NEW YEAR, NEW ADVENTURES

Travel Well
WIN!
Trips to Oman,
Portland, Ethiopia
& Costa Rica
worth over
£15,000

50 NEW
TRIPS 2020 for
Namibia + India + Japan + Brazil + Oman + Jordan + Belize
+ Uzbekistan + Canada + South Korea + New Zealand
+ Botswana + Greece + Nicaragua + much more...
 THIS ISSUE UPFRONT

Behind the scenes

this month...

Lyn chats to environme

ntal activist
Céline Cousteau at ou
r inspirational
‘Make Travel Matter’ ev
ent.

Cast your net further

Welcome…
A fisherman on Inle
Lake in Myanmar –
discover a new trip
around Burma on p75

New Year, New You? Apparently, statistics show

that only 8% of New Year’s resolutions are kept.
cided to take
Oh dear. Well, I looked back at my 2019 ones Editor-in-chief Lyn de
erland’ to the
a different sort of ‘ov
t in London.
and some I did certainly not achieve (don’t think World Travel Marke

I will ever get the shape of a supermodel), but

my travel resolutions were a success at least,
with several new countries and regions visited.
For 2020, I already have a wishlist longer than is viable, and am
wrestling with wanting to travel longer and deeper rather than often.
Cover image: Taj Mahal, Japan/Michele Falzone/AWL images This page: Seamus Ryan; AWL images; Noah Da Costa Photography; Marco Botigelli

Now, having spent hours sifting through the exciting Top New Trips
(p58) from some of the best travel companies around the list has got
even harder. We found it tough to get the prospects down to just 50
Celebrating C
for this issue, but we eventually did so hopefully they also give you a publishing ac
hristmas and
hievements w
our
cupcakes (and ith
whole new stack of inspiration. booze. And ka
raoke).
Here at Wanderlust basecamp, we have also been working on lots of
exciting new features, specials and events for 2020, which we can’t
wait to share with you. But as ever, please do let us know too what you
would like us to cover in the coming year.
Here’s to your best year of travel ever,

am of the
The sales team won ‘Te
Publisher
Lyn Hughes Year’ at the Indep ende nt
n’t let
Awards. Adam still wo
Editor-In-Chief/Co-founder anyone els e ho ld the go ng.

The Original Travel Magazine, Est. 1993 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 3

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4 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020


Wanderlust is brought to life by people from all over the planet. Here are just some
of the individuals who helped to create this issue – and their New Year’s travel resolutions…
Holly Budge
Dispatches
Zimbabwe’s people and
wildlife are particularly
close to adventurer
Holly’s heart. And it’s
easy to see why. On p30,
she reveals all about life
on the anti-poaching
frontline with her charity
How Many Elephants.
It’s fearless and we love it.
New travel resolution?
“I will keep reaching for
the stars! What you can
achieve with passion,
grit and a positive
mind-set is beyond even
your wildest dreams.”
Anthony Lambert
Gulf Islands article
As for his love of the
Southern Gulf Islands,
writer Anthony puts it
down to countless visits
– courtesy of his
Canadian wife. On p90
he takes us on an
action-packed adventure
across these islands.
New travel resolution?
“Last year I wrote about
the dramatic story of
BC’s Kettle Valley Railway,
so this year, I plan to
cycle the 650km trail,
crossing its remarkable
trestle viaducts.”
THIS ISSUE UPFRONT
Contributors
Sarah Riches Chris Moss
WanderSleeps Patagonia article
Travel editor Sarah lived in When it comes to
the desert in the Middle Patagonia, writer Chris
East for over a year, so knows it all – he’s only
Jordan felt like home to been exploring it since
her, especially with the 1991. On p42, he goes off
friendly locals. But it’s the track to help chart a new
places she stayed that to rival the W. It’s just as
caught our imagination epic as you think.
this month, with forest New travel resolution?
chalets and desert domes “To spend time in Central
to admire on p106. Asia. I want to see the
New travel resolution? steppes and Silk Road
“I loved Wadi Mujib in cities of the ‘stans. I like
Jordan, so I can’t wait to go big blue skies more than
canyoning again. Ecuador anything, and trains, so I’ll
and Myanmar are on the go slowly overland, as far
top of my list this year.” as possible.”
Damien Gabet Michele Falzone
Egypt article Cover photo
Travel writer Damien has Photographer Michele
had a soft spot for Ancient was gifted a jigsaw of the
Egypt since school, often Taj Mahal at the age of six,
dressing up à la King Tut. sparking a lifelong love
In this issue, we follow him of it. So it seems fitting to
to Egypt, where he revels feature his proudest
in his passion and reflects moment – snapping the
on its hotly anticipated Taj from above with the
new museum (p130). rising fog of the Yamuna
New travel resolution? river – on our cover.
“Travel more around the UK New travel resolution?
– particularly places few “Set aside more time for
others want to visit! I spent travel. I want to do more
a wet weekend in Blackpool aerial photography –
recently and was pleased strike while the iron’s hot!
to find superlative culture, – and take more pictures
food and fun.” on my bucket list.”
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 5
 THE WANDERLUST TEAM UPFRONT

The Wanderlust
Philosophy Website

Wanderlust aims to inform and inspire all

Discover more
great content at Get In Touch
www.wanderlust.co.uk London office
your travel adventures. We strive to Capital House, 25 Chapel St, Marylebone,
bring you the most trusted and reliable London NW1 5DH
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are always upfront about whether our subs@wanderlust.co.uk
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or with a tour company. When a tour latest travel gossip General enquiries 01753 620426,
operator has been used, we always try @wanderlustmag info@wanderlust.co.uk
to use those who’ve scored a minimum
satisfaction rating of 85% from readers
in our annual awards and we never In memory of Co-founder & Publisher Paul Morrison
guarantee positive coverage. Instagram EDITORIAL CONTENT
Responsible, conscious and sustainable See behind the scenes Editor-in-Chief & Co-founder Lyn Hughes
travel is at the heart of everything we do. @wanderlustmag Technology Director Simon Chubb
Managing Editor Tom Hawker
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CUSTOMER PUBLISHING & CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
Commercial Editor Adam Potter
Looking for high-impact travel content? Wanderlust Studio
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content for travel companies and organisations.
Facebook Editorial Assistant Kirtey Verma
For details, see www.wanderlusttravelmedia.com. Join the chat at Associate Web Editor Peter Moore
www.facebook.com/
© Wanderlust Publications Ltd, 2019, ISSN 1351-4733 Assistant Commercial Editor Rosie Fitzgerald
wanderlusttravel
Published by Wanderlust Publications Ltd, Capital House, 25 Chapel St, Contributing Editors Phoebe Smith,
Marylebone, London NW1 5DH. All rights are reserved. Reproduction magazine
in any manner, in whole or in part, is strictly forbidden without the
Mark Carwardine, Paul Goldstein & William Gray
prior written consent of the publishers. All prices are correct at time
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Views expressed in articles are those of the authors, and not necessarily Art Director Graham Berridge
the publishers. Wanderlust is a registered trademark. Art Editor Mike Wright
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PUBLISHING
Please recyclethismagazine Missed last
month’s issue? Managing Director Tilly McAuliffe
Official partner
shop.wanderlust.co.uk Commercial Director Ian McAuliffe
of the FCO’s
Know Before Director Wanderlust Studio John Innes
You Go Campaign
Senior Brand Marketing Executive Fanny Moros

ACCOUNTS & ADMIN

AWARD WINNING WANDERLUST Finance Director Nicola Solomon
PPA INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER AWARDS 2019 Assistant Financial Controller Lisa Healy
∞Team of the Year 2019 Accounts Assistant Kym Williams
∞Digital Innovator of the Year – Simon Chubb Office Manager Janine Plunkett (maternity)
Noah Da Costa Photography

∞Magazine of the Year: Highly Commended

ASSISTED THIS ISSUE
PPA AWARDS 2019 Lorna Cowan, Lisa Duke, Nick Funnell,
∞Special Interest Magazine Brand of the Year 2019: Bronze Louis Gibbon, Olivia Lee, Hazel Plush
Pooch-at-large Zöe

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 7

Contents Features &
pocket guides
COVER STORY

58
42 Patagonia

PAGE
Top 50 New Trips
From epic encounters with
wildlife to exploring new frontiers,
we’ve examined the top new trips of
2020 and passed our verdict – time
to find out which ones made the cut!
As we help open up a trail through
the uncharted wilds of Patagonia, we
find an unfiltered window into the
region’s lesser-known flora and fauna
92 Canada
With misty harbours and artsy vibes,
Canada’s Southern Gulf Islands are
ripe for exploring without the crowds
114 China
From concrete jungles to hilly green
giants, we traverse this diverse land
to seek a calmer side to Chinese life
130 Egypt
We go backstage at the long-
awaited GEM, the world’s largest
archaeological museum
163 Travel icon: Chiang Mai
Head to the hills and find a sweeter
(smelling) side to Thai culture in the
fresh blooms of this city of temples
165 Short break: Novi Sad
Why Serbia’s second city is on the
verge of being crowned Europe’s
next cultural hub

88
PAGE

Wanderlust Journeys
Check out the latest of our exclusively
curated trips: tour Uzbekistan with
our very own editor-in-chief Lyn
Hughes or head to Georgia with

Points of view
a previous Guide Award winner

12 Viewfinder
Top shots from lava landscapes to
the watering hole at Lake Ndutu
18 Your letters & photos
Funny signs and 60 years of travel –
what you’ve been up to this month
170 The real wonders

42
of the world
Why Indonesia’s Borobudur is the
temple icon you need to see
92 114
10 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
 WIN
An epic trip for two to Oman
– plus a bundle of Blacks
Outdoor adventure gear p41 This issue
Win Antler luggage,
worth over £450 p55
mapped
An adventure in Argentina p67
Costa Rica and a Gandys Austria p77
backpack p105 Azerbaijan p73
Belize p68
An adventure to Ethiopia p139
Botswana p67,85
A trip to Portland p141 Brazil p60, p152
Canada p71, p92
China p70, p73, p114
Colombia p66, p83
Costa Rica p59
Croatia p60
Cuba p61

106
Egypt p130

PAGE
The Falklands p26
France p61
Georgia p61
Germany p152
WanderSleeps: Jordan Greece p68
Whether you’re escaping to the Iceland p69
desert or bathing in forests, check India p36, p79, p146
out our round-up of the best Jordanian Indonesia p65, p170
retreats where the view is everything Japan p62, p64, p71
Jordan p69, p108
Kyrgyzstan p66, p85

Explore Discover
London p28
Mauritius p148
Morocco p151
Myanmar (Burma) p75
23 Grapevine 146 Your travel tips Namibia p66
The latest news and trips in travel An Indian safari has never been uld Nepal p62, p70, p156
so easy – here are your top tips to New Zealand p63
26 Go now: The Falklands spying rare tigers and birds Nicaragua p71
As new flights put these islands on Norway p59
your radar, we inspect the charms
148 Just back from truly matter. Novi Sad p165
Your tales from Mauritius For more from Jonathan Oman p69
of their overlooked wilderness
151 The Knowledge Glancey see page 159 Pakistan p75
28 Try this: London Panama p62
Tales from the road with Ismail
Unearth the secrets of the ‘Big Papua New Guinea p70
Ingrioui, joint bronze winner of
Smoke’ on these top adventures Patagonia p42
this year’s World Guide Awards Peru p63, p81, p152
30 Dispatches 152 Instant Expert Portugal p64
Meet the female rangers taking Life-changing inventions and Russia p81
Scotland p83
a stand for animals in Zimbabwe whimsical wonders come together
South Korea p68
at the world’s greatest show
33 Eat this Sweden p79
Why Noah’s Ark pudding is perfect 154 Ask the experts Tajikistan p85
From cycling in the Highlands to Thailand p163
for sharing (but you don’t have to) Turkey p33
riding the Canadian rails, our gurus
34 Dream sleep tell you what’s hot – and what’s not
UAE p152
UK p152
Head high into the Atlas mountains
156 Health

159
USA p69
to relax in a mountain retreat This month, Dr Jane opens up her Uzbekistan p64, p161
Vietnam p77
36 Head to head: clinic to a scrub typhus victim
Zimbabwe p30, p85
Rajasthani cities 159 Travel books
Pink palaces and blue villages pack Jonathan Glancey travels through
a colourful punch, but which of time to bring the Golden Age of
Jaipur and Jodhpur is for you? Travel to life
This issue’s

154
Canada, p92 highlights
London, p28
China, p114

Egypt, p130
India, p36

33 Patagonia, p42
The Falklands, p26

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 11

Arch nemesis
São Jorge, Azores, Portugal
Photographer: Massimiliano Broggi
To explore the coastal fajãs – lava
landscapes – of São Jorge Island is to
witness nature’s power writ large. The
blackened basalt archways loom over the
waves, a relic of the volcanic wrath that
formed the Azores: not even a rosé sunset
can soften this scene. To find the Arco da
Fajã da Ribeira da Areia, follow the stone
signposts from Ribeira da Areia, on the
meandering path that leads down to the
ocean. Here, a handful of houses teeter
on the North Atlantic shore, home to a
tiny community that lives betwixt lava
rubble and pummelling waves. A rock
and a hard place indeed.
© Massimiliano Broggi/AWL Images
 VI E W FI N D E R UPFRONT

“Wandering re-establishes the original harmony

that once existed between man and the universe.”
Anatole France, author
VI E W FI N D E R UPFRONT

Three lions on the dirt

Serengeti National
Park, Tanzania
Photographer: Michael Poliza
The acacia-pocked plains of
Lake Ndutu teem with wildebeest, giraffes
and wildlife photographers – all keeping
a keen eye out for predators. This
Serengeti savannah’s rich wildlife has
attracted biologists and filmmakers from
all over the world (Jane Goodall and Hugo
van Lawick among them). When Michael
Poliza snapped these three lionesses, he
was struck by their vulnerability as well as
their strength: “Part of me wants to keep
these landscapes hidden – a secret
between myself and the wilderness,” he
says, “but I hope they motivate people to
protect the world.”
© The World by Michael Poliza (teNeues)
is out now, available as a Special Edition
(£225) and a Hand-signed Special Edition
(£265); www.teneues.com,
www.michaelpolizatravel.com
VI E W FI N D E R UPFRONT

The light fantastic

Graubünden, Switzerland
Photographer: Roberto Moiola
The 44km Maloja Pass is a tale of two
halves: the high Swiss plateau of the
Engadine, which is snow-laden long into
summer, and the low, leafy valley of the
Mera River. Between them lies a tarmac
tangle of twists and turns, which drops
almost 1,500 metres in altitude, before
swooping through the lowlands to
Chiavenna, Italy. The hairpins take just ten
minutes to navigate, but oh what a ride:
your knuckles will be as white as the peaks.
Terrifying or terrific? You decide.
© Roberto Moiola/ AWL Images
 UPFRONT POSTE RESTANTE

Your letters
Your mail and missives: being inspired to explore 60 years of new destinations, journeying
through Georgia with an award-winning guide, funny signs in Paphos and much more...

SOCIAL
TALK
Sharing views
on Iguazú
Falls: “The
Argentine side is
definitely worth
a visit and the side
I prefer.”
@cyclingtouring Unnecessary sign
We were amused to read this sign
Recalling a visit in the harbour on our visit to
to the Parque Paphos and wondered if we
Star letter Nacional Volcán were unnecessary.
An award-winning guide Masaya in Ken & Jennifer Rogers, via email
I read with interest and a smile on my face, Nicaragua: “The
the article in Wanderlust Magazine most amazing part
Corrections & clarifications
(issue 202, December 2019) regarding Lyn’s of our trip was the
On page 111 of
journey through Georgia with Dario. My night time drive to
issue 201 it was
husband and I travelled with Wild Frontiers the top!”
stated that a
in 2017 on their Across the Caucasus road trip and our guide was...? Dario, of @hjd1984
yellow fever
course. We found him very engaging; always there to help. We talked a great
certificate is
deal the day we visited Baku, as it was the ‘setting up time’ for the F1 Race Sharing
needed for
and we enjoyed a common interest in motor racing. The trip itself, I would memories of
visiting Pakistan.
recommend to anyone who has a ‘wanderlust’ for this part of the world. We puffins in Caithness,
This only applies to travellers
have fond memories of Dario. Scotland: “The cliffs
coming from countries with risk
Michele & Steve Grainger, via email at Dunnet Head
of yellow fever transmission. We
have so many
apologise for this oversight.
puffins in summer.
Wanderlust does its utmost to
Diamond traveller It was amazing.”
ensure its information is accurate
Thank you Wanderlust for helping Lucy Pilgrim
for our readers.
me explore my 60th country just
weeks before my 60th birthday. Remembering

Wanderlust reserves the right to edit letters/Dreamstime,; Shutterstock

Colombia:

Here I am in the beautiful Gardens
by the Bay with my carefully saved
Wanderlust Guide to Singapore. I’ve
been a Wanderlust subscriber since
1999 and always look forward to its
arrival. The only problem? My travel
list just keeps getting longer!
Susan Piper, via email
Ed: Congratulations, Susan! And
keep on ticking off those countries!
Win
“One of the
quirkiest, friendliest
countries I’ve been BUFF® HEADWEAR
to. My favourite was Each month, the recipient of
Cartagena. The food our ‘Star letter’ award will win
was great!” a versatile High UV with Insect
Kate Rowlands Shield Buff® – the ultimate travel
accessory (£22.50 RRP) –
so be sure to get in touch…

Drop us a line with your

pics, thoughts, tips and
travel suggestions, and help
fromtheroad@wanderlust.co.uk @wanderlustmag wanderlusttravelmagazine @wanderlustmag other travellers find their way

18 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

 YOUR PHOTOS UPFRONT

#wanderlustmag
Been somewhere beautiful? Done something amazing? Tag us at #wanderlustmag on
Instagram or email your pictures to fromtheroad@wanderlust.co.uk and make us jealous.

”Taken after a blustery day out tackling “There’s just something fascinating ”It’s a 3am start to catch the sunrise over
Mellbreak and Hen Comb in the Lake about the King of Aragon’s Staircase in East Java’s Bromo Tengger Semeru NP.”
District.”@fellfoodie Bonifacio, Corsica.” Desi Kadyova Dara Morefield & Tim Coatsworth

”My trip to the Ta Prohm and Angkor ”Visiting the reclining Buddha at Wat Pho ”Taken at the top of the Tsingy Bemahara
Thom temples in the Angkor complex in in Bangkok. It was nirvana.” NP in Madagascar, a tough climb but well
Cambodia. Stunning.” Marika Gorbat @travellerfrancis worth it!” Hazel & Ian Wright

”Hiking in the Sierra de Aitana in Spain. “While visiting the Afghan Pamir I was ”Taking a breather on the Baltoro Glacier in
Felt like we had the mountains and trails invited to a local home and ended up on Pakistan with the majestic K2 as the reward for
completely to ourselves.” Kerry Nicol a yak.” @kasianowak2020 all the hard days of trekking!” Glenn Winch

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 19

 Take a historic pub

Expl
tour, stroll the Thames
or
go underground to se
e
a different side to
London on p28

Food | Culture | Adventure

Travel news p23 | The wild side of the Falklands p26 | On patrol in Zimbabwe p30
A taste of history from Turkey p33 | Pink vs blue: which Indian city is for you? p36

DREAM SLEEPS

View from the top

Trek to the summit of
Mount Toubkal at this
mountain refuge in the
heart of the Atlas
Mountains p34
Shutterstock

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 21

 EXPLORE

p
The

wers
What’s getting us talking at Wanderlust To

BLAZING THE TRAIL

We got an exclusive preview of New Zealand’s
newest Great Walk in 2018, when contributing editor ON TRACK IN SRI LANKA
Phoebe Smith was the first to follow the 55km It’s an arrival that couldn’t come
Paparoa Track – and now, it’s finally open to soon enough: Sri Lanka now has
travellers. As it traverses the peaks of Paparoa a state-of-the-art train service
between Colombo Fort and
National Park on the west coast of the South Island, Badulla. Heading eastwards
between Blackball and Punakaiki, the route crosses through lush hill country on the
through old mining towns, beech forest and wind- new Denuwara Menike express,
whipped plateaux with Tasman Sea views. Keep an you’ll enjoy reclining seats,
air- conditioning and charging
eye out for the park’s ‘little five’ – kiwi birds, fantails, points in first class – and plenty
weka, westland petrels and rare blue ducks – all of of opportunities to explore.
which Phoebe encountered on her trek. Alight in Hatton to hike through
For Phoebe’s full story, see issue 189 – or visit tea plantations and up Adam’s
Peak, or Nanuoya for Nuwara
wanderlust.co.uk Eliya’s misty mountain retreats.
Near the end of the line, the Nine
Arches viaduct provides
a breath-stealing finale – before
you hop off in search of Badulla’s
thundering waterfalls and
ancient Hindu temples.
railway.gov.lk

From 16 January Our annual Travel Photo of the Year exhibition hits the road again, calling at Destinations
DATES in Manchester (16-19 January) and London (30 January-2 February). www.destinationsshow.com
FOR THE
DIARY 18-19 January Plan your next trip at The Adventure Travel Show – plus, learn more about travel writing,
photography and film-making in our expert seminars at London Olympia (p38). adventureshow.com

‘New’ Nazca Lines Buy this

Now’s the time to visit Peru’s Nazca desert. As Feeling the chill? Pull
well as its UNESCO-listed Nazca Lines – vast on Tilley’s sustainable
geoglyphs that date back thousands of years – and stylish Merino
Alamy; Shutterstock; Jase Blair; ; Yamagata University

researchers have identified a huge number of Beanie (£45, tilley.

etchings that, until now, lay hidden under the com). The cruelty-free
soil. Archaeologists from Japan’s Yamagata wonder wool
University have discovered 142 designs carved responds to changing
into the earth before working with IBM Japan on body temperatures, is naturally breathable, and
an artificial intelligence project to identify wicks away moisture too. The hat even has
number 143, a small humanoid figure clutching a hidden pocket: the perfect place to stash some
a stick. Who knows what they’ll find next? cash for a warming cuppa.

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 23

 EXPLORE THE GRAPEVINE

ALL ABOARD
Discover Eden aboard the Aranui – also known
as the ‘Freighter to Paradise.’ Since 1978, the
cruise-cargo service has plied the waters of
French Polynesia, transporting passengers
and parcels to the Marquesas Islands – and
next year, the Aranui 5 will launch two new
itineraries. The first sets sail from Tahiti to the
Cook and Austral Islands, where thousand-
year-old tribes and archaeological gems
await; or, you can cruise to the Society
archipelago and the Tuamotu islands, ticking
off Bora Bora and Maupiti. Don’t be fooled by
Aranui’s freighter heritage: the 5 offers suites,
staterooms and dormitory-style cabins –
though the emphasis is still on authentic
experiences. aranui.com
Seas the day
The Aranui 5 is the most modern vessel from
Tahiti-based Aranui Adventure Cruises
RETURN OF THE RHINOS
Malawi’s safari credentials are
going from strength to strength.

Hellenic 17 black rhinos have just been

relocated from South Africa’s

link up
KwaZulu-Natal to the wilds of
Malawi’s Liwonde National Park,
in a bid to increase their chances
Hitch a ride on the new passenger of survival and genetic diversity.
ferry linking Cyprus and Greece –
the first such service for 20 years. MINI BREAK, MAXI ADVENTURE
Expected to be cheaper than flying, Craving adventure, but don’t
and far kinder to the environment of have enough annual leave to
course, the 30-hour route will begin travel the world? Exodus Travels’
in May 2020 and run once a week spin-off Exodus Edits are creating
up until September – when it will compact experience-rich trips for
stretch its schedule to every busy mid-life professionals.
fortnight until the spring of 2021, Check out their ideas at exodus.
most likely sailing out of Limassol, co.uk/exodus-edits

e, friendly whale
oach your boat and
ght in the eye is without
doubt one of the most extraordinary
WILDLIFE WIN
In a triumph for animals and
activists alike, elephant rides at
Angkor Wat are now a thing of
the past. Long-condemned after
an elephant’s death in 2016, this
practice has been abolished by
the Cambodian government
agency managing the temple
Shutterstock; Mark Carwardine

experiences on the planet. complex. With the ban coming

into effect early this year, the
Mark Carwardine’s new Handbook of Whales, animals have been relocated to
Dolphins and Porpoises is out now (Bloomsbury; £35) Bos Thom forest near Siem Reap.

24 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020


The famously far-flung Falkland Islands are about to become rather less remote. New flights will
make it more affordable to explore this rough-hewn nature lovers’ paradise as well as its history
T
hanks to its isolated
position in the
South Atlantic
Ocean, on the
fringes of Antarctica,
the Falkland Island’s rugged
mountainscapes and avian
attractions have remained largely
untouched by crowds. But with
new flights halving the price of
reaching this region, that could
be about to change.
Starting in the Islands’ capital
of Stanley, head north to
Volunteer Point for an encounter
with the undoubted stars of the
26 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
Go
Now
for a walk on the wild side
THE DESTINATION:
THE FALKLAND ISLANDS
Falklands show – the vertically
challenged horde of king
penguins that waddle down the
Point’s pearl-white strip of beach
year-round. It’s the site of their
largest breeding group, but you’ll
also stumble across gentoo and
Magellanic colonies vying for
space on the beaches in their
crèches in January, too.
You can get another nature fix
at the easily accessible Gypsy
Cove, located only a short drive
from the capital. Even budding
birdwatchers would find it hard
to miss the long-tailed
meadowlarks and oystercatchers
at home in the bay, while
Magellanic penguins are often
glimpsed burrowing
underground to nest, emerging
hesitantly in February.
In spite of all this wildlife, it’s
hard to ignore the impact of the
1982 conflict with Argentina on
the landscape; even today,
beaches are being de-mined.
Book an expert to see the 74-day
conflict from a local eye. A good
place to start is the museum on
San Carlos in East Falkland –
codenamed ‘Blue Beach’ by the
Family matters
Gentoo and Magellanic
penguins breed on
Carcass Island
British troops who first alighted
here – where you can take in the
war’s impact on islanders and
soldiers’ families firsthand.
Finish your trip in peace by
going west to Carcass Island. If
you’re looking for solitude, this
remote outpost is the obvious
choice – sheep outnumber the
Alamy; Getty Images; Shutterstock; Dreamstime
humans settled here. Breathe in
the fresh air on any number of
hiking trails, but for views from
the island’s highest point, trek up
Mount Byng (213m) and feel as
though you’re standing at the
edge of the earth.
 THE FALKLANDS EXPLORE

THE NUMBERS

5
BIRDS ON THE BRAIN

SAUNDERS ISLAND
Looking for an albatross? Chances are you’ll spy one in the Falklands. The number of penguin
Over 70% of the world’s black-browed albatrosses breed here, with the species you can spot
largest colony found on Steeple Jason island. But as the weather and tide
conditions can make it tough to alight, hop on a small red aircraft to
here: king,rockhopper,
Saunders Island, instead. With wingspans of more than 2m in length, the Magellanic, gentoo and
albatross is an undoubtedly graceful creature – until you see it roll over macaroni. You can’t
itself while landing. If you’re lucky enough to visit in December, you’ll be even see the first three
greeted by freshly hatched fluffy grey chicks, cosying up in their nests, in Antarctica.
waiting for their dinner, no doubt stunned by the rare onlookers.

780
Thenumberofislands
makinguptheFalklands.
There’sEastandWest
Falkland,butyoucan
visitsixothers(Sea
Lion,Pebble,Carcass,
Get there Saunders,Bleakerand
LATAM Airlines flies
Weddell)bybooking
from London Heathrow
to RAF Mount Pleasant anairtaxiwithFIGAS.
via São Paulo from
£982 return (latam.

10
com); the journey takes
around 21 hours.
There’s also a
twice-weekly direct ThedayinJanuary
flight through the thathonoursformer
Royal Air Force, flying
out of RAF Brize Norton, PMMargaretThatcher.
from £2,222. For Youcanevenspyabust
more info, visit: oftheIronLadyon
www.falklands.gov.fk
ThatcherDrive,saluting
herdecisiontosenda
IF YOU ONLY DO THREE THINGS
taskforcetodefendthe
Get out and about around the Falklands… islandsfromArgentine
invasionin1982.

LIFE’S A BEACH CAPITAL GAINS TO THE LIGHTHOUSE!

