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Faroe Islands Hike: Sørvágsvatn & Trælanípa

Where lake and ocean meet

24 hours in the boosting capital Amman

Travel Guide & Video

Hotel Review: Acqualina Resort & Spa, Miami

How to travel: One week in Aruba

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Aruba: Welcome to the Caribbean Island

Bon Bini Aruba: Travel infos, weather, how to get there & hotel tips

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Coastal Battle: Amalfi vs. Sorrento Coast

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4 Days in Tyrol (Advertorial)

Destination unknown: A spontaneous trip with bbacksoon

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Marion Payr | Vienna, Austria

marionpayr

Travel photographer and storyteller. 📷🖋Empowering womxn to explore & create. Engaging in acts of travel, photography & conservation. Vienna based. Member of @bellcollective. Co-Founder of @printsforwildlife.

The Datoga and Hadzabe tribes of #Tanzania 🇹🇿 (For @unikat.afrika | Advertisement). When planning our Tanzania trip @unikat.afrika recommended to include a very unique experience: A fly-camping trip with the last hunter gatherers (from more than 120 tribes!) in Tanzania: The Hadzabe. Of course I was immediately drawn by the idea to learn more about how their lifestyle remains largely unaffected by modern developments to this day, but more importantly I was fascinated that they are a matriarchal society too. The Datoga on the other hand are traditionally cattle herders—much like the Maasai—but they’re also swordsmiths and have intricate trade relations with the Hadzabe. In return for new metal arrow tips the Hadzabe trade in wild honey that they forage in the bush. We got to visit both tribes in a very authentic, unstaged experience. While @couchsafaripodcast joined the Hadzabe men on their daily hunt, I stayed back with the women to go foraging for Gulape and Kongolobe berries as well as Shumu Aku root. The matriarch Ekwaneko would lead the group of women through the thicket, knowing exactly where to find nutritional plants or where to dig for roots. It took almost an hour of shoveling to uncover a few Shumu Aku roots buried deep in the dry soil. Some of the roots were eaten raw right at the spot and the rest brought back to camp to roast in the fire and share with the group. A little later the men returned with two small birds and a piece of honeycomb. Not much food for a large family to feed on. And yet there was a deep sense of content and ease. I asked them if they ever worried about food scarcity and they replied that „tomorrow doesn’t exist“. And today, well today they had food and water and a place to sleep somewhere along the shores of Lake Eyasi. @entara_lodges #ombako #kisimangeda #hadzabe
Land of Lions. (On safari in #Tanzania with @unik Land of Lions. (On safari in #Tanzania with @unikat.afrika and @couchsafaripodcast | Advertisement.) 🇹🇿 In a short span of only 8 days on safari in the Ngorongoro crater and the Serengeti we saw a total of 63 lions. One historical day around Namiri plains and Gol Koppjes we saw 36 lions during a single game drive. Minds were blown. And I’m not even mentioning the leopard and serval kills right next to our car. On that same day. And all of that during the rainy season. When it’s dry I can’t even envision what it must be like. Absolute madness! No wonder a renowned Tanzanian photographer once told me: „The Serengeti simply delivers.“. Turns out he was right. However, I personally would always choose the low season when visiting the famous Northern circuit in Tanzania. Why’s that you might ask? We had a few sightings that we shared with other cars. It was never crazy like it might get in the dry season, but when there were 10 cars around a leopardess and she had to crawl underneath one vehicle to get to her desired resting spot I got a glimpse of what it could be like during the high season. One shared sighting with 4 other cars was particularly infuriating. Never before did I have to ask guests in another car to shut off the music on a game drive before in my life. They were blasting Hakuna Matata on their boom box next to a visibly scared leopard, who couldn’t access its prey in a tree because of the human interference. We discussed these issues on @couchsafaripodcast in more detail, but essentially I would suggest to avoid the high season in parks as busy as the Serengeti—or if you can opt for private concessions like the one at @andbeyondkleinscamp. That first lion photo was taken on a drive from Klein‘s camp up to the Mara River. We were completely alone not just during that sighting, but for the whole day—and this stunning male lion also seemed to not have seen many cars or people in his lifetime. His inquisitive eyes tell the whole story. And that’s a feeling that shouldn’t be messed up by loud music or champagne glasses clinking, but instead witnessed in awe and with respect.
