The capital of Azerbaijan is not what you’d expect! Azerbaijan’s capital, dubbed by Lonely Planetas “the architectural love child of Paris and Dubai”, is one of the fastest changing cities in the World.
Chilling in Baku, Azerbaidjan
Baku Is A Big Surprise?!
Baku is a cool city
I was quite shocked when arriving in Baku, Azerbaijan to see how modern everything was in this capital, compared to the countryside when I crossed into Azerbaijan from Armenia. Baku is really cool! Let’s talk about the regime in Azerbaijan another day, but the capital of Baku is just magnificent! Dilapidated alleyways are now bustling with hipster cafes and international restaurants. The Flame Towers are a marvel of modern architecture. Millennials wander the streets dressed in the latest high-end fashion.
Yet Baku is not without its charm either.
At the center of Baku lies the Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounding this time capsule are stone mansions and luxury boutiques. The blend of the old and new works effortlessly. There are a lot of tourist attractions around the city. The city is rapidly expanding and you will find many things to do in Baku to keep yourself busy and entertained. Here are 5 of my personal favorites in Baku!
Top 5 Things To Do In Baku, Azerbaijan
1: Check Out The Flame Towers
The colorful Flame Towers, Baku, Azerbaidjan
The Flame Towers are located on a hill overlooking Baku Bay and the Old City. It’s an iconic trio of buildings that transforms the image of the city from a forgotten place to a more modern day Baku. Not only does it transforms the city’s skyline, but it also pays respect to Baku’s history and predicts its strong future.
The design of the towers was inspired by Azerbaijan’s historical past of fire worship amongst locals. The buildings are shaped in a form of a flame, and are completely covered with top-modern LED screens that present movements of a fire.
From almost anywhere in the city you can see the Flame Towers, which dominate Baku’s skyline. I love this place, especially at night with its change of colors and everlasting beauty!
2: Walk Around The Old City
Old City or “Icharishahar”, is one of Azerbaijan’s two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It’s truly a unique, historical part of Azerbaijan and is located within the heart of Baku. The Old City is very clean and recently renovated. It’s a very beautiful and very artful town, surrounded by fortressed walls, adding to the character.
Walk through its cobblestone streets, see and touch the stones of the ancient walls, zigzag through narrow corridors and admire the intricate art on the doors. The Old City of Baku has a lot to offer. The town has a lot of aged buildings, a palace complex, mosques and the iconic Maiden Tower.
Lovely atmosphere and it truly is a place where time seems to have stopped in a wonderful way.
3: Check Out The Mosques
Heydar Mosque, Baku, Azerbaidjan. My country number 66
The Heydar Mosque is my favourite mosque in Baku, but most people would probably also tell you to go to visit the Bibi Heybat Mosque.
The Heydar Mosque is the largest mosque in the Caucasus. The mosque covers a total area of 12000 square meters and was built in 2012. Absolutely amazing place, love it with lights in it at night.
The Bibi Heybat Mosque is also one of the most interesting things to do in Baku, and even non-Muslims will enjoy exploring this wonderful piece of architecture. The present day structure is from July, 1998, and is a recreation of the mosque that was built in the 13th century by Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II Ibn Ahsitan.
Interestingly enough, the Bibi Heybat Mosque is the only religious building that was completely destroyed by Stalin in 1936, but it has been restored since and is now looking greater than ever before!
4. Climb Up The Maiden Tower
Maiden Tower, Baku
When visiting Baku you can’t miss climbing on top of Azerbaijan’s most recognized landmark, and the centre of the city’s historical importance. The Maiden Tower, or as locals call it Giz Galasi, is located in the Old City and is constantly surrounded by a hive of activity from the locals there.
It was built in the 12th century as part of the walled city of Baku. The name Giz Galasi is better translated as “Virgin Tower”, named that because of its impenetrability. The Maiden Tower is part of UNESCO’s world heritage listing, looped in with the Old City and the Shirvanshahs’ Palace.
5.Visit The Mud Volcanoes At Gobustan National Park
Mud vulcanoes, Gobustan National Park
The other of Azerbaijan’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites is the Gobustan National Park, that attracts thousands of tourists annually.
This otherworldly site is a sprawling field speckled with bubbling mud volcanoes, anthropological sites and sizzling lakes.
In Azerbaijan there are around 300 mud volcanoes to be found at the shore, in the sea and on islands. That’s about 30% of the world’s total, and is a main reason people choose to visit Azerbaijan.
Azerbaidjan Was A Good Experience
Flame Towers with my friend Amar from Azerbaijan
I had a really good time in Baku, Azerbaijan, my country number 66, and I know you’ll definitely have a good time too in this wonderful city. I had a bit of a hard time crossing the border waiting many hours outside in the cold night from Armenia to Azerbaijan, but in the end Azerbaijan was all worth it!
What is Djibouti? A country located in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. Some would call this area a danger zone. But is it really?
Africa’s lowest point, Lake Assal, Djibouti
Why You Should Go To Djibouti?
Djibouti – the only country name I’m aware of that contains a synonym for ass, that alone should be enough to justify a visit but if that doesn’t quite do it for you, there are a few other gems in this hidden in this little ‘Dubai of Africa’… Maybe you’re fascinated about climbing Africa’s highest point Mount Kilimanjaro, which I’ve had done, (and I’m arranging a trip this year for friends! – check it out,) but why not also visit Africa’s lowest point in Lake Assal, Djibouti.. Such a stunning place this saline lake!
Lake Assal, Djibouti, lies 155 m (509 ft) below sea level
One of Africa’s Most Expensive Countries?
I was expecting Djibouti to decimate my bank account but alas, that’s not necessarily so. True it’s not Ethiopian prices but then where is?! Djibouti is expensive compared to Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia, but there are ways in which you can make it cheaper.
I guess there are 3 main places which your trip to Djibouti will look to include. Djibouti city itself, Lac Assal and Lac Abbé. All of these are worth a visit for sure, although this is where Djibouti can begin to eat your cash :S
First of all I have a really good advice for you about how to get to Djibouti the best way.. Avoid the e-visa and expensive hotel booking like I paid for (cheapest hotel available was $50 that I HAD TO HAVE for the e-visa – no fake booking).. Here’s how you can do it better than me!
Improvised day in the surburbs of Djibouti City
Good Travel Advice To Go To Djibouti
When I went to Djibouti the visa was a little harder to get than now, so I had to get the E-Visa to be sure. It was $60, and at that time there was a bug in the E-Visa-page, so you could only choose arriving my plane. I thought I could still take public transport from Addis Ababa without any problems (usually it’s not so important in most African countries!), so I hoped I could just get on a high-speed train from Addis Ababa to Djibouti.. Turned out I couldn’t! First of all they wouldn’t allow me, because my e-visa said arriving by air, secondly when I arrived to the train station two hours outside of Addis Ababa, they said there were no more tickets and that I needed to be book in advance and that the train didn’t go every day..
