Japan is a relatively small country (California is a bit bigger) but is packed with so much history, culture, and natural beauty that it’s difficult to narrow down the choices. There’s so much to appeal to so many different interests that there are plenty of opportunities to personalize an itinerary. Our three weeks in Japan …
After exploring the island of Hokkaido and Tokyo, my husband and I headed south. For this segment, we moved around quite a bit. We tried to see as much as we could of Kyoto and beyond on lower Honshu Island, Japan. This included Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagoya, the Nakasendo Trail, Lake Kawaguchiko, and Mount Fuji. This …
There is so much history, culture, and natural beauty in Japan that it’s difficult to narrow down the choices. I wanted to divide my time between the big cities and smaller towns so we started with Tokyo and knew we wanted to visit Hokkaido on the rugged northern island (see my article: A Week in …
Three weeks isn’t much time to sample such vast countries as Argentina and Chile, but within the huge scale, a hop from Buenos Aires to Santiago looked reasonable. Iguazu Falls to the north and Bariloche to the south created a jagged route from east to west. This allowed us to sample enough to know we …
By Inga Aksamit All photos by Inga Aksamit Hokkaido, the northern island in Japan, drew me with visions of lofty peaks, wide open spaces, and abundant natural beauty. I wasn’t disappointed. There are beautiful hikes for days and lots of solitude. We only made it to one national park among the embarrassment of riches in …
The hiking in Daisetsuzan National Park on the island of Hokkaido is sublime, featuring bubbling hot springs, steaming, otherworldly fumaroles, dramatic volcanic landscapes, wildflowers, and thick forests. During our week in Hokkaido, we visited Sapporo and spent two days in Daisetsuzan National Park, taking public transportation to get around. We were able to do three …
After a few days dodging protests and pickpockets in Santiago, it was a relief to land in the peaceful township of Bariloche, Argentina. I hoped that a week exploring the Lake District of Northern Patagonia around Bariloche, Argentina would be enough, but after a quick look at potential hiking trails, I knew I’d be wanting …
Iguazu Falls, the largest waterfall system in the world, are nothing short of spectacular. It’s a place that, no matter how many photos or videos you see, is stunning in person when you can hear the roar and experience the mist on your face. If you’re in Argentina or Brazil, don’t miss Iguazu Falls, even …
The idea of going to Morocco took hold slowly, in small, incremental steps. Our October trip was going to be just Spain and Portugal, but every time I looked at the map, the land below the blue strip of the Mediterranean called to me. I was intrigued by way the curve of land in Spain …
The idea of being able to stay in a kasbah (castle) in the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco was a temptation I couldn’t resist. I booked a stay at the Kasbah du Toubkal under the shadow of Mt. Toubkal in Imlil before I even knew how or when we would get there. I thought that …