Everything you need to know about Venezuela

VENEZUELA

When it comes to South American destinations, Venezuela often tends to fly under the radar. However, this captivating country is bursting with breathtaking landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and warmhearted people. As my 118th and final country in South America, here’s everything you need to know about exploring Venezuela.

VISA

The visa is probably the most difficult aspect of trying to visit this country if you’re American or hold a non-European passport. I went on my Philippine passport, but I had an American friend that also applied at the embassy in Mexico City. You can read my fully detailed guide on obtaining a visa to Venezuela here.

Caracas

Nestled in a valley at the foot of the Avila Mountain, Caracas stands as a captivating showcase of dichotomies. As the bustling capital of Venezuela, it pulsates with the energy of a modern metropolis, juxtaposing soaring skyscrapers with colonial-era buildings that whisper tales of a bygone era. The city's rich cultural heritage is reflected in its vibrant plazas, where locals gather to socialize and indulge in the nation's beloved arepas. While Caracas boasts a cosmopolitan allure with its upscale malls and trendy nightlife, it also embraces the depths of nature. Caracas encapsulates the essence of Venezuela, captivating visitors with its enchanting contrasts and serving as a gateway to the country's diverse wonders.

We spent two nights in Caracas seeing all the sights of the city. We stayed at an incredible airbnb hosted by a wonderful family, who took us on a city tour, cooked wonderful meals, and drove us everywhere we needed to go. I highly recommend reaching out to Jean Paul on Whatsapp at +4407498778646. One of my favorite activities was watching sunset from the 360 Bar & Lounge, which had incredible views of the city.

Angel Falls

From Caracas, we flew to Canaima to see the world-famous Angel Falls, the tallest uninterrupted waterfall on the planet. Located in the remote Canaima National Park, the sight of water cascading from a staggering height of 979 meters is truly awe-inspiring. We stayed at Waku Lodge, which is the best place to stay in my opinion — it had the best value and the views from the hotel were incredible, with waterfalls cascading all around. All lodges will set you up with flights in the price.

The first day at Waku Lodge we did an afternoon excursion to Sapo Falls, which was really unique because you hike behind these incredible waterfalls. The rocks you walk on are mossy and extremely slippery, so I highly recommend wearing socks (yes, socks!) or crocs work great too (a lady was kind enough to lend me hers for the trek since she already had socks).

The second day was the journey to the falls — we had to wake up at 3:30 AM to get ready to take a boat ride up the Carrao River. The weather is deceiving, and even though during the daytime it’s extremely hot, the combination of the wind and rain during the boat ride will make you extremely cold. I can’t stress this enough — bring a quality rain jacket or at the very least, a rain poncho.

The third day you could opt to take a flight to the falls or a helicopter ride, but honestly I was exhausted and I didn’t want to spend any extra money outside of the package I paid so I took the time to hang out at the lodge and soak in the views. Having a day to just journal in a hammock right next to the falls was perfect; plus it’s nice to take advantage of a luxury hotel you paid good money for!

Morrocoy national park

Morrocoy National Park is home to a myriad of picturesque islands and islets, all surrounded by crystal-clear turquoise waters. One of the main attractions of Morrocoy National Park is its archipelago, home to more than 50 islands and islets. The archipelago offers a diversity of landscapes, from mangrove forests to sandy beaches and coral reefs.

After landing back in Caracas, our airbnb host (mentioned above) drove us all the way to Morrocoy National Park. There aren’t many places to stay so our host found an apartment for us to rent for a couple nights. We decided to explore the islands by boat, including Playa Mero and Cayo Sombrero, so we spent one full day boating all the beautiful islets around before making the return back to Caracas.

Everything you need to know about Eritrea

ERITREA

Eritrea is a small country located in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Ethiopia to the south, Sudan to the west, and the Red Sea to the east. It gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after a long and bloody civil war. The country's population is approximately six million people, and it is known for its diverse cultural heritage, ancient ruins, and stunning landscapes. Despite its natural beauty, Eritrea is one of the poorest nations in the world, and its people have suffered from decades of conflict and political instability. Despite these challenges, however, Eritrea has a rich history and culture and is a fascinating destination for travelers seeking an off-the-beaten-path adventure.

VISA

The visa for Eritrea is notoriously one of the toughest to get. As an American, I sent my passport and all my documents to the embassy in Washington DC, but if you live in Europe, Berlin is probably the best embassy to obtain the visa. These are the following documents I sent to the embassy:

• Physical passport

• Visa application (Note: the photo you have to affix is insanely tiny, I had to go to a photo place and show them the application to make sure we got one that fix exactly within the parameters)

• Flight / Hotel / Itinerary / Employment letter (these aren't necessary according to the website, but I included them so there would be no reason to refuse my application)

• Last month's bank statement (proof of sufficient funds)

• $55 USD money order ($50 for visa, $5 for mail processing)

• Self-addressed express priority mail envelope (express isn't necessary but after waiting on your passport without any sign of life, you're gonna want it!)