This place came to a rescue when all things failed This place came to a rescue when all things failed: @gibbs_farm in Karatu, Tanzania 🇹🇿 (On safari with @unikat.afrika and @couchsafaripodcast | Advertisement) Let’s just say our arrival in Tanzania didn’t go as planned... 🫠 We had booked our flights so that we would arrive in Arusha early morning with a solid plan to drive to Lake Eyasi first thing and then go fly camping with the Hadzabe tribe. A few days ahead of the trip our flight from Addis to Kilimanjaro got pushed back two hours, so @unikat.afrika arranged for us to be shuttled directly to the fly camp, where they set up a bush bucket shower just for us (knowing we would want to shower after the long flight). So far so good. Then the day came and I flew to Addis and when I landed at 3am in the morning the news came delivered directly to my phone. The flight had been pushed back another 5 hours and would now only land in Kilimanjaro shortly before sunset. A quick call for help to @unikat.afrika followed and they were on it. Everything had to be shuffled around and reorganized. Not much later they sent us the confirmation that our pickup was changed and that we would stay at the wonderful @gibbs_farm and could rest for a night before continuing on to Lake Eyasi the next morning. Phew 😅 So if you ever find yourself in Karatu (no matter at what hour), @gibbs_farm is a beautiful place to stay and also an ideal starting point for an exploration of Ngorongoro crater—which we then also visited the next day. In any case it’s good to have an experienced travel partner at hand for trips like these, that can be challenging to organize. A huge thanks goes to Anke and Marius from @unikat.afrika for making all the arrangements on such short notice and making sure we were taking care of 🙌🏼 To be continued (with more things that went a bit sideways 😅).
Let’s kick off the Tanzania series! 🇹🇿 (On Let’s kick off the Tanzania series! 🇹🇿 (On safari with @unikat.afrika and @couchsafaripodcast | Advertisement). I’ve been back home from Tanzania for a few days and have managed to sort through some of the 8,000+ photos I took on this trip—so here are a first few! ☺️ Photographically I was very excited to explore Tanzania during the peak of the rainy season; when there’s dramatic clouds building in the sky and there’s much less tourists visiting the country. I’ve never been to Tanzania before, because I was always afraid the northern circuit would be much too busy for me—especially after having spent much time in other African countries with less developed national parks. So April was the right choice to avoid congested parks and sightings with dozens of cars around. Also we were quite lucky with the weather and had mostly clear days! Our first stop was the famous Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO world heritage and the world’s largest unbroken, unflooded, volcanic caldera. In the main season the crater can get incredibly busy, but in April we had sightings like the black rhino mother and calf and the serval cat (the first I’ve ever seen in my life!!) all to ourselves 😍✨ Nearly 30,000 mammals live in the crater year-round, and we got to see hundreds of wildebeest and zebra, large herds of buffalo and were even treated to a sighting of an impressive large male lion feeding on a zebra carcass along two females. Of course the crater cannot be compared to national parks that are much wilder and less developed, but I wouldn’t have wanted to miss it as a kick-off to our Tanzania trip—the landscapes alone are a sight to behold! Stay tuned for more.
This is Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Uganda 🦍 This is Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Uganda 🦍🇺🇬 (@nkuringobwindilodge selected by @pintoafrica | Advertisement) Sitting perched on a ridge with breathtaking views over the misty Virunga Mountains and the ancient Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, this is not just a luxury lodge, but also the starting point of our gorilla trek. What nobody told us before: Nkuringo is the most physically challenging sector to do the gorilla treks in Bwindi 😅 From the starting point it’s a steep descend down into the valley through vast fields of tea. You’ll spend the first 1-2 hours of the trek climbing downhill, before you even enter the forest and start the real trek. All knowing that you have to ascend all of the before again after the trek 🫠. In total our gorilla trek lasted almost 6 hours, so rest assured we tested the comfortable beds in the lodge to the maximum upon our return. And they passed the test with flying colors ☺️ Would we do it again? 100% yes! 3 Facts about Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge: 🦍 Panoramic Views: We couldn’t take our eyes off the views. The emerald canopy of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the silhouettes of the Virunga mountains make for one of the most stunning locations. 🦍 Gorilla Trekking Access: Even though the trek is physically demanding the access to the trailhead is very close. Its just a few minutes to reach the starting point of the trek, so the lodge provides very easy access to some of the most exclusive gorilla trekking experiences in Uganda. 🦍 Eco-conscious Luxury: The lodge is built out of local material, using locally sourced papyrus and wooden floors with a touch of volcanic rock. They also use corrugated iron sheets for rainwater catchment, which is the primary water source of the lodge. This was our final stop of the road trip in Uganda—and probably our absolute highlight. Encountering gorillas in the wild is an experience that eludes any description. We came back sweaty and tired, with heavy legs and muddy shoes. But our souls were somewhere in the clouds of the magical rainforest 🌳☁️
