Greenland Artic Circle Trail packing list

Arctic Circle Trail packing list: all you need in one place

Our detailed Arctic Circle Trail packing list includes everything you’ll need on a trek through Greenland’s wild and remote backcountry

Fresh from my adventure trekking the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland, I thought it would be useful to share my complete Arctic Circle Trail packing list as a point of reference for future trekkers.

This comprehensive list includes everything I took with me including camping and trekking gear, clothing, food supplies and cooking equipment, toiletries, medication and electronics. Where possible, I’ve included links to the gear I took with me for reference.

Buttermere Fell is home to some of the most popular hiking trails in England

England’s 100 most popular hiking trails

From the South Downs to Hadrian’s Wall, we explore England’s most popular hiking trails

Whether you’re an experienced hiker in need of fresh ideas or a first-timer hoping to get outdoors more, our list of England’s most popular hiking trails offers a wealth of options.

Port Lockroy passport stamp from Antarctica

16 unusual passport stamps of the world

Some unusual passport stamps to collect on your travels, from breakaway republics to the northernmost and southernmost post offices

It may be unfashionable but I’m a bit of a box-ticker when it comes to travel. I’m working my way through the seven summits, the highest mountain on every continent (four down, three to go); I have a list of the countries I’ve visited (94 and counting!); and I keep track of memorable places such as the highest, lowest and driest spots I’ve visited.

Miriam Lancewood using a bow an arrow

The travel that changed me: Miriam Lancewood

In her new book, Miriam Lancewood explores the relationship between humans and nature. Here, she tells us about the travel that changed her

Miriam Lancewood has not lived a conventional life. She and her husband, Peter, spent seven years in the wilderness of New Zealand during which time they survived by hunting wild animals and foraging while sleeping in a tent and cooking on an open fire. Since then, Miriam has walked across Europe and written three books about her experiences in nature.

Helsinki skyline – Europe's most walkable capital city

What is Europe’s most walkable capital city?

Helsinki has been named Europe’s most walkable capital city based on metrics including air quality, green space and personal safety

Helsinki in Finland is Europe’s most walkable capital city, according to research by British footwear retailer Schuh. The Nordic capital topped the rankings based on several metrics including air quality, cleanliness, street lighting, green space and noise pollution. The study also considered how safe a city is for walking alone by both day and night.

The ring-shaped rock formation of Hajdučka Vrata (Outlaw’s Gate) on Čvrsnica

Highlander Adventure treks: 17 unique trails to explore

From California to the Caucasus, we take a look at the new and exciting Highlander Adventure treks on offer

In 2020, I joined my first Highlander Adventure trek in Croatia and was thoroughly won over by the semi-solo style of trekking. Since then, the collection has expanded from five events in Europe to 17 spread across three continents. I have also joined three further Highlanders in Greece, Georgia and the UAE.

A hiker in Finland – the world's happiest country

Ranked: happiest countries in the world 2023

For the sixth consecutive year, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world. We take a look at the latest report

Happiness is a nebulous thing; hard to grasp and harder to hold onto. Scientists, economists and philosophers have defined it through the ages as a combination of different things, among them health, wealth, companionship and security.

The Library of Celsus at Ephesus

10 tips for visiting Ephesus, Turkey (Türkiye)

Read our tips for visiting Ephesus, the best-preserved of Turkey’s remarkable array of ancient cities and classical ruins

Visiting Ephesus should be on every traveller’s Turkey itinerary. After more than 150 years of excavation, the city’s reclaimed and restored structures have made Ephesus Europe’s most complete ancient city.

Blue skies and turquoise waters seen while visiting Pamukkale

Visiting Pamukkale: tips to know before you go

Read our tips on visiting Pamukkale in Turkey, including what to wear, what to pack and what not to miss

Pamukkale, though Turkey’s most popular attraction by numbers, is barely known outside its country borders. It’s the iconic architecture of Istanbul and the cave dwellings of Cappadocia that steal the spotlight, but Pamukkale with its cascading travertine terraces deserves attention as well.

japan has the most powerful passport

Ranked: world’s most powerful passports 2023

In 2023, Japan has the world’s most powerful passport. Holders are able to visit 193 destinations without a prior visa

It’s official. Globally, we are on the move again. In 2022, international travel showed significant signs of recovery, with arrivals reaching 57% of pre-pandemic levels. An estimated 474 million tourists travelled internationally during the first seven months of 2022, compared to 175 million in the same period of 2021.

Ama Dablam is a thing of beauty

30 most beautiful mountains in the world

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.

map of the poorest countries in the world

Poorest countries in the world 2023 – ranked

African nations dominate the ranking of the poorest countries in the world based on the latest data from the World Bank

We all have preconceptions about places. Take Ethiopia for example. As children of the eighties, Kia and I were only too aware of the struggles Ethiopia has faced historically: political unrest, civil war and, of course, famine.

It was easy then to imagine a vast desolate dust bowl ahead of our visit in 2017. 

Mount Ushba on the Highlander Svaneti

20 interesting facts about Georgia

We share the most interesting facts about Georgia, collected on a two-week trip through the transcontinental country

Georgia may as well be called “Georgia, the country” thanks to its famous American counterpart. Unlike the US state, the country still feels uncharted. Bordered by Russia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Armenia and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the west, Georgia is a land of deep green gorges, snow-capped summits and implausibly-placed medieval churches.

things to do in Kazbegi lead Image

9 best things to do in Kazbegi, Georgia

We share the best things to do in Kazbegi, Georgia’s spectacular northern frontier hiding in the clouds of the Caucasus

After trekking the Highlander Svaneti, I headed for Kazbegi in northeastern Georgia. Surrounded on three sides by Russia and occupied South Ossetia, the nature-packed borderland is famed for its rich medley of deep green gorges, snow-capped summits and implausibly-placed medieval churches.

Highlander Svaneti Lead Image

Trekking the Highlander Svaneti in Georgia

Trekking the Highlander Svaneti offers an authentic taste of Georgia’s unspoilt northwest, a region as beautiful as it is remote

Just 20 years ago, Svaneti was considered a danger zone. Today, with an embarrassment of snow-capped 4,000m peaks, enchanting villages dotted with tower houses and gleaming glaciers standing sentry over meadows of wildflowers, Svaneti is a paradise for hikers.

20 interesting facts about Svalbard

We share the most interesting facts about Svalbard, collected on our expedition to ‘the last stop before the North Pole’

Svalbard is said to be Europe’s last great wilderness. This archipelago of ice, rock and permafrost lies midway between Norway and the North Pole and is accordingly untrammelled. Measuring 24,209 sq mi (62,700 sq km), Svalbard comprises nine main islands, chief among them Spitsbergen, home to the de facto capital, Longyearbyen. Very little grows in Svalbard and it’s shrouded in darkness for much of the year, making it one of the most hostile places on earth.