TRAVEL .

HOT LIST
Featuring: Japan, Jordan, Georgia,
•
Colombia, Mexico and more ...
�l
or191na
 THIS ISSUE

Behind the scenes

this month ...

8�YM>rl
Bill returns f
or an extra

spe<,�alWorldGu,deAwards-also

mark,ng251't!arsofWenderlusr

Welcome . . .
Thank you for all your congratulations on both

our 25th anniversary (I still can't believe Itl) and

our sparkling new look. lt is most gratifying to

AUtogethefnow.LYnHughes

join,ourwinningguideson
know how loved Wanderlust is. Never forget that
stage al the Wo<ld Guide Awarck

it is your magazine, so please do continue

to send through your feedback and ideas

With the night's drawing in, this is always

the time when thoughts turn to planning

exotic adventures for the following year. With that rn mind. we bring

you our annual Travel Hot Lisfof the places that are getting us

excited for 2019 (p56).1 hope that you draw some mspuation from it.

One of the destinations that keeps popping up on my personal travel

radar is Georgia which I have been wanting to visit for a long time. If

you are intrigued by it, too. then Join me on one of our newWanderlust

Journeys (p126) next summer and we can discover rt together.

But back to the coming few weeks If you are panicking about

Christmas glf!§Jor your travel enthusiast friends, fear not; we have

compiled some great ideas on page 148. And. of course, a year's worth

of Wanderlust magazines (p78) is the gih that keeps on giving.

Seasons greetings,

Lyn Hughes

Editor-In-Chief/Co-founder

wanderlu11.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 3

HOT OFFERS

SAVE UPTO

ON A WINTER-SUN BREAK TO THE CANARIES

SAVE U P T O

£245pp -·
EsaipetMlw,ntetbluHWllhastayatJafdinTecw,a,aboullquecllfftopoasls BookO.lore30Noo.lembet20181oraluxuryQ91lrwaytoKe<ola{Novto20Dec

onthesecllJd�isllir>do!laGome<11,oneoftl>esmollntintheC.,_ie5.Booic 2018- Mar.Apr 2019)-h T,anslndu,;andCGH, Keralio's premi,,Jm hotel

by30Novemberlll'ldS11veupto£491pe,rcoupleforaseverH'09htstayPrices Qtoup.Cover.-.....ilthe,egion'smajoranr&e1lons.thisquntessentraltourvi11ts

t (640pp, including UI{ airport lounge ace,...,, ffighb, p<ivate calll""''""­

from jus thevibrantportdtyofCochin,with<tsOutchandl'ortugueseinftuences,"5

r
- t,.,nsfe<-s and......., nights 8&8 \no S!11n<1o,d 0t G11rden V,ew Qoom. -llaslheJewishsettlementetMatt.oncherry, lhe pr,ffl-fflnged bockwot'""'ol

Kum,irokom.th<rlMkMesanctuaryandsplceplantatlonso!Perfya,-the

invilingi,olden-sondbeo<:halMarari.

�::;:;,:;"�;;;:,v1s1r-.rrcrns/nduo.�o.ulr/tout&IJ<eto/o./n·•l)'le

UPTO

£600off
COSTA RICA WILDLIFE HOLIDAYS
-·
Therea,..fewplaeeswtletewddlHe�moraabundanttlw'ICoslllRlca. TheCablnMATE"sclever21n,-1deslgnandcablnlt\endlydlmenslonsmeanyo<1

Get(600otfan11-<leyholldaywitl1UamoTr.....,l,spottingmonlteys,sloths cantrovel!asland !lfes,..lree Their50><35"20cm ,lzecompheswilt>98%ol

111\d more In Tonuguitro NMloMI P,,11<, birdwatching In l/'dl11 Blanca Cloud alrl..,..."llllndluggago,allowances,lnckldingeasy.Jet.BrllishAl.wal'S,IIYOnaK

Fores\endspendingtimee>cplo<ingAten!l!Vok<onoandSonJosoe.Tripslfom andlufth<lnsalhis""1eeledcabinbogconvertointoabackpeckandincludeso

(1,549pp,includinglligt,ts.tr...,.fersondoc:commodation smallerdetochableloptopbackpock.Thiscleverleoluremeansyoucantrovet

Mghtandlea,..yourmalnbaglnyourhoMI.

:"".=.:��=-com,col/=72".JOOO �w;;:;::::��.u.ukof>dquole'Wondftrlus18'toget

GET

£60off
YOUR FIRST ORDER WITH NAKED WINES
-· BRADT'S AWARD-WINNING GUIDES

Slnce2008,-.:!WlnKh..,,.bHnt..lplngl)<IOl)leen)<,,'dellciouswlnesffom Fou-.:lln1974,BrodtlsthelargHtlr.de�ltr"llguldebool<publlsherlnthe

exceptionalvlmnen Andnow.�reoders,:...,..,ve(60oflthecoslof UKwilt>over200@es,manyolwhicharetheonlydedicatedguidestothe.­

tt..ltfitst«derofE99.99.Elth1trpu,ch11se11orw.oflcM<1ofwlne(0<mor.i)uS<ng destinatlons.El<adtgu!dHh...,..longbaenlavourhHwrthWond81tislreade<s

yourE60\IOUChe<-withnoOOl�iontornake11nothefpurchase-or)'Ol'can and, onceogalr\ tooktheGoldawatdlorBestGuklebookse<leslnlhfl 20UI

::r.!�become&'NakedA.nge1"11ndcontinuetoenjoydoscountsongre,,tglobel ReadefTrafflAwuds. Brodt is oiler.-... Wonderlusfread,....an e<du,;ive 20%

ollALLbool<sboughtonWM.

For-detol/s0t>lh/sgrft1tNokf1dWff>osdeol,vlslt-.wond«lu•t.co.ulr/
:.::�r.��:i=="�!v':::���andente.lh&c<><M
hof-or,en/fjo-or,..,,_,-n,..t-orver-nond·wfnHI

GET

10%off -·
TrMSfa,myo,,rfavouritetro,..lphotOQrophslntoaO.ao.Jtrfu,�.-lphoto 'l\ts,trav,,llnsu,anceisprettydull But�'stlMlly• ..,,llylmportantAndwhilemost

bool<.BobBool<smakes�posoibleloranyoneandeveryonetocrNlea cl!lmsue!a,nolhingmoretMnalostbagordelayednoght,-lv,,inllOlotile

pror.s........i-1ook.-...cofl,..llrblebook.lhanl<stothe.-uur·fnendlysoftwo,. timH. W1t'vet1tame<I upwoth lns ..,,.,ndGola,a pohcythatgo,,<,lurthlf,,olle.lng

ondapps.CornrMmoroMyoura.tv...turHln co,..rforsuppl,erbankruptcy.alrlnolail,.xlfandna!urald,sast••s.\Vondlffi,s!

anobjKtyo<1w�ltreasure!oreverMal<eabool<.Tellyourstory. readersrece....ea5%disco<lntandsubscribersql.llll,tylora10':lireductlon.

Formoreinlorm&tion.call0844888 2787 andquoteWLWEB.

i;?=�::��,,;.�z=�::=�:v�,..,- Su-Mrscanrecellle10%ollth-oughwww.wanderlu,l.co.uk

4 wandarlu.t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 THISISSUE-

Contributors
Wanderlust is brought to life by people from all over the planet. Here are just some of the

individuals who helped lo create this issue - and their hot tips for new destinations in 2019

Hilary Bradt

Co-founder of

Bradt Travel Guides

Recently made an oncer

of the Natooal Order of

Madagascar. Hilary kicks

off our new 'Dispatches'

page (p40) byex�Ofing

the misunderstoocl joy of

a Madaqascan trettcjam

2019's hot destination: Damien Gabel Gareth Clark

"North Korea Mysource Travel writer Wanderlust's

(authorolthenewed1tl()(1 Damien rs a freelance writer & sub-editor

of the country's Bradt scribe who embraces Havir19 hved 1n the MKldle

guide) says it's changing any opportunity to cyde East and As.a for s.x years

fast-fewer resmctoos. eat or head out to sea - pounding the streets of

more places accepting This issue he nros himself Abu Dhabi and Be1J1ng for

visitors Whoknowswhat doing all three in South TimeOut-this1ssuesees

thefutureholdsthere· Africa's fascmat1ng third Gareth explore the nooks

city Durban(p157). of 'unseen London' (p 161 )

.

2019's hot destination: 2019's hot destination:

"Safety concerns r:uer the "E�ploring tunnels under

last fewvears sawvencrs our capital is ooethmg,

stay away from Egypt But butltalysc1tyofMatera

afteraperlOOofcalm.and is built almost enme!yon

1n enncceton of 2019s ceecebccroucee It's

opening of Cairo's Grand also a European Capital

Egyptian Museum, now of Culture for 2019.sogo

rs theteretoreturn" now to beat the crowds·

Martin S.,-mlngton Sar.th Baster Emma Gregg

Travel writer Travel writer & author Travel writer

Martmbas soenttusbte Formerly deputy editor of Emma has veteo over 30

unearthing unusual travel Wanderlust, Sarah rs now countries across Africa,

rees.uoucnu-eesoes a freelance travel writer. sampling everything from

joJrney across the Baltic editor and author but still fesiivalstosafans-her

states(p112)-particularly helps out at Wanderlust guide to the latter rs on

its miraculous Hill of HQ Her latest book. the p80-and1stheauthor

crossea-tsbrs rrosr Inspired Traveller's Guide ofsevefalRoughGu1des

unexpectedly upl1�1ng. o Lrterary Places.

t e out 2019's hot destination,

2019's hot destination: inMarch2019 "South Africa celebrates

"Nepal's Langtang area 2019's hot destination, 25 years of democracy

Lodges here, devastated "Jordan.Apartfromthe m April, and with several

bythe2015 quake have new live action Aladdin new flight optk>ns from

now been reburlt. but film making me want t

o the UK and a favourable

tourists remain f
ew Exult fly a magic carpet across exchange rate, oows
1
n Himalayan grandeur Wadi Rum, l"d love tohrt the time to experience

while helping locals get the new Jordan Trait its jaw dropping heritage,

teck cother teet,' tick1ngoff Petra en route." landscapes and w1k:H1fe:

w•nderlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 S

BEST OF UZBEKISTAN & TURKMENISTAN CLASSICAL SENEGAL & THE GAMBIA TAIWAN DISCOVERY

13 Daysi Now from U,304 10 Days I Now from £1.599 10 Days I Now lrom U,699

, Bargain your way through 1rad1uon11I baiaars , V,s1t h1stot1c cceee Island , Explore the teahouses and sttei!'t f
ood stalls ol J1ufen

> Stay overnight m II locel yurt camp • Spot pebcans and flamingos at a bird > Eat your wily through Tainan's famous 1119ht market

, V1s1t the desert community of Er bent sanclUary , See grottos and waterfalls 1
n Taroko National Park

> RelaK on the beaches of BanJul

To view all new tours visit us on line.

0344 272 2230 I gadventures.co.uk

*Tru!!l!!lot I eABTA t1t-. I G Adventures
Or ask your local travel agent Clr.:JflCH'l --- � OurworlddeHf'\lesmoreyou.
 THEWANDERLUSTTEAM -

The Wanderlust
Philosophy Weuderfd
GET I N TOUCH
Wanderlusr aims to inform and inspire
Windsor office (content & digital)

all your travel adventures. We strive to 1 Lewceth Place. Mellor Walk. Windsor SL4 lEB. UK

bring you the most trusted and reliable

Londonoffice(sales)

information m the world. That's why we

Capital House. 25 Chapel St. Marylebone.

are always upfront about whether our London NW1 SDH

Subscriptions 01371853641.
writers have travelled independently
subs@wanderlust co uk
or with a tour company. When a tour
Advertising 020 3771 7203.

operator has been used, we always try sales@wanderlust co uk

to use those who've scored a minimum Generalenquiries01753620426

mfo@wanderlustco.uk
satisfaction rating of 85% from readers

in our annual awards and we never

guarantee positive coverage. In memory of Co-founder & Publisher Paul Morr.son

Responsible and sustainable travel

EDITORIAL CONTENT
is at the heart of everything we do.
Editor-in-Chief & Co-founder Lyn Hughes

Technology Director Simon Chubb

Managing Editor Tom Hawker

Sub-Editor/Writer Gareth Clark

CUSTOMER PUBLISHING & CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
Assistant Editor Rhodn Andrews (iAd1os Am190.0
Lookongforhigh1mpacttravelcontent?Wand&rlus1S1ud,o
Assistant Web Editor Ellie Kinsella
producescus!omermagazines,supplementsaoddigrtalcontent
Associate Web Editor Peter Moore
foruavelcompaniesandorganisatoons.

For details. see www.wande<lusttravelmed,a.com Editor-at-large Phoebe Sm,th

Editcrieltneern Rosie Fitzqerald

ewandoirlustPubhc..ionoUd,2018,ISSN\351·U33

PublostledbyWand«USIPubilc.at,or,sltd IL-.:irthf'lac.Wr>dsor.
Contributing Editors Mark Carwerdire,

SL41EBAJr,;tits•er--..dROl>'oduction"'....,.""""*·"'­ Paul Goldstein & W1ll1am Gray

°'"'pan.,sstricHyfo.-...,lhout1hflp-aw«ttenCMSentofthe

�Nor�yf<J<onco.recto,fC>ffTlaOOncanbe�tod DESIGN

v.,_ex�in...,ciesarethoewroltheau!horo.andnotnecess,&nly
Ari Director Graham Berridge
��ionW.....,...lusl,sareglSte<odtr;,,_.n•I<
Art Editor Mike Wright

W""'*klst.lSSN1351·473J.,spubl!Shodmonthlye,ceptDec/.la,r,and
PRODUCTION
).#�corrbnlid=-and1Sdistnbutod"1!helJSAby�llowes

nt«nat,:,nai �a<longS.VICt!S Inc •maor>g-,t l'e<!Odocals postage Production Director Justin Masters

paodatl(earnyNlandoddiuon�fflaiw,goffices.
Production Manager Paul Lincoln
Contfib<>t,ons&wort ..pe,-ienc•

Fo.�ploasegotowww�u:1 ADVERTISING

LM:-..lnu&•yndi"""°"-uirin
Commercial Manager Adam ucvoe
Bnx,eSarwfOfdBruceSawlo.dlJ<:«",sr,g(Br"""®BroooSawl�
(adam lloyds@wanderlustco.uk)
PtlMlng

SeniorSalesExecutiveS,monBryson
�eo-�=...:"'-'"""-"""'Rocho Senior Sales Executive Anthony Bennett
Newottodediottibution
SalesExecutiveLucyBa1rstow
M3de!lorc,,(UOLtd02037fil9001

Clr,;ul•t-,,_k.,lng
PUBLISHING
�;::..a.:Marl.&!n;lltd0129J3\2001
Managing Director Tilly McAuhffe

Dogiu,IM>pp,r,gc02920912192
Commercial Director Ian McAuhffe

Publishing Director John Innes

Publisher Catriona Bolger

ill--
O,recycle
··=
-- ACCOUNTS & ADMIN

-- Finance Director Nicola Solomon

Ass1stantFmancialControllerL1saHealy

Accounts Assistant Kym Williams

Office Manager Janine Plunkett

Admin Assistanl lwe Lor.don

ASSISTED THIS ISSUE

David Abram. Vicky Axelson. Sarah Baxter.

Paul Bloomfield. Losa Duke. Nick Funnell. Kate Leahy,

Ben LerWtll, Hazel Plush. John Windell

Office Pooch Zoe

w•nderlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 7

 42 Argentina

Go beyond lguazU Falls. E�plore

the lesser-vested htStory and

wddhfe of north-east Argentina

80 Trip planner: Safari

From tracking chimps to spying

theGreatM,grallon,plan')O.Jl"ne�t

Afncan safari with our e;,:pert guide

112 The Baltlcs

As Latvia. Lithuania and Estonia hit

10Q we stroll Baltic bogs and Soviet

1ek:stolX"IC.XM!fafegt(lflOOtheup

157 First 24 hows: Dtai,an

New flights put South Afnca"s

most overlccl:ed city on the map

159 Travel Icon:

Rembrandt's Amsterdam

Unravel the Dutch Golden Age 111

the Netherlands. cultural centre

161 British breaks:

Unseen London

10 Viewfinder
Amazng shots from the world of

t,avel. 1ndud,r,g the latest fr

om the

'Remerrtienr,gWlldhfe"pro,ect

16 Your letters & photos

Borthday bumps, rhino spotllr,g and

eve,ythlngelseyou'vebeen upto

170 The knowledge

World Gude Award reopent Pablo

Valbdarestabtalesfromtheroad

8 w•nderlu•t.c:o.uk December 2018/January 2019

 At,,,,Ohllbi �

ALblonia,Kosovo&Macedonia p76

Amsterdam pl.59

Argenti,.. p42.ff7

Australia p32

...
p112

pl47
=
..�
•••
=.------ ,.,
Bulgaria p13

Charleston p67

Choltt p22

Colombia p71
c"i"riad,�,�---- ,,.

-----p142
'"
,,.,

-�----
p27,39

'"
pU211

p21,75

p\42,170

After the ceremony,

I went back time and

again. But it was hard.

Both there and back

tnps from the world of travel
home,lwasanoddlty.
24 Go now: Shanghai
For more from Benedict Allen.
Old and new o::Ade as new flights
seeour111terviewonpag136 ;;
:::;_
"""
= -------c
�
revealacitywi!hafootonthepast
Ntimibili p14,94,154

261hetrlp
Discover ..... , 76

From z1PJ)lng the tundra on a dog

142 Your travel tips
sled to sa1hng through the fpds,
Want to go wild m Ecuador and
we pd: thetopauroraexpeoences
the Galiipagos? You tell us how

31 Eat this
144 Just back from
WhythestoryofGelmony'slTI05t
TalesfromyourJordantravels
famous dessert IS all in a name

32 Head to head: Australia

145Health ______...
P1enty of hidden dangers lurk in p87,157
Sydney or Melbourne? A fierce
the bush but Dr Jane will help
rivalry and no shortage of sights, .----:��
keepyoo safe on your next safaer
but which city rs best f
or yoo? ,.,
146 Aak the experts
39 Dream sleep
Spy the aurora from bed 111 a glass
EscaP+ng Prague"s crowds. dnv1ng

1n northern Scotland and meeting

"'
,.,
p154

iglooJustdorftfallasleep. monkeys - our experts weigh 1n

-40 Dispatches
H,lary S.adt on why 1,afhc J6ms
inMadagascarareoneoflrfe's
CNerb::*edtravelpleasures
"'
148Gear: Xmasglftgulde
The travel gadgets and gear we"ve
been wander·lusting aft
er all veer
FindyournextCmstrrespresent.

152Howto•••
Don"t get caught out when renl:IOQ

ac:ar -welayouttheground rules

153 Travel books

Sue Perkins tackles gnef WI her

travels.plusallthelatestreleases

154 Instant expert

The Empty Quarter. 70 years alter

W�fred Thesger captured 111n print

wand1rlu11.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 9

• VIEWFINDER
• VIEWFINDER
- POSTE RESTANTE

Your letters
Your mail and missives: wildlife highs in the Darnaraland, why picking the right airport makes

a trip to Sweden, celebrating Wanderlust's recent 25th anniversary, and much, much more ...

Birthday greetings

Wa.vl Congratulations on the

SOCIAL 25th erorverserv of your wor.derful

magazine Sadly, I wasn't there

TALK atthe steu wrth youbut the

magazine was wa1t1ng for me when

I arrived back home last night and

Cl :�s:�:�lusr I have treated myself to a cover-to·

a happy birthday: cover run through m bed {with

H
A fantastic mag no drstracnonsrj.

and a fantastic team I like the revamp and the fresher

over the years. look. the backgrounds t

o some

Here's to the next 25 of your contributors and the new

years of adventure!" Wanderlust Journeys secnon This

@shaunwcasey extra-full magazine may solve an

unusual problem for me m deciding

where to go for a break between

n ;������:o: now and May Well done. keep up

We recently returned again from Namibia's 'last ridgetop airstrips in the excellent work and I'll see you at

great wucemess', tracking black rhino in the Papua New Guinea, the oestmauoos Show m London

Damaraland at Desert Rhino Camp, as featured the plane doesn't so PclerOrmond, vi

a email

in Wanderlust [July/Augus1 2018, issue 188] One much as go up- the

day, the trackers had gone to look further aheld for fresh tracks when. rounding ground goes downr' Happy 25th anniversary. and I hope

the corner, we saw Don t Worry(so named because he isa cool and relaxed John Devereux the roumev continues for many

rhino). who wed

' first seen m 2006 on our original visit here He was munching decades to come It was a pleasure

on the roots of a euphorb1a damarana and was so close that our 'walk' to see to receive the magazine It has been

him was tot he front of the car Later. our guide pointed out two cheetahs Cl ::��;��!sin a wooderful journevwnb Wanderlust

stood behind an elephant - how they manage t

o survive here when game is Borneo's jungles: since 2015 when I came to know of

so sparse rs hard to 1mag1ne - and we were privHeged to see a 'firsr for us HWalking in the It and registered on the website

khpspnnger antelopes This rs trufyour spmtual home.Janet Widdows, viii email footsteps of David I love the way you focus on travel

Attenborough at as a passion; as a discovery of

Gua Goomantong cultures. places and. most

A tip from Sweden Stockholm area and you want to caves-famous for tmportantlv oneself. There is no

I saw that you mentiooed Arlanda spend time m western Sweden, the harvesting of better place for introspection

and Skavsta as recommended Gothenburgs Landvetter Airport itsbirds'nests." NandiniChukrohorty,viaemuil

airports m Sweden for your Travel is better placed and has a number @gail1842

Icon feature on Vasa Museum of international connections

(October

OK. but 1f
2018,

you are
issue

vrsmnc
790) That's

the
Alternatively,

the southern part

if you are visiting

of Sweden. n�: ��:;s

1

WUII \@.�
Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport Snow&lceissue: BUFF HEADWEAR

(m Denmark) is a convenient hub "Reading about Each month, the recipient of

for incoming mtemancnal flight frozen adventures our 'Star letter' award will win

connections and it's very close while sitting in 28°C a versatile 100% Merino Wool

to Sweden. with the two easily heat in Beirut." Buff� - the ultimate travel

linked via a handy bridge. KT Horsefield accessory(E26.75 RRP)-

Tommy Brrmd,n, viii email so be sure to drop usa line ...

0 1 1:1 �ri: �hsoau�h�t;:�:;�d

travelsuggest1ons,andhelp

fromtheroad@wanderlust.co.uk @wanderlustmag wanderlusttravelmagazine @wanderlustmag other travellers find their way

19 w•nderlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 YOUR PHOTOS -

#vvanderlustinag
Been somewhere beautiful? Done something amazing? Tag us al #wanderluslmag on

lnstagram or email your pictures to fromtheroad@)wanderlust.co.uk and make us jealous.

@ ·snapping ourselves in front of the � "Looking chic in Namib Desert -yes, � "Fatigue is not possible in the sublime

Cape Point sign in Cape Town, south rt really was that cold m Namibia!" landscapes of Noravank, Armenia:

Africa" @rogue_ramblers Pat Williams Johnny Lawlor

@ "Checking in at the glamorous gates i§l ·Kayaking one beautiful morning c§::i "Having been inspired by Wanderlust to

ot the Palace de versaitlesin Frenoe" onourthirdvisittoAntarctica-atruly seek icebergs in llulissat, Greenland, I took

@dl\senga otherworldly desnnancn," Bill Klipp an issue along with me" Jenny Sehwarz

� "Chilling (m every sense) at the side @·Hiking from Mestia to Ushguli in � "Trekking on horseback over the

of the road on the Tibetan side of Mount Georgia - If you're looking for adventure, Tuz-Ashuu pass to reach Song Kol Lake

Everest." Loui•e Marku• this rs where you can find 11." @ziiu• in Kyrgyzstan." Andy Newing

w•nderlu•1.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 17

hl<flort<orrK101012SOc,ot>t,2018_ort,.b}Kttocllo"l"l'tK•1may!>thlfhtto,•"""''oblo(o,cen°"'"owlda,es.A1prla1ortpe,pe,""'-H<lli<l""'-"''°""""""'lon0ttom.4onr­

odl,IU>"°ri"f AJ,(o,,.oort ..._,.do11onltiKltdoinlM<(r-omlo<>don ..... .,0</>f,wfseJ1C1..t fo,(ul-lof<-IIOoori1Hwww,/p1<<01rt.<0.oli

Finding 'old Shanghai' p24 I Have your German cake and eat it p31 I Melbourne versus

Sydney- who wins? p32 I An igloo with a view p39 I Hilary Bradt on Madagascar p40

w•nderlu•1.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 19

 •
Gra evine

Destinations(Manchester, 17-20

Jan; London, 31 Jan-3 Feb), both

there too, so come say hello, see

our Photo of the Year exhrbncn

(Destmauons} and bag tickets for

our ever-popular seminars (ATS).

desrmatronsshow.com. For more

detar/s about the shows, see p163

Nov'18-Jan '19 Sir Chris Bonington's 'Life and Times· tour kicks off. Various locations. speakersfromtheedge.com

29 Nov Join explorer Benedict Allen m London to celebrate all things Papua New Guinea. wanderlust.co.uk/events

Nov'18-Jul '19S1r Ranulph rrennes recaps a life of adventures on a new tour. Vanous locauons. ranulphfrennes.co.uk
•

Why Costa Rica is going

to be even better in 2019

Back in April 2017. Costa Rica's popular Poas

voicano(nght) erupted. sending a column of

SITiOke some 50:Jm into the air. The surrounding

parkquicklyclosed. leavir.g travellersexpec11r.g to

hike the dense cloud forest surrounding the

world's second·largest vok:ano crater cazinq on in

dismay Well. a year and a half later. it's back with

all new safety measures and views to rival any hike

m Latin America It's nrreto hit the slopes again!

w•nd•rlu1t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 21

The sleepy village of Corippo, m

Switzerland's Verzasca valley, was once

home to a thriving community, but now

Just 12 people call it home, and most of its

70 buildings are derelict. However, rather

than let it crumble into obscurity, a local

foundation has grand plans to transform

Corippo into the country's first 'a/bergo

d1ffuso' (scattered hotel') by 2020, with

holiday cottages and hotel rooms. The

first two-bedroom cottage is now open,

promising a uniquely quiet, crowd-free

Swiss break - at least for now. ..

fondazionecorippo.ch

Chile's hot topic

It started with a dream to create an epic road mp

route through Chile. connecting 11s sensational

national parks while also protect mg them f

or the

future. And finally. after 40 years. the Patagonian

Route of Parks r
s open a 2,800km trail through

17 parks. traversing rainforests, mountains and

glaciers from Puerto Montt down to Cape Horn.

The route was the vison of late US billionaire

Small wonder
Douglas Tompkins (founder of The North Face)

and his wife Knstme. devoted conservationists The self-declared republic

who donated vast amounts of land to Chile"s of Uzupis is one of Eas e t rn

government i
n order get the oroiect oft the Euro pe's more eccentric

ground. We can"! wait to hit the road .

. n ooks. It has ts
i o wn president,

ruradelosparques org currency and pass port sta mp,

yet it's slap-bang i

n the heart of

Vilnius, Lithuania's c apital ci ty.

It's s mall, yes, but packed with

quirky ights,
s at
r ins tallations

an d bohemian markets - best

We join each family at a crucial moment

''''
explored with the help of an

of their lives, when the future of their l -new walking trail

a l a nd r oute

m ap. Launched y
b the Vilnius
dynasty hangs in the balance. We didn't
to urist board, in the sp r i it of te
h

' heeky, thinking

know how these stories would unfold. city s c free-

a ttitude (remember heir

t "
G

David Attenborough's latest wildlife masterpiece, Dynasties,

Spot o f Europe' ad ca mpaign?),

follows the lives of tiger, chimp. lion, penguin and wolf families

It's packed with fu n things to

-we can't wait to see what they found. On BBC 1Playernow see an d do. vilnius·tourfsm.lt

11 w•nderlu•1.co,uk December 2016/January 2019

 Cltyollhefulur91

-­
.Mtlls.---1ront

t.li.•citvWMf'e
-.::tw.oftholl)lllt

c...stillbllfound

As China Eastern launches new direct flights from London Gatwick to Shanghai, take time to

explore the 'Paris of the Orient' - where old and modern China still battle it out on the streets ...

on'tbefoolcdby River, while Yuyuan Garden goes Pcoplc'sSquarc,asparentsplaya leader, Chiang Kai-sh ck, holed up

thebnghrhghts backevenfurther.ltwasfounde<l kmdof'toptrumps'w1ththe1rk.ids' m the late 194osas the Communists

and skyscrapers. duringtheMingDynastyandis degreesinordertomarrythemoff. picked off the dying Republic.

D Beneath Shanghai's

gildcdcxtcrior,thc

'PansoftheOnent'1sanoldrogue.
stillahavcnoftradltionaldesign.

lr'snotjustplaces,either.The

French-styleFuxmgPark1samere
For many visitors, Shanghai isjust

thestartmgpoint-aplacetoslecp

offthejetlagandexploreforafew
ExploretheFrcnchConces.sion

ncxt,animmaculatcsuburbof

colonialmansionsthatstillhasthc

lt could spm you tales ofits f qjos babyat just overtoo years old.but hours before hopping on its new glarnour ofits tojos heyday.Pause

SinCnydays;ofopiumwarsand cverydayit1shometotaichiand lugh-spccd Maglcv trams.But a by Longhua. Temple's centuries-old

rmpertalists.but tharsm rhe past qi gong pracnncners, carrying on mrlhon stones are to be found here. pagodaa.stherestofthccitystrides

Noothcrcityhascmbracedthe traditionsoldcrthanthecityitsclf, Getyourbearingsattheworld's on, then fast-forward to modernity.

glamour of reform-era Chma hke alongsrdc clderlyfuncss groups sccond-tallcstskyscrapcr,thcn By The Bund'sweml, Tcchmcolor

Shanghal.evenifsome rehcs ofthc tangomgor Jiggling to K-pop. savourthe fewold parts ofthe cny sjghtseeing tunneltwosth a ndejts

olddaysstillholdour.Onitsiconic l'ublicandprivatc;oldandncw, tobesparedprogres.s,fromcyding Ultra\folct,ahip4Deaterywhere

waterfront {known as The Bund), bothrubshouldersinthestreets. theold]cwishQuarterofHongkou V1deosplayon1tswallsasscentsare

artdccocolomalarchitccturcriscs Howelsedoyoucxplainthebusy toescapingtothcqu1ct,little-s..-en pumpcdintothcair.Mopupyour

proudlyoverthcancicntHuangpu marriagcmarkctonSaturdaysm Fuxinglsland-thisiswhcrcCluna's platemtheShangha,ofthcfuture.

