From mountains to libraries, we take a look at some of the most extraordinary international borders to be found across the globe. Over the last few years, we’ve seen an impressive collection of new websites, blogs and social media accounts dedicated to ‘travel porn’. They’re filled with big, sweeping images of fairytale lands and precarious precipices. The post 10 remarkable international borders appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
As a child, I lived with cockroaches in my family home. Our entire street had an infestation and it was months before the council got rid of them. I have seven siblings and not all of us fit on the sofa, so some of us would watch TV from the floor and I remember things scuttling by right next to my hand, making me leap up and scream. Sometimes, one would scurry across my pillow right before bedtime. This, quite understandably, gave me a mortal fear of bugs. The post 10 countries that can save Earth’s most-threatened species appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
Nature has many fearsome wonders – earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis – but none so fearsome as the most active volcanoes in the world. These hellish peaks feature in tales of ardour and heroism, loom over humble settlements and whisper threats of violence and destruction. Though potentially lethal, they hold a magnetic beauty that thrillseekers find irresistible. The post Most active volcanoes in the world appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
Whether you're curious about nature, wildlife, culture, anthropology or language, Ecuador, one of the most diverse countries in the world, seems to have it all. Despite its relatively small size compared local giants such as Brazil and Argentina, Ecuador, is home to an astounding array of wonders that include picturesque colonial towns and cities, Amazonian rainforest, the spectacular peaks of the Andes and of course, the fragile yet almost mythological Galápagos Islands. We learnt more and more interesting facts about Ecuador with every day spent passing through its unique and varied lands (and seas). The post 30 interesting facts about Ecuador appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
Iceland is once again the safest country in the world followed by Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and Austria. However, the world is a less peaceful place as the average level of global peacefulness has deteriorated for the ninth year in a row, with 84 countries recording an improvement and 79 a decline, according to the latest Global Peace Index (GPI). The post Ranked: safest countries in the world 2023 appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
The happiest countries in the world 2022 have been ranked and for the fifth year running, Finland is the happiest country in the world The post Ranked: happiest countries in the world 2023 appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
The most dangerous countries in the world to visit in 2023 have been revealed in the latest Travel Risk Map The most dangerous countries to visit in 2023 are Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen according to the latest Travel Risk Map, an interactive tool produced by security specialists at International SOS. The map is used to predict the safest and, conversely, the least safe countries in the world to visit and has four layers in total covering a country’s security risk, medical risk, and the impact of the pandemic on travel and domestic operations. For the security layer of the map, countries are indexed according to their travel security risk rating, which uses five risk definitions: insignificant, low, medium, ...
Pamukkale, though Turkey’s most popular attraction by numbers, is barely known outside its country borders. It’s the iconic architecture of Istanbul and the cave dwellings of Cappadocia that steal the spotlight, but Pamukkale with its cascading travertine terraces deserves attention as well. Sweeping limestone cliffs of a blinding white hue rise above pools of powder blue. Petrified stakes of limestone hang from chalky roots – like in Superman’s fortress of solitude or a Tim Burton nightmare if his nightmares were good. The post Visiting Pamukkale: tips to know before you go appeared first on Atlas & Boots.
African nations dominate the ranking of the poorest countries in the world based on the latest data from the World Bank We all have preconceptions about places. Take Ethiopia for example. As children of the eighties, Kia and I were only too aware of the struggles Ethiopia has faced historically: political unrest, civil war and, of course, famine. It was easy then to imagine a vast desolate dust bowl ahead of our visit in 2017. Ethiopia is perceived by many as a representation of wider Africa: still developing, still struggling. In reality, it is a land of lush mountains, dazzling architecture and jaw-dropping natural wonders. There is poverty, but there is also hope. Our visit prompted us to ask if Ethiopia still ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world. Data from the Worl...
There are no ‘death zones’ on these non-technical mountain climbs but they offer plenty of challenges for mere mortals like me As a climber, I have completed several indoor climbing and winter mountaineering courses but my technical climbing skills still leave a lot to be desired. I have mastered basic rope, ice axe and crampon skills but don’t practise them as often as I’d like. All too often I only find time for some wilderness backpacking in Europe or low-altitude scrambling in the UK. Regardless, I still have high hopes of climbing the seven summits (three down, four to go). I’m aware that I’ll never be a Reinhold Messner or Chris Bonington (I’ll settle for reading their books instead) but I still long to pitch myself against tall mountains with imposing names....
Can’t decide between the Arctic or Antarctic for your polar adventure? Our guide will help you choose between 66° north or south The North and South Poles were only “conquered” in relatively recent history. The South Pole was first attained in 1911 by the Norwegian Roald Amundsen after his epic race with the ill-fated Robert Falcon Scott. The conquest of the North Pole is a little murkier thanks to its location in the middle of the Arctic Ocean among waters that are almost always covered with shifting sea ice. It’s possible that Frederick Cook was the first to reach the North Pole in 1908 or perhaps it was Robert Peary in 1911 or maybe Richard E. Byrd who was the first to fly over it in 1926… But it wasn’t until Roald Amundsen’s definitive flight over the Pole...
Our expedition to the great white continent inspired a host of questions, most commonly: is Antarctica worth it? We share our answers below The cynic, it is said, knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. It doesn’t make you a cynic, however, to question the value of a trip to Antarctica given the hefty price tag. Ranging from seven to twenty thousand dollars per person, it’s a once in a lifetime expense, so it’s perfectly natural to ask: is Antarctica worth it? This is the question readers asked most frequently about our trip to the seventh continent. Value, of course, is subjective. Some people value an expensive wedding while others prefer to spend on the honeymoon. Some value a three-carat diamond while others prefer fine dining. Of course, we at Atlas & Boots value t...