TOIP

The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is one of the iconic national park in Australian island of Tasmania. Covering an area of 1280 sq. km., the national park contains some of the spectacular scenery and it is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Area. The Park actually is two, Lake St. Clair on the south-east side is the main attraction and starting point for Tasmania's most famous walks including the famous The Overland Track. While Cradle Mountain on the northern end has some of the incredible scenery.

The jagged contours of Cradle Mountain epitomize the feel of a wild landscape, while ancient rain forest and alpine heath-lands, button-grass and stands of colorful deciduous beech provide a range of environments to explore. Icy streams cascading out of rugged mountains, stands of ancient pines mirrored in the still waters of glacial lakes and a wealth of wildlife ensure there is always something to captivate you. 

 Hiking is one of the major activity in the Park. Overland Track, a 80 km walk between Cradle Mountains and lake St Clair, is the most beautiful walking trail of the Park. There are guided tours for the walk, including stays at catered huts on the way and can be done in 6 days. If you are short of time, there are several small tracks.

Visit:

1. Avoid Winter months of June, July and August

2. During April, you can see the spectacular changing colors of the deciduous beech

1.Climb Mt Ossa, Tasmania’s highest mountain and visit the fairytale D'Alton, Fergusson and Hartnett waterfalls

2. Cruise along Lake St Clair, Tasmania’s deepest lake and a walk past highland lakes and rivers

3.  Explore magical myrtle forests and see a species of beech tree more than 60 million years old

4. Trek to the top of Cradle Mountain through button grass plains and herb meadows.  From the 1,545 meter summit, you can look out over Dove and Crater Lakes Crater Lake and see valleys, plateaus, heaths and forests stretching for around 80 kilometers

5. Watch out for Padmelons, Bennett's wallabies, wombats and possums

6. If you are interested in the natural history of the park, you can enjoy the displays and interpretation at the Visitor Center, which you will pass as you travel towards Dove Lake

Cradle Mountains (Northern End): Devonport, Deloraine or Launceston

Lake St. Clair (Southern End): Derwent Bridge on the Lyell Highways between Queenstown and Hobart.

Accommodation:  

Plenty of accommodations are available for the tourists of this park

1. Walkers are limited for environmental reasons so you’ll need to book with Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service in advance.

2. Feeding animals is strictly prohibited in the park and a large fine amount is imposed if caught feeding animals.

3. Climate in the region is unpredictable and wet weather is very common. Hence suitable gears is recommended.

Damascus, the capital city of Syria, is believed to be established between 10,000 to 8,000BC. Amidst all the controversial explanation for the etymological origin of "Damascus", the city has greater significance. Under the Romans, Damascus was a chief town and later a fortress of Bilad-Al-Sham and also a passage to Mecca. The old-walled city of Damascus still preserves its historical aspect and gives an ancient feel with its narrow puzzling alleys, verdant courtyards, bazaars, minarets, mosques, street-cart vendors and coffee houses. Damascus city is also an UNESCO world heritage site.

Currency: Syrian Pound or Lira [10 SYP = Rs. 9 at the time of post]

Language: Arabic

Time Difference: 2 1/2 behind IST

Best Time to Visit: March-May, Sep-Nov

Visa: Indian Nationals should obtain an visa before entering the country.

Flights: There no direct flights from India. Major transits are Dubai, Qatar, Turkey and Bahrain. Major middle-east airlines fly between the transits.

Trains: There are also trains between Turkey and Damascus. Seat61 can provide all the information.

Buses: Damascus can also reached in bus from Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon

Taxi is the major mode of transportation. 

Below the must-see sights in Damascus:

1. Azzam Palace 

2. Umayyad Mosque

3. National Muesum

4. Sayyida Ruqayya Mausoleum - Persian-Iraqi Architecture

5. Souq al-Bizuriyyah - Spice Bazaar

6. Khan As'ad Pasha, a cathedral from Khans

7. Chapels of Ananias

8. Souq al-Hamidiyya - a old narrow bazaar

9. Citadel

10. Mount Qasioun

1. Bath in a Hammam, Turkish bath.

2. Relax at a Hooka cafe

3. Taste the popular Shawarma

1. Please check travel advisory before planning the trip

1. Homs - an ancient city by the river Orontes

2. Bosra - a Roman city 

Rhine river is one of the longest river in Europe which originates from the Swiss alps and flows into Germany, France, Netherlands and Austria. The picturesque canals, pristine landscape, countless vineyards, famous monasteries, beautiful castles and calm villages along the banks of the river makes the Rhine River Cruise the most popular and romantic cruise in Europe. 

Typical Rhine river cruise departs from Basel, Switzerland and arrives at Amsterdam, Netherlands, cruising along France and Germany or vice verse. There are other sails which include other waterways and cruises through Austria and other neighboring countries. There are plenty of itineraries depending on number of days, routes and riverboats. Though most of the cruise stops at major ports and famous sites and provide tours, there are also cruises that include excursions to major tourist destinations along with hotel stays.

Spring and summer(March-October) is the best time to cruise Rhine. But during this time the packages are expensive and crowded. During winter, it is possible to get few discounts as the crowd descends. Euro River cruise and Viking River cruise offer some of great value cruises.

Plan and choose the right cruise to have a memorable and great cruise.