14 w•nderlu11.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 Ancient advattures In Zhu)laJlao 431kph
Shanghai It surrounded by ancient 'Water villages'. but 1sthetopspeedofthe

Zhujiajlao, a tiny town with a 1,700-year history, ls the pick

ShanghaiMaglev,the
of the lot. Wander charming bazaars and quaint wooden
fastest commercial
houses, all criss-crossed with tranquil waterways. It's less
trainintheworld.
than an hour's drive from the metropolis and you won't

0 find any skyscrapers: just willow-shaded pagodas and

Ming dynasty bridges that are best viewed on a boat tour.

It can whisk you

to8eijing(1,300km
Get there
China Eastern already away)in4.Shours.

Ihes dsectfrorn

londonHeathrowto

Shanghai Pudong

Airport.andasof £16,500
70ecemberwilllly
foronenightinthe
thnce-weeklvduect
Presidential Suite of
fromlondonGatw1ck,

too.uk.ceair.com; Shanghai'sMandann
returnsfrom£393.
Oriental Pudong-but

hey,yougetyourown

e private wine cellar and

roof gardens.

:r�!i�9
Shanghai boasts

aspeedy,stateof
37
the-artmetroservice. was how many times

Aonedayunhm1ted
Chairman Mao Zedong
passcostsCNY18(E2):
(be/ow)visited
service.shmetro.com.

Walking1seasy(road Shanghai.His former

signsared1splayed
residenceshtterthe
ill Chinese and

Eng11sh),andta�is
city(oneisnowpartol

arep1evalent.D1di aluxurymall!),buthis

(availableon,OSand
newly reopened
Android)isChina's
Jing'Anhomeis
answer to Uber.

a curious time capsule

ofhfein1924,when

Mao lived there.

Yuyuan Garden dates back over The Bund. where stately colonial Topping out at 632m. Shanghai

450 years. to the Ming Dynasty, architecture meets furunsnc Tower r

s second only to Dubai's

when it was the most prestigious scrapers. r

s a fine spot for a stroll Burj Khalifa in height, but its

in Shanghai s still a stunner. with

It' - but the scale 1s best appreciated observation deck r
s the loftiest

jasmme scented oevuons. inky from a river cruise at dusk. as on Earth There's no better spot

carp pools and bamboo groves. the city lights twinkle to hfe to find your bearings in thecrtv

w•nd•rlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 25

 Have a n a l t e r n a t i v e

AURORA TRIP
By day. explore wintry landscapes; by night, spy cosmic wonders,

as Wanderlust picks our nine ultimate northern lights escapes

 THE TRIP

MU'h i'11i·i·itmMM
Explore the arctic by

pooch power in Norway

The swoosh of runners on fresh snow, the panting of huskies,

the crisp Arctic air - dog·sledding rs the perfect way to roam

Norway's frozen north. On Best served Scandinavia's Wildlife,

Huskies and Northern Lights on Sommaroytour You'll explore

Tromso and sled forest trails before spotting reindeer, sea

eagles and (hopefully) the aurora on SOmmaroy Island.

Who: Best Served Scandinavia (0207 664 2241;

best-served.co.uk)

When: Best mld-Nov-Mar

How long: 4 days

How much: From £1,175 (incl flights)

Take your northern lights spotting to new heights- literally

- on The Aurora Zone's Rovaniemi -Aurora Hunting at

the Arctic C,rc/e Wilderness Lodgetr1p Based at a rustic,

wood-beamed lodge, you'll explore pristine forests by

snowmobile and head out on an evening snowshoe hike

10 hum for the heavenly lightshow -adding a flight on

a private Jet to soar above any clouds and maxmuse your

chances of viewing the phenomenon.

Who: The Aurora Zone (01670 785012; theaurorazone.com)

When: Selected dates Dec 2018-Mar 2019

Snap blockbuster sights and

the northern lights in Iceland

Wiid Photography Holidays' North Iceland· Northern Lights,

Waterfalls & Game of Thrones Locations trip explores the

less-visited region around Lake Myvatn. Prime your camera

and venture to vast Hverfjall crater, Hverarond's fumaroles,

Dimmuborg1r's eerie lava tomauons and Gf)otagµi cave. With

luck. you'll also snap the northern lights reflected m the lake.

Who: Wild Photography Holidays {01630 647828;

wndcoctccrectwticnoeve.ccmj

When: 27 Jan 2019

How long: 7 nights

How much: £2,800 (excl flights) �

w•nd•rlust.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 27

 Above the Arctic Circle in midwinter, the sun never rises,

providing the possibility of round-the-clock northern lights

watching. Off The Map Travel"s All Day Aurora tour heads to

Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen, where between November

and January you might spy the spectacle even during your

daytime dog-sledding adventure. You'll also explore ice

caves. camp out in the Arctic wilderness and roam the

wilds on the back of a snowcat on the hunt for the aurora.

Who: Off The Map Travel (020 3504 6446; offthemap travel)

When: 24-hour darkness: Nov-Jan

ititi·iH 'iiiiiiiAi·illHti
Steer your sled across

the wilds of Greenland

Join indigenous Inuit dog-sledders and mush your own

husky team past the glaciers and through the snow-clad

mountains of Ammassallk Island on Regent Holidays· East

Greenland Dog Sledding Expedition. Snowshoe to high

ridges and drink in views of frozen fjords before bedding

down among the colourful clapboard houses of tiny

Tiniteqilaaq as icebergs drift past, heading out after dusk 10

hunt for the aurora in the silent wilderness.

Who: Regent Holidays (020 76661290; regent,hohdays.co.uk)

When, Selected dates Feb-Apr 2019

How long: 10 days

How much: From £3,595 {incl flights)

The Arctic north r

s awash with animals and activities, as

you'll discover on Wild Frontiers" Snow Hotel at the Top of

the World adventure. Based in Kirkenes, vcu'u try your hand

at dog-sledding, catch and cook king crab m the Barents

Sea, and explore he vast

t tu ndra by snowshoe or on

a snowmobile. or the (iced) cherry on the cake, spend

F

a ght in a beautifully carved

ni gloo, nipping out to peer
i

into the sky for nocturnal glimpses of the aurora.

Who: ild
W rontiers (020
F 8741 7390: wi!dfrontierstravel.com)

28 w•nderlust.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 Discover small ship -
expedition c r u i s i n g

Discover the wonders of Scoresby Sund - the planers largest

fiord system - on WlldfootTravel's Greenland Express &

Northern Ugh ts expedi1ion cruise. From your floating base on

MV Ocean Nova, venture into Greenland National Park to spot

muskoxen, admire the multi-hued peaks flanking Brogetdal

and hike the cliffs of Ella Oya. You'll also meet the Inuit of

rttoqqcnoorrrult - and of course watch for aurora overhead.

Who: Wlldfoot Travel (0800 195 3385; wrldtocnravel.ccm)

When, 2, 9, 16 & 23 Sept 2019

How long: 9 nights

How much: From £5,100 (excl flights)

Inuit Arctic & Beyond I Reykjavik, Iceland to St John's, Canada

Duration: 21 days I Dates: 23 September· 13 October 2020

Optional activities: Photog,aphy workshops & Sea kayaking·

For more information visit: explore.co.uk/gmia

Email: polar@explore.co.uk I Phone: 01252 884 991

In winter, thrillingly large pods of killer whales hunt herring

off Iceland's Snaefellsnes Peninsula Discover the World's

Orcas and Aurora tour includes two boat trips to track these

charismatic predators, plus visits 10 other-worldly lava fields

and volcanoes. At night, aurora experts are on hand to EXPLORE!

explain the science behind the spectacle in the skies.

Who: Discover the World (01737 218802;

drsccver-the-worfc.corn)

When:4, 19& 27Feb2019 aurora A �

How long: 4 rnghts

How much: From £1,079 (excl flights)

r e x p e d i t l o n s w �'=!..�

-<--IIIPl" ..........•-111>'-•""••boolo..,_b_�
Im! mytripfinder.co.uk _,,.. ..... _..._ ...,_ or1rn.o• ......... -,..q,,.1

.._,_....... _.,� -- --.. -....illl',ord1..IU,I

1£.111 Know when you want to travel but don't know where? _ ...'- __ 1...-.- ....,__ __,....., ..... _ .....

_,.., , ...w._....lO_Jo,1 ..---

Got an actwrtv you long to try but not sure how? Try v1s1ting ____ ,..,. ....
.. __ fll..1!£Po'-�Ofl •.....,. _

Wanderlust"s Trip Finder at www.mytripfinder.co.uk

__ ,..... ...,..,.,..,
,,-..--"""'-.
_.-.;lJ�.WO.-on<ft- .... ilO-d
..,.. �..,.. .. ---,..
--""' ..... � ..�--�- .....__.,.,_..s,,..,_
---or1r..,...,-,c,11,,,..,... ......i-,.- .... o1,,........i-
........... "-';::_
f �-:_"":7,.::_'*:_":!..,�=-- .........
 you'll find twoof'Germany's 11

Whetherornotitcomes
thrce-star Michelm restaurants.
fromtheregion,Black
"lt'spcrhapsunsurprisinggin,nits
Forestcakecertainly

Whyweall proxrmuyto Alsacc.t wrnes chcf

andauthorofThe German Cookbook,

doesn'td,sappoint

For travellers, the ghost of too many Alfons Schuh beck. "The cooking

need to give beeryschnit:clsisn'teasllyforgwcn, shates much with castern l-rance."

even as local delights such as /model Ycthcre'sthekicker:1tsiconicdesscrt

German food (dumplings)oftengounnot,ced. may not even be from the region.

Oncdish,though,hassuffcrcdmore JoscfKellerwassaidtohavccreated

thanmost.lfyoulivedthroughany the dcsscntn rcrg.aookm north of

another go ... panofthc198os,you'vctastcdBlack the Black Forest m Bad Godesbcrg.

Forest cake- layers of spongc,cream, Hctookitsnamcfromthcliqueur,

The much-maligned
chocolatcandchcmcsw1thab1ghit though others say lt comes from its

Black Forest cake is of booze. I

t won over British palates rescmblancetothetraditiona]Black

fromthcearly'7oson,scalingthe Forestdres.sofwh1tcsh1rts,black
a boozy, fruity delight,
he1ghtsofdmnerpartych1Cbcfore drcssesandbcrry-likebo//rnhuthats.

even if its name (and hurtling on to every Berni Inn menu. But In the years smcc Keller's dcath,

TradmonalBJackForestcakeonly the cake has corne home Hra'ongmal'

history) may not be
useskirschwaSMr(adoublc-d1stillcd recipcisnowscrvedonlyatCafc
quite what it seems ...
cherry brandy) made m Germany's Schafer m the Black Forest town of

south-wcst.Andit'stoughtogct. Tri berg. Pay it a visit or make your

Alitrerequiresrokgofchernesand own {see bdow for Alfons' own 1-ersion)

scllsforabout£45.Eachofthcarca's -Justdon'tforgctthckirschwasser.

14,000 drsullencs produces only tiny

amounts, which is why it's so special.

But the Black Forest is no stranger lml Get the full cake recipe online
ro culmaryfeats.Jn Barcrsbronn � Visit www.wanderlust.eo.uk/192

w•nd•rlu•t.co.ukDecember2018/January2019 31
 EXPLORE • • • • •

Head to Head
A U S T R A L I A

Sydney VERSUS Melbourne

SYDNEY MELBOURNE
ATA
GLANCE .... Sydney offers a grandiose take on the arts.

lt has a famous Opera House, a Museum of

Australia's cultural star has a cuning-edge

arts scene, Head to South bank for the Arts

Sydney
a: Contemporary Art (pictured right) and the Centre and the National Gallery of Victoria,
::::,
Population Sydney Theatre Company, run for a while while the East End stages world-class shows

5.1 million
!:i by the actor Cate Blanchett. V1vid Festival and the inner suburbs has a busy music

Size turns the city into one big lights show once scene. It's embraced street art, too, with the
::::,
12,368sqkm a year, while Belvoir St Theatre in Surry Hills laneways in the Central Business District

Famous for
CJ is among the most mnovative in the land. (CBD) now an ever-changing canvas.

Its iconic harbour

bridge and
Ill In Sydney it's all about the sun. With more Wilh its neat parks and European-style
opera house

Expect
a: than 100 beaches, a harbour that stretches cycle lanes, Melbourne offers a more

Beaches and 0 on forever and national parks in the north, restrained setting. The Melbourne Bike

bushwalks. plus 0 south and west, it's a city built for the great Share program makes bike hire easy, and

a burgeoning Q outdoors. learn to surf at Coogee, then there are cycle trails around the bay, in the

foodie scene .... follow its wild sandstone cliff walk lo Bondi. city and along the Yarra River (left). locals

::::, Finish with a kayak/SUP tour of the harbour are sports-mad, too. Try to catch a game of

Melbourne at Bal moral, all within a taxi ride of the CBD. Aussies Rules or cricket at the famous MOO.
0
Population

48mllhon

Size Sydney's dining scene is celecrarcrv and Melbourne isn't 'Australia's culinary capital'

9.990sq km brash, with many of its best. and priciest. for nothing. It has 1he country's best eatery,

Famous for
e restaurants (such as Quay) offering fine Attica; a busy casual dining scene where

Melbourne
z harbour views. Suburbs like Cabramatta, good food at a decent petce is a given; and

Cricket Ground Marrickville and Parramatta serve up more a cafe culture that is lhe most intense in

(MCG)and1tscafes
� authentic food, reflecting the migrants the world. Head to the laneways (left) in the

Expect .... whoamved there, while casual din mg - CBD or suburbs like Prahran and Brunswick

Highbrow culture, where Sydney once lagged - is booming. for your single-origin roast of choice.

hipster chic and

coffee to die for

en Despite being Australia's biggest city, the While Melbourne can't match Sydney's

A. bush is never far away. Blue Mountains NP, natural beauty, it does have one ace up its

sleeve: the iconic Great Ocean Road and

DID YOU
KNOW?
� ::::; ::::/�:�:�ia: �:�: �==�c��nt its Twelve Apostles. Just a few hours to the

.... eucalyptus forests, cinematic sandslone south-west, it is regarded as one of the best

escarpments and thundering waterfalls, drives in the world, as its stone stacks rise

Suchisthefierce
� all 90 minutes away. The Royal NP{right), from the wild Southern Ocean, changing in

rivalry between Q to the soulh, is jus1 as dramatic and closer. colour as the sun moves across 1he sky.

Sydney and

Melbourne that
I- At first glance, the old cliche holds true, Sydney has the beauty and Melbourne
Canberra was
CJ the brains. When it comes to sun, surf and jaw-dropping coast, Sydney just can't
specifically built
Q be beat. while in Melbourne, good food, great coffee and extraordinary art isn't
tobeAustraha's
iG:: ever far away. But things are changing. The cities' fierce rivalry and never-ending
capital as

a compromise to � battle to outdo each other means that when it comes to experiences, food and

stopthebickering. culture, things keep getting better. So, whichever you pick, you won't miss out.

32 w•nd•rtuat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 Down Undff-nden
(cloclwisefrom1oplelr)

TheW11Ye1ofSydneyOper1

Houseareiconi,:;thewikbof

1he81ueMoun1.ainsrnakelor

agreatdaytripfromSydney;

11,ollthegraffili·�nedwalls

ofl-losiert.. .... inMelbou,,,..,

thelwetveApo,tie.is

1r11hermisleadingn11me­

onlye,ghlofthe11ack11r1

still,1.anding11of200S
 The world's best

giant Buddhas
Whether standing, reclining or laughing, these

paeans to the Buddhist faith are immense in

both scale and beauty. They make quite the

impression, whether you're a believer or not,

wanderlust.co.uk/GiantBuddhas

34 w•nderluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

Spirit of Australia
 INTERVIEW

E}(rfuruarwdlv ...

BENEDICT
ALLEN
Prior lo his talk at Wanderlust's Papua New Guinea Evening, the explorer discusses

crocodile scars, being the last of a generation and why the golden days yet lie ahead ...

Where do you think explorers and foocl. and 1f I could learn from Ye&. I recall it made the new,.
fitlntothemodernworld? them. rm exploring on the r t i erms . Coming out of the forest I ran ,nto

The era of the classic explorer' rs a war be tween two ethnic groups

gone. I was lucky to be a part of Wasthi,howyoufirstarrlved I made n toa rmssonarv station

that last generation who could In Papua New Guinea (PNG)? but my radio had been smashed

just disappear for six months. Y es. 11 was at the beginning . when up. Stilt 11 does fascinate me that

those other worlds have shrunk stay flQ i wi th locals changed from when «cces wr ng. it rs alwavs
o

down now But thewcrdexporer' fi nancial solution toa philosophy. the outside world. not the people

needs to be redefined. as its I lived with a family on uesece I trust - the locals - who upset

something we all do. The world Rverr and underwent the brutal th1ngs. r
ve been shot at by Pablo

has never been more accessible initiation ce remony to beco me Escobar"sgang while paddling

- and not 1ust totbosewith the a man - a crocodile as they ca ll it the Putumayo m Colombia and

shlis or monev lt'sanmtnguing cha sed by gold miners with

tune when erwore can go off and Dldyouknowabouttherlt"? Do you revflftyourold haunt,? knives acureeweveouscere

discover the world around them It was a sec ret ce remony- m Aher the ceremo ny, I wem back

those day s especia lly. I knew nrre ano aga in. But n was rd.
ha When It goet wrong, do you feel

How did you get your start? about the sca rring [participants mentally. Both there and back youhavetojusdfywhatyoudo?

My dad was a test pilot. sol was have their flesh cut to resemble home . I was an od dity B ut that's It goes back to the first question

probably a bit like him, wanting r

c ocodi le skin). but ro one kne w what l"m doing now· see ing how The gciden days of exploraton

to push myself Seeing him fly about the bea tings I was be aten these places have ch anged and are ahead because the world has

a Vuk:an bomber over the back fou r or five times a dfrf for six thanking those who helped me never needed mceetrwestlqatlon

garden and looking up. I thought weeks. I was only 24 and ea ger I went last year toPNGtoseethe more mterpretauon more

i
t was possible 10 be something to give everything a go, ero I was Ya1fo peopl e. who wer e wonderf ul solutions than now Were facing

a little bit different I struggled for g rateful they let me take part 1n to me as a young ma n. taking me huge habitat loss. exttrcuon and

morev though_ and didn't want so mething ce ntral to their beliefs overt he cen ra t l Range. I was global warming All of this needs

to ride on the backs of locals amazed t

o fmd their forest and to be sorted out by explorers

through sponsorship. But I saw You mu,t knowPNGwelt. culture was mo stly in act t. st
La And since it'
s a more democratic

that local people didn't have any ns so big Y ou ca n spot birds of yea r was the wo rst for global age. were all involved now.

cash erther. and thought that 11 paradrsem the highlands; canoe deforestation - football pitch·

I could live with. say

. the people the sece Rive r. i
see ng its 11ver ne 1 sized areas were c leared e:-.te.ry Wanderlust"s Papua New Guine•

evening with Benedict Allen takes

in the Orinoco Delta. then I could w1k:l l1fe and the cults that emulate second - so I was buoyed by that
pl&eeon29NovarWa!l&eespace.
learn from them the skills to carry 11. and eve n walk the Kokoda Trail. desp1tegett1ng malaria. dengue
londonal7pm.Fr.,.,.8ooktickets

on It became my philosophy the hne of retreat taken by the fever and having to be extracted ar wanderlus1.co.ul:/PNGevent

and. perhaps. a more valid wevot Austrabans durrnqthe gachc

exploring For these people. the W ar It has 850 languages and

forest desert or ArctK: rs their terrain that varies from swamps Im Read the full interview online
rorree cves stener meocire to cloud forests and jade sea s W Go to www.wanderlust.eo.u k /192

wand •• lual.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 37


oocaok,,epyoo,
sciennfic explanauons
for the northern
Y
hgbts.we'rc stickmg
withFmmshfolklore,
whichsaysit'sthclcapofanArctic
foxthatcrcatesthecthcrea!glow
Withthcswishofitstail,thcfox
sendssparksandsnowf\akesflymg,
whichdanccbackdowntocarth
mjewel-coloured swels.
But,forsomeofus,thespectadc
dcesn't quhe hve up to thelegend.
lcyfectandfrozcnfingerscan
dampen the spirits of even the most
ardentaurorahunter-cspecially1f
thehghtsthemselvcsarcbeingshy.
No,thesccrctofagreatlights-
Discover the World
spottingtripistoholcupinthemost Eachlglools secludcd.wtth ahvtng
(dlsccver-tbe-wcrld.
comfortable nook, and we thmk arca,bathroomandsaunatucked
com)runahvemght
wc\efounditinsomecosybeds
awayinthe(reassuringlyopaque)
Aurora Glass Igloo
m Ranua, Fmmsh Lapland. wooden structure out back. And rf
andRanuaW,ldlife
The dear-roofed bedrooms of the lights don't show?Thcrc are
Park tour.which
Arctic Fox Igloos glmcr like glass plentyofArcticactivitiesnearby, startsatE1,473pp
baubles on the snowy shores of take suchashuskysleddmg,remdcer (inclfl1ghts),w1th
Rauuanjarvr - one ofFinl.ind's top safarisandsnowshocing,aswcllas amghtatArcbc
hghtslocanons thanks tortslack of Ranua witdlffc Park.wherc Arcnc Fo�lgloos.four
light pollution. You'll have a front­ nights in other
animalsroamthroughthetundra.
accommodation.
rowview oft he skies from under Indeed, the park r
s one of the few
ha!f·boardmeats,
yourcovcrs,withacolfccmachinc p!accswhereFinnishArcticfoxescan
avis1tt0Ranua
(youdon'twanttofallasleep,do sti!lbefound.Andifaflickoftheir
W,ldlifeParkand
you?)andhcatedglasspanclsto tails doesn't boost your chances of
variousact!Y!lies
melt away any snowfall. When the scemg the lights, surely nothmg will.
(huslcysledding,
lightsappcar,thcirrcflectionsshift Opens on I December- 1018.
snowmobthng,
onthelakc'sglassywaters.makmg B&B doubles from E419pn (£370); snowshoeing
themadreamforphotographers. arcticfoxigloos.com and more).
w•nd•rluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 39
 Hilary
Bradt
Jk;Ji af tr4fwJMWt
The co-founder ofBradt Guides, recently awarded

Madagascar's equivalent of an OBE, reveals her

love-hate relationship with the country's roads

h,d,moeefroml,aeo riccpaddics.lnAntananarivoth1s women carrying huge loads on their

Airport to the centre staplcfood1sgrownontheirrigated hcads,babicsonlhcirbacks.

of Antananarivo is plamsrightuptothehillsonwhich Asthcpaddyfieldsgavcwayto

T onlyukmbutthc

journey can take two

hoursbycar.lsthcreanywhcrcin
theoldtownisbuiltandthcctcrnal

cyclcofplantmgandharvestmg

playsoutbeforethegazeofthe
houses and shops, our progress

slowed to a crawl. Then we stopped.

Justwhatthevendorswerewaltlng

thcworldwithworsctraffic-or passingmotorist.Familieswade for?Wouldlliketobuyafly

anywhere else where bemg sruckrn knee-deepmwatertorep!antthe swatter?Dusters?Pcrhapsabrace

a jam is so utterly absorbmgl Two youngricefromthenurscries,then of chickens? A boy poked a jam-jar

such Journeys stand out from my dry their clothes along the dlvrdmg of tropical fish through the wmdow,

rccenttr1pt0Madagascar:thesamc stripsofland.Abroadtrackruns and a man suggested, m mime,

route, different thmgs to observe. along the high retaining bank above thatacharcoal-burningstovewas

l-lcadingforthcairporton theroad,throwingthelifcofth1s justthethingtobrightenmylifc.

a sunnyatrcrnoonwnh plenryof alternatec1tyintosilhouctteagamst Afcllowwithathickblackmoustache

tJmcinhand,lstarcdoutofthc thesky:zebucattlebemgdrivenby propelledhimsclfupthelincsof

window as the smart buildings of whip-wielding youths, kids bowling stationarycarsinawheekhair.He

thccentrcgavcwaytothcmosaicof hoops made from bicycle wheels, pauscdbyus,smiledandsaluted.

40 w•nderlu.t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019


Movmg at walkmg pace agam, we
passcdalincofshacksscllingthc
nccessinesofhfc:\'cgctables,solar
pancls,battcncs,boltsofcloth,
undcrwear,mini·dresses.Stringsof
plumpsausagesandobscuremeats
danglcdfrornthcbutchcr'shook,
along wnh a ghouhsh prg's head
Ode to the road
Another slow journey, this time
fromtheairport.Andthisumcthe
holdupwasnotcars,butpeople.
r
d been observing a woman in an
orangeandredlamba(sari)walking
along the edge of the paddy, a look
ofquietcxpectationonherface.
We passed her, then she overtook us.
Soonshewasaheadandmingling
w1ththecrowdsthathadsp1lled
acrosstheroadbringmgtrafficto
astandstill.Whatwashappening?
A fight? An accrdentjThen we heard
music:theblareofbrass,whistles,
drums. lt was af(Jmadrhana!
Madagascar's bouc-turrnng
ceremonyusua!lytakcsplaceln
ruralspots,butthiswasthelast
perm1ssibledayoftheyearforan
exhumation: 30 September. We
lnchcdforwardandthecrowdgrew
boisterous,wavingthroughthecar
window. The trumpeters competed
fornoiseratherthanmelody.
DISPATCHES
All three of the
''''
exhumed bodies
would enjoy their tour
before being returned
to the family tomb
Drumsaddcdtothedin.Thcn Motorwayaarvlce•
ForgetCostacoftee­
wepasscdtheancestorsbemg
byMadagascar"stoads
celebrated: three bodies raised aloft; you'll find ululating
two"crcwrappcdintraditional m<><1men,zebucattle
andanarrayolbutchery
raffia mat,one tn a plywood coffin
-perhapsthcboncS\\CTCTIOWIOO
dcterioratcdtobccontaincdin
a mat. All three would enjoy their
tourbcforcbcingwrappcdinafrcsh
shroudandreturnedtothefamily
tomb while the guests got on with
thefeastmganddancmg.
W1thpresidcntialclcctionsbeing
heldatthecndof2018,candidates
arcpromismgtorelicvethccity's
congestion.Perhaps fortunately,
1t'llncveractuallyhappen.O
wanderlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 41
vastplumeofspraywasrising

abovethcdcccptivelytranquil

lguaxU River. As I got closer, the

cacophonyofchurningwaterbegan

torisetoacrescendo.Thcnlgasped.

l'djustgotmyfirstglimpseofthc

secrhmg cascade.

Even sharmg the viewing platform

w1thamassofselfie·stickwavcrsand

garrulous school groups couldn't

diminish the sheer elemental power

of the Gargan ta dcl Diablo, or Devil's

Throat. An unfathomable volume

ofwatercrashedovertheprecipice

of the horseshoe-shaped canyon

- measuring8om high and 15om

wide-andanincongruously

delicate rainbow emerged from

tbe milky-whtre abjss.

No wonder the indigenous Guarani

believed that the serpent-like god

M'Boi, the protector of water and

aquauccreatures,createdlguaxU

(which means 'big water' in Guarani}.

feelingvengcfulafterbcingdcnicd

abeautifulgirlcallcdNaipias

asacrificc,M'Hoifuriouslysliccd

the river in two, turningNaipi into

alargcrockandhcrlover,Taruba,

inloapalmtrcc,dividingthcm

forcvcrwiththcragingwatcr.

44 w•nd•rlu1t,co.uk December 2016/January 2019

 ARGENTINA

My base here was Awasi lguazll.,

anexclusivelodgctcn>•carsinthe

making. In 2007 the government

creatcda1,500-acrebufferzone

berwccn ihe nauonalpark and the

cityoflgua.lll.,dividingtheland

between Guarani communities

lt'sthoughtthatSpamshexplorer and hotels. Awasi, known for its

Al var NUiiez Cabeza de Vaca was the Chilean lodges in Patagonia and

firstEuropeantoseteyesonlguazl1 theAtacamaDesert,grabbedone

in1541,butawasn'tunti11934that oftheplots,

itwasdeclaredanationalpark. lust ralofty-cerlinged villas are

Straddlingtheborderw1thBtazil,the hldden amid tropicalfollage.wtth

falls arc for almost jkm, comprising decorinsprred bylocal flora and

morethan25ocataracts.depending faunaandGuaranicrafts.111evil!as,

on ram fall levels. Argentina lays on stilts to minimise environmental

claim to two-thirds of these, impact, overlook a mesh of shifting

including the Saito Bossetti, where greens.l'lungepoolsoffsetthe

swiftsdartthroughthewatcrand steamyheat,youwaketobirdsong

clingtothevertical,glistening-green andyougetyourownpassionate,

rockface,andthemorcscdatcDos knowledgeable guide so you can

Hermanas (Two Sisters), which drop explore at your own pace.

mro ajadc-greenlake where turrles lguazu Falls.just a zo-mmute dnve

baskandtoucansscreechin from the lodge, is the big draw of

a viston of a trcprcalEden. course, but it's Aw as i's aim t

o open

upmoreoftlusfascinatingprovince.

Location, location J wasth e r c togo bey on d the fall sto

Far removed from thc glaceers discoverthcreg1on'sincreasmgly

of Patagonia and the wide-open rarcccosystcm,indigenousculturc

pampas,MisioncsProvincein and unique history.II>

w•nd•rlu.t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 45

ARGENTINA

... Both Awasi and the falls are trccspccicsarcfoundnowhcreclsc

surroundedbyoneofthcplanet's inthcworld-andmorcthan2.ooo

last rcmammg fragments of Atlantic spcc1csofb1rds,rcpt1lcs,amph1bians

Forest.Deforestation for mining, and mammals, mcludmgjaguar.

logg1ngandagriculturebcganwith

the colonisers but by rxqo a swatbe Meeting the locals

offorcststillstretchcdthclcngth The following morn mg J crunched

ofBratil'scoastlinc,crecpinginto o,·crthctanglcofleavesandroots

nc1ghbounngParaguayandthc alongasun-dapplcdtra1lthrough

north-east tip of Argentina. the primary forest of Awast's private

A century later, only7% was still Yacu-iRcscrvcwithmyguides,

standmg. What rs kft is a biodiversity Carolmaand Jimmy. It's not a place

hotspot second only to the Amazon. to trip over mammals - although

Oneevenmg,Wilson,aBrazihan a surprised opossum darted across

biologist,gaveapassionatcta!k ourpathand]m1myspottedsome

aboutsomeoftheforest'sunique tapir tracks. But biologist Caro

floraandfauna.lthasaround20,ooo cnthusiasticallyrc\'calcdsomcofthc

plant species - more than 50% oflts forcst'ssecrets,fromthemlnuscule

sporcsonthcbackofalcafto

a prehistoric rree fern andfungr

asprcttyasanyflower,e\'enthc

ones dubbed pig's ears.