Damn it! How could I then visit ‘this booty’?! Off to Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa and a $160 ticket to Djibouti City same day with Ethiopian Airlines.. Ouch!
(What you can do now is get a easy Djibouti Visa in Addis Ababa for $30 and then go by fast train if you plan a little ahead, shouldn’t be too complicated!)
Deep out in the Omo Valley, Ethiopia, before heading to Djibouti, my country number 95!
How To Get Around Djibouti?
Public transport? Small mini busses in Djibouti city, yep, but forget about it for the rest of the country! Public transport doesn’t exist in Djibouti.. You have three options:
1) Rent a car – costs around $75-$125 but you do need a 4 wheel drive, so that will be around the $100 mark
2) Go on a tour. If you have 6 people + you can go around various tour agents (there are loads in the city) and pay around $35 per person to go. Or if you’re feeling lucky, you can go on your own and hope to coincide with another group.
3) Hitchhike. I wouldn’t recommend hitchhiking at all here, because there are not many people/cars around in places like Lake Assal, Lake Abbe. You can easily be stuck out in nowhere for a long time in Djibouti, which is of course adventurous, but if you have a flight to make, it’s maybe not the coolest thing!
Lac Abbe, Djibouti
The Perfect Travel Guide (Djibouti)
My price guide for Djibouti would be like this: If you stay for 3 days or so and don’t visit the lakes, you’ll need around $130-140 to visit Djibouti. Extend that by a couple of days and visit the lakes, that figure will jump to $400 or so for 4-5 days (but it’s well worth it if you can afford it).
Djibouti:
Budget: Food and taxis are pretty expensive, but in general Djibouti is not as pricey as some would say. You can budget it to $25-$40 per day (excluding car rental)
Food: Street food and supermarkets allow you to eat for $2 – $4 per meal. Cheap restaurants are $6-$12 per meal. The French hangover in Djibouti means delicious pastries, croissants, pain au chocolate are in abundance here.
Restaurant: If you like a good restaurant, I recommend La Chaumièrerestaurant. Had some nice food there with my local friend Barryck, it’s a safe and beautiful place, but there was unfortunately a terrorist attack on May 24 2014, where two suicide bombers attacked the La Chaumière restaurant in this popular area in downtown Djibouti City. Nothing has happened since and they make some really good burgers!
Accommodation: The biggest cost. Start at $20-30 per night + (BUT that includes air conditioning which is almost a necessity in Djibouti!) I recommend the Horseed, with ice cold AC – just remember to barter hard and negotiate the price always!
Transport: Getting around the city you can use minibuses for next to nothing. Around the country, it’s pretty much nonexistent and you need car rental to visit the stunning lakes unfortunately.
People: Really cool people, although bring a French phrase book, English isn’t widespread
Weather: HOT AS HELL!!!!, bring sunscreen and drink plenty of water. Did you know Djibouti is the hottest country on Earth on average? 😉
Religion: Predominately Muslim, although in comparison to Somaliland it’s quite understated generally.
Currency: $1 USD – 180 Djibouti Francs. ATM’S do work with foreign cards although they’re not entirely reliable so bring cash (USD or Ethiopian Birr just in case.)
Visa: $30, not available on arrival by land. No problems getting it now in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Collect the same day if you ask politely.
Good memories from 2018, Djibouti. Are you excited to go!?
I hope to come back to Djibouti again one day and to see a bit more of this ‘pearl of the African Horn.’
After some wild days back in Ethiopia, it was the right time to enter my country number 121, Somalia.. Or Somaliland? Which one is correct? I’ll tell you! This is what happened on my crazy 1st day in Somaliland, and I’m honestly feeling so lucky to have 3 more days to come here!
Leaving the buddies in Harar, Ethiopia to go to Somaliland, Somalia
Is Somaliland Its Own Country?
Somaliland, officially the Republic of Somaliland, is a self-declared state, but is internationally considered to be an autonomous region of Somalia. Somaliland is officially a part of Somalia on the UN-List, even though they consider themselves to be just Somaliland and not Somalia. It’s a bit of a weird case, because in 1991 there was a declaration of independence, but only Somaliland agreed on this independence decision. The breakaway state of Somaliland has just recently celebrated 28 years since it declared independence from Somalia, but still no country recognizes Somaliland as a sovereign nation.
Flag of Somaliland
My Crazy 1st Day In Somaliland (Wow!)
I left Harar, Ethiopia, after an once-in-a-lifetime experience the evening before, feeding wild hyenas with my mouth. The most scary part was actually to meet a bunch of these hungry fellas alone by the city walls later in the night. Were they still hungry?! You never know!
Adrenaline still pumping the whole day after, so it was the perfect time to go to Somaliland.. Or was it?!
Wild hyenas in the streets of Harar, Ethiopia
Different Behaviors Ethiopians VS Somali People
I talked to my Ethiopian friend about different behaviors of Ethiopians and Somali people, (of course it was from his Ethiopian point of view), but I did however experience a bit of truth in some of the things he said. First of all he said Somali people speak more loud (and a bit more aggressive,) and secondly he said: “Things are just different there, be careful!”
Me and my Ethiopian friend Joel who gave me some advice on Somaliland
Judgemental? Never
I kept Joel’s words in the back of my head, but as always I wanted to make my own impression of a new place, so I arrived to the border of Somaliland with an open mind, because we should all try to avoid being judgemental on the unknown. Then afterwards we can easily judge a place when it’s known to us.
One last smile on the Ethiopian side before arriving to Somaliland
Somaliland, Here We Go!
I took a full mini bus from Harar to Jigjiga in the east of Ethiopia, where most people laughed (or smiled) of me in a kind way, guess it wasn’t usual for them to see a white dude in the local bus in these areas. I met an interesting Somali guy, Abdi, on my second ride from Jigjiga to Wuchale (border of Ethiopia/Somaliland.) He sat in front of me and our mini bus was totally packed again. We started to small talk a bit, he was from Mogadishu, Somalia, but he had lived a long time in Somaliland. Friendly guy and everything seemed fine until now, but we of course didn’t enter Somaliland yet!
Arrived at the border of Ethiopia/Somaliland with Abdi in the blue shirt
Hello Somaliland
The Somaliland banknotes are not even found on the XE-app. $1 = 8000 Somaliland shilling
Hello Somaliland! The autonomous region of Somalia, my country number 121. The XE-app didn’t even have the local Somaliland Shillings in it, but I really had the feeling of Somaliland being its own country, when being greeted several times with: “Welcome to Somaliland!” No mention of Somalia whatsoever…
Off To The Capital – Abdi got PISSED OFF
Off to Hargeisa!
