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Langtang Trek Map I did the Langtang trek in late November 2023 and my blog provides information that will assist you in planning your trek. My blogs Day Hikes on the Langtang Trek and Langtang Trek - Trip Report will also help with the planning. Contents When to do the Langtang Trek Getting to Syabrubesi Itinerary for the Langtang trek Costs, Permits & Guides Hiking Times for the Langtang Trek Information on the Tea Houses for the Langtang Trek Pairo's Tea Houses Bamboo's Tea Houses Rimche's Tea Houses Lama Hotel's Tea Houses Riverside's Tea House Chhunama's Tea House Ghoratabela's Tea Houses Thyangsyap's Tea Houses Gumba Danda's Tea Houses Langtang Village's Tea Houses Mundu's Tea Houses Sindum's Tea House Kyanjim Gumba's Hotels Sherpagaon's Tea Houses Bhanjyang's Tea House Other Langtang, Gosainkunda & Helambu Trek Blogs 1. When to do the LangtangTrek The main 2 considerations for when to do the Langtang trek are the weather and the number of trekkers: 1.1 Weather for the Lantang Trek The best months to do the Langtang trek are: March to early June Early October to mid December The monsoon season is from around 10 June to early October. The views would be restricted and there would be leeches during the monsoon. Click here to see the historic data for the start and finish dates for the monsoon (section 6 of the blog). The winter period from mid December to early March would be cold and there is a greater risk of snow. 1.2 Number of Trekkers on the Langtang Trek The Langtang trek is not a circuit, differing from many of the other Nepali treks which are circular. The same trail is used for ascending and descending the Langtang trek so you pass trekkers coming from the other direction. Each person trekking on the Langtang trek has double the impact compared to treks like the Annapurna circuit. Nepal Tourism publishes annual statistics of the number of foreign trekkers on the main treks. These statistics show that October and early November is the busiest period and April is the second busiest period. These statistics only provide a partial picture as they exclude Nepali trekkers. The Langtang trek is very popular with Nepali trekkers so they have a major impact on how busy the trail can get. I believe that the holiday period during the festivals of Dashain and Diwali (Tihar) would be the busiest period for Nepalese trekkers. The dates of these festivals are based on the lunar calendar and take place in October and November. In 2024 Dashain is from October 3rd to 16th and Diwali (Tihar) is from October 21st to November 2nd. The Nepalese often seem to take a holiday after Tihar and there will still be many Nepali trekkers doing the Langtang trek 7 to 10 days after the end of Tihar. 1.3 Conclusion The trail for the Langtang trek would be very busy in April. March would be much quieter, but colder, and there is more risk of snow on the ground. There is a risk of haze from wild fires at this time of year and smog in Kathmandu is becoming a problem. May and early June would be quieter and it would be warmer. However, there is a risk of some pre-monsoon rain. Usually the haze from wild fires disappears in early May once there has been some rainfall. In autumn the best weather is from late October to mid December. However, the trail for the Langtang trek is very busy from early October to mid November. The best time to do the Langtang trek is probably from about 10 days after the end of Diwali (Tihar) to mid December. 2. Getting to Syabrubesi The Langtang trek starts in Syabrubesi and you can get there by bus, shared jeep or private jeep. It would probably take 8 to 9 hours by bus or shared jeep. Enjoy Nepal Treks arranged a private jeep for me and it cost $180. I left Kathmandu at 05.00 and the early start meant that I avoided the awful traffic congestion in the Kathmandu valley. The journey took 5.5 hours and I had enough time to start the Langtang trek and to hike to Sherpagaon in daylight. I had read blogs stating the road from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi was scary but it didn't seem bad to me. 3. Itinerary for the Langtang Trek 3.1 The Ascent on the Langtang Trek for Acclimatised Trekkers If you are already acclimatised you can easily hike from Syabrubesi to Kyanjin Gompa in 3 days. If you are in a rush, and are fit, you could even do it in 2 days. Day 1 - Travel from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi (5.5 hours to 9 hours depending on the means of transport). Then either hike 5.5 hours along the upper trail to Sherpagaon (2,563 metres) or take the lower trail to Lama Hotel (2,480 metres). Day 2 - Hike 5.5 hours to the village of Mundu (3,543 metres) which has 2 good guest houses. Day 3 - Hike 1.5 hours from Mundu to Kyanjin Gompa (3,830 metres). Do a day hike after finding a hotel. See my blog on Day Hikes on the Langtang Trek . 3.2 The Ascent on the Langtang Trek for Unacclimatised Trekkers If you aren't acclimatised you should take an extra day to trek to Kyanjin Gompa. Ideally your extra night should be at Ghoratabela (3,030 metres) or Thangsyap (3,140 metres). They are at a good altitude for acclimatisation and the tea houses are of a reasonable standard. 3.3 The Descent on the Langtang Trek Trekkers continuing to Gosainkunda - It is about an 8 hour hike from Kyanjin Gompa to Pairo. Pairo is the last settlement on the Langtang trek before the turn off to the southerly trail to Gosainkunda is reached. Most trekkers stop earlier at Lama Hotel or Bamboo. See my blogs on the Gosainkunda and Helambu trek . Hiking back to Syabrubesi on the Lower Trail - It would be possible to hike back in one long and tiring day. It would have taken me about 10 hours but someone younger and fitter could do it faster. Most trekkers don't do it in 1 day and spend 1 night somewhere along the trail for the Langtang trek. Hiking back to Syabrubesi on the Upper Trail - If you didn't hike the upper trail on the way up it is worth doing so on the way down. The upper trail of the Langtang trek is more scenic and you can spend the night in good accommodation in the pleasant village of Sherpagaon. The hike from Kyanjin Gompa to Sherpagaon would take about 7.5 hours. 4. Costs, Permits & Guides for the Langtang Trek 4.1 Guides for the Langtang Trek In April 2023 the Nepal Tourism Office tried to make it mandatory for all trekkers to have a guide for the Langtang trek and most other trekking areas. They didn't succeed and when I trekked in November 2023 the majority of foreigners were trekking without guides. I had a porter/guide for the Langtang trek. I did the Kanchenjunga trek just before starting the Langtang trek and had used Enjoy Nepal Treks to organise the trek. I retained the same porter/guide for the Langtang trek and the cost was $25 a day. I could have done the Langtang trek by myself but some of the day hikes were safer done with a guide. Also I continued on to Gosainkunda and wouldn't have wanted to go up Surya Peak (5,150 metres) by myself. The terrain was very rough and there were no other people there. 4.2 Permits for the Langtang Trek A permit has to be purchased for entering the Langtang National Park. It costs R3,000 ($23) and is normally payable at Dhunche which is on the way to Syabrubesi. The office was closed when I got there and I continued on to Syabrubesi. I bought the permit the next day at the Langtang Park office in Ghoratabela. Permit for Langtang National Park 4.3 Cost of the Langtang Trek I was on the Langtang trek for 7 nights and spent on average R600 ($4.60) per day on rooms and R1,800 ($14) per day on food. I spent a total of R1,800 ($14) on wifi and quite a bit more on hot drinks. I also treated myself to cake in Kyanjin Gompa. The cost of rooms on the Langtang trek would probably be higher in peak season. I used a Steripen to sterilise water so I didn't incur any expense for drinking water. 5. Hiking Times for the Langtang Trek The purpose of these times is to give an idea, when planning your Langtang trek, of how long the sections are. I was acclimatised and wasn't carrying my own pack, but I wasn't walking particularly fast. These times exclude stops for meals and hot drinks. Day TO FROM TIME 1 Syabrubesi Sherpagaon 5 hrs 30 mins 2 Sherpagaon Rimche 1 hr 30 mins 2 Rimche Lama Hotel 20 mins 2 Lama Hotel River Side 1 hr 25 mins 2 River Side Ghoratabela 1 hr 10 mins 2 Ghoratabela Thyangsyap 40 mins 2 Thyangsyap Gumba Danda 45 mins 3 Gumba Danda Langtang Village 30 mins 3 Langtang Village Mundu 30 mins 3 Mundu Kyanjin Gompa 1 hr 30 mins 6 Kyanjin Gompa Mundu 1 hr 10 mins 6 Mundu Langtang Village 22 mins 6 Langtang Village Thyangsyap 1 hr 18 mins 6 Thyangsyap Ghoratabela 33 mins 6 Ghoratabela Chhunama 1 hr 12 mins 6 Chhunama River Side 10 mins 6 River Side Lama Hotel 1 hr 10 mins 6 Lama Hotel Rimche 15 mins 6 Rimche Bamboo 1 hr 10 mins 6 Bamboo Pairo 56 mins 6. Information on the Tea Houses for the Langtang Trek 6.1 Quality of Tea Houses on the Langtang Trek The tea houses on the first section of the lower route between Syabrubesi and Ghoratabela are old, basic and uncomfortable! The tea houses from Ghoratabela are better and from Langtang to Kyanjin Gompa the accommodation is good and many rooms have attached bathrooms. The upper route for the first section of the Langtang trek has some excellent accommodation at Sherpagaon. Most trekkers don't use this route on the way up as there is a 1,050 metre ascent. I did hike up this route and it was tiring! Some trekkers descend on this upper route but you can't do so if you are continuing onto Gosainkunda. 6.2 Other Guests at Langtang's Tea Houses When trekking I try to stay at tea houses that have few other guests and certainly no groups. On most treks you know that no other trekkers will arrive after dusk. Unfortunately this isn't the case with the Langtang trek. A lot of Nepalese do the Langtang trek and they usually do it very quickly. That often entails hiking in the dark with head torches. It isn't at all unusual to have a nice quiet tea house at dusk only to have a group of trekkers arrive as late as 21.00. 6.3 Cost of Tea House Accommodation on the Langtang Trek In the off season I had good rooms with attached bathrooms for R500 ($4) a night at Sherpagaon and Kyanjin Gompa. I was charged R1,000 $7.70) for a room with an attached toilet at Gumba Danda and that was too much. A very basic room at Pairo cost R700 ($5.40). I always determined the price beforehand as the list prices were higher. I never bargained and later met a trekker who had negotiated free rooms at all but 1 place on the Langtang and Gosainkunda trek. He wasn't Israeli! 6.4 Food at Langtang's Tea Houses I always ate the local rice and noodle dishes so I can't comment on the western food served at the tea houses. Western food is available along the entire Langtang trek, even at the basic tea houses on the first section of the trek. Dal bhat cost between R650 ($5) and R900 ($7). Black tea cost between R80 ($0.6) and R150 ($1.2). The cost of food increased with the altitude. 6.5 Internet, Electricity and Showers at Langtang's Tea Houses I couldn't obtain internet through Nepal Telecoms. I paid for internet at Sherpagaon, Gumba, Mundu and Kyanjin Gompa. The cost was between R300 ($2.30) and R500 ($3). At Kyanjin Gompa the R500 fee covered the 3 nights I stayed there. There wasn't any internet at Pairo. There was solar power at all the tea houses on the Langtang trek. The tea houses on the first section of the Langtang trek are in a wooded valley and don't receive much sun. I therefore couldn't charge my phone at Pairo. There was free charging at Sherpagaon, Gumba Danda, Mundu and Kyanjin Gompa. I had free hot showers at Kyanjin Gompa and it is likely that there would be hot showers at Sherpagaon, Langtang Village and Mundu. 7. Pairo's Tea Houses There are 2 basic tea houses in Pairo and I stayed at the Namaste Guest House. I had the tea house to myself until 5 Nepali trekkers arrived in the dark. Luckily they were very quiet and I had a good night's sleep. The lady running the tea house was a bit strange. The quality of the tea houses in Pairo is poor, like all the tea houses between Syabrubesi and Ghoratabela. There was no internet or charging of electrical devices. The Namaste Guest House in Pairo The View from the Namaste Guest House My Room at the Namaste Guest House in Pairo The Menu at the Namaste Guest House in Pairo. The Menu at the Namaste Guest House in Pairo. My Bill at the Namaste Guest House in Pairo The other Guest House in Pairo 8. Bamboo's Tea Houses There is at least one basic tea house in Bamboo. Bamboo Lodge is in the bottom left 9. Rimche's Tea Houses There is one basic and not very nice tea house in Rimche. The Evening View Moon Light Guest House in Rimche. 10. Lama Hotel's Tea Houses Lama Hotel is the name of the village and it has more accommodation than any other village on the first section of the Langtang trek. There are several basic tea houses. The Village of Lama Hotel The Kitchen & Dining Room of the Friendly Guest House in Lama Hotel The Hotel Sherpa 11. River Side's Tea House The River Side Hotel is the only tea house at River Side. I had lunch there and the food was good. The tea house is basic and run down like the other tea houses on the first section of the Langtang trek. The River Side Hotel The River Side Hotel The River Side Hotel 12. Chhunama's Tea Houses Chhunama is only 10 minutes from River Side. The tea house here is a bit better than the one at Riverside but still basic! Hotel Woodland in Chhunama 13. Ghoratabela's Tea Houses There are 2 reasonable tea houses at Ghoratabela, the best so far when walking up on the main trail of the Langtang trek. Hotel Tibetan is at Ghoratabela 14. Thyangsyap's Tea Houses There are about 4 reasonable tea houses at Thyangsyap. Summit Guest House & Restaurant in Thyangsyap Summit Guest House & Restaurant in Thyangsyap Buddha Guest House in Thyangsyap Potala Guest House in Thyangsyap 15. Gumba Danda's Tea Houses There are several tea houses at Gumba Danda which is at an altitude of 3,400 metres. I stayed at the Langtang View Guest House as it had been recommended by other trekkers doing the Langtang trek. It is the last tea house in the village when ascending. They have rooms in the main building and also 3 rooms in an annex which have attached toilets. I paid R1,000 ($8) for a room with an attached toilet. It seemed a reasonable price at the time but it turned out to be the most expensive room of the trek. They have 2 good dining rooms. The one in the photo below isn't heated but it is nice during the day as it is spacious and bright. The other dining room is in the main building and it was very warm in the evening. When I stayed everything was great until dark. Four Nepali trekkers arrived and were very noisy. My guide said they had been drinking. I decided to move into the unheated dining room but found that it was occupied by a large group of trekkers. They were having dinner before continuing on to Langtang Village. I therefore sat in the kitchen instead. I was going to stay here on the way back from Kyanjin Gompa thinking I couldn't be so unlucky twice. However, the owner of the hotel at Kyanjin Gompa warned me that many Nepali trekkers stay at Gumba Danda and they were often noisy. The Langtang View Guest House in Gumba. The Langtang View Guest House in Gumba. The Dining Room of the Langtang View Guest House in Gumba Bedrooms at the Langtang View Guest House in Gumba My Room at the Langtang View Guest House in Gumba. 16. Langtang Village's Tea Houses Langtang Village was destroyed by a landslide that was triggered by the 2015 earthquake. A new village has been built on a nearby site that should be out of the path of future landslides. There is a lot of accommodation at Langtang Village and many of the buildings are hotels rather than tea houses. It is likely to be a busy place and popular with groups. Langtang Village 17. Mundu's Guest Houses There are 2 good guest houses at Mundu. I stayed at the Golden Holiday's Guest House and paid R500 ($4) for a really good corner room with an attached bathroom. As is often the case in Nepal the bathroom didn't have a sink. The guest house was very clean and quiet. There was a comfortable dining room and I paid R500 ($4) to use the internet. The other guest house in Mundu is called the Tip Top. It also looked good. My feeling is that Mundu is a nicer and quieter place to stay than either Langtang Village or Gumba Danda. Golden Holiday's Guest House & Restaurant in Mundu The Dining Room at the Golden Holiday's Guest House & Restaurant in Mundu. My Room at the Golden Holiday's Guest House & Restaurant in Mundu My Bathroom at the Golden Holiday's Guest House & Restaurant in Mundu Tip Top Hotel in Mundu 18. Sindum's Tea House My guide said that the Me Very Happy Guest House in Sindum was very good when he last stayed there. Unfortunately it was closed in late November when I was trekking. It did look nice and as it is a single storey building you wouldn't have people stomping above your room. 19. Kyanjin Gompa's Hotels & Tea Houses I haven't seen a village like Kyanjin Gompa on any other trek in Nepal. It mainly consists of 4 to 5 storey hotels that look incongruous in the mountain setting. It isn't picturesque but there is plenty of good accommodation at very reasonable prices. I stayed at the Buddha Inn and I wouldn't be surprised if it was the nicest hotel in Kyanjin Gompa. I had a room with an attached bathroom for R500 ($4). The bathroom was clean and had a hot solar shower and a hand basin. The disadvantage of the hotel is that it is popular with groups. I wouldn't want to stay there in peak season. Some of the other hotels worth considering are: Hotel Super View Hotel View Point Mountain View Guest House & Lodge There is a popular cheesery in Kyanjin Gompa but it didn't look very hygenic. There are also several bakeries. The most well known one is Dorje Bakery but I was disappointed by the quality of the cakes. The Village of Kyanjin Gomba The Buddha Inn in Kyanjin Gomba The Dining Room of the Buddha Inn My Room at the Buddha Inn My Bathroom at the Buddha Inn in Kyanjin Gomba The Hotel Super View in Kyanjin Gomba The Hotel View Point in Kyanjin Gumba 20. Sherpagaon's Tea Houses Sherpagaon is on the upper trail of the Langtang trek and is a very pleasant village with good views. It is worth taking the upper trail just to stay in good accommodation rather than the poor quality tea houses on the first section of the lower main trail of the Langtang trek. There are several tea houses in Sherpagaon and the best one seemed to be the Namaste Guest House. It is at the end of the village when ascending the Langtang trek. I had a large room with a large attached bathroom. The bathroom wasn't particularly clean but this is probably typical for this type of hotel. I paid R500 ($4) although the list price was R1,500 ($12). The food was good, the owners were friendly and there was wifi for a cost of R300 ($2.20). The Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon The View from the Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon The Dining Room at the Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon My Room at the Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon My Bathroom at the Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon My Bill at the Namaste Guest House in Sherpagaon 21. Bhanjyang's Tea House Bhanjyang is the first village on the upper trail of the Langtang trek from Syrabrubesi to Sherpagaon. It is a steep 2.5 hour walk from Syrabrubesi. The Hotel Mountain View would be a good option if you don't have the time to hike to Sherpagaon on the day you travel from Kathmandu. It looks better than the tea houses on the first section of the lower trail on the Langtang trek but not as good as the accommodation in Sherpagaon. 22. Other Langtang, Gosainkunda & Helambu Trek Blogs Day Hikes on the Langtang Trek Langtang Trek - Trip Report Planning the Gosainkunda & Helambu Trek Gosainkunda & Helambu Trip Report

Contents Introduction Walk or Cycle around Stanley Park Gas Town Yaletown Cycling around Vancouver Granville Island Market Coal Harbour, Vancouver Vancouver's Beaches A Walk around Downtown Vancouver Museum of Anthropology Grouse Mountain Capilano Suspension Bridge Queen Elizabeth Park Deep Cove Golden Ears Provincial Park Buntzen Lake Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler Squamish Loggers Sports Festival Hotels in Vancouver Transportation in Vancouver When to Visit Vancouver Links to my other blogs on Canada 1. Introduction We lived in Vancouver for 9 years and in September 2025 went back and spent 11 days there. It had been over 20 years since our last visit. Friends had warned us that Vancouver had changed a lot and about the drug problems in the downtown area. I was pleased to find that many of the changes in Vancouver were for the better. Much of False Creek and Coal Harbour used to be an industrial wasteland but these areas have now been developed well. As a result you can now walk or cycle for hours along Vancouver's seafront on dedicated cycle lanes and walkways. There is certainly a big drug and homelessness problem in Vancouver. It isn't very evident in the main area of interest for visitors which is north of Granville Street. However, it is noticeable south of Granville Street and the areas around Gastown and China Town can be impacted. Safety in downtown Vancouver isn't really an issue but I would be very careful walking south of Granville Street at night. We were really impressed with Vancouver although it helped that we had excellent weather. Vancouver does tend to have good summer weather but the wet winters are another matter! There is enough to do and see in Vancouver to justify spending at least 2 whole days there. The main places of interest for visitors are Stanley Park, Granville Island market, Grouse Mountain and the downtown area. You can easily spend more days in Vancouver, particularly if you explore some of the outlying areas. There are several very scenic lakes with good beaches within driving distance. There is also the Sea to Sky highway to Whistler with several sights along the way. Information on Vancouver's main sights and activities is provided below. 2. Walk or Cycle around Stanley Park Map of Stanley Park, Vancouver Stanley Park's main attraction is the 9 kilometre long sea wall that runs around Stanley Park from Coal Harbour to English Bay. From the sea wall there are great views of the North Shore mountains, downtown Vancouver's skyline, English Bay and Coal Harbour. From the sea wall sea planes can be seen taking off and landing. Cruise ships and freight vessels often sail by. There are several points of interest along the sea wall which include the Totem Poles, Brockton Point, Prospect Point, Siwash rock, Second Beach and Third Beach. Third Beach is an excellent spacious and sandy beach. Second Beach isn't quite as nice but there is a popular outdoor swimming pool there. Vancouver's aquarium is in Stanley Park but I didn't visit it. See the aquarium's website for details. If you want to walk around Stanley Park, but feel that 9 kilometres is too long, there is a way of shortening it by a couple of kilometres. On the east side of Stanley Park you can cut across the peninsular by Brockton Point. There is a paved path between the starting area for the horse drawn carriages and Lumberman's Arch. This path passes to the west of the aquarium. Cycling is a popular and fun way to see Stanley Park and there is a designated bike path around Stanley Park. It's a one way bike path and everyone must cycle anti clockwise. Mobi operates a bike sharing scheme but it is expensive at $1 for unlocking the bike and then 29 cents a minute. In comparison the bike share in Toronto only costs 12 cents a minute. It is better to rent a bike from one of the many bike rental stores on Denman Street near the intersection with West Georgia Street. I used Spokes which is probably the largest bike rental store in Vancouver. It was very easy to rent a bike and they provided a helmet and bike chain. I cycled around Stanley Park twice and walked once. It's also possible to drive around and I also did that. It was the only time that I visited Prospect Point viewpoint which is high up above the sea wall. Prospect Point viewpoint is near Lions Gate Bridge and there are excellent views of ships passing under the bridge. The interior of Stanley Park is massive but most of it is dense forest. The exceptions are the Lost Lagoon and the area around the aquarium. View of Coal Harbour from Stanley Park, Vancouver The Totem Poles in Stanley Park, Vancouver View of the North Shore from Stanley Park, Vancouver SS Empress of Japan Figurehead at Stanley Park, Vancouver Brockton Point Lighthouse at Stanley Park, Vancouver Cruise Ship passing under Lions Gate Bridge, Vancouver Siwash Rock at Stanley Park, Vancouver Third Beach in Stanley Park, Vancouver 3. Gas Town Gastown is the oldest part of Vancouver and one building dates back to 1887. The buildings aren't very special when compared to historic buildings in European towns. However, it's good that the area has been preserved and it's pleasant to stroll down Water Street, which is Gastown's main street. Gastown's main attraction is the steam clock which looks old but was actually only made in 1977. It's meant to whistle and shoot steam every quarter of an hour. When I was there the time on the clock was wrong and some visitors had been waiting a long time for it to whistle. It finally whistled just as I was about to leave. I was surprised that there are now some upmarket businesses in Gastown. Unfortunately they aren't of interest to visitors. There are a couple of shops that sell the usual tourist junk that has been made in China. Many years ago they used to sell quality native handicrafts but not any more. I saw a couple of comments on Tripadvisor about problems of homelessness and drug use in Gastown. Although Gastown is south of Granville Street I didn't experience such issues. The Steam Clock in Gas Town 4. Yaletown Yaletown used to be the western terminus of the Canadian Pacific railway. The warehouses on Hamilton Street and Mainland Street were transformed after Expo 1986 into restaurants, shops, offices and apartments. The entire area has been gentrified with high rise apartment towers built on the nearby north shore of False Creek. The 2 main streets in Yaletown are usually very quiet during the daytime but liven up in the evenings. Some visitors have reported on Tripadvisor that there isn't much to do in the daytime. The nearby False Creek waterfront is a real pleasure with its pedestrian walkway and cycle path. From there it is easy to take one of the frequent water taxis along False Creek and to Granville Island market. Opposite the Yaletown Sky Train station is the old railway roundhouse. There is a small museum there which is free to enter. The museum's main exhibit is the first locomotive to haul a trans continental passenger train into Vancouver in 1888. There is also an interesting exhibit about the Chinese workers who helped construct the trans continental railway. Yaletown The Roundhouse in Yaletown The Steam Engine that pulled the 1st Passenger Train into Vancouver 5. Cycling around Vancouver As I had hurt my foot I hired an electric bike from Spokes Bicycle Rentals and spent the day cycling along Vancouver's fantastic cycle paths. It was one of the best days of my 38 day holiday in Canada. I started near Coal Harbour and cut across the southern edge of Stanley Park to reach English Bay. From there I cycled to Burrard bridge and crossed over to Vanier Park. After Vanier park I rode past Kitsilano beach, Jericho beach, Locarno beach and Spanish Banks. They are all excellent wide and sandy beaches. I turned round shortly after Spanish Banks and retraced my route. Instead of crossing the Burrard bridge back to downtown Vancouver I continued cycling along the south shore of False Creek. I stopped at Granville Island Market for lunch. When I reached the end of False Creek there were great views of the futuristic Science World dome, BC Place Stadium and the Rogers Centre. From there I cycled along False Creek's north shore back to English Bay and retraced my route through Stanley Park to Spokes Bicycle Rental. I changed bikes there as the battery was becoming a bit low and then cycled around Stanley Park. I paid $93 for the day's rental and it was worth every cent. A manual bike would have been about $40 less but I did enjoy the ease of riding an electric bike for the distance I covered. It was totally worth it and it's the best way of seeing the area. First Beach at English Bay A-Maze-Ing Laughter art work at English Bay False Creek's North Shore Near Vanier Park on South Side of False Creek View of English Bay and Sunset Beach Jericho Beach View of Downtown Vancouver from near Jericho Beach Locarno Beach View of North Shore Mountains from Spanish Banks View of Downtown Vancouver from Granville Island Science World at False Creek BC Place 6. Granville Island Market Granville Island is one of the most popular places in Vancouver for visitors. The main attraction is the large indoor market. Granville Island a great place to buy produce and have lunch or a snack. You can either eat inside or at the picnic tables by False Creek. There is often a musician playing there. Granville Island Market is only a small part of Granville Island and there are lots of shops and restaurants on the island. It's very pleasant wandering around. The indoor market is open 7 days a week from 09.00 to 18.00. The best and nicest way to reach Granville Island from downtown is by one of the very frequent water taxis. Aquabus and False Creek Ferries both operate water taxis on False Creek. The water taxis serve the entire False Creek area from Vanier Park in the west to Science World in the east. The fares are reasonable and there are great views along the way. Granville Island Public Market Food Court at Granville Island Public Market Musician at Granville Island Market Outdoor eating area at Granville Island Market Aquabus serving Granville Island Market 7. Coal Harbour, Vancouver Coal Harbour runs from the Cruise Ship Terminal in downtown Vancouver to Stanley Park. Prior to 1995 the southern part of Coal Harbour's waterfront was occupied by Canadian Pacific Railways and it wasn't a very attractive area. Since then it has been developed well and the railway tracks no longer exist. There is a wide walkway all the way from Stanley Park to the Cruise Ship Terminal. There are are excellent views to Stanley Park and over to North Vancouver and the north shore's mountains. The sea plane terminal is located at Coal Harbour and it's fascinating watching, and hearing, them take off and land. Coal Harbour isn't used by freight vessels but is frequented by pleasure boats, cruise ships and ferries to places like Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. There are many interesting information plaques along the walkway about historical events in Vancouver and British Columbia. Vancouver's Cruise Ship Terminal Vancouver Cruise Ship Terminal & Convention Centre Coal Harbour, Vancouver View of the North Shore Mountains from Coal Harbour View of North Vancouver from Coal Harbour 8. Vancouver's Beaches Vancouver has several good sandy beaches that can be easily accessed by visitors. The closest beach to downtown Vancouver is First Beach which is at the western end of Denman Street. It's an excellent wide and sandy beach with logs to rest on. Third Beach on the western side of Stanley Park is very similar but not quite as accessible. To the south of English Bay there are excellent sandy beaches from Kitsilano to Spanish Banks. In between these 2 beaches are Locarno Beach and Jericho Beach. There is convenient paid parking at all these beaches. There are outdoor pools at Kitsilano and 2nd Beach in Stanley Park. First Beach at English Bay Third Beach in Stanley Park Jericho Beach 9. A Walk around Downtown Vancouver The streets with the most activity in downtown Vancouver are Robson Street, Denman Street, Davie Street and Granville Street. They can be seen by doing an interesting circular walk. Robson Street is my favourite street in Vancouver and it's lined with shops and some of them are exclusive. Robson Street slopes down to Denman Street which has lots of reasonably priced restaurants. Both Robson and Denman Streets are safe and very pleasant to walk around at night time. Davie Street runs parallel to Robson Street. Many years ago Davie Street had a notorious reputation but it has now been cleaned up. There are shops and restaurants along Davie Street but it isn't as busy as Robson and Denman Streets. Davie Street becomes more vibrant nearer the junction with Granville Street. I enjoy walking along Davie Street in the daytime. It isn't particularly interesting at night time and also a bit rough near Granville Street. Granville Street is probably the main street in downtown Vancouver but not the most pleasant one. There are shops, cheap eateries, bars and night entertainment. Unfortunately there are also homeless people and drug users, particularly as you get closer to the intersection with Davie Street. It's worth wandering along Granville Street but watch where you step! The street comes alive at night time with all the neon lights. At night time it becomes a bit rough near Davie Street. At th e junction of Granville and Robson there is access to the underground Pacific Centre shopping mall. It's probably about a 2 hour circular walk. It's likely to take much longer with stop offs for food, drink, shopping etc. 10. Museum of Anthropology The Museum of Anthropology is at the University of British Columbia and it takes about 30 minutes to drive there from downtown Vancouver. There is parking at the museum and it costs about $4 an hour. The museum can also be accessed by bus. The Museum of Anthropology is housed in a spectacular building designed by the renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erickson. It's open from 10.00 to 17.00 each day and the entry fee is $26 for an adult and there are discounts for seniors and children. The Museum of Anthropology mainly receives very good reviews but some reviewers complain about the lack of information about the artifacts, history and culture of the indigenous population. I thought that the building was very impressive but was disappointed with the actual museum. There are masses of artifacts with no meaningful narrations. I wanted to learn about Canada's indigenous population, and their history, but that wasn't covered. Some reviewers said they spent several hours in the museum but we spent just over an hour there. We didn't learn any more by paying to visit the museum than if we had freely walked around the exterior of the museum and peered through the huge glass windows. We were also disappointed with the museum's shop. The museum displayed so much indigenous handicrafts but very little was for sale in the shop. Most of the items for sale were the usual tourist tat. Exterior of the Museum of Anthropology The Main Display at the Museum of Anthropology 11. Grouse Mountain Grouse Mountain is one of the top visitor attractions in Vancouver. I didn't take the gondola up this visit as I had skied at Grouse Mountain many times in the past and didn't want to pay the admission fee. The views from Grouse Mountain are fantastic if the weather is good. I personally wouldn't spend the money to go up if it was cloudy or there was smoke from wild fires like I experienced in early September. There are many free and paid activities at the top of Grouse Mountain. Most visitors enjoy the ranger and owl talks, the grizzly bear habitat and the lumberjack show. These activities are all free but be aware that outside the peak summer season the lumberjack show is only at weekends and holidays. The online entrance fee is $82 with discounts for seniors and children. Online tickets cannot be bought on the day of admission. Tickets can be bought at Grouse Mountain and Canada Place but cost a bit more. During the summer season there is a free coach service between Canada Place and Grouse Mountain. Coaches run about every half an hour from 09.00 to 18.00. It's also possible to hike up Grouse Mountain and take the gondola down at a reduced fee. The hike up is called the Grouse Grind and it has an elevation gain of 800 metres. Grouse Mountain states that it takes 2 to 2.5 hours on average. However, many people hike up faster. I did the Grouse Grind many years ago. The hike is completely through forest and there aren't any views before the top. The only reasons to do the Grouse Grind are the challenge, fitness and to save a bit of money. 12. Capilano Suspension Bridge It was free when I visited a very long time ago. Since then I have crossed numerous spectacular suspension bridges in the Himalayas for free. Therefore when I saw that the entrance fee for the Capilano Suspension Bridge was an outrageous $78 I decided not to visit. There are other activities included in the entrance fee and there is a free shuttle from Canada Place. However, if you drive there is a charge for parking. I feel that Capilano Suspension Bridge is an expensive tourist trap. Surprisingly there are a lot of positive reviews on Tripadvisor. If you want to experience walking over a suspension bridge it is better to visit the nearby Lynn Valley Canyon Park which has free entry. 