This new, sixth edition of Bradt's Iran continues to provide the most detailed background, history and cultural information available when visiting this 'Jewel of Central Asia'. Thoroughly reviewed to provide all the latest information, including security and language, this new edition includes expanded information on travel to western Iran, namely Khorasan Province, which remains largely unexplored, with an emphasis on the uniqueness of Iranian cultural heritage combined with stunning landscapes. Also new are maps of Sadosaltaheh Caravanserai, Tabriz, Kerman and Shiraz and Tehran city centres. Travel through Iranian Kurdistan is also included, as are hiking in the Alborz and Zagros Mountains and expanded practical information for independent travellers. Food and arts, rugs and handicrafts are all covered, plus details of recommended Iranian movies. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are details of swimming, skiing, and desert and eco-tours.Expert authors give first-hand descriptions of attractions ranging from the exquisite mosques of Esfahan and the museums and palaces of Tehran to caravanserai, Nishapur, Qaleh Rudkhan and Kurdish villages on the Silk Road Trail. Up-to-date information on all the basics - hotels, restaurants, businesses and shops - help you to uncover the mysteries of ancient Persepolis, to enjoy a soak and scrub in a local hamam, or to pick up a pair of giveh slippers or a Persian rug in Kirman's baazar.This edition has been updated once again by Middle East expert Maria Oleynik, who is fluent in ten languages, including Persian and Arabic, and who is currently undertaking a degree in Middle Eastern Language (Persian) and Society.
Bradt's Uganda has for many years been considered the go-to source of information for travellers interested in this extraordinary country, which boasts Africa's most biodiverse and arguably most exciting safari circuit. Written by Philip Briggs, the world's foremost guidebook writer on Africa, this new tenth edition of the most detailed travel guidebook available to Uganda has been thoroughly updated by local resident and experienced travel writer Andrew Roberts. Uganda excels for wildlife-watching, and recent transport improvements now make for relatively easy year-round access to key sites. Visit the lush montane forests of Bwindi, which protect one of the world's largest remaining populations of mountain gorillas, watch habituated chimpanzees in Kibale and tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, or enjoy outstanding birdwatching throughout with more than a thousand bird species in a country similar in size to Oregon. As well as treating readers to a full-colour wildlife section with over 100 colour photographs, Bradt's Uganda guides visitors around key wildlife-watching experiences. It provides up-to-date coverage of gorilla-tracking options, describing gorilla groups and their locations everything anyone who dreams of encountering these remarkable primates needs to know. Uganda is not just about wildlife. Hikers love some of Africa's tallest mountains, notably the snow-capped Rwenzori (the 'Mountains of the Moon'), the massive collapsed caldera that tops Mount Elgon, and the steep forest-swathed volcanic peaks of the Virungas. A highlight for adrenaline junkies is rafting the 'Grade Five' white-water rapids on the Nile shortly after it emerges from the inland sea that is Lake Victoria. In this tenth edition, carefully selected accommodation listings have been updated, providing critical appraisals of optimum options in each price bracket. While tourism has long focussed on western Uganda, this edition strengthens attention on the country's remote northeast corner, which is emerging as a popular destination that includes the untrammelled savannah of Kidepo National Park and offers opportunities to interact with traditional Karamojong pastoralists. Boasting detailed maps of the country, updated or created from scratch using GPS, and all the travel advice a visitor might want, Bradt's Uganda remains the essential companion guide to this compelling country. AUTHORS: Philip Briggs (philipbriggs.com) is one of the world's most experienced and prolific guidebook writers, who has been exploring the highways, byways and backwaters of Africa since 1986 and has since expanded into Asia, South America and Europe. In 1991, he wrote Bradt's guide to South Africa, the first guidebook published internationally after Nelson Mandela's release. During the 1990s, he wrote a series of pioneering Bradt travel guides to destinations that were then and some still are otherwise practically uncharted by the travel publishing industry. These included the first dedicated guidebooks to Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana and Rwanda, all of which are regularly updated for new editions. More recently, he authored the first dedicated English-language guidebooks to Somaliland and Suriname, and he has written or updated Bradt guides to Sri Lanka, North Macedonia and The Peloponnese. When not travelling, he lives in the sleepy South African village of Wilderness. Andrew Roberts has lived and worked in Uganda since 1993. He has worked with Uganda Wildlife Authority on tourism and conservation projects in all ten of the countrys national parks settings that he greatly prefers to his office in the capital of Kampala. As the creator of the Uganda Maps series that shows the parks, reserves and other tourism sites, Andrew is constantly up to date with tourism developments in Uganda. He has updated several editions of Bradt's Uganda guidebook.
