For first-time visitors to Australia visits to Sydney, Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the Great Barrier Reef are a must but Kangaroo Island, situated off the coast of Adelaide, is fast becoming a popular addition to tours for those wanting to delve further into the wildlife of the country. Lou Payton, one of our Australia specialists, recounts her recent visit to the island.
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Archive for July, 2010
Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and one of the most diverse, with a huge array of landscapes, people and culture. Although famous for the Amazon, its beaches, football and samba, there is in fact a great deal more to the country. Cities such as Rio, Salvador and Brasilia boast striking architecture, the Pantanal has some of the best wildlife spotting opportunities in Latin America and there are endless walking options in some of its less well known national parks.
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Before embarking on my travels through Southeast Asia, I must confess that I did not know too much about the countries making up Indochina - namely Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos – apart from glowing recommendations from those who had been before me. However, as I researched my trip, my appetite was truly whetted for what I was about to see and experience. I soon learned that amongst the plethora of interesting places to visit within the region are a total of nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites; places recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as being of such unique interest to the world that they have been afforded special preservation status.
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No greater feat of construction exists on earth than the Great Wall of China, a real accomplishment for a project that was started over 200 years before the birth of Christ. Myth or not, the claim that the Great Wall can be seen from space underlines its position at the top of any list of iconic places to visit.
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Vancouver Island is located off the West Coast of mainland Canada. At 290 miles in length and 50 miles wide, it is the world’s 43rd largest island and a place that manages to condense most of the highlights of Canada. James Butler, Programme Manager for this area, recounts his arrival on the island and proceeds, like the other members of the Canada team, to pick out his own personal highlights of the island.
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Having travelled extensively in New Zealand and spent much of my time exploring the country by foot, it is only natural that some of my most memorable moments have been spent touring around one of the country’s most iconic national parks and home to its highest mountain, Mount Cook. Aoraki, or Mount Cook, stands at an impressive 3,754 metres tall and lies in the Southern Alps the mountain range that breaks through the length of the South Island. It is here that many visitors to the country have caught their first glimpse of the dramatic peaks that the South Island has become so renowned for and it is here that I, like so many others, have discovered their love of the mountains and the great outdoors.
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We support a number of charities across the world and it is always thrilling to hear back from them with news of successes or future projects.
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Until recently most visitors to Mozambique have focused their travels on the beach, either the Bazaruto Archipelago in the South or the Quirimba Archipelago in the North. In 2009 however two new areas started to open up: the Gorongosa National Park in central Mozambique and the Nacala Region on the coast. With an increased network of flights both places are now easily accessed. We sent two of our specialists to see what these areas were all about.
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Egypt is one of the world’s oldest destinations, attracting visitors since the time of the ancient Greeks. Dates and facts are interesting but it’s the insight into life, both ancient and modern, that bring Egypt alive. With this in mind, we handpick all our guides and they come no better than Magdy Zayed, Audley local guide and Egyptologist. Here he tell us about his life, his interests, his views on how Cairo has changed and what the future holds for the Middle East’s most populous city.
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The Himalaya region spans six countries and is the world’s highest mountain range. With so much history, culture and dramatic landscapes to see, we have picked out the highlights of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and northern India. To some, a visit to this area of the world means days of tough trekking, but this doesn’t always have to be the case. Take a scenic flight to Everest, embark on a more sedate walking trip through the Tibetan countryside or stay at a tea estate. What’s more, many of these countries can be combined into a single trip, making for the ultimate Himalayan journey.
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With many clients choosing to travel for two weeks, due to work constraints or other reasons, we thought we would start a series of features on the perfect 14 days in some of our favourite destinations. Marc Dolman kicks off the series with his perfect 14 days in Japan.
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Phil Chanel recounts his most recent trek in Peru and draws some very different experiences to his previous walking trips in the country.
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Alaska is one of the most rewarding destinations to visit. It is a land of monumental scale with unimaginably panoramic landscapes, virtually undisturbed eco-systems teeming with wildlife, and adventure opportunities second to none. A trip there requires careful thought though, because the travelling season is short and it can take quite some planning to avoid the tourist crowds that disgorge from cavernous cruise ships and articulated coach tours during the all too brief Alaskan summer. We are proud to offer a different approach, actively steering our clients away from the crowds, giving travellers an authentic flavour of this northern state.