13. Queen Elizabeth Park Queen Elizabeth Park is a 130 acre municipal park that's free to enter. The main attractions are in the centre of the park where there were 2 quarries. The quarries have been turned into very spectacular gardens. There are also good views of Vancouver's skyline and the North Shore mountains from Queen Elizabeth Park. The Bloedel Conservatory is near the quarry gardens and it consists of a glass domed building housing a botanical garden. The entrance fee is $9 with discounts for seniors and children. Queen Elizabeth Park is a 15 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. Fountains in front of the Bloedel Conservatory The Bloedel Conservatory Queen Elizabeth Park's Main Quarry Garden Queen Elizabeth Park's Main Quarry Garden 14. Deep Cove Deep Cove is on the eastern side of North Vancouver and is a 30 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. Parking is very limited at weekends and holidays. We went by Uber. Deep Cove is on Indian Arm which is a tributary of Burrard Inlet. The water is usually calm and is popular for boating and canoeing. Canoes can be rented at Deep Cove. There are a few small beaches and also open parkland at the waterfront. It's a pleasant place to wander around. There is small high street with a few restaurants and shops Deep Cove Deep Cove Deep Cove's Shops and Restaurants 15. Golden Ears Provincial Park Golden Ears Provincial Park used to be one of our favourite places to go to for swimming when we lived in Vancouver. It has a large pristine lake surrounded by mountains and the water temperature is fine as the lake isn't glacier fed. It's about a one hour drive eastwards from Vancouver. Unfortunately with Vancouver's expanded population it is now very popular and in peak summer time a day pass is required up to the beginning of September. The day passes are free and can be applied for online 2 days in advance. I would avoid weekends and holidays. There are 3 main areas at the lake for swimming. South Beach is the first beach off the access road and it's the nicest and largest beach. It has a large grassy picnic area by the beach and there are good toilet facilities. Further along the access road there is parking for Gold Creek and North Beach. It's a one kilometre walk along Gold Creek to North Beach. The first part of Gold Creek is too shallow for swimming but nearer the lake it's deeper and is a popular swimming spot. The North Beach area is very scenic but the beach is stony and the water too shallow for swimming. It's popular with dog owners as dogs aren't allowed on South Beach. Entrance to Golden Ears Provincial Park The main beach at Golden Ears Provincial Park North Beach at Golden Ears Provincial Park Gold Creek at Golden Ears Provincial Park 16. Buntzen Lake Buntzen Lake is 45 minute drive eastwards from downtown Vancouver. It's similar to Golden Ears Provincial Park but there is only one beach accessible by vehicles. From the middle of May to beginning of September a free permit must be obtained online from BC Hydro . Beach at Buntzen Lake 17. Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler We drove the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler in mid September and weren't as impressed with the scenery as we thought we would be. It didn't help that it was a bit cloudy. Unfortunately trees block a lot of the views from the highway. This is a common problem in British Columbia. Whistler is a pleasant destination to visit but if you are visiting outside the main summer season do check before you go that the gondolas and peak chairlift are open. See my section on Whistler for further information about that. It only takes 1.5 hours to drive on the Sea to Sky Highway from downtown Vancouver to Whistler. Most visitors take a lot longer as there are a few places worth visiting on the way. Information about the main stops is provided below. Porteau Cove Provincial Park Porteau Cove Provincial Park is a 35 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. There's free parking and a picnic area just off the highway. On a clear day there are good views of Howe Sound and the coastal mountains. Porteau Cove Picnic Area & Parking at Porteau Cove Britannia Mine Museum The Britannia Mine operated from 1904 to 1974. At one time it was the largest copper mine in the British Commonwealth and it supplied 17% of the world's copper. On the hillside above the Britannia Mine there is a 20 storey building that was used for processing the copper ore. The exterior looked more impressive before they renovated it in 2007. The interior hasn't been renovated and is very impressive. As a result it's a popular filming location. The $42 entrance fee for the Britannia Mine Museum includes a 75 minute guided tour with an underground train ride. You should allow at least 2 hours for a visit. The Britannia Mine Museum is a 45 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. We visited about 20 years ago and enjoyed it. Most of the reviews are very positive but some visitors feel that it isn't worth the $42 entrance fee. In t he peak summer period it's advisable to make an online reservation as the Britannia Mining Museum can be fully booked. Exterior of the Britannia Mine Museum Interior of the Britannia Mine Museum Shannon Falls Shannon falls is only a 7 minute drive north of Britannia Mine Museum. There's a free car park and flush toilets. It's a popular stop. It's a 350 metre walk along a good path to the main viewpoint of the falls. There's another viewpoint a bit further up but we didn't walk there. After seeing several spectacular waterfalls in Banff National Park I wasn't so impressed with Shannon Falls. We visited in mid September after several dry months. Shannon Falls would be more impressive in winter and spring. Shannon Falls Brandywine Falls Brandywine Falls is a 1.25 hour drive from Vancouver. There's free parking but the car park can be very busy at weekends. It's a 10 minute walk to the falls and there are 2 viewing areas. Brandywine Falls Whistler Hikers and mountain bikers could spend days at Whistler in the summer time. Visitors not participating in outdoor pursuits can easily keep themselves fully occupied for a day. Gondolas at Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains The top activity is taking the gondola: there is a gondola up Whistler and another up Blackcomb. The Peak 2 Peak gondola connects the upper stations of the Whistler and Blackcomb gondolas and spans 4.4 kilometres. The Peak Express chairlift goes from the upper station of Whistler's gondola to the top of Whistler Mountain (2,181 metres). This saves a one hour hike up and provides access to the Cloudraker Skybridge. This is a 130 metre bridge between Whistler Peak and West Ridge. Tickets cost around $100 and covers the 3 gondolas, the Peak Express chairlift and the Cloudraker Skybridge. Before buying tickets check what is open and this can be checked online. During the peak summer period from mid June to Labour day all of these attractions should be open. However, at other times they may only be open at weekends or only some of the attractions may be open. I discovered that after Labour day only the Blackcomb and Peak 2 Peak gondolas were open and even these gondolas stopped operating after 21st September. It seemed a rip off that the full price was being charged when the Peak Express chairlift to the Cloudraker Skybridge was closed. There are a couple of attractive lakes at Whistler. Lost lake is the nearest to the centre of Whistler. In summer the water temperature is warm enough for swimming. Green Lake is a bit further north. It is larger and the water isn't as warm as it's glacier fed. Whistler Town Centre Green Lake, Whistler Lost Lake, Whistler 18. Squamish Loggers Sports Festival The Squamish Loggers Sports Festival is the largest and best loggers festival in Canada. It has a fantastic action packed show highlighting the skills of British Columbia's loggers. Be prepared for the noise of the chain saws! The Loggers Festival is normally held on a weekend at the end of July or start of August. The main show is on the Sunday and tickets should be booked early online as this show sells out. 19. Hotels in Vancouver Hotel rooms are very expensive in Vancouver during the summer season. In 2025 a decent hotel room cost around $400 a night. Staying outside of downtown Vancouver saves very little. We spent a few nights in the Holiday Inn Express in Metrotown, Burnaby and even that cost $400 a night. Hotel costs are high as Vancouver is a major cruise ship terminal for Alaska cruises. Also British Columbia has placed restrictions on the short term rental of apartments. We initially rented a 2 bedroom apartment near the Rogers Centre as our son was with us. This cost a whopping $850 a night through VRBO . It was a nice apartment and it should have been for the price! We then stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Metrotown, Burnaby as we wanted to visit some areas outside the downtown core. I booked directly with Holiday Inn as they had a better deal than Booking.com. The Holiday Inn Express in Metrotown, Burnaby was very good and included breakfast and free parking. It was right next to the huge Metrotown shopping centre and opposite the Skytrain station. It only took about 20 minutes to reach downtown Vancouver. At the end of our road trip around British Columbia we stayed at the Blue Horizon Hotel on Robson Street. Again I booked directly with the hotel as they had a special summer deal. As a result we paid $350 a night for a superior room. It would have cost over $400 on Booking.com. The Blue Horizon was built in the 1970's but was completely refurbished in 2025. All rooms are corner rooms with balconies. We had a room on the 23rd floor with views over the city to English Bay. The room was huge and had been refurbished very well. We were delighted with the hotel and it was very central. It's worth paying for a sea view room as they are sunnier. Also the rooms on the other side of the hotel look onto apartment towers. 20. Transportation in Vancouver We used Uber a lot in Vancouver as there were 3 of us and it often didn't cost much more than public transport. We also used the very efficient and regular Skytrain and also the Canada Line which is connected to the Skytrain network at the waterfront station. Skytrain and the Canada Line are automated light railway systems that run mainly above ground. Visitors mainly use the Canada Line which runs frequently between the airport and downtown Vancouver. The fare is about $4.85 but it depends on the time of day. There's a $5 surcharge on top of Canada Line's fare for rides originating from the airport. This surcharge doesn't apply to rides to Vancouver airport. Visitors might find the Skytrain useful for travelling to Chinatown, Yaletown and the large shopping centre at Metrotown, Burnaby. The fare for travelling to these locations in central area of Vancouver is $3.35 and it can be paid by tapping a credit card at the start and end of each journey. There is a good bus network in Vancouver but we didn't use buses during this visit. We rented a car for a few days but unless you are travelling some distance out of downtown Vancouver it's cheaper and easier to use Uber. Most hotels and parking areas charge for parking and car rental isn't cheap. 21. When to Visit Vancouver Vancouver is notorious for it's rainfall and it's pretty miserable when it rains for days on end. Fortunately most of the rain falls in winter between October and May. Vancouver tends to have good summers unlike in the U.K. The official weather statistics for Vancouver are taken at the airport which is about the driest and sunniest place in the Vancouver area! The rainfall increases, and the number of hours of sun decreases, the closer you get to the mountains. Fortunately the climate in downtown Vancouver isn't too much worse than at the airport. Another factor to take into account is smoke from forest fires. Summer forest fires have become a big problem in British Columbia and the smoke can obscure the scenery. Vancouver isn't as badly affected as inland areas. 22. Links to my other Blogs on Canada Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Road Trip Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike

Moraine Lake We lived in Vancouver for 8 years and returned for a visit in September 2025. We spent 4 weeks travelling around British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies. We had a great trip and excellent weather. The only issue was smoke from forest fires but that only affected us for 3 days. See my Vancouver Travel Guide for information about visiting Vancouver. Contents Itinerary for Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Driv e When to visit Banff and Jasper National Parks Rental of Cars and RV's in Canada Accommodation in British Columbia & the Canadian Rockies Drive from Vancouver to Okanagan (Penticton) 2 Days in the Okanagan Drive from Penticton to Nelson Drive from Nelson to Invermere 1 Day at Invermere and Radium Hot Springs Drive from Invermere to Canmore 2 Nights in Canmore and Banff Drive from Canmore to Jasper along the Icefields Parkway 2 Nights in Jasper Drive from Jasper to Field along the Icefields Parkway 4 Nights in Field, British Columbia Drive from Field to Salmon Arm Drive from Salmon Arm to Whistler 2 Nights in Whistler Drive - Whistler to Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway Links to my other Blogs on Canada 1. Itinerary for Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Drive Our route is indicated in black I had thought about driving one way from Vancouver and dropping the rental car off in Calgary. However, the additional charge for a one way rental was far too much. I therefore planned an itinerary that wouldn't mean driving back to Vancouver on the same route. The only road that we drove both ways was the Icefield Parkway between Banff and Jasper. It is actually a good idea to drive the Icefield Parkway both ways. The road is very scenic and there's lots to do and see along the route. If you like hiking then 2 full days are needed for the Icefield Parkway. Also if the weather is bad one day then hopefully the weather will be good the other day. When planning our itinerary I wanted to allow plenty of time so that we could explore areas rather than just driving past them. On the other hand Banff and Jasper National Parks are very expensive destinations and I didn't want too much down time. We had initially intended to spend a 3rd night at Jasper, a 5th night at Field (Yoho National Park) and a 3rd night at Whistler so we could do some hiking. Unfortunately my wife had a foot problem so we couldn't do so. Also the 2024 fires in Jasper resulted in a couple of popular hiking areas being closed in 2025. From Vancouver we took the scenic highway 3 eastwards along the U.S. border. The other option was highway 5 (Coquihalla Highway) but the scenery along that highway is too forested for my liking. As it turned out highway 5 was closed due to forest fires so we had no option! There were several options for the return route: Highway 5 from Jasper to Vancouver. Trans Canada highway 1 from Banff National Park all the way to Vancouver. Trans Canada highway 1 to Cache Creek and then highway 99 to Vancouver via Whistler. I decided on the third option as we had never driven on the highway 99 from Cache Creek to Whistler. Our itinerary was: Vancouver Several nights Penticton 3 nights Nelson 1 night Invermere 2 nights Banff 2 nights Jasper 2 nights Field 4 nights Salmon Arm 1 night Whistler 2 nights Vancouver 3 nights Continue reading for more information about this itinerary and what to see and do at the places we visited. 2. When to visit Banff and Jasper National Parks The main season for visiting Banff and Jasper National Parks is from April to October. Our recent visit was in mid September and many years ago we visited in late April. We had excellent weather both times. April and May are offseason for summer activities. There will still be snow on many hiking trails and ice on some lakes. The access roads to Moraine Lake and Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park will be closed. June isn't a good month to visit as usually it's the wettest month of the year. Also in very early June some of the higher altitude lakes like Lake Louise and Moraine Lake may still be covered with ice. July and August are the busiest and most expensive months. I would therefore avoid those months if possible. The weather should be good but there is a high risk of forest fires and the smoke can obscure views. September is a popular month but is not as busy as July and August. The weather is usually good although it will be getting cooler in late September. There can be snow at higher altitude when hiking. There could still be a problem with smoke from forest fires for most of the month. A big attraction towards the end of September is the golden larch trees. Unfortunately this also brings a lot of local visitors into Banff and Jasper National parks. October is offseason and the first half of October could be a reasonable time to visit if you don't mind cooler, and shorter, days. If you are driving through British Columbia winter tyres are required on certain routes from 1st October. 3. Rental of Cars and RV's in Canada We rented a SUV with Avis through Booking.com . We booked a few months ahead and car rental prices increased in the months after that. If prices had come down we could have cancelled our reservation up to a day before the rental began. It's therefore better to book a vehicle early. When we went to pick up our vehicle Avis upgraded us to a Grand Cherokee Jeep. It was way too big and difficult to park. We therefore swapped it the next day for a BMW X1 SUV and we really enjoyed driving it. A lot of visitors rent large RV's to avoid paying the exorbitant hotel costs in Banff and Jasper and to avoid high restaurant prices. I am not convinced about the benefit of renting a RV as: They are more difficult to drive and park due to their size. Everything has to be packed away when you drive somewhere. They are a lot more expensive to rent than cars when all the extras are taken into account. Fuel consumption is much worse than for a car. Food costs can be kept at a reasonable level when staying in apartments and hotels. Most hotels have fridges and some have microwaves. We often bought food from the supermarket delis and ate it on paper plates. At apartments we also bought roast chickens from the delis and had takeaways. For breakfast we had porridge or bread and marmalade. 4. Accommodation in British Columbia & Canadian Rockies We found that accommodation in Vancouver, Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper was very expensive. In summer time it would be very difficult to find reasonable accommodation for less than $400 a night. Usually this wouldn't include breakfast. The hotel prices in Vancouver are high as it's one of the main ports for Alaskan cruises. In addition there are restrictions on short term apartment rentals and that also applies to some other areas in British Columbia like the Okanagan. It's difficult to avoid the high accommodation prices in Vancouver. However, for Banff a good alternative is to stay in Canmore which is a 20 minute drive south of Banff. The accommodation in Canmore is more reasonably priced and better quality. Apartments can also be rented in Canmore. We preferred Canmore to Banff as it's less touristy and it is a very pleasant and scenic town. A good alternative to Lake Louise is the the small railway town of Field which is a 20 minute drive west of Lake Louise. Field is in Yoho National Park and there are several interesting sights to see there. Banff could also be visited from Field as it's only a 1 hour drive away. The Truffle Pigs Restaurant & Lodge is the only hotel in Field and the other accommodation in Field is provided by guest houses. We stayed in the Truffle Pigs Lodge and had a good room with 2 queen beds for $315 a night. The Truffle Pigs Lodge is near the railway and there is noise from both stationary and moving trains. As there isn't air conditioning we had to have the window open. The noise didn't bother us but it could disturb light sleepers. At Jasper we paid $460 a night for an excellent cabin at Pine Bungalows . Accommodation in Jasper is in even shorter supply than usual due to the devastating fire in July 2024. It's important to book accommodation early in Banff, Jasper and Yoho national Parks as demand often exceeds supply. Even if you find last minute accommodation it's likely to be expensive and/or not the best quality. 5. D rive from Vancouver to Okanagan (Penticton) We drove from Vancouver to Penticton on highway 3 which is British Columbia's most southerly highway. We stopped off on the way at Harrison Hot Springs, the Hope Landslide and Manning Park. This route is very scenic but the smoke from forest fires was so bad that we could see very little of the mountains and it spoiled the journey. To make matters worse there was road construction after Manning Park and it delayed us by over 3 hours! The actual driving time from Vancouver to Penticton should have been 5.5 hours. However, it took much longer and with the stop offs we only reached Penticton at 20.00 despite starting out at 09.00. Our first stop was Harrison Hot Springs which is a resort town set on a scenic lake with a large sandy beach. It has expanded a lot since we were last there. We walked along the waterfront but only had glimpses of the mountains through the smoke. Our next stop was the Hope Slide which was a huge landslide that occurred in 1965 and covered part of the highway killing 4 people. We could just see it through the smoke! We had driven by Manning Park in the past but had never visited it. We drove to Lightning Lake where there is a pleasant day use area and we ate our lunch there. My plan had been to also drive up to the Cascade Viewpoint on the other side of highway 3 from Manning Park. It's a 15 minute drive up a curvy road to this viewpoint and there are excellent views in good weather. We didn't bother doing this as there was far too much smoke. We had been advised by a friend to stop at one of the numerous fruit stall at Keremeos, which is a 45 minute drive before reaching Penticton. Unfortunately we were just too late and tired to do so. It looked to be the best place in the Okanagan to buy fruit. Harrison Hot Springs The Hope Landslide Lightning Lake at Manning Park 6. Two Days in the Okanagan Map of the Okanagan I had booked an apartment near Penticton 6 months prior to our trip. A couple of months afterwards I received a request to cancel the reservation due to the new laws restricting the short term rental of apartments. I therefore had to book a hotel for 3 nights and we stayed at the Balcomo  in Penticton at a rate of $250 a night. It's a fancy motel rather than a hotel but we enjoyed our stay. Unfortunately it was very hazy during our stay due to smoke. If it hadn't been for the smoke we would have had sunny weather and hot temperatures. We found that 3 nights in the Okanagan were ample. One of the main attractions of the Okanagan are the numerous wineries but Lani (my wife) doesn't drink. The other main attraction is the beaches and lakes but it wasn't swimming weather due to the haze. Penticton is situated between 2 lakes. Okanagan lake is to the north and it has a sandy beach. The SS Sicamous is at the western end of this beach. Skaha lake is on the southern edge of Penticton and has a bigger sandy beach. The SS Sicamous is a paddle wheeler that was launched in 1914 and was used for transport on Okanagan lake. It's now a museum and it receives good reviews. The entrance fee is only $10 but unfortunately it was closed when we were there. On Saturday mornings there is a popular farmer's market in Penticton and it's worth wandering around it. The most popular section of the decommissioned Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) runs 16 kilometres from Penticton to Naramata on the east side of Okanagan lake. It's a well maintained trail for both walkers and cyclists. Bikes can be rented from several bike shops in Penticton. There are wineries and breweries along this trail. Kelowna is a 1 hour drive north of Penticton. It's a scenic drive along the western side of Okanagan lake. However, the southern suburbs of Kelowna were unattractive. We liked City Park and the waterfront walkway in downtown Kelowna. Okanagan Lake Beach in Penticton SS Sicamous, Penticton Skaha Lake Park, Penticton Kettle Valley Rail Trail in Penticton Vineyard on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail in Penticton Brewery & Pub on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail in Penticton Kelowna City Park 7. Drive from Penticton to Nelson It's a 4 hour drive from Penticton to Nelson but with stops along the way it took about 8 hours. It wasn't as hazy as it had been the last few days and as we drove south towards Osoyoos the sky cleared. We stopped briefly at Osoyoos and it looks like a nice small town. Probably nicer than Penticton and Kelowna. After Osoyoos the road ascended steeply into the mountains. We were pleasantly surprised that the mountains weren't very forested and there was scenic open countryside. We stopped at Christina Lake Provincial Park for lunch. Nelson is on Kootenay Lake and is an attractive town not spoilt by modern development. Unfortunately there isn't much decent accommodation in Nelson and the only good hotel seemed to be the expensive Prestige Lakeside Resort . When I booked the room at the Prestige Lakeside Resort it was over $400 a night. I was therefore annoyed to find the day before we checked in that the room prices had dropped to around $300 a night. Unfortunately it was too late to change our reservation. Luckily the hotel was good and they upgraded our room. We didn't do much in Nelson due to a lack of time and I had been there a couple of times before on business. If we had had more time I would have done the popular hike to Pulpit Rock . This hike takes 1.5 to 2 hours. In the evening we went into the old town centre for a Mexican meal at the Cantina del Centro . We had a table outside on the main street and the food and service was excellent. Vaseux Lake south of Penticton Osoyoos Lake Christina Lake Provincial Park Kootenay Lake near Nelson The Main Street in Nelson View of Kootenay Lake from Nelson 8. Drive from Nelson to Invermere If the hotel in Nelson hadn't been so expensive we might have stayed a second night as there is a scenic circular drive that had been recommended on the Tripadvisor forum. This drive goes north of Nelson on the highway 6 to New Denver. The Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre  is at New Denver and it's where 22,000 Japanese Canadians were interned during the 2nd World War. The entry fee is $9 with discounts for seniors and children. The road from New Denver back to Nelson runs along Kootenay Lake on highway 31. It's worth stopping at the pretty village of Kaslo on the way. The SS Moyie  is located there and is the world's oldest passenger sternwheeler. From New Denver it's a short 10 minute walk to Fletcher Falls . There are two routes from Nelson to Invermere. The quickest route goes south of Nelson on highway 6 and then east on highway 3 to Cranbook. From Cranbook highway 93 goes north to Invermere. The driving time is about 4 hours. The other route goes east from Nelson to Balfour which is on the west side of Kootenay Lake. From Balfour there is car ferry to Kootenay Bay on the east side of Kootenay Lake. This is the world 's long est free ferry ride! From Kootenay Bay highway 3A runs south along Kootenay Lake to Cranbrook. We took the second route as it seemed more interesting. On the way from Nelson to Balfour we stopped at Kokanee Provincial Park to see the salmon spawning. The Kootenay Lake ferry  runs about every 40 minutes and there was plenty of space on the vessel. Whilst waiting for the ferry we treated ourselves to a coffee and freshly baked cake at the excellent Old World Bakery. The ferry ride takes about 30 minutes and is very scenic. We were wondering whether to make a slight detour to Kimberley on the way from Cranbook to Invermere. We were glad we didn't as it would have made the journey too long. Luckily we had gained one hour during today's journey as Invermere is in the Mountain time zone. I booked a 3 bedroom condominium in Invermere for $315 a night through VRBO . It was excellent as it was a spacious corner condo on the top floor with views of Lake Windermere. A condo like that in Vancouver would cost over $1,000 a night. In the evening we bought a roast chicken and salads from a supermarket deli and ate it in the apartment. Salmon at Kokanee Provincial Park The Ferry between Balfour and Kootenay Bay View from the Balfour to Kootenay Bay Ferry 9. One Day at Invermere and Radium Hot Springs In the morning we stopped off at the Parks Canada office in the town of Radium Hot Springs to buy an annual pass for Canada's National Parks. The annual Discovery Pass costs $75.25 with a discount for seniors. A daily pass costs $11 and it is therefore cheaper and more convenient to buy an annual pass if you are spending more than 7 days in Canada's National Parks. We then went on to the Radium Hot Springs pools in Kootenay National Park. The pools open quite late in September and even later in winter. Check the opening hours  before going. Radium Hot Springs costs $17.50 for an adult and there are discounts for seniors and children. We really enjoyed the Radium Hot Springs pool and spent about 2 hours soaking in it. It was very sociable and we chatted to several people. There are changing rooms, toilets, drinking water and free lockers there. Towels cost extra so it's best to bring your own. There's also a cooler pool for swimming but we didn't use it. On the drive back to Invermere we stopped at Sinclair Canyon and walked through it. It's worth stopping but it isn't a haven of peace as the main road runs through it! Invermere has 2 popular beaches on Lake Windermere. There is a stony beach at James Chabot Provincial Park which was right by our apartment. The more sandy Kinsmen beach was a short drive away. Radium Springs Hot Pool Sinclair Canyon in Kootenay National Park Beach at James Chabot Provincial Park, Invermere Kinsmen Beach in Invermere 10. Drive from Invermere to Canmore Kootenay National Park's attractions are in the southern and northern ends of the park and there is little to do in between. We saw Sinclair Canyon and Radium Hot Springs in the south of the park yesterday. Today we visited the sights in the northern end of Kootenay National Park as we had to drive through Kootenay National Park to reach Canmore, our next destination. As it's only a 2 hour drive from Invermere to Canmore we had plenty of time to sightsee. Map of the northern section of Kootenay National Park Numa Falls in Kootenay National Park was the first stop. The car park is just off Highway 93 and the falls are a 2 minute walk from the car park. There's a bridge over the river which provides a good view of the falls. It doesn't take long to see Numa Falls. The parking lot for the Paint Pots is only a 5 minute drive from Numa Falls. The Paint Pots are 1 kilometre from the car park and it's a 15 minute scenic walk. The Paint Pots are 3 colourful pools of mineral water. Marble Canyon is a short drive further along Highway 93. It's possible to hike between the Paint Pots and Marble Canyon but it didn't appear to be a scenic trail. The trail to Marble Canyon follows the canyon upwards and there are 7 bridges to cross. The 700 metre long path is steep at times.  There  a re good views of the canyon and river along the trail. If you want to do a scenic hike the Stanley Glacier Trail  is in this part of Kootenay National Park. The hike takes about 4 hours. The Continental divide is at the boundary of Kootenay and Banff National Parks. The continental divide is the dividing line between the Pacific and Atlantic watersheds. We quickly stopped to take a photo of the sign. The mountain scenery from here to Canmore is spectacular. When we reached Canmore we checked into a one bedroom apartment that I had booked through VRBO  for $380 a night. The apartment was fine but I wouldn't recommend it. Simpson River in Kootenay National Park Numa Falls in Kootenay National Park Trail to the Paint Pots in Kootenay National Park A Paint Pot in Kootenay National Park Marble Canyon in Kootenay National Park Castle Mountain in Banff National Park The Continental Divide between Kootenay and Banff National Parks View when driving from Kootenay National Park to Banff 11. Two Nights in Canmore and Banff Canmore Map of downtown Canmore After checking into our apartment we walked around Canmore's very pleasant downtown area. 8th Street is Canmore's main street and it's pedestrianised in summertime. It's very similar to Banff's main street with lots of shops and restaurants and there are good views of the mountains. Canmore's main street runs from west to east and the Policeman's Creek Boardwalk is at the eastern end. The first section of the Policeman's Creek Boardwalk is the most scenic as the trail becomes forested after the first bridge. I therefore crossed the creek at the first bridge and walked back to main street along the pleasant Spring Creek Drive. Bow River is at the western end of main street. I walked on both sides of the Bow River between Canmore Engine Bridge and Bridge Road as it's very scenic. I also walked southwards from Bridge Road along the east side of the Bow River until it became forested. There are good views of the Three Sisters on this section. My route is shown in yellow on the map. Drivers can park on the western side of Bridge Road where there is a small parking lot at the Canmore Public Boat Launch  that costs about $4 an hour. I wanted to visit Quarry Lake  which is a 7 minute drive from downtown Canmore. Quarry Lake is in a beautiful setting and is a popular location as a result. I didn't go there as the parking cost has been increased to $10 an hour and there is a 2 hour minimum. Main Street Canmore Policeman Creek Trail at Canmore Policeman Creek Trail at Canmore Walk along the Bow river in Canmore. The 3 Sisters in the background Walk along the Bow river in Canmore Banff Town Map of Banff Town There is a free parking lot at Banff Train Station  with 500 parking spaces. It's about a 10 minute walk from Banff Avenue which is Banff's main shopping street. We parked at the Cascade of Time Garden which is just across the bridge from Banff Avenue. We arrived at 09.15 and were delighted to find plenty of free parking and public toilets. We didn't walk around the attractive garden and only went to the popular viewpoint that looks down Banff Avenue to Cascade Mountain. From the Cascade of Time Garden we walked over the bridge and along Banff Avenue. Not all the shops were open yet but it was starting to become busy. It's a pleasant main street but we aren't keen shoppers and many of the stores were very exclusive. We returned to the bridge and started walking along the 1.2 kilometre long Bow River Trail to Bow Falls. I thought it would be a scenic trail but trees obscured the views. As Lani had a foot problem we turned back and drove to Bow Falls instead. We were pleased to find a large car park at Bow Falls with plenty of free spaces. This car park can be used to see both the Bow Falls and the Banff Springs Hotel. The hotel can be viewed by walking further along the road to the nearby bridge over the Bow River. Surprise Corner Viewpoint is on the opposite side of the river to Bow Falls. The car park is small and we parked in the last available space. There are excellent views of the Banff Springs Hotel. When visiting Banff I recommend stopping first at Surprise Corner Viewpoint due to the lack of parking. Then drive to the Cascade of Time Garden car park. There are plenty of parking spaces at Bow Falls so there is no urgency in driving there. View from the Cascade of Time Garden in Banff Banff's Main High Street View of the Banff Springs Hotel from Surprise Corner Viewpoint View from Bow Falls Viewpoint in Banff Sights around Banff Town Lake Minnewanka Circular Drive After visiting Banff Town we drove a short distance to the Vermillion Lakes. There are 3 lakes and a few places where you can pull over and enjoy the views. There are many cyclists as the Vermillion Lakes are close to Banff. It should take less than an hour to see Vermillion Lakes. From Vermillion Lake we did a circular drive to Lake Minnewanka. We stopped at 3 scenic lakes on the way. The first stop was at Cascade Ponds where we had a picnic lunch before doing the short walk around the ponds. Our second stop was at 2 Jacks Lake. The weather was quite warm and people were sunbathing, swimming and using inflatables on the lake. It's a very pleasant place in good weather. Johnson Lake was our last stop before reaching Lake Minnewanka. Lake Minnewanka is 21 kilometres long and is the second largest lake in the Canadian Rockies. There are regular one hour boat cruises on Lake Minnewanka that cost around $70. We didn't go on a boat cruise due to the cost. The Banff Upper Hot Springs were closed for maintenance during our visit. I wasn't bothered about going anyway as I had been before and in summer time the hot springs can be too crowded. Entry costs $17.50 with discounts for seniors and adults. It's open from 10.00 to 22.00. There are 2 gondolas and 1 chairlift in the vicinity of Banff Town. I researched them before our trip but we didn't go up on any of them due to the cost. The Banff gondola is the most popular out of the three options. It has the best views but also the highest cost! Tickets cost around $90 but the price varies as there is dynamic pricing.  