Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park is Africa at its most adventurous: canoeing on the river, stalking game on foot and hunting for tiger fish. But it’s also family friendly, as Matt Vlemmiks discovers.
Less
More
Articles in the 'Region' Category
There are some immensely clear and gloriously spectacular night skies across the world, many that must be seen to be believed. Here, our specialists choose their favourites.
Download this article as a pdf (229 kilobytes)
Japan is by no means backwards in coming forwards. Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima and even parts of Kyoto are all testament
to a thriving sense of modernity, innovation and a passion for all things neon. Cavernous shopping malls are filled with gaggles of giggling teenage girls, karaoke bars reverberate with the latest J-Pop sounds and sales of the latest Nintendo games console are through the roof. And yet, scratch the surface a little and you will find that more traditional pastimes are still held very dear to the Japanese heart and what’s more, are readily accessible to visitors to the country. Claire Barnes reveals the very best.
Download this article as a pdf (439 kilobytes)
Amongst South Africa’s countless attractions, one area is often overlooked. Charlotte Mellor and Sarah McGuinness head
north from Cape Town to find sweeping beaches, pretty fishing villages and San rock art. Best of all, there’s not another visitor in sight.
Download this article as a pdf (798 kilobytes)
Morocco and Tunisia may be well-known for their bustling and exciting atmospheres, but with so much to see and do, relaxation sometimes gets overlooked. Communal bathing and associated treatments have always occupied a key role in North African society, providing a time and place to gather and discuss all manner of issues. Deals are thrashed out here, friendships strengthened and problems solved. Alongside the mosques, they are amongst the most important buildings in any city. Generally, public ones are a bit earthy for most peoples’ tastes so our specialists have selected some good alternatives.
Download this article as a pdf (364 kilobytes)
Hidden in a remote corner of Laos, one of the least developed countries in Asia, lies a memorial to one of the twentieth century’s forgotten wars. Set in a stunning location far from the tourist coaches and group tours, the caves at Vieng Xai are only now coming to the attention of the outside world. Mark Hotham explains.
Download this article as a pdf (895 kilobytes)
Patagonia has something of a reputation as an expensive destination. Jonathan Goldsmith reviews the reasons for exploring
Latin America’s greatest wilderness region and says a careful choice of accommodation can keep costs under control.
Download this article as a pdf (533 kilobytes)
Mexico and Guatemala are well known for their ancient civilisations; their much visited and impressive archaeological sites of Teotihuacán and Tikal are firmly on the travellers’ map. However, on Sara Wells’ recent journey through the two countries, she discovered an off the beaten track world of coffee plantations, indigenous highland towns with colourful ancient culture, spectacular scenery and vibrant and chaotic markets.
Download this article as a pdf (803 kilobytes)
Brian Jackman goes to the dogs in the wilds of Tanzania.
Download this article as a pdf (1.0 megabytes)
Parts of Thailand may have succumbed to mass tourism but, as James Pook discovered, there are still plenty of paths to take that are less trodden.
Download this article as a pdf (832 kilobytes)
New Zealand is often seen as a ‘once in a lifetime’ destination, and perceived as easy to discover without much assistance. Felicity Goldsmith talks to some Audley clients about their personal experiences of the country and finds they gained a lot from our specialist knowledge – and why they are determined to go back.
Download this article as a pdf (697 kilobytes)
Next to the enormous landmass of the Australian mainland, Tasmania is perhaps not considered a priority when
exploring this vast and diverse country, but with an abundance of wildlife and easily accessible national parks,
Australia’s small island state is here to remind us that small is very, very beautiful as Jenny Bouquet discovered.
Download this article as a pdf (688 kilobytes)
The word ‘Arctic’ conjures up images of polar bears prowling the ice floes, Inuit hunting in sealskin kayaks, of whales and
whale hunting, the Aurora Borealis, and of intrepid explorers of history attempting to reach the North Pole or find a route
from the Atlantic to Pacific Oceans through the Northwest Passage. In terms of what a visit to the Arctic means to an Audley
traveller it is small-ship expedition cruising within the Arctic Circle (at 66°32’ and beyond), within the Arctic Ocean.