Swing over to Pebble Island to
stroll along beaches dotted with
translucent semi-precious
pebbles. You’ll also find the
longest beach in the Falklands
(6.4km) here, Elephant Beach,
used occasionally as an airstrip.
Out and about in Stanley? While
enjoying its quaint British feel, make
sure to swing by Christ Church, the
world’s southernmost Anglican
cathedral, too – its whale bone arch
stands as a local reminder to the
whaling communities of the past.
For an overview of East Falkland’s
scenery and wildlife, make sure
you hike up to Cape Pembroke
Lighthouse and climb the tower’s
spiral staircase. Your reward?
Epic views while standing atop
the islands’ most easterly point.
 EXPLORE EXPERIENCES
TRY THIS...
London
Discover the city’s most fascinating
drinking dens, sit stage-side at a Royal
Ballet rehearsal or go underground to
discover an unseen side to the ‘Big Smoke’
Drink in some
capital history
Murder plots, royal scandals, jail
breaks… London’s pubs have seen
it all over the centuries. So raise a
pint to Make My Day’s Bottoms Up
tour, a guided ‘crawl’ of the big
smoke’s most storied boozers – for
juicy tales and more than a few
tipples. You’ll visit The Viaduct
Tavern, in Holborn, a former
prison turned gin palace – complete
with lustrous Victorian frescoes
and (or so legend has it) a few cells
in the basement too.
Nearby, Ye Olde Mitre serves real
wooden cask ales beneath an
28 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
A pint of history
Visit the drinking
den where it’s alleged
Lenin took Stalin
for a pint on the
Bottoms Up tour
ancient cherry tree, around which
a tipsy Elizabeth I is said to have
jigged with Sir Christopher Hatton
– one of her favourite politicians.
There’s just enough time for
a bag of beef-dripping chips at
one of London’s best chippies
(a secret location: you’ll have to
wait ’til the tour) before calling in
at the tiny Crown Tavern in
Clerkenwell, one of Dickens’s
favourite watering holes. If you
can still see straight by that point,
you’ll hear how Lenin and Stalin
allegedly met here for a drink in
1905. If those walls could talk…
Private tours on request, 3 hours, £15;
makemyday.travel
Alternatively…
Catch the Royal Ballet
in rehearsal
It’s one of the West End’s best-kept
secrets: while a ticket to the Royal
Opera House can run to hundreds
of pounds, as little as £11 can buy
you a stage-side seat for the very
same performance. But if you want
a centre-stage view book to see the
dancers in rehearsal: at venues
throughout the ROH you can see
the principles put through their
paces for upcoming productions.
1 hour 15 minutes, £11-22, various
dates; roh.org.uk
Unearth treasures
on the Thames
A stroll along the Thames is always a
joy, but cast your eyes downwards –
to the water’s edge – and who knows
what you’ll spy? On a private Thames
Beachcombing tour, you’ll head out
with a tidal archaeologist to unearth
treasures on the shores of the Square
Mile revealing fragments of its
history: Tudor beer tankards,
Victorian cutlery… even
roof tiles charred by the
Great Fire. Private tours
on request, walks.com
Discover
subterranean secrets
The Tube is so much more than
a public transport system: it
sheltered thousands of Londoners
throughout the Blitz, has provided
top-secret storage for British
Museum treasures, and the Central
Line even doubled as an aircraft
factory during the Second World
War. On a tour with the London
Words Hazel Plush. Images: Shutterstock
Transport Museum you’ll explore
the time-capsule tunnels below
Piccadilly Circus, and the ‘lost’
labyrinth inside Euston Station.
Approx 75 minutes, various dates;
ltmuseum.co.uk
 CORRESPONDENT REPORT

Holly Budge
On pa tr o l w i th th e ‘ b r a v e o n e s ’
The adventurer and founder of How Many Elephants hits the frontline of an armed, all-female,
anti-poaching team in Zimbabwe to see how these fearless women are combatting poaching

I
t’s 5.45am, it’s still dark as
I stand in line with four armed
Akashinga rangers, ready to go
out on foot patrol. “You may
not see any wildlife, Holly. This is
not a safari trip. Remain silent and
please do what we say at all times,”
says Nyaradzo, my go-to ranger.
I pinched myself as the realisation
of where I was became very real.
The Akashinga rangers are an arm
of the International Anti-Poaching
All ears to the country’s north. Akashinga
(top) Holly with her translates as ‘the Brave Ones’, an apt
go-to ranger; elephants
searching for water in name for the often dangerous work
the Lower Zambezi that they do. Coming face to face with
Valley in Zimbabwe poachers and wild beasts, heading up
raids and sting operations, these
women are making a huge difference
to the future survival of endangered
African elephants as well as other
wildlife species.
The rangers loaded their rifles.
The front ranger clicked her fingers
underfoot or a thorny branch trying
to take my eye out. It was impressive
how these women navigate through
the terrain, gracefully moving
through the thick undergrowth,
while simultaneously spotting
wildlife and looking out for signs of
poachers in the area.
We stopped abruptly and knelt
down. I sensed a change in their
energy, these women meant
business. My mind started racing...
Margot Dempsey; Brent Stirton

Foundation in charge of monitoring as a signal to go. I took a deep breath What have they spotted? What’s
Zimbabwe’s Phundundu Wildlife as we moved into the darkness. We going to happen next? To my
Area, a 300 sq km tract of former covered the ground purposefully, delight, they had spotted an
hunting land in the Zambezi Basin with an occasional stick breaking elephant cow with her calf, heavily

30 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020


camouflaged in the trees about 50m
away from us. “A cow with her calf
can be very aggressive,” one ranger
whispered to me. “We must move
away slowly.” You could see the
excitement on the rangers’ faces
from the elephant sighting. Their
passion for the wildlife shone
through. No words were needed.
That night, we got dropped off with
supplies and equipment to a remote
area in the bush. After we set up
camp, we patrolled the surrounding
area to identify any imminent
threats. One armed ranger stayed
behind to guard and protect while
we walked for two hours on a big
loop around the camp. We spotted
a herd of elephants relatively close
by and could hear hyenas too. When
we returned, we ate stew with sadza
(thickened porridge made from
maize flour) and stoked out the
fire so our location could not be
identified by the poachers.
The plan was to sleep for a couple
of hours before night patrol. As I lay
on the hard ground, alone in a small
tent, it dawned on me that I was
completely and utterly out of my
comfort zone in this environment.
These rangers were my lifeline.
Without them, I was a dead woman.
DISPATCHES
hem, I was a dead woman.
Racing extinction “Wake up Holly, we are going out
(clockwise from top left) on patrol.” I quickly pulled on my
Akashinga Rangers out
on morning patrol; Holly boots. As we left camp, we resumed
wears the Akashinga our positions in line and moved
uniform with the rest of
slowly into the darkness. We sat on
the team;road crossing
on patrol; elephants are the ground, waiting and looking out
facing their greatest for poachers’ torch lights. After
crisis in decades
a few minutes, one of the rangers
whispered, “We are going to retreat
because that noise is one of the most
dangerous snakes in the bush and it is
not far away.” I gulped. We made our
way back to the camp. I opened the
tent zip enough to see the starry
night sky. The strange noises coupled
with the intense energy of the bush
made me feel more alive than ever.
At 6am, I awoke feeling relieved to
have survived the night. I was
instructed to wear an Akashinga
uniform to blend in better in the
bush. During our six-hour patrol we
dismantled snares and recorded the
location of several elephant herds.
the heat was sweltering.
EXPLORE
ly out of my
These rangers
e. Without
This was just two days in the life
of an Akashinga ranger. These
courageous women are doing such
valuable but often challenging work
and making a real difference. The
thought of the African bush devoid
of elephants is heart-breaking
enough but putting emotion aside,
the impacts of losing these animals
will be of extreme detriment to the
environment and beyond.
Elephants are a keystone species
and important ecosystem
engineers. If they go extinct, entire
ecosystems could follow, but for
now these women – the face of
conservation – are here to do their
best to stop this happening.
Holly’s awareness campaign, How
Many Elephants, is inspiring and
educating a global audience about
the devastating impacts of the
African elephant ivory trade. Read
more at howmanyelephants.co
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 31
 A
EAT THIS... s you’d expect from
its name, Noah’s Ark
Noah’s Ark
pudding comes with
an epic tale. The
traditional Turkish
pudding dessert was inspired by the legend
of Noah and his relatively unknown
quest to cook a feast with the ark’s
A true Turkish delight, leftover ingredients (no meat,
Noah’s Ark pudding funnily enough; think nuts, pulses
and dried fruits instead). All this,
weaves together an after surviving a 40-day flood and
epic tale of friendship, landing on Mount Ararat with his
famous parade of passengers.
life and survival Fast forward a few thousand years
and visitors will find the syrupy
porridge is more than a celebration
of Noah’s survival: it’s about unity,
too. The dish graces the Turkish
table year-round, but is eaten on the
tenth day of Muharram (the first
month of the Islamic calendar),
a date that honours a handful of
sacred events, such as Moses
parting the Red Sea.
Most Turkish families have their
Bree Hutchins
own tried-and-tested recipes to fall
back on, usually combining beans
and barley with dried fruit, before Heavenly pud
infusing the mixture with This delicious dessert
celebrates the legend of
rosewater, orange zest and honey. Noah and his survival
Travellers can sample the pud under
its Turkish name aşure in most
pastry shops, but if you want to
encapsulate the essence of Turkey
while putting your own capital spin
on it, head into the maze of
Istanbul’s fabled Mısır Çarşısı
bazaar to find it among myriad
spices and sweets.
For those of us without family
recipes, chef Somer Sivrioglu
and writer David Dale spill the
secrets of the perfect aşure in
their book, Anatolia: Adventures
in Turkish Eating, while ensuring
that “the spirit of generosity
remains: you’re supposed to offer
this dish to anybody who could Anatolia: Adventures in
smell it cooking.” Well, if they Turkish Eating by Somer
Sivrioglu and David Dale
say so; we’ll be lining up (Murdoch Books, £20)
two-by-two for a helping. is out on 6 February
Get the full recipe online
Visit www.wanderlust.co.uk/203
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 33
 EXPLORE ACCOMMODATION

DREAM SLEEP

Kasbah Du Toubkal,
Morocco

Mountain refuge
Take life at a
slower pace at
Morocco’s Kasbah
du Toubkal

Peace and quiet reigns supreme in a Moroccan mountain retreat like no other

O
nce the former
summer palace of
a local feudal chief,
the Kasbah Du
Toubkal seems like it
belongs to a different century. It’s all
too easy to let time slip away from
you as you travel from modern
Marrakech into the past, up dusty
slopes and well-trodden tracks, on
your way up to this mountain refuge
in the heart of the Atlas Mountains.
You can drive up to the rural village
of Imli and then walk the final stretch
– up a short, steep path – to the
hilltop citadel. The more adventurous
lodge in the Azzaden Valley, or get up
the old-fashioned way: by hiring
a mule, then follow the scent of olive,
cherry and apple orchards. Life flows
at a slower pace here – a direct result
of the role local Berber tribes played
in the Kasbah’s restoration in 1995
and even now, its day-to-day running.
This interaction with locals is what
proves so irresistible about a visit to
this hospitality centre. Guests can
easily gain an insight into local
culture and gaze up to the heavens
from the dramatic mountains of
Toubkal National Park with Berber
guides, while chipping in to social
inception, visitors have helped to
provide two ambulances and fund
a public hammam (steam bath).
But after exploring the valleys –
or even daring a multi-day hike up the Get there
Atlas’ highest peak, Mount Toubkal British Airways
(4,167m) – you can return to your offers direct flights
simply furnished rooms to refresh or from London
try the terrace to take in the vistas Gatwick to
while sipping on mint tea and dining Marrakech from £49
on rustic fare. But what you might return. The journey
time is three hours
really want to do is just put your
and 20 minutes.
weary feet up and soak up the steam
Transfers to the
in the hammam – you’ll find not all village of Imlil take
heavens are above your head. around 75 minutes;
From €175pp per night (around £149), the Kasbah is then
Alan Keohane

may choose to hike the 3-4 hours programmes that support two-night min, including breakfast. an uphill 15-minute
from the Kasbah’s newer trekking communities in the region. Since its kasbahdutoubkal.com walk or mule ride.

34 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

 EXPLORE INDIA

Head to Head
Jaipur VERSUS Jodhpur

The ‘jewel in India’s crown’, Rajasthan’s famed for its maharajas, palaces and
AT A tigers, and boasts two of Northern India’s most essential and vivid cities.
GLANCE But are you more tempted by Jaipur’s royal pink or the dusty blue of Jodhpur?
Jaipur
Population JAIPUR JODHPUR
3.8 million The capital of courtly drama, Jaipur’s packed Admire the city’s sea of blue-washed homes
PALACES

Total area with palaces. The pink sandstone façade of atop Mehrangarh Fort, where former royal
484.6 sq km Hawa Mahal is a big draw, but Jal Mahal apartments, such as the gilded ‘pearl
Famous for (pictured), deserted in Man Sagar Lake, cuts palace’ of Moti Mahal, feature walls adorned
Being the ‘Pink a haunting figure. Try Amber Fort for city with plaster and crushed seashells. Or stay
City,’ a city of views, or go to City Palace, home to Jaipur’s at the Umaid Bhawan palace hotel, styled
palaces and the royals, for its Mughal treasures. One suite is with Art Deco interiors by a Polish war
capital of now on Airbnb for $8,000 (£6,208) a night. refugee at the maharaja’s whim.
Rajasthan

Jodhpur Find Jaipur’s flavour within its markets, For authentic encounters with local
BAZAARS

Population such as Chandpole, where local artisans vendors, ramble around the bustling
1.87 million sculpt marble live. Looking for Rajasthan’s Sardar market, located in the old city
Total area signature jewellery? Johari bazaar – near beneath the Ghanta Ghar, the clock tower
78.6 sq km Hawa Mahal – is the obvious choice. Then of Rajasthan. Spy exquisite handicrafts,
Famous for follow the crowds to LMB sweet shop to clothes and spices lining the stalls, before
Being the ‘Blue try paneer ghewar (honeycomb cake) and quenching your thirst with lassi (yoghurt
City’ and the the best mithai (sweets) in the state. drink) or kulfi (ice cream, pictured).
majestic
Mehrangarh Fort
Tiger thrills aren’t hard to come by in Jaipur. See the blue city transform into a dusty
DAY TRIP

TOP TIP
No journey to India
is complete without
a train trip. Start in
TEMPLES
At the UNESCO-stamped Ranthambore NP,
you may come across the striped predators
roaming the former royal hunting ground
of Jaipur’s maharajas. In the early morning
– and before sunset – you’ll get the chance
to spot a host of wildlife along the edges of
Padam Talao Lake, famed for its water lilies.
Centuries-old temples and hundreds of
wilderness with a tour into the Thar Desert
(pictured). Hang out with Bishnoi tribes
and observe their way of life – along with
black bucks, blue bulls and desert foxes if
you’re lucky. Or for an oasis in the city, go
to Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park, and look
out for native birds and butterflies.
Swing by Maha Mandir to spy the yoga

monkeys go hand in hand at Galta. If you murals on its 84 supporting pillars, or go

New Delhi and ride can get past the furry fiends (pictured), to the Chamundaji temple in Mehrangarh
the rails through explore the shrines of Rama, Krishna and Fort, where huge crowds seek goddess
Rajasthan on the the monkey god, Hanuman. Stop by the Durga’s divine blessing. Legend has it
Palace on Wheels Garh Ganesh Temple, too – or view the she helped protect Jodhpur when
(thepalaceon- elephant god’s statue with binoculars hundreds of Pakistani bombs fell on the
from City Palace’s Chandra Mahal. city during the conflict of 1965.
wheels.com) to
experience the
highlights of VERDICT: Jaipur and Jodhpur are both colourful gateways into Rajasthan, with fascinating
Shutterstock; AWL

both Jaipur and histories and royal spectacles aplenty. Jaipur’s the clear winner if you’re seeking tigers and
Jodhpur in style. palaces, but if you want dusty encounters with desert tribes, Jodhpur might be the answer.

36 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

 JAIPUR

Glowing colours
(clockwise from top left)
Ranthambore National Park
is home to 71 striking Royal
Bengal Tigers; the Hawa
Mahal – the Palace of Winds
– dated back to the 18th
Century; Mehrangarh Fort is
one of the largest forts in the
country; boxy indigo houses
stretch for miles throughout
the historic ‘Blue City’

JODHPUR
 disco un ts a nd advice,
e be st travel inspiration, lo b etro t ting events
u? For all th biggest g
2020 take yo d f the UK’s

EVENTCITY MANCHESTER 16 - 19 JAN 2020

OLYMPIA LONDON 30 JAN - 2 FEB 2020

F RE E
Manchester EventCity
TICK
Wanderlu ETS!
The show is offering Wanderlust readers 50% off the price of 16–19 January 2020 will receiv st subscribers
on-the-door entry (£14) when booking online – so you can get Advance tickets from £8.50* (adult); for two to e a FREE ticket
Des
day tickets for just £7 each at www.adventureshow.com under 16s free in this isstinations
ue!
Just quote the promo code ‘WANDER’ at the checkout Olympia London
30 January–2 February 2020
Wanderlust returns to the Adventure Travel Show with more Advance tickets from £11* (adult); under 12s free
multi-media adventure seminars*, covering everything from www.destinations show.com
travel writing and photography to making money from your Price includes show guide with exclusive travel news and offers
trips – packed with expert insight from our writers and editors.
Once again, the Wanderlust team will be at Olympia London and
Manchester EventCity as Destinations – the UK’s biggest and
SEMINAR TIMETABLE longest-running travel show – returns for its 27th year.

SATURDAY
⊲ Introduction To
Travel Writing
Learn the secrets of great travel
writing with our award-winning
experts Lyn Hughes (Wanderlust
editor-in-chief) and Jonathan
Lorie (travel writer and author).
⊲ Filming Your
Travel Adventures
Want to make a professional-
looking travel film? Get tips
on production and pitching
from filmmaker Kevin Merrey.
⊲ Improving Your
Travel Photography
Take your skills to the next
level with pro-snapper William
Gray. Suitable for beginners.
And there’s plenty more to do across the weekend at the UK’s only
exhibition dedicated to off-the-beaten-track travel – with talks,
SUNDAY
⊲ Getting Published
A team of travel writers and
editors will take you through
the outlets, opportunities and
skills you need to make it.
⊲ How To Make Your
Photos Stand Out
William Gray reveals how
light, composition and
movement can transform
your images from ordinary
to extraordinary.
⊲ Making Money
From Your Travels
Fancy travelling for a living,
or just want to subsidise your
journeys? Our team of pro
adventurers show you how.
See the very best in amateur and professional travel photography
at our Wanderlust Travel Photographer of the Year exhibition (on
display throughout both shows), with the winners revealed in London
on Friday 31 Jan at 4pm – join us!
Look out for the brand new Travel Smarter stage, with Wanderlust
holding sessions on 'Travel Health' (with Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth),
'Solo Travel Tips' and 'Jetlag – How To Beat It'. Plus, be inspired at the
Stanfords Travel Writers Festival (London only) and Meet The Experts
Theatres, where top travel and TV personalities will be sharing their
tales – including Sir Chris Bonington and Michael Portillo.
Browse 600+ exhibitors showcasing countless travel ideas –
including more than 75 tourist boards and brands representing
all types of trips. Meet the experts, tailor-make your next adventure,
Alamy

seminars, travel films, research opportunities and of course the then book at the show and enjoy a whole host of exclusive offers
chance to meet the Wanderlust team. Visit our stand to say hello! and upgrades.
*Seminars cost £30.50 (plus show entry). Advance booking is required. *£1.50 transaction fee applies.
 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

AN
SIX INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES IN

W
ith craggy impressive diving spots is the
mountains, rocky, nine-island Daymaniyat
rippling archipelago lying just off the coast
cream- of Muscat. Being the world’s
coloured largest nesting ground for
dunes and a shimmering coastline, hawksbill turtles would be
Oman is an extraordinary natural remarkable enough, but the
playground fit for a modern-day eye-popping coral gardens
Lawrence of Arabia. Here are six of and colourful cliffs make it
the best adventures you can have scarcely believable.
on a trip to this corner of the Away from Muscat, Al Fahal
Arabian Peninsula… Island’s shallow sandbanks are
a magnet for blacktip reef sharks

1 Diving
With over 3,000km of
and mobula rays, while
honeycomb moray eels peek
Experience Oman, Shutterstock

coastline brimming with rich out from underwater caves at

marine life and kaleidoscopic Bandar Khayran. In the south, visit
coral, Oman is a haven for divers. Salalah in the summer and you
One of the most accessible and can dive among both coral and

For more info, visit experienceoman.om or to book, visit exodus.co.uk/oman-holidays or call 020 8772 3936
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
kelp, found within just a short
distance of each other.
2 Caving
Oman’s mountains aren’t just
for admiring from the outside.
Deep within lies a subterranean
network of caves that few
travellers know about. Jebel
Shams is a major draw for hikers
but at its base lurks Al Hoota Cave.
Guided tours proffer an insight to
its array of stalagmites, stalactites
and quartet of underground lakes
speckled with Omani blind cave
fish. Or, if you’re after something
off the beaten track, venture
beyond the cooling pools of Wadi
Bani Khalid to lesser-known Muqal
Cave; its narrow pathways and low
ceilings are home to plenty of
bats. Teeq Cave in Dhofar
overlooks the bird-rich Tawi Ateer
Sinkhole – and if you’re a skilled
caver don’t miss Majlis Al Jinn, the
world’s second-largest known
cave chamber.
3 Mountain biking
Quite simply, Oman’s rugged
peaks were made for mountain
biking. The rocky drama of the
Al-Hajar Mountains are veined
with twisting trails, and Jebal Al
Akhdar boasts some of its most
For more info, visit experienceoman.om or to book, visit exodus.co.uk/oman-holidays or call 020 8772 3936
scenic slopes, living up to its name
as the ‘Green Mountain’ between
March and May, when its terraces
of damask rose fields bloom. If you
have legs of steel, then reaching
the summit of Jebel Shams
(3,028m), Oman’s highest peak, is
a tough but rewarding climb.
Cycling here also reveals the Hajar
valley’s hidden villages, including
the honey-coloured houses of
Al Hamra and mountain-hugging
Misfat Al Abriyeen.
The Musandam Peninsula is also
great for mountain biking, and
a pedal to the top of Jebel Harim
(2,087m) affords panoramas of the
region’s epic, fjord-like landscape.
4 Wildlife watching
Oman’s landscapes also
harbour diverse wildlife that it’s
keen to protect. There are lots of
elusive animals to be found across
the country, from the endangered
Arabian leopard prowling the
Dhofar Mountains at Jabal
Samhan Nature Reserve to the
relatively unknown Al Saleel
National Park in Ash Sharqiyah,
home to the rare Arabian gazelle
and Omani wild cat.
On the coast, Ras Al Jinz is one of
the world’s most important
sanctuaries for nesting green
turtles, while whale-watching trips
from Muscat or Salalah see
encounters with orca and
humpback, sperm and even blue
whales. The latter city is also a
birdwatching haven, with the likes
of steppe eagles and crested
honey buzzards soaring overhead.
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5 Hiking
The Hajar Mountains also
cater well to walkers. Jebel Shams
claims two of the country’s most
spectacular routes, with sections
of the summit trail overlooking the
majestic Wadi Nakhr canyon –
nicknamed Oman’s 'Grand
Canyon' – and heart-pumping
Balcony Walk, which skirts
along the cliffs to the abandoned
village of As Sab.
The pools and lush palms of
Wadi Tiwi and Wadi Bani Khalid
prove a great way to bookend
a multi-day walk through the
sweeping valleys of the Eastern
Hajar but, if you’re pushed for
time, the Riyam Walk is a half-day
hike located just a short drive from
Muscat, packed with beautiful and
rocky landscapes.
6 Water sports
In Muscat, beginners can
try their hand at stand-up
paddleboarding, kitesurfing and
windsurfing - straight from its
shores. Stand-up paddleboarding
is a particularly good way to
explore the country’s wadis
too, such as the date palm-
flanked Wadi Al Arbeieen or
emerald waters of Wadi
Darbat near Salalah. Experience Oman (Andrew Lloyd, Alamy Stock Photo; Yellow Street Photos), Blacks Outdoor
Oman also has a rich history
and heritage of dhow-building so
gliding through the khors (rocky
inlets) of the Musandam Peninsula
makes for a magnificent
experience, where you may even
be joined by some humpback and
bottlenose dolphins, too.
They all feed into the country’s
rich tapestry of intrepid activities,
so no matter your preference on
how you like to explore, you can
find it in Oman.

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TWO TO OMAN
Plus a bundle of Blacks
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T
here are adventures
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swimming in a hidden
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forts, sailing the waters of the
Arabian Sea to sleeping beneath
the stars in a Bedouin camp. Now
you can discover all that this
exciting destination has to offer, as
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A Week in Oman...
Meander in Muscat
You’ll start your journey by
exploring the old quarters of
Muscat, stopping by the Sultan’s
palace and sipping coffee with
locals before heading to the
marina to sail the waters much
like the seafarers of yore on
a dhow (a traditional fisherman’s
boat). While staying in Oman’s
capital, admire its Grand Mosque
and experience the bustle of the
colourful Mutrah Souq. Then,
head onto Sur from where you’ll
venture to the Ras Al Jinz Turtle
Reserve to catch sight of green
turtles as they clamber up the
beach to their nesting grounds.
Into the desert
No visit to Oman is complete
without exploring its magnificent
desert landscapes, and on this
trip you’ll swim the turquoise
pools of the Wadi Bani Khalid
before tackling the dunes of
the Wahiba Sands in 4WD;
marvel at the views over the
‘Grand Canyon of Arabia’ from
Jebel Shams; and uncover
historic fortifications such as
17th century Jabrin Fort, the
UNESCO-listed Bahla Fort, and
impressive Nizwa Fort.
While in Nizwa, you’ll also catch
all the action of its cattle market
auction; a lively affair that sees
traders descend upon the
ancient city from near and far.
As you traverse the rugged
roads back to Muscat, take a
moment to pause at Nakhal Fort
and its hot spring, to reflect on
your grand Omani adventure with
Exodus Travels.
Trailblaze with Blacks
Outdoor specialists Blacks live
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In 1861, Thomas Black set up his
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quality that the company still
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from many top brands, Blacks aim
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wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 41
COMPETITION
How to win
Oman, Blacks Outdoor and
Exodus Travels have
teamed up to give you the
chance to win A Week in
Oman for two. Blacks will
also gift the winner with
some of the best adventure
gear to get the most from
the trip. Runners up will
receive a £50 Blacks gift
voucher. For your chance
to win, just answer the
following question:
Jebel Shams is the highest
mountain in Oman, but how
tall is it?
a) 3,028m
b) 2,527m
c) 1,931m
To enter and for full terms and
conditions and data policies, go to
wanderlust.co.uk/competitions or
send your answer to the Wanderlust
office (p.7); state ‘more info’ if you
want to be contacted by
Wanderlust, Blacks Outdoor or
Exodus Travels. The closing date is
4 February 2020.
 PATAGONIA

The
Wayof the
Condor
Exclusive! We take to the wild Argentine
slopes of the Patagonian Andes for a first
look – and to help create – a route to rival
Torres del Paine’s ever-busy W Trail
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS CHRIS MOSS

iego scrambled to the top of the
tump and declared, “Now I see the
light.” Being eternally optimistic is
a prerequisite to being a mountain
guide. I wasn’t at all surprised when,
five minutes later, he had unsheathed
his machete and was attacking the
dense undergrowth of spiky neneo,
thorny calafate and a tough,
stubborn plant called mata negra
with renewed vigour.
I was the slowest, oldest, least
limber member of a five-man hiking
party – the others were two super-fit
Argentine guides, a marathon-
running tour operator and
a videographer in his late twenties
– that was getting ever more
entangled in the mountainous
wilderness of Los Glaciares National
Park in the south-west of Argentina.
Our plan: to walk south from
Estancia Helsingfors to Estancia
Cristina, two centenarian sheep
44 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
farms deep in the Andes. We had five
days to cover the 60-70km. That
didn’t sound too hard. Torres del
Paine National Park’s famous
W Trek, just over the border in Chile,
was 71km and thousands of people
completed it in four or five days.
Indeed, so many that just under
290,000 people visited the park in
2018 and that despised buzzword
“overtourism” was being uttered.
But Argentine Patagonia presents
its own particular challenges. Our
first aim was to find a trail where the
park authorities had omitted to
develop one. We wanted to see if
Argentina, lagging far behind Chile
in terms of adventure tourism, could
offer intrepid walkers a hike in its
Los Glaciares National Park to rival
those in Torres del Paine – without
the heavy (foot and vehicular) traffic,
gangs of campers, unnecessary
lodges and posh hotels.
Going off track
Estancia Helsingfors was our point
of departure – and our last night of
cosy comforts. At the end of a long
gravel side road off the famous Ruta
40, it sits in sombre isolation at an
elbow on Lago Viedma. The only
neighbours were a herd of twitchy
guanacos and some frolicking criollo
horses. Towering above the
 PATAGONIA

Take a hike
(clockwise from far left)
Signposts a couple of hours
out of Estancia Helsingfors;
the Scott-style team photo at
Estancia Helsingfors; cutting
through low bush;
(previous page) The author
admires a glacier at the foot of
Cerro Moyano, closer to the
second night’s campsite

homestead were the ice-scarred

peaks of Cerro Huemul and Cerro
Mascarello and, on the cloudy, gusty
afternoon we arrived, it looked like
an end-of-the-world outpost.
But the estancia had managed to
convince a gifted Uruguayan chef,
Nicolás, to stay for a season; the
ribeyes, soups, salads and full-bodied
malbec served to our little recce
team, combined with open fires and
soft beds, made the prospect of
cup-a-soups and tents over the next
few days less than enticing.
Still, come dawn, we set out on our
mission. “We’re going to get wet,”
warned Diego, taking a last look at
the forecast. Expectation
management is another prerequisite
of the hiking guide. I got an estancia
employee to take a Scott-style group
expedition shot and we left
Helsingfors and its windbreaking
poplars behind for the exposed
slopes of the lakeside.

Summit else
We were heading south along a valley
hemmed in by the looming snow-
capped Cerro Norte and Cerro
Moyano mountains on the west and
Cerros Mesón and Masters to the
east – all had summits between 2,300
and 2,600m above sea level. Our first
stage was to get to the source of Lago
Viedma, which involved rounding
the base of a mountain and leaving
the lake behind for a time. A couple
of signs indicated this section of the
route was a day’s walk for those
staying at the estancia and, indeed,
there was a already rough track
through the dense undergrowth.
The Patagonia Andes have many of
the same species as the vast steppe ⊲

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 45

 Walking on the wild side
(clockwise from this)
Traversing slopes of scrubby
calafate, chaura and llareta on
the approach to Laguna del
Aserradero; chaura fruit;
trying the old gaucho
favourite, yerba mate tea; the
flooded forest on the third day
of the hike, at the southern
end of the Río Norte

‘Ice-cloaked summits seemed
to burst out of the rainforests,
their steep slopes sculpted
by perpetual frost’
⊳ to the east, but are somewhat less
arid. Hardy, ankle and knee-height
bushes prosper and multiply. There
was also chaura with its tiny, tough
leaves; llareta, a Martian dome of
a plant that is rock hard; plus a very
low plant known as ‘devil’s
strawberry’. Together they conspired
to pinch and prick exposed skin, and
tug and tear at our loose kit.
There are no sheep or rheas in the
wilder uplands, and few guanacos to
cut back the shrubbery. At the same
time, the native nothofagus beeches
seem to struggle to grow tall at
southern latitudes, and the lenga and
ñirre trees were usually low-slung
dwarf varieties. Glacial erosion has
left in its wake a rocky, rough, scarily
steep topography. Combine all these
factors and you have quite a feat for
foot-travel. My gaiters did sterling
work, although the cord at the top
loved to escape and grab a passing
branch from time to time.
We lunched at a small blue lake
called Laguna del Aserradero –
alluding to lumber cutting, probably
from the old days when wood was
the only fuel nearby. Diego and his
PATAGONIA
trainee porter-cum-assistant, Machi,
had packed bagfuls of delicious
empanadas and we made sure we
stayed hydrated as we glugged water
and yerba mate tea.
Another four hours took us on to
an alluvial plain framed by a crown of
sharply pointed peaks, some with a
dusting of snow. We still had a good
way to climb. The Los Glaciares
National Park sits at 50 degrees south
of the equator but a climb of even
1,000m is akin to swapping summer
for winter. Down here, where the
winds blow cold and fierce, the
temperature drops fast as you
ascend. But it is these extreme
conditions that make the park so
special. Ice-cloaked summits, their
steep slopes sculpted by perpetual
frost, burst out of the rainforests.
Glaciers hang from mountains,
fringe the lakes, grind away at the
valleys. Mists and snowstorms
routinely swirl around the highest
peaks, but when they clear the views
are starkly epic.
We met four people at the
campsite: two rangers and two
fungus collectors, having a quiet
quarrel as the latter had lit a campfire
the night before. ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 47
PATAGONIA

‘Three condors wheeled close

by to get a look at us, the top of
their wings flashing white
where they caught the sky’

⊳ Forest fires have wreaked havoc in

Patagonia. They were the only people
we were to meet during the walk.
Long treks are, by their nature
episodic – something I try to avoid
– but this one had an extra quality
like John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress
and other fables of human
endeavour. It was a hike that
delivered its topographies as
themed challenges. On day two,
we climbed up ‘the Mountain of
Illusory Passes’ – the kind where
you pant and gasp your way to the
top of a gap in the mountains, but
don’t ever seem to reach it – and
then descended through ‘the Valley
of Impassable Bush’. Being the
tallest member of the team, I had the
added pleasure of being slapped in
the face by thorny branches. It was also a preparation for bed.
Diego was mapping the route on After a hurried bowl of something
an app, which showed we covered hot, a foot-wash in an icy stream and
only 5.83km during an eight-hour a quick glance at the surroundings –
hike; more than half the time we I was too beat to take in its natural
were more or less static, trapped in beauty – I collapsed into my tent.
thorny undergrowth and morass,
boggy sphagnum. Still, after facing Icy paths
this green gauntlet, we had a final Day three was relatively smooth
climb to a gusty high pass where the sailing. We woke up to a glacier
uppermost rocks had been smoothed glinting in the dawn sun and
into wave-like forms and, by way of proceeded to walk alongside the
reward, three condors wheeled close Río Norte for around five hours.
by to get a look at us. The pass was With his photographer’s keen eye,
a natural eyrie for these majestic videographer Marcus pointed out
creatures in the Andean sky. We were that the river looked as if it had been
above them and could see the top of shot on a slow exposure; the milky
their wings, flashing white where greenish colour of many Patagonian
they caught the sun. watercourses is caused by melting ice
“I always say a Patagonian hike from glaciers. Occasionally, the echo
is a preparation for mountaineering,” of ice calving resonated along the
said Diego during one of the many river valley. We saw the first of
Nature Picture Library

breaks. “You have rocks, scree, several baguales – cows and bulls
rivers, boulders, steep climbs and that have escaped from estancias
lots of trail finding.” and gone feral; these naturally

