Wanderlust_UK_-_December_2019

Wine countryNaresh Jariwala* (clockwise from top left) Peace Bridge in Tbilisi; the town is famous for its wine tasting; hiking in the Tusheti region; on the road to the Abano Pass; Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi‘s Old Town

GEORGIA Naresh Jariwala* have been springing up around ‘Wine has been a part cliff-face collapsed with 70% of the AWL images the country in recent years. of our culture for 8,000 rooms damaged or destroyed. But years. It plays a vital even now you can see shops, stables, Iago Bitarishvili of the eponymous role in everyday life’ wine press, and chambers which Iago’s Wine explained with passion housed quevri pots. how the traditional ‘amber’ wines are We came across evidence of wine made. “We put the whole grape in, making and wine drinking in Rolling hills keeping the skin and stems in. We unlikely places. One of the don’t need to add anything, we don’t undoubted highlights was visiting However, there is more to the need to take anything. We use the cave city of Vardzia, about country than wine tasting. We visited a white grape but the wine is a golden 230km south-west of Tbilisi. First numerous churches and amber colour.” The wine is made in established in 1156, it is associated monasteries, struck into awed huge clay pots known as quevri, with Queen Tamar, an icon to many silence by their simple beauty. And buried in the ground. in Georgia as its first female ruler but we were all eager to explore the also a very successful one. Her father country’s natural beauty. It was time Some wines in Georgia are made first established the city, but she to head to the mountains, and more the more common European way but turned it into a monastery complex specifically the remote Tusheti Iago explained that these are known with 2,000 monks. It had at least region in north-east Georgia, as ‘wines without a mother,’ whereas 3,000 chambers over 13 levels accessible by road only from early wines made the traditional way are connected with each other by June to early October. more natural. “Wine is part of our tunnels, and it included dozens of culture, we make it for ourselves and wine cellars. However, an earthquake To get there, we transferred into for our families. And we have been hit in 1283 and a large portion of the a convoy of 4WDs driven by men making them this way for 8,000 from Tusheti. As we headed up the years.” As UNESCO says, “wine plays twisting gravel track (‘road’ being an a vital role in everyday life and in the overstatement) with its horseshoe celebration of secular and religious bends and vertiginous drops events and rituals. Wine cellars are I appreciated the calm experience of still considered the holiest place in the driver. He couldn’t speak much the family home.” English but joked “Free car wash!” wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 101

GEORGIA ‘There is more to Georgia than wine tasting. We visited numerous churches and monasteries struck into awed silence by their simple beauty’ when we passed under a waterfall. sheared by a group of men. Local Natural wonders Heavy cloud was sitting over the guide Alex took us to a small (clockwise from right) mountains, and we entered it as we enclosure where a ring of 12 stones The sulphur baths in Tbilisi; went above the treeline. emerged from the grass. He Tusheti horses freely graze explained that this circle would have the pastures; Georgian wine is The Abano Pass is the highest been used for a meeting of elders, made in huge clay pots called drivable pass in the Caucasus at and would have judged anyone who quevri; one of the Omalo 2,826m high, but visibility was down had committed a crime. watchtowers; the Abano Pass to a few metres as we went over it. As Naresh Jariwala* we descended, the clouds cleared and A café overlooked a rushing river, we started to see large patches of ice. and a mix of nationalities were AWL images We stopped at one ice tunnel that tucking into eggs and dumplings as had formed over a fast-flowing river, someone strummed a guitar. which we then forded. A couple of animist shrines sat on the opposite hillside and were The scenery changed again to a reminder that this region still grassy meadows and forested follows its own beliefs. Christianity hillsides. Finally, three and half hours came here much later than elsewhere after starting on the road, we in Georgia and it was a centre of rounded a hill and suddenly had paganism, with a mix of the two still a view of the medieval watchtowers followed. Churches are not common of Keselo Hill in front of us, here, women are not allowed in or overlooking Omalo, the main village near the shrines, animal sacrifices are of the Tusheti. Cattle, sheep and sometimes made, and pigs are not horses freely grazed the pastures found here. Indeed, before the drive around the cluster of wooden the previous day, our drivers had buildings that make up the village. checked that we had no pork products with us. Being at altitude the temperature dropped at night and our warm Taking the track which left the layers came out. We were glad of the village we walked through a grassy hearty mountain food; soup and valley thick with wild flowers. The stew, roasted vegs, chips, and the hillsides on each side were covered in local cheesy bread known as conifers. A shaggy and friendly khachapuri throughout Georgia. Caucasian shepherd dog tagged on to us, whether for a share of our picnic Village life lunch or simply for the company. Strings of packhorses passed us, The next morning we drove about an a drover at the back; it is the only hour north to the village of Dartlo. way to get supplies to some of the It’s effectively a “village-museum” remoter villages. We finished the with traditional houses of wood and walk at the base of the abandoned slate, reminiscent in style of the hill village of Parsma. houses one finds in Nepal. The village and its medieval watch towers The next day we started in the have been carefully restored using pretty village of Shenako about 20km traditional materials and methods. south-east. At the top of the village it was a surprise to find a splendid The village was surrounded by flocks of sheep, and some were being 102 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

Naresh Jariwala* wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 103

GEORGIA Naresh Jariwala* ‘It was a timeless scene. Children shouting and stick waving. It was were laughing as they played and a timeless scene. there wasn’t an iPhone in sight’ We’d had a young local walking church sitting on a grassy plateau, and Dagestan, I stayed in a small café guide, Luka, join us and as we headed commanding fine views. with a friendly owner. It was typical back to Omalo I quizzed him about of the homes here, with a woodpile the watch towers that were such Dedicated to the Holy Trinity it in one corner of the garden, a striking part of the landscape. He was built in the 19th century but on a haystack in another, and a small explained that in the early Middle the site of an earlier 13th century vegetable patch. It overlooked the Ages they would have been used for church. As droves of butterflies village square, including a water fortification, but also for living. passed us it was a magical spot to sit pump where a steady stream of Animals would have been stabled on awhile in the sunshine. people filled up their buckets. the first floor, while the family lived Children were running around, on the second and third floors, with We walked up a long hill and then laughing as they played. There wasn’t men and women having separate through a grassy valley to the village an electronic device in sight. living space. The top floor was used of Diklo, with sheep and birds the as a watchtower. Omalo has restored only signs of life en route. The village Along the watchtower seven of their original 12 towers, and had been left empty for a while in the Luka said there are plans to rebuild last century, due to attacks from Several pretty cows roamed around the other three. Dagestan, just a few kilometres away. the village, looking a little like But now it is being regenerated and brindle versions of Jersey cows. They Alex had been translating, trying to attract low key tourism. were mischievous, trying to raid commenting that Luka’s Tusheti gardens, with one jumping a rail and dialect was similar to 18th century While some of the group walked to having to be chased away with much Georgian. Luka was shyer talking abandoned Old Diklo, overlooking about himself but revealed that eight the border ridge between Georgia generations of his family have lived in Omalo, and they all come here from June to September each year. I asked the 17-year-old about 104 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

Humble origins (clockwise from left) A view over Omalo; the Stalin museum; tour leader Dario; Omalo is the main village in the Tusheti region; Lyn standing in front of the Stalin mural at The Victoria Naresh Jariwala* spending his summers here and figure. One image of him as a young didn’t really need a translation as man was particularly dashing, all Luka’s shining eyes told me his smouldering eyes and pop-star hair. answer. “I love it here.” We joined a one-hour guided tour It was a wrench to leave the with a young woman, Natia. She mountains, although we were at least explained that the museum was blessed with clear skies on the way started when he was still alive as back down and stopped several times a planned Museum of the for photos and to admire the views. Revolution, but that after his death The next stop was Gori, about an in 1953 it became a museum of his hour and a half north-west of Tbilisi life. She talked us quickly through his and notorious for being the life and times, his humble origins, his birthplace of Stalin. We knew that time in a seminary before becoming millions of deaths were attributed to a revolutionary, various internments Stalin’s regime, so it was with mixed in Siberia, and the years in power. emotions that we arrived in the city. We were staying in The Victoria, “How do local people feel about a Soviet style hotel, and it was a him?” I asked her. “It’s complicated,” shock to be met at the entrance by she said. “Some older people, a large mural of the man himself. particularly around here, still admire him as a strong man.” Natia was full The next morning we strolled to of knowledge but I got the the Stalin museum in the sunshine, impression she wasn’t a fan. “I always accompanied by a small posse of tell people it’s important to see the friendly street dogs, a typical fixture Museum of Soviet Occupation in of Georgian towns. In front of the Tbilisi to get another perspective.” imposing Italianate-style museum building is the simple house in which Eat, drink & be merry ‘the man of steel’ was born. I left Georgia with a bulging Inside the museum was a small notebook, not a page left blank. My souvenir shop stocked with T-shirts, brain was overloaded with historical mugs and all the other merchandise facts, and wrestling with layer upon one would expect of a celebrity layer of information. And yet I felt I had barely scratched the surface. A few weeks later I met some of the group at a Georgian wine festival in London. There were wine tastings, music, dance, and khachapuri. And naturally there were a couple of black-robed priests there, walking around with glass in hand. The night was still young so we found a nearby restaurant and ordered more wine. As we made a toast to ourselves, absent friends, Dario, I thought, ‘Yes, this is what Georgia is all about. Good friends, good company, a glass of wine.’ wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 105