Abdi and I jumped in a new car making our way to Hargeisa, and once we had waited for 10 min, Abdi started to get irritated and began to scream of the driver and pretended that we were going to leave the car. After some loud discussions, the driver came back and we were off to Hargeisa immediately. I could’ve really used this Somali guy in West Africa, (the hours I haven’t waited for busses and shared cars when going solo from Senegal to Togo with no motorbike or own car!) Arrrrrhg, why didn’t I know Ahmed there?!
Anyway the saying from my Ethiopean friend about ‘Somali people shouting loudly and aggressively was pretty much on point right here with these two guys. Ha ha, let’s see after 4 days..
Why Do We Stop After 20 Min?
Mosque out in nowhere in Somaliland
I knew beforehand that Somaliland is religiously more conservative than Ethiopia and Somalia, but still the change was remarkable. After 20 min drive everybody went out of the car and had to go to the mosque and pray, so in the meanwhile I took a little desert walk out in nowhere in Somaliland.
Weird Stuff Happening
We drove again! Ahmed started to spray himself with a really strong perfume and then afterwards spraying it on me, not knowing I have perfume allergy, which made the ride even longer with scratchy eyes and a nose running.. A little after he took out one of my Airpods (headphones) and wanted to hear what I was listening to.. Didn’t know this guy 2 hours ago, so I honestly found it a bit weird, but I could feel he was a kind person. But just imagine, sitting in the bus in your country with someone you don’t know and they first spray super strong perfume on you and then take one of your Airpods and put in their ear.. A bit straight-forward, right?!
Somaliland – This Place Is Just DIFFERENT
The border crossing went pretty smooth, but I could feel that all eyes were on me now in Hargeisa. I didn’t see any other white person when crossing or walking around in the capital, Hargeisa, but I was just being me as always.. If I don’t feel like covering my hair, I don’t, and if I want to wear normal clothing for me, I do.. No matter where I am. Of course I respect other cultures, but an important thing in this World is to be allowed and accepted to be who you are – I know it’s not usual to see a tall, blond, blue-eyed man with a weird t-shirt print in Somaliland, but why should I hide that? Anyways..
Blending in perfectly in Somaliland
Crazy First Day, But Good Fun
It’s been a crazy first day in Somaliland, and to finish it all I went out for dinner and couldn’t understand why there were only females in the restaurant.. Apparently many of the restaurants are divided with areas for men and for women. It was a bit embarrassing standing there looking like an idiot the first 2 minutes before I realized that.
Never seen so many camels as in Somaliland!
Somaliland, Amazing People
I’m happy to have 4 more days here and the welcome I had today in Somaliland was so extremely awesome and a big part of my crazy 1st day in Somaliland. Felt like a Rockstar! I’ve been greeted everywhere in a very kind way, people asking for high fives, pictures and all on eyes starring on that weirdo white guy who wears what he wants.. A bit overwhelming, but also very cool! Can’t wait for the next days here..
Back again for the second time in Ethiopia and for the second time in Addis Ababa, I can assure you these are the 5 most fun things to do in the Ethiopian capital, before you travel around the rest of the country.
With Abushe in Jinka, Ethiopia. Read about my days with him here
1: Africa’s Biggest Open Air Market
Mercato Market, Addis Ababa
Mercato is the biggest outdoor market not only in Addis Ababa or Ethiopia, but in the whole of Africa. The must see parts of Mercato include the Spice Market, the hand made baskets market and the second hand items market. It’s closed on Sundays, but totally alive on most of the others days. You can meet different people who come from the more than 90 tribes of Ethiopia and communicate in Amharic language. You can buy some really cheap local stuff here, bargaining for a good price is how buying/selling goes here.
2: Tomoca Coffee
I’m not the biggest fan of coffee, but this place is a must-visit in Addis Ababa. Being the oldest Coffee Shop in the capital, Tomocca Coffee serves deliciously brewed different flavors of Ethiopian coffee. As Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, you have to taste your delicious (even for me) cup of coffee in Addis Ababa here. You may also ask for “Macciato,” which is a great mix of coffee with milk. This place’s coffee is ‘black gold.’
3: Entoto Hills
Great view of Addis Ababa from the Entoto Hills
Mount Entoto is the best spot to enjoy the great scenery of Addis Ababa. Mount Entoto is also where two of the oldest Ethiopian Orthodox Christians Churches are found at – St. Raguel (Elias) and St. Mary of Entoto. Hiking in the eucalyptus tree forest is a great experience and just in general a really nice place to go, to get away from the hassle in the big, busy city of Addis Ababa. Stunning views over the city!
St Mary’s Church, Entoto Hills, Addis Ababa
St. Mary Church of Mount Entoto has a Holy Water which is widely believed in Ethiopia to have a miraculous healing power, including curing HIV.
4: Unique Dancing
Ethiopians in all ages love to dance
Ethiopians are superb dancers. Regardless of age, all Ethiopians appear to relish the chance to dance, or on a night out in Addis Ababa hit the dance floor (or turn any location into a dance floor basically.)
Night out with my Ethiopian friends seconds before we hit the dancefloor, Addis Ababa
Ethiopians love it when a foreigner joins in to dance, or at least tries to. At night – especially at the weekend – the city’s old central Piazza neighborhood becomes super alive with neon lit bars emitting booming music styles from across the country. Ask for Jambo House or Arada if you want to see locals letting their hair down in style! You can’t beat to witness the wild, eye-popping traditional iskista dance of the Amhara people.
5: Try The Local Food
Injera is Ethiopia’s national dish, a grey, spongy bread with vegetables and sauce toppings
Addis has a number of well-known traditional restaurant options, which typically also put on traditional dancing displays while you eat. My favorite Ethiopian foods is first of all the Ethiopian tibs. Tibs is a sauteed beef or goat, sometimes cooked with onion, garlic, and peppers. You can also get Tibs grilled in a clay pot with hot coals. And I really like the raw meat too..
Eating 1/2 kg raw meat, Addis Ababa
Ethiopians eat lots of raw meat and has a kind of love affair with eating raw meat combined with super spicy spices. It’s considered one of the most delicious delicacies by most people in Ethiopia. I really like the raw meat too and I ate it every day on my first and second stay in Ethiopia, without any problems at all.. Even though food experts claim you are risking salmonella and listeria infection by eating this, I just feel like getting a lot of energy from it and I enjoy it so much! But yes, there’s a small risk of course..
