Nepal, two years on: why the time to go is now

Wondering which airports are most likely to put you behind schedule during the busy summer travel season? If you’re flying to the Boston, Chicago, New York, or San Francisco areas this summer—or even worse, connecting to another flight there—be especially wary.

Though I pride myself on being an independent traveler—I was in the United States Peace Corps in Paraguay for two years, have been to six continents, and spent multiple years reviewing hotels across the U.S. and around the world, by myself— India is one country that I’ve never considered visiting as a solo traveler.

“There’s nothing wrong with that view,” says Annette McDonnell with honest pride from her vantage point at the Paradise Ridge wine tasting room in the small Sonoma town of Kenwood. Out the window, dormant grapevines soak up sun above a sea of bright yellow wild mustard flowers. Beyond the vineyards, the fire-scarred hills are developing a hint of green as winter grass stakes the first claim of renewal after the fires swept through the area in October 2017.

A solar eclipse is a rare event—not just on Earth, where a total eclipse only occurs in the same location once every century or so, but also in the whole universe. Thanks to the relative size and distances of both the sun and the moon, the fact that we can experience an eclipse at all is a cosmically improbable coincidence. So, if you’re feeling bad for missing a chance to watch 2017’s solar eclipse that spanned across the U.S., I’m here to validate your FOMO.

People have looked to the mountains for spiritual consolation for millennia. “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,” say the Psalms, “from whence cometh my help.” For Nepalis, the link is especially powerful. The Himalayas are where the Hindu gods go to meditate and replenish their tapas, or spiritual “heat”, and the Buddhist peoples of Nepal’s Himalayan regions regard many of the highest peaks and lakes as sacred.

Yellowstone. The name alone conjures images of grizzly bears, bubbling moonscapes and the frontiers of the Old West. But in the face of surging visitor numbers – a record 4.25 million in 2016 – you’re now just as likely to see crowds.

Life on two wheels is a beautiful thing, and travel on two wheels can be epic. Here are a few of the world's greatest cycle routes to consider for your next big trip.

While the frenetic chaos of Kathmandu sprawls and teems across the Bagmati River to the north, Patan – or Lalitpur as it's also known – abides in the ways it always has: more peacefully, more quietly, and with an inclination towards the considered and the artistic. It’s no coincidence that Buddhism has long exerted a strong hold on the city – Buddhist enclaves in Nepal, as throughout South Asia, are often characterised by a serenity which eludes their wider, more Hindu surroundings.

Nepal and yoga seem to go hand in hand: with yoga's beginnings linked to Hinduism and over 80% of Nepalese identifying as Hindu, it's only natural that Nepal yoga retreats have become extremely popular. And that's without mentioning the stunning mountain scenery that immediately helps visitors feel detached from the hustle and bustle of every day life. Whether you're a beginner or pro yogi, want a quick immersion or an extended stay, here are some of the best yoga retreats in Nepal.

2020 awards season is in full swing! And what better way to celebrate than to look at some of the most beautiful filming locations gracing our screens this year. If you're still working on your travel plans for the year, read on for our pick of the top TV and Film locations to visit in 2020. Take inspiration from The Secret Garden and embark on a road trip to visit some of the most beautiful ornamental gardens in the UK or follow in the footsteps of Mulan and explore the wide-open landscapes of New Zealand’s South Island. All of the destinations on the list are just as spectacular in real life as they are on screen.

Unless you’re planning a digital detox, you’re likely going to use the internet, either on a desktop or via a mobile app, to plan part of your next trip. Here are 12 websites and apps you need to check out for your travel plans in 2016.

«The only thing you could focus on was the fact that the earth was moving from side to side by about eight to ten metres.» These are the words of Kathmandu resident Amritman Buddhachari as he describes the huge earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015, destroying many of the important historical Buddhist sites throughout the country.