National Geographic Traveller

IMAGE: ALAMY LIKE A LOCAL K I R KG AT E M A R K E T: This is where Marks & Spencer first set out in 1884. Today, beneath a colourful, wrought-iron canopy, traders still call out their wares from a warren of stalls. In the 1904 hall off Vicar Lane, old-school butchers and fishmongers rub shoulders with tea shops, textile sellers and stands hawking North and West African specialities. The diversity of the city is reflected in the street food on offer in a hangar at the back of the market — seek out Manjit’s Kitchen for local Indian food. leeds.gov.uk/leedsmarkets M E A N WO O D : Passing through its leafy streets and 19th-century mill workers’ cottages, you could mistake Meanwood for a quaint Yorkshire Dales market town. Nature lovers can hit the vast park, an access point for the seven-mile Meanwood Valley Trail. Drop into Tandem homewares and coffee shop, taste craft beers at Meanwood Brewery’s taproom, and book ahead for the tasting menu at HanaMatsuri, a Michelin-recommended sushi restaurant. sushibarhanamatsuri.co.uk C H A P E L A L L E RTO N : The honeypot of indie shops, bars and restaurants here, two miles northeast of Leeds centre, makes ‘Chapel A’ one of the city’s most desirable areas. Look for George & Joseph cheesemonger, the kid-focused Little Bookshop and the Chapel Allerton Flying High arts festival in September. georgeandjoseph.co.uk thelittlebookshopleeds.co.uk APRIL 2023 151

LEEDS Meanwood Harewood House 5 miles Kirkstall Abbey Chapel Allerton River A ire L EEDS Leeds Art Gallery Kirkgate Market Thornton’s Arcade Corn Exchange Victoria Quarter UNITED The Tetley KINGDOM Royal Armouries Museum Leeds Leeds LONDON Dock 1 mile Leeds institution Belgrave Music Hall GETTING THERE & AROUND & Canteen houses three floors of craft Leeds is a key hub on the LNER train beer and gig space, with a roof garden line, with frequent, direct connections to London King’s Cross, York, AFTER HOURS Leeds luminaries In the hit Newcastle and Edinburgh. Leeds train song I Predict A Riot from station is in the city centre, close to all N O RT H TA P RO OM : When John Gyngell Leeds band Kaiser Chiefs, attractions and hotels. lner.co.uk and Christian Townsley opened North Bar someone from Leeds is Average journey time from London: on Leeds’ New Briggate in 1997, it was one referred to as a Leodensian. 2h15. of the UK’s first craft beer bars. They have The rhyming line “Would Leeds has a compact city centre, with since launched their own brewery and bars never have happened most attractions, bars and restaurants across Leeds, including this busy taproom on to Smeaton/An Old easily accessible on foot. Kirkstall Sovereign Street showcasing their best pours. Leodensian” is a reference Abbey, Meanwood and Chapel Allerton Excellent bao buns help soak up all the booze. to the 18th-century Leeds are all just a short bus ride from the city northbrewing.com engineer John Smeaton, centre. Landmark estate Harewood BELGR AVE MU SIC HALL & C ANTEEN : considered to be the father House is 10 miles north of Leeds city of civil engineering. centre. A MCard DaySaver gives This lively venue covers many bases — and unlimited travel on any bus for £4.50. surprisingly, it manages them all extremely ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER well. There’s a canteen with street food WHEN TO GO hatches and a craft beer bar, a cinema, a Winters are wet and cold, but there roof garden and a club that’s one of the most are plenty of events and activities at exciting music venues in the city. Bands or this time of year. Summer is a great club nights happen most evenings. Food time to go, with average temperatures offerings include Dough Boys pizza and of around 20C. Autumn means lovely Patty’s Burgers (both delicious). canal walks and trips to Roundhay Park belgravemusichall.com or the Meanwood Valley Trail. W H I T E LO C K S A L E H O U S E : This pub is a Leeds institution — although that’s no MORE INFORMATION surprise considering it’s been serving beer visitleeds.co.uk since 1715. The Whitelock family took over leeds-list.com in the 1880s and installed the eye-catching marble and copper-topped bar, ornate tiling HOW TO DO IT and etched mirrors. It has an excellent For a local perspective while visiting, selection of beers. whitelocksleeds.com try one of the walking tour suggestions on Visit Leeds, such as a heritage architecture tour with Leeds Civic Trust, or a self-guided street art trail. visitleeds.co.uk/inspire-me/tours- and-trails Leeds Food Tours also offers highly regarded guided tours of the city’s independent food and drink venues. leedsfoodtours.com 152 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .

