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Get a Tanzanian Visa to Watch Wildlife in Luxury

Sunday, July 3rd, 2011

If you’ve always wanted to go on safari but were a little bit put off by the idea of “roughing it” in the wilds of Africa, you’ll be pleased to note that a new, luxury camp has opened in the Serengeti. (via Gadling.) Lamai Serengeti Camp, run by Nomad Tanzania, is situated in an isolated part of the park, close to the Mara River. It’s the perfect place to view the creatures of the African savanna without having to give up your own creature comforts.

The camp’s location also gives you front-row seats to the Great Migration- specifically, that “Trials of Life” moment when the wildebeest cross the river.

The camp is subdivided into two smaller camps, each with its own facilities, including a bar, a swimming hole, a dining hall and a library. The tents have indoor plumbing and flushable toilets.

Plus, if the camp’s blog is to be believed, the camp itself is beautiful. The tents, built on wooden platforms, are light and airy. The bathrooms are huge. And the whole camp, when viewed from a distance, seems to disappear into the surrounding landscape.

Of course, all this luxury comes at a price: $4,200 per week or more, to be exact. That includes drinks, food, laundry and activities, but of course it doesn’t include getting there. You’re on your own for that.

One additional item you’ll need to procure is a Tanzanian visa. US citizens can apply for one for upon arrival at the airport. However, if you get yours before you leave the US you’ll be able to leave the airport much more quickly. Whatever you decide, you’ll need the following documents to apply for the visa:

  • 1 Tanzanian visa application form
  • 2 recent passport photos
  • A copy of a recent bank statement
  • An international certificate of vaccination for yellow fever
  • A travel itinerary. If you’re making it up as you go along, you can instead provide a bank statement showing a minimum balance of $2,000.
  • If you’re going on an organized tour, you will need a letter from the tour operator showing you are paid in full.
  • Your passport. Check the expiration date, as it must be more than 6 months in the future. If it expires before then, no visa for you!

RushMyTravelVisa makes negotiating the Tanzanian visa application process easy and quick. We assist you with the paperwork to help you avoid common errors that could delay your application. Then, we expedite your application for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Tanzanian visa today!

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Laos Visa Requirements to Visit Kong Lo Cave

Monday, June 13th, 2011

f you’re looking to get off the beaten path in Laos, Matador Travel has an excellent recommendation: a visit to Kong Lo Cave in Phu Hin Bun National Park.

About 7 hours away from Vientiane if you’re lucky, Kong Lo Cave was carved from the surrounding rock by an underground river. For a fee, you can tour the cave by boat, descending into the bowels of the earth and coming out the other side about 7 kilometers later. This video shows the end of one such boat ride.

Matador describes the ride into the cave as “like entering a mouth — stalactites like teeth, and the feeling that you’re going inside, riding inside, the body of the earth, organs frozen rock-hard. My torch casts a feeble glow into the black; mist rises from the water like ghosts.”

On the other side, if you’re so inclined, you can get off the boat and stay in the remote village of Ban Natane. There are no hotels or guesthouses here- instead, you’ll stay with local families in their homes. It’s a great way to experience traditional Lao culture.

Before you get to the cave, though, you’ll have to get into Laos. That means getting a Laos visa. If you plan to stay in the country for less than 30 days, you can get a visa on arrival at certain airports and land crossings. If you’ll be entering the country by plane, it’s best to check ahead of time with your airline to see if you can get a visa when you land. You can also apply before you leave the US.

Here’s what you need to get a Laos visa if you’re visiting as a tourist:

  • 2 application forms for a Laos tourist visa
  • 3 passport-sized photos
  • A copy of your itinerary

RushMyTravelVisa makes it easy to apply for a visa to Laos and to any other countries on your itinerary. We’ll research your travel plans, tell you exactly what you need, and help you with the required paperwork. Then, we’ll deliver your Laos visa application to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Laos visa today!

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Get a Russian Visa to Explore the Land of the Cossacks

Saturday, May 21st, 2011

Highly skilled cavalrymen with a strong independent streak, Russia’s Cossacks are an interesting people with a rich history. Initially swearing allegiance to no one, they nonetheless had a profound impact on Russian, Polish and Ukrainian history.

For centuries, the Cossacks formed a military society and organized themselves into nations called “Hosts.” Raiders and pirates, their pursuit of plunder either caused or contributed to several military conflicts between Poland, Russia and the Ottoman Empire. Yet, their independence and adherence to the “Cossack traditions” (kind of like the Pirates’ Code for Cossacks) has made them the stuff of legend.

