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Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate National Park

Gosia — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 16:57:45 +0000

Lake Naivasha is located along the eastern part of the East African Rift, a tectonic depression system that has shaped the landscape of this region in interesting ways. It’s the highest freshwater lake in the Rift Valley, situated at an elevation of 1,884 meters above sea level, and is fed by the Malewa and Gilgil rivers. The high elevation of Lake Naivasha and its freshwater environment create a unique ecosystem that attracts over 400 species of birds. Visitors can spot numerous cormorants, pelicans, herons, kingfishers, and eagles. In addition to the birds, the area is home to numerous hippos, while the lakeshore provides an ideal habitat for zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, and monkeys. Moreover, the park is home to various predators. One of the most surprising sights for me was the rare view of a lioness climbing a tree. Apparently, in areas with higher vegetation, lions often rest in tree canopies to gain a better vantage point for spotting prey. Another incredible sight was a leopard lounging on a tree trunk, perfectly blending into its surroundings. At first glance, it was almost invisible. Furthermore, I was finally able to see there the endangered rhinos. Nearby, the impressive Hell’s Gate National Park offers stunning cliffs, gorges carved by water, and geothermal activity. The park offers various attractions, from wildlife observation, hiking and climbing to cycling. It is the only park in Kenya that allows such activities. A must-visit spot is the lower gorge, where visitors can see interesting rock formations. Hell’s Gate was formed as a result of volcanic activity. In the early 20th century, a volcanic eruption forced the last remaining tribes to leave the area, giving rise to the park’s name, “Hell’s Gate.” The park features numerous geothermal springs, a product of volcanic activity, which are used for energy production. The Olkaria geothermal power plant, the largest and oldest in Africa, is located here. The park also features a spa where visitors can enjoy hot spring baths. Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate National Park offer the perfect destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. It’s a great option for a day trip from Nairobi, providing a chance to relax in the midst of Kenya’s beautiful natural surroundings.