FORTRESSES & CASTLES book your Ticket EXPERIENCE HISTORY UP CLOSE AT SALZBURG’S CASTLES Go from castle to castle and see the province of Salzburg in all its glory. Salzburg is known for its high-class culture, impressive history and fascinating natural sights. Take a journey to a long-forgotten era in the fortresses and castles of Salzburg. Hohensalzburg Fortress, the famous landmark of the World Heritage City of Salzburg, Hohenwerfen Castle, situated in Werfen, in the midst of the imposing Alpine mountains, and Mauterndorf Castle, the important medieval toll- collecting castle in the region „Lungau“, await you. www.salzburg-burgen.at

| PAID CONTENT FOR EXODU S TR AVELS LTD Costa Rica to Cape Town Trips to inspire Trek ancient pilgrimage routes, explore ruined temples and see life and death on a holy river — here are five epic itineraries perfect for adventurous travellers. Words: Dom Tullet

| PAID CONTENT FOR EXODU S TR AVELS LTD 1 COSTA RICA recent history is found at Cu Chi, where From left: The Patrika Gate in Jaipur, BEST FOR: NATURE LOVERS travellers can crawl through the snaking northern India; The old ruin of Ta Prohm tunnels, learning how the Viet Cong Temple at Siem Reap, Cambodia; A yellow- Between the waters of the Caribbean and the operated during the Vietnamese war. throated toucan in Tortuguero National Pacific, Costa Rica is a nature lover’s dream. Park, Costa Rica Turtles nest on the soft sand beaches, Bangkok, Thailand’s buzzing capital, jaguars prowl the dense, lowland jungle and meanwhile, is an adventure in itself, PLAN YOUR TRIP around 850 species of technicolour birds with gleaming temples, floating markets, serenade the rainforest canopies with song. exceptional street food and the colourful, Exodus Travels offers small-group chaotic Khaosan Road. tours, led by expert local guides, Take a slow boat ride through the winding in all of these destinations. Having waterways of the Tortuguero National Park, 4 NORTHERN INDIA won Tour Operator of the Year at spot nocturnal creatures on a night walk BEST FOR: CULTURE SEEKERS the National Geographic Traveller through the Monteverde cloud forest, or (UK) Readers Awards in 2021 and climb the slopes of the now-dormant Arenal To take a morning boat trip on the Ganges 2022, the tour company continues Volcano to hear the whisper of the wind on at Varanasi is an unforgettable experience: to carefully build packages with the lava fields. mothers bathe their children at the shallow locals and nature in mind. For more banks, pilgrims cleanse themselves, while information, visit exodus.co.uk 2 SPAIN mourning families scatter the ashes of loved IMAGES: GETTY BEST FOR: ACTIVE TRAVELLERS ones over the sacred waters of the holy river. Meanwhile, in the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Sheep-speckled hillsides, rolling farmlands, Jaipur and Agra, monumental architectural eucalyptus forests and expansive plains treasures dominate with the rust-tinged — trekking the Camino de Santiago (the Way brickwork of Delhi’s Red Fort, the soft pink of St James) is one of the world’s most scenic walls of Jaipur and the majestic Taj Mahal, hikes. It consists of a sprawling network shifting tones as the sun swings around her. of well-trodden trails across Spain, which all come together at the tomb of St James 5 SOUTH AFRICA in Santiago de Compostela. Hundreds of BEST FOR: GENERAL ADVENTURE thousands of pilgrims pursue the Camino Francés each year, making this 491-mile From Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, path the most popular. Expect ancient along South Africa’s southern tip, the woodlands, tumbling hills and plentiful opportunities for spotting wildlife are historic sites, such as churches, monasteries endless. Head inland and the big five — lions, and abbeys, in ancient towns along the way. leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalos — are all within easy reach. Or stick to the 3 SOUTHEAST ASIA coast to watch humpback whales swim BEST FOR: INTREPID EXPLORERS where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic. Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand are The region’s natural beauty is just as covered with awe-inspiring sites for an appealing as its wildlife, with rock-dotted intrepid break. In Cambodia, travellers coastlines, forests, dashing rivers and can scramble through the jungle-cloaked waterfalls offering first-class hiking and temples at Angkor Wat, where tree trunks adventure sports. At the end of the day, relax and vines intertwine over the crumbling with a glass of something crisp from a tour stone structures. While in Vietnam, more of the regions prize-winning wine country.