48 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020


Fly by
(clockwise from far left)
An Andean condor flying over
Torres del Paine, Chile;
approaching the high pass
– and the wheeling condors
– on the second day; Diego
reads a map with one of the
walkers; Argentine guides
Machi and Diego at the cabin
on the last night
000kg beasts are a major
problem for park rangers.
I had sore shoulders by this stage.
Machi laughed at my old rucksack,
calling me ‘Eric Shipton’. If only I was
as scrawny and tough as that old hero
of the Himalayas. But kit is a major
consideration for this walk. I’d never
used walking poles as much, or as
desperately, as I did over those five
days. Patagonia is, among other
things, a semi-desert and descending
sandy slopes requires sure-footedness
or, at least, great care. Poles take
talentless humans some way towards
becoming four-legged mammals and
while I slipped a few times, my pricey
German Leki poles saved my bones
and tendons on several occasions.
The wild campgrounds were lovely,
sited beneath hanging glaciers or
beside rivers (cold, clean water is
always on tap in the southern Andes).
We dined on amazingly good food,
which Diego and Machi cooked up
while helping pitch tents, prepare
mate and sort out kit. Chatting around
the stove, we tried to come up with
a catchy name for the hike. The “Two
Estancias Walk” was satisfactory, but
seemed to emphasise the domestic
start and finish rather than the journey
between them. The terrain suggested
something linked to nimble pumas
(sexy) or even goats (inappropriate).
“The Bagual Path” sounded OK; “The
Wild Bull Way” could also work, but
were bulls cool enough to lure people
off Chile’s mobbed W trail?
Trailblazers
Day four was heavenly, with the best
paths already been hacked through
by baguales – another vote for “The
Bagual Path”. We walked along the ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 49
PATAGONIA
‘We found a high pass with
a good view over the South
Patagonian ice field and the
magnificent Upsala glacier’
⊳ Rio Caterina, in spate after a long
summer of melting and recent rains.
The sun was out, the sky was clear.
Hares dashed around the grassy
pampas. We enjoyed picking berries
from the now less bothersome
calafate bushes. Machi explained
that one of the thorniest plants was
known locally as ‘mother-in-law’s
pillow’. As the land flattened out we
were able to look around and admire
the multi-hued rocks, the glaciers
tucked into each small valley, the
view back to our trials.
Diego delivered his verdict on the
trail. “If the park rangers’ first
priority is conservation, surely their
second is education. They have to
open up this region so that people
see it,” he said passionately.
“El Chaltén [the hiking mecca in
this region] is already too busy. We
need to get people away from there
and from El Calafate. The authorities
have a responsibility to help us
develop this hike.”
When we had to wade across the
Caterina, several two-foot-long,
peach-coloured fish torpedoed past
us in the rapids, turning easily in the
current to swim back upriver. This
was now baptised the “River of the
Giant Salmon.” We saw a couple
more condors spying on us, and
a huge bagual bull taking a drink at
a small lake, where we stopped for
a picnic and a swim. The bottom was
foot-suckingly soft, and the water
cold but not alarmingly so. It was my
first proper bath since leaving
Helsingfors. From here we had
a short, sharp climb up into a canyon
formed by violent glacial and seismic
movements that the Argentines
called “Fossil Canyon.”
50 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
We climbed some more. Diego
was a fan of aggressively direct
and obstacle-strewn routes.
Eventually we found a high
pass and our first good view over
the South Patagonian ice field and
the magnificent Upsala glacier,
one of the largest in Argentina. As
dusk fell, more condors appeared,
one of them floating calmly over
the glacier’s blue seracs.
That night we had a refugio to
stay in, but I pitched my tent
anyway. I love being alone at night,
and prefer sleeping in a tent. I also
suspected that, with four tired fellow
walkers, at least one would be
a drowning warthog of a snorer.
Landing the Condor
We were welcomed at Estancia
Cristina as heroes. Well, not quite, but
they gave us a couple of puddings
while we had our celebratory beers.
I stayed on at the estancia for two
nights, while the others continued on
their separate ways. A barhop told me
I was the only guest that season, who
had arrived on foot (the estancia is
reached by boat as there are no roads);
that felt satisfying, and sufficient
reason for another beer.
The “Way of the Condor” – the
name I eventually decided on, even if
the route remains offically title-less
– was not easy, not for me anyway as
we broke in – and beat – the route
and that treacherous undergrowth.
I had swollen feet, badly bruised toes,
dead nails, sprained wrists from two
falls and pressure on the walking
poles, and my skin was cured like
a gaucho’s. But the hike is doable by
anyone in moderate health. It could be

a 6-7 day hike. It could be combined
with kit-rafting, lake crossing, or
horses perhaps. It could really do with
a few rangers being employed to cut
a proper trail on the day-two section.
But the ‘Way’ is wild and wonderful
and it has none of the backpacker
folklore or tick-box appeal that’s led to
the W circuit becoming over-
subscribed. It has mountain views to
rival any in South America and its
plains and valleys offer a unfiltered,
panoramic window onto some on the
continent’s hardiest and least-
appreciated flora and fauna. It allows
Not so main-stream
(clockwise from this)
Fording the Caterina river;
Canyon of the Fossils; the
Upsala Glacier; Estancia
Cristina; at Lago Argentino at
the end of the trip
you to camp anywhere, to find your
own path, to make it as hard or easy
as you wish. I see a bright future for
this shortish, steep, road-free route.
The next time, I’ll slow things down
even more, perhaps climbing a few of
the mountains en route, taking
a diversion on to the ice-field,
maybe learn to ice-climb.
For now, though, I was just glad to
play a small part in helping to open
up this stirring trail. For any keen
walker, that’s a buzz almost as high as
the walk itself. And in that moment
I was Eric Shipton, not Chris Moss. ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 51

Footnotes
Southern Patagonia
Argentin
THE TRIP
The author travelled with
Swoop Patagonia (0117 369
0196; swoop-patagonia.
com). The six-day ‘Two
Estancias’ guided hike in
Los Glaciares NP – or as
the author has unofficially
called it in this article, ‘The
Way of the Condor’ – costs
from $2,490pp (£1,917) and
includes one night at the
Estancia Helsingfors on the
shores of Viedma Lake, four
nights camping and all meals,
transport, guides and porter
support. For an additional
fee you can add a night at
Estancia Cristina. Prices do
not include international or
domestic flights.
Vital statistics
Capital: Buenos Aires
Population: 44.2 million
Language: Spanish
Time: GMT -3
International dialling code: +54
Visas: Not required by UK
nationals. Passports are stamped
on arrival, allowing entry to the
country for 90 days. You may,
however, need to provide evidence
of onward or return travel.
Money: Argentine peso (AR$),
currently around AR$77 to the UK£.
ATMs are available in El Calafate.
When to go
October to April: The austral
summer and its shoulder seasons
Shutterstock
are the only feasible times to
undertake a hike in the Patagonian
Andes. It can be windy but rain
showers are usually short-lived.
The warmest time of year is
generally late January when highs
are regularly around 18°C and night
temperatures rarely drop below
C. By April, frost is possible.
ome hotels and rural
tancias only open during
fairer months. January and
uary is the peak holiday
for Argentines.
h & safety
re jabs are up to date.
e no special risks in this
te region, but watch
cks. Pack a high-factor
WHAT en as the ozone layer is
TO d here so the southern sun
PACK singly strong.
ng there
Take a macro lens Airways (0844 493 0787;
britishairways.com) operates daily
and magnifying
non-stop flights from London
glass – Patagonia
Heathrow to Buenos Aires Ezeiza
is as amazing for
from around £387 return; flight
its tiny natural
time is from 14 hours. Flights from
wonders as it Buenos Aires (Jorge Newbery
is for its mega domestic airport) to El Calafate
landscapes. are with Aerolineas Argentinas
(0871 644 4453; aerolineas.com),
from around £138 return.
PATAGONIA
Getting around
Taxis and minibuses are the
easiest way to travel around
this vast region. Estancia
Helsingfors arranges a free
scheduled transfer with your
booking from El Calafate. Buses
travelling between El Calafate
and El Chaltén pass the entrance
to Helsingfors on the main road
(Ruta 40). From there you can
hitch – if you’re lucky – or else hike
the 70km to the estancia.
Car hire is not a practical
option as you’d have to go back
to the start to return the vehicle.
From Cristina, the boat is the
only way back; contact the
estancia for rates as most people
visit on day trips.
Cost of travel
Argentine Patagonia is not cheap.
Although the peso has been
repeatedly devalued since 2001,
hotel rates are in US dollars and
almost all food, drink and other
items have to be imported into
the southern provinces. Bank on
paying between £30 and £50 for
a basic hotel; £70 to £160 for
a mid-range option; and as much
as £700 per day for some of the
top-end estancias. ⊲
Ice pack
Dramatic Viedma Glacier
attracts fewer visitors
than the more famous
Perito Moreno
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 53
PATAGONIA

10 Patagonia highlights
1 Estancia
Helsingfors
While Helsingfors leaves
the real sheep herding
to its neighbour Los
Hermanos, it has retained
its farmhouse feel.
Corrugated metal roofs
and open fires gives the
place an authentic feel.
6 Perito Moreno
Glacier
The magnet of Argentine
Patagonia, this famous ice
wall is the one that grows
and grows until it blocks
a channel, is undermined
and… collapses,
dramatically, sending up
mini tsunamis. Boats go
along it, hiking groups put

2 Lago Viedma
Everybody goes
to Lago Argentino but
on crampons to get inside
it and tipplers cut off ice
for their whisky. Busy, but
those in the know also worth half a day, for sure.
visit Viedma – even if you
don’t take on the Way of
the Condor trail, you can
explore the lakeside and
7 Estancia La Anita
The estancia is closed
to the public, but the
surrounding passes on roadside monument is
day hikes. a powerful reminder of
the slaughter in 1921, of as

3 Upsala Glacier
Shrinking fast, Upsala
is being closely studied
many as 1,500 gauchos
who were involved in
a rural workers’ uprising.
by climatologists and
glaciologists. From the
viewpoints above, this
great tongue of ice is still
8 El Chaltén
The town is a bit of
a backpacker den, with
impressive. It’s possible to hostels, craft ale bars,
head out on multi-day hikes pizzerias and millennials on
if you fancy the challenge. Wi-Fi. But the surrounding
peaks – including Mount

4 Fossil Canyon
Looking out for
ammonites is only part
of the fun while exploring
the Cañadón de los
Fósiles – available as a day
trip from Estancia Cristina.
The formations, boulders,
colours and overall setting
are magnificent.
Fitz Roy – are some of the
most photogenic in the
region. A network of trails
lends itself to day hikes.
9 Estancia
Nibepo Aike
This cosy estancia on
Lago Roca is great for
horseriding, with easy
hikes to the surrounding
⊲ Food & drink
There’s no indigenous cuisine as
such, but Patagonia’s two exotic
imports – lamb’s meat and trout
– are found on most menus.
Barbecued lamb is popular, and best
enjoyed in a parrilla (grill restaurant)
or at an open-air asado (barbecue),
typically offered by estancias. Other
local produce includes Calafate
of colourful background on the
human story of the region.
Flowers of the Patagonian
Mountains (Alpine Garden
Publications, 2013), by M Sheader
et al, is a good floral guide.
Birds of Argentina & Uruguay:
A Field Guide (V Mazzini, 1987),
by T Narosky and D Yzuriet, is the
standard handbook for avifauna.

5 Estancia
Cristina
Run by an English family
foothills. Nearby are cave
paintings by Tehuelches.
(barberry) jam, smoked salmon,
Patagonian craft beers and wines
from northern Patagonia. As in
in the early 20th century,
Cristina helped Patagonia
become the world’s
10 Chile
Just four or five
hours away by road, you
the rest of Argentina, steaks, meat
empanadas, pastas and (very
un-Italian, fat-base, cheese-bomb)
More online
Visit www.wanderlust.co.uk/203

second-largest wool can easily combine the pizzas are widely available. Planning guides
Map illustration by Scott Jessop; Shutterstock

producer in the 1930s.
There’s an on-site museum,
and it’s a rather luxurious
base for hikes, horseriding
and fishing trips.
featured walk with a few
days in Chile’s Torres del
Paine, or cultural fixes
in either Punta Arenas or
Puerto Natales.
Further reading
& information
Patagonia: A Cultural History
(Signal, 2008) by Chris Moss,
the author of this piece, has lots
● Argentina travel guides
Archive article
● Chilean Patagonia (issue 195)
● Patagonia Trip Planner (issue 172)
● 25 South American Adventures
(issue 185)

54 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020


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 A TALE OF
TWO
CITIES
Find the best spots in Tokyo & Kyoto with these
top travel tips from Flight Centre’s team
J TOKYO
ourney to Japan and
you’ll undoubtedly
want to combine the
bright lights and
fast-paced futuristic
flurry of Tokyo with the refined
culture and traditional charms of
Kyoto. With just a short bullet
train ride between these two
sprawling cities, there’s so many
inspirational things to see and
do and the Japan experts at
Flight Centre are here to help
you experience it all.
The local expertise of its
globe-trotting team sets it apart
from many other tour operators:
they have all the knowledge and
insight you need to create an
unforgettable Japan itinerary,
and they make booking a breeze.
56 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
Samantha Payne
Countries visited: 26
Favourite city: Tokyo
Top tip: My favourite
experience in Tokyo was
Shinjuku’s Memory Lane with its
narrow, lantern-filled alley ways
linked by rows of matchbox-sized
restaurants, smoke billowing
through the open windows from
freshly cooked yakitori (chicken
skewers), and locals relaxing at
the end of a busy day. It’s best to
visit when it gets dark, when the
bars come to life, the locals finish
work and the streets fill with the
smells of the delicious food being
prepared. If you like a cocktail, be
sure to try a Shinjuku bomber.

Julia Duelks
Countries visited: 35
Favourite city: Kyoto
Top tip: In Tokyo they
have something called
a Suica Card. This is essentially
an Oyster card that can be used
more-or-less all over Japan and
offers a really easy and
affordable way to get around on
public transport in the cities. We
stayed in Asakusa, one of the
oldest parts of Tokyo and close
to Sensōji, its main temple. This
is a great area for those who
want it a bit quieter in the
evenings. The city also only
hosts four annual sumo wrestling
tournaments so if your trip
happens to coincide, be sure to
visit one – they’re so much fun
and very interesting!
Harriet Holdsworth
Countries visited: 58
Favourite city: Tokyo
Top tip: Tokyo has some
great options to get
a bird’s eye view of the city,
including the Sky Tree and Tokyo
Tower. However, if you are looking
for a vantage point that includes
these towers in the view, head to
the Tokyo Metropolitan
Government Building’s
observation deck. Completely
free of charge and with an
efficient lift system (we only
queued for 10 minutes!) you will
be treated to views of the city at
every angle and, if you’re lucky on
a clear day, out to Mount Fuji.
Shutterstock
For more info, speak to a Flight Centre Travel Consultant in store, visit flightcentre.co.uk or call 0808 239 3772
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
KYOTO
Brian Blanchett
Countries visited: 17
Favourite city: Tokyo
Top tip: Located in
a quieter, northern
suburb of Kyoto is Ginkaku-ji,
otherwise known as the ‘Silver
Pavilion’. This temple was going
to be covered in silver foil to
complement the Golden Pavilion
(Kinkaku-ji) but this plan never
came to fruition. It is, however,
situated in a walled zen garden
and surrounded by pathways
through trees and ponds full of
koi, making it a haven of peace
and reflection. Ginkaku-ji is
found at one end of the
Philosopher’s Walk, a 2km canal
that goes from there up to
Nanzen-ji. A stone path runs
either side of the canal, flanked
by cherry trees and small shrines
along the way that are there to
guide and bless people as they brave, go into Zuigudo Hall; EXPLORE JAPAN WITH
travel and contemplate the a pitch-black space for you to be FLIGHT CENTRE
mysteries of the universe. left alone with your thoughts. As All of these tips come from
you journey through the dark Flight Centre’s expert
Lucinda Hill holding onto the guide rope it will staff, who are based
Countries visited: 19 leave you feeling oddly calm by everywhere from Head
Favourite city: the time you reach your goal to Office to high-street
Sapporo make a wish to Buddha. From stores all over the world.
Top tip: There are so Kiyomizu-dera it’s a 20-minute Armed with their insider
many beautiful temples and walk to Gion, another must-see knowledge and excellent
palaces to choose from in Kyoto thanks to its old-world charm contacts, they can
but be sure not to miss Kiyomizu- and the promise of seeing maiko tailor-make your perfect
dera. This astonishing Buddhist (apprentice geisha) on their way holiday – combining the
temple can be found in the east to engagements. best city sights with
of the city with its Great Hall built authentic experiences.
on huge stilts – truly impressive Craig Macdonald
as not a single nail was used in its Countries visited: 28 PLAN YOUR
construction. If you’re feeling Favourite city: Kyoto DREAM HOLIDAY
Top tip: When visiting Flight Centre’s 10-night
Kyoto, try and time your ‘Japan: Capitals & Culture’
visit to coincide with Gion holiday starts from
Matsuri. This annual festival £2,159pp, saving £228pp.
takes place throughout July, but This includes flights,
the main float procession takes four-star hotels and hand-
place on the 17th of this month picked accommodation, use
with lantern-lit floats parading of a Japan Rail pass and
through the central streets, cultural excursions.
accompanied by throngs of
people in traditional dress, and
the sound of Japanese flutes and
music. Grab some authentic
street food from one of the
roadside stalls and cool off in the
warm summer evening with
a Japanese beer.
50 BEST
NEW TRIPS
FOR 2020
Newly opened routes. Little-visited peaks. Expertly
crafted itineraries. Only the freshest, most exciting
journeys make it onto our list of the top picks...

Going for green

Chase the northern
lights in Svalbard on
an environmentally
sustainable tour; (right)
a waterfall at Rio Celeste
 £50 LOOK OUT
FOR THIS
Unforgettable trips to get
your adrenaline flowing,
OFF SYMBOL muscles pounding and
If you’re a subscriber, hearts soaring
use your £50 voucher
towards the cost of the
trip. Not a subscriber?
Sign up now for our great NORWAY
offer; see p126
Go green in the Arctic
As temperatures rise in the Arctic,
it’s easy to see why ‘green’ travel
is a subject high on the global
agenda. But for those of you who
still dream of seeing the northern
lights in Svalbard, Off the Map
Travel’s Truly Green All-Day Aurora
trip lets you satisfy those desires
in a sustainable fashion. Head
to Longyearbyen and hop on
e-snowmobiles powered by Arctic
winds, let yourself be pulled under
the aurora on a thrilling dog sled

ACTIVE ADVENTURES
ride, and snowshoe into glittering
ice caves. A trip right on the
cutting edge.
Who? Off the Map Travel (0800
566 8901; offthemap.travel)
When? Flexible dates from
November 2020 to January 2021
How long? 3 nights
How much? From £1,095
(excluding int’l flights)

COSTA RICA
Zip through wild Costa Rica
£50 Squeezing maximum action
OFF into a week-long break,
Exodus Edits – the new specialist
for busy professionals – has
created a rip-roaring adventure
through the Rainforests & Restful
Retreats in Costa Rica. You’ll brave
white-water rapids on a Rio Celeste
tubing trip, swoop through pristine
jungle on zip lines and seek out
sloths and tapirs on wild forest
hikes – before flopping into the ⊲
Shutterstock; Hurtigruten Svalbard Agurtxane Concellon

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 59

 50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020
⊳ mineral-rich thermal pools of
Rincon de la Vieja. Then, from the
Bounty-advert beaches of Nicoya
Peninsula, you’ll go dolphin-
spotting and beach-barbecuing on
a catamaran jaunt – plus
paddleboarding, surf lessons, and
sorbet-hued sunsets every night.
Who? Exodus Edits (0203 733
5244; exodus.co.uk/exodus-edits)
When? 4 April, 16 May, 18 July,
14 November
How long? 7 nights
How much? From £1,499
(excluding int’l flights)
BRAZIL
Find an undiscovered gem
£50 Tap into a seldom-seen side
OFF of Brazil where diverse
landscapes reign supreme. Tucan
Travel’s Northern Brazil tour is your
vehicle to this remote wedge,
beginning in the pristine
Portuguese heritage of Sáo Luís.
The otherworldly lagoons and
60 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
Waves of white sand mangroves of Lençóis
The rippling dunes at
Lençóis Maranhenses
Maranhenses National Park soon
National Park, Brazil; come calling, as well as the sleepy
(below) the woods of village of Atins. Continue down the
Lopud loom over the
coast to protected Parnaíba and its
Franciscan monastery
wildlife-rich waters, finishing
among the flour-white dunes of
Jericoacoara – just two more
natural wonders squeezed into
this tiny strip of coastline. You’ll
wonder why others haven’t yet
discovered this part of Brazil, but
you’ll be glad you did.
Who? Tucan Travel
(0800 804 8435; tucantravel.com)
When? Year round
How long? 9 nights
How much? From £2,939
(excluding int’l flights)
CROATIA
Get active on the Adriatic
Dotted along the Dalmatian Coast,
Croatia’s idyllic Elaphiti Islands
just north-west of Dubrovnik are
best explored by both sea and
land. Enjoy an active getaway on
Artisan Travel’s Dubrovnik and
the Elaphiti Islands Highlights
trip. Paddleboard through the
clear blue waters of the Adriatic
Sea, then cycle through the
countryside on Šipan island
where you’ll be staying, taking
in churches, chapels and olive
groves along the way. Catch the
ferry to Lopud for a day of hiking
Ivo Biocina/Croatian National Tourist Board; G Adventures

through the woods and then
walk the city walls as you sight-see
in historic Dubrovnik. Glide
through hidden coves and caves
as you go sea kayaking in Koločep
and then watch out for pods of
dolphins as you take a sunset
catamaran cruise.
Who? Artisan Travel
(01670 785085; artisantravel.co.uk)
When? Selected dates between
18 April and 10 October 2020
How long? 7 nights
How much? From £690pp
(excluding int’l flights)
GEORGIA
Go green in Georgia
At the crossroads of Europe and
Asia, Georgia finds itself in an
enviable position for travellers
wanting a gateway to the Silk
Road. But before you head off
exploring that ancient trade route,
make the most of your Georgia
getaway on Wanderlust Journeys’
Discover Georgia trip with former
Wanderlust World Guide Awards
winner, Dario Ghirlanda, who
promises a whirlwind walking
adventure through Tusheti’s
sprawling mountain scenery,
cosmopolitan capital Tbilisi, Davit
Gareja’s centuries-old monasteries
and Kakheti’s celebrated vineyards.
If that’s not enough, Wanderlust
editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes
said that last year’s trip to the
region more than lived up to her
expectations – especially the wine!
Who? Wanderlust Journeys
(020 3553 9934;
wanderlust.co.uk/GeorgiaJourney)
When? 25 July 2020
How long? 10 nights
How much? From £1,895
(excluding int’l flights)
CUBA
Just add adrenaline
Ditch the classic car (or bus)
window on G Adventures’ Cuba
Multisport: Bike, Kayak and Hike
and see the country as nature
intended: through your eyes and
with raw muscle power. Trade
a vintage Cadillac for a bicycle
and pedal Havana’s streets, as well
as two-wheeling it through the
lush Viñales Valley. Switch from
bike to hike through the emerald
Mile Cumbres reserve and the
waterfall-striped scenery of Topes
de Collantes, then swap for
a paddle to kayak the calm ripples
Trails in Tusheti of Cienfuegos Bay. It’s not all go,
Hitting the trails in though, with mid-trip relaxation-
Georgia; (right) canoeing
calm waters in France; stop at Playa Larga scheduled in too.
(below) see the different Who? G Adventures
shades of Havana
(020 7313 6944; gadventures.com)
When? 1 October 2020
How long? 11 nights
How much? From £1,449
(excluding int’l flights)
FRANCE
Relish a peaceful paddle
Headwater’s Canoeing on the
Dordogne trip proves a multi-
day meander can be a delightful
paddle rather than a demanding
slog. Your glide along the calm
and flat waters of the Dordogne
passes blush-coloured cliffs,
charming riverside chateaux
and the Périgord region’s truffle
woods. Pit stop along the way
in historic boltholes to recharge
your batteries, taking the time
to explore the area’s villages,
like Carennac’s fairytale cluster
of cottages, gravity-defying
Rocamadour’s medieval steeples
and evocative atmosphere and the
Benedictine abbey at Souillac.
Who? Headwater (01606 369121;
headwater.com)
When? Flexible dates ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 61

⊳ How long? 8 nights
How much? From £1,625
(including int’l flights)
PANAMA
Self-drive the Pacific Coast
£50 Panama City is a buzzing
OFF metropolis, but beyond
the capital the country’s lesser-
known routes offer diverse
landscapes from beautiful
beaches to highland cloud
forest and dense rainforest. If
you want to see a different side
to the Pacific Coast, why not
get behind the wheel on Journey
Latin America’s Discover the
Pacific Coast self-drive. As well as
historic Panama City and the
Panama Canal, you’ll discover soft
white sands and Spanish-colonial
towns along the Azuero Peninsula.
See turtles come ashore on the
crescent-shaped Playa Venao,
cowboys on horseback in Boca
Chica and take in coffee plantations
and cloud forest in Boquete.
Then board a boat to spot
monkeys, sloths and toucans on
Lake Gatún near Soberanía NP.
Who? Journey Latin America
(020 8747 8315;
journeylatinamerica.co.uk)
When? Flexible
How long? 12 nights
How much? £2,776
(excluding int’l flights)
62 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
JAPAN
Go walking in
a winter wonderland
During winter, Hokkaido transforms
into a frozen playground, making
it a must-visit if you’re travelling
to Japan in 2020. KE Adventure
Travel’s Winter Hokkaido: Japan’s
Frozen North trip gives you
an insight into the country’s
wildest island. Learn all about
the Ainu way of life with folk
performances, then hunt for frost
flowers on frozen Lake Akan.
Explore the drift ice around the
Shiretoko Peninsula, then go on
a wildlife cruise on the Nemuro
Strait in search of Steller’s sea
eagles and foxes hiding in
the snow. Your icy adventures
conclude with snowshoeing in
Daisetsuzan National Park and
a wintery spectacular at the
Ice waterfall festival. Delve into
Japanese culture by tucking into
Kaiseki dinners, soaking in
a traditional onsen and hitting the
neon-lit Sapporo.
Who? KE Adventure Travel
(01768 773996; keadventure.com)
When? 16 Feb and 20 Feb 2020,
14 Feb 2021
How long? 9 nights
How much? From £2,495
(excluding int’l flights)
NEPAL
Find a trekker’s
paradise in Nepal
Up for a challenge? You’ll certainly
find one on a Makalu Base Camp
Trek with Mountain Kingdoms,
which takes you through remote
mountain passes and river valleys
to reach the base of Mount
Makalu, the world’s fifth highest
peak. Avoid Everest’s crowds and
trek into the real heart of Sherpa
country, passing cardamom
plantations, small farms and
rhododendron forests on your way
– before crossing Shipton La to
find epic views over the Himalayas,
including the snow-dusted
summits of Everest and Lhotse.
Experience some local hospitality
by staying in teahouses along the
way, gaining an authentic insight
into the villagers’ way of life.
Who? Mountain Kingdoms
Lighting up the Pacific
(clockwise from top) (mountainkingdoms.com;
Soak up the buzzing 01453 844 400)
atmosphere in Panama When? 18 April and 31 October
City; Echo Crater in New
Panamanian Tourist Board CATA ; KE Adventure Travel; Niki Morgan; Waimangu Thermal Valley; Exodus Travels
Zealand; trek through How long? 21 nights
tiny villages in Peru; How much? From £2,795
stop off at Makalu Base (including int’l flights)
Camp on an Everest trek;
see Japan in the winter

CULTURE SEEKERS
The best way to really
understand a destination?
Absorb its unique colour,
customs and cuisines…
NEW ZEALAND
Explore the East Cape
Discover the World’s East Cape
Explorer adventure doesn’t so
much go-off-grid but more
ignores it entirely. Hop in a car
and spend a week exploring
this seldom-scratched slice of
New Zealand, beginning among
the footprint-free beaches
and jungle-clad gorges of the
Coromandel Peninsula. Drive via
the geysers, bubbling pools and
Maori culture in Rotorua, spy the
white plume of volcanic White
Island and trace Captain Cook’s
footsteps in historic Gisborne.
Your final stretch will take in
Napier’s Art Deco architecture,
the vibrant capital Wellington and
50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020
the sun-drenched wine valleys, the ruins of Chachabamba and
where you can toast your time Wiñay Wayna, before rising early
in New Zealand. to beat the swell and take in
Who? Discover the World (01737 Machu Picchu for yourself.
886131; discover-the-world.com) Who? Exodus (020 3131 2785;
When? Year round exodus.co.uk)
How long? 13 nights When? 15 May, 26 June,
How much? From £2,231 18 September & 16 October 2020
(excluding int’l flights) How long? 11 days
How much? From £2,149
PERU (including int’l flights) ⊲
See Inca heritage in solitude
£50 Forget the idea of packed
OFF paths clogging the route to
Machu Picchu – join Exodus on The
Moonstone Trek, a little-known trail
which winds through tiny Andean
villages and Inca (plus pre-Inca)
ruins. Tackle the Accoccosa Pass
for views of snowy peaks, trace
a carved Inca aqueduct and soak
up the view from a ridge-perched
shrine, before ending the trek
among the Inca remains of
Ollantaytambo. Latch onto
a portion of the Inca Trail, passing
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 63
 50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020
⊳ PORTUGAL
Explore medieval Europe
Located in the Ribatejo region
of central Portugal, the riverside
town of Tomar boasts a rich
history, beautiful architecture and
lush green countryside. One of the
most important towns in 13th-
century Portugal, it’s also home
to the UNESCO World Heritage-
listed Convent of Christ, the
former seat to the Knights
Templar. Follow in the footsteps
of the military order of monks
made famous by The Da Vinci
Code by joining Adagio’s
Medieval Portugal walking tour.
After exploring Tomar and its
monuments, take in the natural
beauty of the Serra de Aires
Natural Park. Visit the Gothic
Batalha Abbey and the enigmatic
castle of Almourol before
sampling the region’s wine.
Who? Adagio (01707 386700;
adagio.co.uk)
When? 11 April, 23 May, 2 October
and 11 November 2020
How long? 7 nights
How much? From £1,669
(including int’l flights)
64 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
Templer tour JAPAN
Enjoy Portugal’s medieval Revels in Ryukyu
history on a walking tour;
(below) hiking through Venture where no western
natural wonders in tour group has gone before on
Yakushima, Japan
YellowWood Adventures’ Lost
Islands of Japan – a truly off-the-
radar encounter. Dangling off
its main islands, the half-moon-
shaped Ryukyu archipelago is
a unique glimpse at the Japan of
yesteryear. It’s the first western trip
to break ground in Tokunshima
and Okinoerabu islands; the
former harbouring eye-popping
snorkelling and the latter boasting
cerulean-tiered pools within its
Ginsuido Caves. Throw in the
ancient cedar forests of Yakushima
and the unique cultural heritage
of Okinawa, and you’ll be glad
hardly a soul knows these
Japanese jewels exist.
Who? YellowWood
Adventures (020 7846 0197;
yellowwoodadventures.com)
When? 15 April 2020
How long? 10 nights
How much? From £3,299
(excluding int’l flights)
USA
Blaze an ancestral trail
The USA’s south-west boasts some
of the country’s most larger-than-
life landscapes: the Grand Canyon,
Monument Valley and Arches
National Park, to name a few. But
the captivating culture of the Native
Americans who once thrived here
is often forgotten about. Trafalgar’s
South-West Native Trails tour puts
that right, visiting places that were
important to the Navajo and Pueblo
peoples. Among them, Chaco
Canyon is home to the ruins of
a once-major hub for the latter,
while a Navajo guide will help you
see the sandstone monoliths and
petroglyphs of Canyon de Chelly
through a Native American’s eyes.
Who? Trafalgar (0808 301 2077;
trafalgar.com)
When? Selected dates: April, June,
September and October 2020
How long? 10 nights
How much? From £2,995
(excluding int’l flights)
UZBEKISTAN
Hit the Silk Road
First stop Georgia, next Uzbekistan.
On Wanderlust Journeys’ Discover
Uzbekistan trip, you’ll not only find
everything you would expect from
the Silk Road – bustling bazaars,
ancient Islamic architecture, the
Shutterstock; Mark Ord
incredible cities of Khiva and
Samarkand – but also head to the
mountains to explore Nuratau
Natural Reserve. And Wanderlust
editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes will be
right there with you, taking on this
Silk Road favourite for the first time
and entertaining you with endless
stories from her travels.
Who? Wanderlust Journeys
(020 3553 7827;
wanderlust.co.uk/UzbekJourney)
When? 26 August 2020
How long? 9 nights
How much? From £1,895
(excluding int’l flights)
architecture, go shopping at
the local markets and get your
hands on tasty street food.
Stare into the caldera of an active
volcano at Mount Bromo, then
watch the sun rise and set over
two UNESCO World Heritage
listed temples: the 9th-century
Buddhist temple of Borobudur
and the Hindu temple of
Silk Road spectacle Prambanan. Round off your trip
See Uzbekistan’s tiled with a relaxing stay at a charming
heritage; (below) visit
Mount Bromo in Java
eco-lodge off the beaten track on
the island of Bali.
Who? All Points East
(02392 258859; allpointseast.com)
When? Selected dates
How long? 13 nights
How much? £1,895
(excluding int’l flights) ⊲

INDONESIA
Java overland
£50 Indonesia has over 13,000
OFF islands to choose from
including Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi
and Sumatra, but if you can only
visit one of them this year, it has
to be Java. All Points East’s Java
Overland tour will take you on
a journey travelling by road, rail,
and boat passing through the
verdant forests, paddy fields and
coffee plantations of Central and
East Java. You’ll visit the charming
towns of Yogyakarta, Solo and
Malang where you’ll get to admire
the ancient Dutch-colonial ⊲