I mailed everything off and didn't hear anything until 10 business days after they received it (about 3 weeks, they only work Mondays - Thursdays) when I got a rare call from the embassy to verify how many days I would be visiting Eritrea. They said they would be sending my passport back within the next day but it was sent the following week. In total it took about a month and the visa is valid for 3 months after approval. Note, they don't answer the phone or email if you try contacting them. Yes, it drove me crazy.

ENTRY TO ERITREA

All that was required upon boarding was the visa and vaccination card.

Once the plane lands in Asmara, you're taken to a waiting area to do a rapid test on arrival.

Immigration was friendly and took awhile to input all the info into the system but stamped my passport, no questions asked.

Right after immigration you'll see a currency exchange office on the left. As credit cards are not accepted and there are no ATMs, you should exchange money here. Rates are good anyways but you can always exchange more at your hotel. The office was pitch black when I arrived as it was 11 PM at night so I almost just passed it assuming it was closed. I saw someone tap on the window and the woman was sleeping on the couch inside

The taxi shouldn't cost more than 200 - 300 Nakfas (between $14 - 20 USD) to the main part of the city. The driver was trying to charge me 400 but I insisted on 300 max. If you want a taxi that's guaranteed 200 Nakfas, contact Medhanie in advance (Whatsapp +2917403639)

STAYING CONNECTED

Internet is extremely poor in Eritrea and you cannot access most sites just on wifi. I didn't get a sim card, but I used a VPN called "HA Tunnel Plus," which is what all the locals use. Be sure to download it before your trip; there's tons of different settings and options but the local internet cafe people are wizards and can configure your phone easily if you have trouble.

WHERE TO STAY?

I stayed at the Crystal Hotel and breakfast was included. One of my favorite aspects was it’s right off the main strip and was a great location to walk everywhere. They also had a guide they recommended (Medhanie, who I mentioned above) for $40 for a day, $70 for two days. Just ask the front desk or contact him via whatsapp if you're interested!

What to see in asmara

From a photography standpoint these were my favorite spots around Asmara:

• Cinema Impero

• Fiat Tagliero

• Local markets: personal favorite was the metal-working market. The women also make spices here

• Bowling alley

I wandered around for hours just taking photos of the beautiful architecture and exploring the little shops, seemingly frozen in time.

To visit the tank graveyard you have to get a permit from the Ministry of Tourism office -- bring your passport. To visit other sights outside of Asmara you must secure permits from this office as well, which must be secured more than a day in advance. One of the ladies that works the front desk of Crystal Hotel said she could arrange a driver to Massawa as a 1-day trip for $100 or two days for $200. I found this helpful as there isn't much info online, and the tours that offer it charge a crazy amount of money. You also have to go with a special taxi / driver so when I asked Medhanie if he could take me, he said he could not. I asked other people at the hotel along with locals how to do this, but it wasn't until my second to last day I finally got the right info -- by the time I tried to secure a permit, it was too late. So I hope this helps those that want to visit independently!

One thing to note, most places seem to close for lunch around 11:30 AM and re-open around 3 PM. Nap culture is a big thing.

where to eat in asmara

Here are a few of my favorite spots to eat in Asmara:

• Ghibabo Restaurant for traditional food, all-around favorite restaurant and beautiful atmosphere

• Spaghetti for the best Italian-Eritrean food

• Sweet Asmara Cafe is a cute cafe, mostly for the Italian art deco vibe. I'm big on coffee but that part unfortunately didn't impress, pastries were pretty good

• Cinema Roma had the best coffee -- their macchiatos & cappuccinos were my personal faves. Loved the retro cinema film decor; cinemas haven't played movies since covid, but ask to see the actual theater

Final thoughts

As soon as I started walking around the morning after I arrived, locals would approach me left and right and were incredibly friendly. I was invited to coffee many times, people wanted to accompany me and show me around. Even though I'd offer to pay and then insist, they would refuse.

Locals also invited me to clubs, as this seems like the "thing" to do in the evenings. I was apprehensive as a solo female traveler because I usually don't go out past sunset for safety reasons. Clubs seem to be more like restaurants with a calm, dimly-lit ambiance where you can have food, drinks, and coffee -- not like the typical rowdy dance clubs I usually think of

I usually find that African cities are chaotic, but Asmara was super calm and quiet. People just leave their bicycles on the street unchained because there's no crime, they say. I never got approached aggressively or got unwanted attention like what usually happens as a solo female traveler. Dress is relaxed and I wore my usual jeans and t-shirt. Overall I found it a great place to explore independently and as a solo female traveler, and definitely has become one of my new favorite destinations to date.

