One of the most popular hill stations in India – Darjeeling is a perfect collage of snowy and mighty Himalayan ranges, winding walking tracks, valleys, monastery, momos, tea plantations, and toy trains. Amidst the green-grey hills, the serene vegetation and scenic vistas guarantee a vacation to cherish forever. The untouched beauty of this hill town attracts visitors from across the country to take a break from the bustling city life.
Spirituality is central to the Nepali people and society. In 2014, a poll found that 93% of Nepali respondents considered religion to be important to their daily life. Nepal’s cultural heritage is deeply influenced by religion. For example, Buddha was born in Lumbini – a sacred garden in Nepal and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Though the monarchy has lost its power, some Nepalis may still consider the King of Nepal to be an incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.
The Jarawas are an indigenous people of the Andaman Islands in India. They live in parts of South Andaman and Middle Andaman Islands, and their present numbers are estimated at between 250–400 individuals. They have largely shunned interaction with outsiders, and many particulars of their society, culture and traditions are poorly understood. Since the 1990s, contacts between Jarawa groups and outsiders grew increasingly frequent. By the 2000s, some Jarawas had become regular visitors at settlements, where they trade, interact with tourists, get medical aid, and even send their children to school.
The Jarawas are recognised as an Adivasi group in India. Along with other indigenous Andamanese peoples, they have inhabited the islands for several thousand years. The Andaman Islands have been known to outsiders since antiquity; however, until quite recent times they were infrequently visited, and such contacts were predominantly sporadic and temporary. For the greater portion of their history their only significant contact has been with other Andamanese groups. Through many decades, contact with the tribe has diminished quite significantly.
Lombok is an island in West Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It forms part of the chain of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali to the west and the Alas Strait between it and Sumbawa to the east. Lombok Island is separated by the Lombok strait from Bali Island in the west and by Alas strait in the east from Sumbawa Island.
The Sasak people are the dominant ethnic group living in this island, which also consist of 5 regions: North Lombok, Central Lombok, East Lombok, West Lombok and Mataram city, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara. North Lombok is where you can embark on the great hike to Mount Rinjani and linger until the sunset at Gili’s beautiful beaches.
Johannesburg, affectionately called Jo'burg, Jozi, and E'Goli, the "city of gold," is the financial and industrial metropolis of South Africa, built on a rich history of gold mining. The city is rapidly evolving from an edgy safari stopover to a vibrant hub for arts and culture. Cutting-edge contemporary galleries and the new Maboneng Precinct, with its funky restaurants, cafes, and art studios, now rank among the city's top tourist attractions along with the poignant Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill. Glaring disparities — the shanty towns of Soweto, birthplace of the nation's struggle for democracy — still contrast sharply with the walled villas of wealthy enclaves and the city's gleaming skyscrapers.
The Lemosho Route is widely considered to be the best route on Mount Kilimanjaro. Not too long ago, there were only two main routes used to climb Kilimanjaro – the Marangu (Coca Cola) route and the Machame (Whiskey) route.
But as Tanzania’s tourism industry flourished, the Kilimanjaro park authority created more trails to African’s highest peak to distribute climbers to more areas of the park. This reduced bottlenecks at certain points and also made for a more pleasant experience by limiting crowds. Additionally, these latter trails were more thoughtfully designed to improve acclimatization for the climber by incorporating longer distances, longer times on the mountain and shorter elevation gains. Lemosho, a relatively new route, falls into this category.
The Marangu Route is the oldest on Kilimanjaro and is also one of the most popular – mainly because it is the only route on the mountain that has huts provided for hikers. There are 60 bunk beds each at Mandara and Kibo Huts, and 120 bunk beds at Horombo Hut.
Typically tour operators provide mattresses and pillows for climbers (sleeping bags, however, need to be brought separately by trekkers).
The Marangu route can be completed in 5 days; however, it is recommended that climbers take an extra day to acclimatize at Horombo Hut.
