Wanderlust_UK_-_December_2019

PORTUGAL This land was made for walking Strap on your boots and explore six of Portugal’s greatest walking adventures with KE Adventure Travel… Naresh Jariwala* Historic towns The Algarve Further inland, rolling hills and wrapped by valleys offer a different palette medieval walls. Portugal’s southernmost region to the rugged clifftops from Far-flung islands is better known for its sun-filled where great explorers once saw of wild caldera beaches than its rugged coast, their last glimpse of land. But lakes. Portugal offers plenty of yet its western fringes are little beats a walk to Cape St inspiration to walkers yet is still superb. On the Timeless Trails of Vincent at sunset to see Europe’s mercifully free from the crowds Portugal’s Algarve tour (Grade 4 most southwesterly point. that descend elsewhere. on KE Adventure Travel’s difficulty rating), you’ll stroll past The Minho & So, where to begin? KE neolithic stone circles, storks Douro Valley Adventure Travel’s small-group nesting under clifftop fortresses and self-guided walking trips and historic Lagos. Here, Over 2,000 years of winemaking are the perfect way to unravel 16th-century walls wrap cobbles have shaped the verdant valleys a country steeped in as much and piazzas that still shuffle to of northern Portugal. Explore natural drama as history. the sound of church bells. how on KE Adventure Travel’s 148 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE Naresh Jariwala* rococo palaces and medieval clifftops of Cabo da Roca, Walking in the Azores (Grade 3) streets of Viana do Castelo. dubbed by locals and visitors tour lets you explore a world of alike as the ‘edge of the world.’ crater lakes and volcanic slopes. The Portuguese Way From the islands’ capital, Ponta Madeira Delgado, a hire car lets you wind Everyone knows about the past quiet villages into the heart stretch of the Camino de Madeira holds a well-kept secret of São Miguel. Here, walks take Santiago through western Spain, for walkers: its levadas. The you into the Sete Cidades, a but the Camino Portugués is island’s historic irrigation system caldera ripped from the land known by far fewer people. This stretches over 2,000km and is to form a pair of green and blue self-guided two-week walk along a ready-made network of trails lakes. Surrounding it, forested Northern Portugal’s Camino forming tunnel short cuts to cliffs slink down to the water’s (Grade 4) starts in Porto, passes waterfalls and blue lagoons. edge through trails of villages, vineyards and farming blossoming hydrangeas, making parishes, before following Climbing Madeira’s highest for one of Europe’s wildest walks. scallop-shell markers over the point, Pico Ruivo (1,862m), border into Galicia, Spain. The takes you through laurel forests Finish with a boat trip to spy 225km trail ends at the grand and past rocky outcrops, before wildlife. Sperm whales spend the cathedral of Santiago de heading up heather-clad slopes year here, and humpbacks fluke Compostela. It’s a glorious for breathtaking views. KE offshore in autumn. The perfect opportunity to complete one of Adventure’s Guided Walking in end to a wild adventure. travel’s great journeys and skip Madeira (Grade 3) trip is a great the crowds that pack the way to explore these natural and WALKINGWITH KEADVENTURE better-known routes. man-made sights. When walking some of the most Lisbon & the The Azores beautiful land in Europe, it pays Serra de Sintra to go with someone who knows Out on Portugal’s furthest-flung every step. KE Adventure Lisbon may not be light on the western isles, the Self-guided Travel specialise in small-group thighs, but its history is even and self-guided walking tours. Dreamstime; KE Adventure Travel; Shutterstock Walking in Minho and Douro more weighty. This Self-guided Valley tour (Grade 4). Walking Short Break (Grade 3) in They visit the world’s most the capital and beyond lets you adventurous locations, from East of Porto, a short rabelo explore the Age of Discovery, Mount Everest to newly (boat) ride along the Douro River first by wandering the city’s emerging destinations. takes you past vineyards and Moorish Quarter, then the family-run quintas (estates). This cobbles of the Bairro Alto. They also grade walks 1 to 12 is port country, where walks on a scale of difficulty, so you delve into all aspects of wine- Next, it’s on to the Sintra know exactly what you’re making, from harvest to tastings. Mountains, where ancient tracks getting and can just relax and lead you to the colourful castles enjoy the experience. Further north, Minho is also and lemony walls of Sintra. famed for its wines and is the Wander past pastel-hued birthplace of vinho verde. But its villages and bustling markets history is just as potent, and before strolling to the dramatic what better way to work up a thirst than by strolling the Visit www.keadventure.com or call 01768 615291 for more details

COMPETITION WIN! A WALKING HOLIDAY FOR TWO Naresh Jariwala* IN PORTUGAL WORTH £2,000 Choose between two fantastic walking holidays in either Madeira or the Algarve... ©Tiago Sousa-No Words Productions-AP Madeira; CDuarte - AT Alagrve; A mild climate and views accompany days spent walking KE Adventure Travel’s Self Guided How to enter that far outweigh the the windswept Vincentian Coast, Walking on Madeira tour. The energy you put into exploring valleys and villages, or 2,000km of levadas (historic KE Adventure Travel seeing them makes Portugal’s gazing out from Europe’s most aqueducts) that riddle Madeira in association with the hiking trails the envy of Europe. southwesterly point as short-toed make for great walking and this Portuguese National KE Adventure Travel in eagles soar overhead. It’s another tour allows you to circumnavigate Tourist Board are o ering partnership with the Portuguese world entirely, and well worth the the entire island. Trek the Levada one lucky reader the chance National Tourist Board are e ort to discover. do Norte, one of the longest to win a choice of one of two o ering you and a friend the and oldest on the island (dating walking trips to Portugal for chance to win one of two walking The island paradise as far back as the 16th century). two, including £500 worth escapes in Madeira or the Algarve. Or choose the winding summit of lights. To be in with So get your boots on… In recent years the island of of Paul da Serra, from where a chance of winning, simply Madeira has increasingly become views trickle out over lush answer the below question: Coast with the most known as an adventure travel mountains and valleys. What is the capital wonderland. Its mountains of Madeira? Some 1,794km of coastline skirts and trails o er untapped wilds You’ll also have the chance to a) Porto Moniz Portugal’s mainland, threading to explore, especially on wander the botanical gardens of b) Funchal dramatic cli tops and natural Monte, the traditional reed- c) Porto Santo parks. Few spots, however, rival thatched houses of Santana, or the mighty Algarve. discover the history (natural or To enter and for full terms, otherwise) of an island that dates conditions and data policies, go While many still see Portugal’s back some ive million years. to wanderlust.co.uk/competitions; southernmost region as a beach state ‘more info’ if you want to be destination, that overlooks just Walk this way contacted by Wanderlust and KE how dramatic its wild western Adventure Travel. The closing date fringes can be. KE Adventure’s KE Adventure Travel’s small-group for entry is 24 December 2019 Timeless Trails of the Algarve and self-guided tours of Portugal guided tour o ers the chance to allow you to explore its wild sights picnic in deserted coves and on foot, soaking up local life and swim out from golden bays where culture. It’s the perfect chance to the only company are ishermen see a side to Portugal that most scouring the shallows for oysters. miss, so just pick a trip and answer the question for a chance to see Stays in an organic eco-lodge them irst-hand. and home-cooked meals 150 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 Visit www.keadventure.com or call 01768 615291 for more details

Naresh Jariwala*

wanderlust.co.ukL/APhSoTtoCOfHTAheNYeCaErTO ENTER! 1 TRAVEL PHOTO OF THE YEAR 2 2019 Naresh Jariwala* Enter and win a photography trip to TEXAS If you haven’t yet sent us A rock & roll spirit 3 your entries for Wanderlust Austin is unmistakably Texan, Travel Photo of the Year 2019, but with a unique personality you’d better be quick – time is too. It’s dynamic and forward- running out for your chance to thinking, and has an insatiable win a photography trip to Texas. appetite for creative and artistic We’ve extended the deadline by endeavors: the mega musical an extra few days, so you now gatherings of Austin City Limits have until 30 November to send Music Festival (October) and us your most prized pictures Souh by Southwest, also called – joining over 2,500 entrants SXSW, (March) attract thousands who’ve already done so. of musicians, fans and critics alone. It doesn’t matter when you  But the city is buzzing year- took your shots: as long as round, with everything from you’re an amateur snapper fascinating museums to Texas’s 4 with a great image on that top barbecue joints to enjoy. memory stick, you could be Start your urban adventure at one of four winners heading the Texas State Capitol building, out to capture the Lone Star which opened in 1888 and State’s best bits – including presides over the state with the city of Austin.  a digni ied grace. Its architecture

5 Naresh Jariwala* 5 TOP THINGS TO DO IN AUSTIN NIKON CAMERA re lects the city’s independent 1Hit the pool You’ll ind artisan ales at Craft PRIZES FOR spirit and civic pride: from its Austin’s crown jewel is a Pride, and superb snags in THERUNNERS UP magni icent chambers to the natural gem: Barton Springs Banger’s Sausage House. tip of its dome – designed to be Pool in Zilker Park, which has Our four Runner-Up photographers 4.5m taller than the US Capitol.  been a source of refreshment 4Feast on BBQ will win a Nikon D3500 camera and for nearly a century. After a There’s some seriously an AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm VR  Austin is also home to myriad dip, hop on board the mini good eatin’ in Austin. Look lens. This premium camera cultural institutions, such as the Zilker Zephyr train. out for super-soft barbecue features a huge 24.2 MP DX-format Blanton Museum of Art, which brisket, juicy ribs and spicy sensor that captures outstanding has more than 17,000 works 2Find your groove pulled pork: you can’t go images and full HD movies. Add the – including masterpieces by The soul of funky South wrong with the bites at NIKKOR lens and you can take contemporary and classic artists Congress Avenue is the Franklin Barbecue, Stiles impressive portraits featuring that alike. Love hiking and cycling? Continental Club, a live music Switch and La Barbecue. enviable background blur. This will The city’s parks and botanical venue that specialises in roots help you hold on to your travel gardens are criss-crossed with rock, bluegrass, rockabilly and 5Go batty experiences – creating immersive routes, while Lady Bird Lake is country. Its celebrity sightings At sunset in summer, images and videos, exactly as you a serene spot for canoeing.  are legendary. 1.5 million bats emerge from experience them. nikon.co.uk under Austin’s Congress  Whether you’re in hiking 3Tuck into Avenue Bridge: the largest boots or dancing shoes, this Rainey Street urban bat colony in the USA. free-spirited city is waiting to be They appear as an amorphous explored – so grab your camera This historic street has been black cloud, drifting over the and get into the groove. transformed into Austin’s river into the twilight. hippest dining destination. Enter now at wanderlust.co.uk/PhotoOfTheYear