How to Obtain the Venezuela Visa in Mexico City

VENEZUELA VISA

If you’re American or some other nationality (in my case, the Philippines) that needs a visa for Venezuela, this blog post is for you! Venezuela is one of the most difficult visas to get, and since there’s little info out there on how to get the visa I wanted to create a guide on everything you need to know.

Why Mexico City?

Since there isn’t an embassy in the USA, Americans or residents of the US have to go to the embassy in Mexico City. Yes, there is an embassy in Ottawa, Canada, but I had an American friend who went there and couldn’t get it. My friend also attempted the embassy in Dominican Republic but they mostly just cater to Venezuelans in the DR, so I highly recommend playing it safe and obtaining it in Mexico City.

 

Visa Requirements

Before even going to the embassy, make sure you have all the requirements you need. This is a long trip to go to the embassy, and you’ll have to go two times for the visa, so make it count!

• Application Form

• Copy of passport

• Passport photo

• Itinerary

• Flight/Hotel

• Last month bank statement (have last 3 months just in case)

• Medical letter (approval from a doctor that you're healthy)

• House title/lease agreement

• Employment letter

First Trip to Mexico City: June 2022

Arrived right when they opened at 8 AM, told the man at the door that I was "solicitando una visa turista" and told to go to the back of the line, which is through the building into a parking garage with a lot of chairs lined up.

Eventually the man came and told me to wait in a shorter, different line for the front desk

Showed visa application and receptionist input the info, gave me a ticket and went to the 2nd floor

Waited until number was called, laid out all the documents and was told to go back to the lobby to pay. Make sure they give some sort of paper that says the price of the tourist visa ($30 USD) so you don't have to go back and forth. Side note, my American friend had to fill out an extra application form while I only had to do the one I found online.

Paid in the lobby with credit card, given receipt, went back to the 2nd floor and the receipt was stapled to the application. Was told it would be ready in 4-6 weeks and come back then. I asked for an email/phone number/contact but they said no and I'd just have to come back after the mentioned time period. Make sure you come back after the 6 weeks to make sure; Americans have 6-8 weeks processing time.

Second trip to mexico city: August 2022

I went back to Mexico City at the beginning of August and stopped by the embassy first thing in the morning. I left my passport, came back the next morning, and there was a VNZ visa in my passport! The visa is multiple entry, but 1 month validity (for Americans it’s multiple entry, 3 months validity). I flew Copa Airlines from PTY to Caracas, but my return flight I paid $150 via Venezolana Airlines.

A Complete Guide to crossing the Guyanas overland

THE GUYANAS

Often overlooked by so many other countries in South America, most tourists don’t even know this little region of the world exists. If you made it to this page, chances are you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path or unusual adventure.

How Do you decide whether to fly or go overland?

Overland journeys are often the best way to see a country; you’re usually taking public transport, navigating roads that tourists hardly tread, crossing borders that take hours on end and enduring obstacles that you wouldn’t have even imagined when you started planning the trip — but that’s what makes overland journeys so rewarding.

A lot of factors go into whether or not I’m going to fly or go overland:

How big are the distances between the countries?

How much is there to do in each country?

What kind of adventure am I chasing?

The Guyanas are so small that it’s fairly easy to take public transport or taxis over the borders, and there’s not a whole lot to see in each country (don’t get me wrong, they’re amazing, but just putting it into perspective and comparing it to, say, Brazil). Since I was also doing the Amazon ferry, I thought it would be perfect to continue overland and combine the two journeys. If you haven’t read my journey traveling by cargo ship from Manaus to Macapa, check it out here!

The Route

I’m starting the map at Macapá since technically that’s where we started overland, but I’ll begin this guide crossing the border from Brazil to French Guiana.

Saint Georges, French Guiana

The water taxi to Saint Georges is R$50 or €10 per person. It’s a beautiful boat ride across the water, but when you get to French Guiana you must ask the shuttle service to take you to Cayenne. The immigration office is close to the bridge (I’m not sure why they insist on the water taxi when it’s probably easier to walk across) so make sure you get stamped in. The shuttle will take you from the boat to immigration to Cayenne for €50 per person.

Cayenne, French Guiana

You can see nearly everything in a few hours in Cayenne and it’s pretty expensive (welcome to France), so I didn’t spend too much time there. Rather than going into the sights, I’ll continue with the logistics of the journey. If you want to read more about what to do in French Guiana, you can check it out here!

You can find a shared taxi to Kourou for €10, and you can ask if they can come back to take you all the way to the border as well since many drive the same route. The taxi to the border was €50, and the water taxi was €5. Immigration closes at 5:30 PM so make sure you arrive by then to get stamped out.