Backatthccoffec-colourcdriver,

a tradmonal Argentmc asado had

becnrustlcduponanalfrcscogrill

-savourycorncakeandsucculent

cutsofbccf,allwasheddownwith

a robust malbec. Then I kayaked along

thescrcnewatcrwaytoasoundtrack

oftheswishofpaddles,therustle

oflea\'esandthehumofcicadas.

WhentheSpamshandPortuguesc

arri\'cdaround1500,thisforcstwas

theprcscrvcoftheGuaranl,atribcof

scm1-nomadichunter-gathcrcrsand

48 w•nderlumt.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

secrets, from minuscule

§.J!Ores on a leaf to fungi

as pretty as any flower'

farmcrswholivcdolfthcforcst's

bounty, harnessing the power of

hcalmg plants and subsrstencc

hunting with twig-and-twine traps

andfeather-co\"ercdblowpipes.

Communities were scattered across

what, to them, was borderlcss

territory spanning Argentina, Brazil,

Paraguay and Bolivia. They shared

aculturalidcntity,andstilldo,

thoughthelrnumbershave

dwmdlcdandtheJTanccstrallands

havebecnrcduccdtosmal!pockcts.

On a visit to the community of

Jasy Bora (Beautiful Moon}, dose

to Awasi, squealing children played

barcfoottaginthcrussct-rcdcarth

while handicrafts were displayed on

a ramshackle stall: carved wooden

jaguarsandtoucans,je"cllcrymade

fromsccds,t1ghtlywovenbaskcts.

As Sergio showed me around the

v11lage,hepo1ntcdoutatowenng

p.ilorosatrcc,aspccicsalmostfcllcd

to exnncuon by the Spanish who

usedn to burld boats.and guernbe,

aphilodcndronwhoscrootsthc

Guaraniturnmtoropcanduseto

buildalmostcverythmg.Healso

demonstratcdascnesofincreasmgly

claboratetrapsthatwerconccused

tocatchfood . ..

w•nd•rlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 47

• TheGuaranfofMisionesmay word of mouth. Clocks or calendars

haveadoptt:djeansandT-shiruand don'treallyexist-theseasonsare 'Blissfully bucolic,

wanthain:uulikcLione]Messibutit measured by nanve Ilcra.

was clear that this small communi1y "We have mobile phones but we it seemed the perfect
ofaround17oisstillclingingtoi1s don't use technology on a stormy

culture.Sergjoexplaincd rbar they dayforfearofattraclingnegatlve

spot for the Jesuit's
haveatemplc(asimplchul)and energy,�Serg1otoldmc.

aspiritualleaderorshamanthat As is the essence of mindfulness,

utopian experiment'
intcrprctsthcmcssagesofthe theGuaraninaturallyonly1hmk

gods, as well as a cacique who ofthcprescnt.Buttheyrea\isethat

organises the community. timesarechanging,sotheyha,·e ofNucstra Seiiora de Loreto, the

They mix herbal and Western bu!ltaschoolsothe1rchildren-thc region'slargcstmission;by17ooit

mcdicinebuttheystillhavean corncrstoncoftheirsocicty,along had a population of around 7,000.

unbreakable connection to nature: withtheelderly-wil!haveafuture. Onlythcccntrcofthesprawlingsite

theirhomeistheforestandtheyare hasbeenreclaimcdfromthejunglc

theguardiansofcvcrythinginit; Ona mission and that afternoon it was only

thcirgodsarethcelcmcnts-carth, ThclivesofthcGuaranlaltcrcd Jimmy and l wandering among the

wind,fireandrain;theybelievethe irrevocablywiththearrivalofthe crumblingrcdstoncs,shadedby

sunandmoonarcbrothcrs.Thclr conquistadors;thcybecamepartof loftytrcesentwinedwithlianasand

mynadmythsandlcgcndsarepassed the labour force for the New World. outsizcdgucm�.Blissfullybucolic,

fromgencrationtogcneratlonby Thencamethc)esuits,arelig1ous itseemedtheperfectspotforthe

order fcundedm the rgjos by Jesuii"sutopiancxpcrimcnt.

a young Spaniard, Ignacio de Loyola, "ThefirstprintingpressinSouth

to spread Christianity to the New Amerlcawasbuilthcreandltwas

World. A three-hour drive south producing OOOks 60 years before

of the fallslle thefar tess-visned Buenos Aires," Jimmy told me.

reminders of these visitors.And ButwhydidtheGuaranlgi,·cup

itls these sites that gave Mtstones thcirfrecdomandbeliefsto}oin

Province its name: the Jesuit a repressfve.rheccrarlc socleryt

missionarysettlements,or Antonio Ruiz de MonlO)'a, a Jesuit

llducdOnes,auniqucevangelical Jedi who's thought 10 be buried

and social concept. here,issaidtohavebaptised

'11,e)esuitsbuilt3omissionsacross around roo,ooo Guarani.

Argentina.Brazil and Paraguay. "Manydidn'twithoutafight-in

Mylir:ststopwasthesettlement fact 'guarani' means warrior," [rmmy

48 w•nderlust.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 ARGENTINA

cxplaincd."ButthcJesu1tswerc

intclhgcnt andleamcd therr

languagcandculture.TheGuaranf

wcrcconstantlysearch1ngfor'thc
Recl•irntldbyn11ture

(clockwise from bottom left) landwithoutcvil',aplaccrcvcalcdto

Tt,eGuaranlusetheguembeto
them by thetr ancestors where they
btJ1ldalmostanyth1ng;theruins
couldlivefrccfrompainand
o!Lo,etoiss1nkongback1ntothe

jungle;SanlgoacioMin1is suffering,andthat'swhattheJesuits
Argentina'sbeSl·preserved
offered them."
m,ss,on,youcanlearnGuarani
Each mrsston had a centralchurch
cral!and11aptechniquesa11he

v1ll&geofJasyPora Orchardswercplantcdandthc

jungle whittled away to grow crops.

Familyhomcswerebuilt-thc)esuits

tolcratedmanynat1\·chehcfsbut

polygamywasn'toneofthem - as

well as schools and workshops,

whcrccarpcntry,pottcryand

metalwork were taught.

ltwasareasonablyegalitarian

societyforthet1me-dec1s1onswere

madewiththecaciquesofeach

community m the mission and

profitswereshared."Thejcsuits

wcre rhe rehgious equrvalent of

CheGucvara!")!mmyadded.

MoreprosaJCally,thealternati\"e

to the mrssrons' protection was death

atthehandsofthcbandeironces

(Portugucseslavctradcrs)orahfc

of servrrude m the nuncs and

plantationsofBrazilandbcyond.

End of days
Nearby,thevastplazaaitheheart

oftheNuestraSeOoradeS.antaAna

w•ndarluat.co.uk December 2018/Janua,y 2019 49

 <Ill Jesuits'ambition,butitwasn't

untlllreachedSanlgnacioMmithat

lgotarealsenscofthescalcofthe1r

achievement.

The missmn was founded in 1610 in

Brazilbutfollowmgconstantattacks

from the bandeirantes, Montoya

orgamscdanexodussouthalongthe indigenous population. The Jesuits

Parana Rrvcr.fesctthngin thc werccventuallyexpclledmthc

currentlocationin1696.Jtwashome 176os,aftcrwhichthemis.sions

to4,500Guaraniandit'sthehest declmcdandtheGuarani

restored of Argentma's survrvmg communities dispersed.

missions. There's a small museum, Paraguayanforcesfinallydestro}ed

and what remams of its impressive San Ignacio Mmi. What rcmamcd

stonestructuresarecarvedwith was enveloped in vcgetatmn and only

natwefloraandfaunamastylethat redrscovercdtn rgm.fmarcelled at

became known as 'Guarani Baroque'. aston eco lu rn nst il ltra ppedm th e

The missions thrived. formed fierceembraceofastranglerfig.

arnuestofightoffthebandc1rantes Tradinonally,theGuaranfd1dn't

andwerceconom1callyself-suffic1ent, bulldtheirhousesfrornstone,but

but it was politics that brought about thcirancestorsaskcdthcguardian

thedownfalloftheseunique spirit of the stones to give them

c1ty-states.SpamfeltthattheJesmts pcrm1ss1ontobmldthemiss1ons.

50 w•nd•rlu•t.co.uk December 2018/Jimuary 2019

 ARGENTINA

trees stood tall, row after regimented

row,instarkcontrasttotheanarchic

beautyofthci\tlanticForcst. '[11c

lagoon ibelfwasshallowand

mirror-flatandcchocdthecobalt­

Theybelleve that the �tones arc Builtasanestandain 1868, blucskyandwispsofcloud.ltwas

strllalive.That evcntngat the Hotel Puerto Valle sits on the banks flanked by shimmering vegetation

atmospherlc sound and llght show, of the Parani River looking across thataccumulatcstoformfloating

.1.sghostlywhite·robedGuaranland to Paraguay. That afternoon I took islands,thcpcrfccthabitatforan

black-robed Jesuits Hitted through aleisurelykayakdownanarrow arr.r.yofwildlifc.

therulns,itfcltlikctheyweTt'. channelwherewaterhyadnth Aduhblackcaimanbaskcd

tumbled from the banks and motionlcssinthesun,whilejuveniles

Gracious gods petrified trees stood like sentinels. slippcdsilentlyintothcwatcrasour

The [esults also built missions in the Along-leggedjabtru c the name boat.1.pproacht:d.Jgotupcloseto

neighbouring province of Corricntcs, mcans'sy,uJlenneck'inGuar.1.nf shaggybrowncapybaras-aGu.1.r.r.ni

a qo-minutc drive soctb of San - stalked through the shallows, word that no one could translate -

lgnacioMinf.HeTt',theykeptcattlc ajewcl-colouredkingfishernosedi\·t:d theworld'slargcstandargu.1.blyrnc:>!'it

on the fringes cf'thc vast Jbeii forits supper and great egrets .1.ttr.r.cth·erodent.lcaughtafleeting

wetlands - 'bright waters' in Guar.r.nf pcrchcdinthctreeslikewhitefruit. glimpse ofa skittish, doe-eyed marsh

-thatsitatthcconvcrgcnccof OnthedrivetoLagunaVallethe deer,afla�hoforangethroughthe

floodplains,chacograsslandandthe following morning, I could see how ripplinggrasscs.Butotherwiscatl

southernrnostrcachesofthe humanshadtransfonnedthe was calm. Today, M'boi was clearly

subtropical forest. landscapc.Pmeandcucalyptus in a benign mood.

w•nderlu.t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 51

 Would you like to fund your passion for travel? Want your work featured in the leading travel media?

Or maybe you would like to simply brush up on your travel documenting skills - either way, make your work

as powertul as it can be wtth mese informative and in-depUl seminars, brought to you by Ule experts at

Wanderlust magazine. Please see adventureshow.com for more details and specific content.

During these 6 seminars lhe Wanderlust editors and leading Industry experts wlD otter an Introduction to the key areas of travel

writlng, travel photography and flm making. The seminars offer a mixture ol Informative lectures and open group dlSCtJsslon.

They are designed to work alongside each other so you can attend a single session or come to more for a complete overview.

Each seminar lasts two hours with a limited number of participants to ensure you get the best learning environment posslble -

plus this gives }'OU a brlll!allt chance to question the experts themselves. Please see below for the seminars and timings.

nEW conTEnT FOR 2019!

SATURDAY 19 JANUARY 2019 SUNHY 20 JANUARY 2019

09.00 - 11.30 How To Get Started In Travel Writing 10.00 -12.00 How To Get Published

12.30 - 14.30 Filming YourTra1,1el Adventures 12.30 - 14.30 How To Make Your Photo's Stand Out

15.30 - 17.30 Improving Your Travel Photography 15.00 - 17.00 Making Money From Your Travels

SPACES ARE ALLING FAST SO BOOK YOURS TODAY.

VISIT WWW.ADUENTURESHOW.COffl

OR CALL 0844 581 4919*

Seminar lickets are £40 and Jnch.tde entry to the Adventure Travel Show when

t>ooked in advance- please quote 'WANDER' when bOoklng.

Want to attend more lhil1 one Multi media Seminar? Addi11onal seminars can be booked at ooty £30' each!
 ARGENTINA

Getting there
A daily direct service with British

Airways (britlshalrways.com) fhes

from Heathrow to Buenos Aires.

Fhght time Is approximately 14

hours. return fares start from £695

return. Therearealsofl)ghtsto

Buenos Altes via Madrid and US

hubs with other caniers. LATAM

(latam com) !ties from Buenos

Aires to Gataratas del lguall.J

iruenauonet Airport in Misiooes

Getting around
Distances are huge. so air travel a ten-rnght taacemeoe rtinefary

Vital statistics TOP TIP is the quickest way to get arourid costing from £6.398 per person

Capital: Buenos Aires Argentina also has an exceHent based on two sharing. This
For evocative
Population: Around 45 mdbon long-distance bus network includes two nights at Awas1
background
Language: Spanish thetrs Iast.corntorteble end lguazu and three nights at Puerto
research, watch
Tlme:GMT·3 good value On overnight buses Valle on a fully inclusive basis.
The Mission
International dialling code: •54 irs worth paying a bjt extra for international flights with British
(1986).the
Visas: Not required by UK e;ecuwoclass(wide.alrnost Airways. domestic flights. transfers
Robert de
nationals for stays of up to 90 days fully reclining seats) or cama-su11e and two nights in Buenos Aires
Niro-starring
Money: Argentine peso (ARS). class (essentially a bed) Large B&B. including excursions

movie about the

currently around ARS4B to the baggage is slowed in tre hold

UK£ and, at the time of writing.

experiences of a and bags are tagged for security Cost of travel

suffe11ng rampant inflalion. Jesuit missionary I

f you're on a budget you can

There are ATMs In cities and In 18th-century The trip gel by on under US$50 a day

ma1or towns and credit cards South America The author travelled with Journey by sleeping and eating cheaply.

are accepted at most hotels Latin America (020 8600 1881. Upgrade to between US$60

and shops but vcc'u need cash 1ourneylat1name1ica.co.uk) on . and you can II>
and $200 a day

for cheaper establishments.

markets and 11pp1ng

Town&--,
Findbrighto;olour5in

When togo bothBuenosAirn

(above)1ndthe
Spring: Argentina Is a year-,ound
sparkling Lake District
oesunauoo but spring (5eptember·

November) is one of the best times

to region-hop. The Lake District

is also beautiful during this time.

51.Jmmer: Patagonia Is most

accessible In summer (December

to February). M1siones Is warm all

year around. but the hottest month

is January (the coldest Is July, while

the wettest is October).

Autumn: The winelands are lovely

m autumn (March-May) AvOld

January. Easter and July to beat

the abundant crowds.

Health & safety

Make sure you're up to date on

baSlc jabs. including tetanus

There's a low 10 no risk of malaria

and a moderate risk or Ztka. Be

aware of the effects of altitude

sickness, which can begin at

2.400m above sea level. Tap water

rs genefally safe to drink.

w1nd.rlu1t.co.uk December 2018/Janua,y 2019 53

ARGENTINA

<II stay 1n comfortable hotels. eat

at better places and take tours

A stay 1n a luxury hotel, eating in

fancyrestaurantsandtakingtax1s

can set you back US$200-plus a

day Tip in restaurants where a

service charge isn't included.

Accommodation
Argentina has accommodation

to suit all budgets. from fam1ly-

run guesthouses to boutique

hotels; camping sites to luxury

hotels In Misiones, Awasi lguazu

(awasiguazu.com) has villas from

US$2.100pp (£1.617) for a two

night stay, mcludmq all food. dnnk

and excursions Puerto Valle

(puertovalle.com.ar) in Comentes

has doubles from US$820 (£630).

all-inclusive. In Buerms Aires,

Legado Mitico (leqadormtico com)

has B&B doubles from US$250

(£190) and Vain Boutique Hotel

(vamhotel com) has B&B doubles

from US$99 (£75) Argentina highlights

Further reading
& information:
Argentina (Lonely Planet. 2018) is this charismatic capital city naturereservetharsamecca

www.argentina.travel - official for southern right whales.

site of the lnstrtuto Nacional de 1 Magellanic penguins.

Promoci6n ronsuca Malbec&mount•ins

The Mendoza region
2 :�::�:i: �atural wonder elephant seals and more

www.lata.travel - The Latin amid sub-tropical forest

off nhnew,ne,n

smencan Travel Association O wild landscapes

2 7��s�:�:1�:rful El Challen,

3 �a:i1: �::�:���-=�i�:st walk amid jagged peaks and

malbec at a high tech winery visit the otherworldly Perito

Moreno Glacier

4 ��!t::i:����;�twest
1

Saltaisthegatewaytothe 8�':'!��:!::!nd.targest

extraordinary landscapes wetlands, home to cannen

of the wild north-west capybara and a host of birds

8 1

5 �:���:;��;:feet glacier 9 ::� 1�: !�:outh for

lakesflankedbylushforest a real end-of-the-world feel

m Moreonline
IAJI Visit www.wanderlust.eo.uk/192

Planning guides

• Argentina Travel Guide

Archive articles

• 'Earth, Salt and Sky' (issue 186) - Exploring Argentina's rugged nonh-west

• 'Time to Tango' (issue 182) - Hot-steppmg the streets of Buenos Aires

54 w•ndarlust.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

Endeavour New Zealand ltfnerary Speclalists

GRAN "
MELIA
H O T E L S & R E S O R T S

Yollr invitation into Spanish luxury

YOUR I I O L I D I\ Y S . RHINED

UP ro 2 5 % o H

OLSCOI/U GRAN MEii.A.

MELIA.Pao

......
EXCLUSIV[RATESfOR BOOKNnPRICES
BUSINESS&LDSUR[TRIPS DIR(CnY

THrFIRSlmP1DWARos eooKYOURCOHTRAcITo
THEPERffCTMNT HDTELDNUNE

... ,.,_.-.i,-llllllUWNWlll!W-•111

•1i11-- ... -·--11

080823tl953•···-
WHY IT'S HOT: NEW FLIGHTS AND THE 75TH

ANNIVERSARY OF THE NORMANDY LANDINGS

MEAN IT'S TIME TO TOAST THE FRENCH COAST.

WeMy:Too often we ignore what's on our

doorstep. So, as flights launch from London

Southend Airport to Brest on the western tip of

Brittany in ApriL and the 75th anniversary of the

D·Day landings looms in the calendar, there's no

better time to explore our sister coast

Wild shores, Breton culture and grand

tomnceuons are the building blocks of Brittany.

Off the tip of bustling Brest, the craggy trails of

the ile d'Ouessant make a fine aperitif for a route

threading north past the pinky shores of the

C6tedeGranit·Rose, the cobbles, crepenes and

ramparts of charming Dinan, and medieval

St·Malo. The historic vibe continues as Mont

St Michel glowers over the border m Normandy,

a gloriously moody medieval island commune

topped by an imposing abbey that sets the tone

for the windswept Cherbourg Peninsula.

Bayeux (of tapestry fame) makes a good base

for explonng the Second World War land mg

beaches along the Normandy coast. The D-Day

museum in neighbouring Arromanches tells the

story of how around 130,000 soldiers swarmed

ashore here on 6 June 1944 Pay your respects

then continue into the rural heartland of Pays

d'Auge - all country lanes, Camembert and

cider - before ending m Rauen, a grand

medieval city heavily rebuilt, like much of the

region, after the war. A fitting finale.

Don't mi •• , North of Rouen lies the i dyllic town

of Euetat, once revered among Impressionist

painters for trs vrews. Follow trails p the white

u

cliffs and breathe deep . ...

 -.
""• j ·• I

,.
WHY IT'S HOT= WJTH ICELANO SEEING

2.2 MILLION VISITORS PER YEAR

(6 5 TIMES ITS POPULATION),

WE NEED AN ICY ALTERNATIVE.

Weuy: Barely 70,000 visitors arrive m

Greenland each year, with a good chunk of those

just stepping off the cruise ships to stretch their

legs. Consequently, it doesn't take much to find

peace in the least densely populated place on

Earth. So, whether rrs out among the calving

glaciers and 'bergs of ursko Bay or mushing

a pack of huskies into the planet's largest national

park, be sure to enjoy some alone time here.

With a wealth of new tours launching In

Greenland m 2019 and opening up its httte-trod

nooks, it's easier to visit than ever. Yet even on

the more accessible western coast, it isn't short

of isolated adventures From the lonely tundra

you'll find along the 164km Arctic Circle Trail to

trekking on the world's second·largest ice cap,

there's solitude aplenty.

In the south, it's even better. There's incredible

hiking and kayak mg around the glacial coast.

while to the east hes the remote Ammassalik

area (see p28}, where fewer than 3,000 people

live in a region about the size of the UK. Here,

dog-sledding trips and boats heading north

reveal a frozen wilderness of Thule sertlemem

ruins and grazing musk-oxen. Breathtaking.

Don't miss: Between November and April,

Greenland's dark skies reveal some incredible

aurora sightings, best viewed m the wild on an

overnight sled trip. II>

L
�-
. FIJI
WHYIT'SHOT:GETTING THERE

HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER.

We say: Historically, F111 has always been

tricky to reach from the UK, attracting

mostly honeymooners and backpackers

on RTW tickets Yet its 300·plus islands

deserve far greater scrutiny. and with easier

connections now via LA. Singapore and

San Francisco. 2019 might just see UK

travellers finally saying 'bu/a' to F1Jt

A new code share with British Airways

flights sees vrsrtors la rid at Nad1 on V1t1 Levu

It sa rather under appreciated starting

point. as most prefer to head for the resorts

instead of the island's rugged interior where

highland treks, waterfalls and village stays

show a different side to F11ian life

That's not to say other islands aren't worth

exploring Paddle the remote Yasawas - F111

has some of the best warm-water kayaking

on Earth- snorkel among manta rays and

explore hidden limestone caves. Bliss

Don't miss: Float downriver on a bamboo

raft to Namehe. F1Ji'S largest cave network

- complete with cannibal oven

WHY IT'S HOT: BUDGET FLIGHTS ANO

SOME OUT OF THIS WORLD WONDERS.

We say: Early m 2018. travellers finally got

their wish when Norweqians low-cost direct

flights from London to Buenos Aires took to

the skies. This December will see the

number of departures rise to seven per

week. rust as a half·dozen new domestic

connections put everything from the

crashing falls of lguazu {see p42) t

o the

historic streets of C6rdoba and the lakes of

aeniccheurcrn 3 December) wutun reach.

11 all couldn't come at a better time On

2 July 2019. a total eclipse will rip across the

skies above the Pacific ocean and a narrow

strip of South America. and anyone visiting

Buenos Aires' southern outskirts or the wine

country north of Mendoza (another new

low-cost connection) will get front-row

seats. Coupled with the chance to explore

the capital"s barrios dance floors and

necropolises. it's this summer's hot ticket

Don't miss: From 3 December. Norwegian

Air Argentina will offer flights to Salta. a fine

Jumping off point to exptore the multi·

ccioured cliffs of the Ouebrada de Cafayate

and the tuoh-ennuoe 'Train to the Clouds'. "'

w•nd•rlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 87

B U I L D YOUR DREAM NOW

020 3 1 2 6 4039 ee
o n e o c e a n e x ped 11 i o n s . c o m
oneocean
 Its great news for a country that still flies

below most travellers radars Inland lie

WHY IT'S HOT: THE WORLD'S SECOND· Jungles prowled by Jaguars and the chance

LARGEST REEF IS BOUNCING B

� t
o canoe ancient Maya caves and explore

'lost cities' such as the Irttle-seen Caracol -

We say: While little good news surrounds larger than Behzes rrcoem-oevceccet

the Great Barner Reef. 11 is a different story The coast is the real lure though Snorkel or

over in the Caribbean Sea Here the dive among its reef sharks and parrot fish. or

Belize Barner Reef Reserve System, part explore the white sandbanks of Glover's Reef

of the Mesoamencan Reef that runs by kayak. while f

ew sights match the sapphire

tOOOkm north from the country, has iris of the Blue Hcie marine cavern

finally been removed from UNESCO's Don't miH: Around 1.000 manatees live off

'endangered sites' hst after the government the Belize coast. with Manatee Lodge

passed laws to prevent oil exploration and (manateelodge com) running trips to the

protect coastal mangroves SOI.Ith Lagoon where many gather.

w•nd•rluat.co.uk December 2018/Janua,y 2019 89

·GEORGIA
WHY IT'S HOT: TRAINS, TRA!LS AND

CULTURE IN THE CAUCASUS.

Weur. As the middle stop on the new

Baku-Ibrhsi-Kars (BTK) line - Europe's next

great rail adventure - the Georgian capital

Tbilisi is poised to steal our affections again.

Reports say the route from AzerbalJan to

Turkey may open to travellers 1

n early 2019.

but direct UK fhghts mean many are already

discovering the former Soviet nation

Tbilisi isa lup citv with a growing foodie

reputation stoked by interest 1

n its 'amber

wine' and chacha brandy Sulphur baths.

Zoroastrian fire temples and the cave city of

Uphstsikhe show there's history here. too

Away from the capital, the trenscaucasran

Trail (TCT) rs an ongoing project plotting

a 3,000km route across to Armenia and

Azerbenan Money to tidy up each section is

raised from hikers Joining trips to test out the

new paths (see transcaucasiamrail org)

Don't miH: The svenen trail rs among the

TCTs newest sections. and direct flights

from Luton to Kutersr are opening up the

area and its incredible walking

WHY IT'S HOT:THIS FAST-CHANGING

LATIN COUNTRY IS FULL OF SURPRISES.

Wesay:Afterthe50·yearwarinthe

Colombian Amazon ceased m 2016. explorers

entered its table-top tepcns and 1aguar •

prowled Jungles to discover cave art dating

back 20.000 years. In 2018, as part of the

expanded Ch1rib1quete National Park. 11

became UNESCO's latest World Heritage Site

s mccenve of a Colombia that rs changing

It'

at lightning pace Even Bogota has shed its

fearsome reputation to embrace hipster

coffee shops, books and bikes Once no-go

zones. cities such as Medellin and salsa

capital can now trade on their old notoriety

a tour of the luxury La Catedral ·1a1r drug lord

Pablo Escobar had built for himself rs a must

Then theres the sites few travellers know

about the 'lost city' of Teyuna. Cciombia's

answer to Machu Prcchu, the cavernous salt

cathedral of Z1paquir8, and the miraculous

five-colour river of Cano Cristales What

have you been waiting for all this time?

Don't miH: After v1s111ng eccctes dazzling

Gold Museum, head to Mount Moo serrate

(3.152m) - the steep walk up yields incredible

views of a rapidly evciv1ng capital. II>

w•nderlu•t.co.ukDecember2018/January2019 71
 BULGARIA
WHY IT'S HOT: CULTURE MEETS COAST
Pedal
I
N EASTERN EUROPE.

Sweden's
Weaay, Despite their rich history and
southern
soaring peaks Bulgaria's hinterlands have

coast largely failed to register with travellers more

June2019isM!ttoseethe familiar with its cheap pistes and lard-back

completion of Sweden's
capital. But. as European Capital of Culture
l11testn11tion11lcycletr1il,

Plovdiv puts the rugged south-west on the

theSydkustleden.The

map in 2019, that may be about to change

routebetweenSimrish11mn

As one or Europe's oldest mhebrted cues.

andHelsingborglinksup

two existing trails to plovcnv wears its history lightly - there aren't

complete11900km many places where yoo can carcetrcm

network that loops down

Roman theatre to Ottoman-era mosque

lromViixjOondb ..ckupto
Wander its cobbled Oki Town and crumbling
Gothenburgvi11the

fortresses, then head for the Rhodope

southern coast of the
Mountains where scenic trails wind past
Skilneregion.Explorelush

lorests,coost11lfortresses, Byzantine and Crusader relics

hipMnlm01ndeven The country's hetonc east coast rs

'Sweden's Stonehenge'
opening up, too. as new low-cost flights to

(AlesStenu).Theueais
the Black Sea city of Burgas launch from
knownforilsfood.sobe
nine UK airports in May Combine a visit with
suretofilluponeggcokes
exploring rose-pink salt lakes. former pirate
11ndspettehke,eribbon·
islands and some dramatic kayaking
likesugarytreatbakedon

1,pit.Butthesweetestjoy Don't mi••: Not far from Ptovov he the

issimplyped11llingthe pin-striped monasteries. hiking trails and

serene countryside. hidden vineyards of the R1la Mountains,

a rugged escape far off the tourist trail

RWANDA
WHY IT'S HOT: ITS W!LOLIFE IS

FINALLY BOUNCING BACK.

We say: More than doubling the cost of

gorilla trekking m Rwanda compared with

neighbouring Uganda has had a not

unexpected effect Early reports show venor

numbers at some lodges may have dropped

40%. But r
t might also vreld the benefit of

shifting anent ion t

o other wonders

The �g draw m 2019 rs the expected

opening to visitors of Gishwat1-Mukura

National Park in the north west Its wildlife

suffered greatly m the wake of the 1994

genocide when returning locals tore down

trees to rebuild homes. but it's now set to

rival the country's top ctump-trackmq spots

Another of Rwanda's under-tf-e-radar

successes Is Akagera National Park. one of

Africa's largest protected wetlands. Having

lost many of its animals during the war. 11 can

now claim 'big five· status after the recent

remrrcducnon of the eastern black rhrno.