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 65


LEARNING FROM THE EXPERTS
⊳ Get the most out of the
planet’s most fascinating
corners with help from
those in the know…
NAMIBIA
Track the last black rhino
There are fewer than 5,000 black
rhino left in the wild and almost
half of these can be found in
Namibia. Learning from the Experts
– The New Frontier in Conservation
self-drive safari from ATI Holidays
will not only give wildlife lovers
the chance to see this Critically
Endangered species, but they’ll
be able to learn first-hand how
scientists, guides, wardens and
researchers are working to make
a difference. Track black rhino
at Desert Rhino Camp and then
join researchers studying the
behaviour of desert elephant,
Angolan giraffe and the desert lion
at Hoanib Valley Camp. You’ll also
visit Ongava, the world centre for
black rhino DNA research in Etosha
National Park and the AfriCat
Foundation in Okonjima where
you’ll see brown hyena, leopard
and cheetah.
Who? ATI Holidays (0808 234
9378; ati-holidays.com)
When? Flexible dates
throughout the year
How long? 12 nights
How much? From N$97,080
(£5,100 excluding int’l flights)
66 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
COLOMBIA
Art and soul in Colombia
Encounter a cast of characters
to introduce you to Colombia on
Luxury Gold’s Art, Culture and
Cuisine of Colombia trip. See this
surreal landscape through the eyes
of author Juan Gabriel Vásquez
in Bogotá, the niece of Gabriel
García Márquez in Cartagena, and
a Comuna 13 survivor and young
graffiti artist in Medellín. Then
sample traditional dishes and go
behind the scenes at museums
often closed to the public eye.
Who? Luxury Gold (0808 149
9444; luxurygold.com)
When? Selected 2020 dates
How long? 9 nights
How much? From £3,866
(excluding int’l flights)
KYRGYZSTAN
The Silk Road through
expert eyes
Curated and led by Central Asia
expert Joan Pollock, TransIndus’
Kyrgyzstan ‘Art of the Nomads’
trip traces one of the most
rugged stretches of the Silk Road.
Explore sun-dappled peaks,
rock-etched petroglyphs and
the glacial lakes of Issyk-Kul and
Son-Kul, the latter of which
you’ll stay in a yurt beside. Then
watch rugs and carpets being
weaved in front of you at the
Kyrgyz Shyrdak Festival.
Who? TransIndus (020 8566 3739;
transindus.co.uk)
When? 18 June 2020
How long? 12 nights
How much? From £1,790
(excluding int’l flights)
New perspective
Experience Colombia
through the eyes of a local;
(above, from left) track rare
rhino in Namibia; see
traditional handicrafts
being created live at the
Shyrdak Festival
Picasa/Anica Britz; Joan Pollok; iStock/Dmitry Saparov

BOTSWANA
& ZAMBIA
Get back to nature
Discover Africa’s natural wonders
by joining a safari with a difference.
On African Bush Camps’ Founder
Safari trip, learn all about the
importance of conservation by
visiting nature’s classroom with
the safari company’s founder and
former guide Beks Ndlovu. Start
off by watching thousands of
zebras migrating from the Nxai
Pan area in Botswana. Then spy
flocks of birds or predators on the
50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020
GREAT JOURNEYS
There’s the perfect epic
adventure for you out there
– whether by foot, wheel,
rail or sail
ARGENTINA
Off-road through
a hidden corner
Join Holiday Architects on its
Northern Off-Road Adventure to
explore a secret slice of northern
Argentina via the only way
possible: 4x4. First, spend a couple
of days wandering the storied
Elephant adventures
Get an expertly guided
corners and neighbourhoods of
tour of some of capital Buenos Aires before flying
Africa’s best wildlife north, where the adventure really
destinations; (right)
cruise through dusty begins. This remote region rewards
canyons in Argentina you with a different landscape
to savour every day, including
the rugged Toro Gorge, lunching
hunt on the edge of the Moremi with shepherds at Antofalla, the
Game Reserve in Botswana. The sweeping salt flats of Salar de
floodplains, dense forests and Arizaro, flamingo-filled Laguna
papyrus-lined lagoons of Chobe Grande reserve (summer months
Enclave attract a huge diversity of only) and leafy vineyards of
game. End your trip with a stay on Cafayate. It’s time to get there
the Zambezi River in Zambia where before others do…
river cruises, rhino encounters and Who? Holiday Architects
the Victoria Falls await. (01242 253073;
Who? African Bush Camps argentinaholidayarchitects.com)
(0800 041 8187; When? September 2020
africanbushcamps.com) to May 2021
When? 1 December 2020 How long? 12 nights
How long? 8 nights How much? From £4,890
How much? TBC (including int’l flights) ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 67
⊳ BELIZE
Uncover a Central
American gem
From pristine coral reefs, to
jungle rainforests and remote
Mayan villages, Belize is an ideal
active island getaway. Island
Expeditions’ Epic Belize trip
showcases the best of this
compact Central American gem.
Your adventure starts in Bocawina
National Park at a remote rainforest
eco-lodge in the southern Maya
Mountains. Travel south for
a traditional meal in the Maya
village of Santa Teresa and then
kayak the rapids and canyons of
the Moho River. Enjoy a ‘bean to
bar’ chocolate experience at
a spice farm near the ancient
Mayan ruins at Lubaantum, then
head to Dangriga and board a boat
to Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve.
You’ll spend four nights at this
UNESCO World Heritage site,
sea kayaking and snorkelling the
azure blue waters.
Who? Island Expeditions (0800
404 9535; islandexpeditions.com)
When? Scheduled small group
departures from February to
April 2020
How long? 9 nights
How much? $2,999USD (£2,300)
(excluding int’l flights)
68 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
Blue Belize GREECE
Kayak the coastal cayes Reach Corfu by rail
of the compact South
American country; £50 A week in the Mediterranean
(below) relax with the OFF doesn’t always have to be
local fisherman at
a whistle-stop, two-hour flight
Greece’s Kalami Bay
away. Sunvil’s Greece by Train
trip champions slow travel and
ensures the journey is just as
important as the destination,
starting at London King’s Cross
station rather than an airport.
Ride the rails to the continent,
where you can pause for a few
days in Paris and Milan en route.
Hop on the ferry from Bari to
Corfu, where you’ll hole up in
sleepy Kalami Bay. There, embrace
the relaxed vibe by watching
the fishermen bring in their daily
catch and pleasantly amble
through quaint seaside villages.
Who? Sunvil (020 8758 4722;
sunvil.co.uk)
When? Year round
How long? 9 nights
How much? From £1,099
(including int’l travel)
SOUTH KOREA
Full of soul
Japan’s getting all the attention
lately, but South Korea deserves
your love too. On The Dragon
Trip’s South Korean Adventure,
you’ll find out exactly why – one
moment you’re getting lost among
skyscrapers in neon-lit cities, then
you find yourself gossiping with
locals at a jimjilbang (traditional
bathhouse). The next morning, you
could be sipping tea with Buddhist
monks, before heading off to
sample Korean barbecue. Expect
visits to national parks and the
demilitarized zone on the agenda,
too, where you’ll get the chance to
speak with a North Korean defector.
Who? The Dragon Trip (020 7157
9964; thedragontrip.com)
When? Selected dates from March
Duarte Dellarole; Shutterstock
to October 2020
How long? 11 nights
How much? From £1,249
(excluding int’l flights)
 50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020

in the dunes at Wahiba Sands,

concluding with hatching green
turtles at Sur.
Who? Flight Centre (0808 239
3772; flightcentre.co.uk)
When? Flexible
How long? 7 nights
How much? From £2,135
(including int’l flights)

JORDAN
Steam through
desert wonders
Join Ffestiniog Travel on its
Jordan: Steam, Petra & The Dead
Sea tour for a historic ride on the
rails. The rose-coloured city of
Petra, sweeping dunes of Wadi
Rum and ripples of the Dead
Sea need little introduction, but
Jordan’s landscapes were made
to be ogled from a train carriage.
Ride the final two working sections
of the Hejaz railway, including one
through the barren desert and
sandstone arches surrounding
Disah. Beef up your trip with visits
to Greco-Roman Jerash, capital
Amman and Bethany-Beyond-the-
Jordan, where it’s said Jesus was
thought to be baptised.
Who? Ffestiniog Travel (01766
512400; ffestiniogtravel.com)
When? 2 November 2020
How long? 8 nights
How much? From £2,525
(including int’l flights)
ICELAND
Drive rings around Iceland
£50 On Audley Travel’s Around
OFF Iceland’s Ring Road tailored
self-drive tour, you’ll explore places
that sound straight out of
a fairytale. Go for a dip in the
geothermal waters of the Golden
Crossing Jordan Circle’s Secret Lagoon, before
(clockwise from above)
heading to the Eastfjords and
explore Greco-Roman
ruins in Jerash, Jordan; looking out for the queen of the
hike up New Hampshire’s elves in Borgafjörður Eystri. But
White Mountains; feel the
you’ll also become immersed in
spray of waterfalls in
Iceland local life as you weave your way
through small coastal villages and
traditional Icelandic turf homes to
find inky-blue fjords and whales
breaching the waters off
Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
Who? Audley Travel (01993
838431; audleytravel.com)
When? Flexible
How long? 12 nights
How much? From £4,390
(including int’l flights)
USA
Touch the clouds
Ramblers Holidays’ White
Mountains tour will take you up
into the peaks of New Hampshire’s
White Mountains to hike one
of the Appalachian Trail’s most
spectacular sections bagging
peaks by day, and snoozing in
remote huts by night. It’s
a challenging pace, but there’s still
time for lake swimming and wildlife
spotting. Then take a less hilly walk
on the Freedom Trail in Boston.
Who? Ramblers Holidays (01707
331133; ramblersholidays.co.uk)
When? 29 August and
12 September 2020
How long? 10 nights
How much? From £2,495
(including int’l flights) ⊲

OMAN
Find fortune & glory
Channel your inner Indiana Jones
with Flight Centre’s Essential
Oman adventure. Snake your
way through the souks of time-
honoured capital Muscat, spy its
crumbling Portuguese forts and
be wowed by the Sultan Qaboos
Grand Mosque. Break out of the
city and head up into the Al Hajar
Mountains for panoramas of Oman
at its rugged best. Then spend
a night in a Bedouin-style tent

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 69

50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
⊳ If you’re looking to party
or to get swept up in
local celebrations,
timing is everything...
CHINA
A celebration of ice
£50 Christmas doesn’t just have
OFF to be for a day (or 12) – in
northern China, they’ve stretched
the festivities until February and
Regent Holidays’ Harbin Ice
Festival Small Group Tour thrusts
you into this real-life Narnia. In its
36th year, the festival in Harbin has
evolved into a fantasia of neon-lit
snow and ice sculptures. Spend
your evenings mesmerised by this
winter wonderland and by day, visit
the Jinyuan Tourist Area for a deep
dive into Jin dynasty culture,
wander elegant Harbin Volga
Manor and pay a sobering visit to
the Unit 731 Museum, which
unpicks the Japanese army’s
Second World War crimes on the
local population.
Who? Regent Holidays (020 7666
1244; regent-holidays.co.uk)
70 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
triumphing over evil, in the ancient
Winter wonderland
Admire the larger than life walled city of Lo Manthang. The
ice structures at Harbin Ice streets are filled with prayer flags,
Festival; (below) walk monks wear colourful, elaborate
among Tibetan Buddhist
monks in Mustang costumes and masks, and
traditional dances are performed
to ward off evil spirits. The Road to
Mustang & Tiji Festival has been
designed by World Expeditions to
coincide with the celebrations. If
you’re looking for a cultural
Himalayan experience without the
long hikes, this is the trip for you.
Discover the hidden Kingdom of
Mustang and its rugged mountain
landscapes by Jeep, stroll through
quaint Nepali villages and take in
the Tibetan and Buddhist culture.
Who? World Expeditions
(0800 0744 135;
worldexpeditions.com/kot)
When? 13 May 2020
How long? 13 nights
How much? £2,550
(excluding int’l flights)
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Experience a fire dance
Intrepid Travel’s brand new
Firedance Festival trip offers
When? 2 Feb 2020 visitors a unique way to experience
How long? 5 nights the dense jungles, bright coral
How much? From £1,285 reefs and the history and traditions
stock; World Expeditions; Mike Geisel; Dreamstime; John Cowpland/Photosport Lt/swpix.com
(excluding int’l flights) of Papua New Guinea. Immerse
yourself in local culture as you’re
MUSTANG welcomed into a homestay in
Celebrate good versus evil Vunga village and experience the
£50 Known as the ‘Chasing of spectacular Baining Firedance
OFF the Demons’, the Tibetan Festival, where traditional dance
Buddhist Tiji Festival is a vibrant is performed around a fire. During
three-day celebration of good your adventure you’ll also get to
visit the Duke of York Islands, meet Island life
spinner dolphins and take Wander around
a historical tour of Rabaul. Ometepe Island,
Nicaragua; (below)
Who? Intrepid Travel (0330 808 a view over Haida
7328; intrepidtravel.com) Gwaii Islands
When? Selected dates June and
October 2020
How long? 8 nights Be among the first to CANADA
How much? From £2,405 experience these freshly Discover the Galápagos
(excluding int’l flights) opened countries, trails of the North
and itineraries… Embark on the new-for-2020 Haida
JAPAN Gwaii Islands Expedition with
NEW FRONTIERS

Get in the Olympic spirit Intrepid around one of Canada’s

The Olympic Games in 2020 NICARAGUA
means the world’s eyes are firmly Be on cloud nine in
on Japan and Team GB Live’s the rainforest
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Trip Following last year’s political
offers you the unique opportunity unrest, tour operators are finally
to cheer on sporting heroes while returning to the land of lakes and
exploring one of the planet’s most volcanoes – and you’ll find out
intriguing cities. By day, you can why on Wild Frontiers’ new
soak up Tokyo’s past-meets-future Nicaragua Explorer trip, which
skyline, with ancient shrines and shows exactly what the Central
temples rubbing shoulders with American country has hidden up
futuristic inventions. Come the its sleeve. Think everything from
evening, you get behind Team cloud forests to rainforests – and
GB via your choice of a selection all the wildlife in between. Spy
of sports, from swimming to hundreds of green parakeets
equestrian and athletics – all under flitting around waterfalls as you
the watchful gaze of Mount Fuji. walk the forest trails of bird haven
Who? Team GB Live (0344 788 El Chocoyero Nature Reserve,
4002; travel.teamgblive.com) or for a cultural hit, head to the
When? 28 July 2020 vibrant city of Granada and watch
How long? 6 nights a potter tinkering about at home,
How much? From £7,305 before stopping by Ometepe to
(including int’l flights) admire the island’s two volcanoes,
framed by Lake Nicaragua. And if
you want more, night tours to the
Olympic cheer
GB Olympian Phillip Masaya volcano’s crater are also
Hindes celebrates on the agenda, where you get
winning Gold at the the chance to see lava frothing
2016 Olympics;
(above) PNG’s and flowing before your eyes.
fire festival Who? Wild Frontiers
(020 8741 7390;
wildfrontierstravel.com)
When? 28 June 2020
How long? 13 nights
How much? £2,995
(excluding int’l flights)
remotest and wild archipelagos.
You’ll be treated to a melting
pot of human history, bucket-
list wildlife and a magic hat of
superb landscapes, beginning
with spotting ursines at the
Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear
Sanctuary. Hop around a selection
of the isles and watch whales
off the coast of Louise Island,
paddle on a guided kayaking trip
and channel your inner grizzly
with some salmon fishing. Just as
enchanting, though, are the ethnic
Haida people, their legacy writ
large in the watchmen who have
stood guard here for millennia.
Who? Intrepid (0330 808 7328;
intrepidtravel.com)
When? 30 June and 18 August
2020; 29 June and 17 August 2021
How long? 7 nights
How much? From £1,845
(excluding int’l flights) ⊲

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 71

 50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020

⊳ AZERBAIJAN &
NAKHCHIVAN
Fall right off the travel map
£50 Combine a rising tourism
OFF star with a place that doesn’t
– technically – exist on Regent
Holidays’ Azerbaijan & Nakhchivan
Uncovered Group Tour. Easy-on-
the-eye Baku is the perfect
introduction to Azerbaijan, its
modern skyscrapers blending with
its quaint Old Town, before moving
onto the emerald-wrapped
mountains of Sheki and the
ancient settlement of Lahij. Head
to the seldom-treaded landlocked
exclave of Nakhchivan (separated
from the rest of Azerbaijan by
Armenia) and stroll its namesake
capital’s plethora of museums and
monuments. Cast your net further
in this tiny state for more CHINA towards a charity of your choice. Take a hike
The mountain village of
sightseeing, including the Act as the eyes of This is an amazing opportunity to
Lahij; (below) sunrise
woodland, mountains and lakes of a Great Wall trekker spend five days hiking sections of over the Great Wall
the Shahbuz Plateau and Strap on your boots and embark the Great Wall, while experiencing of China
Azerbaijan’s answer to Machu on a charity challenge with the sights and heights of China
Picchu in Alinja Fortress. a difference as you hike the Great with a focus on all the senses.
Who? Regent Holidays (020 7666 Wall of China as part of a group Who? Traveleyes (01138 346094;
1244; regent-holidays.co.uk) of blind and sighted trekkers. traveleyes-international.com)
When? 2 May 2020 On Traveleyes’ Great Wall of When? 2 May 2020
How long? 10 nights China Trek you’ll assist a blind How long? 8 nights
How much? From £2,740 trekker, enabling them to enjoy How much? £1,900
(including int’l flights) the challenge, while fundraising (including int’l flights) ⊲
Vastram/Alamy; iStock/bingdian

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 73


⊳ MYANMAR
Stay somewhere new
£50 Over the past few years,
OFF a number of new projects,
hotels and experiences have
popped up around Myanmar.
Selective Asia’s Impact Myanmar
trip is all about staying at smaller
locally owned hotels, community
tourism and wildlife conservation.
Get away from the crowds of
Bagan and central Inle, and
instead sleep at Salay River
View Inn and experience British
colonial charm. The inn is
a restored warehouse formerly
owned by the Ayeyarwaddy
Royal Trading Company. At Inle
Sanctuary Phayartaung you’ll
stay in stilt houses built on the
pier. The ecolodge is the first
hotel on Sakar Lake on the
southern end of Inle Lake and
offers breathtaking views.
Who? Selective Asia (01273
670001; selectiveasia.com)
When? Year round
How long? 14 nights
Selective Asia
How much? £2,726 pp (excluding
int’l flights)
SULAWESI
Explore island treasures
£50 Where else would you begin
OFF your Adventures in Sulawesi
than the bustling port of Makassar?
Bamboo Travel’s overland
expedition takes you from the
Indonesian island’s capital and its
melting pot of cultures, to the karst
landscapes of the highlands, where
you’ll get the chance to immerse
yourself in the daily life of the
spiritual Torajan people, before
rafting down rivers for your next
thrill. Rugged mountains and
rainforests drape the landscape, but
no trip would be complete without
a turn around the UNESCO-stamped
Lore Lindu NP. Spy endemic birds,
like the maleo fowl and purple-
bearded bee-eater, and prehistoric
megaliths sculpted into human
forms in one of the largest remaining
mountain rainforests of Sulawesi.
Who? Bamboo Travel (020 7720
9285; bambootravel.co.uk)
When? May to October 2020
How long? 17 nights
How much? From £3,795
(including int’l flights)
50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020
PAKISTAN
Discover varied Pakistan
From ancient bazaars and forts to
towering peaks, explore Pakistan’s
many different faces on Dragoman
Overland’s Pakistan Discovery
tour. Start your journey in the Old
Walled City of Lahore. Browse the
bazaars for traditional handicrafts,
learn about the city’s Mogul
past and take in the bizarre flag
lowering ceremony at the Wagah
border. Then head to Islamabad
stopping at the striking Rohtas Fort
on the way. Admire the mountain
Lakeside view scenery as you drive along through
A fisherman on Inle Lake, the Karakoram Highway and enjoy
Myanmar; (below)
mountainous scenery in a two-day hike up to Nanga Parbat.
Pakistan Venture through the heart of the
Karakoram region and, later, visit
Deosai NP, thought to be the second
highest plateau in the world.
Who? Dragoman Overland
(01728 861133; dragoman.com)
When? 20 June and 4 July 2020
How long? 14 nights
How much? From £1,950 +
USD$660 (£504) kitty
(excluding int’l flights) ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 75

BODY & SOUL
⊳ Rid yourself of your
everyday rigours on
one of these relaxing
and reviving adventures
VIETNAM
Look after number one
In a hundred-miles-an-hour world,
InsideAsia’s Vietnam Rejuvenation
tour is like hitting the pause button.
Recalibrate against the backdrop
of Vietnam’s natural splendour,
stimulating your mind with sunrise
yoga amid the emerald paddies
of Cam Thanh near Hoi An and
practising tai chi on the banks of
Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. Nourish
your body with local farm-to-fork
Shutterstock; Salzkammergut Stmg
food in Hue and the chalk-white
beaches of Phu Quoc, before
soothing your soul by kicking
back on a cruise through the
spectacular karsts of Lan Ha Bay
50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020
Restorative journeys
Cruise through Lan Ha
Bay; (below) explore
Austria’s alpine scenery
and cycling through the time- with epic views, and be sure to
frozen history of Hoi An. sample some of that traditional
Who? InsideAsia (0117 370 9758; hearty fare while you’re on your way.
insideasiatours.com) Who? Walks Worldwide (01962
When? Year round 302085; walksworldwide.com)
How long? 17 nights When? Between April and
How much? From £3,995 October 2020
(excluding int’l flights) How long? 7 nights
How much? From £899
AUSTRIA (including int’l flights) ⊲
Breathe in the fresh air
Even if you haven’t been to Austria,
chances are you recognise its
traditional Alpine villages and
mountainous meadows from
a postcard. But Walks Worldwide
offers another great reason to
book yourself onto this self-guided
walking trip through Austria’s Alpine
Splendour. With every booking, they
plant a tree that you can hike to see
upon your arrival. As you breathe in
the mountain air and pass through
scenic valleys, you’ll be rewarded
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 77
78 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
 50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020

⊳ Discover the newest ways

Scandinavian surprise
Keep an eye out for bears to encounter the most
– yes, bears – in the amazing creatures on
Swedish woods our planet

SWEDEN
Head on a bear hunt
If you go down to the Swedish
woods today, you’ll be sure of
a big surprise. So few people know
about the bear-rich Gävleborg
region – even though it’s just
a two-hour drive from Stockholm
– they might as well be in disguise.
Best Served Scandinavia’s Bear
Watching in Sweden tour is your
pass to the country’s largest bear
population, holing up in a hide for
a glimpse. Complement your time
in Sweden’s wild secret by hiking

WILDLIFE WONDERS
and kayaking through the woods
and waters of Stilleben, or admire
the UNESCO-listed crayon-hued
cottages of Hälsingland.
Who? Best Served Scandinavia
(020 7664 2241; best-served.co.uk)
When? Selected dates from May
to September 2020
How long? 3 nights
How much? From £920
(including int’l flights)

INDIA
Get your tiger thrills in India
India’s tiger numbers are on the
up, so there’s no better time to go
In Search of Tigers and spot the
stripy stalkers on Hayes & Jarvis’s
thrilling new trip through India’s
best wildlife parks. If you choose
to accept, your mission will begin
in Bandhavgarh National Park, but
you’ll also find yourself on
a 4WD expedition through Kanha,
Pench and Tadoba, to spy the royal
Bengal tiger as well as antelopes,
sloths and – if you’re lucky –
leopards too. An Indian train
journey between Agra and Katni
is also on the agenda, ensuring
that you don’t miss the iconic
architecture of the Taj Mahal while
passing through the parks.
Who? Hayes & Jarvis (01293 762
456; hayesandjarvis.co.uk)
When? Flexible
How long? 14 nights
Sara Wennerquist

How much? From £3,699

(including int’l flights) ⊲

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 79


⊳ RUSSIA
Running with tigers in Russia
It’s impossible to cover the breadth
of Russia’s taiga forests in a week,
but you can enter the Realm of the
Siberian Tiger to track the elusive
creatures on Naturetrek’s overland
adventure. Go on 4WD drives
through taiga bogs, rolling hills
and birch forests to Durminskoye
Forest Reserve, then head out
on foot for a chance to spot the
endangered tigers, as well as
Siberian roe deer and wild boar
in their natural habitat. Look up,
though, and you’ll spy white-tailed
eagles circling. Expert guides will
be on hand to shed light on this
Shutterstock
remote wilderness, promising an
unforgettable trip.
50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020
Eye of the tiger
Stare down tigers in remote
Russian wilderness if you’re
lucky; (below) spot monkeys in
the Peruvian rainforest
Who? Naturetrek (01962 733051;
naturetrek.co.uk)
When? 1 August 2020
How long? 8 nights
How much? From £5,895
(including int’l flights)
PERU
Take to the dizzy high roads
£50 There’s plenty to impress
OFF a driver on Peru Safari’s
Jaguar Tracks 4x4 to Manú Reserve
self-drive trip. Like Manú National
Park – not only is it a UNESCO-listed
reserve, it’s also home to giant river
otters, pink dolphins and jaguars.
But before you go starry-eyed at the
sight of so much wildlife, you’ll be
tiring your tyres out coasting
through Ica’s dunes and crossing ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 81

⊳ the Andes at dizzying heights of
5,000m. Heading down into
Cusco, you’ll then canoe along the
Amazon, staying in the jungle, on
your way to Manú’s untouched
rainforest. Life on the road is
sounding pretty sweet right now.
Who? Peru Safari (07522 77616;
perusafari.com)
When? 1 June 2020
How long? 15 nights
How much? From £4,480
(excluding int’l flights)
COLOMBIA
Go wild in cowboy country
While you may not think of Colombia
as a top wildlife destination, Imagine
Travel is hoping to prove it should
be with its Wildlife of Colombia
trip. Explore colonial-era capital
Bogota before escaping the city
Galavanta
50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020
to Los Llanos. Here you’ll discover
a cowboy county where there
are more animals than humans,
and you’ll have the chance to go
horseback riding in the wetlands
or birding. There are over 350 bird
species to spot including scarlet ibis.
Next fly to artsy Medellin where you’ll
find graffiti art and iconic sculptures,
before heading to Nuquí along the
Chocó coast where you’ll take a boat
trip in search of humpback whales
during their migration. Your last
stop is the historic city of Cartagena Wild wonders SCOTLAND
and a canoe excursion down the La Traipse through
Colombia’s vast
Get back to nature
Boquilla mangroves. grassland to find more On Wilderness Scotland’s Big
Who? Imagine Travel (020 3131 animals than humans; Picture – Rewilding Retreat you’ll
(above) see how
5034; imaginetravel.com) be taken to a number of rewilding
Scotland is being
When? Flexible rewilded projects around Scotland and be
How long? 15 nights able to walk through protected
How much? From £4,700 landscapes while learning about
(excluding int’l flights) reintroduced species. Based ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 83

⊳ at Glenfeshie mountain lodge,
you’ll be led by an expert guide
as you explore the work being
carried out in Scotland to bring
about the large-scale restoration
of ecosystems on land and at sea.
On the trip, you’ll spy bottlenose
dolphins along the Moray coast,
observe pine martens from
a local hide and take views of
ancient mountains and sea lochs
along the Highlands’ West Coast.
Who? Wilderness Scotland
(01479 898528;
wildernessscotland.com)
When? 31 October 2020
How long? 6 nights
How much? From £1,325
50 BEST NEW TRIPS FOR 2020
BOTSWANA &
ZIMBABWE
Experience safari on the go
An alternative safari in Botswana,
Llama Travel Africa’s Delta Mobile
Safari & Victoria Falls tour allows
you to experience a true African
safari without the price tag that
often comes with the country’s
game lodges. By staying in a
mobile tented safari, you’ll enjoy
a more intimate stay in the bush.
Botswana limits the number of
visitors in its national parks, so
you’ll be able to avoid the crowds
and enjoy early morning game
viewings. Go camping in the
Okavango Delta, spend two nights
near Chobe NP and end your
journey with a trip to Victoria Falls
on the Zimbabwe-Zambia border.
Who? Llama Travel Africa (020
7263 3000; llamatravel.com)
When? Selected dates from March
to November 2020
How long? 11 nights
How much? £3,499
(including int’l flights)
TAJIKISTAN &
KYRGYZSTAN
Protect the snow leopard
As travellers, we’re becoming more
aware of the impact we have on
the places we visit, so it’s important
to give back when we can. Join
Silk Road Adventures on its Snow
Leopards of Central Asia trip and
be involved with the conservation
of one the planet’s most elusive
Making tracks
Come face to face predators (there are less than
with snow leopards in 9,000 of these vulnerable big cats
Central Asia; (above) remaining in the wild). As you trail
see the Okavango
Delta from a dugout through some of Central Asia’s most
canoe or ‘mokoro’ majestic mountain scenery, you
won’t just try to spot snow leopards,
but also wolves, ibex and markhor.
But this adventure is as much about
you being involved with pioneering
conservation efforts, including laying
camera traps and educating local
schools, as it is about wildlife trekking
– a win-win if ever we saw one.
Who? Silk Road Adventures (0117
427 0129; silkroad-adventures.com)
When? 27 January 2021
How long? 11 days
How much? From £6,750
(excluding int’l flights)
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 85
Enjoy 5 issues for only
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Discover Georgia
TRAVEL WITH THE EXPERTS
SEE THE PEARL OF THE CAUCASUS IN A NEW LIGHT ON AN EXCLUSIVE TRIP WITH
AWARD-WINNING GUIDE, WILD FRONTIERS’ DARIO GHIRLANDA
I
n search of pristine mountain
scenery, celebrated
vineyards, and ancient cave
towns? Well, Georgia has them
all. Best of all, it’s still practically
undiscovered.
Team up with former
Wanderlust World Guide Awards
winner, Wild Frontiers’ Dario
Ghirlanda, who’ll show you the
lesser-explored side of the land
on this 11-day small-group tour.
Explore Georgia’s crown jewels
– the current and former capitals
of Tbilisi and Mtskheta, where
UNESCO-listed gems and
hidden treasures go hand in
hand – before delving into the
remote Tusheti region.
88 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
HIGHLIGHTS
Tbilisi
Set on the banks of the Mtkvari
River, Georgia’s cosmopolitan
capital is home to a few cultural
gems – don’t miss the Narikala
Fortress, the Sulphur Baths, the
sixth-century Sioni Cathedral
and Anchiskhati Basilica.
Food & drink
From Kakheti’s famous wine
to Tusheti’s cheese, all manners
of delicacies abound here.
Visit a farmers’ market, see
how yoghurt is made, and
dine on home-cooked fare
with a local family.
Tusheti National Park
Located to the north of the
Greater Caucasus Mountains,
Tusheti NP’s unspoiled
landscapes (pictured above)
await those who love walking
between remote villages. Epic
views seem a fitting reward.
Monasteries & fortresses
Sitting starkly in the desert,
Davit Gareja’s centuries-old
monasteries are sure to impress.
But the fortresses here aren’t
too shabby, either – Vardzia’s
Khertvisi Fortress leads to
a cave city, while Akhaltsikhe’s
Rabat fortress is one of the only
Ottoman complexes in the land.
 JOURNEYS
ITINERARY EXCLUSIVE TRIPS
Day 1: Tbilisi
Day 2: Tbilisi
Day 3: Tbilisi – Davit Gareja – Kvareli
Day 4: Kvareli – Gremi – Tusheti National Park
Day 5: Tusheti National Park
Georgia more than lived up
EXPERT BIO Day 6: Tusheti National Park
thanks to its fabulous sce
DARIO Day 7: Tusheti – Alaverdi – Telavi
and people. Oh, and not
GHIRLANDA – Day 8: Telavi – Mtskheta – Gori
To travel there with Dario Former Bronze
Day 9: Gori – Akhaltsikhe – Vardzia
Lyn Hughes Award-winning guide
Dario has been across Day 10: Vardzia – Lake Paravani – Tbilisi
the world with Wild Day 11: Tbilisi
Frontiers. But Georgia
is his next adventure
– and you can join
WHAT’S INCLUDED
him, too. A Wild Frontiers tour leader with local guides
Born in Rome to and drivers
Italian/Ethiopian All accommodation in guesthouses and
parents, Dario’s always
had a world view – three-star hotels
he moved to Ethiopia All meals, transport and entrance fees
aged seven, (for full itinerary details see online)
graduated with
Wine tasting and home-cooked dinner
degree in Travel &
Tourism, and he’s A carbon-offsetting contribution to Carbon Clear (if
even fluent in four booking international flights through Wild Frontiers)
languages, too.
But it’s his total
unflappability and BOOKING DETAILS
sense of fun that The dates: 25 July – 4 August, 2020
never fails to impress The price: From £1,895pp*
his guests.
Call 020 3553 9934 to find out more,
or visit wanderlust.co.uk/GeorgiaJourney

OUR TRAVEL PARTNER

Go green in Georgia
Experience hills and
history – including the *Price based on two sharing. Flights are not included. Subject to availability.
remote Tusheti NP – Single supplement: £160. Our travel partner, Wild Frontiers, is AITO-bonded
on a Wanderlust and this trip is ATOL-protected. For full terms and conditions, go to
Journeys adventure wanderlust.tripsmiths.com/georgiawl

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 89

 TRAVEL WITH THE EXPERTS
Discover
with Lyn Hughes
Uzbekistan
DISCOVER SILK ROAD SPLENDOUR – AND UZBEKISTAN’S WILD SIDE – ON OUR EXCLUSIVE JOURNEY
N
o matter how many
photos you’ve seen of
Uzbekistan’s Silk Road
cities, nothing prepares you for
the scale, sumptuousness and
richly storied history of Khiva,
Bukhara and Samarkand.
They’re yours to discover on our
exclusive trip with Wild Frontiers
– as well as taking in the Soviet
monuments of Tashkent, and
the peaks of Nuratau Reserve.
You travel in the company of
Wanderlust’s editor-in-chief Lyn
Hughes, swapping tales in local
tea houses, seeking out Uzbek’s
best plov (biryani), and delving
into the treasures of this ancient
cultural crossroads.
90 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
HIGHLIGHTS
Step back in time
From Samarkand’s 600-year-old
Registan – the heart of the
Timurid dynasty – to the
glittering mosaics and minarets
of Khiva, you’ll enjoy guided
tours of Uzbekistan’s well
preserved Silk Road cities.
Local life
Featuring a cooking class with
a family in Bukhara, and a village
homestay in Yangikishlak, this
trip includes many opportunities
to meet local people – and
immerse yourself in their crafts,
cuisine and customs.
The Nuratau Reserve
This mountainous region
boasts hiking and wildlife
watching – there are
160 bird species to spot as
well as the endangered
Severtzov wild sheep.
Tashkent’s many marvels
In Uzbekistan’s eclectic capital,
500-year-old madrassahs rub
shoulders with Soviet
monuments, ancient bazaars,
and opulent cultural institutions
– such as the Alisher Navoi
Opera and Ballet Theatre. You’ll
also explore the intricately
decorated Metro stations –
a work of art in their own right.
 JOURNEYS
EXCLUSIVE TRIPS

ITINERARY
Day 1: Tashkent
Day 2: Tashkent – Samarkand
Day 3: Samarkand
Day 4: Samarkand – Yangikishlak
Day 5: Nuratau Reserve
Day 6: Yangikishlak – Bukhara
Day 7: Bukhara
Day 8: Bukhara – Khiva
Picture ‘the Silk Road’ a Day 9: Khiva – Tashkent
cites of Uzbekistan that s Day 10: Tashkent
wait to see them but also t
and experience some of it WHAT’S INCLUDED
Lyn Hughes A Wild Frontiers tour leader with local guides and drivers
All accommodation in hotels, plus a remote village
homestay in Yangikishlak
Guided tours of Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara
EXPERT BIO and Khiva – plus a cooking class and tea house visit
LYN HUGHES All meals, transport and entrance fees (for full
You’ll be travelling
with Wanderlust’s itinerary details see online)
Silk road stories award-winning A carbon-offsetting contribution to Eco Act
Discover the gilded founder and editor (if booking international flights through Wild Frontiers)
history of Uzbekistan Lyn Hughes. She loves A maximum group size of 16 people.
venturing where few
other travellers tread,
so she can’t wait to BOOKING DETAILS
explore the Nuratau The dates: 26 August – 4 September, 2020
Reserve. Lyn and her The price: From £1,895pp*
late husband, Paul Call 020 3553 7827 to find out more,
Morrison, launched
Wanderlust from their
or visit wanderlust.co.uk/UzbekJourney
spare bedroom in
1993. She’s spent the OUR TRAVEL PARTNER
last 26 years travelling
all over the world,
gathering stories
wherever she *Price based on two sharing. Flights are not included. Subject to availability.
Single supplement: £180. This trip is ATOL-protected. For full terms and
ventures. Next stop? conditions, go to wanderlust.co.uk/UzbekJourney
Uzbekistan...

