Best Dominican Republic Road Trip Itinerary

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

After being in the remote jungles of Panama, the Dominican Republic was a great place to relax and soak up the beaches before heading to the next destination! Here are some of my favorite places to visit on a road trip around Dominican Republic!

Punta Cana

Most people fly into the airport at Punta Cana, which is known for its all-inclusive resorts. You can always find some good deals if you’re looking to just relax and have food and drinks included. One thing to note that I didn’t know, was that most restaurants need a reservation the day before to eat there. There usually is one cafeteria-type area where you don’t need a reservation but it’s not the best food.

Isla Saona

This is a great day trip from Punta Cana if you have extra time to spare! The beaches are incredibly stunning, but although the photos make it look like a deserted island, it gets pretty packed with tourists and there are long lines for lunch.

Playa Macao

This beach was probably my personal favorite! It’s big enough so tourists can spread out, the water is clear, and there’s cute huts and surf spots!

Montana Redonda

The view at Montana Redonda is insane! If you don’t have a 4x4 vehicle, you can leave your car parked at the bottom of the hill and take a truck up to the top. I highly recommend going close to sunset for the best colors for photography. Relax and enjoy the swings and view!

Samana Peninsula

This is probably one of my favorite areas of the Dominican Republic! Unfortunately when I went there was a torrential downpour of rain, but it’s such a unique area with very little tourists. The beaches are the absolute best in this peninsula!

Top Things to do in Panama City

As some of you may know, my husband and I served in the Peace Corps in Panama working with the indigenous tribes. We go back to visit every couple years, so we don’t necessarily spend a lot of time doing the “touristy” things in the country these days; we mostly spend a week in the village Cameron lived in the Darien.

Even though we don’t spend a lot of time outside of the Darien, we still pass through Panama City every time, so I’ll share my top things to do in Panama City!

Casco Viejo

This is probably my favorite thing to do every time we go back to the city, especially wandering the old colonial streets. Nomada Eatery is my favorite spot for breakfast or brunch; there’s healthy options but also Panamanian breakfast with a modern twist. For the best Panamanian food, try Fonda lo que Hay. Fondas are an integral part of Panamanian culture; my personal favorite fonda foods are hojaldres and patacones with queso blanco. It’s not for everyone, but when you’ve lived in the campo and survived on rice and boiled bananas, fonda food is the best. My absolute favorite dinner spot and brewery is La Rana Dorada; this is pretty much where I went every time I visited the city when I lived in Panama and it doesn’t disappoint if you’re tired of local food!

Sunset at the JW Marriott 65 Floor

If you’re looking for the best sunset photo spot in all of PTY, check out the 65th floor in the JW Marriott! There’s an infinity pool that overlooks the whole city; there’s nothing quite like fresh ocean breeze with the sun setting over the ocean and the city lights twinkling at dusk.

Mercado de Mariscos

For fresh seafood, head over to the Mercado de Mariscos! You can find fresh ceviche and beer for $1; can’t beat that price anywhere else in the city!

Top Things to do in Jamaica

It was a little bit of a roundabout way to get here, but crazy enough I found a bargain flight from Cairo - Frankfurt - Toronto, then a flight on Swoop Airlines to Kingston. This was my last stop on my two-month trip, so it was a nice change before heading back to the states. I’m not a huge fan of touristy places, and since Jamaica is rather known as a cruise ship destination, it was easy to spend a few days checking everything out before flying home. Here are my top things to see in Jamaica!

Getting Around

From Kingston, you can easily take a bus to anywhere around the island using Knutsford Express. Most leave by the early afternoon so if you’re looking to take the bus right away from the airport I’d recommend arriving earlier in the day.

Martha Brae River

I always love finding unique things to do in every country, and the Martha Brae River is definitely one of those attractions! If you have a taxi take you to this area, you can pay to take a bamboo raft down the iridescent emerald river waters and forest. Probably my favorite thing to do!

Pelican Bar

If you have time to check it out, the Pelican Bar is a bar in the middle of the ocean! You can take a boat out to it and hang out all afternoon having drinks or swimming in the water. It’s a bit out of the way but something else unique to Jamaica!

