Traveling solo has its benefits. Want to change your itinerary? No problem. Want to stay out all night? Go ahead. Want to wander sans clothing through your hotel room? There’s nobody to object. You can do whatever you want within your own budget and not have to worry about convincing your companions to buy in....

If you’re in South America and looking for a grand cultural festival in June, head to Cusco, Peru, for the Southern Hemisphere’s winter solstice. Every year, on June 24, more than 200,000 people gather at the Incan fortress of Sacsayhuamán for Inti Raymi —the celebration to honor Wiracocha, the Sun God. The original festival was...

Travelers with a preference for environmentally sustainable practices don’t have a wealth of resources when on the road. As with travel in general, it’s often necessary to carve together information from a variety of sources—from books and magazines to online resources to word of mouth. Sometimes it’s like a treasure hunt to find the ideal...

Becoming even a part-time expat with a home in a developing country can change your travel style. If you’re in the midst of building, your bags may be stuffed with power tools, hurricane ties and various pieces used to put your home together. If you’re living in a completed structure, your luggage may contain replacement...

In July 2010, the 34th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will meet in Brasília, Brazil, to determine what new properties it will add to the UNESCO World Heritage List . Currently, the list includes 890 properties (689 cultural, 176 natural and 25 mixed) that the World Heritage Committee has determined have “outstanding universal...

When you research upcoming travels online, do you often feel like you’re hunting through the results to find relevant information? A new search engine, Kaweinga , is trying to make it easier for you to get the specific travel info you need. Started by Daniel Guttentag in February, Kaweinga’s search results are powered by Google,...

The practice of circumambulation, or walking around a venerated object, is incorporated in many contemporary beliefs and practices, but predates most of them. These ceremonial pilgrimages can go around an entire mountain, a small stupa, a shrine, or even a person. Some religions prefer to follow a clockwise path—others choose a counter-clockwise route. A well-known...

When we travel, we often scrutinize our interaction with residents of the areas we’re visiting. How do we get up close and connect in a way we might miss if we were just passing through? How can we get a local perspective on what life is like in a different place? The answer is often...

We all have different souvenir styles. Some focus on shot glasses, others on local crafts, and some folks shop for home electronics or clothing while on vacation. There are travelers who prefer unconventional mementos , like recorded music, rubbings, or even words. And plenty of people follow the advice: “Take only pictures, leave only footprints.”...

With the current war on Mexico’s drug traffickers erupting into violence in certain border towns, some folks with travel plans to Mexico are confused about whether to keep them. Here are some tips on how to study up on the current situation and the likelihood of events affecting you on your travels. Check travel warnings...

Spring is just around the corner, as are a handful of festivals in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America. If you’re looking for a break, but want to avoid typical Spring Break destinations, here are the spots to hit in late March through early May: The BVI Spring Regatta lures sailors and landlubbers...

After the 8.8-magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck central Chile on the morning of February 27, the country is focusing on cleaning up, getting aid to affected regions and attempting to return to functionality. What do you do if you’re traveling or scheduled to travel in the country? Citizens of the United States are...

I can’t count the amount of times I heard, “Oh yuck—too crowded with drunk college kids” when I told people I was going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. The problem is, the folks who commented had never been there, and their perceptions of the annual event stemmed from TV news footage of just one...

Have you ever returned from a trip and wished there were an easier way to show your friends and family the exact route you took on your journey? Check out Wikiloc , one of three winners of the 2009 Geotourism Challenge , sponsored by Ashoka’s Changemakers and the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations ....

The idea of packing light is nothing new. Henry David Thoreau famously explored simple living . Rick Steves advocates one 20-pound bag . Many airlines now penalize travelers with even one checked bag by imposing a baggage fee . And in this BootsnAll interview , Rolf suggests that a small pack keeps the traveler from...

When you’re researching a trip, it’s not always easy to determine whether your tour operator or hotel cares about sustainable travel. And when you’re paying a middleman instead of giving your money straight to a business in your destination, you may not know how much of that money goes to the local communities. Some tour...

Got a craving for Carnival? If you can’t get to Rio, don’t just give up and stay home. There are plenty of places in Mexico and the Caribbean, from Mazatlan to Dominica, to celebrate the annual bacchanal. And there’s still time to get there! The Mazatlan Carnival lasts six days (in 2010, it’s from Feb....

Kayaking is a great way to explore a place. The skinny craft is multi-faceted: It goes through churning whitewater, along lake and estuary coastlines, and can even catch a wave. But when you’re traveling, how do know which operators are truly professional and which you should avoid? Prices for kayak rentals and short, guided trips...

Have you ever considered travel to Antarctica? By bus? OK, maybe not the bus part, but you have to admit that it would certainly be an adventure. Andrew Evans, contributing editor for National Geographic Traveler , just boarded a bus on New Year’s Day in Washington, D.C.—headed for the frozen continent. His bus trips will...

It happens almost every time. I return home from a trip and, once the jet lag wears off, I find myself feeling a little down. The expectations I had before the trip, and the freedom and wonder I experienced on the road have been replaced with a vague feeling of sadness, a sense of "blah"....