Don't miss: Trek up Mount Muhabura in

Volcanoes National Park to swim the crater

lake marking the border with Ugarn::la ,.

w•nderluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 73

i n f o @ b a mboot rave I .co.u k

Authentic bespoke •

tours. Every corneflt\ ·

of India. � ·
 that of his saryagraha philosophy of

non-violent resistance. through some of

WHY IT'S HOT: NEW FLIGHTS AND the objects - shawl, watch. even one of the

OLD ICONS COMBINE. bullets that struck him - that defined his life

But Gujarat rs where Gandhi is best

We Hy: Indian visas may still cost a fortune. remembered In Ahmedabad you can even

but change is afoot as the first low cost UK live as he did. with a mindful stay at the

flights land in New Delhi (via Reylqav1k) this KochrabAshram that Gandhi built m 1915

December. The catch for UK travellers is an (hveqandlutorawhde com). or rust wander

extended flight time - double that of most the famous verside Sabarma!I Ashram that
ri

direct routes - but an Iceland stopover rs was his lonq-nme ho me. Finish m his birth

hardly a bad trade-of crtvct Porbandar. where a shrine to his life

The new flights arrive in time to mark 150 (Krrtl Mandn) was ilt next door to his
bu

years since the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. a ncestralresldericeuponh1sl1nalrelease

the man who led India to independence from prison m 1944 A fascinating look at

Pay a vrsu to Gandhi Srnnn the Delbr house a crucial pe riod of moias past

where he was assassinated in 1948, and Don'tmlss: Payavis1ttotheG1rForest

wander his old quarters. preserved 1ust as N ational Park toghrnpse Oujarat's other

they were at the time of his death ic on. the Asiatic lion The west Indian state is

Meanwhile. the National Gandhi Museum he last remaining refuge of

t the endangered

offers the cha rice to explore his legacy. and beasts, of which oo ly a few hundred are left

w•nderluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 75

 .NEPAL
WHY IT'S HOT? EXPLORE A

CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY.

We Mr, With news that si

nce 1970 humanity

has wiped out 60%of animal e on the planet

lif

(WWF). we·
r e pleased t
o see Nepal is bucking

the trend. Asof late 2018, Bengal uger

numbers hefe have risen t

o around 235. up

from an esuewe ot l201nchviduals 1

n 2009.

there are only about 4.000 i

n theWOfld

coupled with the rise m ooe-horned rhmo at

Chltwan NP and the upgrade of Shuklaphama

Wildlife Reserve t
o national park status in 2017.

Nepal i
s fast becoming a wildlife haven

8ut s1nce the 2015 earthquake. the number

of visitors t
o Nepal 1sst1II down It's definitely

time t
o head back. Head or
f Chnwen t
o spot

gharials. elephants. sloth bears and tigers

(
some 120 roam here). Or seek out the

overlooked gem of aeroe NP m the southern

lowlands. visited by f
ewer than 20.000 people

a year vet roamed by some SO tigers.

Don'lmlH1Ch1twan's Tiger ops

T Elephant

camp outlawed elephan1-back safaris in 2015.

but you can now spend a day with a mahout

caring f
or tJ-ese incred1blearnmals instead

MEXICO
WHY IT'S HOT: SOAK UP THE CULTURED

HIGHLANDS OF GUANAJUATO STATE.

Weuy1 It was Sliver that first bankrolled San

Miguel de Allende During Mexico's early

colonial period. the city was a waypoint f

or

the metal torn from the Central H,ghlands

Now the money comes from visitors, drawn

by the Spanish-style cobbles and grand

San Miguel Arcangel Pan sh Church

However, as 2019'sAmencan capital of

Culture. lrsonlyhkelytoget busief So.once

you've explored the baroque centre and

Juarez Park. yo1.fll dowell to escape t

o

ccerecetce underrated fringes

Here. natural hot springs break up the

cecu-cocueo hills. while horse-riding treks

provide a good way to visit the state's

colornal relics. The semi-abandoned town of

Mineral de Pozos. where you can explore the

remains of around 500 ITllnes i

n the

surrounding hills{bring a torch). and the

pre-Hispanic rums of ceaeoe de l

a Virgen

only add 10 the sense of a bygone Mexico

frozen in time.

Don't mln:Checkout the UNESCO·hsted

Sanctuary of Atotonilco. dubbed 'Mex1CO's

S1st1neChapel' f
or its vivid baroque frescoes. 0

7tl wand•rlu11.co.ulc December 2018/January 2019

 IHTRODUCIHC THE MOST IH-DEPTH

REDESICH OF THE AWARD-WIHHIHC

DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL CUIDES

"Guide books just don't get any better"

THE PERF CT CHRISTMAS
GIFT FOR TRAVEL ADDICTS
1 0 Issues of Wanderlust+ Dorling Kindersley's

Where to Go When: The Americas+ £50 Travel Voucher

All for just £35 (save a further £5 by paying via direct debit}

Call On: 01371 853641 and quote Christmas Offer 192

 £50 __
TRAVEL VOUCHER

__ ____ ..__ _
... .... ..._..
,.

-..-- ..---
-·�
' �·, ,_,.,,...,,oo�•'

,aw EOITION

-
--

For only £35* you can give

someone these amazing gifts ...
* 10 ISSUES OF WANDERLUST. the original travel magazine
* A copy of WHERE TO GO WHEN: THE AMERICAS, worth £14.99.
The ultimate trip planner, packed with over 130 of the most spectacular

places in North, Central and South America, and arranged in a handy

month-by-month guide

* A £50 TRAVEL VOUCHER towards their next bookinq'"

'£35payablebychequeorcred�cardor£30payableVU1directdebtforfirstyear.Afterfirstyear,d1rectdebrtcollecllOOw,ll,ncrease

1ostandardrateol£35.Toisoffef1sr.otavadable,ncon1unct,onw,thaoyotherproroot,on.Tlnoffercloseson31December2010

Thsoff&rcannotbeused1nconJunct>00wrthanyotheroffe.-.Ovefseas?Pleasephor.e•441Jn853641forlurtherdeta,'9.

Calls maybe mon,toredor r

ecorded fortra,r,ng porposes. F
or full t
erms and conch\lOllS�V•M wwwWandeflustoffer.co.uk

••0eta,ls of Voucher Scheme membe<s available at wanderlust co uk

 MHihiliFM

SAFARI
AFRICA
Do you want to track big game on foot or in a dugout canoe?

Explore vast savannahs or sweeping dunes? Focus on birds or

bigger beasts? Plot your perfect safari with our total guide

WORDS EMMA GREGO

 several glorious parks and reserves

�oi:;s�::irf1rst you can explore under your own

safari Mme was steam at your own pace. And 1f

N a self-drive trip

through Kenya's

Masai Mara.

bumping along wilderness tracks

you'd rather let someoneelsedo the

driving (1f onty to enjoy a crisp beer

or a gin and tome at some point)

there are plenty of conservation·

m a tiny Toyota rented for a song 1n friendly organised safaris that can

Nairobi With no guide, radio or show you Africas heartlands at their

mobile phone to assist us. our luminous. intricate bes t

w1ldl1fe s1ght1ngs were hit arid miss W hether you're ccneoenoc

But we gloned in the novelty of 11 driving or w ant to book a guided

alt immersed mcreen landscapes tour, us w i

se to plan yo ur tnpwnf

where graceful zebras and giraffes. care. seeki ng expert advice Fo r

surpnsed-lookmq warthogs and exerce. some experiences are

paintbox bright birds were as seaso nal. and in some cases fty1ng

abundant arc easy to see as cows. t

be wee n pa k r s and reserves is mo re

sheep and pigeons in rural England ceecncet than over landing

Back then. m the 1990s, Kenyas If the plethora of options leaves

roads were - like Bntama- emptier. you as baff edl asa warthog, try

and four-wheel-drrvmg through the focusing on sa fari companies or

Afncan bush was still the ultimate oesunetons with a reputation for

thrill Today, there are calls to hmn or excellent gu1d1ng. t

Firs -c lass guides

even ban self-drive safaris in Africa's will eep you

k sale and help you fmd

busiest protected areas. to reduce your wrshhst species. Impo rtantly,

environmental damage and give the they'll also unlock the wo nders of

animals a little more personal space the bu sh through thoughtful

Nonetheless. forwlldl1fe-lovers with explanationsandthrillingtales

an adventurous somt. there are still They'r e w orth their weight 1n gold. IJ,-

82 w•nd•rlust.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

TRIP P L A N N E R , SAFARI AFRICA

w•nderlu.t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 83

T R I P PLANNER, SAFARI AFRICA

Bestfor: A <Juicl, wildlife-wcdching stopover

DURATION: 1-3 days Kenya is blessed with one of Sef••i•t.n

&•trip••
ROUTE: Nairobi. Nairobi NP Africa's most accessible
Sp0lgiraffe
WHEN TO GO? June-October w1ldhfe-watching areas·
againsta

and December-February are a national park more than ten baddropof

skyS<::rapers:
the driest months times larger than London's
(farrighrJzebra
Richmond Park. right on formt>ardo

Let's start by debunking the Nairobi"s doorstep Considering knownasa

zeal:(righ1)an
rdeathat a safanhas tc be a its size and location. its
ostrich forages
Journey That notion dates back population of black rhinos. i
n Nairobi

to the 18th and 19th centuries, hcns.zebras and pueftesrs

when East African traders. remarkably healthy Kenya

hunters and explorers used the Airways now includes a free

Swahili word safan (meaning flying vrsn to the national park

voyage or Journey) for an 11 you re 1n transit between

arduous trip between trading London and one of seven

posts. or an eurnei-ccuecnrc Atncao cmesrteesaran

expedulon Ripe with romantic. guides will drive you around

adventcrous assocauons. the the park, provide breakfast

term is here to stay But if you and even cover the cost of

don t have the time or vour trensn vee.

mcllnanon for a muln-stop For those who decide to stay

marathon. you needn t miss overnight. the park has a couple

out entirely- it's perfectly of gorgeous httle lodges (Ololo

possible to plan a quick and The Emakoko) to knock

single-stop satan instead. spots off any airport hotel. t>

84 w•nderlust.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 TRIP P L A N N E R , SAFARI AFRICA

·1WmtfrWI

BIG FIVE
ADVENTURE
Bestfor: Afirst-time scif(lri

DURATION: 10 days flights. well managed reserves. Back from

the brink
ROUTE: Cape Town· and fabulous food arid wine

Winelands • Greater Kruger First. treat yourself 10 a few white rhino

WHEN TOGO? Any time- but days in Cape Town and the (belowJwas

&avedltom
for dry weather and moderate Winelands, sinking your teeth
extinction
temperatures, May and into the sophetrcated farm-to- largelyth11nks

September-October are best fork food scene, basking m the to efforts in

So<JthAfttc11
glow of some contemporary art

The 819 Five aren't the be all ero or warming up your wuonte-

end all. Africa has other large watching skills in Kirstenbosch

charismatic creatures that are National Botanical Garden and

Just as interesting - giraffes. at the African penguin colony

cheetahs, hyenas and gorillas, on Boulders Beach

for example But seeking out the Next. fly or drive to Kruger for

animals that topped the danger a classic safari in one of Africa's

lists of big game hunters prime wrldhte-watchmq regions.

(elephant. rhino. hon. leopard Whether you stay in a simpJe

and buffalo} will get your first lodge 1n Kruger National Park or

safanoff to atlvlnq start an exclusive camp m the

SOuth Africa offers lots of ad101ning seb sands Reserve,

options for both independent unforgettable sightings are

and organised sarans. from practically guaranteed. some

budget to blowout, with good visitors tick off the entire 819

Frv
em theirftrst afternoon js

w•ndarlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 87

. RIVERS, DESERT

A N D DELTA

Best/or: Pristine wilderness

DURATION: 16days Start by explonng the shining o.pe ..c.pe

HippOScooloff
ROUTE: Zambezi Region Kwando River m a motorboat to
inthew•tersof
(Capriv1) • Okavango look fo1 elephants and hrppos theKw•ndo

Panhandle•CentralKalahari Continue to the Okavango

G R · M a u n· Okavango Delta· Panhandle - not a prime

Botsw•na
Chobe NP• Victoria Falls wildlife-watching area. but
border

WHEN TO 007 To see the excellent f

or birdwatching from

Okavango Delta in flood and a motorboat or mokoro

Vic1oriafallsinfullspate.the (trad1t1onal dugout canoe)

early dry season (May-August) re-1mag1ned in fibreglass Next

is best head into theCemral Kalahari

fathechancetosee black­

Botswana is known an maoed lions. bat ·eared foxes

expensive safari destination - its and honey badgers.

conservation-focused tourism Round off your trip with three

industry limits Visitor numbers. of Afnca's blockbusters. cruise

and demand keeps prices high. the waterways of the Okavango

If you want to stretch your Delta. explore Chobe's

money as far as possible. lt's elephant-rich marshes and

WOfth considering a self-dnve discover the mighty cataracts

nip You'llneedtobecapable. that thelOZI people call

resourceful and confident MOSl·oa-Tunya {'The Smoke

behind the wheel of a 4WD. That Thunders'): Victoria Falls.

88 w•nd •• lu•1.co.uk December 2010/January 2019

 TRIP P L A N N E R , SAFARI AFRICA

o.?

Fi·i·bidlFill(i K E N Y A

T HE GREAT
MIGRATION
Best for: One o
fAfrica's most dmmalic wile/life phenomena

DURATION:10-14 days i
t s companions into the Mara.

ROUTE: Mara North only t

o be snapped up and

Conservancy· Masai Mara· death rolled by a huge

Northern Serenget i crocodile, awe at the spectacle

WHEN TO GO? July-October, of dozens of wildebeest

to see the herds massing and galloping across i

n a struggling.

crossing the Mara River plunging mass, and concern at

the sheer numbers of safari

East Africa's Great Migration rs vehicles !OSthng for the best

a rambling clockwise circuit s1ghtl1nes on the opposite bank.

lasting all year vast wildebeest The best way t

o avoid the

herds. seeking fresh water and congestion t

s to limit your time

grass, head north from their i

n the Masai Mara National

calving grounds 1
n the short­ Reserve.where traffic

grass plains of the southern bottlenecks regularly occur. r

n

Serengeti to the Grumet1 River. favour of the quieter adio1ning

continue towards the Mara River conservancies Here. some

mtne nothemsererceuenc camps (such as Sanctuary

Masai Mara. then loop south Olooana and Nga r

e Serian)

again via the eastern sererceu perch right Of1 the banks of the

The first time I witnessed Mara For a fresh perspective. try

a river crossing. the experience an expert-guided walking and

filled me with shock. awe and fly-camping experience with

concern shock at the swift seneo o-eottbe tewootnts

demise of a Thomson's gazelle permitted to explore the

that was plucky enough t

o l
e ad northern Serengeti on foot. ._

w•nderlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 89

 Experience a country

like never before with

our carefully selected

local experts.

TOQ«..,..t "" - � - - °"' J.20,000vllllonO'

� · 1. 200 1oooi ll

Plan your paff.ct tailor-made holJdoy via ...

www.travcllocal.com

111'\ eABTA •.u. ro 1 11 1 m 7898

'OI --- teo,mOt!Uffllocotcom

For tailor-made holidays, safaris and adventure travel contact the Africa experts.

+44 (0)1823 451959 I contact@outposts.co.uk I travelafrlca.outposts.co.uk

 TRIP P L A N N E R , SAFARI AFRICA

Cal&nou•
DURATION: 10-14 days a delightful boutique hotel
A leopard

ROUTE: Lusaka• South lavishly decorated with art and

Luangwa NP· Lower artefactsbv Zarnbran arusts.

��:o:t
(abowl)in
Zambezi NP and in Mfuwe. gateway to
Southluangwa

WHEN TO GO? June-October South Luangwa. where several National Park,

arethednestmonths;the workshops sell original textiles,

green season, November-May, jewellery and homewares

is great for birding and infinitelymoreappeahngthan

bestwalk,ng
baby antelopes the mass-produced carvings
nfari1(rig1!1J

inmanyAfricancraftmarkets

If leopards and expertlygutded Even better. these enterprises

bushwalks top your safari contribute to wildlife

wish list. look no further zarrces conservation and help

flagship natonal park. South support local tammes.

Luangwa. r
s oneol Atrkas best Thanks to its rich wetland and

desnnanons for both Lower woodland habitats and the

Zambezi r
s a complementary patient dedication of its guides.

desnnanon -Atncas first South Luangwa's wrldhfe­

carbon-neutral national park. watching is outstanding on

and fabulously scenic more than one week long visit

Zambia has an excellent I've seen leopards every day. In

guiding tradition and bags of Lower Zambezi you can explore

character and creative talent a great African waterway, the

particularly in the rural regions Zambezi. watching elephants

You'll get a strong sense of this pad silently down to the waters

at Latitude 15 Degrees m Lusaka edge to drink. II>

wandarlu1t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 91

 rgentma1sacountry gu1desw1II take you to the frozen forests, falls and lagoons of Tierra

as vaned asrtislo-q. glory of Petito Moreno Glacier and del Fuego NP or ating into the How to win
A
bo

spanning from the dry, Los oleoeres Nanoral Park. Be agle Chanr.el to look for se a Evaneos is off ering one

rocky north. via the rhythmic where montane forest. sweeping lions This is the side f
o Argentina lucky rea der the ch ance to

bustle of the capital and on past steppe. sparkling lakes arid the few see without specialist help. win two ces on
pla a ten-day

lush grassjandsand lakes to the largest i

ce cap outside Greenland and a fitting end to a unique trip trip to Argentina designed

pristine beauty of Patagonia T

o await Picnic m the shadow of by local exper ts, including

truly see what 11 has to offer. you Mount Fitz Roy(3395m)asthe A local's view international flights {worth

need a local's viewpoint, which is mist from your breath mingles Ev aneos le ts travellers create up to £1.200), transfers and

why tour operator Evaneos has with the clouds taaor.rrade tours with ha nd­ meals. For a chance to win,

put together a ten-day mrerev o usbuaia m the deep

Fly on t picked.Enqllsh-speakmq local answer the following:

with its locally based experts And south. to finish at the "end of the avel agents
tr In doing so, they

best of ell they·reoffenng you the workf. Locelqudeswnl help you help create customised trips that Patagonia', Mount Fitz Roy l

chance to sample it for yourself dive into its wilderness. whether get you closer to what you want wasnamedafter1hecap1aln :

h1k1ng and canoeing amid the to see - all with a little k>c al help
ofwhlchfamouuhip1 ,l

A rhythmic encounter
Start in buzzing Buenos Aires a) HMS Beagle

Explore CamirntoStreet an area b) HMS Endeavour

so entwined with the city's IT'IJSlcal c) HMS Victory

heritage it's even named after a

Toenterandforfullterms.condrtK'.lOS
song byCarlosGardel. the kmq of
anddatapolloes,gotowande<lust.
the tango; bandone6n players couk,lcornpetrtK'.lOSorsendyour

soundtrack ycurevery step as answertotheWandefUStofhce

(addressp5};state'more1nfo",fyou
you explore this colourful drstnct. wanttobecontoctedbyWandeflust

Then make for the antique shops orrtssponsors.Closrngda!e,s

2.lanuary2019
of boho San Tel mo and the
..................................
nroressrve tombs at La Recoleta.

Next. something completely

different the untamed wilderness

of Patagonia Enghsh-speakmg

92 w•nd•rluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 For more information, visit www.evaneos.co.uk

 TRIP P L A N N E R , SAFARI AFRICA

N'i+ili+M
·GORILLAS,

CHIMPS & BIRDS

llestfor. An all-in-one road trip

DURATION:14-18days woodland and wetland the Bird•,ben

&relative•
ROUTE: Kampala • Budongo birding here s worth travelling

Forest· Kibale Forest NP· halfway around the world for

Murchison Falls NP· Queen Uganda rs also. with Rwanda. the i

n Uganda's

nverbanks
Elizabeth NP· Bwindi safest and most straightforward
(righr),while

Impenetrable Forest NP place to track both chimps ar.d crmcally

WHEN TO GO? The driest mountain gorillas in the wild end•nge,ed

mollntain

months are June-September Budongo and Kibete are

Uganda's best chimp-tracking �:�·i�·:�i;e�w)

Impenetrable
Uganda may not have sou them destinations. Budongo r
s denser
Forest

Africa ecescoer camps and and dimmer, Kibale ls easier

hotshot guides. nor the teeming underfoot but busier. In both.

herds of antelopes and zebras you can choose between short

meeove eoc rereeme-borncc walks and full-day experiences.

does i
t have teeming herds of following wild chimps through

tourists.lt'sarefresh1nglyeasy­ the tcrest wnh a renper

going wrldhfe destmanon with Clock up some classic river

plenty of hons. antelopes, and savannah w1ldl1fe-watch1ng

zebras. giraffes and hippos - from vehicles and boats in

but tewer satanvetucles Murchison Falls and Queen

Elizabeth national parks Then

climb through Bwmdrs misty

forests for an experience to

wanderlumt.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 93

T R I P PLANNER, SAFARI AFRICA

.DUNES & DESERT

WILDLIFE

Bestfor: A selfdrivc desert culvcnturc

DURATION: 14 days The ochre-coloured sands N•methet

ROUTE: wmdhoek • Nerrub­ dune

and timeworn came It horn trees
Oryx(•bow,J
Naukluft NP• Sossusvlei • of Namib-Naukluft National Park
roamthe1md

Swakopmund • Erongo & make 1

t one of Atncas most NamibOesert.

(below right!
Kunene•EtoshaNP· photogenic destinations and

Waterberg Plateau & Okonhma theres fun to be had here. too

�::::::�t.:.\
WHEN TOGO? Any time; the drift over the mighty dunes in Park or one of

Namibia's
driest months. May-December. a hot air balloon or run down

are best for wildlife watching a dune Just for the thrill of it The
conservation

at waterholes raw drama continues as you projects

head up the windswept Atlannc

Narmtna rs one of a kmd coast north into the Erongoand

Charismatic. spacious and Kunene regions. where you can

serene. its desert landscapes track black rhinos and dip into

set i
t apart from Africa's other Hereroand Himba culture

safaridestina11ons.andits Etosha is easily one of the

largely empty roads are worlds finest places t

o watch

sanstvmqlveasvro naviqate w1ldhfe You might spot milling

W1thpract1callyrmrain congregations of elephants as

between May and December. well as giraffes.zebras.

and precious little at other antek>pesand lions at Etosha

nrnes.rts naturalto assurnetbat Pan. an ancient lake bed so

wildlife would be scarce - so huge that il"s visible from space

you may be surprised to Before returning to Windhoek.

discover how regularly you could drop in at one of

scurrying ostriches and stately, Narmbaa top predator

desert adapted giraffes. oryx conservation projects (see right)

and elephants appear in the to encounter cheetahs or

shimmering haze. leopards at close range. 0

94 w•nderlumt.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 �

sense cfiica �
P10111d1119 muor mode safans wuh a pt1sonal wuch

Sense Africa spedalises

in Namibia and Botswana,

idealdest!nalion,fOffirsttime

andrelum!ngvlsi1otS

T.atoJ1t11ny ..d W l'llill:

•Llstentoyourthoughb111dklns

•WN'i'llyoi.hobblnlnto

JOl#hlnerary

• Advise you on accommodation

•Familysafarls•Blrdentbustastsafarts•Canoesafarls
•wandngsafarls. Photographlcsafarts. Flsbina: safaris
,.,.._--111>1�.........- .::::,!lesMldyonhollday •Leopardand lionocnservatlm safaris• Horse and

•Andtt�noetteyouiown camelsafad.s •Safari honeymoons

;;;;;.:,:,.;..;,:;;;.;.;;;= unlqueHl'1rl
Tdof made and.....Opoupsdlris kt Botswana. C.otllO,
Elhlopla, lndY, Indian Ocmn, Kenya.Mmdqual:.Maa.wt,
Sense Africa for Yourself �Nandu,Rwmlda,SouthAlrica,Srtl.anb,

'l'm1Dru,Upnda.Zmnbut, 1..mzSbu"and Zlmmbwe

emaitjenny#semfflrka.co.uk

visit:www.sensear,ic:a.ro.uk "'eJwww.trackssafaris.co.uk

� "�-:��,..8!0�'!..«- ®

Lethwineflowfl'�lnS!elenbosct,

Fol Jnlovewlth everythll'lg the Mother Otyol CcpeTownhos k>otfw

 S T A N F -"- R D S
��/,9>.}

TRAVEL WRITERS FESTIVAL

Hear mspn-atronet and entertammq talks

from explorers. adventurers. hrstonans. TV

personahtres and many more of the very best

travel writers Take the opportunity to meet

them and buy signed and dedicated copies at

the 'Srqnmqs at Stanfords' stand.

- --', ";' ' . ' ' . �---- :::,_ -.-

'
' I
, , I • r I

Travel Photo of the Year

The shortlisted images from this prestigious

photography compennon will be on display at

both shows m a stunning gallery. The winners

will be announced at the London show on

Friday 1 February.

We re thrilled to announce the launch Destinations

Discovery, a brand new section dedicated to authentic travel

expenences On the first floor of Olympia, Join us to discover

off-the-beaten track activity and adventure tours - from

Jungle trekkmg or diving, to embracmg new cultures and

experiences, Discovery rs where you"LI meet the insiders who

will make your travel dreams reality.

For more information visit www.DestinationsShow.com

COMPETITION

WIN!
SEVEN TRIPS TO SEVEN
WONDERS WORTH £15,000
whosaysicece should only per
I
n

sonal
short

buck
y

e
o

t
u do'

list
Vrs1ting

of the
v

w
oo

or
r

ld's
own personal list

themteractive website The lucky

of marvels on me

se
r

v
i

e
t

n
s a

si
p

ght
la

s.
ce m

Other
anyone

bi
g
's

hrt
t

t
o

e
p

rs

be seven great icons r

s something we al
l winner will get the chance t
o visit include Jordan s labyrinthine

wonders of dream of
. Now Exodus Travels each one of then chosen wonders. rose-red citvof Petra, or perhaps

the world? e offering you the chance t

o not I
t 's an unmissable opportunity So, the Great Wall of China. stretching

There's no denying that landmarks only sit down and name Your own t
o help you PICk weve put together
thousands of kilometres But

such as the Great Pyramid at personal Seven Wonders. but

a selection of suggestons to help there areal so l
e ss famous options

Gi
z a are among humanity's al
so wi
n a trip to each and every you on your way .
. t
o consider. Bhutan·s rock-

one of them - that's seven trips of

crowning achievements But clinging Paro Taktsang Monastery

our planet r
s bursting with so a htetmesoreec over seven veerei Culture & wildlife temple. perhaps. Of the step

many amazing landmarks. ol

d T
o be mwnh a hance
c of wi ni
n ng Wha betterplace
t to startthan w 11 h py ramids of Meocos remar kab le

and ew J st
n . u wai in
t g t
o be th si pnze. vsu faod us Travels' My the ai Mahal- rd · g eat
T l a s r mar ble Mava cevot Ctuchenltza?

expl or ed bu
. t who get s t
o choose 7W ol
r d Wonders we b sit
e {www paea n t
o love Seeng i i ts walls tu rn But you ca n cel ebrate natural

the new wonders ? exod us .co .uk/ my 7) a nd p ick your from i k torvorv-wbte
p n at sun nse wonder s as wen. a nd ther 'es

98 wandarlust.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 www.wanderlust.eo.uk/competitions

certainly no shortage of those. bays of the Dalmeuancoasthne to

Spying the Great Migration in the UNESCO city of Dubrovnik e How to win
Kenya or canoeing the dense one of Europe's greatest wonders To be in with a chance of

jungles of the Amazon are Just as Whatever you choose. whether winning altyouhavetodois

worthy of «ciuson as any ancient cychnganancientru1nunder head t

o Exodus Travels'

ruin. What could be more ,come a dappled afternoon sky hiking My7WorldWonderswebsite

than encountering a Bengal tiger a natural wonder or lying m wait at www.exodus.co.uk/my7

inlndiaorlookingforsloths1nthe for a wild encounter m the African and select your personal

cloud forests of Costa Rica - a ancient history and follow 1n the plerns.tbrsis aorce-m-a-utenrne seven wonders of the world

setting to raise goosebumps on the footstepsofcemunes past on the chance Don't be left wondering. with Exodus Travels on its

necks of any travellers? Then theres classic Inca Tra1L walking through interactive website - there

the Galllpagos Islands Surely the the Andes to remote Machu The wonders of Exodus are 25 wonders to choose

archipelago that mspned Charles accto - a toumev enhanced by For over 44 years. Exodus Travels from-and create your

Darwm"s theory of evolution the dancing. f

ood and colourful has been dedicated t
o creating ultimate wish list. Once

deserves wonder' status? costumes of cuzcos indigenous unforgettable trips t

o the most you've made your selection,

Inti Raymi winter solstice fesnvst iconicplacesonEarth Andw1th you'll be entered inlothe

Walking & cycling Closer t

o home. treres the over 600-plus nmerenes across competition - to win the

somermes qreatress hes m the network of paths linking the Alpine 100 countries to choose from. chance to visit each and

challenge What aOOUt Mount valleys around Mont Blanc or the there rs plenty of scope for p1ck1ng every one of your selections

Everest. and trekkng to its Hmalaya views, f

ood and history you"II your next amazing advt!nture on seven trips of a lifetime

basecampv Or you could encounter h1k1ng ak>ng ttelvs Bringing travellers into contact over seven years.

combine natural splendour with Amalft Coast. And those who with new places and experiences

Toet1!etandfc<fultetms&o::n:!l!ions
prefer two wheels over two legs m the company of award-winning
andda!apohoes,pjeasego!o
will likely be drawn toa different local leaders ts what they do best wwwexodus.couk/my7Theclosmg

date,s15Decembef201a
rerceotcestoeuore cemccoee - and as such have been named

huge 12th·century Angkor Wat a named Which? Recommended

temple complex rs even more Provider. with a customer score of

mind blowing when explored by 90%-and there's nolimi! to where

t:'lexodus
bicycle Meanwhile. riding past the you can go After all. not everyones
�travels
crystal-clear waters and pebble seven Wonders are the same ..
alobal�sn::•1974

For more info and to enter the competition, visit www.exodus.eo.uk/my7

 S E V E N O F T H E BEST

RYOKANS
IN JAPAN
These traditional inns come in all shapes, sizes, ages and

areas. Our diverse selection all have one thing in common

- that authentic taste of soothing Japanese hospitality

WORDS BEN LERWILL

HOSHINOYA, TOKYO

The very essence of a ryokan -

1
to provide space, serenity and

seclusion - means many of them

are found In the countryside. Not

this one. Open since mid-2016, the upscale

Hoshinoya (plcrured above) gives you the

chance 10 sample a high-end ryokan right

amid the pulslng hubbub of Tokyo. You can

still ex peel key traditional elements such as

tatami matting and spring-fed baths, but

they're tucked into a skyscraper. It's a

substantial property, with 84 guestrooms split

over 14 floors, but for travellers in search of

a sanctuary in the capital, it's a fine bet.

Rooms from ¥72,000 (£500), based on two

people sharing; hoshlnoya.com/tokyo/en

100 w•nd •• tu•1.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 WANDERSLEEPS

ZABORIN, HOKKAIDO

Japan's ryokans might be

founded on more than

a millennium's worth of history

and tradition, but that's not

to say they don't move with the times.

This intimate 15-vllla retreat in the woodland

of Hokkaido. the country's northernmost

island, is a case In point. Each villa has two

private on sen (thermal baths) - one Indoor.

one open-air (pictured below) - while the

presence of a New York and Tokyo-trained

executive chef means an innovative approach

to customary kaisek/ (multi-course) cuisine. To

round off the luxury element. some of Japan's

finest skiing locatlons are found close by.