Antarctica is home to the world's largest concentration of wildlife in the coldest, windiest and driest place on earth. Cruise the Southern Ocean for a wandering albatross, land on continental beaches to sit with thousands of penguins, keep a sharp eye open for humpback whales against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains soaring upwards from the sea, marvel at orcas harrying Weddell seals off ice floes, or gawp at a leopard seal as it grabs and flays a penguin. Visiting Antarctica means being in your very own natural-history documentary. Conditions may be extreme, but wildlife thrives in superb scenery.
Bradt's Antarctica: a guide to the wildlife brings to life the history of exploration (and exploitation) in this vast polar desert, where two-thirds of the world's fresh water is locked up as ice on a continent twice the size of Australia. This readable introduction to mammals, birds, fish, invertebrates and plants is ideal for those 'going south' to the world's highest continent, where more than half the land exceeds 2,000m above sea level. Celebrating the amazing species of this spectacular environment, the guide features chapters on the region's famous whales and penguins alongside entries on lesser-known species like skuas and sheathbills. Each species account blends extensive insights into natural history with identification tips and stunning artwork.
Although focusing on wildlife on the Antarctic Peninsula, a section on South Georgia's birds briefs those whose itinerary extends to that island. Updated throughout to address the needs of a flourishing but environmentally conscious tourism industry, this eighth edition takes account of evolving changes in population dynamics of Antarctic creatures, and reflects profound changes to the ice-shelf extent, which have made it easier for expedition vessels to contemplate visiting emperor penguin colonies.
Written by renowned expedition leader and former natural-history broadcaster Tony Soper and illustrated with specially commissioned paintings by Dafila Scott (granddaughter of 'Scott of the Antarctic', no less), Bradt's Antarctica: a guide to the wildlife is an informative, entertaining guidebook that will whet your appetite for this trip of a lifetime - and will always be within arm's reach when you get there.
This new, thoroughly updated sixth edition of Bradt's Faroe Islands remains the only English-language guide to this isolated, unspoiled Nordic archipelago, home to Tórshavn (the world's smallest capital). There are twice as many sheep as people - meaning that it's still possible to discover a way of life that is fast disappearing elsewhere in Europe, a place where sheep were fitted with cameras to help film for Google Streetview (locally dubbed Google 'Sheepview').
Visiting the Faroes is a chance to experience nature in the raw. Its breathtaking landscapes never fail to inspire, from the highest sea cliffs in Europe at Enniberg on the island of Viðoy to the dramatic seascapes at Akraberg, the southernmost point of the Faroes. Also included are details of how to reach even the remotest corners by bus using a travel card, information on falling seabird numbers in the North Atlantic, and details of where to go sea angling, sea kayaking, birdwatching and horseriding.
Written by expert author James Proctor, who has been visiting the Faroes since 1992, this guidebook offers detailed information about all 18 islands (including Mykines, whose year-round population is barely in double figures). Within the islands themselves, Bradt's Faroe Islands is recognised as the definitive source of information about the Faroes in the English language - and is widely respected as such. There's hands-on advice about where to stay and eat, how to get around - be it by local ferry, helicopter or your own hire car - and what to see and do. This latest edition includes all the most recent developments (including improvements in air, ferry and road travel - the latter including the world's only subsea roundabout - and an expansion in sea-kayaking opportunities) and provides all the information needed for a successful trip, with updated reviews of accommodation (plus Tórshavn's classy new hotels), eating and drinking options.
Whether you're visiting for the amazing birdlife, to walk some of Europe's least-known hiking trails or simply to sample real village life among the turf-roofed houses painted in a mêlée of reds, yellows and blues, Bradt's Faroe Islands is the perfect companion.
Written by Central Asian expert and experienced travel writer Sophie Ibbotson, who is Uzbekistan's Tourism Ambassador to the UK, this new, fully updated fourth edition of Bradt's Uzbekistan remains the definitive practical travel guide to an increasingly liberal destination - Central Asia's most populous country and the heart of the Silk Road - offering more detail for independent travellers than any other guidebook, sharing first-hand descriptions of everything from UNESCO World Heritage sites and the world's best collection of Soviet avant-garde art, to riding across deserts by camel and cooking plov (lamb pilaf).
A perfect spring or autumn destination, Uzbekistan is unexpectedly packed with diverse experiences, from the Silk Road cities of Bukhara and Khiva to glorious Islamic architecture. Explore the Kyzylkum Desert by camel, ski amid the western Tian Shan mountains, overnight by the Aral Sea to search for the bizarre saiga antelope, visit 50 ancient Khorezm fortresses in Karakalpakstan, or gawp at Registan's unmissable sound and light show. Stroll through Bukhara's old town then take tea at chaikhana teahouse or shop in the Chorsu bazaar, trade's beating heart in Tashkent. Or marvel at medieval tiled tombs in Shah-I Zinda and the magnificent 19th-century palace of Kokand ruler Khudayar Khan.
