Useful things to know before you go.

First-Time Guide to Rwanda: What to Know Before You Go

Entry basics, getting around, and what to plan before you fly.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Rwanda?

How the seasons affect trekking, safaris and travel around the country.

Mountain gorilla sitting in dense green vegetation

Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda: What to Expect

What a trekking day actually looks like, and how to prepare.

48 Hours in Kigali

What to actually do with a short stay in Rwanda's capital.

Nyungwe Forest Guide

Chimpanzee tracking and the canopy walk — Rwanda's overlooked third park.

Dubai

First Time in Dubai: What to Plan Before You Fly

The basics worth sorting out before your first Dubai trip.

Istanbul

Istanbul for First-Time Visitors: What to Know

Getting oriented in a city that spans two continents.

Paris

Paris for First-Time Visitors: A Practical Guide

What to know before you go, beyond the postcard version.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar Travel Guide: What to Know Before You Go

Coast, culture and practicalities for a first Zanzibar trip.

Itineraries

Itinerary

7 Days in Rwanda

Kigali, gorilla trekking, and Lake Kivu, paced realistically.

Itinerary

5 Days in Zanzibar

Stone Town, then three unhurried days on the east coast.

Itinerary

4 Days in Dubai

City, Old Dubai, and one day in the desert.

Best For...

Couple embracing on a beach at sunset beside a longtail boat

Best For...

Best Destinations for a Honeymoon

Zanzibar, Paris and Italy — and what makes each one work.

Woman relaxing in a pool beneath palm trees

Best For...

Best Destinations for a Baecation

Dubai, Zanzibar and Istanbul, for shorter couple's escapes.

Travellers on a safari picnic while a guide points out elephants in the distance

Best For...

Best Destinations for a Group Trip

Dubai, Mexico and Istanbul — built for groups with different tastes.

Island Escapes

What Makes Zanzibar Work as an Island Escape

Not a comparison — just what actually makes it work, and who it suits.

Destination Comparisons

Dubai vs Zanzibar

A city trip with beach access, or a beach trip with very little city.

Paris vs Istanbul

Polished and walkable, or dense and lived-in.

Aerial view of a Tanzanian coastal city and harbour

Rwanda + Tanzania

Gorilla trekking plus the scale of the Serengeti — planning a combined trip.

Rwanda + Kenya

Gorilla trekking plus the classic Big Five safari — planning a combined trip.

HighEnds Picks

Editorial recommendations from the HighEnds travel desk — opinion, not objective ranking.

HighEnds Pick

Best First African Adventure

Rwanda, and why it's where we send most first-timers.

Travel Advice

Hand ticking a packing list beside an open suitcase with a sun hat

Travel Advice

What to Pack for an International Trip

A practical starting point before you close the suitcase.

Passports, boarding passes and a model aeroplane

Travel Advice

Travel Documents: What to Prepare Before You Go

Passports, visas, and what's worth starting early.

Travel Advice

How Far Ahead Should You Book Flights?

The general pattern, and when it's worth breaking it.