Day three of the Kumano Kodo trail - from Chikatsuyo to Hongu Grand Shrine - was by far the hardest day of all in terms of distance. For this section of the trail, there are three options: Easy, moderate at 6-7 hours, and strenuous at 8.5 hours (24 km/14.9 miles). Of course, we all chose the hardest option! It was a long day, but worth it.| Thirdeyemom
Day two hiking the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Trail Takahara to Chikatsuyu takes about four hours and passes through beautiful forests and shrines.| Thirdeyemom
The Kumano Kodo in Japan's spiritual heartland, the Kii Peninsula, a remote area renowned for its nature, spirituality, and endless mountains, rivers, forests and waterfalls. The popular Nakahechi Imperial Route takes five days and begins in Takijiri. Here is a summary of the first day hike from Takijiri to Takahara.| Thirdeyemom
Kyoto is divided into 11 wards (ku), but when people talk about the “main districts” for visitors, they usually mean six key districts that group attractions, neighborhoods, and cultural experiences. With three days, we visited the first three districts below (one per day), and did the hike to Southern Kyoto to explore the Fushimi Inari Taisha. While we did not have enough time to see all the districts, we felt we got a great overview of this amazing city and all it has to offer in thre...| Thirdeyemom
Journey into the heart of Panama's Naso Comarca, where bamboo rafts replace roads and ancient traditions thrive. Discover how this resilient Indigenous tribe is embracing sustainable tourism to preserve their culture and homeland.| Thirdeyemom
A visit to the Naso Indigenous Community in the Bocas del Toro Province of Northwestern Panama is a magical experience and a way to support community tourism in Panama.| Thirdeyemom
The Chiriqui National Marine Park covers 14,740 hectares of islands and sea off Panama’s western Pacific coast and is home to over 20 stunning islands many uninhabited. The best way to reach the park is from Boca Chica which is roughly a 50 minutes drive from David, the capital of Chiriqui Province. A visit to the Chiriqui National Marine Park is a must-do for those seeking beauty, wildlife and adventure, and I was grateful to visit this extraordinary place last October during my two-week t...| Thirdeyemom
Our last Dolomites hike in Alleghe, Italy was the awe-inspiring hike from the western side of Lago di Alleghe to the Rifugio Sasso Bianco. This hike was on the other side of Alleghe and afforded spellbinding views of the town, its namesake lake, and the flank of Mount Civetta. The hike is a rare find, as it is not crowded and is a local treasure. It takes roughly 5 hours roundtrip with of course a stop for a delicious homemade lunch at the Rifugio Sasso Bianco.| Thirdeyemom
The magical spiraling towers of the Italian Dolomites afford some of the most spectacular scenery for hiking in the world. This summer, my family set off on a seven-day hiking trip through the Dolomites basing ourselves in three different places: Alleghe, Salva di Val Gardena and Cortina. We opted to do long day hikes as opposed to staying up in the rifugios (high mountain huts) so we could enjoy hot showers, delightful dinners and the coziness of our own space where we could spend time toget...| Thirdeyemom