Villas from ¥75,000 (£520) per night, based

on two people sharing; zaborin.com/en •

w•nd•rlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 101

 Few, if any, Japanese ryokans can

rivalG0<aKadan{picrured)for

reputation. Once the summer

residence of a branch of the

Imperial family. it now functions as an exquisite

old-meets-new retreat with manicured gardens.

fabulous on sen and deep views over the

surrounding Fuji-Hakone-lzu National Park.

These days it's actually affiliated to European

hotel brand Relals & Chi11eaux, but Japanese

elegance, understatement and precision

underpins everythlng from the decor to the food.

There's also a spa, for those who want to take the

relaxation levels to an even higher stratosphere.

Rooms from ¥111,240 (£765) per night, based

YOSHIMIZU, KYOTO

A well-priced alternative

to some of the big-bucks The thatched roofs of this

4 ryokans is this serene option

in Kyoto. It's close enough to

the heart of the city to explore the key angle: it's

budget ryokan are pitched

at an improbable 60-degree

a gassho-zukuri, or 'praying

sights. but a location among the bamboo hands' house, one of many such structures

and maples of Maruyama Park means i

t n
i the UNESCO-listed villages of

offers respite from the crowds. Breakfast, Shirakawa-go and Gokayama in central

a largely organic affair, is included in the Honshu. The roofs are thatched with the

rate but not dinner - although umere'e region's susuki grass, which needs

anywhere that isn'1 lacking in options for replacing every two 0< three decades.

meals out, it's Kyoto. The ryokan has just Koemon offers an authentic Japanese

nine rooms. so it's wise to book ahead. experience with traditional bedding.

Rooms from ¥14,000 (£96) per home-cooked food and honest hospitality.

night, based on two people sharing; From around ¥9,500 (£65) per person

yoshimizu.com/engllsh/kyoto per night; shlrakawago-kataribe.com

102 w•nd•rlu1t.co.uk Oecember 2018/January 2019

 WANDERSLEEPS

HOSHl, ISHIKAWA

No fewer than 46 generations

of the same family have

overseen the fortunes of this

extraordinary ryokan (pictured

right), now officially recognised as the

second-oldest hotel in the world

(inevitably, the oldest is another Japanese

inn). Welcoming guests since the early 8th

century, it still keeps the focus squarely on

omotenashi. the particular style of

hospitality that helps define ryokans. It has

a Japanese garden, exquisite cuisine,

traditional rooms inspired by the seasons

and a historic onsen, founded by the monk

Taicho Daishi over 1,300 years ago.

Rooms from ¥15,000 (£103) per

JINPYOKAKU, NAGANO

Located close to the Nagano distncrs

Jigokudanl Yaen-Koen - home of

6 those endlessly photogenic, onsen­

soaking snow monkeys - this

sjx-rcom ryokan (pictured right) has been

welcoming guests since 1901, among them a

number of eminent Japanese writers and artists.

There are outdoor and Indoor baths (no simians

allowed) and the overnight rate includes a shabu­

shabu (hotpot-style) meal of thin cuts of shinshu

beef - let them know in advance if you're

vegetarian. Mountain views add to the overall

appeal, and winter sport enthusiasts will find one of

Japan's largest ski areas on their doorstep.

Rooms from ¥48,600 (£325) per night, based on

two people sharing; Jinpyo.Jp/eng

w•nd•rlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 103

 WANDERSLEEPS

• RYOKANS: Dos and don'ts

The etiquette of staying at a ryokan can be perplexing for

first-timers. Here are a few things you need you know ..

CHECKING IN matting of your room. Socks you'll be given a yuk at a CURFEW & QUERIES

are fine. Expect a minimalist (cotton kimono) to change

Check-in is usually between approach to decor and into. These can be worn The doors 10 the ryokan

Jpm and 6pm. If you're due a sheeted futon to sleep during evening meals, when are usually locked f•lrly

to arrive later than this, it's on, which will often be laid walking around the ryokan early, so if you do need to

best to let the ryobn know out while you're having and even in bed. Wr•pthe left go out again in the evening

In advence, largely because dinner. Many ryokans udeoftheg•rmentoverthe for any reason, check before

of the time that the evening now have TVs and WiFi. right- the other way is used doing so. Breakfast is

meals are served. to dress bodies f

Of funerals. normally served at around

BATH TIME Sam and traditionally

SHOES OFF EATING ETIQUETTE involves fish, pickled

Some ryokans have shared vegetables and rice. Should

onsen {hot thermal baths), Evening meals are often this be unappealing, it's

others have private in-room served al 6pm or 7pm. usually possible to get

onsen. It's normal to tMII At some ryokans th. ..-1 a simple Western-style

aNM9hordy.,_......,,.. wlllbecornmuMI. at others alternative. Likewise, if

it willbeHfVed In your room. there's anything you're

Dinnen tend to be Included uncertain or anxious 8bout

at any stage of a ryokan

my, don't be lhyto add,­

questionstoyotKholU.:

104 w•nd •• luat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 RUGBY

WORLD CUP"
JAPANB*2019

Hiiiiti+ nm+
IIDUENTUR:r
TRAUELSHOW
OLYMPIA LONDON 19-20 JANUARY 2019

ADVENTURESHOW.COM
108 w•nderluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019
 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

here aren't many

adjectives that do

T
JUSticetoWestern

Australia 'Big'

somehow doesn't

encapsulate the state's

adventure-rich.map-hogging

hugeness, 'diverse' doesn't

quite nail its impressive spread

of acnvlbes.end'beautiful'

just doesn't seem to capture

the incredible natural scenery

that bucks, yawns and ripples

across the land

'Extraordinary'fitswell,

though Australia's largest, and

arguablylovelrest,stateis

nothing 1f not extraordinary The

dynamic city of Perth is just the

start of 1t The state capital

makes the perfect jumping off

point to begin exploring the

regiononaroadtrip.lnWestern

Australia, the wildlife rs ROAD TRIPPING SOUTH eruov one of 19 pristine beaches

world-class,theroadsare When Qantas launched non-stop - all overlooking the Indian

uncrowded and the food and flights from Heathrow to Perth m Ocean - and take the ferry out to

wine are rightly raved about 2018, it threw fresh light on to the hidden jewel that is Rottnest

That's before we even get to Western Australia's buzzing Island Here, you can hire a bike

theunspoiltjoysofthe gateway city. You can now board to discover secluded beaches,

landscapes themselves a Dreamhner at lunchtime m aswellas the quokka.abnqht­

From white beaches, London and wake up the next day eyed marsupial found only m WA.

rusty red wilderness and m Australia's sunniest state Moving on from the city. make

crashingnvergorgesto capital. Perth has evolved into Fremantle your first stop. Just

towermq torestaancient srtes a city of art galleries, panoramic a few kilometres south of Perth,

and wildflower-covered plains, parkland and trendy bars and 'Free' rs much loved by locals,

this rs a desnnanon primed restaurants, with a handsome its low-rise streets lined with

for forging unforgettable feel by day and unbuckled 19th-century buildings, top·

memories on the road - and nightlife come sundown. notch cafes and food markets

with Flight Centre, you can Things to do? Head up to lush The town is also a big historical

tailor-make your Western Kings Park for views across the draw, with the UNESCO-listed

Australia journey of choice. Swan River and the city skyline, Fremantle Prison granting a raw

msrqhtmto the corwict era

From here, make the easy drive

south to the Margaret River

region. A biodiversity hot spot,

it's home to national parks as well

as top surf breaks and some of

the country's best wineries.

How you choose to enJoy the

area is up to you -vourmqht be

stand-up paddle-boarding along

the nver one dav ard vrsrtmq

wine estates or joining a

whale-watching tour the next

Around 35,000 humpbacks,

minke, southern right and blue

whalesmigratehereeachyear.

Stop off at the dramatic Cape

Leeuwin Lighthouse, Australia's

most south-westerly point and

For more info, visit flightcentre.co.uk or call 0800 280 8917 w•nd•rlu•t.ca.uk December 2D18/January 2019 109
the place where the Indian and biking, bushwalkmg and wild From here travellers can either trails, koala colony and resident

SouthernOceansmeet,then sw1mm1ng opportunities. make their way back to Perth or kangaroos, then move on to

head inland through green Next up, make the winding continue on their Journey Cervantes, known for its

countrys1deandcolossalkarri drive over to Albany, the state's towards Esperance- home of dehcious rock lobster (crayfish).

pines to reach Pemberton It's oldest European settlement. Lucky Bay, which boasts a If you're making the trip in

a fine little town with some Anotherwhale-watchmg hot beach sowhrte. even the September or October, you can

great cellar doors, but the real spot,itsitsonarugged kangaroos love to take a dip expecttoseeswathesof

attraction ts the surrounding coastline expect fresh seafood, The south-west of Western bnghtly coloured spring

forest, offering great mountain- quiet beaches and wreck diving. Austrahais one of the qreat> wildflowers carpeting the

and largely undiscovered- Joys countryside - and regardless of

of a trip Down Under, full of when you're here, don't miss the

epic scenery. rolling farmland nearby Pinnacles Desert m

and the kind of authentic Nambung National Park. where

wildlife encounters that stay thousands of limestone spires

wrthvou Andhoweveryou create an otherworldly sight

choose to spend your time Cantin.mg north along the

here, you'll find the welcome as coastline, you11 reach Geraldton,

warm as the weather. home to pubs, kitesurf1ng

beaches and a str()()Q Yamatj1

ROAD TRIPPING NORTH 1nd1genousher1tage Backbehmd

Heading south from Perth might the wheel, stopoff at Hutt

deliver rich rewards but so. Lagoon to admire its rnmd­

emphatically, does driving north bending pink waters - caused by

alcnq theIndran Oceen coast algae - before the flora and fauna

Make your first stop Yanchep fest continues in Kalbam, with its

National Park, with its walking seecntts.rtce-cewcnsanc

110 w•nderlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

bedafe-hlled bushland V1s1t Technology Museum, the outback

Kalbarri NP to marvel at river red trails of the Gascoyne hinterland

gumtrees,m1ghtyrockarches and the spray-spout mg

and 400-million-year-old blowholes along the coast.

sandstooegorges H ereyoucan By the time you reach Coral Bay

hike to lookouts, kayak on the - known for its coral gardens and

river or even Join a f1sh1ng charter drift-snorkelling -voo're within

Next up is Shark Bay Wo rld touching distance of Ningaloo town of Exmouth, which also The trips detailed here are

Heritage Area, a scenic region Manne Park., which has become boasts the echidnas and emus of ;ust two of the great routes that

best knov-m for the wild dolphins synonymous with whale-shark Cape Range NP on its doorstep. thestatehastooffer-intrepid

of resort town Monkey Mia The sw1mm1ng Suffice to say that 4WD dnvers wrll no doubt

animals regularly play 1

n the coming face to face with one of WESTERN AUSTRALIA dream of taking on the fabled

sha llows They don't have the these gentle giants, rs as emc as & FLIGHT CENTRE Gibb River Road in the

seas to themselves, though­ it sounds. The UNESCO-listed Exploring Western Australia by Kimberley, for example - but

rays, turtles and dugongs are Nmqaloo Reef rs the largest road rs to witness the power of both of them showcase

also regular sights. fringing coral reef on the planet, theplacefirsthand.lt'sabout Western Australia's natural

Furthernorth.thefert1le and between March and J uly. rt absorbing the up-close and cultural beauty

Carnarvon region makes a fine plays st to the largest

ho details- the wine glass in your Flight Centre's rnulti-award­

placetorestforafewdays-and aggregation of the wo rld's fingers, the fish swimming past wmrunq tailor-made uoerenee

not JU St for the fresh produce on biggest fish, as w ell asorca, your mask, the wildflowers at canhelpyoucreateyour

offer lts otber attracnons humpb acks and giant manta your feet - alongside the Western Australia Journey The

include the Carnarvon Spac e & rays. Trips leave frm the coastal
o broader picture group has the experience,

know-how and understanding

of what makes the region so

special WesternAustralia

always makes an «roreseon.

but when you're in the hands of

Experts, the experience

reachesawholeotherlevel

Startyourveryownadventur11nd

111plorethebestofthisincredible

reg:ionwithFlightC1ntre.Journeys

st11rtingfrom£1379for12d1ys

includingintemationalflights.

Totai1or·makeyourperfect

AustraliaholidaywisitaTravelExpert

in-store,callOB002B08917or

wisitflightcentre.co.uk

FLIGHT
CENTRE"

WESTERN
AUSTRALIA
.,......,.,,,,_. ...

For more info, visit flightcentre.co.uk or call 0800 280 8917 w•nd•rluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 111
As the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia mark their

centenaries, we wander medieval streets, bogs and borders to

unravel a trio of nations looking to move beyond a difficult past

WORDS MARTIN SYMINGTON

 THE BALTIC STATES

Pilgrim'sprogr­

(clockwiNfromf11rleftJTheHiH

of Crosses holds some 100,000

hortly after crossing the border who never came back from the gulags. Also, to offer thanks

from Latvia mto Lithuania, our for our freedom," she told me simply.

minibuspullcdovcratoncof lreachcdthchillondayfiveofaweeklongmeanderthrough

thcmorcbizarresightsofmyhfe the Baltic states. '

J he plan was to combine capital ctues and

sofar:awindswcptknollnsing historic sues wnh walks m wild places: forests, lakes, wetlands

above a Bat paechwork of'grain andnaturereservesaspristineasanywhereinEuropc.These

fields,complctclycovercdby swathe a trio of countries that, when put together, are not much

a dense forest ofcrucifixcs. largcrthanEnglandandWalcsbutpossessbarelyatcnthofthe

Thcrcarchundredsofthousands populatton. Together, they celebrate 100 years since they broke

of them, maybe millions - it apart m zo18, and I was curious to sec how a turbulent century

would be impossible to count. hadshapedlifemthreeveryd1!Terentne1ghbours.

They range from tmy twigs lbeganinTallinn,capitalofEstonia.Fromthecobblcdand

tied with thread, to huge wooden and iron crosses hung pastel-painted medieval heart oft he once fabulously wealthy

with hfe-sizeeffigicsofthecrucificdChrist. Hanseatic League port, we climbed up to seagull-swooped city

J Joined pilgrims and tourists gazmg in awe from a boarded walls. From here l gazed over the Gulf of Finland on one side and

walkway up and over the hill. Branch paths twisted deep mto askylineofLutheranspiresandOrthodoxcupolasontheother.

the devotional Jungle. To a background of sacred chants and We were soon on the road drivmg cast along a boulder-strewn

rosary beads tinkhng m the wind, a few people were planting coastline that slowly melded into a marshy mosaic of gleaming

their own crosses many smidgen of earth they could locate. lakes. This was Lahcmaa National Park, where the day's acuvity

lfoundthcsccncatonccst1rringandstrangelyunsettling was to clip on racquet-like '

bog shoes' (pretty much the same

Dunng Lrthuama's decades spent under the heel of the USSR, as snowshoes)and bounce across a springy green expanse of

the Hill of Crosses became a lightning rod for defiance and sphagnum moss, all the while weaving through a lace work

res1stance.However,theSovietsbulldozedthes1teasoftenas of creeks and pools bathed m lemony light.

the crosses reappeared. The true marvel of this place, therefore, The honzon was broken by the ghostly skeletons of trees

rs that every cross there today is part of a phoenix-like rebirth pctnfied m peat. Frogs rasped while chords of wild music from

thatstartednotlongafter aflockofcranesdriftedacross

communism was finally theemptmess,butwemust

glven the bootln tqeo. have been the only humans

'During Lithuania's time
DanuteBalsys,a intcnsofsquarekilometres.

schoolteacher from Vilnius, Local 'bog-walking guide'

under the heel of the USSR,
wastherethatdaywithher Raimo Sindonen showed

two children, who had made uswheretofinddehciously

the Hill of Crosses was a
andpaintcdtheirownsmall sweet,darkblucbilberrics,

crosscs.·wearehereto but warned. "Bewareofthe

lightning rod for defiance'
remember the thousands poisonous bog rosemary." II>

w•nd•rlust.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 115

'I clipped on racquet-like

"bog shoes" and bounced

across a springy expanse

of sphagnum moss'

..,. There was a hm1 of the unearthly, hke man Eastern European

fairy talc, when Raimo pointed out carnivorous sundcw plants

with gummy ten ta des extended. Their prey was the spmrung

columns of midges and the iridescent blue dragonflies that I had

JU St watched hovenng over peaty water the colour of coke.

hcrearewcll-maintaincdh1kingtrailsinprotccted

forestsandnat1onalparksthroughouttheBah1Cstatcs,

T thoughthcsearcsolittleuscdthatthcrcsccmcdtobe

boundless space for everybody. Take Gauja Nauonal

Park,acrossthcnat1onalbordcrmLarv1a,whcrcwcdrovcthc

next day. The park is about the size of Dartmoor and known here

as 'The Switzerland of Latvia' (rather absurdly smce nowhere is

higher than 150 mcttes aboce sea level). However, [ felt a rare

sense of space and cm pl mess, almosl untamed wilderness, as we

wound through forests of pine and spruce, then climbed to the

nm of a sandstone gorge cut through by the rush mg nver Gauja.

My guide for the whole trip was Tauno Noulik, an erudite

young Estonian who was at hrs expansive best when helpmg

us get our heads around the complex history, relationships and

politics between the Baltic states. Tauno was clearly used to the

mev1tabilaythatv1sitorswillatfirsttcndtolumpthethrcc

countries together, on account of a shared landscape and history.

"You have heard that all three countries arc markmg their

centenaries this year," said Tamm as we drove south. "II is sort of

true, because they escaped together from Russian rule at the end

oft he First World War. But we were re-occupied by Nazi

Germany, then by the USSR in 1944. We finally broke free

together m 1990, then joined the EU and NATO m 1004."

Tau no is equally forgiving of tourists' tendency to rely on

s1ereotypesonce1heyclockthcfact1ha1cachBalticnauon

does indeed have a dlstmct rdennty. ln fact, he seemed to

enjoy playing along with it. "Estonians arc reserved people,

Lithuanians are passionate, and Latvians ... somewhere m

between," he laughed in parody. "Estomans are obviously

the best-lookmg and Lithuanians, well, shame about them.

And Latvians! Somewhere m the middle!"

A clash mg contrast between the Estonian and Latvian

languages was more obvious, even to my untutored car. The

former is oft he l'inno-Ugric family, closely related to Finnish,

and has a musical hit with long, trailmg vowels. It didn't sound

a t all li k e 1 h c ha rs h c r L 1 t h u an ia nlwa s t o h c ar la t cr, wh ic hi s

lndo-Europeanandsaidtobe,grammat1cally,theclosest ..

1UI w•nd •• lu•t.co.uk December 2018/Janua,y 2019

w•nd•rlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 117
 <II living European language to Sanskrit. And Latvian?

Well,youguessed1t,that]1essomewhere1nthen11ddle.
'Stalin's birthday cake
Thanks t
o Sc hen gen there are no hard borders here, but

the twin frontier towns ofValga and Valka, either side of the was our introduction to
Estonia-Latvia border where we crossed, were united once

upon a nrne, only to be cut 1n half when both newcountnes the port city - and
claimed it in 1918. For some reason, British diplomat Sir

Stephen T,lllcnts was called in to mediate; he drew a line Latvia's capital - Riga'
that, today, still places Latvian-speaking Estonians next door

to their Estonian-speaking Latvian neighbours. Even today,

there remains a frontier feel to the two-faced town, mainly Roaming further afield, I found that the historic centre

on account of the gaudy shops sclhng cheap alcohol and waswrappedma1ryparksandthesercnePilsctascanal.

other goods on the Latvian side, where taxes arc lower. Here, I encountered some exquisite art nouveau buildings,

also meticulously restored. There was even an Anglican

nccin Latvia, lwasstruckbyhowmuchSovict churchdatingfromthclate19thccntury,whcnasizcable

architecturesurvwes.lnpartlmeantheBrezhnev­ community of British herring traders settled in the city.

O era grunge

the

Academy ofSciences in
of the small-town outskirts, but

angry-lookmg monstrosmes

Riga. This multi-rrered

such

skyscraper,
more

as the
so Yes, despite Stalin's eyesores,

cute and ever so

park -
lnstagramable

the biggest of the Baltic

I loved

- rf a bit
Riga. While Tallinn

of a

cities felt utterly

Hanseauc theme

unpretentious
was

nicknamed 'Stalin's birthday cake', was our introduction to the and cosmopolitan Somewhere m the middle? Not a chance of 11.

Balticportandcapital,becauseoursmallhotelsquattedinits "[ wonder what this would have been like during the Cold War,"

lee, near enough t

o make out the hammer-and-sickle deccrancns. mused one of our number as we drove south towards Ltthuanta.

I strolled mto Old Riga, passmg an enormous First World "There is a new Cold War," replied Tauno. "The difference is

War-era Zeppelin hangar, which nowadays houses the humming that we are on the other side now." This segued mto a discussion

cent ml market. Town Hall Square, bombed o hell and

t back under about how Russia continues to cast a shadow over the Baltic

Nazi occupation, has been faithfully restored and was filled with states, despite their trading m of commumsm for a modern

street musicians and open-an restaurants. I tncd a bowl of the outlook and membership of the EU and NATO.

Latvianclass,cd1shwltibarsciai,achilledbcctroot,cucumberand Tourmgthcscthrecnationsbroughtplcntyofsightstosavour,

dill soup whose subtle taste defied its candyfloss·pink colour. but I had not anucipaeed that political undercurrents would II>

118 w•nd•rlumt.ca.uk December 2018/January 2019

 THJm.nc STATES

Wh•t doyou get the •utoc:r•t

whohll•..,.rythlr>g?

Thet...tvianAc•demyofSelencft

wHorigiMllybuiltH•'prnent'

toStelin-eventhoughhedied

beforeitwa1everlinished-endit

rem11inaoneofthemosticonic

Sovie1..,.abuilding1intheworld;

(left)theGa11J-lliV9r1t&gle

ClifflWHellegedly........cleft ..

itsecho,uidtoresembleor(Jlln

music(gaujemunt 'organ')

wenderlu.t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 119

 <II be so much to the fore. More than any other region

I can think of, except perhaps Vietnam and Cambodia, some

'The dunes reminded me
appreciation of its tortured past was key to understanding

the present. How else to make sense of the Hill of Crosses, of the Tunisian Sahara,
forinstancc?Or,forthatmattcr,ournextdestinationin

Lithuarua.tbe Curcman Sptt which is pretty odd for

At Klaipcda we crossed by ferry to this wild, 98km sliver of

land, fnnged to the west by the white-capped Baltlc and miles north-east Europe'
of beach that remain one of the world's most bountiful sources

of amber. On the other side are green sea meadows leading to

a calm, lappmg lagoon and fish mg villages where locals sell tawny fragment of what must have oozed out of the trees

amber trmkets and scrumptious smoked herrings. Between as gooey pine resin millions of years ago and smiled.

the two are some of Europe's biggest sand dunes. We were not on an island, though we might as well have

Fromourhotclatthcl1ulcholidaytownofNida,asfar beenbccausc1ustbcyondN1dalayadunethathadbcen

down the spu aS)OU can drtve.a day's hike took us first through razor-wired o!Tto form the buffer zone with Kaliningrad. This

cool pmc forests, then up the flank of a giant whale-back hump oddity of a Russian exclave hugs the Baine coast, separated

of fine sand ribbed by wind and resembling the roof of a giant from its motherland on all sides and lying jookm west from

mouth The dunes reminded me of the Tumsian Sahara, which 'mamland" Russia. lt was demanded by Stalin at the 1945

is pretty odd for north-cast Europe. Then we dropped to the Potsdam Conference and has been Russian territory ever since.

wind-harassedbcachandwalkcdforkllometresalongthe You can't cross here, but I chm bed the nearest dune, my phone

shore, ankles in the chilly Baltic. l picked up a fmgernail-sizcd pinging onto a Russian network at the top. With binoculars

120 w•nderluat.co.uk December 2018/Janu(lry 2019

l cast a stealthy eye over watchtowers and a gunboat on the Vllnius-oratleastitsccntrc-isariotofrenaissanceandgilded

lagoon. I would love to report a L

e Carre moment, but the peace baroque architecture, with a Catholic cathedral and cafC-filled

was interrupted only by a chevron of wild ge

ese flying past. courtyards. Despite being on the same latitude as York, it felt to

me almost Latin in atmosphere - a sense heightened by the giant

urpenultimatedaywasalongdnvewcsttoeast, posters of Pope Franc\s,advertising his imminent visit. This

towardsthecapital,Vilnius,wherethetripended. appeared a tad awkward alongside the city's official tourism

O
from the Baltic t
Lithuania has noble roots a

Duchy whose territory, a

o the Black Se
s a powerful Grand

t one time,stretched

a and almost as far as Moscow.

slogan, which i.s,aht'm: Vilnius,

knows where

I tried to
it

reflect
is, but

a
when

little
the G-spot

morcehastclyon what
of Europe. Nobody

you find it - it's amazing.'

l had found on my

We stopped at scattered remnants of this history, preserved jam-packed Ibltic journey. It had Ix-en a feast ofhauntinglywild

in a litany of reconstructed redoubts and battlements, ochre­ places with huge tracts of emptiness to play in. Landscapes and

coloured lookoul posts and extravagant moated castles. modernised life had slipped along gently, but with caprivating

The place where the spirit ofLithuania'sgolden age realty comes cities and a tumultuous past to provide ballast. Yet something

alive, however, is Trakai, the forn1ercapita] and island castle built wasstirring.Acenturyafterthis1riohadgonetheirscparateways,

t
o nval the imperial court at St Petersburg. The surrounding lake tearing towns in two and leaving a sense that a return o the dark
t

mirrored orange-brick tower.; rising out of a sweepmg forest. days of Soviet rule was 111!\'Cr far away, there seemed to be renewed

I crossed a footbridge t
o ;oin post-communist families dressed up optimism. This felt like three very unique Raltic nations finally

in chtvalrk gear for some spirited jousting and mock beheadings. looking t
o the future and not, for once,sornewhcre in between.

w•nderlu•t.co.uk Deeember 2018/January 2019 121

 THE BALTIC STATES

Wizz Air (wrzzalrcorn) and easy Jet

(easnet com) fly to Vilnius {from

Luton) and Tallinn (Gatwick)

respectively, Ryanair (rvenaircomj

flies to both from Stansted.

Getting around
For independent travellers.

buses are by far the most

convenient form of public

transport. All three capitals are

linked by direct services and

there are various other cross·

border routes There is a more

limited railway network within the

Vital statistics countries You can also travel by near Tallinn's main railway station

Capitals: Tallinn (Estonia). Riga train between Tallmn and Riga. It r

s worth asking for one of the

(Latvia). Vilrnus(lithuarna) rooms with a view over the old

Population: 1 4 million (E), Cost of travel town Doubles from €39pn (£35).

2 mil hon (La). 2 9 mnhon (LI) Hotels. restaurants and transport Outside the capital. Vlinlstu Art

Languages: Estonian. Latvian, are considerably cheaper than tn Hotel (vnrustu eel rs a converted

Lrtbuaman.Pussran-speakmq the UK. partcularfv outs Kie the fish factory spectacularly set on

minorities throughout the region mam cnes. 11 is safe to budget for the dramatic shores of the Gulf

Time: GMT+3 (GMT+2 Mar-Oct) 25·to·30% less Generally, the cost of Finland. at the edge of Estonia's

International dialling codes: of hvmg r

s htghest m Estonia and Lahemaa National Park Doubles

Town&country
+372(El,+371 (La).+370(U) lowest m Lithuania. while alcoholic from €49pn (£43)
(l0pr,ght)Tt,erivenide
VIS8s: Not required by UK nationals, drmksarecheapest m Latvia. Over the border m Latvia. the

Money: Euro(€). currently around �n=::!i:VC:!:tu grand old manor house of Hotel

ofte,-mtime.the
€1.13 to the UK£ Accommodation Cesis troteicese com) r
s set 1n
boardwalk$ofkemeri
Go Ho1el Shnelli {gohotels ee) rs beautiful gardens not far from
NationalParkleady<><1

When to go deepintoitsboglands a contemporary three-star affair the centre of cesrs town. near II>

June-August: This is the summer

hfQh season, long_ warm days.

October-April: Cools down

rapKlly as the seasons edge

towards a dark, freezing rmdwmrer

May-5eptember: Shoulder

season mild and uncrowded

Health & safety

There are few health concerns and

low crime rate in the region Take

insect repellent m summer.

The trip
The author travelled with Explore!

(01252 883188. wwwexplorecouk).

wtuch offers seven-night Estonia.

Latvia and Lithuania on Foot

guided group departures between

May and September 2019 Pnces

from £1.259. including flights from

and to the UK. transfers. trarsco-t

and B&B accommodatK>n

Getting there
Finnair (f1nna1r.com) flies to the

Baltic capitals from Heathrow via

Helsinki from around £140 return

flight time r
s about 4.5 hours

w•nd•rlu.t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 123

THE BALTIC STATES

mue tetven ceccetacee

Hanza Hotel (hansaworldwide

corrurs a shqhtlv ouukv three-star

with a buzzing beer cellar. its not

far from 'Stalin's birthday cake' and

a few minutes· walk from the old

town. Doobles from €49pn (£44)

In Lithuania. rnoes Jurate Hotel

(i-otel-juratejt] has been converted

from a post office Into a scene stay

on the lagoon side of the Curornan

spit Doubles from €69pn (£62)

And lastly, on the edge of Vilnius

�d Town hes Panorama Hotel

(panorarnahotel.lt) This modern

three-star hotel is a f
ew minutes' The Baltic states highlights
walk from the centre and has tme

views from its upper-level wil'ldows 1Tallinn 4 Gauja National Park Catholic devotion with roots

Doubles from €46pn (E41) TheHanseaticportand Wander forest trails and as a focus of pohtrcal protest.

Estoniancapitalhasarichly sandstone gorges in Latvia.

Food&drink atmospheric old town - and 8 Curonian Spit

In general. standard restaurants is a ferrv-nde from Helsinki. Explore dunes. Baltic
5Riga
throughout the Bal tics offer filhng Latvia's intriguing capital, beaches. amber, a lagoon,

and wholesome meals· meatballs, is packed with history, Soviet and a border with a weird

sausages or smoked fish served 2����rPark relics and surprises. Russianexclave

with potatoes and dumplings This Estonian expanse of

More refined fare ts easy to find lake-sprinkled wetland 6Kemeri g Trakai Castle
m the main cnea but vegetarians rs best explored while National Park Explore the imperious

and seekers of lighter meals may wearing 'boq-shoes', A Latvian wetland fringed by trappings of the mighty

struggleinruralareas Dark.heavy fishing villages and veined Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

beers from local brewenes are with boardwalk trails.