Naresh Jariwala* TAOSKSAI VTORUIPR Hit the slopes in Alta Badia this winter, for a taste of the true South Tyrol... 154 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE Buon appetito The local Ladin cuisine is a real winter warmer – featuring meaty stews, stu ed ravioli, and lots of naughty desserts A ltaBadiaNaresh Jariwala* But that’s not all: Alta Badia kind of hearty fare you need in is a ski is also regarded as the culinary the mountains. destination capital of the Dolomites. You’ll like no other. find four Michelin stars within Great food, unique culture, Sitting in the its borders, and the tiny huts pristine slopes… this is skiing southernmost and bars that dot the slopes are as it was meant to be. reaches of the Val Badia valley, just as discerning as the area’s and towered over by the award-winning restaurants. UNIQUE WINTER UNESCO-listed Dolomites, this Even the humblest meal is one ADVENTURES South Tyrol (Südtirol) spot is the to remember. last stronghold of the Ladin For more than 50 years, the six culture, where unique alpine Alta Badia’s traditional Ladin villages in Alta Badia have been traditions blend with Italian cuisine is simple, wholesome, synonymous with sporty winter dolce vita (good life). and made from fresh locally- breaks in South Tyrol and the sourced ingredients. Stand-out Dolomites. Italy’s first chairlift As you might expect, the dishes include Cajincí (ravioli was opened here in 1946 – the skiing in Alta Badia is world filled with spinach) and Furtaies Col Alto in Corvara – and ever class. It’s part of Dolomiti (swirls of batter, fried and since then ski enthusiasts have Superski, the largest ski resort dusted with sugar) – just the flocked to the region for its complex in Europe, so with just crisp winter air, beautiful one ski pass you have access to IDM Südtirol / Alex Moling 12 ski resorts – encompassing 1,200km of slopes – in the heart of the Dolomites. Whether you’re an experienced skier or a total beginner, you’ll find the perfect slope for you. Conditions are always perfect – with 300 days of sunshine every year, and state-of-the-art snow machines to ensure the powder is perfect. Add in plenty of modern facilities and some breathtaking views, and you’ve got a ski experience to savour. wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 155

‘Alta Badia is the gastronomic capital of South Tyrol. No other area of the Alps has such a high density of Michelin-starred restaurants’ snow-capped mountains and Naresh Jariwala* immaculate ski slopes. Stella Alpina is ideal. Also density of award-winning local ingredients and pairing Located in the centre of the known as the Edelweiss valley, restaurants: you’ll find four perfectly with South Tyrol’s Dolomiti Superski skiing region, its wide and sunny slopes on the stars within just nine square famous wines. Couple that with Alta Badia boasts 130km of edge of Puez-Odle Nature Park miles. Restaurant St. Hubertus, traditional Ladin hospitality, runs, served by superb facilities have plenty of elbow room – at the Hotel Rosa Alpina in San and every meal is an event. – and the local transport links as well as cosy mountain huts Cassiano, boasts three Michelin have a skis-on connection to and uninterrupted vistas all the stars for its Alpine/Italian fusion More recently, Alta Badia has more than 500km of slopes way across the Val Mezdí to cuisine; and La Stüa de Michil, become famous for combining around the Sella mountain. the Sella Massif. at Corvara’s Hotel La Perla, has its greatest assets – gourmet But what really sets Alta Badia received one star for its rustic food, natural beauty and apart from other European FANTASTIC mountain fare. world-class skiing – in a series winter sports destinations, CUISINE of unique events known as however, is the truly unique ski Food matters here. From the ‘A Taste For Skiing.’ experiences it can offer. Drawing on both its Ladin most sophisticated restaurant traditions and Italian influences, to the most rustic of mountain For example, Roda dles Saus The most famous is the Alta Badia is the gastronomic huts, great care is taken to (15-22 March) is a gastronomic Sellaronda, one of the most capital of South Tyrol. No other prepare food that is delicious ski circuit through Ladin cuisine, impressive ski circuits in the area of the Alps has such a high and satisfying, showcasing with skiers sampling the area’s Alps. This beautiful 40km lap most famous dishes in takes you across four mighty Dolomite passes, through remote Ladin communities, and around the entire Sella Massif – all in just one day. Another one for your skiing bucket list is Alta Badia’s fascinating First World War circuit. Many battles were fought right here on Mount Col di Lana, and this 80km circuit weaves past rock-hewn trenches, parapet walks, and forts and equipment abandoned by retreating soldiers. For relaxed runs and panoramic views, the Valle 156 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE Feast your eyes Naresh Jariwala* Dating back to the ninth century, Santa Croce church is a Christian pilgrimage site – and a highlight of the Skitour La Crusc food-themed ski trail traditional huts along the La Bales da Ciocie (savoury bacon accommodation, and winter Corvara where skaters can Crusc/Santa Croce ski area. dumplings) and Kaiserschmarrn activities designed for all ages. glide to the latest hits. – a shredded pancake that Open throughout the ski literally melts in your mouth. With so much sun, you’re Tobogganing is another family season, the Skitour La Crusc rarely stuck indoors. And favourite, with an easy 1.8km – set in the striking Fanes- Wine connoisseurs can try outside there’s plenty to do – forest run from Rid to Biei and Senes-Braies and Puez-Odle De dl vin (22 March), a wine- from building snowmen in a 3.1km trail at Tru liösa Foram nature parks – is yet another themed ‘ski-safari’ that visits the mountain-view meadows that will take you through gourmand’s delight. The slopes four different mountain huts, to ski lessons on the wide, snowy fields and enchanting here are arguably the area’s each offering a tasting of the gentle slopes. The blue run in woodlands – before a final most picturesque, with the best South Tyrolean red, white the Edelweiss valley is Schuss (steep run) straight pretty Santa Croce pilgrimage and sparkling wines – all above especially well-suited for down to the valley. church and the mighty Dolomite 2,000 metres. children and beginners. peaks as a backdrop. The tiny For a more gentle way to mountain huts nearby are FAMILY FUN Not a skier? No problem: explore the terrain, take a famous for their traditional locals have been ice-skating horse-drawn sleigh ride through Ladin dishes such as Turtres Alta Badia is ideal for a fun and and ice-curling on the frozen the snow-covered forests and (fried pastries filled with relaxing family winter holiday Sompunt Lake since the meadows. The family-friendly spinach), Panicia (barley soup), – with unspoilt nature, warm 1950s, and there is a regular rides start and end in La Villa, hospitality, family-friendly ‘ice disco’ at the rink in and encompass some of the most enchanting winter HOW TO GET landscapes in Alta Badia. TO SOUTH TYROL And don’t forget to drop by the South Tyrol is easily reached Museum Ladin Ursus Ladinicus from the UK, with direct flights – the Museum of the Sleeping to nearby airports from London, Bear – in San Cassiano. It Manchester, Glasgow, houses the fossilised remains of Edinburgh, Birmingham and a prehistoric bear found Bristol. The airports in Verona ‘sleeping’ in a cave in Conturines, and Innsbruck are the closest, and is a fascinating introduction offering easy rail links, though to the history of the region. it is also possible to reach IDM Südtirol / Alex Moling, Paola Finali South Tyrol from Milan, Venice, Bologna and Munich as well. For more details, visit: suedtirol.info/how-to-get-there To ind out more about this vibrant region, head to altabadia.org/skidolomites

Naresh Jariwala*TTAKEE A RTREKRIN TITIGOERRY Photos: Eleanor Church; Jonathan Kemeys; Shutterstock; Dreamstime. Words by Jonathan Kemeys Join a nature guide on Nepal’s jungle trails in search of tigers, rhinos and elephants and help international conservation charity ZSL conserve wildlife by supporting those who live alongside it A hush fell over the For two hours, the group entering Bardia National Park. group. “It’s a tiger – now tightly bunched together She rarely gets a day off in peak paw print,” said and silent – tracked the tiger’s season, but relishes going into our nature guide prints single file through the jungle every day. Manju as we overgrown forest trails, Manju’s first duty is to the trekked through the Nepalese following whispered directions safety of her guests, and the jungle searching for the big cat. from Manju. Everyone day always begins with “Looks fresh – it came through attempted to step exactly a briefing: “Tigers are very shy here this morning,” she added where the person before had, animals, they don’t want to face crouched on her haunches lest a foot find a loud twig; at humans. But if we do meet pointing to a muddy outline the any moment, the patterned coat a tiger, we maintain eye contact size of a boxer’s glove. or amber eyes of a tiger might and back away slowly. Most Just a little further down the appear out of the gloom. tigers strike from behind and, trail Manju spotted a scat. The NATURE CALLS if we show them our back, dense clump of faecal matter they will attack.” and brown fur, she went on to At 7am every day 23-year-old Besides almost 100 Bengal explain, was down to the tiger’s guide Manju Mahatara picks up tigers, the national park is also diet of forest deer. trekkers from their hotel before home to the prehistoric-looking 158 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

