If you are willing to enjoy Winter Olympic Games than just pack your bags and take a flight towards Vancouver. This city is well known for its best Winter Olympic Games. There are thousands of people who came here from all around the world to enjoy these thrilling and amusing Winter Olympic Games.

This Vancouver city is best for stay in both winter and summer season. Many tourists think that you should have to visit this city during summer season, but there are also many enjoyable things to do during winter season. Whether you visit Vancouver during winter season or summer season, this city has ability to amuse its visitors and provide different things to enjoy their memorable trip. Here are some of the best things to do while in Vancouver during the autumn season.

VanDusen Botanical Garden:

During the fall season this VanDusen Botanical Garden is one of the most visited spots in Vancouver. This beautiful garden boasts of a large range of flower and plant variety like Autumn Crocus and Heathers which are in full bloom during the fall months. Visitors usually visit this garden to see these charming and soothing flowers and plants everywhere during this season very.

Vancouver Art Gallery:

This city is also best for art lovers. You can also visit Vancouver Art Gallery to watch different remarkable art pieces. In this museum, you can see just about 10,000 pieces including historical and modern art works made by Vancouver artists. This Art Gallery is not only famous for its art work but it is also well liked for its cafes, so you can amuse from these art work with a cup of cappuccino. This city also offers International Film Festival for movies lovers. This festival usually begins in October and many filmmakers from around 70 countries participate in this grand festival. The film festival is usually shown in a variety of venues like Pacific Cinematheque and Vancity Theater.

Maplewood Farm:

Another excellent spot to visit in Vancouver during the fall is the Maplewood Farm. This farm boasts of Sicilian donkeys named Rosie and Roberto and a New Zealand white rabbit which goes by the name Fluffy.

Events:

Halloween is fun in Vancouver mainly at the yearly Fright Night of Pacific National Exhibition. This event occurs in this modern enjoyment park where frightening but very entertaining shows take place like Monsters of Schlock. This park offers enjoyment for both children and adults. Children can amuse by taking different rides and the adults can try park’s 5 haunted houses designed to scare everyone.

In this city mostly people love to watch theater during this chill and thrilling season. The Vancouver International Fringe Festival is an alternative theater that features around 500 acts in just 11 days. There are also numeral theaters that begin their seasons during the autumn months such as Touchstone Theater and Arts Club Theater Company.

Sports:

Vancouver city is well liked for different professional sports franchises and a history of brilliance. At the old Denman Arena the Vancouver Millionaires hoisted up the renowned Stanley Cup on the ice at the old Denman Arena in 1915, the first indoor artificial-ice hockey rink in North America.

Since then the city’s teams comprise the locally-beloved Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League and defunct Vancouver Grizzlies of the NBA. The 1994 and 2000 Grey Cup Champion British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League play at BC Place Stadium.

There are lots of options available for lodging in this beautiful city. Vancouver hotels are secure, clean, and wonderfully cheap. Hostelling International Vancouver Central is another Vancouver hostel that is a great deal if you like friendly atmosphere or looking to spend time in friendly surroundings where backpacking fun is never far away.

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Popularity: 23% [?]

Tortuguero National Park is the third most visited national park in Costa Rica, this famous park hosts more than 100,000 visitors every year. This amazing and adventurous park was created in 1975; it is loaded with wildlife, both marine and land-based, including different type of waterfowl and the mysterious jaguar. It is also a main nesting site for the rare green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and, to a slighter degree, the leatherback, and loggerhead and hawksbill turtles.

The Tortuguero National Park has a network of both natural and man-made canals that attach with a series of rivers and ponds. These flourishing waterways can be toured by flat-bottomed boat, kayak or canoe and present the best occasion for bird and wildlife watching.

Tortuguero National Park is also consisting of sheltered beaches and heavily vegetated rainforest with a few hiking trails. Each year, mainly from July through October, Tortuguero visitors can join an evening turtle trip to watch some of the thousands of green sea turtles nesting on the beach.

This Tortuguero National Park consists of 65,711 acres of secured land and 113,014 acres of secured waters in the park. It is adjacent to the Barra Del Colorado Wildlife Refuge and together, these two areas form a huge management area that is affluent in biodiversity.

The moist rainforest and canals are a heaven for birdwatchers and nature lovers. The finest way to observe as much wildlife as possible is with an experienced biologist guide. You can watch all these fantasies through a three-hour boat tour of the park’s canals with a local guide.

Tortuguero has numerous beautiful small houses that present packages including meals, lodging, transport to and from San Jose, and tours. Visitors who choose autonomous travel can find lodgings in the village at one of the mid-range hotels or budget hostels. Canoes and kayaks can be rented either through a local tour operator or one of the all-inclusive lodges.

