Sunday 30 October 2016

How to spot the Northern Lights in Canada


Spotting the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) is high on just about everybody’s bucket list. Learning how to view the Northern Lights in Canada is surprisingly simple, and while they’re not the easiest natural phenomenon to come across, be warned they will require some late nights. With the right surroundings, some careful planning, and a touch of luck on your side, you’ll be able to greatly increase your chances at spotting the famous green and blue glows of the Northern Lights.


Find A Canadian Dark Sky Preserve

The old saying that the further north you go, the easier it is to spot them, isn’t always true. Some people travel all the way to Iceland or Norway in hopes of spotting the famed aurora borealis. However with careful planning you can view them right here in Canada. In fact, one of the best locations to increase your chances of viewing the northern lights in Canada is by visiting a dark sky preserve.

A dark sky preserve is a park or area where a strict “no man-made lighting” rule prevails. This greatly decreases light pollution, which allows for much clearer skies, perfect for star gazing or trying to spot the northern lights. Dark Sky Preserves tend to be secluded parks, far away from large cities to avoid any sky glow caused from street lights, businesses, houses, etc.


Get Northern Lights Forecast Alerts

No matter how perfect the location, without some strong solar activity you might end up finding yourself with just a good view of the milky way. But there’s a couple of great options for getting alerts on upcoming Northern Lights activity. These alerts have actually allowed my wife and I to view the Northern Lights as far south as a farmers field just 20km outside of Regina SK.


Best months to view the Northern Lights

The best months to view the Aurora Borealis tend to be mid to late August through to mid April. During the early summer months the night skies don’t tend to be as dark, even when solar activity is strong. The best time to see the northern lights is an hour or two after midnight. The darker the sky, the better!

If you’re going out in winter, make sure you dress for the weather. The winter time can be one of the best times to view the Northern Lights. The reflections of the snow, the cool crisp air, and the typically clear skies can make for one of the best times to view Aurora Borealis in all its glory.

Making the trek out during winter can make for a perfect date night. Late night under the stars, hot chocolate or rooibos tea, cuddling up in your winter gear. You’ll be forever remembered as Lance Romance. Or if you’re heading out solo, as long as you have the right photography gear, you can also capture some breathtaking photos and time lapses. Plan ahead, keep warm, and enjoy one of one of the most beautiful shows on earth!

Resource :- http://ibackpackcanada.com/how-to-spot-northern-lights-in-canada/
Tours Discovery Web Developer

Thursday 27 October 2016

BULGARIA TRAVEL GUIDE




Bulgaria turned out to be one of my favorite countries in the world. I went without any expectations and was blown away by the country’s affordability, amiable locals, incredible history, scenery, beaches, and nightlife. Everything about this country was a win. This travel guide can help you plan your trip to one of the most underrated countries on the continent. You should definitely plan to visit this country – you won’t be disappointed!

Typical Costs

Accommodation – Hostel dorms range in price from 12-18 BGN, while privates are generally between 27-36 BGN for a single or double room. A budget hotel really varies depending on what you’re looking for and the location, 36-70 BGN. Renting a room in a private home is your best value for as cheap as 26 PGN for a pretty legit spot.

Food РYou can buy a hamburger for about 2.5 BGN or have a Mac menu for 9 BGN. If you want to eat something more local, try banica (made of dough, cheese and butter) for just 1.3 BGN or a little bread with weenie named krenvirshka. There are a lot of street pavilions where you can buy a d̦ner, a Turkish sandwich with chicken, vegetables and sauces, for 5.4 BGN. There are also many places where you can buy a slice of pizza for just a dollar or less.

Transportation – Public transportation in Bulgaria is extremely affordable. A local bus will cost between .45-1.3 BGN. Rail transport ranges in prices – for example, it would cost around 12.5 BGN to travel from Borgas to Sofia. Taxis have a starting price of 1.25 BGN, and are an affordable way to get around in a pinch.

Activities – Bulgaria is a very inexpensive country to visit. Many museums and attractions offer one free day of entry during the week, but even regular entrance prices around normally between 7-18 BGN.

Money Saving Tips

Avoid Sunny Beach – I don’t understand the appeal of a beach that’s so expensive and crowded with tourists. There are more beach chairs here than sand and it is expensive. Hit up one of the other coastal beaches instead.

Stay at Hostel Mostel – Staying at this hostel can lower your costs because not only do they offer free breakfast, but they also have free dinner (which also comes with a free beer). Basically, staying here gets you two meals a day. They have locations in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Veliko Tarnovo.

Eat at the bakeries – Bakeries in Bulgaria have a great, inexpensive range of pastries and foods which will fill you up in the morning. Two of my favorite snacks there are banica and krenvirshka.

Top Things to See and Do in Bulgaria

Hike in Rusenski Lom Nature Park and Ivanovo – This park has a nice hiking area and also contains a Rock Monastery with ancient frescoes, as well as a quaint village to explore.

Cross the Marvelous Bridges – The Marvelous Bridges are natural marble bridges that were formed by erosion in the Rhodope Mountains. The two bridges can be crossed on secure trails, and two tourist huts are located nearby. The site can be reached by an asphalt road and is about 20 miles from the closest town, Chepelare.