Get a Russian visa, and you can tour part of the historic homeland of the Black Sea Cossack Host in South Russia. There are two main sites to explore: Taman and surrounding areas, and Krasnodar. Bootsnall notes that the latter is an especially good place to get a feel for Cossack history:

“The current government aims to resurrect the Cossack traditions and thus Cossack monuments, memorabilia and customs are in abundance. In fact, most of the monuments in the city are dedicated either to Catherine the Great or the Cossacks. Do pay a visit to the State Archeological Museum to see the exhibition on the Cossack way of living and see some of their relics. Every Sunday at noon there is a fascinating change of guard in the center of the city.”

To get there, you’ll need to get a Russian visa first. Unfortunately, Russia’s complex visa system means that you might need the fortitude of a Cossack to do so. Here’s a brief rundown of what you’ll need:

  • Your passport.
  • A completed Russian visa application form
  • 1 passport photo
  • A copy of your airline tickets or a copy of your itinerary showing your flight number and the dates that you’ll be in Russia.
  • A tourist invitation from a Russian travel agency or hotel that can serve as your visa sponsor. The hotel or travel agency must be registered with the Russian government.
  • A hotel voucher from your hotel.

RushMyTravelVisa can greatly simplify the process of getting a Russian visa. We’ll research your itinerary, help you complete the paperwork and gather the required documents, then submit them to the Russian Embassy for the fastest possible processing.

Let us help you get a Russian visa today!

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Places to Go With Your Tanzanian Visa: Tarangire National Park

Saturday, April 30th, 2011

The Serengeti gets all the glory, but if you’re visiting Tanzania, make sure you carve some time out for Tarangire National Park as well. Frommer’s, who recently named Tarangire one of the best parks in Tanzania, says that “While the focus for most travelers to Tanzania is nearby Serengeti, many come away claiming lesser-known Tarangire as the real highlight of their trip.”

What makes Tarangire so special? At only 2,850 square kilometers, it may not be the largest park in Africa, but it has one of the densest wildlife populations – proof that sometimes good things do come in small packages. Here, you’ll see elephants, zebra, wildebeest and scores of antelope, including the fabled oryx, often thought to have inspired the legend of the unicorn.

Look up in the ancient baobab trees, and you might be surprised to see climbing pythons or even regal lions draping themselves across the branches. The Tarangire River, which runs through the park, is one of the regions most important and reliable sources of water during the dry season, so there’s little chance that you’ll leave disappointed.

To see Tarangire National Park, you’ll need a Tanzanian visa. US citizens are eligible to apply for their visas when they arrive at the airport, but if you apply in advance you’ll be able to escape from the airport much more quickly. Whatever you decide, you’ll need the following documents to apply for the visa:

  • 1 Tanzanian visa application form
  • 2 recent passport photos
  • A copy of a recent bank statement
  • An international certificate of vaccination for yellow fever
  • A travel itinerary. If you’re making it up as you go along, you can instead provide a bank statement showing a minimum balance of $2,000.
  • If you’re going on an organized tour, you will need a letter from the tour operator showing you are paid in full.
  • Your US passport, which must be valid for at least 6 more months after you plan to travel.

RushMyTravelVisa makes negotiating the Tanzanian visa application process easy and quick. We assist you with the paperwork to help you avoid common errors that could delay your application. Then, we expedite your application for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Tanzanian visa today!


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Get a Kenyan Visa for a Safari in Masai Mara

Friday, April 22nd, 2011

If you’re in Kenya looking for wildlife, you have a lot of national parks and reserves to choose from.  However, Masai Mara National Park is quite possibly the best place to go. The reserve is huge in and of itself, with 938 square miles of protected area. It’s also contiguous with the Serengeti Reserve in Tanzania, giving the animals even more space and allowing for a diverse population of wildlife.

The “Big Five “– lions, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos and elephants — get top billing, but you can also see a staggering number of smaller but equally interesting creatures, including wildebeest, baboons, giraffe, zebra, hyena and many different types of antelopes.  Plus, there are multitudes of birds including ostriches, cranes and hornbills.

The park is well-developed for tourism, with options ranging from lodges to tent camping. Camping, naturally, is the most economical way to go. Another way to cut costs is to avoid the park during the Great Migration, which happens from July to September. You’ll still see plenty of wildlife, though the chances of rain are higher in the off-season.

To get to Masai Mara National Park, you will need a Kenyan visa. You can get a visa at the airport, but expect delays if you do. You’ll get through immigration more quickly if you get a visa in advance, before you leave the US. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 Kenyan visa application form
  • 1 passport photo
  • A copy of your travel itinerary

When you apply in advance for a Kenyan visa, the information on the form is required to be typed. You’ll need to go to Kenyan Embassy’s website online, fill out the form, then print it.