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Footnotes GEORGIA Georgia a ilter. The country is very safe for travellers; bad drivers are probably THE TRIP Naresh Jariwala* DID YOU the biggest safety risk. Food & drink KNOW? The author travelled on Getting there Georgian cuisine has a reputation Wanderlust Journeys In Georgia the as the best in the Caucasus. Food trip operated by Wild custom is that Georgian Airways (+995 322 is usually served in the middle of Frontiers (020 3504 3640; you should only 485511, georgian-airways.com) lies the table to share, with meat, wildfrontierstravel.com). drink your wine direct from London Gatwick. Flight vegetable and cheese dishes, A similar Wanderlust Journeys once a toast has time is around 5 hours; return fares and portions are generous. trip to Georgia led by award- start from £276. Turkish Airlines Common ingredients include winning guide Dario Ghirlanda been made. (0844 800 6666, turkishairlines. aubergines, walnuts, herbs and will be taking place in 2020 – com) ly daily from London via garlic. Khachapuri (cheesy bread), see pg 110 for further details. Holy smoke Istanbul. Flight time is around 9 is served with every meal, and has A view over Tbilisi; hours; return fares start from £102. a number of regional variations. Vital statistics (top) the Davit Khinkhali are ‘dumplings’ illed Gareja Church Getting around with minced meat, although you Capital: Tbilisi can also ind vegetarian ones Population: 4 million Minibuses and buses are the made with mushrooms. Language: Georgian most common form of public Time: GMT+4 transport although rail services Wine is a big part of Georgian International dialling code: +995 are increasing. Cars can be culture, with many families making Visas: Not needed by UK passport hired but many visitors ind it holders for visits up to one year. easier to hire a taxi and driver their own traditional amber wines. ⊲ Money: The Georgian lari (GEL) by the day. Don’t be tempted is currently GEL3.75 to the UK£. to drive yourself to Tusheti – the Credit cards are not widely road can be dangerous to all but accepted so carry cash. ATMS are the experienced. found in Tbilisi and larger towns but it can be worth taking euros or Cost of travel US dollars in cash. Georgia is very good value. When to go A bottle of wine costs around GEL25 (£6.60), a beer, May-October: Georgia has hot GEL5 (£1.30). summers and cold winters, Scott Bennett although there are di erences depending on the altitude of the destination. The best time to visit Tbilisi is during the spring and autumn. Tusheti National Park can only be accessed in summer. Health & safety There are no mandatory immunisations, however avoid drinking tap water – we recommend a water bottle with wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 107

GEORGIA Four more Georgia highlights 1 Mountains 2 Churches 3 Cave sites 4 Tbilisi The High Caucuses form You’re spoilt for choice for With around 10% of Georgia With its atmospheric the northern border of Georgia beautiful medieval churches consisting of sandstone, it has alleys and streets, mish-mash and o er spectacular scenery, to visit. Famous ones include a number of natural caves. of architecture, and layers of and superb walking. Svaneti Jvari set on a cli overlooking The 6th-century Davit Gareja history, the old town is a must. in the country’s north-west Mtskheta, and Svetitskhoveli cave complex is located in a Take the cable car for a view of has become known for its rich Cathedral in Mtskheta itself. stark, semi-desert atmospheric the city in all its splendour, try cultural heritage. Try the hiking The Cathedral of St George in landscape. Uplistsikhe is an one of the sulphur bathhouses trails (or hire a horse) in Tusheti Alaverdi is known for its winery. ancient cave town near Gori (for example, Chreli Abano), and in the north-east. It is a lot less But the smaller, out of the way and thought to be the earliest go see a performance at the visited due to the challenging churches, may give you more of urban settlement in Georgia. But Rezo Gabriadze Puppet Theatre access and limited season. a spiritual experience. Vardzia is the most impressive. (yes, seriously). ⊲ Reds and Western-style whites Naresh Jariwala* WHAT TO PACK are also found. Chacha is a Map illustration by Scott Jessop brandy made from the residue expected to wear a headscarf Don’t forget to More online of traditional wine making. The and a skirt that covers the knees. pack a waterbottle most common beer is Kazbegi. If wearing trousers, a skirt should with ilter to keep Visit www.wanderlust.co.uk/202 go over the trousers. Men should Church etiquette remove hats and wear long you hydrated on Planning guides trousers or cover up with a sarong. those long walks You can take photos, but you’ll Churches will have a basket of and a below the Georgia travel guide often be asked not to use a lash skirts by the door. and never take pictures of priests. knees skirt Archive article It is acceptable to attend or sarong for Some churches are stricter than a church service. There is little if entering churches. Silk Road – Georgia (issue 193) others on clothing. Women are any seating; standing is the norm Georgia Eat This Caucasus and it is usual to move around. cuisine (issue 181) Georgia (issue 26) 108 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE TBILISIFour reasons to visit Naresh Jariwala* and First Republic Square. For WINTER this Christmas Or head to Aghmashenebeli TRADITIONS Avenue for live music, art With its festive markets, traditional parades installations and performances. With churches, mosques, synagogues and even the ruins and hearty cuisine, the city is a seasonal star For FESTIVE LIGHTS of a Zoroastrian fire temple, Tbilisi has long been shaped by Tbilisi, the capital Throughout December, Tbilisi’s At night, Tbilisi unveils religion. Whatever your beliefs, of Georgia, is best parks and squares become the a constellation of Christmas the city’s history makes for known for its fine glittering venues for winter lights. You’ll find the most a magical backdrop over the architecture and cheer – complete with twinkling beautiful illuminations around winter period, when its snow- Rustaveli Avenue, where the dusted basilicas echo with the historic thermal lights and stalls selling parliament building is flanked by ancient chants of sacred two of the best Christmas trees Georgian music. On Christmas bathhouses. But now, this everything from traditional pine in the city. The most famous of morning (7 January in the Julian them all sits in First Republic calendar) you can join the Alilo, vibrant city is developing cone jam to hand-knitted Square, a towering fir decked a procession dating back to the in red and gold baubles. At the fifth century, in which thousands a reputation as a Christmas socks. Don’t miss the main other end you’ll find Liberty take to the streets to sing carols Square, where a monument to and give donations. getaway too. Perhaps it has markets in Orbeliani Square St George is transformed into a tree with a sparkling web of For SEASONAL silver lights. EVENTS something to do with its Every year, Georgia’s capital presents a sled-load of winter picturesque Old Town, or the events, with everything from Christmas galas and fairs to Georgian supra (feasts) and seasonal museum exhibitions. In First Republic Square’s excellent local wine? There are Christmas village you’ll find festive activities set beneath its numerous reasons to visit, but vast tree, with puppet shows and carol concerts alongside here are four of the best. lashings of Georgian wine. The annual Christmas Tree Festival For CHRISTMAS is another seasonal highlight, MARKETS featuring lookalike trees made by local teams from whatever Swap mince pies for cheesy materials they can find – such as khachapuri (crusty bread) this books, vintage curios or Christmas and sip on a warm balloons. Wherever you venture, glass of mulled wine, with a trip Christmas in Tbilisi is magical – to Tbilisi’s festive markets. a one-of-a-kind winter getaway you’ll never forget. Shutterstock; Dreamstime See it for yourself at instagram.com/travel.tbilisi

Naresh Jariwala* Discover GeorgiaTRAVELWITHTHEEXPERTS SEE THE PEARL OF THE CAUCASUS IN A NEW LIGHT ON AN EXCLUSIVE TRIP WITH AWARD WINNING GUIDE, WILD FRONTIERS’ DARIO GHIRLANDA In search of pristine mountain HIGHLIGHTS Tusheti National Park scenery, celebrated Located to the north of the vineyards, and ancient cave Tbilisi Greater Caucasus Mountains, towns? Well, Georgia has them Set on the banks of the Mtkvari Tusheti NP’s unspoiled all. Best of all, it’s still practically River, Georgia’s cosmopolitan landscapes await those who undiscovered. capital is home to a few cultural love walking between remote Team up with former gems – don’t miss the Narikala villages. Epic views seem Wanderlust World Guide Awards Fortress, the Sulphur Baths, the a itting reward. winner, Wild Frontiers’ Dario sixth-century Sioni Cathedral Ghirlanda, who’ll show you the and Anchiskhati Basilica. Monasteries & fortresses lesser-explored side of the land Sitting starkly in the desert, on this 11-day small-group tour. Food & drink Davit Gareja’s centuries-old Explore Georgia’s crown jewels From Kakheti’s famous wine monasteries are sure to impress. – the current and former capitals to Tusheti’s cheese, all manners But the fortresses here aren’t of Tbilisi and Mtskheta, where of delicacies abound here. too shabby, either – Vardzia’s UNESCO-listed gems and Visit a farmers’ market, see Khertvisi Fortress leads to hidden treasures go hand in how yoghurt is made, and a cave city, while Akhaltsikhe’s hand – before delving into the dine on home-cooked fare Rabat fortress is one of the only remote Tusheti region. with a local family. Ottoman complexes in the land. 110 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

