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Borobudur in Indonesia, the most multilingual country

95 most inspirational travel quotes ever penned

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Our favourite inspirational travel quotes have encouraged us to travel with abandon over the years. Perhaps they will do the same for you…

For us, there is no such thing as luxury travel; travel is, by default, a luxury. It is a privilege provided by the country of our birth, a privilege that many are not as fortunate to enjoy.

Sometimes, we have to pinch ourselves at just how ridiculous our lives have become: an ex-teacher and jobbing writer travelling the world for a living. It is absurd, it is astonishing, it is luxury.

Most beautiful mountains in the US: Grand Teton

21 most beautiful mountains in the US

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The most beautiful mountains in the US are a contentious subject, for this is a land that brims with beauty. We scoured the states and whittled them down to a list of 21

Legendary climber​​ Reinhold Messner said that there are three rules of mountaineering: “It’s always further than it looks. It’s always taller than it looks. And it’s always harder than it looks.” 

smartphone showing the best travel apps

20 best travel apps to download in 2024

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A curated list of the best travel apps, from the latest tools that keep us connected to old favourites we’ve used for years

As travel writers who have been to over a hundred countries, we are often asked about the best travel apps that we can’t do without.

Ama Dablam is a thing of beauty

30 most beautiful mountains in the world

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The most beautiful mountains in the world have captivated climbers for centuries. Here, we examine their lethal appeal

“You are not in the mountains. The mountains are in you,” said John Muir, the renowned naturalist, author and environmental philosopher.

If our resident seven-summit hopeful is anything to go by, Muir makes a valid point. Those who spend time in the mountains seem to be driven by a deeper force.

A group of hikers using trekking poles as they descend a mountain

Does using trekking poles really help?

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A new study suggests that using trekking poles may not conserve energy, but does “save the legs”. We dig deeper into the science

On a recent trek through the Fann Mountains of Tajikistan, one of our group completed the nine-day foot journey without poles. At some point during the trek, every one of us asked him why he didn’t have them (I’m sure he grew tired of fielding the question) and took turns to recount their many benefits.

A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth

Countries that eat the most meat – ranked

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The countries that eat the most meat are causing significant damage to the planet. It’s time to take responsibility and change the habits of a lifetime

There is very little left to debate on the subject. Simply put, the world must reduce the amount of meat it eats. In 2011, the world population reached seven billion and it’s now around 8.1 billion.

How much does it cost to climb the seven summits?

How much does it cost to climb the seven summits?

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Our resident mountaineer and would-be seven summiteer crunches the numbers on how much it will cost to climb the seven summits

How much does it cost to climb the seven summits? About $200,000 USD give or take $10k.

Climbers could significantly reduce costs by foregoing luxuries, cutting corners and taking (even more) risks to get that figure below $100,000, but I do not recommend this and certainly won’t be taking such unnecessary risks.

how to choose a tent lead photo

How to choose a tent: a buying guide

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Our comprehensive guide on how to choose a tent will ensure dry and comfortable nights whatever the weather

If you ask me, time in a tent is time well spent. I’m usually most content when under canvas. With the distractions of modern life left behind, I find that camping has a detoxifying effect. At the end of a day on the trail, I pitch my tent, eat, drink, sleep. In the morning I strike my tent and then repeat. It’s a simple but good life.

The Lars homestead is one of the Star Wars film locations in Tunisia

Star Wars film locations: how to find the Force in Tunisia

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From abandoned sets in the Sahara desert to a troglodyte hotel, here’s our guide on how to visit the Star Wars film locations in Tunisia

With over 1,000km of golden sandy beaches, non-stop sunshine and the glittering Mediterranean Sea, Tunisia has drawn flocks of tourists for decades. Beyond the beach resorts, there are superbly preserved Roman ruins, ancient towns with bustling medinas and, of course, the abandoned film sets of four of the six iconic Star Wars movies.

