Tristan's Expeditions

5-day Kenyan Safari: Maasai Mara, Hell’s Gate, Nakuru and Naivasha National Parks

In my last safari blog, I explained how safaris do NOT have to be expensive, and how, typically, other than excursions, East Africa is very cheap. (2023 Update: However, you do get what you pay for!) Flights can be cheap as well– my one-way ticket to Kenya was only $420 on Delta/KLM airlines, during peak…

The 10 Best Things to Do in Stone Town, Zanzibar

This should be enough to get you started.. (and in no particular order) #1 Stay in a restored Omani palace Though there are budget hostels and modern resorts in Zanzibar, I would HIGHLY recommend staying in one of the many ‘palace hotels’ in Stone Town. I stayed in the Dhow Palace, which is one of…

Taking a Vegan Swahili Cooking Class

The island paradise of Zanzibar is known for its eclectic Swahili cuisine, a fusion of Bantu, Arab and Indian dishes and styles. The food is as diverse as its people, who are also a mix of Bantu, Omani, Indian, and to some extent, British and Chinese ethnicities as well. I spent two weeks in this…

‘Bird Safari’ on Lake Diluti, Arusha

Most safaris in Tanzania are focused on the ‘Big 5’: Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo. Just outside of Arusha, Lake Diluti offers a quiet and relaxing ‘bird safari’ which is a great way to get a taste of the adventure before the big expedition, or after, in case you didn’t get your fill. Tanzania…

$800 5-day Safari: Serengeti, Tarangire, Manyara and Ngorongoro National Parks

Most young people shy away from going on safari, assuming it’s ‘too expensive’ ‘too dangerous’ or ‘too difficult’ — I used ‘expensive’ as my excuse for years. One day I actually did some research and found out that there are actually cheap safaris– with the $800 5-day safari I did in January not even being…

Welcome to the Good Life: San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

During the height of the COVID-epidemic in March, I was in Nicaragua. I’d left New York City for Spring Break, and never made it back! With the borders I traveled around the country for two months before settling down in San Juan del Sur for two more months. A lot of travelers skip San Juan…

Accessible Only by Boat: The Weaving Village of Ban Sop Jam

Most travelers visit Laos as part of the “Banana Pancakes Trail” loop— the scenic route from Southern Thai islands to Angkor Wat, Cambodia via Laos and Vietnam. When they do, they typically only visit Vang Vieng (the party town) and Luang Prabang (the former colonial capital ) before flying or taking an overnight bus to…

Making Traditional Chocolate in Costa Rica

I spent this past January in Costa Rica, driving around the country in search of wildlife and indigenous culture. One of the best things I did during my trip was make traditional chocolate– it was so delicious the first time I decided to do it again. So I made chocolate twice– once with members of…

Wildlife Trekking in Costa Rica

I spent 3 weeks in Costa Rica this past January and visited many of country’s national parks (Arenal, Monteverde, Cahuita, etc.) and they were all beautiful. BUT The best experience I had was a 4-day trek with OsaWild through Corcovado N.P.— a national park accessible by tour only. If you do nothing else in Costa…

Nicaraguan Food for Vegetarians on a Budget

The most common complaint I heard from travelers in Nicaragua was that they didn’t like the food. Many stuck to overpriced pizza, burritos, and sandwiches, though some of them had never even tried Nica food! DON’T fall into this— You’ll not only blow through your money, but also be missing out on some the cleanest…

Don’t Skip Managua, Nicaragua!

Travelers tend to gloss over capital cities for some reason. Many assume that there’s nothing to see other than government buildings — and who wants to see those anyway? Managua, however, is worth at least one day of your time in Nicaragua. There are plenty of fascinating museums, bustling markets, and unusual churches to keep…