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After time spent immersing yourself in the temples, cities and nature of the country, many people opt to spend some time relaxing on or near a beach. Here, our specialists pick out some less-known beaches from around the world, places that remain unspoilt and away from the tourists crowds.
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China recently overtook Japan as the world’s second largest economy. Behind this slightly dry and unassuming fact lies a country that has undergone a profound change over the past thirty years. The lifestyles of ordinary Chinese people have been transformed beyond recognition, all in the space of a generation. Witnessing this change and seeing an increasingly confident country find its feet on the world stage is part of the reason for visiting China – and the contrast (and sometimes tension) between old and new makes for a fascinating trip.
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Zambia’s South Luangwa has been home to some of Africa’s legendary guides – names such as Norman Carr, John Coppinger and Phil Berry are splashed throughout guide books and brochures on Africa. Probably the best known name though is that of Robin Pope. Once a walking guide, Robin bought his own camp, and then added another and another until he owned Zambia’s most successful safari company – Robin Pope Safaris.
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Located in the north of Chile, the Atacama Desert is the driest place on earth. The largest town in this region is San Pedro de Atacama, full of colonial Spanish charm and also a perfect base from which to explore the surrounding volcanoes, geysers, salt flats, moon-like valleys and remote villages. This array of attractions has made it one of our clients’ favourite destinations. Here, our Chile specialists break down the attractions and share a few of their own personal highlights from their travels to the region.
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The safari experience in South Africa has changed dramatically over the last few years; new super-luxurious lodges situated in private reserves, staffed with butlers, adorned with plunge pools and featuring extensive wine lists are now in abundance. As you would guess, these places are fantastic but the cost can sometimes prohibit people visiting a place where the wildlife, not the accommodation, should be the focus of their trip. With this in mind, Rachel Hunt recently explored the more affordable accommodation options available in and around the Kruger National Park.
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The beauty of Québec is that its history is so perfectly intertwined with its cuisine. The Québecois have a great affinity with food that stems directly from the first permanent French colony of Nouvelle France established by Samuel de Champlain in 1608. Today’s simple, rustic fare continues the tradition of the trappers and the earliest settlers of the colony, whilst the elegance of haute cuisine pays homage to the king’s nobles and seigneurs who once held court here.
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Syria, and in particular Lebanon, have endured a turbulent recent past but as Donna Piccini discovered on her recent trip both are emerging destinations, steeped in history and full of welcoming people.
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The Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic regions south of New Zealand and Australia are amongst the most remote and, therefore, least visited in the world. However, isolation does not equal desolation. On the contrary, their distance from the rest of the world has ensured that their amazing biodiversity has remained unthreatened, offering a safe haven to many species of flora and fauna who call this area home. Audley is pleased to be working with Heritage Expeditions, an award-winning family company, to offer clients unique trips to this stunning part of the world.
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Look deep within the ancient rainforests of Borneo and you will discover a land that time forgot; sheer valleys sheltering tribal peoples living off the land in a way that has altered little in thousands of years. However, the lure of this mighty island is in the sheer diversity and abundance of wildlife it offers; a visitor to Borneo can swim with turtles one day, watch orang-utan swing through the trees the next and follow a herd of elephants tramping through the river the day after.
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Stereotypes of Russia abound: bad food with even worse service, gruff, surly people and ugly, functional buildings. As with all stereotypes, the reality is somewhat different. Modern Russia is a place that fascinates with its history, inspires with its architecture and museums, and delights the senses with some of the world’s best hotels and top class restaurants.
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We take an indepth look at not only one of the most iconic buildings in India, but in the world.
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Rebecca Smith, one of our central America specialists describes her trip to the magnificent Copper Canyon in the north of Mexico.
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As regular Audley travellers will know, at the end of each trip, we call our travellers to make sure you’re safely home and find out how your adventures went. The safari specialists are no different, and we love listening to your stories. For me, safari is fascinating, even at second-hand, and I always like to find out what your highlights were. I’ve heard stories of thrilling chases, of heart wrenching moments when young animals narrowly escaped death, and magical evenings counting shooting stars.
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India boasts some major attractions, all of which we recommend visiting, but sometimes the most memorable experiences can be found by stepping away from the tourist trail and exploring the back streets, particularly if you have one of our excellent guides with you. Here, our India specialists suggest some great examples of places where you can combine visits to the major attractions with some time gaining a better insight into local daily life.