Top Things to do in Kuwait

Kuwait was my final Gulf State in the Middle East! Unfortunately because of covid, restrictions were a little unclear; we thought that we just needed a vaccination certificate in order to enter, but it turned out we had to quarantine for three days. Three days was all we had in the country! Since it’s such a tiny country, we managed to see everything we wanted to see; here are the top things to do in Kuwait!

Kuwait Towers

This is the must-see spot in Kuwait! If you only have a little time or a long layover, I highly recommend walking along the ocean while watching the towers light up at sunset.

Mirror House

I’m all about visiting unique spots in countries, and the Mirror House is no exception! Check out the whimsical designs and mirror mosaic tiles spread all throughout this home.

Failaka Island

There’s some interesting history on this island, but honestly there’s not too much to see. If you have an extra day you can take a ferry to Failaka and learn more about the war of Desert Storm.

Best Oman Road Trip Itinerary

Oman is an amazing country for a road trip in the Middle East! With its beautiful beaches and culture, it’s a great place to explore. Here are the best places and itinerary for a road trip in Oman!

Muscat

Starting out in the capital of Muscat, check out the Mutrah Souq and Grand Qaboos Grand Mosque. If you have an extra day I recommend taking a day trip to the Daymaniat Islands!

Sur

From the town of Sur, you can visit the Bimmah Sinkhole and Wadi Shab.

Wahiba Sands

If you want a taste of the desert, check out the dunes here! There are so many different camps you can choose from, but make sure you have a 4x4 vehicle to visit.

Nizwa

This can easily be a day trip from Muscat, but I recommend staying the night here to catch sunset at the Nizwa Fort!

Jebel al Akhdar

Also known as the “Green Mountain,” it’s the highest point in Oman if you’re looking for a change in scenery!

How to Visit the Meroe Pyramids in Sudan

SUDAN

Most people associate pyramids with Egypt, but there’s actually a higher number of pyramids in the country of Sudan! Sudan has 255 pyramids, which are about 2,500 years old (newer than the Egyptian pyramids) and were used as tombs during the Nubian period. For my birthday this year, I visited the Meroe pyramids in the company of good friends in the spirit of adventure. Here’s how you can visit the Meroe pyramids along with my top tips!

Update as of September 2023: Due to the war happening in Sudan, it is not recommended to visit at this time. My dear friends lost their homes, jobs, along with all their possessions in Khartoum and were forced to leave to other countries. Some were not so lucky.

Visa

The Sudanese visa isn’t the easiest to obtain, but there are ways to get it through tour companies or local hotels. My recommendation would be to reach out to Acropole Hotel in Khartoum, as they will sponsor you, and get the letter of invitation set-up in exchange for staying at their hotel. You still have to pay for the visa on arrival when you arrive in Khartoum, but this avoids a visit to an embassy.

What Pyramids can I visit in Sudan?

There are four different sites where you can visit pyramids in Sudan, but in general the Meroe pyramids are the most popular, in the best condition, receive the most funding, and are historically the most important. You can even do a day trip from Khartoum if you’re really short on time.

MEROE PYRAMIDS / BEGRAWIYA: Like I previously mentioned, the most popular pyramids in Sudan, and are about 200 km from Khartoum and takes about 3.5 hours one way.

JEBEL BARKAL PYRAMIDS: Near the town of Karima, about 450 km north of Khartoum and a 6 hour drive one way.

EL KURRU PYRAMIDS: In the same complex of the Jebel Barkal Pyramids.

NURI PYRAMIDS: In the same complex of the Jebel Barkal Pyramids.

How to Get TO THE MEROE PYRAMIDS

As the situation in Sudan is unstable with the protests, it’s important to stay flexible with your schedule. Set aside more time than you think you need; if there’s a surprise protest, bridges that lead in and out of Khartoum will shut down and you won’t be able to leave.

Before leaving Khartoum, make sure you register your passport; you’ll receive an extra sticker in your passport and you need a letter of permission that you may need to show police checkpoints on your way to Meroe pyramids.

My friend and I took a taxi from Khartoum to the pyramids, but if you’d rather have an easy experience I highly recommend booking a stay with Italian Tourism. The price tag is high, but the camp is luxurious and the stay is well-worth it since you’ll be waking up with a view of the pyramids. They can arrange transportation to and from Khartoum as well.