CAMPAIGN FEATURE greater one-horned rhino, and Naresh Jariwala* TOP TIP Everyone scrambled to grab Manju’s training means she cameras and binoculars, knows exactly what to do in the To see Bardia’s wildlife, following Manju’s extended event of an encounter. “Rhinos hand to the bright orange form have poor eyesight, but a very stay in Thakudwara that had just appeared out of good sense of smell,” she says, the grass to soak at the river’s armed with a simple wooden grandmother into village and ask your eats crops or edge, half a kilometre away. staff and a pair of binoculars. the forest in hotel or tour guide for destroys a home” “They are normally shy, but if we search of food and – a regular There’s nothing quite like the encounter an aggressive rhino firewood, and her a ZSL-trained occurrence – feeling of seeing an adult tiger we must drop our bags and run guide. emerge from the jungle that in a zig-zag direction. They’ll be you’ve been sweating through distracted by the smell of our new career gives her “people get angry.” all day. Even for ZSL’s bags, giving us time to move Bhogendra Rayamajhi, away or climb a tree.” a chance to break that But visitors are an a 26-year veteran of Nepal’s national park service, it was Manju grew up in a village on reliance on natural resources opportunity for villagers and special – just the second time the edge of Bardia. Traditionally he’d seen a tiger in 15 years. women in rural Nepal are and share her knowledge with animals to reconcile their expected to look after the And locals are starting to tap home, but a combination of her others instead. differences. “It gives people into that feeling, with people own determination to pursue like Manju leading the charge. a career in the forest she loves As human populations grow a chance to earn money, Once the presence of tigers, so much and support from ZSL elephants or rhinos might have (Zoological Society of London) and the demand for land provide local food and show off felt menacing but, with help have helped her become from ZSL, communities are a senior nature guide. She is intensifies, so does the chance their culture. Locals now want learning to embrace a life one of 17 female nature guides alongside them – and the trained by the international of conflict between people and to protect animals because benefits they bring. conservation charity. wildlife. “The people who work they earn money from the UK AID MATCH Life on the edge of a national park can be tough, and many the farms have very little,” homestays and jungle treks.” Throughout the borderlands of local people still rely on the Nepal and Kenya’s national forest to supplement their explains Manju. “If an elephant EYE OF THE TIGER parks, ZSL is working limited incomes – a now illegal alongside people like Manju to practice, with the introduction support new ways for people of national park boundaries. and wildlife to live together in ZSL believes the best way of harmony. We need your help to conserving wildlife is to help the bring these projects to more people living alongside them. people in Nepal and expand While growing up Manju this project to Kenya. accompanied her mother and Give to ZSL by 31 December Crouching tiger The trek continued deep into and the UK government will (clockwise from this) Bardia’s abundant grasslands. match every pound you donate A Bengal tiger in Bardia The 3–m-high swathes of – up to £2m – meaning your National Park; nature brilliant green grass stretched donation has never meant guide Manju Mahatara out like an ocean, punctuated more. with ZSL’s Anna by an occasional tree either Marjoribanks; Manju lucky or sturdy enough to Donate now at relishes going into the withstand the attentions of jungle every day; elephants and rhinos, who ZSL.org/ForPeopleForWildlife  a rhesus macaque; consider saplings a delicacy. a greater one-horned rhino; tracking paw It was at Kingfisher Point, prints; ZSL’s Bhogendra overlooking a confluence of the Rayamajhi Girwa River (water that eventually finds its way into the Ganges), that the group finally found what they were looking for. “Tiger!” came the hiss from a spotter in the tree above. wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 159

THIS MONTH ON WIN! .co.uk WowiuncaCraoneommdxmecaprplzeulieutnsitsitgivtito.eticornooinspn.susalitkwn/eith Epic adventures under £1,000 See classic Georgia, Morocco’s wild coast and rural Iceland, all on a budget… wanderlust.co.uk/Under1000 Naresh Jariwala* sJatrpeaent eesaets Japan is the king of the bite-sized snack. Whether sweet or savoury, it’s always delicious… wanderlust.co.uk/JapanEats See the Explore southern lights hidden Greece When & where can you spot the southern hemisphere’s crimson- Find the forgotten side of coloured aurora sparkling in the sky? this ancient country with our interactive trip- wanderlust.co.uk/SouthernLights planning map… Central America’s wanderlust.co.uk/GreeceMap Shutterstock top trips Now’s the perfect time to book a tour of Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica and beyond… wanderlust.co.uk/CentralTrips 160 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

DisTrav ice Solving all your travel needs and dilemmas 171 CUT OUT Health 172 AND KEEP Dr Jane reveals how to POCKET avoid disease – and GUIDES disaster – while abroad P177 PAGE PAGEGear: Perfect presents What do you get the travel nthusiast with everything? ur gear guru looks into it PAGENaresh Jariwala* PAGE167 The Knowledge Training, trekking and tear gas trauma – our Silver Guide Nitin shares his tales from the road 162PAGE PAGE175 Readers’ travel tips 186 The big read: Central America is an A Month in Siena adventurer’s paradise, Real wonders of the world In his follow up to his but it can be hard to From dolphins to dugongs, Australia’s Ningaloo Reef Pulitzer Prize-winning know where to start. covers all bases for avid snorkellers – time to dive in! Luckily, you’ve come travelogue, The to the rescue, tipping Return, Hisham Matar us o to epic escapes re lects in Siena, Italy, in the jungle and through its iconic art; wildlife havens galore plus all the latest 165PAGE 168PAGE travel reads Just back from... Ask the experts Your latest dispatches Whether you’re daring from Albania, dear an Indian bus journey, reader: on stepping examining your wildlife into Kruja’s citadel, options in Bwindi or enjoying lakeside hiking in Peru, our lunches in Shkodra experts share their best and catching the tips to help you get the sunset at Rozafa castle most out of your trip wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 161

Ttriapvsel Time for re lection Contemplating the YOUR TIPS ON... sunrise over Guatemala’s CENTRAL Lake Atitlán AMERICA Naresh Jariwala* From ancient treasures to island escapes, Central America is packed with adventure. Here are your top tips for navigating its jungle of adrenaline highs and wondrous wildlife Skeleton in the cave Follow the lowers destinations, from visiting Pico Bonito NP (especially Jungle River Belize El Salvador Lodge) to diving o Utila and renting a private island in Cayos Cochinos “Take on a 45-minute hike through ”Don’t miss El Salvador’s Ruta de – we had our own island complete the jungle to the mouth of Actun las Flores in the co ee highlands, with delicious food and unbeatable Tunichil Muknal cave system, then from the colourful wall murals in snorkelling for $100 (£82) per head! swim through the darkness to climb Ataco and Apaneca to the amazing Marianne Thomson the ladders. You are rewarded with food festival in Juayúa every a museum: ancient pots, lots of weekend. There’s great art, Zip it! Short and sweet inger bones, and a skull or two, all waterfalls and hot springs.” cemented to the loor with calcite. Jillanne David ”Experience Monteverde Nicaragua Up another level, you’ll ind Cloud Forest Reserve from up a human skeleton preserved in its Private party in the canopy on a zipline tour,” Visit Nicaragua’s capital Granada – entirety, its creamy bones encrusted says reader Jenny Hughes. in frosted, crystal fragments.” Honduras “Biodiversity with a buzz!” we only spent an afternoon here, but Deborah Gray ”Don’t be put o by the news – wished we had stayed overnight! We Honduras is one of my favourite did enjoy our time in a horse-drawn 162 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

READER TIPS DISCOVER Wildlife wonderland Costa Rica “Uvita on the Paci ic coast of Costa Rica is an absolute gem of a place. You’ll ind the Marino Ballena National Park here – in season, you can watch humpback whales on migration. Stay at Flutterby House – one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed in – where, from your bed in the treehouse, you can watch scarlet macaws ly overhead and iguanas climb nearby trees.” Holly Barber carriage exploring the city and Naresh Jariwala*El Valle afterwards is the perfect Livin la vida local admiring its architecture. Spend antidote to beach life with freshness a night here if you can to immerse and lush vegetation. Hire a car to get Belize yourself into local life. There’s a great the most out of the country and take photo opportunity of Ometepe a trip down the Paci ic Coast. “Get to know the local communities island at the side of Route 1 highway, Ann Furey in Belize. They are some of the too, on the outskirts of Rivas and San friendliest people I have met on Jorge, southbound to Costa Rica. Size isn’t everything my travels. Many people often Steve Brown just go to Caye Caulker, San Pedro El Salvador and San Ignacio. Venture further Island paradise south to Hopkins where you can It may be unassuming, but El Salvador learn more about the Garifuna Panama has a lot to o er: turtle-nesting and culture, from their food to biosphere reserves for wildlife lovers, nightly drumming sessions. “Take a trip with a local guide to the delicious Central American food Or you can head to one of the blissful Guna Yala islands in Panama, (pupusas!), the ‘Pompeii of the villages near Punta Gorda, where where you get the chance to meet Americas’ – Joya de Cerén – for you can arrange a homestay with the a able tribe who tell you how history bu s, and ex-guerrilla camps a Mopan Maya family and they run their society and tourism (Cinquera Rain Forest Park), too. experience daily village life.” business to perfection. A visit to Carmel Hendry Nevine El-Sherbini Cross-border capers Guatemala-Belize “My trip started in Antigua during Semana Santa (Easter week) with parades through the cobblestone streets. I travelled to Rio Dulce, staying in a jungle cabin and spotting the quetzal, Guatemala’s national bird. I crossed the border into Belize, stopping in San Ignacio, before heading to Caye Caulker for some amazing snorkelling in the Barrier Reef. Melissa Niemandt Shutterstock; Dreamstime Visit wanderlust.co.uk to submit your tips. Next month’s topic is: Exploring Egypt wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 163

Naresh Jariwala*We’re protecting wildlife by helping communities Around the world animals are threatened by habitat damage and wildlife crime. We’re helping people, like Gayatri, in Nepal and Kenya set up sustainable ways to make a living so they can build independent futures and protect wildlife like elephants, tigers and rhinos. Donate by 31 December and the UK government will double donations up to £2 million Donate NOW for people, for wildlife. zsl.org/ForPeopleForWildlife