Getting There:

You can reach Tortuguero via plane or boat. There are no roads directing into the village itself.  There is a small airstrip north of the village and every day flights to and from San Jose are accessible with local carriers. The bus/boat route from San Jose is a 155-mile trip that can take everywhere from five to seven hours.

One of the simplest methods to travel to Tortuguero is to book an all-inclusive package with one of the lodges. Packages include food, lodging, guides and transportation to and from San Jose.

If you select to travel on your own to Tortuguero, here’s how:

From San Jose via Cariari

The most inexpensive and most ordinary route to Tortuguero is through Cariari and La Pavona. Buses go away for Cariari from San Jose’s Gran Caribe Terminal. The journey is less than two hours and stops in Guapiles for a bathroom break. From Cariari, buy a ticket to La Pavona at the vital bus terminal. Boats leave for Tortuguero from La Pavona. These public water taxis are scheduled to meet the buses, so wait time is minimal.

From San Jose via Moin

Take the bus to Limon from San Jose’s Gran Caribe Terminal. If possible, buy your ticket one day before as the bus is frequently full. From Limon, take a taxi to the boat docks in Moin where boats go away for the Tortuguero canals (the JAPDEVA docks).

These are water taxis and don’t have a fixed every day service. The return tour to Moin leaves Tortuguero at around 10:00 a.m. Travelers should arrive in Moin before 1:00 p.m. This will provide you a lot of time to get back to San Jose during daylight hours.

Weather:

At Tortuguero National Park the average daytime temperature is 87° F and at night the average temperature is 69° F. Tortuguero’s yearly rainfall averages is 175-235 inches. The climate is moist and very hot, with normal showers. The driest months are February-March and September-October. Visitors should expect two types of rain: short afternoon showers and the long Caribbean drizzle that can last up to two weeks.

Beaches:

The deserted beaches are ideal for strolling, but only between dawn and dusk (5 a.m. to 6 p.m.) from March-October. Strong and the rare presence of bull sharks and stingrays make the ocean dangerous for swimming.

Activities:

• Land Activities: Turtle tours, hiking, and bird and wildlife watching are well-liked activities. Camping is allowed at the Cuatro Esquinas ranger station, just a few blocks south of Tortuguero village.
• Water Activities: Canoeing or kayaking in the canals is a huge way to mark wildlife. Sport fishing boats can be chartered in Tortuguero to patrol the canals, river mouths, and Atlantic Ocean. Many fishing captains also travel to nearby Parismina or Barra Del Colorado where huge tarpon and snook can be taken all year around.

Flora & Fauna:

At Tortuguero National Park you can find four species of sea turtles, the green, leatherback, hawksbill and loggerhead nest on the beaches of Tortuguero. The green sea turtle comes ashore more regularly than the other three types. More than 2,600 green sea turtles were marked by the Caribbean Conservation Corporation in 2000, compared to less than 100 leatherback turtles.

Visitors can contribute in evening turtle tours to watch nesting green sea turtles from July through October. These tours can be arranged in the village or with a lodge, but are only allowed with licensed guides.

There is a huge range of wildlife and plant assortment in the park’s gallery forests and marine trails. More than 400 types of trees, 2,200 types of plants, 375 species of birds, 125 mammal types and 124 types of reptiles are found here. Common sightings comprise tiger herons, green herons, great blue and little blue herons, toucans, anhingas and egrets.

Sloths, basilisk lizards, green iguanas and caimans, as well as howler, spider and white-faced monkeys are frequent. Although seldom sighted, tapirs, jaguars and manatees are native to the area. Native flora include the hawk tree, crab wood, banak, bully tree and dove wood, as well as aquatic lilies, monkey ladder and wild plantain.

Facilities:

There are three ranger stations located within Tortuguero National Park:

• Cuatro Esquinas Station is at the south end of Tortuguero village. This station is available by boat from the lodges, or on foot through the village. Cuatro Esquinas is the most visited station and presents a small educational visitor center and park maps.
• The Jalova Station, available by boat from Parismina, is at the southern boundary of the park. This station has a short hiking trail as well as bathrooms and a picnic area.
• The Aguas Frias Station is on the western border of the park. Visitors can arrive here by car, after passing through Guapiles and Cariari.

Places to Stay:

Small cabins and relaxed mid-range hotels can be found in the village of Tortuguero.  Reservations are a good plan during the high season (December-May) and also during peak turtle nesting season (August-September).

There are numerous rural, riverfront lodges located on the surrounding canals that present two to four-day all-inclusive deals including transportation to and from San Jose

Recommendations:

1. Carry many insect repellent for beach walks and rainforest hikes.
2. Pack dark clothing for evening turtle tours.
3. Tour the park with a skilled biologist guide – you will see much more wildlife this way.

Popularity: 65% [?]