It’s possible to visit the pyramids in a day trip from Khartoum by bus or taxi, but the most magical time to visit is either for sunrise or sunset (sunrise was my personal favorite). The cheapest way to do this trip is to stay at a guesthouse in either Shendi or Atbara; it’s fairly close to the pyramids but it’s a budget-friendly option.

Need to Know

You’ll probably be the only tourists at the pyramids and have the site all to yourself! When you arrive, the entry ticket is 20 SDP (about $7 per person, although things might have changed with the crazy inflation). You can take a camel ride (5 SDP) over to the pyramids since it’s a bit of a walk, but it’s really beautiful.

When to Visit

Sudan experiences extremely high temperatures, so I highly recommend visiting during the winter; I went in January and the temperatures were perfect. It was still hot so I couldn’t imagine visiting at any other time of the year.

If you’re interested in photography, the ideal time to photograph the Meroe pyramids is at sunrise for the best lighting. Sunset is also spectacular but you might experience crowds.

Everything You Need to Know about South Sudan

Welcome to South Sudan

South Sudan is the world’s newest country, but also a war-torn nation. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting this unique African country.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS & VISA

Of course the most important things is getting into the country; even though you can apply for the e-visa online you need to have a letter of invitation from a tour agency. We went with Mayom Bul’s company, Metro Safari South Sudan, and they’re known to be one of the best. Please keep in mind that this country has been through a lot and still battles corruption, but this tour agency does its best. It’s typical that things don’t run on time and you might be stuck at police checkpoints for hours.

When you arrive and step off the plane, you’re sprayed down with some sort of harmless chemical and taken to a building to fill out a customs form and show your PCR test. After that you head to the main customs area where you get in line and the officers check everything. Have all your documents printed and ready, and if you have your camera with you, make sure you have your tour agency send you the camera permit if you’re held for questioning.

Once you are picked up by your tour agency, they will take your passport to a separate office for registration. This must be done within three days of arrival, and you cannot leave Juba without this extra documentation in your passport. Remember to show this when you depart and be firm; they will take you into a dark back room and claim you don’t have the proper registration so make sure you stand your ground and show it in your passport so you don’t have to pay an extra bribe (another tourist we bumped into didn’t understand this so they paid a $50 bribe).

The Mundari Tribe

The main reason I wanted to visit South Sudan was to visit this unique tribe; they have a highly sustainable relationship with their cattle, almost in a “circle of life” sense. They devote their lives to their cattle by collecting their dung to burn for fires and keep mosquitoes away, drinking a cup of milk each day for sustenance, and using the urine to bathe. It was an unreal experience to be able to spend three days with this tribe, and one of my favorite travel memories to date.

Top Things to See in Rwanda

How to Get Here: DRC - RWANDA BORDER

When we arrived at the border on the DRC side, they kept insisting we needed to do a new Antigen test even though ours was still valid. Our Congolese guide just waived them off and walked us straight to the immigration counter to get our passports stamped and we didn't have any issues.

After crossing the bridge into Rwanda we paid for a single-entry visa for $50 each, and we were handed off to a Rwandese guide who was also excellent! If you're looking for a guide just for Rwanda I recommend Montana of Rwanda Guide -- Whatsapp: +250788794928

PCR

Because of the New Year's holiday, we got our PCR tests done as soon as we arrived. There was a hospital nearby and we paid $50 each, along with a $5 Antigen test because it's required to enter Nyungwe National Park. You get a code and type it into Rwanda's ministry of health website to get your results.

ACTIVITIES

• Nyungwe National Park: we opted for a waterfall hike, but there's a lot of activities you can choose from! You have to have a park ranger with you the whole time, you can't just explore on your own. The hike went past a tea plantation, and the workers were friendly and loved posing for photos.

• Lake Kivu: we took a traditional boat out to one of the islands for a short 30 minute hike to the top! Lots of bats, birds, and monkeys; since everything was closed for New Year's it was a nice way to spend the day!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

After coming from the DRC, Rwanda was a fantastic way to end this leg of the trip! Everything was so modern, clean, roads were all freshly paved, credit cards were accepted everywhere we went. If you're looking for arrangements/fixer through these three countries, again I definitely recommend Your Burundi Guide to take care of everything! Whatsapp: +25779249670

How to See the Lowland Gorillas in the DRC

Welcome to the Democratic Republic of the Congo!