READER REPORT DISCOVER Naresh Jariwala* Your tales of… JUST BACK FROM… ANIMAL Albania ANTICS Reader Laura Whitehurst spends time in Kruja, Tirana and Shkodra, SEAL OF APPROVAL discovering more about Skanderbeg and Mother Teresa… “I was in the Galápagos Dreamstime The highlight: Kruja citadel and old bazaar are pedestrians walking in tra ic and herds of cattle in Islands on a beach with extraordinary. It’s just like stepping back in time the road at night where there are no street lights. sea lions and when I was with its cobbled streets illed with souvenir shops I wish I’d known... Use the local currency. Most walking in the shallows one selling local crafts. The citadel now houses the shops and attractions show prices in both lek and of them chased me out of the Skanderbeg museum where you can learn all euro, but the exchange rate isn’t great and you can sea. I have photos!” about Albania’s greatest national hero. And from lose 20 cents per 100 lek. It soon adds up. There Tiffany Garrett the top you have great views over Tirana. are many ATMs, but note: lek can’t be exchanged Must see: Lake Shkodra. It’s the largest lake in the outside Albania so spend them before you leave. NEW TEN ANTS Balkans and a great place to have a relaxing lunch Anything else? Although Mother Teresa was born or simply watch the world go by. in Macedonia, her family are from Shkodra. She “Camping in Queen Top tip: Avoid visiting Rozafa Castle during the has one statue there and another in Tirana. Elizabeth National Park, we heat of the day as there is little shade. The best retired to our tent to ind all time to visit this fortress ruins is late afternoon to wanderlust.co.uk our belongings covered in catch an amazing sunset. Make sure you wear ants. We spent the next mosquito repellent as the midges are vicious. Just got back from somewhere couple of hours de-anting Cautionary tale: Get a guide or car with driver. amazing? Visit wanderlust.co.uk or email everything and still we were Albania seems to have its own road rules, with us at [email protected] bitten all night when in bed.” Michelle Barrows CLOSE ENCOUNTER “While gorilla trekking in Rwanda, we were under strict instruction not to get closer than six metres to a family of mountain gorillas. Nobody told the gorillas the rules of course.” Jo Walden BEAR THAT IN MIND “After a two-hour hike in Canada, a man asked me if I’d seen the grizzly and cubs playing on the beach. I said I hadn’t and he wondered how I had missed them as the bears headed in my direction about an hour ago. Safe to say my walk back was quick and loud!” Lisa Hutchinson Go online to share your travel tales on next month’s topic: ‘Airline angst’ wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 165

WSUBSAABANVSSD(COECEEUFSRRF1PTEO0LIRRMBU%FEEOERSRMSRTONOIESNNUWLYM) WANDERLUST READER OFFER TRAVEL INSURANCE THAT GOES THE EXTRA MILE Peace of mind with comprehensive cover from Annual and single trip cover No upper age limit All pre-existing medical conditions considered Free cover for children* Free winter sports included with annual cover 50 sports and activities covered as standard Naresh Jariwala* Visit WanderlustInsurance.co.uk to reveal an exclusive discount code *Three children per adult insured. Acceptance subject to a medical screening, all conditions must be disclosed and additional premiums apply. Wanderlust Publications Limited are an Introducer Appointed Representative of Insure and Go Insurance Services Ltd. Wanderlust Travel Insurance is arranged and administered by Insure & Go Insurance Services Ltd. ure & Go Insurance Services Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firms reference number 309572. Insure & Go Insurance Services Ltd Registered Address: One Victoria Street, Bristol Bridge, Bristol BS1 6AA.

THE KNOWLEDGE DISCOVER Letshseonrsoafrdom with Nitin Dhami Silver winner at this year’s World Guide Naresh Jariwala*I started trekking in my teens. I was All dressed up... Awards, ElderTreks’ Dreamstime Nitin Dhami has led nearly 15 when I started working for my father’s ...and ready to people through more trekking company in Himachal Pradesh (HP) participate in Papua than 20 countries. He in India. I couldn’t speak English, but slowly New Guinea’s Mount talks about what being I became a guide in my hometown, Chamba. Hagen Festival a guide means to him… When I was 21, Intrepid Travel asked my parents if they could employ me as a leader. My father ...but HP is great for trekkers. Few My mountaineering was open to it and said to take the opportunity. background makes I started guiding with ElderTreks in 2007. tourists visit the western part of the Himalayas in people feel safe India – I’ve led treks with about six people in the Then I trained in Rajasthan. I always mountains in HP. Around 100 tourists come to Chamba in a year, but we have beautiful nature think of the Sanskrit phrase Atithi devo bhava and a pilgrimage called Manimahesh Kailash. (the guest is equivalent to God), but the more touristy areas of Rajasthan disappointed me. You always have a friend in me. told my father, “I don’t think I can be a tour eader. I cannot work like this.” He said, “You are I remember a case of a solo traveller from Alaska face to face with reality now. You always have in Bhutan, who had a hearing impairment. She a home to come back to, but it will be a kind felt alone, so I reminded her, “You came here of defeat. That is the challenge.” So I took it. to enjoy the culture. I’m always here for you.” That’s what matters. It was just a short talk, but Things can get out of control... it made her more comfortable. One time in Papua New Guinea (PNG), we were Sometimes, you need to push. checking out of our hotel when a ight broke out and the police came and started iring tear gas. My mountaineering background makes people I was trying to get the group to safety when feel safe. I was on a 5,200m trek in the Himalayas a gas canister landed next to me and I inhaled it. with a man who su ered from hyperglycaemia, I felt so sick, but at least I took everyone inside. and on the last day, he was tired and thought You always need to stay alert. about going back down. I said, “We’re happy to do so, but there’s only 115m left – you need to …and lost in translation, too. In Tibet stretch a little more.” He stayed with us, and when he reached the top, the man was in tears. and China there are Buddhist monasteries where the monks are called lamas. We were talking about them on a trip, and this one client looked everywhere and said she couldn’t ind any. She said, “They should be furry and dog-like, but I don’t see them.” She was looking for Peruvian llamas, not Tibetan lamas! I always like going back to PNG... Every year I go to Mount Hagen (August) and Goroka Sing Sing festivals (September) and I don’t see more than 150 tourists – numbers are increasing, but the infrastructure is low, so it still feels o the beaten track there. WorldGuideAwards.com wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 167

DISCOVER Ask the experts Whether braving India by bus, following in the footsteps of gorillas in Uganda or trekking through Peruvian mountainside – our experts offer their advice EXPERTS SIGHTSEEING AROUND Naresh Jariwala* INDIA BY BUS OR TRAIN? HOPING FOR A WILD Zoë Folbigg TIME IN BWINDI The journalist and Q My friend and I are thinking author’s latest novel, about travelling around big Q My husband and I are doing The Postcard, based on chunks of India by bus. Is this a gorilla trek in Bwindi, her bus travels around a sensible idea, or should we be Uganda, but are considering India (Head of Zeus, £8) looking at the train? Any top tips? a longer stay in the area. Where Sandra Smith, email can we go to see other wildlife? is out now. Charlotte Westgate, email Travelling by bus in India is Neil & Harriet Pike certainly not dull: buses are There is no shortage of wildlife- The pairs’ latest guide, frequent, cheap, colourful and watching possibilities. In Peru’s Cordilleras Blanca you’re rarely expected to book in addition to mountain gorillas, the & Huayhuash – Hiking & advance. In some regions (the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Biking Guide (Trailblazer; mountainous north for example), is home to a wide variety of forest they’re the only way to travel from primates and birds, some of which £16), is out now. city to city. But, having slept in the can be seen on a guided walk. pikesonbikes.com parcel shelf of a bus around the Nearby Queen Elizabeth National roads of the Himalayas, I’d advise Park is a good place to embark on Philip Briggs against night buses: journeys can a safari to see tree-climbing lions Africa expert & primary be cramped and perilous. (on the Ishasha plains), as well as author of over a dozen their more conventional terrestrial guidebooks, including Buses vary in class. Cheap ‘local’ kin (most numerous on the Kasenyi Bradt’s updated Uganda services can be barely roadworthy plains), while boat trips on the and standing room only; deluxe (bradt.com; £18) buses are plusher and have air conditioning and ilms – and you’re more likely to get a seat as these are bookable in advance (via redBus.in). For long distances, say four hours or more, I’d consider trains instead. They’re reliable, comfortable and you’re more likely to get a seat if you book online (12go.asia/en) or in advance at ticket o ices. From a train carriage window, you can witness the bustle of Indian life in all its glory. Indian Railways is also the world’s biggest employer and on board you’ll see a cross section of characters. Chai and chana from vendors on a train journey opens up all manner of wonderful encounters – and tastes great. Timetables and planners are available at indianrail. gov.in. Study seat61.com/India, too, as this site also has brilliant advice. Zoë Folbigg 168 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

ASK THE EXPERTS DISCOVER scenic Kazinga Channel usually yield half-a-dozen types of monkey. UP FOR A HIKING CHALLENGE throw up numbers of hippo, bu alo Assuming you are lying into NEAR HUARAZ IN PERU and elephant along with a variety Entebbe, a great stop en route to of water birds including pelicans. Bwindi is Lake Mburo National Park, Q We’ve already visited Peru which o ers game drives and and walked the lovely (and The country’s top primate horseback excursions in a tract of easy) Santa Cruz. We’re heading hotspot, also easily tagged on to acacia woodland inhabited by back for another adventure and a Bwindi trip, is Kibale National zebra, gira e and numerous will be based in Huaraz – can you Park, where you can combine antelope species. suggest a three- or four-day trek? chimpanzee tracking with more Philip Briggs David Jarman, email general forest walks that frequently Dreamstime, Shutterstock; Alamy Atrek in the Quilcayhuanca and Rise to a challenge Cojup valleys above Huaraz is Naresh Jariwala* an excellent and much quieter (clockwise from top) alternative to Santa Cruz. Trekking in Cojup Valley, It takes three days, or a leisurely Peru; watch gorilla antics four, to trek up the valley, cross in Bwindi; a colourful a 5,000m pass and then make public bus in India your descent, and in that time you’re likely to have the mountain views to yourself. A few hours into the irst day there are pre-Inca ruins by the trail, and Quilcayhuanca is one of the better valleys for spotting condors. This trek is more demanding and requires better acclimatisation than the Santa Cruz trail, though, as navigation is not straightforward and the pass is 300m higher. Another option is the three-day trek on an ancient pilgrimage route from Olleros (just south of Huaraz) to Chavín de Huántar, the premier archaeological site in the region. Neil and Harriet Pike Insiders’guide to... INDIA’S NATIONAL PARKS Kashka Lantis, product manager at Exodus Travels, gives us a guide on what to do in India… Best time to go October through to June are the best times to go in search of the elusive Bengal tiger, which is an experience on many bucket lists. Where to go? The state of Madhya Pradesh has a major trio of national parks. Kanha with its vast forests; Bandhavgarh, with the great majority of its tigers in a concentrated territory; and Pench which fewer tourists visit. Combine all three and you’re bound to see those iconic stripes moving through the undergrowth. What wildlife to spot? Apart from spotting tigers there are leopard, deer, antelope, langurs, the odd gaur (Indian bison) and wild boar. Why not try? The state of Gujarat for the last home of the rare Asiatic lion in Gir NP and Wildlife Sanctuary. wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 169

