At one time, sitting on the couch and watching television was considered a luxury: we were so busy in our daily lives that being able to collapse on the sofa and stare at the screen . . or at the ceiling. Well, Covid-19 has flipped that scenario on its head, and most people are gagging…
Middle East
“Welcome to Jordan!” Visitors will hear this refrain more times than they can count—shouted from car windows, as a greeting from waiters, from every taxi driver, when getting their passports stamped at the airport, while walking down the street... Jordan has a reputation for being one of the friendliest countries in the Middle East,…
Egypt Is building a 394-foot (120 meters) Ferris Wheel on the Nile, and some people are not too happy about that. The Cairo Eye, Africa's tallest observation wheel will open in Egypt in 2022. The location of Cairo Eye is to overlook the Nile River in the heart of Cairo approximately to the key Egyptian…
Abydos one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, and also of the eighth nome in Upper Egypt. Considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt, the sacred city of Abydos was the site of many ancient temples, including Umm el-Qa'ab, a royal necropolis where early pharaohs were entombed. These tombs began to…
In an ongoing effort to better service American travelers, our partner Qatar Airways continues to rebuild and expand their network. With the addition of San Francisco in December of last year, and Seattle this January 29th, 2021, you can now connect from the USA to Doha and beyond, better than ever. The new services offer…
For time eternal, the world has always experienced disagreements and the resultant strife and sadness that often is the byproduct. So it's good to see when efforts are made to put the arguments aside and work together to make the world a better place. As we often proclaim here, travel is one way to rise…
What to do in a new world where travel is put on pause? For some, it meant perfecting the sourdough. Or perhaps tackling that 1000-piece puzzle you got years ago. But let’s be honest, it’s been the year of the screens. The year of the Netflix queue. The year of “let’s watch Harry Potter all…
You see it in films, and it is the stuff of legends - the sands of the Middle East. Camel rides are one-of-a-kind, but if you need something with a bit more adrenalin, how about this?
Abu Dhabi’s impressive desert dunes offer off-road driving enthusiasts a once-in-a-lifetime driving experience, but never go out into the desert…
Throwing yourself into a new culture can be one of the most daunting yet rewarding parts of travel. Here are some things to consider if you're about to check-in to a homestay and check out a place with a community-run operator. When traveling, it’s easy to just see the veneer of culture without really getting…
Erbil, also spelled Arbil, locally called Hewlêr by the Kurds, is the capital city of Iraqi Kurdistan and the most populated city in the Kurdish inhabited areas of Iraq. It is located approximately in the center of the Iraqi Kurdistan region and north of Iraq.
The Erbil Citadel, also known as Hawler Castle, is an artificial…
Are you looking for an idyllic beach on a faraway island? Shopping for rare treasures in an ancient city? A picnic in the Himalayas? A leisurely cruise on the Nile or a jungle adventure? If so, then Matouring is thrilled to announce our partnership with Oberoi Hotels, of India. Travel & Leisure Ranked Oberoi the…
Apocalyptic comfort from ancient Iran. At its height, around 620 CE, the Sasanian empire ruled over a territory stretching from Jerusalem in the west to Samarkand in the east. The royal court at the ancient city of Ctesiphon, near present-day Baghdad, was the political heart of this vast realm, and its official religion was the…
This Babylonian Map of the World is a clay tablet containing a labeled depiction of the known world, with a partially surviving description, dated to roughly the 6th century B.C.
The map is circular with two outer defined circles. The plan is centered on the Euphrates, flowing from the north to the south of the…
There’s nothing quite like stepping out onto the summit of Masada, the sun beating down on you and the Dead Sea stretching out before you.
This stunning ancient fortress is one of the most visited sites in Israel for a reason, and everyone should aim to visit at least once if planning a visit…
I stumbled upon Daphne on the rooftop of a dusky riad in Marrakech. This six-foot Canadienne with man-sized feet was the only other guest there, and she was naked. Or mostly naked, which is startling for me at the best of times, but particularly in Morocco – a conservative north-African Muslim country. “Oh, er, hello!”…
This long distance footpath is unique because it follows a World Heritage Site. Hadrian built the Wall to separate the Roman Empire from the barbarians. It is a complex structure with curtain wall, milecastles, turrets, ditches and forts. Walking the Path is logistically easier if the east-west route is followed. The Path that mainly follows…
When it comes to your time and money, signing up for an in-depth skills course shouldn’t preclude going on a dream trip. By traveling to one of the countries below, you can get world-class certification in anything from scuba diving to mountaineering. Plus, these classes offer the opportunity to connect with a destination on a…
Centrally located in the Iranian capital Tehran, the Vali-e-Asr Mosque’s most distinguishing aspect is the fact that it does not look like a mosque. Designed by Iranian architects Reza Daneshmir and Catherine Spiridonoff of Fluid Motion Architects, the building eschews the stereotypical typology of large domes and tall minarets in favour of a modest horizontality…
The ancient Egyptian burial site of Saqqara has been studied for more than a century, due to the importance of the location for political, religious and architectural history. One of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, it is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. But a new “born-digital” publication by UC Santa Cruz associate history…
Famous Saudi coffee roasters Elixir Bunn opened their new location in Riyadh, designed by Azaz Architects. After building a strong reputation for their coffee, it was time to build an atmosphere to complement their famous drinks. Coffee in Saudi Arabia is well-rooted into the local culture and could be traced back to times prior to the…