Suriname

To enter Suriname, you need to fill out a tourist card online beforehand and print out the QR code to be stamped. This is a new system instead of getting an e-visa. You also need to fill out an entry form upon arrival. After immigration, the shared taxi was €25 to Paramaribo.

Something to note, if someplace accepts credit card they usually only take Mastercard. Visa is apparently too expensive for the, otherwise cash is the best way to pay. There’s a good money exchange right before crossing the Jules W Bridge into Paramaribo; exchange rates are higher in the city.

From Paramaribo, I took a shared taxi towards the border for €50. It’s a four hour drive and there’s only one ferry that leaves at 11 AM each day so I stayed at the Residence Inn in Nieuw Nickerie (there’s not a whole lot of options). The next morning I went to the port at 7 AM to line up; they open the gates by 8 AM and check your passport, yellow fever card, and covid vaccination so it’s important to be there early. Ferry tickets are $15 USD.

I would’ve loved to go into the interior of Suriname, but unfortunately there was not enough time. If you’re looking for things to do in Paramaribo, Suriname check out my blog post here!

Guyana

Getting shared taxi drivers was like passing on the torch; it started in French Guiana and we would ask the driver, “do you have a friend that could take us from Point A to B?” and sure enough, there would be someone waiting at our next border crossing. We had one more taxi driver take us from the Guyana border to Georgetown, where I would fly out of to end the overland journey. Hotels were quite expensive if you look online; a friend of mine who lived in Georgetown recommended Rima Guesthouse. I couldn’t seem to get a hold of them over email or phone, so I just showed up and they had a room available. I paid $40 (cash only) for a private room with AC and bathroom, whereas everything else online was at least $100. Honestly it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing place I’ve stayed, but it was clean, the wifi was fast, and it was the cheapest option available.

As for things to do, I’ve created another blog post on the best things to do in Guyana including an in-depth guide on how to secure a spot on the famously sought-after Kaieteur Falls tour.

Everything you need to know about the Amazon Ferry from Manaus to Macapá

The Amazon River

Years ago, I don’t know exactly how I stumbled upon it, but I heard about a ferry that goes all the way down the Amazon River across Brazil. It’s a cargo ship that delivers goods and mail to little villages along the Amazon River that is otherwise inaccessible for the people living there. Locals will string up their hammock and pack in tightly on the cargo ship, and is used as transport all across the region. This ferry has been a bucket list adventure of mine for a long time, so I finally decided to go for it, combining it with an overland trip through the Guyanas.

Where to Start?

There are so many places you can start from! You can start from all the way in Peru, or even on the border of Tabatinga, Brazil — funny enough one of my good friends, Peter, decided to do this trip after seeing mine but started in Tabatinga and ended in Manaus. I’m linking his page here because it compliments my trip since I started in Manaus and ended in Macapá.

I included both Peter’s journey (blue) and mine (from the green marker to the red marker) in the map above, starting in Manaus all the way to Macapá. You have to change ferries in Santarém as there are no boats that go all the way to Macapá, but people most commonly take the boat to Belém. I went to Macapá since I was continuing north towards the Guyanas.

One thing to note is going downstream is much faster. So if you go upstream (Macapá to Santarém, for example) the same boat ride takes double the time — something to consider when choosing your route. Anyways, let’s get to the nitty gritty!

Manaus

I flew into Manaus, Brazil and spent the night in a hostel near the port (Local Hostel Manaus was a great spot close-by). At about 8 AM the next morning, I walked over to the port to find someone near the entrance selling tickets to Santarém for about $25 USD (they accept US dollars). Nearby I found a hammock in the local market with the cords for about $10. Make sure you stock up on snacks, water, and any other food just in case.

The boat leaves at noon, but come early to get a good hammock spot. The bottom floor seems to have the most air flow, and most people seemed to flock to the sides with AC. I picked a spot towards the middle and had an outlet next to me. It wasn’t too hot and there weren’t really any bugs so I honestly felt like I had a great spot.

The boat was called “Regional,” and the amenities vary per boat — there are bathrooms with showers, a bar on the second floor, and a cafeteria that serves food at certain hours of the day, and overall wasn’t too crowded so I felt like I lucked out.

They said it would take 36 hours but actually took 31 hours to arrive to Santarém. Upon arrival I immediately went to the ticket counter to find out when the next boat to Macapá would leave and they said there wouldn’t be another boat until Saturday evening at 6 PM (2 days later). I bought a ticket for R$220 ($40 USD) and stayed in a hotel nearby.

How much does it cost?