DISCOVER INSTANT EXPERT You spin me round Three dances The Semazen aim worth seeing to transcend the material world and 1 TURNING OF realise divine love THE BONES, MADAGASCAR Naresh Jariwala* A b uf er guide to... To honour and remember Whirling Dervishes the dead, Highland communities hold a lavish Why are we talking about camel-hair hats (a sikke) represent DID YOU ceremony in which the the Whirling Dervishes? the tombstone of the ego and their KNOW? deceased are exhumed, dresses a shroud around it. carried through a parade The central Turkish city of Konya is The record for the and reburied. Dressed in hosting its annual Rumī Festival (7 17 What’s going on in Konya? most rotations matching clothing, the Dec). It commemorates the life of in a Sema families of the dead dance Konya local Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad It’s the spiritual home of the Mevlevi, ceremony, with the body, before Rumī, a Persian Su i poet, theologian founded by Rumi’s followers in the is over wrapping it in fresh silks. and mystic whose teachings inspired 13th century; the city houses the 2,000 times. the Mevlevi Order, the Su i fraternity Mevlevi’s irst Dervish Lodge and 2 ODISSI DANCE, nicknamed the Whirling Dervishes. Rumi’s mausoleum. You can also ORISSA, INDIA visit the Alâeddin Mosque, one of a Around 100,000 pilgrims and rich ticklist of historical and cultural This traditional expressive travellers gather in the ancient spots dating back to Konya’s time as Indian dance (pictured) is streets to watch the Sema ceremony, capital of the Seljuk Turkish Empire performed by Maharis to during which participants whirl in the 12th-13th century. honour Lord Jagannath, continuously in anticlockwise circles a form of Vishnu, and uses in a form of physical mediation that What else do I need to know? movements and hand aims to bring one closer to God. gestures called mudras to Be respectful. The Semazen dance is express religious stories. How does that work? for God, rather than for an audience. Maharis wear beautiful and Also note that as Konya is more elaborate costumes. Dancers focus on dhikr (devotional conservative than other Turkish prayer) while whirling to music with cities, women will be required to 3 MORRIS their arms outstretched. One hand wear headscarves and sit separately DANCING, UK is turned to the sky to receive God’s from men during ceremonies. There bene icence, the other is turned can be snow in central Turkey during An English folk tradition, downwards, transferring God’s gift December too, so pack wisely. thought to date back to to the earth. The dancers’ conical, the 15th century, this dance is performed by a group of Morris men or women known as a ‘side’ who step rhythmically while clapping swords, sticks or handkerchiefs. Dreamstime; Alamy 170 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

HEALTH DISCOVER DNwrewJpawan.lw;eyiWlosuoilsnco-ahnno-rHweoaawrdtahhr.etchroblmilvoegsaint TCrlainviecl with D Jane The SARS outbreak in 2002 disrupted global travel and killed hundreds. Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth looks at likely causes of the disease and how travellers can avoid future health risks T owards the end of Naresh Jariwala* Guangdong. They postulated that 2002 people in Food for thought such wild animals were the likely Guangdong province Wild animals are still source of the human outbreak. in southeastern China sold in markets in became very ill with East and South-East Dangerous bush-meat an unusually severe form of Asia and can pose pneumonia. It seemed to be a totally a serious health risk Generally bats and people don’t get new disease and the virus up close but a canny predator like responsible wasn’t identified until Need to know the palm civet would probably be February 2003 in Hong Kong. It delighted to eat a bat if a sick one Alamy came to be called Severe Acute What is it? Consider the How is it cooked? was to fall to the ground. If such an Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The lifestyle of any animal you Fruit bats were blamed animal was then sold for food – disease spread rapidly across the eat – Sulawesi street dog for a recent outbreak of civet cat is a delicacy in China – this world and as far as Canada. will not have had the Asian Nipa virus but if you could be a route for a virus to invade healthiest diet. are not the cook eating a human body. And where that body Disaster forecast them should not be risky. has not met such a virus before, Where is it from? there is a good chance that the As is often the situation in a new If offered a dish of Is it endangered? immune system will take a while outbreak, it was the serious cases uncertain origin, try to Conservation should be (often 7 – 10 days) to mobilise its that drew attention to the disease establish what it is before at the front of everyone’s defences; sometimes such defences and initially the death rate seemed eating it. Congealed mind. Think twice in case are too little too late. high. It triggered a global ducks blood might be you are eating an emergency response and people off-putting but should be endangered species, and As the SARS virus lives on in wild were thermally scanned at airports safe if well fried. encouraging hunting. animals, there is a theoretical risk of to detect and quarantine travellers another outbreak, especially if with fever. These public health people continue to sell wild animals efforts were effective. Overall 8,098 in markets. This emphasises the cases were reported in 26 countries danger of eating bush-meat. and 774 people died. Clearly that is too many deaths but fortunately A clutch of ‘new’ diseases have more than 90% of people arisen in south and east Asia contracting SARS survived. through people living too close to domestic animals or from eating The last case occurred in China wildlife. These diseases have then early in 2004. Despite the fact that spread through international travel. there have been no recent cases, research continues in order to Kwok-Yung Yuen, a scientist at understand the origin of the virus. the University of Hong Kong who co-discovered the SARS virus In 2017, Chinese scientists says, this “reinforces the notion discovered SARS coronavirus in that we should never put wild horseshoe bats in a cave in a remote animals into markets.” Respecting part of Yunnan province and also in nature, Yuen argues, “is the way masked palm civets in a market in to stay away from the harm of emerging infections”. wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 171

Xmas gifts with Phoebe Smith CohouenrrrtliersisbtiuadnteidnngtcgheeedacitrkogerudPrihuto,t whebaicseemS…maditeh, Avoid getting presents you don’t want this year – show these pages to a loved one for some handy hints on what you really need this Christmas… Naresh Jariwala* JERRY Stainless Steel Vacuum Water Bottle, 750ml, £25 We all know we must use less single-use plastic bottles, but imagine if we could do that and help those without clean, safe water at the same time. Well, now we can. 100% of the pro its from this double- walled bottle (which keeps water cool for 24 hours and hot for 12) goes to projects in India and Africa and is made from sustainable harvested bamboo (lid) and food grade steel. jerrybottle.com SWAROVSKI OPTIK MAHABIS CL Pocket, £590 Classic, £79 Binoculars can really enhance your trip – especially ones with Is it a smart shoe or a slipper? Actually both. a 119m ield of view – but they can also be a bit bulky, so we The soft wool lining gives comfort and sometimes opt to leave them back at home. Not these handy excellent temperature regulation, the foam foldable specimens from optic experts Swarovski, though. footbed is uber comfy and the hybrid sole The robust aluminium housing means you can chuck them in means you can wear these seamlessly your bag, the twistable eyecups are suitable even for people from plane to pavement – they even have who wear glasses and, though they are small, the quality of the lens has in no way been compromised so you can be sure of a neoprene fold-down heel so you can change them to slip-ons. mahabis.com seeing wildlife even when you’re travelling lightweight. swarovskioptik/outdoor.com 172 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

GEAR GURU DISCOVER OSPREY Ultralight Washbag, £15 Having a padded bag with all you need toiletries-wise is necessary, but having one that also compresses using rucksack inspired straps and takes up less room is genius. Plus the re lective graphic and grab handle make it easy to ind – even at the bottom of your bag. ospreyeurope.com Naresh Jariwala* JACK WOLFSKIN GANDYS LORTON AND HORN Okinawa Jacket, £120 Sand Waxed Day Explorer, £65 Travel Wallet, £42 Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Give a nod to the explorers of yesteryear A vegetable-tanned leather organiser, ideal for a special jumper, but rather than a cheap with this rather fetching canvas satchel. solo travellers, this XS model can hold a Kindle, hand-knit job, this technical wool and synthetic Made of heavy-duty fabric, the bag also has blended leece is breathable, warm and durable. a water-resistant wax inish so it doesn’t matter headphones, sunglasses, smartphone, pen, Plus – let’s be honest – it looks pretty snazzy too. if it rains or shines. There’s multiple interior and passport and boarding pass, and has a zipped exterior pockets, and a padded compartment section to keep any cash safe. Carry this in your jack-wolfskin.co.uk hand at the airport and never fa at the checkout for your laptop. gandyslondon.com in duty-free again. lortonandhorn.co.uk BRIGGS & RILEY OUR COO SPECIAL BUMPER 200TH ISSUE WANDERLUST Torq Spinner, £449 Adv SPECIAL 200 TravelWell 1 Year Subscription, £35 INTEREST For hard-sided luggage that SNO OMF ATHGEAZYIENAER While we’d all like to ind a travel also boasts pockets, this new FromeicxepecroieldncPeo WINNER ticket in our stocking with range of lightweight but 2019 nlimited destinations promised, durable wheelies is perfect. t’s unlikely we will. However, you The lockable, hinged outside TR VEL SECRETSCeletbiprastefroomurablilcyeonutrefnanvioaul irsitseuterawviethllebrrsilliant compartment is great for easy can get the next best thing – access to tablets and laptops, Secret #35 October 2019 wanderlust co uk £4.95 oodles of travel inspiration for and a removable external USB port means you can also keep HRbWsiovihaneetbrnaytocuinrmtohMseesaPdntahadgzeaozlIadriynraagwtawakhdeidtaey a whole 12 months with things charged while on the go. a subscription worth £118.49 to INSIDE: Whale watching in briggs-riley.com Wanderlust magazine – and we’re not biased at all! wanderlust.co.uk ⊲ wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 173

