The Llama Travel Blog

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of interviewing Grant Reed, co-founder of Letaka Safaris and star of National Geogarphic's Safari Brothers alongside his brother Brent. He is widely considered one of Botswana’s top guides, and when you meet him in person, you can see why. At 6'4, Grant cuts a lean figure, with the well-worn hands of naturalist and a voice that imparts a reassuring sense of authority. If you try to imagine an expert safari guide, you're probably picturing Grant Reed. But his path to becoming a guide wasn't always so clear cut.

I talked with Grant about how he came to be where he is today, from his colourful childhood collecting lizards in the Magaliesburg Mountains to the surprise turn of events that led him to move to Botswana.

Costa Rica is one of the world's great ecological wonders, home to all colours of birds, reptiles and mammals. The country's verdant jungles house hidden waterfalls, smoking volcanoes and secluded thermal hotsprings, which you can bathe in whilst surrounded by nature. Here's what Otto, our Senior Travel Consultant, thought of his time in Costa Rica.

(17/10/2022) Update: face masks no longer required indoors, on trains, or on flights. The only times you'll need a face mask are if you're experiencing Covid-19 symptoms, taking public transport, or visiting a hospital. Additionally, you no longer have to fill out an online health form before departure.

In summer I made my first trip to Peru since 2019, and I thought it would be useful to share my experience of travelling post-covid. I've gone into some detail regarding covid requirements for flights, visits, and hotel stays within Peru, and in particular mask wearing, as I know that many people have questions about this. As an overview, the experience was pretty similar to travelling pre-pandemic, but with the requirement to wear face masks when indoors. Overall, it was great to be travelling in Peru again and Peruvians were as welcoming as ever.

It’s tricky to sum up such a diverse continent in a few words, and equally difficult to select one of the endless destinations to visit. From pristine mountain ranges and glacial lakes to medieval streetscapes and hilltop castles, each country in Europe has something new and exciting to uncover - whether it’s a different culture, cuisine, landscape or experience. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of a few of our favourite European locations for 2022. Have a read to get some inspiration and start planning your next adventure.

Owing to its strategic location in the Mediterranean, the island of Sicily was a crossroad for many civilisations and cultures for over 3,000 years. Scattered across the island you will find pieces of its rich history of conquerors, such as Norman palaces, Roman ruins, Greek temples and Baroque buildings. Tourists are rightfully captivated by Sicily's outstanding architecture, art and archaeology, but its natural beauty cannot be overlooked. Dramatic and ever-changing, Sicily's landscapes are stunning. From rolling green hills backed by the sparkling blue of the Mediterranean to grapes growing on slopes scorched by volcanic lava, every location on the itinerary has a different but beautiful backdrop. 

Here’s what Luca, Llama Travel director, saw during his time in Sicily - all the photos in this blog are his own. 

Perhaps one of the most famous and iconic of all sites in Latin America is the fabled Lost City of the Incas Machu Picchu. The citadel which was the final bastion of the Incas and remained hidden atop an Andean peak shrouded in dense jungle foliage from the ground and thick clouds from above. Because of the tactical positioning of the city it was never discovered by the invading European conquistadors and, as such, remained intact for centuries until its ‘rediscovery’ by Hiram Bingham in 1911.

Unsurprisingly, the ancient city of the Incas has become a key focal point for those travelling to Peru with various possibilities of reaching the site open to tourists ranging from luxurious train journeys to five day trekking options. Arguably the most adventurous way of visiting Machu Picchu is by foot and this blog will discuss the differences between two options; the famous Inca Trail and the alternative Salkantay Trail.

The term ‘Big Five’ refers to the following African animals - the lion, the leopard, the African elephant, the rhinoceros and the Cape buffalo. The term was originally coined by game hunters who considered these animals as the most difficult and dangerous to hunt on foot. Thankfully, today the term is used in a more endearing manner by tourists wanting to tick off the iconic Big Five animals off their safari checklist.

Although the Big Five is often used as a way to shortlist areas which are wildlife rich, it is very much the case that other reserves or national parks can be just as rich, but may not contain all five of the Big Five species. Given that many of Africa’s iconic species, such as cheetahs, giraffes, zebras and hippos, are not part of the Big Five, many reserves which don’t contain all of the Big Five can often offer wildlife viewing which is at least as good.

There are only a few places in Africa where there is a chance of spotting all of the Big Five on one trip. Keep reading to find out where.

Just a few hours flight from the UK, Morocco is at the crossroads of Europe and Africa. Morocco is a country rich in contrasts - from the historical imperial cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Fez and Marrakech to the geographic extremes of the Atlas Mountains, the Sahara Desert and the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines.  Discover the intensity of bustling souks and maze-like medinas, alongside the vastness of the pre-Sahara and remote Berber mountain villages. A melting pot of Berber, Arab, African and European cultures, it’s hard to believe that Morocco is within such easy reach of Europe.

Here’s what Scott, Llama Travel Product Manager, saw during his time in Morocco - all the photos in this blog are his own.

Following Iceland’s ring road is one of the world’s greatest road journeys, with stunning landscapes on the 1,000 mile loop. Each section of the journey is different, with incredible waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers, forests, barren deserts, mountains, geysers and fjords all visible from the vehicle. Iceland is very sparsely populated, but you will pass small fishing communities and vast farms full of beautiful Icelandic horses and sheep. In this sense, the only way to get the full picture of Iceland is to do the full circle.

Here’s what Luca, Llama Travel director, saw during his time in Iceland - all the photos in this blog are his own. 

In October 2021 I travelled to three of Europe’s hidden gems on the shores of the Baltic Sea. Lesser travelled than other corners of Europe are the three Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Our Best of the Baltics holiday takes you from south to north, starting in Vilnius, going on to Riga and ending in Tallinn. As with any country, there is more to the Baltic trio than their famous capitals. To list a few of the region’s attractions, there are fairy-tale castles and palaces, endless coastline and vast areas of pristine forest waiting to be explored.