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 91

A brush with WORDS ANTHONY LAMBERT

Canada’s Southern Gulf Islands have an arty vibe and

few visitors, but each one has its own unique character
to discover. They could be your perfect 2020 escape…
GULF ISLANDS, CANADA
 ur kayaks
slipped silently
through
transparent
waters towards
the family of sea
otters cavorting
on the rocks,
the two pups
playing hide and
seek before they slid down to hunt for sea urchins
among the kelp beds. We edged along the shoreline
past beaches littered with jumbles of trees, the
tell-tale deposits of storms past, their trunks stripped
of bark, bleached by the sun and polished smooth by
abrasion. Beneath us tiny crabs scuttled over the
sandy bed, while bald eagles circled overhead.
I was in Galiano, one of the Southern Gulf
Islands lying between the east coast of Vancouver
Island and the mainland of British Columbia,
Canada. Since my first visit over 20 years ago,
I had been drawn back to these oases of tranquillity
by their exceptional beauty and the gentle pace of
island life. Here cafés are as much about meeting
and talking as sustenance, and every shop is
independently owned. Too small for public
transport, several islands have a Car Stop scheme
where you wait by a sign and the next car along
will probably pull up to give you a ride and have
a chat. Every meeting turns into a conversation.
The islands are so peaceful that only Salt Spring
and Pender have a police presence, and the most
serious incident during my visits was the
abduction of the community hall cat on Salt Spring
by a well-meaning mainland resident who thought
it needed a ‘proper’ home. There’s not only a strong
sense of community but the islanders are proud
of the land they live on. In 1948 the Galiano
community even pulled together to help buy Bluffs
Park, the island’s oldest wilderness park.
Walking Galiano’s Sturdies Bay Trail up through
forest to one of the islands’ finest viewpoints, the
bluffs themselves, I gazed out over the silvery-grey
waters of Active Pass and the dark green-black
upheavals of the archipelago, like giant whales
breaching. Sheltered coves and deep inlets make
the islands a paradise for paddleboarders and
kayakers. From the water, they resemble eruptions
of rock on which the trees elbow one another for
every craggy foot of ground.
Nearly all the islands are named after British or
Spanish ships, or crew members from exploratory
or mapping voyages from the late 18th century.
You can understand why they made the journey.
The islands are not only worth the trip
for their natural beauty and temperate climate.
You can hike through forests, walk along beaches,
watch orcas or take in the region’s signature art
by wandering through one of its many galleries.
The only question is which one to visit first. ⊲

94 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

 GULF ISLANDS, CANADA

An artist’s archipelago
(clockwise from far left)
Orca off Pender Island;
garden art on Gabriola Island;
kayaking offers an excellent
vantage point; coniferous
forest on Galiano Island;
sunset over Montague
Harbour; (previous pages)
Galiano Island
This page: Alamy; Getty Images. Illustration by Scott Jessop. Previous page: Getty Images

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 95

⊳ MAYNE ISLAND
Best for: History
‘A little hell’ is what Mayne used to be
called back in 1858, thanks to the
behaviour of the prospectors using it
as a staging post on their way from
Victoria to the Fraser River after gold
was discovered. Mayne’s a lot more
serene now. The lock-up that housed
miscreants can still be seen opposite
the community hall, today housing the
island’s museum. The oldest building
on the island though is said to be the
lighthouse at Georgina Point which,
standing 13.7m tall, has been guiding
ships through Active Pass since 1885.
A more recent memorial to the
island’s history is the Japanese
Garden at Dinner Bay Park. This
96 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
was created in 2002 by the island
community to commemorate the
part played by the Japanese from 1900
in setting up a herring saltery,
orchards and poultry farms as well as
producing milk, cream and
strawberries. Surrounding a waterfall-
fed pond large enough to have an
island are cherry trees, acers, fuschias,
rhododendrons, camellias and irises.
Organic beef, lamb, goats’ milk,
chickens, jams and chutneys are
produced by the island’s three farms,
while a brewery was set up in 2016,
now producing a dozen beers. Hiking
trails on the island are limited, but the
possibility of several circular routes,
some challengingly hilly, makes it
popular with cyclists.
The Mayne event
(clockwise from this)
Sunset over Mayne Island;
the Japanese Garden is
a memorial to the island’s
history; the lighthouse at
Georgina Point is a visible
navigation landmark for ships
plying one of the busiest
waterways of Canada’s
west coast
Alamy; Getty Images
 GULF ISLANDS, CANADA

Michael Garratt
& Annette Witteman
Visitors to Mayne will find that
beer here is a family business.
Mayne Island Brewing’s been
making ales since 2016, when
it was founded by Annette
and Cheshire-born Michael,
who worked in the wine trade
before deciding it was time to
slow down in the Gulf Islands.
Michael’s success with home
brewing spawned the idea of
going pro with it – and their
whole brood’s involved too.
Michael looks after the
brewing, artist Annette
designs the labels, 14-year-
old Grace hand labels the
bottles, while 16-year-old
Jasper runs the bottle line.
You can arrange a visit and
enjoy the gong-bagging
Barrel Aged Brown for
yourself. Bottoms up.
mayneislandbrewingco.com ⊲

‘It’s a beautiful community;

you’ll never meet any two
people the same at all.’
Michael Garratt

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 97

 GULF ISLANDS, CANADA
⊳ GABRIOLA ISLAND
Best for: Art lovers
Gabriola seems have always attracted
artists. Visitors can seek out some of the
100 or so (rapidly eroding) petroglyphs
– some 3,000 years old – carved into
its sandstone rock faces. The 4,000
current residents of the ‘Isle of Arts’
continue to sustain a vibrant creative
life, with arts and theatre festivals,
and during Thanksgiving over 50
artists open their studios to visitors.
That sandstone was also central to
the economy. Gabriola was one of the
few Gulf islands to have industries,
98 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
Call of nature
(clockwise from this)
Malaspina Galleries on
Gabriola Island; Pender
Island is known for its
wildlife such as this turkey
vulture and orca; one of the
petroglyphs carved into
a rock face on Gabriola
with a brickworks and sandstone
quarries supplying Victoria and
Vancouver. Millstones cut from the
sandstone were once sent as far afield
as Finland for use in paper mills, but
those quarries have long fallen into
disuse. Visit Gabriola Museum to
learn more about the area’s history.
Cyclists favour Gabriola for its 30km
island loop – none of the other islands
have such an extensive circuit – and it
is particularly rich in wildlife, with
over 250 species to be seen. Its reefs
also offer some of the best marine life
Alamy
diving on the British Columbian coast.
PENDER ISLAND
Best for: Nature
Linked by a short wooden trestle
bridge, North and South Pender offer
around 67 trails – some challenging if
short, such as the climb to the 244m
summit of Mount Norman. It has the
most public beach access points of
any of the islands, making it a
hotspot for outdoor getaways. Orcas
are often spotted in the archipelago,
and one of the best viewpoints is
Thieves Bay on Swanson Channel.
The first settler of European
descent arrived here in 1886, and the
pioneer homestead of Roe House at
Roesland has become the island’s
museum. It’s a fine example of early
log construction, in a glorious
waterfront setting. Over two dozen
galleries welcome visitors, and the
Community Hall hosts a farmers’
and arts and crafts market on
Saturday mornings. Don’t miss the
bakery and café – a hub of island life
– at the Driftwood Centre. ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 99
 Painting a picture
(clockwise from left)
The island is ideal for
kayaking at sunset; there
are extensive forests for
hiking on Galiano Island;
the Tuesday Market on
Salt Spring Island; Salt
Spring lamb; see orcas on
Tour Galiano; the eroded
sandstone forms

⊳ GALIANO ISLAND midden deposits on the Gulf Islands,

Best for: Hiking
Long, narrow Galiano isn’t just one of
the most attractive islands off the Lower
Mainland but, rather conveniently, it’s
also the easiest to reach too. It boasts
the most hours of sunshine among
the islands, which gives you more
time to enjoy the forests of Garry oak,
maple, cedar and Douglas fir. Even on
a wet day, Montague Harbour is an
idyllic place to while away the hours,
with wraiths of mist rising from the
the remnants of Coast Salish villages
over the last 3,500 years. Near Spotlight
Cove are strangely eroded sandstone
forms, creating caves and ‘windows’ in
the rock. The highest point on the
island is Mount Galiano at 311m, one of
several preserves held in trust by the
Galiano Club and reached by four
different trails. Walking them, one
appreciates why the majestic western
red cedar was chosen as the symbol
tree of British Columbia.
Rachelle Hayden
Do you think monitoring orca sounds
like a pretty wonderful use of your
time? Well, Rachelle thinks so too,
doing part-time work on behalf of the
Salish Sea Orca Squad (look them up on YouTube).
This, though, is just one of her jobs here: she works
a few days a week in the bakery, does some remote PR
work, and has set up Tour Galiano to guide visitors
Getty Images; Alamy; Shutterstock

dark conifers, a pair of geese honking
as they skim the sheltered bay, and the
pungent smell of seaweed and kelp.
Close by is the white shell beach at
Oceanview, one of many similar shell
When hungry, stop by the Max
and Moritz Spicy Island Food
House, a truck that serves an eclectic
mix of German and Indonesian
takeaway next to the ferry dock.
around the island. Ironically, Rachelle and her husband
moved to Galiano in order to drop down a gear or two
– a common story around here – but have taken to
island life with understandable gusto. tourgaliano.ca

100 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020


SALT SPRING ISLAND
Best for: Food and markets
Salt Spring is the largest and most
populous of the Gulf Islands with
over 10,000 residents. The island has
far more agriculture and open fields
than any of the other islands, with
over 200 working farms. Salt Spring
is also renowned for its artisan food
producers, and visitors are well
recommended to try their wares.
There’s a Tuesday farmers’ market
from June to October, and over
a dozen restaurants serving local
food. Salt Spring lamb is renowned
in Vancouver restaurants, and there
are over 450 varieties of apple trees
growing, some feeding a cidery;
there are artisan vodkas and gins as
well as two wineries to try
Visit the Saturday market at the
island capital of Ganges for a vivid
sense of the Gulf Islands’ reputation
GULF ISLANDS, CANADA
for attracting creatives; it’s a condition
that everything on sale at the market
is made or grown on the island,
and you’ll find potters, jewellers,
woodworkers, glassblowers,
weavers, artists and organic food
producers by the dozen.
Sadly, you can’t visit the salt springs
that gave the island its name – they’re
on private property at the north end
of the island – but there are enough
walks to entice people away from
satisfying their tastebuds. Ruckle
Provincial Park is one of a number
of reserves that offer hiking trails
beside the coast or up the island’s
seven peaks – keep an eye out for
otters on the shoreline and
cormorants, guillemots and eagles
in the trees. Or, if you feel like
relaxing, head to Vesuvius Beach
on the north-west coast for the
warmest swimming waters. ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 101
GULF ISLANDS, CANADA
Bird’s eye view
(clockwise from left)
Walking along the shores
of Saturna Island; the wing
span of a bald eagle can
stretch up to 2.4m; Saturna
Island and Samuel Island;
seals and seagulls on a rock
near East Point
⊳ SATURNA ISLAND
Best for: Relaxation
With a population of just 350, Saturna
is the most easterly and heavily
protected of the Gulf Islands, which
explains why it’s also probably the
least spoiled. To keep it that way,
around half of its fabulously forested
land has been placed in the Gulf
Islands National Park Reserve. Within
this is Mount Warburton Pike, a 401m
peak named after an early settler from
Dorset who was the first to write
travelogues on northern Canada; it
offers a near 180-degree panorama
over Plumper Sound to Pender and
Vancouver islands.
102 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
Not to be missed is East Point
where orca pods pass almost daily in
summer, and sea lions and seals are
nearly always basking on a small
island just off the headland. Close
by is the restored fog alarm building
with a historical display open at
weekends. To its south is another
promontory reached by an
enchanting walk, descending gently
through trees to Echo Bay and
Monarch Head with a view over
Boundary Pass and a whale route.
The Lighthouse pub beside the
Shutterstock; Alamy
Village Bay dock is the perfect place
to rest while waiting for the ferry,
having two ocean-view patios.
 Footnotes
Southern Gulf Islands,
Canada
Vital statistics
Population: Depending on the
island, between 300 and 10,500
Language: English
Time: GMT-7
International dialling code: +1
Visas: Not required by UK
nationals for short stays. However,
visitors travelling to Canada by
air require an electronic travel
authorisation (eTA).
Money: The Canadian dollar (C$)
is currently around C$1.69 to
the UK£.
When to go
April to September: The Gulf
Islands receive far less rain than
Vancouver, with Pender, Saturna
and Salt Spring islands having
a Mediterranean climate that
allows olive production. The
average summer temperature
does not usually exceed 23°C.
October to March: The wettest
months are from November
through to February, when many
hotels and restaurants close.
Getting there
Air Canada (aircanada.co.uk,
00 800 669 92222) fly from
London Heathrow to Nanaimo
Airport, via Vancouver (from £572
return). The shortest journey time
is from around 12 hours. Ferries to
the Gulf Islands from Tsawwassen
are operated by BC Ferries
(bcferries.com, +250 386 3431)
Getting around
Bikes are a popular way to explore the
islands, though electric assistance
is welcome on some of the hillier
islands. Salt Spring has the highest
104 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
density of electric cars per head
of population in Canada, with a
growing number of charging points.
Only Salt Spring is large enough
to have seasonal scheduled buses,
on six routes. Mayne and Pender
have community buses, and Mayne,
Pender and Salt Spring have a ‘Car
Stop’ scheme – stand by the sign
and the next car will hopefully ask
where you want to go. There are
few roads so it works well and is
a great way to meet the locals.
Accommodation
You can find accommodation as
cheaply as £50pn, but it could also
cost almost £240.
Hastings House Country House
Hotel (hastingshouse.com) is
Salt Spring Island’s finest hotel,
overlooking Ganges Harbour and
TOP TIP built in the style of a Sussex manor
Deer wander freely house by a descendant of Warren
and show little Hastings. Rooms from C$405 [£230].
Poets Cove Resort & Spa
fear of humans
(poetscove.com) on South Pender
or cars. Drive
Island offers Lodge, Villa or Cottage
slowly at all times,
rooms, all overlooking the sea. You
especially around
can also rent paddleboards and
blind bends. kayaks. Rooms from C$195 [£112].
Mayne Island Resort
(mayneislandresort.com) lies on
Bennett Bay at the eastern end of
the island, with rooms in the inn
and in nearby self-catering villas.
Kayak rental is available. Rooms
from C$159 [£92].
Galiano Oceanfront Inn & Spa
(galianoinn.com) is close to the
ferry terminal and has a fabulous
waterfront position on Sturdies
Opening up a Gulf
Rocks and tide pools
on Galiano Island
Bay. A fine restaurant is flanked by
20 suites and well-equipped self-
catering villas. There are also smart
cars for hire. Rooms from C$169 [£97].
The new Woodstone Manor
(woodstonegaliano.com) on Galiano
has 12 luxurious bedrooms, most
overlooking a rare open valley, and
the only large area of farmland. The
restaurant boasts a Michelin-starred
chef. Rooms from C$225 [£130].
Four Winds B&B
(fourwindsb-b.com) has views
from its shoreline location on
the north coast of Saturna Island.
Rooms from C$150 [£87].
Food & drink
There is a wide variety of places
to east, from food trucks to fine
dining. Fabulous fresh fish and
shellfish are on every menu.
On Salt Spring, try The Food
Garden for an eclectic collection
of food carts with the emphasis
on local organic ingredients.
For a treat, head to Hastings
House Hotel. On Pender, Jo’s
Place offers all-day food with
evening dishes such as jambalaya
skillet and imaginative salads.
Jazz, recorded or live, may
be playing at Mayne’s Groove
Kitchen, with lots of creative
flavour combinations on the
menu. The Crane and Robin on
Galiano serves a great chowder
and salmon tacos with a view to
die for. So does the Lighthouse
Pub right on the water at Saturna’s
dock, appropriately big on the
fruits of the sea.
Further reading
● Hiking the Gulf Islands:
An Outdoor Guide to BC’s
Enchanted Isles by Charles Kahn
(Harbour Publishing, 2004).
● gulfislandstourism.com – the
official tourism site
More online
Visit www.wanderlust.co.uk/203
Planning guides
Shutterstock; Alamy
● Canada Travel Guide
Archive article
● Canada Trip Planner (issue 185)
 PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

MIND
BODY
&
SOUL
Experience Pura Vida
in Costa Rica

‘P
ura Vida’ can be detox from our phones or simply
heard echoing make time to revel in the world
throughout around us. If you’re looking to pair
Costa Rica. all this with an immersion into
Translating to nature, then Costa Rica makes for
'pure life', the term has been a prime destination choice.
adopted unofficially as the Luxury eco lodges are located
country’s national motto, symbolic within or near national parks so
of the Costa Rican mindset and you can swap out tweeting
indicative of the enriching from your phone with the
experiences that await travellers. tweeting of exotic birds during
a morning yoga session in
Nurture the mind a rainforest. Or, try a midday
Shutterstock, Dreamstime

With today’s hectic lifestyle, it's jungle trek or an early evening’s

never been more important to jaunt to spot wildlife.
enjoy an occasional break from If you’re looking to be at one
the daily grind, take a digital with nature, there are several great

For more info, go to experiencecostarica.co.uk wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 105

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
off-the-beaten-track rainforest
excursions that can fit the bill.
Corcovado National Park may
be one of the country’s largest but
its location off the South Pacific
coast on the Peninsula means it's
still a hidden destination gem.
With shallow lagoons, marshlands,
mangrove swamps, rivers, wet
forest, low-altitude cloud forest,
and sandy beaches, Corcovado is
one of Central America’s most
unique ecosystems. Costa Rica
houses 6.5% of the world’s
biodiversity and 2.5% can be
found within the park’s territory.
Be one with nature
Nearby, a rocky outcrop that
resembles a whale’s tail protruding
into the ocean makes for a fitting
representation of the multitude of
marine encounters you can enjoy
from Marino Ballena National Park.
This is a great spot to watch
humpback whales, with July
through to October the best
months to see migrations from
South America. Wander the
beaches, snorkel and scuba dive
to see a wide variety of marine life,
including spotted and bottlenose
dolphins, manta rays, parrotfish
and hammerhead sharks.
Drive south from San Jose and
in just under three-hours you'll
arrive at San Gerardo de Dota.
This small town is located in
a quiet valley and crossed by the
Savegre River, making it a natural
106 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
gem for birdwatchers, especially
those keen to spot the splendid
quetzal, which can be sighted here
year-round. It makes for a much
quieter alternative to other areas
of cloud-forest in Costa Rica.
Feed the body
Costa Rica’s luscious
surroundings makes it well-suited
to wellness, so it makes sense to
bliss out at a ‘Pura Vida’ retreat.
Many eco-lodges and eco-hotels,
especially on the country’s Pacific
side, offer rainforest yoga
sessions as well as spa treatments
that incorporate natural Costa
Rican ingredients such as
volcanic ash and coffee.
Pack your day with activities
such as walking through the
clouds in Monteverde, zip lining
over the rainforest canopy, surfing
on the Pacific coast, biking in the
Central Valley (areas such as
Turrialba are popular) and
white-water rafting on the Rio
Pacuare and Sarapiqui. After
a day of energetic experiences,
reflect and relax in a hot spring.
La Fortuna is a great spot to do
this; home to Arenal volcano, here
you will find several hot spring
pools with thermal waters rising
directly from under the volcano.
With so much to do, suitably
refuelling yourself will be an
important aspect of your trip and
Pura Vida gastronomy focuses on
fresh and organic choices. Many
dishes use locally grown fruits,
vegetables and herbs, with
favourites such as Gallo Pinto and
Casado (which both incorporate
rice and black beans as their base)
making a frequent appearance
and, if you’re travelling along the
country’s Pacific side, fresh
seafood and ceviche.
Enrich the soul
As you explore, there are plenty
of uniquely Costa Rican cultural
experiences to found. The
north-western province of
Guanacaste and town of La
Fortuna still retains a strong
cowboy culture, so visit here to
learn how to horse ride, cook
traditional meals and spend a day
on a traditional hacienda (ranch).
Coffee is serious business in
Costa Rica. So much so, that
despite it being a more difficult
bean to produce, the country
passed a law to produce only
100% Arabica coffee beans, which
are considered to be of a far more
superior quality thanks to their
robust flavour. Coffee plantations
don’t just produce the essential
ingredients to an incredible cup of
coffee, they also play an important
part of local communities and so
a plantation tour makes for a great
way to connect with them and to
meet with the coffee farmers who,
to this day, handpick each bean.
In fact, you can even choose to
stay with a local family to build
a stronger understanding of rural
culture and the farming traditions
of Costa Rica, and share in their
local customs and traditions.
When you incorporate
Visit Costa Rica, Shutterstock, Dreamstime, Gandys
community-based rural tourism
into your holiday, you can actively
contribute to local economic
development and aid in the
improvement in the quality of life
for local residents – and you can’t
get more Pura Vida than that.

WIN!
A WILD HOLIDAY TO COSTA RICA
Plus an adventure-ready Gandys backpack
F
orget the winter blues:
Costa Rica is all
about wild blues. The inky
indigo reefs bustling with
hammerheads and mantas; the
teal-tinted rapids of the Río
Pacuare; the lapis-hued lagoons
along Guanacaste’s sun-kissed
coastline. And don’t even get us
started on the greens; from the
canopies of its cloud forests to
the algae that grows on its
soporific sloths, Costa Rica’s
natural palette will leave those
who haven’t yet been positively
green with envy.
Visit Costa Rica is giving
one Wanderlust reader the
opportunity to see this
incredible country for
themselves, on a seven-night
itinerary packed with adventure
and activities. You could soon
be hiking along its hanging
bridges – coming nose-to-beak
with toucans and hummingbirds
as you wander.
Enter now at experiencecostarica.co.uk
The Caribbean coast is catnip
for intrepid cyclists, while the
Pacific shore serves up epic surf
breaks and inland, the Monteverde
Cloud Forest – a 105 sq km reserve
of remarkable diversity – offers
everything from bird watching to
horse riding trips, with the
opportunity to spy jaguars,
ocelots, pumas and more.
On an adventure like this, you
need gear that won’t let you
down – which is why Gandys
will be providing the winner
(and three runners up) with
COMPETITION
How to win
Visit Costa Rica is offering
one lucky reader (and their
companion) a seven-night
holiday – complete with
return flights to San Jose,
all accommodation,
transport and selected
experiences. In addition,
the winner will receive
a Gandys Matte Backpack,
and three runners up will
receive a personalised
Gandys backpack.
To enter the competition,
simply answer the
following question:
What is the national animal
of Costa Rica?
a) White-tailed deer
b) Three-toed sloth
c) Great green macaw
To enter and for full terms and
conditions and data policies, go to
wanderlust.co.uk/competitions or
experiencecostarica.co.uk. The
closing date is 4 February, 2020.
a backpack. Water resistant,
spacious, yet stylish enough
for a San Jose city trip, it’s the
ideal travel companion. And,
just like Costa Rica, it comes in
a myriad of hues. Whether you’re
a wildlife spotter, an avid kayaker,
or simply want to sample some
of the world’s wildest zip lines,
Costa Rica can offer adventures
you won’t soon forget.
Feel-good kit
After losing their parents in the
2004 Boxing Day tsunami,
brothers Rob and Paul Forkan
founded Gandys as a force for
good. With its 'Don't Just Exist'
ethos, the company uses its
profits to build campuses around
the world, where underprivileged
children can receive education,
nutrition and medication. There
are currently three centres, in
Sri Lanka, Malawi and Nepal, with
one under construction in Brazil. 
Visit gandyslondon.com
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 107
 FIVE OF THE BEST

ROOMS
WITH A VIEW
IN JORDAN
From forest chalets to desert domes, stay at these remote spots
in Jordan and experience the country’s wild side
WORDS SARAH RICHES

1
FEYNAN ECOLODGE
A view facing Jordan’s largest nature
reserve is what you’ll find at this ‘green’
retreat on the solar-scorched edges of
the dust-blown Dana Biosphere
Reserve. But this ecolodge isn’t just powered
entirely by the sun: saving 4,000kg of trees
a year, it also uses treated water for irrigation
and clay jugs in place of plastic bottles. Go
mountain biking, trek to copper mines and
become the guest of local Bedouin tribes –
spend a day with a shepherd, learn coffee
rituals or how to bake bread.
Bashar Alaeddin; Alamy

From 150JD (£164) for one night, based on

2ppl sharing; prices include all meals, reserve
entrance and activities; ecohotels.me

108 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

 WA N D E R S LE E P S

2
MA’IN HOT SPRINGS
RESORT & SPA
A long hike in that iconic Jordanian desert
leaves you satisfied, dazzled and... dusty.
This Dead Sea retreat will not only refresh
weary trekkers but let them indulge further in the country’s
natural delights. Look over mountains from your room,
or spy sparrows and eagles flitting about from the
blistering hot spring waterfall, which heats the waters
of a pool. Take a dip or make your way over to the spa’s
steam cave to detox and then at dusk, dine beneath
a canopy in the lantern-lit Olive Restaurant, which serves
zarb, a Bedouin dish of vegetables and lamb or chicken
slow-cooked on a grill in a pit beneath sand.
From 174JD* (£190) for one night, based on two people
sharing; prices include breakfast; mainhotsprings.jo
*before 20 March 2020

⊲
WA N D E R S LE E P S

3
⊳ WADI RUM NIGHT
LUXURY CAMP
If you’ve ever wanted to sleep under
a million stars, this camp, in the heart of
Wadi Rum, is the one for you. After a day
packed with adventure, stargaze through the roof of
your luxury dome, or return to a Bedouin-style tent,
woven from goat hair. If you’re lucky, you may spot
a jackal or hyrax from your deck, before taking on camel
and hot-air balloon rides through the Martian wilderness.
Tents from 150JD (£164), bubbles from 225JD (£245)
for one night, based on 2ppl sharing; prices include
breakfast and dinner; wadirumnightluxury.com

5
MUJIB CHALETS
Set on the shores of the Madash
peninsula, these bungalows all
have private terraces with
hammocks – a fine way to see
the sun set over the Dead Sea. The main
reason to stay, though, is that it’s a short stroll
to Mujib Biosphere Reserve. The sandstone
canyon is home to rare cats and ibex (goats),
and wet and dry trails. Recommended for the
adventurous, the Siq trail can be hiked solo
in two to three hours, but you must be
reasonably fit and able to swim. The chalets
are sustainable, too, placing the protection
of nature and local communities at its heart.
From 76JD (£83) for one night, based on
2ppl sharing; prices include conservation
fee, use of the beach and breakfast;

4
wildjordan.com

AJLOUN FOREST CABINS

Jordan’s not just about the desert – give forest
bathing in the Ajloun highlands a try as well.
While rustic, these chalets face sylvan glades
dotted with carob and strawberry trees. Start
early on the Roe Deer trail – a half-hour stroll – and you might
spot its namesake; or you can hike the six-hour Orjan trail if
you dare. On the way, you’ll interact with farmers and spy
pistachio and pomegranate trees, before visiting the cultural
centre to learn how to write your name in Arabic calligraphy.
From 82JD (£90) for one night, based on 2ppl sharing;
Shutterstock

prices include reserve entrance, conservation fee and

breakfast; wildjordan.com

110 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

CHINA

Karst away
The Li River cuts through
a calm, atmospheric
landscape of unique
limestone formations
 whispers

