Asia

If you're going to to Nepal, it may as well be with a 5-star airline...

London Gatwick

England

Kathmandu

Nepal

London Heathrow

Kathmandu, Nepal 🏔️ in £550s-£580s rtn

The first time these flights have EVER dropped!

Birmingham

Kathmandu, Nepal ⛰️ in £730s-£760s rtn

Copenhagen

Denmark

Kathmandu, Nepal 🏔️ at €416 rtn

The first time this has ever landed in your inbox from Düsseldorf!

Dusseldorf

Germany

Kathmandu 🏔️ in €690s rtn

Those incredible mountain trails and overlooks are still just as jaw-dropping and pristine

Chicago

United States

Atlanta

Los Angeles

Philadelphia

Nepal ⛰️ in $830s-$980s RT

It's time to take your pick of bucket-list trips...

Frankfurt

Dubai

United Arab Emirates

Sharjah

Kolkata

India

Ahmedabad

Nagpur

Colombo

Sri Lanka is often called the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean,’ but frankly, that sounds waaaay too delicate for a place that packs so much punch into one island. 
Forget choosing between beaches and mountains; here, you can sip world-class Ceylon tea in the misty highlands in the morning and be surfing on golden coasts that same afternoon. From spotting leopards and elephants on safari to exploring ancient rock fortresses and marveling at incredible temple ruins, Sri Lanka throws everything at you, and you’ll love every chaotic, flavorful, and unforgettable moment of it. 
It’s an island where adventure is mandatory, curry is king, and your itinerary quickly becomes a blur of astounding landscapes and genuinely welcoming smiles.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is often called the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean,’ but frankly, that sounds way too delicate for a place that packs so much punch into one island.

Oslo

Norway

Abu Dhabi

Bangkok

Thailand

Phuket

Munich

Chennai

Paris

France

Berlin

Hyderabad

Bengaluru

Brussels

Belgium

Nairobi

Kenya

Kochi

Calicut

New Delhi

Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and more 🍃 in €380s-€690s rtn 

Brilliant. Another bucket list done and super cheaply.

Postcard from ExuberantSeeker06599

Return flights to Singapore for £327 😍 been looking for months and never seen anything below 600.. Almost booked a 800 flight last week so pleased I waited out. Thanks Jack 

Postcard from Alex 

Western Sahara

Egypt

Mexico

Vietnam

Cambodia

Italy

Uganda

Hey there, JFC-ers,
This edition of The Detour comes to you from the comfort of an SBB train through the Swiss Alps! Team JFC is full of beans this weekend, as many of us wing our way to Italy for our first-ever in-person team meet-up. But of course, true to the name, I&rsquo;m taking a little detour en route to stop by Liechtenstein and spend the 10 Swiss Francs left on my Revolut card.
After 8 years of hard work finding thousands of awesome flights for you, dear readers, this trip is well deserved. But it won&rsquo;t be all fun and games &mdash; we&rsquo;re also looking forward to brainstorming exciting new ideas for JFC! Most importantly, though, we can finally put to bed the question of how tall all our colleagues are, having only ever seen most of them through a webcam lens!
Happy travels and safe landings,

Katy - Editor of The Detour

JFC's Eleven Most Chaotic Cities in the World - As Chosen By You

It&rsquo;s official, dear readers &mdash; you have been to some very chaotic destinations indeed. After my escapades in Ho Chi Minh City brought back more than a few memories for Detour reader Avril, she suggested we all put our heads together and come up with a list of the most chaotic cities in the world.
As always, you obliged. So, without further ado, here are Jack&rsquo;s Flight Club&rsquo;s top 11 most chaotic cities around the globe&hellip; well, technically it&rsquo;s thirteen. Oops.
<h3 dir="ltr">11. Paris, France</h3>

She&rsquo;s busy and bustling, the City of Light, and it seems that a lot of that light comes from headlamps. Considered one of the world&rsquo;s most congested cities, getting in a car there can feel like a whole adventure &mdash; especially if you&rsquo;ll be <a href="https://youtu.be/-2RCPpdmSVg?si=rMjSG-6Kw1TSsKlV">passing by the Arc de Triomphe</a> or tackling <a href="https://fabricofparis.com/2022/11/18/the-last-wall-of-paris-the-story-of-the-boulevard-peripherique">Europe&rsquo;s busiest urban motorway</a>.
Personally, I&rsquo;d rather just hop on the Metro, but even there it&rsquo;s a wild ride. The stations are notoriously smelly, the trains jam-packed like a tin of sardines or cancelled at short notice.&nbsp;
And then there&rsquo;s going by foot. Size-wise, Paris is fairly walkable, but the rules of the road for pedestrians may well confuse any level-headed visitor. In theory, jaywalking is illegal in France &mdash; but only if there&rsquo;s an official pedestrian crossing within 50m &mdash; and the fine if you get caught breaking the rules is a whopping &euro;4. Unsurprisingly, most locals don&rsquo;t care and just cross where they like.
Reasons to visit anyway: It&rsquo;s Paris, of course! It&rsquo;s iconic, having long been a shining star of stage and screen. Aside from seeing the major sights, there&rsquo;s something about the art, culture and history oozing from the city&rsquo;s pores that make it undeniably appealing. You could say, it&rsquo;s got a certain je ne sais quoi. 
<h3>10. Rome, Italy</h3>

Much like Paris, Rome is a bustling European capital. This time, with added mopeds!&nbsp;
Crossing the road here is often a challenge, as the scooters weave in and out of the cars, hurtling across pedestrian crossings without much care for those on foot.&nbsp; But this site offers up some handy tricks you can employ to make sure that you reach the other side in one piece:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Make eye contact with drivers or politely hold your hand up to signal to them that you want to cross</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Once you step out into the street, commit! There&rsquo;s no turning back.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Find an older person to cross with (sure, drivers might respect them more, but they&rsquo;ve also been doing it for a good while</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Find a nun to cross with &mdash; they have God on their side, after all!</li>
</ul>
Reasons to visit anyway:&nbsp;Pizza, pasta, the Colosseum! Rome is brimming with alluring sights going far beyond the ones you&rsquo;ve heard of. Want to see where Caesar was murdered? Or maybe you just like cats? Either way &mdash; head to the <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/torre-argentina-roman-cat-sanctuary">Torre Argentina</a>. Or how about visiting an old-school <a href="https://anamericaninrome.com/2018/05/boccione-forno-in-romes-jewish-ghetto/">bakery in the Jewish Ghetto</a> that&rsquo;s been serving up ricotta and cherry cake for 210 years?&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr"> 9. Bangkok, Thailand</h3>

&ldquo;The article about crossing streets in HCMC brought back memories of trying to cross streets in Bangkok. We deployed a similar strategy: wait on the side of the road until a critical mass of people is achieved, and then all move across at the same time. It was scary/exhilarating! We arrived back at the hotel each night covered in grit from the diesel exhaust.&rdquo;
<hr>
&ldquo;No list would be complete without Bangkok!&nbsp; You've just got to run and hope for the best!&rdquo;

