Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for national parks
Where Rock Art Reigns
By Linda Tancs
Australia’s biggest national park, Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory has one of the world’s greatest concentrations of rock art sites. Providing a fascinating record of Aboriginal life over thousands of years, some paintings are up to 20,000 years old, which makes the artwork one of the longest historical records of any group of people on Earth. Far from archival, the paintings show objects they still use, animals they still hunt and activities they still do. You can view the works at Nourlangie, Nanguluwurr and Ubirr.
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Small But Mighty in Costa Rica
By Linda Tancs
Home to verdant rainforests and white-sand beaches, Manuel Antonio National Park is Costa Rica’s smallest national park. Despite its size, it’s one of the most popular parks, where visitors flock to see wildlife like three-toed sloths, endangered white-faced capuchin monkeys and hundreds of bird species. Hiking trails are aplenty. One of the most popular is Mirador, a route less than one mile with over 200 stairs to Punta Serrucho (Saw Point), a beautiful viewpoint of the rugged coastline.
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Saxony’s Towering Landmark
By Linda Tancs
A short trip from Dresden, Germany, Bastei Bridge is one of Saxony’s most famous landmarks. Located in Saxon Switzerland National Park, rock formations tower over the River Elbe spanned by a sandstone bridge about 250 feet long. Popular with hikers, there is no shortage of scenic routes. One of the most popular is called the “Golden Triangle,” a hike that runs between Stadt Wehlen via Bastei to Kurort Rathen. Lookouts abound, like Basteiaussicht, where shutterbugs will appreciate the opportunities at sunrise or sunset.
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The Great Hungarian Plain
By Linda Tancs
Puszta is to Hungary what Big Sky Country is to the United States. It’s located in Hortobágy National Park, Hungary’s first and largest national park. A vast area of plains and wetlands, you’ll find grazing water buffalo and Hungarian grey cattle. A highlight of a visit is the showmanship of Hungarian cowboys, who display their equestrian skills in a daily horse show that runs from April to September.
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Salmon Runs in Washington
By Linda Tancs
The Sol Duc River in Washington’s Olympic National Park is one of the few places where salmon run in every season. That makes fishing a popular activity there. Chinook, coho, pink, chum and sockeye are all represented. In the late summer and early fall, visitors come to the viewing platform at Salmon Cascades to watch the determined coho salmon leap over the falls on their way to spawn upstream in the river. The Sol Duc is accessed by turning off Highway 101 onto the Sol Duc Road; the viewing platform (available year round to view the falls) is about 5 miles down the road.
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Blowing Off Steam in Hawaii
By Linda Tancs
Extending from sea level to 13,680 feet, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island encompasses two of the world’s most active volcanoes: Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. Traditionally, Kīlauea is viewed by many native Hawaiians as the home of the volcanic deity Pelehonuamea. It has covered almost 90% of its surface in lava flows within the last 1,000 years. Mauna Loa has erupted 34 times since 1843, averaging once every five years. Its name means “long mountain” in Hawaiian, a quintessential shield volcano in its shape— signified by broad, rounded slopes. Hiking is a natural must-do there as is a trip along Crater Rim Drive, where steaming bluffs and scenic overlooks await you.
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Two Seas in Costa Rica
By Linda Tancs
A Costa Rican gem, the size of Rincón de la Vieja National Park allows you to experience both the Caribbean and Pacific sides of the Cordillera de Guanacaste. Known for its biodiversity, you’ll find rare species such as sloths, tapirs, kinkajous, pumas and jaguars, along with over 300 bird species. Boasting over 30,000 acres, you’ll want a full day to explore over 30 rivers and lakes, two volcanoes, impressive waterfalls and an abundance of hiking trails. A day tour from Guanacaste is the best way to visit, which generally includes an English speaking driver/guide to show you highlights along the way, all entry fees, and a detailed map of the park.
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Where History and Nature Meet in Panama
By Linda Tancs
Located in the eastern sector of the Panama Canal, Chagres National Park is a place where history and nature meet. It’s home to the forest that shelters the Chagres River (the largest river in the canal’s watershed) and where you’ll find remnants of the Camino Real, a colonial route that transported goods like gold and silver from coast to coast before the canal was built. Comprising over 300,000 acres, hiking opportunities are abundant, like the peak of Cerro Jefe and its spectacular views of the canal. Rafting, kayaking and fishing are popular activities as is visiting the indigenous Emberá community by canoeing up the Chagres River. Book a tour operator for the best experience, such as an indigenous culture tour or a full-day jungle expedition.
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Atlantic Islands of Galicia
By Linda Tancs
Comprising the archipelagos of Cíes, Ons and Cortegada (in Pontevedra) and of Sálvora (in A Coruña), the Atlantic Islands of Galicia Maritime-Terrestrial National Park in Spain is a paradise in any season. This time of year, wintering waterbirds are still present in the area, and species like the barn swallow start to arrive to nest in Galicia. If you’re really lucky, you’ll see european shags (a type of cormorant) nesting on steep cliffs and coastal caves. Be sure to check entry requirements for the archipelago of your choice; some, like Cíes, limit the number of visitors each day to protect the biodiversity of this area.
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Turtle Watching in Costa Rica
By Linda Tancs
Located on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, Tortuguero (meaning “turtle catcher”) National Park is a must-see destination for turtle watching. It provides nesting beaches for four species of turtles: leatherback, loggerhead, green sea and hawksbill. You may see individual turtles at any time of the year, but the prime nesting season for green sea, loggerhead and endangered hawksbill turtles is July through October. Leatherbacks, the world’s largest turtle, nest from March to May. The park is also a prime nesting site for the endangered and elusive green macaw.
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