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Aurora Expeditions Svalbard Cruise Review: What You Need to Know

Arctic cruises are currently exploding in popularity, offering an incredible mix of abundant wildlife, otherworldly landscapes, and unique natural phenomena, like the Midnight Sun or the Northern Lights. One of the most popular destinations for Arctic cruises is Svalbard, an archipelago located between Norway and the North Pole that’s known for being home to the northernmost city, Longyearbyen, and to one of the highest populations of polar bears on the planet. 

We recently spent two weeks aboard a Svalbard cruise with Aurora Expeditions, an Australian company that specializes in polar expeditions. If you’re considering heading to Svalbard or joining an Aurora Expeditions cruise, here’s everything you need to know.

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The ULTIMATE Amazon Rainforest Packing List

Visiting the Amazon rainforest is at the top of most travelers’ South America bucketlists—and for good reason! The Amazon offers incredible landscapes, fascinating remote communities, and, best of all, abundant wildlife. However, most visits to the Amazon are accompanied by unpredictable weather, buggy conditions, and lots of active adventures—which can make packing for this experience a bit challenging, to say the least. Not to worry, though—my husband, Justin, and I recently spent four days deep in the Ecuadorian jungle and have put together the ultimate Amazon rainforest packing list. 

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Review of the Cuyabeno Dolphin Lodge in the Amazon Rainforest: Is It Worth It?

The Amazon rainforest is HUGE, sprawling a whopping 3.7 million square kilometers across nine countries. As you can imagine, there’s also seemingly countless Amazon lodges for visitors to enjoy this special corner of the planet, which can make it challenging to narrow down where to stay here. 

After doing a TON of research, my husband, Justin, and I choose to pay out of our own pockets and stay at the Cuyabeno Dolphin Lodge in Ecuador, thanks to its unique wildlife, all-inclusive experience, and affordable pricepoint. So if you’re considering exploring the Amazon rainforest here as well, here is our honest and unbiased Cuyabeno Dolphin Lodge review.

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The Ultimate Havasupai Packing List

The Havasupai Trail is one of the most iconic backpacking trips in the United States—and arguably the world, taking you down into the Grand Canyon, past towering sandstone walls, big-horned sheep, and, of course, its famed turquoise waterfalls. But packing for this epic three night adventure can be a bit intimidating, especially if you’re new to backpacking—given the trail’s remoteness, you need to pack everything you need to sustain yourself while you’re on the trail, but don’t want to overpack and bring unnecessary weight that you’re going to have to hike 20+ miles with. 

My husband, Justin, and I recently backpacked this incredible trail and have crafted the perfect Havasupai packing list with everything you need to make the most of your time on this magical corner of the planet—and what you can leave at home.

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Boondockers Welcome Review (Honest and Unbiased): It’s Only Right for This Kind of RVer

There’s seemingly countless RVig apps that you can sign up for these days, ranging from Harvest Hosts to Thousand Trails—so it can be a bit overwhelming to determine which of them makes sense for your RVing style. Boondockers Welcome is a popular program that allows you to spend up to five nights at a fellow RVer’s home, property, or business—all for a reasonable annual membership fee. Sounds like a good deal? It definitely is—but it’s also definitely not for every RVer.

My husband, Justin, and I have stayed with close to one hundred Boondockers Welcome hosts over the last few years and know all the pros and cons of its membership. So, after paying for the membership out of our own pockets, here’s an honest and unbiased review of the Boondockers Welcome program after we’ve personally used this to camp all over the country.

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The Ultimate Galapagos Packing List

Visiting the Galapagos Islands is a bucket list experience for any wildlife lover. But packing for a visit to these wild and untouched islands can be a bit daunting—your days are spent hiking on volcanic rock, snorkeling in (sometimes, surprisingly chilly!) water, and having up-close-and-personal encounters with some of the most incredible wildlife on the planet. What kind of shoes do you need to bring? Is there any special gear that you might be forgetting?

My husband, Justin, and I just wrapped up spending five days on a Galapagos cruise, as well as spending an additional week exploring the islands on land. So we have figured out everything you need to include on your Galapagos packing list to make the most of your time on these incredible islands—and what you can leave at home.

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National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions Galapagos Cruise Review: What You Need to Know

Lindblad Expeditions literally pioneered tourism of private citizens to the Galapagos in the 1960s—so it’s no surprise that they’re considered one of the leading cruise operators in the islands today. But what is it really like onboard a National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Galapagos cruise—and does it live up to its legendary reputation? 

My husband, Justin, and I just completed an 8 day itinerary on the National Geographic Islander II and have the scoop on what to expect on and off the ship and whether you can really expect an “expedition” experience.

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White Rim Overlook Trail: The Best Hidden Gem in Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park, located in Moab, Utah, has some of the most dramatic landscapes in the United States, with massive mesas towering over 1,000 feet above the desert floor below. While there’s lots of overlooks and trails to choose from in Canyonlands, the White Rim Overlook Trail is definitely a hidden gem, taking you along the rim of the canyon to one of the park’s most stunning overlooks. So if you want to experience this incredible hike for yourself, here’s everything you need to know about the White Rim Overlook Trail. 

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Corona Arch Trail: The Best Arch Hike in Moab, Utah

Moab, Utah is renowned for its unique sandstone formations and for its national parks, like the aptly named Arches. But it turns out that one of Moab’s most spectacular arches is not in a national park at all. Corona Arch, which sits on Bureau of Land Management land east of Moab, stands at a whopping 105 feet tall with a 140 foot opening at its base. If you want to stand underneath this spectacular natural feature for yourself, here’s everything you need to know about the Corona Arch Trail. 

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Healy Pass Trail: The Best Larch Hike in Banff National Park

Healy Pass is one of the best trails in Banff National Park, taking you through fields of wildflowers in the summertime or groves of golden larches in the autumn and ending with spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. If you want to explore this incredible hike for yourself, here’s everything you need to know about the Healy Pass Trail. 

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