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For an ever-growing number of you, the Audley website has become a useful way of finding inspiration for your next trip, viewing our latest offers or simply ordering a brochure. This is why we felt it was time to overhaul the presentation and content of the site to make it easier to use and more informative. Our new, improved website has just been launched and here are some of the highlights and new features.
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Terry Sullivan has been leading Audley group tours for over 16 years. An inveterate traveller, his work and personal travels have taken him to a whole host of countries but when ever asked as to which is his favourite, the answer requires no deliberation, it is always Burma. After returning from his final tour for Audley, he explains why by sharing a few passages from his tour diary.
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For humans travel is a passion or an enjoyable break from daily life but for some species it’s a necessity and one that take’s them considerable distances in search of food or as a means of escaping predators. Here we look at some of the most spectacular migrations that can be witnessed around the world.
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Our Latin America specialists pick out their birding highlights of the region.
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Harsha Ogale’s latest research trip took him back to the national parks of central India. He had been longing to visit Tadoba Tiger Reserve, mainly for the tiger viewing opportunities it offers, but also because it’s in Maharashtra, a state in the very centre of India, and where he was born and brought up.
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Audley’s Marketing Manager, Jim Millward, discusses a dilemma facing many travellers.
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Canada is such an immense country that it is often difficult to know which part to explore first. Some prefer to visit the non-stop cities or the iridescent mountain lakes, whilst others like to get away to the endless tracts of wilderness that lie to the north. Such an enormous country is the perfect destination for lovers of wildlife and beautiful scenery and my perfect trip would encompass getting off the beaten track to experience the best of this natural world, whilst contrasting this with the sophistication of the cities.
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It was back in 2000 that Lizzie Corke and Shayne Neal first considered opening an ecolodge in the Cape Otway National Park; their dream was an environmentally sustainable guesthouse and ecological research centre in the Otways where people could learn about and observe native animals. In 2004 this dream became reality and here we look at what a stay at the Great Ocean Ecolodge entails.
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Boarding a boat for a cruise in the polar regions is the start of an incredible journey, and one that will most definitely have wildlife encounters of the most unbelievable kind. Over the next four pages we have had a look at the animals you will definitely or hopefully see, and how they fit into the polar food chains. Deciding to write this piece was a challenge and something of a break from the usual format of articles, and we also couldn’t resist sharing some of our personal polar wildlife moments, including ones where we ourselves could have become part of the food chain (so we would have ourselves believe)…
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If you’ve explored a destination on land, why not spend a few days exploring the underwater part of it. It’s a whole new world. If you’re not already qualified, you can choose to do an introductory course, a full PADI training course or, for the more qualified, a day or more diving and discovering some of the underwater world’s most spectacular species. A number of our destination specialists are keen divers, some are qualified instructors, and here they pick out their own favourite dives sites.
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Kenya’s Masai Mara is one of Africa’s legendary safari destinations. The long dry months tend to attract the most visitors, but the cognoscenti go in the lush months of the green season. In March, June and November, you might get the odd storm, but these are quickly burnt off by the tropical sun. Your reward is watching the bush come to life. In a few days the plains turn emerald green, and tired over-heated animals stretch their legs and head out into the grasslands. Visitors to the reserves have the wildlife largely to themselves, and towering storm clouds make for unforgettable sunsets. Greg Monson owner of Kicheche, one of our favourite camps in the Mara, tells us what makes the green season so special.
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Madagascar is probably best known for its unique wildlife. Cut off from the mainland Africa for millions of years, the island’s flora and fauna has evolved into unique species including 150,000 forms of life which are found nowhere else in the world, including all the numerous species of lemur. Here two of our specialists describe some of the highlights of their recent travels in Madagascar.
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Oman has not been renowned for its conservation record but, as Harry Ring discovers, the turtle project in Ras Al-Jinz is an encouraging development in the quest to protect this delicate species.
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Critically endangered, with a population thought to have dropped from 30,000 in 2000 to as low as 15,000 today, Orang-utans are now found on only two islands in the world: Borneo and Sumatra. With the equator running almost right through the middle of these islands, the 4th and 6th largest in the world respectively, this is the heart of the tropics and contains some of the most important wildlife habitats on the planet.
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