Visit Melnik and the Rozhen Monastery – The Rozhen monastery is a medieval Bulgarian monastery nearby, dating from 1259, with many intact frescos to view. Nearby, you can find a hiking area with sandstone ‘pyramids’ (rock formations from erosion). The region is also known for outstanding wine, wine that was preferred by Winston Churchill.

Step back in time in Old Plovdiv – This is a small, well-preserved area where visitors can take walks through different historical ages, see ancient buildings adapted to the modern way of life, and feel the spirit of this town dating back to Bulgarian Revival Period.

Relax in a Roman spa – This is a well-preserved ancient site, situated in the contemporary city of Varna. The Roman spa is the biggest social historical building discovered in Bulgaria to date.

Check out the Museum of Socialist Art – This is a new museum which showcases art from the socialist period (1944-1989). A large outdoor sculpture park contains everything from the giant statue of Lenin that once stood in the center of the city, to the red star that topped the socialist party headquarters. Smaller pieces reveal a gentler side to the socialist ideals. The gallery inside has some excellent examples of 20th century modern art as well as the socialist realism genre we know from the period.

Walk through Slaveikov Square – Here you can find a book market, and a special museum dedicated to Petko and Pencho Slaveikov, Bulgaria’s most famous poets.

Hike the Balkan Mountains – This mountain chain lends its name to the Balkan Peninsula. It stretches all along the country and is popular among the fans of the long-distance hiking trips. One of the famous European Long Distance Routes (E3) follows its main ridge all the way from the western border of the country to the seaside. One of the three national parks in Bulgaria, Central Balkan National Park, is situated here.

Hike the Rila Mountains – The highest point of the Balkans, Mount Musala (almost 10,000 feet), is situated in Rila. Beside it, the northwestern section of the mountain are a popular hiking destination, rich with nature, and cultural sights as the Seven Lakes Cirque, Skakavitsa Waterfall (the highest in Rila), Rila Monastery, and the area of Malyovitsa. Rila National Park, the biggest national park in Bulgaria, can be found here.

Visit Veliko Tarnovo – Once the capital of the medieval Bulgarian empire, Veliko Tarnovo is now a charming university town located in the mountains.

Explore Sofia – Sofia is Bulgaria’s dynamic capital city, an interesting mix of East and West. Come here for some good museums, beautiful Eastern Orthodox churches, and a splash of communist architecture.

Hit the beaches on the Black Sea – A 250 mile stretch of Bulgarian land lies along the Black Sea, and around a third of this is covered in nice sandy beaches. This is a very popular spot for resort packages, and can be crawling with tourists. I’m not a fan of Sunny Beach, but there are other more secluded beaches to check out as well.

Explore Nessebar – Nessebar is one of the oldest towns in Europe and is a recognized UNESCO Heritage Site. Tour the medieval churches, and wander amongst the wooden buildings that date back to the 19th-century revival period.

Unwind in Balchik – This is a quaint town on the coast of the Black Sea. It’s not a great beach location, but the area used to serve as the summer residence for the Queen of Romania. You can tour her palace and the botanical gardens which lie on the grounds.

Go skiing – If you come during the winter months, use the cold weather to your advantage, and hit the ski slopes. Bansko is one of the newer resorts in Bulgaria. Come to Bulgaria expecting an inexpensive ski holiday, not the quality of the Alps.

Resource :- http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-guides/bulgaria/
Tours Discovery Web Developer

Monday 3 October 2016

3 Reasons to Hire a Fishing Guide


One of the biggest attractions on the Gulf Coast during the summer months is fishing. There are a number of fishing destinations all over the Gulf that most enthusiasts dream about all winter long. If you are newbie to the world of Gulf fishing, then you will need to give some consideration to hiring a guide. Usually, you will be able to find a number of guides willing to take you and your friends out for the fishing experience of a lifetime. The following are a few reasons why you need to hire a fishing guide for your next charter fishing trip.


They Know the Best Spots

The first reason you need to hire a guide during your Gulf trips is their knowledge of the best spots to fish. By having a professional who can take you to the honey holes around the area, you will be able to catch your limit in no time at all. Be sure to research each of the guides at your disposal to decide which one has the most experience and has been in the area longer. The more you are able to find out about the guides in your area, the easier you will be able to choose the right one.


Advice on the Gear to Use

The next benefit you will be able to take advantage of when choosing to use a guide for your fishing trips is that they will be able to give you the advice needed to choose the right equipment. This will allow you to go after the fish you want with the right bait and pole. The only way to get this type of advice is by finding a reputable and experienced guide.


Assessing the Conditions

When choosing to work with a guide, you will be able to get the guidance needed to assess the conditions of the day. The more you are able to find out about the weather and tide conditions you will be facing, the easier you will find it to adjust your fishing strategy. The guide will have the know-how and the equipment needed to read these conditions and then give their opinion on whether or not you should go out.

The more you are able to find out about the guides in a given area, the easier it will be to get the right one hired for the excursion on want to take. Finding a reputable supplier, like SeaGear Marine, can help a person get the fishing equipment they need.

Resource By :- http://ibackpackcanada.com/3-reasons-to-hire-a-fishing-guide/

Tours Discovery Web Developer