It has never been easier to explore this fascinating country. Over the past decade,
Uzbekistan's new reformist government has been strengthening its tourism offer, including improving infrastructure and reducing bureaucracy, culminating in it hosting a World Tourist Organisation conference in 2023 and initiating a new 300 million tourism strategy for 2030. Complemented by the author's 2023 Bradt guide to Karakalpakstan, this new edition reflects post-COVID 19 investments in tourism infrastructure, and provides more detailed economic and political insights. Entirely new elements include Amirsoy resort, Zarafshan nature reserve, Lower Amudarya Biosphere Reserve and Shirin ecovillage, while there is expanded coverage of Tashkent hotels, museums and shopping; Navoi tour operators; and new hotels in Khiva.
Whether you're interested in culture, trekking, historical sites, archaeology and architecture, seeing endless deserts or majestic mountainscapes, or fascinated by the Golden Road to Samarkand and Silk Road cities, Bradt's Uzbekistan is your ideal travel companion.
This 8th edition of Bradt's Ghana remains the only dedicated guidebook on the market and the most comprehensive source of travel information on the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence and the world's second-largest producer of chocolate. Covering everything from Ghana's 550km of Atlantic coastline to its remote and sparsely populated northern border with Burkina Faso, this new edition has been thoroughly updated and is an ideal companion no matter what your interests are. Written by Philip Briggs, arguably the world's most experienced guidebook writer, it covers everything from inexpensive opportunities to see wildlife to cultural and historical aspects such as the slave trading posts.
Background, practical and health information are complemented by a dedicated, illustrated chapter on wildlife, 63 maps and 18 chapters split across five regional sections, from Accra and surrounds to the coast, through eastern and central Ghana, right up to the north. The popular Cape Coast and the Ashanti regions are both covered, as is the increasingly high-profile Chale Wote Street Art festival.
Friendly, safe and inexpensive, Ghana is an ideal destination for first-time visitors to Africa. It is rich in little-visited national parks, forest reserves, cultural sites and scenic waterfalls and blessed with bleached white beaches and the lush rainforest of the Atlantic coastline. Bradt's Ghana is accompanied by a dedicated, updated website run by the author himself and caters for everyone from birdwatchers to bar-hoppers. Whether you want to cruise the world's largest man-made reservoir, Lake Volta, on a pokey old steamer, hike with elephants in Mole National Park, or party all night in Accra's glittering Osu district, Bradt's Ghana is an indispensable companion.
New from Bradt is the first ever, standalone English-language guide to Hokkaido, Japan's second-largest island and northernmost prefecture. Home to under 5% of the country's population, this is a land of vast, wild expanses that demands exploration at any time of year - and feels a world away from Tokyo.
Penned by an outdoors-loving travel writer resident in Japan, Bradt's Hokkaido delves far deeper into this frontier land than country-wide guidebooks can possibly do. Author Tom Fay provides detailed coverage of the island's history, unique wildlife, local food, the Ainu (indigenous people), outdoor activities, skiing logistics, hiking courses and the practicalities of visiting in winter, when deep snow carpets the ground and the sea turns to ice.
Hokkaido's varied landscapes include remote mountain ranges, fertile lowland plains, sweeping forests and enormous wetlands home to rare birds and other wildlife. Even for the Japanese, Hokkaido has a somewhat wild and exotic aura - place names have distinct Ainu origins and the capital Sapporo is closer to Russia's Vladivostok than to Tokyo, while the Siberia-influenced climate and wide open spaces are unlike anything found in the rest of Japan.
Hokkaido's mild summers are ideal for sightseeing, cycling, camping and hiking. Why not climb the island's highest mountain in Daisetsuzan National Park - an untouched wilderness of simmering volcanoes and stunning nature - or marvel at colourful fields of flowers around Furano and Biei? In winter, you can go to snow festivals, walk on sea ice (or board an icebreaker) to explore the Sea of Okhotsk, watch flocks of sea eagles or track brown bears in Shiretoko National Park, or head to popular ski resorts such as Niseko where the huge dumps of perfect powder snow attract skiers and snowboarders from around the world.
Throw in hot springs (and ryokan hot-spring inns), active volcanoes, speciality seafood and quirky foodstuffs such as chocolate-covered chips, excellent transport links and renowned Japanese hospitality, and Hokkaido is a thrilling and varied off-the-beaten-path travel destination. Bradt's Hokkaido is instantly the essential companion.
New from Bradt, Greenland is the first standalone travel guidebook to the country from a mainstream publisher. Targeted at independent travellers, but equally serving those visiting on organised tours or cruises, this guide combines essential information - such as getting around on an island lacking roads connecting the major settlements - with advice on what to see and do, and where to stay and eat. Every chapter is infused with Greenland's remarkable combination of pristine nature and traditional culture, which sets it apart from Arctic neighbours - and which makes a trip so rewarding.