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Albania – north direction

Gosia — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 07:00:14 +0000

Albania has recently become a popular destination. There’re many reasons: beautiful beaches, interesting monuments, good food and even better prices. During my 10-day stay, I managed to visit a large part of this country. I must admit that Albania has enormous potential, which the country seems to have not fully exploited. There is no investment in tourist infrastructure and no waste management. Rubbish seems to be an inherent element of the Albanian landscape. However, the main problem for me was the dramatic condition of the roads, which significantly limited the number of places I could see in such a short time. Despite everything, I believe that Albania is a country worth visiting. First of all, because of its diversity, which is especially visible in the northern part of the country. I started my tour of northern Albania from the castle in Kruja, also known as Skanderbeg’s Citadel. It is a medieval fortress located on a high hill. Kruja is a historical place on the map of Albania and a symbol of the heroic fight against the Ottomans. The city is known mainly because of the figure of Skandenberg – the national hero of Albania. Under his leadership, the fortress withstood the siege of Ottoman troops three times in the 15th century. Ultimately, the Ottomans managed to capture it after his death. The massive structure with a round tower is impressive, but the fortress in its present shape is arises a lot of controversy among Albanians. It was reconstructed according to the design of the daughter of the dictator Enver Hoxha, and apparently its current appearance differs significantly from the original. Inside the fortress there’s a museum dedicated to Skandenberg. Sari Salltik’s Shrine Near the castle in Kruje there’s an interesting religious building dedicated to the Turkish dervish -Sari Salltik, who is said to have brought Islam to the Balkans. This place is located only 7 km from Kruje. A picturesque mountain road unexpectedly ends at the top of the mountain. Right next to the parking lot there’s the entrance to the temple. The small temple is actually located inside a cave. Ther’re quite steep stairs leading to it. The temple consists of a small chapel carved in the rock and a vestibule where you can see the tombs. I didn’t see any tourists there. This place seems to be well – hidden from the mass tourism. This is surprising because the nearby Kruja Castle was literally besieged by tours during my visit. Rozafa Castle Near the town of Shkodër there is another castle known from a rather dramatic legend. Its name – Rozafa comes from the name of a woman who was bricked up alive within its walls. Apparently this was to prevent them from collapsing. The fortress is located on the top of a mountain, where you can see an amazing view of Shkodër. Lake Shkodër Lake Shkodër is the largest inland reservoir in the Balkans. It’s the border area of Montenegro and Albania, while the most part of it is located on the territory of Montenegro. The lake is very popular among tourists due to its picturesque mountain location and the habitat of many bird species. A popular destination for a one-day trip from Shkodër is Lake Koman. Lake Koman is a “side effect” of the construction of three hydroelectric plants on the Drin River. The hydroelectric plants in Koman, Fierza and Vau i Dejës are the largest in Albania and cover most of the electricity demand of the entire country. Even though Lake Koman was artificially created, it delights with its wild character. What’s more interesting, there are practically no tourists here. This is probably related to the lack of tourist facilities, not to mention the poor quality of roads. The asphalt on the route from Shkodra seems to be a distant memory. What is also disappointing is the large amount of garbage floating on the lake, which definitely spoils the overall impression of this place. I cannot understand the Albanians’ approach to these issues, especially in a place with such great tourist potential. Albania – paths One of the most picturesque places in northern Albania is the town of Teth and the Thethit National Park. Even though Teth is only 75 km from Shkodër, it takes 2 hours to get there. However, the long journey is compensated by the beautiful mountain landscapes. The town of Teth seems to be almost at the edge of the world, and it actually looks that way. This is an excellent starting point for hiking in the area. One of the most interesting routes is the trail leading to the Blue Eye – a crystal clear mountain lake. This place is especially visited by crowds in the summer, both by locals and tourists. In addition to bathing in cold water, an additional attraction is watching jumpers jumping into the water from a wooden footbridge. The path to the lake is moderately demanding and it’s itself an attraction of this trip. Another argument that it’s not the destination, but the journey that matters, is the trail to the Grunas waterfall. The 30-meter-high waterfall looks amazing, especially in the afternoon when the sun rays create a beautiful rainbow on it. However, in my opinion, the Grunasit Canyon is much more impressive. The canyon is 2 km long and 60 meters deep. There’s a small bridge suspended between the rocks, where you can cross the canyon. Apparently this is the narrowest part of the canyon, because its walls are almost at your fingertips. On the way back to Teth, in addition to the amazing views, you can also see the isolation tower – Kulla e Negujimit. Such towers were once a kind of refuge for people seeking shelter from bloody ancestral revenge. It’s just a small part of the amazing places I visited in Albania. Find out more here!

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Armenia – places you won’t forget, part I

