Kameri Larson, Author at Beyond These Borders

Belize: Cave tubing in San Ignacio and taking it too slow in Caye Caulker

March 26, 2024 by Kameri Leave a Comment

On this short trip to Belize, we only spent 2 nights in San Ignacio and then headed to the island of Caye Caulker for 5 nights. In retrospect, 5 nights on Caye Caulker was far too many and we wish we had spent more time in San Ignacio. San Ignacio After leaving Tikal and riding in a local bus to the border with Belize, we passed through immigration and grabbed a taxi to the nearby town of San Ignacio. We only booked two nights in San Ignacio, so we had to pick only one activity while in …

48 Hours in Tikal, Guatemala

February 20, 2024 by Kameri Leave a Comment

Nestled in the jungle of northern Guatemala, hide the remains of one of the largest Mayan civilizations ever to exist. Tikal was inhabited from the 6th century BCE to the 10th Century CE. After it was abandoned, the jungle swallowed up this great city. Steep, awe-inspiring, limestone temples that have been uncovered and reconstructed rise up from the green vegetation. Many more temples are still hidden under the jungle. We spent a little under 48 hours in Tikal National …

Guimarães and Braga

January 20, 2024 by Kameri Leave a Comment

Guimarães and Braga are two historic cities near Porto. While many people combine these two cities in a single day trip, I believe they deserve at least a day each. Guimarães This charming city in the north is fondly referred to as the birthplace of Portugal. The first king, Afonso Henrique was born here and fought the Battle of Sao Mamede nearby, which led to Portugal’s independence. Guimarães became Portugal’s first capital in the 12th century. Imagine yourself in …

Historic Porto, Portugal

December 20, 2023 by Kameri Leave a Comment

Blue and white tiled churches, mosaic sidewalks, colorful apartments, bridges, hills, and port wine. This is Porto and it's delightful. Porto is the 2nd largest city in Portugal and was the capital before Lisbon. It was spared by the terrible 1755 earthquake that devastated Lisbon. Therefore, more historic buildings remain in the older districts. Porto is full of small winding streets, many with mosaic tiles (known as Portuguese pavement) creating the sidewalks. Layers of …

Hiking and Camping in Big Pine Lakes

September 13, 2023 by Kameri 1 Comment

Mountains, pine trees, and gorgeous turquoise lakes! What else can you ask for in a hike? The Big Pine Lakes hike in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California is an incredibly popular hike for good reason. This hike can be done as a day trip or a multi-day backpacking excursion. You can camp anywhere along the route, including any of its 9 lakes. I strongly recommend taking a few days to see and enjoy more of this incredible area. I have backpacked this trail twice and visited all …

Two Days in Great Basin National Park

August 3, 2023 by Kameri 4 Comments

Great Basin National park is home to the highest peak in Nevada, the oldest non-clonal trees on Earth, and some of the darkest night skies in the contiguous U.S. We spent 2 days / 3 nights in Great Basin National Park. We arrived in the late afternoon and drove up the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive to our reserved campsite at Wheeler Peak Campground. A ranger told us that this campground is commonly thought of as the prettiest campground in all the national parks, and I can see why. Some …