Booking  in advance is encouraged but I would be wary of booking more than a day in advance as mountain weather is unpredictable. The Sunshine gondola is a bit cheaper and the best option if you want to hike at the top on scenic trails. The Mount Norquay chairlift is the cheapest of the 3 options but the views aren't as good as from the Banff gondola. Vermillion Lakes near Banff Cascade Ponds in Banff Springs National Park 2 Jacks Lake in Banff National Park Johnson Lake in Banff National Park Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park 12. Drive from Canmore to Jasper along the Icefields Parkway We spent 8.5 hours driving from Canmore to Jasper in excellent weather and stopped at all the places we wanted to see. It's a fantastic drive but also very popular. We managed to quickly park at all the places but the car parks were pretty full. I was glad we weren't driving a RV as it makes parking so much more difficult. I have highlighted in red on the map all the places we stopped at and the photos are below. We didn't do any hikes apart from the short hikes to see the waterfalls, lakes, glacier etc as we didn't have time. We didn't do the Columbia Icefield Adventure which involves travelling on a huge vehicle onto the Columbia Glacier and spending about 30 minutes on the glacier. This tour costs a whopping $125! This cost includes the Columbia Icefield Skywalk which is a glass floor walkway suspended from the hillside. We didn't do the Columbia Icefield Adventure for several reasons: The cost is far too high. We had done it in 1980 when the cost was reasonable and the Columbia Glacier was larger and quicker to access. I have hiked on more impressive glaciers in Nepal for free. The Columbia Icefield skywalk is a touristy gimmick. You have to allow 2.5 to 3 hours for the tour but only 30 minutes is spent on the glacier. You can walk to the toe of the Columbia Glacier for free and it's only a 15 minute walk each way. If you want to walk to the toe of the glacier you turn off to the left once you reach the huge parking lot for the Columbia Icefield Adventure which is on the right hand side of the road to Jasper. Don't stop at the first parking area which is a long way from the glacier but drive to the parking area at the end of the road. From the last parking area it's a 15 minute walk up a slight hill to the toe of the Columbia Glacier. There are markers along the trail indicating the position of the glacier over the last 100 years. The Columbia Glacier has been receding for a long time. View of Cascade Mountain from the Canmore to Banff highway View from the highway after Lake Louise Bow Lake Peyto Lake Waterfowl Lakes Viewpoint Mistaya Canyon in Jasper National Park Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park Tangle Creek Falls in Jasper National Park Sunwapta Falls in Jasper National Park Goats and Glaciers Viewpoint Athabasca Falls in Jasper National Park 13. Two Nights in Jasper Map of the area around Jasper Map of Jasper Accommodation in Jasper is in short supply and expensive. I booked 9 months ahead and paid $460 a night for a studio cabin at Pine Bungalows . We were very happy with the cabin apart from the price! The resort is well run and the cabins nicely furnished and in excellent condition. It wasn't rustic. I only booked 2 nights at Jasper as the terrible fire in July 2024 meant that the popular Maligne Canyon trail, Valley of 5 Lakes trail and the Mount Edith Cavell area were still closed. We went grocery shopping in Jasper the evening we arrived. The 2 main grocery stores are The Grocery Place (TGP) and Nesters Market. We used TGP as the hotel receptionist recommended it and it also has free parking. We bought a roast chicken and salads for our 2 nights in Jasper. It saved a lot of money and time. We were travelling in Canada for 5 weeks and we didn't feel like eating out every night. The weather forecast for our one full day in Jasper wasn't good. Unfortunately the weather forecast was correct but it only rained in the early morning and late afternoon. It meant that we could do everything we wanted but the scenery didn't look spectacular in the cloudy conditions. We drove to Maligne Lake in the morning and stopped off at Medicine Lake on the way. Both lakes are beautiful but they would have looked so much better in the sun. We walked along a popular trail on the eastern side of Maligne Lake to a viewpoint. The most beautiful part of Maligne Lake is at the southern end and is only accessible by boat. There are 1.5 hour boat cruises to Spirit Island that cost about $100. It would have been a waste of money for us in the cloudy weather. I also didn't like the idea of being in a covered boat. On the way back we stopped off at the Maligne Lookout which is just off the Maligne Lake Road. The Maligne Lookout used to overlook a beautiful forested valley but it's now desolate due to the 2024 fire. It's a good place to see the impact of the fire. We were fortunate to be there whilst an amazing tour guide explained about the fire. The scenic Edith Lake and Lake Annette are close to the Maligne Lookout and make a good detour. There is a 2.7 kilometres paved trail around Lake Annette and a longer unpaved trail around Edith Lake. There were very few other people when we went. We ended the day by driving over to Patricia Lake and Pyramid Lake which are very close to each other. Pyramid Lake is on the itinerary of tour groups who cross the wooden bridge to the small island on the lake. We also walked over to the island but there is little to be gained by doing so. The best views are from the parking area along the lakeside road. It started to rain at Pyramid Lake and the lake didn't look very special in those conditions. We returned the next morning in the sun and it made a big difference with the mountains reflected in the lake. Patricia Lake was also very beautiful and it's worth driving to the beach. Medicine Lake is next to the Maligne Lake Road Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park Maligne Lake cruise boat View of burnt forest from Maligne Lookout Lake Annette in Jasper Edith Lake in Jasper Pyramid Lake in Jasper Beach at Patricia Lake, Jasper 14. Drive from Jasper to Field along the Icefields Parkway In the morning, after visiting Pyramid and Patricia Lakes for a second time, we left Jasper and drove back along the Icefield Parkway. The weather was excellent and we enjoyed seeing the fantastic scenery surrounding the Icefield Parkway from another direction. We had visited the main sights that we had wanted to see on the drive to Jasper. We stopped off at a few viewpoints to enjoy the scenery and have a break from driving. The Weeping Wall wasn't very impressive and isn't worth stopping for. If Lani hadn't been suffering from plantar fasciitis we would done the 4 hour Wilcox Pass trail  which seems to be the best hike off the Icefields Parkway. The Parker Ridge trail  is a shorter option and takes about 2 hours. We checked in to the Truffle Pigs Lodge at Field and were happy with our room. The only restaurant in Field is at the lodge and it's very popular with people waiting outside for tables. We had a good meal at the restaurant in the evening. Stutfield Glacier Viewpoint in Jasper National Park Viewpoint south of Tangle Falls The Weeping Wall 15. Four Nights in Field, British Columbia We stayed in the small town of Field to visit Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Yoho National Park and the Bow Valley Parkway. Getting to Moraine Lake, Lake Louise and Lake O'Hara Advance planning is very important when visiting Moraine Lake, Lake Louise and Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park as access is restricted due to their popularity. Visitors are no longer permitted to drive to Moraine Lake. Visitors must either book a Parks Canada shuttle bus in advance for $8 (with discounts for over 65's and children), plus an admin fee of $3.50, or pay about $70 for a private bus service. The private bus service may be cheaper if booked online . Visitors can drive to Lake Louise but the car park becomes full by 06.30 in the peak summer months and costs $37 for the day! I assume most of these early visitors come for the Lake Agness and Plain of 6 Glaciers hikes. In the afternoon parking becomes available once hikers have departed. The cheapest way to visit Lake Louise is by booking in advance  a Parks Canada shuttle which costs $8 plus a $3.50 admin fee (with discounts for over 65's and children). A private bus service costs $55 but may be a bit cheaper if booked online . Parks Canada's shuttle buses to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake depart from the free park and ride at the Lake Louise Ski Resort. It's a huge parking lot and capacity isn't an issue. The expensive private buses also leave from the Ski Resort. At the Lake Louise Ski Resort proof of the reservation has to be presented at the Parks Canada booth. They issue a ticket (see below) to be shown to the bus driver. The ticket doesn't state whether the destination is Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. Therefore the system could be manipulated and a shuttle bus taken to either lake. It isn't necessary to buy separate Parks Canada shuttle bus tickets to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake when visiting both lakes on the same day. After visiting the lake specified on the Parks Canada reservation there are 2 options: a shuttle bus back to the Park and Ride or a shuttle bus to the other lake. After visiting the second lake the shuttle bus to the Park and Ride can be taken. Reservations  for the Parks Canada shuttles are for 1 hour departure time slots from the Park and Ride. Any shuttle bus can be taken back to the Park and Ride or the other lake. The ticket must be presented to the driver. There isn't so much flexibility with the private buses as the return time must be booked when purchasing tickets. In 2025 the shuttle buses for Lake Louise and Lake Moraine could be reserved from 08.00 Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) on 16th April. It's advisable to create a Parks Canada account well beforehand and to gain an understanding of how the reservation process works. We flew to Madeira on the 16th April 2025 and couldn't make reservations until the evening. The very earliest departure times had been taken but there was still plenty of space for departures from 09.00. For early departures times log in before 08.00 MDT on the day the reservation process begins. Parks Canada releases additional tickets 2 days before each departure day for the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttles. I logged in before 08.00 MDT and at exactly 08.00 tried to purchase tickets. The site churned and after refreshing the page the morning tickets had been taken. I managed to buy tickets for the early afternoon. Lake O' Hara in Yoho National Park can only be accessed by a Parks Canada shuttle. The only chance of getting to Lake O' Hara is by taking part in a random draw  in March. However, shuttle tickets are very hard to obtain as Parks Canada only allows 3,000 day use visitors at Lake O'Hara for the entire summer season. Each application for the Lake O'Hara's random draw costs $10 and up to 6 different times/dates can be entered on each application. I completed 2 application forms and wasn't successful. Moraine Lake in Banff National Park It's around a half hour drive from the Park and Ride to Moraine Lake. Unfortunately very little mountain scenery can be seen due to all the trees. The Rockpile is the best viewpoint at Moraine Lake and the short trail up to the top is incredibly crowded as a result. Every one wants to walk to the top even if they are hardly capable of doing so. I dislike crowded viewpoints but the view from the Rockpile is worth it. We only walked along the Lakeshore Trail due to Lani's plantar fasciitis. The very first section was a bit busy but the number of people soon thinned out. The trail goes through forest but has good views of the lake and mountains. The hike is about 1.8 kilometres each way. The best hike at Moraine Lake is through Larch Valley to Sentinel Pass. Larch Valley is stunning in late September when the larches turn golden but it's also busy. The Sentinel Pass trail is 11 kilometres long and the hike takes about 5 hours. Rich visitors can rent a canoe for $160 per hour plus taxes! I was surprised at how many people do this. View of Moraine Lake from the Rockpile The Rockpile at Moraine Lake Line up of people on the Rockpile! Lake Louise in Banff National Park As it was my birthday I went to Lake Louise to do the Plain of 6 Glaciers hike by myself. The first section of the trail follows the northern shoreline of Lake Louise and there were excellent views. After that the trail ascended to the Plain of 6 Glaciers teahouse. There were other people on the trail but it wasn't too busy. The official trail terminates at the Plain of 6 Glaciers tea house but there is a good unmaintained trail for another half an hour past the tea house. I continued on the trail and after a while the trail is on glacial moraine with open views. I ate my packed lunch at the end of the trail. On the way back I decided to take the Highline trail to Lake Agness rather than returning the same way. There were very few hikers on the highline trail. Initially the trail was through open terrain but it became forested. After a while a steep trail turned off to the Big Beehive. I took the forested trail up to the Big Beehive and it was a relentless steep slog up with few views. I expected there to be a small viewpoint at the top but there was a large fairly open area with fantastic views down to Lake Louise and the Chateau Lake Louise. It was definitely worth the steep hike up. From the Big Beehive I descended steeply to Lake Agness. It's a beautiful trail and surprisingly there were virtually no other hikers. I think most people hike to Lake Agness and the Big Beehive in the morning and it was 14.30 when I descended. There is a popular tea house at Lake Agness and there were quite a few people there. After that the trail wasn't crowded but it was more forested than the trail from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness. Mirror Lake is passed on the descent and there is an excellent view of the Big Beehive. I had thought the Lake Agness hike would be too busy and forested for my liking. Neither were an issue and I really enjoyed the circular hike to the Plain of 6 Glaciers and Lake Agness. The hike took 5.5 hours. See my blog on the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike for further information about this hike. Map of Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike Lake Louise from the Chateau Lake Louise Lake Louise with the Chateau Lake Louise in the background Trail to the Plain of 6 Glaciers View of Lake Louise from the Plain of 6 Glaciers Trail The Plain of the 6 Glaciers Tea House The final ridge to the Plain of 6 Glaciers Viewpoint Highline Trail from Plain of 6 Glaciers to the Big Beehive View of Lake Louise from the Big Beehive Descent from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness Lake Agness Lake Agness Tea House Yoho National Park Map of Yoho National Park Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park Emerald Lake is the highlight of Yoho National Park and it's popular as a result. It's reached by turning off Highway 1 onto Emerald Lake Road. The Natural Bridge rock formations on the Kicking Horse River are reached shortly after the turn off. It was worth the quick stop to see the Natural Bridge. The car park at Emerald Lake isn't large and it was full when we arrived just before 10.00 a.m. There were still plenty of parking spaces along the road though. There was a queue of people waiting for the canoe rental office to open at 10.00. Canoe rentals cost $100 an hour which is cheap compared to the $160 an hour charged at Moraine Lake! It's still far too expensive for us. We did the 5 kilometre scenic walk around Emerald Lake. Most people walk clockwise as the trail on the west side of the lake is maintained. We went anti clockwise and the trail on the eastern side initially runs through Emerald Lake Lodge. The trail on the east side of the lake can be muddy but in September it was fine. Some board walks were being constructed along the worst sections. The trail on the east side goes through forest but there were plenty of views of Emerald Lake and the surrounding mountains. The northern end of the lake is very open and there are beautiful views and some benches to rest on. Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park Takakkaw Falls is reached by driving along Yoho Valley Road. There are a few very tight hair pin bends along this road. They aren't a problem for cars but vehicles over 7 metres long must reverse down one section! Shortly after turning onto the Yoho Valley Road there is a viewpoint of the Upper Spiral Tunnel. We were fortunate to see a long CP Rail freight train passing through the spiral tunnel and saw both ends of the train on either side of the tunnel. It was a distant view of the train and unfortunately I didn't have a good telephoto lens for a photo. The trains are infrequent and you have to be lucky to see one. I was particularly pleased to see it as I used to work for Canadian Pacific. Shortly after the Upper Spiral Viewpoint there is a car park for the Meeting of the Waters Confluence. This is where the Yoho and Kicking Horse rivers meet but there is very little to see and it isn't worth stopping. There's a large car park at Takakkaw Falls and there was plenty of space when we visited in mid September. It's a 10 minute walk from the car park to the base of the spectacular waterfalls. The Takakkaw Falls are the second highest waterfalls in Canada. The Takakkaw Falls car park is the trailhead for the Iceline Trail which is the best hike in Yoho National Park. It can either be done as a 20 kilometre circular hike  or a 14 kilometre there and back hike. The hike up and down is through forest but the middle section of the hike is through spectacular alpine scenery. Lower Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint in Yoho National Park The Lower Spiral Tunnel viewpoint is just off Highway 1 between Lake Louise and Field. There's a large car park and many interesting information boards. We stopped 4 times but never saw a train passing through the tunnel. Unfortunately trees around the tunnel block most of the view of the trains. Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park View on Walk around Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park Natural Bridge in Yoho National Park Bow Valley Parkway Map of the Bow Valley Parkway The Bow Valley Parkway is a road between from Banff to Lake Louise. It's a quieter and slower option to Highway 1 which runs parallel along the other side of the Bow River. The Bow Valley Parkway between Banff and Johnston Canyon is closed to motorised transport during May, June and September. During these months the remaining section of the Bow Valley Parkway can only be accessed from Castle Junction and Lake Louise. The main attraction on the Bow Valley Parkway is Johnston Canyon. We didn't visit it as the reviews revealed that Johnston Canyon would be extremely crowded and the parking difficult. It's just the sort of experience that we dislike. Some reviews recommend going very early in the morning to avoid the crowds. A very early start didn't appeal to us and it's likely that Johnston Canyon would be crowded on the way back to the car park. Other reviews suggest going at the end of the day. We drove southwards along the Bow Valley Parkway from Lake Louise and returned the same way when we reached Johnston Canyon. We enjoyed the drive and stopped off at Morant's Curve, Storm Mountain Viewpoint and Castle Mountain Internment Camp. There's a small car park on the other side of the road by Morant's Curve. We waited for a CP Rail train to arrive and a few other people were doing the same. We gave up waiting after 20 minutes but stopped again on our way back. We were lucky and a train came past. Our next stop was at Storm Mountain Viewpoint. There are excellent view of the spectacular Castle Mountain and the Bow River with the CP Rail track running along it. We were fortunate that a train passed soon after we arrived and I thought the view was better than at Morant's Curve. On the way back we quickly stopped at the site of the Castle Mountain Internment Camp. This is where over 8,500 people were detained during World War 1 as they originated from countries at war with Canada. There isn't much to see except an interesting information board. CP Rail train at Morant's Curve Castle Mountain from Castle Mountain Viewpoint Storm Mountain Viewpoint on the Bow Valley Parkway 16. Drive fro m Field to Salmon Arm The drive from Field to Salmon Arm takes about 3.5 hours without stopping. The journey took us 9 hours as we visited Wapta Falls and Mount Revelstoke National Park on the way. Our first stop was Wapta Falls in the western section of Yoho National Park. Wapta Falls isn't signposted when driving westwards on Highway 1 which might be because it's dangerous to cross the highway. We went sailing past the turn off as I had entered "Wapta Falls" in Google Maps. It didn't take us to Wapta Falls but to Wapta Falls Campsite! This is several kilometres past the correct turnoff from Highway 1 and then along several kilometres of dirt road to Wapta Falls Campsite. There was nothing there! I could see from the map that the Wapta Falls car park was on the other side of the river and it would mean driving back. I entered "Wapta Falls Main Trail" on Google maps and it took us the correct way. We wasted at least 30 minutes due to this mistake. It was a good road to Wapta Falls car park and there were parking spaces available. In peak season parking can be difficult. From the car park it's a 2.2 kilometre hike through the forest to Wapta Falls. There are 3 viewpoints above Wapta Falls and it's worth continuing to the last one. The third viewpoint involves a bit of descent but it isn't much. Some people hike all the way down to the river and then right up to Wapta Falls. The spray near the falls is tremendous and it's advisable to wear a waterproof. Glacier National Park is an hour's drive from Wapta Falls. There are a number of short trails off the highway but after reading reviews we didn't do any of them due to lack of views and poor maintenance. These trails are Hemlock Grove, Rock Garden, Bear Creek, Skunk Cabbage and Giant Cedars. We stopped at Rogers Pass to have a picnic lunch and use their facilities. We couldn't visit the Discovery Centre as it was being renovated. Mount Revelstoke National Park is west of Glacier National Park. We drove 26 kilometres up the Meadows in the Sky Parkway. It ascends 1,365 metres through forest to a car park below the summit (1,835 metres). There are several viewpoints on the way but unfortunately the visibility was poor due to smoke from forest fires. From the car park it's a 1 kilometre walk to the summit area. There used to be a shuttle but it no longer operates. There are several short walks at the summit and the best walk is the Fire Tower trail. None of these short trails are worth the 35 minute drive up and the walk to the summit. I only recommend driving up the Meadows in the Sky Parkway for the long hike to Eva Lake, Miller Lake and Jade Lake. We reached Salmon Arm at 18.00 and checked into the new and reasonably priced Fairfield by Marriot Inn . We then rushed to meet an old friend of Lani's for dinner. We went to the excellent Barley Station Brew Pub . Wapta Falls in Yoho National Park View from Rogers Pass Discovery Centre in Glacier National Park View from the top of Revelstoke National Park 17. Drive from Sa lmon Arm to Whistler We continued driving westwards on Highway 1 from Salmon Arm. Shortly after passing Kamloops we could have turned south on Highway 5. It's a fast route back to Vancouver. Instead we continued driving west on Highway 1 along Kamloops Lake to Cache Creek. There Highway 1 turns southwards to Vancouver. It's a scenic route that follows the Thompson River and goes through the Fraser Canyon. However, we had driven to Vancouver on the Highway 1 before and wanted to try a new route. We therefore continued south westwards to Whistler on Highway 99. The scenery was good but it was spoiled around Lillooet by scruffy Indian housing and abandoned vehicles. The traffic on Highway 99 was much lighter than on Highway 1 which made driving more enjoyable. We stopped off at several viewpoints on the way from Salmon Arm to Whistler and had a picnic lunch at Marble Canyon Provincial Park. Half an hour before reaching Whistler we stopped at the impressive Nairn Falls. It's a 1.5 kilometre walk from the car park to Nairn Falls. It began raining soon after we left Nairn Falls. We did some grocery shopping at The Grocery Store in Whistler before checking into our 1 bedroom apartment at Horstman House . The apartment was excellent, and wasn't expensive, but the free parking space was very tight for a SUV. Kamloops Lake The Fraser river in the Marble Canyon near Lillooet Seton Lake near Lillooet Marble Canyon Provincial Park Nairn Falls 18. Two Nights in Whistler The most popular activity at Whistler is taking the gondola up Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. The Peak 2 Peak gondola connects the upper stations of the Whistler and Blackcomb gondolas and spans 4.4 kilometres. The Peak Express chairlift goes from the upper station of Whistler's gondola to the top of Whistler Mountain (2,181 metres). This saves a one hour hike up and provides access to the Cloudraker Skybridge. This is a 130 metre bridge between Whistler Peak and West Ridge. I discovered that after Labour day only the Blackcomb and Peak 2 Peak gondolas were open and even these gondolas stopped operating after 21st September. The full price of $100 was being charged even though the Peak Express chairlift to the Cloudraker Skybridge was closed. I had intended to take the gondola and chairlift to the top of Whistler Mountain and hike the popular High Note Trail. This hike takes about 4 hours. Unfortunately the weather was bad in the morning. By the time the weather had cleared there wasn't enough time to do the hike. The Peak Express chairlift was closed and an extra 2 hours of walking would have been necessary. In the afternoon we walked around the attractive centre of Whistler and visited  a couple of attractive lakes at Whistler. Lost Lake is the nearest to the centre of Whistler. In summer the water temperature is warm enough for swimming. Green Lake is a bit further north of Whistler. It's larger and the water isn't as warm as it's glacier fed. Gondolas on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains Lost Lake in Whistler Green Lake near Whistler 19. Drive - Whistl er to Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway I wasn't that impressed with the scenery on the Sea to Sky Highway but it didn't help that it was overcast. Unfortunately trees block a lot of the views and this is a common problem in British Columbia. It only takes 1.5 hours to drive from Whistler to downtown Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway. However, there are a few places worth visiting on the way and the drive could take most of the day. We had visited the interesting Britannia Mine a few years ago so we didn't visit it again. We stopped off at Brandywine Falls, Shannon Falls, Porteau Cove Provincial Park and Whytecliffe Park. It's a short walk to both Brandywine Falls and Shannon Falls. We had lunch at Porteau Cove Provincial Park which is just off the highway. There are proper toilets and picnic benches there. Our final stop before downtown Vancouver was Whytecliffe Park in West Vancouver. There is just one good viewpoint and a large picnic area at Whytecliffe Park. Parking has to be paid for. It isn't a worthwhile stop for most visitors. Shannon Falls Porteau Provincial Park Whytcliife Park in West Vancouver 20. Links to my other Blogs on Canada Vancouver Travel Guide Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike

Map of the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Circular Hike We lived in Vancouver for 8 years where I worked for Canadian Pacific. My very first assignment involved staying at the Chateau Lake Louise for 3 weeks! I did some hiking at the weekends but never hiked to the Plain of 6 Glaciers or Lake Agness. In late August 2025 we came back to Vancouver for a month's holiday. We did a 3 week road trip from Vancouver to the Canadian Rockies ( see my blog ) and I finally did the Plain of 6 Glaciers and Lake Agness circular hike. I had set out intending to just hike to the Plain of 6 Glaciers as I thought the Lake Agness trail would be too busy and forested for my liking. I changed my mind at the Plain of 6 Glaciers tea house and hiked back via the Big Beehive and Lake Agness. It was a good decision. It was a fantastic circular hike and it wasn't busy as I went at a good time of day and hiked clockwise. Read on for information about this hike including how to avoid the crowds, the route, how to get there etc. Contents Getting to Lake Louise When to do the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike Clockwise or Anti Clockwise? Choosing between Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hikes Description of the Plain of 6 Glaciers Hike and Lake Agness circular hike Refreshments What to take Other hiking options Links to my other blogs on Canada 1. Getting to Lake Louise Map of Lake Louise Advance planning is very important when visiting Lake Louise as access is restricted due to its popularity. Visitors can drive to Lake Louise but the car park often becomes full by 06.30 in the peak summer months and costs $37 for the day! I assume most of these early visitors come for the Lake Agness and Plain of 6 Glaciers hikes. Parking becomes available again in the afternoon once the early hikers have departed. The cheapest way to visit Lake Louise is by booking in advance  a Parks Canada shuttle which costs $8 plus a $3.50 admin fee (with discounts for over 65's and children). A private bus service costs $55 but it may be a bit cheaper if booked online . Parks Canada's shuttle buses to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake depart from the free park and ride at the Lake Louise Ski Resort. It's a huge parking lot and capacity isn't an issue. The expensive private buses also leave from the Lake Louise Ski Resort. At the Lake Louise Ski Resort proof of the reservation has to be presented at the Parks Canada booth. They issue a ticket (see below) to be shown to the bus driver. The ticket doesn't state whether the destination is Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. Parks Canada Shuttle Ticket for Lake Louise It isn't necessary to buy separate Parks Canada shuttle bus tickets to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake when visiting both lakes on the same day. After visiting the lake specified on the Parks Canada reservation there are 2 options: a shuttle bus back to the Park and Ride or a shuttle bus to the other lake. After visiting the second lake the shuttle bus to the Park and Ride can be taken. Reservations  for the Parks Canada shuttles are for 1 hour departure time slots from the Lake Louise Park and Ride. Any shuttle bus can be taken back to the Park and Ride or the other lake. The ticket must be presented to the driver. There isn't so much flexibility with the private buses as the return time must be booked when purchasing tickets. In 2025 the shuttle buses for Lake Louise and Lake Moraine could be reserved from 08.00 Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) on 16th April. It's advisable to create a Parks Canada account well beforehand and to gain an understanding of how the reservation process works. We flew to Madeira on the 16th April 2025 and couldn't make reservations until the evening. The very earliest shuttle departure times had been taken but there was still plenty of space for departures from 09.00. For early shuttle departures times log in before 08.00 MDT on the day the reservation process begins as they get booked quickly by hikers. The first departure of the day is at 06.30. Parks Canada releases additional tickets 2 days before each departure day for the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttles. I logged in before 08.00 MDT and at exactly 08.00 tried to purchase tickets to Lake Louise. The site churned and after refreshing the page the morning tickets had been taken. I managed to buy tickets for the early afternoon. If you can't make a reservation for Parks Canada's Lake Louise shuttle try to book the Lake Moraine shuttle instead. The shuttle tickets issued by Parks Canada at the Park and Ride car park don't state which lake they are for. You can therefore take the shuttle from the Park and Ride to Lake Louise even if your shuttle reservation is for Lake Moraine. 2. When to do the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike Time of Year Lake Louise is covered with ice up to late May and sometimes early June. The ice on Mirror Lake and Lake Agness melts slightly later as they are at a higher altitude. The lakes are far more attractive when they aren't frozen. Snow is often on the trail until mid June and by late September it can begin snowing again. If it's icy the trail is more difficult and micro spikes might be required. Therefore mid June to late September is the best time of the year to hike to the Plain of 6 Glaciers and Lake Agness but it's unfortunately when it is the busiest. The hike to Lake Agness is the probably the most popular hike in Banff National Park. Reviews of the hike indicate that it can be unpleasantly crowded in peak season. Time of Day The starting time and the route followed are very important factors in determining if the trail will be busy. Hikers arriving by car will usually arrive between 05.30 and 06.30 in summer in order to obtain a parking place. The majority of these hikers will hike to Lake Agness and then return to Lake Louise on the same route. Some people continue hiking from Lake Agness to the Big Beehive and the Plain of 6 Glaciers. The early hikers to Lake Agness and the Big Beehive will usually return to Lake Louise in the mid to late morning. This makes the Lake Agness trail busy later in the morning as there are hikers ascending and descending. Not as many people hike to the Plain of 6 Glaciers. I hiked there in mid September and started at 10.00. After leaving the lakeshore there were other hikers on the trail but is wasn't at all bad. That's coming from someone who dislikes busy trails. I therefore recommend hiking to the Plain of 6 Glaciers first and then continuing to Lake Agness. I wouldn't start before 09.00 as otherwise you will encounter crowds at the Big Beehive and back down to Lake Agness and Lake Louise. The later the better if you like quiet trails. Unfortunately if you are parking at Lake Louise you probably either need to arrive very early in the morning or in the afternoon after some of the early hikers have left. 3. Clockwise or Anti Clockwise for the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Circular Hike Parks Canada and most travel guides recommend hiking anti clockwise. The only reason seems to be that the steepest part of the hike is from Lake Louise to Lake Agness and it's best to do it before becoming tired. As a result virtually everybody hikes anti clockwise. Following the herd is a disaster if you dislike busy trails! If you hike clockwise to the Plain of 6 Glaciers, and start mid morning, the trail shouldn't be that busy. By the time you reach the Big Beehive in the early afternoon the majority of trekkers will have returned to Lake Louise or be well on their way back. I also think the view is better when hiking clockwise. When descending from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness there are excellent views of the lake and mountains. If you do this section anti clockwise you are facing the wrong way. 4. Choosing between Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hikes? More people hike to Lake Agness than the Plain of 6 Glaciers. However, most travel guides say that the views on Plain of 6 Glaciers hike are better as the trail to the Lake Agness teahouse is forested! If I had to choose between the 2 hikes I would choose the Plain of 6 Glaciers hike as it's less crowded and more scenic. The view from the Big Beehive is spectacular and the trail between Lake Agness and the Big Beehive is beautiful. Therefore the best option is to do a circular hike covering the Plain of 6 Glaciers, the Big Beehive and Lake Agness. The hike isn't that long or demanding. 5. Description of the Circular Plain of 6 Glaciers Hike and Lake Agness Hike Map of the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike The first section of the trail to the Plain of 6 Glaciers follows the northern shoreline of Lake Louise and there are excellent views. This section of the trail will usually be busy as many visitors who are only visiting Lake Louise walk along the lakeshore. Chateau Lake Louise is the starting point of the hike Lake Louise from the Chateau Lake Louise Lake Louise with the Chateau Lake Louise in the background At the western end of Lake Louise the trail ascends 370 metres to the Plain of 6 Glaciers teahouse. It's a gradual ascent and there are excellent views most of the way. It takes about 1.5 hours to reach the tea house from the Chateau Lake Louise. Trail to the Plain of 6 Glaciers View of Lake Louise from the Plain of 6 Glaciers Trail The Plain of the 6 Glaciers Tea House The official trail terminates at the popular Plain of 6 Glaciers tea house but there is a good unmaintained trail for another half an hour past the tea house. It's worthwhile continuing on the trail even if you don't go to the very end. End of Trail Sign just past the Plain of 6 Glaciers Tea House The trail terminates soon after running along a ridge of moraine. Some hikers go further up on the scree. I didn't as the views wouldn't have been better views and I hadn't brought hiking poles. The final ridge to the Plain of 6 Glaciers Viewpoint The same trail has to be taken back to the tea house. About half an hour past the Plain of 6 Glaciers tea house the trail to Lake Agness and the Big Beehive branches off to the left. Initially the Highline trail is through open terrain and then it becomes forested. There were very few hikers on the Highline trail in the early afternoon. Highline Trail from Plain of 6 Glaciers to the Big Beehive Highline trail through the forest After 15 minutes the Highline trail turns off to the left and ascends steeply for 45 minutes to the Big Beehive. The Big Beehive is a large free-standing rock outcrop in the shape of beehive. They were very few hikers on the Highline trail but quite a number at the top of the Beehive. The area on top of the Beehive is q uite large and there are fantastic views of Lake Louise.  The best  view  of Lake Louise is obtained by slightly descending to the far cliff edge. It was also more peaceful there with no other hikers. View of Lake Louise from the Big Beehive View of Mirror Lake from the Big Beehive From the top of the Big Beehive it's a 15 minute steep descent to Lake Agness. It's a beautiful trail and surprisingly there were virtually no other hikers. Most people seem to hike to Lake Agness and the Big Beehive in the morning and I descended in the mid afternoon. Descent from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness Descent from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness Descent from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness Lake Agness There is a popular tea house at Lake Agness and there were quite a few people there. From the tea house there are 2 trails back to Lake Louise and they converge at Mirror Lake. I took the left trail which is less steep. At Mirror Lake there is an excellent view of the Big Beehive. The trail from the Lake Agness tea house to the Chateau Lake Louise wasn't busy but it was more forested than the trail from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness. Lake Agness Tea House Mirror Lake and the Big Beehive I had thought the Lake Agness hike would be too busy and forested for my liking. Neither were an issue and I really enjoyed the circular hike to the Plain of 6 Glaciers, Big Beehive and Lake Agness. The hike was well signposted and I had no problem route finding. The hike took 5.5 hours. 6. Refreshments I took a packed lunch but many people have something to eat at the Lake Agness or Plain of 6 Glaciers tea houses. The Lake Agness tea house is the busier of the 2 tea houses and the waiting time can be an issue at both of them. The tea houses generally receive good reviews but the food is pricey due to the remote location. Both the tea houses will accept credit cards if the internet is working but it often isn't. Therefore bring cash and bear in mind that USD is probably only accepted at a 1:1 ratio. 7. What to Take It obviously depends on the time of year and the weather forecast, although weather forecasts can be unreliable. The following should be considered: Bear spray Hiking poles. I didn't bring any and they would only have been useful at the very end of the Plain of 6 Glaciers hike. Water as it is very expensive at the tea houses Food and snacks Sun block Sun glasses Micro spikes when there is snow and ice. Waterproof jacket Phone for photos and internet. There was internet most of the way from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness and Lake Louise. I wore zip off trousers and was pleased to be able to convert them to shorts when it became hot. I wore lightweight boots but walking shoes would be fine in the summer. 8. Other Hiking Options The trail up to the Little Beehive starts near the Lake Agness Teahouse. It's an easier alternative hike than the Big Beehive as it's only 1 kilometre to the top and the elevation gain is 100 metres. There are excellent view of Lake Louise and the surrounding mountains from the top of the Littl e Beehive. It is definitely worth the short hike if you aren't hiking to the Big Beehive. View from the Little Beehive Some hikers go up Devil's Thumb after the Big Beehive. Devil's Thumb is much more difficult and some scrambling is required. 9. Links to my other Blogs on Canada Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Road Trip Vancouver Travel Guide