Gosia — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 17:28:21 +0000

Armenia, a country in the shadow of Georgia is still sort of being skipped by mass tourism. Actually, it was one of the many reasons why I wanted to see it so much. I’ve been to Georgia twice and I like this country in my own perverse way, although the last visit left no illusions. Tourism in Georgia is becoming a money-making machine and it would be nothing wrong if this country was also betting on the quality of the services offered. Meanwhile, Armenia is an excellent alternative to commercial Georgia. Why is that? Firstly, I won’t hide, it’s cheap, secondly it’s close to us in a cultural way, thirdly it’s authentic, but most of all it’s beautiful! ? As a tourist destination, Armenia is mostly famous for its many old monasteries. Anyway, there’s no surprise because it was the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion, around 301 AD. For this reason, it is mainly identified with churches and monasteries, which is a bit unfair. Beyond interesting sacred buildings, this country is famous for its wonderful landscapes and other surprising monuments. First stop – emerald Lake Sevan, also known as the Armenian sea, as Armenia does not have access to any bigger water reservoir. It’s situated at an altitude of over 1900 m above sea level and is among the highest located lakes in the world. Lake Sevan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Armenia, because it is just over 60 km from the capital – Yerevan. The color of the water has an amazing blue color, and the lake is famous for the so-called Sevan trout, here called ′′ ishxan”. The best spot to see Lake Sevan is a city of the same name. Although there are many catering points and hotels, not everyone can enjoy this place. At first glance you can see that the city is very poor and the residents live here mainly on tourism, which blooms during the summer. On the other hand, I must admit that Sevan captivated me due to many abandoned buildings and its industrial character ? There’s also a true gem near Sevan, an abandoned wagon, located just next to the road along the lake. On the other hand, the main spot that attracts tourists to Sevan is located right next to the Sevanavank Peninsula, which owes its name to the historic monastery, dating back to the 9th century. It is made of dark volcanic rock, which is why it’s also called the Black Monastery in Armenian. Its interior is typical of all Armenian sacral buildings. Small windows and dark walls create an interesting atmosphere of this place. Near the monastery there’s an interesting building, unknown to mass tourism – the Sevan Writer s’ Resort. The building makes an incredible impression, because of its interesting, cosmic look. At first glance, it looks as if it were an abandoned, unfinished, modern construction. Meanwhile, the beginnings of the House of Writers date back to the 30’s in 20th century. At the time, two outstanding architects of soviet avant-garde: Mikael Mazmanyan and Gevorg Kochar, built the first part of the building. The appearance of the house was so capitalistically awfull that Stalin decided to send them to Siberia. However, the architects did not give up, after returning from the gulag, after Stalin’s death, they finished the construction in 1965. This time, they designed an even more futuristic project – a flying saucer hung over the lake. The building doesn’t look like futuristic anymore, it reminds more socialism times. On the other hand, it’s worth to look there, because the saucer houses a restaurant, which is maybe not so much famous for its great food, but amazing views ? Driving south of Sevan Lake, the road is getting windier, and the countryside is becoming increasingly mountainous. The scenery of the Vardenis mountains in the distance and the space are impressive. The route leads through the Selim Pass, which is considered one of the most spectacular car routes in Armenia. However, amazing views are not the only reason why you should go there. Slightly below the highest point of the pass – Vayots Dzor, you can visit Orbelian’s Caravanserai, also known as Selim Caravanserai, built in 1332. Caravanserais are buildings known especially from Arab countries and former Persia. In Persian, the word caravanserai means a caravan inn. In the old times they were some kind of caravan shelters located on commercial routes. Currently, the caravanserai is an abandoned building. While entering there I felt the thrill, primarily because the entrance resembled me an old catacomb. However, this was just a good introduction of what I could see inside. Desolate, dark, raw interior with excellent acoustics, creates a rather psychedelic vibe. Heading further south towards Nagorno Karabakh, which I wrote about here, it’s worth taking a look at Karahunj, also known as the Armenian Stonehenge. I remember this road to this day, amazing mountain landscapes, small lakes and interesting compositions of clouds, it was something incredible. Karahunj is located near the city of Sisjan, right next to the M2 route. However, Armenian Stonehenge is not a popular tourist attraction at all. There is no tourist infrastructure on the spot, like parking, ticket box or gift shop, anyway, for sure you won’t see there a living soul as far as the eye can see. Karahundj is also known as Zorac (Zorats) Karer, which means ′′ stones full of power “. It consists of a dozen decorated rock blocks. The mystery of this place has not been discovered yet. However, some researchers say that it may have been used as an astronomical observatory or an ancient necropolis. Whatever the purpose of this place was, it’s still impressive. To be continued…

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Ohrid Lake – weekend break in Macedonia!