JOURNEYS ITINERARY EXCLUSIVE TRIPS Georgia more than lived up Day 1: Tbilisi thanks to its fabulous sce and people. Oh, and not Day 2: Tbilisi To travel there with Dario Day 3: Tbilisi – Davit Gareja – Kvareli Day 4: Kvareli – Gremi – Tusheti National Park Lyn Hughes Day 5: Tusheti National Park EXPERT BIO Day 6: Tusheti National Park DARIO GHIRLANDA Day 7: Tusheti – Alaverdi – Telavi Former Bronze Day 8: Telavi – Mtskheta – Gori Award-winning guide Dario has been across Day 9: Gori – Akhaltsikhe – Vardzia the world with Wild Frontiers. But Georgia Day 10: Vardzia – Lake Paravani – Tbilisi is his next adventure – and you can join Day 11: Tbilisi him, too. WHAT’S INCLUDED Born in Rome to Italian/Ethiopian A Wild Frontiers tour leader with local guides parents, Dario’s always and drivers had a world view – he moved to Ethiopia All accommodation in guesthouses and aged seven, three-star hotels graduated with degree in Travel & All meals, transport and entrance fees Tourism, and he’s (for full itinerary details see online) even luent in four languages, too. Wine tasting and home-cooked dinner But it’s his total A carbon-o setting contribution to Carbon Clear (if un lappability and booking international lights through Wild Frontiers) Naresh Jariwala*sense of fun that never fails to impress BOOKING DETAILS his guests. The dates: 25 July – 4 August, 2020 The price: From £1,895pp* Call 020 3553 9934 to ind out more, or visit wanderlust.co.uk/GeorgiaJourney OUR TRAVEL PARTNE Go green in Georgia *Price based on two sharing. Flights are not included. Subject to availability. Experience hills and Single supplement: £160. Our travel partner, Wild Frontiers, is AITO-bonded history on a Wanderlust and this trip is ATOL-protected. For full terms and conditions, go to Journeys adventure wanderlust.tripsmiths.com/georgiawl EXPERT BIO GO TO UZBEKISTAN with Lyn Hughes LYN HUGHES Looking for some excellent company on a Silk Road Lyn and her late adventure through the bustling bazaars of Khiva and husband, Paul Samarkand? Then head to Uzbekistan with the Morrison, launched expert guides from Wild Frontiers and Wanderlust’s Wanderlust from their very own award-winning founder and editor spare bedroom in Lyn Hughes. Lyn’s been just about everywhere on 1993 – and over the her journeys – and her stories are endless. past 26 years it’s Maybe you’ll be in the next one! grown to become one wanderlust.co.uk/UzbekJourney of the UK’s leading travel magazines, with numerous awards under its belt. Lyn’s passion for travel remains undiminished. wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 111

CRETE IS A CRADLE OF CULTURE Greece’s largest island is overflowing with extraordinary culture, landscapes and history, showing it has far more up its sleeve than just its sandy shores Naresh Jariwala*

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE A ncient Greece Naresh Jariwala*HISTORIC of Phaistos rubbing shoulders traditional musical instruments is widely known HERAKLION with its close neighbour and like the lyra; if you were inspired as the cradle of successor Gortyn. by the pottery exhibits in all Western Home to Crete’s international Heraklion’s museum then civilisation and airport, Heraklion is the entry The hills of Heraklion’s interior Thrapsano also enjoys a strong its biggest island is a great place point for many visitors and there are perfect wine country and it’s ceramics heritage. to see the remains of its past. are few places better on the hard to resist a tipple in one of its Crete was home to the Minoans, island to unravel Crete’s history. local estates. Head further into Plenty more handsome Europe’s first developed society If you’re interested in Crete’s the valleys to find rural villages hamlets are slung across and the first Greek dynasty. past, don’t miss the Heraklion untouched by the hands of time Heraklion but one, Aghios Archaeological Museum, and witness Cretan culture at its Thomas, has a more ominous But why choose Crete as their hoarding a world-class treasure most diverse. claim to fame, its ancient Roman kingdom? A glance around gives trove of artefacts spanning the necropolis nicknamed the ‘Hole you the answer: sun-dappled island’s 5,500-year history. The Tucked away in the foothills of of Hades.’ Now, it’s a more beaches, fertile hills rippling into Minoan collection is particularly Mount Psiloritis, Zaros boasts charming set of chapels. the mountains and gorges so impressive, with pottery, statues a local workshop busy crafting handsome they must have been and frescoes rescued from the handcrafted by the ancient gods. Palace of Knossos. The Minoans must have felt it Speaking of the palace, it lies was a paradise fit to rule, an a stone’s throw from Heraklion island territory big enough for and was the grand dame of the beauty to blossom in many ways. Minoan empire. Once Crete’s Even celebrated Greek poet capital and now its key sight, the Homer called Crete ‘hospitable, Palace of Knossos’ ruins are both handsome and fertile.’ extensive and stirring, including the palace, courtyards and Luckily, Crete has kept its crumbling private apartments – lovely looks since the days of the labyrinth of the legendary Homer and the Minoans, and minotaur is still undiscovered. culture, nature and adventure is in rich supply in all corners of If you fancy more Minoan Crete throughout the year. It’s magic, head to the south-west of time to discover what its four Heraklion province for a two-for- provinces have to offer… one, with the remains of the city Alamy; Visit Greece For more information, visit visitgreece.gr wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 113

‘Crete is an island overflowing with a rich history, eye-popping landscapes and traditions that have stood the test of time’ CHARISMATIC The result is a fine jumbleNaresh Jariwala* Mountains, a constant reminder by catching the ferry to Gavdos CHANIA of Minoan ruins mixed in with that this city is just one part of island: Europe’s most-southerly Ottoman and Byzantine Dreamstime; Shutterstock; Visit GreeceChania. Ruins sprinkle the entire outpost is closer to Africa than The charming city of Chania is buildings. Perhaps its prettiest region, including the rock- some parts of Greece. like a microcosm of the island’s part is the Venetian quarter’s perched Aptera, its position history. Built on the former harbour, where a half-moon of offering epic coastal views and REMARKABLE Minoan city of Kydonia, a stroll pastel-hued buildings make for an insight into Minoan and RETHYMNO through the streets of the Old a pleasant place for a coffee. Roman livelihoods. See some Town takes you past architecture of Chania’s time-honoured It may be the smallest of Crete’s built by many empires who left Peeking above the roofs are traditions in remote villages, four provinces, but Rethymno their mark on Crete’s identity. the majestic snow-dusted White from the prolific art scene of is big on beauty. Somehow lush Verekynthos to the herb-growing gorges, wildflower meadows and community of Macheri. cloud-baiting mountains are all squeezed into this central Samaria Gorge offers a wilder section of the island. See it from side to Chania and is one of the above by paragliding. On first grandest and longest gorges in glance, the landscape appears Europe. A 16km hike displays its to have been left untouched, but raw beauty, from its neck-aching on closer inspection, ancient cliffs to almost alpine scenery. monasteries, mountain villages After, enjoy a refreshing swim and tiny hamlets can be found. in the sea at Agia Roumeli. Even the city of Rethymno You can also swim at Lake on the north coast, which is Kournas, whose vivid waters the third largest on the island, change colour with the position retains a small-town allure. Its of the sun. Hike around its edges medieval Old Town is one of the or dive in to spot turtles. Keep on best preserved in Greece, going across the Mediterranean a Venetian-Ottoman maze of 114 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE little lanes, elegant monuments Naresh Jariwala*Nida Plateau, studded withspringboard from where you can CULINARY CRETE and minarets peeking above the mitata (stone shepherd huts) explore the nearby wilder sites. ornamental doorways. That the that were once used for storing ▪ Mediterranean diets have city’s beauty remains intact can cheese. The mountain range Visit the Almyros wetland be attributed to the star-shaped is honeycombed with a vast to spot birds such as sandpipers long been admired for their Fortezza, a spectacular Venetian network of caves, including and terns – especially in winter – health benefits and Crete is no fortress whose bastions long Ideon Cave, which is said to and Kritsa, a Kouremenos bay different. It’s likely the Cretan buffeted invasion. be where Zeus was raised. village hugging the foothills diet hasn’t changed much since of Mount Kastello whose web the Minoans, with an olive press Not far from the city is Trails snake through many of charming lanes are lined with found at the Palace of Knossos, Argyroupoli, a village built on the of Rethymno’s rocky gorges like quaint shops and local eateries. Heraklion’s 4,000-year-old ancient Roman city of Lappa, Prasses and Patsos, offering an Further afield, on Crete’s eastern wine country the oldest distinguished by its cobblestone adrenaline-fuelled way to explore tip at Vai lies an assembly of continuous one in Europe and alleys lined by churches and this rugged region. The 3km walk postcard-perfect palm trees herbs still being picked from Venetian homes. Head further through Kourtaliotis is a must, clustering a beach. A more Crete’s mountainous interior. from the coast to find the finishing alongside a palm- thrilling beach experience can Rethymno region’s rugged flecked river flowing into the be had at blustery Kouremenos ▪ For a wide selection of food, interior. Its impressive fleet of vivid waters of Preveli Lagoon. bay, which offers perfect towering peaks include Crete’s conditions for windsurfing. head to Chania’s Municipal tallest, Mount Psiloritis LAID-BACK LASITHI Market to try a signlina (2,456m). On one side lies the If you want to get back to rural (smoke-cured pork cuts) or While evidence of Crete’s history Crete, make a beeline for Lasthi sample the haniotiko boureki Cultural treasures can be found right across the Plateau. It’s a pretty patchwork (courgette and potato pie). island, the capital of its eastern- of lush fields and fruit orchards, (clockwise from top left) most province Lasithi manages in turn speckled with almond ▪ Sheep and goat herding is Rethymno’s Venetian to keep one foot in the modern trees and the linen-white sails harbour; Dikteon Cave; day too. Ayios Nikolaos offers of the few windmills remaining of one of the island’s most ancient Loukoumades are a stylish choice of cafés and the estimated 10,000 that used professions so you won’t be a traditional Greek treat; restaurants housed within to be here during the Venetian short on cheese. It’s a mainstay the island of Spinalonga; crayon-coloured buildings heyday. In the mountains that with every meal and one of its Arkadi Monastery curving around the city’s overlook the plateau lies Dikteon tastiest forms is found in the landmark, Lake Voulismeni. Cave, yet another place staking village of Sfakia, whose pies are As well as its cosmopolitan vibe, a claim as Zeus’ birthplace. filled with mizithra cheese and Lasithi also makes for a fantastic drizzled with honey. The unhurried atmosphere continues in the town of Elounda, ▪ The island’s winelands also whose deep fishing heritage and traditional tavernas still burn produce raki (or tsikoudia), bright today. From there, it’s a local brandy, which is Crete’s a short boat hop to Spinalonga, answer to ouzo. It’s the perfect an island whose guises have way to toast an island where included a Venetian fortress and you’ll always eat well. leper colony. Wander the ruins of the church, ramparts, hospital and graveyard, all of which remain in good condition thanks to Spinalonga preventing visitors until 1957. Its location also rewards those who can’t resist a dip in the limpid-blue waters. Crete is an island overflowing with a rich history, eye-popping landscapes and traditions that have stood the test of time. Homer once described its olive oil as ‘liquid gold,’ but he might as well have been talking about Crete as a whole. To this day, it still generously delivers hospitality, beauty and fertility in abundance– that’s something that hasn’t changed for millennia and hopefully never will. For more information, visit visitgreece.gr