Go beyond the Great Wall and China’s buzzing

capital, step back from the crowds and take it slow
to discover a quieter side to this vast country
WORDS MARGARET POLLITT
CHINA
ello,” a voice with a Chinese accent
from behind me cut through the din
as I was carried along by the
rampaging river of people flowing
through the streets of Beijing.
I turned around to see a mother
hurrying her children towards me
excitedly, curious to meet the
foreigner. “Where you from?” she
called out, eager to engage me in
conversation as her kids scampered
happily along by her side, their round
cheeks painted with Chinese flags.
But before I could answer I was swept
away again by the crowd.
To be fair, I’d expected China to be
bustling. I’d arrived at the beginning
116 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
of October, just before ‘Golden
Week,’ one of the country’s busiest
national holidays, which sees over
700 million Chinese people
travelling, millions of them hitting
the streets of Beijing. Families rushed
in and out of stores filling their
shopping bags in preparation for the
festivities, while others flocked to
buy bright red flags from street
vendors, waving them as they
continued on their way.
I’d come to China intrigued to visit
the country with the world’s largest
population: 1.38 billion and counting
– Beijing alone has over 21.5m people.
I was curious to see those famously
‘A large group of women
dressed in red and black
matching outfits performed
a choreographed dance’
Capital gains huge numbers for myself, as people
(clockwise from right) rather than statistics, but even more
Millions travel through
China for Golden Week; so to find out if there was still
retirees dancing in the a quieter side to this vast, teeming
streets of Beijing; land – even in the holiday.
Wangfujing Street
This search would take me to the
ancient cities of Beijing and Xi’an, to
see two of the world’s greatest
archaeological wonders. I’d then
head further south to Yangshuo, to
explore the countryside before
ending my trip with a visit to the
Chengdu Research Base of Giant
Panda Breeding to come face to face
with the country’s national symbol
– the giant panda. I’d never seen one
in person before and, well, China
seemed like the place to do it.
Even Beijing’s busy Wangfujing
Street – in the midst of it all – offered
me encouragement that I’d find little
pockets of calm amid the crowds.
I noticed a large group of women
dressed in red and black matching
outfits performing a choreographed
dance on the street corner. Looking
around, I saw there were other
groups too, some wearing feathery
orange headgear and swirling
ribbons, others in plain attire ⊲
 Previous page: AWL. This page: Alamy

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 117

⊳ dancing in pairs. I later found out
that this is common practice for
retirees in China – a relaxing way to
socialise and keep fit in the concrete
jungle. I smiled. But the next day
I would be moving away from the
hurried, harried shoppers of Beijing
and head for the hills.
Wall of silence
In the morning my guide Tony – or at
least that’s what he asked me to call
him – picked me up and we drove
two hours north to Mutianyu, one of
the less visited and better preserved
sections of the Great Wall. There are
23 watchtowers along this 2.2km
stretch. We opted to catch the
chairlift up to the sixth tower then
walked for about an hour exploring
the wall and the valleys below.
“Do you know what they used to
help build the wall?” Tony asked
quizzically as he pointed to the layers
of mortar between the bricks. He was
determined not to feed me the facts.
“Sticky rice,” he answered, pleased
with himself. I almost didn’t believe
him, but apparently it’s one of the
reasons the world’s longest wall has
endured for so long. He explained
that the wall had been built over
several dynasties by different
emperors. It took over 2,500 years to
build, proving the old adage that
greatness really does take time.
I stopped to admire the view of this
UNESCO World Heritage site,
a brown river of stone cutting
through dense green forest of pine
and cypress trees stretching into the
distance. For a moment I had the
wall to myself and I pondered the
enormity of its history and its quiet
grandeur as I looked out over the

toothy ramparts and rugged
woodland in silence.
Time for tea
Afterwards, we stopped off at a tea
house to experience a traditional tea
ceremony. The store was filled with
shelf upon shelf of tins and boxes in
blue, red and green, all decorated
with dragons and flowers – as well as
delicately painted china and ceramic
tea pots. I was shown to a mahogany
table at the back of the shop, laid out
with different teas for me to try –
each one supposedly with a different
medicinal purpose. Pu’er tea,
I was told, can reduce cholesterol
levels, while ginseng and oolong
apparently give you energy. Tea is not
just an important part of Chinese
culture and hospitality. The Chinese
believe it brings many benefits, not
only for your health but within
relationships too. The locals often
meet in tea houses to socialise.
“This is a pee boy,” the hostess
laughed gently as she held up a small
naked boy made from clay. She
poured boiling water over the figure
and, to my amazement, he started
CHINA
spurting water from his nether Climbing the wall
regions. “If the water is hot enough, The Mutianyu section of
the Great Wall of China is
his pee reaches 2m,” she joked – or at one of the best preserved
least I thought it was a joke.
In the afternoon, we drove to the
old part of Beijing to visit one of the
hutongs, the narrow alleyways that
thread through Beijing’s backstreets
between row upon row of traditional
courtyard homes. I may have been
back in the city, but here most of the
alleys lay empty – and those with
people moved at a slower pace than
on Wangfujing Street.There was a
striking juxtaposition between the ⊲
⊳ grey uniform buildings and the
bright red flags decorating
beautifully embellished doorframes.
I asked Tony why so many of the
doors had statues on either side and
he told me these were used to show
a family’s status. Statues of drums
indicated a military background while
books meant a family of scholars lived
there. Even the number of panels
above the door added status.
Turning a corner, I saw a pair of
men playing chess in the street. As
we meandered our way through this
ramshackle neighbourhood,
watching daily life, it came alive. The
loud engine of a motorbike
squeezing down a lane scared off
a stray dog, a woman hanging her
washing hummed to herself, while
an old man sat on a stool outside his
home smoking.
The next day Tony took me to ‘Locals entered the park
Jingshan Park, to the highest point in
the city. We climbed up to the top of the to practise Tai Chi, a world
hill, passing five pagodas on five
different peaks. The most impressive away from the breakneck
pace of the capital’
temple is decorated with intricate gold
dragons, white birds and floral patterns
– with hues of red, green and blue.
From here we could see the whole of
Beijing, including the Forbidden City, of the capital but just moments from Terracotta Army
the 600-year-old palace of emperors its hustle and bustle. (clockwise from right)
There are thought to be
and another beast of a structure, but over 8,000 clay soldiers;
what struck me the most was the A new direction an ornate door in the
hutong; the hostess
serenity of the spot. We watched as The streets were strangely quiet the
conducts a tea ceremony
locals entered the park to practise tai next morning as we drove through
chi and play hands of mahjong, Tiananmen Square, the world’s
a world away from the breakneck pace largest square, lit only by large street
lamps and lights outlining the
buildings’ roofs. But later that day it
would be filled with hundreds of
thousands of people for the holiday
celebrations. Once again, I was
leaving the crowds behind for a city
that’s half Beijing’s size.
“Xi’an was the capital for 13
dynasties,” said my new guide Susan
proudly as she showed me the view
of the city from the northern wall. At
13.7km, it is the most complete city
wall in China, yet I’d never heard of
it. I looked up at one of the black
metal poles lining the walkway, a big
red lantern and black tortoise at its
top. The black tortoise represents the
north throughout China, while west,
east and south are represented by the
white tiger, the blue dragon and the
red phoenix respectively. ⊲
Alamy

120 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

 CHINA

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 121

 ‘I peered out the window at the
unique topography – karst mountain
formations of all shapes and sizes,
like hilly green giants’
⊳ There’s symbolism everywhere in
China. Everything has a meaning.
When I asked Susan why there were
jade animal figurines on many of the
rooftops, including the watchtowers,
she told me the creatures were there
to protect the buildings. “The more
animals on the roof, the higher the
status of the owner,” she said.
Even the Terracotta Warriors were
created as a symbol of life after death.
An hour east of the city, the famous
sculptures were built by Emperor
Qin Shi Huang, of Great Wall fame,
who wanted to be buried with
a lifesize terracotta army that would
protect him in the afterlife. The
warriors spent thousands of years
buried underground – until 1974
when a group of farmers discovered
a clay head in the earth.
Archaeologists have since uncovered
huge pits filled with these sculptures.
It seems big numbers in China are
not just a modern phenomenon.
There are thought to be over 8,000
soldiers, 130 chariots and 150 cavalry
horses in the three pits, and pieces are
still being discovered. I was staggered
by the sheer volume of sculptures and
the incredible detail in their faces,
each completely unique. You can’t
help but be transported back to the
past as you imagine the time it would
have taken not only to carve them but
to then carefully restore them
thousands of years later.
For lunch we stopped at De Fa
Chang for a dumpling dinner, a Xi’an
speciality where an ever-flowing
selection of dumplings shaped like
different animals was served to us
including the Empress Dowager Cixi’s
favourite ‘hot soup’ dumplings. The
empress – famed for ruling the
122 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
country from ‘behind the curtains’
during the Qing dynasty – would
often order 108 dishes – nine for each
month of the year. I felt like
I was embodying her spirit in China as
I never stopped eating. I tucked into
the spicy pork dumplings, duck and
delicately wrapped walnut-shaped
dumplings filled with chopped nuts
and a sweet bean paste. Susan later
told me that it is considered rude to
finish all your food as your host may
think you’re not satisfied – I was
slightly worried how many people
I had already inadvertently offended.
Going with the flow
The following morning I left Xi’an
behind and flew to Guilin to explore
rural China and an area known for its
tranquil natural beauty. As we drove
the three hours south to Yangshuo
I peered out the window at the
unique topography – karst mountain
formations of all shapes and sizes,
like hilly green giants running along
the emerald green Li River.
After a quick stop for some
Yangshuo beer fish (the area’s most
famous dish of freshwater fish cooked
in beer), we headed to the Sanjie Liu
lightshow, a performance of music,
dance and illumination directed by
Zhang Yimou – who created the
opening ceremony for the 2008
Olympics. The scenery that I had been Food in a-bun-dance 600 performers took to the watery
admiring along the way had been A dumpling dinner is stage wowing us with ever-changing
a must-do when in Xi’an,
transformed into the world’s largest where this speciality was colours, lights and costumes. The
natural theatre. refined previously rowdy audience now sat
The stage was the Li River and the set silent, bewitched.
was a backdrop of floodlit limestone I got to experience the bamboo rafts
mountains. I watched as dozens of myself the following day. And while
fishermen steered their bamboo rafts the public holiday meant the river was
on to the river and created patterns in busier than usual, as I floated
the air with yards of red silk. Around downstream I found peace taking in

Life in the slow lane
(clockwise)
Mountain landscape
in Yangshuo; relaxed
pandas at Chengdu;
a bamboo raft is an
ideal way to see
the countryside
the hilly green landscape as dragonflies
flitted past me and the rattling call of
kingfishers echoed in the distance.
Life in the slow lane
My last stop was Chengdu, a two hour
flight north-west of Yangshuo, famed
for being the ‘home of the giant
panda’. While I knew I couldn’t avoid
the crowds in this busy city, nothing
was going to stop me from coming
face to face with these furry icons.
The Chengdu Research Base of
Giant Panda Breeding is half an hour
outside the city and offers visitors
the chance to see these endangered
bears – often difficult to see in the
wild – in real life. My enthusiastic
guide Rosalie and I arrived early to
avoid the masses – or so we thought.
We were joined by a throng of
Alamy; Dreamstime
visitors rushing towards the entrance
in their excitement to see their
national animal during Golden Week.
CHINA
“The centre receives 3.5 million
people a year, but there will be
around 60,000 people today,”
Rosalie said cheerfully, seemingly
unfazed by the mobs around us.
But when we got into the park the
crowds seemed to disperse. I felt my
excitement rise as I neared the first
enclosure knowing that I was finally
about to see a panda. As I got to the
wooden barrier, I was immediately
treated to a creature sitting about
a metre in front of me munching
on bamboo. The panda just sat
there with a carefree expression
on its black and white face. And
then it turned on to its side and
rolled over in the comical way only
pandas know how. It had barely
moved, but I was captivated.
A loudspeaker blared instructions
at visitors in the background, but
the panda didn’t seem to notice at
all. It scratched its back on a tree
trunk as groups of people vied for
the best position by the barrier.
You could spot the moment that
each of them won that clear view
of the panda and a flash of
connection sparked on their face
– whether it was national pride,
wonder or childlike delight.
Among the jostling, it occured to
me that the visitors wriggling into
free spots were just as curious about
the panda as the shopping mother
and her children back in Beijing had
been about me. But just like the
panda, seemingly completely
oblivious to the people around it,
I too was able to find my spaces in
a land of a billion people. Maybe it is
impossible to truly avoid the crowds
in China but I found, for this
moment, I didn’t really want to. ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 123

Footnotes
China
THE TRIP
The author travelled with
Steppes Travel (01285
601784; steppestravel.com)
on a 12-day tailor-made trip
which includes four nights in
Beijing, two nights in Xi’an,
two nights in Yangshuo and
two nights in Chengdu. The
tour cost £3,445pp on a B&B
basis including transfers and
international flights and the
majority of excursions and
admission fees.
Vital statistics
Capital: Beijing
Population: 1.38 billion
Languages: Mandarin is the
official language spoken, although
there are 297 living languages in
China. English is not widely spoken
outside the main cities. Download
a translation app to help you,
especially when reading menus.
Time: GMT +8
International dialling code: +86
Visas: Required by UK passport
holders. Single-entry tourist
visas cost £151. You can fill in
the application form and make
an appointment at the Chinese
Embassy online (bio.visaforchina.
org), but it’s advisable to do this
early as it is a lengthy form.
Money: The Renminbi Yuan (RMB)
is currently around CNY9 to the
UK£. ATMs are widely available
and cash is preferred. Only hotels
and larger stores accept cards.
In the cities, WeChat, an online
Shutterstock
communication platform similar
to WhatsApp, is used for payment.
Check before you pay as some
vendors only accept WeChat.
When to go
The best time of year to visit China
very much depends on where you
are going, but generally speaking
spring and autumn offer the most
comfortable weather for travel.
Check public holidays before
visiting as these are best avoided.
Beijing and Xi’an can be visited all
year round.
April to May: The spring is
a good time of year to visit as
TOP TIP temperatures are not too hot and
Chinese toilets the flowers are in bloom. While
tend to not have there may be rain showers in the
toilet paper in south in areas such as Guilin, it
the individual is a beautiful time to visit as the
cubicles, so don’t mountains are shrouded in mist.
June to August: Temperatures
forget to carry
average around 25-33°C in the
tissues or paper
summer so you may want to avoid
with you. Most
the crowds. However, mountain
are squat toilets,
destinations such as Guilin are
but the main ideal at this time of year.
attractions tend September to October: Autumn
to have at least is a good time to visit China as it is
one western toilet cooler and there is less rain.
if you need it. November to March: Winter
is the low season, which means
Reach for the Moon
Moon Hill in Yangshuo
is named after its
crescent-shaped
natural arch
CHINA
less crowds and lower prices.
You may also get to see Beijing
covered in snow.
Health & safety
Immunisations to consider include
Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Tetanus
and rabies, but this will depend
on when and where you go in
China (fitfortravel.nhs.uk). Levels
of pollution are high so consult
your doctor if you suffer from
respiratory problems. Don’t drink
the tap water and ask your guide
for recommendations if you want
to try street food.
While China is generally quite
safe, watch out for scammers
luring you in for overpriced tea
experiences and massages.
You may want to check the FCO
website before you travel, but
otherwise just make sure to avoid
any protests. Keep your passport
on you at all times and carry a
contact card for your hotel with
the Chinese address written on it.
Getting there & around
Air China (airchina.co.uk; 020 8745
4624) flies from London Heathrow
to Beijing direct from £394 ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 125
CHINA

5 China highlights
1 Summer Palace
Half an hour north-west of
Beijing, this UNESCO World
Heritage site is the largest
and best-preserved royal
park in China. It boasts
2.9 sq km of landscaped
gardens, lakes and ancient
Chinese architecture, but of
particular note is the extravagant
marble boat, restored by the
Empress Dowager Cixi using
funds meant for the navy.
2 Temple of Heaven
First built in 1420, the
Temple of Heaven in Beijing’s
Doncheng district was
used during the Ming and
Qing dynasties for worship
ceremonies. It was opened to
the public in 1988.
3 Muslim Quarter
Located in the middle of
the city centre, Xi’an’s Muslim
Quarter is home to 10 mosques,
including one of the largest
mosques in China. Wander
several blocks to browse the
the scenic 10-mile road from
Yangshuo to reach it and then
climb the hill for 360° views.
souvenir and food market.
4 Ten-mile gallery
If you’ve seen pictures
5Leshan Buddha
Travel two hours south of
Chengdu and you’ll be able to
of Yangshuo you’ll probably see the world’s biggest carved
recognise Moon Hill. The karst stone Buddha. The 71m
peak with a moon-shaped hole
at its base stands out across the
landscape of this mountainous
UNESCO-listed Leshan Buddha
was started in AD713 and it took
90 years to carve it out of the red
countryside. Cycle along sandstone cliff face.

Imperial garden
The Summer
Palace in Beijing

⊲ return; flight time is around 10

hours. For getting between cities
and towns, you can fly internally
or catch the bullet train, but be
aware that if you travel by train
there is limited signage in English.
There are easy to use subways in
Beijing, Xi’an and Chengdu. Taxis
are also a fast and cheap way to
get around, but make sure you
have your destination written down
in Chinese as the driver probably
won’t speak English.

Accommodation
Overlooking Beihai and Jingshan
Park in the centre of Beijing, the
Renaissance Beiing Wangfujing
Hotel (marriott.co.uk) is a modern Food & drink
hotel with a pool and spa to relax in Lost Plate (lostplate.com) tours
after a day of sightseeing. There’s in Beijing and Xi’an offer a chance More online
a superb breakfast buffet if you’re to sample a variety of authentic Visit www.wanderlust.co.uk/203
keen to try a Chinese breakfast. local cuisine. Popular dishes
Doubles from CNY1,127 (£124). include Peking duck in Beijing, Planning guides
Map illustration by Scott Jessop; Shutterstock

The Amari Hotel (amari.com) is biang biang noodles in Xi’an, China Travel Guide
set in the heart of Yangshuo close beer fish in Yangshuo and hot Archive article
to the vibrant West Street. It has pot in Chengdu. ● Undiscovered China – issue 177
a charming, modern vibe with spa ● China’s hidden mountain
and Osmanthus cakes on arrival. Further information kingdom – issue 164
Doubles from CNY819 (£90). China (DK Eyewitness, 2018) ● Great Wall of China – issue 123

126 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

FIND YOUR
HAPPY IN FIJI
See island life, kaleidoscopic reefs and lush
palm-fringed beaches on Fiji’s tropical isles…
M
ost of us have
heard of slow
travel. When
you’re in Fiji,
however, it’s
more about relaxed travel.
Whether you’re chilling on one of
the many beaches, watching
locals perform a traditional meke
dance or snorkelling among
kaleidoscopic reefs, you can’t
help but absorb the archipelago’s
easygoing vibe – as locals have.
And as if to further enhance its
relaxing reputation, Fiji’s
laid-back charms, authentic
culture and exhilarating
adventures are pretty easy to
access too. Its position in the
South Pacific makes it the
perfect stopover for travellers
en route to Australia and New
Zealand. Given the setting, it’s
no surprise that the joyous
atmosphere here is so infectious,
128 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
and before you know it, you’ll be
finding your happiness.
RIDING THE WAVES
Comprising around 330 islands,
all floating in a vast expanse of
South Pacific blue, Fiji is a multi-
isle cruiser’s dream. Small ship
tours weave its collection of
outposts, and in doing so they
showcase Fiji’s culture, marine
life and compellingly upbeat vibe.
One popular escape is the
northern volcanic string of the
Yasawa Islands. Here you can
explore limestone caves and
swim the lagoons of Sawa-I-Lau,
where you can take part in crab
racing (it’s as fun as it sounds)
and sample a traditional village
lovo (a huge feast cooked in an
earthen pit) and meke ceremony
at Gunu on Naviti Island.
There are plenty of island
stops to be found. The southern

Mamanuca archipelago has even
found fame on the big screen,
with the palms of Monuriki once
the setting for Tom Hanks in Cast
Away, while neighbouring Monu
has kayaking routes among its
fringes and coral gardens – Fiji is
home to the fourth-largest reef in
the world – which are ideal for
snorkelling and teem with life.
Even on the main island of Viti
Levu, there are opportunities for
sailing trips from Port Denarau,
Suva, Vuda Marina and Lautoka,
giving you the chance to craft
your own watery adventure.
HISTORY &
CONSERVATION
Fiji’s indigenous culture thrives
across its islands. Nakabuta is a
village that specialises in pottery,
with sprinklings of handicraft
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
shops selling bowls, plates
and other keepsakes, while
200-year-old hillside Navala is a
fine example of preserved bures
(thatched huts). But at every
village you visit, locals are warm
and friendly, greeting you with
the grass-skirted dancing and
rituals that form a meke.
The islands’ history as an
outpost for traders and settlers
still ripples across the region.
Nowhere is this more apparent
than in the UNESCO-listed port
town of Levuka, the old colonial
capital of Fiji. Wander its
colourful clapboard houses,
British colonial churches and
museum, while some of the
country’s milestones are
marked here. The Cession
Stone commemorates Fiji being
ceded to the UK and the
anniversary bure here was built mangrove replanting, while Hopping on rail-mounted
for Prince Charles when he Barefoot Manta in the Yasawas electric bicycles – known as
announced the islands’ gives guests the chance to help Ecotrax – is a unique way of
independence in 1970. take part in reef conservation. weaving through Fiji’s
But a trip to Fiji is good for your landscapes, with a three-hour
soul in other ways, too. Many ISLANDS OF route veining the jungle and
hotels offer conservation ADVENTURE sandy curves of Viti Levu’s Coral
activities to help people make Despite Fiji’s air of relaxation, Coast. The archipelago’s mix of
a difference on their travels: there’s plenty to satisfy those in rugged peaks and rainforests
Nanuku Auberge Fiji offers search of a shot of adrenaline. pocketed with ancient villages is
made for walking, too, with a
number of hikes piercing its
interior. Trek to Nabalasere’s
waterfall and cooling pool, and
climb Mount Tomanivi (1,324m)
– Fiji’s highest point – keeping an
eye out for long-legged warblers
and pink-billed parrotfinches.
There’s no shortage of islands
to explore. Horseshoe-shaped
Totoya Island is a lush tropical
curve while the unorthodox
mushroom-shaped islands and
hidden caves of the Bay of
Islands, set in the north-western
corner of Vanua Balavu, charm
anyone who floats past them.
Whatever travel adventure you
decide to have in Fiji, you’ll
be sure to leave much, much
happier at the end of it.
For more information, visit www.fiji.travel
Old vs new
The Grand Egyptian
Museum is only 2km
from the pyramids
of Giza. Opening in
2020, the GEM building’s
has been named the
‘fourth pyramid of Giza’
because of its design
 THE
FOURTH
PYRAMID OF

GIZA
We get a sneak peak at 2020’s most anticipated opening: the Grand
Egyptian Museum in Giza – the world’s largest archaeological museum
WORDS DAMIEN GABET
his will be the biggest museum dedicated to
a single civilisation anywhere in the world.”
My ebullient guide, Egyptologist Yomna Salama,
proudly ran through a set of impressive stats as
we cleared security into the Grand Egyptian
Museum’s Conservation Centre, winding though
long, strip-lit corridors with shiny floors. There
were guards everywhere, but if the place had the
hallmarks of a maximum-security bunker it was for
good reason. There are 19 laboratories here
dedicated to the restoration and conservation of
thousands of Egypt’s most precious antiquities.
They’re being brought back to best ahead of
going on display in the museum itself, which is
scheduled to open in October 2020. While its
foundation stone was laid in 2002, the Arab Spring
put the brakes on things. But with Cairo finding its
feet again, workers are here around the clock.
When it opens, the $1bn, 500,000 sq m
megastructure – ‘The Fourth Pyramid of Giza’ –
will display 50,000 artefacts, with thousands more
in rotation. In the unlikely event that visitors get
bored of looking at the greatest collection of
Ancient Egyptian exhibits ever assembled, they can
check out the view instead: the Grand Egyptian
Museum (GEM) will overlook the wonders of the
Giza Plateau, including the Great Pyramids.
Until then, limited pre-opening tours have been
giving sneak previews ahead of the grand opening.
The guests got to see the exhibits as they were
being worked on; the closest anyone without
a PhD in Egyptology will get to the likes of
a 2,500-year-old Greco-Roman amphora with
wine still in it – among other things. I was one of
the lucky few to find myself behind that security
line, to see what awaits visitors in October.

Ancient relics
The first of my three stop-offs was in the Stone
Lab. Before me, a colourful set of reliefs depicted
the story of heretic King Akhenaten, who
introduced monotheism (the belief that there is
Previous page: AWL Images. This page: Alamy

only one God) to Egypt in an attempt to wrest

power from the religious elite. The inbred,
malarial, alien-headed Akhenaten was the first
pharaoh to use religion for his political gains.
When he died, aggrieved priests of the old order
hid this limestone propaganda between the outer
walls of a vast temple gateway near Aswan in ⊲

132 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

 EGYPT

Ancient Egypt
A visit to the GEM can be
easily combined with a
stop off at the wonders of
the Giza Plateau on the
outskirts of the city

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 133

EGYPT

⊳ Upper (Southern) Egypt, thus preserving it for

us to enjoy some 3,000 years later.
It was then onto a set of enchanting murals,
whose story betrayed the ancients’ penchant for
pleasure. “Look at these high officials, they were
party people!” declared Yomna, as she pointed to
musicians playing the flute, harp and clarinet.
Indeed, the fun folks of the Fifth Dynasty (2450-
2300 BC) enjoyed a calendar of more than 100
parties and celebrations.
Elsewhere, a white-coat restorer was busy using
a toothbrush and a small stick to clean a beguiling
set of funereal utensils. Next to him another
engrossed conservator made use of a slightly more
modern magnifying glass to reassemble two
impossibly ornate, miniature vases. How
fascinating that for all of the modern, costly
techniques incorporated to preserve these priceless
items, sometimes Oral B’s finest does it best.

Bringing Tut home

Of all the labs here, the greatest awe is to be found
in King Tutankhamen’s room (though access is
very limited). Here, an operatic funeral procession
of gleaming gilt chariots, ceremonial beds and
kaleidoscopic coffins are brought into sharp focus
against the whitewash of the lab’s walls.
When Howard Carter excavated King
Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, it was thought that
covering things in paraffin wax was the best way of
preserving them. We now know that while this
served a purpose during transportation it was also
rather damaging in the long term. I shadowed the
person in charge of the room, watching as he
painstakingly worked to remove some of the wax
from one of Tut’s Russian-doll coffins. Its gold-leaf
face was in immaculate condition.
I asked him which artefact he’d pinch if he knew
could get away with it. “You cannot steal what is
already yours,” came a swift and sage reply.
I realised after how sensitive a subject this was,
with so many of Egypt’s treasures still residing in
Europe’s heavyweight museums.
Most important are the Rosetta Stone at the
British Museum, Nefertiti’s Bust at the Neues
Museum in Berlin and the Dendera Zodiac in
Paris’s Louvre. The Italians, courtesy of the
Romans, are not exempt either: there are more
obelisks currently standing in Rome than in the
whole of Egypt.
The return of these three items was a hot topic
for Egyptologist-in-chief Zahi Hawass when he
spoke at the Saatchi Gallery in London last
November. We were both there for the launch of
the Tutankhamun: Treasure of the Golden Pharaoh
exhibition. “The revolution made it difficult to do
AWL Images; Getty Images

anything, but now there is an awakening among

the world that there were many artefacts taken out
of Africa during imperialism,” he said. “We will
fight the museums and we will see who wins!” ⊲

134 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

 ‘The solid gold mask and
I were alone together for the
best part of 15 minutes before
the hordes found us’

Walk like an Egyptian

(clockwise from this)
Camels pass in front of the
pyramids at Giza; the gold
mask of Tutankhamun at the
Egyptian Museum in Cairo;
the pillar of Merneptah, son of
Rameses II being transported
to the GEM; a granite statue of
Rameses II being restored

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 135

136 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

Pharaoh king
After it is restored the granite
statue of Rameses II will sit in
the atrium of the Grand
Egyptian Museum;
(right) Zahi Hawass examining
King Tutankhamun’s mummy
inside his actual tomb in the
Valley of Kings, Luxor.
Getty Images; Alamy
‘Rameses II sired 100 children,
wrote the world’s first peace
treaty and ruled for 66 years’
⊳ Equally zealous about King Tutankhamun’s
booty, he made clear that, “This will be the last
time King Tut travels.” The 150-object exhibition
– in London until 3 May – will end its four-year
world tour in 2024, finishing at the Grand Egyptian
Museum, where it will be displayed in perpetuity,
“in the shadow of the great pyramids of Giza.”
When it finally makes its way home, it’ll join the
rest of King Tut’s 5,000-piece treasury, completing
the collection for the first time since Carter dug it
up nearly 100 years ago.
Not all are quite so fervent, though. Of the two
Egyptologists I met on the trip, both were
convinced that for the most part, having Egypt’s
artefacts strewn across the world was an effective
marketing campaign. For the most part, though,
I was inclined to agree with Hawass. We’ve done
a good job of looking after these items, but it’s
time to send them home.
Building the future
With my first hour up it was onto the museum
proper. Hard hats and hi-vis now donned, Yomna
and I made for the main entrance. I couldn’t decide
whether the façade was beautiful or something
that resembled an up-market mall. Perhaps the
fact that the site will also house a conference
centre, hotel, 10 restaurants and cinema was part
of the design proposal.
Faceted, trompe l’oeil triangles (giving the illusion
of being 3D) pair with hieroglyphs to lend
a nod to the past; the rest comprises the clean lines
of glass-and-steel functionality. The hope is that
it’ll provide an unobtrusive blank-canvas to make
the artefacts really stand out.
In the middle of the vast geometric atrium
a 9m-high, red-granite statue of Rameses II stands
proud and apt: the most celebrated of the New
Kingdom Pharaohs, his nickname was ‘The Great
Builder’, owing to the number of monuments he
commissioned. He also sired 100 children, wrote
the world’s first peace treaty and ruled for 66 years.
Looking around, it was apparent that there was
still much to do before the opening. What’s certain,
EGYPT
though, is just how much of a positive effect the
museum will have when it finally does open this
year. This will surely do for Egypt what the Acropolis
Museum did for Athens back in 2009. After a decade of
unrest, Egypt deserves the Grand Egyptian Museum.
But while the GEM is not yet open, you can
still visit the original Egyptian Museum on
Tahrir Square. Something of a relic itself, it houses
King Tutankhamun’s transfixing death mask.
Certainly in the pantheon of the world’s most
famous cultural artefacts, it has inspired fashion,
film and funny haircuts.
On arrival, I made a beeline for Tut’s surprisingly
unassuming room, which is hidden away in a dusty,
badly lit room on the first floor – like something in
an Indiana Jones film. When I crept in there was no
one, not even a security guard, present. In fact, the
solid gold mask and I were alone together for the
best part of 15 minutes before the hordes found us. It
was as mystical, marvellous and nostalgic as I’d
hoped. When I saw the Mona Lisa for the first time,
I remember my senses being consumed: music where
there was no music before; darkness everywhere but
the object in question. The same happened here.
When the Grand Egyptian Museum opens,
visitors are bound to flock back to Egypt to see these
ancient treasures for themselves, but for now I had
this one all to myself. That big opening day in
October could hang on for just a little bit longer. ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 137
 Footnotes
Egypt
THE TRIP
The author was a guest of
Egypt Tourism Authority
(egypt.travel) and
Abercrombie & Kent (01242
547703, abercrombiekent.
co.uk) which has a four-
night trip to Cairo, including
B&B at the Four Seasons Nile
Plaza from £2,260pp, based
on two people sharing.
The price from October
onwards includes a tour of
the Grand Egyptian Museum
(opening October 2020)
and visits to the pyramids
of Giza, plus transfers and
international flights.
Vital statistics
Capital: Cairo
Population: 101m
Language(s): Arabic
Time: GMT +2
International dialling code: +20
Visas: (UK nationals) required and
obtainable from visa2egypt.gov.
E-visas are valid for a maximum of
three months. Alternatively, visas
granted on arrival are valid for
a maximum of 30 days.
Money: Egyptian pound (E£).
Currently around E£20.83 to the UK£.
When to go
March to April (with lows of 13°C
and highs of 29°C in Cairo) and
October to November (with lows
of 15°C and highs of 30°C). These
short shoulder seasons are when
you’ll get the most comfortable
temperatures so less sweating
during sightseeing. There are also
138 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
smaller crowds and lower hotel
rates most days of the week.
being comparatively low. Even if
you travel everywhere by taxi and
eat in the very best restaurants, you’ll
Health & safety be hard pushed to spend any more
No vaccinations are required, than £60 a day.
though Hepatitis A + B, typhoid,
yellow fever and the tetanus, Accommodation
diphtheria and polio 3-in-1 are The author stayed at the Four
recommended. Cairo is among the Seasons in Cairo (fourseasons.
areas considered safe for travel, com). Located in the heart of
but check FCO advice. the city, the five-star hotel has
panoramic views over the Nile.
Getting there & around Doubles from $225 (£173).
Egypt Air (egyptair.com) fly direct
from London Heathrow to Cairo. Further reading
Flight time is around 4 hours and & information
40 mins; return fare from £258. Pharaohs and Pyramids
The best way to get around town (Anthony Allan, 1997).
is the metro: efficient, cheap and egypt.travel – official site
not too crowded (if you miss rush
hour). You can even get to Giza this
way. Otherwise take a taxi: rates
start at E£2.50 (approximately 12p) More online
and a 10% tip is very much appre-
ciated. Uber operate in Cairo. Visit www.wanderlust.co.uk/203
Planning guides
Cost of travel ● Egypt Travel Guide
Egypt is inexpensive, with costs for Archive article
food, accommodation and transport ● Egypt Trip Planner (issue 67)
5 things to see in Egypt
1 The Great Pyramid
The oldest and tallest of
Giza’s triangular treasures,
temples have weathered
the last 3,000 years. This
is one of ancient Egypt’s
4 The Sphinx
Half lion, half human, the
Sphinx is a benevolent figure
the Great Pyramid took 20 most spiritual sites and it is in Egyptian mythology. Its vast
years – and 2.5 million stone remarkably intact. counterpart at Giza is around
blocks – to build, and was 4,500 years old.
completed circa 2560BC.
3 Abu Simbel
Built for Rameses II,
5 Valley of the Kings
2 Luxor Temple
Though the mud-brick
houses of Thebes have
these two temples are
renowned for their colossal
sandstone statues and
Across the Nile from
Luxor Temple lies the resting
place of many Egyptian
long-since crumbled, its intricately-painted interiors. pharaohs, including King Tut.
Shutterstock

