Travel Tips Archives - Amore Travel Designs

A herd of African elephants, including young calves, crossing the golden plains of Amboseli National Park in Kenya, with Mount Kilimanjaro rising in the background.

BEYOND THE MARA

Kenya has a way of surprising you, even when you’ve experienced a safari before. Beyond the Mara lies another remarkable part of the country, where elephants roam beneath Mount Kilimanjaro. My Kenyan adventure began at Sasaab Lodge in Samburu, followed by a memorable stay at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi. From there, I continued to Amboseli, with the Maasai Mara still ahead of me. I was eager to discover what this region would offer. What I found was a completely different safari experience. Amboseli’s wide-open landscapes stretch for miles, and wildlife can be scattered across the park. Some game drives required patience, with long stretches between major sightings. Yet watching herds of elephants move through the wilderness made those quieter moments worthwhile. Every safari destination has its own personality, and Amboseli certainly proved that point. Experiencing these differences firsthand helps me understand which destinations best suit my clients’ expectations.

November 13, 2026 No Comments

A giraffe leans over a breakfast table at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, a bucket-list moment on a Kenya journey with a Fort Collins luxury travel advisor.

GIRAFFE MANOR INSIDER TIPS

These Giraffe Manor insider tips come straight from my recent stay. Last week I shared my excitement before leaving for Kenya. Now I can tell you what it’s really like. Spoiler alert: the giraffes absolutely lived up to the hype. Consider this your personal guide from someone who just slept there.

November 6, 2026 No Comments

Golden morning light warms Giraffe Manor’s garden patio as a giraffe drops by the window, a Kenya highlight for Amore Travel Designs travelers.

KENYA BOUND!

I’m officially Kenya bound! My bags are packed and my camera is charged. Tomorrow I board a flight bound for Nairobi. Honestly, sleep feels impossible tonight. Few trips have made me this giddy. You’re coming along for every step, so grab a coffee.

October 29, 2026 No Comments

LUXURIOUS SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI

Greetings, fellow travel enthusiasts! Join me as we embark on an unforgettable adventure through the untamed landscapes of South Africa, where the wild and opulence seamlessly intertwine. In this captivating escapade, we will traverse the enchanting plains, observe magnificent wildlife up close, and indulge in the lavish comforts of 5-star luxury properties that elevate the safari experience to unprecedented heights. Prepare to be spellbound as we unravel the secrets of an extraordinary Luxurious South African safari like no other.

October 23, 2026 1 Comment

That mid-flight moment when jet lag catches up with you, exactly the fog this blog explains how to fight back against

JET LAG HAS RULES

Jet lag gets blamed on the flight itself, but the real cause sits somewhere else entirely. Your body runs on an internal clock called the circadian rhythm, tuned over years to a specific pattern of light, darkness, meals, and sleep.

September 11, 2026 No Comments

The Vasa Museum's centerpiece warship in Stockholm, Sweden, a highlight of any luxury Scandinavia cruise planned by Fort Collins travel advisor Cathy at Amore Travel Designs

NOTES FROM THE FJORDS

I always tell clients that research only gets you so far, and this trip has reminded me exactly why. So far I have visited Stockholm and Warnemunde, with Copenhagen and Oslo still ahead of me, and both stops have already given me stories I will be telling clients for years.

September 4, 2026 No Comments

SKIP THE CROWDS ENTIRELY

Everyone wants to travel in July. School is out, the weather feels safe, and summer has always been the obvious choice.
It is also, quietly, the worst time to visit most of Europe’s best-known destinations.
Shoulder season sits in the gap between peak summer and the off season, roughly April through early June and September through October. It is the window my most seasoned travelers request again and again, and once you understand why, you will probably ask for it too.

August 28, 2026 No Comments

Behind every unforgettable trip is hours of thought, care, and planning — a look inside the real work that goes into every Amore Travel Designs itinerary

WHAT HAPPENS BEHIND SCENES

Clients see the finished product. The itinerary document, the confirmed reservations, the trip that unfolds exactly as planned.
What they do not see is everything that happens before that document ever reaches their inbox. So today, I am pulling back the curtain on my actual process, from the first email to the moment you land.

August 23, 2026 No Comments

A travel planning notebook with a view of the Eiffel Tower — first-time Europe travel questions answered by Fort Collins travel advisor Cathy at Amore Travel Designs

QUESTIONS I HEAR MOST

Sarah reached out with a simple message. She and her husband wanted to celebrate their anniversary in Italy, but they had never traveled internationally together and had no idea where to start.
Over the next several months, Sarah asked me almost every question I hear on a regular basis. Her trip ended up being a two week journey through Rome, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast, and by the end, she told me she could not imagine having planned it alone.

August 14, 2026 No Comments

St. Andrews golf course and historic hotel in Scotland—luxury travel expertly curated by Fort Collins travel advisor Cathy Rowland of Amore Travel Designs.

THE REAL NINETEENTH HOLE

A great golf trip is not just about the course. It is about the tee time that does not feel rushed, the caddie who knows the greens better than the yardage book, and the dinner reservation waiting after the round. I have planned golf trips to Scotland, Ireland, and some of the finest resorts in the US, and the best ones always have one thing in common. Every detail outside the golf was handled just as carefully as the golf itself.

August 7, 2026 No Comments