North America
7 US national parks that require a reservation in 2022
America’s outdoor spaces are becoming increasingly congested, so more US National Parks will require a reservation in 2022 In 1872, the US established Yellowstone National Park, the country’s first and the world’s second national park (after Bogd Khan Uul in Mongolia). The park became an international model for the preservation of biodiversity and cultural history; a model that has been replicated around the globe. In 2021, Yellowstone received a staggering 4,860,537 recreation visits, up 28% from 2020 (3,806,306 visits), making it the busiest year on record. May, June, July, August, and September were the busiest months on record with July also the most-visited month on record in Yellowstone’s history and the first time visitation exceeded one million visits in a single month. Although Ye...
12 of Earth’s most remote places and communities
From eastern Greenland to northern Alaska, we explore some of the most remote places on Earth Whether it’s astronomical distances, inhospitable climates or extreme terrains that define these remote and hostile lands, there’s one thing they all have in common: they are on my bucket list. That and the fact that people live there. It’s highly unlikely I’ll actually make it to many of these far-flung realms – I certainly didn’t get to Ittoqqortoormiit on my 2019 trip to Greenland – but I salute the hardcore residents who carve out an existence in the most remote places and communities on Earth. 1. Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland Ittoqqortoormiit is located on Liverpool Land, a peninsula in eastern Greenland and one of the most remote towns in the country. It was first inhabited in 1925 b...
20 most beautiful mountains in the US
The most beautiful mountains in the US are a contentious subject, for this is a land that brims with beauty. We scoured the states and whittled them down to a list of 20 Legendary climber Reinhold Messner said that there are three rules of mountaineering: “It’s always further than it looks. It’s always taller than it looks. And it’s always harder than it looks.” Messner was the first person to climb all 14 eight-thousander mountains and has undoubtedly seen the ugly side of the world’s most beautiful mountains. Thankfully, those of us less alpine inclined can observe these peaks from afar. Most of us might content ourselves with the most beautiful mountains in the US instead. To help get you started, we’ve whittled our favourites to a list of 20. Most beautiful mountains in t...
The seven second summits: a tougher challenge
The seven second summits are considered to be a much harder mountaineering challenge than the more popular seven summits Previously, I’ve written about my dream of climbing the seven summits and laid out a realistic if not deeply challenging and expensive program of how to achieve that goal. This week I look at the seven second summits; the second-highest mountains on each continent. The highest summits are a dream of mine, but I draw the line at the second-highest – they’re simply too scary for an amateur enthusiast like me! Introducing the seven second summits Alpinism author Jon Krakauer wrote in Into Thin Air (one of my favourite mountaineering books) that it would be a bigger challenge to climb the second-highest peak of each continent instead of the highest. An ob...
Ranked: most peaceful countries in the world 2021
The most peaceful countries in the world have been updated for 2021. Read our insights from the study and browse the rankings below Once again, Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world followed by New Zealand, Denmark, Portugal, and Slovenia. However, the world is a less peaceful place as civil unrest and political instability has increased due to the global pandemic according to the latest Global Peace Index (GPI) report. Afghanistan is the least peaceful country in the world for the fourth year in a row, followed by Yemen, Syria, South Sudan, and Iraq. The GPI report is the only statistical measure of its kind and makes it possible to rank 163 independent states based on how peaceful they are. The 163 states cover over 99% of the world’s population and are assessed&nbs...
30 most beautiful mountains in the world
The most beautiful mountains in the world have captivated climbers for centuries. Here, we examine their lethal appeal “You are not in the mountains. The mountains are in you,” said John Muir, the renowned naturalist, author and environmental philosopher. If our resident seven-summit hopeful is anything to go by, Muir makes a valid point. Those who spend time in the mountains seem to be driven by a deeper force. These brave men and women will face vertiginous vertical falls, sub-zero temperatures and 8,000m death zones in pursuit of their summit dreams. It’s in ode to them that we present this list. Most beautiful mountains in the world 1. Cuernos del Paine Height: 2,600m (8,530ft) Location: Andes, Chile Emperorcosar/Shutterstock The stunning Cuernos del Paine Los Cuernos del Paine or ‘Pai...