The city&rsquo;s hectic roads are only part of the chaos, though &mdash; the glowing neon billboards and huge malls next to ancient temples are enough to give you whiplash. The stench of durian and street food stalls mix with exhaust fumes from the city&rsquo;s 7 million cars. It&rsquo;s a lot by any standards!
Reasons to visit anyway: 9th place may not seem like it gives Bangkok enough chaos credit where it&rsquo;s due, but the main thing that offsets it is the <a href="https://youtu.be/NFw-WizIt50?si=w1giE5keLa5t5DeQ&amp;t=704">cracking public transportation</a>. Getting around the city is easy once you know how, so you&rsquo;ll have no problem whizzing between the markets and temples &mdash; probably not <a href="https://farandwild.travel/wilder/article/temples-of-bangkok">all 400</a> though, that&rsquo;s a stretch even for us!
Plus, we JFC-ers loooove all the other <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxoZKABqBwgBEgNCS0tyDAgEEggvbS8wNzNxMRoZKABqDAgEEggvbS8wNzNxMXIHCAESA0JLS0ABSAFgyAFwAoIBCwj___________8BmAEBsgEEGAEgAQ&amp;tfu=GioaKAoSCbQXY2AIFTNAEcTVEHxtilxAEhIJF17BaFHbEEARxNUQfMVkV0A">cheap Southeast Asia flights</a> you can pick up once you&rsquo;re there!
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">8. Phnom Penh, Cambodia</h3>

&ldquo;Hello there. Regarding traffic chaos, I have to include Phnom Penh. It's crazy enough as it is, but come 4pm and the "rush" hour, it gets particularly bonkers with both moto riders and tuk tuk drivers mounting the pavement to make a right turn more quickly.&nbsp;
I'd advise either viewing this spectacle from above with a drink or actually in a tuk tuk. Both much safer than being on the back of a motorbike trying to weave a path through the chaos. Enjoy!&rdquo;

Much like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Phnom Penh seems to take a &ldquo;good luck out there&rdquo; approach as it waves you off to cross the street. Then there&rsquo;s the added fun of tuk tuks, and the extra challenge of a lack of marked crossings. But all in all, <a href="https://youtu.be/bHvlYCULD3s?si=B9BpQg3mLBGJzQ6l&amp;t=123">this guy</a> makes it look pretty simple.
Reasons to visit anyway: Cambodia&rsquo;s history is intense and at times grim, but visiting the Killing Fields and learning about the Khmer Rouge will give you a real insight into the country&rsquo;s people and culture. It&rsquo;s also home to&nbsp;<a href="https://helloangkor.com/the-ancient-temples-near-phnom-penh/">ancient, intricate temples</a> that are way less touristed than famous Angkor Wat, so take the time to explore them with a little more breathing room. 
<h3 dir="ltr">7. Kampala, Uganda</h3>

&ldquo;There are almost as many motorcycles as other vehicles, and they:
1. drive down the middle of traffic in both directions,&nbsp;
2. drive on the pavements
3. carry dangerous cargos - I have seen the passenger carrying huge mirrors
4. drive through traffic lights
The roundabouts are road carnage - no sense of giving way to the right, so a total snarl
Traffic lights often are not working, but the police man major junctions to direct traffic (ignored by motorcycles)&rdquo;

Reasons to visit anyway: If you&rsquo;ve been a JFC-er for a while, you&rsquo;ll no doubt know exactly why you should head to Uganda. The clich&eacute;d thing would be to<a href="https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/gorilla-trekking-in-uganda-a-complete-guide/"> go gorilla trekking</a> (we're not knocking it, it's genuinely fantastic), but you might also want to spend a minute exploring<a href="https://moafrikatours.com/lake-victoria/"> Lake Victoria</a> by boat. It's the largest lake in Africa and just teeming with wildlife. We'd suggest not swimming in it, however, unless you don't mind sharing the waters with a few hippos and crocodiles.
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">6. Kathmandu, Nepal</h3>

&ldquo;I traveled there by myself 10 years ago, just before the big earthquake of 2015. Imagine a metro area of 1.5 million people, where many of the "main" roads look like the last time they were paved was maybe 30 years earlier: remains of asphalt surrounded by dirt, deeply rutted.&nbsp;
The main roads were a non-stop stream of cars, trucks, motorcycles, tuk tuks, and bicycles. It's hard to describe how many traffic lanes there were; every vehicle is weaving in and out, maybe 4 or 5 or 6 deep in each direction. With cows standing in the middle of the road chewing their cud. I have no idea how THEY got there.&nbsp;
I hired a driver one day to take me to a couple of shops that were right across the street from each other. When it was time to cross the road, he simply took my elbow and steered me through the moving traffic. I still don't know how he did it. It felt like the Red Sea parting for Moses and the Israelites. Except the traffic never stopped flowing.&rdquo;

Reasons to visit anyway: You don&rsquo;t have to be into Himalayan trekking to enjoy Kathmandu (although, that helps). From <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/travel-hub/detour-173-cheapest-safari-in-tanzania">temples to tigers and the &lsquo;Toothache Tree</a>&rsquo;, Kathmandu is more than just your starting point for the long road to Everest Base Camp &mdash; it&rsquo;s a whole experience in its own right. 
<h3 dir="ltr">5. Ho Chi Minh City &amp; Hanoi, Vietnam</h3>

Okay, I&rsquo;m biased here because I&rsquo;ve lived through it &mdash; Ho Chi Minh City was an assault on the nerves and senses. At times, we found ourselves weaving on and off pavement between mopeds, people enjoying a coffee, and actual free-roaming chickens. In the middle of the city!&nbsp; It sounds like Hanoi isn&rsquo;t much different:

&ldquo;I feel Katy&rsquo;s pain with HCMC but another assault course is Hanoi. The narrow roads are no better even though you think you&rsquo;ll be safer &mdash; they come from all angles rather than travelling in the same direction!&rdquo;

And JFC-er Avril isn&rsquo;t the only one who thinks so &mdash; every traveller I met in Ho Chi Minh who had been to Hanoi agreed that the Vietnamese capital was just as bad. Somehow, I&rsquo;d imagined the ancient city with its traditional Old Quarter to offer a little respite. Apparently I was way off, and getting around there also requires <a href="https://www.contiki.com/six-two/article/cross-road-hanoi/">Jedi mind tricks</a>.&nbsp;
While Hanoi&rsquo;s Metro is still a relative novelty with only a few lines, that is a couple more than Ho Chi Minh has to offer at this point. One tip I can offer is using those Metro underpasses to get across big junctions, if you can!
Reasons to visit anyway: Both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi offer a great introduction to Vietnam&rsquo;s history and cuisine. The War Remnants Museum in HCMC was a tough visit, but essential to understanding the lasting effects of the Vietnam war on the country. They&rsquo;ll also give you a crash course in Vietnamese coffee and tea culture, with every second shop front hosting at least a few people with a cuppa in hand.&nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">4. Colombo &amp; Kandy, Sri Lanka</h3>

We&rsquo;ve already heard from you about hectic Colombo, so let&rsquo;s turn to nearby Kandy:

&ldquo;I live in Sri Lanka, near Kandy, which is much worse than Colombo. Sri Lanka has way more tuk-tuks per head of population than does India, and I would suspect more than anywhere else on the planet. In Kandy, they infest the streets, along with nose-to-tail buses belching black fumes.&nbsp;
Pedestrian crossings exist in theory but in practice are just road decorations, completely ignored except the single one which is light-controlled. The one way system was designed by a madman, in order to maximise the length of time vehicles spend stationary or near-stationary.&nbsp;
The walk around the otherwise picturesque Kandy Lake is spoilt by the continuous traffic jam next to you. Add to that the fact that the city lies in a hollow surrounded by mountains, a magnet for air pollution, and you have plenty of ingredients for chaos.
Nonetheless, although we're always glad to retreat to our home in the delightful Hanthana mountains half an hour away, I'd still miss Kandy. It's a fine line between positive bustle and negative chaos, I guess, and Kandy bestrides it.&rdquo;

Reasons to visit anyway: The lush jungle, epic views, stunning temples, and mouthwatering curries are incredibly popular among the JFC team &mdash; so much so that our Business Analyst Tara has returned to spend several months there yet again! You can read all about <a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/detour-140-sri-lanka">her 2024 visit here</a>, and take a look at some snaps from Flight Finder <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DHJkgxHInxV/?hl=en">Lauren&rsquo;s recent trip here</a>. 
<h3 dir="ltr">3. Delhi</h3>

There are nearly 35 million people living in Delhi, so it&rsquo;s hardly surprising that things get a little busy. Add in the tourists flocking to the same major sites, all attempting to tackle the same stretch of road but with little understanding of how local drivers operate, and it&rsquo;s sheer chaos.
You want an idea of what it&rsquo;s really like to cross the road in Delhi? I feel like <a href="https://youtu.be/H6bPVEUwnhc?si=34Lta5sWHZEDMEeo">this video</a> sums it up nicely. It&rsquo;s not a case of standing by the side, looking out across the pedestrian crossing, and waiting for a window. There will be no window. You can hardly see the other side for the moving walls of tuk tuks that stand between you and your goal.&nbsp;
Most of that chaotic energy can be found in Old Delhi, where livestock, vehicles, and street food vendors all weave frantically between one another. This truly is a city where the early bird catches the worm, and that worm is a gap in the traffic.
Reasons to visit anyway: Spectacular spots like the <a href="https://www.transindus.co.uk/highlights/red-fort-delhi/">Red Fort</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Jami-Masjid-mosque-Delhi-India">Jama Masjid</a> make the buzz worthwhile. And you can even escape for some peaceful moments in <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g304551-d324106-Reviews-Lodhi_Garden-New_Delhi_National_Capital_Territory_of_Delhi.html">Lodhi Gardens</a>. It&rsquo;s also an essential stop on the <a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/newsletter-2024-15-03">Golden Triangle</a> route, a veritable trip of a lifetime.
<h3 dir="ltr">2. Mexico City, Mexico</h3>

&ldquo;Having got back from Mexico City last week, it is on another level compared to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi! Everyone literally barges their car past everyone else and we saw two actual fights almost break out. Half the cars had broken windshields too. Absolutely chaotic.&rdquo;

In the city where drivers &ldquo;<a href="https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexico-living/pedestrians-in-mexico/">consider a red light to be a mere suggestion</a>,&rdquo; crossing the street on foot is inadvisable, but likely unavoidable. Lanes of traffic won&rsquo;t always be going in the direction you expect, so taking your time to assess the situation in full is essential.
The Metro is a cheap and fast option for getting across the city. But there are lots of lines and, as you&rsquo;d expect in a city of nearly 23 million, it&rsquo;s pretty darn busy at peak times. 
Reasons to visit anyway:&nbsp;&ldquo;Mexico City can be overwhelming &hellip; One of the cheapest sightseeing things to do is ride the <a href="https://youtu.be/Mwz7MikjAcA?si=A4MpccCbr3FrEiQB">cablebus public transport cable car</a> over the top of the city and see all the painted roofs and people going about their lives. Super fascinating, and there is <a href="https://www.blondevoyagenashville.com/home/mexico-city-from-taquerias-to-fine-dining-where-to-eat-in-mexico-city">tons of good food</a> to be had for cheap everywhere!&rdquo;
<h3 dir="ltr">1. Cairo, Egypt</h3>

&ldquo;There aren't [pedestrian crossings] in Egypt (at least not in Cairo) - nor are there really any traffic lights (I saw three when I was there last year - two were near the airport). People also run across motorways!&rdquo;
<hr>
&ldquo;I agree with Cairo as one of the most chaotic cities.&nbsp; We got an Uber to the new Egyptian museum from our city hotel. 270 (Egyptian) pounds. Coming back, the taxi drivers were waiting, and the negotiations started at 800 pounds. We agreed on 500 including tip, and the driver said "follow me". We were by the side of a motorway. The "taxi" was on the other side. The cars were coming thick and fast. We had to cross it.&nbsp; What to do???
Looked the other way and there were the police. They will stop us, I thought. But no. &ldquo;Come on,&rdquo; said the taxi driver, so we stepped out and followed him across the motorway without looking either way. Survived, despite horns blowing. "We shouldn't have done that," said my husband. I was just relieved to get across.&rdquo;
<hr>
&ldquo;I was in Cairo a few years ago and the taxi I was in missed a motorway turn, so he just reversed up the motorway (into a bus!) - we were all alright, so no worries really. I have been to Cairo a few times before and thought I had it down with the road crossing etc, but reversing up a motorway is a new one for me!&rdquo;

Reasons to visit anyway: Pyramids are where most of us start when we plan a trip to Egypt. And the pyramids themselves may be breathtaking, but the crowds, the pushy street sellers, and the intensity that come with them can be a bit much. Thankfully, Flight Finder Kristi shared fantastic tips on escaping Cairo&rsquo;s chaos in a previous edition of The Detour &mdash; you can read all about her <a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/newsletter-2024-09-02">escape to Egypt&rsquo;s nature here</a>. 
That&rsquo;s your lot, readers! We had several more suggestions, too, including Lagos, Johannesburg, Dhaka, and Beijing. And if there's one thing I've learnt from this, it's that you can always find an instructional road-crossing video on YouTube to prepare yourself for the madness before touching down!

Reader's Corner

No, not Dakha in Bangladesh. This time we&rsquo;re talking about Dakhla in the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14115273">disputed Western Sahara region</a> to the south of Morocco. &ldquo;But why?&rdquo; you might ask. Well, it just got a whole lot cheaper to travel there, so you know that our Flight Finders have suddenly become obsessed.
Ryanair recently launched flights from Spain to Dakhla, so now you can combine a Madrid city break or a Lanzarote beach week with a few days rambling the Western Saharan sand dunes and catching the waves.
The city is squeezed between the waters of the Atlantic and the Sahara desert. With <a href="https://www.iksurfmag.com/travel-guides/africa/morocco/dakhla/#:~:text=Dakhla%20is%20known%20for%20its%20constant%20wind%2C%20an%20estimated%20340%20days%20per%20year">300+ windy days</a> a year, this is the place for anyone who appreciates a sprinkling of adrenaline atop their breach holiday. Kite surfing aficionados and newbies alike will want to make a beeline for the <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/style/article/2022/07/11/dakhla-a-windswept-lagoon-in-morocco_5989759_40.html">Dakhla lagoon</a>, if only to try and look as cool as <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@stighoefnagel/video/7225899792101133595">this guy</a>.&nbsp;

