Undiscovered Gems

Why follow the crowds. Enjoy unique and exotic experiences  known only to the seasoned traveler. Check out these undiscovered gems before they become well known.

Selous Game Reserve
Visit Selous, perhaps one of the world’s largest game reserves. Certainly it is one of the least visited. This reserve established in 1922 was for many years a trophy hunter’s paradise but with the advent of the walking safari has become a top spot for everyone who is tired of the traffic jams in many of the other parks. Sign up with one of the best guides in Africa for an unforgettable week in the bush and then retire to a secluded beach for some R&R. Ras Kutani just south of Dar es Salaam is just such a spot. Lie in your hammock and watch the dhows sail by.  The best time to visit the reserve  is during the dry season, June - November.  Fly in from Dar es Salaam on a charter aircraft as access by road is  difficult and only possible in the dry season.

Trabzon Turkey

 Trabzon is often over looked by foreign visitors. It lies on the coastal road that extends from east of Istanbul to the Georgian border of the former Soviet Union and is defined by lush green mountain ranges and picturesque beach areas. The best way to get there is to drive and one of the best drives is through a small picturesque town called Safranbolu. Set along a winding river that runs thhrough a steep ravine, Safranbolu is a photographer’s delight. Visit early on Wednesdays and Saturdays and you will find the outdoor markets filled with country folk, many dressed in traditional Turkish garb. Situated on the Silk route Trabzon intrigued Marco Polo with its history of exotic customs and fairy-tale architecture. This city of about 400,000 people is an eclectic mixture of Greek and Turkish customs. The church of the Ayasofya, on a cliff overlooking the sea has some of the most beautiful frescoes in Turkey, while 30 minutes outside Trabzon lies yet another great Byzantine monument, The Sumela Monastery. Built in the fourth century this seven-story edifice hangs from the edge of a 1,000 foot cliff. Home to some of the greatest thinkers in the orthodox church it was destroyed by fire and abandoned in 1923 but can still be reached by a well maintained stairway that leads up the cliff face with plenty of rest stops along the way. Foreigners driving in Turkey must have an international driving license and Green Card International Insurance, endorsed in Europe and Asia for driving in Turkey or Turkish third-party insurance.