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What to see in Armenia
Armenia was the final stop of my Caucasus tour. I took a mini bus from Tbilisi in the morning, which took five and a half hours (including immigration). Surprisingly, immigration went pretty smooth. Many Georgians warned me that Armenian immigration officials would press me about my travels in Azerbaijan once they saw the stamp in my passport. Fortunately, they didn’t ask me a single question, so it’s likely they didn’t see the stamp or just didn’t care. I spent 4 full days in Armenia, and despite the short amount of time, felt like I saw the major highlights. Armenia was the first country to official adopt Christianity as its state…
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Georgia : A Backpacker’s Paradise
Georgia was the second stop of my Caucasus tour and hands down my favorite country. Georgia has it all: city life, stunning landscapes, wineries, history, backpacking trails, you name it. I spent 7 days here, but honestly, I could’ve done two-weeks. Before coming to Georgia, you have to decide which route you want to take – the backpacking one, party life, historical tour, or a mix of all, especially if you’re limited on time. Here are my top recommendations for Georgia if you have a week or so to spare. 1) Kazbegi Kazbegi is a region located in north-eastern Georgia, which is roughly 3 hours from Tbilisi. Kazbegi is home…
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Azerbaijan in Four Days
Azerbaijan was the first stop of my two-week tour through the Caucasus region. I didn’t know much about the country aside from being an oil-rich nation, so I kept my expectations to a minimum. Looking back, I wish I spent a few more days here, as Azerbaijan ended up being a hidden gem, and Baku, the capital, is a super neat city with stunning architecture. The highlight of my trip was visiting the countryside, which doesn’t get talked about enough. If you’re in Azerbaijan for four days, here’s what I recommend. Day 1 : Day Tour in Baku Baku is obviously a must see, and its pretty walkable for the…
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Travel Guide to Tunisia
Tunisia is one of Africa’s most visited destinations, but somehow it still feels like a country off the beaten path. Tunisia is often overshadowed by its neighbor, Morocco, which is the most visited country in Africa. I spent 5 days in Tunisia, just enough to get a feel for the country. You can see most of the highlights (excluding the sites in the south) in this timeframe. If you’re limited on time, you’ll want to concentrate all of your energy in the north; this is where you’ll see Roman archeological sites, beaches, and the capital. Here are the must sees for anyone traveling to Tunisia. Tunis + Sidi Bou Said…
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Backpacking Benin
Benin was part two of my journey to the motherland, as I also discovered I have Beninese ancestry. After a week in Togo, I took a taxi to the border and walked across after going through customs, which was a pretty painless process. I spent a week in Benin, which I found to be a bit more lively than Togo. Below are my recommendations for any trip to Benin. Grand Popo A beach city about 15 minutes from the Togolese border. It’s a great place to relax and unwind; many residents from Cotonou come here on the weekends to escape the city life. Porto Novo Benin’s capital and second largest…
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Backpacking Togo
Years ago, I took an Ancestry DNA test and found out I have roots in Togo. Naturally, I began to do more research, which led to my trip here. After all, why not visit the motherland? Togo is a small French speaking (despite being colonized by Germany) nation in West Africa, which borders Benin, Burkina Faso, and Ghana. Not much is known about Togo, as it is often overshadowed by its neighbor, Ghana, but it’s definitely worth seeing if you’re in West Africa. What to see in Togo Lomé: Voodoo Market The capital and your starting point in the country if you arrive by air. The capital is pretty developed…
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Backpacking Tajikistan – Traveling the Pamir Highway
“Tajik-ah-what?” “Why? “Where is that?” These are the responses I received when I told my friends I was traveling to Tajikistan for vacation. To be fair, I couldn’t blame them. When most people hear a country end in “Stan,” they immediately begin to associate that place with war, terror, and lawlessness. Of course, that isn’t the case with every country ending in Stan, and I set out to show my friends the opposite, and check off one of my bucket list goals – backpack the Pamir Highway. The Pamir Highway is a road traversing the Pamir Mountains through Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan with a length of over 1,200 km. It…
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How to do Dubai in Two Days
The United Arab Emirates, more specifically Dubai, is becoming more and more common as a transit point between international flights, and travelers are taking advantage of this, often extending their stay. Dubai is jam-packed with adventure, enough to keep most entertained for a few days. Here’s how to make the most out of a short trip to Dubai. Day 1: Target places – Old Dubai, Dubai Mall, Museum of the Future & Burj Khalifa 48 hours isn’t a lot of time, so you’ll have to get the day started early. First stop is Old Dubai. Personally, seeing the older/more authentic side of a city is a must for me every…
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7 Day Jordan Itinerary
Jordan is arguably the Middle East’s best country to travel in and generally considered the safest. Jordan hosts some of the world’s most historical sites, the Dead Sea, Petra, and much more. You will need to plan at least four full days if you want to see all the main sites, but truthfully speaking, this would be entirely too exhausting. Ideally, you’ll want to dedicate seven days for Jordan. However, in order to make it work you will need to rent a car rather than relying on public transportation to get from city to city. Below, I’ll highlight the ideal seven-day itinerary for Jordan. Day 1: Arrive in Amman Despite…
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Three Day Trips from Nairobi
Kenya is a country with it all; there are beaches, safaris, mountains, a thriving capital, 5-star accommodations, etc. Unlike most travelers visiting Kenya, I passed on the safari, as I was coming from Tanzania and just did one there. This left me scrambling to find non-safari related day trips to occupy my time while in Nairobi. Below, I’ll highlight my three favorite day trips from Nairobi. 1) Giraffe Centre Located just 20 kilometers from the city center is Giraffe Centre , a place where you can actually feed giraffes. I’ve been to many parks/zoos in my life, but never have I been able to feed a giraffe! Coming from a…
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