I explained a bit on the pricing above, but to be clear, I bought my tickets spontaneously and haggled a bit. There are “tours” and tickets you can buy online in advance, but they’re so much more expensive than buying them when you arrive. It made me a bit nervous to have a flight booked and fly all the way to Manaus not knowing if I’d get on this ferry or not, but just go early and take a leap of faith.

Santarém

I had a full extra day in Santarém so I took a taxi to Alter do Chão (R$150 or $30 USD). It’s really a lovely town if you have the time! You can take a canoe all the way across to Ihla de Amor for R$10 / $2 USD and hang out at the beach.

On the way back to Santarém I discovered there was a bus, so I took that back to make it to my 6 PM boat to Macapá. They said the bus leaves every hour, but it didn’t end up departing until an hour and a half later. I got off as close as I could to the DER port of Santarém; the boat to Macapá isn’t in the main terminal — you have to go around the side to board.

The Amazonas boat is smaller and much more crowded; this one I definitely recommend arriving a couple hours early to get your hammock spot. Extension cords with a power strip are also extremely helpful. The boat left at about 6 PM and was told we’d arrive the next night, but I think the total was actually about 36 hours. I really liked the scenery on this boat since it drops off goods to small villages on the Amazon.

Macapá

At about 3 AM we docked at Santana, the last stop before Macapá. I happened to be awake with all the commotion of people getting off the boat, and a local man approached me and asked, “Oiapoque?” which is the border town I was trying to get across to French Guiana. I replied in my hybrid Spanish / Portuguese, “yes, I was planning on going to Oiapoque from Macapá. Are you going right now?” He replied, “yes, right now. R$300 ($60 USD),” which was the price I had read was the same from Macapá. In a matter of a few minutes I threw everything into my bag and packed my hammock and we were off. It was perfect because I also read that transport from Macapá doesn’t leave til 8 AM. If you want to arrange transport, Souza’s whatsapp is: +5596981055735.

The roads were great until around the town Carnot. I had read that the road was one of the worst, but honestly we were in a small Chevy Onix and made it fine. Bumpy with potholes, but I think overlanding from Djibouti to Somaliland or South Sudan still takes the cake for me in terms of bad roads. I still would probably not recommend taking the bus; my driver was highly skilled and I definitely recommend him if you need transport in this region!

When you arrive to Oiapoque, don’t forget to go to the immigration building to get stamped out, which is open from 8 AM - 8 PM. The drove to Oiapoque takes about 10 hours, so even if you arrive before they close you should stay the night to get stamped out the next morning since transport options dwindle later in the day and there’s not much on the Saint George side. Also, another item to note is that the immigration building is not located anywhere near the water taxi launch to Saint George, French Guiana.

Anyways, I hope this helps anyone trying to find info on the Brazilian Amazon ferry from Manaus to Macapá! If you’re interested in reading more about my overland journey all the way through the Guyanas to Georgetown, Guyana, check out the post here.

Traveling to Afghanistan as a Tourist

A F G H A N I S T AN

In June 2022 I traveled to Afghanistan as a tourist, about nine months after the TB* takeover. Despite everything that’s happening there right now, it’s a beautiful country to visit full of incredible people, stunning landscapes, and rich history. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Afghanistan.

Note: I understand that visiting Afghanistan is a sensitive topic, and things are always changing. This post is based off my experiences traveling to this country as a tourist in June 2022 so please be mindful and respectful.

*Acronym used so my blog doesn’t get blacklisted on Google rankings

How does it feel to be a woman traveling in afghanistan?

Prior to entering, I was a bit worried since I only had a headscarf versus a niqab (full-face covering except the eyes) or burka (one-piece veil). It was much more relaxed than I was expecting; I saw many women also only wearing the hijab (headscarf) with full-faced makeup, and very few wore the burka.

As much as you’re a woman from the outside and they say “women have rights,” it’s different from what you’re used to — a different culture, respectfully so. You’re still seen as invisible. You have to remember not to let too much ankle show, don’t shake hands or take photos with men you don’t know, sit in the same row as another man in the car (even if you’re friends), or just accept that it’s “men’s day” and you can’t enter whatever museum.

Is Afghanistan Safe?

There’s two layers of safety to address: as a tourist and as a woman. Being a tourist, I don’t think I had a moment where I felt “unsafe,” but you see — most of the roads were previously hijacked by the TB that made them unsafe.

On the other hand, as a woman, you’re only as safe as the men around you allow you to be; whether it’s protecting you (even just by their presence unknowingly) or not being taken advantage of / hassled / hurt in any way by strangers. My experience would have been completely different had I traveled independently or with anyone else, so I feel incredibly grateful and lucky to be surrounded by a great group of people who looked after each other and made me feel safe, and never once did I feel like I was in danger.

Do I Need a Guide for Afghanistan?