Download this article as a pdf (1.7 megabytes)
China’s famously fast-moving society is transforming the travel experience in cities, with a new sophistication bringing boutique hotels and fine restaurants. Beyond the urban centres, however, many parts of China have escaped the rush to modernise, with rural village communities atmospherically unchanged over the millennia. Tom Stapleton and Ben Colbridge compare and contrast.
Download this article as a pdf (1.2 megabytes)
The hidden kingdom of Bhutan preserves Asia’s cultural past in secretive isolation, but most tours concentrate on the west. Emma Shaw explores the scarcely-visited east of the country, a wild and rugged land where few travellers tread.
Download this article as a pdf (606 kilobytes)
The forts of North India and Rajasthan have always played a crucial role in this region’s history. Fort cities such as Jodhpur and Jaisalmer are well known and are impressive icons of a bygone age, but here five members of our India team provide a different insight into the forts of North India, concentrating on smaller ones with a more personal history, where you can stay and experience them restored to their former glory.
Download this article as a pdf (693 kilobytes)
Untamed expanses, snow-capped mountains, craggy glaciers and roaming wildlife. Aaron Cork finds America’s far north lives up to all his dreams.
Download this article as a pdf (453 kilobytes)
Patagonia has something of a reputation as an expensive destination. Jonathan Goldsmith reviews the reasons for exploring Latin America’s greatest wilderness region and says a careful choice of accommodation can keep costs under control.
Download this article as a pdf (533 kilobytes)
Southeast Asia is home to many minority groups and tribes, but visiting them can make westerners feel uncomfortable. The difference between the material wealth of the traveller and the poverty of the villagers is on stark display, and it can be difficult to come to terms with the disparity of living standards. The last thing you want is to feel like a voyeur, so we have found some ways for you to get involved with the local people, allowing you to feel more like a guest. Here some of our Southeast Asia specialists talk about their own experiences and how you can ensure that your visit gives something back to the areas that you spend time in.
Download this article as a pdf (1.2 megabytes)
Age commands respect in Africa, and the Governors’ Safari Camps in the Masai Mara are amongst the longest-established in East Africa. Best-known in the UK as home to the BBC’s ‘Big Cat Diaries’, their relationship with the local community goes back generations. Silver Level Safari Guide Leonard Sadera talks to Sarah Read, Audley’s East Africa Regional Manager, about how Governors’ has helped his family.
Download this article as a pdf (459 kilobytes)
Several recent harsh winters have threatened Mongolia’s nomadic way of life. Jo Hoban explains that the first step to preserving the culture is to spend some time in a family ger.
Download this article as a pdf (436 kilobytes)
Buying ready-made souvenirs is very “last year”. In New Zealand an initiative gives travellers the chance to learn regional craft skills. Helen Richards reports on a project that lets visitors make their own memories.
Download this article as a pdf (565 kilobytes)
India is changing fast. In the south of the country a range of hotels are pioneering standards for social, cultural and environmental responsibility. Here our specialists choose some of their favourites.
Download this article as a pdf (696 kilobytes)
Sometimes the Land of the Rising Sun seems to focus too hard on the future. Claire Barnes finds a dedicated American trying to seed life back into a remote corner of rural Japan and save a taste of the past for future generations.
Download this article as a pdf (413 kilobytes)
The mountain nomads of Kyrgyzstan can become much more than just part of a traveller’s view. North & Central Asia Regional Manager Huw Owen samples their lifestyle at first hand, uncovering a programme that lets visitors contribute directly to local families by staying in their homes.
Download this article as a pdf (565 kilobytes)
When home is a remote island off the coast of one of the world’s poorest countries, low-tech tourism is often your best hope of change. Madagascar specialist Aisha Battersby focuses on Tsara Komba, a small island resort that is fully integrated with the local community.
Download this article as a pdf (536 kilobytes)
Australia represents the very definition of long haul travel. The perception that such a trip generates a significant carbon footprint cannot be disputed but as a destination, Australia is environmentally forward thinking and offers a variety of sustainable travel experiences to satisfy the responsible traveller. The cost to the environment therefore can be limited through planning an itinerary that takes advantage of such experiences, ultimately proving that a trip to this part of the world can be considered at least as, if not more, culturally sensitive and environmentally sustainable as destinations much closer to home.
Download this article as a pdf (1.9 megabytes)
The Canadians are proud of their country and have been something of pioneers in responsible travel. Aaron Cork visits Gaspésie Peninsula, a fine example of this ethos.