Sharing some raw meat with my Ethiopian friends, Addis Ababa
You might ask yourself why Ethiopian eat meat raw? An Ethiopian myth is that warriors didn’t cook meat because the smell and the smoke of cooking meat, and the light and smoke of their fires, could be seen and smelled by their opponents from far away. The Ethiopians have just continued eating it raw ever since…
That’s It For Now, Addis Ababa
After you have tried these 5 most fun things to do in Addis Ababa, you’re ready to explore the rest of Ethiopia. One of my favorite countries in the World, so whenever you have the chance to go here, GO!
Getting accepted by the Banna tribe and attending a bull jump ceremony, deep in the the Omo Valley, Ethiopia
What’s cooler than climbing Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro? Not much really. For me it’s been one of my best travel experiences ever.. But one thing is better: To climb Mount Kilimanjaro and support a good cause.. Do you want to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and send Tanzanian orphans to school? Then read on!
Climbing Kilimanjaro is one of the absolute best things you can do!
5-days hike: 14th/19th December 2019 – Marangu Route
⭐️(Luxury Package – Sleeping in huts!)⭐️
Trip price: $1800 (+$99 Project Fee – Tanzanian Orphans School Fee) Normal price: $2899
Deposit Fee: $400 per person – Then you’re IN. Only 16 spots. First come, first served!
Included: 2 nights at hotel (1 before the climb and 1 night after the climb) + a lot more! (Read full programme below)
My favorite travel accomplishment. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro!
Put in your personal information. And in the field ‘description’ at the bottom you write:
‘Charity Climb December 2019’
Step 3:
Put in 400 USD in ‘amount’ (for the deposit) and press make payment
Step 4:
After a few minutes you’ll get a confirmation e-mail on your booking. + You’ll have access to our group’s private Messenger-group, where you can ask any questions you might have and they’ll be answered.
YOU’RE READY! BOOK YOUR FLIGHT TICKET!
Step 5:
Make sure to be in Mount Kilimanjaro Airport, Tanzania the 13th December anytime. You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town.
The legendary Mount Kilimanjaro from below
I’m Coming To Tanzania, Are You?
I’ll be in Tanzania in December 2019 and therefore I thought it was time to do something cool! Why not arrange a luxury charity hike for my friends to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro? Much cheaper than normally? Yep! You’ll pay only $1899 if you book in August and $1999 from 1st of September 2019. Sleeping in tents?
No… sleeping in huts! This is a luxury charity trip!
You’ll be sleeping in huts. Much better than the freezing cold tents at night
The Perfect Time And The Perfect Conditions
I’ve talked to the guy I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with for the first time, Daniel, about doing a Kilimanjaro-hike and I wanted it to be just as perfect as the Kilimanjaro climb I had.. Even better! Forget all about the cold tents at night, you’ll be sleeping in huts, so we make sure you’re well rested and ready to walk ‘pole pole’ (slowly) during the way, which are key words for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Furthermore the trip is in December (Tanzanian summer time) with close to no rain.. Perfect conditions!
Me and my guide John.. He went to the top +100 times. Specialist!
You Need A Team Of Specialists
Me and my guide John literally became best friends on my hike, it’s amazing what 5 days together can do! You need not only good people around you to succeed, but you also need thelocal experts! It’s important on a mountain like Mount Kilimanjaro to have the knowledge! You can buy this trip from American third part’s companies who’ll overcharge you badly with prices between$6000-8000.. It’s not needed to pay this kind of absurd money to people who don’t even know the mountain that well.. Trust me!
You need local experts! And you’ll get a special connection with the whole team through the days
High Succes Rate In Reaching The Top Of Mt. Kilimanjaro
I can assure you it’s NOT necessary to pay BIG money for a TOP servicehere! Daniel and his crew has a really high success rates, actually +95% in reaching the top of Mount Kilimanjaro! All of the guides have been to the top a lot, and know how to help you in every possible situation. They know the weather conditions, know how to acclimatize perfectly so you can avoid altitude sickness, etc! Top guidance and the most amazing food (from the best cook😉.) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ service.
Couldn’t put a single complain on my trip when reaching the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, and therefore I’m happy to arrange this trip with Daniel, who I did my first hike with and who has some amazing reviews.
Ready To Go? Climb Kilimanjaro For Charity
What I’m most excited about is the ‘Project Fee’ for Tanzanian orphan kids in the orphanage I’ve helped +4 years, when you’ll climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Ask any of the kids in the orphanage what the most important thing in life is, and they’ll answer: “School.” So the project fee is mandatory and the $99 Project Fee goes exclusively to pay 20 Tanzanian orphan kids school fees.
Miss them so much!
You’ll be climbing Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, while you’ll help kids in need.. Help them to go to school, while you’re having the time of your life on this epic mountain! That’s pretty awesome, right?!
Mariamu.. She loves school and dreams of being a teacher
Full Programme – Day 1 to Day 7
Day 1 (13th December): Arrive in Tanzania
You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town; you will meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. The missing gear can be rented on this day.
Meals: No Meals Included
Day 2 (14th Dec): Marangu Gate (1860m) to Mandara Hut (2700m)
After breakfast, you will be collected from your lodge in Moshi and taken to the Marangu gate. Once the necessary paper work has been completed, your trek can begin and you will soon be hiking through the dense rainforest. Alongside the impressive vegetation, you will have the chance to catch a glimpse of some primates as you head to the Mandara Hut. After a well-earned rest, your guide can take you to the Maundi Crater where you can enjoy the wonderful view of the Kenyan interior.
Distance covered: 8.3km / 5.2mi
Approx. time taken: 5 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
Day 3 (15th Dec): Mandara Hut (2700m) to Horombo Hut (3700m)
The day begins with an early breakfast. Shortly after you have left Mandara Hut, you will reach the timberline and then enter the heath and moor zone. Approximately 4 – 6 hours later, the Horombo Hut will come into sight, standing at an altitude of 3700m. From the hut, you will have fantastic views overlooking Mawenzi, Kibo and the wide plain of the Masai steppe.
Distance covered: 12.5km / 7.8mi
Approx. time taken: 9 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
On the way to the top! With the Dutch doctors Frank and Inge.. We can do this team 💪
Day 4 (16th Dec): Horombo Hut (3700m) to Kibo Hut (4700m)
Today’s stage is long and tough. The well-built trail passes the “Last Water point” which is followed by the so-called “saddle”. This nearly vegetation less plateau joins the main summit Kibo with Mawenzi. Today’s destination is the Kibo Hut that is usually reached in about 5 – 6 hours. Here, you will enjoy an early evening meal followed by an early night, as the night will be short.