Naresh Jariwala*

Naresh Jariwala* WRANGEL ISLAND WORDS JULIET RIX POLAR BEAR SLAND Journey to Russia’s Far East and step back in time to the Ice Age to uncover the last place where woolly mammoths roamed and where hidden wildlife gems still lourish

WRANGEL ISLAND hey called it ‘Doubtful Land’ – a place long sought, Naresh Jariwala*no need to bother the bears by following them,” says even preemptively marked on maps, before it was Nathan Russ, expedition leader and co-owner of finally discovered. And as we approached, it looked Heritage Expeditions, which has – uniquely – been Previous page: Naturepl. This page: Alamy doubtful indeed. Our ship, the Kapitan Khlebnikov, bringing visitors here for a decade, “We like to leave crunched to a halt, sea-ice blanching the water, the wildlife as we found it. We can be relaxed. We blocking our way to the desolately beautiful shore. know we can always find another one.” The northernmost UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wrangel Island was once again playing hard to get. Wrangel Island sits in the Chukchi Sea at the top of the Bering Strait, which divides Russian Chukotka Fortunately, we’d already made friends with the ice from American Alaska by, at its narrowest, just 82km. – and been richly rewarded. Out on deck early that We had sailed 1,852km, hugging the Siberian coast morning, meandering through the floes, a pearly of Chukotka. It is a journey taken by only a few ships panorama glistening in the Arctic sun, we had seen a year – a huge boon for the wealth of wildlife, more than a dozen polar bears before breakfast. Some undisturbed sightings of which are the main draw took us in their stride, continuing their wanderings, for the few hundred annual visitors like myself. ambling over icy islands, bounding across freezing sea-streams. Others – literally – came to meet us. And it isn’t just bears that call Wrangel home. Never completely glaciated, it is a biodiversity Standing on the ship’s bow we saw a mother and hotspot, a wildlife time-capsule that can carry you two cubs staring up at us – an extraordinary back to the Ice Age. This was the last known place moment of connection with the Arctic’s top on earth where the woolly mammoth roamed and predator. With bears becoming scarcer in other their monumental white tusks are still washed up in parts of the North, those in this little-visited Wrangel’s rippling rivers. And then there’s the corner of the Russian Far East were, at least for the human history. As the Kapitan Khlebnikov steamed moment, still bright-eyed, curious – and plentiful. north up the Strait and onward to our remote Arctic destination, we’d also encountered the people who’d Eighty per cent of the region’s bears breed on somehow carved out an existence in this Wrangel or its little sister, Herald Island, collectively unforgiving region. known as the ‘Polar Bear Maternity Ward’. “There is Nineteenth-century biologist John Muir described Wrangel as “this grand wilderness in its untouched freshness” in the first writings about the island. There is no permanent human settlement on the island today. A small number of rangers protect it from the few summer visitors, and from the handful of military men confined to their newly-constructed base concealed behind a 20km exclusion zone. This is border country even Russians need permits to visit. Top of the world Our journey started at Anadyr, Russia’s easternmost town. Still moored in the mouth of its vast river, we were treated to an eye-popping show of salmon-feasting ring seals bobbing among belugas, before setting sail and travelling east to the indigenous settlement of Lavrentiya. Created by collectivisation of the region’s native people – mainly Chukchi, Eskimo and Yupik – ⊲ 118 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

Naresh Jariwala* Mother bear A mother and its cubs on Wrangel Island; (previous page) Wrangel Island is known as the ‘maternity ward’ for polar bears ‘This is still John Muir’s “land of the white bear”. There was always a creamy presence lazing somewhere in the vicinity’ wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 119

WRANGEL ISLAND Naresh Jariwala* A whale of a time Mark Carwardine; Naturepl (clockwise from top) Whale Bone Alley on the north side of Yttygran Island; one of the 52 polar bears seen on the journey; Arctic fox with a musk ox skull; a bowhead whale surfaces close to the Kapitan Khlebnikov ⊳ this community made up of a few mud streets and peeling apartment blocks, has a fragile sense of identity. I found that most Russians don’t have much respect for the Arctic people. “They wake up, drink, and go back to sleep,” one of our ship’s Russian crew shrugged dismissively. But Russ is proud that his Heritage Expedition’s occasional visits have encouraged respect for indigenous heritage, and motivated elders to pass on traditional customs and knowledge to the younger generation. We were warmly welcomed with cloudberry jam, walrus meat and whale blubber, before a performance of dramatic traditional dance. Beneath the stony stare of a bust of Lenin, a diminutive local woman with a weather-beaten face told us her polar bear earrings reflected her clan. Indigenous families, she explained, are genealogically linked to the Arctic wildlife that for millennia sustained them. This respectful dependence was palpable at uninhabited Yttygran Island, 129km south of Lavrentiya. Here, through atmospheric drizzle, we 120 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

Naresh Jariwala* explored perhaps the most intriguing wooden tub in the middle of nowhere. Built by archaeological site in the Arctic, Whale Bone Alley, a Chukchi man who used to spend his summers Seal of approval constructed by Eskimos some 600 years ago. Amid here, it was filled through a makeshift pipe from (above) Beluga whales and lush green vegetation and vibrant purple fireweed, the river’s yellow-flecked hotspring. We basked in spotted seals feed in the giant skulls lurked altar-like along the shoreline, the warmth, gazing up at snow-tinted hillsides mouth of the Anadyr river backed by an evocative half-kilometre ceremonial silhouetted against the rain-haze, a pair of cranes avenue of creamy-white archways created from trumpeting overhead. the giant jawbones of the bowhead whale. We continued our drift north towards Wrangel. At This indigenous whaling base is a hotspot for the nominally challenged but picturesque Unnamed cetaceans. We rode a Zodiac amid fountainous Bay, the weather was the polar opposite. Sun blows, huge grey heads and elegant flukes, and as streamed down as we stood around a large rocky we dithered over which way to turn, a great grey burrow from which Arctic ground squirrels popped whale glided alongside us, its gnarled, barnacled up almost beneath our feet. They stood sentry back almost touchable. We even smelled its meerkat-style, chased, played and posed like pros. cabbagey breath – the only time I’ve ever welcomed the stink of school dinners. We examined a hut striped with the claw marks of a bear and watched salmon leap from the river, The whiff was different at our next stop at as the sunset threw a yellow ribbon across the Gilmymil, northeast of Yttygran: damp air with landscape. I walked as slowly as I dared towards the a tinge of sulphur. As we stomped across the last Zodiac back to the Kapitan Khlebnikov. We tundra, I picked blueberries and cloudberries, floated awhile with rafting short-tailed before – somewhat counter-intuitively – stripping sheerwaters, patterned like pixels across the off my many layers to step gingerly into a square sparkling sea. Every now and then they rose ⊲ wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 121