RushMyTravelVisa makes it easy to get the visas you need for your trip. We’ll go over your itinerary and research it, making sure you have all the documents you need before you leave. Then, we’ll walk you through the application process and expedite your paperwork to get it processed as quickly as possible.

Ready to go on safari? Apply for your Kenyan visa today!

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Qatar Visa Requirements to See the Rock Carvings of Al Jassasiya

Sunday, April 17th, 2011

Qatar is one of the safest Middle Eastern countries to visit, especially at the moment. While it’s not as famous of a destination as, say, Jordan, there are still plenty of interesting things to see and do. For example, if you travel into the desert northeast of the capital city of Doha, you’ll find some gorgeous and astonishingly well-preserved petroglyphs. The rock carvings of Al Jassasiya are a true mystery. Very little is known about the people who carved them or what the carvings themselves mean. Nonetheless, they are a spectacular sight. Here’s how Kirstin Amro described them for Vagabondish:

“After initially finding the rock carvings, it was thereafter impossible to miss them. Dozens of dhows (ancient Qatari boats) sailed across the limestone rock in their numbers, their thin oars stretching like elegant fingers in neat rows. Between the dhows sprang tidy carvings of daisies. Scattered amongst the rest of the carvings were orderly rows of cups, roughly seven to nine in number, etched deep into the rock.”

To enter Qatar, an American citizen needs a passport and a visa. Qatar visas are available on arrival, but you can also apply for one in advance before you leave the US, which will reduce the amount of time you have to spend at the airport doing paperwork. See Getting a Qatar Tourist Visa for details.

If you decide to get your visa in advance, RushMyTravelVisa can help. We’ll walk you through the paperwork and give you a handy checklist to make sure you have everything you need for your Qatar visa to be approved. Plus, we’ll review your itinerary to make sure you know exactly what documents are required for each stage of journey, including any required transit visas.

Apply for your Qatar visa today!

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Things You Can Do With A Nepal Visa: Hike Everest in Solitude

Saturday, April 16th, 2011

Nepal is a backpacker’s paradise, but while it’s known for its absolutely stunning scenery, it’s not known for providing solitude. Most backpackers look at the heavily-trafficked main trails as an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. But some of us are a little more misanthropic. We prefer to walk alone.

Now, my fellow misanthropes can have their cake and eat it, too, so to speak: A relatively new loop trail, the Three Passes Trek, takes you around the Himalayas and through Everest Base Camp, while avoiding the crowds for most of the route. New York Times travel writer Alex Hutchinson recently hiked the route with his wife, and from his description it sounds just as spectacular as any trail in Nepal. Check it out:

“Behind us, looming above a turquoise glacial lake, was Mount Everest. In front of us, an immense stone staircase led down into a valley dotted with roofless stone shelters and the occasional yak — a ribbon of green hemmed in by the soaring gray and white of Himalayan rock and ice.”

Of course, there are downsides to scenery this striking: Mr. Hutchinson and his wife ended up taking a wrong turn and getting temporarily turned around. Make sure you have a map and a compass and that you know how to use them.

You’ll also need a Nepal visa, which you can either obtain at the airport when you enter Nepal or before you leave the United States. For details, see Nepal Visa Requirements for Tourists.

Also, to backpack in Nepal you need a trekking permit, which you can get from the Department of Immigration.

If you want to get your visa ahead of time, RushMyTravelVisa can help.  Your visa specialist will analyze and research your itinerary to make sure you have the appropriate visas in hand, including any transit visas that may be required. Then, we’ll walk you through the paperwork and expedite your application with the Nepal embassy for the fastest processing possible.

Apply for your Nepal visa today!

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Get a Brazil Visa to See the Church of our Lord of Bonfim

Friday, April 15th, 2011

Salvador de Bahia is the largest city on the northeastern coast of Brazil.  It is known as the “City of All Saints” and “Brazil’s capital of happiness.” It’s also home to the celebrated and unusual Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim (that’s “Church of our Lord of the Good End” in Portuguese.) The church is believed to be especially sacred, and every year thousands of pilgrims come here to pray.

The Church is the site of an important annual festival that incorporates both Catholic and Candomble traditions. The Festa do Bonfim happens every year in early January.  People from all over Brazil gather at the Church of Conceição da Praia, then walk in a procession to the Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim. Once there, a group of women in traditional white dresses and bonnets wash the steps of the church with fragrant, perfumed water. Although the church is Catholic, the white clothing is to honor the Candomble God Oxala, whom worshippers identify with Jesus.