31artu
found throughout Estonia's medieval ovilnius
If you are 1n the region during university town is abuzz 1 Stroll baroque glories

summer. wild berries foraged from during term-time, but handily 7��:L���a��a�rP�:�:s inthelithuaniancapitalwith

the forests and wetlands - bilberries. sleepy in the holiday period. spot is a powerful site of an oddly Mediterranean feel.

blueberries. crowbemes - fill

markets and menus Likewise. wild

mushrooms are plentiful 1n autumn.O

Latviancap1talR111a's

Oldlownisacur1ous
Further reading mazeofcobbledstreels
lffl'lll More online
& information and surprisingly IJJIII V1s1t www.wanderlust.eo.uk/192
colourful buildings
Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania

(LonelyPlanet.2016) Planning guides

Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania • Estonia, Latvia & Travel Guides

(lns1ghtGu1des.2016) Archive articles

www.visitestonia.com • 'Baltic Beauties' (ontine exclusive) - Seven amazing adventures

www.latvia.travel through Estonia,Latviaandli!huania

www.lietuva.lt • 'Hide end Seek' (issue 139)- Bear watching in the wilds of Estonia

124 w•nderlu.t.co.uk December 2D18/January 2D19

 WANDERLUST PROMOTION

Discover Canada with

Wanderlust & Trailfinders

Big sky, big wildlife and big adventure, Canada is the perfect place to recharge your batteries no matter

what time of year you visit. And, with over 48 years' experience, there's no one better placed to help

you plan your trip than Trailfinders, the UK's No.1 tour operator to Canada.

Find out more: Wanderlust.co.uk/DiscoverCanada

Call Trailfinders. the UK's No.1 tour operator to Canada on 02073681533

The best of Iceland

Talks from Sir Chris Bonington

For someone who has spent his career scaling the world's mightiest

peaks. Sir Chris i

s very down t
o earth Learn about hi
s extraordinary

I
f you have yet t
o visit the unique island of Iceland then this i
s surely the adventures - from the Erqer t
o Everest - at a private talk. get to know

arm-twist you need With its thundering waterfalls. dramatic volcanoes. him as he accompames some excursions arid receive a free

mighty geysers and otherworldly landscapes, Iceland continues t

o signed copy of his autobiography, Ascent'

grow m popularity and 1

t rs not hard to see why. This seven-day

small group tour is one of the best ways to explore the island. from Glacier walk

buzzing capital ReykJavik to the natural wonders of the Gciden crrcle Vatna1okull rs Europe's largest glacier But 111s only when you

Added to this rs the chance to do so in the company of one of set out on this staggeringly beauutor expanse of ice that you

Britams greatest mountaineers and adventurers - the irrepressible get a real sense of its scale And who better t
o help give

Sir Chns Boni119ton. As well as talking about he extreordlnarv context than Sir Chris. who will tom you on this special walk?

adventures. he will j
o m you i
n explormq this striking scenery,

including a glacier walk across vatnaiokull Europe's biggest i

ce cap TheGoldenClrcle

I
t promises t
o be a trip t
o remember Experience Iceland's best sites with expert guides Explore

conttnent-streddlmq Thmgvellir National Park. the explosive ,••,.

HIGHLIGHTS Gey sir Geothermal Area. the raw power of Gull loss

Discover Reykfavik Waterfall and the glaciers of Skaftafell National Park

Exptore the northernmost capital on earth. which r

s also one of the

worlds quirkiest cities The arts scene r

s thriving, as r
s its care and bar Secret Lagoon

culture. and the city enovs a spectacular setting between forbidding Recharge m the palliative waters of the Secret Lagoon. an

mountains and the steely grey seas of the North Atlantic You will unspoiled complex of natural thermal baths The waters

have time to admire Reykjavik's creative flair and striking here stay at a constant 38·400C throughout the year. and

contemporary architecture, as well as enJOY i

t s excellent restaurants. a little geyser erupts every five minutes

128 w•nd•rluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

D•y 2: HvolsvOllur

D•y 3: J0kuldrl6n Glacier Lagoon

D•Y 4: Skaftafell National Park

Dmy 5: Sk6gafoss and South coast

D•Y IS: Reykjavik

Dmy 7: Return home

WHA S INCLUDED

• Sh: nights· accommodation

(B&Bbasis)

• Exclusive talks from

Sir Chris Borimgton

• Excursions as detailed m full

itinerary (seeonhne)

• All transport between hotels

• Tour menecer throughout

• Expert local guides

e'Free copy of Sir Chris acomctcrre

autobiography, Ascent (one per

booking)

800KINODETAILS

The dlitff: May 24-30, 2019

The price: From £1,899pp•

Call 08444173870tofind out more.

or visit w•nd•lust.c0-ukj

lce,•ndJO\lrney

OUR TltAVR PARTNERS

� :(!;)) TRIPSMl1HS

·pu,,.t:.edonrwo.....,ng.Notethalligt'Q"nct

rd.dld�to...._.,.Sor,g19�ESIIO.

Ou11.....iporu.lr(1epoc:IT...... ,."8TA-bondedond,,.,.

11,p•ATOlproo:..::NdForfult.,.,.ondconditall.goto

�··�
EXCLUSIVE TOUR IN THE COMPANY OF WANDERLUST Tblll•i

FOUNDER AND EDITOR·IN·CHIEF, LYN HUGHES Georgia's coo l capital is set on the ba nks of the Mtkvari River Visit the

Nenkala Fortress. the soo thing Sulphur Baths. the srxth-centurv sen
There are few places left m Europe that can be uuly labelled Cathedral and Anchrskhatt silica. and
Ba sam ple the lively cafe culture

•
'undiscovered' but Georgia remains one of them. Set at the

crossroads of Europe and Asia. lying across a key section of the Tushatl National Park

fabled Silk Road route. it rs a fascinating country - both culturally Thts magnificent mountain region r
s remote. cosme and protected

and visually. As Mike Gerrard wrote in Wanderlust. 'If I had to come You will take exhilarating walks and vi sit remote vi llages, ancient

up with a description for Georgia. geographically as well as culturally, churches. turquoise lakes and primeval forests

rt woo Id be Middle East em Europe'.

This 11-day srnall-qrocp tour will see you visit oecrcas Monasteries and fortrasH11

cosmopolitan ceptal Tbilisi. as well as the UNESCO·listed former See a range o f extraordinary architecture including sixth-century

captaf. Mtskheta. the ancient cave town of varoz.a. Gori {the rock-hewn monastery or Davit oerere. ancient K hertv1s1 Fortress and

brrthplace of Stalin). and the vineyards of Kakheti. one of the oldest UNESCO-listed jvan Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral i
n

woe-crcoocrc areas 1n the world. ou will have the rare chance to

Y M tskheta. the arcent capital and rehmous centre of Georgia

travel to the autiful mountainous region of Tushet1

be ero to explore

some of oecrcee breathtaking mon asteries and fortresses. What is Food and drink

more you will do this in the company of not only the expert guides Enjoy wine tasting 1n the Kakhen region. sit a traditional farmers'
vi

from Wild Frontiers. b ut also Lyn Hughes. the founder and editor market in Telavi and experience a special home-cooked m eal hosted

Wanderlust. And 1f it' s good enoogh for the editor .

. bv a localferralv

130 w•nd•rlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

ITINERARY

Day1:Tbilisi

Day2:Tbilisi

Day 3: Tbilisi - Davit Gareja - Kvareli

Day 4: Kvare1i - Gremi - Tusheli Na1ional Park

Day 5: Tusheti National Park

Day&: Tusheti National Park

Day7:Tusheti- lkalto-Alaverdi- Telavi

Day 8: Telavi - Mtskheta - Gori

Day 9: Gori - Akhaltsikhe - Vardzia

Day 10: Vardzia - Tbilisi

Day11:Tbilisi

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• A Wild Frontiers tour leader with local guides

and drivers

• All accommodation in guest houses and

three- and four-star hotels

• All meals. transport and entrance fees

(for full itinerary details seeonline)

• Wine tasting and home-cooked dinrier

• A carbon-offse\tlng contribution to Carbon

Clear (1f booking international flights through

Wild Frontiers)

BOOK I NO DETAILS

The dates: 24 July - 3 August, 2019

The price: From From £1,825pp•

Call 020 3553 9934 10 find out more,

or visit w•nderlust.co.uk/Georgl•Journey

OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS

EB ((())) 'AIPSMITHS
WILDFIIONTJEll.5

" Pr ice b....:l on two shar ,ng F'ighu; are no1 1nciuded $ubtecl t o

ava,labd11yS,ngt.supplom«\! t1450ur!ravelpartnArWildFrom-.

,sl>.ITO.bondec:1..-.dt�tr,p,sl>.TOL·pr<>tected.Forfulltem>Sand

cx:o:hoons,go1owano&rUSl1r,p0m<tht.cemf11«irgiawl

w•nd•rluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 131

 Horseriding in

Montenegro
with Richard Dunwoody
JOIN THE FORMER CHAMPION JOCKEY ON THIS HORSE-RIDE

TO DISCOVER A BEAUTIFUL, LITTLE-KNOWN NATION

II :e���;�������;e;� ��1:::���rt�x::��::7;r::��

The great Silk saddle. Yoor host will be Richard Dunwoody. a three-time

Champioo Jockey and now an expenenced tour leader Together

you'll explore mountains and trecmcoal villages. enjoy home·

Road Adventure
cooked meals and immerse yourselves in magnificent scenery

ITINERARY

with Benedict Allen Day 1 KolaSin Day2 Ride to Eko Ka tun

Vranjak Day 3 Biogradska Gora

SEE THE FABLED ASIAN TRADING ROUTE. National Park Day 4 Katun GoleS to

TRAVELLING FROM CH!NA TO IRAN, WITH Potrk Ka tun Day 5 Durmitor National

A SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE FROM Park Day 6 Durmitor National Park

ADVENTURER BENEDICT ALLEN to iabljak Day 7 Rafting the Tara

River Day 8 Tour ends in xctestn

Four countries, thousands of miles. 33 days this rs one of the

•
most remarkable tours you can undertake. along one of the WHAT'S INCLUDED

most important thoroughfares in history And the rewards are suitably • Richard Dunwoody as the Wild Frontiers Tour Leader

immense: magnificent landscapes, fabulous cues and extraordinary • Services of local guides and drivers

architecture With guest appearances from the intrepid Benedict • Meal plan. transport (excluding international flights).

Allen enc Jonny Beal by, travel writer and four.der of Wild Frontiers. accommodation and entrance fees as per itinerary (see onlme)

your travels will include a rich variety of fascinating viewpoints. while • A carbcn-offsettmq contubutron to Carbon Clear (11 booking

you'll stay in comfortable hotels throughout Simply, this Is perhaps internatonal flights through Wild Frontiers· office}

the greatest travel route of all time.

BOOICINO DETAILS

ITINERARY The dates: 8-15 June 2019

Days1-11 Beijing, Xi'an, Jiayuguan, Ounhuang, Turpan, Kashgar The price: From E1.895pp•

(China) Days 12-17 Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara {Uzbekistan) Call 020 8712 4470 to find out more, or visit

Days 18-19 Mary (Turkmenistan) Days20-33 Mashhad, Tehran, wanderlust.r::o.uk/MontenegroJoumey

Abyaneh, Yazd, Shiraz, Persepolis, Isfahan (Iran)

OURTRAVELPARTNERS Wl.o�,u� � R I P > ',I I T H

WHAT'S INCLUDED 'f'<""'ba<edonrwooharing.P<,ce�no,o,el,...d,o,nt.,na1,onalngt,l•outfr<>mUK

lt.,...a,ysut>,ecttochangeOu!travelpart""'Wik:ffront..,s�ATOl..::IABTOT-bonded
• Full services of a Wild Frontiers Tour Leader
Notetholt1op11,ubot>.,gprorrotedtomembenof1lie1,...edJockeysFcnllilf}F0<U

• Exclusive talks from Jonny Beal by, travel writer and founder t..msandcond,t,;,no.gotow,,rdei1u&.cori<JMonteneg,oJourney

of Wild Fronners. and Ber,echct Allen

• 89 meals. all accorrmodanon. entrance fees arn:J transport

as outlined in the itinerary

BOOKING DETAILS

The dates: 3April-5 May 2019

The price: From E9,645pp•

Call 020 8003 7505 to fmd out more, or visit

wanderlust.co.uk/SllkRoadJourneyE:f,

OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS wui �™' ([!) TAIPSMIH,s

·Pr.,.,baoedontw<>oho<.-.gPr""'dc,.."°'"'dur:k•>temot1,,..,...fligl,tsoutlromUKandre,urn,ng
froml!...,.lt1ne11,ysut>iecttochang&Ou!travelpart""'Wik:ff1ont,ars.sATOlan<IASTOT

bon<:kdNotetNStr,p.salsobu,gp,omotedto,eadenoftheTelegrap/,fe<l"'t•msaod
c<Wld,,.,..,.gotowardetlust.oo.ul</S+ll.RoadJour�

132 w•nd•rlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 India and

the Exotic

Marigold Hotel
with Deborah Moggach
A MAGICAL TOUR OF INDIA, INCLUDING A NIGHT IN THE

REAL-LIFE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL AND PRE·

DEPARTURE TALK FROM AUTHOR DEBORAH MOGGACH

The Galapagos
India is a mesmerising country of colour and chaos.

Islands one o
unmissable sights and effervescent people who make it

f the most life-affirming nations rn the world. Its thrs mix

that inspired Deborah Moggach to write the novel that would

with Stanley Johnson become the hit film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Our unique

tour follows in the footsteps of its endearing characters

JOIN THE WRITER AND ENVIRONMENTALIST ON

THIS ONE·OFF ITINERARY SAILING AROUND THE ITINERARY

ASTONISHING ARCHIPELAGO THAT INSPIRED Day 1 Delhi Day 2Agra and Taj Mahal

CHARLES DARWIN Day 3 High tea at Castle Kanota Day 4

Jaipur Day 5 Bijaipur Day& Jeep ride

Day 7 Chittorgarh and real Best Exotic

II :1�;�:s���t��;:�:��e:n,::�ny:�h=.��� ��:r dream Marigold Hotel Day 8 Lake Pichola

happen on an exceptional voyage in the company of special guest Day 9 Udaipur Day10 Tour ends

Stanley Johnson His passion for the environment arid role as

ambassador f
or the Galiipagos Conservation Trust make him the WHAT'S INCLUDED

ideal travelling companion for this extraordinary destination. • A Wild Frontiers Tour Leader working with local guides

• All accommodation. most meals and all entrance fees

ITINERARY • All domestic transport (m air-con mini-coach minibuses)

Day 1 Quito Day 2 San

Crist Oba I Island Day 3 Cerro BOOKING DETAILS

Brujo Day 4 Espafiola Island The dates: 14-23 Feb 2019

Day 5 Floreana Island Days The price: From £1.925pp•

6·7Santa Cruz Island Day8 Call 020 8003 7524 to find out more, or visit

Rabida Island Day 9 Santa wanderlust.co.uk/MarlgoldJourney

Cruz Island Day 10 Quito

OURTRAVELPARTNERS w11.o!,,11.� '{[l)

WHAT'S INCLUDED
'Pr,eeb.>oedontwosharngPr.,."'-""'o><::k.do..,ema<IOr'lallligl>tsOUtfromUKn-orv

sut>,ecttochang9.0i..wtr ..... pa,tner,Wildfront,.,.,osATO!.andABTOTbondoedi'lo!e!M

• Internal flights 1n Ecuador (Ouno-Sen Cristobal Island)
tr�1Sals<>i-,g1JtomotedtQreadoor>�llb-n¥>&Hcrne.For!ultermsandoond•.,.,..oo•o

• One nights B&B in Quito and seven-mght full-board cruise aboard �.ooa;/Ma,ngQk!Jwrr-,

the Coral I yacht. plus National Park guides. tourist card and park fee

• Talks by Stanley Johnson

BOOK INO DETAILS

Thedates:7-16 May 2019

The price: From £4,745pp•

Call 0808163 9447 to find out more, or visit

wanderlust.co.uk/GalapagosJourney

OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS � !l[}) TP P unH�

•Pnc•basedon1woshamganentrv·levelcab<nPnce"'-""'nco..<leon1ernationalfi,ghtstQ

OU�<>.lt.,,.,a,ysubfedtQchange.OJ<travelpartnttlnl<ep,dTrawl.osABTAtxndedandthostt,r,

,sATO!.·�oteetedN<olethlStr�,sals<,bengprc,rrw;(edtQrNt*llolTheMa,lonS<n;layForl\A

tflnnsandoond1t,ons.ootow.,..;,,,1ust.co.Uk/GalapagosJou<My

w•nd •• lu.t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 133

 EXPLORING

GREECE
AN ADVENTURE FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR

From rafting cool water under the summer sun to hiking, island-hopping and

skiing during the cooler months, Greece offers a world of wild escapes ..

salaodof explore, whether rambling for villages, all close to the main port

mythical tales, hours, even days, along craggy and townofVolos, former home

A
Greece isn't short paths, rafting rushing rivers to the Argonauts of legend The

of adventure And through huge gorges. or village of Maknortsa is known as

while most seek rslend-hopomq remote villages the'balcony of Pelion: affording

selvatronfand sun tans) on its populated only by locals. This vews overvclos and the

pristine shores during summer, 1swhereyou11 find the Greece Pagasetic Gulf A wander along

beyond its bountiful beaches and beyond the brochure, and it can its cobbled paths will also

busy season hes an mtoxicatmq be seen 365 davsa year - so uncover over 50 fountains as

mix of wilderness, nature, history long as you know where to look. well as myriad churches and

and charming tavernas that spill charming Ottoman-inspired

onto the street long after dark. NATURAL IJEAUTl' houses that hug the hill, some

Greece is ideal for explorers all Sandwiched between Athens of which are now guest houses

year around, and no more so than and Thessaloniki, the 37km-long At Portaria there's a 5km walk

outside its peak months By then Pehon Peninsula in Thessaly lies along the fanv-tale Centaurs'

the crowds have all but gone, the a five-hour drive from Athens Path that passes streams and

temperatures still hover in the This rs a rugged region with fine waterfalls.AtM1lies,hstenfor

high teens and the maze of hiking beaches, characterful villages, the whistle of the famous Pelion

and biking trails across its hills lie old settlements and hiking trails steam train, operating since

errptv.Fhen.It tumsmto one of galore There's even a ski resort 1895. It runs from spring until

Europe's best travel secrets, atAgnolefkesfromwh1chyou autumn, passing gorges, brtdqes

with cheap flights aplenty. can see the Aegean Sea and dainty tunnels, and during

But no matter when you go, Begin with a wander around winter it's even possible to

there's always something to some of the area's prettiest walk along the tracks.

For those m good shape. there's

a more demanding five-hour walk more astonishing Adventurers

from Veneto to Ano Kerasra - the here can unleash their inner

aree'e hchestrrccotaovdleqe­ explorer byv1sit1ng the world's

vra the Monastery of Flamouri. deepest gorge as well as alpine

It's one of the area's most scenic lakes, some rare fauna and flora,

hikes, trekking wild ravines and laid-back trekking paths, rolling

thick forest. You will need good valleysandtowenngforests

shoes, though. Meanwhile, in StartatZagori'smost

Tsagarada you can get close arresting site, the geological

to nature by horse-trekking with spectacle of the V1kos Gorge (up

a guide along its secret paths to 1,600m deep in parts) that

makes up part of the National

GET OUTDOOllS Park ofVikos-Aoos. Its trails

At Zagen. deep m the Pmdus bnng welcome shade from the

Mountains m north-western hot summer sun, while m autumn

Greece, the sights get even theleavesstarttoturnandthe

134 w•nderlust.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 walks here become even more cross rivers and streams during

magical, interspersed with the 18th and 19th centunes

sightings of wildlife and birds. Between two and five hours of

One of the most pleasant h1kingw1lltakeyoufromMikro

routes r
s the Greek National Papigo to Drakohrrm ofTimfi,

Trail 03, which follows the a mystical alpine lake cupped by

Voidomatis River right dvough the mountains. Those wanting to

the gorge. In the surrounding immerse themselves in the

areasyouil find over 40 waters can meet at the bndge

traditional villages, which offer near Ansn village in order to raft

an authentic look at 'old Greece: or kayak into the canyon.

typically built in a circle around Round your visit off m an old

a central square. taverna, devouring savoury pies,

There are more than 160 warm fosolodo (bean soup) with

pretty arched bridges in the fresh bread, grilled meat and

area, built to help travellers some Greek wine. Sheer bliss.

For more information, visit www.visitgreece.gr w•nderh.11t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 135
 Down on the waterfront, the numerous cultures await

THESSALONIKI White Tower is home to the City Mezze was first introduced in

Museum and, back m the present, the 1920sbyrefugees from

AND BEYOND painting, poetry, theatre and Turkey, along with pot so (a pig

rrosrc are well represented in tnpe soup) and bougotso,

Enjoy a city break in the diverse cultural centre
the many exhibitions, galleries asweet,cream-filledpastry

and explore the countryside on its doorstep andvenoes ecross thecuv.Snck sprmkledw1thsugarand

around for festivals such as the cinnamon and found .n local

Thessaloniki is the country's Agh1os Demetrius, dedicated to Cooperation Festival, which has bougotsotzidikos Ipanssenesl

second-largest city, though i

t the patron saint ofThessaloniki, lots of workshops and graff1ti­ Street vendors sell koulouri

remarns gloriously walkable and the Church of Agh1a Sophia. art performances to admire {sesame bread rings) year

Year-round flights also make i

t with its grand dome and But the big draw here is the around, along with solepi,

rdealfcr short breakawrthrts mosaics. offer a rich take on food A smorgasbord of flavours a tradrtronal hot drink concocted

classicalsightsdefyingthe cultural life here and cuisines influenced by from wild orchid powder.

changing of the seasons Elsewhere. the Krtrn seafront

Hlstcrvlovers can qet their and Mediano and Kapani markets

frx ot encent archttecture burst with tavernas and ouzenes,

Just by wandering the town each serving their own speciality.

ExplorerelicsoftheByzantine And then there's the froppe, said

era, fromtheUNESCO-hsted to have been created m the city

Vlatadon Monastery and Use one of the many themed

a wealth of old churches, to routes to navigate the area, such

theacropohswherethe as the Ottoman Route that takes

Heptepvrqron castle once in the Bezesteni {textile market)

housed some 300 soldiers end Isman, as well as the upper

There are over 30 museums Old City An histoncescape.

to lose yourself 1
n, 1nclud1ng an

Archaeological Museum that FOK DAYTIUl'l'EltS

displays countless ancient Bavond'Ihessalorakrvoo'll

masterpieces Meanwhile, drsccver an astonrshmq

churches such as the impressive array of diverse landscapes

138 w•nderluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Getaflavourofrurallifeat At Lake Kerkini, 100km

a local vineyard - one of many from Thassalomkr, m the

scettered across the recron. foothillsofMountsBellesand

There are three wineries open Mavrovoum, hes one of the

to the public, as well as a wine most important wetlands m

museum with one of the largest Europe. For birders, it's the

corkscrewcollectionsmthe ideal place to spot over

world, a yearly wine-tasting 300 species. including rare

fest1valandanurbanvmeyard and protected birds such as

There are also eight enticing the Dalmatian pelican Eagle

wine-centered routes that eyed wildlife-watchers will

plunge you deep mtovmtner also be able to spot buffalos -

country. Explore the Olympian an estimated 700 of which

God, Eptrus. and Halkidrkr uvem the araa c wlule

itineraries.which take you adrenaline seekers can go

through picturesque areas horseridmg,h1kmg,cychng,

and into local vineyards where off-roading, or simply paddle

you can taste some fme wines a canoe out into the shallow

and nibble appetisers waters of the lake

Verg1na, in the foothills of a theatre, both found just below

Mount Piena, was the first the acropolis. Be sure to see the

'For birders, Lake Kerkini is the ideal capital of ancient Macedonia subterranean Museum of Royal

and rs one of the most important Tombs of A,gai-Vergina, where

place to spot over 300 species,
archaeological discoveries of you11 fmd the tombs of some

the 20th century Travellers can important people, most notably,

including rare and protected birds
unearth open-air rums of the Kmg Plnhp II. father of

such as the Dalmatian pelican' ancient Palace of Aigai and Alexander the Great.

For more information, visit www.visitgreece.gr wanderlust.co.uk December 2018/Jariuary 2019 137
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

UNDISCOVERED
ISLANDS
Escape the crowds - and discover adventure -

on Greece's remarkable wealth of island gems

I
t goes without saying that But first head to the castle of

Greece's islands offer some of Chor a, which was built back in

the most enchanting escapes in the13thcenturyandisoften

the world. Look beyond the big referred to as the eye of Crete

names, though, and you can I

t dominates the skyline, and

explore some under-the-radar behind its walls lies Venetian

gems, getting a glimpse of what architecture aplenty, including

Grecramslandhvmqrs reallv all a prison, a church adorned with

about, even during the busy old murals and a swathe of mountains.beach and prettysquares,towermg

summer months two-storey houses that Just agriculture, perfect 365 days churches and golden beaches

Kythera was the reputed two centunes aqc.housed a year. Fl

y to Athens and then Andros r
s also a hikers dream,

birthplace of Aphrodite, the over 200 inhabitants A few take the two-hour ferry from the recognised by the European

Goddess of Love, and its rugged kilometres away, towards port of Raf ma on one of the daily Ramblers' Association, with well

mterlcrls certamlyeasvto fallin Limmonas beach, you can see crossings. It's the greenest and overlOOkmoffootpaths for

love with Located off the south­ the Cave of Agia Sofia Its most northerly of the Cyclades, those wanting to wander The

eastern tip of the Peloponnese stalactrtes and ever-chanqmq and second m size only to Naxos Andros Route, a lOOkm walk

peninsula, this mountainous colours are well worth the walk. Meanwhile, the capital, Hora r
s that runs from the top to the

area r
s awash with valleys, all Elsewhere, the island of aheavenlym1xofneoclassical bottom of the island, rs a fine

swooping towards the sea. Andros is a rich blend of buildings, marble pavements, example. For a more cultured

138 w•nd •• lu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

visit, there's also the Museum of of a Roman cemetery and an bell tower of the Monastery of The islandisalsofamedfor

Modern Art, the archaeological ancient town. or head up to Panagia Kalemcnssa via a path its sponge diving, with 30,000

museums in Hora and Paleopolis, Mount Kalamos int he rslerd's that begins at the Monastery of harvested here each year From

as well as the Cyclades Olive south-east. Here. a footpath Zoothohos Pigi. Keep your the two d1v1ng centres, ireeasv

Museum. so get out and explore. wmds this spiky monolith, eyes peeled for passing seals to explore underwater where

whereupon you can enter its from some of the awe-inspiring cape slopes. shipwrecks.

TIIE QUIET UFE forbidding bowels via the cave of viewpoints along the W'ct>J. reefs and caves all pepper the

If you're looking to switch off. Dracontospilo Warderers can If that isn't enough action for seascape. D1vmg r
s so popular

Anafi in the Cyclades is another also hike 90 mi rut.es to the white you, the island ofKalYfTYlOS in the here that there's even a festival

island yet to be discovered by the Dodecanese offers a wilder take in the summer with free

masses. It's still accessible in on island hfe. There's ample organised dives tocvertors

autumn and spring, and blessed opportunity to sccba-dwe, ruke But no matter whether you're

with untrodden beaches. hilly, trails. visit the wondrous looking for a city-break, an island

high terrain and archaeological Esperidon fjord, explore CNer 50 adventure, sun. shade, cultu-e

sites. Capital Chora is just 20 caves and scale rock formations. or nature, Greece whets the

mirut.es'walk from the harbo..r"of The island is home to one of appetite 365days a year.

Aghios Nikolaos, and its swathe the most extensive climbing

of white-washed buildings and networks in Greece; there are

wirdmills cascading down from more than 1.300chmbingtracks

the peak is a classic image of for clamberers of all abilities. with

island Greece It's free from

congestion, and to get around

you must walk or travel by mule.

Nearby, you can visit the ruins

slabs, boulders. big walls and

overhangs to conquer. The most

pictu-e·worthy is the arch at the

Grande Grotta cave.

II
For more information, visit www.visitgreece.gr w•nd.rlu1t.eo.uk December 2018/January 2019 139
• ai
!! g,
,, :::
c �
- ..
a, .t::.

O ci
- c
Cl. �
.. ..
w .;
 Travel Tips I Gear I Health I Books I Advice

AH the experts Our travel mensches impart their

wisdom on fleeing the hordes rn Prague dnvmg

the fringes of Scotland and going ape m Borneo

The big read:

Sue Perkin•

Desprte not beng

a natural adventurer

Iher own aomrssion). ln•t•nt expert: The Empty Quarter

Sue's Asia travel shows rt's been so veers smcerrevetclassic

wereoouusrvvrd tv Arabian Sands was first published.

but her way of deahng narrating explorer Wilfred Thesiqer's

w1thgrief-asubject 1oumey across the largest contrqucus

she tackles head-on desert m the world. Follow in his sandy

>>
in her revealing new footsteps, as we unravel a region still

book,plusallthelatest httle vrsrted bv travellers but Iullof

travel reads reviewed plenty of Arabian promise

wsnderluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 141

From volcano trekking to dicing with 'imps of darkness', you reveal to us the tidbits and tips that

will make any trip to Ecuador and its wildlife-packed Galapagos Islands utterly unforgettable

Zip up a volcano allowances on internal flights can be airayof bonny birds- ask where to

Quito, Ecuador k:merthanthatonintemationalones: see them at the hotel as everyone

lake the cable car up the JunrMunday has their own contact. Elsewhere.