⊳ together with a musical rustle of wings on Naturepl;Naresh Jariwala* AWLimagesOn tusk A group of walruses on water, criss-crossing in balletic formations, before Wrangel Island; (above) settling a few metres away in the wake of a pair of snow geese chicks in humpback whales swimming serenely in unison. the tundra Nearing Wrangel, we settled into the lecture ‘Wrangel has every room for a talk about the island’s history. Our habitat the Arctic can historian had barely uttered a word when the offer. We wandered stark tannoy crackled: “more whales.” We were beaches, snaking shingle surrounded by humpbacks: blow, fluke, curving spits and foothills of back, on and on as we snapped, ‘ooh’ed and ‘aah’ed. lowering mountains’ “Bowhead!” came an excited call. We had to lean right over the deck-rail to see as a majestic 15m body slid smoothly across our bows. Even the ship’s cetacean expert Mark Carwardine was awed and he has seen more whales than I’ve had hot dinners. He estimated this bowhead was 200 years old – a survivor of the heyday of Arctic whaling whose visit made Whale Bone Alley seem all the more evocative. It was almost as if the wildlife was making a point. It became a ship’s joke that every time there was mention of human history, unmissable natural sightings hove instantly into view. “Walruses,” came the next cry. And there they were: bundles of blubbery brown, overflowing the edges of their floating ice islands. They fidgeted, scratched and nudged one another with their shiny ivory tusks, before collectively belly flopping into the bubbling sea. Land of the white bear Our doubtful arrival at Wrangel was thankfully a brief hiatus; the island didn’t freeze us out for long. A little further round the coast, we took a Zodiac in and steered around an ice hummock, crouched like an Arctic dragon. The desolate-looking shore turned out to be a meadow of tiny delicate tundra vegetation. Snow buntings flitted around us as the ship’s botanist bent low pointing out some of the islands 417 plant species, 330 mosses and 310 lichens that cover ⊲ 122 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

Naresh Jariwala* WRANGEL ISLAND wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 123

Naresh Jariwala*

WRANGEL ISLAND A polar pair A mother and her cub look out across the ice Naresh Jariwala*

Wrangel Island ReNqEuWesbtrooucrhure Exclusive Charter Explore the remote wilderness of Wrangel Island in the Bering Strait on a 14-night voyage aboard the Spirit of Enderby, a small and comfortable expedition vessel. Join explorer Mark Carwardine, photographer Joe Cornish and Wildlife Worldwide founder Chris Breen as you journey above the Arctic Circle to see and photograph polar bears and other iconic Arctic birds and wildlife. “The ship was great, the wildlife excellent, the bears were the stars with two sub-adult polar bears playing and the polar bear family on the walrus kill the undoubted highlights” Jenny – Wrangel Island, 2018 18 days departing 18 Jul 2020 Naresh Jariwala* Contact our team or view our website for prices, cabin arrangements and full details. 01962 302 088 WILDLIFE WORLDWIDE [email protected] www.wildlifeworldwide.com

WRANGEL ISLAND ⊳ flat faces of rock with intricate patterns in near-fluorescent shades of orange, red and yellow. We spent five days circumnavigating Wrangel, landing once or twice a day, mostly in glorious sunshine. The island has almost every habitat the Arctic can offer and we wandered stark grey beaches and snaking shingle spits, foothills of lowering mountains and cliffs marble-cake layered in creams, greys and pinks. We stalked a snowy owl perched on a hillside like a fluffy snowman; sat still and silent in wait for lemmings and cute little pika; and crept up on a herd of primeval-looking musk ox. On verdant green tundra dotted with wispy-white cotton grass, we observed a feeding flock of white snow geese – some of the record one million estimated to have resided on Wrangel this summer. There were millions of other birds too. The ptichy bazaar is appropriately named; these seabird cliffs were crammed with noisy, busy birds attending chick-filled nests like competing stalls, perched precariously on precipitous ledges. Kittiwakes, cormorants, glaucous gulls and all sorts of guillemots, were joined by plump bright- faced pu ns, horned and tufted. Mist rose and fell, drifting along valleys creating cloud-roads across the landscape. “It’s like the edge of Mordor,” someone commented as we were told to stay together. You couldn’t see polar ⊲ Previous AWL images This Page Narurepl; AWL images Taking light (from top) A snowy owl Naresh Jariwala* lying over Wrangel Island; thick-billed murres on Herald Island; musk ox wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 127

Expedition voyages to the Top of the World in search of Polar Bears, Bowheads, Belugas, Humpback & Gray Whales, Walrus, Musk Ox, and birds such as Tufted & Horned Pu ns! Spectacular sea ice and wilderness scenery, a landscape and wildlife photographer’s paradise! A choice of sailings in both July and August 2020 & 2021! Guaranteed Sterling early booking prices if booked by 31/12/2019, save £1000s per person!! (Budget for approx. £1500pp for ights/ hotels/visa etc). Twin share prices from only £7145pp plus US$500 payable in cash onboard. Wrangel Island - High Arctic Russia www.wildwings.co.uk 01179658333 [email protected] Naresh Jariwala*

WRANGEL ISLAND ⊳ bears because of the weather, but wherever we were on Wrangel there was always a creamy presence lolloping, observing or lazing somewhere in the vicinity. This is still the ‘land of the white bear’ that John Muir had described nearly 150 years earlier. So too is Herald Island. As we approached Wrangel’s smaller, even more remote and rocky neighbour, the mist lifted to reveal a sleek white bear parading along the island’s ridge. Muir landed here in 1881 and somehow scrambled up its steep sloped side to build a cairn and hide a copy of the New York Herald. It’s a very odd thought – that little bit of human ephemera once tucked away in the least human terrain. We didn’t land – it was too windy – but circumnavigated the island, only later finding out that the north coast is literally uncharted. Around us drifted ice-bits like paper sailing boats and floating meringues, while constantly shifting light on sea, sky and striated rock, created an ever- changing gallery of natural art. Naresh Jariwala* Drum roll Uncover the ’invisible land’ (from top) Polar bears foraging for food in old oil With one day left at Wrangel, we arrived back at drums; a cute little pika; Doubtful Bay. The pack-ice was looser but today Herald Island is the island was living up to its Chukchi name – uninhabited, except for the ‘Invisible Land.’ We could see nothing but fog. occasional polar bear researcher Layered like the Michelin Man, I found myself huddled at the head of a snake of semi-visible Naturepl; Rod Standing; Mark Carwadine Zodiacs speeding between ice sheets into an all-encompassing silvery grey. Rust-brown hulks of old machinery and hundreds of matching oil drums emerged through the mist as we landed. There are 300,000 of them on Wrangel,” explained our rangers. “Nothing brought here was ever taken away – until last year.” The drums are now being cleared - 10,000 per season. It’s going to take a very long time. Picking my way through the red-brown skeletons of human ‘civilisation’, I couldn’t help reflecting on what humanity is bringing to this extraordinary island now – without even setting foot on it. The warming climate means there is less sea-ice each year – a direct threat to wildlife, especially polar bears – and more open water, making northern sea-routes increasingly attractive to commercial shipping and larger cruise ships. However, as the Kapitan Khlebnikov sailed away from Wrangel Island, the mist cleared. The sun was warm, the sea calm and everything was in sharp focus. This desolately beautiful place had filled our minds and cameras with unforgettable images of Muir’s ‘grand wilderness’ and wildlife in its element. The future of the island and its inhabitant may look uncertain, but this is the place to come – now, responsibly – to see the Arctic before it disappears. Wrangel may be known as the ‘invisible land’, but this once reclusive island and its wildlife gems are waiting to be uncovered. There is no doubt about that. ⊲ wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 129