Gosia — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 14:24:36 +0000

Macedonia isn’t a popular holiday destination. It’s located much farther than for example Croatia and in addition, furthermore it has no access to the sea. However, this small country has a lot to offer and prices here are really low in comparison to other holiday directions. In Macedonia there are over 50 lakes surrounded by high mountain peaks, which can reach even 2000 meters. Macedonia is recognised as one of the highest countries in Europe, right after Switzerland and Austria. What’s more, this country has a huge number of monuments, temples and old monastries. All of this in the area less than 26 000 square kilometeres. In a word, the perfect plan for long weekned 😉 Macedonians’ favorite resort is Ohrid, located on a lake of the same name. Lake Ohrid is a natural border between Macedonia and Albania and it’s one of the deepest lakes in Europe. At the deepest point, it’s reaches almost 300 meters. Moreover, it’s also one of the oldest lakes on our continent. It’s estimated that Lake Ohrid can have up to 4 million years, while most of this type of reservoirs in Europe is dating at least tens of thousands years. Thanks to specific ecosystem and crystal clear water, there are a lot of species which are typical only for this area. Lake Ohrid is powered by numerous sources, most of which are located in the southern part of the lake in the surroundings of St. Neum Monastary which is located about 30 km from Ohrid and only 2 km from the Albanian border. In 10th century St.Neum – the student of Cyril and Methodius (creators of the Cyrillic alphabet) decided to create a monastery here. Currently Naum is the main place of pilgrimage in Macedonia. Legend has it that when you put an ear to the holy crypt, you can hear his heart beating. Ohrid was once called Jerusalem of the Balkans, as there used to be 365 sacral buildings: monasteries and churches. At present there’re much less, while some of them are still important places of worship. The largest such a building in Ohrid is St. Sophie Church, located in the Old Town. During the Turkish reign, it served as a mosque. However, the symbol of Ohrid remains undeniably the Church of St. John at Kaneo. It is neither the biggest sacral building nor the greatest and most valuable. On the other hand, it gained popularity due to its location on the high cliff overlooking Lake Ohrid and nearby mountains. Ohrid city is located in a beautiful mountain setting at about 800 metres above sea level and it’s surrounded by high peaks of theGalicica National Park. The best views of the city are from Tsar Samuel’s Fortress. It was built at a time when Ohrid was the capital of the Bulgarian State, ruled by Tsar Samuel in 11th century. Now the fortress is in poor condition, while high walls and towers give an idea of its former greatness. It’s worth climbing here for an amazing view of the lake and the city. On the way back is ancient amphitheatre, which was able to accommodate 4 tousand spactators in its heyday. Outside the walls of the Old Town you can visit the port and the promenade with numerous restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops. It’s the best place to taste local cuisine and excellent coffee. Don’t miss also the Bay of Bones – a unique archaeological site with amazing views of the Orhid Lake. The Museum was made available to visitors in 2010. On a wooden pier, you can find a small prehistoric village. It is worth to add that the traces of human found here are dated even for 6 thousand years BC. Inside the museum you’ll see a lot of objects of everyday use, furs and animal bones. Orhid is also an ideal place for hiking. National Park Galicica separates Lake Ohrid from Lake Prespa. You can cross the park driving on serpentine with numerous view points and hiking trails. It is a little farther away from Ohrid and can only be reached by car. Admission to the park costs 200 MKD for a car, which is approximately 3€. Personally, I think it was the best spent 3€ during the whole trip. The entire route through the park is less than 30 km. Initially on the way, you can admire the amazing views of Lake Ohrid and Albania, then serpentine runs through the valley surrounded by high mountain peaks. The last part of the road is a beautiful panorama of Lake Prespa. Macedonia isn’t an expensive country and it hasn’t been “discovered” by mass tourism yet. There are no large hotels, ubiquitous stalls with “Chinese” souvenirs, and you can meet here mostly Macedonian tourists. ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

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Tip for a trip – weekend on the Lake Como!