First of all, as a tourist I highly recommend going through an agency to assist with your trip and help you through the visa process. I had a female friend who went to Afghanistan independently and unfortunately had quite a traumatic experience. These were her words:

“I would personally say not to [travel to Afghanistan solo]. I’m a fairly experienced solo traveler — Iraq, Eritrea, Darfur without a guide. But no matter how experienced you are, as a woman, a lot of the TB don’t even see you as a person. You can’t speak for yourself. Do not even attempt it unless you are familiar with Sharia and strict interpretations of Islam. If someone wants to experience Afghanistan and leave with a good impression, as a woman, and having compared my experience to Anna’s, 100% hire a guide that knows how to deal with checkpoints. At minimum you probably need to at least travel with a man; but even with that, I was sometimes told I couldn’t leave my hotel room,”

“The country isn’t ready for solo female travel. They’re barely ready for tourists. Even very experienced travelers I know have been held. Having a guide puts that layer between you and the TB, and unless you really know what you’re doing and are fluent not only in Dari but Pashto. We could communicate in Farsi / Dari but in Kandahar that didn’t even matter because they only spoke Pashto and most TB only speak Pashto,”

That being said, I had a fantastic time in Afghanistan and I attribute that to the group of people and tour operator I went with — Wander Expeditions. I’ve been on four expeditions so far with them and they always select great groups of people and have awesome itineraries. Feel free to mention my name if you apply for a trip :)

How to get a visa for Afghanistan?

If you go through Wander Expeditions, they’ll walk you through the process and give you the letter of invitation you’ll need to bring to the embassy. If you can, Afghanistan is perfect to pair with Pakistan beforehand — I have a great itinerary here. But the reason I recommend Pakistan beforehand is:

• You can get the Afghanistan visa in Peshawar for $80

• Flights from Islamabad to Kabul are much cheaper. I paid $94 via Kam Air

On the other hand, getting the Afghanistan visa in Dubai is fast and reliable. I ended up getting my visa in Dubai, but I didn’t know at the time it would cost $500 (my jaw literally dropped to the floor when I paid because I was originally told it was $300). I spent a total of two hours at the embassy, which included the interview and time to put the sticker in my passport.

Kabul

Most people arrived in the early morning and had the first day to explore Kabul, but since my friend and I were coming from Pakistan our flight didn’t get in til the afternoon. We made it in time for sunset at Sakhi Shrine. We also had the opportunity to explore the bird market on our last day before departing Afghanistan, which was another favorite on the trip.

Herat

We flew to Herat from Kabul early the next morning, and spent the evening at the Friday Mosque. We also went to the Citadel of Herat, which dates back to 330 BC when Alexander the Great and his army arrived, and over the past 2000 years its been used as a headquarters for many empires.

Bamyan

Bamyan was definitely the highlight of the trip for me! The Buddhas of Bamyan were carved into the side of a cliff in the 6th century. Sadly they were destroyed in 2001, but it’s also an important reminder to protect history and cultural heritage. Band-e Amir National Park was also incredibly stunning and a must-see.

8 Day Itinerary in Pakistan

PAKISTAN

The soft glow of morning light streamed into the car and I was gently woken up by the fresh breeze of mountain air blowing through the cracks of the window. Dust flickered in the sun rays, the musty smell of the rickety car tickled my nose, and the muted Pakistani sounds on the radio fluttered past my ears. It was one of those fleeting moments -- nothing of significance, yet one that filled my heart of gratitude.

Pakistan is one of those places full of natural beauty, culture, and the hearts of so many wonderful people that will leave you coming back for more. I’m excited to share an eight day itinerary through the northern mountains of Pakistan!

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

The most important thing is the visa; you can apply for an e-visa through their official website. It’s quite a lengthy process but everything is fairly straight-forward. I had to provide a hotel booking but they emailed me saying it wasn’t enough and that I needed an actual letter of invitation. I recommend using Caravanistan to get the letter of invitation and they’ll provide everything you need very quickly. I was able to get my e-visa back fast after submitting everything!

Getting Around & Guides/Drivers

Of course public transportation is an option, but it takes a long time. Unless you have the time and patience, I highly recommend looking into getting a driver. Yes, there are tours out there but they will cost a lot of money. Fortunately I highly recommend a good friend of mine (I call him Captain Khan) and he’ll take care of everything — take you to all the best photo spots and guest houses. He’s really one of the best drivers and guides I’ve ever had and I recommend him to everybody who asks me about Pakistan.

You can contact him at Whatsapp at +923078824566 or find him on Instagram here!

money & atm’s

Going to these countries it’s important to bring emergency cash with you, and cash to exchange just in case. Most ATM’s don’t work with international cards and we only found one that worked in Islamabad: Standard Chartered.