DISCOVER GEAR GURU TENTREE Naresh Jariwala* URBANEARS Juniper Space Hoodie, £56 Plattan 2 Bluetooth Headphones , £90 This travel hoodie, from a Constellation wn a pair of these and you’ll never have to wear the cheap, Collection by eco-conscious brand Tentree, ingle-use, in-ear headphones on lights again. Collapsible o easy to squash in your bag), these have a 30+ hour battery is made from recycled polyester (drink bottles) and soft organic cotton (grown life – even when used wirelessly – and a spare socket, without pesticides), and the phosphorescent so you can share your sounds with a friend. print (which actually glows in the dark) is also urbanears.com printed using natural, certi ied sustainable ink. For each one sold, 10 trees will be planted SNOW PEAK across South America, India, Nepal and Africa. And, as a bonus, the hood is drawcord Wakubi Chopsticks, £42 adjustable for a closer it and designs are available both in a men’s and women’s it. If you’re headed to Asia, don’t contribute to land ill when tentree.com eating your ramen and rice. STANFORDS Ditch the disposable-use-once Glass Globe Baubles chopsticks and instead take (four box set), £30 your own stainless steel models Eschew the usual festive (with elegant bamboo tips), decorations and opt for which collapse for easy portage are easy-to-clean and can travel these hand-painted globes instead. Not only with you anywhere. do they proudly shout snowpeak.co.uk your travel credentials, but RS you can also plot your next trip while admiring s, £16 your tree and, if you like, leave them up year-round. en it rather stanfords.co.uk -pack, hnical 174 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 with ent – t warm es for 0.

omBfootohnketh This month’s THE BIG READ DISCOVER bookshelf thinks art is Best of the est where you ind it. On the Plain of Snakes Paul Theroux A Month in Siena Hisham Matar Hamish Hamilton, £20 In his latest memoir, the legendary Viking, £13 writer is transporting us into modern Mexico in the time of Trump – not an easy place After being much garlanded for his bruising, to sum up. Yet, on his way through border towns Naresh Jariwala* and desert wildernesses, he faces deportees, brilliant The Return, Hisham Matar is back patrol o icers, border-divided families and child street performers alike, telling their story with his with another part-travelogue, part-memoir, trademark curiosity and sketching a vulnerable yet vibrant picture of a con licted region. this time with a hefty side order of art Hungry criticism thrown in. Having revisited his Jeff Gordinier homeland of Libya in the hope of discovering Icon Books, £17 When Noma co-owner René Redzepi what happened to his asked to meet him, food writer Je was sceptical. Little did he know that he was about to father – disappeared by the Gadda i regime embark on a four-year adventure to seek out new dishes with one of the world’s greatest chefs. This – Matar now opts for a spot of introspection witty, heartfelt memoir takes us on a trip from searching for the perfect taco in Mexico to in medieval Tuscany, driven by a long- …Siena was to me as foraging for sea rocket in Sydney – brilliant for those with a hunger for good food and adventure. standing fascination with the 13 15th intimate as a locket Journeys in the Wild: The century Sienese School of Painting. you could wear around Secret Life of a Cameraman The thoughtful interior dialogue that Gavin Thurston your neck and yet as made The Return so moving now walks Seven Dials, £16.99 you through the corridors of Siena’s complex as a maze “And so, the lesser-spotted cameraman Pinacoteca Nazionale and Palazzo Hisham Matar sighs and takes his place in the spotlight...” The lensman behind 30 years of natural history Pubblico. As he goes, he illuminates little classics including Blue Planet II and Planet Earth II, Gavin Thurston’s diaries trace his journey from details that somehow re lect our own patience-mastering apprentice dodging weeing rabbits to hefting his camera kit all over the world existence back at us through the centuries; – from the Yukon to the Antarctic, the Galápagos to PNG – with David Attenborough. the pages pulse with the power and delight Kidding Around: Tales of in a kind of recognition of humanity. Travel with Children James Lowen and And this is applied to Siena as a whole. Hilary Bradt (edited by) Matar walks the streets, squares, contrade Bradt Travel Guides, £11 Travelling with kids can feel like you’re lugging and cemeteries, pondering the locals getting a slightly unstable hand grenade, not knowing which innocent bystanders are going to get on with their lives with the same generous eye caught in the inevitable blast. Thankfully, Bradt’s latest collection of touching and amusing for minutiae. Along the way he forges new misadventures – taking the likes of Borneo, the Galápagos and Nepal – isn’t just centred on the connections – he’s virtually adopted by explosions but also the rewards; that mind- expanding experience of discovery, and in turn one family – and rebuilds old ones. seeing the world afresh through bright new eyes. Anyone expecting the Palio and pasta may be disappointed; the art really does take centre stage. But Matar’s such a wonderful guide through the galleries, you’ll not only come away booking tickets to Florence – Siena’s nearest airport – but planning a quick escape to your nearest gallery, too. Tom Hawker wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 175

Return byN30thOVNovemberWO!TE Travel Awards 2020 and rate your travels. NOTE: Your answers should relate to travel undertaken since September 201 st up to four responses, in no particular order, scoring each on a 1-5 satisfaction rating, where: 1 = Dreadful, 2 = Poor, 3 = OK, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent 1. COUNTRIES VISITED? Score 8. Please score any of the following TRAVEL GUIDEBOOK SERIES ______________________________ _______ that you have used on the same 1-5 scale: ______________________________ _______ ______________________________ _______ AA ______ Frommer’s ______ ______________________________ _______ Blue Guides ______ Insight ______ Bradt ______ Lonely Planet ______ 2. CITIES VISITED? Score Cadogan ______ Marco Polo ______ ______________________________ _______ Cicerone ______ Rough Guides ______ ______________________________ _______ Dorling Kindersley/ Time Out ______ ______________________________ _______ Eyewitness ______ Trailblazer ______ ______________________________ _______ Footprint ______ Other (please specify) ______ Naresh Jariwala* 3. TOUR OPERATORS USED? Score 9. Name your favourite TELEVISION OR RADIO travel programme/ ______________________________ _______ series of the past 12 months ______________________________ _______ ______________________________ _______ 10. Please score any of the TRAVEL CLOTHING/EQUIPMENT ______________________________ _______ BRANDS that you have used on the same 1-5 scale 4. BEST UK TRAVEL DESTINATION? Score Arc’Teryx ______ Pacsafe ______ (e.g. town, national park, area) Bergans _____ Patagonia ______ ______________________________ _______ Berghaus ______ Paramo ______ ______________________________ _______ Bridgedale ______ Rab ______ ______________________________ _______ Columbia ______ Regatta ______ ______________________________ _______ Craghoppers ______ Rohan ______ Fjallraven ______ Sherpa ______ 5. AIRLINES USED? Score Jack Wolfskin ______ Smartwool ______ ______________________________ _______ Keen ______ Sprayway ______ ______________________________ _______ Lowe Alpine _____ The North Face ______ ______________________________ _______ Mountain Hardwear ______ Other (please specify) ______ ______________________________ _______ Osprey _____ 6. UK AIRPORTS USED? Score Save time and vote online at ______________________________ _______ WanderlustTravelAwards.co.uk ______________________________ _______ ______________________________ _______ ______________________________ _______ 7. WORLDWIDE AIRPORTS USED? Score ______________________________ _______ ______________________________ _______ ______________________________ _______ ______________________________ _______ Please fill in your name and address in the space below: First Name: Last Name: Address: Postcode: Telephone number: Email: Are you a Wanderlust subscriber? YES NO Voting forms must be received by 30 November 2019. Only ONE entry per subscriber. Send to Wanderlust (Awards), Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London, NW1 5DH ❒ From time to time Wanderlust would like to contact you with special offers and promotions. Please tick here if you wish to receive these offers. ✃

Pocket Crowing glory Sprawling Cape Town Your cut-out and keep travel companion lies in the long shadow of Table Mountain TRAVEL ICON CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA Naresh Jariwala* Known as the Mother of South Africa, captivating Cape Town comes alive as summer returns. Come prepared to watch a party procession and a parade of penguins Get orientated hyraxes, or dassies as they're The visit Waterfront, you’ll often spy known by the locals, can also be Cape fur seals frolicking in and Cape Town is abuzz. As summer seen lounging on the First thing to check o the list is out of the waters. There are (Dec-Feb) returns to South mountain’s rocks in the warmth a trip up Table Mountain. You also plenty of trips to swim Africa’s colourful capital, so do of the sun. can arrive at the summit on the alongside the playful creatures. the travellers, intrigued by the aerial cableway for ZAR360 thought of inding a waddling But it’s not only in summer (£19) , but if you’d rather stretch Cap o your visit by soaking tribe of African penguins that wildlife and culture collide your legs and not be restricted up the city’s history. Examine marching down Boulders Beach so winningly. Visit from June to by time (trips start at 8am; the personal e ects of slaves or dancing aside thousands August if you're looking for closing times vary), hike up one and learn about their lives at of brightly dressed musicians good food and wine or from of the trails to see the sun rise or Ikizo Slave Lodge, before for the city’s annual minstrel July to September for some of set over the city while enjoying fast-forwarding to the 21st festival, Kaapse Klopse (2 Jan). the best whale-watching. the lora and fauna at leisure. century with a stop at District Six Museum. At this former Casting a long shadow over Getting there Spend an afternoon strolling Methodist church, photos and this cosmopolitan corner of & around along the streets of the city recordings mix to retrace the Africa is the mighty Table centre and you’ll ind elaborate lives of those that were Mountain (1,085m), where British Airways lies direct from Victorian architecture, a crafty destroyed by apartheid. there’s many unexpected London Heathrow to Cape cornucopia at Greenmarket Whether you walk in or book encounters to be had with Town ( light time is around 11 Square and musicians drawing a former resident as a guide – urban wildlife. Although the hours 30 minutes; from £666 crowds at the lively St George’s from ZAR45 (£2.40) – you’ll moulting young penguins of return). Buy a Myconnect card Mall. Or you can explore the ind is an emotional tribute Boulders Beach often steal the costing ZAR35 (£1.90) to use the bustling harbourside – around show in early January, furry rock MyCiTi bus network. Hout Bay and along the V&A to their unbroken spirit. ⊲ wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 177

