Hi there!

My name is Manouk, but you may also call me BoB (short for Bunch of Backpackers). In daily life, I work as a medical doctor and I recently obtained a Ph.D. degree in Medical Sciences.

However, I still haven’t found a cure for my travel bug…

So, I keep on exploring. Travel has and probably will always play a crucial role in my life (if you don’t know me yet, this is a good article to start with).

As an adventurer by heart, I have a zest for:

  • visits to offbeat destinations such as Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Zimbabwe, Iran, Iraq, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast etc.
  • hiking
  • mountaineering/climbing
  • camping
  • independent travel / backpacking
  • solo travel
  • long-term travel
  • history and culture
  • city tripping / micro adventures
  • diving
  • hostels
  • surfing & kitesurfing

Oh, and I love karaoke (this might be due to my Korean roots)! And mountain lakes!

What started out as ‘lengthy emails with travel tips’ to friends, led to the start of my own travel website in 2013. In the years following, Bunch of Backpackers became one of the world’s leading female adventure travel blogs.

Bunch of Backpackers is known for its:

  • expert travel advice
  • down to earth trip reports
  • extraordinary adventures

I hope you enjoy reading this blog and don’t hesitate to contact me personally through bunchofbackpackers[at]gmail[dot]com!

Love, Manouk

P.s. I’m also active on social media such as InstagramFacebookTwitter and Bloglovin which is a great way to connect and talk about travel!