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new-look, interactive digital edition

Inspiration for unforgettable holidays | March 2013

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ICELAND POLAR AUSTRALIA SWEDEN NEW ZEALAND CANADA FINLAND ALASKA NORWAY

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4 iceland 6 GREAT ADVENTURES

fter last years wet summer in the UK, followed by a winter that outstayed its welcome, its probably fair to say that we all deserve a holiday! This issue of Cloud 9 is full of ideas for great escapes between May and September, including no less than 24 self-drive itineraries in Iceland (which, incidentally, had far better weather than we did last year). This is also a wonderful time of year for exploring the Norwegian Fjords on a relaxed self-drive holiday. If you fancy something more adventurous, though, nothing will give you a warmer glow of satisfaction than a summer hiking trip in Greenland...

William Gray, Editor

Dont worry if you missed the northern lights the forecast is just as bright for the end of 2013

Explore the fertile fringes of this spectacular island: a summer treat of hiking, boat trips and culture

How to get the most from this digital edition of Cloud 9

10 NZ SOUTH ISLAND

From 3 nights to 49, weve A guide to our unique got Europes best self-drive module approach to destination covered travel less, see more

12 NORWEGIAN FJORDS
Weve developed the perfect weeklong self-drive itinerary. Click it and see

Take action in our pick of the 9 best adventures, from Alaska to Tasmania

Seeing red? Give it a click or a tap to explore more. Throughout Cloud 9 youll find links to our website, pop-up image galleries and further info panels, video clips and opportunities to enter competitions and share with friends.

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COVER ARTWORK: LIZ LUNNON

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inside

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CLIVE STACEY

Giles Christopher/mediawisdom

aurora encore
The show goes on as NASA predicts a double peak for the northern lights
Just when we all thought wed had more than our fair share of glorious aurora borealis sightings, those lovely people at NASA are now predicting a second helping. According to scientists, It seems likely that the end of 2013 could be a lot livelier than the beginning, with another solar max (the activity that

See the aurora from Icelands new Hotel ION

FREE! Trip to Atacama

Book your place on selected Antarctic Peninsula Fly-In voyages now and receive a FREE threenight extension to Chiles spectacular Atacama Desert! Combine a visit to see the glaciers, icebergs and penguins of Antarctica with the geysers, salt flats and flamingoes of Atacama: two of the worlds wildest wonders.

fuels the aurora) forecast for 2015. Such is the expected demand for northern lights holidays that Discover the World has launched its programme of 2013/14 trips early.

Click here to see our range of northern lights holidays

Click here to find out more about this exclusive offer

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Click here for photo gallery

RAGNAR TH SIGURDSSON/ARCTIC-IMAGES.COM

Start planning: Click any of our 24 self-drive itineraries to find out more

From a three-night short break to a 50-day odyssey, Discover the World is King of the Road when it comes to Iceland self-drives
ome countries are simply crying out for a self-drive holiday. Empty roads, epic landscapes, intriguing routes and come-and-get-me horizons all conspire to form the perfect road trip. But if we had to pick our Bugatti Veyron of self-drive destinations, it would be hard not to put Iceland in pole position. You only have to look at a map of Iceland to feel your pulse start revving. Not only has it got a ring road (so you can drive full circle), but its riddled with shorter circuits and for those who like more of a challenge some spectacular 4WD routes into the interior.

drive of your life

Prime time for her Iceland self-drives e to is June-August, abo find o u but availability self t our ut mo r -dri Icel goes fast during ve h and e o lida this peak season, so ys start planning now! Dont forget that May and September are also perfect months for hitting the road. May has long hours of daylight, wild flowers and bustling seabird colonies, while in September the Highland tracks are usually still open and you can enjoy breathtaking autumn colours and even a possibility of spotting the northern lights.

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West Iceland Escape

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NIGHTS NIGHTS NIGHTS
Reykjavik Explorer 4WD Adventure

Birding in Iceland

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

The Icelandic Way

Natural Iceland Farmstays

Essential Iceland

Iceland Connoisseur

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

Iceland Odyssey

Northern Highlights

NIGHTS

Around Iceland in 50 Days

Best of the West

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Volcano Explorer: Fire, Ice & Adventure

NIGHTS

Fly, Drive & Hike

National Parks & Natural Wonders

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

Family Highland Adventure

Romantic Retreat

East Fjords Retreat

Wild Iceland

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

Southern Explorer

Arctic Edge

Around Iceland

Southern Highlights

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NIGHTS

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

NIGHTS

Iceland: Activities from Reykjavk Welcome to Iceland: Europes ultimate adventure playground. Imagine diving in the crystal clear waters of the Silfra fissure between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Or shooting the rapids on the Hvita River. How about a spot of glacier hiking, quad biking, snowmobiling or caving? These, and many other adventures, can easily be included in any of our Iceland tailor-made holidays.

GREAT ADVENTURES
9 OF THE BEST

Rimu Adventure, New Zealand This all-action 14-day group adventure includes snorkelling with seals, sea kayaking, mountain biking and spectacular South Island hikes.

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Yukon Explorer, Canada Few self-drives are more epic than this eight-night sojourn through Gold Rush country and north towards the Arctic along the Dempster Highway.

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Click here for photo gallery

Natural Wonders, Alaska Bushplane flights, glacier cruises and rainforest hikes get you to the heart of Alaskas magnificent national parks on this two-week adventure.

Family Highland Adventure, Iceland This fabulous 11-night self drive is an adventure in itself, but you can add lots of activities to spice it up further from horse riding to glacier hiking.

Adventure Week, Finland Explore Finnish Lapland during summer when you will get the chance to ride quad bikes through taiga forest and canoe across pristine lakes.