Map of the Ponta de Sao Lourenco Hike The Sao Lourenco Peninsular hike is probably the most popular hike in Madeira. There are spectacular coastal views the entire way whereas most of Madeira's other hikes are through forest. Also the weather is more reliable than for the hikes in the interior of Madeira although wind can be a problem. Unfortunately this means that there are masses of people hiking the Sao Lourenco peninsular and it doesn't help that the trail isn't circular. In addition parking becomes difficult and it's only possible to park a long way from the trail head. Most people advise starting the Sao Lourenco hike early as otherwise the sheer number of tourists spoils the experience. The trouble is that too many people follow this advice! Also unless you start the Sao Lourenco hike very early you will meet lots of trekkers when hiking back. If you do start early then I would recommend starting at 08.00 at the very latest but 07.30 would be better. We didn't fancy a very early start and had read that the number of hikers, and availability of parking, wasn't bad from around 16.30. We therefore arrived at the Sao Lourenco peninsular trail head at 17.00. We found plenty of free parking places near the trail head. I had read that you had to pay an Eur 3 entrance fee for the Sao Lourenco peninsular hike and that fines of Eur 50 were issued to hikers who hadn't paid. I therefore tried to pay at the trail head but there wasn't a ticket office nor any notices about an entrance fee. It could be that the officials collecting the entrance fee had finished work for the day. For the first half hour of the Sao Lourenco Peninsular hike we passed quite a few other people finishing the hike. After that there were always a few other hikers in sight but it wasn't at all bad. The Sao Lourenco Peninsular hike took us 2.25 hours but we didn't do the final climb up the hill as there was a sign stating access was prohibited. Quite a few other hikers ignored this sign but my wife didn't want to. Just before the prohibited access sign there is a small cafe. It was closed when we reached it at 18.00. A few reviewers on the Walkmeguide.com  website had complained about the upkeep of this closed part of the Sao Lourenco trail! The metal rope is in poor condition and can cut your hand. Another hiker had to go to hospital as he injured his foot on the steep descent. The slope didn't look difficult to me if hiking poles were used for the descent. We really enjoyed the Sao Lourenco hike and the scenery was excellent. However, I think that you have to start very early or late or the sheer numbers of hikers will spoil the experience. See my 2025 Madeira Travel Guide for detailed information about what to see and do in Madeira. The Sao Lourenco Peninsular The Cafe at the end of the Sao Lourenco Peninsular The sign that a lot of hiker's ignore! The last section of the Sao Lourenco hike that is officially closed

Map of the Samaria Gorge Hike On average of 900 people a day hike down the Samaria Gorge to Agia Roumeli. On busy days there can be as many as 1,200 hikers. The Samaria Gorge opens at 07.00 and you are only allowed to hike down the entire way from Xyloskalo to Agia Roumeli if you start hiking by 13.00. Upon reaching Agia Roumeli hikers usually take ferries to Sougia or Hora Sfakion that depart at 17.30. As the hike down the Samaria gorge takes 5 to 6 hours most hikers start before 11.00 so they don't miss the ferries. That means there can be 4 to 5 hikers a minute starting the hike between 07.00 and 11.00! That's far too crowded for me. Hikers that don't like busy trails have the following options: Start the Samaria Gorge hike after 11.00 Hikers leaving later, say midday, should have the trail to themselves. However, hikers aren't allowed to start hiking down the Samaria gorge to Agia Roumeli after 13.00. Starting the Samaria gorge hike late would probably involve staying the night in Agia Roumeli which is a very pleasant place to stay once all the hikers have left. The Calypso hotel  is very comfortable. However, it would also mean doing the hike in the heat of the day. If you did spend the night at Agia Roumeli you could hike the next day along the beautiful coast to Loutro (see the next section for details) and then take the late afternoon ferry back to Hora Sfakion. That's the same ferry that all the hikers returning from the Samaria gorge hike will be on. If you don't want to hike any more there are 2 ferries in the morning to Hora Sfakion. Hike the Samaria Gorge at the Weekend The official at the check point told us that fewer people hike the Samaria gorge at the weekend. She said that on week days there is an average of 900 hikers and at weekends the number of hikers drops to about 500 per day. The reason could be that the weekends are when most tourists are arriving and departing Crete. Don't Hike the Samaria Gorge the day after a closure The Samaria gorge is often closed for safety reasons. It can be too hot, too windy, rain can cause rock falls etc. It is likely that the day after the Samaria gorge has been closed the hike will be busier. Incidentally it is best to check before you leave for the hike that Samaria gorge hasn't been closed. Usually any closure is indicated on the official web page  for buying tickets for Samaria gorge. Start the Samaria Gorge hike very early Most travel guides recommend starting the hike as soon as the Samaria gorge opens at 07.00. This would mean a very early start from your accommodation as the drive to the Samaria Gorge entrance at Xyloskalo would take at least 1.25 hours for most people. If too many people follow this advice it would be counter productive! Hike partly up the Samaria Gorge from Agia Roumeli A park official informed us that the best section of the Samaria gorge hike was between the Iron Gates and the abandoned Samaria village. The park official said the section from the abandoned Samaria village to the top of the Samaria gorge wasn't particularly special. If you start hiking as soon as Samaria Gorge opens it should be possible to reach the abandoned Samaria Village, or get very close to it, and still be able to catch the 11.30 a.m. ferry from Agia Roumeli to Hora Sfakion. This is what we did and we only saw about 15 hikers in 3.5 hours. We had the Samaria gorge to ourselves and it was fantastic. We travelled to Agia Roumelli by taking a taxi boat from Hora Sfakion to Loutro and then hiked for about 6 hours to Agia Roumeli. See the next section for details of this hike. It's also possible to take a ferry from Hora Sfakion to Loutro and Agia Roumeli. We reached Agia Roumeli at 18.00 after most of the Samalia Gorge hikers had departed on the 17.30 ferries. We had a good dinner and night's sleep at the Calypso Hotel . We started hiking at 06.30 the next morning and reached the entrance to Samaria gorge just before 07.00. We were the first people to enter the Samaria gorge and there was no one else in sight. We walked up to the narrow "Iron Gates" part of the Samaria gorge frequently stopping for photos. The Iron Gates are where the Samaria gorge is only 3 metres wide. We still hadn't seen any other hikers and had the Samaria gorge to ourselves. After the Christos rest area one hiker passed us. We continued hiking up the Samaria gorge for another half an hour before turning back. I think we had enough time to hike to the abandoned Samaria village but Lani's foot was hurting from plantar fasciitis. We passed a group of Italian hikers on the way back. We got back to the Calypso hotel at 10.00 where we had breakfast. Then after a stroll around Agia Roumeli we took the 11.30 ferry to Hora Sfakion. The voyage was very scenic and enjoyable as there were few people on the ferry. It would be a different matter on the 17.30 ferry packed with hikers! We were both very pleased that we had hiked part of the Samaria gorge and really enjoyed our stay at Agia Roumeli and the hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli . I highly recommend both hikes. Path from Agia Roumeli to Samaria Gorge Cafe before the entrance to Samaria Gorge Ticket office at entrance to Samaria Gorge in Crete Start of Samaria Gorge in Crete The "Iron Gates" at Samaria Gorge Christos Rest Area at Samaria Gorge Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area The bus from near the Samaria Gorge checkpoint to Agia Roumeli Agia Roumeli Beach at Agia Roumeli Ottoman castle high above Agia Roumeli View from ferry between Agia Roumeli and Hora Sfakion View towards Marmara and Finix from the ferry Loutro to Agia Roumeli Hike Hike between Agia Roumeli and Loutro Hike 24 in the Rother Walking Guide is from Agia Roumeli to Loutro and it states that it takes 5 hours. We decided to do the hike the other way around so we could spend the night at Agia Roumeli and hike part of the way up the Samaria Gorge the next day. It's possible to start this hike in Hora Sfakion but I thought that the hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli would be long enough in the heat. Also the first part of the route from Hora Sfakion to Loutro is on the road. An Anendyk ferry  departs Hora Sfakion for Loutro at 09.30 but as we wanted to leave earlier we took a water taxi  for Eur 45. There is paid parking along the port road and there were plenty of parking spots when we arrived. A man on a motor bike came to collect the parking fee of Eur 5 for 24 hours. When we returned the next day he collected another Eur 5 as we had stayed longer than 24 hours. It was only a 10 minute boat ride to the small village of Loutro. The village is now popular and has expanded over recent years. There are quite a few hotels and 2 narrow beaches. Loutro was very nice even though the narrow waterfront was busy. There is a ruined Venetian Castle to the west of Loutro's harbour and the trail to Agia Roumeli goes past it. We didn't go that way and instead climbed up to the better preserved Ottoman fortress above Loutro. From the Ottoman fortress we descended down to the hamlet of Finix. The trail had been well marked until about Finix but the section after that to Lykos, and towards Marmara, wasn't well marked as road construction has interfered with the trail. I wished I had downloaded the trail onto my phone but we did manage to follow the trail with difficulty. Both Finix and Lykos have small hotels. From Lykos it doesn't look like the trail can continue along the steep coastal cliffs but it does! It involves a bit of minor scrambling and there are some chains to assist. After 1.5 hours of walking from Loutro we reached the pretty small beach at Marmara. We had a drink in the taverna that overlooked Marmara beach. They have sun umbrellas and sun loungers on the beach and it looked very pleasant. It was tempting to have a swim but we still had a long way to hike. There is a little chapel on the hill above Marmara and from there it was a 3 hour hike to the next taverna at the beach by the Byzantine chapel of Agios Pavlos. Unlike the previous section of the hike there was some shade along the trail from pine trees. We stopped for a picnic lunch on the way. We had run out of water by the time we reached Agios Pavlos and it looked as if the taverna was closed. We were relieved to find it was open and stopped for a drink and a swim. It was still very hot when we left at 16.30 and the owner of the taverna advised us to wait until it had cooled down and to take plenty of water. We didn't wait any longer but luckily bought more water. On the final stretch to Agia Roumeli Lani suffered from the heat and we had to stop several times. Just before Agia Roumeli the trail wasn't clear and we walked along the seafront avoiding barbed wire. The trail is in fact a bit inland. We reached our hotel in Agia Roumeli at 18.00. Agia Roumeli was very quiet as most of the Samaria gorge hikers had taken the 17.30 ferries to Sougia and Hora Sfakion. Our room in the Calypso Hotel  had a great shower and after cleaning up we had supper at the hotel and a wander around peaceful Agia Roumelli. It had been a very enjoyable day and I highly recommend the hike. I really like the coastline from Paleochora to Hora Sfakion in south west Crete. A similar great coastal hike is from Paleochora to Sougia (see section 2.7 of my 2025 Crete Travel Guide ) . Parking at harbour in Hora Sfakion The boat from Hora Sfakion to Loutro View from boat to Sweetwater beach Loutro Beach at Loutro Ottoman castle above Loutro Looking down to Loutro Approaching Finix A bit of a scramble between Finix and Marmara Marmara Beach Chapel above Marmara beach View between Marmara and Agios Pavios beach in Crete View between Marmara and Agios Pavios beach in Crete Agios Pavlos Chapel Agios Pavlos Chapel Beach at Agios Pavlos Waterfront at Agia Roumeli

Plakias, Crete Contents Introduction 2. North West Crete Base Drive to Elafonissi Beach Hike to the Monasteries on the Akrotiri Peninsular Chania Agia Marina Beach German War Cemetery & Late Minoan Tomb Falasarna Beach Hike from Paleochora to Sougia Balos Beach 3. South West Crete Base - Plakias Plakias Hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli Samaria Gorge Hike from Agia Roumeli How to avoid Crowds on the Samaria Gorge Hike Frangokastello Drive around the Amari Valley Palace of Phaistos Rethymno Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni 4. South East Crete Base - Ierapetra Spinalonga Gournia Archaeological Site & Moni Faneromeni Hike from Xerokambos to Kato Zakros Myrtos and Tertsa beaches Kritsa Town & Lato Archaeological Site Diaskari beach Ierapetra Accommodation in Crete Car Rental in Crete Link to other blogs on Greece 1. Introduction We spent 3 weeks in Crete from the 1st June 2025. We wanted to avoid the busier and very hot period from mid June to late August. We wanted it to be hot enough to be able to sit in the shade on the beach but not so hot that we couldn't hike. We found that the weather in Crete was excellent for the beach in June whereas when we visited the Cyclades islands in May 2022 it wasn't quite hot enough. The heat didn't prevent us from hiking but by the time we left Crete it was almost too hot for hiking. The month of May would be better for hiking. Crete is a large island and it is necessary to stay in several locations to explore it. We stayed in 3 different locations and spent a week in each sightseeing with a rental car. We avoided staying at the main tourist beach resorts. Our favourite part of Greece was the relatively unspoilt south west coast between Paleochora and Hora Sfakion. There is some road access to this coast but the most convenient way to travel is by ferry, taxi boat and hiking. I wish we had spent more time in this area. We really enjoyed our time in Crete and would like to return. It is a beautiful island with friendly locals who can speak English. We deliberately didn't visit some of the places listed as "must see" in the guide books. They are usually overcrowded and spoiled by tourism. For example: We were going to visit Knossos but it would have meant a tiring 3 hour round car trip. In the end we decided it wasn't worth visiting an archaeological site that was speculatively rebuilt in the early 1900's. The entrance fee is now Eur 20 to visit an overcrowded attraction. If you do go try to visit early or late in the day to avoid the crowds and heat. Also check the cruise ship schedules as when cruise ships are berthed in Iraklio it will be busier at Knossos. We only visited one of the "must see" beaches and that was Elafonissi beach. Even in early June Elafonissi beach was too busy for our liking. We found many of the less well known beaches to be more enjoyable and cheaper to visit. See my section on Balos beach for why we didn't visit it. Palm beach is difficult to access unless you arrive by boat and it's overwhelmed by visitors. Vai beach is also far too popular. I like hiking but the hike down Samaria gorge is too popular. Between 500 to 1200 people hike down the gorge each day. Most hikers set out between 07.00 and 11.00 and that equates to between 2 to 5 trekkers every minute! Instead we hiked up the best part of the Samaria gorge from Agia Roumeli ( see section 3.3. ) and only saw 15 other hikers in 3.5 hours! See section 3.4. for how to avoid the crowds on the Samaria gorge hike. 2. North West Crete Base 2.1. Drive to Elafonissi Beach We stayed about a 20 minute drive east from Kissamos. From Kissamos it's possible to do a circular drive when visiting Elafonissi beach. There is a road that follows the west coast and also a road further to the east which goes through the Topolia gorge. We drove on the road through the Topolia gorge both ways and it's a good scenic road through the mountains. The Rough Guide to Crete mentioned several villages to visit along this road but there was in fact very little to see in them. Elos was the nicest village but it's frequented by tourist buses. The villages of Perivolia and Kefali weren't worth visiting. We stopped off at Moni Chrysoskalitissa which is near Elafonissi beach. It's in a very pleasant setting. Surprisingly very few tour buses stop here. The present church only dates back to the 19th century. We had a pleasant half an hour visiting Moni Chrysoskalitissa. There is an entry fee of Eur 2.50. I had read that parking at Elafonissi beach was a problem in peak season so I booked online with Mega Parking and it cost Eur 5. When we arrived at Elafonissi beach there were several car parks with plenty of space. A small car park named Mega tried to wave us in but it wasn't the right car park. Our car park was the last one, closest to the beach and had toilets. Some of the car parks further from the beach cost Eur 3. There are restaurants and cafes near the car parks and it's about a 10 minute walk down to the beach. The beach was too busy and windy for us. Elafonissi beach was pretty but in my opinion the less commercialised beaches are better. Our intention had been to do a 3 hour round hike eastwards along the coast from Elafonissi beach to Ammolophi beach. This is hike number 13 in the Rother Walking Guide to Crete. Unfortunately the path was poorly signed, rough and difficult to follow. One hour after leaving Elafonissi beach we reached beautiful Kedrodasos beach and decided not to go any further. Kedrodasos beach is prettier than Elafonssi beach but smaller. There is a road part of the way to Kedrodasos beach but it does involve more walking from the road to reach the beach compared to Elafonissi beach. Moni Chrysoskalitissa near Elafonissi beach Moni Chrysoskalitissa near Elafonissi beach Elafonissi beach in Crete Elafonissi beach in Crete Sun loungers & sunbeds at Elafonissi beach Hike to Kedrodasos beach Hike to Kedrodasos beach Kedrodasos beach in Crete Ottoman Aqueduct in Elos Chapel of Ayios Yeoryios in Elos Topolia Gorge 2.2. Hike to the Monasteries on the Akrotiri Peninsular We did hike number 8 in the Rother Walking Guide to Crete. This hike starts at Moni Gouvernetou which is north east of Chania on the Akrotiri peninsular. The drive from Chania to Moni Gouvernetou passes the 17th century Moni Ayia Triadha so we visited it. It cost Eur 3 to enter Moni Ayia Triadha and there are some impressive buildings including a church and museum. In summer it's open from 09.00 to 19.00 except on Wednesdays and Fridays. The road from Moni Ayia Triadha to Moni Gouvernetou is scenic but a bit rough towards the end. There is a free car park from where a path descends down to Moni Katholiko. There is a booth at the start where an entrance fee of Eur 2.50 is payable. Moni Gouvernetou is shortly after the booth but as it's closed on Wednesdays we couldn't visit it. It's then about a 200 metre descent to Moni Katholiko and the interesting Bear Cave is passed on the way. Moni Katholiko was abandoned in the 16th century due to pirate raids and cannot be entered. The 150 metre long St. John's cave is located here but we didn't see it and forgot to search for it. The round hike takes about 2 hours and it's a fairly popular hike despite the tiring ascent. There are good views of the countryside and the sea in the distance. We enjoyed it and it's a good excursion. It's possible to continue down to the sea. The Rother Walking Guide stated that the trail to the sea was closed but it wasn't in June 2025. Agia Triada in Crete Agia Triada in Crete Agia Triada in Crete Museum at Agia Triada in Crete Moni Gouverneto on the Akrotiri Peninsular Bear Cave Bridge next to Moni Katholiko Moni Katholiko 2.3. Chania Parking in Chania Parking in Chania is very difficult unless you use the new and free Park and Ride facility . Electric buses run every 20 minutes from 07.00 to 22.40 to the edge of Chania's old town. There is a major road intersection just before the car park which can make it a little difficult to locate. The sign at Chania's Park and Ride shows that the buses stop at 4 locations. Most people alight at the KTEL bus station on Kidonias Street which is the second stop. This bus stop is very close to Halidon Street which is a main street leading to Chania's Cathedral and Old Venetian Harbour. Make a note of where you got off the bus so you know where to return to! I have marked the route from Chania's KTEL bus station to the Old Venetian harbour on Google Maps . Tourist Office & Toilets in Chania The tourist office at 40 Kriari Street has maps and information on the places to see in Chania. This tourist office is only a 3 minute walk from the KTEL bus stop on the way to the harbour. There are also public toilets in the nearby square. What to see in Chania It takes about 4 hours to see most of the main sites if you don't visit the museums. Sights at the Venetian Harbour Area on the Western side of old Chania: The Cathedral is in a square just off Halidon Street. It isn't that old as it was constructed in the mid 1800's. The Yali Mosque is on the eastern side of the harbour and was built in 1645 when Chania fell to the Ottomans. It's no longer used as a mosque and is used for temporary exhibitions. There is no charge to enter the Firka Fortress on the west side of the harbour. It was the main Venetian barracks in Chania and later the Ottoman's forces used it. There isn't much to see but it's pleasant to wander around. Firka Fortress is open Monday to Friday from 08.00 to 14.00. Nearby to Firka Fortress is the Bastion of San Salvatore. This is the best section of Venetian fortifications that were constructed in the 16th century. It's free to enter but visiting hours are limited. It is worth walking along the alleys surrounding the western and southern side of the Old Venetian harbour. They are mainly lined with shops and restaurants for tourists. The Venetian harbour is at its busiest and most attractive in the evening. Sights at the Inner Harbour Area on the Eastern side of old Chania: Walking along the outer sea wall towards the lighthouse provides good views of Chania's old town and the distant mountains. The arched Venetian Arseneli are on the waterfront. They were built in the 15th century as ship repair bases. There used to be 17 of them but now only 7 are left. You cannot enter them but they form an impressive ancient structure. The very distinctive church of Ayios Nikalaos is in the 1821 Square. It was constructed in the 14th century. In 1645 the Ottomans converted the church into a mosque and added a minaret. It's now a church with a minaret! The area around Ayios Nikalaos is known as Splantzia and it's an interesting area to walk around. When walking around Chania's old town one comes across several other ancient structures: Remains of Minoan Kydonia that was destroyed by fire in about 1450 BC. The Byzantine walls of Chania dating back to the 7th century. The area between Splantzia in the east and the cathedral in the west is full of shops and restaurants that cater for locals as well as tourists. Chania Park & Ride Information Chania's Park & Ride Car Park View over to Firka Fortress, Chania Chania's Harbour Chania's Harbour Yali Mosque in Chania The Venetian Dockyard in Chania Firka Fortress in Chania Bastion of San Salvatore in Chania Church of St Nicholas in Chania The Cathedral in Chania Minoan remains of the Kydonia Palace Complex in Chania Byzantine Wall of Chania 2.4. Agia Marina Beach Agia Marina is a popular beach resort just west of Chania and next to Platanias. When driving along the main road it's difficult to distinguish the 2 resorts as it is a long urban sprawl. The beaches at Agia Marina and Platanias can't be seen from the road and most of the access to the beaches is via hotels and restaurants. We therefore weren't initially very impressed when walking down the main street in the hot sun looking for a recommended restaurant. Once we found the recommended Palirria Taverna we were happy. The taverna offered free sunbeds and umbrellas on the sandy beach for customers having lunch and there was a good view over to the island of Ayii Theodori. The Palirria taverna is run by a very welcoming family and the food is good. There is rock at the water's edge so it's best to use swimming shoes. The beach at Agia Marina is long and I walked the entire length. The middle section of the beach is the nicest. It 's also more commercialised than the western end where the Palirria Taverna is lo cated. The beaches at Platanias and Agia Marina are similar but I preferred Agia Marina. Beach at Ayia Marina in Crete Palirria Taverna on Ayia Marina beach, Crete 2.5. German War Cemetery & Late Minoan Tomb near Chania The German War Cemetery and the late Minoan tomb are 10 kilometres west of Agia Marina and we combined it with a visit to Agia Marina's beach. There is car parking right in front of the entrance to the German War Cemetery and there are toilets as well. There is an excellent exhibition at the entrance detailing Germany's invasion of Crete and the impact it had. The narrations are in several languages including English, German and Greek. We probably spent half an hour absorbing this very moving information. The actual war cemetery is higher up on a hill. The cemetery is beautifully attended and has fantastic views. Just before the cemetery there is further information about some of the very young German soldiers who died in the war. Although the Germans committed terrible atrocities in Crete I found it very sad that they died so young. The late Minoan tomb is a short walk away from the German War Cemetery. However, we were lazy and drove there! There isn't any parking but we managed to park on the side of the road. From the road it is a short walk to the late Minoan tomb which dates back to the 14th century B.C. Unfortunately the roof was damaged by a German bomb but it is still worth seeing if you visit the German War Cemetery at the same time. The German War Cemetery The exhibition Centre The late Minoan tomb 2.6. Falasarna Beach Falasarna beach is a large and sandy beach on the west coast, just a bit south of Balos Bay. It's a popular beach with locals and can get very busy at weekends. Falasarna beach can be windy so check the weather forecast before going. There are several free car parking lots at Falasarna beach. We took the second turn off for parking as it seemed closer to the beach. We ended up at the northern end of Falasarna beach. A sun umbrella and 2 sun loungers cost Eur 20 for the rows closest to the sea and Eur 15 for the back rows. There was a taverna at the back of the beach with toilets. We enjoyed our time at Falasarna Beach. Falasarna beach 2.7. Paleochora to Sougia Hike The first 4.5 kilometres of the hike from Paleochora to Gialiskari beach is on a dirt road. We therefore decided to take a taxi from Paleochora to Gialiskari beach. We called Sergentanis Manolis for a taxi upon our arrival at Paleochora and he collected us 5 minutes later! He drove us in his large van as the road to Gialiskari beach is a bit rough. The large van was more expensive and we paid Eur 20. We had driven from near Kissamos to Paleochora in the morning to do the hike and had parked our car on Paleochora's seafront road just east of the pier. We hadn't realised that this road becomes pedestrianised after 19.00. This would have been a problem as at the end of the hike our ferry from Sougia was arriving at Paleochora after 19.00! Luckily Sergentanis warned us and we moved our car to another street. Gialiskari beach is a nice sandy beach with a car park, taverna, sun loungers and umbrellas at both ends. The east end of the beach was frequented by nudists. I wouldn't want to lie on their sun loungers afterwards! Gialiskari beach would make a good stop when hiking from Sougia to Paleochora but we didn't want to swim and sun bathe at the start of our hike. We didn't begin the hike at Sougia as the latest ferry in the morning from Paleochora to Sougia leaves at 08.30. That's fine if you are staying in Paleochora but it was too early for us as we were staying a 1.25 hour drive away. As the temperature was about 30 degrees centigrade we took 6 litres of water with us. There is a spring at Lissos but it can dry up. As it turned out water was flowing from the spring. We only saw one other hiker before we reached Lissos. There were more people at Lissos who had either hiked or arrived by taxi boat from Sougia. The archaeological site at Lissos is very interesting and the buildings date from the Classical Greek and Roman periods. There is a shady area around the spring which has benches. A good spot for lunch in hot weather! Lissos beach is rocky and is in small bay which is also used by taxi boats from Sougia. We managed to enter the sea without shoes and really enjoyed cooling off in the beautiful bay. In case of emergencies there seems to be an official at Lissos until about 14.00. There is also a sign with the telephone numbers for the taxi boats. We didn't have a cell phone signal but some people did. A couple of water taxis arrived whilst we were on the beach. The hike from Lissos to Sougia passes through the beautiful Lissos gorge. The pier for Anendyk's ferries is passed just before reaching Sougia. The hike from Gialiskari beach to Lissos took us 3 hours and it was another 2 hours to Sougia. The hike from Paleochora to Gialiskari beach would take another hour. The hike was very well marked and we had absolutely no problem in following the trail. Sougia is a small and very laid back village and we really liked it. We had a good meal at the Liviko restaurant which is right on the coast. This restaurant has sun umbrellas and sun loungers on the beach and they cost about Eur 10. The ferry from Sougia to Paleochora sailed at 18.20 and cost Eur 16. The ticket office opens about 30 minutes before the ferry sails and they accept credit cards. Masses of hikers disembarked when the ferry docked at Sougia as the ferry had come from Agia Roumeli where the Samaria gorge hike ends. However, the ferry was almost empty when we departed and it was a very pleasant voyage back to Paleochora. We really enjoyed this hike and highly recommend it. It would have been even better if we could have spent a few nights in Paleochora and Sougia. The hike from Hora Sfakia to Agia Roumeli is similar and details are in section 3.2 . Gialiskari beach near Paleochora Paleochora is in the distance Looking down to Lissos Lissos beach Boat transfers from Lissos The Odeum in Lissos The Church of Panagia in Lissos The Church of Panagia in Lissos The Church of Ss Cyricus and Julitta in Lissos The Church of Ss Cyricus and Julitta in Lissos The spring in Lissos The ascent from Lissos Looking back to Lissos Lissos Gorge The beach at Sougia Main street in Sougia The ferry from Sougia to Paleochora Paleochora 2.8. Balos Beach Balos beach is beautiful but extremely popular. We didn't visit it for several reasons: Balos beach has been spoiled by tourism. We don't like crowded boat tours. The final 7 kilometres of the dirt road to Balos beach is rough and most car rental insurance policies don't cover driving on dirt roads. Many tourists with rental cars take the risk and go anyway. Although I have driven on a lot of dirt roads in Africa I didn't want risk it. Strata Tours has a thrice daily mini bus service from Kissamos to the parking lot for Balos beach that costs Eur 20 per person. This is a good option if you don't want to go on a boat tour or risk driving a rental car to Balos beach. It's a 20 minute hike from the parking lot down to the beach and there are excellent views of Balos beach on the way. 3. South West Crete Base - Plakias 3.1. Plakias We liked Plakias although it can suffer from wind blowing down the Kourtaliotiko gorge. It isn't overdeveloped yet or spoiled by tourism. However, it does have good facilities. There is a nice sandy beach on the east side of Plakias. Sun umbrellas and sun loungers cost between Eur 10 and Eur 15. There