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One of the world’s tiniest countries, Belize, may just be the jeweled crown of adventures for nature, wildlife and ancient human civilizations in Central America and the Caribbean. Tucked neatly into a pocket of mainland Central America and stretched along the Caribbean Coast, friendly Belize (formerly British Honduras until 1981) truly has it all.
The leopards of Londolozi may be the most famous leopards in the world. Their complex lineages have been carefully recorded and studied, they’ve been the focus of serious scientific inquiry, they’ve inspired documentary films and coffee table books, and they’ve thrilled thousands of guests of the private reserve over the decades.
If any African nation suffers from an embarrassment of natural riches, it’s probably Tanzania. From the gleaming glaciers of Kilimanjaro, to the windswept, wildlife-filled prairies of the Serengeti, to the alluring white sand beaches of Zanzibar, Tanzania offers visitors a remarkably diverse catalog of things to see and do.
A new study led by researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution suggests that Galapagos penguins may be among a handful of species that are actually benefiting from the effects of global climate change.
The lava gull is only found in the Galapagos Islands. With only 300 to 600 individuals left in the wild, it is the rarest gull in the world. It is named for its distinctive lava gray plumage, which allows it to blend in with abundant volcanic rock and sand in the Galapagos archipelago.
Sea lions are painfully slow and awkward on land and veritable super heroes underwater, as this fantastic photo of a Galapagos sea lion gliding through the water demonstrates.
Namibia’s ominously named Skeleton Coast is one of the wildest and strangest corners of Africa. It also happens to offer one of the continent’s most unique and thrilling safari experiences. It encompasses the country’s remote northern Atlantic coast from Angola in the North to the Swakop River in the South.
Sabi Sabi guide Kosie Lategan captured this dramatic image of a wild dog and a spotted hyena squaring off over a kill. He wrote about the age old rivalry between the species recently on Sabi Sabi’s blog.
It seems only fitting that one of our planet’s most ecologically unique and pristine places should also boast one of the world’s most environmentally friendly airports. In fact, since 2011, the airport on the island of Baltra has boasted the distinction of being the world’s only airport powered exclusively by renewable energy.
Earlier this month, Travel + Leisure announced its 2015 World’s Best Awards, which ranks everything from airlines and cruise lines to cities and hotels, all based on survey responses from readers. Four African properties made the list of top 100 hotels.
Tourism in the Galapagos is about to get a little greener as authorities plan to launch solar powered catamaran service between Baltra and Santa Cruz islands.
It’s hard to imagine that a tiny, landlocked country in the Eastern Himalayas about half the size of Indiana could be rich in wildlife, but in the Kingdom of Bhutan you couldn’t be more wrong.
