When we think of Saudi Arabia, we often imagine Makkah, Medina, and the annual pilgrimage. But beyond these, there are plenty of amazing spots that have been attracting travellers since the kingdom opened up to foreign visitors in 2019.

As the clock struck 4:00pm, I caught sight of two tiny figures descending from the rocky slopes of the Tukuche massif. With each passing minute, the figures gradually grew more recognizable: Samiur and Arif were returning after scaling Little Tukuche (5879m), one of the formidable peaks of the Dhaulagiri range.

I boarded the Koromondol Express from Kolkata to Chennai at 3.20pm for a long journey. On my way, I met Anupam, an old friend from the Sandakfu-Phalut trek. It had been ten years since we last met.

Recently, I went on a trip to the Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary: a hidden gem often overlooked even by seasoned travellers. This is the story of my solo trip there.

We have been to places.

We reached Pungro, a small town in northern Nagaland’s Kiphire district, late at night after covering about three and a half hundred kilometres on a dusty, winding mountain road. With no lodges available, the car driver took us to a government rest house. However, as foreigners from Bangladesh, we were told we needed permission from the zone’s additional district commissioner. 

We had no idea that we slept away the past twelve hours, the whole journey from Kolkata to Siliguri.

While chatting with my seniors at a cafe in Purana Paltan, Tipu bhai casually mentioned that he was going to Sunamganj to visit Tanguar Haor with a travel group. Since I had never been there, I asked him to include me in the team. Tipu bhai agreed.

Nestled amidst the lush, rolling hills of Northeast India lays the enigmatic Dzukou Valley, which has been on my bucket list since I came to know about it. We, Dr Mamun, my travel partner and I, had spent the last 3 days of our 5-day tour travelling to Nagaland and then exploring Kohima, the capital city of the Indian state, and the history-laden Khonoma village.

The mysteries of Nagaland -- the vibrant people, the folklore of the fierce Naga warriors, the mountains, the valleys, and the forests -- have attracted me for a long time.

Would you believe if I say a heritage and architectural wonder of Dhaka is being used as a fire service station and home to dozens of families?

One has to visit China to discover its incredible diversity and breathtaking beauty.

The eagle man was waving at us; he wanted to tell us something. Our Kyrgyz driver was eager to start the 200 kilometres return journey to Bishkek after a day-long trip. However, we stopped to listen to what he had to say, and what we got remained the highlight of the tour.

Nestled between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco unveils a treasure trove of vibrant colours, cultural heritage, and centuries-old traditions that captivate a traveller. From the mesmerising Sahara desert to picturesque beaches, majestic mountains, bustling souks, delectable cuisine, and enchanting riads, Morocco seamlessly blends the allure of bygone eras with the modern world.

It was a hilly meandering road skirting the India-Bangladesh border. By-passing a dense betel nut orchard, our car was heading towards Syndai, a village of Meghalaya.

For those of us wedded and welded to our routine-ruled existences, there is an almost jealous fascination about people like Vespanda Ilario Lavarra.

They say the beauty of the Galapagos can’t be explained. It can only be experienced.

When I visited Hanoi in 2019, I only had a chance to catch a whiff of Vietnam’s capital. I took a glance at all the splotches of yellow architecture in awe and had little to no idea how to navigate myself in a town that hardly communicated in English. But even then, Hanoi found a place of eternal fondness in my heart and gave me a gift of familiarity that I couldn’t make much sense of at the time.

In late October 2021, my quest for documenting tea-planters’ graves around the country brought me to Looba Cherra tea garden.

Why do you climb? Why do you risk everything over scaling a summit?