Footnotes three working days and costs Health & safety £170. Unexpedited is cheaper Wrangel Island but takes up to 15 working days On the ship, use hand sanitizer & Chukotka without delays. Your application that should be supplied at the requires documents from Heritage entrance to dining areas. Follow THE TRIP Expeditions and a lengthy form the maxim, ‘one hand for you, one illed in online (http://ru.vfsglobal. hand for the ship’; hold on to the The author travelled co.uk/). Travel to Chukotka ship at all times, especially if there with New Zealand-based (a military zone) also requires is a little rock and roll. expedition cruise company a special permit. The tour operator Heritage Expeditions deals with this but it means you will You need to be it enough to (heritage-expeditions.com; need your Russian visa con irmed be happy on stepped gangways +64 (0)3 365 3500) which two months ahead of your trip. and getting in and out of Zodiac o ers the 14-night, 3,700km Money: The Russian ruble is boats even when there is a sea cruise Across the Top of currently RUB79 to the UK£, but swell, but there will always be the World. The trip costs the on board currency is US$. (or an experienced hand to help from US$9,000 (£7,363) credit card). you. Ensure your loatation aid including full board but is on properly and always take excluding lights. When to go backpacks o in Zodiacs. UK operator July-August: Trips are all during Ashore, stay behind your ranger Wildlife Worldwide the short Arctic summer between (who will be armed with lares (wildlifeworldwide.com; July and August. 2020 departures and a gun, but does not want 01962 302086) o ers an from Anadyr run on 13 July, 3 to use them) and follow their 18-day photography tour August, and 17 August. Or Wildlife instructions, especially if there is package out of Heathrow Worldwide has its own trip, led by a polar bear about. The ship has including all lights, photographer and cetacean expert a doctor on board but it is a long Moscow stopover and the Mark Carwardine, departing way to more substantial medical cruise, for £13,395. The London on 18 July (boarding at facilities. Make sure you take author lew with British Anadyr on 20 July). ample supplies of any medication Airways direct to Moscow you need and check your (ba.com; 0344 4930787). insurance covers ship evacuation. Naresh Jariwala* Vital statistics Map illustration by Scott Jessop; Juliet Rix; Chris Breen Where: Wrangel Island is about 125 km across with an area of 7,600 sq km and sits right on the 180-degree meridian, 140km o the Chukotka mainland, a region of Siberia in the Russian Far East. Capital: Anadyr (Chukotka) Area: 737,700 sq km Population: About 50,800 Languages: Russian (and a few remnants of indigenous dialects) Time: GMT+12 International Dialling Code: +7 Visa: Required and has to be applied for in person. An expedited single-entry visa takes about 130 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

WRANGEL ISLAND 5 Wrangel Island & Chukotka tips 1Kit up is the longest domestic light Then there are the polar bears. Wear the excellent Wellington This is the Arctic, so get in the world – but not the most Plans change. Relax and take it boots provided. properly equipped. It may not comfortable. Get some sleep as it comes. Something may not get many degrees below zero, ahead of it - seats do not recline. happen, but something else will. 5 Going o -grid but when it rains and the wind Pack something to do – there is There is no internet on blows and you are sitting still no in light entertainment. And 4 Toes on the tundra board, except a very basic in a Zodiac you can get very bring food – Utair’s grub is ‘no Unless there’s an overriding email service (not your own cold, very fast. Lots of layers frills’ and the light is eight hours reason, don’t be tempted inbox) so set your out of o ice and proper waterproof top and to wear walking boots on and enjoy a total break. There trousers are essential. 3 Take it as it comes tundra. Water doesn’t sink into are of course emergency In the Arctic, the weather permafrost and there’s a decent contacts, with a satellite phone 2 Flying can be trying rules, and in the Russian Arctic, chance of squelching your way (limited hours of the day) if you The Moscow-Anadyr light the Russian authorities rule next. to completely sodden feet. really need to call home. A whale of a time (clockwise) Riding a Zodiac to Wrangel Island State Nature Reserve; birding on the ship’s heli deck; en route to Anadyr Naresh Jariwala* Getting there and en suite bathrooms. Cheaper Ada Blackjack: A True Story of & around TOP TIP cabins have portholes and pricier Survival in the Arctic, by Jennifer ones have larger windows. Niven (Hyperion New York, 2003) The easiest route to Anadyr from If there’s a – the extraordinary tale of the the UK is to ly direct to Moscow, general dash for Food & drink only female, only inuit, and only then take an internal light to survivor, of a 1920s British attempt Anadyr. Wizz Air (wizzair.com) ly the deck, take Antipodean chefs run a Russian- to colonise Wrangel Island. direct from London to Moscow. notice. There’s sta ed kitchen turning out Birds of East Asia by Mark Flight time is around 4 hours; something worth international meals ranging Brazil (A&C Black, 2009) – return fares from £62. Utair (utair. seeing. And if from OK to excellent. Breakfast comprehensive ield guide to birds ru/en) ly direct from Moscow to the tannoy goes is self-service, lunch and supper of the region. Anadyr. Flight time is around o in your cabin usually sit-down. Restricted diets 9 hours; return fares from £622. at the crack of are catered for. The bar has a good More online dawn, don’t turn range of spirits and, mainly wines If you travel with Heritage you over and keep from New Zealand. Visit www.wanderlust.co.uk/202 will be met at Anadyr Airport snoring. Throw on and transported to the ship. some layers and Further reading Planning guides Occasionally there are mooring di iculties and you may be get out. Journal of a Voyage with Bering, Russia travel guides transferred to your ship by barge. 1741 1742 by Georg Wilhelm Steller Once cruising, all trips ashore are (Stanford University Press, 1988) Archive article by Zodiac and foot. – diary of the German naturalist- physician aboard the dramatic Know your Russia Accommodation Russian-sponsored expedition (issue 179) that brought European discovery Instant expert: polar bears The author travelled on the of the Alaskan coast. (issue 143) Kapitan Khlebnikov. In 2020 passengers will travel on the Spirit of Enderby. The ship carries 50 passengers, has a couple of dining rooms, a bar, library and outside deck space. Cabins range from triples with their own wash basin and shared showers, to suites with separate bedroom (including double bed) and lounge wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 131

REASONS TO VISIT 5FFOLROT RMYIDERAS, We sent TV presenter and biologist Patrick Aryee to Fort Myers. Here’s what he found out… Naresh Jariwala* 1THE year to spot birds, though, is BIRDWATCHING between January and March, Alamy; Jason Lindsey; ShutterstockIS MAGNIFICENTwhen you’re most likely to see larger flocks of birds in full Florida is located on the Atlantic breeding plumage, and – if you’re Flyway, a ‘north-south’ lucky – young fledgling chicks. waterfowl migration route that stretches for over 4,500km– It’s not only in the mangroves from Greenland’s Arctic tundra that you can find an abundance to the tropical seas of the of birdlife: out in Pine Island Sound Caribbean and South America. Aquatic Preserve (a stretch of As such, The Beaches of Fort island-strewn water off the Fort Myers & Sanibel is an ideal Myers coast) there are 16 island setting for birdwatching. rookeries, the largest of which are the Broken Islands, Hemp Key Even out of season during the and Useppa Oyster Bar. These summer months, you’ll see lots islands account for 13 species of of birdlife: pelicans, ospreys, wading and diving birds, and magnificent frigatebirds and together harbour over royal terns – to name but a whopping 5,000 nests. a colourful few. The best time of 132 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE 2THE SCUBA turquoise waters between the Naresh Jariwala*remember to leave them on the 5ITS ISLANDS ARE DIVING IS main barrier islands. beach where you found them: EXTRAORDINARY STELLAR removing them puts this There are plenty of remarkable landscape at risk. With over 100 barrier islands to Just beyond Southern Florida’s opportunities to see both explore, a boat trip is the best beaches, hidden beneath the bottlenose dolphins and West Fort Myers has over 64km way to see as many as possible. waves, lie a network of artificial Indian manatees – whether while of nesting habitat for another reefs – where octopus, canoeing through mangroves marine marvel: loggerhead When we visited Fort Myers, pufferfish, smalltooth sawfish, on the Great Calusa Blueway sea turtles. Although nesting a boat took us to uninhabited rays and sharks await. Nonprofit Paddling Trail, or sailing out activity happens at night islands seemingly made entirely organisation SWFL Reefs, in to Pine Island Sound. To its (from May onwards), keep out of shells, piled some six conjunction with Lee County, south, J.N.Ding Darling National your eyes to the ground for metres high. These historical has created these marine Wildlife Refuge is another ‘bubbling sand’ during the shell mounds are remnants of habitats using submerged excellent place to see them, daytime, the tell-tale sign the Calusa – a Native American constructions and sunken ships thanks to its shallow and clear of hatchlings that are a little tribe that lived on the islands – including a 165-foot Second waters. At Tarpon Bay Explorers late to the party. until the late 1700s. Often World War combat ship called (tarponbayexplorers.com) you called the Shell Indians, they the USS Mohawk. can rent a kayak for two hours Local organisations Turtle relied on fishing for food. for around $20 per person and Time (turtletime.org) and Sea This memorial reef, almost explore alone – or pay an extra Turtle Conservancy Making our way back in the 50km out in the Gulf of Mexico, $15 each for a guided tour led (conserveturtles.org) provide rosy late-afternoon light, we is the first of its kind to be by an expert naturalist. information on the best beaches. spotted a pod of around ten dedicated to veterans – and bottlenose dolphins. Their attracts scuba divers from all 4THE BEACH IS breaching, flipping and high- over the world. A WILDLIFE pitched squeaking made for HAVEN TOO a mesmerising end to the day. Prefer snorkelling? You’ll find plenty of underwater creatures When you finally make it to the PATRICK ARYEE to see in the shallows around beach (and there are plenty to is a broadcast Sanibel Island, Edison Reef and choose from) you’ll immediately journalist and Cayo Costa State Park. Look out see why the region is famous for biologist with for sand dollars, jellyfish, sea its shells. The surrounding a passion for cucumbers and sea urchins. barrier islands are part of a large wildlife. As well as co-hosting Guided diving trips can be plateau in the Gulf of Mexico: Springwatch, he has booked through a selection of a deep swell pushes shells presented the BBC’s Nature’s local companies in Fort Myers. towards this natural ‘shelf’ and Miracle Orphans and Super onto the beaches in their Senses, and Sky One’s Big 3DOLPHINS & millions, still largely intact – Beasts: Last of the Giants. MANATEES scattering on the shore like THRIVE HERE glistening pebbles. The marine life in Florida is Shelling (collecting shells) extremely diverse – thanks, is a popular local pastime, but in part, to the 2,172km of coastline and over 30,000 lakes Wildlife wonders that are dotted throughout the (clockwise from this) state. In particular, Fort Myers The clear waters are is a true water wonderland, with home to manatees; a winning combination of various kayaking through habitats: the Gulf of Mexico, mangroves; white ibis freshwater streams, brackish in J.N. Ding Darling wetlands, and the calm, National Park; Fort Myers attracts divers from around the world; the beaches are famous for their shells For more about the Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, visit fortmyers-sanibel.com