Next stop, the white dunes. Now, this one isn't strictly for you adrenaline junkies &mdash; I mean, who could say &ldquo;no&rdquo; to a stroll&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Chzvv1fP_x0/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==">along this beauty</a>? But don't leave without trying your hand at <a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/OAcVymvtJG8?feature=share">sand-boarding</a>, too! After a long, hard day of fun, head to the local oyster farm to sample the local speciality.
Beyond the adrenaline and aphrodisiacs, the region is also home to the Sahrawi nomadic people. The harsh desert heat sees them migrating towards the coast during summer months, while winters are spent further inland. For a traditional desert experience while there, a guided camel trek to a Bedouin camp is likely on the cards.
So if you&rsquo;re in the mood for somewhere more than a little different, but not too far from the usual European suntraps, perhaps Dakhla is your next stop. And if you&rsquo;ve already been, we&rsquo;d love to hear all about it! Hit &lsquo;Reply&rsquo; to share your experience with your fellow Detour readers :-)

Travel Tips

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across web this week.
<ul></ul>
<ul></ul>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Note to self: <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2025/03/12/tsa-turtle-mans-pants-newark-liberty-international-airport/82304392007/">remove turtle from pants</a> before travel. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">After a number of incidents involving overheating power banks on planes, some airlines are cracking down and <a href="https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/singapore-airlines-power-bank-battery-ban">banning use</a> on board. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">From ghost towns to graveyards, check out these <a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-11-18/the-most-stunning-abandoned-places-on-earth?_sp=4df24eff-b5dc-4c90-857a-c025195fd1ba.1742040541031">creepy and fascinating abandoned spots</a> around the world. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">And finally, today we bring the joyous (and, let&rsquo;s face it, unsurprising) news that the EU&rsquo;s ETIAS entry &ldquo;visa&rdquo; has been <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/news/europe-travel-visa-etias-what-to-know/">pushed down the line</a> yet again. Non-EU visitors should still expect their biometrics to begin being collected from October this year, but current forecasts suggest the electronic travel authorisation won&rsquo;t be mandatory until the end of 2026. Hooray?</li>
</ul>

Travel News

11 Most Chaotic Cities Around the Globe

Tanzania

Hey there, JFC-ers,
This is the first weekend in what&rsquo;s about to be a pretty big month or so for the city of New Orleans. With the Super Bowl in town, there&rsquo;s a lot going on.&nbsp;
Some of the <a href="https://www.timeout.com/new-orleans/things-to-do/a-guide-to-super-bowl-lix-events-in-new-orleans">many celebratory events</a> lean into more classic New Orleans activities, like a seafood boil showdown, parades, and a Mardi Gras themed party. And there&rsquo;s the one I didn&rsquo;t see coming &mdash; Bourbon Street becoming <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/t-pain-bourbon-street-rum-street-captain-morgan-super-bowl-party-1235881405/">Captain Morgan&rsquo;s &lsquo;Rum Street&rsquo;</a> for the weekend.
No sooner will the big game be over than the <a href="https://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/parades/">Mardi Gras parade</a> schedule starts ramping up. I&rsquo;m not just talking about the week before, either. The <a href="https://www.neworleans.com/events/holidays-seasonal/mardi-gras/krewes/">krewes </a>begin hitting the streets as early as King&rsquo;s Day in January, dancing all the way through to Mardi Gras, aka Fat Tuesday. And after a couple of weeks&rsquo; rest, they do it all again for <a href="https://www.neworleans.com/events/holidays-seasonal/saint-patricks-day/">St. Patrick&rsquo;s Day</a>!
Of course, there&rsquo;s more to NOLA than just parades and Mardi Gras. If, like me, you want to see more than just the bars and po-boys of the French Quarter, I can recommend heading out to the Garden District. This <a href="https://www.nolatourguy.com/free-self-guided-garden-district-walking-tour-new-orleans/">self-guided walking tour</a> led us past huge, ornate houses and cute coffee shops.&nbsp;
But as a major public transportation nerd, there&rsquo;s still one other NOLA adventure that I&rsquo;m yet to tick off the list: a <a href="https://www.neworleans.com/plan/itineraries/streetcar-itinerary/">streetcar tour</a>. On my last attempt to take one in New Orleans, we were cursed with the same fate I&rsquo;ve met the world over &mdash; the replacement bus! Guess we&rsquo;ll just have to try again!
Happy travels and safe landings,

We Booked the Cheapest Safari in Tanzania: Here's How it Went&hellip;

Flight Finders Lauren and Fran both love finding cheap flights, sampling local wines, and dancing the night away, no matter where they are.

Written by Lauren & Fran

Our story begins back in 2023, on an unassuming Wednesday in the middle of July. Like with most mornings, we Flight Finders began our day with (you guessed it) a spot of flight finding. Everything was pretty normal&hellip;until&hellip; *ding*
We got an alert on our feed&hellip;
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/deals/2-in-1-milan-dar-es-salaam-in-160s-280s-rtn-from-the-uk">&ldquo;Return flights to Tanzania in &pound;160s with Saudia Airlines&rdquo;</a>
Within seconds, we jumped into action. It turned out to be a 2-in-1 trip &mdash; the flights departed from Milan and returned to the UK. As we set up the flight tip for JFC members, the cogs were already turning in our brains. Urged on by our inner bargain hunter and a healthy dose of FOMO, eight of us caved and booked the flights.
 <img src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdztJhO-5WRDveFREHuFLs_1cfS0YVA981FU21kFyVirZRKx5Ldcp8zCA0Y3XWp8-t86KBne5z0umZbjYlMk2q3gKVrodvNjq97eN5TbWAU0vZGu4Pged6JoxwD56W4PWVxj00oU50YiW5LIqHkDWwH3B0a?key=a0jA6mnJzjDMWAcbVFmwFw" width="416" height="386" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> 

Then reality set in. While we may have been able to afford some &pound;160 ($200 USD) flights, our bank accounts weren&rsquo;t really prepared for much else. And a quick search of safari prices practically made our credit cards shrivel up and hide. But surely, we couldn&rsquo;t go all the way to Tanzania and not see the animals? There just had to be another, cheaper, way to do it&hellip;
<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Choosing our safari</h3>
First things first, we did some thorough research. After sifting through pages and pages of all-inclusive luxury safaris well over the &pound;1000 mark, we finally came across a website called Safari Bookings.&nbsp;
The site was&hellip; different.
It showcased various tours from a selection of companies with much less frightening prices. We filtered our dates, adjusted the search results to display prices from low to high, and this is what showed up:
<a href="https://www.safaribookings.com/day/t14077">3-Day Selous Reserve, Nyerere Park Boat, Drive and Walking Safari</a>

<img src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdbaks2-3HX_E093CYra_CDGTzVj17DtjisM1pwt_yCT_5NTxxgpbrm3RIRoBvBuGSJY8Eg40R4DJXBhdK0py9nBTk9QtvnhfG4aZvbOSZ_E8Ed7G9kKDI-PDLXrXD0yqs0SMmBcagwXURkkc2kpQF4LaFn?key=a0jA6mnJzjDMWAcbVFmwFw" width="409" height="87" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">