is plenty of parking along the road. Several boat trips depart from Plakias' pier and there are numerous boards advertising the trips. They include trips to Preveli Palm beach, Gavdos island, Loutro and Agia Roumeli. We had lunch several times at Antonis Place and really enjoyed our meals. It's a very popular restaurant. Damnoni beach is just a couple of kilometres east of Plakias and is usually more sheltered. It's a long sandy beach with a road running along it. There is parking along the road and 3 good tavernas at the western end. All receive good reviews and we had an excellent lunch at Taverna Violakis . Plakias Town The beach at Plakias Plakias Damnoni beach near Plakias 3.2. Loutro to Agia Roumeli Hike Hike 24 in the Rother Walking Guide is from Agia Roumeli to Loutro and it states that it takes 5 hours. We decided to do the hike the other way around so we could spend the night in Agia Roumeli and hike part of the way up the Samaria gorge the next day ( see section 3.3 ). It's possible to start this hike in Hora Sfakion but I thought that the hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli would be long enough in the heat. Also the first part of the route from Hora Sfakion to Loutro is on the road. It turned out to be a good decision as Lani was suffering from the heat during the final section of the hike An Anendyk ferry  departs Hora Sfakion for Loutro at 09.30 but as we wanted to leave earlier we took a water taxi  for Eur 45. There is paid parking along the port road and there were plenty of parking spots when we arrived. A man on a motor bike came to collect the parking fee of Eur 5 for 24 hours. When we returned the next day he collected another Eur 5 as we had stayed longer than 24 hours. It was only a 10 minute boat ride to the small village of Loutro. Loutro is now popular and has expanded over recent years. There are quite a few hotels and 2 narrow beaches. Loutro was very nice even though the narrow waterfront was busy. There is a ruined Venetian Castle to the west of Loutro's harbour and the trail to Agia Roumeli goes past it. We didn't go that way and instead climbed up to the better preserved Ottoman fortress above Loutro. From the Ottoman fortress we descended down to the hamlet of Finix. The trail had been well marked until about Finix but the section after that to Lykos, and towards Marmara, wasn't well marked as road construction has interfered with the trail. I wished I had downloaded the trail onto my phone but we did manage to follow the trail with difficulty. Both Finix and Lykos have small hotels. From Lykos it doesn't look like the trail can continue along the steep coastal cliffs but it does! It involves a bit of minor scrambling and there are some chains to assist. After 1.5 hours of walking from Loutro we reached the pretty small beach at Marmara. We had a drink in the taverna that overlooked Marmara beach. They have sun umbrellas and sun loungers on the beach and it looked very pleasant. It was tempting to have a swim but we still had a long way to hike. There is a little chapel on the hill above Marmara and from there it was a 3 hour hike to the next taverna at the beach by the Byzantine chapel of Agios Pavlos. Unlike the previous section of the hike there was some shade along the trail from pine trees. We stopped for a picnic lunch on the way. We had run out of water by the time we reached Agios Pavlos and it looked as if the taverna was closed. We were relieved to find it was open and stopped for a drink and a swim. It was still very hot when we left at 16.30 and the owner of the taverna advised us to wait until it had cooled down and to take plenty of water. We didn't wait any longer but luckily bought more water. On the final stretch to Agia Roumeli Lani suffered from the heat and we had to stop several times. Just before Agia Roumeli the trail wasn't clear and we walked along the seafront avoiding barbed wire. The trail is in fact a bit inland. We reached our hotel in Agia Roumeli at 18.00. Agia Roumeli was very quiet as most of the Samaria gorge hikers had taken the 17.30 ferries to Sougia and Hora Sfakion. Our room in the Calypso Hotel had a great shower and after cleaning up we had supper at the hotel and a wander around peaceful Agia Roumelli. It had been a very enjoyable day and I highly recommend the hike. The next morning we set off to hike up part of the Samaria gorge before taking the 11.30 ferry back to Hora Sfakion. See section 3.3  for details. It turned out to be a great 2 day hike and it was the most enjoyable part of our 3 week holiday in Crete. I really like the coast from Paleochora to Hora Sfakion in south west Crete. A similar great coastal hike is from Paleochora to Sougia (see section 2.7 ). Parking at harbour in Hora Sfakion The boat from Hora Sfakion to Loutro View from boat to Sweetwater beach Loutro Beach at Loutro Ottoman castle above Loutro Looking down to Loutro Approaching Finix A bit of a scramble between Finix and Marmara Marmara Beach Chapel above Marmara beach View between Marmara and Agios Pavios beach in Crete View between Marmara and Agios Pavios beach in Crete Agios Pavlos Chapel Agios Pavlos Chapel Beach at Agios Pavlos Waterfront at Agia Roumeli 3.3. Samaria Gorge Hike from Agia Roumeli Before going to Crete I researched the Samaria Gorge hike on the internet and decided that it was too busy for my liking. An average of 900 people a day hike the Samaria Gorge. The Samaria Gorge opens at 07.00 and you can only hike down the entire way if you start hiking by 13.00. At the end of the hike most hikers take ferries from Agia Roumeli to Sougia or Hora Sfakion that depart at 17.30. Consequently most hikers won't start the hike later than 11.00. This is because the hike down the Samaria gorge takes 5 to 6 hours and they don't want to miss the 17.30 ferries. That means there are almost 4 hikers a minute starting the hike between 07.00 and 11.00! To make matters worse some of these hikers will have done little hiking before. I envisaged hikers blocking the trail and making it difficult to pass. See section 3.4 for ways of avoiding crowds when hiking down the Samaria gorge. I thought, a much better hike would be to take the morning ferry to Agia Roumeli and hike back to Loutro or Hora Sfakion along the beautiful coast. Agia Roumeli to Loutro is a 5 hour hike and to Hora Sfakion it's probably a 7 hour hike. This is hike number 24 in the Rother Walking Guide. When we arrived in Crete I did a bit more research. I determined that we could do the coastal hike the reverse way, spend the night in Agia Roumeli and then hike up through the Samaria Gorge from Agia Roumeli early the next morning. We would turn around in time in order to catch the 11.30 ferry from Agia Roumeli to Hora Sfakion. The only disadvantage was that I had already booked all our accommodation for our 3 week stay in Crete. However, a room in the very good Calypso Hotel in Agia Roumeli is only about Eur 60 per night. We decided to take a taxi boat from Hora Sfakion to Loutro and hike to Agia Roumeli. Then spend a night at Agia Roumeli and start hiking up the Samaria gorge early the next morning. See section 3.2 for details of our hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli. We reached Agia Roumeli at 18.00 after most of the Samalia Gorge hikers had departed on the 17.30 ferries. We had a good dinner and night's sleep at the Calypso Hotel. We started hiking at 06.30 the next morning and reached the entrance to Samaria gorge just before 07.00. We were the first people to enter the Samaria gorge and there was no one else in sight. We walked up to the narrow "Iron Gates" part of the Samaria gorge frequently stopping for photos. The Iron Gates are where the Samaria gorge is only 3 metres wide. We still hadn't seen any other hikers and had the Samaria gorge to ourselves. After the Christos rest area one hiker passed us. We continued hiking up the Samaria gorge for another half an hour before turning back. I think we had enough time to hike to the abandoned Samaria village but Lani's foot was hurting. A park official informed us that the best section of the Samaria gorge hike was between the Iron Gates and the abandoned Samaria village and the section from Samaria village to the top of the Samaria gorge wasn't particularly special. We passed a group of Italian hikers on the way back. We got back to the Calypso hotel at 10.00 where we had breakfast. Then after a stroll around Agia Roumeli we took the 11.30 ferry to Hora Sfakion. The voyage was very scenic and it was enjoyable as there were few people on the ferry. It would be a different matter on the 17.30 ferry packed with hikers! We were both very pleased that we had hiked part of the Samaria gorge and really enjoyed our stay at Agia Roumeli and the hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli. I highly recommend doing it. Path from Agia Roumeli to Samaria Gorge Cafe before the entrance to Samaria Gorge Ticket office at entrance to Samaria Gorge in Crete Start of Samaria Gorge in Crete The "Iron Gates" at Samaria Gorge Christos Rest Area at Samaria Gorge Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area The bus from near the Samaria Gorge checkpoint to Agia Roumeli Agia Roumeli Beach at Agia Roumeli Ottoman castle high above Agia Roumeli View from ferry between Agia Roumeli and Hora Sfakion View towards Marmara and Finix from the ferry 3.4. How to avoid Crowds on the Samaria Gorge Hike I stated in section 3.3 that on average 900 people a day hike down the Samaria gorge each day. On very busy days there can be as many as 1,200 hikers. As most hikers start hiking between 07.00 and 11.00 this equates to about 4 to 5 people hiking down the Samaria gorge every minute. Some people won't be bothered that the Samaria gorge trail is crowded but hikers that don't like busy trails should read on for advice on how to hike the Samaria gorge at a quieter time: Start the Samaria Gorge Hike after 11.00 Most hikers will start hiking down the Samaria gorge by 11.00. This is because the hike takes 5 to 6 hours and the ferries from Agia Roumeli to Sougia and Hora Sfakion depart at 17.30. Therefore hikers leaving later, say midday, should have the trail to themselves. Hikers aren't allowed to start hiking down the Samaria gorge to Agia Roumeli after 13.00. Starting the Samaria gorge hike late would probably involve staying the night in Agia Roumeli which is a very pleasant place to stay once all the hikers have left. The Calypso hotel is very comfortable. It would also mean doing the hike in the heat of the day. If you did spend the night at Agia Roumeli you could hike the next day to Loutro ( see section 3.2 ) and from Loutro catch the late afternoon ferry back to Hora Sfakion. That's the same ferry that all the hikers returning from the Samaria gorge hike will be on. Hike the Samaria Gorge at the Weekend The official at the check point told us that fewer people hike the Samaria gorge at the weekend. She said that on week days there is an average of 900 hikers and at weekends the number of hikers drops to about 500 per day. The reason could be that the weekends are when most tourists are arriving and departing Crete. Don't Hike the Samaria Gorge the day after a Closure The Samaria gorge is often closed for safety reasons. It can be too hot, too windy, rain can cause rock falls etc. It is likely that the day after the Samaria gorge has been closed the hike will be busier. Incidentally it is best to check before you leave for the hike that Samaria gorge hasn't been closed. Usually any closure is indicated on the official web page for buying tickets for Samaria gorge. Start the Samaria Gorge Hike very early Most travel guides recommend starting the hike as soon as the Samaria gorge opens at 07.00. If too many people follow this advice it would be counter productive. Hike partly up the Samaria Gorge from Agia Roumeli That's the hike we did. See section 3.3 . A park official informed us that the best section of the Samaria gorge hike was between the Iron Gates and the abandoned Samaria village. The park official said the section from the abandoned Samaria village to the top of the Samaria gorge wasn't particularly special. If you start hiking as soon as Samaria Gorge opens it should be possible to reach the abandoned Samaria Village, or get very close to it, and still be able to catch the 11.30 a.m. ferry from Agia Roumeli to Hora Sfakion. When we hiked up Samaria gorge we only saw about 15 hikers in 3.5 hours. We had the Samaria gorge to ourselves and it was fantastic. 3.5. Frangokastello Frangokastello is a 50 minute drive west of Plakias. There is no centre to the sprawling small town. Most visitors head to the imposing castle where there is paid parking. Next to the castle is a field with free parking. Frangokastello castle was built in 1371 to deter pirates and the exterior of the castle is impressive. There is very little to see in the interior and that's probably why there isn't an entrance fee! From Frangokastello castle it's a short walk to the very nice sandy beach. Frangkastello's beach is on a spit of land and there are sun umbrellas and sun loungers on either side of the spit which cost about Eur 10. The Venetian Castle at Frangokastello The beach at Frangokastello 3.6. Amari Valley Drive We did a circuit of Plakias - Thronos - Moni Asomaton - Monastiraki - Amari - Spili - Plakias and the drive took 6 hours. Unfortunately most of the villages in the Amari Valley were destroyed by the Germans in the 2nd World War and the reconstructed villages have little of interest for tourists. In Thronos only the 11th century Church of Panayia is of interest. It was locked when we arrived but an old man came out of a house opposite and opened it for us. The Church of Panayia has beautiful frescoes but unfortunately photography isn't allowed. Part of the floor is a mosaic from the previous Byzantine church on this site. We were asked to put a small donation in the donation box. We walked up to the acropolis of ancient Syvritos above Thronos but there is very little to see to justify the effort. We had a quick stop and look at the church at Moni Asomaton and then drove on to the nearby Minoan archaeological site of Monastiraki. It was a bit difficult to locate and unfortunately it was the one day of the week that it was closed. We were disappointed that we couldn't visit Monastiraki as the site was quite extensive and looked interesting. It is open from 08.30 to 15.30 every day except Tuesday. The entrance fee is Eur 5. We continued on to Amari hoping to find a restaurant for lunch but there was nothing. The Venetian clock tower is the only building of interest at Amari and we walked up to see it. On the way back to Plakias we stopped off at the pleasant town of Spili which is visited by tourists and tour groups. There were several restaurants in Spili but they didn't appeal as too much fast food was on the menus. Unfortunately there seems to be little of interest in the Amari valley for tourists. Mountain road in the Amari Valley Ayia Paraskevi at Moni Asomation Church of the Panayia at Thronos Church of the Panayia at Thronos Acropolis of ancient Syvritos Venetian Clock Tower in Amari View from the Venetian Clock Tower in Amari The main square in Spili 3.7. Palace of Phaistos We visited the Palace of Phaistos on the way from Plakias to our new accommodation in Ierapetra. It's one of the best Minoan sites in Crete and it has just been designated a World Heritage site. The site dates back to 2000 B.C. In the last couple of years the entrance fees to Greece's archaeological sites have been drastically increased and it now costs Eur 15 to visit the Palace of Phaistos. Phaistos is open every day of the year except on holidays. The opening hours are 08.00 to 20.00 from the 1st April to 1st September. There is free parking near the site and a snack bar and toilets at the entrance. We arrived at Phaistos in the late morning. Although there were other visitors Phaistos wasn't busy and there weren't any tour groups. We spent an hour looking around the impressive site of Phaistos. Theatral Area & West Court at Festos The Grand Stairway at Festos Festus Archaeological Site The King's Megaron in the Royal Apartments of Festos The Kouloures at Festus 3.8. Rethymno Rethymno is a 1.25 hour drive east of Chania and an hour's drive north of Plakias. We drove there when moving from our accommodation near Kissamos to Plakias. I had read that parking in Rethymno can be difficult but we didn't have a problem when we arrived at 10.30 a.m. in early June. There are 2 large car parks at the port . One of these car parks is completely free and there isn't a barrier. There are toilets at the end of this car park (Eur 0.50). The car park next to it has a barrier but parking is free from 02.00 to 17.00. There is another large paid car park across from these 2 port car parks. It's about a 10 minute walk westwards from these car parks to Rethymno's old town. Rethymno's large main beach is just on the eastern side of these car parks. There aren't many specific sites to see in Rethynmo but it's very pleasant wandering around the old alleys. Unfortunately most of the restaurants and shops now cater for tourists. Half a day is sufficient for visiting Rethymno. There are numerous restaurants for tourists in Rethymno and it's difficult to know which ones are good. We wanted to have lunch at Stella's kitchen  as it had very good reviews but unfortunately it was closed on Sundays. We therefore ate at another restaurant which had average food. The main sites in Rethymno are: Venetian Fortress The imposing fortress is the largest ever built by the Venetians. It was built in the 16th century to prevent pirate raids. The fortress quickly fell to the Ottomans in 1645. The fortress is open from 08.00 to 20.00 and there is an entry fee of Eur 5. There is a 50% discount for people over 65 even if you don't reside in the EU. There are free toilets near the entrance. There isn't much to see at the Fortress apart from the mosque which has a very impressive dome. Otherwise it is a matter of just walking around the extensive walls. Venetian Harbour This harbour has always had a problem with silting up and it's only used by a few pleasure boats. During the day time it is worth a quick look but there isn't much going on. Rimondi Fountain The attractive 17th century Rimondi fountain is near to the Venetian Harbour and most tourists want to take a photo of it! Loggia This was built in the 16th century but can't be entered. Nerantzes Mosque This was originally a church but converted to a mosque by the Ottomans. The tall minaret dominates Rethynmo's skyline. It isn't open to the public. Rethymno's Harbour The Venetian Harbour in Rethymno The Augustinian Monastery of our Lady in Rethymno Church of our Lady of the Angels in Rethymno Typical Alley in Rethymno Rimondi Fountain in Rethymno The Loggia in Rethymno The Fortezza in Rethymno The Mosque in the Fortezza at Rethymno The beach at Rethymno 3.9. Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni We visited the Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni when driving from Rethymno to Plakias. It is only a 15 minute drive from Rethymno and a 30 minute drive from Plakias. The Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni is open every day from 09.00 to 17.00 except Tuesdays. The entrance fee is Eur 5 and there is parking and toilets at the site The Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni is worth visiting if you are driving by but I wouldn't make a special journey. There are many tomb entrances but most tombs are too small to enter. It's possible to enter tomb 159 which dates back to 1200 B.C. The Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni can be seen in 45 minutes. Typical entrance to tombs at the Minonian cemetery Entrance to Tomb 159 at the Minonian Cemetery 4. South East Crete Base - Ierapetra 4.1. Spinalonga Island Spinalonga island is one of the most popular sights on Crete and is an idyllic setting. The Venetians built the imposing fortress on Spinalonga in 1579 and it encompasses the entire island. The fortress was impregnable and was handed over to the Ottomans by treaty in 1715, fifty years after the rest of Crete had surrendered. A town was established inside the fortress by the Ottomans. In the first half of the 20th century Spinalonga was a leper colony and the lepers lived in this town. Spinalonga was the last leper colony in Europe as drugs had already been found to control leprosy. The leper colony was very primitive and the lepers were treated very harshly. Spinalonga island is open from 08.30 to 18.00 every day from 1st April to 31st October. It's closed in winter. The entry fee is Eur 20. The entry fee was only Eur 8 a couple of years ago but the entry fees for all Greece's archaeological sites have been drastically increased. Spinalonga island can be accessed by half hourly taxi boats from Plaka and Elounda . The boat ride takes about 10 minutes and costs Eur 12 from Plaka and Eur 14 from Elounda. Tickets can be bought on arrival. Any boat from Spinalonga can be taken back to the mainland. There are 2 free car parks at Plaka and the car park on the northern side has more space. I had read that it was best to visit Spinalonga either early or late in the day to avoid tour groups. We couldn't do that but I had also read that most tour groups visited in the morning so we visited in the afternoon. We went at 14.00 in mid June and it wasn't busy. Upon arrival at Spinalonga the entry fee is payable and then access to the fortress is through a tunnel. The main part of Spinalonga fortress is around the area immediately after the tunnel. After passing through the tunnel it is possible to climb on to the fortress walls and obtain a good view. The street running along the western side of the fortress has most of the remaining dwellings. There are very interesting exhibits detailing the history of Spinalonga in several of the houses on the left hand side. Eventually the only other gate to the fortress is reached. We also climbed up the hillside to explore other parts of Spinalonga's fortifications. There are good views but there is little else to justify the effort. We finished by walking around the walls of the entire island. The fortifications are very imposing and it doesn't take that long to walk around them. We thoroughly explored Spinalonga and spent 1.5 hours doing so. We were fortunate that after walking around the island we spotted the taxi boat arriving. We quickly descended and saved up to half an hour wait. I heard reports that some tourists have been put off visiting Spinalonga due to the high cost of the entrance fee and taxi boat. It's expensive but we really enjoyed our visit to Spinalonga and thought it was worth the cost. Boat from Plaka to Spinalonga Spinalonga The tunnel entrance to Spinalonga's fortress Spinalonga's fortress Settlement within Spinalonga's fortress View from Spinalonga island Museum at Spinalonga Disinfection kiln for Spinalonga's leper colony Fortress walls at northern end of Spinalonga islan 4.2. Gournia Archaeological Site & Moni Faneromeni The Gournia archaeological site is on the north coast but it's only a 20 minute drive from Ierapetra on the south coast. Gournia is open from 08.30 to 15.30 every day except Tuesday and the entrance fee is Eur 5. Parking is on the quiet road near the entrance. Gournia is the most completely preserved Minoan town in Crete and dates back to 1500 B.C. It was an important town as it controlled the narrow isthmus between north and south Crete. We enjoyed wandering around the old streets and houses of Gournia. However, there is nothing over 2 metres high and some people might consider the site to be a mass of walls! We visited a few other archaeological sites in Crete and felt that Phaistos Palace and the Lato archaeological site were more interesting. Moni Faneromeni is very near Gournia but it involves driving 5 kilometres up a hillside to reach it. Fortunately the monastery had a very good relationship with the wife of the previous prime minister and a tarred road was constructed to it. There are excellent coastal views all the way up to Moni Faneromeni. Two monks reside at the monastery and the one who greeted us was very friendly. We were allowed to take his picture on the understanding we wouldn't publish it. We have kept our promise! The main frescoes in the church look ancient but in fact they aren't very old. It was atmospheric inside. Once a year many pilgrims walk up to the monastery and pray for a few days. The ancient Minoan Town of Gournia Moni Faneromeni Moni Faneromeni View from Moni Faneromeni 4.3. Xerokambos to Kato Zakros Hike This is hike 70 in the Rother Walking Guide but the book starts the hike at Kato Zakros. We did the walk the other way around and it turned out to be a good decision. When we arrived at Xerokambos we drove on a dirt road to Krinakia beach and there is a car park there. It's a nice beach and is popular with nudists. There was a sign at the car park pointing the way and from there the trail was clearly marked all the way to Kato Zakros. There was no shade at all and we only saw 3 other hikers. The scenery was nice but it doesn't vary enough. The only tricky section is just before Kato Zakros and a little bit of scrambling is required. The hike took us 2 hours and 45 minutes which is longer than what the Rother Guide indicated. We had a good lunch at the Nostos restaurant in Kato Zakros and afterwards relaxed on the free sun loungers on the beach. Whilst there we heard a couple, who had hiked down the nearby Dead's gorge, asking the restaurant owner to arrange a taxi back to their vehicle at the top of the gorge. We were surprised that there was a taxi at Kato Zakros. The restaurant owner informed us that the taxi driver did a good business transporting hikers who only wanted to hike the Dead's gorge one way. We decided to take a taxi back to Krinakia beach rather than hike the same trail back again in the heat. The restaurant owner arranged the taxi for us and it cost Eur 35. The taxi driver was reluctant to drive the final section along the dirt road so we walked it. If we had started the hike from Kato Zakros we probably wouldn't have known about the taxi. Also there isn't a taverna at Krinakia beach and the nearest one is 2 kilometres further south. Trail sign at Krinakia beach Krinakia beach Hike from Krinakia beach to Kato Zakros Rouso Spasma Hike from Krinakia beach to Kato Zakros Hike from Krinakia beach to Kato Zakros Beach at Kato Zakros 4.4. Myrtos and Tertsa Beaches Myrtos beach is a 20 minute drive west from Ierapetra. Myrtos is a busy little village with lots of restaurants along the sea front. Some restaurants provide free sun umbrellas and sun loungers if you have lunch there. Myrtos is very pleasant and seems a popular place. Reviews state that parking isn't problem at Myrtos but when we went on a Sunday we found it difficult to find a parking place. Tertsa beach is a further 15 minute drive west from Myrtos. The drive there is along a scenic, but narrow, road with high cliffs on the one side and the sea on the other side. At Tertsa there are 3 Tavernas and the Stefania and Lambos restaurants provide ample parking. We went to the Stefania restaurant and used their sun umbrella and sunbeds for free on the sandy beach as we were staying for lunch. Lunch was good and we had a nice day at Tertsa. Tertsa is much quieter than Myrtos and parking is easier. The beach at Tertsa Stefania Restaurant in Tertsa 4.5. Kritsa Town & Lato Archaeological Site We drove from Ierapetra to Kritsa on the minor mountain roads that go via the Bramianon reservoir and the village of Prina. We hardly saw any other traffic which was fortunate as in a few places the road was only single lane! We found a free parking lot in the centre of Kritsa. Kritsa can also be reached on a good road from the resort of Agia Nikolaos. Kritsa is frequented by tourists and tour buses as it's a pretty town with craft shops for tourists. Unless you are a shopper there isn't a lot to see in Kritsa but it's pleasant wandering around. We had a good lunch at the Agadiko restaurant . There is good 1.5 hour circular hike through the nearby Kritsa gorge. It is hike number 57 in the Rother Walking Guide. We didn't do the hike as it was very windy and we were concerned about falling rocks. The Byzantine church of Panagia Kera is only one kilometre from Kritsa and it has the most complete and famous Byzantine frescoes in Crete. Unfortunately we had a late lunch and by the time we got there it had just closed. It is open every day, except Tuesday, from 08.30 to 15.30. We visited the Lato Archaeological site which is three kilometres from Kritsa. It's open every day, except Tuesday, from 08.30 to 15.00 and the entrance fee is Eur 5. Lato was of Doric origin and dates back to the 5th century B.C. Lato's ruins are impressive and are in a scenic location. Tourist store in Kritsa Street in Kritsa The Lato archaeological site The Prytaneion at Lato Archaeological Site The Cistern at Lato Archaeological site The temple at the Lato archaeological site 4.6. Diaskari beach Diaskari beach is a 35 minute drive from Ierapetra. It is a quiet beach with one taverna and plenty of parking. A sun umbrella and 2 sun loungers cost Eur 10. The beach is sandy but there is some rock as you enter the sea. We really liked it and went twice. The taverna only provides a limited menu of cold meals on Thursdays. The beach at Diaskari Diaskari Taverna 4.7. Ierapetra The seafront promenade in Ierapetra Venetian fortress at Ierapetra Church of Afendis Hristos in Ierapetra Ierapetra's Old Town Napoleon's house in Ierapetra Ugly greenhouses surround Ierapetra 5. Accommodation in Crete We spent 3 weeks in Crete and booked apartments and houses through Booking.com in 3 different locations. We avoided the main tourist areas and tried to find accommodation that was quiet, spacious and clean. 5.1. Apartment in North West Crete We stayed at the Christine Luxury Villa which is a fantastic 3 bedroom apartment in the village of Kolymvari, a 30 minute drive west of Chania and a 20 minute drive east of Kissamos. It's new, modern, well finished and nicely furnished. It was centrally located for exploring the north west of Crete and there was enough to do for a full week there. We paid Eur 790 for a week in June which was a bargain. 5.2. Town House in Plakias We stayed at the Michaela Beach House which was a pleasant 15 minute walk away from the centre of Plakias. It's a 3 bedroom end town house in a modern development. We enjoyed our stay. We paid Eur 907 for 6 nights in June. It wasn't up to the same very high standard as Christine Luxury Villa but was still good accommodation. The potential issues with this property are: On our final night the land next to the town house was being cleared. It's likely they will build more houses there. That would block the view and create noise during construction. The largest bedroom is on the lower floor and is accessed through an outside entrance. You can hear some noise from the adjoining town house and if the occupants were noisy it could be a problem. 5.3. House in Ierapetra (South East Crete) We stayed at Apple Home which is a luxury 3 bedroom house in Ierapetra. We paid Eur 1,148 for the week. This house was of the same very high standard as Christine Luxury Villa. The house was spacious, modern, well furnished and had everything one could need. Penelope (the owner) was fantastic and provided us with lots of information on what to do. The only disadvantage is that Ierapetra isn't a very interesting or beautiful town. However, it was a good base and the north coast was only a 20 minute drive away. 6. Car Rental In Crete I wanted to rent a car from a local car rental agency as they are usually cheaper than the international agencies. Unfortunately I couldn't find a good local car agency which allowed vehicles to be collected at Chania and returned at Iraklio. We therefore rented a car from Hertz through Booking.com and we were happy with their service. We didn't take out their full collision damage insurance as it was too expensive and we didn't pay for Lani to drive because of the cost for an extra driver. They weren't fussy when checking the condition of the car when we returned it. When we returned to the UK I discovered that Auto Rentals Crete rents vehicles at both Chania and Iraklio airports and has excellent reviews . They provide full collision damage cover in the quoted price and there is no charge for a second driver. 7. Link s to other blogs on Greece Monemvasia, Greece: Travel Guide   Mycenae, Greece: Travel Guide   Tiryns, Greece: Travel Guide   Epidaurus, Greece: Travel Guide   Nafplio, Greece: Travel Guide   Corinth, Greece: Travel Guide   Delphi, Greece: Travel Guide   The Monasteries of Meteora: Travel Guide   Naxos, Greece: Travel Guide   Tinos, Greece: Travel Guide   Syros, Greece: Travel Guide Andros, Greece: Travel Guide   Mystros: Travel Guide