The world's twelfth-largest country, but also part of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland sits near the top of the world, a vast expanse of white in a planet full of green, blue and brown. Today's visitors relish opportunities for close encounters with immense icebergs and glaciers. The epic scenery provides the backdrop to the numerous activities on offer - from visiting the world's second-largest ice sheet or taking to the sea in search of thirteen species of whale, and from hiking the 165-km-long Arctic Circle Trail to seeking out polar bears, musk oxen and walruses.
Greenland in winter is another world, the endless night brightened by the mesmerising northern lights. It remains a snowy paradise until spring - the best time to travel by dog sled or snowmobile across the frozen tundra. To relax afterwards, why not close your trip with a few days of nature-inspired art, eclectic culture and fine dining in the diminutive capital, Nuuk?
Greenland has always been a destination for pioneering explorers, be they the Inuit who arrived from the west, the Norsemen who came from the east or mariners seeking the Northwest Passage. Part of the attraction for today's visitors is to experience an element of the challenges they faced. Although travel within Greenland can be tricky given limited infrastructure and often adverse weather conditions, it can also be a remarkably easy place in which to travel, with the right planning, a flexible attitude and the right advice - which is precisely where Bradt's Greenland comes in. Let it be your guide to a truly staggering country.
This thoroughly updated fourth edition of Bradt's Lapland is the only standalone guidebook in English to this wintry wonderland, a region spanning the northernmost fringes of Norway, Sweden and Finland where there are as many reindeer as people, it never gets dark in summer and never gets light in mid-winter. In this new edition, expert author James Proctor covers all the latest developments, including the most up-to-date information on where to see the Northern Lights (Lapland is the best region in the world for Northern Lights viewing) and where to go husky sledding, reviews of the treehouse hotels which have sprung up across the region, the latest details of how to fly directly to one of the Europe's most far-flung destinations from the UK and USA, plus information on a wide range of summer and winter adventures, from hiking and wild swimming to snowmobiling, wilderness stays and staying in the Icehotel.
Everybody has heard of Lapland. Everybody knows it's the home of Father Christmas. Yet remarkably few people can accurately pinpoint Lapland on a map. Bradt's Lapland lifts the lid off this little-known, enigmatic region and shows that there's much more to Lapland than the man with the long white beard and the red suit. This is a land of elemental beauty with plenty to offer anyone who's looking to explore the great outdoors without the great crowds. Lapland is vast and empty, a place of indigenous villages, sweeping forests, mighty waterfalls - the raw side of nature here is the region's defining and inescapable characteristic and no visit is complete without leaving the creature comforts of the nearest town well behind.
Whether on an organized tour or travelling independently, Bradt's Lapland is the essential travel companion.
This new, fourth edition of Bradt's Italy: Abruzzo remains the only standalone English-language guide to this beautiful, increasingly favoured part of Italy. Abruzzo offers the best of undiscovered Italy, from pristine beaches to mountain glaciers, with charming medieval villages clinging to the hillsides in between. This edition has been thoroughly updated to cover all recent developments, explaining in detail its appeal for active tourism, including wildlife-watching, trekking, skiing and horse-riding, plus family holidays. Abruzzo offers one of Italy's most beautiful coastlines, which lie near the country's tallest mountain ranges outside the Alps. Little wonder that Abruzzo is Italy's second most popular skiing centre bar the Alps and that it offers some the country's finest hiking and wildlife-watching opportunities. Moreover, according to the 'I Borghi Piu Belli d'Italia' ('Italy's most beautiful towns') programme, Abruzzo has 25 such locations, second only to Umbria. What makes the Abruzzo region remarkable is that, despite being so close to Rome, it is still about as unique and authentic an Italian experience as you can get in a country so devoured by international tourism. The Abruzzesi feel a sense of relief about this, viewing theirs as the one truly untouched region in Italy and this despite increasing accessibility from other European countries and its emergence as a leading conference destination. Alongside practical information on how to get around, and suggestions for the best places to stay and eat (including both secret urban gems and remote rural idylls), Bradt's Italy: Abruzzo also advises on where to go to enjoy Blue Flag beaches, mountain walks, pristine castles, frescoed churches, World War II commemorative sites, Roman ruins and the chance to spot charismatic animals such as brown bears and grey wolves. There is extensive coverage of Abruzzo's notable cultural and linguistic diversity, and of its cuisine: Abruzzo is home to most of Italy's pasta production. Written with warmth and insight by a native Abruzzese, this fourth edition of Bradt's Italy: Abruzzo contains all the practical and background information, and expert local advice, you need to discover this surprising, enchanting Italian region. AUTHOR: Luciano Di Gregorio (lucianodigregorio.com) is a freelance writer and editor, as well as an educator at both secondary and tertiary levels. He was born and raised as a child in Pescara (Abruzzo, Italy) and later grew up in Melbourne. Luciano spent almost ten years living in Hong Kong, as well as a few years living in London and Brussels. He is currently focusing on an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University, as well as lecturing for a university. He speaks a number of languages and strives to learn more. As a freelance travel writer, he has authored every edition of Bradt's Italy: Abruzzo, has updated other guidebooks and has written for various newspapers and magazines. He recently returned to Abruzzo to live.
