One of the things we love best about traveling to new countries is experiencing the local modes of transportation, check out these hot wheels!

Tuk-tuks
Taking a ride in one is something everyone should experience.

Tuk-tuks are the local taxis, and the easiest way to get around Siem Reap in Cambodia. You can take short trips anywhere in the main city and arrange for guided excursions for a full day to visit all the area temples. Tip the driver well and you’ll have a friend for life, plus an eager tour guide who will show you the best of Siem Reap. 

Explore the temples of Angkor Wat by tuk-tuk and then venture further out by rickshaw, to visit Preah Khan. This extensive monastic complex, which covers over 130 acres, was built by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a monastery and teaching complex.

Continue to visit Ta Prohm, the temple that has been left largely in its natural state since its re-discovery by the French. Surrounded by jungle, it remains a labyrinth of stone hallways that have become overgrown with roots and limbs of massive banyan trees, which envelope the stone like tentacles.

The three-wheeler auto rickshaw, or “tuk-tuk”, is a common sight in India. The motorized tuk-tuks in Delhi India are amazingly fast little things that zip around and easily maneuver through traffic. They dominate the roads around the Indian capital. On many an occasion, one can experience a thrilling but oftentimes scary ride and feel nervous the thing might tip over when a driver takes a turn too fast (even though drivers are required to have a license). Most label them as “cute, open and a passenger can see in any direction and take snaps easily.”

And if you’re not up for the common motorized tuk-tuks, you can still find the bicycle versions as well. Compare the ancient with the modern and explore Old and New Delhi. In Old Delhi, discover the twisting lanes and crowded bazaars of the Red Fort, visit Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial site, Jama Masjid (the largest mosque in India) and the colorful market of Chandi Chowk. Then, tour stately government buildings and modern wonders of the bustling New Delhi.

Every city in Southeast Asia has a different kind of tuk-tuk, and cyclos are Hanoi’s tuk-tuks! The driver pedals you in a bike-like device that looks somewhat like a wheelchair. While they’re built for two people, maximum, one often sees more squeezed together.

Hanoi is rich in Vietnamese culture and tradition. Trees line the streets with elegant French architecture around every corner; nationalist monuments to the great Ho Chi Minh are proudly displayed throughout; and age old customs and traditions remain unchanged in the city’s Ancient Quarter. 

Safari Jeeps
If you’re planning an African safari (or just dreaming about it), you’re sure to experience a jeep safari ride.

Go on a Tiger safari in India, conducted from a guided, open-top Jeep. What are now 1334 square kilometers (515 sq miles) of protected habitat was once the royal hunting grounds for the Maharaja of Jaipur. Today, the area is now a national park that is seeing a rare, but steady rise in its tiger population thanks to the conservation efforts of Project Tiger. The park encompasses a rugged landscape under the canopy of a lush deciduous forest that is filled with rocky ledges, hills and open valleys flowing with rivers and lakes.

Or take in a typical sundowner in the bush of South Africa. If it’s your first night, a toast with champagne occurs – then 2 minutes later when  getting back in the jeep, see lions walk by!

Located in the north-east region of South Africa lies Kruger National Park, one of the world’s largest. Covering an impressive territory of over 7,500 square miles, the park encompasses a large diversity of wildlife including Africa’s largely sought Big Five. Yampu itineraries offer safaris and explorations from some of the best lodges located in Kruger National Park.

The Serengeti is easily Tanzania’s most renowned park and also the largest. Its far reaching plains of endless grass, tinged with the twisted shadows of acaicia tree have made it the quintessential image of a wild and untarnished Africa.

It is also home to the annual wildebeest migration, where more then a million animals make the seasonal journey into the plains. 

The Ngorongoro Crater is a large, un-flooded volcanic caldera which formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself some two to three million years ago. It is 2000 feet deep and covers 100 square miles.

Yampu Safaris can provide a delightful jeep ride. However, if you want to go out on your own, the network of roads and attractions in Namibia offer the perfect introduction for a self-drive safari in Africa. With you’re choice of comfortable 4×4 vehicles, you can easily navigate the simple and magnificently scenic system of tar and well maintained gravel roads that connect the country’s highlights. These self-drive tours are designed to ensure that each leg of travel is always stimulating, but never too exhausting.

Desert Dune Buggies
Experience the magic of the desert at the amazing dunes of the Peruvian Coast in Ica. Enjoy a buggy tour where experienced pilots drive a dune buggy through spectacular dunes in one of the driest deserts in the world. Take in the panoramic view where you can take pictures, walk, and enjoy the scenery.

Experience the exhilaration of one of the most popular sports in Ica, “Sandboarding.”  Your driver will guide you to the summit of the dunes and, before you begin your guide/driver will teach you the specific techniques to ensure a safe ride.

Our unique Tour of Peru by Motorcycle includes a stop in Ica and Paracas to enjoy wildlife on the Ballestas Islands as well as the above mentioned dune buggy, desert trips.

4×4 journey across the Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia 
The salt flats of Uyuni are arguably one of the most beautiful and remote landscapes in the world. Here the salt flats, the biggest salt lakes in the world, stretch for 12,000 square kilometers. Enjoy a unique crossing staying overnight aboard a deluxe airstream camper.

During the evenings your guide, driver and chef will transfer to the nearest village leaving you with a radio and satellite phone in case of emergencies. This allows the most intimate experience possible in one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes.

Tags: