Grand Escapades
Travel Photography & Travel Experiences of Africa, South America, the Middle-East & Asia
Masjed-e Sheikh Lotfollah, Naqsh-e Jahan or Imam Square, Esfahan
Is there some truth in the Esfahani proverb: “ Esfahan Nesf-e Jahan ” or “ Esfahan is Half of the World ”? Discovering this city will most probably be the highlight of everyone’s visit to Iran, offering some of the finest architecture of the whole country, and actually some of the finest architecture I experienced altogether during my many trips. Continue Reading →
Khan-e Tabatabei, Traditional House, Kashan
Kashan has changed a lot since 2014! Three years ago, it was still somehow a hidden gem that most visitors would bypass en route from Teheran to Esfahan. I liked the quiet, Off The Beaten Track feeling to this city during my first trip there.
I was in for quite a shock when I returned to Kashan in September 2017. Quickly I understood that after two weeks spent in more remote, less visited parts of the country (Tabriz & the Northwest; Mashhad & the Northeast; Shushtar, Choqa Zanbil & Shush in the Southwest), I had now returned on the main “Tourist Trail” in Iran (Teheran – Kashan – Esfahan – Yazd – Shiraz). And yes, tourism has boomed, especially but not only, organized tours! Continue Reading →
Choqa Zanbil Ziggurat
In Southwestern Iran, in the desert not far from Iraq and Kuwait, the Elamites developed one of the first great civilizations in Human History, with amongst others the first fix human settlement ever created, dating back to the 5th Millennium BC! So on my second trip to Iran, I absolutely wanted to discover Choqa Zanbil, Shushtar & Shush… This was a highly challenging time during my trip, but one I clearly did not regret.
iPhone Picture – Haram-e Razavi, Imam Reza Holy’s Shrine, Mashhad
Iran is known for its beautiful mosques – some of the largest, oldest and finest in the world. But without any doubt, the largest, and some of the most delicate shrines & mosques can be found in Iran’s two spiritual capitals: Mashhad and Qom. Continue Reading →
View from Teheran at night from the Milad Tower
I did not enjoy Teheran on my first visit back in April 2014: too big, too congested, too polluted, too noisy, too hectic… So my expectations were low and I planed to only stay there one day en route from Tabriz to Mashhad. But surprisingly, I quite appreciated Teheran on the second trip in September 2017, and decided to stay longer to discover more in depth this tentacular & chaotic megacity. Continue Reading →
Soltaniyeh’s Dome or Gonbad-e Soltaniyeh or Oljeitu Mausoleum
Scenic Northwestern Iran would definitely deserve a separate / dedicated trip of several weeks, one that enables you to really go Off The Beaten Track, enjoying some of the most impressive sceneries in Iran and a different cultural experience in the Azeri & Kurdish parts of the country. Unfortunately, I had not sufficient time at hand and solely discovered a few cultural & historic highlights and had to skip the more remote areas… Well, a good reason to go back! Continue Reading →
Blue Mosque or Kabud Mosque
The historic town of Tabriz, the largest city of Northwest Iran and the center of Iran’s Azeri population, is a crossroad and melting pot of several cultures. Its glorious, if turbulent history bestows this widespread city some of Iran’s most remarkable cultural heritages. Continue Reading →
Tracking the Isabukuru Gorilla Family, Parc National des Volcans, Rwanda
Itinerary And Time Of The Visit
I visited Uganda twice. In August 2011, during 2 weeks, I discovered the string of National Parks in western Uganda, starting with Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elisabeth National Park, Kibale Rain Forest, Semliki National Park, Murchison Falls National Park and last but not least Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The 3rd week, I used Jinja as a base to discover the area. Continue Reading →
Public Transport at Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda
Type Of Travel
The type of travel you choose in Uganda will have a direct and significant impact on your travel budget:
Chimpanzee, Kibale Forest, Uganda
I visited Uganda twice. In August 2011, during 2 weeks, I discovered the string of National Parks in western Uganda, starting with Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elisabeth National Park, Kibale Rain Forest, Semliki National Park, Murchison Falls National Park and last but not least Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The 3rd week, I spent in Jinja.
In January 2017, I spent 2 weeks and refocused on the National Parks I preferred most (except Bwindi, as I went Gorilla Tracking in Rwanda): Lake Bunyonyi, Queen Elisabeth National Park, Kibale Rain Forest, Murchison Falls National Park & Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Continue Reading →