Bradt's Paddling France is the first practical guidebook to explore the whole country by SUP (stand-up paddleboard), canoe and kayak - waterborne activities enjoying a popularity boom. Experienced paddleboarder, travel writer and local resident Anna Richards has toured the country's rivers, lakes and coasts to handpick 40 outstanding itineraries for water-based exploration that suit all abilities from novice to expert, enabling readers to experience Metropolitan France as never before!
Suggested routes extend from Brittany to the Spanish and Italian borders, and encompass some of France's best-known tourist attractions - from the chateaux of the Loire Valley and Mont Saint-Michel to the Pont du Gard and Dune du Pilat - as well as less familiar destinations such as Der-Chantecoq Lake, Txingudi Bay and the Glenan Islands. Itineraries occupy dramatically varied landscapes: choose between paddling past coastal cliffs, small islands and steepling gorges, across twinkling lakes and down sparkling rivers, through wine regions, and even around urban surprises such as Lille's five-point citadelle.
Compared to the UK, paddleboarding is in its infancy in France, but hundreds of paddleboard clubs have opened in recent years. Join its members in experiencing a new take on France. Enjoy spectacular views of some of the country's grandest chateaux; spot seals, beavers and griffon vultures from the water; and choose between paddling a lake in a red landscape that will make you feel you have landed on Mars, or gawping upwards at chalky-white cliff arches.
Whatever your level of confidence on the waterways, there are suggestions for you: from free paddles without a fixed route, to short routes and routes taking a full day. Routes are marked on maps and illustrated by photos, and complemented by cultural, historical and geographical titbits. Accompanying information and advice is geared towards the independent traveller, covering travel logistics, equipment rental, accommodation options and food, plus handy vocabulary and need-to-know sections.
Building on the intense commercial and critical success of Bradt's Paddling Britain, this brand-new guidebook to Paddling France is a unique almanac that equips any watersports enthusiast travelling to or around France with all the practical knowledge necessary to plan their adventure.
This new, fully updated fourth edition of Bradt's Uruguay remains the only dedicated English-language guide to a country that's small but bursting with character. Bradt's Uruguay provides in-depth coverage of the capital Montevideo, where the once-derelict colonial Old City is undergoing a historic resurgence, plus detailed information on the UNESCO-listed coastal city of Colonia del Sacramento, as well as Punta del Este, where the Buenos Aires glitterati decamp to the beaches each summer. There's advice, too, for active travellers who can rattle their whips on cattle-ranching estancias and spin their sticks in a game of polo or two and for nature enthusiasts keen to watch wildlife in the western wetlands and birds in Cabo Polonio and Santa Teresa.
The guide also investigates the Brazilian influences behind Uruguay's music and dance, an active and upcoming food and wine scene, and the country's distinctive Afro-Uruguayan heritage, most noticeable during the world-beating 40-day Carnaval season. In addition, it covers the recent de-velopment of marijuana tours following the legalisation of marijuana.
Uruguay caters for all tastes, whether you want to ride with gauchos and spend time on a tradi-tional estancia like La Sirena, visit Fray Bentos and discover the history of the town's former meat-packing plant, or take a tour of the Canelones department wineries. Montevideo's splendid Art Deco architecture and colourful annual Carnaval are covered, and so too are the stunning sandy beaches of boho-chic fishing village José Ignacio and the Termas de Daymán - Uruguay's largest hot baths. Also included are San Javier, an ideal base for bird-watching trips along the Río Uruguay and details of hiking in Quebrada de los Cuervos National Park - a subtropical canyon filled with flowers and birds.
Most commonly known for winning the first soccer World Cup, electing the world's so-called 'poorest president', and raising a whole lot of beef on the pampa, Uruguay remains among South America's safest and most stable destinations, replete with interest waiting to be discovered by both leisure and adventurous travellers.
For the UK.
