Loch Ness stretches over 23 miles through the Scottish Highlands, holding more freshwater than all the lakes in England and Wales combined. Best known for its elusive resident, the so-called Loch Ness Monster, the loch has sparked international curiosity since the first modern "sighting" in 1933. While Nessie remains elusive, the surrounding landscape offers clear reasons to visit with steep hillsides, forested trails, and ancient ruins framing one of Scotland’s most iconic bodies of water.
Amboseli is a wildlife region in southern Kenya, centered on Amboseli National Park in Kajiado County near the border with Tanzania. Its landscape is defined by open plains, seasonal lake beds, acacia woodland, and freshwater swamps, with Mount Kilimanjaro rising prominently across the border to the south.
The skyline of Erfurt is shaped by dozens of churches, monasteries, and convents thrusting their pointed steeples upward to the sky. In the Middle Ages, Erfurt was known as "Thuringian Rome" because of its religious orders. The impressive twin churches on the Domberg (Cathedral Hill), the Roman Catholic St. Mary's Cathedral (14th century) and the Roman Catholic Parish church St. Severus with a flight of 70 outdoor steps leading from the Cathedral Square up the hill to the churches.
Kalsoy is a narrow, mountainous island in the northern Faroe Islands, known for its steep eastern cliffs, deep valleys, and small settlements along the western side. The island is reached by ferry from Klaksvík, and its road passes through several short tunnels as it connects the villages of Húsar, Mikladalur, and Trøllanes. Much of Kalsoy remains open pasture and rugged mountain terrain, with the sea visible from almost every part of the island.
Paracas, a small coastal town in southern Peru, offers a mix of desert landscapes, marine wildlife, and ancient history. Just three hours from Lima, it’s the gateway to the Paracas National Reserve, one of the country’s most important protected areas. This reserve includes both land and sea, making it home to dramatic cliffs, wind-carved rock formations, and waters where dolphins, sea lions, and Humboldt penguins are frequently seen.
Lake Malawi - The Lake of Stars - is an immense inland sea of fresh, crystal clear water in which tropical fish abound. Its shores and the deserted islands which dot its surface are home to a variety of game and an abundance of exotic birdlife. Local fishermen leisurely paddle their traditional "mokoros", or dugouts, across its expanse, and the sun drenched serenity is but enhanced by the shriek of a Fish Eagle or the grunting of distant hippo.
Lake Malawi is one of a series of lakes in Africa's Rift Valley. It is the ninth largest lake in the world, with a surface area of about 30,000 square km, a length of about 580 km, and is approximately 704 meters deep. Lake Malawi has a very diverse bottom, ranging from rocky, to sandy, to heavily planted areas. As with Lake Tanganyika, the lower layers of the lake are completely devoid of oxygen and uninhabitable by fish. It was reported in "African Cichlids of Lakes Malawi and
Tanganyika-12th Ed." that there are 225 known species of cichlids in the lake, with 40+ species of non-cichlids. Lake Malawi's fish population is a prime food source for many Malawi inhabitants. Lake Malawi National Park, opened in 1980 near Monkey Bay, was put in place to protect the many cichlid species of the lake from extinction due to over-fishing and
collection for export.
Other Popular Destinations in Malawi
Lilongwe
Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, blends modern development with a laid-back atmosphere, offering visitors an introduction to the country’s culture and daily life. Markets are at the heart of Lilongwe’s character, with the bustling Old Town Market standing out as a must-visit. Here, traders sell everything from fresh produce and local crafts to colorful fabrics and handmade goods.
Zomba
Zomba is a city in southern Malawi situated at the foot of the Zomba Plateau, a large mountain massif rising above the surrounding Shire Highlands. The city is known for its tree-lined streets, cooler climate, and access to forested mountain landscapes. Zomba Plateau dominates the local scenery, with steep slopes, streams, waterfalls, and broad viewpoints overlooking the plains below.