Archive for the ‘World Heritage Site of the Week’ Category

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Bolivian Visa Requirements to Visit The Ancient City of Tiwanaku

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

This week’s UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in Bolivia. Once upon a time (more precisely, from between 300 to 1000 AD), the city of Tiwanaku was the center of a great empire. According to Wikipedia, the people that lived there used an ingenious form of agriculture called “suka kollus,” growing crops in raised fields separated by flooded canals. The canals kept the crops irrigated during the hot days and protected them against freezing during the cold nights.

Supported by these agricultural techniques, the city grew to 6.5 square kilometers, and had between 15,000 – 30,000 inhabitants when it was at its largest point.

Tiwanaku also brought other cities under its leadership, sometimes through trade and treaties, sometimes by force. The city expanded its territory to include parts of modern-day Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Around 1000 AD, the empire fell, possibly because a drought led to decreased food production.  However, the city’s monumental architecture remained and has been excavated along with other artifacts.

UNESCO’s web site notes that the city’s ” monumental remains testify to the cultural and political significance of this civilisation, which is distinct from any of the other pre-Hispanic empires of the Americas.”

To see Tiwanaku, you need a US passport and a Bolivian visa. Tourists can apply for a Bolivian visa upon arrival at the airport, but of course you’ll get out of the airport faster and with less stress if you get one before you leave the States. Here is what is required to get a Bolivian tourist visa:

  • 1 completed Bolivian visa application form.
  • A valid US passport
  • 1 passport photo
  • Your hotel confirmation, if you are staying in a hotel.
  • A letter of invitation if you are staying with someone in a private home.
  • A copy of a roundtrip airline ticket.  However, if you are planning on touring South America by bus or by car instead of flying in, you can submit a statement saying when and where you plan to enter and exit the exit the country.
  • A recent bank or credit card statement showing that you have enough cash or credit to cover the cost of your trip.
  • An international yellow fever vaccination certificate.

RushMyTravelVisa.com can help you get your visa quickly and easily.

Apply for your Bolivian visa with us today!

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Get an Indian Visa to See Nanda Devi and the Valley of Flowers

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

This week’s UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Week is a set of two national parks in India, Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers. Nanda Devi is India’s second-highest mountain, rising 25,643 feet into the air. It is often referred to the patron goddess of the Uttarakhand Himalaya.

Nearby, the lush beauty of the Valley of Flowers offers a pleasing contrast to the jagged peaks of Nanda Devi. As you might expect from the name, Valley of Flowers is covered in so many flowers that locals legends say it is inhabited by fairies!

UNESCO named both parks World Heritage Sites in 2008, saying:

“Together they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya, praised by mountaineers and botanists for over a century and in Hindu mythology for much longer.”

To visit these parks, you will need an Indian tourist visa. You must apply in advance-visas are not available at the airport.  To get an Indian tourist visa, you need the following documents:

  • Your valid US passport
  • 2 recent passport-sized photos
  • A completed Indian visa application form. To ensure that your visa application is approved, make sure that you write neatly and that you do not make any mistakes on the application. Make sure that you enter in “tourism” in the section that asks you to state why you are traveling to India.
  • A photocopy of your plane tickets or your itinerary.
  • A clear photocopy of your driver’s license or utility bill.

India has what is known as a “jurisdictional” visa system. That means that you must submit your visa application to the correct embassy or consulate for your home state.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you apply for your Indian visa. We’ll assist you with the application, and then deliver it directly to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Indian visa today!

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Get a Belarus Visa To Get Lost in the Woods of Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

This week’s UNESCO  World Heritage Site of the Week is the Belovezhskaya Pushcha in Belarus.  This ancient forest is one of the largest, most pristine forests in Europe, consisting of 1,771 square kilometers in Belarus and Poland, where it is called the Białowieża Forest.

The forest is home to an amazing variety of creatures, including the wisent, or European bison.  The story of the recovery of the wisent is almost miraculous-the animal actually went extinct in the wild in 1927, when the last one was shot by poachers. However, a small herd was reintroduced in the 1950’s, and today there are around 300 in the park.

