Nigeria advice
My son is on a VSO project in Makurdi in Nigeria. I intend to visit him next year and take the opportunity to see something of the country. I have been unable to trace any useful material concerning travel, accommodation, climate and places to see. I am interested in local culture and wildlife. All ideas would be gratefully received.
Joe Walsh, London
Nigeria is a real challenge for travellers, and even Africa buffs often give the country a wide berth. Don't travel alone, as the country has a reputation for being dangerous, especially Lagos, Kano and Ibandan. You really need to be on your guard all the time. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises that Makurdi itself is currently under curfew.
Make as much use of your son as you can when planning your stay - ask him to have someone meet you at the airport and to arrange some excursions. If he's not established there, wait until he is settled and knows people who can help make you feel welcome. A car and driver are essential for getting around.
There are real pleasures to be had in Nigeria. The culture of everyday life and the welcoming people who live in the country will probably be the stand-out memory you'll take away with you. If you can, time your visit to coincide with any local festivities - these will introduce you to another side of the country, and will be lots of fun at the same time.
If you're travelling around the country, try to visit one of the old walled Hausa cities such as Zaria and Katsina, which have imposing mosques and atmospheric markets. The Yankari National Park has some of the best bird life in Africa, and Cross River National Park is good for hiking. The islands of the Niger Delta offer a slower pace and traditional fishing villages.
The climate, whatever time you go, will be hot and dry in the north, and warm and humid in southern coastal areas. December to March is the best period to visit to escape the worst of the heat.
For more reading on this destination, try Lonely Planet's West Africa (£17.99); when you get to Lagos, buy a copy of Enjoy Nigeria by Ian Nason (African Books Collective, £9.50), an informative guide.
The situation in Nigeria can change at short notice, so check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice (020 7002 0232/3).
Inca Trail guide
Me and two friends, all in our early twenties, are travelling to South America in September. We are hoping to see the Inca trails in Peru - will we need a guide to do this, and if so, how can we be sure that the guides we hire are reliable? Also, will we require our own camping equipment?
From Peru, we aim to go on to Bolivia, where we hope to do some river trips on the Amazon. Can you recommend any towns to start from?
Simon Carrick, Carlisle
It is compulsory to have a registered tour guide if you walk the Inca Trail. You can arrange one through the many companies in Cusco.
Choosing an Inca Trail operator can be tricky. The best thing to do is to shop around when you get there, compare prices and consult other travellers, and ask the agency if it has any testimonials. Check the number of people who'll be in your party and what equipment and services are included. Aim for well-established agencies, not the cheapest ones.
Since restrictions on numbers walking the trail have been brought in, however, it has become advisable to book in advance if you're going to be hiking at a popular time of year (June to August is the peak). Try the website of South American Explorers. Though you have to pay US$50 to join, the site is a good source of information, as well as a place to team up with others wishing to hike in South America.
In Bolivia, head to Rurrenabaque to explore the Amazon Basin, where you should also shop around deciding on an operator.
Essential Montreal
I'm attending a conference in Montreal at the end of September and thought I might go a few days early to explore. I would be grateful for advice about 'must-sees' in the area.
Marcus Erooga, by email
Montreal is the largest French-speaking city in the world outside France, and also the largest English-speaking city in Quebec, so it's a melting pot of ethnicities. It has all the museums and art galleries befitting a city of its size and history, but the best way to see Montreal is to explore the many different neighbourhoods that make it up. Start in Vieux Montréal, where you can walk cobbled streets and admire some of the classiest buildings in North America, such as Chteau Ramezay and the Basilique Notre Dame. Then head to the downtown area, with its modern business centre, department stores and small but vibrant Chinatown. The Plateau Mont-Royal area is where the city's trendy crowd hang out, and you can visit the hip shops, bars and nightclubs. For a spot of green, Parc des Isles, made up of two islands in the middle of the St Lawrence River, has an amusement park, racetrack and rowing basin.
Within easy reach of Montreal are such attractions as the cheesemaking monastery at Oka, world-class white-water rafting at Rivière Rouge and several excellent ski areas. Try www.tourisme-montreal.org for information.
Eastern Europe by rail
A friend and I are planning an eight-day rail trip around the Czech Republic, Slovakia and southern Poland in October. We have booked flights in and out of Prague, where we plan to stay for our first and last nights. We need to be in Bratislava on day three (to watch the England football team take on Slovakia). After Bratislava, we plan to take the train to Kosice and then head north to Kraków. Do you know what the best way is to get from Kosice to Kraków?
Ian Hall, London
There are four trains from Kosice to Kraków, giving you the choice of day or night journeys for the six-hour trip (see Slovak Railways website). You should pay less than £10 for a second-class single.
Kosice is the second-largest city in Slovakia and is an interesting place to continue a tour of the country. It is an upbeat and fast-paced city, which boasts an attractively restored town square.
If you have time to explore more of eastern Slovakia, you'll find some isolated towns and villages. Bardejov and Levoca both have attractive medieval centres, and Spis and Krasna Horka castles are well worth a look. Try to spend a couple of days based in Poprad exploring the spectacular High Tatras mountains.
For further ideas, log on to www.sacr.sk.
Hogmanay
I am planning to take my wife to Edinburgh for New Year, staying for three or four nights at a four- or five-star hotel, hopefully on or near Princes Street and including New Year's Eve dinner. Is there a hotel that does a special package?
L.J. Bamber, by email
Located at 1 Princes Street, the impressive Balmoral Hotel (tel 0131 556 2414; fax 557 3747) offers a Hogmanay package that will have you toasting the New Year in real Scottish style.
The prestigious five-star hotel has 188 guest bedrooms, many of which have working fireplaces and fabulous views of the city. Facilities are excellent. The restaurant service has earned the 'Taste of Scotland Award', and the Balmoral Spa houses a large swimming pool, steam room, sauna and a fully equipped gymnasium.
The Hogmanay package costs £358 per person for the night of 31 December only, and £428 per person for 30 and 31 December. Additional nights (27, 28, 29 December and 1 January, 2003) cost £115 per room. Price includes accommodation, pre-dinner cocktails for the gala ball, five-course dinner with wine, champagne at midnight, entertainment (music and dancing until midnight, and disco until 2am), and full Scottish breakfast.
Street passes are not included in the Hogmanay package and have to be applied for in advance. Contact the Edinburgh and Lothian Tourist Information Centre (0131 473 3800) for advice and details of the application procedure. Happy Hogmanay!
Over to you... readers' feedback
In response to Stephen Chambers's query about his son's interest in Tuvalu (Letters, 28 July).
It would be useful to add that the nearest atoll of the 'group of eight' (in Polynesian = Tuvalu) to Funafuti on which is Fongafale, the capital, is 100 kilometres away and that the archepelago extends 700 km; that the Tuvaluans would welcome a seven-year-old English boy with delight, but that more fun might be had on the islands of Fiji where there are good hotels and tourist hospitality. It would not be so much the uncomfortable ferry link out from Funafuti, but the coming back, and the uncertainty of departure and travel times. A trip from Fiji and back probably requires several days on Funafuti before a return flight is possible - subject to fuel availability and weather, of course!
James Lewis, Wiltshire
· We welcome letters. Tom Hall and Rachel Suddart from Lonely Planet address as many as possible here. Email travel.tips@observer.co.uk or write to Escape, 119 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER. The writer of the week's star letter wins a Lonely Planet guide of their choice (so include a daytime telephone number and postal address). No individual correspondence can be entered into.