POCKET GUIDES TRAVEL ICON Traditional Victorian ⊲ A SHORT WALK architecture on Long Street Around the city centre in downtown Cape Town The compact city centre lends itself to walking, with most of its major sights easily accessible. Cape Town is dissected The towering by a number of thoroughfares, one of which is Adderley Street. bronzed-glass The parallel St George’s Mall is a lively pedestrian zone where facade of the street musicians and dancers entertain the crowds, while Southern Sun Greenmarket Square is lined with many historically signi icant Cape Sun hotel on buildings. One block west of here, towards Signal Hill, is Strand Street is a Long Street. Some beautiful examples of elaborate Victorian landmark. The views buildings with balconies and intricate ironwork – now housing from the top loors shops, bars and hostels – can be seen here. are exceptional. A bustling pedestrian START area, St George's STRAND STREET Mall is full of street entertainers, shops and cafés. A produce market since LONG*STREET HOUT STREET CASTLE STREET FINISH 1806, and now a national BURGNaresh JaSTREETriwalaLONGMARKET STREET monument, the cobbled ST GEORGE’S MALL HOUT STREET Pretty bouquets Greenmarket Square BUREAU STREET are on sale at the supports a colourful, DARLING STREET lower market daily open-air crafts in Trafalgar Place, market. Among the along Adderley historic buildings Street. surrounding it is the Old Town House. Historic Long CHURCH STREET ADDERLEY STREET Street is lined with well-preserved WALE STREET elegant Victorian buildings, complete Adderley Street runs with graceful and from the Gardens to the delicate wrought- foreshore. The lower iron balconies. sellers have a permanent spot at Trafalgar Place. Only the original steeple High above the remains of Groote Kerk, four-columned Previous page: Shutterstock This page: Alamy; Dreamstime; Getty; iStockphoto; Shutterstock South Africa’s oldest portico of the church. The carved pulpit Standard Bank, (pictured below), dating Britannia is seated to 1789, is the work of on the dome. The sculptor Anton Anreith and foundation stone carpenter Jan Jacob Graa . of the building was laid in 1880. The exhibits at 0 metres 50 N Iziko Slave Lodge 0 yards illustrate the 50 history of the site, the second-oldest Walk distance: colonial building 1km (0.5 miles) in Cape Town. Time: 20 minutes Need to know This feature is adapted from CAPE TOWN the DK Eyewitness South Africa Language: English, Afrikaans and travel guide, which contains Around the Xhosa Time: GMT+2 Visas: No visa illustrations, insider tips, City Centre required for British nationals staying tour suggestions and a large 90 days Money: South African Rand pull-out map. See dk.com (ZAR), currently ZAR18.61 to the UK£ 178 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

Pocket Black & blue Almaciga on Tenerife’s Your cut–out and keep travel companion Taganana Coast boasts black volcanic sand and SHORT BREAK IN... great sur ing waves TENERIFE, ANARY ISLANDS Naresh Jariwala* Hike, bike and paddle around this volcanic outcrop to discover an explosive history and exciting scenery at odds with its sun ‘n’ sand’ rep. Rosie Fitzgerald investigates... Gliding down a and slopes that make up weather, creating excellent ASK A LOCAL road as smooth Tenerife’s topography today. windsur ing conditions in one and as curvy as bay, while around the corner “Spend the night at a Scalextric track, Every part of the island’s been you’ll ind the water is as still as a tour guide Laura shaped by its explosive history. bath – a ine surface for stand-up Alvavista del Teide turns to me. “I never get bored The forests that grow on the paddleboarding. Even the depths of this bike ride,” she smiles. volcanoes of Anaga capture the of the surrounding waters are Refuge, located 3,260m We were in Tenerife’s lunar-like water from the Trade Wind, because of the volcanoes, Teide National Park and had creating verdant landscapes in attracting a plethora of marine life high in Teide National spent the morning pedalling to the north. Travel an hour south to including dolphins and whales. 2,200m above the sea, taking the Malpaís de Rasca nature Park. Before dawn, get up us almost eye level to the tallest reserve though, and you feel like But despite being less than volcano on the island, Teide. you’ve reached a desert. Early 320km o the west coast of and hike for around an eruptions scattered porous Africa, the island is only four-and- Teide hasn’t always been the stones to the island’s edges, a-half hours from London. hour. You’ll be at the top highest point, however. When which easily eroded to form the Traditionally, most of those the duck-shaped island was irst breadcrumb sands of those arrivals have come to lie on those of Teide to witness formed by the fusion of three celebrated beaches. They also beaches, but now, like the smaller volcanoes, another provided the basalt for the black ever-changing landscape of a beautiful sunrise.” peak wore the crown. But this sands of the less-travelled north. Tenerife, the reasons to visit are volcano was too big to support shifting too. As such, Laura will Laura van de Beucken, itself, meaning it collapsed, and The rocky outcrops that are not be having problems with Shop Manager at a landslide formed the valleys dotted around the island also Free Motion los have the power to change the being bored anytime soon. ⊲ Cristianos shop wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 179

POCKET GUIDES SHORT BREAK ⊳ 3MORE TENERIFE Need to know ADVENTURES Population: 920,253 1Scuba diving Total area: 2,034 sq km Tenerife’s waters are Time zone: GMT+1 teeming with manta rays, Currency: Euro (€), currently African striped grunts, €1.14 to the UK£ turtles (pictured) and When to go: Any time. Tenerife sunken ships, and has an average year-round there’s more than temperature of 22°C. However if 60 dive sites spread you want to avoid the crowds, across the island. visit o season (May, June, Ocean Friends Diving September and October). (oceanfriendsdiving.com) Getting around : Once you’ve can help you encounter the landed at either of the island’s marine life. Instructors can two airports, Let’s Go Bus o er guide both experienced reasonable transfers. divers and beginners. Further info: webtenerife.com 2 Hiking Day 1 Palma can be seen in the distance a cheap but tasty eatery where Tenerife’s undulating on a clear day, and, as your thighs you can enjoy a light snack. In the landscape is perfect for Make your way to Teide National start to twinge, the sight of Teide afternoon, swap your bike helmet hiking fans. For a classic Park. Enter via Chio where Free looming larger with every turn for wings from En Mi Nube climb, head to the top of Motion (free-motion.com) will will keep you going – you’ll also (enminube.net/en) and get Teide with Adventoure lead you on a 70km cycle ride see the volcano’s smaller sister, a bird’s eye view of the national (adventoure.com). The (pictured). It’s a long and Pico Viejo. After the challenging park on a paragliding adventure. six-hour ascent is a tricky sometimes steep climb to its climb, it’s a rewarding wheel- one, but the views from 2,200m high point, but the whirring descent to Vila lor. Have dinner at Restaurante the summit make it ever-changing landscapes you’ll Régulo in Puerto de la Cruz worthwhile. A little less pedal past o er a ine distraction. Pitstop for a well-deserved before spending the night at challenging is a ramble lunch at Restaurante Teide Flor, nearby Route Active Hotel. around Teno Rural Park with Pine trees scent the irst leg, Naresh Jariwala* Canarias Nature Guides while the cloud-haloed cone of La (canariasnatureguides. Previous page: Alamy This page: Dreamstime; Shutterstock, Alamycom). The mountainous Day 2 where the colour of the water area, at over 1,300m seamlessly blends with the blue above sea level, is almost Head for Chamorga, a small town sky. Then start the descent, looking completely surrounded where less than 30 people out for the yellow and endemic by the sea. permanently live, to start a hike electric blue-spotted lizards. with Anaga Experience 3Mountain & (anagaexperience.com). Order Less than two hours later, you’ll electric biking a milky barraquito with Licor 43 reach the remote hamlet of Tenerife has over 200km and cinnamon before climbing the Roque Bermejo. Eat lunch while of forest tracks. To feel like narrow paths (pictured) past dipping your toes in the black, you’re wheeling over on ancient caves and then on to glittering sand, before jumping the moon, head to Tenerife’s most northerly point. in a Zodiac. Marvel at the lava- Chinyero, where you’ll After a short walk through a laurel stained cli s before being skid past recent lava forest, the path opens up into dropped o at Santa Cruz. lows. For a more verdant a dramatic ridge, o ering sea views, ride, head to the pine- scented trails of Las Day 3 across mouthwash-coloured Raices. If you want to take waters in a kayak until you’re it easier, an electric bike On your last day, venture to underneath the copper- can help take the strain: El Medano in the south where, coloured cli s, striped with old EC Rider (ecrider.es) has a wind conditions permitting, you irrigation systems. range of ebikes and tours. can learn to kitesurf with Surf Center Playa Sur (surfcenter.eu) From the same marina, catch This requires more practice but a whale-watching boat. You’re less strength than windsur ing, almost guaranteed to see pilot and is a great way to experience whales and bottlenose dolphins the power of nature. If the beach (pictured), and if you go in spring isn’t blustery that day, try you may see sperm whales too. stand-up paddleboarding instead. For your inal evening, dine in Just 40 minutes around style at the oceanfront restaurant the coast is Los Gigantes at Hotel Jardín Tropical. Marina. From here, paddle 180 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

aفõ™¼ Insurance Naresh Jariwala* with you in mind Travel insurance designed by travellers Up to £10M medical expenses Available for UK/EU Citizens if you’re already abroad Cover for cameras and gadgets available Extreme sports and activities covered, including trekking and winter sports Get immediate cover truetraveller.com or call 0333 999 3140