The park is also home to some magnificent oak trees, some over 500 years old.  The forest was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

To visit the Belovezhskaya Pushcha, you need a Belarus tourist visa. You should apply well in advance, as visas are not available on arrival.  Here are the documents you will need to apply:

  • 1 Belarus visa application form
  • 1 passport-sized photo of yourself
  • If you are  going on a tour, you need a letter from the tour company confirming your reservation with them and your  itinerary.
  • If you are traveling by yourself, you need a hotel reservation from an authorized Belarussian travel agency. The agency will give you an  authorization number to write on your Belarus visa application form.
  • If you are a former Soviet/Belarussian, you will also need to prove how you lost your Soviet/Belarussian citizenship. Generally, you can use the documents you used to get your US citizenship.
  • Your US passport

Also, bear in mind that you may need transit visas for countries that you travel through on the way to Belarus.  RushMyTravelVisa can review your itinerary and make sure you get all of the documents you need for your journey. We can also help cut through the confusion of the visa application process, providing you with clear instructions to make sure you get the fastest service available.

Apply for your visa today!

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UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Week: Get a Chinese Visa to See Giant Pandas

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

Who doesn’t love pandas? With their big, over-sized heads and gentle faces, they look like they are just waiting to be picked up and hugged (although they will bite if provoked- see this amusing story about a Chinese student who broke into a panda cage and tried to hug one, only to discover he’d bitten off more than he could chew.)

There are some pandas in zoos in America, but for the full panda experience, you really have to go to the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries.The panda sanctuaries protect the largest stretch of habitat remaining for the giant panda, and contain the largest panda captive breeding program.  The area is home to 30% of the world’s giant pandas and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2006.

In addition to housing giant pandas, the sanctuaries also protect other endangered and elusive creatures, including the red panda, the snow leopard and the clouded leopard. While the Woolong Nature Reserve used to be the top choice for viewing pandas because of the gorgeous views and natural scenery, it was heavily damaged in the China Earthquake, and is currently closed.

Until Woolong opens back up, the best place to see pandas is the Chengdu Panda Base, which has a healthy population of captive breeding pandas.

To visit China, you will need a Chinese tourist visa, also called an L visa. You need to apply before you leave, and you will need to submit the following documents:

  • An application for a Chinese tourist visa.
  • Your passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months and have at least one blank page.
  • You’ll also need a copy of the information page from your passport.
  • One passport.

If you plan to leave within the next 7 days, you should also submit a copy of your travel itinerary to get expedited service.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you speed through the China application process, providing friendly advice, personal attention, easy-to-follow instructions, and the fastest possible service.

Apply for your Chinese visa with us today!

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Get a Turkmenistan Visa to See Ancient Parthian Fortresses

Monday, February 8th, 2010

This week’s UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in the country of Turkmenistan. The Parthian Fortresses of Nisa are the remains of two fortresses that date back to the Parthian Empire, which ruled the area from the middle of the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD.

The Parthians competed with the Roman Empire, providing a barrier to expansion that they were never able to defeat. Nisa was their capital city. The two fortresses contained in the UNESCO World Heritage site date from different time periods, and are called Old Nisa and New Nisa.

The UNESCO World Heritage website says that Nisa was chosen to receive the World Heritage Site designation because “the archaeological remains vividly illustrate the significant interaction of cultural influences from central Asia and from the Mediterranean world.”

Visas are required to travel to Turkmenistan. Here’s what you need to get a Turkmenistan tourist visa:

  • Your US passport, which must be valid for at least 3 months past the date you plan to enter Turkmenistan.
  • 2 Turkmenistan visa application forms
  • 2 passport photos
  • If you are staying with a private citizen in Turkmenistan, you will need an invitation from that person . The  invitation must be certified  by the minister of foreign affairs. If you are staying in a hotel, you can  contact ministry of tourism to get an invitation instead.

You should also be aware that transit visas may be required if you pass through  certain countries on the way to Turkmenistan. RushMyTravelVisa can help you go over your itinerary to make sure you know exactly what documents you need to get to your destination.

We can also help you apply for your  visas, providing clear, easy to understand instructions and walking you through the application process, then forwarding your application to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your travel visas with us today!