A boat trip, a game drive and a walking safari, with food and accommodation included, and the chance of spotting some of the &lsquo;big five&rsquo; animals for &pound;360 ($450 USD) &mdash; it all sounded pretty perfect to us, considering it would be a private tour. The activities offered were more or less the same as the ones included in the pricier safari tours &mdash; which we later discovered had slightly fancier accommodation (probably justifying the price).
This cheaper safari also included a visit to a Maasai Village, which we felt a tad apprehensive about. After doing some research, we couldn&rsquo;t confidently determine whether this visit would help the villagers, and we weren&rsquo;t keen to rock up and hope for the best.
Not to let the only reasonably priced safari slip away, we decided to reach out and ask if we could skip the village. Turned out, we could! But not only that, they even gave us a lil&rsquo; discount for booking three people. The final price they offered was &pound;312 ($390 USD) per person.
Surprisingly, we didn&rsquo;t need a down payment (more on that below) or any other confirmation to lock this deal in. It&rsquo;s safe to say that the company operated very casually&hellip;

<img src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcbZAz_68hNBqy3gEgnyRky_k9duBBrz1Iy55-fX97yFoNqSPyp2mgrGTVKmwcJhZdEf6qVg0l_kzJudJjhLG4O3i7kVkZ4R6Y-5jE_ScazAvGXJL7MbtAYvRRH-6p-TrC4TEakwqF8DrRljmG9Pdcrs00?key=a0jA6mnJzjDMWAcbVFmwFw" width="455" height="149" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
&nbsp;
Our word was apparently all they needed, and we were promised that a guide named Willium would show up at Dar es Salaam airport to pick us up and whisk us away on our adventure. Instead of a deposit, we were told Willium would accept cash or card payments on the day.
Was this legit? We had no idea, but it was our best shot at a safari, so we decided to go for it!&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Day One &mdash; The rain</h3>
And then, it began.
A quick weekend in Milan, two smooth flights (you can read about <a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/travel-hub/jfc-honest-airline-reviews-saudia-airlines-and-more">our Saudia experience here!</a>) and some minor sleep deprivation later, we finally landed in Dar es Salaam.
After getting changed into our 30&deg;C+ appropriate safari attire, we stepped out of the airport arrivals, praying that someone would be waiting for us in the hall.
Willium was there, holding a thin sheet of paper with faded writing that looked like it said &lsquo;Lauren &amp; Fran&rsquo; on it, with an emotionless face, and a hint of annoyance.
As soon as he recognised us, he crumpled up the paper and told us to follow him. He was &ldquo;fine, but tired&rdquo;, and had apparently been waiting for a while. Odd, considering our flight wasn&rsquo;t delayed, and we told him in advance when we would land. At that point, we understood that Willium was a man of few words.

Stepping out through the airport doors felt like entering a steam room &mdash; the 37 &deg;C (98 &deg;F) heat, matched with 100% humidity levels, was jarring. But what we really weren&rsquo;t prepared for was an endless amount of dark grey clouds quickly gathering above us.
Tiny rain drops started falling on us before we took cover in the massive Jeep, which would turn out to be our main transport for the following three days. Inside the car, a very smiley man was waiting for us &mdash; or more realistically, he was waiting for our money.&nbsp;
Fran and Andreia had brought the exact per-person amount in euros in cash, since they had been told the currency would be accepted as payment. The man quickly put the cash in his pocket, and turned to Lauren, who wanted to pay by card. Contrary to what we had been told by email, paying by card wasn&rsquo;t an easy option. The money-man started complaining to Willium, but eventually resigned, trusting Lauren to make her card transaction at the lodge where we would be staying for the next two nights.
While in this sticky money situation, the rain intensified. But it was only when marble-sized drops began hitting the car roof that we realised a tropical storm was above us. Willium seemed stressed, and as soon as the money topic was settled, he told us that we had to start driving before the unusual off-season rain began damaging the roads towards Nyerere National Park.
Little did we know it was already too late&hellip; 
<img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/5ebd0b0f58418205ef43dec436035b65b62c8e2e" width="260" height="411" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
 We buckled our seatbelts (or so we thought&hellip;) and away we went to brave the&nbsp;roads&nbsp;of Dar es Salaam.
As the roads became more remote, the rain was only getting worse &mdash; and as the rain got worse, so too did the amount of water coming from the roof of the car. Nevertheless, running on a couple of hours of sleep, we all slowly started dozing off on the spacious, leather Jeep seats while our clothes only got wetter, and the roads muddier&hellip;
&hellip;and suddenly&nbsp;BAM!
As soon as Lauren opened her eyes from the jump scare, Fran was already flying towards the car&rsquo;s roof and then back down on her seat. The car had run over a deep puddle a bit too fast &mdash; Willium didn&rsquo;t flinch.
We gave each other a terrified stare, before realising the rain had stopped. We breathed a sigh of relief, assuming it couldn&rsquo;t go any further downhill from there&hellip; and yet, we couldn&rsquo;t be more wrong. Actually, downhill we&nbsp;kinda&nbsp;went, when the car got stuck on the muddy main road towards our camp.
While the three of us are seasoned travellers, none of us had been in this kind of daunting situation before, and when the car&rsquo;s wheels just wouldn&rsquo;t get out of the mud, we just looked at each other in disbelief. The confusion intensified as soon as some people from the local village approached the car, and started staring at us from outside the window.
Willium, who had been silent during the whole four hour drive, knew exactly what to do. After telling us to stay inside the car, he stepped outside and started talking to the locals. 
<img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/246a6f4f4fd249d423fc45e0c9be2a6bf699f562" width="260" height="361" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
&nbsp;
After being stuck in the car for nearly 30 minutes &mdash; and having started working our way through the few snack leftovers from our flight (cheers, Saudia) &mdash; a dozen men holding some huge wooden logs showed up in front of the car:&nbsp;they had a plan.
Willium and his troupe of log-carriers carefully started to place the logs below the car wheels.&nbsp; After endless pushing, revving, and finger-crossing, the car jolted forward out of the mud.&nbsp;
When the excitement washed off, and we got back on the &lsquo;road&rsquo;, we started to feel the main effect of the heat:&nbsp;thirst. To our disbelief, we were informed by Willium that &mdash;&nbsp;no, there are no bottles of water. And, to give a bit of extra context, at that point, we were on a deserted road, in the middle of Southern Tanzania, heading towards Nyerere Reserve. So, stopping by a mini-market was,&nbsp;unsurprisingly,&nbsp;not an option.
The last two hours of the drive to the camp were spent sitting quietly, wondering why were we never offered any water, and why there wouldn&rsquo;t be any in the car &mdash; especially since our safari experience was supposed to be all-inclusive.
<h3 class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-h3 css-d91h7b" dir="ltr">The boat safari</h3>
Thirsty, weary, and feeling a little like three socks that had just tumbled through a 6-hour washing cycle, we staggered into our new home for the following two nights.
First impressions: it was nice! Rustic, but nice. There was a simple outdoor dining area, an algae-coated pool and a handful of wooden lodges. Oh, and a territorial troop of resident baboons roaming around the garden. Normal stuff.