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Wilderness Husky Adventure, Sweden Mush your own team of huskies through the Lapland wilderness, sleep in a rustic lodge, and snowmobile to the ICEHOTEL for a night.

Sea kayaking, Arctic & Antarctica Paddling at the poles is an amazing experience, drifting past icebergs and getting eye-to-eye with wildlife. Try it on one of our polar voyages.

Tasmanias Forgotten Coast Immerse yourself in Tassies wilderness on this 10-day small-group tour, delving into Cradle Mountain, Freycinet and the little-visited Tarkine.

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greenland
May to September is an ideal time to visit Greenland, hiking the fjords and mountains of the east, or exploring the south and west
ur boat weaved through the icebergstrewn fjord, its wake chuckling among the silent hulks of cerulean-blue ice. The sun was warm on my face; our jackets lay discarded on deck. It was another beautiful summers day in East Greenland, a dazzling, gas-flame sky and the mountains vivid and inviting. We stepped ashore at a secluded cove fringed by rippling green pasture. Snow buntings fussed along the shore, while a raven croaked hoarsely from the slopes above. We began walking along a trail blushed with pink swathes of willowherb. As we climbed higher, the fjord receded below us a wedge of sun-spangled water flecked with ice. Then we crested a ridge and neither the coastal vista nor the carpet of gentians at our feet could detract from the view inland: a wild mle of glacier and mountain, the Greenland icecap glinting in the distance.

a perfect summers day in

Ilulissat & Disko Bay Tasiilaq & Ammassalik Island Nasarsuaq: gateway to Qaqortuoq

Click on the map circles to explore Greenland

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East

South West Sea

South Greenland Explorer Narsarsuaq offers a fascinating insight into one of the worlds most isolated communities. Its also a great base from which to explore nearby fjords and mountains and visit the Viking ruins of Eric the Reds farm. This sixnight holiday also features Qaqortoq where optional activities include day hikes and a boat trip to the inland icecap. Essential West Greenland Famed for its icebergs (continually shed from the 5km-wide face of the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier), the World Heritage Site of Disko Bay is the star of this five-night holiday based in Ilulissat. As well as boat trips in the bay (including midnight sun cruises), you can join a whale safari, take a helicopter flight to the icecap and visit a traditional hunters camp.

Visit website

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Greenland Explorer Discover the World offers Greenland voyages lasting from seven to 14 nights. The two-week Greenland Explorer embarks from Kangerlussuaq for a spectacular voyage along the islands west, south and east coasts.

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IMAGE COURTESY OF GREENLAND TOURISM/GREENLAND.COM

Hiking in East Greenland Departing 5 July 2013, this nine-night guided hiking trip features breathtaking day walks, returning each evening to comfortable hotels. Youll walk to stupendous viewpoints and get to know the rich tapestry of arctic flora. An iceberg cruise is included, as well as two incredible helicopter flights. Independent tours can also be arranged in this region of Greenland.

New Zealand modules

n the previous Cloud 9, we explored North Islands modules, savouring highlights from Northland to Wellington. Not surprisingly, South Island is just as rich in travel hotspots each one deserving far more than a flying visit. On the page opposite youll find all eight of Discover the Worlds South Island modules, each one comprising an in-depth, six-day itinerary, plus suggestions for four-day extensions.

An alternative to touring, Discover the Worlds new modules offer a more relaxed, in-depth way to experience New Zealands highlights

travel less see more

Its tempting to squeeze too much into a New Zealand holiday. You fly all that way and feel almost obliged to cajole as much into your itinerary as possible. Click here to read William Grays report on a region of South Island thats definitely worth lingering over.

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t to , e k c ti vel st Yourlow trae be s h t o g ing ealand. d r u o sav New Z Islan of South Pt2:
Lake Moeraki & the West Coast Wanaka & the Southern Lakes Queenstown & the Southern Lakes Dunedin & Coastal Otago

Opposite: Southern Alps; this page: Kepler Track, Fiordland

NZmodules
How they work

Nelson

Kaikoura

Christchurch & Canterbury

Fiordland & Te Anau

1 Take your pick from a selection of five-night modules in key regions of New Zealand. *Lake Moeraki is four nights. 2 If you like, add three-night extensions in other regions or bolt on additional five-night modules to tailormake your ideal holiday. 3 Choose your accommodation from deluxe/luxury lodge, boutique B&B or standard/superior hotel. 4 A range of excursions showcasing the best of each region are included in each module.
Click on the circles to explore each module

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Rob Suisted

FJORD
Discover the Worlds summer self-drive holidays allow you to explore Norways dramatic mountains and coastal inlets at your own pace

At a glance: Norwegian Fjord Highlights Self-Drive

Day 1 Fly London to Bergen Day 2 Drive from Bergen to Lofthus along the shores of Hardangerfjord and Sorfjorden Day 3 Explore around Lofthus Day 4 Drive from Lofthus to Flam, via lakeside Voss Day 5 Ride the Flam railway, and travel by car and ferry to Balestrand on Sognefjord Day 6 Hike the mountains or take a boat trip at Balestrand Day 7 Drive to Bergen Day 8 Fly Bergen to London

VISIT NORWAY

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Click here for more details

Balestrand

Flam

Voss Bergen

Eidfjord Hardangerfjord Lofthus

on the explor red circles t o e Fjord H our Norweg ia ighligh ts itine n rary

Click

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In the next issue:
Polar: North v South Walking & hiking Northern lights holidays Iceland
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Discover the World Ltd
Arctic House, 8 Bolters Lane, Banstead, Surrey SM7 2AR www.discover-the-world.co.uk Email travel@discover-the-world.co.uk Fax +44 (0) 1737 362 341 Twitter @DTW_Holidays
Writing & design William Gray | www.william-gray.co.uk

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