On the road in #Uganda 🇺🇬 From the fiery re On the road in #Uganda 🇺🇬 From the fiery red colored sunsets and the orange blossoms to the greens of the markets and the blues of the crater lakes, these are the colors of Uganda. They call Uganda the Pearl of Africa, but to us it seemed more like a rainbow or a kaleidoscope. Although if you come to think of it pearls also reflect light in multiple spectral colors, so maybe the term is right after all. Directed by @martinatrepczyk. Photography by @marionpayr.
From natural dyes to handcrafts and coffee-making—an insight into the women‘s cooperatives of Bigodi, Uganda 🇺🇬 (On safari with @pintoafrica | Advertisement). While balancing her 2-year old son Goodluck on her back—only his little crocs sticking out in the front—Sarah carefully picks a fruit off the Bixa orellana plant. She explains how the women use the fiery red seeds to derive a natural dye to color their beautiful weaving products. The women’s cooperative members all come together to display their handcrafts for us, and every visitor of the Bigodi cultural tour. It’s part of their heritage to make these pieces for their own everyday use, but now—through their self-governed community tourism project—these women make an independent income, granting them a voice in household decisions and more equal rights in their village. We arrive late in the afternoon and they’re about to leave, but not before letting us choose our favorites and purchase some of the stunning baskets to take home with us. Before this we had spent about two hours with the self-proclaimed coffee queen of Bigodi, Nema Setrinah, who offered us shelter from a heavy rain and hail storm that had surprised us. And so we sit down in her coffee-making hut and she patiently explains every step of the painstaking handmade coffee process. From picking the beans, to drying, fermenting, roasting, grinding—she does it all in that little thatched hut surrounded by a handful of coffee and banana plants. While the hail relentlessly hammers on the roof, we try to follow each step of the process, quickly realizing how we would fail at every turn. The grinding; not as easy as it looks when she does it. The coffee that Nema serves not much later tastes better than ever, it might be the wet feet in our muddy shoes or simply the huge respect we now have for everything that went into this little cup. It’s these women who let us take a peak into their lives today, and their daughters who now run the community tours as guides, that are shaping the future of Uganda. One cup of coffee and one woven basket at a time.
Feel Uganda. Feel the pulse of Uganda—where gor Feel Uganda. Feel the pulse of Uganda—where gorillas move through impenetrable forests, crocodiles slip into golden waters, and rain kisses the earth, turning soil into life. A quiet force, ever unfolding. Directed by @martinatrepczyk for @marionpayr. #uganda #feeluganda
Where we stayed in Kibale: Chimpundu Lodge, Uganda Where we stayed in Kibale: Chimpundu Lodge, Uganda✨ (@chimpundulodge with @pintoafrica | Advertisement) We arrived here after a looong drive from Queen Elizabeth national park and the first thing we noticed was this iconic bathtub with a view of the jungle. 😍 Needless to say the tub was filled quickly (even if a kettle was involved in the process to crank up the heat 😅). Tucked away in Kibale National Park, Chimpundu Lodge is conveniently located if you’re here for chimp trekking (which is most likely). The lodge is just minutes away from the entry point of the park, which makes arriving there before sunrise very easy and comfortable. 🏡 About the Lodge: ✔️ Location: Just outside Kibale National Park, perfect for primate lovers and with incredible jungle views from the multiple verandas. Good to know: The main road that crosses the national park runs directly behind the lodge, so you’ll hear cars and it won’t feel completely remote. ✔️ Accommodation: 18 spacious rooms, including deluxe cottages and family suites. ✔️ Facilities: pool, spa, gym, bar & restaurant, and stunning forest views 🌿 And here’s what you can do in Kibale: 1️⃣ Go Chimp Trekking – Kibale is home to over 1,500 chimpanzees and that’s the main reason travelers come here. My tip: Book a chimpanzee habituation experience instead of a regular trek to learn even more about our closest relatives. 2️⃣ Pack hiking gear – lightweight hiking gear is the best option, including a light rain jacket, comfortable summer hiking boots and long trousers and a long sleeve moisture wicking shirt. You won’t need gators here as the jungle isn’t too dense (but you’ll need them later at Bwindi for the gorilla treks). 3️⃣ Don’t miss out on the Bigodi community experience to learn more about coffee making, banana juice processing and local handcrafts in an initiative that directly benefits the people living around the national park. We unfortunately didn’t have a chance to see the wetlands, but the Bigodi swamp tour is supposedly incredible too, especially if you’re into bird watching. #ChimpunduLodge #Uganda #KibaleNationalPark #kibale
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