Map of Madeira Contents 1. Introduction 2. When to Visit Madeira 3. Madeira's Main Sights and Activities 4. Funchal and Surrounding Area Funchal Town Centre Monte Palace Tropical Gardens Madeira Botanical Gardens Palheiro Gardens Refuge of the Nuns (Curral das Freiras) Eira do Serrado Viewpoint Cabo Girao 5. South East Madeira Santa Cruz Machico Pico do Facho Viewpoint Canical 6. North East Madeira Santana Calhau de São Jorge, Madeira Miradouro da Quinta do Furao in Arco de Sao Jorge Miradouro de Sao Cristovao 7. North West Madeira Sao Vicente Seixal Ribeira da Janela Porto Moniz Fanal Miradouro da Encumeada 8. South West Madeira Ribeira Brava Paul do Mar Calheta Lighthouse at Ponta do Pargo 9. Hikes in Madeira 10. Transportation - Buses, Taxis & Rental Cars 11. Madeira Guide Books 1. Introduction We had been wanting to visit Madeira for some time as we had heard good reports about the island and in particular the great hikes. We would have liked to have visited Madeira during the winter months so we could escape some of the UK's bad weather. Unfortunately in winter Madeira is often wet and is more mild than hot. We therefore visited Madeira in the second half of April 2025 and stayed in a very nice 2 bedroom apartment in Funchal's hotel zone. We found Madeira to be very beautiful and the people friendly. It helped that most people spoke fluent English. We really enjoyed our 2 week stay in Madeira but that was long enough. I don't think we would go to Madeira again for the following reasons: The hiking trails aren't the sort of trails that I enjoy. Most of the trails in Madeira are through forest and have limited views. I don't mind the odd forest hike but prefer expansive views for my efforts. See the Hiking Section for further information. The few hikes in Madeira that appealed to me were too busy and parking was difficult. The weather was usually fine on Madeira's south coast but overcast and cool on the north coast and in the mountainous interior of the island. Madeira's weather isn't warm or dry enough in winter to make it a worthwhile escape from the UK's winter. We have seen the main sights in Madeira and don't need to see them again. We rented a car for our entire stay - see the section Transportation - Buses, Taxis & Rental Cars . Some of Madeira's smaller mountainous roads were initially a bit challenging and sometimes I had to use first gear on the steep slopes. However, I soon got used to Madeira's roads and driving on the right hand side of the road. Parking in Madeira's towns was usually very straight forward as there were good multi storey car parks with very reasonable rates. However, parking in mountainous areas was often very limited and congested. 2. When to Visit Madeira We visited Madeira from 16 April to 29 April 2025 and had enough time to do everything that we wanted to. We could have made our trip a few days shorter but time wasn't of the essence. We chose the second half of April as the rainfall in Madeira is usually less from mid April to the end of September. We were fortunate as March and early April 2025 was exceptionally wet in Madeira. May, June and September would have been a warmer time to visit Madeira but we had other travels planned for those months. Funchal's Weather by Month Another factor to consider when determining the timing of your visit to Madeira is cruise ships. Massive cruise ships blight many coastal cities around the world and unfortunately Funchal is no exception. It is strange that the main cruise ship season for Madeira is from October to April and cruise ships aren't a problem during the summer months. During Madeira's peak winter cruise season up to 4 cruise ships a day berth at Funchal and there can be as many as 9,000 passengers. New year's eve seems to be the very worst day with 12 cruise ships and 22,000 passengers scheduled for 31st December 2025! Funchal is only a small city and just one large cruise ship can crowd out the main tourist sites in Funchal. Cruise ships have the most negative impact on Funchal. Therefore do all you can to visit Funchal when there aren't any cruise ships in town. There are several websites that show the cruise ships docking at Funchal. Cruisetimetables.com show both the vessels docking and the number of passengers. 3. Madeira's Main Sights and Activities I felt that the main sights and activities for Madeira were: Funchal city centre Monte Palace Tropical Gardens, the cable car ride up and the toboggan ride down Funchal's Botanical Gardens The sea pools at Porto Moniz The seafront promenade between Funchal and Camara de Lobos The hike along the Sao Lourenco peninsular The circular hike along the Levada Nova and Levada do Moinho The Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike (Still closed at May 2025 due to land slips) Watching the spectacular surfing at Paul do Mar 4.1. Funchal Town Centre Map of Funchal, Madeira Funchal is a very pleasant small city when it isn't inundated with cruise ship passengers. Most visitors stay on the western side of Funchal in the hotel zone and walk into Funchal's city centre on the Avenida do Infante. The first place to visit is the Parque Santa Catarina which is on the south side of the Avenida do Infante. The Avenida do Infante ends at a roundabout on the eastern edge of Parque Santa Carina. From the roundabout continue walking eastwards through the centre of Funchal along the main streets of Avenida Arriago and the Rua do Aljube. From these 2 main city streets you can wander around Funchal and see several historical sights which are detailed below. Some of the side streets worth walking around are: Rua da Carreira, a bustling street full of shops and restaurants. Rua do Bispo and Rua Queimada for their shops, cafes and historic buildings. After wandering around the western part of Funchal's city centre cross over the Levada and walk eastwards along Rua Fernao Ornelas to the market. After the market stroll along the lively, but touristy, parallel streets of Rua de Santa Maria and Rua Dom Carlos 1. Both these streets lead to the Fortress which is at the far eastern edge of Funchal's city centre. The specific sights to see in Funchal's city centre are: Funchal's Gardens There are 2 attractive and free gardens in Funchal. The Santa Catarina Park is between the centre of Funchal and the hotel zone. It is situated on the hillside and has some beautiful plants and trees plus a good view over Funchal. There are pay toilets in the park (Eur 0.50). The Jardim Sao Francisco is much smaller and is just north east of Santa Catarina Park. It is is packed with interesting plants and trees. There are several benches in this garden and it is a pleasant place to relax. Palacio de Sao Lourenco in Funchal The Palacio de Sao Lourenco was Funchal’s first fortress and was built in the 16th century. Cannons were placed only on the sea side so French pirates attacking from the land easily occupied it in 1566. The fortress was later extended into today's form. From the 18th to 19th centuries it was the palace of the governor of the island. The palace can be visited for free on specific days and times (Mon 12.30, Tues & Wed 10.00, Thur 10.00 & 12.20, Fri 15.00). There is a limit of about 20 people who can enter. Only a few rooms are available to the public, so the whole visit would take around 30 minutes. Inside the fortress there is also a military museum where weapons and old uniforms are exhibited. Even if you don't visit the palace or museum it is worth walking around the exterior. Palacio de Sao Lourenco in Funchal, Madeira Palacio do Governo Regional in Funchal It is possible to freely enter the courtyard of the Palacio de Governo Regional and walk around to the front of the building where the cannons stand. It was built at the end of the 17th century. Palacio do Governo Regional in Funchal Funchal's Cathedral There is free entry to Funchal's Cathedral which dates back to 1517. It is open: Monday to Friday - 07.15 to 18.30 Saturday - 09.00 to 12.00 & 16.00 to 19.00 Sunday - 07.30 to 12.00 & 16.00 to 19.00 The Cathedral in Funchal The Cathedral in Funchal Santa Clara Convent in Funchal The Santa Clara Convent was constructed in the late 15th century and expanded over the following 2 centuries. It was reopened in 2023 after a 5 year refurbishment by the government. The entry fee is quite high at Eur 10 although over 65's receive a 50% reduction. We didn't think that it was worth the Eur 10 entry fee but the Tripadvisor reviews are good. The convent can be quite noisy as the nuns are running a nursery for young children. There are a lot of notices in English providing detailed information about the convent. We found that there was far too much detail and we couldn't absorb it. The Santa Clara Convent is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10.00 - 12.30 and 14.00 to 17.00. It takes about an hour to tour the convent. Funchal's Main Square Funchal's main square is known as the Praca do Municipio. I thought it was the nicest part of central Funchal. The square itself is very spacious and its surface consists of a striking mosaic of black and white stones. The main square is surrounded by impressive historic buildings. On the northern side is the 17th century Igreja de Sao Joao Evangelista do Colegio (Collegiate Church) to which entry is free. On the eastern side of the main square is the Camara Municipal (Town Hall) which occupies an 18th century palace. There are some guided tours. On the south side of the main square is the Museum of Religious Art which is housed in a former 17th century palace for the bishop of Funchal. There are apparently some outstanding paintings on view. It's open 10.00 to 17.00 Monday to Friday and 10.00 to 13.00 on Saturday. The Market in Funchal The best time to visit Funchal's market is on Friday or Saturday when fishermen, farmers and traders from all over Madeira come to sell their wares. We didn't visit on these days and the market was very quiet and uninteresting. There have been warnings about high prices charged for fruit by some of the shops and stalls in the market. Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal The Fortress in Funchal When we first visited the fortress we didn't think it was possible to enter the interior as it appeared to be occupied by a restaurant. However, on a subsequent visit we noticed people on the ramparts. We therefore walked past the restaurant sign and gained free access to the interior and ramparts. It is worth entering the fortress and wandering around. Fortaleza de Sao Tiago, Funchal Fortaleza de Sao Tiago, Funchal Bela 5 Snack Bar in Funchal We ate at this restaurant twice and had very good meals there. The portions are generous, the quality is good and the prices are reasonable. It is a popular restaurant and sometimes you may to have to wait a short while for a table. All the staff were very friendly. The restaurant receives very good reviews on Google and Tripadvisor . Bela 5 Snack Bar in Funchal 4.2. Monte Palace Tropical Gardens, Madeira The most popular way of getting to the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens is by cable car. The Madeira Cable Car starts from an area west of Funchal's Fortress and terminates at the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens. The cable car operates from 08.45 to 17.45 and it costs Eur 14.50 one way and Eur 20 return. We only had to queue about 10 minutes for a cable car as there were no cruise ships docked at Funchal. I have read that when cruise ships are in port the wait can be over an hour! The Monte Palace Tropical Gardens can also be accessed by car, taxi and bus. Bus numbers 20, 21, 22 and 48 travel between Funchal and Monte. See my section Transportation - Buses, Taxis & Rental Cars for a map showing the location of the bus stops in Funchal. The Monte Palace Tropical Gardens are open from 09.00 to 18.00 every day and the entrance fee is Eur 15. We really enjoyed the gardens. However, I think they would be crowded when there are cruise ships docked in Funchal and that could spoil the experience. The map of the gardens (see below) is displayed in several locations in the gardens. However, it is useful to have the map with you. A map can be downloaded onto a cell phone from the official website for the gardens. From the far western side of the gardens the famous toboggans can be seen sliding down the road to Funchal. After visiting the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens there are a number of choices: Take a toboggan back to Funchal but be aware it doesn't take you all the way to the centre of Funchal. It costs Eur 35 for 2 people. It looked fun but it's a bit expensive. We were going to do it but they closed early as it was a holiday the following day. Return by cable car to Funchal. If you do that it is cheaper to buy a return cable car ticket. Take the bus back to Funchal for Eur 1.90 which is what we did. To locate the bus stop walk down to the toboggan ride office and then take the path to the right. You soon reach the road and the bus stop is on the corner. I think there are buses at least every half an hour. There are numerous taxis queuing at the garden exit but the taxi driver quoted a very high fixed rate. There is another cable car near Monte Palace Tropical Gardens that goes to the Madeira Botanical Gardens. It costs Eur 13.50 for the round trip. We decided to visit the Botanical Gardens on a different day and drove there. The Madeira Botanical Gardens are worth visiting but seeing 2 gardens in one day could be too much. Map of Monte Tropical Gardens in Madeira Toboggan ride from Monte to Funchal 4.3. Madeira Botanical Gardens Entrance to the Madeira Botanical Gardens costs Eur 10.00 and they are open from 09.00 to 18.00 every day. You can get to the Madeira Botanical Gardens by car, taxi, bus or cable car: There is a free parking area on the other side of the road from the Botanical Gardens. About 20 cars can be parked there. When we arrived the parking lot was full but cars soon left. It is a short walk up the road to the Botanical Gardens' entrance. Bus numbers 29, 31 and 31A travel between Funchal and the Madeira Botanical Gardens. Bus number 31A seems to be the best as it stops at the Gardens' entrance gate. There is a cable car from the Monte Palace Gardens to the Madeira Botanical Gardens. It costs Eur 10 one way and Eur 15 return. We really enjoyed the Madeira Botanical Gardens. They aren't quite as expansive as the Monte Palace Gardens but the gardens are of a very high standard. 4.4. Palheiro Gardens near Funchal The Mini Rough Guide book says " Spend the day exploring the Palheiro Gardens, the most magnificent of Madeira's splendid gardens ". There are also some excellent reviews on Tripadvisor. We therefore visited the Palheiro Gardens but were very disappointed by them. The Palheiro Gardens aren't very extensive and we only spent 45 minutes looking around. There is a large area of Camellias which would have improved our experience if they had been flowering. The Monte Palace Gardens and Madeira Botanical Gardens are far superior to the Palheiro Gardens. That's probably why there were very few other visitors during our visit to the Palheiro Gardens! The entry price is a very steep Eur 11 and the Palheiro Gardens are open from 09.00 to 17.00. We drove there and it took 15 minutes from Funchal's hotel zone. There is limited parking outside the entrance but there is a very large free parking area past the entrance gate. 4.5. Curral das Freiras (Refuge of the Nuns), Madeira It's a 30 minute drive from Funchal to Curral das Freiras. We parked on the main street but parking was limited. There isn't much to see at Curral das Freiras except the church and the very pleasant mountainous scenery. We were fortunate that during our visit there was an interesting Easter parade through the village. About 30 minutes should be sufficient for wandering around the compact Curral das Freiras. A lot of tours stop here and it would probably be better to visit either early morning or from mid afternoon. 4.6. Eira do Serrado Viewpoint, Madeira The Eira do Serrado viewpoint is near Curral das Freiras and it can therefore be visited on the same trip. There is a large free car park that had plenty of space when we visited in the late afternoon. It is probably a lot busier in the morning. There are some shops near the car park and one shop has pay toilets. It is a 10 minute walk on a good path from the car park to the viewpoint overlooking Curral das Freiras. 4.7. Cabo Girao, Madeira Cano Girao is the only viewpoint in Madeira that has an entrance fee and the views aren't any better than most of the other viewpoints on Madeira. The big attraction at Cabo Girao is the glass floor of the platform but you can't see much below and there are usually far too many people on the platform! It is a steep drive up to Cabo Girao and there isn't a car park there. You have to park on one of 2 roads and they both become very congested. The entrance fee to Cabo Girao is Eur 3 and it is payable at one of 2 machines before the entrance gate. There are paid toilets (Eur 0.50) and tourist shops. In my opinion Cabo Girao is a tourist trap and best avoided. There are plenty of other free viewpoints with similar views, better parking and fewer tourists. Cabao Girao in Madeira 5.1. Santa Cruz, Madeira The pleasant town of Santa Cruz is only a 20 minute drive east from Funchal. Santa Cruz has a 16th century church and the main square is surrounded by restaurants. We had a good meal at the popular Taberno do Petisco . There is a promenade along the seafront that ends near the airport runway on the north eastern edge of Santa Cruz. It is interesting to watch the planes come into land. 5.2. Machico, Madeira Machico is a 25 minute drive east of Funchal. There is a very good, and reasonably priced, underground car park in the centre of Machico called Parking Forum Machico . There is a large supermarket above the car park and discounted parking if you shop there. Machico is Madeira's first settlement and it's where Goncalves Zarco came ashore in 1419. Zarco ruled the south west of Madeira while Tristao Teixeira, his fellow captain, governed the north eastern half of Madeira. The Igreja Matriz is Machico's 15th century church and a statue of Teixera stands in front of the church. From the church it's a short walk to a small fortress on the seafront. It was built in 1706 and there is free entrance to the interior. There are are only a few cannons and a sea view to see. Machico's main beach is stony. However, on the eastern side of Machico there is the sandy Banda Alem beach which had its sand imported from Morocco. 5.3. Pico do Facho Viewpoint, Madeira It's a 30 minute drive east from Funchal to the 280 metre high Pico do Facho viewpoint . There is free parking for about 8 vehicles. It's probably best to avoid going at weekends and holidays as locals like to picnic at the viewpoint. Pico do Facho looks down over Machico and has excellent views of the Sao Lourenco peninsular, the Desertas islands and the planes landing and taking off at the nearby airport. Pico do Facho, Madeira View of Sao Lourenco Peninsular from Pico do Facho, Madeira View of Machico from Pico do Facho, Madeira 5.4. Canical, Madeira Canical isn't a very attractive town and the main reason people visit is to see the Madeira Whale Museum. The Madeira Whale Museum is in a very impressive and spacious new building. There is free parking at the Museum which is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 18.00. Tickets cost Eur 10 and over 65's pay Eur 8.50. There are 2 main halls. The first hall depicts Madeira's whaling industry until whaling was banned. Automated audio guides are used in the first hall. The audio guides can be frustrating as you have to stand in the right spot for the audio to work and it isn't always apparent where to stand. The second hall is about whale evolution, biology and survival and some life size models. 3D glasses are handed out for the videos. We didn't find this hall very interesting but many Tripadvisor reviewers liked it. The videos displayed in the first hall are too gruesome for young children and the audio too long. Children prefer the second hall. I personally wouldn't take children to this museum. At least 1.5 hours is required for visiting the whale museum and some visitors stay for up to 2.5 hours. We had a good meal at Restaurante Bar Amarelo in Canical. 6.1. Santana, Madeira The Mini Rough Guide to Madeira says that " Santana is home to an enchantingly picture book style of housing - A-framed structures known as palheiros ". Unfortunately the few palheiros in Santana have been built for the tourists and have shops inside them. Lots of guided tours visit Santana and bemused tourists mill around these tourist structures. Santana is not an attractive town and there is nothing worth visiting. The few restaurants there don't receive good reviews and are probably frequented by tour groups. Santana is an awful tourist trap. Don't bother visiting it! A Palheiro at Santana 6.2. Calhau de São Jorge, Madeira Calhau de Sao Jorge is a 47 minute drive north of Funchal. There is a large free car park near the beach and restaurant. Calhau de Sao Jorge is in the middle of the Rother Walking Guide's walk number 24. The sections of the walk before and after Calhau are steep! There is a pleasant very short walk northwards along the abandoned coastal road. However, it soon becomes blocked by rockfall. Restaurante Calhau is very good but it is frequented by groups at lunch time. It also has a swimming pool that can be used for Eur 3. Calhau de Sao Jorge near Santana, Madeira Restaurante Calhau de Sao Jorge near Santana, Madeira. Restaurante Calhau de Sao Jorge near Santana, Madeira. 6.3. Miradouro da Quinta do Furao at Arco de Sao Jorge Arco de Sao Jorge is west of Santana. To reach the Miradouru da Quinta do Furao drive to the Hotel Quinta du Furao . There are parking places just outside the hotel and also a large car park in the hotel grounds. Walk to the Pizzeria il Furetto at the hotel. The viewpoint is signposted from there. From the viewpoint there is short walk westwards along the cliffs. Miradouro da Quinta do Furao in Madeira 6.4. Miradouro de Sao Cristovao Restaurante Sao Cristovao owns the Miradouro de Sao Cristavo. There is parking for restaurant guests in front of restaurant and at a car park on the far side of the restaurant. Non restaurant guests can park along the road down to the restaurant. It does become congested and it would be better to avoid weekends and holidays. The restaurant serves excellent food and the portions are very generous. We each had the fish platter for Eur 25 and it was fantastic We had intended to do walk 26 in the Rother Guide but we were both too stuffed after the meal to contemplate climbing up the hill in the picture below. Instead we just enjoyed the fantastic view. View from Miradouro de Sao Cristovao in Madeira Restaurante Sao Cristovao in Madeira Restaurante Sao Cristovao in Madeira 7.1. Sao Vicente, Madeira The Mini Rough Guide says Sao Vicente is " perhaps the prettiest village on the island ". We didn't think Sao Vicente was very special and there is very little to see. There is parking in the main square and also in an underground car park on the other side of the main road. The underground car park is cheap but most of the parking places are reserved for residents. There are toilets above this car park. Church in Sao Vicente, Madeira 7.2. Seixal, Madeira There is only street parking in Seixal. In terms of the actual village there is very little to see. However, it is pleasant walking westwards from Seixal along the coast. There are a few basic restaurants in Seixal but it is better to drive 2 kilometres west to Restaurante Las Caraibas where there is plenty of parking on the road. It's a popular restaurant. The food was good but perhaps a bit pricey. 7.3. Ribeira da Janela, Madeira There is a spectacular rock formation off the beach at Ribeira da Janela. There is a large car park nearby. Many people park on the road leading to the car park and this can give the false impression that the car park is full. There is a viewpoint with parking in the upper part of Ribeira da Janela that has nice coastal views. View from upper Ribeira da Janela in Madeira 7.4. Porto Moniz, Madeira Porto Moniz is in the far north western corner of Madeira and is a 50 minute drive from Funchal. There are several car parks in Porto Moniz but most of them were full when we arrived. We finally found parking at Porto Moniz Public Parking . It is a large car park and I thought there was an hourly charge. However, the Google reviews say it costs Eur 5 for the day. Porto Moniz is known for its natural sea pools. They were formed by the sea eroding areas of a volcanic lava flow. We didn't swim in the pools but they were very interesting to see. It would be a good place to relax in sunny weather and I think it would become crowded at weekends and holidays. The old natural pools on the eastern side of Porto Moniz are free whereas there is an entrance fee for the new pools on the western side. The entrance fee is Eur 3 and sun umbrellas (Eur 5) and sun loungers (Eur 8) can be hired. There are numerous restaurants along Porto Moniz's sea front. 7.5. Fanal, Madeira Fanal is in the north west corner of Madeira. We drove to Fanal to do a short walk which is number 57 in the Rother Walking Guide. The Rother Walking Guide says that " on most days of the year dense fog provides for a primordial atmosphere ". Fanal was certainly like that when we got there! To make matters worse the temperature was only 8 degrees centigrade and there was a biting wind. When we had started driving to Fanal from nearby Ribeira da Janela the temperature was 21 centigrade! We decided not to bother doing the hike! I hadn't realised that Fanal was a popular destination due to the ancient laurel trees. There are 2 large car parks on either side of the road to accommodate visitors. We therefore parked and walked a couple of hundred metres in the fog to see Fanal's laurel trees. It was a bit muddy in places due to the climate and number of visitors. It seems most visitors just have a quick stop at Fanal to take photos like we did. Fanal, Madeira 7.6. Miradouro da Encumeada, Madeira The Miradouro da Encumeada  is 35 minute drive north of Funchal on the road to Sao Vicente. There are 2 small viewing platforms, a shop and toilets at Encumeada. The views aren't that good. The viewpoints on the way from Funchal to Encumeada are better. The first viewpoint is on the on the right side of the road and is signposted. There is parking there. Further up the road there is a layby on the right hand side with space for 2 or 3 cars. Shortly afterwards on the left hand side there is a small building with a small parking are a in front but there isn't a sign.  There  ar e steep steps leading to a viewpoint with good mountain views. 8.1. Ribeira Brava, Madeira Ribeira Brava is a 20 minute drive west from Funchal. The ornate Sao Bento church is adorned with gilded and carved woodwork. Otherwise there isn't much else to see in Ribeira Brava apart from the seafront and the promenade. Waterfront of Ribeira Brava, Madeira Promenade & Beach at Ribeira Brava, Madeira 8.2. Paul do Mar, Madeira Paul do Mar is a 45 minute drive west of Funchal. It is a very spread out town with the centre in the east and the surfing beach to the west. The surfing and waves were very impressive when we visited Paul do Mar and lots of people were watching. Sometimes the surfers were going through tunnels in the waves. The main things to do at Paul do Mar are watching the surfers, walking along the seafront promenade and having a good meal. We had a very good meal at the Sabor aMar Fish Factory on the west side of Paul do Mar and from the restaurant we could watch the surfers. There is parking at the restaurant and also plenty of free parking along the seafront road. View of Paul do Mar, Madeira Surfing at Paul do Mar, Madeira Centre of Paul do Mar, Madeira Sabor aMar Fish Factory Restaurant in Paul do Mar, Madeira The outside seating area of the Sabor aMar Fish Factory Restaurant in Paul do Mar, Madeira View from the Sabor aMar Fish Factory Restaurant in Paul do Mar, Madeira 8.3. Calheta, Madeira Calheta is a 35 minute drive west of Funchal and the main attractions are the 2 sandy beaches. Calheta is a tourist resort but it's well laid out and it's very pleasant walking along the seafront. There is a large underground car park on the eastern edge of Calheta and the cost was very reasonable. There are free toilets along the seafront. Calheta, Madeira Eastern beach at Calheta, Madeira Western beach at Calheta, Madeira 8.4. Lighthouse at Ponta do Pargo, Madeira The lighthouse at Ponta do Parga is on the most westerly point of Madeira and has excellent views. There is a small parking area by the lighthouse and free parking on the road. It is a 50 minute drive from Funchal. View northwards from the Lighthouse at Ponta do Pargo, Madeira View southwards from the Lighthouse at Ponta do Pargo, Madeira 9. Hiking in Madeira As I stated in the introduction we were disappointed with the hiking in Madeira. The best hikes are far too busy and the parking inadequate. In addition the majority of hikes are through forest with poor views and the weather in the interior of Madeira is very unpredictable. Unfortunately the very popular hike from Pico do Areiro to Pico Ruivo has been closed since the fires in August 2024. The fires have destabilised slopes and created a risk of rockfall. The fires have also affected other trails going to Pico Ruivo. This means that there will be more hikers than usual on Madeira's other top trails. We did 4 hikes in Madeira and details are provided below. We didn't do the very popular Levada of the 25 Springs hike as it far too busy and there aren't good views. I used the Rother Walking Guide book and the website Walkmeguide.com to plan our hikes in Madeira. Walkmeguide.com is a Madeiran website detailing over 50 hikes in Madeira and it is free to use. However, if you want to use the GPS facility you have to subscribe. One of the most useful aspects of Walkmeguide.com is the numerous user comments for each trail. This enables one to determine other hikers' opinions of the trails and obtain up to date information on the state of the trails, parking, crowds, trail closures etc. Porto da Cruz to Machico (Verada do Larano) The Verado do Larano hike is walk number 16 in Rother's Madeira Walking Guide. The hike is rated difficult as it states " A cable fence provides security for the exceptionally vertiginous sections but still, you have to be extremely careful here ". I am surprised by the comment as this section isn't at all dangerous or difficult. The reviewers on the Walkmeguide.com really liked the middle section of this hike. They weren't so keen on the section near Machico nor the walk on the road near Porto da Cruz. We therefore decided to drive up the road from Porto da Cruz and park where the road ended. We entered Miradouro de Cabo de Larano in Google Maps for directions. We parked on the road and a lot of other hikers had done the same. We walked to the viewpoint at Boca do Risco and then back again. This meant that we cut out both sections that the reviewers didn't like. The walk took 3 hours. We enjoyed the walk and there were excellent coastal views at several places. Most people turned round at the first viewpoint at Ponta de Espigao Amarelo. I would recommend doing this as the trail from there to Boca do Risco is through forest and there are few views until Boca do Risco. This would reduce the walking time by an hour. Sao Lourenco Peninsular Hike The Sao Lourenco Peninsular Hike is number 14 in Rother's Madeira Walking Guide. This is probably the most popular hike in Madeira as there are spectacular coastal views the entire way and the weather is more reliable than for the hikes in the interior of Madeira. However, wind can be a problem. Unfortunately this means that there are masses of people hiking the Sao Lourenco peninsular and it doesn't help that the trail isn't circular. In addition parking becomes difficult and it is only possible to park a long way from the trail head. Most people advise starting the hike early as otherwise the sheer number of tourists spoils the hike. The trouble is that too many people follow this advice! Also unless you start the Sao Lourenco hike very early you will meet masses of trekkers when hiking back. If you do start early then I would recommend starting at 08.00 at the very latest but 07.30 would be better. We didn't fancy a very early start and had read that the number of hikers, and availability of parking, wasn't bad from around 16.30. We therefore arrived at the Sao Lourenco peninsular trail head at 17.00. We found plenty of free parking places near the trail head. I had read that you had to pay an Eur 3 entrance fee for the Sao Lourenco peninsular hike and that fines of Eur 50 were issued to hikers who hadn't paid. I therefore tried to pay at the trail head but there wasn't a ticket office nor any notices about an entrance fee. It could be that the officials collecting the entrance fee had finished work for the day. For the first half hour of the Sao Lourenco Peninsular hike we passed quite a few other people finishing the hike. After that there were always a few other hikers in sight but it wasn't at all bad. The Sao Lourenco Peninsular hike took us 2.25 hours but we didn't do the final climb up the hill as there was a sign stating access was prohibited. Quite a few other hikers ignored this sign but my wife didn't want to. A few reviewers on the Walkmeguide.com website had complained about the upkeep of this closed part of the Sao Lourenco trail! The metal rope is in poor condition and can cut your hand. Another hiker had to go to hospital as he injured his foot on the steep descent. The slope didn't look difficult to me if hiking poles were used for the descent. We really enjoyed the Sao Lourenco hike and the scenery was excellent. However, I think that you have to start early or late or the sheer numbers of hikers will spoil the experience. The Sao Lourenco Peninsular Levada do Moinho - Levada Nova Circular Hike The Levada do Moinho - Levada Nova hike is number 12 in the Rother Walking Guide and is rated as difficult. It really isn't a difficult hike and it's mostly flat. However, Levada Nova doesn't have barriers along all the sections with steep drop offs. Most of the reviewers on the Walkmeguide.com don't have a problem with the lack of railings on the Levada Nova and neither did we. We thought is was a very good hike and we particularly liked the section of the trail behind the waterfalls. The hike took about 2.25 hours. To get to the trail head enter Igreja da Lombada in Google Maps. There is parking on the street by this church although in peak times it could be difficult to find a spot. As with many of Madeira's hikes it is best to start early or late to obtain parking and avoid crowds. We started at 15.15 and easily found parking and there weren't many other trekkers. We started hiking on the closer Levada do Moinho but the hike can be done either way. Bring a torch for the tunnel. Pico do Facho to Canical Hike Walk 15 in the Rother Walking Guide is a hike from Machico to Canical via the Pico do Facho viewpoint . This involves a steep climb up from Machico to the Pico do Facho viewpoint and then a descent to Canical. We decided to be lazy and drove to Pico do Facho viewpoint where there are about 8 parking spots. Most vehicles don't stay long there except at weekends and holidays when locals like to picnic there. We walked down from Pico do Facho to Canical and it took us an hour. It is all through open terrain and there are good views of the Sao Lourenco peninsular and Desertas islands. We had lunch in Canical and then took a taxi back to Pico do Facho for Eur 8. Very few taxis wait in Canical and we had to ask the restaurant to call one for us. Funchal to Camara de Lobos Walk There is a paved sea front promenade from the hotel zone in Funchal to Camara de Lobos. Unfortunately the final section near Camara de Lobos was closed in April 2025. It is a very pleasant walk with excellent sea views. One section goes through a tunnel in the cliffs but there is lighting. There are free toilets at the beach after the tunnel. It seems to be popular with locals so it would be best to avoid weekends and holidays. 10. Madeira Transportation - Buses, Taxis & Rental Cars We paid Eur 24 for a taxi with Madeira Island Tours for our journey from Funchal airport to our apartment in the hotel zone. Madeira Island Tours were recommended on the Tripadvisor Forum and we booked on their website. A driver met us at the airport and we were pleased with their service. We then rented a car from Driving Madeira for 11 days for Eur 242. They had very good reviews and had offices near the airport and at 2 locations in Funchal. We obtained a good rate as we booked 3 months in advance. We obtained maps (see below) showing the bus routes and the location of bus stops from Funchal's tourist office. The cost was Eur 1.90 for local journeys. We only used the bus to get from Monte to Funchal and from Funchal to the hotel zone. Bus numbers 1 and 2 run between the centre of Funchal and the hotel zone. Madeira Bus Map Funchal's Bus Stops 11. Madeira Guide Books For planning our trip to Madeira we used the Mini Rough Guide to Madeira, the Rother Walking Guide and the Sunflower Madeira Walks & Drives Guide. Unfortunately the May 2025 Rough Guide to Madeira & the Azores was only available after we returned from Madeira. I preferred the Rother Guide to the Sunflower Guide for walks. I thought that Sunflower's information on drives would be useful but it wasn't. There aren't maps for the drives and it was therefore difficult to determine the routes. The drives were also far too long if you did some of the recommended stop offs and walks. The Mini Rough Guide was quite good but I was annoyed that they sung the praises of Santana, Sao Vicente and Palheiro Gardens. Santana is a horrible tourist trap, Sao Vicente isn't the prettiest village and the Palheiro Gardens are certainly not the best gardens in Madeira. There is a Lonely Planet Pocket Guide for Madeira. I used to like Lonely Planet Guide books but a few years ago they were bought by a private equity company. They reduced costs by researching on the internet rather than visiting countries. The quality of Lonely Planet Guide books deteriorated and the number of pages was reduced. However, Lonely Planet's Pocket Guide for Madeira might be alright as there were good reviews on Amazon. Mini Rough Guide for Madeira Rother Walking Guide for Madeira Sunflower Guide for Madeira New Rough Guide for Madeira & the Azores Lonely Planet Madeira