Distance covered: 9.5km / 5.9mi
Approx. time taken: 7 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
Unbelievable strong porters will help you with your luggage
Day 5 (17th Dec): Kibo Hut (4700m) to UHURU PEAK (5895m)
& down to Horombo Hut (3700m)
Today is “The Big Day” – the summit stage. You will begin your final ascent around midnight which will be long and strenuous. Passing the Hans Meyer Cave at 5220m, the climb slowly but surely goes upwards. At sunrise, you will reach Gillman’s Point (5681m) – the crater rim of Kilimanjaro – where the sun will slowly start to warm up the land. You will have soon forgotten the cold of the night and after a further hike of 1 – 2 hours, you will reach Uhuru Peak at 5895m. On your return to Kibo Hut, a warm meal awaits you followed by a 1 – 2 hour break before proceeding back down to Horombo Hut.
Distance covered: 22km / 13.7mi
Approx. time taken: 12 – 15 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
The Uhuru Peak, top of Mount Kilimanjaro with amazing assistant guide, Hamedi
Day 6 (18th Dec): Horombo Hut (3700m) to Marangu Gate (1860m)
The last stage passes through the heath and moor zone to the Mandara Hut (2700m) where a warm lunch is waiting for you. Soon, you will once again pass the tropical rain forest and after a total time of 6 hours trekking, you will be back at the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate (1860m). After saying goodbye to your mountain guides, a short transfer follows to take you back to your hotel in Moshi. Once there, you can take a warm and relaxing shower and celebrate your success in reaching the summit of the Kilimanjaro.
Distance covered: 20.8km / 12.9mi
Approx. time taken: 8 hours
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch Included
Day 7 (19th Dec): Depart Tanzania
The day is left free to wind down after the trek before your flight home. Depending on flight times you could go and explore Moshi town and grab some gifts shop before heading to the airport.
*Safari ,Zanzibar and other add-ons are available if you wish to continue exploring Tanzania.
Meals: Breakfast Included
Dreams do come true on Mount Kilimanjaro and in Tanzania. My favourite country!
Pricing – What’s Included?
5-DAYS MARANGU ROUTE
Included in price package
• Private transport to & from Kilimanjaro International Airport to your accommodations in Moshi.
• 2 nights of accommodation at Keys Hotel Moshi
• Transportation to & from the Kilimanjaro gate
• Park entry fees
• Camping fees
• Team Kilimanjaro Rescue fees
• 18% VAT on tour fees & services
• 4 Season mountain tents
• Double layered Sleeping Mats
• Friendly and professional mountain guides, cook and porters
• 3 hot meals daily while on the mountain
• Enough treated & filtered drinking water throughout the trek
• Hot water for washing
• Fair wages for the mountain crew as approved by the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority (KINAPA), Kilimanjaro Association of Tour Operators (KIATO)
• Government taxes
• Portable oxygen tanks & ox meter
• Emergency first-aid kit
Not Included
– Lunches, dinners and drinks at your hotel before and after climb.
– Travel insurance
– Flights
– Laundry (Available at hotel)
– Personal items and toiletries
– Tips for guides, porters and cook (this is a guide to tipping on the mountain http://www.kiliporters.org/tipping_recommendations.php
Tipping on Kilimanjaro from the trekking group (not per climber):
For trekking gear you can also pay $100 per person for all the gears and clothing you’ll need for trekking Mt. Kilimanjaro. Then you don’t need to carry anything, and Daniel has everything in clothing and other stuff (like camelbags etc.) you need in this case.
Looking forward to hear from you guys very soon! Remember you save $100 by booking in August 2019. If you have any question. Feel free to e-mail Daniel on danielmlangwa@gmail.com or me on gus1thego@outlook.com. See you guys in Tanzania 💚
Very, Very Last Information
For the forgetful people, the How-To-Pay-Steps are added again below. Remember also to bring a solid amount of cash from back home, because most ATM’s have limits. You might know I stayed a long time in Tanzania and for me it’s my favorite country in the World. Safe, amazingly friendly people and full of wildlife and adventure. So you don’t need to worry about anything here! I have Tanzania with me in my heart everywhere I go 💚We only have one life to chase our dreams, but if we do it right, one is enough!
Taj Mahal, in my Tanzania shirt.. The memories created in Tanzania will forever be remembered!
Put in your personal information. And in the field ‘description’ at the bottom write:
‘Charity Climb December 2019’
Step 3:
Put in 400 USD in ‘amount’ (for the deposit) and press make payment
Step 4:
After a few minutes you’ll get a confirmation e-mail on your booking.
YOU’RE READY! BOOK YOUR FLIGHT!
Step 5:
Make sure to be in Mount Kilimanjaro Airport, Tanzania the 13th December anytime. You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town.
See you in Tanzania, and make sure to be here the 13th December 2019! Then we figure out the rest!
Sitting home and want to go travel? I understand you and I’ll now tell you the EXACT reason why you should pack your stuff and go traveling ✈️ “But how? It’s expensive, right?” There’s a solution to make it possible!
At Taj Mahal, India
My Realizations From Traveling
I’ve made some realizations during my last 7 years of traveling, living a lot of the time out of abackpack,which I’m really grateful for I’ve experienced! When going back to Denmark, I sometimes had a place to stay and sometimes not, having to move all of my things from one place to a storage room or crash friends or even my parents place. It’s difficult to move around all the time with too much material stuff you have to carry with you. For me too much stuff doesn’t really match with my travels around the World.
Teyateyaneng in Lesotho
I know if I want to travel, I have to drag my stuff along or make sure it’s in a safe place before I can leave. It’s annoying, especially if you have a lot of things! I’ve seen the material possessions I have decrease more over the years. When I was younger it was mostly about impressing friends with expensive things, but now I mostly don’t care about material stuff, except clothing to some extent, and even if I see a nice car, I think of expenses, rather than how awesome it looks! Working more hours to afford it = Less travel.
No way!
Chitzen Itza, Mexico
I still have some things I’m not willing to let go off (Airpods, Sony A6000 Camera, Osprey Fairpoint 40 L Backpack, etc.. Basically these 20 things in this link, but I’ve become more of a minimalist nonetheless by traveling the World over the years. I now have more stories to tell and less stuff to show.
Holding my first travel speech in Erbil, Iraq
Your Choices?
Ask yourself: Did I really buy this Mercedes car or that Rolex watch, because I genuinely love it so much? Am I so truly passionate about this thing and is it TOTALLY for me, not for others? Or did I actually buy it to fill out an emotional gap I have, or maybe to impress a person I don’t even like? Why did I spent money I don’t have, now having to work extra hours, having less hours to do what I really love? Everybody is probably guilty on buying something to impress others, to boost their ego for a short period, for the sake of getting compliments and mostly fake recognition from their friends. Maybe it’s time to change.
Hvar Waterfalls, Croatia
Will Material Stuff Make You Happy?
Most people have this false belief that the more they own, the happier they’ll be. Material stuff will NEVER make you happy! Imagine having the mansion, The TVs.. But having no real friends or family? How would your life be? So many people are slaves to their stuff. But the truth is the more you have, the more you’ll have to manage and worry about. It complicates life.