This new tenth edition of Bradt's Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia remains the most in-depth guide available to these exotic and alluring islands. Thoroughly updated following extensive on-the-ground research, accommodation listings are near comprehensive, with over 300 properties spanning all budget levels featured, many newly built and the vast majority not featured in other guides. Bradt's Zanzibar also offers for more detailed coverage of the islands' cultural, historic and environmental status than other guides, and the authors make a point of featuring more ethically- minded hotels, tour operators and activities, from fair- trade shopping opportunities to marine awareness guidelines. All maps have been accurately updated with every property, major attraction, eatery and road recorded using GPS. No other guidebook provides this level of guidance.
Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia have become increasingly accessible dream destinations. All offer some wonderful beach resorts catering to most styles and budgets, but they also offer superb diving and snorkelling, while Swahili-related cultural highlights range from the history-steeped alleys of Zanzibar Stone Town to a scattering of evocative ruins spanning several centuries, and the more low-key fishing villages that line the coast.
Bradt's Zanzibar is the most frequently updated book on the islands: the authors are personally known in the region for their face-to-face research methods and this is the book of choice for hoteliers and expatriate workers/residents on Zanzibar. The guide also includes a dedicated section on southern Tanzanian safaris in the Selous/Nyerere and Ruaha National Parks, making this the ideal choice for a bush and beach combination.
This new, fully updated fourth edition of Bradt's Kosovo remains the only full-length, English-language guidebook to this Balkan land rich in cultural heritage and contemporary arts, and oozing generous hospitality and stunning scenery. This new edition is ideal for visitors and expats alike, offering maps, contacts and detailed information not easily accessible online, insider knowledge of one of Europe's last unspoiled destinations, and comprehensive detail on sites, attractions and practical information.
Ringed by high mountains and overcoming a turbulent past, increasingly serviced by low-cost flights and benefitting from investment in travel infrastructure, Kosovo is enjoying a tourism renaissance. What was once a hub for adventurous backpackers and international organisations, Europe's youngest country has become a leading outdoors destination in its own right. On mega-hiking trails like the Via Dinarica and the Peaks of the Balkans, you can hike up saw-toothed mountains, with 20 peaks exceeding 2,500 m altitude. This edition features new via ferratas - climbing routes - in the country's north and west, plus thrilling new opportunities for off-piste skiing, zip lining and paragliding.
Prishtina's ever-changing cafe and restaurant scene remains a must, while fresh for this edition include new tourist attractions, such as Germia's adventure park and the Kosovo War Museum. Enthusiasts of Brutalist architecture have plenty to admire, notably Prishtina's National Library, while recently restored archaeological sites, such as Ulpiana and Novo Brdo, offer a haven for history buffs. Gjakova has complemented its flourishing cafe and shopping scene with new nature-tourism offerings. Kosovo has become a leading venue for international DJs, while Grammy-winning popstar Dua Lipa's Sunny Hill Festival has put the country firmly on the musical map, doing for music what Dokufest (Kosovo's documentary and short-film festival) has done for film.
Whether you enjoy a traditional meal and overnight stay in a well-preserved kulla (stone tower-house), relax by sampling raki at a vineyard, or rejuvenate through the dynamic vibe of a country where half the population is aged under 25, Kosovo will surprise and excite. This fourth edition of Bradt's Kosovo contains all the up-to-date information critical to a smooth visit, making it an indispensable travelling companion.
The new seventh edition of Bradt's Sri Lanka remains the most detailed and comprehensive guidebook to this alluring island nation. Written by Philip Briggs, one of the world's most experienced and highly regarded guidebook writers, this thoroughly updated guide provides detailed coverage of every aspect of this diverse and compact country, from idyllic tropical coastlines to mist-shrouded tea plantations and time-warped colonial homesteads. Alongside in-depth sections on all major beach resorts, archaeological sites, historic towns and national parks, it introduces adventurous travellers to intriguing lesser-known sites and emergent destinations inaccessible for decades prior to 2009, when the civil war ended.
Beach holidays are a year-round attraction, while fantastic Buddhist-affiliated UNESCO World Heritage Sites range from the massive dagobas of Anuradhapura, built in pre-Christian times on a scale rivalling Egyptian pyramids, to Dambulla's exquisitely painted cave temples. Wildlife-viewing opportunities abound, and this guide provides unparalleled, illustrated advice on making the most of these. Asia's densest elephant and leopard populations thrive in an extensive network of national parks, complemented by fine whale and dolphin-watching, and 450 bird species including 30 occurring in no other country.
Extensive hotel and restaurant listings, covering everything from exclusive boutique hotels to shoestring homestays, have been cherry-picked based on the author's personal inspection of hundreds of properties countrywide. Sri Lanka's increasingly renowned cuisine features strongly, as does its growing focus on wellness tourism including Ayurveda therapies. This guidebook differs further from competitors by catering for truly independent travellers, providing 70-plus visitor-focused maps covering all major towns and resorts, clear directions for public transport, and off-the-beaten-track information.