A Mountain vacation reminds one of peaceful mountains, abundant green trees, idealistic landscapes, and unbelievable sceneries of wildlife, flowers and nature. In short, a mountain vacation is an ideal getaway from the noise and hustle of daily life. A magnificence mountain vacation is the perfect answer for magnificent yet lenient escapes.

If you are looking for a sumptuousness mountain vacation, Colorado has a lot to offer to make your vacation a pleasing and unforgettable one. Being the nation’s maximum state with a mean elevation of 6,800 ft, Colorado is dominated by the Rocky Mountains. Set among the wonderful Rocky Mountains, Colorado presents many gorgeous vacation properties nestled high in the mountains that promise a rich vacation experience.

Colorado makes a huge fishing retreat or mountain skiing getaway. One can take pleasure in the silence of the forest in a sheltered mountain home or cabin with all the facilities of home. Totally furnished cabins, chalets, log cabins and inns are perfect for a comfort Colorado mountain vacation.

There are abundance of fun activities and entertainment in Colorado like mountain biking, fishing, hiking, whitewater rafting, hot air ballooning, golfing and horseback riding for outdoor enthusiasts. Vacationers can benefit from skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling during the winter. Colorado also presents many activities and events that take place in its charming and historic mountain communities.

Colorado’s Rocky mountain wilderness presents fully furnished, comfort lodging. Thus, right in the middle of the sheltered and quiet mountains, one can enjoy all the luxuries of the modern world. Set against the backdrop of beautiful mountains, a distinctive luxury mountain vacation will offer all facilities including a fully ready kitchen and entirely furnished rooms.

Colorado is also famous for its world-class skiing resorts. Some of the most famous skiing resorts in Colorado include Vail, Breckenridge, Telluride, Beaver Creek and Snowmass. All of them present a range of services such as the best skiing slopes, fine dining, ski equipment rental and accommodations for their guests.

Mountain resorts in Colorado offer all year round activities and services that can be enjoyed by couples in their honeymoon, families on vacation, ski fans and people who may want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. These mountain resorts have facilities and activities such as rafting and skiing, which can be enjoyed during different times of the year. Given this, it can be expected that the fame of Colorado as a premiere mountain vacation destination will maintain to rise in the future.

Mountain vacationing is one of the most well-liked ways which families enjoy. This is because this kind of vacation lets families to experience different adventures that add pleasure and more fun to the trip. Colorado is a very popular mountain vacation spot. The mountain resorts here recommend a large range of activities and facilities all year round for the whole family to enjoy.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Karomber Lake Trek Story from Umair Hasan

Below are the details of the trek we did along Wakhan Corridor starting from the Yarkhun Valley in Chitral and ending at the Ishkoman Valley in Gilgit.
Following were the team members…

1. Umer Javed (Lahore)
2. Dr. Ziauddin (Rawalpindi)
3. Umair Hasan (Islamabad)
4. Shuaib Qaisrani (Islamabad)
5. Mazhar Farid (Lahore)
6. Irfan Ahmed (Lahore)
7. Uzair Khan (Karachi)

The trek is called as “Along the Wakhan Corridor” trek as it runs parallel to the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan that connects Afghanistan to China. Our initial plan was to end the trek in Chapursan valley after crossing Chilinji Pass (5190m) but unfortunately we could not do it because of the heavy snowfall and non willingness of porters to cross the glacier in such conditions. From Sokhtarabad, we decided to take another route and end the trek at Ishkoman instead.

Below was the itinerary we followed.

Day1: Chitral – Mastuj (By Jeep) : 5 hrs
Day2: Mastuj – Kishmanja (By Jeep) : 9-10 hrs
Day3: Kishmanja – Ishkarwaz (Broghil) : 4-5 hrs
Day4: Ishkarwaz – Showrsheer via Lashkargaz : 7-8 hrs
Day5: Showrsheer – Karomber Lake : 4-5 hrs
Day6: Rest day at Karomber Lake
Day7: Karomber Lake – Swinj : 3-4 hrs
Day8: Swinj – Sohktarabad via Chittiboi Glacier : 7-8 hrs
Day9: Sokhtarabad – Virgoth : 5-6 hrs
Day10: Virgoth – Pekhin : 4-5 hrs
Day11: Pekhin – Borth via Mitramdas : 3-4 hrs

On Karomber, we got snowfall on two consecutive nights which made the Karomber more exciting.

I have also attached a few pictures from the trek.

Broghil Valley

Broghil Valley

Campsite After Snowfall

Clouds coming towards Karomber

Crossing Chittiboi Glacier

Crossing Shutargurdan

Karomber Lake On a Clear Day

Karomber Valley

Karomber Lake...

Karomber Lake

Local Kids

Swinj Lake

The Team

Virgoth

Popularity: 48% [?]