TR AVEL TALK ASK THE EXPERTS NEED ADVICE FOR YOUR NE X T TRIP ? ARE YOU AF TER RECOM MENDATION S, TIPS AND GUIDANCE? OUR EXPERTS HAVE THE ANSWERS… THE EXPERTS Lorna Parkes Commissioning editor, National Geographic Traveller (UK) Lottie Gross Author of Dog-Friendly Weekends Richard Hammond Can you recommend a budget- for bragging rights back home. half board) here is a good mid- IMAGES: ALAMY; GETTY Author of The friendly itinerary for a 10-day riadnoosnoos.com cafeclock.com range option with pre-erected Green Traveller family trip (with kids aged nine tents, private shower rooms, a date and 14) to Morocco, combining the After Marrakech, take the palm garden amid the dunes and Steph Dyson beach, culture, desert and time in winding high passes over the Atlas buggy tours. Sleeping under the Travel writer and South Marrakech? At nine and 14, your Mountains en route to the Sahara. stars with food cooked on open America specialist kids are at the perfect ages for an Late spring/early summer is the fires and a camel ride into the adventure in Morocco. Starting in perfect time for family-friendly shifting sands is an unforgettable Clockwise from above: Marrakech for a couple of nights, valley walks in Toubkal National introduction to traditional Koutoubia Mosque and stay centrally in the medina in a Park accompanied by mules. Base Amazigh (Berber) nomadic life. garden, Marrakech; beautiful traditional house such as yourself at the locally run, rammed- aliandsarasdesertpalace.com the Ciudad Perdida Riad Noos Noos (family suite from earth Chez Momo II hotel (£160 for in Colombia; the £110, B&B), which is an excellent a family of four, B&B), around 90 At the end of your trip, wash Wendover Arm of the budget option with a pool table minutes from Marrakech in the quiet away the Sahara dust with a couple Grand Union Canal in and sun-trap roof terrace close to Ouirgane Valley. chezmomo2.com of nights in Essaouira, a mellow little Buckinghamshire the kasbah. Stroll up to Djemaa fortified beach town on the west el Fna square to find gnaoua The road to the Sahara is a long, coast where you can take surfing 156 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC . musicians as the sun sets, and later dusty schlep, around nine hours lessons, watch artists working take your kids to the Henna Cafe so by car from Marrakech — and on the ramparts and wander the they can have their hands painted totally worth it. With kids, I’d labyrinthine blue-and-white medina by local women. Don’t miss cool suggest heading for the village streets in search of fish tagines. Café Clock for a cooking class or a of Merzouga, jumping-off point Stay at Jack’s Apartments, which has performance by local storytellers for a sleep out in the dunes of sea-view apartments for four (from — order the signature camel burger Erg Chebbi and the least remote £110 per night). jackapartments.com gateway to the Sahara. Ali & Sara’s Desert Palace (doubles from £235, LORNA PARKES

I’d like to take my dog with For a coastal escape, or take in the sweeping sea me on a trip to the Republic I’d recommend taking views from the outdoor pool. of Ireland. What paperwork the ferry from Fishguard, sawdays.co.uk do I need, and what shouldn’t Pembrokeshire, to Rosslare, I miss? Getting into Ireland just under three hours’ drive Alternatively, arrive into with your dog is a little more south of Dublin, with Stenaline Dublin from Holyhead, challenging than it has been, from £139 each way, including Anglesey, on Stenaline from but once you’ve mastered driver, vehicle and dog £139 each way, including driver, the post-Brexit paperwork kennels. stenaline.co.uk  vehicle and dog kennels. it’s worth the effort. Before Make a beeline for Carrick-on- arriving, you’ll need to get an From here you can drive to Shannon, where you can hire Animal Health Certificate from Bantry, where the dog-friendly a cruiser (that can sleep up to your vet, ensure your dog’s Artist’s Cottage & Studio nine) to wend along the River vaccinated against rabies sleeps five from £100 per Shannon with Le Boat from and give them a tapeworm night. You can hike up to the £564 for seven nights, passing treatment. Check gov.uk/ lighthouse on