ASOFRUITCHA MADE EASY Squeeze maximum adventure into your South Africa trip with this advice from Flight Centre’s experts Naresh Jariwala* S outh Africa packs in most out of your trip? The South CAPE TOWN the plants are flowering and the a lot – from vibrant Africa specialists at Flight Wally Alvarez weather is pleasantly cool. cities and vast Centre are here to help. The Of course, you can’t leave Cape vineyards, to huge local expertise of its globe- Countries visited: 33 Town without visiting Table national parks trotting team sets it apart from Favourite place in Mountain: take the cableway where lions and leopards roam. many other tour operators: they South Africa: to the top, or tackle one of the Cape Town and the Winelands have the knowledge, connections Kruger National Park hiking trails – such as the reveal the Rainbow Nation at its and insight you need to make Top tip: Kirstenbosch, in Cape Skeleton Gorge route, which most vibrant, while a few days on booking a breeze. Here, six Town, is one of the world’s starts in the botanical garden safari puts you up-close with Flight Centre experts reveal prettiest botanical gardens. It is itself. To beat the crowds, go incredible wildlife. But where to their insider advice for a thrilling great year-round, but the best early: you can hike up and catch go first? And how to get the South Africa adventure... time to visit is between the cable way down, or vice versa. September and November: 134 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE Rainbow Nation Mornings and evenings can GO WILD WITH (clockwise from be cold, so bring plenty of FLIGHT CENTRE left) Hiking in Table layers and good waterproofs. Mountain National Sunglasses and binoculars All of these tips come Park; on safari in are essential too. from Flight Centre’s Pilanesberg; lush expert staff, who are Stellenbosch vines THE WINELANDS based everywhere from Emma Wilkinson head office to high-street Toni Vallenduuk Naresh Jariwala*are priceless: in Pilanesberg, stores all over the world. my guide caught the smell of Countries visited: 35 Armed with their insider Countries visited: 46 lions in the air and stopped the Favourite place in knowledge, they can Favourite place in vehicle, only for a pride of big South Africa: tailor-make your perfect South Africa: cats to emerge from a Cape Town South Africa holiday – Cape Town seemingly lifeless bush. They Top tip: Stellenbosch is all from the city sights to a Top tip: To truly understand the sauntered past, just a whisker about great wine and incredible safari you’ll never forget. history of South Africa, a visit away; it was breathtaking. food – it’s hard to go wrong here! to Robben Island is essential. I love visiting Simonsig Wine Plan your dream holiday Here you will see where Nelson Luci Cunningham Estate: you can tour the cellars Flight Centre’s Ultimate Mandela lived for 18 of his 27 and winery, and enjoy some South Africa trip is an epic years of imprisonment. It is Countries visited: 35 fabulous tastings. Our guide 10-day adventure in Cape also where he began writing Favourite place in also taught us how to swipe the Town, Stellenbosch and his memoir, and you will hear South Africa: top off a bottle of bubbly with Pilanesberg National the story behind where he hid Mossel Bay a sword – always handy when Park. It includes return it and his relationship with some Top tip: As well as daytime you don’t have a corkscrew flights with Virgin Atlantic of the guards at the prison. The safaris, almost all safari lodges around! All vineyards can ship and an action-packed boat ride across also gives you offer game drives at dawn and wine to your home address, so itinerary, with guided wonderful views of Cape Town after dark – and you’ll see you don’t have to worry about game drives and two and Table Mountain – and if different animals every time. squeezing it into your suitcase. nights in a luxurious safari you’re really lucky, you may even The big cats tend to linger in a lodge. From £1,799 per see southern right whales. shady spot during the day, Hein Van-Zyl person, including flights. making them hard to spot, so ON SAFARI getting up early can increase Countries visited: 27 Tom Grapes your chance of seeing them. Favourite place in South Africa: Paarl Countries visited: 41 Top tip: Don’t miss Favourite place in Paarl, the largest town in the South Africa: Winelands. It has many wineries Kruger National Park and vineyards to choose from. Top tip: Close to Johannesburg I recommend Spice Route: as and child friendly, Pilanesberg well as tasting wonderful wines National Park is one of my top here, you can try local craft safari picks. It is set between beers, chocolate, spirits, ice the dry desert of the Kalahari cream and more. After, eat on and the wet Lowveld region, La Grapperia Bistro’s terrace for giving it a unique ecosystem amazing views. There are also that allows animals of all shapes boutiques selling hand-made and sizes to thrive – including ceramics, textiles and crafts. rhinos, elephants, leopards AWL Images; Dreamstime; Shutterstock and lions. On safari, guides For more info, speak to a Flight Centre Travel Consultant in store, visit lightcentre.co.uk or call 0808 239 3772

The r verNaresh Jariwala*

Naresh Jariwala* COLOMBIA of tombs Nestled in the Colombian massif in Huila province, the Magdalena River is home to Latin America’s largest necropolis and a lost civilisation shrouded in mystery WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS SIMON BROUGHTON

COLOMBIA Naresh Jariwala* We 138 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 Previous page: Alamytethered the horses at a fence, walked along a switchback track and then headed down a metal staircase over the rocks to a small plateau called La Chaquira. The voice of a woman singing hovered like birds on thermals. I looked at the ground falling precipitously to the river surging through a winding gorge hundreds of metres below. There were coffee plantations on many of the slopes, but how people managed to harvest them without slipping down into the river I couldn’t imagine. Examining the view, it felt instinctively like a holy place. Jorge E Peña, my guide, pointed at a rock overlooking the gorge. There was a larger than life-sized figure carved in relief with staring eyes and arms raised. I felt a bit like that myself, gazing at this landscape with its distant waterfalls and rushing river. This was the largest of the incised figures and, with help, I started to make out other images dotted around – of humans and animals. This was a ceremonial site of the people who had lived here well over 1,000 years ago. Carved in stone I was on the Colombian massif in the Huila province, an outcrop of mountains where the Andes, the world’s longest mountain chain, unwinds like a rope into three cordilleras that make up the mountain ranges of western Colombia. The river below was the Magdalena, the country’s longest, which is over a kilometre wide when it meets the Caribbean in the Colombian seaport of Barranquilla. But I was standing at its youth where it rushes through El Estrecho, a channel in the rocks 2m wide. “In the local language it’s called Guacacallo, ‘the river of tombs’,” Jorge told me. There are over 500 statues and 40 burial mounds scattered throughout the hills surrounding the Alto Magdalena region, hence the name. And I’d spent the day exploring the vertiginous countryside by the river on horseback. If the landscape wasn’t enough of a draw, the tombs of San Agustín with their imposing carved statues certainly were – indeed, they were what I’d come to Colombia to see. Latin America is awash with ancient civilisations known for their architecture, from the Incas in Peru (famous for building Machu Picchu) to the Olmecs and Aztecs in Mexico and the Maya in Central America. However, we have no idea who built the statues at San Agustín. They’re simply called Cultura del Alto Magdalena (the Upper Magdalena Culture) or the Pueblo Escultor (Sculpture People). The statues and graves date from AD1-900, although some discoveries have ⊲

Holy placeNaresh Jariwala* (clockwise from left) El Estrecho; a painted stone igure at El Purutal; a shaman grave; the only human igure at the archaeological park; the statues are a mix of gods, beasts and animals; (previous page) the stone carved igure at La Chaquira and the Magdalena Valley