NFF’s FIFA match agent celebrates Nigeria proposed friendly with Mexico
NFF’s FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon of Eurodata Sport, is excited that Nigeria will be playing Mexico in a friendly international on July 3 in the United States. “We are happy to be able to announce this match, which is a clash between two very big teams from two different continents. Mexico against Nigeria is a big match any day and the venue is class,” he said. The two teams will announce their squads for the match sometimes in June. Mexico will play three other games before the clash with Nigeria, as part of their MexTour series. Three-time African champions Nigeria will clash with CONCACAF Gold Cup holders Mexico in a friendly at the famous Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the State of California, United States of America. The match, which kicks off at 7.30pm LA time will be the sixth...
Anglican Communion in Nigeria affirms rejection of homosexuality
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) on Sunday affirmed its rejection of homosexuality, vowing to defend the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Primate, Archbishop Henry Ndukuba, made the position of the church known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. “The Church of Nigeria affirms its total rejection of homosexuality, and will surely stand to defend the truth of the gospel based on the injunctions and ethical principles of the Holy Bible,’’ Ndukuba said. The statement is entitled, ‘‘Church of Nigeria’s Position on the Recent Developments in Anglican Church in North America (ACNA)”. He condemned recent signing of a letter which, he said, recognised and promoted homosexuality in ACNA. The cleric called for sanctions against bishops, priests and laity in ACNA Province who signed the letter. N...
Robert Lewandowski discusses potential move to MLS
Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski has said he knows a lot about MLS but wouldn’t be drawn on a possible move to North America in the future. Lewandowski’s wife has said in the past that her husband is interested in ending his career in Los Angeles, which is no doubt intriguing to both LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC. Although the 32-year-old isn’t closing any doors, he has indicated that he is not thinking much about his long-term future right now. In an interview with CBS Sports, the Bayern star said: “Playing in the USA? I don’t know because I don’t know what it means for me and when. For sure I know a lot about MLS because a few Polish players and also German players played there and they talk to me about the life there, but also about MLS. “They say that every year there is a step up ...
World’s most powerful passports 2021
Japan is the world’s most powerful passport for the third year running. We take a look at what else topped the list It feels a little masochistic to look at the world’s most powerful passports after a year of recurring lockdowns. However, as we’ve said before, we remain hopeful about the future of travel. We believe that exploration is a human instinct and that as soon as it is safe, people will return to the road. With this in mind, we take a look at the newly released ranking of the world’s most powerful passports, compiled by Henley Passport Index. With historical data spanning 16 years, the index ranks passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. What are the world’s most powerful passports? Japan is the world’s most powerful passport...
Most dangerous countries in the world 2021 – ranked
The most dangerous countries in the world to visit in 2021 have been revealed in the latest Travel Risk Map Now in its 12th year, the Travel Risk Map is an interactive tool produced by security specialists at International SOS. It is used to predict the safest and, conversely, the least safe countries in the world. The map comprises three sections: medical, security and road safety. For the security section, countries are indexed according to their travel security risk rating, which uses five risk definitions: insignificant, low, medium, high and extreme. International SOS uses a number of criteria to assess how the conditions in the country may impact visitors’ safety and security. These include the threat posed to travellers by political violence (including terrorism, insurgency, po...
Best hiking trails in every US state (according to hikers)
We share the three best hiking trails in every US state, according to America’s most popular hiking app The US knows how to do wilderness. Wedged between the two great oceans of the world, it is home to practically every landscape under the sun. Beaches, lakes, mountains, rainforest, deserts, canyons and glaciers all rise and fall across this continent-sized country. And thanks to the outstanding National Park Service, huge swathes of it are readily accessible. When, in 1872, the US established Yellowstone, its first national park (and the world’s second after Bogd Khan Uul in Mongolia), it signalled the start of something truly special. Yellowstone became a global model for the preservation of biodiversity and cultural history; a model that has been replicated all over the world. The...