There are three places in Africa to see the lowland gorillas: Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC. Rwanda is the most expensive, while the DRC is the least expensive; most people’s biggest concern is the security of the DRC, so I recommend going with the guide I went with!

HOW TO GET THERE: BURUNDI - DRC BORDER

On the day we were supposed to cross the border to the DRC, there was some political conflict; Rwanda had sent police over to the DRC over the death of someone in Virunga National Park but the locals were unhappy about it, so they shut down the borders. Surprisingly enough, they let us through the next day and we didn't have any issues.

DRC GUIDE

Even though Your Burundi Guide set up all the logistics and guides, we were handed off to a Congolese guide who was fantastic. Really motivated to make change in the DRC and knew how to talk our way out of the random police checkpoints that come up frequently. If you're looking for someone just in the DRC, Justin is amazing! He's based in Bujumbura but does frequent trips in both countries. Whatsapp: +25776119310

COVID / PCR / CUSTOMS

We were planning on using our PCR on arrival at the Bujumbura airport to cross into the DRC, but because of the delay it was no longer valid. There's a white tent on the right as soon as you cross the bridge and you can do an Antigen test for $10. It's really disorganized and the person performing the PCR test wouldn't let us have our results until we paid a bribe. We kept saying we didn't have anything but we were already held up so long the guide paid 3000 Congolese Francs ($1.50). We also had to show our yellow fever cards. The power went out when we were in the head immigration office to get our passports stamped, and even though we had the DRC letter of invitation, they wouldn't let us through til the power came back (2 hours later) because they needed to make sure they had their copy.

GORILLAS: KAHUZI-BIEGA NATIONAL PARK

Due to the incident at Virunga National Park, it was closed so we went to Kahuzi-Biega National Park to visit the lowland gorillas. Permits cost $400, whereas it's around $600 to see them in Uganda and $1500 in Rwanda. It was about a 20 minute trek to see them and we had about an hour with them. The only precaution was that we had to wear masks the whole time to make sure we didn't transmit anything to the gorillas. Really awesome experience getting to be so close to these beautiful creatures!

BUKAVU

We stayed the night in the border town of Bukavu. For our next trip we desperately needed USD, and luckily there's plenty of ATMs that dispense dollars in brand-new crisp $100 notes. EcoBank dispensed the most at $600 at a time and didn't charge a fee.

Everything You Need to Know about Burundi

Welcome to Burundi!

Located in the heart of Africa, this tiny country really surprised me with its greenery and such warm people!

ARRIVAL / VISA

We wanted to take advantage of the new VOA program that just started a few weeks ago! "Your Burundi Guide" arranged the whole trip and sent us a letter from the hotel we'd be staying at to show on arrival at Bujumbura Airport.

It's a little confusing when you arrive at Bujumbura airport; first thing is to show your negative PCR test before entering the building. Then, go straight ahead to the window in the very middle -- there's a big visa sign above. You give them your passport and they start inputting your info into the system. After that, go to the window to the left for the cashier. You have to pay for the visa ($90 for 30 days, $30 for a 3-day transit) and PCR on arrival ($100). You can pay in USD and they give you change in Burundi Francs. After you receive your receipts, go back to the middle window so they can put your visa in your passport. Then go to the window on the right to show your PCR on arrival receipt and they give you a slip of paper to do your PCR. Proceed to the next window to get your passport stamped, then go to baggage claim to put your bags thru the x-ray machine, and go through a back door next to one of the baggage claim conveyor belts to do your PCR test.

ACTIVITIES

TEA PLANTATION & GISHORA DRUMMERS

The first day we went to a tea plantation near Gitega; I was surprised how green everything was! It was really beautiful. In the afternoon we went to the famous drummers of Gishora, and it did not disappoint. The energy was fantastic and the local village all crowded around to watch.

BUJUMBURA

The second day we did a Bujumbura city tour. My favorite activity of the day was the boat ride on Lake Tanganyika to see the hippos. After that we went to some monuments around the city, but it was fun driving around seeing so many bicyclists and their way of life.