Staying connected: Sim Cards

One of my first orders of business when I arrive in a country is finding a sim card to stay connected. In general, Zong has the best 4G coverage in Pakistan but if you’re going to be sticking to the north, find a Telenor sim.

When to Visit

If you’re planning on visiting the north (pretty much all of this itinerary), the best time of year to visit is late spring to early autumn because otherwise the mountains are inaccessible. Winter is a good time to visit the south to avoid the crazy heat.

What to Wear

Pakistan is a conservative country, so it helps to respect local customs and traditions. I find it fun to dress in local clothing so you can find little shops to dress you up in shalwar kameez.

Anyways, now that we got the important details out of the way let’s get back to the Pakistan itinerary!

Day 1: Islamabad

I was surprised upon arrival I was expecting absolute chaos, but Islamabad is actually quite nice and relaxed! Of course, when you visit monuments and such you’ll be bombarded by people asking to take your photo. My favorite spot for sunset was the Pakistan Monument and watching the evening glow and prayer at Shah Faisal Masjid. Photography tip, you can get a perfect sunburst poking through the monument at sunset!

Day 2: Islamabad to batakundi

Today you begin making your way north! You’ll see a lot of beautiful viewpoints, but not too many points of interest — it’s all about getting up into the mountains.

Day 3: Batakundi to fairy meadows

If you’re going with Captain Khan, he’ll drop you off at the trailhead where all the classic Jeeps line up. It’s really such an experience getting to go up one of the most dangerous roads in the world! Once you arrive at the next trailhead, you’ll hike the rest of the way to Fairy Meadows. There’s a lot of guesthouses, so make sure you remember the name of where you’re staying because you won’t have service to look it up later. A guard will escort you up the mountain and be your guide.

Day 4: Fairy Meadows

Spend the day hiking around, soaking in the views of Nanga Parbat — the 9th largest mountain in the world. Catching the reflection of the pond at sunrise was my favorite, but I spent most of the time relaxing admiring the views. Remember to bring warm clothes — it’s still really cold and there’s no heat in the cabins. The electricity is also quite unstable and I managed to blow up one of the outlets… hahaha whoops.

Day 5: Fairy meadows to karimabad

We hiked down early in the morning back to the trailhead where Captain Khan was waiting and drove north to Karimabad — home of the stunning Hunza Valley and Eagle’s Nest. On the way there’s lots of opportunities to stop and try yak, even a delicious yak burger!

Day 6: Karimabad to the China Border

This is a beautiful drive and quirky stop if you’re into interesting geographical borders. Plus the highest ATM in the world in located here (not that it works but it’s still fun to check out)!

Day 7: Hunza Valley

A lot of beauty to see and take in. You can check out the glacier at the base of K2 and if you’re into gemstones this is a great place to get a little keepsake! Unfortunately it was a cloudy day so we couldn’t see K2 itself, but still a fun stop. Hussaini Hanging Bridge was probably one of my highlights in the Hunza Valley as well, and the views were stunning! It’s deemed as the “most dangerous bridge in the world,” but I think there’s another hanging bridge nearby that truly takes that name. Eagle’s Nest is the best way to spend sunset in the Hunza Valley so be sure to check it out!

Day 8: attabad lake

We passed Attabad Lake on the way earlier, but now that we were making our way back towards Gilgit we wanted to stop during the daytime to photograph the beautiful colors of turquoise. Captain Khan knows all the best photo spots so I’ll just let you book a tour with him and he can show you where I took this photo :)

We would’ve driven with Captain Khan back to Islamabad but we were tight on time as we were trying to make a flight to Kabul the next morning. I wouldn’t rely on flights from Gilgit to Islamabad because I looked up the percentage in which they get cancelled and it’s 90%. Ours ended up getting cancelled and we had to pay a taxi driver a hefty price to get back — so it’s best to be on the safe side and take the 12 hours to drive.

Anyways, I hope this guide helps anyone out there trying to visit Pakistan! Again, if you’re looking for a fantastic guide / driver feel free to reach out to Captain Khan on Whatsapp at +923078824566 or find him on Instagram here!

Everything you need to know about Orthodox Easter in Lalibela, Ethiopia

ETHIOPIA

Over the past few years I’ve seen the most stunning photos of Ethiopia’s Orthodox in Lalibela, so it’s been on my bucket list to visit, however, it wasn’t easy to find exact information online. I’ve decided to compile everything you need to know about visiting Lalibela, Ethiopia during the Orthodox Easter celebrations so I hope it helps!

Where to Stay

I stayed at the Honey Land Hotel Lalibela, which was centrally located in town and about a twenty minute walk to the main church, St. George. The rooms were clean, hot water, everyone was wonderful, great food at the restaurant, and a great value.