nearby Sheep’s castles and forests ripe for taking-your-pet-abroad Head Way, which forms part of exploring. leboat.co.uk the famous Wild Atlantic Way, LOTTIE GROSS This year I’d like to book an camp (for children aged six as data collection, hedge- With Machu Picchu recently environment-focused UK to 14) at Whitehouses Pocket laying, invasive species impacted by political unrest, break where I can get my Park on the Wendover Arm of removal and tree planting. I’m looking for alternatives hands dirty — what would the Grand Union Canal, where For a longer commitment, — where would you recommend? you suggest? Waterways you can help conserve the join a ‘conservation week’ and This is an excellent opportunity to has hundreds of projects waterways for wildlife while help with efforts revitalising explore South America’s lesser- where you can help build staying at an activity camp. Highland forests with Trees visited archaeological sites. The new bridges, restore canal waterways.org.uk for Life or at a national nature El Brujo Archaeological Complex lock chambers and work on reserve run by NatureScot, in northern Peru is one such place. riverbank protection and There are also lots of where you can monitor Here, in 2005, the 1,700-year- vegetation clearance across places where you can help habitats, birdlife and trees, old mummified remains of the England and Wales. The out on rewilding projects, or perhaps work in the visitor powerful Moche leader Señora holiday camps run for one such as Camp Embercombe centre and help lead groups. de Cao were unearthed. She week or over a weekend; on the edge of Dartmoor, ecosystemrestorationcamps now rests in the site’s museum, accommodation is basic, but which runs a four-day trip .org treesforlife.org.uk surrounded by her burial gold. Fly volunteers receive full board. staying in a yurt village while nature.scot wildlifetrusts.org from London to Lima and onwards For families, there’s a canal helping regenerate the to Chiclayo for a day tour with land through activities such RICHARD HAMMOND Valencia Travel, which costs from £162 per person, excluding flights. valenciatravelcusco.com Alternatively, head to the rainforest of Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to trek to Ciudad Perdida (the ‘Lost City’). This four-day, 28-mile trip is demanding, but seeing the Indigenous-built Teyuna, constructed around AD 800 and lost to outsiders until the 1970s, is a magical reward. Fly direct from London to Bogotá and then onwards to Santa Marta; G Adventures’ seven-day tour includes accommodation, meals and a guide from £549 per person, excluding flights. gadventures.com If hiking doesn’t appeal, the volcanic shores of Rapa Nui — Easter Island — might. This remote Pacific island, over 2,000 miles west of Chile, is dotted with 887 enigmatic moai: quasi-human stone heads and torsos up to 23ft high. Latin Routes’ four-day Rapa Nui trip costs £1,799 per person, including accommodation, domestic flights and meals. latinroutes.co.uk STEPH DYSON APRIL 2023 157

TR AVEL TALK THE INFO James Bond TO C ELEB R ATE 70 YE AR S S IN C E THE PU B LI C ATI O N O F C A S IN O ROYALE, WE TRACK THE ICONIC SPY’S JOURNEY ACROSS 63 BOOKS AND 27 MOVIES The iconic superspy’s IN NUMBERS name comes from author 30 Ian Fleming’s own interest in birdwatching, The number of deployments which he developed while undertaken by Roger Moore’s living abroad. The author James Bond, making him one of the best-travelled iterations of came across the name while reading Birds of the the character West Indies, a guide by American ornithologist James Bond 51 The number of countries Bond visits across the 25 films made by Eon Productions Fans can stay at the GoldenEye estate in Jamaica, TR AVEL AGENCY BL ACK TOMATO HAS 26 where Fleming once lived and where he penned PARTNERED WITH EON PRODUCTIONS TO CUR ATE A SERIES OF 007-IN SPIRED The number of filming locations all 14 books. It’s now a boutique hotel TRIPS, WITH MORE DETAILS SET TO BE listed for No Time to Die, more than for any other Bond movie. ANNOUNCED IN MARCH 2023 Filming took place in Italy, Norway, the Faroe Islands and the UK MOVIE LOCATIONS JAMAICA THE ALPS SCOTLAND ITA LY KHAO