We hopped our way across the garden, dodged the primates, and unlocked our front door. After such a long journey, we were relieved to see two freshly-made beds with mosquito nets &mdash; perfect to protect us from the unexpected millipede army that we noticed making its way into our room! At least there were no gigantic spiders in sight&hellip;yet.
Our relief disappeared when we realised there was no door to our (private?) bathroom. But hey, we were all friends (thank goodness) and there was no going back now, anyway.
Before we had any time to worry, there was a knock on our door. It was Willium.
&ldquo;Lunch? And boat safari?&rdquo;
We grabbed our things and followed him to the outdoor seating area. We were hastily served a simple rice, vegetable, and chicken combo (minus the chicken for vegetarians) and then ushered towards the jeep once again.
After a short drive, we reached the grassy banks of the Rufiji River. Fuelled up on food and with a renewed sense of excitement, we were introduced to our friendly boat guide. He led us onto a tiny motorboat, and we trundled out onto the murky waters.
After teaching us a bit of background info on the river itself, he exclaimed, &ldquo;Look, hippo!&rdquo;
We couldn&rsquo;t believe it &mdash; he was right! And not just one, but multiple big, chunky hippos gracefully floating by. It was incredible. To witness animals this big, and this powerful, just chilling in their own natural environment felt so amazing. We spent the next hour ooh-ing and&nbsp;aah-ing at hippo after hippo, and a few less-chunky birds, while our guide taught us about the animals&rsquo; lives.
<img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/aa5b57b6fd1a12f8bdee1d81e63202523eb645df" width="225" height="327" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
&nbsp;
As the sun began to set, we wrapped up our boat tour and made our way back to camp. After an exhausting day, and with an early alarm set for tomorrow, we doused ourselves in bug repellent, hit our pillows and passed out.
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/travel-hub/we-booked-the-cheapest-safari-in-tanzania-and-this-is-how-it-went">Read more...</a>

Travel Inspiration

Nepal&nbsp;on&nbsp;the beaten track

Firstly, thank you to those of you who wrote in to correct the Cook Strait Ferry fares mentioned last week. Fares for foot passengers start at NZ$78, while bringing a car will add around NZ$300. Seemingly, the much lower prices that caught my eye on the <a href="https://www.interislander.co.nz/">Interislander website</a> were the change fees!
Secondly, let's all celebrate this reader, who is truly taking spontaneous travel purchases to new levels:

"I just booked a spontaneous trip to Nepal, but I'm not sure what all the things you can do there are. I'd love to see something about it in the Detour!"

Flight Finder Kristi is a born and bred&nbsp;Canadian. When she isn't travelling to another far-flung corner of the earth, she is writing about travelling, or dreaming about travelling, or saving up for... you get the point!

Answered by Kristi

Ooh, now this is a dream trip! Not only is the Mt Everest Base Camp trek on my actual bucket list, Nepal was my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DEzhytlJkTq/">2025 JFC wish list destination</a>. So I teamed up with Flight Finder Hannah, and together we made the ultimate Nepal to-do list. 
Of course, top of my list is the&nbsp;<a href="https://thewanderlustrose.com/mount-everest-base-camp-trek-frequently-asked-questions-answered/">Mt Everest Base Camp trek</a> (EBC). It has everything required for trip perfection: adventure, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CsqhZf0o1ms/">jaw-dropping views</a>, a threat of death upon landing at their high-altitude airport, a solid chance of my legs giving out at the end of each day, friendly locals, and heart-pumping adventure at every turn.

Here is an average <a href="https://www.annaroundtheworld.com/blog/a-comprehensive-guide-on-hiking-everest-base-camp-independently">EBC trek itinerary</a>:&nbsp;
Day 1: Fly into Kathmandu, and give yourself a day to acclimatize and check your gear.&nbsp;
Days 2-3: Fly into Lukla, one of the <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/travel-hub/5-airports-you-never-want-to-land-at">craziest airports in the world</a>. Give yourself a buffer day in case of weather delays.
Days 4-15: Embark on the 10/11-day hike, moving each day from one teahouse to the next, with a few rest days to hopefully prevent altitude sickness. Top tip from people who&rsquo;ve done it: pack snacks and protein bars because the food can be questionable.
Day 16: Fly back to Kathmandu (lucky you! You get to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yEJ_tKFeymU">take off from Lukla</a> again!)
Highlights include shockingly gorgeous views of Everest, the vibrant Sherpa town of Namche Bazaar, the sacred Tengboche Monastery, and the turquoise glacial waters of Khumbu Icefall. The trek takes you through rhododendron forests, suspension bridges, and high-altitude <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-k0p5aos3_/">landscapes dotted with yaks</a>, and traditional teahouses.
If this is all sounding a liiiiiiittle too intense for you, but you&rsquo;re still interested in exploring the rugged beauty of the Himalayas, here are a few alternatives:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://www.bucketlistly.blog/posts/trekking-the-himalayas-annapurna-base-camp-in-7-days">Annapurna Base Camp</a> trek (12-18 days, moderate-challenging difficulty, main draw: close-up views of Annapurna and the breathtaking Himalayas) </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://www.magicalsummits.com/langtang-valley-trek/">Langtang Valley</a>&nbsp;(7-10 days, moderate difficulty, main draw: a less-crowded option with easier access from Kathmandu) </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfD1sh956u8">Mardi Himal</a>&nbsp;(5-7 days, moderate difficulty, main draw: shorter/easier hike with gorgeous ridge views).</li>
</ul>
But you might not want to pack any hiking gear at all, and that&rsquo;s totally fine too!

Flight Finder Hannah is our most spontaneous traveller, picking up and setting off as soon as she finds an amazing flight, then coming right back to share her valuable travel tips with the JFC community.

Answered by Hannah

Hannah here! I&rsquo;m not much of a hiker, but there&rsquo;s still plenty to see in Nepal without lacing up your boots, so here are a few ideas to get you started:
<h4 dir="ltr" role="presentation">Temples</h4>
Rumour has it Nepal has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramana-maharshi.org/nepals-numinous-numbers-how-many-hindu-temples-are-there-in-nepal/#:~:text=Nepal%20is%20often%20called%20the%20%E2%80%98land%20of%20a%20thousand%20temples%2C%E2%80%99%20but%20in%20reality%2C%20it%20has%20more%20than%205%2C000.">over 5,000 temples</a>, so it's no surprise that it can be hard to know where to start. But the good news is, you haven&rsquo;t got to look too far from Kathmandu to find some of the most impressive ones.
Sitting high up on top of a hill (don&rsquo;t worry, you can drive up), lots of people consider the <a href="https://handluggageonly.co.uk/exploring-swayambhunath-stupa-monkey-temple-kathmandu-nepal/">Swayambhunath Stupa</a> (or, Monkey Temple) a must-see during any trip here. And that&rsquo;s not just because of how close it is to the city, but thanks to its picture-perfect views of Kathmandu, multicoloured flags waving in the breeze, and as you might&rsquo;ve guessed, <a href="https://youtu.be/O-udB6Sc_eU?feature=shared&amp;t=187">monkeys &hellip; everywhere</a>, it&rsquo;s easy to see why!
 Side note: we&rsquo;ve heard the monkeys here are much friendlier than those in Bali (IYKYK).

