Features

January 2011 issue

Creating lasting memories on a family trip to Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar
The perfect beach on the Indian Ocean outside Zanzibar’s Baraza Resort.
Most people thought my wife and I were crazy for taking a nine- and a seven-year-old to sub-Saharan Africa. What could we be thinking? But off we went to Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar for three weeks on what was to be our best family vacation ever.
March 2012 issue

Not your average family vacation—taking in the stunning sights of Machu Picchu and the Galápagos Islands
A marine iguana spotted in the Galápagos Islands
From the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu to the wildlife of the Galápagos Islands — broadening the horizons of young travelers on a family vacation in South America
October 2020 issue

A wonder-filled tour of Iran
By Glenda Willman
View of the Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System.

After a 15-hour flight from San Francisco, via Dubai, on Emirates airline, my husband, Bill, and I arrived in Tehran, Iran. This was the beginning of our 3-week September 2019 tour with JMG Tibet Tours (Lauderhill, FL; 866/548-4238, www.jmgtibettours.com).

Though I don’t enjoy writing, I really felt compelled to share this amazing experience because so many of my preconceptions were wrong.

About the tour

This was owner Jeff Garrett’s first venture taking a tour group to Iran. There were 11 of us, including Jeff, all Americans.

We had traveled with...

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September 2020 issue

A treasure trove of wonders in Sri Lanka
By Marilyn Marx Adelman
The Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara temple in Colombo.

Interested in history, religion, art, animals, birding, swimming, hiking, scenery, ceremonies and UNESCO Sites? Then Sri Lanka’s the place for you! And it’s all packed into one easy-to-navigate island.

Poring over ITN magazines, I happened upon a write-up of a tour of Sri Lanka in which the author highly recommended Varini de Silva of Ceylon Express International (Huntington Beach, CA; 800/423-9566, ceylonexpress.com). What a find she was!

Varini, born and raised in Sri Lanka, immediately hooked me up with three ladies who she was sending off on an extensive tour...

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August 2020 issue

Sites to see on a second trip to the Emerald Isle
By Susan DeMaggio
Dunguaire Castle in Kinvara, on Galway Bay.

There are classic, iconic sites one must see on a first trip to Ireland — wonderful locations such as the Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry and Temple Bar. On our first visit, my husband, Emmett Lee, and I saw all of those plus a few others, spending two weeks exploring, but for our latest trip, in June 2019, we planned 24 days of sightseeing to visit places we had missed the first time.

We covered Northern Ireland and the northwest counties of the Republic of Ireland during the first two weeks, then crossed the island at the belt and enjoyed another 10 days in the south....

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July 2020 issue

Visiting Syria – an extraordinary opportunity

By Chevy Chase, MD and Laurel Glassman
The dramatic façade of Saidnaya Monastery.

As part of the first group of American tourists to be admitted to the country since the civil war began in 2011, I traveled by land with 10 other guests from Beirut, Lebanon, to Syria on Oct. 20, 2019, in what was to prove to be an extraordinary adventure. The trip was arranged by Spiekermann Travel Services (Eastpointe, MI; 800/645-3233, mideasttrvl.com). 

I had no idea how (or if) we were going to reach Damascus because nationwide antigovernment protests had just broken out throughout Lebanon, and there were road blockages everywhere, but I had faith that Spiekermann would...

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June 2020 issue

Botswana and Zimbabwe – Viewing amazing wildlife on a 9-day tented safari
By Paula Adams
Lions crossing the river from Moremi to Khwai.

When I returned from my December 2017 Botswana safari (April ’18, pg. 33), totally captivated, I made a promise to myself that I would return to that stunning part of the world.

I contacted the tour operator I used previously, Roger Turski at Safari Lifestyles (phone +267 760 61186, safarilifestyles.com), almost immediately, setting into motion an itinerary informed by Roger’s patient guidance and high level of knowledge.

Many factors were weighed, including a favorable time of year to travel. I decided on June 2019 to enable me to capture photographs in the...

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March 2020 issue

Enchanted by nomadic life and the Naadam Festival on a guided tour of Mongolia
By Leslie Geffen
The Khongor sand dunes in the northern Gobi Desert.

My interest in visiting Mongolia was first sparked by the charming documentary “The Eagle Huntress” and, more recently, by some alluring tour brochures. I had hoped to attend the fall Eagle Hunter Festival, but it didn’t fit into my schedule. However, my research told me that the annual Naadam Festival (in early July 2019) would, so I had a focus.

Making plans

On TripAdvisor.com, I found a recommendation for Discover Mongolia, in Ulaanbaatar, and on its detailed and attractive website (www.discovermongolia.mn) were many appealing trip options. The company...

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