PHING KAN IMAGES: GETTY; ALAMY. WORDS: OLIVER JAKES The Caribbean nation Bond spends a lot of time on In On Her Majesty’s Secret The globe-trotting After being featured in features in Dr No, Live and the slopes, travelling to the Service, the spy reveals his secret agent visits the The Man with the Golden Let Die and No Time to Alps in six different movies father is from Glencoe. This country in eight films, Gun, this spot in Thailand Die. Boundbrook Wharf, — perhaps influenced by the inspired the setting for the became so popular with Ken Jones Aerodrome and Highland estate in Skyfall, making it one of fans of the series that Coco Walk are among the time Fleming spent living the fourth 007 movie to his most frequently it gained the moniker in the town of Kitzbühel, feature Scottish scenery visited destinations filming locations ‘James Bond Island’ western Austria outside the UK Sources: 007.com blacktomato.com britishlibrary.cn nzherald.co.nz smithsonianmag.com visitscotland.com 158 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .

TR AVEL TALK HOT TOPIC WILD CAMPING After a High Court ruling, the public no longer have a right to freely sleep under the stars on Dartmoor. Should access be restored, or even extended? Dartmoor National Park, 368 windswept square miles in Devon, is no stranger to mythical beasts stalking its jumble of jagged tors. So it’s only fitting that when 3,500 people gathered there on 21 January to protest the news that the right to wild camp in the park had been lost, they brought along an enormous puppet of Old Crockern, the park’s spectral guardian. While wild camping, which involves pitching away from all infrastructure and leaving no trace, is still permitted in Scotland — where most land has been free to access to responsible wild campers since the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 — Dartmoor was the last place in England and Wales where the public had the right to freely sleep beneath the stars. What happened? discard everything from tents to Why does it matter? What happens next? It all came about as a result of human waste. Darwall, who bought Recent analysis by the Natural The High Court ruling, and the a legal challenge from hedge the 4,000-acre Blachford Estate History Museum found that, largely Dartmoor land rights protest, fund manager Alexander in 2011, claimed they brought the due to the Industrial Revolution, which Winks says was the largest in Darwall, Dartmoor’s sixth-largest legal action because Dartmoor was the UK is now one of the most a generation, has reinvigorated the landowner, who argued the right “increasingly under pressure from nature-depleted countries in debate about the right to roam. to wild camp in the national park fly campers, litter, raves and so on”. the world, with around half of its “[The ruling] was a step backwards, had never existed. Sir Julian Flaux, biodiversity left — putting it in the when we should be taking a giant chancellor of the High Court, ruled Since the ruling, a rapidly bottom 10% of countries globally. leap forwards,” he says. “There’s the right to “open-air recreation” negotiated access deal between “We need to feel welcome in our a sense of possibility of not just here, enshrined in the Dartmoor landowners and the Dartmoor own countryside,” says Shrubsole. getting back access but of gaining Commons Act 1985, included National Park Authority has “Everyone deserves that, instead the ability to sleep under the stars activities such as horse riding, reinstated camping in a smaller of being confronted by ‘private: in all national parks.” but not camping. It all hinged on area of the park in exchange for keep out’ signs.” the definition of “recreation”. He a fee, to be paid to landowners. Supporters of a proposed right argued wild camping was not a This means some landowners have Lewis Winks, researcher and to roam act, which would allow recreation in itself, but rather a effectively given their permission environmental campaigner, agrees: national parks to adopt the right way to facilitate it — and thus the — a notion at odds with the ethos “Being connected to the natural to wild camp and expand access right, which had been