Download this article as a pdf (1.5 megabytes)
Regular readers of Audley Traveller and those who have travelled with us to Jordan will already have heard about the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Andrew Hunt, North Africa & Arabia Programme Manager, offers background and history to help explain why we are so vocal in our support of the organisation.
Download this article as a pdf (735 kilobytes)
Running a lodge in Africa is always a responsibility. Even more so when you are the only property on a remote island reached only by chartered light plane or a weekly tramp steamer. Matt Vlemmiks finds a lodge on Lake Malawi that is certainly doing its share.
Download this article as a pdf (631 kilobytes)
Being immortalised by Kipling hasn’t been enough for the tiger: the king of the jungle no longer lives in a monarchy. Tiger numbers have been dropping fast in India but Harsha Ogale finds that the national parks are now throwing a lifeline to this highly endangered predator.
Download this article as a pdf (925 kilobytes)
Fair Trade food showed the way but it’s taking the travel industry time to catch up. A new initiative in South Africa links environmental stewardship with responsible employment practices.
Download this article as a pdf (942 kilobytes)
Peru and Ecuador might not control the largest part of the Amazon rainforest. But the western Amazon has been showing the way in conserving the natural environment and indigenous communities.
Download this article as a pdf (546 kilobytes)
Responsible travel is not only about minimising the environmental impact of travel, but also about improving the social and economic infrastructures of host destinations. Ultimately, we strive to ensure that a visit from Audley clients leaves a destination better rather than worse off. The nature of our ground operations lends itself to the ethos of responsible travel – we use, wherever possible, locally owned accommodation options, locally managed grounds agents and local guides and drivers. One of the vital parts of our country specialists’ research trips is to unearth new initiatives. Here are a few of our favourites.
Download this article as a pdf (224 kilobytes)
You may have only considered Mozambique for its beaches, but Ibo Island is a little secret that deserves discovery. Cate Mackenzie explains.
Download this article as a pdf (363 kilobytes)
Stephen Fisher finds a part of India far removed from usual expectations of the country.
Download this article as a pdf (278 kilobytes)
Travel writer, Richard Hammond, talks to Ulva Goodwillie, specialist natural history guide on Stewart Island (Rakiura), off the southernmost tip of New Zealand.
Download this article as a pdf (281 kilobytes)
The Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa offers a more personal kind of safari, as Charlotte Mellor discovered.
Download this article as a pdf (344 kilobytes)
Peter Stanley-Jones tries heli-hiking in Canada’s beautiful Columbia mountains.
Download this article as a pdf (386 kilobytes)
Malachy O’Neill gets off the beaten track in the heart of Latin America.
Download this article as a pdf (393 kilobytes)
Craig Burkinshaw, Audley’s Managing Director, recounts his recent travels to the southernmost parts of South America.
Download this article as a pdf (528 kilobytes)
Huw Owen takes a journey into the past in Guizhou, a rural and ethnically diverse region of southern China far removed from the country’s frenetic modern cities.
Download this article as a pdf (355 kilobytes)
Beatrice Bowen explains why trekking in Nepal is not the preserve of backpackers and mountaineers.
Download this article as a pdf (648 kilobytes)
Mark Patterson takes to the streets of Jordan to discover sights and sounds that escape most visitors.
Download this article as a pdf (565 kilobytes)
The march to globalisation of certain sports may seem unstoppable, but more localised pursuits are still extremely popular in certain corners of the globe. Our specialists reveal some of their favourites.
Download this article as a pdf (234 kilobytes)
Jo Hoban has always been fascinated by the Romanovs, Russia’s imperial family. Here, she shares her memories of a journey through the land they once ruled.
Download this article as a pdf (1.0 megabytes)
Mention Indonesia and people instantly think of Bali, but this vast archipelago has far more to offer than just the beautiful beaches and cultural heart of this tiny island. Here, our Indonesia specialists discuss some of the other, lesser known islands and why they are special to them.
Download this article as a pdf (911 kilobytes)
Marc Dolman reveals how an adventure in the Outback can be both relaxing and exhilarating.
Download this article as a pdf (834 kilobytes)
Joanne Soddy explores Belize, the diminutive Central American country with a huge capacity for surprise.
Download this article as a pdf (500 kilobytes)