Walking around freely in North Korea
Have Some Memories
When you go on a vacation, you’ll remember it for years. Those unique experiences become the story you’ll tell forever and a big part of you and I can assure you that nobody will remember your expensive, yet uncomfortable designer couch or $10.000 flat-screen you just bought in 8 years from now. It’ll be garbage!
On the other hand you’ll always have the memories to look back on from traveling.
It’s a brother-thing! Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
Shoes And Bed Are Kind Of Important
All being said: Choose your shoes and bed wisely. That’s were you spent most of your life and I really love my travel shoes, most of all the Nike Air Max 97(on the pic) or the Nike Airmax 270. Both perfect travel shoes for men! Just thoughts from me on a Friday evening, preparing myself slowly in Sweden to go back for a new ride in Africa. Starting with going back to Ethiopia and then I’ll see where the roads will take me..
Dubai, Abu Dhabi
Do you agree with some of these thoughts? Guilty, not guilty?
There are so many stunning cities in Europe, and some of the cities on THIS list are not on my FAVORITE cities in Europe. However these 3 places in Europe left me with deep fascination of its beauty and colors and are for me the most stunning places to go and watch in Europe (if you can avoid the tourist masses!)
3. Dubrovnik, Croatia
Dubrovnik is a beautiful, colorful city in southern Croatia fronting the Adriatic Sea. All houses with red roofs and it’s looks stunning from above. It’s known for its Old Town, encircled with massive stone walls you can walk on completed in the 16th century. The place is well-known as the “King’s Landing” in Game of Thrones.
Furthermore there are a lot of activities you can do in Dubrovnik. I met my cousin by a strange incident and we took a long scenic kayak-trip around the cliffs and inside the massive caves. To round it off I went for some cliff jumping.. So much fun. Dubrovnik is getting more crowded now than when I went in 2017, but it’s still one of the most stunning places in Europe for sure! With lots of cool activities to do!
Cliff jumping in Dubrovnik, Croatia
2. Cinque Terre
In the Liguria region in Italy you’ll find Cinque Terre, laying on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. 5 small centuries-old seaside villages with super colorful houses and vineyards cling to steep terraces. Absolutely scenic and with harbors filled with fishing boats. The Sentiero Azzurro cliffside hiking trail links the villages, but you can also take a small train which goes through the villages every 30 min. I went to all of the 5 villages, but I fell completely in love with Manarola, which was my favourite of the villages.
Oia is an iconic coastal town on the northwestern tip of Santorini. For me going to Oia was top of my bucket-list. Ask my parents and my friends, I’ve been stalking this place for a long time and even had a background photo on my computer of this picturesque Greek place for a year.
I love the whitewashed houses carved into the rugged clifftops overlooking a vast caldera filled with water.
This place is something special and if you can avoid the tourist crowds, a sunset view here is very hard to beat! I still remember having an extremely expensive lunch on a restaurant here with one of the best sights I’ve yet experienced. I ate that Greek salad extremely slowly and there’s a good reason why. So stunning!
These are 3 of my favourite places in Europe that came to mind right now sitting here in Stockholm Airport, but I have so many others also. Europe is a fascinating continent and even though I’ve been to every country and capital here (most +2 times), I feel like I still have a lot more to experience in Europe!
Welcome to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden! Stockholm is an awesome city break destination. Are you planning to go?! Here’s why you should!
Remember to download the free Swedish transportation app ‘SL’ to get around Stockholm in bus and metro. You pay 45 SEK ($4,5) and you’re able to use the ticket for 75 min in any bus/metro. Super easy!
Stockholm Is A Must-Go Destination
Stockholm is made on 14 islands and with more than 50 major bridges connecting the different parts, which make the city unique. After spending a few days here on my 16th visit to Sweden, I wanted to share with you ‘The 7 Unmissable Things To Do In Stockholm.’ An absolute MUST-GO destination!
Spending nearly 3 days here in end of July, 2019, I can tell you already the weather is not Stockholm’s greatest attribute. Nonetheless it’s a really cozy place with lots of charming streets and places that you’ll love!
Weather – Is Stockholm Cold?
I was literally two seconds away from not bringing a jacket to Sweden on my 1-hour flight from Copenhagen to Stockholm, thinking “hey, it’s Swedish summer,” but in less than seconds before leaving to the Airport, I made the decision to bring a jacket. Smart choice! Even though July/August are Sweden’s absolutely best summer months, Stockholm is located pretty north and bringing a jacket here is recommended in my opinion, unless you’re a true Swedish Viking which I’m not apparently. Danish viking though!
Shielded From The Worst Of The Arctic Weather?
Stockholm in sunshine is absolutely tremendous. The capital is actually shielded from the worst of the arctic weather by the mountains of Norway, so the weather here is more pleasant than foreigners first think.
Summers typically average from 17 to 25 degrees Celsius (63 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit,) which usually feels a bit colder with the wind in this extensive Baltic Sea archipelago. Winters are usually cloudy with rain and snowfall, with January and February being the coldest months, with the average minimum temperature of -4°C (24 Fahrenheit) and with some freezing storms moving in over the capital.
Walking around the stunning streets in Stockholm, Sweden @gustavrosted
7 UNMISSABLE Things To Do In Stockholm
This is the list of the ‘7 Unmissable Things To Do In Stockholm,’ and it’s the most perfect inspiration for a few days in the Swedish capital to keep you busy!
1. Gamla Stan
Stortorget Square, Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden
Begin your trip by going back to Stockholm’s roots at one of Europe’s great medieval centres, spread over three small islands. The bustling, compact island of Gamla Stan is the city’s old town, with cobbled streets and colorful 17th- and 18th-century buildings, yet still the Old Town is actually dated back to the 13th Century.
Gamla Stan is home to the medieval Storkyrkan Cathedral and the Royal Palace, the King’s official residence. Gamla Stan is Stockholm’s original city centre, and with its glorious labyrinth of charming cobbled streets, alleyways and rust-colored town houses, it’s one of my favourite places in Stockholm!
Walking around the Gamla Stan Area, Stockholm
2. Skansen
Skansen is the World’s oldest open air museum, and it attracts more than 1.3 million visitors each year, which is a very high number for Swedish standards.
Skansen was founded in 1891 by Artur Hazelius to provide an insight into how Swedes once lived. You can easily spend a day here and not see it all. Around 150 traditional houses and other exhibits at this hilltop – it’s meant to be ‘Sweden in miniature’, complete with villages, nature, commerce and industry.
Note that prices and opening hours and days vary seasonally; check the website before you go.
3. Royal Palace
With more than 600 rooms Stockholm’s Royal Palace is up there with the largest palaces in Europe.