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Cameroon Visa Requirements For Dja Faunal Reserve

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

This week’s featured UNESCO  World Heritage site is the Dja Faunal Reserve in Cameroon. The Reserve was first listed as a World Heritage site in 1987  for it’s rich biodiversity.  The UNESCO site calls it “one of the largest and best-protected rainforests in Africa, with 90% of its area left undisturbed.”

Inside the reserve, you can find various types of primates, including monkeys, lowland gorillas and chimpanzees. Elephants, leopards and wild hogs roam the forest, while two threatened species of crocodile swim in the Dja River, which provides a natural border for the southern edge of the park .

The Dja Faunal Reserve is not just home to animals, however. People live there, too.  In the forest, a small group of Pygmies lives a (mostly) traditional lifestyle.

To visit the Djal Faunal Reserse, you will need a passport and a Cameroon visa.   Visas are not issued on arrival,  so you will need to apply in advance. Here’s what you need to submit:

  • 2 Cameroon visa application forms
  • 2 passport photos
  • An international certificate of vaccination for  yellow fever
  • A copy of your itinerary or round trip tickets.
  • A copy of a recent bank statement showing that you have sufficient funds to support yourself. If you don’t want to submit a bank statement, you can provide the name of  s0meone, either at home or in Cameroon, who is willing to vouch for you and provide financial support if needed.

When you travel off the beaten path, its important to  have all of your paperwork in order. RushMyTravelVisa.com can help. We can research your itinerary to make sure you don’t get surprised by visa requirements. Then, we’ll help you fill out the paperwork and deliver your application to the appropriate visa or consulate for fast processing.

Apply for your Cameroon visa today!

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Azerbaijan Visa Requirements to See the Walled City of Baku (UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Week)

Saturday, January 16th, 2010

This week’s World Heritage Site of the Week is an ancient walled city in the country of Azerbaijan.  The Walled City of Baku has been inhabited since the Paleolithic period. Over the centuries, the  city has been  Zoroastrian, Sasanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian.

The buildings in the Old City are believed to date back to the 12th century AD, and include minarets, bathhouses, a palace and a tower. One of the main features is the Palace of the Shirvanshahs,  an intricate stone palace build in the 15th  century.  Another landmark is the Maiden Tower, a round stone tower that dates back to the 12 century, possibly earlier. Once a watchtower, it has been turned into a museum.

The site was made into a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The UNESCO website says it made the list because it “represents an outstanding and rare example of an historic urban ensemble and architecture with influence from Zoroastrian, Sassanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian cultures.”

US citizens traveling to Azerbaijan need both a US passport and an Azerbaijan visa. Here’s what you need to get an Azerbaijan tourist visa:

  • 1 completed  visa application form
  • 2 passport photos
  • A tourist voucher from a  hotel in Azerbaijan with a confirmation number.

A visa expediting company like RushMyTravelVisa.com can help you with your Azerbaijan visa application and can forward it to the appropriate embassy or consulate. We can also research your itinerary to determine what types of visas you will need for your trip, and can help you apply for any other visas, including travel visas, that might be required.

Apply for your Azerbaijan visa with us today!

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Mauritanian Tourist Visa Requirements for Banc d’Arguin National Park

Sunday, January 10th, 2010

This week’s UNESCO World Heritage Site of the week is located in the African desert, in the country of Mauritania. Banc d’Arguin National Park lies along the west coast of  the country. The area is remote, and travelers should read the State Department’s Country-Specific Information page on Mauritania to make sure that they are taking the proper precautions.

However, the park is a paradise for birdwatchers. Located where the desert meets the ocean, Banc d’Arguin National Park shelters a wide variety of birds through the winter, and serves as breeding grounds and nursery for 25,000 and 40,000 pairs of birds representing 15 different species.

Birds that either winter in or nest in the park include flamingos, several species of terns, white pelicans,  plovers, herons and spoonbills.  Sea turtles also nest on the beaches, while dolphins swim in the waters off the coast.

To visit Banc d’Arguin National Park, you will need a Mauritanian visa. Here’s what you’ll need to apply for a tourist visa:

  • 2 completed Mauritanian visa application forms
  • 2 passport photos,
  • An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever
  • Round trip plane tickets or a copy of your itinerary
  • A copy of a recent bank statement or a reference letter from your bank

The US Department of State notes that  your visit may also require a sponsor or an invitation and states that ” Americans who apply for Mauritanian visas are experiencing significant delays, often waiting several months if their applications are approved at all.”