Following a tourist boom in the south, and the gradual opening of the north and east to independent travel, tourism jumped 15% in the two years to 2018. Following COVID-19 and a 2019 terrorism incident, Sri Lankan tourism is again welcoming visitors, with infrastructure benefitting from recent investment in trains, which provide comfortable, efficient and inexpensive public transport. Whether you're into wildlife, culture, beaches or cuisine - and whether you seek luxury or budget travel - Bradt's Sri Lanka will address your every need for an enjoyable visit to this bewitching and varied country.
This new, thoroughly updated second edition of Bradt's Ivory Coast remains the only English-language guidebook to focus solely on this culturally rich West African country, a place of crimson savannas, sublime mountains and cream-hued beaches that is becoming increasingly popular for ecotourism and wildlife, surfing and off-the-beaten track travel. Written in easy-to-navigate geographical structure, chapters on background and practical information are followed by dedicated sections on Abidjan and the surrounding area; the southeast, including Grand-Bassam and Assinie; the southwest, including Sassandra, San-Pe?dro and the Parc National de Tai?; and the centre: Yamoussoukro, Bouake?, Daloa and Abengourou. Moving up the country, the Dix-Huit Montagnes area is covered, including Man and Touba, followed by a chapter on the North, including Odienne?, Korhogo, Kong, Parc National de la Comoe? and Bondoukou.
From wildlife and birdwatching to hiking, trekking, chocolate and twerking, Bradt's Ivory Coast lifts the lid on what gives this country its unique flavour. Tribal arts, vibrant reggae, Afrobeat and traditional folk-music scenes, and delicious Ivorian food are all covered, as are hotels, the extraordinary mud mosques of Kong and the far north, Drummologie and 'talking drums', football (the 2023 Africa Nations Cup will be held here), and unprecedented pricing and timetabling information for the full range of transport options.
Having only recently re-opened for tourism, Ivory Coast is West Africa's hidden treasure. Packed with vivid descriptions, detailed maps and essential practical advice, Bradt's Ivory Coast is the ideal companion for a perfect trip, whatever your interest.
For over 25 years Bradt's Zambia Safari Guide has been widely acknowledged as the best guidebook to this African country, and it is now the only dedicated guide to Zambia's world-renowned safari destinations. Combining in-depth reviews of lodges, camps and other accommodation (from a stately home to a contemporary woven treehouse), detailed descriptions of safari locations and operators, extensive practical details, local insights, a brand new 48-page colour wildlife guide and curated coverage of the main access points of Lusaka and Livingstone, this is the 'must-have' guidebook to travel planning and exploring the country's wildlife-rich safari regions.
Lying in the heart of the continent, Zambia is deepest, darkest Africa at its most appealing. Many visitors are drawn initially to the majestic Victoria Falls. Others come for the glory of Zambia's stellar national parks: the South Luangwa, the Lower Zambezi and Kafue. For seasoned safari goers, Zambia is the home of the walking safari; for adventurous travellers, it is about canoeing past hippos on the Lower Zambezi - or diving into a whole new world of freshwater fish in Lake Tanganyika.
Experienced travel writers Chris and Susie McIntyre - both Africa experts, with Susie having grown up in Zambia - use their decades of safari experience and in-depth knowledge of the Zambian safari scene to provide accurate, honest and upbeat descriptions, anecdotes and advice. To help readers make informed choices, the authors explain where to find top-quality guiding and detail Zambia's top spots for wildlife and wilderness (including GPS co-ordinates for those who prefer self-drive holidays). They advise on the best walking safaris plus the 'silent safaris' available in electric vehicles and boats, and suggest how best to combine different safari experiences into a fulfilling itinerary in a country where nearly one-third of the land area is reserved for wildlife.
Whether you are a wildlife enthusiast or Africa addict, an escapist seeking wilderness or a family craving adventure; and whether you prefer a local operator to make your arrangements or independent travel, Bradt's Zambia Safari Guide is the perfect travel companion.
Written by a female Middle East expert, Bradt's Saudi Arabia is the first English-language travel guide from a mainstream publisher that focuses exclusively on the Kingdom. Now open for general tourism following wide-ranging reforms, the difference between Saudi Arabia's image and reality will surprise even seasoned travelers. With detailed information on what to see and do, accommodation and restaurant listings, guidance on cultural etiquette and advice for women visitors (who can travel more freely than popularly believed), this book provides advice essential for tourists keen to explore this exciting destination.