Naresh Jariwala* 140 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

COLOMBIA ‘If the landscape wasn’t enough of a draw, the tombs of San Augustín certainly were’ Naresh Jariwala* ⊳ also been made here dating back to 3300BC. Walking tall Chronologically, this places the classic San Agustín It’s a steep climb up to the Alto remains after the colossal Olmec heads in Mexico, roughly contemporaneous with the cities and de Lavapatos where the pyramids of the Maya and before the rise of the earliest remains were found, Aztecs and the Incas from AD1300. but it is worth it for the Ancient relics impressive collection of The main concentration of the San Agustín tombs statues and the view is in what is now an Archaeological Park about 3km from the centre of the town. This UNESCO Jose E Peña World Heritage site was where I began my trip. First created in 1937, it has developed dramatically since then – but while it’s the largest necropolis in Latin America, it is still little-known. One of the reasons for this is that for many years this area was dominated by the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) guerrillas, an extreme left terrorist group. While Colombia has long been associated with drug cartels, guerillas and unrest, more and more areas are opening up to visitors and it is now perfectly safe to visit San Agustín and its surrounds. On arrival at the park Jorge explained that the tombs are dotted in three clearings: Mesita A, B and C, which are surrounded by dense primary forest of bamboo, rubber and heliconia trees with their bird of paradise flowers. As I walked to the first clearing I thought to myself it must have taken masses of machetés to find and clear this place. Mesita A is the biggest of the clearings with some of the most impressive tombs. They appear as massive stone gateways, with three statues supporting a stone lintel. Made of local volcanic rock from the extinct volcanoes that surround San August n, the softish stone was carved with harder basalt. The central figure is thought to represent the inhabitant of the tomb, with guardians on either side. The bodies were buried with tools, food, ceramics and precious objects from gold or tumbaga, an alloy of gold and copper, which has a lower melting point and supports more fine detail. These objects suggest a belief in some sort of an afterlife. The tomb that struck me as most impressive is thought to depict a shaman. Jorge had spent ⊲ wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 141

COLOMBIA ‘Buried under mounds of earth, these monumental sculptures were never actually intended to be seen at all’ ⊳ time with indigenous tribes in the Amazon and Naresh Jariwala*worthwhile climb up to the Alto de Lavapatas Fantastical igures where the earliest remains were found. Here (clockwise from left) said the shamans there wear a headdress with 33 I encountered another fine collection of statues A stone sculpture lanked by feathers just as this statue does. In his hands, he including an impressive doble figure, and deities at the archaeological holds the tools of his trade as a coquero: a stick in a glorious view of several volcanoes. park; the Magdalena River his right hand and a long vessel (poporo) in his left. Valley; the Fuente de Shamans used sacred plants such as ayahuasca and Below me was the Fuente de Lavapatas, not so Lavapatas; the birdlike statue coca to get into hallucinogenic states. Coca leaves much a spring as a stream channeled over a rocky on their own have little effect, so they were mixed outcrop with pools and animals carved in relief – at San Agustín with lime powder, made from crushed shells, kept a snake, a cayman, a monkey – and a woman in the poporo and extracted with the dipping pin. giving birth. This has led to suggestions that it might have been a birthing pool. I’d love to have The shaman has sharp pointed jaguar’s teeth and been able to get closer, but it was firmly fenced is flanked by protective deities bearing weapons. off. It reminded me of another mysterious place Above their heads are animal figures which curve of watery worship, Kbal Spea Kbal Spean, not far down the back of the statues. They are thought to from Angkor Wat, in Cambodia. represent the visions or altered states from which the shamans get their power. It’s easy to spend a full day in the park and there’s plenty more of this lost world to explore further – While these figures are fantastical with their jaguar it’s thought that only 10% of these tomb guardians teeth and hovering alter-egos, just beside this tomb and burial mounds have been uncovered. There I discovered a much more simple human figure with were quite a few visitors, mostly Colombian. But his arms across his chest wearing what looked like the just by walking away from the main tombs, it was sort of felt cap still worn by the Arhuaco, Kogui and easy to be alone in this glorious place. other indigenous people in the mountains. I found it rather comforting to locate a human figure here, alongside the mythical and ceremonial ones. Although the Upper Magdalena People disappeared before the conquistadores arrived in the 1500s, there are still similarities in the culture, clothing and beliefs of Colombia’s indigenous people to this day. But these sculptures were never actually intended to be seen. Buried under mounds of earth at least as high as the protective canopies built over them today (just like dolmens in Britain), the statues were intended to protect or sustain the deceased in the afterlife. As we passed a bird-like statue, Jorge explained that this figure represents the meeting of the upper world and the lower world. A bird of prey grasps a snake, which perhaps evolved into the ‘plumed serpent’ found in Central American culture and on the Mexican flag. The snake is not dead but living, and this cosmic mix of bird and serpent is thought to represent an equilibrium between the sky and the earth. Watery worship Alamy; AWL images After admiring the statues, we made our way to the final section of the park. It was a steep, but 142 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

Naresh Jariwala* Mystical land the latter worth seeing was the painted statues, in red, blue and yellow. The ones in the park Although the majority of the statues are in the are also painted, but over the years the colour Archaeological Park, it’s well worth exploring the has disappeared. Much of the region is more remote sites further afield – either in unexcavated, so there is probably much more a vehicle or better on horseback. This is where you to be discovered. get a sense of the landscape and how these tombs are nestled in its most dramatic places. I had no As I climbed up from the viewpoint at La riding experience and had always felt nervous Chaquira, I stopped to listen to the woman’s about horses. But the horses are used to the tracks song. “God wanted to put his throne in one part of and with Jorge I felt in safe hands. the world. After a lot of searching he came to my beloved Huila and founded San Agustín in his It was thrilling to thunder across the hills, down profound mystery. Then he created the Magdalena into the valleys and experience the environment the River so all Colombian people could drink the water way the locals have done for centuries. Jorge, very of this land that is their glory,” she chanted. much at home, knew which plants have natural dyes, which he used to paint a picture in the ‘passport’ to The song celebrated the beauty of the the various sites, which was included with the Colombian massif, and made me realise that entrance ticket. The round trip included El Tablón, this viewpoint is still a place of reverence and five fine statues at the foot of La Pelota volcano, La devotion today. Whoever the Upper Magdalena Chaquira, the sacred site above the Magdalena river, People worshipped, the new inhabitants share and El Purutal, a grave site only uncovered in 1985. the same instincts. We may never uncover the mystery behind the remnants of this ancient Apart from a spectacular ride through the coffee and lulo fruit plantations, what made culture, but we can still see it in all its glory. ⊲ wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 143

Footnotes Naresh Jariwala*the low-lying areas where there’sfor travellers. Lulo and other fruit malaria and is low risk. juices are one of the delights of the San Agustín, Map illustration by Scott Jessopregion. Alcohol is widely available. Colombia Huila province and San Agustín are among the areas considered Accommodation THE TRIP safe for travel, but check FCO advice and don’t launt your Akawanka Lodge is about 2km out The author travelled cameras or valuables. of town towards the archaeological independently lying with park. It has beautiful gardens full of Avianca courtsey of Getting there & around birds, relaxing public areas, a bar and Pro-Colombia and spent restaurant. B&B doubles start from three nights in San Agustín Avianca Airlines (avianca.com) around £70 (akawankalodge.com). at the Akawanka Hotel. ly direct from London to Bogota. Flight time is around 11 hours, The Huaka-Yo hotel is simpler, Vital statistics return fare from £485. The nearest but right next to the archaeological airport to San Agustín is Pitalíto; park. Doubles start from around Capital: Bogotá Satena (satena.com) ly from £40 (huakayo.co). Population: 48m Bogota (£200 return). Flight time is Language(s): Spanish around 1.5 hours, return fare from Further reading Time: GMT - 5 £115. A taxi from Pitalito to San & information International dialling code: +57 Agustín takes an hour and costs Visas: (UK nationals) Not required around $50,000 (£11). Colombia (Rough Guides, 2018). for the irst 90 days. Las Estatuas del Pueblo Escultor Money: Colombian pesos (COP), A 4-hour horse trek of about in Spanish and English (David the symbol is $. Currently around 15km to El Tablón, La Chaquira, Dellenback, 2018). 4,318 to the UK£. La Pelota and Purutal costs £10 for colombia.travel/en – o icial site the guide and horse plus £5 per Why visit person. Vehicles to other sites are More online available (viajesivanhoyos.com.co). San Agustín is a pleasant and busy Visit www.wanderlust.co.uk/202 colonial town with a lively market. Cost of travel The region is famous for its co ee Planning guides and tropical fruit plantations. There Travelling in Colombia is cheaper are several hotels. than the UK, but not super cheap. Colombia Travel Guide There is a wide variety of food When to go options from tasty street food to Archive article more re ined restaurants catering December to February: San South America (issue 158) Agustín is not far north of the equator so temperatures are pretty consistent, but at 1,700m it’s colder than you might expect. The average temperature is 18°C. March-to-May and October-to- November are wetter than other times of the year, but rain is always possible in the mountains. Health & safety Boosters or immunisation are recommended for Hepatitis A and Tetanus. San Agustín is outside 144 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

Naresh Jariwala*

Naresh Jariwala*

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Naresh Jariwala*

Naresh Jariwala*