12 Christmas gifts for travellers 2024

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Our tried-and-tested list of Christmas gifts for travellers, be they hikers, shutterbugs, adrenaline junkies or culture vultures

This year has been unusual in that Peter and I haven’t taken a single trip together for the first time in 14 years. He spent three weeks climbing Denali – one of the coldest places on Earth – and I certainly wasn’t going to join him on that. Later on in the year, he spent six days on the High Scardus Trail in Albania which, given my feelings about camping, I wasn’t going to do either.

a hand placing hiking gear in a washing machine

How to look after your hiking gear: 12 kit checks

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From safely washing a sleeping bag to measuring partially used gas canisters, here’s how to look after your hiking gear

Last spring, I spent the best part of three weeks climbing Denali, the highest peak in North America. There were few opportunities to stay clean on the mountain so by the time I got off the slopes, I – along with all my gear – was in a pretty nasty state. 

Britain's last remaining wild places featured img

Britain’s last remaining wild places

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From desolate moorlands to windswept Atlantic islands, we take a look at Britain’s last remaining wild places

In Britain, wilderness has largely been abolished. The abolition began millennia ago. Between 7,000 and 5,000 years ago, around 75% of the UK was covered in forest. Then large-scale forest clearance started around 3100 BC when Neolithic agriculture was introduced. Now, the UK has around 13% forest cover, making it one of Europe’s least densely forested countries.

A lone house surrounded by rolling hills on the High Scardus Trail

High Scardus Trail in Albania: everything you need to know

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The High Scardus Trail in Albania is a wild alternative to the well-trodden Peaks of the Balkans Trail. Here’s all you need to know

“Welcome to Hotel Radomirë Korab,” Agron greets me with an enormous smile as I arrive at my lodgings. It’s the end of my second day on the High Scardus Trail and I am in dire need of a drink. “Can I get you a beer?” he adds, clearly reading my mind.

10 remarkable international borders

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From the heights of Everest to a humble library, we share the most extraordinary international borders from across the globe

My name is unremarkable, most people would agree. It’s so common that if you Googled ‘Peter Watson’, you would find the intellectual historian, the author and the arts benefactor – all different men – ahead of me. There’s also a producer, a chemist and a podcaster among others.

expedition backpack

Aconcagua gear list: all you need for summit success

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Our complete Aconcagua gear list includes everything you’ll need to summit the highest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemispheres

Aconcagua in Argentina, at 6,961m (22,837ft), is South America’s highest mountain and one of the seven summits (the seven peaks that make up the highest point on every continent). 

I recently returned from climbing Aconcagua with Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions. A good trekking company will issue you with a detailed kit list, but I always like to see what other people have used.

Ranked: world’s most powerful passports 2024

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In 2024, Singapore tops the list of the world’s most powerful passports. We take a look at the other winners, losers and non-movers

I was feeling cocky as I queued up for my Chinese visa. I had checked and rechecked the requirements and had all my documents to hand: my passport, a photocopy of my passport, a spare photo just in case, the form that had taken me an hour to fill in online, my flight details, and my tour and hotel confirmation. I had also signed and dated the form – in both places – unlike all the (clearly inferior!) applicants in front of me. 

Hikers traverse a cliff hiking trail in Malaga

5 thrilling hiking trails in Málaga, Spain

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From dizzying walkways to epic ascents, these hiking trails in Málaga are a superb way to tread beyond the touristy coastal resorts

For many, Málaga is simply a gateway to the crowded seaside resorts of the Costa del Sol. Relatively few will venture far from the beach. If they do, chances are they’ll head into the city which, after decades of being ignored by the masses, has undergone something of a reinvention. 

Hikers on Matanuska Glacier – one of the best day trips from Anchorage

11 best day trips from Anchorage, Alaska

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From kayaking alongside colossal glaciers to a bizarre Cold War-era town, these are the best day trips from Anchorage

The word ‘epic’ does not do Alaska justice. The state is home to North America’s largest mammals, national parks the size of countries and glaciers bigger than some US states. It is the least densely populated state in the US and is home to 17 of North America’s highest mountains, 100 volcanoes, 3,000 rivers and over three million lakes.

10 countries that can save Earth’s most-threatened species 

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From lush megadiversity to the unexpected entry at number 10, we review the countries that can save Earth’s most-threatened species

As a child, I lived with cockroaches in my family home. Our entire street had an infestation and it was months before the council got rid of them. I have seven siblings and not all of us fit on the sofa, so some of us would watch TV from the floor and I remember things scuttling by right next to my hand, making me leap up and scream. Sometimes, one would scurry across my pillow right before bedtime. This, quite understandably, gave me a mortal fear of bugs.

Campsite flooded with fairlights

How to behave at a campsite: 12 dos and don’ts

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From playing music out loud to leaving your pet unattended, here’s our expert guide on how to behave at a campsite

Some of my most unforgettable moments have taken place under canvas. From unzipping the porch to reveal the needlepoint summit of Laila Peak on the K2 base camp trek to listening to the snap, crackle and pop of Greenland’s Russell Glacier under a midnight sun, these were experiences I could not have had in a hotel.

Atlas & Boots’ top 100 travel experiences – ranked

Atlas & Boots’ top 100 travel experiences – ranked

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Kia and Peter rank their top 100 travel experiences, hand-picked from over 100 countries, seven continents and thousands of places of interest

This week, it will be exactly 10 years since we packed up everything we owned, put it in storage and went off on a year-long journey around the world. It started on 11th August 2014 with a 36-hour journey from London, through Singapore and Brisbane, to our final destination of Vanuatu.

a campfire with a tent in the distance

How to build a campfire: a step-by-step guide

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Our detailed and easy-to-follow guide on how to build a campfire will ensure you can enjoy a satisfying and safe campfire when camping

Nothing should get between a camper and a glorious night spent around a campfire beneath the stars. This step-by-step guide on how to build a campfire will help even the most reluctant urban dweller embrace this long-standing tradition of the wild.

Cold shoulder: 13 dramatic climbing controversies

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From dubious first ascents to tense clashes at high altitudes, we explore 13 dramatic climbing controversies – some resolved and others less so

There was a time when climbing controversies were sportingly confined to the slopes. The petty trivialities, the robust exchanges and the heated clashes were just part of the cut and thrust of the mountaineering world. 

Aerial view of Denali

21 interesting facts about Denali

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From a faked summit photo to an ascent in less than half a day, these are the most interesting facts about Denali

I was planning and preparing for my climb of Denali for over 18 months. Between training sessions, I spent hours poring over maps of the route and reading reports on previous expeditions, all in an attempt to absorb as much information about the mountain as I could.

Denali behind tents at base camp

How to climb Denali: all your questions answered

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Our Q&A-style tips on how to climb Denali, gathered from the many questions asked by our readers and followers

Whenever I get back from a big climb, I invariably receive an array of questions about the expedition via email and social media. As usual, I’ve collated them all below in a detailed Q&A that includes all my tips on how to climb Denali. If I’ve missed anything, please do get in touch.

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