A close up of an elephant's eye in The Last Tourist

The Last Tourist review: three startling moments

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The Last Tourist exposes the many flaws of tourism, but these three moments struck us especially hard

The role of the modern tourist is on trial in a new documentary. The Last Tourist combines insight from travel and environmental experts with a series of first-hand accounts to highlight the harmful practices that global tourism supports and encourages.

a laptop, camera and bag for how to start a travel blog

How to start a travel blog – a professional guide

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A comprehensive but concise guide on how to start a travel blog, covering both technical and editorial aspects of creating, maintaining and growing a blog

At Atlas & Boots, we are periodically approached for advice on how to start a travel blog. To help future bloggers, we have put our knowledge into a comprehensive but concise guide below.

training for mountaineering on island peak in Nepal

How to train for mountaineering: a seven-step plan

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Ahead of his next seven summit attempt, Peter shares expert advice on how to train for mountaineering expeditions such as Denali and Everest

I climbed my first high-altitude mountain back in 2010. At 5,895m (19,340ft), Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest peak and while I had some hillwalking behind me, I had no prior experience of trekking at altitude, wasn’t fit enough and didn’t have the right gear. In hindsight, I was fortunate to make the summit considering I was so underprepared.

beauty tips for travellers lead image

10 beauty tips for travellers

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After 70 countries and seven continents, Kia shares her tried-and-tested beauty tips for travellers

When I quit my desk job nearly a decade ago and set off on a trip around the world, I was rightly excited but also naive. I thought that life on the road would free me of the so-called ‘beauty tax’ – the price that women pay merely for being women.

dangerous mountains in the world lead image

Most dangerous mountains in the world

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We take a look at the most dangerous mountains in the world and what it is that makes them so deadly

Whether it’s the tales of survival that bleed from their treacherous slopes or the visions of bravery mustered in the mind, the most dangerous mountains in the world continue to make headlines around the globe.

Asunción, Paraguay

20 interesting facts about Paraguay

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The most interesting facts about Paraguay, from a double-sided national flag to the ‘Heart of South America’

American essayist P.J. O’Rourke once quipped that Paraguay was “nowhere and famous for nothing.” He then took a business trip there, fell in love with the country and promptly moved there.

While we can’t say we felt the same striking attraction, we certainly appreciated Paraguay’s history and authenticity. The small and struggling country is a steamy subtropical land of remarkable contrasts with a tragic and torrid history filled with violence and loss.

most stressed countries in the world cracked dry earth

Ranked: the world’s most stressed countries 2022

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The world’s most stressed countries have been announced with Afghanistan named the most stressed nation

How did you feel yesterday? Did you feel physical pain? Experience enjoyment? Worry? Anger? What about stress?

These are the questions put to 127,000 interviews with adults in 121 countries and territories as part of the Gallup Global Emotions Report, which measures life’s intangibles – feelings and emotions – that traditional economic indicators such as GDP were never intended to capture.

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12 maps that changed our worldview

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From ancient Greece to Silicon Valley, we look at the maps that changed our worldview

There are few things that evoke the romanticism of adventure quite like a map – especially old maps. Full of exotic names (Persia, Abyssinia, Rhodesia!) and olde worlde lettering, they are reminiscent of a time when men and women sacrificed their lives for adventure and exploration.

Svalbard midnight sun lead image 2022

Under the midnight sun: a surreal trip to Svalbard

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In the land of the midnight sun, Kia finds a place of raw nature, rare wildlife and one of her most memorable moments of travel

It is said that you can’t die in Svalbard, the remote archipelago that lies midway between Norway and the North Pole. The permafrost here not only preserves corpses, it sometimes pushes them to the surface. The truth is that authorities would prefer you didn’t die on Svalbard. Coffin burials are not allowed due to the permafrost, so critically-ill patients are usually flown to mainland Norway. 

A car in Cuba, which requires visitors to have travel insurance

The countries that won’t let you in without travel insurance

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As entry rules continue to evolve at pace, we take a look at the countries that require travel insurance as standard

Travel has had a turbulent few years to say the least. Following the stasis of the pandemic, this summer has seen a sharp rise in passenger numbers thanks to easing restrictions and increased traveller confidence.

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