Gosia — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 16:03:04 +0000

What’s the best way to say good-bye to winter? Purchase a flight to Bergamo at a discounted price and in just 3 hours’ sip aromatic Italian cappuccino in a cosy cafe with a view of the famous lake Como. What can you visit there and how to organize this trip on budget? As a short introduction, there’s a lot to see, because Lake Como is the third largest lake in Italy, right after lake Garda and Maggiore. What’s more is one of the most deepest lakes in Europe, in some places its depth reaches over 400 m. One can say that size matters, but in my humble opinion the sights play crucial role here… 😉 This place is located very close to Swiss border in the beautiful scenery of the Alps. Taking a ferry is a must, unforgettable experience is guaranteed! It’s the best to start the trip from Lecco, which is about 50 km north of Milan or Bergamo. Lake Como is shaped like revesed letter Y. Lecco is the gateway to this lake from eastern side while from western side is Como town. Lecco is a rather compact town, but incredibly charming. The main point in the city centre is the promenade of Lungolago Isonzo with a view of the nearby mountains and the characteristic high belfry of St. Nicolas church, which is the symbol of the city. The must – see is also the main square – Piazza XX Septembre, surrounded by colourful houses and arches with a tower – Torre Viscontea in the background. Lake Como has been a popular holiday resort since the oldest times reaching back as far as Roman Empire times. In fact, it is possible to say that the wealthy Romans started the trend of building luxury villas along the coastline of lake Como. Indeed, Roman times are gone but the lake has become a popular destination for numerous stars such as Madonna, George Clooney, Gianni Versace, Sylvester Stallone or Richard Branson. Towns located on the Lake Como are well-communicated. There are numerous ferries, boats and water taxis. It’s worth taking a cruise on the lake to see some of the luxury properties and the beautiful countryside. The most popular is by far Villa Serbelloni located in the small town of Bellagio. Who has watched Ocean’s Eleven film for sure reminds this name of a luxury hotel/casino located in Las Vegas. The inspiration for its creation was Bellagio town. Villa Serbelloni, as a matter of fact, the prestigious Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, is located close to the Bellagio tiny harbor, on the flowerful promenade. Villa from the inside is only available for hotel guests, but you can visit the hotel’s garden. The Bellagio is also called as the Pearl of the Lake Como and is located in its centre in close proximity to the most beautiful city in Lombardy – Varenna (here’s the post). In addition to Villa Serbelloni, it is worth taking a stroll and visiting historic old town with numerous colourful houses and upmarket boutiques. Getting to farry in the direction of Como, you can see the famous Villa Del Balbinello, well known form Casino Royale film, surrounded by a lush garden form the one side and from the other by the waters of the Lake Como. Practical Info: From Caravaggio Orio al Serio airport take a bus to Bergamo train station. Tickets can be bought at the tourist infomation desk at the airport or in the vending machine at the bus stop. Timetable, price and route can be found here. The route from the airport to the train station takes about 15-20 minutes, and the stop is located right in front of the station. [huge_it_maps id=”4″] Train tickets to Lecco can be bought at checkout or in a vending machine at the station. Tickets can also be purchased via the internet on this site. Trains run practically every hour, and travel to Lecco takes about 40 minutes. The ticket costs € 3,60 (data from 2018). From Lecco to Varrena – Esino run trains, the cost of the ticket is about € 2,90 (data from 2018 ), and a journey takes form 20 to 40 minutes depending from the train type. The timetable can be checked on the same page as the connection between Bergamo and Lecco. Below is the map with marked train station in Varenna and harbors in Varenna and Bellagio. [huge_it_maps id=”5″] Form Varenna take the ferry to Bellagio. Ticket costs 4,60 € (data from 2018), timetable you’ll find here. To get from Bellagio to Como, it’s best to get on the ferry. The schedule is available on the above mentioned site of Navigazione Laghi and the ticket costs 10,40 € (data from 2018). From Como S. Giovanni station catch a train to Bergamo. Ticket costs 6,70€, and the timetable is available on before mentioned Tren Italia site. [huge_it_maps id=”6″] What’s the total cost? – return flight tickets from Warsaw – 20 € – bus from Caravaggio Orio al Serio to Bergamo Bergamo train station – 2,30 € x 2 – train from Bergamo to Lecco – 3,60 € – train from Lecco to Varenna Essino – 2,90 € – ferry from Varenna to Bellagio – 4,6 € – ferry from Bellagio to Como – 10,40 € – train from Como do Bergamo – 6,70 € Total cost: 53 € As for one day it’s quite a lot to do, I did this trip in 2 days with a one – night stay in Lecco. The accomodation cost 25€, but there’s also possibilty to vist for example only Lecco, Varrenna and Bellagio, which in my opinion are the most beautuful.

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