<h4 dir="ltr" role="presentation">Sunrise Views of the Himalayas</h4>
Near the small lakeside city of Pokhara, the&nbsp;<a href="https://annapurnacablecar.com.np/blogs/sarangkot-sunrise-experience">Sarangkot Hill</a> is famous for being the spot to go and watch the sunrise. You can get up to this viewpoint by taking a <a href="https://www.journeyera.com/sarangkot-hill-viewpoint-hike/">hike alllll the way up</a> to the top, but there&rsquo;s also a cable car that runs from 5am to get you up there quicker and save your legs a little.
Once you&rsquo;re there, you&rsquo;ll have an incredible view of the sun slowly rising through the mountains, turning the sky bright shades of pink and orange, and giving the Himalayas <a href="https://youtu.be/5cYaMR6bixk?feature=shared&amp;t=65">a beautiful golden glow</a>.
Then, when you&rsquo;re ready to pop back down to the city, you can either take it slow and go on a walk along the tranquil <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g293891-d447093-Reviews-Phewa_Tal-Pokhara_Gandaki_Zone_Western_Region.html">Phewa Lake</a>, or fly through the skies on the <a href="https://www.highgroundnepal.com/zipflyer">world&rsquo;s steepest zipline</a> &mdash; the choice is yours!&nbsp;
<h4 dir="ltr" role="presentation">Wildlife</h4>
The <a href="https://thirdeyetraveller.com/chitwan-national-park-travel-guide/">Chitwan National Park</a> is maybe Nepal&rsquo;s most famous national park, thanks to its lush grasslands and jungle all filled with elephants, rhinos, leopards, and even a Bengal tiger or two.
Entry to the park is quite cheap at around &pound;12 ($15 USD) per person, per day, and you can tailor your safari experience too so that it suits your budget. There are lots of ways to do it, but your main options are on foot, on a river boat, or in a Jeep. Or if you&rsquo;d like to sit back and let someone else do the planning, there are also <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g293892-Activities-c42-Chitwan_National_Park_Chitwan_District_Narayani_Zone_Central_Region.html">loads of tours and guides</a> out there who can even pick you up from Kathmandu, if that&rsquo;s where you&rsquo;re based!

Now, there is also the option of heading out on an elephant safari while you&rsquo;re here, but we&rsquo;d recommend doing some <a href="https://alittleadrift.com/riding-elephants-chitwan/">extra research on its ethics</a> before you book.
Speaking of ethics, it&rsquo;s also really important to think about how you can be a responsible and sustainable traveller during your time in Nepal. Some quick and effective ways to do this are by supporting local businesses, using less single-use plastic, and researching the ethics of your trekking company &mdash; such as their environmental policies, and how they look after their staff, particularly the porters. For more advice and ideas,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thecommonwanderer.com/blog/responsible-travel-guide-nepal">this guide</a> is a great resource to start with. 
<h4 dir="ltr" role="presentation">Bonus Round</h4>
Sometimes you just wanna see something that&rsquo;s a little out of the ordinary and entirely unexpected. If that sounds like you, here are a couple weird and wonderful things to add to your itinerary:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">A monastery in the small village of Khumjung claims to hold a piece of <a href="https://www.abandonedspaces.com/public/yeti-scalp.html">scalp that belonged to a Yeti</a> some 300+ years ago. Yes, scalp. Zoologists aren&rsquo;t totally sure who, or what, the relic belonged to, but it sits safely secured in a padlocked box. You know, just in case. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">For most of us, getting a toothache on holiday is the stuff of nightmares, but that&rsquo;s not the case if you&rsquo;re in Nepal. The aptly named <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-toothache-tree-kathmandu-nepal">Toothache Tree</a> is in Kathmandu&rsquo;s dental district, and is covered in coins that people have nailed to it as they plea to the gods for some pain relief. Does it work? There&rsquo;s only one way to find out&hellip; </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">At the foothills of the Himalayas, you&rsquo;ll find a twisty, turny section of road near the Mulkot Bazar village. What&rsquo;s cool about this place is that the surrounding wall (around 15 metres long) is covered with tonnes of different mirrors that drivers have left as an offering to another Hindu god to help prevent any accidents. It&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wanderlust_rajan/reel/C9Iau6sSv-J/">really impressive</a>!</li>
</ul>
Hopefully some of these suggestions satisfy your curiosity!&nbsp;
Enjoy your trip, reader! As always, hit &lsquo;Reply&rsquo; to let us know how it went :-)
 Do you have a question for our Flight Finders? Let us know below!

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week. 
<ul>
<li class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 css-xhcohm css-xhcohm">Last Sunday saw the annual return of everyone&rsquo;s favourite <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg0j8zjlr9o">weather-forecasting groundhog</a>. Despite the overcast conditions, Punxsutawney Phil did indeed see his shadow, therefore condemning the folks in Punxsutawney to six more weeks of wintry weather. Nice one, Phil. </li>
<li class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 css-xhcohm css-xhcohm">The small-scale Italian ski resort of Roccaraso has become inundated with<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/29/travel/italy-ski-resort-social-media-chaos/index.html"> waves of TikTok tourists</a> after one influencer's post went viral. Disgruntled locals claimed the visitors clogged the slopes, created makeshift sledges out of saucepans, and fired up barbecues. </li>
<li class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 css-xhcohm css-xhcohm">Over the past few days, emergency services from the Greek island of Santorini have taken precautionary actions after<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/santorini-earthquakes-latest-ferry-plane-b2691759.html"> a number of tremors were recorded</a> throughout the region. Along with schools being closed, additional flights have been announced to help evacuate locals and tourists.&nbsp; </li>
<li class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 css-xhcohm css-xhcohm">And finally, there&rsquo;s some exciting news coming out of little Newquay airport in Cornwall. Is it a new airline or a new flight route? Not exactly&hellip;it's <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2025-02-03/nasa-backs-plans-to-build-worlds-deepest-pool-in-cornwall">the world&rsquo;s deepest pool</a>. Yay? </li>
</ul>