Guide Recommendation

Honestly at first I didn’t even think about getting a guide since I like to explore freely on my own. However, Mule was highly recommended by Honey Land Hotel, reasonably priced, and spoke good English so I thought it might be good to have someone take me around to all the spots I wanted to photograph and have good insight. He was beyond fantastic and I absolutely loved having him — he knew all the best spots to stand for photography during the ceremonies so I highly recommend him as well. I also noticed no tourist wandered around without a guide. Feel free to mention my name if you reach out to him over Whatsapp (+251935438503).

Good Friday

If you’re looking to maximize your photography time, I highly recommend you fly in on Thursday. That way, you can spend time watching and capturing all the ceremonies at the churches on Friday. The flight on Friday come in midday, which also works if you’re short on time and want to still see some of the ceremonies. You’ll still get to see some of the festivities and there’s one ceremony you shouldn’t miss at 6 PM.

Saturday

The festivities on Friday are incredible, but if you’re looking to explore the churches without the crowds this is the day to do it. Saturday is also market day, so the women are at the vegetable / honey market and the men are at the cattle / goat market. I recommend going to the churches in the morning then visiting the markets midday when all the hustle and bustle is going on.

Saturday evening is when the major Easter festivities begin. Chanting starts at 10 PM, but you can get a great spot from above looking down at the crowds if you arrive at 9:30 PM. When they start lighting the candles, take your shots quickly from above once all the candles are lit, then go down below when the priests circle the church so you can get some great portraits of people up-close with their candles before they go out.

Easter sunday

Continuing from the 10 PM chanting, the actual mass begins at midnight and lasts for two hours, and the celebrations conclude at 4 AM. If you’re interested in getting drone shots of the famous St. George church, I highly recommend going at sunrise at 6 AM since everyone will be sleeping or with family at this time. The flight out on Sunday is a little after noon and I think this is the perfect time to fly out. I’m always worried about seeing everything in an allotted time frame so I hope this is useful.

The Best 1-Week Itinerary for Iran

If you’re like me and want to go everywhere but have limited time, sometimes you just have to see the best the country has to offer. Iran has so much to see but it’s hard to know where to even start! Everything is so picturesque and you can spend months exploring. Here is the best one-week itinerary for Iran!

how to get around iran

Getting around Iran is really easy with overnight buses! If you’re only planning on doing the main cities of Iran like in this itinerary — Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz — I recommend taking a flight to Shiraz and taking buses or trains back to save time.

Currency: Rial vs Toman

Even though the Rial is the official currency, Toman is considered to be a superunit (1 Toman = 10 Rial). It can be a little confusing at first since they don’t explicitly state which they’re using so be sure to ask!

What is Ta’arof?

This is a hospitality custom where someone will refuse payment for a service out of politeness, but you should insist despite refusals that you want to pay. After two or three times if they don’t accept your money, then you’ve gotten to experience the amazing Iranian hospitality!

What to wear as a woman in iran

Women must cover their head, arms, and legs — this includes a hijab / headscarf, a loose long-length shirt, and long pants / skirt or dress. Leggings and jeans are okay as long as your top is long and covers your bottom, and your pants go down to your ankles. Carry your headscarf on the plane and put it on before landing in Iran.

Tehran

• Azadi Tower (best at sunrise)

• Golestan Palace

• Imamzadeh Saleh

Shiraz

• Pink Mosque: Arrive right when the doors open to avoid crowds and to photograph the best stained glass reflections

• Shah Cheragh Shrine

• Sayyed Alaeddin Hossein Shrine

• Vakil Mosque

Isfahan

• Shah Mosque

• Sheikh Lotfolloah Mosque

How to get to Big Almaty Lake, Kazakhstan

K A Z A K H S T A N

Because of all the changes in our schedule around the “stans,” we didn’t have too much time to spend in Kazakhstan. One thing I wanted to do was visit Big Almaty Lake, which actually isn’t too far from the capital.

When to Go

Depending on the time of year, the lake will radiate different shades of blue. If you go in May (that’s when I went), you’ll see more of milky blue, but if you go in September you’ll see more of an iridescent turquoise.

How to get there

If you don’t have a rental car, it’s actually quite easy to get there from the capital with a taxi or rideshare app like Yandex.

1. Type in “Big Almaty Lake” in the "where-to” box

2. Tap the “+” symbol

3. Add your next destination after Big Almaty Lake (or where you want to be dropped back off in Almaty)

4. Select class of car

5. Click order and wait for the taxi / Yandex to arrive

At the time I went (May 2022), the total price was 11,500 KZT or $26 USD total. It took 3 hours total: one hour there, one hour for the taxi to wait while we ran around and explored, and one hour back to Almaty. $26 for three hours isn’t bad!