WIN
AN ADVENTURE
HOLIDAY IN
ETHIOPIA
Hike in the Simien Mountains and explore the rock churches
of Lalibela: take your pick from three incredible itineraries
I
n Ethiopia, the extraordinary
is everywhere. This is a land
of gorge-gouged mountains
where golden eagles soar; of
ancient cities where the Queen
of Sheba reigned; of the 4,000m
Sanetti plateau – the highest in
Africa – where red wolves and
goat herders have waged turf
wars for centuries.
It was one of the first Christian
civilisations, with a spirituality
that stretches back almost two
millennia: you’ll find it in the
For more details, visit yellowwoodadventures.com/ethiopia & ethiopianairlines.com
rock-cut churches of Lalibela,
the cliff-carved ‘sky monasteries’,
and Axum’s St Mary of Zion
church – believed to hold the Ark
of the Covenant. Anywhere else,
sights like these would be
clogged with crowds, but (for
now at least) you’ll have them
virtually all to yourself.
Into the wild
Such an untamed destination
requires a truly expert tour
company, such as YellowWood
Adventures – whose itineraries
delve into the landscapes,
traditions and wildlife of Ethiopia.
It offers varying activity levels to
suit travellers of every style, and
group sizes of no more than
twelve. And now, YellowWood is
giving Wanderlust readers the
opportunity to win two places on
a trip of their choice – plus flights
from Manchester or London with
Ethiopian Airlines, one of
Africa’s leading carriers.
On YellowWood’s Cultural
Adventure, you’ll explore the
canyons and chasms of the
Simien Mountains, and visit the
Queen of Sheba’s palace in the
ancient capital of Axum. Then
you’ll brave the daredevil climb
to Abuna Yemata Guh,
a 5th-century church tucked
away in the clifftops of Tigray.
How to win
YellowWood Adventures and
Ethiopian Airlines are offering
one lucky reader – and
a companion – the chance to
win a YellowWood holiday
to Ethiopia, including flights
from the UK. Take your pick
from the Ethiopia Cultural
Adventure, Bale Mountains, or
Lalibela & Gheralta Mountains.
To enter, simply answer the
following question:
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 139
COMPETITION
Mountain highs
For edge-of-the-world hiking
on the Sanetti plateau, book
the Bale Mountains itinerary:
you’ll hoof through the lush
tangle of Harenna cloud forest,
over lunar-like plains, and up to
the summit of Mt. Tuludimtu.
After four nights camping on
this wild expanse, it’s a treat to
check into Bale Mountain
Lodge: a luxurious base for
exploring the waterfalls and
wildlife of the national park.
Or, opt for the Lalibela and
Gheralta Mountains trip, and
you’ll visit villages rarely
reached by travellers – as well
as the cultural highlights of
Addis Ababa, the famous
churches of Lalibela, and the
mighty Gheralta Mountains.
It is rare to witness such
powerful landscapes and
richly-storied culture in one
place. Rarer still, to have it
almost to yourself - for if there’s
one thing that Ethiopia does
lack, it’s crowds. Wherever you
travel, prepare for an adventure
of biblical proportions.
How many rock churches are
there in Lalibela?
(a) Seven (b) Three (c) Eleven
To enter and for full terms and
conditions and data policies, go to
wanderlust.co.uk/competitions or send
your details to the Wanderlust office
(p.7); state ‘more info’ if you want to be
contacted by Wanderlust and
YellowWoord Adventures. The closing
date is 4 February, 2020.
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
Experience nature
(clockwise from right)
Biking near Camp
Wilkerson & Vernonia;
horse riders in the
Portland Rose Festival;
Crystal Springs
Rhododendron Garden
FLOWER POWER
Why spring makes for the perfect time to travel to Portland, Oregon
STOP & SMELL
THE ROSES
As winter makes way for the
invigorating showers and
sunnier spells of spring, the
Portland Region celebrates with
food, fiestas and flowers.
Thanks to the region’s
temperate climate, many
flowers begin to bud from early
March and bloom through to
June. Visitors who plan their
trip for this time of year will be
rewarded with vistas of
blossoming cherry trees,
botanical adventures in the
great outdoors and the city’s
signature event, the Portland
Rose Festival, which runs from
late May through to early June.
Speaking of roses, the
International Rose Test Garden
is home to more than 10,000
bushes for you to sniff and
140 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
admire at Washington Park,
which also houses the tranquil
Portland Japanese Garden. In
the city’s south east, the Crystal
Springs Rhododendron Garden
makes for a lush stopping point.
Further south, Tryon Creek
State park and the native
trillium flower can be found in
such abundance that an annual
festival is held every April.
The new season brings
with it a wealth of spring
produce too and so Portland’s
To find out more, visit wanderlust.co.uk/PortlandRegion
dining scene celebrates in fine
style. Farmers markets can be
found whipping up local eats to
tuck into and if you’re visiting in
March be sure to make the most
of Portland Dining Month, which
sees many of the city’s top
restaurants offering three-
course meals for just $33
(around £26).
THE ROAD LESS
TRAVELLED
Ready to work off all that
delicious food? A short
45-minute train ride can help
you trade downtown Portland
for some down time in the
countryside of Tualatin Valley.
As one of the most bike-
friendly states in the USA,
Oregon offers many bike paths
to pedal. The Tualatin Valley
Scenic Bikeway, for example, is
an 80km route on the outskirts
of Portland, combining 48km of
country roads, fields and farms
and 32km on the car free
Banks-Vernonia State Trail.
If leisurely visits to vineyards
prove a better pace of travel,
then Tualatin Valley is situated
in the northern tip of the famed
Willamette Valley wine region,
and so offers more than
35 estate wineries and tasting
rooms along with several
tempting wine loops to try.
JUST ADD WATER
As the sun begins to make a
more frequent appearance, so
too do water sports enthusiasts
at Mt. Hood Territory’s seven
rivers and 40 lakes. You can try
stand-up paddle boarding or go
by kayak from Oregon City to
the thundering Willamette Falls
with eNRG Kayaking.
For something a little more
adrenaline inducing, the wild
Clackamas River is renowned
for its white-water rafting with
the chance to ride Class 3 and 4
rapids. Time your visit in May
and you can join hundreds of
people for the annual Upper
Clackamas Whitewater Festival.
Getty Images, Dreamstime, Travel Portland, Andréa Johnson Photography
With so much to see and do, if
you put the Portland Region into
your travel plans for early 2020
then you’re guaranteed to have
a ‘spring’ in your step.

WIN!
A HOLIDAY
TO PORTLAND
Spend five nights exploring the whole
region with Audley Travel
P
ortland’s name was
decided over a coin toss
in 1845, and this same
cheery and carefree attitude can
be found from the city’s buzzing
food markets and peaceful parks,
right out to the adventures to be
found across the wider region.
If all this talk of Portland has
piqued your wanderlust, then
Audley Travel has the perfect
prize for you. The tailormade
travel specialist is offering one
reader the chance to win a trip to
Portland, Oregon for two people.
City savvy
One of the best ways to explore
is to hop on two wheels and take
to the bicycle lanes of Portland,
with a guide leading the way.
You’ll travel along the waterfront,
through the hip Pearl District and
then downtown into the
University District, passing art
galleries, food carts and
boutique shops, all while
getting your bearings and
learning about the city’s history.
It’s then time to uncover the best
foodie hotspots. Enter Central
For more information, visit audleytravel.com/usa/places-to-go/portland
Eastside to find the local artisan
food and drink businesses
that have paved the way to
Portland’s growing gastronomic
reputation and sample tasty
treats along the way.
Pinot & paddles
A kayak tour from Oregon city
doesn’t just offer a fun and
gentler pace of travel. As you
paddle one mile upstream, it can
prove a great way to spot
waterfowl (such as bitterns,
herons and egrets) and to learn
more about the history of the
region, especially the famous
Willamette Falls.
On land, the Tualatin Valley sits
in the north-western corner of
the Willamette Valley. These hills
are well-known for their
abundance of vineyards, but
whether you’re a wine aficionado
or amateur, an excursion here will
reward you with vivacious
vintages to try and a fun day out.
The Audley approach
When it comes to booking your
holidays, Audley Travel and its
holiday specialists won’t just ask
you where you want to go, they’ll
ask how you want to feel. With
a team made up of experts who
have travelled many times or
lived in the destinations the
company features, they can
show you the main highlights in
a different light and introduce
you to experiences that ordinarily
you might miss. Drawing on their
passion and knowledge they can
tailor a trip just for you.
In this way, and should the
competition winner so wish,
Audley Travel can arrange extra
tours and excursions (at an
additional cost) and extend the
trip to accommodate this,
subject to availability of return
economy flights.
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 141
COMPETITION
How to win
Audley Travel is giving
away a five-night trip to
Portland, Oregon, USA for
two people. The prize
includes return flights, five
nights’ accommodation in
Portland and four
excursions subject to
availability. To enter simply
answer this question:
Portland is home to the
USA’s smallest city park
but what is it called?
a) Mill Ends Park
b) Laurelhurst Park
c) Tom McCall
Waterfront Park
To enter and for full terms and
conditions and data policies, go to
wanderlust.co.uk/competitions or
send your details to the Wanderlust
office (p.7); state ‘more info’ if you
want to be contacted by Wanderlust
and Audley Travel. The closing date
is 4 February, 2020.
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
RESPONSIBLE THAILAND
AWARDS
2019 WINNERS
V
isting
Thailand
yields no
shortage of
treats for the
adventurous
traveller: lush jungles house
exotic wildlife, busy cities
contrast with tranquil
temples, hip islands mingle
with off-the-beaten-
track trails, and of course
there are balmy beaches
aplenty to be found.
However, although Thailand
can appeal to all types of
travellers, this kind of
popularity also brings with it
a need for responsible
stewardship, to encourage
ethical travel and the
protection of these
inspiring places.
The Responsible Thailand
Awards highlight just that,
and recognise the
outstanding contributions
companies have made to grow
Thailand as a sustainable
tourist destination.
These are your winners
for 2019...
142 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
Marine, Nature
& Heritage
WINNER: Thavorn Beach
Village Resort & Spa, Phuket
‘Save Nakalay Reef’ is a
collaborative coral conservation
project that aims to restore,
grow and preserve Nakalay
Bay’s local reef. Thavorn Hotels
& Resorts are among the first
private organisations in Phuket
to do so, and aim to inspire more
businesses to do the same.
Replanting more than 1,500
broken coral fragments so far,
the group’s consistent efforts
impressed the judges, who said:
“A great instance of a hotel
actually pioneering a green
project and taking it seriously;
a great example to its visitors
and to other hotels.”
phuketcoralconservation.com
Animal
Welfare
WINNER: Samui Elephant
Sanctuary, Koh Samui
Raising awareness of the plight
of the Asian elephant, the
Samui Elephant Sanctuary has
worked tirelessly to rescue and
rehabilitate these gentle giants
and offer them a safe home.
The judges noted that: “The
sanctuary has battled adversity
to give elephants a better life
and is a model for an ethical
elephant experience. Education
is key to their work, and an
outreach programme is
informing locals and visitors
alike about the issues around
elephant tourism.” Income
generated from visits supports
the Save Elephant Foundation.
samuielephantsanctuary.org
Community-Based
Tourism
WINNER: G Adventures/
Planeterra
G Adventures and its non-profit
partner, Planeterra, have
founded two new social
enterprise projects, supporting
Kao Thep Pitak and Laem Sak
credits Thavorn Hotels & Resorts; Save Elephant Foundation; G Adventures; Soneva Kiri; Shutterstock
community-based tourism
services in areas previously
bypassed by travellers.
With a positive impact at the
local level, the judges said: “This
is a genuine and impressive
case of tourism being a force for
good. Nearly 700 community
members are already directly
benefiting from these new
projects, and they will serve as
a great model for the future.”
gadventures.co.uk and
planeterra.org

Eco-Lodge/Eco-Hotel
WINNER: Soneva Kiri,
Koh Kood
Committed to sustainability
across its resorts, Soneva has
developed a Carbon Calculator
at Soneva Kiri to monitor the full
footprint of its operations; from
energy consumption to freight,
food, paper, waste and water.
The judges found: “This was an
easy and unanimous decision.
Soneva Kiri really is making
a huge difference through
its ongoing work to be as
environmentally friendly as
possible, and in its commitment
to fighting climate change.
They are making a positive
impact in many areas, not
least through reforestation
and in re-introducing hornbills
to Koh Kood.” soneva.com
For more information, visit responsiblethailand.co.uk
Hotel
WINNER: Zeavola Resort,
Phi Phi
Further to its offering of
barefoot luxury, the judges
noted that: “Zeavola is taking
sustainability seriously, with
a range of initiatives which are
measured and reported on.
They have even gone as far as
publishing a ‘Little Green Book’.”
This book written by the
resort’s general manager,
Florian Hallermann, serves as
an inspirational guide - with
practical tips and anecdotes -
to creating sustainable luxury
in a remote destination. The
book can be accessed via the
resort’s website. zeavola.com
Runner-up: The Tongsai Bay
on Koh Samui
Green Steps
WINNER: Poppies Samui,
Koh Samui
Proving small changes can
make a big difference, Poppies
Samui went plastic free in
February 2018.
The boutique hotel on
Chaweng Beach offers
24 private Thai-style cottages,
hidden among tropical gardens.
It has a reputation for offering
high standards of service and
for its attention to detail. In line
with this mantra, the judges
highlighted that: “Poppies
eschews plastic bottles and
straws and makes guests aware
of this initiative even before
they arrive. An excellent first
step which will hopefully
influence other organisations.”
poppiessamui.com
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 143
HOW THE
WINNERS
WERE PICKED
In June 2019 we asked
Wanderlust readers and the
UK travel trade to nominate
the Thailand-based
organisations and resorts
that they felt were most
deserving of recognition for
their green initiatives and
tireless efforts to promote
sustainable tourism.
The criteria for judging
include the sustainability of
each of the projects and
organisations, their
demonstrable successes,
and the legacy of benefits for
both Thailand and
international visitors.
The task of deciding upon
the final winners fell to a
judging panel that consisted
of Derek Moore (AITO); Claire
Jenkinson (ABTA); Martin
Symington (Travel
Journalist); Julie Middleton
(The Travel Foundation); and
Lyn Hughes (Editor-in-Chief,
Wanderlust).
Featuring: Once-in-a-lifetime Travel Experiences I Small Group Adventures I Overland Expeditions I
Volunteering and Ethical Projects I Walking and Trekking I Safaris I Eco Adventures and more...

Be inspired by adventures & travel writers including: Benedict Allen I Reza Pakravan I Lois Pryce I
Austin Vince I Mike Wells I Alex Kendall I Kate Rawles I Paddy Dillon I Chris Scott I Kat Davis

SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS

*Offer applies to show entry tickets only and ends midnight 17-01-20 after which the on-the-door ticket price of £14.00 applies. Children aged 13 and under go free.
 is Solving all your travel needs and dilemmas

CUT OUT

156 AND KEEP

PAGE

POCKET
Health GUIDES
Having nightmares P161
about scrub typhus?
No worries – Dr Jane is

170
on the case
PAGE

151
PAGE

Real wonders of
the world
The Knowledge Find enlightenment
Berber traditions, at the world’s largest
trouble in paradise, our Buddhist temple, once
bronze guide Ismail hidden beneath a
takes us on the road stream of volcanic ash

148 146
PAGE

PAGE
Just back from...
Your latest dispatches from
Readers’ travel tips
Mauritius, dear reader: on
With tigers, birds
getting ‘stranded’ on
and leopards aplenty,
a private desert island and
India is a haven for
swimming alongside sea
hard-to-find wildlife.
turtles and nervous sharks
We asked you to tell
us your top spots and
you’ve delivered,
taking us on an Indian

159
safari to rival the best
PAGE

154
PAGE

The big read:

The Journey Matters
In his new book,
Jonathan Glancey Ask the experts
steps back in time to If you’re looking to
the 20th century explore the Galápagos
to imagine the Golden or hitch a train ride in
Age of Travel and Canada, you’ve come
reflect on the people to the right place – our
and times that shaped handpicked team of
the routes; plus all the experts reveal their top
latest travel reads tips to match your trip

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 145


Tigers, leopards, macaques, elephants, kingfishers and more – India is awash with a wealth
of wonderful wildlife. Want to know where to go and what to see? Here are your top tips
Gently does it…
India
“Try to keep quiet – and don’t cough
or whistle. The moment wild animals
hear anything that suggests human
beings are getting close to them,
they will try to hide. If you’re on foot,
be aware of walking on dry, crunchy
leaves or branches.”
Sophie Baker
Jeep & boat safaris
Karnataka
”Spot tigers and leopards in Rajiv
Gandhi National Park. Do the Jeep
146 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
Travel
tips
YOUR TIPS ON...
INDIAN
WILDLIFE
safari if you want to glimpse the big
cats, making sure that you’ve got
a good pair of binoculars and are
respectful and quiet. But if you want
to see some birds or elephants, I’d
do a boat safari as you’ll definitely
spot both by the water.”
Hazel Beadle
Monkey mayhem…
India
”You will see lots of macaques at
railway stations, fruit and veg
markets and around temples. These
monkeys are habituated to people
A real variety show
”Ranthambhore is
great for tigers, but
I prefer Kabini, in
Nagarhole National
Park,’” says reader
Sujith Eramangalath.
“From elephants to
tigers, it’s the variety
that draws you in!”
and can be dangerous – they have
sharp claws and they bite. Be careful
with food as the animals may try to
steal it and injure you in the process.
My daughter was injured by one – it
happened at lightning speed and
although it wasn’t a bite, we were told
to get anti-rabies injections in case
any saliva had entered the wound.”
Fiona Karbal
…and peace
Dharamsala
”Having been plagued by pesky,
aggressive monkeys before, I was

Back to backwaters
Kerala
“There are lots of birds at
Kerala’s Kumarakom Bird
Sanctuary: cormorants, ibis and
darters live and feed around t
backwaters. Walking to the
treetop hides, you may see
dragonflies and, if you’re
lucky, owls. A houseboat trip
can reveal kingfisher, heron
and sometimes smooth-
coated otters. In the evening,
you can watch flocks of fruit
bats coming into roost, too.
Joel Rawlings
surprised at a retreat in Dharamsala
to find whole troops living peacefully
at close quarters – a completely
different vibe. So get meditating –
who knows what will wander over!”
Katharine Phillips
Charitable gains
India
“Get a knowledgeable guide. If
you’re looking for Bengal tigers,
leopards, rhinos and elephants,
there are certain national parks to
visit and competent guides who
will ensure you see them. I have
been to India on two occasions, and
I have visited an elephant charity
and I was impressed by the care
Shutterstock; Dreamstime
and rehabilitation that is offered to
these important animals.”
James Sebastion
Locals know best
India
“Talk to local people about where
and when to spot different species.
Learn about habitat and behaviour
of animals while using powerful
binoculars so there is less chance
of disturbing them.”
Suzanne Griffiths
The early bird…
India
“Pick the right park if you are hoping
to see tigers. Density can be very
READER TIPS DISCOVER
different from park to park. Get your
own jeep if you can and set out
early. Some parks allow entry
outside regular slots, be it for
elephant rides or special tours – if
you can manage to facilitate these,
you reduce the chance of being
caught in a crush of jeeps. If you
can, also stay in a tree house in or
adjacent to a park. We didn’t come
across tigers when we stayed in
one, but we had so many wildlife
sightings. The week prior the
guests were confined to said
tree house for 24 hours as a tiger
decided to rest underneath it! So,
it might not be for everyone...”
Deirdre Mheachair
Rhino raptures
Assam
“People often visit India’s
Golden Triangle. But if you
want to spot rhinos in
India, head to Kaziranga
National Park in Assam,
which boasts a good
population of the species.
Stay in a beautiful chaang
bungalow and you may
also spot a baby rhino
– always a delight. Be quiet
and respectful to the
environment and enjoy!”
Priti Dey
Visit wanderlust.co.uk
to submit your tips.
Next month’s topic is:
Exploring Egypt
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 147
 DISCOVER READER REPORT

Your tales of…
AIRLINE
ANGST
COUNTING SHEEP
“Having been on stand-by
for several hours I was given
the last seat on a plane,
but just before take off I
was ”de-planed” as the
head count missed a little
old lady who had fallen
asleep in the WC!”
Brian Davies

ROCKY FLIGHT
“While trying to shut
a luggage compartment
during take off I was flung
backwards. I had to grab
onto the seat so I didn’t
fly down the aisle. I quickly
got back to my seat,
but I was very shaken.
However, when I landed
I was greeted at the
airport by my now fiancé
proposing to me. So my
JUST BACK FROM… worst flight became my

Mauritius
best flight.”
Rebecca Oddy

Sharks, sea planes and sun cream. Reader Glen Neilson and his wife,
Lyn, explore island life and underwater wonders in Mauritius…
The highlight: Having the opportunity to spend
a day on a private island – or what was actually
more of a sand bar in the middle of the ocean with
just a cooler full of cold soft drinks, sun tan cream
and diving equipment. It really was a Robinson
Crusoe moment that I will never forget.
Must see: Abolutely not to be missed is the
diving and snorkelling in the pristine waters
and the opportunity to swim with sea turtles,
manta rays and sharks. My wife Lyn was slightly
nervous after a 6ft black tip shark kept circling
us, but the sharks were more nervous of us than
we were of them.
Top Tip: Always try to go on an organised
divers’ trip first before entering the water
yourself, even if it’s a classroom demonstration
as it makes a massive difference knowing what
to look for underwater and what to avoid.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
“On our first family holiday
to Italy with our twins, the
airline managed to lose
our double buggy. We spent
especially with the added reflection from the the week carrying them
white sands and turquoise waters. I’d recommend around. Imagine our
always wearing 50+ sunscreen and a rash vest surprise when we got
when in the water.
I wish I’d known… That you can volunteer to
go on free eco tours by qualified guides around
the islands. On the tours you learn about looking
out for signs of global warming and what you
can do to try and help. They also highlight the
world’s plastic pollution problem.
Anything else? Don’t worry about travelling in
a seaplane as it was a brilliant experience albeit
a very cramped one. Even in choppy water the
landing is a lot smoother than you might think.
wanderlust.co.uk y
Just got back from somewhere travel tales on next month’s
Shutterstock

Cautionary Tale: The power of the sun can be amazing? Visit wanderlust.co.uk or email topic: ‘Travel keepsakes’
very deceptive even on a cloudy day and us at fromtheroad@wanderlust.co.uk

148 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

 ADVICE DISCOVER

How to
NAVIGATE A
JAPANESE
TOILET

Why is the seat warm? What’s

that volume control for? Japanese
loos can turn a simple piddle
into a riddle. But with our guide,
your first encounter will be
flushed with success.

Going to the toilet isn’t something

you’d usually need a guide for
(at least we hope not), but
modern Japanese lavvies are
anything but ordinary. You’ll be
confronted with hot seats,
unusual noises and a cryptic
array of buttons – and yet, the
flush is usually nowhere to be
seen. Could they have made
bathrooms any more baffling?
Before you begin, you must put
on a pair of ‘toilet slippers’, which
are usually kept just inside the
doorway. You’ve probably noticed
that general ‘indoor slippers’
(uwabaki) are provided in many
guesthouses and traditional
restaurants, to prevent the spread
of germs on outdoor shoes – and
this follows the same principle.
When you leave the lavatory, take
them off: toilet slippers are for
bathroom use only.
Take a seat – and don’t be
alarmed if it’s warm. In other
parts of the world, a toasty throne
isn’t seen as a good thing, but
during a long Japanese winter it’s
a sensation to savour. Turn your
attention to the button panel,
armed with our handy
translations (see below): most
toilets offer comforting
soundtracks to camouflage any
windy moments, so crank up
the volume and relax to the
sound of rushing waterfalls,
twittering birdsong or, in some
Royal flush Job done, it’s time to deploy
There’s a cryptic array
of buttons to choose
the various water sprays hidden
from in Japanese toilets beneath the seat (all of them
adjustable, in both angle and
strength) – before a warming
blast from the ‘dryer’.
Now for the moment of panic:
where is the flush? The
mechanisms vary between toilet
types: if there’s no lever on the
side or hidden behind the cistern,
you may have to look for a panel
on the wall or hover your hand
over a sensor. Not all of Japan’s
facilities are modern, however:
some train stations, rural areas
and public parks still have squat
TOP TIP toilets. (Incidentally, their flush

Symbols
cases, even revving car engines. When asking buttons are usually located near
directions for the the floor, so remember to use
toilet be careful to your foot for hygiene’s sake.)
流す means flush, with 大 (big) and 小 (small) dictating the size use the right term The biggest surprise – aside
of the flush. depending where from the occasional errant water
おしり(oshiri) provides a jet stream of water. you are. You may spray – is that high-tech toilets
ビデ (bidet) allows toilet users to clean their front region. want to use are actually quite nice if you know
やわらか (yawaraka) will give you a more ‘gentle’ cleanse. ‘keshoshitsu’, what you’re doing or once you
水勢 (suisei) is offered on more advanced toilets and gives you figure them out. After a couple of
which means
the option to adjust water pressure or 位置 (ichi) adjust position. days, you won’t find them so
powder room
Shutterstock. Words Louis Gibbon

止 (stop) lets you abort, if perhaps you’ve finished washing or daunting; after a week or so, you’ll
rather than ‘toire’
you accidentally press the wrong button. be researching places to purchase
for toilet if
音姫 (otohime) adjusts the sound, 音停止 (oto teishi) makes the one of your own. You won’t be the
sound stop and 音量 (onryou) dictates the volume.
you’re in a more first to do so. As souvenirs go,
formal setting. they’re not too cr*ppy at all.

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 149

 Y E n it s
AR
TH i
15 Now

Nominations for 2020 are now open!

If your guide turned your trip into an unforgettable experience, we want to hear about them.

The Wanderlust World Guide Awards were launched in December 2005 to recognise the unsung
heroes of the travel world – guides and tour leaders. The judging process is long and challenging,
so the more insight you provide on your guide, the better for our judges. The winners will be announced
at a life-affirming celebration at London’s Royal Geographical Society in October 2020.

You can make a difference. Nominate your outstanding guide and make sure they get the recognition
they deserve! In addition, some of the winners will receive a bursary of up to £5 000 to spend on
community projects or to further their education and qualifications.

Nominate Now!
www.WorldGuideAwards.com
 THE KNOWLEDGE DISCOVER

Lessons from
the road
with Ismail Ingrioui
Having grown up in the Guiding runs in the family. My brother
Atlas Mountains, guide is a trip leader and he suggested that I get
into guiding. I wanted to be a teacher, but
Ismail Ingrioui knows his the school took only 120 people out of around
Moroccan homeland 1,900 candidates. My brother said, “Try guiding
– it’s an interesting job and will teach you a lot.”
inside out. The joint-
Bronze winner at the The guide exam was challenging.
2019 World Guide Awards There’s an oral and written exam – and then you
run 40km in the mountains. My brother is a good
explains what being runner, which is why he encouraged me to do it.
a guide means to him… I said, “Well, I can’t run as fast as you.” He trained
with me before the exam, and my cousin helped
me, too. Only 40 places were available – I was
number 16 – and that’s how I got into guiding. Just deserts...
Ismail counts himself
fortunate to have the
A one-week trip covers a lifetime. desert on his doorstep
help my guests understand Berber culture by
sharing my experiences. I do it chronologically
– marriage rituals, pregnancy and birth, then
growing up. My parents are trying to arrange my speak the language. I was explaining it to others
marriage – sometimes it’s the same cousin they and she said, “No, you’re not telling it right.” So,
already proposed to my brother, so I tell them, she went down on the ground and did what was
“He didn’t accept, so why me?!” The other day, done to her in the middle of the street. Crazy!
we stopped to talk to a shepherd; then I told
my story of shepherding my father’s sheep. I love going to the desert at night.
It helps people live and experience my past. I just lie on the dunes, look up to the sky and
simply appreciate being there. There are people
Some guests fight, others propose. in the world who would love to be in the desert,
Once, I had a couple who always argued on the and I get to do it frequently. It gives me positive
bus. I joked, “We don’t have a spare room in the energy, when I sit there and gaze up above.
next hotel, so please fix your troubles!” Later the
man asked me, “Is there a spare room?” I hoped I’m learning all the time.
he was joking, but he was serious! Another guy The enjoyment of learning is followed by the
wanted to propose in the desert. He hid the ring enjoyment of sharing knowledge with my
on a dune, under the sand, then the girl came, guests. I used to be shy and never participated
walked on the sand and he lost it. He panicked. in class. If I did, I would struggle, and it took
Finally, the ring was found and he proposed! courage to express myself and learn, and to
apologise if I got things wrong. Finding an
A guy wanted to Culture clashes can be hilarious. answer later is better than giving a wrong one
propose in the desert. There was a 75-year-old lady who went to a immediately. My plan is to study more, get
hammam (public bathing place) to get scrubbed. a degree and set up my own travel company.
He hid the ring under The people flip you over and pull your arms out That way, I will be able to provide work for my
Dreamstime

the sand and lost it – they want to ask you to turn over, but they don’t people and share my personal values.