The King of Sweden still lives here, most royal events and receptions happen at the palace and all the various departments associated with the royal family operate in these plush environs. Furthermore there are 5 museums to go and see.
4. Vasa Museum
Not the biggest fan of museums usually, but the Vasa Museum and this awesome relic from the 17th-century of the all-conquering King Gustavus Adolphus is super cool! It’s been revived at this museum in the west shore of Djurgården, Stockholm.
The Vasa was a 64-gun warship that went down on its first voyage in 1628. It remained in the deep for 33 years, until it was lifted to the surface and slowly was restored. The Vasa is only 17th-century ship of this scale to make it to the present day, which is indeed fascinating. The only negative thing is you can’t get a boat ride in ‘The Vasa’ in the plenty of canals in Stockholm and feel like an old Swedish pirate! Damn it!
5. Gröna Lund
Djurgården is also the scene for Sweden’s oldest amusement park, and although Gröna Lund first opened in 1883 it’s very much up to date.
New roller coasters are unveiled every few years, like the state-of-art “Insane” on which you’ll spend half the ride upside down.
Another, “Eclipse” is a swing ride more than 120 metres in height.
6. Södermalm
Södermalm, where Greta Garbo grew up, has a few ultra-cool neighborhoods with quirky shops and interesting places to go out.
Try SoFo (South of Folkungagatan) for one-of-a-kind designer boutiques, vintage shops and hip restaurants and cafes. Södermalm is, after all, more than just trendy shops, cozy cafés and some of the best bars in Stockholm. Walk around in Södermalm in Stockholm – I’ll recommend you a nice walk in the sunshine.
Stockholm is one of the coolest cities to walk around.. In sunshine!
Nytorget Square here is a fun night out in summer. Yes, I said it! Check it out!
7. Stockholm Public Library
The last thing on my ‘Top 7 List of Things To Do in Stockholm’ is with a free entry and what a place!
The Stockholm Public Library is one of the World’s most beautiful libraries, and changed the city’s relationship with books when it opened in 1928. That’s down to the monumental rotunda at the top of the building.
Gunnar Asplund designed the stunning library, and it’s held as a shining example of the Swedish Classicist movement. Again there’s no fee to enter, and many of the titles are in English if you’re in need of a quiet, rainy day activity, which of course can happen in Stockholm!
I hope you you will have a perfect time in Stockholm with great weather and I’ll see you next time, Sweden!
I’ve been to Norway 22 times and when you’ve been to a country so many times, it’s because it has something extra that keeps you coming back. Norway is extraordinary! A truly beautiful country, but I still have a bit of a love/hate relationship to Norway. These are the 3 things I HATE about Norway!
1: The Weather
Let’s take Oslo: The weather and darkness in November; wet, chilly and dark. No bright snow or crisp air, no leaves on the trees; mostly windy, rainy and dark, with some wet snow (sludd) that clings to you and feel wetter than rain, but melts on the ground. Hate it! Or even worse, snow in May. I want Summer in May, not a massive snowfall. I’m sure most Norwegian people think about immigrating to Italy or somewhere else down south, when they have snow in May! Other than that, I have no trouble with the oddities of the Norwegian weather. Or if I have, I’ll check the weather forecast and dress properly!
In the Frogner Park, Oslo, 2018
At the same time 2 meter snow in Winter time and skiing in Geilo is wonderful, but overall I’m not the biggest fan of the rainy, cold weather most times in the south of Norway.. Go to Lapland in the North in the winther months and you’ll have lots of snow, but it’s nearly totally dark for half a year..
This negativity is coming from a guy who just had the most perfect summer weather on his latest Norway-trip, with 20 hours of day lights and sunshine. The irony! The advantages of going in July!
Lovely summer weather in Norway.. For once! 2019
2: The Insects
Having Faroese blood (Faroe Islands), which is the only country in the World along Iceland where mosquitoes (culicidae)don’t exist, makes it always a shocking experience to go out in the wild in Norway.
I always get a lot of mosquito bites in Norway, which really sucks! The Norwegian sand fly ‘knot’ (ceratopogonidae) is literally my worst enemy with the mosquitoes on a close 2.nd spot!
I hate biting insects.. Yet still, I visit the Norwegian wilderness a lot! I’m a weirdo! I know, right?
In Vidalen with my parents in a small hut my grandfather built in the wild.. No electricity, no internet, but bears 🐻 and mosquitoes…
3: The Prices
This image shows the downside of Norway’s prices.. You arrive to Norway with money bills and leave with small coins.. Norway is expensive! I still remember my night out in Oslo with my friend Tor in 2013, where the absolutely most normal Domestic Beer you could get (1 pint draught) was around $13-15.
I remember buying 3 cucumbers in Egersund, Norway in 2012 for around $15 too, when I did a football trial for their local football team there. Insane! They offered be a pretty well-paid contract offer, but when I experienced the Norwegian prices on my own, I quickly figured out I wouldn’t have much money left anyway. So it was a no from me! After I had a big injury and had to quit my football career, which was the start of my travels, which I’m so thankful for looking back. Anyway, back to the prices!
10 days football trial in Egersund, Norway
When I say I’m happy I didn’t move to Norway at that time, it was because Norway is simply toopricey! This is more than 5 years ago and Norway isn’t cheaper now.. The Norwegian salaries are of course very high and one things is to live in a place, another thing is to visit. End of story, the Oslo cost of living index is 19.78% higher than my city Copenhagen, which is NOT a cheap place, in fact Oslo is considered to be the most expensive city in the World, and a city like Bergen is pretty much on the same level as Oslo.
Bergen, Norway 2019. Pretty much as expensive as Oslo
Prices: Don’t Forget The ‘Bompenger’
Another thing I dislike when driving around Norway is the ‘bompenger’ (a tax you need to pay when driving around Norway) for use of the roads. It’s of course good for the nature that people maybe reconsider taking their car out and pollute the nature, but it’s pretty annoying getting a letter, when going back to Denmark with a bill you need to pay. And sometimes it can be a lot of money. Normally it’s $5-10 once around every 35-40 min, but I remember when driving from Bergen towards Oslo there was a point where it was $25. It adds up quickly and makes the most beautiful road trips a little less enjoyable!
All being said Norway is a beautiful country, I’ve been there 22 times and I hope to come back soon again!
The nature, the scenery, the fjords, the waterfalls, the people, the adventures.. Too many good things about Norway to not to come back. But these are some of the honest, negative sides about the country from my point of view.
Bergen – a picturesque, harbor-side city in Norway is out of a sudden a destination everyone is talking about. You’ll find Bergen on most Top 10 cities-lists in Europe and there’s a good reason why!
What Makes Bergen So Special?