MARKETPLACE Explore North East India Naresh Jariwala* Service Rating 4.9/5 Wildlife & Culture Tours +44 (0) 1621741320 [email protected] www.wildrhinoadventures.co.uk Request our latest brochure SAVE 5090 £a1ind0Cv0eeonntturyaroleur t. 01453 844400 Asia w. mountainkingdoms.com Eternal Landscapes Mongolia Experiences not tours ... be part of something bigger Experience Mongolia through the eyes of those that live there. ‘The approach to travelling was refreshing - A Mongolian business Quote code WANDER202 when call 0800 0744 135 showing the real Mongolia without any pretence.’ with UK support you book a Silk Road or Central *T&Cs at worldexpeditions.com/wander U8885 Asia holiday & SAVE* www.eternal-landscapes.co.uk +44 7810 280 403 182 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 Please don’t forget to mention when you contact an advertiser

Cruise the Zambezi River on MARKETPLACE a sunset boat ride TourHound.co.uk 99% of Llama Travel Customers would recommend us to their friends Cape Town + Victoria Falls 10 days from £1899Naresh Jariwala* I compare touring holidays inc. flights from UK, accommodation, tours & transfers from the 020 7263 3000 5082 UK’s leading www.LlamaTravelAfrica.com specialists AFRICA Find a tour DISCOVER THE GAMBIA OVERLAND ADVENTURES Unforgettable experiences, vibrant culture +H[QWFTGCOQH and a warm welcome await you. VTCXGNNKPIVJTQWIJ #HTKEC5QWVJ #OGTKEC%GPVTCN #UKCQT5QWVJ'CUV #UKCVJGPNQQMPQ HWTVJGTVJCP1CUKU 1XGTNCPF OVER ŕ #FXGPVWTGUTCPIGHTQO ŕ 5VC[KPECORUKVGUNQECNJQVGNU FC[UVQYGGMU QTQWVWPFGTVJGUVCTU 30 ŕ 6TKRUQPQWTEWUVQODWKNV ŕ )GVKPXQNXGFECORHKTG YEARS GZRGFKVKQPVTWEMUQTNQECN EQQMKPIUJQRCVNQECN VTCPURQTV OCTMGVUEQNNGEVVJGHKTGYQQF EXPERIENCE Life changing HOTELS | FLIGHTS | TRANSFERS adventures to suit all! ATOL PROTECTED HOLIDAYS 01963 363400 9339 01489 866 939 | gambia.co.uk/smile www.oasisoverland.co.uk ASIA AFRICA SOUTH AMERICA Please don’t forget to mention when you contact an advertiser wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 183

MARKETPLACE Small group adventures UK: 0800-404-9535 & bespoke tours (ZR HIV\\[ <2 (NLU[Z [OH[ ZLSS V\\Y [YPWZ islandexpeditions.co\\R MISSOURI.GATEWAY TO ADVENTURE. Get your kicks on Route 66 inNaresh Jariwala* Missouri, the show-me state. 184 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020 Please don’t forget to mention when you contact an advertiser

MARKETPLACE Next Issue ON SALE 2 JANUARY NEW YEAR. NEW TRIPS. The 50 most exciting new journeys in the whole world – fresh for 2020! Naresh Jariwala* Find your perfect candidate Jobsintravel.work Plus FREEssuebye£os5wsuc0praseitnubrcdbaeiavesflecroollrruivbosoeeutur.rsncclohoawe.tuer–ksift/ Patagonia Contact Lucy Bairstow for more information A new route on the Argentinian slopes +44 020 3771 7249 [email protected] Southern Gulf Islands Exploring the hinterland Dreamstime between Vancouver Island and British Columbia

DISCOVER THE REAL WONDERS OF THE WORLD Gentle giant Despite their size whale sharks are considered harmless hence the nickname Naresh Jariwala* 22° 33′ S, 113° 48′ E Ningaloo Reef, W Australia The largest fringing reef though – snorkellers and divers can DID YOU Turquoise Bay, where there’s plenty Dreamstime in the world is 260km book year-round tours in Exmouth. KNOW? of bright corals to explore. of UNESCO-stamped The humpback highway is always spectacle. This bonanza popular between July and October, Green, hawksbill If you’d rather stay dry, hop aboard of blue is teeming with when up to ive swimmers can get and loggerhead a glass-bottom boat and glimpse all sorts of tropical life: turtles, up close to the whales, staying at turtles nest on whales leaping out of the water. You manta rays, dolphins, humpback least 30m away, unless the gentle the beaches here can take to the skies on a microlight whales and – if you’re lucky – the giants choose to come closer (Nov-Mar) – that’s expedition, too, skimming the elusive whale shark, too. and befriend you. Out of season, three of the world’s waters for a bird’s-eye view of all the dolphins and dugongs gather here, goings-on. Whatever you decide, Sign up to this aquatic assembly is but travellers can also head to seven marine you’ll ind a front-row seat to this not limited to creatures of the deep, turtle species! glittering world down under. 186 wanderlust.co.uk December 2019/January 2020

DISCOVER SMALL-SHIP EXPEDITION CRUISING WITH Naresh Jariwala* (SQJSVXEFPIEGGSQQSHEXMSRMR 2E\\MQYQSJȦȶȉTEWWIRKIVWQIERW (LSMGI SJ EHHMXMSREP EGXMZMXMIW EVIPE\\IHEXQSWTLIVI QSVIXMQIEWLSVI WYGL EW OE]EOMRK ERH TLSXSKVETL] FEATURED CRUISE SYXL ,ISVKME  &RXEVGXMG 4H]WWI] FOO5NR1-7WB9*SO8A&AA9N)4R*DVD7EȦEȦRCȍȍLRȉU UE5DSP5TIT •ƗŏěÚ±ƼåƻŞåÚĜƋĜŅĺÏųƚĜŸåØüųŅĵŏljƋĘa±ųÏĘƗljƗŏƋŅƑljƋĘa±ųÏĘƗljƗŏ •)ĺģŅƼƋĘå±ĵ±DŽĜĺčƴĜåƵŸüųŅĵƼŅƚųƱĬÏŅĺƼŸƋ±ƋåųŅŅĵú •a±ųƴåĬ±ƋƋĘåƵŅųĬÚűŸĬ±ųčåŸƋĩĜĺčŞåĺčƚĜĺÏŅĬŅĺĜ埱Ƌ„ŅƚƋĘ:åŅųčĜ± •)ƻŞåųĜåĺÏåƋĘåĵ±ģåŸƋĜÏƋ±ÆƚĬ±ųĜÏåÆåųčŸŅüƋĘåœåÚÚåĬĬ„å± •åƋų±ÏåƋĘåŸƋåŞŸŅü„ʱÏĩĬåƋŅĺŅĺ)ĬåŞĘ±ĺƋFŸĬ±ĺÚ¼„ŅƚƋĘ:åŅųčĜ± •„ŞŅƋåĬåŞĘ±ĺƋŸå±ĬŸ¼üƚųŸå±ĬŸƚŞěÏĬŅŸå •šĜŸĜƋƋĘå8±ĬĩĬ±ĺÚŸØĘŅĵåƋŅ±ĺŸƋ±ččåųĜĺčƗƗƁŸŞåÏĜåŸŅüÆĜųÚĬĜüå •IŅĜĺ„ĜųĘųĜŸŅĺĜĺčƋŅĺØƋĘåĬåčåĺÚ±ųƼĵŅƚĺƋ±ĜĺååųƵĘŅƵĜĬĬģŅĜĺƚŸ±Ÿ±čƚåŸƋĬåÏƋƚųåų 'EPGSR] XEXIVSSQ 3S[ JVSQ fȦȮȰȟȟ TIV TIVWSR ;EW JVSQ fȶȉȍȟȟTT {ŅĬ±ųŅƚƋ埱ųåƋĘååƻŞåÚĜƋĜŅĺÏųƚĜŸååƻŞåųƋŸ 8ĜĺÚŅƚƋĵŅųå±ÆŅƚƋƋĘĜŸÏųƚĜŸå±ĺÚeƚųŅų±űŸüƚĬĬų±ĺčå±Ƌ www.polarroutes.co.uk/auroraŅųϱĬĬȉȶȉȴȦȟȰȦȉȉȉ Ã{ųĜÏå ƱŸåÚ Ņĺ ƋƵĜĺ ŸĘ±ųå ±ÏÏŅĵĵŅÚ±ƋĜŅĺ Ĝĺ ± ±ĬÏŅĺƼ „Ƌ±ƋåųŅŅĵţ {ųŅĵŅƋĜŅĺ ĜŸ ŸƚÆģåÏƋ ƋŅ ±ƴ±ĜĬ±ÆĜĬĜƋƼ ±Ƌ ƋĘå ƋĜĵå Ņü ÆŅŅĩĜĺč ±ĺÚ ĜŸ ϱޱÏĜƋƼ ÏŅĺƋųŅĬĬåÚţ ‰Ęå ŞųŅĵŅƋĜŅĺ ĜŸ ĺŅƋ ±ƴ±ĜĬ±ÆĬåĜĺÏŅĺģƚĺÏƋĜŅĺƵĜƋʱĺƼŅƋĘåųŅüüåųØϱĺÆåƵĜƋĘÚų±Ƶĺ±Ƌ±ĺƼƋĜĵå±ĺÚĜŸĺŅƋųåÚååĵ±ÆĬåüŅųϱŸĘţœ±ĺÚåųĬƚŸƋŅĺěÆŅ±ųÚÏųåÚĜƋŅüüåųĵƚŸƋÆåĵåĺƋĜŅĺåÚ±ƋƋĜĵåŅüÆŅŅĩĜĺč ±ĺÚĺŅ±ĬƋåųĺ±ƋĜƴåŅųϱŸĘƴ±ĬƚåĜŸ±ŞŞĬĜϱÆĬåţkĺěÆŅ±ųÚÏųåÚĜƋƵĜĬĬÆå±ŞŞĬĜåÚĜ厄%ŅĬĬ±ųŸŅĺěÆŅ±ųÚţÃÃeÚÚĜƋĜŅĺ±ĬÏʱųčå±ŞŞĬĜåŸüŅųĩ±Ƽ±ĩĜĺčţ„ååƵåÆŸĜƋåüŅųüƚĬĬÚåƋ±ĜĬŸţ