The procession and ceremony is followed by ten days of feasting and celebration, culminating in a special Mass. It’s quite a spectacle, and definitely worth seeing if you aren’t particularly religious.

The church’s most unusual feature, though, is the Sala dos Milagres, or the “Room of Miracles.” Imagine a room with white wax body parts hanging from the ceiling: everything from hands and feet to internal organs, cast in ghostly white wax. It might sound like a scene from a horror movie or the perfect setting for a metal video, but as the name implies, it’s actually a place where people pray to be healed. The wax body parts represent the part of the person that requires healing. (h/t Bootsnall)

Before you can visit the church, you’ll need to get to Brazil, and that means getting a Brazil visa. The process can be somewhat complicated – see Brazilian Visa Requirements for Tourists for details.

However, RushMyTravelVisa can help. We’ll walk you through the visa application process, make sure you have all the documents you need, and submit your Brazil visa application to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Brazil visa today!

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Sail Away to Bocas del Toro with a Panama Visa

Saturday, April 9th, 2011

A 30-minute ferry ride away from the Panamanian mainland, the Bocas del Tora archipelago is laid back and beautiful, a perfect place to catch your breath and chill out. Bocas Town on Isla Colon is the largest community on the island chain, and while it still has a small-town feel, the growth of tourism in the region means that there are lots of places to stay, nightlife and fine dining options available.

The surrounding islands offer surfing, snorkeling and other outdoor activities. Track jaguars in the ancient rainforests of the Parque Internacional la Amistad, lounge on isolated tropical beaches or catch a wave on your surfboard – it’s up to you.

Unfortunately, this archipelago’s isolation and tranquility may soon be lost to development. Lonely Planet says: “It’s difficult to predict the future of the province, but one thing is certain – see Bocas now; its unspoiled beauty won’t last much longer.”

Depending on your travel plans, you may or may not need a Panama visa to do that. Most US citizens flying into Panama won’t need a visa. Tourist cards can be purchased at the airport upon arrival, and the cost may even be included in your ticket.

However, if you’re arriving by land, you’ll definitely need to apply for a Panama visa before you leave the states. Also, if your travel plans call for you to enter and exit the country more than once, you can apply ahead of time for a multiple-entry visa.

Here’s what you need to get a Panama visa if you’re traveling as a tourist:

  • Your passport, which must be valid for at least three months after the date you enter Panama
  • 1 completed visa application
  • 1 passport photo
  • A copy of your itinerary.
  • A copy of your plane tickets (if you’re flying in)
  • A letter if invitation or a copy of your hotel reservation.
  • A copy of your bank statement.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you get a visa for Panama, as well as any other countries on your itinerary. We’ll research the requirements for the countries you plan to visit, ensuring that you have all the paperwork you need to travel and no unpleasant last-minute surprises. Then, we’ll help you with the application process and expedite your paperwork with the Panama embassy for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Panama visa today!

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    Ghana Visa Requirements to Visit Mole National Park

    Wednesday, April 6th, 2011

    When most people think of visiting Africa, they think of going on a safari. The wildlife is definitely not the only reason to visit Ghana, but it’s not something you should miss while you’re there, either. After all, when are you going to get another chance to see elephants, hippos and baboons in person, outside of a zoo?

    With 93 species of animals, the best place to see wildlife in Ghana is Mole National Park . You’ll be able to check out elephants, hippos, warthogs, water buffalo and more, all in their natural habitat. Some of the elephants will even play games with you. According to TouringGhana.com, Onipa Nua is a bit of a ham: a wild elephant who poses for photos with tourists. Meanwhile, Action, another elephant, likes to play practical jokes on human visitors: charging cars and acting upset just to see them jump!

    To visit Mole National Park, you’ll need a passport and a visa. You must apply for your Ghana visa in advance, and allow enough time to receive it before you leave the country. Here’s what you’ll need:

    • 4 copies of the Ghana visa application form. To avoid getting writer’s cramp, you can photocopy the application, BUT each form must have your original signature on it. Be sure to sign each copy individually.
    • A copy of your international yellow fever vaccine certificate. Keep the original-you will need to carry it with you to enter Ghana.
    • A copy of your round-trip plane tickets or your travel itinerary.
    • Your US passport, which must be valid for at least 6 more months and have a blank page in the back where the visa can be attached.

    Single-Entry visas cost $50 and are valid for 3 months from the date they are issued, while multiple-entry visas cost $80.00. If you require expedited service, the Ghana Embassy charges an additional fee of $30.00.

    With RushMyTravelVisa, getting a Ghana visa is quick and easy. We’ll help you with the paperwork and expedite your visa with the Ghana embassy for the fastest possible processing.

    Apply for your Ghana visa today!

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