The Llama Travel Blog

The term ‘Big Five’ refers to the following African animals - the lion, the leopard, the African elephant, the rhinoceros and the Cape buffalo. The term was originally coined by game hunters who considered these animals as the most difficult and dangerous to hunt on foot. Thankfully, today the term is used in a more endearing manner by tourists wanting to tick off the iconic Big Five animals off their safari checklist.

Although the Big Five is often used as a way to shortlist areas which are wildlife rich, it is very much the case that other reserves or national parks can be just as rich, but may not contain all five of the Big Five species. Given that many of Africa’s iconic species, such as cheetahs, giraffes, zebras and hippos, are not part of the Big Five, many reserves which don’t contain all of the Big Five can often offer wildlife viewing which is at least as good.

There are only a few places in Africa where there is a chance of spotting all of the Big Five on one trip. Keep reading to find out where.

Following Iceland’s ring road is one of the world’s greatest road journeys, with stunning landscapes on the 1,000 mile loop. Each section of the journey is different, with incredible waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers, forests, barren deserts, mountains, geysers and fjords all visible from the vehicle. Iceland is very sparsely populated, but you will pass small fishing communities and vast farms full of beautiful Icelandic horses and sheep. In this sense, the only way to get the full picture of Iceland is to do the full circle.

Here’s what Luca, Llama Travel director, saw during his time in Iceland - all the photos in this blog are his own. 

In October 2021 I travelled to three of Europe’s hidden gems on the shores of the Baltic Sea. Lesser travelled than other corners of Europe are the three Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Our Best of the Baltics holiday takes you from south to north, starting in Vilnius, going on to Riga and ending in Tallinn. As with any country, there is more to the Baltic trio than their famous capitals. To list a few of the region’s attractions, there are fairy-tale castles and palaces, endless coastline and vast areas of pristine forest waiting to be explored.

Back in October this year, I was lucky enough to visit the truly stunning country of Slovenia. My last flight out of the UK was way back in January 2020 so needless to say, I was eager to have the opportunity to explore a country that has always been on my bucket list.

I visited Bucharest on a short city break back in February 2020 and it left me wanting to explore more of Romania. Fast forward to September 2021 and I was lucky enough to revisit Romania on a week-long tour.

In September 2021, after over a year of being unable to leave the UK, I was lucky enough to visit the enigmatic Balkan country of Albania, a country whose recent past and closed border until 1991 has meant the nation is shrouded in mystery.

The next European destination to be pinned to the growing Llama Travel map is Slovenia. From the soaring peaks of the Julian Alps to the short but sweet Adriatic coast; the cobbled old town streets of Ljubljana to the sparkling turquoise lakes of Bled and Bohinj, the bite-sized country of Slovenia packs a huge punch. It is the green heart of Europe, with more than half of its total area covered in forest.

Here’s what Otto, a member of the Llama Travel sales team, saw during his time in Slovenia - all the photos in this blog are his own. 

Lesser travelled than other corners of Europe are the three Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. All three countries are compact and share a similar history, but within them are three completely distinct cultures, different traditions and languages. For all their differences, they all offer the perfect mix of UNESCO-listed Old Towns, medieval castles and picturesque natural landscapes.

Here’s what Gary, Llama Travel Sales Manager, saw during his time in the Baltics - all the photos in this blog are his own. 

We’ve spent the past year preparing a range of holidays in Europe and nearby to some fabulous destinations that perhaps many people are less familiar with. We've worked hard to put the Llama Travel touch on these, and we know that we can add greatly to your experience, with excellent guides and carefully prepared itineraries.

Lesser known than its Balkan neighbours, Albania is gifted with beautiful mountain scenery, pristine coastline and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We will be launching our Albania holidays in the next few weeks, but we want to give you a sneak peak now.

Here’s what Graham, from the Llama Travel sales team, saw during his time in Albania - all the photos in this blog are his own. 

Over the past year, we've been busy preparing fascinating new destinations to pin on the ever-growing Llama Travel map. We are excited to announce a whole new continent: Europe. We've worked hard to put the Llama Travel touch on these, with the same combination of high quality, excellent value and small group tours that we offer in Latin America and Africa. Our Europe holidays will offer the same mix of fascinating history, rich culture, beautiful scenery and great food.

Look towards the East for one of our first European destinations: Romania. We will be launching our Romania holidays in the next few weeks, but we want to give you a sneak peek now.

Here’s what Paige, a member of the Llama Travel sales team, saw during her time in Romania - all the photos in this blog are her own.