The cheapest safari in Tanzania: our Flight Finders reveal all

Lesotho

Bhutan

Saba

We might roll our eyes when people clap on a plane, but sometimes it&rsquo;s well-deserved.
We&rsquo;re not just talking about <a href="https://youtu.be/Z7JKt0jwuXc?t=10">a bumpy landing at Heathrow</a>. We&rsquo;re talking about the airports out there that give a good roller coaster a run for its money.&nbsp;
Whether it&rsquo;s because of wild terrain, crazy weather, or just the way they&rsquo;re built, these airfields have become notorious for serving up some of the toughest challenges a pilot could encounter.
<h2>Matekane Airstrip, Lesotho</h2>
When it comes to taking off, Matekane Airstrip is a genuine hair-raiser.
Things start out looking pretty normal as your plane picks up speed on the ground. It&rsquo;s only when you reach the end of the 1600 ft long grass strip that you&rsquo;ll notice something weird.
You know that feeling you get in your stomach when you&rsquo;re on a rollercoaster?
Yep. You&rsquo;re free falling.&nbsp;
 <img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/e672a4774cc225b3011a6f113e3579ad4dff7790" alt="Matekane Airstrip" width="512" height="341">
Matekane Airstrip&rsquo;s short runway ends abruptly at the top of a 1900 ft-tall cliff, leading to a very thin margin-of-error for taking off and landing.&nbsp;
It means that most planes start free falling before they&rsquo;ve even generated the lift required to actually start flying.&nbsp;
Hold onto your seat and pray that your pilot isn&rsquo;t fresh out of flight school.&nbsp;
<h3>Why You Would Fly There</h3>
The strip is found in the heartlands of Lesotho, a small country <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/enclaves/countries-that-are-enclaves.html">completely enclaved</a> by its only neighbour, South Africa.&nbsp;
Lesotho is mostly rural, and because its transport infrastructure is underdeveloped, people need to use small planes to get around.&nbsp;
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Typically, you&rsquo;d be a doctor or someone from an aid organisation using the airstrip to reach communities that would be otherwise inaccessible. Hopefully they also don&rsquo;t mind a bit of a rush!
<h2>Paro Airport, Bhutan</h2>
You&rsquo;ve done your research on Bhutan. You&rsquo;ve arranged the visa, tour operator and hotel stay required to even be allowed in. But that&rsquo;s not the most difficult part.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The most difficult part is&hellip;actually getting there.
Paro, Bhutan&rsquo;s only international airport, sits over 7300 ft above sea level. Complicating things further is the fact that you are literally in the Himalayas.
This means that pilots dance around several 18,000 ft peaks to simply find the runway - with less than 30 seconds to then stick the landing!
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At one point, you&rsquo;ll be so close to the locals&rsquo; houses (the pilots use them as reference points) that you could practically wave to them - very briefly.
This landing is so difficult that, at any given time, there are only eight to twelve people qualified to even attempt it!&nbsp;
<h3>Why You Would Fly There</h3>
Don&rsquo;t let us put you off visiting Bhutan! The <a href="https://www.oneworldeducation.org/our-students-writing/bhutan-the-worlds-happiest-country/#:~:text=Bhutan%20has%20continually%20been%20ranked,their%20environment%20and%20cultural%20identity.">happiest country in the world</a> is famous for its uniquely Buddhist culture, complete with <a href="https://www.tribes.co.uk/blog/bhutan-thimphus-tshechu/">colourful festivals</a> and temples all over the place.&nbsp;
The most breathtaking of these is the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esddmLk4feI&amp;t=276s">cliffside Tiger&rsquo;s Nest</a>, though you do have to climb up about 10,000 ft to reach it. Guess the Bhutanese happen to be fans of heights&hellip;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/0e989108246b4d05711f9f623fc27c1cb94161f0">
<h2>Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Nepal</h2>
Most people know Mount Everest is only for real pros. What they don&rsquo;t know is that the danger starts before you even get there.
Tenzing-Hillary Airport, initially built to serve the small Nepalese town of Lukla, is now infamous for being one of the most dangerous airports in the world.
<img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/b1b398f7b225c2adc11402e8c992e4771de28a86">
In 2008, a plane trying to land here got caught on the runway and crashed. Out of the 19 people on board, only the pilot survived - Tenzing-Hillary&rsquo;s worst disaster so far.
So, what makes a safe landing so difficult?&nbsp; Well, the airport has a one-way airstrip, with a cliff on one side and a mountain on the other, making a go-around impossible.
Tenzing-Hillary is also notorious for losing power to its navigation equipment, meaning that pilots often have to rely on looking out the front window when attempting a landing.
That&rsquo;s easier said than done in the Himalayas, as the weather can change at the drop of a hat. In fact, more than 50% of flights get cancelled because of bad weather!
<h3>Why You Would Fly There</h3>
Despite its reputation, Tenzing-Hillary still sees plenty of hikers landing here on their way to Everest&rsquo;s base camp. If you ever fancy conquering the world&rsquo;s tallest mountain, chances are you&rsquo;re heading here.&nbsp;
The good news is that there&rsquo;s a dedicated tea station in the departure lounge. <a href="https://www.letsdrinktea.com/types-of-tea/black-tea/nepal-black-tea/">Nepalese tea</a> is delicious, apparently :-)
<h2>Svalbard Airport, Norway</h2>
Landing in Svalbard will make your blood run cold - literally, in this case - as you&rsquo;ll be deep inside the Arctic Circle at the world&rsquo;s northernmost public airport.&nbsp;
It gets so cold there that the airport designers had to factor this in during construction. The only solution was to build the main runway on permafrost, with further insulation against the ground below.&nbsp;
This leaves the airport permanently frozen - even throughout the summer - so that the yearly melting of the ice won&rsquo;t wreak havoc with the tarmac layer&rsquo;s structural integrity.
That said, this presents an extra challenge for pilots as an icy runway can be very slippery. Definitely can&rsquo;t afford a slip up here, though.
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If that wasn&rsquo;t enough, being so far north means that there are also wild variations in day length, from the so-called &lsquo;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S59sYxX-tCc">midnight sun</a>&rsquo; of the summer to the permanent darkness of the winter.
Imagine trying to land here in pitch black conditions with nothing but your instruments to guide you&hellip; let&rsquo;s just say it&rsquo;s gonna take a cool head.
<h3>Why You Would Fly There</h3>
The Svalbard Archipelago is owned by the Kingdom of Norway, which has traditionally used it for mining and fishing purposes.&nbsp;
These days, Svalbard is often visited by researchers and tourists eager to discover the <a href="https://cruise-handbook.npolar.no/en/svalbard/wildlife.html#:~:text=This%20includes%20polar%20bears%2C%20walruses,favourable%20around%20Svalbard%20%E2%80%93%20in%20summer.">wildlife </a>and the <a href="https://www.earthtrekkers.com/svalbard-travel-guide-itinerary/">local landscape</a>. Many consider it one of the last untouched places on Earth.
<img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/7144edc84d7e3cb5f9ad3b15fb08516d4cb6f5fe">
Plus, the town of Longyearbyen is home to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_OEsf-1qgY">Global Seed Vault</a>, an emergency backup deposit of all the world&rsquo;s grain seeds. You know, in case of a global apocalypse. Good to know someone is worried about this stuff!&nbsp;
<h2>Saba Island, Dutch Caribbean</h2>
When you land at Saba, &ldquo;X&rdquo; definitely does not mark the spot, unless you want to end up on the cliffs below.
<img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/6df6bb094b8ab2d1028d7db0a00bd44ee3064f91">
With a runway only 1300 ft long, Saba has the world&rsquo;s smallest commercial airport. For comparison, a standard runway is usually anywhere from 8,000 to 13,000 ft long!&nbsp;
Only specially trained pilots are allowed to fly here, as the final descent requires them to line the plane up perfectly.&nbsp;
The island&rsquo;s volcano complicates this even further by forcing pilots to take a sharp turn just before landing - not the easiest thing to do when facing tough Caribbean crosswinds.
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<h3>Why You Would Fly There</h3>
Saba Island is known as &lsquo;the unspoiled Queen&rsquo; of the Caribbean because of its pristine natural <a href="https://www.tripsavvy.com/attractions-and-activities-on-saba-1488582">beauty.</a>&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s becoming especially popular for ecotourism, with plenty of scuba diving, climbing and hiking options on offer. The volcano, named Mount Scenery, is actually the tallest peak in the whole Kingdom of the Netherlands!
Traditionalists can take a ferry there, but we would (obviously) prefer flying. Both leave from the island of Sint Maarten, whose airport also almost made this list (<a href="https://youtu.be/bMIgcHbqTZY?t=9">for one fairly obvious reason</a>).

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