WorldGuideAwards.com
The

World Guide
Awards wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 151
 DISCOVER INSTANT EXPERT
The greatest show
Independent
tickets will be on
sale six months
before the event
around March/April
A bluffer’s guide to...
World Expo 2020
Hold on a second. What’s
a World Expo?
Simply put, it’s the world’s greatest
show – and an inventor’s paradise,
filled with the latest in modern
technology. Hosted every five years
in cities across the world, this year
it’s set to take place in Dubai (from
20 October to 10 April 2021) – the
first time it’s ever been hosted by an
Arab and Muslim nation.
Thanks. What can I expect?
To be amazed. Dubai’s World Expo
is calling together international
experts in design and technology
to present innovative solutions to
world problems. To give you an idea,
the first World Expo impressed the
world – and Queen Victoria – nearly
170 years ago in London with its
gleaming display of steam engines,
microscopes and the controversial
Koh-i-Noor diamond. Others have
presented everything from the Eiffel
Tower to talking movies and ketchup.
152 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
Three more
Expo pavilions
worth seeing
1 GERMANY
Fancy enrolling
yourself into a ‘living’
university? Head to the
Germany pavilion and work
with fellow students to see
how they’re blazing a trail
in ‘green’ technology with
‘energy cables’ and designs
for the cities of tomorrow.
2 UK
Inspired by the late
scientist Stephen Hawking,
the UK pavilion muses on
one of his most mind-
boggling questions: how
can humanity express itself
in an alien civilisation?
Exploring ideas such as
space travel and creating
exoskeletons for the
disabled, the pavilion
But how does it work? DID YOU provides a glimpse into
Visitors can explore 192 pavilions –
KNOW? a future closer than we think.
3
one for almost every nation in the
Expo 2020 is
world. Themed around opportunity, BRAZIL
expected to attract
mobility and sustainability, they A minimalist
aim to inspire travellers with hope
25 million visits construction, Brazil’s
– Peru’s pavilion highlights Inca with 70% of pavilion is more of
building techniques still used today, visitors expected a sensory experience,
while Poland’s features thousands of to be international aiming to whisk travellers
‘migrating’ paper birds to symbolise travellers. The away from the heat of
their global role. For Switzerland, you event has been the desert to the Amazon
enter through a sea of fog, immersing designed to be basin by evoking the
you deep within sky-high mountains. as sustainable sights and sounds of
as possible – the world’s largest river.
That sounds like a lot. What imagine water No small feat.
else do I need to know? being harvested
It is a lot, but remember you have six
from the air to
months to explore it all. With 60 live
reduce water
events taking place each day, every
consumption.
day is a new experience. After the
Expo is finished, part of the site will
Cutting-edge stuff.
be turned into a children’s science
centre, taking visitors through the
root system of a forest, to the inside
Koelnmesse GmbH
of a fish gutted by plastic, ending with
the theme of hope for the future.
 DON’T JUST EXIST

WWW.GANDYSLONDON.COM @GANDYSLONDON
 DISCOVER Q&A

Ask the experts

From two-wheeled trips around northern Scotland to traversing Canada by train
and exploring the wildlife wonders of Ecuador – our experts offer their help

EXPERTS CYCLING IN SCOTLAND IN

THE SPRINGTIME

Q My wife and I are spending

a week in Scotland this
spring, centred on Inverness.
We’d love to spend a day doing a
basic bike ride. Is there an easy-ish
loop or route in the area to try?
Ian Tilbury, Essex

Mike Wells A Inverness, the capital of the

The travel writer outlines
a cycle-friendly alternative
to the NC500 in Cycle
Touring in Northern
Scotland (£15, Cicerone).
cicerone.co.uk
Highlands, is surrounded by
the beautiful countryside of the
Grampian Mountains (south-east),
Loch Ness (south-west), and the
Black Isle and Cromarty Firth
(north). All can be visited on cycle
day trips of various lengths from
the city. Rent bikes from Inverness
Bike Hire in Church Street or Ticket
to Ride in Bellfield Park.
An easy 48km cycle takes you
east to two sites connected with
the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, when
Stuart pretender Bonnie Prince
Charlie tried to wrest the British TICKET TO RIDE THE CANADIAN

Melissa Graham
The writer’s 6th update
of the Trans-Canada
Rail Guide (£18,
Trailblazer)– with maps
and city guides – is out
now. trailblazer.com
Stephan Küffner
The guide book writer’s
updated Rough Guide
to Ecuador & the
Galápagos (£17) is out
now. roughguides.com
throne from Hanoverian King
George II. First to Culloden,
9km from Inverness along National
Cycle Network route NCN1, which
passes within 1km of the battlefield.
Here you can visit the site of the last
military battle fought on British soil
(1746), where the Duke of
Cumberland’s army defeated the
Prince’s Jacobite forces.
Quiet country roads take you
north to the shore of Beauly Firth
where an old military road leads to
Fort George, built as a garrison for
Hanoverian troops after Culloden.
Part of the fort is open to visitors
although it remains a barracks for
the Black Watch regiment. Return
to Inverness alongside Beauly Firth,
partly on the A96 main road.
Mike Wells
Q I’m travelling the Trans-
Canadian – coast to coast
– but was looking to do a couple
of stops along the way. How does
the stop-off system work? And
what would the best stop be to
see some great Canadian forests?
Rob Boynes, Newcastle
A Canada’s transcontinental
train, known as The Canadian,
starts in Toronto and ends in
Vancouver, 4,446km away. To make
it a coast-to-coast trip, you need to
take the ‘Ocean’ train from Halifax to
Montreal, and then a ‘Corridor’ train
from Montreal to Toronto. This
means you get to stop in Halifax,
Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver
without it affecting your tickets.
If you want to break your journey,
you need to specify this in advance.

154 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020


You’re allowed one free stopover
per ticket, for as many days as you
like. But if you want to stop off more
than once, you need to buy
separate tickets for each leg, which
Dreamstime; Shutterstock; Alamy
works out more expensive. If you’re
planning to make multiple stops,
consider buying a rail pass.
The best place for a stopover is
Jasper, in the Rockies. It’s in
a national park surrounded by
forests, lakes and mountains, and
within easy reach of the train. There
are also some lovely forest walks
near Vancouver: Capilano
Suspension Bridge Park and Lynn
Canyon Park are set in lush
temperate rainforest, easily
reached by city transit.
Melissa Graham
GETTING OUT & ABOUT
IN GUAYAQUIL
Q We’re travelling to the
Galápagos – 25 years after
my first adventure there – and
thought it would be interesting to
spend three or four days in
Guayaquil. What is there to see
and do within easy driving
distance from town?
Lesley Packer, Devon
A Guayaquil is a tropical
metropolis that has made
strides to incorporate its waterfronts
Parrot fashion into pleasant bird- and iguana-
(clockwise from top) watching spots. These include the
Macaws in Ecuador;
serene Jasper National urban boardwalks along the Guayas
Park in the Canadian River and El Salado estuary, and the
Rockies; cycling round sparsely inhabited Santay Island,
Loch Ness
accessible via a long pedestrian
bridge and notable for its
endangered crocodiles and birdlife.
West of the city, Cerro Blanco
protects 6,000 hectares of dry
tropical forest with more than 200
species of bird, including rare
Guayaquil macaws, and howler
monkeys. East lies the Manglares de
Churute, 35,000 hectares of
Ramsar-protected wetlands.
Pre-Hispanic remains have been
found here, but the main attraction
is its more than 260 bird species.
Stephan Küffner
Insiders’guide to...
EGYPT
John Penge, Africa product manager
at Exodus Travels, on what the experts
think about ‘the land of the Pharaohs’
Best time to visit? Egypt is a good place to visit
most of the year. October-April is best if you want to
avoid the higher temperatures of summer, but steer
clear of December-January, which is peak tourist
season for the classic sites of ancient Egypt.
Where to go? Egypt is teeming with cultural wonders.
The architectural feats of Cairo and the famous sites of
ancient Thebes and Aswan have the most to offer visitors.
For something spectacular, cruise along the Nile in a
five-star boat and explore the less-visited temples of
Upper Egypt, while experiencing the daily life of the locals.
Why not try? A food tour in Cairo is a great way to sample
Egypt’s many fantastic dishes. The
Abu Simbel Sun Festival occurs
biannually and is a minor miracle of
ancient astrology and technology.
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 155
 DISCOVER HEALTH
If fever strikes while travelling, press the doctors for a diagnosis and expect the fever
to settle quickly on the correct treatment, says Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth
Fever pitch
I’ve spent years
working in Nepal and
generally my health is
good; I run between
10–15km most
weekends with the Himalayan Hash
House Harriers. In September,
however, I felt so unwell that I left
work and went to the CIWEC
hospital in Kathmandu.
My temperature was nearly 40°C
and the doctor tried to cool me
down in a room with very cold
air-conditioning. They took a chest
x-ray, lots of blood and started me
on amoxicillin and regular
paracetamol, but three days later
I still felt so rough that I returned to
CIWEC and they kept me in.
The test for dengue and several
other diseases had by now come
back negative, but my blood count
pointed to a bacterial infection.
Assuming I had typhoid, they started
me on an intravenous antibiotic
(ceftriaxone) plus azithromycin and
the next day I felt well enough to go
out for dinner – only to find beer
tasted undrinkably awful.
I had pressed my doctors to let
me go home but was still attending
the hospital daily for intravenous
antibiotics. Six days later my
temperature was still very high
unless I took paracetamol. I felt as if
I had sleeping sickness.
Finally, a test for scrub typhus
came back positive and I started
doxycycline capsules; the fever
settled in 72 hours but it was
156 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
Travel
Clinic
with Dr Jane
another three weeks before my
normal levels of energy returned.
Interestingly a friend from the
Hash had the same symptoms and
he too was eventually cured with
doxycycline, a useful antibiotic
which is effective against a range of
tropical infections. The Himalayan
Times has highlighted the recent
increase in scrub typhus in Nepal.
Simon Howarth
Dr Jane says…
Scrub typhus is transmitted by tiny
mites, that feed on wild rodents and
skulk in scrubby vegetation that
runners charge through. Unlike
ticks, these scrub mites are so small
they often go unnoticed.
High fever is caused by a long
list of diseases and some are hard
Dr Jane Wil
Nepal; you n-Howarth lives in
www.wilso
Fitness check
If you’re running outside
whether overseas or at
home, check your body -
especially legs, groin and
armpits – each evening
after exercise.
so
can read h
er
n-howarth blog at
.com
Tips for when
you get ill abroad
Hospital fees may be kept
down by having out-patient
treatment and sleeping at
home or in your hotel, but
good insurance should
cover everything – don’t
skimp on your health.
Dengue is a common
cause of fever in Asia. When
the dengue test was
negative, Simon now thinks
he should have pushed
harder for other diagnoses.
to pin down, especially since tests
may be slow to become positive.
Local doctors should recognise
the signs, however, and quickly
home in on the cause, or try
treatments that will cover the
most likely diagnoses.
The confusing thing about
Simon’s illness was that several
times he appeared to improve, only
to deteriorate. Generally, if the
correct antibiotic is given, people
will feel better within 36–48 hours.
Simon’s recovery might have been
quicker if he’d stayed in hospital.
Even with the best facilities,
tropical medicine can be
Shutterstock; Dreamstime
challenging, and when symptoms
– especially high fever – persist, it’s
important to prioritise your health
over travel plans and work.
aÙõ¼ Insurance
with you in mind
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 THIS MONTH ON WIN!
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s with
our exclusive on
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158 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020

 THE BIG READ DISCOVER

Book This month’s

bookshelf
Best of the rest
of the
will be wearing Handbook of Whales,
its tux to Dolphins and Porpoises
Mark Carwardine
dinner.

month
Bloomsbury, £35
In his latest book, wildlife expert –
and the go-to person to ask anything and
everything about ceteceans – Mark Carwardine
has teamed up with top biologists to present an
in-depth (and soon to become indispensable)
guide to these creatures of the deep, shedding
light on their differences with a set of handy
The Journey Matters: Twentieth- illustrations, migration maps and quick-yet-
Century Travel in True Style comprehensive ID guides. An illuminating,
Jonathan Glancey informative read from the most authoritative
voice in the business, and an essential read for
Atlantic Books, £17
anyone dreaming of adding a whale-watching
What is it about the golden age of travel that
stop off on a forthcoming adventure.
continues to fascinate us? The elegant glamour
of a more civilised era? The romance of Stories of the Sahara
adventure in a world that still contained come Sanmao
cartographic unknowns? It certainly sounds Bloomsbury, £17
more fun that having your knees jammed into Sometimes, all travellers want to find
your chest in economy class in 2020. is a sense of belonging in a world that
doesn’t make sense. Free-spirited explorer and
Jonathan Glancey certainly seems to think so. His new title is
novelist Sanmao picks up on this theme in
both a study and celebration of a time when
Stories of the Sahara, casting off societal
travel wasn’t – as he feels – so homogenous. conventions to go on a ground-breaking
But what was it really like to travel during that adventure across the world’s largest hot desert.
period? To answer this, Glancey hits on a cute All journeys should Coloured by her own memories, this travelogue
device, creating 15 little novellas with be special; all takes us from eye-opening experiences in
a fictionalised narrator as the lead character desert bathhouses to divine rainstorms, while
journeys should reminding us that adventures into the unknown
embarking on the classic experiences (as
well as five real accounts of his own journeys). truly matter.
are key. How else are we to discover sides of
ourselves we never knew existed?
As he crosses the Atlantic on the SS Jonathan Glancey
Normandie, flies with Imper 1,000 places to see before
Southampton to Singapore you die: the world as
aboard the Graf Zeppelin, G you’ve never seen it before
his passion for the era with Patricia Schultz
social and political clouds b Artisan, £40
When Schultz’s original coffee-table travel book
heads of the passengers; it
was first published in 2003, it took us on a visual
that the renewed interest in
journey of the world continent by continent. The
of the few shiny aspects of t latest reimagined edition does the same job, but
Sometimes these can feel this time it comes in even prettier packaging.
– and with a whiff of wish-ful With 1,100 all new photographs and 544 pages
the joy really is in the minute of lively text highlighting the globe’s must-visit
detail: he captures everythin destinations, this version is even more inspiring.
from the itineraries to the From the misty landscape of the Huangshan
mountains in China to the Byzantine wonderland
gearboxes to the menus. For
of Cappadocia in Turkey and bright-eyed
anyone with an obsession
cheetahs on the lookout in Kenya, this handy
with the Golden Age of guide on where and when to go in the world is
Travel, this will be the first filled with useful travel tips and will have you
class ticket. Tom Hawker booking your next trip in no time.

wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 159

Beating city
Registan square
was once the heart
of the ancient city
of Samarkand
Step back in time as you discover this bejewelled city’s medieval
architecture and 2,750-year history, says Sophie Ibbotson
Before you arrive
Samarkand is the very heart of the
Silk Road, a glittering spectacle
of tiled mosques, madrassas and
mausoleums. It’s easily Uzbekistan’s
most recognisable cultural
destination, and its bejewelled
Timurid-era monuments are
a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Standing in front of the Registan or
walking through the Shah-i Zinda,
you’ll be transported back in time
to a period when Samarkand was
the capital of an empire stretching
from Turkey to India.
While the medieval architecture
of Samarkand is its biggest draw,
the city in fact has more than
2,750 years of history to explore.
Alexander the Great came here,
and so did Genghis Khan. Both of
these warrior kings shaped the
Pocket
Your cut-out and keep travel com
FIRST 24 HOURS IN.
SAMARKAND,
UZBEKISTAN
city, although it was Amir Timur
who’d have the greatest impact.
He was a patron of architecture
and the arts as much as he was
a fearsome warrior.
Contemporary life in Samarkand
is equally vibrant, especially if you
come during the Nowruz (Persian
New Year) celebrations in late
March. Not only will there be
dancing in the streets and feasting,
but also traditional kurash
wrestling and kupkari matches –
Uzbekistan’s answer to polo.
The people of Samarkand are also
incredibly welcoming and may
well invite you into their homes for
tea and freshly baked bread.
Getting to the city
Although you can fly into
Samarkand Airport, the best way
to reach the city is by taking the ASK A LOCAL
superb high-speed Afrosiyob train “The most authentic
from Tashkent. Uzbekistan
place to try plov
Airways flies twice weekly from
(Uzbekistan’s national
London Heathrow (Tuesday and
Friday), and if you pair a flight with
dish) is at the plov centre
the Afrosiyob train, it’s possible to near the Ulugh Beg
visit Samarkand for a long Observatory. It’s a little
weekend, especially now that UK out of the way, but this is
passport citizens can stay for people
days without a visa. made
Built by the Spanish comp
-boiled
Talgo, the trains are immacul
gs,
clean, affordable and run to ti
Arriving at the station, taxis w peas
the exit to transport you into t chillies.”
centre of town for around US toria
anskaya,
(£3.81). Agree the price befor
ide at
you get in, or ask your hotel t
es Vert
send a car. The drive should
take 15-20 minutes dependin
on the time of day.
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 161
 POCKET GUIDES FIRST 24 HOURS

crawls beneath the marble Quran

⊲ First day’s tour
Rise early to see the Shah-i Zinda
in the morning light before the tour
groups arrive. This was the royal
necropolis of the Timurid dynasty
(minus Timur himself), and is also
thought to be the burial place of
Kusam ibn Abbas, a cousin of the
prophet Muhammad. The majolica
tilework on the tombs is among the
finest in Uzbekistan.
Cross the road to the Bibi-
Khanym Mosque with its giant
portal and turquoise dome. The
mosque was built by Amir Timur
and is named in honour of his wife.
Locals believe that if a woman
Where to stay?
Top end: Four star Registan Plaza
(registan-plaza.com) is located
close to the Registan and the Gur-i
Amir and is a popular choice for
business travellers as well as
tourists. The rooms are built
around a huge central atrium. The
hotel has air-con (important in the
hot summer months) and there’s
also an indoor swimming pool.
Doubles from £146.
Mid range: Malika Prime (malika-
samarkand.com/prime) is part of
Stay or go?
Stay! In a day you can barely
stand in the central courtyard she
will soon conceive a child.
Haggle for dried fruits and nuts in
Samarkand Bazaar, then wander
along Tashkent Street, which is
lined with handicraft shops and
designer boutiques. Samarkand is
famed for its painted ceramics and
embroidered textiles, so it’s the
perfect place to pick up souvenirs.
At the end of Tashkent Street is
the Registan, the most impressive
site on the entire Silk Road. Three
jewel-like madrassas (universities)
flank the square. Be sure to go
inside the Tilla-Kari Mosque, the
interior of which is decorated with
gold leaf; and to look up at the
curious, tiger-like creatures
depicted in the tiles on the front of
the Sher Dor Medressa. Musician
Babur also has his workshop within
the madrassa; pop in for an
impromptu performance.
The final stop on your day’s tour
should be Gur-e-Amir, the
mausoleum of Amir Timur. Timur
wanted to be buried in Shakhrisabz
but when he died on campaign in
China, it was decided to inter him
here instead, in the mausoleum he
had built for his favourite grandson.
a small Uzbek chain of boutique
hotels. It’s a three-star property
with an attractively tiled facade,
and right in the centre of the city.
Doubles from $80 (£62).
Budget: Antica B&B is a house
with an idyllic garden, situated
just moments away from the
Gur-e-Amir. Its rooms are
decorated with hand-embroidered
textiles and the breakfast spread
alone justifies the rate. Doubles
from $60 (£46).
Road travellers. These are
Need to know
Population: 530,400
Languages: Russian, Tajik,
Uzbek. Some English is
spoken in hotels and
restaurants.
Time zone: GMT +5
International dialling
code: +998
Visa: Uzbekistan is visa free
for British passport holders
and other EU nationals for
stays of up to 30 days.
Currency: Uzbek som
(UZS), currently around UZS
12,291 to the UK£.
ATMs: Although still not
widely available in the city
of Samarkand, there are
ATMs at the airport and train
station, on Tashkent Street
and in larger hotels, as well
as in some bank branches.
ATMs usually accept Visa
or MasterCard and dispense
UZS notes.
Credit cards: Credit cards
are only accepted in larger
hotels and a small number
of shops on Tashkent Street.
It is generally recommended
to carry cash, particularly
for restaurants and smaller
purchases.
Recommended guidebook:
The new and fully updated
edition of Bradt Travel
Guides’ Uzbekistan, by the
author of this article, was
published in December 2019.
Useful website: uzbekistan.
travel provides inspiration
and travel tips to help you
plan your visit to Samarkand
and beyond.
35 ˚C MM 150
Previous page: Shutterstock. This page: Getty Images; Shutterstock; Alamy

scratch the surface in Samarkand, displayed alongside ossuaries and

so if you do have additional time,
allow yourself another day to fully
appreciate the city’s treasures.
To learn about Samarkand’s
ancient past, head to the
Afrosiyob Museum, next to the
archaeological site of the same
name. Afrosiyob was destroyed by
Genghis Khan, but archaeologists
have excavated some remarkable
finds, including exquisite wall
paintings showing scenes of Silk
household goods. 28 120
Close to Afrosiyob is the Tomb
of Daniel, the Old Testament 21 90
prophet. This holy site is a place of
pilgrimage for Christians, Jews and 14 60
Muslims, and as devotees believe
Daniel’s body is still growing, his 7 30
coffin is absolutely huge!
Last but not least, visit Ulugh 0
Beg’s Observatory. Ulugh Beg JFMAMJJASOND
was Emperor Timur’s grandson ■ Rainfall (average) Temperature (average high)
and his passion was astronomy.

162 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020


This year's Flower Festival coincides with a key religious celebration and a full moon
– a fine time to visit the glittering temples and local cultures of northern Thailand
Get orientated
The ‘Rose of the North’ is aptly
named. Hundreds of sweet-
scented Thai blooms adorn
the streets of Chiang Mai every
February as the northern city
comes together to celebrate its
annual colourful Flower Festival
(7-9 Feb 2020).
But fresh flowers won’t be the
only thing to catch your nose
this month. Magha Puja, the
important religious festival that
honours Buddha, coincides and
falls on the full moon (9-10 Feb).
In the evening, Buddhists take
part in candle-lit processions,
then head to Thai temples to
pray and meditate.
Temples aren’t hard to come
by in this lush corner of the
north – the city streets are lined
Pocket
Your cut-out and keep travel companion
TRAVEL ICON
CHIANG MAI
THAIL
with almost as many as bustling
Bangkok, despite being a
fraction of the size. Indeed, wats
are so plentiful that they break
out of the city walls and spread
out into the mountains; Wat
Phra That Doi Suthep, for
example, is framed by hills and
waterfalls – and often fog.
Away from the chanting
monks, there’s still plenty to do
this season: explore markets with
handicrafts made by the local
Lanna people, cycle around the
lush green countryside or trek to
visit the hill tribes – including the
Hmong and the Karen.
Getting there
& around
Qatar Airways flies from London
Gatwick to Chiang Mai via Doha
(shortest journey time is around
14 hours; from £511 return).
The visit
A stroll around Chiang Mai is
impossible without hopping
around its cluster of temples.
These golden wats are hard to
resist, offering centuries of history
and a sanctuary from the city’s
heat. Find peace inside Wat Pan
Waen’s tree-lined compound,
admire the colourful lanterns of
Wat Phan Tao or step back in
time to the 19th century with the
intricate murals of Chiang Mai’s
largest temple, Wat Phra Sing.
Then take a step forward
into the real world by visiting
Warorot market – also known
as little Chinatown – where you
can taste local delicacies and
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 163
Flower power
Visit the Ratchaphruek
flower gardens
during the flower
festival to admire its
floral exhibitions
admire traditional crafts that are
often cheaper than what you’d
find at the Night Bazaar. You
should still swing by that too,
though, even if it’s just for the
tantalising atmosphere, people
and live music. Or dine at Talat
Pratu market instead, relishing
some of the best northern Thai
street food around.
Finish up with a trip to the
Lanna Folklife Museum to see
how their culture has evolved
over the 700 years they've
called Chiang Mai home.
Inspect tribal costumes and
traditional arts, before heading
out of the city to observe the hill
tribes’ way of life; one, blessedly
switched off from modern life.
You might find you enjoy the
change of pace. ⊲
 POCKET GUIDES TRAVEL ICON

⊲ A SHORT WALK
Chiang Mai
Often called the 'Rose of the North', Chiang Mai boasts
an exquisite location, circled by mountains. The city may
be brimming with stylish boutique hotels and trendy
restaurants, but the rich green countryside and relatively
relaxed, slow pace of life here brings a more peaceful
atmosphere than Thailand’s capital city. Chiang Mai thrives
on its crafts trade, as seen in the wide range sold at Warorot
Market and the Night Bazaar. This walk takes in its wats and
historic sites, though be sure to also check out its bustling
markets and lively nightlife as part of your visit. An array of beautiful coloured lanterns at Wat Phan Tao.

Wat Phra Singh was

built in 1345 to house
King Kham Fu’s ashes.
Wat Muen Ngoen The wihan Lai Kham
Kong has exquisite is a superb Lanna
latticework and structure with carved
a Lanna chedi and gilded pediments.
(stupa) topped by Murals inside depict
a Burmese finial. everyday life in
19th-century
Chiang Mai..
Wat Phra Chao
Mengrai has
a decorated
ceremonial gate.

AN
AML
S

RA
TC
HA
DA
N

M
BA

ND
0 metres 100 N A
CH

EN
START
0 yards 100

A typical northern Thai

temple, Wat Pan Waen
RA

is set within peaceful SO 17

TC

compounds, which
HA
M

provide relief from the

AN
KH

city heat. The doors of

A

the wihan (shrine hall)

are decorated with
religious images.

FINISH
SO

The well-preserved
17

Lanna wihan is
particularly notable
at Wat Phan Tao.
Its roof, supported by
Wat Chang Taem
columns, is decorated
with Lanna cho fas,
which means 'tassle
Admiring the of the air' and is a Thai
architecture architectural detail.
Previous page: Shutterstock This page: Dreamstime; Shutterstock,Alamy

and golden
hues of Wat
Phra Singh.
The spacious,
triple-roofed wihan
Need to know This feature is adapted from
of Wat Chedi Luang
houses panels
Language: Thai Time: GMT+7 the DK Eyewitness Thailand depicting scenes
Visas: No visa required for British travel guide, which contains Walk distance: from the Jataka – folk
nationals staying up to 30 days. illustrations, insider tips, 2 miles (3 km) tales from India.
Money: Thai baht (THB), currently tour suggestions and a large Time 30 minutes
around THB39 to the UK£ pull-out map. See dk.com Nearest station
Charoen Muang Road

164 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020


Enjoy the vibrant culture (and potent brandy) of the rebuilt, resurgent Novi Sad, says
Elizabeth Atkin, but don’t forget to take to the hills to see its more ancient history
O
n first glance,
Novi Sad’s
pastel-hued
streets, pristinely
clean churches
and neatly clipped parks don’t
give away much of its tumultuous
history. But this is no ordinary
‘European Old TownTM’. The
somewhat-shiny buildings on
Freedom Square and Dunavska
Street that I was wandering
through gave the game away.
Novi Sad is just that: novi. New.
Well, new-ish. Great swathes of
its original architecture were
decimated by a shelling attack
during the Serb revolution
against Hungary in 1849. The city
was forced to rebuild and propel
itself towards the future. Today,
the capital of the autonomous
Pocket
Your cut–out and keep travel companion
SHORT BREAK IN...
NOVI SAD,
SERBIA
province of Vojvodina has
carved out a unique identity as
Serbia’s laid-back second city,
one in stark contrast to bustling,
better-known Belgrade.
Looking up, Novi Sad’s
candy-coloured promenades
proudly displayed a slew of bright,
poppy flags, celebrating its status
as 2019 European Youth Capital,
a precursor to its reign as a 2021
European Capital of Culture.
There’s certainly a maze of
creative expression to be found
here: art, theatre and music at
every turn. For direct fixes, visitors
should head to the halls of the
looming Petrovaradin Fortress
– formerly a military base, it now
celebrates Serbia’s finest artists
– or head to the Serbian National
Theatre for an evening at the
Novi old town
Freedom Square and
the Name of Mary
Church in Novi Sad
opera. Or you can just people ASK A LOCAL
watch in one of the traditional “Novi Sad is the second
kafanas (taverns) dotted all over biggest city in Serbia
the centre, sipping the (painfully barely an hour out of
strong) local fruit brandy, rakija. Belgrade. Set between
The best way to shake that
Belgrade and Budapest,
hangover is to head for the hills,
where things are significantly
on the crossroads
less novi. On the city’s fringes between the East and
lies Serbia’s oldest national park, the West, the city was
Fruška Gora. Just 540m high, its a at on of Serbian
eponymous mountain barely ducation
classifies as one, but this is uring the
a low-key haven for nature
enturies.”
lovers, boasting hidden ja Dević,
vineyards to tour, numerous guide
hiking (and cycling) trails to
follow, and 16 serene Serbian
Orthodox monasteries – some
dating back to the 16th century
– all weaving through 266 sq km
of dense, deciduous forest. ⊲
wanderlust.co.uk February 2020 165
 POCKET GUIDES SHORT BREAK
⊳
Need to know
Population: 215,400
Time zone: GMT+1
(Mar-Oct GMT+2)
Currency: Serbian dinar
(RSD), currently around
137RSD to the UK£. Note it’s
a closed currency, so take cash
out when you arrive and spend
it before you leave.
When to go: March to May, or
September and October, if
you want to avoid the sticky
Balkan heat or extreme
winter weather.
Further info: Visit serbia.travel
and novisad.travel
Day 1: City stroll
Start at the Name of Mary Church,
the focal point of Freedom– or
Svetozar Miletić – Square
(pictured). Marvel at its magenta-
orange spire, then wander among
the pews to understand why locals
refer to it as the city’s ‘cathedral’.
The town centre has stylish
shops as well. Go left towards
St George’s Orthodox Church and
discover a hip shopping street and
166 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020
local lunch spots, Fish & Zeleniš
(fishizelenis.com) and Veliki Café
(cafeveliki.com). Keep exploring
further by swinging past the former
home of Serbian physicist Mileva
Marić-Einstein (yes, Albert’s first
wife) at Kisačka 20.
Or turn right onto Dunavska,
Novi Sad’s premier street, and
enjoy an ice cream from Moritz Eis
(moritzeis.com) or one of many
Day 2: History and the fortress
Cross Varadin Bridge and spend
your morning discovering
Petrovaradin Fortress (pictured),
the ‘Gibraltar on the Danube’, with
spectacular views over the city
and Fruška Gora National Park.
Over three centuries, the military
fortress has protected numerous
rulers, from the Turks to the
Habsburg Empire of Austria. Now
it’s home to Serbia’s finest art.
Need another draw? Venture
underground to the catacombs,
Day 3: Fruška Gora
Travel beyond the city bounds
to Fruška Gora: 266 sq km of
mountain range, bushy green
forest and vineyards galore. It’s
the oldest national park in Serbia,
and a protected site, due to its
unique location and the fossil
fauna and flora that can be found
within the park’s limits.
There are three ways to get
around: rent a bike, try a hike
(there are marked trails for both)
or explore by car. Driving is one
of the easiest ways to experience
pastel-coloured parlours dotted
along either side. At the street’s
end, Danube Park opens up before
you: a serene green space with
a water feature, numerous statues
and protected fauna.
It won’t be hard to find a buzzing
kafana (bistro) or cosy restaurant to
spend your evening. Laze
Telečkog and Svetozara Miletića
are the best streets for bars.
and wander 16km of mysterious,
300-year-old tunnels.
Don’t miss the Reversed Clock
Tower, an unusual timepiece with
the big hand pointing to the hour
and the little hand to the minutes.
Nearby is the City Museum of
Novi Sad. Expect military exhibits
and cultural showcases.
As the sky darkens, visit the
Planetarium, or return to the city
centre for a history lesson at the
Museum of Vojvodina.
the many monasteries hidden
high in the hills. If you only have
time for one, Novo Hopovo
Monastery (pictured) is a key
highlight, both architecturally
gorgeous and strikingly silent.
Round off the day with a stop at
one of Fruska Gora’s world-class
wineries. Vinarija Kovačević
(vinarijakovacevic.com) is
well-priced, with views of the
sprawling green hills, the ideal
partner to a tasting of Serbia’s
underrated reds and crisp whites.
4
CULTURAL
HIGHLIGHTS
IN NOVI SAD
1 Museum of
Contemporary Art
Vojvodina (MSUV)
Just a short walk from
Dunavska shopping street,
the city’s contemporary art
museum houses modern
paintings, sculptures and
installations. Past exhibits
have included works by
local artists, as well as
international stars such
as Damien Hirst.
2 Serbian National
Theatre
Experience high culture
at one of Serbia’s largest
theatres (pictured): ballet,
operatic performances and
dramas fill the stage each
night. Sure, it’s mostly in
Serbian, but you don’t need
the language to be moved
by a night at the opera…
3 Museum of Vojvodina
With over 25 ethnic
groups living in Vojvodina,
the history of Novi Sad and
its neighbouring towns tell
a fascinating tale. Balkan
history can be complicated
at the best of times, so
start to break down this
chapter of the past at one
of Serbia’s richest and
oldest museums.
4 EXIT Festival
Each July, over
200,000 revellers and the
sounds of rock, indie and
electronic music puncture
the peace and quiet, when
Previous page: Shutterstock This page: Shutterstock
the four-day EXIT Festival
takes over Petrovaradin
Fortress. Now one of the
biggest music festivals in
Europe, 2020 is the event’s
20th anniversary – expect
some big celebrations!
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 DISCOVER THE REAL WONDERS OF THE WORLD

The big reveal

Just one of 504
statues of Buddha at
the site, this stupa is
open revealing
its Buddha

7° 36’ S, 110° 12’ E

Borobudur Temple, Indonesia

E
ight stacked platforms
– five square, three circular
– a central dome and
more than ten centuries
of history, all sculpted in
the shape of a lotus flower. This
is Borobudur, the world’s largest
Buddhist temple.
Once hidden under layers of
to light in the 19th century. Another
hundred years passed before it was
restored to its former glory, but you
can now admire the UNESCO-listed
temple’s design and follow the path
of the Buddhist student seeking
enlightenment from a life of desire.
Head in through the east gate and
trek up the terraces to the central
DID YOU stories taken from his life, all carved
KNOW? on to thousands of panels. Carry on
There’s more than and you’ll find a series of bell-shaped
one temple to be stupas, each hiding Buddha statues.
You can’t enter the central stupa,
had here – find the
but no matter – it’s empty. After all,
Mendut and Pawon
a Buddhist’s ultimate goal is to find
temples to the
nirvana, a world empty of suffering.
east of Borobudur.
If you’re not feeling that enlightened
AWL Images

volcanic ash, Java’s ancient temple platform. On your way, you’ll pass by this, the epic views of Mount
lay abandoned until it was brought hundreds of Buddhas and reflect on Merapi at sunset might do it. Bliss.

170 wanderlust.co.uk February 2020