This new, thoroughly updated sixth edition of Bradt's Botswana Safari Guide remains the only full-blown, standalone guide to one of Africa's most popular and rewarding safari destinations. This is the sole guide to focus on Botswana's key safari locations: the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park and the Northern Kalahari. Botswana's wilderness is pristine, a virtue underpinned by governmental commitment to sustainable tourism. The Okavango Delta's permanent waters attract year-round wildlife, now including all the 'big five': rhinos have been successfully re-introduced. Outside the Delta, this English-speaking country offers tremendous variety in landscapes, from the arid Kalahari to lush forests. Riverine areas harbour spectacular herds of elephants and buffalo, and mighty predator populations. Dusty savannahs attract hardier game such as oryx and springbok. On Makgadikgadi's great salt pans, zebra gather in huge congregations after rain. Birdwatching is brilliant throughout. Then there's Botswana's rich history, from the ancient rock paintings at the Tsodilo Hills, to Stone Age arrowheads on the Makgadikgadi Pans. Bradt's Botswana Safari Guide offers detailed descriptions of many lodges, from traditional tented camps to those offering five-star luxury and top-class cuisine, plus detail on what animals occur where, enabling you to select the optimum approach. With this book's comprehensive GPS co-ordinates and detailed maps, independent travellers can drive themselves around. But perhaps you prefer bespoke mobile safaris with a private guide? Either way, take a night drive to see creatures of the dark: genets and hunting leopards. For a different feel, explore rivers on gentle motorboat cruises, including on multi-day trips, or get closer to the water in a traditional mokoro (dug-out canoe), with a poler escorting you along shallow waterways. Or seek out a specialist walking camp for the excitement of bush walks when meerkats might even pose atop your head for a great lookout. And why not use this book's advice to book-end trips by visiting Livingstone (Zambia) and the Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)? Written and updated by Chris and Susie McIntyre, experts on all things Africa, Bradt's Botswana Safari Guide is the definitive companion to discovering this thrilling destination. AUTHORS: Chris McIntyre (expertafrica.com) went to Africa in 1987, after reading Physics at Queen's College, Oxford. He taught with VSO in Zimbabwe for almost three years and travelled extensively, before writing his first guidebook (Bradt's guide to Namibia and Botswana) in 1990. He has since written all Bradt's guides to Namibia and Botswana and co-authors (with his wife, Susie) Bradt's guides to Zanzibar and Zambia, and (with Philip Briggs) Bradt's guides to Tanzania. Alongside keeping these guidebooks up to date, Chris is managing director of Expert Africa. This specialist tour operator organises high-quality trips for individual travellers throughout Africa, including safaris and the Wild about Africa trip programme, which is led by top professional guides. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, McIntyre now lives in Surrey with his wife Susie and two children. Susie McIntyre had an adventurous childhood in Zambia and Saudi Arabia, and has spent the last two decades promoting responsible global travel as a PR, marketing consultant, author and journalist. She is passionate about southern Africa: its people, wildlife and diversity. From Indian Ocean diving to cutting-edge conservation, community development to family travel and off-grid adventures, Susie is dedicated to thorough, on-the-ground research and works tirelessly to ensure the complexities of the region are accurately represented. As a travel writer, Susie has co-authored Bradt's Zanzibar, Zambia and Botswana Safari Guide. Susie lives in the English countryside with her husband and fellow African expert, Chris McIntyre, and their equally adventurous children. Together they all spend a significant amount of time travelling and researching in Africa to get their fix of the continent and ensure they are totally abreast with developments.
This new third edition of Bradt's Angola remains the only dedicated English-language guide to this increasingly popular southern African nation. Thoroughly updated, it includes full practical and background information, everything you need to know about the capital city, Luanda, plus coverage of the rest of the country in 16 chapters. Also featured are 38 maps, including detailed city maps for all 18 provincial capitals, plus a specific section devoted to the sometimes-tricky process of applying for a visa.
Bradt's Angola is written by expert author Oscar Scafidi who lived and worked in Angola for five years, has travelled to all the country's provinces, and who has successfully completed a record-breaking kayak trip along the length of Angola's Kwanza River. Thanks to his knowledge, Bradt's Angola is ideal for everyone from independent surfers and bird-watchers on organised tours to fishing enthusiasts, conservationists, surfers, NGO workers and overlanders, not to mention adventurous travellers simply wanting to discover this intriguing country.
Angola continues to change at a rapid pace and offers everything from colonial Portuguese ruins to $100-a-plate sushi bars, landscaped waterfronts to grand public buildings, Portuguese and Brazilian heritage to frontier diamond towns, tropical rainforests to desert, and relaxed coastal resorts on 1,000km of unspoiled beaches. It's also the site of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Mbanza Kongo, once the centre of power for the Kilukeni dynasty, who founded the city almost 100 years before the arrival of the Portuguese.
Whether wildlife watcher or surfer, business traveller or pioneering adventurer, Bradt's Angola provides all the information you will need to get the most out of this vast country.
