A tour of the world’s greatest waterfalls is both a way to get close to nature and to visit a great variety of fascinating nations on nearly every continent on the planet.

Europe: Detifloss, Iceland

Iceland is famous for its volcanoes, but nature lovers will be particularly impressed with the size and strength of Detifloss, a waterfall on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum River.  At 100 metres wide and almost half that distance tall, Detifloss is Europe’s most powerful waterfall – and also its most unique, since the water cresting off the cliff has a distinct milky colour.  The hue is a result of the rich sediments flowing into the river from the Vatnajokull glacier.

Asia: Detian Waterfall, China and Vietnam

Curved in an arc more than 600 feet wide, Detian is south-east Asia’s largest waterfall and is located on the border between Vietnam and China. Unlike some falls, Detian is not a sheer drop; instead, water tumbles down three tiers of rocks as it falls more than 200 feet. The result is a frothy confection set amid the beauty of a tropical jungle.

North America: Yosemite Falls, USA

One of the world’s tallest falls; Yosemite Falls in northern California is nearly 2500 feet tall, with water falling in two main tiers referred to as the upper and lower falls. Yosemite Falls is highly unusual for more than its outstanding beauty as the short trail to the lower falls is paved.  It is so gently sloped that it is actually accessible to the disabled, including those using wheelchairs.

North America: Niagara Falls, Canada and the USA

Widely popular with honeymoon couples from both Canada and the United States, Niagara Falls is the largest waterfall in the world in terms of the volume of water passing over them.  The falls have easy access from a number of different angles. One of the best is a view from the bottom up, available by taking a river cruise up to the base of the falls on the famous Maid of the Mist; guaranteed to drench anyone standing on the ship

South America: Angel Falls, Venezuela

Ranked as the tallest all-season waterfall on earth, Venezuela’s Angel Falls plunges down from a tabletop mountain, but oddly enough, has no true river system feeding it. Instead, the fall’s source is simply the abundant condensation from the cloud forest itself.

Africa: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

The world’s largest single waterfall, Victoria Falls is more than 1,500 metres wide and over 100 metres tall. That works out to more than a million litres of water per second plunging to the bottom. One of the few waterfalls to be classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Victoria Falls is also considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

Australia: Mitchell Falls

This falls in the remote Outback is somewhat difficult to reach; tourists need to fly in and hike the rest of the way or drive a four-wheeled drive vehicle to get close. Once Mitchell Falls comes into view, however, the journey will probably be forgotten: the tumbling water stands out in brilliant contrast to the deep red colour of the cliffs all around.

Seeing the world’s most impressive waterfalls close up truly is a great experience for any keen traveller.

Top image by Jankgo