Techa Gompa near Umlung Contents Introduction When to do the Markha Valley Trek What to bring for the Markha Valley Trek Internet Connectivity on the Markha Valley Trek Transport to and from the Markha Valley Trek Permits for the Markha Valley Trek Cost of the Markha Valley Trek Map of the Markha Valley Trek Navigation on the Markha Valley Trek Homestays & Tented Camps on the Markha Valley Trek River Crossings on the Markha Valley Trek Itinerary for the Markha Valley Trek Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 1. Introduction I did the Markha Valley trek by myself in mid August 2024. Before doing this trek I spent 3 nights acclimatising in Leh (see my blog Leh, Ladakh Travel Guide - 2024 ). I then trekked in the Sham Valley for 3 days to further improve my acclimatisation (see my blog 2024 Guide for the Sham Valley Trek ) . At the end of the third day of trekking in Sham Valley I took an unofficial taxi to Skiu. I stayed in a homestay for the night (12th August) at Skiu before trekking through Markha Valley for 4 days. I spent the nights in Skiu, Markha, Thachungtse and Nyimaling. I was concerned that the trails and accommodation could be very busy as I was hiking in peak season. I was pleasantly surprised, and probably fortunate, that neither the Sham Valley trek nor the Markha Valley trek were busy except at Nyimaling. I wanted to have my own room or tent and fortunately this was possible. At Skiu I had the homestay to myself. In Markha I had a triple bed room to myself. It was fortunate that I decided not to stay in Hankar as I later heard it was overflowing with trekkers. I had continued on from Hankar to the Thachungtse tented camp and had a tent to myself. I was one of the first trekkers to arrive at Nyimaling and was only allowed to have a tent to myself as the outer zip was broken. I really enjoyed the Markha Valley trek. The scenery was fantastic and there was great camaraderie with other trekkers. I usually don't like trekking on roads but the rough road from Skiu to Markha didn't spoil my trek. There was very little traffic and it made navigation very easy! The Markha Valley trek isn't difficult but the section between Skiu and Hankar can be very hot. There are now bridges over the river in many places. However, in years when the water level is high river crossings could be difficult on the descent from the Gongmaru La to Chokdo. I was fortunate that there was little snow last winter so the river levels were low. Update An Indian trekking group's Facebook posting on 28 August 2025 stated: Markha Valley We could not complete the trek - it rained and snowed continuously for 72 hours since Sunday - we reached Markha on Monday in the steady downpour having to do 5 river crossings taking off our boots and wearing sandals - a log bridge broke after we crossed and a pony fell into the river but miraculously survived by swimming to the shore - the next day we were supposed to trek up to Hanker but heavy snowfall started in the morning and continued through the day - the upper reaches of the Markha river could not be forded and there was large scaled damage due to landslides and rockfall- realising that we would not be able to cross the Kongmaru la and descend in safety we decided to head down the valley the same way we came up - we left Markha at 6 am yesterday and walked 22 km through rain and river crossings down to Skiu - it took about 8.5 hours and we camped in Skiu - this morning we started from Skiu and again walked 20 km down below chilling where the car could pick us up / the main jeep road between Sumdo below chilling all way up to Skiu and sera has been totally devastated by rockfall and landslides - we walked 42 km in two days and just reached Leh - the team is well and survived the ordeal - will post the videos later. 2. When to do the Markha Valley Trek The Markha Valley trek can usually be done from late May to mid October. There is more risk of snow on the pass in May and October. In late June and July the river levels are often higher. As discussed in the section on River Crossings the river level is mainly a concern when descending the Gongmaru La as there are now bridges over most of the rivers until Nyimaling. Another consideration is the number of trekkers. July and August are the busiest months for the Markha Valley trek but by the end of August the number of trekkers should decrease. The section of the Markha Valley trek from Skiu to Hankar can also be very hot in July and August as it is in a valley. I trekked in mid August and the temperature on this section felt like it was in the mid 30's centigrade. In my opinion late August to mid September would be a very good time to do the Markha Valley trek. There should be less trekkers and the temperature would be less extreme. 3. What to bring for the Markha Valley Trek 3.1. Blankets, Duvets & Pillow Cases Unless you are bringing your own tent you don't need to bring a sleeping bag for the Markha Valley trek. I brought a silk liner bag for hygiene reasons and used the blankets and duvets provided. For temperatures in mid August there were sufficient blankets and duvets at all the places I stayed at, including the tented camps at Thachungtse and Nyimaling. It would be colder in September and October but as there are less trekkers there should be more blankets and duvets available. I always take a pillow case for lodge/homestay treks and either put it over the pillow provided or stuff my down jacket in the pillow case if there isn't one. You can be sure that the pillow cases provided are rarely washed. 3.2. Drinking Water All the homestays and tented camps on the Markha Valley trek provided filtered water and a lot of trekkers drink it. However, I took a Steripen to sterilise the filtered water. Some trekkers use LifeStraw water bottles or water purification tablets. I did a 35 day trek through Zanskar after the Markha Valley trek and relied on filtered water at our campsites. Three out of seven of us got very sick from the water as most filters don't remove viruses or parasites. As a result two of us had to end our trek after 26 days and it took me 7 weeks to completely recover. It is better to be safe than sorry when drinking water! 3.3 Footwear I wore boots but the terrain isn't difficult on the Markha Valley trek and hiking shoes should be fine. Just make sure they are shoes or boots that you have worn before and that they are comfortable. I met some trekkers who had bought new footwear in Leh and were really suffering with blisters. To make matters worse they hadn't brought any plasters or Compeed. I also took water shoes as I had brought them for the Zanskar trek. I didn't use them as the river levels were low in 2024. However, when the river level is higher it would be good to at least have a cheap pair of plastic crocs for river crossings and they can be bought in Leh. 3.4. Food I didn't take any food as the meals provided by the homestays in the Markha Valley were sufficient. However, some people might want to take some snacks. 3.5. Power banks I brought a power bank and solar panel but never used them. There was mains electricity in my room at Skiu and at Markha the homestay charged my cell phone from their solar powered batteries. My phone battery then lasted on airplane mode until I finished the trek. 3.6. Medications I hadn't taken Diamox for 20 years before this trek. However, I decided to take half a tablet on my arrival at Delhi at midnight and also the next morning and evening in Leh (3,500m). I didn't have any problems with altitude acclimatisation in Leh as a result. I decided to take half a tablet of Diamox when I arrived at Nyimaling and half a tablet early the next morning. I didn't have any problems with altitude acclimatisation but I usually acclimatise well anyway. Therefore I would suggest taking some Diamox on the Markha Valley trek in case you need it unless you have already spent a week or so at altitude. I would also take plasters for blisters and some basic medication like Panadol and Ibuprofen. 3.7. Other Items Other items worth considering: A head torch even though there is electricity at some locations. A waterproof jacket. One change of clothes in case you get wet. Warm clothes for Nyimaling and the amount depends on the season. It got close to 0 centigrade during the night in mid August. I had a thin down jacket and long johns. I took a pee bottle which I had bought for my Zanskar trek. Hat Sun glasses Walking poles for the descent. Water bottles Cellphone with a local SIM card ( see the next section ). Toilet paper, toothbrush & toothpaste Sun block. Hand sanitiser. Reading material. I took a Kindle but never used it. Headphones for music. Earplugs. I never take them and all 3 nights were quiet. 4.8. What not to bring! Don't bring any satellite communication devices, like a phone or Garmin Inreach, to India. It is illegal and in Ladakh they track satellite communications due to the border disputes with China and Pakistan. I personally know 2 people who got into serious trouble using satellite communication devices. The Indian authorities treat it as a very serious matter. 4. Internet Connectivity on the Markha Valley Trek There was connectivity with the Jio network at Skiu according to the lady running the homestay I stayed at. However, I didn't have a Jio SIM card. Outside Markha's monastery there is free internet and it worked well. The password at the time was 1234567890. However, check the password with your homestay before walking up! The Jio and Airtel networks can be accessed at the top of the Gongmaru La. Many trekkers phone from there to arrange for a taxi to meet them at Chokdo. I don't think there is any connectivity to the BSNL network on the Markha Valley trek. I had BSNL and Airtel SIM cards and the BSNL SIM card was of no use to me during my 6 weeks in Ladakh. Jio seems to be the best and then Airtel. 5. Transport to and from the Markha Valley Trek If you are on a really tight budget you can hitchhike or perhaps take an infrequent local bus. I didn't consider these options as cost wasn't an issue. For taxis it's best to go to the taxi stand in central Leh where lots of taxis are parked. They have set rates to all locations and to Skiu it costs INR 4,175 (USD 50). These rates are usually non negotiable but once you have used a taxi driver they are often willing to offer a discounted fare for the next trip. I took a taxi to Likir to start the Sham Valley trek and then at the end of the Sham Valley trek I tried to find transport from Temisgam to Skiu for the Markha Valley trek. I asked about taxis at a local store in Temisgam and the owner shut his store and drove me there for INR 4,000! For the return journey from Chokdo to Leh you have several options: Arrange a taxi to meet you at Chokdo before you start the Markha Valley trek. The official rate is about INR 4,500. The problem would be estimating your arrival time in Chokdo. I left Nyimaling at 07.15, immediately after breakfast, and got to Chokdo at 12.00. However, the numerous river crossings were very easy in 2024. Phone a taxi driver once you reach the Gongmaru La using a Jio or Airtel SIM card. It took me about 3 hours to descend to Chokdo. Hope that there is a taxi waiting at Chokdo. There were several when I got there but they may have all been prearranged by other trekkers. Try and share a prearranged taxi at Chokdo. That's what I did and the other trekker wouldn't accept any payment from me. Phone for a taxi from Chokdo and probably wait 1.5 hours for it to come from Leh. The Ladakh Taxi Union lists the official taxi fares to numerous locations on its website . 6. Permits for the Markha Valley Trek I had read a number of travel blogs about the Markha Valley trek and none of them mentioned permits. However, on my arrival in Leh the hotel manager said I would need one to get through a check point on the road to Chilling. I didn't believe him and when I googled it the results were very confusing. I then checked with a few travel agents and they all said I needed a permit costing INR 600 (about USD 7) if I was travelling to Chilling. However, if I was doing the longer and more difficult trek starting in Zhingchan it wasn't necessary as the road didn't go past the check point. All travel agents can obtain this permit for INR 600. However, the permits can only be granted to a group and not to individuals. Therefore travel agents apply for several people at a time even though they won't be travelling together. At the bottom of my permit there are 4 other people named who I never met! These permits can be arranged very quickly by travel agents who arrange a lot of tours and treks. My hotel recommended using a travel agent called Ancient Tracks which is in the centre of Leh. They can often arrange permits in 2 to 3 hours and give you a receipt for your passport. However, the permit office may not be open at weekends. I was very impressed with them and they are a popular and legitimate agency. When I went my taxi wasn't stopped at the checkpoint and I didn't have to produce the permit. However, I met other trekkers who were stopped and were asked for it. I don't know what happens if you don't have it but the risk is you would have to return to Leh and obtain a permit. It isn't worth the risk when the permit only costs INR 600. If you can't obtain the permit because it's the weekend there are 2 options. Start the Markha Valley trek from Zingchan or leave Leh by about 06.30 so you can get through the check point before it starts operating. INR 600 Permit for the Markha Valley Trek The Ancient Tracks Travel Agency in Leh 7. Cost of the Markha Valley Trek It costs very little to do the Markha Valley trek if you are doing it by yourself. The costs of my 4 day trek were: INR USD Taxi fare from Leh to Skiu (Estimate) 4175 50 Homestay - Skiu 1600 19 Homestay - Markha 1600 19 Thachungtse tented camp 1600 19 Nyimaling tented camp 2000 24 Permit 600 7 Taxi fare from Chokdo to Leh (Estimate) 4500 54 TOTAL 16075 192 Regarding taxi fares I actually took an unofficial taxi from the end of the Sham Valley trek to Skiu for INR 4,000 and a kind trekker gave me a lift in his prearranged taxi from Chokdo to Leh. 8. Map of the Markha Valley Trek 9. Navigation on the Markha Valley Trek Before travelling to Leh I read several blogs about the Markha Valley trek and also the Cicerone Trekking in Ladakh guide book. I brought photocopies on the trek as they kept warning about wrong turns and difficulties navigating the trail. I also downloaded maps on Maps.Me and Mapy.cz . The reality is that the trail for the Markha Valley trek is very easy to navigate and it would be very hard to go wrong except in very poor visibility for the section after Hankar. I never had to look at the photocopies or the downloaded maps. There is now a road all the way from Chilling to Markha so it is virtually impossible to go wrong on this section of the Markha Valley trek. From Markha to Lower Hankar there seems to be a jeep track although no vehicles were using it as they couldn't cross the river just before Markha. The trail was a bit confusing after the restaurant in Lower Umlung and after leaving Upper Hankar. After Upper Hankar you go through a gate and then walk along the left bank of the river. After a while there is a steep trail on the left up the hillside. It looked a bit hairy but it was actually okay. You don't cross the river at all until you get to the bridge just before Thachungtse. The only other time I was a bit uncertain of the trail was at the Tsigu lakes, between Thachungtse and Nyimaling. Two other trekkers in front of me were uncertain whether to take the left or right path but we all correctly guessed to the left. Other blogs suggest following the horse droppings on the trail and it is a good indicator of the right path, particularly on the descent from the Gongmaru La. On this descent there are a couple of sections where the trail briefly ascends in order to avoid going through narrow and difficult canyons. The locals can often get through the canyons when the river level is low but it is safer to take the trails up. 10. Homestays & Tented Camps on the Markha Valley Trek The homestays on the Markha Valley trek run on a rotation system with each homestay in the village taking turns to take in trekkers. If the designated homestay is full they will send you to the next designated one, if there is more than one in the village! The rotation system sounds very fair but in reality it isn't. The rotation system means that poor quality homestays receive the same income as good quality homestays and they have no incentive to improve. In Skiu the lady running the homestay didn't like me taking photos as some areas were very untidy. She should have tidied up instead! In Markha I had a great homestay in the new section of the village but some trekkers in the old section of Markha were complaining about their accommodation. All the homestays charge INR 1,600 (USD 19) per night for food and lodging. Nyimaling tented camp charges INR 2,000 (USD 24). This cost includes dinner, breakfast, a packed lunch and cups of tea. Breakfast usually consisted of freshly cooked chapatis or Tibetan bread with jam. At Skiu I was also served eggs. Dinner was usually Chhutagi or a rice dish. Chhutagi is flattened pasta cut into circular shapes and cooked with vegetables. It is a very filling soup. The packed lunches consisted of a sandwich or large pastry with a filling. Cold boiled potatoes were sometimes added. There was also a small juice box and chocolate bar. If the homestays are busy you might have to share rooms or sleep in the dining room. I was lucky and always had a room to myself. The toilets were long drops. They had a good system where you put soil down the hole after going to the toilet. I didn't find the toilets bad and they were clean. I was a bit perturbed at Markha when I saw the neighbour's dog lying underneath the long drop! The homestays provide filtered water but I recommend sterilising it. 10.1. Homestays in Skiu A couple of years ago travel blogs for the Markha Valley trek reported that there were no homestays in Skiu. I don't understand this as there are several. The taxi dropped me off at the far end of Skiu. The first homestay I enquired at informed me it wasn't their turn and directed me to the next homestay about 5 minutes away. There are also homestays at the start of Skiu which operate on a separate rotation system. My homestay was fine. I had my own room, the food was good, it was quiet and the toilet was clean. I had mains electricity in my room and I could charge electrical devices. There was limited Jio cellphone connectivity and the owner only seemed to be able to make calls from 1 room. There is probably better phone and internet connectivity in the first part of Skiu. 10.2. Homestays between Skiu and Markha When I arrived at Skiu in the late afternoon I had considered walking on as the heat had subsided. However, I wasn't sure about the accommodation after Skiu. I met some other trekkers who were continuing on but they had their own tents. The Skiu Women's Eco Cafe is a 50 minute walk from Skiu and the trekkers I had met camped there. The cafe was closed when they got there and it was closed when I passed it early the next morning. The sign doesn't mention that there is camping or homestay accommodation and the fancy flush toilet was locked. There is a camping site and restaurant at Hamurja which is a 1 hour 40 minute walk from Skiu. The sign mentions that beds are available and it looked like there were at least two fixed 2 man tents. I have never seen any mention of a settlement called Hamurja before and it is probably near Pentse. Sara is 2.5 hours from Skiu and there is a homestay and camping site. 10.3. Markha's Homestays There is at least one homestay and two campsites before you cross the river and enter Markha. They were probably used more when there weren't bridges over the 2 river crossings before Markha. Trekkers often had to wait until the next morning to cross the rivers. There are about 10 homestays in Markha. There are about 7 homestays in the old section of Markha at the foot of the hill below the monastery. There are another 3 homestays about 5 minutes further on and they are just off the trail to Umlung. I stayed in the new section of Markha and my homestay was very good. I was given a triple room and I checked that they wouldn't put other trekkers in before accepting it. The homestay was very clean and tidy, the food was good and the hosts were very pleasant. 10.4. Homestays between Markha and Thachungtse I had a drink at the restaurant at Lower Umlung. The restaurant looked good and the lady running it was very pleasant. I can't remember the homestay in detail but I think it should be a reasonable place to stay. Lower Umlung is a 90 minute walk from Markha. The homestay & campsite in Lower Umlung The homestay and camping site at Upper Umlung is about 15 minutes from Lower Umlung. I didn't take any photos of the homestays at Lower Hankar or Upper Hankar. There are several homestays in Lower Hankar and two in Upper Hankar. Upper Hankar is the nicer location but it seems to fill up. I visited one of the homestays and the dining room looked nice but there might have only been one bedroom with triple beds. Trekkers at Nyimaling told me that the homestays in Upper Hankar had been packed the previous night and trekkers were sleeping in the dining room. 10.5. Thachungtse Tented Camp I intended to stay in Hankar rather than Thachungtse as I wasn't sure if they had fixed tents for trekkers at Thachungtse. I was also concerned about the river crossing just before Thachungtse as a YouTube video mentioned there wasn't a bridge in 2023 and that the river crossing in the afternoon was very difficult. I reached Lower Hankar very early at 10.50. It was so early that I didn't register that I was in Lower Hankar! I soon got up to Upper Hankar and had problems locating the homestays. I was finally shown the homestay and was given a triple room. I decided not to stay as I wasn't keen on the room and I wasn't sure if I would have it to myself. I tried without success to find another homestay. Luckily I met a small group of trekkers and their guide said they were going to Thachungtse. He said there were fixed tents there and that there was a bridge across the river before Thachungtse. I therefore decided to go there. There is a lower and upper part to the Thachungtse campsite and I was directed to the upper area where there were 4 two man tents and a large dining tent. There were only 3 other trekkers there and I was given my own tent with a sleeping mattress and duvets/blankets. The man running the upper campsite told us that early the next morning he was going to Hankar for 2 days and his campsite would then be closed. We therefore had to have breakfast at 06.00 but we could leave after him. I asked him if trekkers would be allowed to stay in the tents whilst he was away but he said not. The cost was INR 1,200 like the homestays and that included tea, dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch. The campsite was good but it concerned me that they were closing for 2 days in peak season. If I had arrived a day later accommodation may have been a problem. I did pass another campsite between Hankar and Thachungtse so it may be possible to stay there if Thachungtse was full. The lower campsite had some larger fixed tents and a stone dining room. It was full as a group was staying in most of the larger fixed tents. I met 2 trekkers who were staying in a 4 man tent and they said the owner had tried to charge them for 4 persons. They did negotiate the rate down a bit. 10.6. Nyimaling Tented Camp I arrived at Nyimaling at 11.15 which was very early. I asked the owner for a single tent but it wasn't possible as he didn't know how many people were coming. As he took me over to the 2 man tents he showed me one with a broken zip on the fly sheet and said I could have that tent to myself. I was delighted. The camp filled up with trekkers and by mid afternoon it was full. The last couple given a tent were told that if any one else came a third person would be squeezed in! Officially it was a 3 man tent but in reality it was tight for even 2 people. Later in the afternoon it started to rain and the campsite became muddy. One trekker who had intended to sleep outside asked for a tent and the owner told me that he would have to sleep in my tent. I refused as the vestibule of my tent couldn't be used for luggage. I would have been sharing the worst tent even though I was the first person to arrive at the campsite. In the end they found a tent for him but the owner wasn't happy with me. I read a blog that said they have plenty of spare tents at Nyimaling which they can erect if necessary. That isn't correct and the only tents are the ones erected. Most of the tents are 2 man tents but they also have a couple of 8 man tents. In total 50 to 60 people can be accommodated. Groups with their own tents tend to camp a few hundred metres away. As it often rains or snows at Nyimaling the campsite can be muddy. When it is sunny it is pleasant and you can sit outside and drink tea. When it rained everyone stayed in their tents until dinner time and then went into the very rudimentary and dark dining tent. The owner said that it was very difficult planning for meals as the number of trekkers staying varied so much and he didn't know the number until the actual day. Apparently the day before the camp was only a third full. Supper consisted of 2 huge pots of food and rice and it was self serve. It's best to line up as quickly as you can and not sit in the seats by the walls as it is difficult to get out. The food was good and plentiful. It was very sociable in the basic surroundings. Breakfast was served at 07.00 and it was again self serve. I think there was porridge and chapatis. Whilst we were eating breakfast they were preparing our packed lunches in the kitchen. I went to the kitchen after breakfast to pay the INR 2,000 for the night and collect my lunch. I didn't eat it until I got back to Leh! When I left two Israelis were trying to pay for their share of an 8 man tent. The owner was insisting they pay for all 8 people even though they weren't all hiking together. Apparently 2 of the others had already paid and left but the owner couldn't remember this. I don't know how it was resolved but the owner wouldn't back down and started being rude about Israelis. It was all a bit unpleasant. It is best to arrive at Nyimaling early so you can get reasonable accommodation. Otherwise you could end up in a 8 man tent, share a 2 man tent with 2 other people or sleep in the dining room. None of those options appeal to me! They don't make single trekkers share a tent with the opposite sex. As a result one woman had a tent to herself. 11. River Crossings on the Markha Valley Trek The river crossings on the Markha Valley trek were my main concern as I was doing the trek by myself. All the travel blogs said that river crossings could be a problem just before Markha, between Markha and Umlung, before Thachungtse and on the descent from the Gongmaru La. The first river crossing before Markha village now has a bridge for pedestrians but not for vehicles. In mid August 2024 most vehicles couldn't cross this river. The final river crossing before Markha has a bridge suitable for vehicles. There are now bridges where the river crosses the trail between Markha and Umlung and also before Thachungtse. I crossed the bridge near Thachungtse in the early afternoon and it was a raging torrent. I wouldn't have attempted to wade through that river by myself. It was worse than any of the rivers I crossed on the Zanskar trek. I had to cross a small stream about 15 minutes after leaving Thachungtse early in the morning. It was very easy to jump across as the water level was low. A trekker reported in July 2018 that this stream was a raging torrent at 14.00. The time of day, snow fall the previous winter, rain, temperature etc can make such a big difference. At Nyimaling you have to cross the river to take the trail ascending to the Gongmaru La. When I arrived in the afternoon it looked like I would have to wade through it the next morning. However, the next morning the river level had dropped and it was possible to hop across on the rocks. After the initial descent from the Gongmaru La the river has to be crossed numerous times, perhaps around 30 times. Fortunately the river level was very low in 2024 and it was easy to cross each time without removing my boots. In some years this river on the descent can be a raging torrent and difficult to cross. One blog recommended trying to get to Chokdo by 10.30 to avoid difficulties in crossing. The bridges were well made but there is always a risk that a bridge can be swept away in floods and not replaced immediately. The first steel road bridge at Chilling, built in 2015, was washed away in flood water later that year! Therefore you cannot rely on the bridges I mention being in place. You should enquire about them when trekking. 12. Itinerary for the Markha Valley Trek The Markha Valley trek traditionally used to be started from either Zhingchan or Chilling. The Zhingchan route takes about 7 days and requires crossing the 4,973 metre high Kanda La at the start of the trek. Most trekkers don't take this route due to the risk of altitude sickness and the extra time required. If you acclimatise properly, and have the time, the Zhingchan route is the superior option. I did the Chilling route as time was a constraint and I wasn't adequately acclimatised. I actually started the trek in Skiu as there is now a road from Chilling to Markha. Very few trekkers now start the Markha Valley trek from Chilling and I don't recommend doing so for reasons detailed in the next section. Many trekkers take a taxi to Markha in the morning and either stay there or hike to Hankar the same day. This reduces the trek to 3 days and 2 nights. I think that it is a shame to drive from Skiu to Markha as the scenery is excellent and there is very little traffic on the road. 12.1. Chilling to Skiu I was driven along this section of the Markha Valley trek and most trekkers do the same. I don't recommend hiking this section as: The first part of the road is tarred and the traffic is fast. The scenery isn't as good as during the rest of the Markha Velley trek. In July and August it is likely to be very hot. 12.2. Skiu (3430m) to Markha (3806m) As I mentioned earlier many trekkers skip this section of the Markha Valley trek as they drive from Leh to Markha. I think that is a mistake as the scenery is excellent and can't be appreciated from a vehicle. The dirt road doesn't spoil the hike as there is very little traffic and it makes route finding very straight forward! I arrived in Skiu late in the afternoon and stayed the night there. That meant I could leave Skiu early and walk in the cooler early morning temperatures. It would have been even better if I had walked for 1 hour 40 minutes the previous afternoon from Skiu to the tented camp at Hamurja . I left Skiu at 07.30 and reached Markha at 13.00. The temperature was very pleasant for the first couple of hours but then it became very hot as the trail is in the Markha valley. Markha is an attractive village with a crumbling old fort and a monastery on the hillsides. I didn't see any other trekkers until I reached Markha and then I met plenty. 12.3. Markha (3806m) to Hankar (3990m) or Thachungtse (4250m) It only took 3 hours to walk to Lower Hankar (3,990m) and from there it was another 20 minutes to Upper Hankar (4,048m). It was too early to stop for the day and I walked another 2 hours to the tented camp at Thachungtse. Most trekkers spend the night at Lower Hankar or Upper Hankar. Upper Hankar is in a very attractive location with an old fort perched on a rocky outcrop. Apparently it is possible to scramble up to visit it. The altitude at Thachungtse would be too high for most trekkers who drive from Leh (3,500m) to Markha the same day. I saw very few other trekkers on the trail as I left Markha at 07.30, which was earlier than most trekkers. 12.4. Hankar (3990m) or Thachungtse (4250m) to Nyimaling (4848m) The weather was overcast for the first time during the Markha Valley trek. The sun makes such a difference to the the scenery and it seemed a bit bleak at times. However, there were good views of the snow covered Kang Yatse which is 6,400 metres high. It was an uphill walk to Tsigu lake. After that the terrain flattened out and the last section to Nyimaling was across a plateau. It took 3.5 hours to walk from Thachungtse to Nyimaling and the previous day it had taken 2 hours to walk from Upper Hankar to Thachungtse. As I had left Thachungtse early at 07.30 I only saw 2 other trekkers on the trail. Nyimaling is in a bit of a bleak setting. Some trekkers climbed up the hillside to the south west of the campsite to get better views of Kang Yatse. There are apparently some very nice walks around the Nyimaling area but you have to know where to go. It wasn't advisable for me to explore by myself and I wouldn't fancy spending a second night at Nyimaling's muddy tented camp. 12.5. Nyimaling (4848m) to Chokdo (3660m) I wanted to set off very early from Nyimaling but breakfast was only served at 07.00. I left at 07.15 which was before many trekkers but I still had about 10 trekkers ahead of me. There were 2 groups camped near us and I was pleased that I was about 20 minutes ahead of them. It is a steep 440 metre ascent from Nyimaling to the Gongmaru La (5,287 metres) but it wasn't difficult and it took 1 hour 40 minutes. It wasn't cold or windy at the top and I spent 15 minutes enjoying the views before starting the descent to Chokdo. The very first part was steep but there was a good path that snaked down. I was pleased that no one was ahead of me or behind me and it stayed that way until I had almost reached Chokdo. The trail to Chokdo was very clear. It crossed the river about 30 times but since the river level was so low the crossings were easy. The only time I had any doubts about the trail were when it ascended a couple of times to avoid difficult sections through the canyon. It took about 3 hours to descend 1,600 metres from the Gongmaru La to Chokdo. I didn't find the descent difficult or tiring and the scenery was very good. It is an enjoyable section of the Markha Valley trek when the river level is low. I was fortunate that another trekker overtook me before Chokdo. At Chokdo I asked if I could share his taxi and he very kindly agreed and wouldn't accept payment. I was back in Leh by about 13.30 and ate my packed lunch at my hotel! 13. L inks to my other blogs on Ladakh 2024 Guide to the Sham Valley Trek 2024 Zanskar trek - Part 1 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

Lake Bled, Slovenia Contents Introduction to Slovenia Piran Koper Izola Ljubljana Skofja Loka Radovljica Lake Bled Lake Bohinj Vrsic Pass Road Trip My Other Blogs on Slovenia 1. Introduction to Slovenia We visited Slovenia for one week at the end of April 2023 while driving from the UK to the Greek islands. We were on a 3 month road trip visiting interesting places on route to and from Greece. The aim wasn't to cover everything in the countries that we visited. See my blog Venice to Serbia - Week 2  for the daily trip report of our week in Slovenia. It would have been preferable to visit Slovenia towards the end of our trip in late June. The weather would then have then been warm enough to swim in the sea and in the lakes. By then the snow would have melted on the Julian Alps and we could have hiked in the higher alpine areas that I enjoy. Unfortunately Slovenia is too busy and expensive in summer. So we decided to visit Slovenia at the start of our road trip and to enjoy the coasts of Albania, Montenegro and Croatia on the way back. We were lucky with the weather as it was warm and sunny when we were on the coast. It was cloudy, but dry, in Ljubljana. The weather forecast for our 3 nights at Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj was abysmal, but it was dry until the day we left Slovenia. Then it poured! We were very impressed with Slovenia and it was a very easy country to travel in. The roads weren't busy and driving was very straightforward, even for someone used to driving on the wrong side of the road! Most Slovenians spoke English and were very courteous and friendly. The accommodation in Slovenia wasn't particularly cheap and we found cheaper accommodation in all the countries we visited south of Slovenia. Petrol though was about 20% cheaper in Slovenia than in the UK, France, Switzerland Italy and even Greece. Map of Slovenia 2. Piran, Slovenia 2.1. Accommodation in Piran Piran is similar to the many historic towns further south in Croatia. However, the accommodation is more expensive than Croatia, even in the off peak season. This might be because Slovenia has a very small coastline for Slovenians to visit. Piran is absolutely packed in July and August. We rented a compact apartment in the nearby small village of Pobegi for 1 night at a cost of Euro 75 through Booking.com . Pobegi is 4 kilometres from Koper and a 25 minute drive to Piran. The apartment was very well equipped and in pristine condition. I have reviewed the accommodation on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 " (number 6). 2.2. Parking in Piran Parking in Piran is very expensive and it cost Euro 2.60 per hour. We parked in the Fornace parking lot and there is a free shuttle for the short distance into Piran. 2.3. What to see in Piran Half a day in Piran is ample for wandering around the old town. Piran is an unspoiled historical town with Venetian architecture. The main square in Piran is Tartinijev Trg and it is surrounded by attractive historic buildings. It is very near the sea front as it was originally the inner harbour of Piran. In 1894 the harbour was filled in to create the main square. The tourist office is in this square. We climbed up the road to the Cathedral of St George and its Bell Tower. We continued up the hill to the old Walls of Piran. It costs Euro 3 to enter a small section of the walls and 3 of the towers on the walls. There are very good views of Piran from the towers. The walls were open until 20.00. We wandered around the streets in Piran's lower town and there were hardly any other visitors. Most of the restaurants and cafes are along the seafront. It was warm enough in late April for us to sit outside on the waterfront for our evening meal of calamari and sardines. From the parking lot below the entrance to the walls there are steps that descend steeply back to the Piran's old town centre. It makes a good circular walk around Piran. The Harbour at Piran, Slovenia The Seafront Promenade at Piran, Slovenia View of Tartinijev Trg in Piran, Slovenia Tartinijev Trg in Piran, Slovenia The Cathedral of St George in Piran, Slovenia The Interior of the Cathedral of St George The City Walls of Piran, Slovenia The City Walls of Piran, Slovenia A View of Piran from the City Walls 3. Koper, Slovenia We visited the coastal towns of Koper and Izola on the drive to Ljubljana and we had most of the day to explore them. 3.1. Parking in Koper We stopped off at Koper first and there were plenty of parking spaces, unlike at Piran. It would usually cost Eur 1 per hour but a kind local told us that parking was free as it was a public holiday in Slovenia. We had all our luggage in our car. It seems that Slovenia has less theft than many other European countries. 