So, it’s important to apply early, and to make sure all of your paperwork is correct. RushMyTravelVisa can help research the visa requirements for your trip, assist you with the paperwork, and forward your application to the appropriate embassy for the fastest possible processing.

Let us help you apply for your Mauritanian visa today!

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World Heritage Site of the Week: Get an El Salvador Visa To See Joya del Cerén

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

This week’s featured UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in El Salvador, in the shadow of volcanoes.  Thousands of years ago, Joya del Cerén was a small Mayan farming community that was ruled by the larger nearby city of San Andrés.

The volcanoes periodically caused problems for Joya del Cerén-the entire area was abandoned once in 250 AD when the nearby Ilopango volcano erupted. Eventually, though, people moved back, built houses and began to farm again.

Then, around 590 AD, the Loma Caldera volcano erupted and covered the town in ashes. Joya del Cerén is often called the “Pompeii of the Americas” because of the similarity between the fates of the two towns.

If you visit Joya del Ceren, you won’t see any of the haunting plaster images of dead victims of the volcano, as you would at Pompeii. The people of Joya del Ceren were more fortunate, and they managed to escape. They didn’t have any time to pack up their possessions, though-in many cases, there is evidence that they left food half-eaten on their plates in their rush to get away from the ash.

Because they had to depart so quickly and because the town was buried so deep, Joya del Ceren is an amazingly well-preserved archaelogical site that has given researchers a wealth information about what day-to-day life was like for Mayan farmers in El Salvador.

To visit Joya del Ceren, you will need a passport and an El Salvador visa. American citizens staying in El Salvador for less than 30 days have two options when it comes to applying for an El Salvador visa- apply for one in advance, before leaving the US, or get a tourist card at the border. If you are staying longer than 30 days, you cannot get a tourist card 0n arrival and you must request your visa in advance. Here are the documents you will need to apply:

  • Your  application form
  • 2 passport-sized photos
  • Your itinerary or round-trip plane tickets.

For stays of more than 30 days, you may be required to supply the following:

  • Evidence that you have a job at home
  • Evidence that you are financially stable enough to take care of yourself while you are in El Salvador.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you apply for your El Salvador visa as well as for any other countries you may visit on your journey. Contact us today!

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World Heritage Site of the Week: Get a Tanzanian Visa to Visit the Stone Town of Zanzibar

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

This week’s featured UNESCO World Heritage site lies on an island off the coast of Tanzania. The Stone Town of Zanzibar is the old heart of Zanzibar, built when it was an ancient trading town.

Zanzibar is located on the island of Unguja. According to Wikipedia, people have been living here for almost three centuries, but the stone buildings that make the old town so distinctive today date back to the 1830s.

The old town consists of large stone houses, mosques and bazaars, all connected by a maze of narrow alleys. Walking is essential here, as most of the alleyways are too skinny to take a car down. One of the most interesting architectural features of the city is the elaborate doors on many of the houses.  The wealthy Arab traders and businessmen who originally owned the houses competed to see whose house had the grandest, most elaborately decorated door.

Before Africa was colonized by Europeans, the city was one of the trading centers between Africa and Asia. UNESCO calls it “outstanding material manifestation of cultural fusion and harmonization.”

To visit Zanzibar’s Old Stone Town, you will need a Tanzanian visa. To apply for the visa, you’ll need the following documents:

  • 1 copy of your Tanzanian visa application form
  • 2 passport-sized photos
  • A copy of a  recent statement from your bank.
  • An international yellow fever vaccination certificate.
  • A travel itinerary OR a bank statement showing a minimum balance of $2,000.
  • If you’ll be visiting Zanzibar as part of an organized tour, you need proof that you have paid the tour operator in full.

If you’re planning a trip to Africa, RushMyTravelVisa can help you research your visa requirements to make sure that you have all of the travel documents you need for your trip. As part of our services, we also provide clear, easy to understand instructions to walk you through the application process, step by step. Finally, we submit your application to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest processing available.

Apply for your Tanzanian visa today!

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