Why everyone should take a trip through nature at least once in their life? Those who think of Belgium may not immediately think of the 7 wonders of the world, the mighty mountain ranges, the lava-covered volcanic regions or the godforsaken beaches. Yet, Belgium holds a lot of splendour, something many people often underestimate; nature in Belgium can also be so dazzling, humble and breathtaking. And that is our trademark, what we as Advanture Photography stand for;
We value what many undervalue, and we make the unfindable findable.
Advanture Photography focuses on the wealth and splendour of fauna & flora and culture that Belgium has to offer. Thus, we have a range of 4 different niche tours; Wildlife, landscape, urbex and pop culture. But this blogpost is specifically and fully dedicated to the landscape tour. I will take you through the beautiful landscapes and magnificent photographic spots that Belgium has to offer. It is difficult to recap an entire week of wonderfull spots in 1 blog post, So I’m summarizing this adventure for you in;
24 hours
24 hours of complete abandon, living in a van, getting up with sunrises, eating, discovering beautiful places, endless sunsets and falling asleep under the stars. I take you through a day in nature with Advanture Photography. Seat belts fastened, HERE WE GO!
7:15 AM
Slow morning, with a beautiful sunrise over the haze and doldrums of the damp night, it promises to be a beautiful day with clear skies and the sun already provides surprising warmth for the time of the year, after all, it is only April. Perfect timing to take out the lens and take some beautiful shots of that mist-covered landscape that bears the name Hoge Kempen, a piece of Belgium we can certainly be proud of. After a discovery with beautiful pictures of ‘de Mechelse Heide’ in its morning glory it is time for a hearty breakfast. Bacon and eggs? who knows…
9:30 AM
Stomachs fueled and time for the second activity of the day; the ascent of Terhils with the reward of a spectacular panorama of the national park. Terhils, a place where more than a quarter of a century ago the coal mine was still running at full speed, today it is a place where you can enjoy a surprising landscape and thus ideal for magnificent photos of the view and enjoying the beautiful surroundings.
12:30 PM
We leave the beautiful nature of ‘de Hoge Kempen’ behind us and continue our journey to the Maas Valley river park, about 20 minutes away.
13:00 PM
Lunchtime with a view! Ready to go exploring? Maas valley is an initiative aiming to enhance natural and cultural values ecologically and for tourism, a beautiful area with a lot to discover. The area stretches along the rain river ‘de Maas’. During all seasons this is a beautiful place to visit (but so are all the other places in the landscape tour). Here there is extensive time to take photos of the old stream channels, dykes, cut meanders and the unique fauna & flora.
16:00 PM
Time to continue the journey to the last and most beautiful finish of the day; Borgloon. Borgloon is about a 40-min. drive from the Maas valley, so ideal to take a moment to reflect or to catch up with your travelling companion.
16:40 PM
Borgloon, also called ‘the pearl with spice’. It owes its name to the fact that it is such a magnificent and unique place partly because of the insane landscapes, but also because of the contribution of the ‘see-through church’ that lets the light, especially with sunrise and sunset, pass through beautifully. Luckily having arrived at the right time, the sunset through the church will surely still be to be admired and captured on camera.
19:30 PM
Dinner time, with delicious ravioli with pumpkin and spinach sauce, made and delivered by our partner ‘Mercat’, who will provide a ready-to-eat meal every day throughout the whole week. After dinner, a moment of rest and reflection on the day, while enjoying a well-deserved glass of wine (or anything), the clearly perceptible spring evening, the lovely sound of the crickets and the joy of the moment.
00:00 PM
Bedtime, to be fresh for a new adventure the next day. This too is quite an experience, sleeping in a van under a brightly covered starry sky, surrounded by beautiful landscapes, processing impressions and dreaming of adventures to come.
7:15 AM
Round the clock, 24 hours are over, o heaven, what fun they were, on to new adventures, exploring new horizons and admiring the beauty our little country called Belgium owns.