Norway’s second biggest city with less than 300,000 inhabitants has seven mountains surrounding the city centre of Bergen, which makes an unique scenery, and therefore it’s often called ‘the city between the seven mountains.’
Bergen has the most beautiful fjords, colorful houses, plentiful museums, and innovative gastronomy all served up alongside a heavy dose of Scandinavia! There are plenty of things to do in Bergen…if you can get past the weather there is!
One Of The Most Beautiful Countries On Earth
After arriving to Bergen from the north of Norway (Vassfaret) and spending more than 3 days here on Norway’s southwestern coast, on my 22nd visit to Norway, I’ll admit I have a weak spot for Norway and its beauty! Now I have a very soft spot for Bergen too! But don’t get too excited before you’re off to Bergen!
Fishing in Vassfaret, Norway
The Weather
Yes, there is no denying it, Bergen is allegedly either the wettest city in Europe or the entire world (depending on your internet source.) Around 240 days of rain on average a year, guess I was extremely lucky to have 3 days in the most beautiful sunshine I’ve ever seen with no rain whatsoever. But don’t worry, the hardy Norwegian Vikings have developed plenty of alternative activities for a rainy day!
Furthermore I’ll strongly recommend you to go in July. August is doable too, but July is the best chance you’ll have for no rain!
Walking around Bergen’s cozy streets in the end of July. Perfect time.. Maybe!
5 BEST Things To Do In Bergen! (3-Days Itinerary)
These are some of the unmissable things to do in Bergen. Of course, there are plenty more things to do – but for 3 days in Bergen, this should keep you very busy!
1: Take Fløibanen Funicular To Admire the Views From Mt Fløyen
On top of Mt. Fløyen
If you’re unlucky to have lots of rain, wait for a break in the weather and head to the Fløibanen funicular, which whisks you up to the top of Mt Fløyen every 15 minutes for the best views of Bergen. Bonus points if you can time it for sunset, there is truly nothing else like it in the world. Beautiful views!
Top of Mt. Fløyen during day time
Pro budget tip: For the more adventurous/active traveler you can save yourself some coin and hike up/down or both ways – it’s about an hour up, and there are two pretty decent loop tracks on Mt Fløyen (1.6 km / 5 km) which take you past picturesque lakes and through the forest.
I actually paid for both ways, which was stupid because I chose to walk down! I saw the beautiful scenery and changed my mind up there. It’s 135 NOK (16 dollars) for both ways. You can pay for one way also, which is 65 NOK (8 dollars), which I should’ve done. If you want to save more money and time, I recommend you to buy tickets for Fløibanen online at www.floyen.no in advance. The queue was pretty bad!
Bergen is getting popular!
2: Admire the UNESCO World Heritage Enclave of Bryggen
Bryggen has been ravaged by many fires, the great fire of 1702 in particular. The whole of the city was reduced to ashes, but the foundations had been there since the 12th century, which means that Bryggen is basically unchanged despite the passing centuries. This magical place of wooden buildings and walkways on the harbor front is easily Bergen’s most iconic attraction.
Though there has been plenty of fires over the last 1000 years, (I like to imagine they partied too hard every time,) Bryggen is still the best example left remaining of the overseas Hanseatic Offices and is protected with an UNESCO World Heritage status.
Today it is filled with boutique shops, souvenirs, and cafés, but still has plenty of charm…especially at night when the place is completely deserted and you feel transported back in time. Magic!
3. Try The Freshest Seafood at the Bergen Fish Market
In a country known for the quality of its seafood, you simply can’t visit Bergen without checking the fish market out! There is no better place to try seafood than the ultra-modern Bergen Fish Market with over 30 specialty shops selling small-scale Norwegian produce.
Norwegian King Crab. Around $160 if you want to eat it at the market and $100 if you take it with you. Pricey!
You can try the expensive +$100 Norwegian King Crab or you can go for some cheaper options. Remember Norway is considered one of the most expensive countres in the World, so it probably won’t be cheap no matter what.
I tried a bit of the legendary Norwegian Atlantic Salmon, which is 2. in the World, after New Zealand’s King Salmon, which is the creme de la creme of all salmon. Top choice still!
Norwegian Atlantic salmon makes people who don’t eat fish, eat fish
Enjoy a meal here of some of the freshest seafood in the world, or simply walk through and try to spot as many weird fish species as you can. It literally blew my mind to see the options here! In the summer months there is a large outdoor fish market that takes place every day, but in the winter months there is only the iconic Mathallen Food Hall to keep you warm and dry.
One of the best things to do in Bergen, and given it’s location – you would be sad to miss it!
4. Take a Road Trip Around The Fjords (Or Boat Trip)
Geirangerfjord
Bergen is the Gateway to the Fjords of Norway! The best starting point to experience the most magnificent fjord landscape, with narrow fjords, glaciers, steep mountain sides, beautiful islands and spectacular waterfalls.
From Bergen you can pick from several fjordtours in the Bergen-region, a journey to one of the World’s most popular tourist attractions Nærøyfjorden – the world’s narrowest fjord, which was voted ‘The World’s Top Unspoiled Travel Destination’ by National Geographic in 2004.
Or Just Drive Through The Stunning Landscapes
Nature itself has provided the first letter for many of the superlatives used to describe the fjords and the landscape near Bergen: Stupendous, stunning, spectacular!
You can drive a little further to ‘Hardangervidda’ and the landscape changes completely from mountainous fjords to becoming a huge flat mountain plateau, it largest of its kind in Europe.
Hardangervidda, the largest mountain plateau of its kind in Europe
Or you can drive to one of Norway’s most famous and majestic waterfalls, Vøringsfossen. An absolute stunner!
Vøringsfossen, Norway
5. Take A City Walk In Bergen
Put on your best shoes and get moving in Bergen! It’s not for fun it’s one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Historic wharves and colorful wooden houses in a beautiful Scandinavian design! If it wasn’t for the 240 rainy days in a year here, I would strongly consider moving here after my 3 days here! So cozy!
Walking around Bergen. (@gustavrosted)
Bergen has some undercover artistic hot spots too, and I was surprised to find out that the Bergen street art has burgeoned over the last decade largely thanks to a Bansky visit in 2000. Head to Sentralbadet to see one of Bergen’s only legal street art walls or explore around the University of Bergen or the Skostredet neighborhood to spot more creative pieces of art. This city has it all!
See You Next Time, Bergen!
I can’t wait to visit Bergen in winter time too one day and watch the World’s biggest Gingerbread City – the Pepperkakebyen in Bergen, which unfortunately is only a seasonal attraction, but if you’re visiting Bergen in the winter months (November-December,) you should definitely go. It looks amazing.
Bergen, it was a pleasure. I can’t complain too much after 3 sunny days in the World’s wettest city!
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