Pichincha volcano from capta I the Cuyabeno Rrver area IS a great

ooso The v.ews are amazing. but Pick the right month place to see pink dolphins. while the

make sur
e that vou walk slowly at Gal8pagos Islands panama hat factory 1n CUenca is

the top as treer is realty thin· ·May is the best ume tovlslt the fun. Tryon loads of ha1stogetideas

Timf1tShl'r Galapagos. \A/hale-watching season and then go out to the surrounding

is just stamng and it's perfect for villages to get a cheaper one there:

Pack sensibly w11dhfe spotting and snorkelling" Anni' Dickinson

Galilpagos Islands Gina Carey

"You·11 need waterproofs as well as
shorts It's also a good idea to have
swim shoes for wet landings. Pack
Taahell•ndb..:k
C,uisingintheG."p,l,gOII Go beneath the waves
requirlld-inglterilised
Rivers, birds and ..• hats Gal8pagos Islands
wellies.toavoidlP'N<l•ng
Mindo, Oriente & Cuenca ·rake a diving course before you
diMneac:routheislands.

carefully, though. as luggage "Mir.do, in the Andes has a beautiful ,ec:a111,uc:1er.1uneMuoc1av go so that you donl mrss out on

142 w•nd •• lu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 READER TRAVEL TIPS -

Always be prepared
Galapagos Islands

"Make sure that you take

lots of memory cards for

your camera as the Galapagos

Islands are a photographer's

dream. It's worth buying a cheap

or second-hand waterproof

camera to get pictures of the

sea lions and fish under the

water, too. Additionally, comfy

walking shoes, a small towel

to dry your feet on wet

landings and a hat are also

Galapagos essentials."

Shelia Sharp

the marine hfe while you're there couples on a cruiser complete with

That way you'll be able t

o maxunlse a local guide and crew. This meant

your time on the Isla rcs'" that we could get close to the ). The Tren Crucero r
s a real

MuriellaSomnmt islands and see the sunrise on them h1ghhght that can be bool<ed

beloreanyoneelse Magical!" with our Tailor-made team I

Feel the heat />au/Townson trs ajuxcnous w

t av t
o

Barios de Agua Santa discover the vast differences within

"ln Banos you can soak 1

n the hot Ogle iguanas Ecuador starting 1n the Andes and

waters from the active Tungurahua Galilpagos Islands Journeying through to the coast.

volcano, while the stars at dusk make -oarwo called them urce of experiencing tradmon, culture arid

an evening dip here breathtaktnqr' darkness but marine iguanas are food akmg the way

Janine Marsh amazing creatures. TOftuga Bay MelitaMul/ey,

on Santa Cruz island ea great place Tailor-made Operotians Manager

Size does matter to see them. One spotter's tip rs

inassccenonwsf

Gal3pagos Islands to look out for the reduced speed

·we did our homework T

o make hrrat signs - put in place to rxotect tucantravel
these amazing creatures."
t adventures with J)hSIOn
sure that we saw the best places,

we went in a small group of six Leah Holroyd

Leave it late for

a better deal
Galilpagos Islands

"You can usually get

somecheaplast·minute

spaces on boats going

totheGal.ipagos

from Guayaquil. We

only paid around half

of the full ticket price

by just turning up and

booking onto one of

the boats that were

leaving the next day."

Micht>lleSuttonO

Im Visit our website at

Wwanderlust.co.uk

tosubmityourlortips.next

month"stopicis"SouthAfrica·

w•nd•rlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 143

- READER REPORT

Your tales of•••

QUIRKY
SLEEPS

HAVEA(N)ICESTAY

HThe ICEHOTEL in Sweden

was, frankly, freezing. There

were only reindeer skins for

doors and a trip to the toilet

required stepping out into a

blin.ard. Worth a go, once I"

Gai/Ashingron

TURKISH TWIST

ffWe stayed at a hotel on the

Bosphorus that, unknown

tous, doubled up as the

local brothel. The parrot

would also squawk when

the reception bell rang!H

Kelley Parker

LIFE ON THE RIVER

#I stayed in a small canal

boat In Manc:hester. ltwas

a great example of how

a tiny home could work and

be moveable. A relaxing
Reader David Townsend explores the
and fun weekend awaylff

deserts, cities and sandy icons of Jordan D.:iwnBeachy

The highlight: Petra I The pain of the hike to the I wish I'd known ... What an amazing city IT"STHEPITS?

Monastery was so worth u. Wadi Rum was also Amman. the capital of Jordan, actually rs! It was HI once spent a night in an

awe-inspiring I
ts Mars-like setting was the perfect a shame that we only had a morning t
o visit underground dug-out mine

place to view the Milky Way in the dark skies above the city, but the kindness of the locals and the In Coober Pedy, Australia.

Must see: Wadi Mu11b has a fantastic river­ general feel of the place was very upliftmg We slept in sleeping bags

canyornng course. Just south of the Dead Sea Anything else? Don't believe everything on the floor as bats flew

hotel we stayed at Rock jumping and getting you think you know about the Middle East around our heads, but

completely soaked was such a great experience The warmth of the people we encountered I enjoyed a lovely sunrise

Top tip: At the Treasury in Petra. be sure t

o take was an absolute JOY Go explore' Also. I wish watching kangaroos graze

the offer from the locals of a hike up t

o the view Id taken more insect repellent with me. as on a hill In the dlstanc:e.ff

looking down onto this fantastic monument the flies at the Dead Sea were killers! Emma Middleton

It's not for the faint-hearted. though1

Cautionary tale: Do not take advantage of o share your

Go onllne t

the donkey or camel rides m Petra. We saw one l7l'J wanderlust.co.u k travel ta/es with us on

lady fall off on the steepest part of the climb up I.LI Just got back from somewhere next month's topic:

to the Monastery Plus. 1f you can, you want to amazing? Visit wanderlust.co.uk or email 'airport errors'

feel like you ve conquered the walk I us at fromtheroad@wanderlust.co.uk

144 w•nderlust.co.uk December 2018/Janu(lry2019


O
Jane Wilson-Howarth lives in
N�pal; you can read het blog at
www.wilson-howarth.com
You might think that getting too close to a lion is the only worry you'll have on an African
safari, but there are plenty of hidden dangers to look out for, says Dr Jane Wilson�Howarth
When planmnga firstAfncansafan,
it's worth thinkmgabout your health
needstn advance.Even the seascns
{wh,chvaryacrossthecontment)can
affect how you protect yourself. For
example, Southern Afnca rs dry and
relatively cold from April to October,
whenthercarefewermosquitoesand
the malana risk rs lower. Whereas
m thc east the brnng seasortis atits
highestbctwcenAprilandjunc.
Riskcanevcnvarywithincountries.
Although South Africa is largely
malaria free, its Kruger NP isn't, and
v1s1torstonearlyeveryAfricangame
parkwillnct:dtotakcamimalarial
tablcts.Butmalariapreventionis
more than just swallowmg pills.
Jt is important to bring the nght
clorhmg.Coveralls c especlallyif
proofedwithacontactmsecticide
such as Lifesystems' EX4 - will help
rcduccb1tes,acaciascratchesa11d
sunburn.Clothesalsoneedtoblcnd
m (avoid white and red) so as not to
alertthcwildlife,andrcmemberthat
blue artracts tsetscfhcs.
Stoutfootwearalsohclpstoprolt."Ct
you,aswellasreducmgthechances
of turning an ankle when on walking
safaris at the ends of the day in poor
light. Bush hats are good forkccpmg
thesunoffyourfaceandoutofyour
eyes.and can prevent ear-tops and
the backs of necks from bum mg- two
suesvchcrc skm cancers are common.
Show a little respect
ClearlyAfncaboo.stsahugerange
ofw1ldhfctha11swillmgandablcto
ham1anunwaryhuman,butitis
Travel
Clinic
wdtv Dr JtY1,fl
important to be aware that nearly all
animalsarcabletodefcndthemselvcs.
A ranger once told me rhc storyof
a5ocm-tallklipspringerantelopc1hat
founditswayintoafencc<lcampin
Kruger NP, whereupon one visitor
toldhisdaughtcrtogodoscsothat
he could photograph them. The lm!e
buckfcltcomercdand,in!eapingpast
theman,slashedhisthtghwith1tstmy
horns. The laceration needed two­
dozen smches m the local hospital.
Park guides know thctr wrldhfc
and understand what spooks which
species. Chit-chat and ignormg
warningsnotonlymcansccmglcss
butcanpu1awholcgroupmdangcr.
Upclose&homicid•I
Buffalo can look docile.
but 1
1 you crowd them
you"llsoonrealiselhose
horns•ren'tornamental;
(below)vervetmonkeys
neednoinvit.ationtooet
close,andanyscratches
orb!lesfromencounters
willrequirerabiesjabs
wand •• lu.t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019
HEALTH-
Once bitten, don't be shy
Close contact with wildlife can carry
a rabies nsk. vervet monkeys often
rardprcruc tables.and It's not wcrth
risking a scratch to fight them for
a sandwtch.Bats.too.are a threat as
thcyhuntthcbugsdrawntocamp
lightsandcangetdiscombobulatcd.
Onc very sad rcport frorn aoo's
involved a wornan scratched on the
facebyabatwhilcshewaswashing
one evening In Tsavo West National
ParkinKenya.Havmgdeancdthe
wound, park wardens and personnel
althcnearbyhealthfacihtyassurcd
herthat,locally,rabieswasonly
knowntobecamcdbydogsandcats.
Conscquently,shedld not go for her
rabiesshots.Symptomsbcgan23days
Iater and she dlcdln a hospnalln the
Netherlands45daysafterthcscratch.
Recommended post-bue/scratch
woundcaremvolvcsscrubbingunder
runnmg water with plenty of soap for
fivemmu1cs,1hcnflocxlmg1twith
alcoholandscekingthecorrect}abs.
The last word
Atriptoa11Africangameparkrequires
some precautions, mcluding wearmg
long, loose dothing{ideally proofed
with EX4), DE ET-based repellent
and the consumption of doxycyclmc,
mefloqume or Malaroneantimalarials.
ltisn"tvitaltohavepre-safarirabies
jabs.butttis crucialto vmt a good
dmic ifbitten. The Dutch woman
cttedwould have survived Hshe had
goneforpost-bitcJabsonrcaching
homenincdaysafterthescratch
(14daysbcforcsymptomsbegan).O
145
Ask the experts
Whether fleeing the masses in fairy-tale Prague, taking the slow road across northern Scotland

or meeting your 'nosey' relatives in the jungles ofBorneo - our experts have got you covered ...

EXPERTS SEELESSER·SPOTTEDPRAGUE

l'dliketovisltPrague, but

Q where can I escape the

hordes that descend on the city?

Amy Knight, via email

A��:��;:�t:���=e
refuge m one of the city's tranquil

gardens. Laid out on the steep

hillside beneath Prague Cast le are

the lush Palace Gardens. with their

Brigid Benson

Travel wnter.Scottand winding stairways and terraces

tancter andauthor ot that offer fme crtvvews. while for

new book North Coast a relax.irlQ stroll. try the beautifully

Joumey(birlinn.co.uk)
landscaped Wallenstein Garden.

Away from the bustle of the

city centre he the peaceful Vltava

islands. Pay a vtsn toSlovansky and

its park. restaurant and palace,

Strelecky with its summer cinema

and cere Detskvwnb its green areas.

and Kampa, which rs pretty much l'veheard the North Coast

auparkendatus soutbem eod Q 500 route around northern

Prague's suburbs area short tram Scotland can get very busy. l
s

or metro ride away. V1nohrady and there a way around that?

Zizkov border the New rown but Ewan Clarke, via email
AlisonMcGil
receive a fraction of Its visitors 1

Alisonhaseditedguides
V1nohrady's top attraction rs the A�::=�hp=t�w�:�cl�ttsof
forOKEyew1tnessforten

years,includir,gitsnew weird and wor.derful Church of the success. vsnor numbers have risen

Praguel:xxik(dk.com) Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord. dramatically yet the increase in

partly inspired by Egyptian temples traffic r

s not without ccrrcicetcos

Meanwhile. Holesovce rs an up-and­ for tounsts and ocelpeople Most

coming area where abandoned only set a wee!<: aside to do it. though,

factories are bemg transformed into and with travel to and from the

hip galleries. bars and nightclubs Highlands requiring a day each way,

The western suburbs hold some vsnors often hurtle along with little

fasc1nat1ng sights that most miss. time to connect with the lardscape

The Sarka Valley is a sliver of buco ic l My answer rs to embrace the

Bo hemia and follows the Sarecky 'Slow Travel' experience. doing as

Stream through forests, meadows little driving each day soas to avcid

and secluded villas. and feels like it's the frustration of missed deadlines
Rhodri Andrews
a million miles from Prague i
F nish m That way you also wont miss out on
Wanderlusrsassistant
the south at the Brev nov Monastery, secluded whte-senc beaches. island
edrtorhasjustreturned

fromathee·weekstmt known for I

ts impressive brewery boat trips, footpaths strewn with

exploring Borneo's wilds Alison McCil, editor o

f the DK wildflowers. characterful hemage

EyewitnessPragucguide centresandmuchrnore

148 w•nd•rluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 ASK THE EXPERTS -

SWINGING THROUGH BORNEO

I've heard Borneo's Bako

Q NationalParkisgreatfor

seeing proboscis monkeys. But

do I need more than a day there?

Sclrian iones

A �;::�t��=�t��;�:��r���o�i::.

but those who do so are missing

a trick The last boat back for day

vrsuors rs 4pm during dry season

(May-Sept), and often earlier during

monsoon time. With the wildlife

most active in the early morning

Thew1ldl1fe here is plentiful. Look Along the east coast the ruins and at sunset you'll miss the two

out for whales and dolphins passing of seashore fortresses teeter above wildlife spotting 'windows· if vou're

bytheshofe at Stoer Head lighthouse crashing waves while the French a day-tripper and don't get there

or skywatch for ma,estic sea and ctscot Dunrobin castle is audacious early enough Thars where stayrng

golden eagles at Sh1eldaig The arn:J charming The sheer vanetyof the mght (or longer) can grant you

shores of lochs. fringed with birch the northern H1ghlands1sa life. more spotting opportunities

and row an. also make ideal picrnc o savour So

affirming experience t Day-trippers can number in the

spots. watched over by grazing deer. take the 'Slow Travel' approach. and thousarn:Jsdunng dry season Then.

Embrace local hie and follow if you have leruted time. try doing you'll only see distant glimpses of

winding lanes to old harbours where a section of the coast rather than the wildlife before the day visitors

boats are laden with creels to catch the whole circuit. You wont regret 1tl leave. But after the last boat departs.

crab and obster Or wander cliff top Brigid&nson,aurhorofBirlinn's Alittleonthenoae the trails empty and you can find
(clo<:kwisefromtoprigh!)
paths to reveal dramatic sea stacks North Coast Journey:The Magic yourself metres away from silvery
Comefacetoschnon

frequented by daredevil climbers ofScotland's Northern Highlands withBorneo'sp,obosc1s langurs and proboscis monkeys

monkeyntBakoNP;
And while you can't see the latter
S<::otland'sStoerHead
after dusk. night walks bring flying
i1a11real1p0ttoapot

pass1r111whalesand lemurs and other wonders up close.

dolphins;tlHoWallenstein
Rhodri Andrews, wanderlust's
gardenstnPragueoffer
Assistant Editor; has recently
apeacefulescapefrom

thec,ty'sbusycrowds returned fram BornooO

John Penge, Africa Product Manager

at Exodus Travels, reveals his tips for

seeing a wilder side to the country ...

Besttlmetovi•lt: The wildebeest migration isat its peak

in the Masai Mara between August and October. However,

apart from the rainy periods (Mar-May & Nov), it is worth

considering going at other times to avoid all the crowds.

Whereto go: For wildlife, 11 has to be the Masai Mara,

although Lake Nakuru is more scenic and offers a better

chance of seeing a rhino. Or for $0!1lething totally different,

Mount Kenya is the second-highest peak in Africa; it's less

busy than Kilimanjaro and is arguably more beautiful.

Wiidiife: The Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru offer a good

chanceofseeingtheB1gFive,butthere'stherearealso

crocodiles, zebra, giratteand so much more.

,:,exodus
\:., travels

------l'VI
w•nderlu.t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 147
It's that time of year - but this Christmas ensure you get the things you really want (and need)

by leaving our pick of U1e best new travel accessories for your nearest and dearest to peruse ...

Ember Moc, £60

I
s r
t a trainer? l
s i
t a slipper? I
t '
s bothI These

Tevas have a decent soe f

or city strolling but

alsoacollaps1bleheelandsoftfabncupper,

mak,ng them ideal f

or long jOUrneys Super

comfy, and they ekmrnate the need for taking

twc peus cf shoes teva.ce.uk

Approach Jacket, £695

Theres nothing better on a polartnpfor

any cold winters day) than snuggling into

an msuletedjecket This Canada Goose

one rs more ethical. too. some previous

models featured fur. but manufacturers

have taken not

eof protesters this new

dovm-f,lled ieoerconesmoos eorrer

TravOSafe lithium-free Power Pack, £20

So-neankneswoo't allow you to transport lrtluurn

batteries in your checked luggage. so this

lithium freepoy..er pack isan dealalternatwe.

Holds enough t
o charge a smanphone 1.5 times

Averypn:tctfCalpresentuk.gpbattef'ies.com/uk
 GEARGURU-

WH-1000XM3 WIRELESS NOISE

CANCELLING HEADPHONES, £330

A traveller's best frtendr These new headphones

not only block sound (and have a setting so you

can still hear important announcements).

theyalsocancelpressure.sony.co.uk

VICTORINOX

Climber SilverTech Swiss Army Knife, £40

Sure. you might never useall 14of the magnificent tools that come

cntl-ss sleek $w1SSArmy Knife. but who car es when rt looksasgood

as this and s
r laser engraved with your name We should all have

when we travel. even 1f we don't really know why

swiss·store.co.uk
one

>>

MARLOE WATCH COMPANY KIKKERLAND SEATOSUMMIT

Haskell, £745 Travel Bags Set, £12 Aeros Premium

lnspred by Captain Scott. who crossed the Keep your shoes. dirty clothes and personal items Pillow Deluxe, £45

Haskell Strait on f-ecoest for the South Pole this organised. separate and easv tcfiod with these Can't sleep on planes? Tryth1s infiatable pillow -

SwlSS made, Brit des.gned watch oozes cool map covered linen drawstring bags. Ensures its layer of cosy soft synthetic down will have

Lots of classy deta1l,ng b:pens1ve. but we practical packing rs 1,terally ,n the bag you snoozing quicker than you censev ·1 wish

want one. marloewatchcompany.com cotswoldoutdoor.com I'd been upgradecn seatosummiLco.uk

If you're serious about your travel photography, running out of memory card space is your

nightmare. Most back-up drives require a computer, but that's a hassle to travel with. Enter

!ml the WD My Passport Wireless SSD. It's small, sturdy and a lifesaver when travelling

somewhere remote and trying to keep your luggage light. Load images and video direct from your

memory card onto the drive, where they're available to view wirelessly online via a phone or tablet. This

lets you edit on the go, then share quickly. WD My Passport Wireless SSD is available in 250GB-2TB sizes.

From £219. Available from Amazon, Argos and Currys/PC World. www.wdc.com

wanderlumt.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 149

 HUMANGEAR

OoToob+60ml.£7

Minimise your environmental

impactbytraveHngw,th

reosaoecontemers.rtese ere

madeofBPA-freesihcon. they're

dr'4:>proofandhaveasucker

that will stick to a wall (good for

STAN FORDS

Crumpled City Maps, £10 CL Companion Northern Lights, £1.000

These scrunchablemaps, printed on soft. hghtwelght, You pay a lot tovrsn erurnalsm their natural

tear-resistant and 100%waterproof matenatarernade habitats. so don't scrimp on the btroculars These

to be used, abused and stuffed back m your bag time compact 8:i<.30 bmsoffer a� ma,gmficat,on.

andtimeaga1n. nobatteryor WiF1 required a 132m hekl of view and rezce-sberp quality eeses

stanfords.co.uk uk.swarovd!ioptik.com

150 w•nderlumt.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 GEARGURU-

-­
...........

STAN FORDS
Storyteller Pencils, £6 DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL

ltwas adavjusthke arwotfer . seekmsccetco Where To Go When: The Americas

from t
he implement m your hand - this fun pack Subscnbe to Wanderlust this Xmas and not only

of penals. inscribed wrth opening phrases to get do you get ten issues and a £50 travel voucher

but also this DK Eyewitness gutde t

o the Amencas

�-::..:::::-:�""'--1
(RRP £14.99). to plan your next North. South or

Central American adventure wanderiust.co.uk

.» � l

GO TRAVEL LIFESTRAW SHERPA ADVENTURE GEAR

Worldwide USB Charger, £25 Universal, £40 Yatra Everyday Pack, £50

We can't seem t
o do without our smartphones A winner of Wanderlust's Gear of the Year 2018 The retrc.ock Yatra('1ourney' 1n Nepalese)

andtabletsthesedays.Ensureyou'reaWO/ays or Bes
f t Travel Accessory. this nifty two-stage combines sty1e wrthfuncton Made from tough,

charged at the airport with this adapter. filter device adapts to any reusable bottle water resrstant fabric, 1t has a fleecy laptop pouch

which allows you t

o power up multiple t
o enable you to make water safe. so you can and handy pockets Plus, some money from each

rtems from one sod.et drink from even the most questt00able bag sold helps send Sherpach1k.lrentoschool

go-travelptoducts.com/uk watersources.lifestraw.com sherpaadventuregear.co.uk

Sannsk :::::����:�!:�:�!:�t::::�:::r�r:1�:;����et��;ros:.�:�;�,�:';�ahvelling

or taking the holiday of a lifetime, you need to be confident that your kit won't let you down. SanDisk has a

range of portable flash storage products so you can keep dicking and never run out space. And when you

want to preserve those precious photos, SanDisk's range of back-up solutions will give you peace of mind.

Available from Amazon, Argos and Currys/PC World. w-.sandlsk.com

w•nderlu.t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 151

There are few things more
TOP TIP
daunting than the forecourt of
Sat nav hire can be costly -
a car hire company. There"s that
It's far cheaper (and more
shiver of responsibility as you sign
convenient) to get a local SIM
a sheet of paper that may or may
and download a OPS app, such
nor cost you thousands of pounds
H Tom Tom's Go Mobile.
later But the good news is meres

no rush, msurance hides a great

many sms and we're here to help ... late colectonteven 1

[ Your flight I
S

delayed). yet only one declared this

First off. take rt slow You're given in its T&Cs. Others have a ·collect

time to check the car for a reason full. return empty' fuel policy, where

scour thoroughly for exenrc marks motorists aren't refunded for any

or damage, noting fuel levels and excess left m the tank Others may

taking pictures as you go (put a date even charge a fee to 'translate' Your

on them and email to yourself for driving licence into the ccuntrvs

safekeeping) Ensuredrscrepancles native language so find out first.

m the paperwork are amended prior Lastly, when 1

1 comes to insurance.

to leaving. or 1
f the lot r
s unattended. avoid high feesttvprcaltv £20-£30 a

contact theftrrn as soon as you can. day) for excess coverage at the desk

Be aware of any hdden charges. Independent on line insurers offer

ore CompareTheMarket survey far cheaper plans. which often cover

found that four out of seven car hire things typically omitted from car hrre

firms charged 'out of hours' fees for policies. such as tyre damage

152 w•nd•rlu•t.co.uk December 2016/January 2019

 THE BIG READ -

Book
Another Fine Mess:

AcrossTrumpland

of the in a Model T Ford

Tim i\loore Two Roads, £25

Since the Tnsn-occetvose' hit 1n

2016. theres been no shortage of

joumos traipsing Middle America 10 workout

month how and generally acting as 1

f audit1on1ng for

cruet mourner at civilisations wake Moore has

none of that - he hurtles along hke a game

whirlwind. part-PG Wodehouse. part-Louis

Theroux. His travels are high on hr-jmx lowon

East of Croydon
the low cosnce and reveal that theres still plenty
p c:: p IN SuePerl..ins
of gas m the tank for travellers keen on a classic
Penguin Michael Joseph, £20
road trip in an equally cassc motor
Some people are born to travel. greeting

every new horizon with glee and every

Thinking on my Feet
bump 1
n the road with steel-Jawed resolve. Kalellumble

There's a very good chance you - brave Aster,£20

Wanderlust reader - are one of those people. Not all iourneys need to be epic.

This d1aryof a year's worth of

Sue Perkins, however, is not of your kind
mindful rambles r
s the presenter's
The former Bake Off presenter finds
tribute to the sheer pleasure - and multitude
herself out of her
of benefits, both mental and physical-of a
depth on a journey
wander Mostly taking her around her adopted
from Vietnam to China along the Mekong
Welsh homeland, these are 365 days of

and then following the Ganges down from I have a voice inside inspiration to get out and. sometimes

the Himalaya to the Bay of Bengal. With a rter ally, smell the flowers.
me that drives me to I

set of life skills not entirely suited to filming

darkness. To travel is
in some of the planers nittiest and grittiest
to quieten that voice
regions, these misadventures deliver

laughs aplenty with the chaotic Perkins

Harper 360, £20
often making colourful drqressrons.
The Silk Road 1srap1dly regaining

But as witty, urbane and self deprecating

as she 1s- and the notion of 'medra dilettante

abroad' might raise the odd hackle - she's also

engaged with the places. politics and.

crucially. the people of these troubled stretches

of messy humanity, and presents them as honestly

as she does her own travel failmqs. Confronted

with the raw reality of unthinkable poverty,

undrinkable water and Asia's unsenumental'

approach to livestock, you can feel her anger \'nriousauthor..

and conflict churn away. DK,from£13

We've always had a soft spot for

Typically. while her travels are framed by
Oorhng xrrcersevs colourful
the downward-turn of her father's health
guides (now 25yearsold) Splashy illustrations,
back home. there's no neat resolutions to be
historical heft. map heavy- it's l1kehav1ng a tour
found ,n these murky waters. just the odd
guide in your pocket; the kind that revels 1n the
reflection Sue Perkins may not have been
cuesuoosvcc want to ask and (best of all) never

born to travel, but East of Croydon is all the gets lost A new look front section loaded with

more eruovable. mterestrnq and often ideas (Amsterdam after dark. hlmic Italy) only

moving for n Tom Hawker makes us love them all the more.

w•nderluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 153

 Three more

dunes to

delve into •••

,SAHARA,

MOROCCO

The world's largest hot

desen covers around

9 million sq km. It's not all

sand, though- there are

also gravel plains. lunar

rockscapesand mountains.

You'll find a wealth of

accessible dunes, Berber

camps and camel rides in

south-east Morocco at Erg

Chebbi and Erg Chegaga.

_. A £fuffe1,;1s �eJg; . .