enjoyed for of the wild camper. According world is important for wellbeing. to woodland and waterways, have decades, was lost. The Dartmoor to the Right to Roam Campaign, If we want to build a sustainable been urged to write to their MPs, National Park authority is seeking which organised the protest, relationship with nature, we need and the Labour Party has said it to appeal, but the case has already around 123,500 acres have been to improve access to nature. will pass the act and reverse the cost £100,000, and such action lost, which translates to an 18% Dartmoor ban if it comes into could double that. reduction in land available for wild “The big question for me is: power during the next general campers. “In a nutshell, we have what does this mean for those of election. Further protests are Why were landowners unhappy? had our rights taken away and sold us who have never wild camped? planned this year to coincide with Dartmoor, which sees millions back as something far less,” says What does this mean for future the 20th anniversary of the Land of visitors each year, became Guy Shrubsole, author, and co- generations? They’re going to Reform Act in Scotland. more popular over the pandemic founder of Right to Roam. need this connection with the and repeatedly fell victim to natural world more than ever.” GEORGIA STEPHENS irresponsible fly campers, who APRIL 2023 159

OVER-50S THE GOLDEN GAP YEAR IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC, A GROWING DEMOGR APHIC OF TR AVELLERS AGED 50 -PLUS ARE SET TING OFF TO SEE THE WORLD FOR MONTHS — OR YE ARS — AT A TIME. WORDS: SIMON USBORNE Izzy and Phil Kelly had it all. It itchy feet and designs on a rite of to-back cruises for two to three IMAGE: GETTY was 2018 and the couple, who passage traditionally associated months at sea. Late last year, when were about to turn 50, were lying with school-leavers. For these jet Norwegian Cruise Line surveyed back in the oversized bath they setters, regular Mediterranean the ‘baby boomer’ generation, had bought for the ‘forever home’ trips and occasional city breaks the youngest of whom are in their they had built in rural Wiltshire. no longer cut it. So, staring at the late 50s, a fifth of respondents They had successful careers with gulf between their child-rearing or said they planned to go away for a manageable mortgage, a car career-building years (or both) and between nine and 12 months. each on the drive and travelled an increasingly distant retirement, overseas regularly. With the they’re turning their backs on Golden gappers are reportedly youngest of three children from convention and taking off. also increasingly looking for previous marriages about to go to independent adventure, not least university, they hadn’t enjoyed so And by all accounts they’re a to take advantage of relatively much freedom for decades. “We burgeoning demographic. While better physical health than had a great life,” Izzy tells me. solid stats are so far scarce, might greet them at retirement “And we were really, really bored.” surveys and anecdotal evidence age. “Working in the care home point to a new opportunity sector, I’ve seen so many people After a chat in the bath about for the travel industry — and with horrible illnesses and I just where they might next take a for travellers of a certain age thought, ‘If not now, then do we couple of weeks abroad, the Kellys who until now might not have wait until we’re too old to enjoy looked at one another across a dreamed of stepping off the this properly?’” says Izzy. sea of bubbles. “I think it was ladders of modern life. me who said, ‘Why don’t we just Window of opportunity sell everything and go off in a “This is a generation who motorhome for a couple of years?’” probably didn’t take a year off The Kellys settled on an overland says Izzy, who worked long between school and university, journey, travelling through hours in the care home industry but perhaps their kids did,” says France to the Pyrenees and on — Phil was an army veteran Gary Anslow, senior director of through Spain and Portugal. Then turned buildings inspector. sales in the UK and Ireland for came Italy and Morocco before, “Within a week, the