3.2. What to see in Koper We walked into the centre of Koper along the seafront promenade and then to the main square called Titov Trg. It is an attractive square surrounded by historic buildings. The tourist office is also located there. Surprisingly there were very few other tourists in Koper, just like at Piran. We paid Euro 4 each to climb up the 36 metre high City Tower and there were good views of Koper from the top. Every town in Slovenia seems to have a tower to climb and we decided not to go up towers in future as the cost soon mounts up. Koper's historic centre is very interesting, but not that extensive, so it took less than 2 hours to see. 3.3. Restaurants in Koper It was lunch time when we finished sightseeing and we went to a cheap seafood eatery outside Koper's market called Fritolin . Fritolin is recommended in the Lonely Planet guide to Slovenia and it was busy with locals. We ordered 2 portions of grilled calamari and french fries for a total cost of Euro 21 and ate it at an outside table. It was very tasty and the portions were good! There are many other cheap eating spots and cafes in Koper's market area. The Cathedral of the Assumption & the City Tower in Titov Trg A View of Koper from the City Tower A View of Koper's Port from the City Tower View of Titov Trg from the top of the Bell Tower at Koper, Slovenia The Praetorian Palace in Titov Trg, Koper Venetian Gothic Loggia in Titov Trg, Koper The Fontico at Koper, Slovenia The Promenade at Koper, Slovenia The Cathedral of Assumption at Koper, Slovenia The Da Ponte fountain in Prešernov Trg in Kroper, Slovenia The Barbabianca Palace in Koper, Slovenia 4. Izola, Slovenia Koper's helpful tourist office had told us that it was a 6 km walk from Koper to Izola along the seafront promenade and that we could then take a bus back to Koper. We decided to do this as we needed the exercise and didn't fancy trying to find parking in Izola. The walk to Izola took 1 hour and 15 minutes. It was a very pleasant walk and was popular with the locals who were cycling, roller blading and walking. There were several free toilets along the way. We had a quick walk around Izola and then took the short bus ride back to Koper. Izola is a pleasant town but there aren't many historic sights to see. The bus runs regularly between Izola and Koper. Even on a holiday the bus ran every half an hour most of the day. The tourist office at Koper provided us with a sheet detailing the departure times and told us where the bus stops were. Our bus ride from Izola to Koper cost Euro 1.30 per person. Besenghi degli Ughi Palace at Izola, Slovenia The Parish Church of St Maurus at Izola, Slovenia The Church of St Mary at Izola, Slovenia 5. Ljubljana, Slovenia Map of Ljubljana, Slovenia 5.1. Introduction to Ljubljana Slovenia is such a compact country that it only takes an hour drive from Ljubljana to the coast, 40 minutes to Lake Bled and 30 minutes to Skofja Loka. The roads in Ljubljana weren't congested at all. Ljubljana would be a convenient base to visit places like Lake Bled and Skofja Loka. I wondered if there would be enough to do in Ljubljana as I had read that there wasn't much to see apart from Ljubljana Castle. Ljubljana is a picturesque city and we enjoyed wandering around for a couple of hours. Half a day is adequate for sightseeing in Ljubljana unless you want to visit the museums. 5.2. Ljubljana Castle Ljubljana Castle is the main site. It is a steep 15 minute walk from the city centre. There is also a funicular railway from the centre of Ljubljana to Ljubljana Castle and it costs Eur 3.30 one way or Eur 6 return. Entrance to the central courtyard of Ljubljana Castle, and a small section of the castle's wall, is free. To see a bit more of the castle is expensive and, in my opinion, not worth it. Much of the castle's interior has been renovated and doesn't look ancient. The entrance ticket for Ljubljana Castle costs Eur 15 and it includes the viewing tower and the Puppetry and Slovenian History museums. To appreciate the History Museum you need to pay an additional Eur 4 for an audio guide as there aren't sufficient signs in English. It is worthwhile seeing the Ljubljana Castle from the outside and the free interior sections. I wouldn't buy a ticket unless you want to take a photo from the tower or are interested in puppetry. Details of the current ticket prices are on the Ljubljana Castle website . Ljubljana Castle Viewed from Congress Square (Kongresni Trg), Ljubljana, Slovenia A View of the Julian Alps from Ljubljana Castle 5.3. The Bridges in Ljubljana The Ljubljanica river bisects Ljubljana and there are 3 well known bridges crossing it. They are not very old, nor particularly beautiful, but most travel books refer to them. You would probably have to cross them while looking around the Ljubljana. The Dragon Bridge was built in 1888 and has a dragon on each corner. It is northeast of the Ljubljana's old town. There are public toilets on the southwest side of the bridge. The Triple Bridge is south of Presernov Trg. The central section was built in 1842 and in the 1930's two pedestrian side bridges were added. The Cobbler's Bridge was rebuilt in 1931 and is south of Ljubljana's other 2 bridges. It is a pedestrian bridge and in medieval times shoemakers lived and worked on the bridge. The Dragon Bridge at Ljubljana, Slovenia One of the Dragons on the Dragon Bridge, Ljubljana The Triple Bridge in Ljubljana, Slovenia The Ljubljanica River 5.4. A Circular Sightseeing Walk in Ljubljana A good way of seeing Ljubljana is to do a circular walk. You could start anywhere. We began at St James Bridge in the south and walked northwards to Dragon Bridge along the west bank of the river. We then crossed Dragon Bridge and walked back to St James Bridge on the east bank of the river. Some of the main areas of Ljubljana that we saw were: Novi Trg, an old area of Ljubljana. Kongresni Trg, which has an excellent view of Ljubljana Castle. There are some attractive buildings in the square like the University of Ljubljana and the Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity. Presernov Trg, Ljubljana's main square and is surrounded by some beautiful buildings like Hauptman House and the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation. The Triple Bridge. Miklosiceva Cesta, which runs from the railway station to the river. This street has some of the finest a rt nouveau buildings in Ljubljana. Trubarjeva Cesta, a bustling street lined with shops, restaurants and cafes. Dragon Bridge. Ljubljana Castle. The Central Market in Vodnikov Trg, which has a large open air food market. Pogacarjev Trg, which has a covered market and a fish market. On Fridays there is a weekly food fair known as the Open Kitchen. Ljubljana's Old Town, which runs along the east side of the river from Triple Bridge in the north to Hercules Fountain (near St James Bridge) in the south. Hauptmann House in Presernov Trg, Ljubljana Franciscan Church of the Annunciation in Presernov Trg, Ljubljana The University of Ljubljana in Kongresni Trg, Ljubljana Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity in Kongresni Trg, Ljubljana The Fruit and Vegetable Market in Vodnikov Trg, Ljubljana Open Kitchen in Pogacarjev Trg, Ljubljana Hercules Fountain in the Old Town of Ljubljana 6. Skofja Loka, Slovenia 6.1. Driving to Skofja Loka It was surprisingly easy to drive out of Ljubljana. Once we had got off the highway we drove on pretty, rural roads with the snow covered Julian Alps in the background. We reached the historic town of Skofja Loka after about 30 minutes. Parking was easy to find in Skofja Loka and free. Scenery on the Drive from Ljubljana to Skofja Loka 6.2. What to see at Skofja Loka Skofja Loka has quite a large historic core and we spent about 2 hours wandering around. If you visit the castle museum you will need longer. The main site in Skofja Loka is the 13th century Loka Castle and it is a steep 10 minute walk up to it. There are good views from Loka castle and it is pleasant wandering around the grounds. Otherwise there isn't much to see unless you visit the museum and the entrance fee is Eur 5. Loka Castle at Skofja Loka, Slovenia The other main place of interest in Skofja Loka is Mestni Trg. It is surrounded by colourful 16th century houses. The most famous of these is Homan House which was built in 1511. Other things to see in Skofja Loka are: Jakoba Church dating back to the 13th century. It is free to enter. Capuchin Bridge dating back to the 14th century. Spodnji Trg with a 16th century granary. Mestni Trg in Skofja Loka, Slovenia Mestni Trg in Skofja Loka, Slovenia Homan House in Skofja Loka, Slovenia A Street in Skofja Loka, Slovenia Jakoba Church in Skofja Loka, Slovenia The Interior of Jacoba Church in Skofja Loka, Slovenia 7. Radovljica, Slovenia The Lonely Planet guide book says that " The town of Radovljica is filled with impossibly cute, historic buildings ". That is very misleading as the historic part of Radovljica is limited to Linhartov Trg. Trg means Square but in reality Linhartov is a street. Linhartov Trg is lined with 16th and 17th buildings. It doesn't take long to see them. We spent half an hour wandering around Radovljica. There is nothing else of interest to see in Radovljica. Vidic House at Radovljica, Slovenia Linhartov Trg in Radovljica, Slovenia Linhartov Trg in Radovljica, Slovenia Church of St Peter in Radovljica, Slovenia 8. Lake Bled, Slovenia 8.1. Driving to Lake Bled It is only a 45 minute drive from Ljubljana to Lake Bled as Slovenia is a compact country. We visited Lake Bled during a warm and sunny weekend in late April and it was very busy. I dread to think what Lake Bled would be like in summer! We turned off at the first parking sign we saw near Lake Bled and the charge was Euro 15 for 4 hours or Euro 25 for the whole day! That's as expensive as it was in Venice. We decided to pay Eur 15 for 4 hours rather than drive around Bled's congested streets to find somewhere cheaper. 8.2. Walking around Lake Bled There is a 6 kilometre paved path going all the way around Lake Bled. It was congested near the town of Bled but not bad otherwise. Apart from the number of people it is a very beautiful and easy walk with great views all the way around Lake Bled. It should only take about 90 minutes but we took 3 hours with a lot of stops for photos. Lake Bled is very photogenic with the island, the castle perched above the lake and the snow covered Julian alps in the distance. Some people were swimming in Lake Bled and the water didn't feel too cold, even though it was the end of April. 8.3. Bled Island You can take a boat over to Bled Island. Only row boats and electric boats are allowed to prevent noise pollution. We didn't bother as it is expensive and Bled Island appears to be a tourist trap. A Pletna boat, which looks like a large gondola row boat, costs Eur 15 per person. An electric boat from Bled town costs Eur 14 per person. You can also rent your own rowing boat but it doesn't work out much cheaper. On Bled Island you have to fork out another Eur 12 to enter the church and bell tower. So for the 2 of us it would have cost Eur 54 for a 1 hour to 1.5 hour experience at a tourist trap! 8.4. Bled Castle It is a steep 15 to 20 minute walk up to Bled Castle, but that is not as steep as the Eur 15 entrance fee! You can also drive up and there is paid parking at Bled Castle. The main reasons to visit Bled Castle are for the views and the museum. Bled Island, Slovenia Bled Castle, Slovenia Bled Island, Slovenia A Church on the Shore of Lake Bled, Slovenia 9. Lake Bohinj, Slovenia 9.1. Towns and Accommodation at Lake Bohinj There isn't a town called Bohinj. The only settlement on Lake Bohinj is Ribcev Laz on the south eastern corner. It's the main hub for Lake Bohinj. We stayed in nearby Stara Fuzina, an unspoiled village a 10 minute walk from Lake Bohinj. Ukanc, the only other settlement near the lake shore, is a very small village on the western shore of Lake Bohinj. We booked a 1 bedroom apartment through Airbnb for Eur 98 per night. I have reviewed it in my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 " (number 8). Stara Fuzina on Lake Bohinj, Slovenia A View from Stara Fuzina on Lake Bohinj, Slovenia A Church in Stara Fuzina, Lake Bohinj, Slovenia 9.2. Hiking around Lake Bohinj The Lonely Planet guide says that Lake Bohinj is more beautiful than Lake Bled. I don't agree with that but Lake Bohinj is certainly less crowded and less touristy. We hiked from our apartment in Stara Fuzina clockwise around the Lake Bohinj. The hike is 12 kilometres long and it took us 3 hours. Unfortunately the trail on the south bank of Lake Bohinj follows the road and the views are often blocked by trees. At the western end of Lake Bohinj it was more open and there were good views of the lake and mountains. The north side of Lake Bohinj is more popular for walking. There isn't a road nearby but unfortunately trees often obscure the views. This is the more popular side of Lake Bohinj for walking and I can understand why. In my opinion it is better to hike there and back on the north side of Lake Bohinj. The disadvantage is that the north side of Lake Bohinj is busier but you could probably avoid most hikers by starting early in the morning or late in the afternoon. View on the Walk from Stara Fuzina to Lake Bohinj The Church of St John the Baptist at Ribcev Lab on Lake Bohinj Lake Bohinj from the South East Shore near Ribcev Laz The Holy Spirit Church between Ukanc and Rivcev Laz on Lake Bohinj Lake Bohinj from the Western End near Ukanc Lake Bohinj from the North West Shore 10. Vrsic Pass Road Trip 10.1. About Vrsic Pass The Vrsic Pass is in north western Slovenia near the border with Italy. It was built during the first world war and there are 50 hair pin bends up and down the 1,611 metre high Vrsic pass. Vrsic Pass is closed in winter which means it is closed from November to April, depending on the snow. You can check whether it is open on the AMZS website . The road to Vrsic pass goes from Kranjska Gora on the eastern side to Bovec on the western side. The drive to Kranjska Gora takes 45 minutes from Lake Bled and 1 hour 15 minutes from Lake Bohinj. 10.2. Driving up the Eastern Side of the Vrsic Pass The road up Vrsic Pass was a bit narrow going around some of the hair pin bends, but otherwise it wasn't a difficult drive. There are several parking spots on the road from where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Julian Alps. When you reach the top of Vrsic pass you could turn around and drive back down. The longer alternative is to drive down the western side of Vrsic pass and complete a circular route back to Lake Bohinj or Lake Bled. It would make the drive even longer if you started at Lake Bled. 10.3. Driving down the Western Side of the Vrsic Pass We did the circular drive and continued over Vrsic pass down 24 hair pin bends to Bovec. The hair pin bends weren't as tight, and the scenery wasn't as dramatic, as on the way up. We looked out for the Russian Chapel built as a memorial in 1916 by the Russian prisoners of war who constructed the road. Unfortunately we missed it and decided not to drive back up Vrsic Pass to find it. From Bovec we drove south on road numbers 203 and 102. We then turned east on the narrow and mountainous road number 403 to return to Lake Bohinj. It took us 3 hours 45 minutes to drive back from the top of Vrsic pass to Lake Bohinj. In comparison it only took us 2 hours to drive from Lake Bohinj to the top of Vrsic pass. On the way up Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View On the way up Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View On the way up Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View On the way up Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View On the way up Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View at the top of Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View at the top of Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View at the top of Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View on the way down Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View on the way down Vrsic Pass, Slovenia View on the Drive back to Lake Bohinj, Slovenia Church of the Virgin Mary in Pri Cerkvi-Struge, Slovenia View on the drive back from Vrsic pass to Lake Bohinj 11. My Other Blogs about Slovenia Venice to Serbia - Week 2 UK to Greek Island Accommodation - Part 1

View of Kotor on the way up to St. John's Fortress Contents 1. Introduction 2. Kotor Old Town 3. Walking up the Walls to St. John's Fortress About the Walls Entrance to the Upper Walls When to Go The Walk 4. Solila Beach 5. The New Part of Kotor 6. Places to Eat & Supermarkets 7. Accommodation 8. Driving to and from Budva from Croatia and Albania 9. Links to My Other Montenegro Travel Blogs 1. Introduction 1.1. Kotor as a Base We stayed in Kotor for 6 nights as it was a good base for visiting: Budva to the south. See my blog Budva, Montenegro: Travel Guide . Perast & Herceg Novi to the north. See my blog Perast & Herceg Novi: Travel Guide . Lovcen National Park & Lipa Cave to the east. See my blog The Kotor Serpentine Road to Lipa Cave . I had thought about splitting our time between Budva and Kotor. I am pleased we didn't as I found Budva to be too developed and the roads were congested. 1.2. Cruise Ships at Kotor In summer, on average 2 or 3 cruise ships dock at Kotor most days. Some of the ships have as many as 5,000 passengers! Unfortunately the influx of so many passengers and tour groups can overwhelm the Old Town of Kotor. It is therefore necessary to plan your visit according to the cruise ship schedule. Luckily there is a good website called Cruisedig.com that lists which cruise ships are visiting each day, the number of passengers and the arrival/departure times. This information enables you to determine when Kotor Old Town will be inundated with cruise ship passengers. 1.3. Traffic & Parking in Kotor The traffic going through Kotor can be very congested. The traffic island to the south of Kotor's Old Town can sometimes be totally blocked. There are several parking lots in Kotor and they are all busy. We used a parking lot on the seafront just opposite the main entrance (Sea Gate) and it cost Eur 1 per hour (payable on exit). If it is full you can queue at the entrance and places soon become available. We only had to do that once. You can locate it by entering " Kotorska luka Parking " on Google maps. 1.4. Tourist Tax Officially all tourists staying in Montenegro must pay a tourist tax and for Kotor the tax is Eur 1 per day. Hotels and a lot of other accommodation include it in their rate. Our accommodation didn't pay for it and we were tempted not to either. However, I had read that you could be asked for proof of payment when leaving the country. We therefore went and paid the tax at the office in the Old Town. I wish we hadn't as we weren't asked about it at the border with Croatia. From what I have read on the Tripadvisor forum it is extremely unlikely that border officials will ask about payment of the tourist tax. 2. Kotor Old Town Kotor's Old Town was destroyed in the 1979 earthquake and then totally rebuilt. Kotor is a historic Venetian town like so many coastal towns in both Montenegro and Croatia. It is very pleasant wandering around Kotor when it isn't swamped with cruise ship passengers. Kotor's tourist office is just outside the Sea Gate and they can provide free maps of Kotor's old town. The map isn't very easy to follow and we preferred just wandering around. An hour and a half to two hours is sufficient for wandering around Kotor's old town. Near the South Gate to Kotor St. Tryphon's Cathedral in Kotor Flour Square in Kotor Town Square in Kotor Rear of St. Nicholas Church in Kotor Church of St Nicholas in Kotor Square of Arms in Kotor Saint Luke’s Church in Kotor St Mary's Church in Kotor Kotor Clock Tower Typical Alley in Kotor 3. Walking up the Walls to St John's Fortress 3.1. About Kotor's Walls The old and impressive defensive walls, surrounding the Old Town of Kotor, date back to the 15th century. On the eastern side of Kotor the walls go up the hillside to the Church of Our Lady of Health and then onto St. John's Fortress. It now costs a whopping Eur 15 to walk up to St. John's Fortress. The entrance fee was only Eur 8 in 2022! It is free to walk along most of the lower town walls that back onto the Bay of Kotor and the Skurda river. You can climb up to the walls near the South Gate and walk all the way to the North Gate, or vice versa. It is definitely worth doing this, but choose a time when it's not too hot or busy. 3.2. Entrance to Kotor's Upper Walls There are 2 entrances: At the end of an alley near Kotor's North Gate. It is signposted. Near Pjaca Skaljarska Square and south of St Tryphon's Cathedral. Although the entrances to Kotor's upper walls have gates I don't think they are ever closed. There is a sign on the gate stating it is forbidden to stay on the ramparts after 22.00. I don't believe the attendant at the entrance stays that late. Some people on the internet have posted ways of avoiding the Eur 15 entrance fee: It used to be possible to hike part of the way up the Ladder of Kotor and then gain free access to the fortress walls through a small hole near St John's Fortress. I have posted a photo below showing that this has now been blocked. It's a shame as this hole in the wall enabled people to do a circular hike rather than hike up and down the same way. You might be able to enter for free before the ticket office opens at 07.00. However, when we arrived at the ticket office at 08.30 the attendant asked some people who were leaving to show their tickets. The only way that you may be able to enter without paying is by going in the evening after the ticket office closes. I don't know when it closes but it might be at 19.00. 3.3. When to Walk to St John's Fortress The evening is probably a very good time to walk up to St John's fortress even if you have to pay. It may be more crowded in the morning unless you start very early as: A lot of people, like ourselves, follow advice to go in the morning. We started at 08.30 and found it busy. Quite a few of the people were from the cruise ships. Even if we had started earlier we would have met them on our way down. Also the cruise ships usually depart Kotor in the late afternoon and early evening and therefore passengers can't do this walk in the evening. You may think I am making a lot of fuss about the number of people. The problem with the walk to St John's fortress is that the path is narrow and you have to go up and down the same path. Usually there are only steps on one side of the path and most people want to use the steps! You therefore have to stand aside for people coming the other way. I would be wary of doing the walk if it is wet as I think the path would be very slippery. 3.4. The Walk to St Johns's Fortress It took us 45 minutes to walk up to St John's fortress, but we frequently stopped to enjoy the views of Kotor Bay and take photos. It is a steep 260 metre climb up to St John's Fortress and there are about 1,350 steps to aid the ascent. I didn't count them! About halfway up you reach the Church of Our Lady of Health, but it is nothing special. St John's Fortress is at the top and it is possible to walk around it, but it is very derelict. We spent 15 minutes at St John's fortress and took another 45 minutes to walk back down to Kotor. It shouldn't have taken that long but we weren't rushing. The main reason to do the walk is for the fantastic views of Kotor and the bay. The walls, Church and Fortress aren't that special. Entrance near Kotor's North Gate View of Kotor on the Way Up View of Kotor on the Way Up View of Kotor on the Way Up View from St John's Fortress St John's Fortress Blocked Path through the Fortress Wall Path to the Church of Our Lady of Health 4. Solila Beach Most of the time we swam near our apartment at Muo, which was a 20 minute walk from Kotor. Usually we just needed a quick dip to cool off and the estuary was just a couple of minutes from our apartment. It wasn't the best place to swim as the road was close by, there was algae in the water and there wasn't a beach. One hot day we fancied going to a better beach for a bit of a beach day. After reviewing beaches on the internet I found Solila beach which had good reviews and was only a 12 minute drive from Kotor. The only negative was that the beach access road is at a very tight angle off the main road. We really enjoyed our afternoon at Solila beach. There was plenty of parking space and the pebble beach and the sea were very nice. It cost Eur 20 for an umbrella and 2 sun loungers. There was a restaurant, free changing booths and free toilets. Solila Beach Solila Beach 5. The New Part of Kotor There is a 2 storey shopping centre near Kotor's North Gate. The shops in it are of little interest to tourists, except for the good supermarket on the lower floor. There are free public toilets on the upper level and a restaurant that sells ice cream cheaper than in the Old Town. North of the Skurda river there is a seafront promenade. It is very pleasant to walk along, except for the boat tour salesmen! Boat tours lasting 3 hours go around the Bay of Kotor to the Blue Cave, Perast and Herceg Novi and cost around Eur 35 to Eur 40. We didn't go on a boat tour so I can't comment on them. Kotor's Seafront Promenade Kotor's Seafront Promenade 6. Places to Eat & Supermarkets in Kotor 6.1. Restaurants in Kotor Most of the restaurants are in the Kotor's Old Town and aren't particularly cheap. We found a very small and basic restaurant called BBQ Tanjga which is located just before the roundabout in the southern part of Kotor. It is cheap and has excellent reviews on Tripadvisor and Google . We bought a really tasty whole barbequed chicken there for Eur 10 and enjoyed it in our apartment. 6.2. Supermarkets in Kotor There are 3 main supermarkets in the centre of Kotor: We liked the supermarket in the new shopping mall just north of the Old Town . There is a Voli supermarket very near the shopping mal but we didn't use it. Idea have a supermarket near the roundabout in the south of Kotor. There is parking next to the store and it costs Eur 1.70. We never had a problem finding a parking place. 6.3. Fruit & Vegetable Market in Kotor There is a fruit and vegetable market just south of the Sea Gate entrance to Kotor's Old Town. Saturday is the main day for the market, but there are stalls there every day. Watch the prices as they may not be competitive on days other than Saturday. 7. Accommodation in Kotor We stayed in a nice 1 bedroom apartment called Fortress View 2 in Muo, which is a 20 minute walk to Kotor. It can be booked through Booking.com for Eur 77 per night. My review is on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 2 " (number 10). They also have another apartment called Fortress View 1, which can also be booked through Booking.com . 8. Driving to and from Budva from Croatia and Albania We drove to Kotor from Albania. See my blog Albania to Montenegro - Week 9  for details. Afterwards we drove from Montenegro to Croatia. See my blog Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10  for details. 9. Links to My Other Montenegro Travel Blogs Budva, Montenegro: Travel Guide Day Trip to Perast & Herceg Novi The Kotor Serpentine Road to Lipa Cave Albania to Montenegro - Week 9 Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10

The Desert at Merzouga Contents 1 May 2024 - Todra Gorge to Merzouga 2 May 2024 - Merzouga to Midelt 3 May 2024 - Midelt to Fes 4 May 2024 - Fes 5 May 2024 - Fes 6 May 2024 - Fes 7 May 2024 - Fes to Chefchaouen Links to other blogs about our Road Trip 1 May 2024 - Drive from Todra Gorge to Merzouga We drove south from Todra Gorge to the small town of Ainif and then turned east towards Rissani and Merzouga. The road was in good condition, with interesting scenery and little traffic. When we got closer to Merzouga the wind picked up and sand was blowing across the road. By the time we reached Merzouga the temperature was 31 centigrade. Our hotel was on the outskirts of Merzouga and just across the road from the Erg Chebbi desert. At 18.00 we walked up the nearby sand dunes. Unfortunately the wind had really picked up and we had to protect our eyes. It wasn't possible to sit down for long to admire the desert scenery. Many people spend 1 night in a hotel in Merzouga and then 1 or more nights in the desert. It didn't appeal to us as it is very touristy and most tours follow the same route and stay in the same locations. We also didn't fancy an uncomfortable camel ride. After experiencing the blowing sand I was sure we had made the right decision. The hotel manager told us that the wind had been very strong for the previous 2 weeks. 2 May 2024 - Drive from Merzouga to Midelt Early this morning we noticed large groups of cyclists heading into the desert. They were part of the Titan Desert Bike Race that starts in the Atlas mountains and ends in the dunes of Merzouga. It covers 600 kilometres with 7.5 kilometres of ascent. Usually about 600 cyclists take part. We left Merzouga via a different route from yesterday as we were heading north to Fes, but stopping at Midelt on the way. The road today was busy with 4 wheel drive tour vehicles and several large groups of motor bikers. We didn't enjoy the route or scenery until after we passed Erfoud. After Erfoud the scenery improved and there was a large oasis that was still very green. Then after Er-Rachida the road was much quieter and we lost the desert tourists. The road went past the Hassan Addakhil Reservoir and through the beautiful Gorges du Ziz. We had been coping well with all the police roadblocks and had never been questioned by the police. At a road block close to Midelt a policeman waved us through. Another policeman then pulled us over and wanted to know why we hadn't stopped! Fortunately the first policeman admitted that he had allowed us through! I had booked a 2 bedroom apartment at Midelt through Booking.com for Euro 80. One of its attractions was a washing machine as we needed to do 6 days of laundry. The apartment was new and exceptionally well furnished and equipped. Unfortunately the sound proofing wasn't good and 2 noisy families in the apartments below disturbed us. 3 May 2024 - Drive from Midelt to Fes The drive from Midelt to Fes was very scenic and rural. We were stopped twice at police roadblocks even though we complied exactly with all requirements. As soon as they realised we were foreigners they waved us on. In 2004 we stayed in the Palais Jamais which was a fantastic Sofitel hotel on the edge of Fes's medina. Unfortunately it closed in 2014 and it is now being rebuilt. There are now many Riads in Fes's medina that have been converted into hotels. However, I find that Riads are dark and gloomy with windows facing into a courtyard. After a lot of research I booked a room at the Fes Heritage Boutique Luxury Hotel . It was expensive at Euro 160 per night but it was only a 5 minute walk away from the main gate of Fes's medina and had the best reviews for a hotel. We were delighted when we arrived to find that they had upgraded us to a suite. In the late afternoon we had a wander through the medina. We were in Fes 20 years ago and we could certainly see some changes. It doesn't feel as medieval because: There are lots more tourists and even large groups go into the medina. Tourists can find their way around Fes's medina using Google Maps whereas before you would become disoriented once you left the 2 main alleys. There are very few donkeys transporting goods. The cry of balak, balak used to warn pedestrians of passing donkeys There is very little skilled craft work being done as most items can be manufactured more cheaply. Despite that Fes has the best medina in Morocco and probably the world. Fortunately it is still pedestrianised and one doesn't have to contend with motor bikes like in Kathmandu. 4 May 2024 - Fes In 2004 we could only find our way around the medina of Fes by using a Tourist Board guide book and signs that had been put up in the medina. Unfortunately the signs no longer exist but we used the guide book, and Google Maps, to do five of the sight seeing circuits in the book. We set off while it was still fairly cool to do the Fes Jdid circuit. Fes Jdid translates as New Fes but it actually dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries. At the time Fes Jdid was new as the medina of Fes el Bali dates back to the 11th century! We took a taxi to the Royal Palace Gate in Fes Jdid which was built in the 1960's. We were surprised and disappointed to find 2 tour buses already there. In 2004 we were the only tourists. I had unfortunately forgotten my map and notes and was struggling to find the synagogue and cemetery. We were soon approached by a man who gave us a quick tour around the Jewish quarter of Fes Jdid. He wasn't happy with the Eur 1 that I gave him! We walked back to our hotel via Moulay Hassan square, Bab Shaa and the beautiful Jnan Sbil Garden. The garden covers an area of 7 hectares. It was an imperial park and opened to the public at the beginning of the 20th century. We stopped for lunch near Bab Boujloud, which is the main gate of Fes's medina. The outside of this gate is blue and the inner side is green. We ate at a restaurant on the rooftop terrace, which was the same location where we had several meals 20 years ago. We then followed part of Fes's Monuments and Souks Circuit and visited the following places: The Fountain at the Nejjarine complex. Foundouk el Nejjarine. A Foundouk is a building designed as a rest stop for merchants and visitors. This one was built in 1711 and the woodwork is beautiful. It is now a museum with many exhibits of the carpenters' handiwork. Souk Henna which surrounds an old tree. Qaraouyine mosque. Non moslems cannot enter. We took a photo from the rooftop of an adjacent building as the narrow lanes prevent a good view from street level. It was built in 859. Medersa Attarine built in the 14th century. It has a beautiful courtyard that leads into a square prayer hall. The student accommodation was above. Moulay Idriss Mausoleum which contains the tomb of Idris II who ruled Morocco from 807 to 828. Non moslems aren't allowed to enter. It was extremely busy both inside and outside the mausoleum. 5 May 2024 - Fes We set out on the Palaces and Andalusian Gardens Circuit which is on the eastern side of Fes's medina. It is mainly a residential area of Fes and the alleys are quiet. Sadly a lot of the palaces are not open to the public, either falling into ruin or in private hands. We had a peek into the beautiful Palais des etoiles (Palace of Stars) owned by the Italian consul. It was an oasis of tranquility. The Palais Abdeslam Moqri was in disrepair but there is a bit of restoration happening. Some children showed us around. We then visited a few things we missed from yesterday's Monuments and Souks Circuit. The first was the Medersa (Islamic school) Bouinania built in the 14th century. We chatted to an interesting family, an 80 year old father who had lived at the Medersa in the 1970s and his 3 children. The Dar al Magana (House of the Clock) was across the alley . It was built in 14th century and houses an unique water clock. The clock consists of 12 doors and platforms carrying brass bowls. Every hour, one door opens and a metal ball drops into one of 12 brass bowls. A rope with a weight attached is also involved. The final sight was Place Seffarine which is known for its coppersmiths. We had Moroccan tea on the rooftop terrace overlooking the square. It was fascinating to watch a craftsman heat up a copper object, then add a powder which then turned the inside silver! It was probably a chemical reaction. There are plenty of shops in Place Seffarine selling metal objects and there was an alley off the square where they were dying wool and hanging it in the alley to dry. 6 May 2024 - Fes It was our last day in Fes. We first walked down Talaa Kebira, which is the slightly quieter of the 2 main alleys in the medina. It was quieter than at the weekend, although later on we encountered large tour groups near the main tannery. An unofficial guide then showed us around a small tannery on the western side of Talaa Kebira . Fes has 3 tanneries and very few people visit this one. There weren't any other visitors when we were there and the guide showed us how: The hides are soaked in stone vats in a mixture of pigeon faeces and chalk to clean and soften them. After this they are able to soak up the dyes more readily. Only natural pigments are used: poppy for red, henna for orange, indigo for blue etc. The hides are scraped to clean and soften them. A huge wheel is used, like a spinning drum of a washing machine, to rinse the hides. The hides are dried in the sun. It is dirty and very smelly work. I wouldn't want to do it to make a living. We then visited the other small tannery on the eastern side Talaa Kebira. There were other visitors there and some shops overlooked the tannery. The Chouara tannery is the largest and oldest in Fes. It dates from the 9th century! To reach the terraces overlooking the tannery you have to walk through shops selling leather goods! You are given a sprig of mint to neutralise the smells and invited up to the viewing terrace overlooking the vats. I didn't find the smell as bad as I did 20 years ago. 7 May 2024 - Drive from Fes to Chefchaouen I didn't sleep well as I had caught a cold. We were very sad to leave Fes this morning after a very enjoyable 4 days there. However, we probably won't go back again as Fes has changed too much since we were last there 20 years ago. Mass tourism spoils places. The 4.5 hour drive from Fes to Chefchaouen was very scenic with rolling hills and fields of wheat, spinach and poppies. We passed quite a few herds of goats and sheep. Sadly the road soon disintegrated with eroded edges and deep potholes. It didn't improve until we joined the N13 that goes from Meknes to Chefchaouen. Chefchaouen was founded in 1471, just before the Spanish Reconquest of Granada, when its population quickly grew with Muslim and Jewish refugees fleeing Spain. The descendants of the Jewish refugees painted their houses blue in the 1930's and now Chefchaouen is known as the Blue Town. The old medina of Chefchaouen is a very beautiful with all the blue buildings. Unfortunately most of the streets are lined with tourist shops. There aren't any shops for the locals and they are all outside the medina. We were tired of Moroccan food so we went to Mr Bin Chinese Restaurant that had been recommended on the Tripadvisor Travel Forum. The food was very good and it was a nice change from Tagines! Links to other blogs about our Road Trip from England to Morocco Week 1 - Salamanca, Toledo, Cordoba & Granada Week 2 - Spain to Morocco Week 3 - Southern Morocco Week 4 - Marrakesh to Todra Gorge Week 6 - Morocco to Cadiz & Seville Week 7 - Seville to Portugal Week 8 - Porto to Pontevedra, Spain Week 9 - Muxia & the Lighthouse Way Week 10 - Muxia, Spain to Plymouth, UK