The Empty Quarter

WHITE SANDS

2 NATIONAL

That name doesn't sound So what's to talk about? MONUMENT, USA

too enticing ... It's 60 years since the pubjcanon So dazzlingly pale it looks

Its not meant t

o The gubal Khalr of Arabian Sands, exporer Wilfred like snow (sleds frequently

(Arabic meaning 'Empty Quarter') Thes.ger's memoir of his nrre soent speed down its slopes), this

rs a sere sea shared between Saudi wandering this vast ceset with the rolling carpet of gypsum

Arabia. Yemen. Oman and the UAE Bedouin in the late 1940s He was sand in New Mexico spans

spanning 650.000 sq km Why the first European t

o properly map over 700 sq km and Is the

empty? Welt the mercury soars to the area. and the book is his paean largest of its kind in the
NEED TO
over SO°C here. arid can plunge to its raw beauty: '
I was exhilarated by world. Hike to one of Its
KNOW
below zero at night Unsurprisingly, the sense of space, r
he silence. and backcountry campsites to
If you're planning
not much grows, either - average the cnsp cleanness of the sand bed down beneath the stars.
to visit the UAE
annual rainfall is under 3cm I felt in harmony with rhepasr

desert town of SKELETON

Just how empty? l'mwonover.Howdolvislt? Llwa In late July, 3 COAST,

There are dunes - a lot of dunes. Yemensa no-co zore. and reaching you may also catch NAMIBIA

some soamig over 200m high. the Saudi patch r

s tncky, though new the anntu1I Oat• Livid orange, over 80m tall

Former populations of ostncb. sand 'sbarek' e-vrsas are being introduced Fest Iva I and hs and utterly spectacular,

gazelle. Arabian oryx and Asiatic for sporting and cultural events It's Dune 45 in the Namib
famed camel

cheetah went extinct. though the far easier to /Qin a tour of Liwa Desert Desert is a contender for
beauty contest
f,rst three are being reintroduced from Abu Dhabi. or explore Oman's the ultimate travel snap.

camels remain. of course. along share from Salalah in the Dhofar For a wilder feel. head to

with less friendly residents such as region And smce you're nearby, pay the Skeleton Coast, where

scorpions and camel eccere There aveu t

o the UAE'sAI Jetuh Fort. which the dunes roll down to the

are also a handful of remade mbes has a permanent photo exhibition Atlantic, studded with the

of Bedouin mostly hving dose to the on Thes1ger, then grab a shemagh hulks of Ill-fated vessels. 0

desert's edge And that's about 11 o camel up

(headscarf)and prepare t

154 w•nderlu•t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 New direct flights, a weak rand, a glittering coastline and a multicultural vibe make
South Africa's third city a hot contender for a winter escape, says Damien Ga bet
Before you arrive
South Afnca·s number-three
city isn't like its bigger s1bhr1gs
Laid-back and sunny 300days
a year. Durban rs where those
from 'European· cape Town and
·mooey-makmg' Johannesburg
come to hohday on the
amber·sand beaches, able
to swen and surf safely behind
the country"sonly shark nets.
For overseas guests. Durban's
penpberal, up·marl:et
neighbourhoods are sold as
a place to unwind glamorously
following a safari in the national
parks and reserves of Kwalulu·
Natal province. In dorng so.
though. they risk overlool:mg
a multkulturelcuvcentre that
offers an authentic South
African excenerce rrs bes\
represented m the city's myriad
markets. which offer wares
from both the native Zulu and
thriving Indian communities
(the largest outside India).
Durban got a boost m 2010
when SOuth Africa hosted the
World Cup The competmon
yielded a modem stadium and
the Golden Mile. a waterfront
oorrereoe dotted w11h hotels
and 1our1St aurecncos. Throw m
B11t1sh Airways· new direct route
from Heathrow and a weakened
rand. and You've got a worthy
ccotenoer for a wlruer vrsn.
At the airport
Durban ,s a 12-hour fbght from
London. Its King Shal:a Airport is
less than a decade old. so has
he feel and fluidity of a
t majOr
European terminal UK passport ASK A LOCAL
holders are granted a no-ad min NI love spending time
so-oev stay. Pass through at Durban's Botanic
customs and you're greeted by
Gardens. It's the
alargewootworths ATMsare
city's oldest public
at the far end of the amvals
institution and well worth
concourse; trereee post office
a golf-cart tour. Be sure
Just opposite. Durban centre Is
301:m down the coast, ex-pat to stop for a while at the
enclave Umhlanga is 20l:m Butterfly Dome: the
beehive-like structure
Getting into town
is covered in a selection
The most Popular optlOO fs
of plants that are known
to hire a car. and all the maier
providers are represented
An Uber uoe to Durban centre
costs around RJOO (£16). If
budget is a priority, hop on one
of the accredited shuttle buses.
which depart every 30/45mlns;
fares cost R80 (C4). pay able to
the driver In cash. Ill'
wanderlu,t.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 157
 POCKET GUIDES
• First day's tour
Begin with a stop at The Cube
P•rk in hilly Morn,ngside for
cuv-scepe vrews The alternative
on high option rs at Mose•
Mabhlda Stadium - hop on the
SkyCar funicular. which tootles
up toa v1ew1ng platform at the
structure s surnrrut.
Ne)(t,markets.Werwick
Triengle.thec1ty'sbustl1ng
158 wanderlu.t.co.uk December 2D18/January 2D19
FIRST 24 HOURS
transport and trading hub. rs where
tofindn,neofthebest Start at
Victoria Street Muket where
a scrum of nearly 200 Zulu and
lndianvendorstrade1ewellery,art
andsp,ces('KFC"and'mother m­
l
a w exterrmnator' are popular)
Ihe qastro cunous shculdvrsrt
Bovine Head Market. where cows'
heads are slow-boiled and served
Where to stay?
Top end: The city's grande
dame rs the Oyster Box (pictured,
oysterboxhotel com) m Umhlanga,
where questswillfmd rrud centurv
glamour, quirky Zulu artwork and
sccerteuvecosme All bedrooms
face the sea. as does the stend-ccr
Ocean Terrace Doubles from
RS.926 (£318) per n,ght
Mid·range:Theh1gh·nse
Southern Sun Elanoem & Maharani
(tsogosun com/southern-sun­
elangern maharani} rs front and
Stay or go?
Go. It would be remiss not to
suggest donning your khakis for
a satenfurther northrn Kwazulu­
Natal TryThandaPrlvateGame
Reaerve (pictured), 150 sq km
of rolling hills. grasslands and
mangroves that promise a high
frequencyofB1gF1ves1ght1ngs.
H1storybuffsmayfavourastayat
one of the lodges around Rorke'•
Drift and lundlwana. the settings
for two of the Anglo-Zulu War's
most famous battles Fuqmves'
Drift Lodge (fug1t1vesdrilt com) has
as a traditional Zulu delicacy While
the eyes are 'the best bits, more Need to know
squearrush eaters can cpttcr stnps
Popul.tion: 595,000
of soft and salty beef cheek served
Language•: English, Zulu,
with treduonal 'dumpling' bread.
Xhosa and Afrikaans
But uve apace for bunny chow.
Tlmetone:GMT+2
tbe crtvs smneture deh.e halved
lnternatl-ldlalcode:
andhollowedwh1teloaff1lledw1th
•27
curry The informal dining room at
v1 ...s Uk nencnals can
Britannia Hotel r
s the best Pace
visitSouthAfr1caforupto
to eat one - not least because of
90daysw1thoutav1sa.
the excnc range of flavours
Currency: South African
Af
ew minutes' drive from the
rand(R),currrentlyaround
markets1sDurb.anCi1YHall
R19totheUK£.The
(pictured), a neo-baroque pile
currency's value also
frcotedbv e smejcerk.Jrerde ere
recently dropped
the Natural Science Muaeum and
s,gn1ficanttyfollow1ngthe
Durban Art Gallery, which offer
news that the economy
free permanent extubmcos The
had gone into recession.
Old Courthouse Museum r
s 1ust
ATMa:SouthAfr1cahas
behind, 1f Durban's colonial history
an established banking
piques your interest
system with no-lee AT Ms
For a polished dining experience.
readily available at bank
hop 1n an Uber to swanky
branches.shopping
Umhlanga 'village·. where The
centres and supermarkets.
Chefs Table serves up best-quality
lndependentATMscan
mcdem European food For fun
heve htqh feeasotrv t
o
with your fare. try Florida Road m
avoid them. Maximum
Mom1ngs1de. Carnivores will lov
e
cash wrthdrawelhrruts
the Butcher Boys, where 'wet-aged'
varybutarelikelytobe
snlcms start at an outstendmc Rtan
m the region of R2,000
(£7.50) A host of lively bars await
(£105) to R5,000 {£263).
thrrstv revellerstrcmthere
Credltacard1: Visa and
Mastercard are widely
accepted, including 1n
someofthelargerstores
mthecity'smarkets
centre on the Golden Mile, and its
Recommended
stylish. comfortable rooms deliver
guidebook: Durban &
sweeping ocean views Ask also
Kwawlu Natal Footpnnt
about bike hire. Doubles from FocusGuide(2015)is
Rl,900 {£100) per night
a welcome spotlight on
Budget:There'sapleas1ng
apartoftheworldtha!'s
rrax ot eqes anonanonahnes at
yet to be comprehensively
the harbourside Happy Hippo
covered bv the bjq names
(happyhippodurban co za) Room
in guidebook publishing
options span six-bed dorms to
U-tul webalte: While not
en-suite doubles. the rooftop bar
part1cularlyattractive,
rs also a great place to mingle.
worldtrevelqtxde net's
Doubles from R600(£32) per night.
Durban page offers an
in-depth overview of the
city'scredentials,from
getting around to its
headline events.
a team of lecturers who lead groups
on vrvrd tours of the battlefields
Thehnalmust·see.around
a 90-mmute drive from Durban. Eb�M
• 00
rs the Nelaon Mandela Capture
11 • • • • 90
Site, where Mandela was arrested
m 1962. While a new museum
reneosocetouelvunnrashect
. .
it's worth the tnp simply to admire
tbe sue'sleodmerk scutctore-. ' .
a silhouette of Mandela's head
. .
Stop at nearby Howick Falla on
the way back. either for a ph.otoop
ortoh1toneofthewalk1ngtra1lsO
 Rembrandt's brush expertly captured the glory of the Dutch Golden Age.

Today, tracing the painter's life reveals some of Amsterdam's hidden gems

Get orientated Today, Rembrandt makes Amsterdam has an excellent ornon-domed Zederkerk

In 1631, a h,ghly promising a great guide Seek out his pubhc transport network (South Church) was a place he

Dutch painter left his hometown places and you'll discover gems (en gvb.nl). Tickets cover frequented. while the Waag -

of Leiden for Amsterdam There. oft -overlooked by the regular the metro, trams and buses, Amsterdam's oldest surviving

he flourished. becoming the veuor to Amsterdam. And with a za-nocr pass costs C7 50 gatehouse - features m one of

most famous painter In the 2019 marking 350 years since (£6 60), a three-day pass €17.50 his pa1n1ings In fact. wherever

capital. expert ,n capturing his death, there's no better time (£15.50). Bike hire starts from voutumm thes area ot

moods in his portraits. His to look at the cnv through an C9 (£8) for a day's rental. Amsterdam. Rembrand!"s

name? Rembrandt van R11n. arttsrs eyes Even if you aren't legacy is apparent. including

a man whose iconic all has a lover of pamt1ng. Rembrandt's The visit a brooze statue m Rembrandt

created a lasting legacy hfe peels back: a side of First, head 10 Rembrandrs Square featuring the painter

It was "right time. right place' Amsterdam rarely seen. lo,me, home In the cnvs and characters from his most

- Rembrandt was surrounded University Drsrrjct, now the famous work, The Night Walch.

by hke-m1nded ind1vkluals Getting there Rembrandthuis museum (£13/ Also. do visit Amsterdam's

prospering during the Dutch &around £11.50. rembrandthuis.nl) It's R11k:smuseum (£19/£17,

Gok:len Age(1600-1690J, a time Direct flights hnk: Amsterdam to an accurate rec,eation of rqksmuseum nt) From 15

when trade. mU11ary warfare. art many UK auoons. lbghts take how the inte1ior looked in the February to 10 June 2019. rt will

and science in the Netherlands from 65 minutes Eurostar 17th-century, complemented display the largest collection

went stratosphefie. Rembrandt (eurostar.com) launched direct by exhibitions and etchings of Rembrandrscanon ever

ignored advice to hone his craft London-Amsterdam services in by Rembrandt and his pupils. In one place, alongside works

in Italy, finding all the Inspiration Apnl. taking under four hours Guidedwalk:shnk:other from other masters from the

he needed 1n Amsterdam. Fares cost from £100 return. Rembrandt sites. For instance. Dutch Golden Age. 11>

w•nderlu•t.eo.uk December 2018/Janvary 2019 1!!19

 POCKET GUIDES TRAVEL ICON

'4 ASHORTWALK:TheUnlversltyDlstrlct Despite

The Univer�ty of Amsterdam. founded m 1877, 1s redevelopment

soulheastofth,s
ptedominantlylocatedinthepeaceful,south-western

partoftheOudeZijde(Old Side) District.A walk once-important

v,a Nieuwmarkt and the Agnietenkapel - where marketsquare,the

theuniversi1yhasitsroots-1akesinthebusthn9 Nieuwmerkt1tself

isst,llbordered
Red Light District(whereOamstraatmeetsthe

Nieuwmarkt),the1Sth·centurymedieval-feel bymanyline17th-

11nd18th-century
Waa9andtheRembrandthuts,afascmat1n9ms,9ht

into the hfe of the coty's most famous artist.

•;,,··y·•bledho<,=.

, ... -, 'r*1
' I Although it

' I appears to

,' �����::ry

,' ;�;;:1h�7:is
infacttwohouses;

- This feature is adapted from

L•ngu.ge, Dutch -- DKEyewrtness"Amsrerdam

Tlme:GMT+1 (Mar-Oct GMT+2) � travelguide,whichcontains

VI•••= Not required by UK nationals 1llustrations,insidertips,

Walkdiatanc.:1.5km
Money: Euro, currently €1.14 to the UK£ toursuggestionsandalarge
NHraatmetro:Nieuwmarkt
He•lth: Take a valid EHIC card pull-out map See dk.com
Time:20minutes

180 wenderluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 A winner at the Wanderlust World Guide Awards, Unseen Tours helps the homeless find

a fresh start as guides. Gareth Clark joins a tour and discovers another side of London

p etekaowsB,k:kLaoe
hke no one else unul
Pete prefaces his Brick Lane

tours with a warning 'I've got

Bl'icklaneisanareaofcoristant

upheaval Its Iconic rroscue was

ASK A LOCAL

"When looking around

a few months ago, he concna' he told me in heoeec once a synagogue. and before
at the street art of Brick
hvedlnashelterhere Mancunian drawl, "and you might that a church built by French
Lane, don't look just at
When i
t shut down, not agree with them· But 1t'shard Huguenots lleeing persecutiOn.
eye level. Look down
he landed his own place. but It not to be drawn into his world Each community came here for
corners and alleyways,
waswh1ewatch1ngthesameold He speaks quickly and honestly, a new life. then moved on. Even
even on the backs of
guides stride upanddovmthe theres no soap boxiust insight. its street art isn't meant to last-

area, scouring the Banksys ("He's lessooslearned andmurdefs 1tspowercomes from renewal lamp posts - otherwise

not in my top fNe: gnnred Pele) We began al the site where a Things get lost in the chum. but you might miss the

and its former Victorian rookeries young Bangladeshi. Altab Ak was that'swherePetecornesin At most interesting stuff."

("The Ripper didn't only st1ike in killed in 1978 by far·nght thugs. urree he's outraged (at Jaws that 1'r1�Wihon,Uns«nT0«rs

Whitechapel!1. that an Idea hit Pete pamted a picture of the rage leave some to die on the streets),

him why not wnte his own lour? in the Ease End at the ume. as The atothefsrna.'E!d Allthewhllehe

He found a saviour in Unseen aashstokedthe1reofant1-racist grves a face 10 what came before

Tours. a not-lor-pfOht enterprise protes1orsa11heaiiacentpa1k in his hymn to the ove1lool<ed.

that helps the vulnerably housed ocmnamedafler All This was the from Rippel' w::tims towokers.

and hcmeless become guides It's same area where fascrst leader London IS lull of hidden srcees,

not'l)()','E!ftytOUfism'Olvc,yetSiSrn; OSwald Mosely's blacksh1rts had Unseen Tours·walking histories

n's abou telling the story of an tried to march 40 years earlier. area day out like rcctoe. but In a

area from a perspective you and as with a lot of the tour. Petes city of caves. tumels and secrets.

just woukln't ordinarily hear. message rs one of social change. always plenty ITIOfe to discover II,,

w•nderlu1t.eo.uk December 2018/January 2019 un

POCKET GUIDES BRITISH BREAK
First head to North London and the
serenity of Highg.te Cemetery
Youcanwalk1tseastsidefreely(Karl
Marx's tomb rs here), but the west rs
by tour ooly(highgatecernetery.Ofg,
£12)- rts catacombs and obelisks
receeltbe vctcoans'ccdnxeuco
with Egypt and dying hkea pharoah
Next, make your way to Aldgate
tube for U"NenToun,' Bnck Lane
walk tseeTbe essennels} From the
182 w•nderlust.co.uk December 2018/January 2019
streetart mteqranon
and Jack the Ripper. tour
guide Pete p:'.)Ursout two hours
ofmstqht and socelfustorym
o the forgotten of London
a paean t
Beneath Wh1tehall he the thrilling
ChurchillWarRoom9(rwmorg uk
£21, pictured top), where hundreds
once lived and worked m secret
during the Bhtz. Walk1ts narrow
Day2
Don waders to stalk the mud of
Deptford s starkly beautiful tldal
g uk; £12;
crtltNl(creeksidecentre or
pictured left) Toursarerunonce
a month on Sundays and explore
ajtre-seensrretchotwddthans
fringed by the ghosts of okltidal
mills. beached hulks and brdl1fe.
HeadnexttoSp,talf,eldsforthe
bizarre sight of DenniaSevelT
Hotae(der.n1ssevershousecouk.
£15) Eachroomherehasbeefl
metrculouslyrecreated m the style
The essentials
BookHour:Make My Day curates
uniquedaysoot1nc1t1esaroondthe
gkibe(makemydaytravel).1nclud,ng
Unseen Tours' guided walks (£12)
of London s Camden. Brick Lane,
Covent Garden (left). Shored itch,
LondonBodgeandSoho Try also
Coutours' (coutours co.uk) 'secret'
food and history walks, which vrsrt
h1ddens,tesacrossthecap1tal
A hidden bite: Behind a discreet
rededcce marked by a t,ny brass
plaque m Chinatown lies Opium
(op.umchmatowncom). a former
1 �=� 1
:1:�7:ers
adaybelowlondon But
after 75 years 11 closed. only
toberesurrectedasaride
m 2017 wtuzz its tunnelsm
at1nytra1n(top)as1tsh1story
istoldonfilmacrossthewalls
(postalmuseum.org;E:17)
loathed nose, even thetypewnters
2=�:;"a!:�
abandoned tube stops,
had t
o be silent'. It's a fasanating
througiilosttunnelsand
1nsight1ntoalonghiddenh1story
even into Churchill's bomb­
Fuushm akayakonthe Themes
proof secret station The
on an atmospheric Big Benby
set11ngschangew1theach
N/ghl IOI.JI (kayak1nglondon.com;
rewtetchotvensreeasec
£42). savoonnga moor,lit angle on
-wetchcctfc-the atesun
thecap1tal(1nsel)fewotherssee
January(ltmuseum.co.uk).
3��=::�=
(chislehurst-cavescouk.£6)
o a by its former
f a different er stretch35km Toursexplore
owner lt'satestamenttoobsession a fraction of that, bet let you
and detail - everi the chamber pot exploeetts pest as amedeval
1sfulllAndafterwards,1tsnotfarto
chalkrrunea sbelter for
walk to the old bombed-oot rums 15,()()()dunngtheBl1tz and
of SI Dunsbln·in·lhe·Ent, the a cult mus,cvenue (Bowie
eteot London's best secret garder, andHendnxplayedhere)
Finish at TheV•ul1' - a maze of
tunnels that spills ,nto a httle-known
theatre (thevaults london) below
Waterloo station Its Hdden Jazz
aubnightssh1nemaneclectrc
programme that rarely disappoints.
,!legal gambling den turned ober­
hrp dim sum and cocktail 1�nt
A_.kytlpple:ln Earl's Court,
TOP TIP
Evans&� Detective Agency Beside Paddington
takes us speakeasy shtick senously
station lies the hidden
-ro gain entry, bed<: a 'case' via the
canal area of Little Venice,
website(evansandpeel.com), then
which not only makes for
o be escorted in ve a door
buzz t /
bookcase. Meanwhile the Discount a scenic stroll but has
Su,t Company ,n Sp.talhek!s looks plenty of enticing brunch
hk
e atedors fromtheoetedelaed I
spots, Including the
,1 once was). but the cocktails now
Waterside Cafe, set on
offered inside 1tscandleht bar are
bl1ss(d1scountsu1tcompanycouk) 0 a moored narrowboat.
 the holiday & travel show

Manchester EventCity 17 - 20 Jan 2019

Olympia London 31 Jan - 3 Feb 2019

THE ....TJMES
111ESUNDA.Y11MES

Manchester EventCity

IIDUEnTUR:r
17-20January2019

Advance tickets from £8.50' (adult);

under12sfree

Olympia London

TRAUELSHOW 31 January-3 February 2019

Advance tickets from £11' (adult); under 12s free

www.destlnationsshow.com
OLYMPIA LONOON 19-20 JANUARY 2019
Advance tickets from £8.50 (adult); under12sfree

ADVENTURESHOW.COIII Once again, the Wander/u,rteam will be at London's Olympia,

n Destination,, the UK's biggest and longest-running travel

The show ls offering Wanderlust reader 50% off the price of show returns for it, 26th year.

advance day and weekend tickets when booking onllne at

www.adventureahow.com See the very best m amateur and professional travel photography

Just quote the promo code 'WANDER' at the checkout at our Wanderlust Travel Photographer of the Year extabnon

(which will also be on display at Manchester). with the winners

Wanderlusrreturnstothe Workshops, led by the guides· revealed on Fri 1 Feb The Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards winners

Adventure Travel Show with experienced panel of authors. will be announced at the show, too (Thursday 31 Jan).

more rnutn-medra adventure e-Plan an ambitious escape Be inspired at the Stan fords Travel Writers Fesnval where some

seminars covering everything with logistics expert Duncan of the UK's best-known explorers, adventurers. histonans. novelists

from filming and photography M1lhgan·s adventure planning and TV personalities will be talking about their own adventures.

to travel writing, letting you tap seminars. Headliners this year include Kate Humble, Levison Wood.

into our writers and editors· e ee mspned at the Incredible Nicholas Crane and Sir Chris Bormqton

years of experience (for more Journeys Theatre.

details, see p106). .,.. Plot your next mo1orcycle

adventure with Austin Vince

And there's plenty more to and Lois Pryce.

do across the weekend at • Bag your seats for the

the UK's only exhibition Adventure Travel Film Festival.

dedicated to off-the-beaten • Research your next African

track travel experience,: escape at the Discover

e-Lrsten tomspnauonaltalks Africa Theatre

from wildlife filmmakers, • Meet the friendly Wanderlust

photographers travel experts team, and stock up on

and polar explorers. anybackissues,binders

• Lace up your boots for the and books.

newCicerone�·,�r,:,k:k;�,g�::::�;�--��iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
 P\e&St: fiUin the form �and rate your travels. NOTE: Your answers should relate to travel undertaken since�

For questions 1·7 pte.se list up to four responses, in no particular order, scoring each on a 1·5 satisfaction rating, where:

1 :: Dreadful 2 = Poor, 3 :: OK. 4 ; Good, S = Excellent

1. COUNTRIES VISITED? Score I Please score any of the following TRAVEL GUIDEBOOK SERIES

that you hive used on the same 1·5 scale:

Frommer's

Blue Guides __ Insight

Lonely Planet __

l CITIES VISITED7 Score

Cadogan Marco Polo

Rough Guides __

Dorling Kindersleyl Time Out

Eyewitness_ Traubtazer __

Footprint Other (please specify! __

J TOUR OPERATORS USED7

t. Name your favourite TELEVISION OR RADIO travel programme/

series of the past 12 months

4. BEST UK TRAVEL DESTINATION? Score

(e.g. town, nation.,l park, .,re.,J 10. Ple.,se score .,ny of the TRAVEL CLOTHING/EQUIPMENT

BRANDS that you have used on the same 1·5 sc.ale

ArcTeryx_ P a c sa f e _

Bergans Patagonia __

Berghaus __ Paramo _

S AIRLINES USED? Score

Brtdgeda(e

Columbia __ '"
R t9 a t l a _

Crag hoppers Rohan

Fjallraven __ Sherpa __

JackWolfskin _ Smartwool _

6. UK AIRPORTS USED7 Score Keen __ Sprayway __

Lowe Alpine The North Face

MountainHardwear Other(pleasespec1fy) __

-------- Osprey_

1. WORLDWIDE AIRPORTS USED?

Save time and vote online at

WanderlustTravelAwards.co.uk

First Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Tele hone number: Email:

Are you• Wanderlust 1ub1crib<tr? YES D NOD

Voting forms must be received by 30 November 2017. Only ONE entry per subscriber.

Send to Wandertust (Awards), PO Box 1832. Windsor SL41YT, or fax to 01753 620474.

O from time to time Wander/us/ would like to contact you with special offers and promotions. Please tick here If you do not wish to receee these offers.
 MARKETPLACE

t'teasedon'tforgettomentlon �whenyouct1ntac1an advertiser w•nderlu•t.eo.uk December 2018/Janvary 2019 185

 £50 OFF tcrwandertust readers
- - .

lslAnd
For a frN Adventln Guida & rr.o.e �: EipeDITIOflS.CO.ciionn

islande !!
t
�
io
i�
n�s
�co
. �m'!!_
� U
�K:
�·oeoo
� ��
40
��
95:
1
- � 3i
�
5,J

A'1111CAI+

ST R
TOURS

•
. .. . •'
. . .. ... ...
� • .I •

�1;).!if.!:l 111 �!)J!) -rr�'J8J � ..Usll!J� ·t-!>!J ::l

YOUR HOLIDAY Conlact U s Today

• <4 <4 ( 0 ) 1 0 8 0 5 0 1 7 3 9 � �
Y o u . B U D G ET
enquorle1Glalr,can1tartours.com ·
YOUR WAY! www.arrlcanstsrtours.com

166 wanderlust.co.uk December 2018/January 2019

 MARKETPLACE

Over 15 ynrs' experi.nte lo crHtlog outst1ndlog

ta[lot,made Tan90 Ind Argtotl� holidays

we OFl"Elt ALL tNCWSlVII:

• lndlvldwi,19, couples & group Tengo tour peckag,es

• Women only Tengo tour peckeges

• Ter,go 1100 Buenos Aires holtdey peckeges

• T11ngo, Buenos AlrH, lgUIIW Fells packages

Vhit: www.1rg1ntin.tango.co.uk to make your choice,

IJve )'OYf Ter,go drum & discover the world of Ten.go

fmall: lntop1rgentln.i.1ngo.co.uk

• "' .
, v

��

t'teasedon'tforgettomentlon �whenyouct1ntac1an advertiser w1nd1rlu1t.eo.uk December 2018/January 2019 187

MARKETPLACE

C O M B I N E WORK

TRAVEL SALES EXPERT CHELTENHAM UK A N D TRAVEL AT

Amyouloolc�tg1orff(-.lblll!l,UI-OllOIIIY JOBSINTRAVEL.WORK
01.imcc1u1m10111,v<>4<1pck.oe,>.>1>0Ctill">I ;::!:.�O::uc-.wll �
l1<JYetkr<J111k'<l<Jl'lTill,11l'Odonl\\lt,'rc -Alll...,,.lwoy<'ll!S'ctl'(.'llroccinUM!

,.x111llng!01ex111.,tslo§Clllhl'lollo,,iilog tr!M'lilllusOy

(01N10lesondrl'ljlons:ill<lla,S.llmlku. AJ•lN«•<•bllM�lolMenlOm•I

Onn1,MorCJ((O,L<11inAm1.,ia1,C.01XKla, ,nl<;rSlmllcllt,�s.

Ht... Zt<ok.oK�IIKlochl••1.Sor1>t-o'M(ll(l�I -AmbrUonondlhedllvcloulw<J!fS

111-.Jlloel/SA 11e11orm10lhebeYolyo1•ob1ll!I-

Theolilll�1onomis1,or<lbemolt.rdOO

HohdoyAKhil«tsandllOI' ln<H><'IMI"'"'"-�• 1tu ylvei you spore t

o

Hobdo!IAldol<'(ISl!iOOOollhek,,!t!Sl wotkCll.1hl'OIISWNS1Cllyo,•��tc1llll'I

gK,l',WIQ,•o.,torrdiousondpnyl'SoMl llllnbe9M'11Ull'ftl

SflOCloll,,lloi,orll'ltllOrSlnlloeUK.Wcbll'>I

owc,,,ployl'e,101"'lorn11hejolllo11le Solory

bl.'!,lollldobillulnomi::t0n1<11111CJl,11j lhl!baSi::!Olooyis0'5JO.OO'.)paplo'i

he!e!l,""1*hlslf>fiy�olll,uncc,pp,.'II O'.lllnssion;OT1'0260.00'.)pa Benefits

looYe,�wokinghoulsondlhe lndudegyn•n�ondo�OU'i

OJIIIO'IUnilylo"flOl!cp<11ly1-.1one penslonschmll'.

P\P(Ull!,looodoyuwt'Clol,

(k,,i;ou,,eyou11onlylocusoooooorrwo 0nmyou·ie11Urtdlllelem\youwillle

(oun11"'5,you,-(llk-"-'dg,l 1hl!�p,*llolCOOlodbcl(oillS.'tbu11

l�bylumllbl:l<lllonl•��be llslmlollll'ffl.-SIIN!dllleir!ondt!lffl

lli!#l'fou'lll'rll,;hoo!,elowloprow.,,11hls 0Wlgyoorlndepll1«o111i,knowledge

knl.twlcdgelllll�lo�� IOlll,Signllll'lllollll'pedectholidoyond

alsoooourwelNll!,lnC01........otlon Sl'<U'f'allm,onge,,ll'nls.

oodlnq���, .... .,....ahklg •Y""COll§llf"yoor5"1�ol11le

,e1o1�wthlNl'¥Ulll� �,olfirndHolmyAlchll!CIS,

'lbu11bl!W01klo<Jut,pc•lolo lllen pll'oSl! smd o Ol ood O'JrK'l ing m..l

,.,....1w1i1e1oom,WOO�ondnl0:'ll!Or jdclollngwl'6:tloltt,e�o:utry

l'OChollOl'l'Orolloke(olle(IM) ,•10:m>deslllllyou"mlnl�C!.IC'dlnj

1e!,.p{IIISllHylollhecatll)UlllJOIUUff'. IO(O�idoyord*'<ls.ro.lk
JOBS IN TRAVEL
wandettul,n...tMedla
www.holtdyarch1tects.co.uk

188 wM1derlust.co.uk Docornbor 2018/January 2019 Pleasedon'tforgettomentk>n �whenyoucontactanadvenlset

- THE KNOWLEDGE

Lessons from

theroad ·­
wdtv f,J,fu- lldf"-l/""'* ·. :_ · -·. ·
Having won Top I was seven when I first heard of the
Oal6pagos.1 was given some wildlife N.iu,e'ldeMrOOm
Conservation Guide
P,blolearnsfrom
pictures, which came with a map of the
observingw,ldhfe,
at the Wanderlust Galilpagos. My father pointed to i
t and told me
including marine

World Guide Awards, that these islands belonged to my home country ig.,.nasandSally

Lightfootcrabs(left)
of Ecuador. I just couldn't believe 11
Pablo Valladares shares

what he's learned from My father, grandfather and his

father were all in the armed forces.

leading wildlife tours
I wanted to follow them, but my dad sat me down

around the Galapagos and said: "vou like freedom. you won't find that

Islands for Galakiwi in the navy." I'd always loved nature, and would

escape from class to hunt for grasshoppers After

this talk, I knew conservation would be my life.

M. . o L m_ ke. ee. leseehow

special the Islands B!!,.AII the species

we have here are because of the environment

and how they adapted to it. Initially people are crab climbing onto the lava rocks carrying a baby

Just in awe. but after a week they begin to see octopus As it got to the highest point a young

why the species are the way they are. I have seen marine iguana came running along and stole the

many people cry tears in the last days of a trip. octopus from the crab. Then a big male iguana

chased away the younger one and took its prize.

You should approach the islands

I still look forward to any sighting of

1�:e==n��r�w����:�sti�::��1'.1!:1l�st aoa· ·pagoshawk.1thasaninteres11nghfe.

not pay much attention to you, and you have Females will take multiple males as partners. and

a chance to see what it, and maybe everywhere they all help take care of the nest and the chicks.

else m the world. was hke before humans arrived.

People are always surprised by the

The rarest creatures on the planet vampire finch. These birds evolved on an

llvehere. 'the manqrovefmchrs amonq the island with almost no rain; to survive. they nip at

world's most endangered birds; there are fewer the backs of booby birds to make them bleed,

than 80 here. hvingJust in the western Gal iipagos. then drink the blood. Another thing that amazes

visitors is that iguanas can 'shrink' up to 20% by

I have to keep on top of all the new absorbing their bones. lat and muscle according

findings. Books and talking to people helps, to conditions It was only discovered recently.

but the park 1s the main authority and anyone

who does research here will leave a report, There's nowhere quite like lsabela.
Many of the things It's the largest of the Galapagos Islands, spawned
which rs always a good source of information.

''''
that I've seen in the

Gahipagosjust
Nature is constantly teaching you.
Many of the things that I've seen here aren't in any
from the eruptions of five volcanoes. irs also the

only place you can find five different species of

tortoise as well as flightless cormorants. Best of

aren't in any book book. Just this morning I saw a 5ally Lightfoot aIL Just 1% of its surface is occupied by hurnans.O

170 w•nderluat.co.uk December 2018/January 2019 WorldGuideAwards.com G

 <,

.Japan

Tailormade travel and Small Group Tours from the Japan experts.

infQIJlinsidejapantours com I www.insidejapantours.com I 01173709751

Y
OU CAN flND OUQ PRODUCTS Al

EXClUSIVESPlCIAIISTRETAILERSANDONUNE

ATSWAiOVSKIOPflKCOM

CL COMPANION
T H E F R E E D O M TO
EXPERIENCE MORE
Jusl pick them up - ond you're righ! in the moment W,th ,ts

impressive opt,col performonce, lhe new Cl Componron

promnes unique moments thot you will never lorge1 Compact

end inlu1hve, these elegonl b,noculors ore your constont

companion on oll your explorot,ons Choose from

�
lhree cccesscrv packoges t
o express your personcl style.

SWAROVSKI
SEE THE U N S E E N OPTIK