Slabs of ice rose like crooked steps that led to a snow-crusted palace. Its frozen walls towered over surrounding peaks, most of which were giants themselves standing nearly seven thousand metres high. Although there was no real palace on Khangchendzonga’s summit, its shape and grandness appeared to reign over the landscape. It is a sprawling mountain often hidden under clouds or seemingly lost in a fog. At 8,586 metres, Khangchendzonga—also spelled Kanchenjunga—ranks the third highest mountain in the world.

I wrote Searching for Unique to help fellow travellers cut through the myriad of travel guides, blogs and brochures and focus on the best destinations from around the world—those hidden gems that still elude most tourists.

Instead of trying to pick a country and then figure out what to do there, Searching for Unique covers multiple countries and groups each destination by theme. So, as a reader if you feel like an active holiday then you can look at the Wilderness Treks chapter or if you prefer the cultural experience of a local festival, then the Rare Festivals chapter may suit your interest.

Searching for Unique received a gold star for its eBook cover design in the Book Designer’s June 2019 Awards!

Nkwichi Lodge - Mozambique
​Wake up to breakfast served on your private beach, hike to a nearby community where you can chat with the village chief and, above all, experience Nkwichi Lodge’s masterful balance of creating a traveller’s retreat while sustainably developing local communities.

Website Link: Nkwichi Lodger

Saxual trees—the only variety able to grow in such a dry climate—struggle. Remnants of branches tangled low to the ground remained, contorted in their final search for a drop of water. Those plants able to endure sprouted tiny green leaves among the otherwise withered skeletons of trees bleached by the sun.