house was on Norwegian Cruise Line, which eventually, they had to return to the market.” has a global fleet of 19 ships. “Now the UK to take their motorhome they’ve got the disposable income, for an MOT test. But they were A few months later, the the time and the inclination straight off again, heading to couple were in a plush German after two years of perhaps not Norway for what would end up motorhome, having sold almost travelling as much, and there’s a being a months-long road trip all of their belongings. They bit of a mindset change — people across Scandinavia. were heading for Dover and a are thinking, ‘We should be grand tour of Europe. “It was doing this.’” After their second return to incredible,” Izzy remembers. “The England, the Kellys doubled sun was shining, we were driving Gary, who just turned 50 down, swapping the comforts down the M20 and it just felt like himself but whose kids are still of their motorhome for a rugged we had the world in front of us.” a few years off flying the nest, expedition truck. They’ve says Norwegian Cruise Line is since toured Georgia, Armenia, The Kellys hadn’t heard of seeing signs of this demand, with Azerbaijan and Turkey, the phrase ‘golden gap year’ or more people of pre-retirement making good use of Phil’s army any of its variants, but they had age booking longer cruises, often background along the way. unwittingly joined a cohort of as part of a much longer land “We love mountains and big, open careerists aged 50-plus with itinerary, or embarking on back- spaces and thought, ‘Let’s go to 160 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .

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some of these smaller countries more windows of opportunity retired at the age of 60 from his planned to travel for two years that look really interesting,’” for people to take extended time role as a lecturer and department and then go back to the UK and Izzy says. out. “A lot of people move jobs at head at the University of York. continue to make a good living, this age and get a few months in He has since worked with VSO probably in property. But after John Constable, CEO of the the garden or their children are in countries including Ethiopia, six months, as they were driving Saga Travel Group, which caters older and they can go off and do Cambodia and Mozambique. through Portugal, Izzy had some to the over-50s market, points out different things,” he says. second thoughts as summer came that this demographic already “Being mature, you have far to an end. “The clocks changed has different expectations of what Saga Travel Group is also at more to look back on and a better and I sort of had a meltdown a trip should look like; there has the early stages of working out appreciation of situations in thinking, ‘What have we done?’” been a steady shift away from how to serve the demand among developing countries,” he says, she recalls. They needed purpose, brochure tourism towards DIY this demographic for travel with comparing the golden gapper too. Phil decided to learn how itineraries and off-the-beaten- purpose — another trend that’s to, say, wet-eared 18-year-olds to kitesurf. Izzy thought a little track travel. “Now they’re getting reflected across the industry. teaching English in a village longer and, having met several the opportunity to go away for The ‘experienced gap year’ trips school in India. “You’ve got other travellers doing the same longer, they want to explore it has had in development since skills and knowledge to share, thing, wondered if there were a places more intrepidly and last November might include sometimes perhaps more than market for some kind of blog. adventurously,” he says. volunteer projects or cultural you realised,” he explains. Bob immersion. “People want to get finds it hard to express how She did a course in website- John, who’s 52 and also still under the skin of places more and rewarding the work has been. “I building and started writing about has children in school, says Saga more,” Constable explains. was driven by looking at inequality their adventure. Her site — called Travel Group is beginning to see in the world and, if I could make The Gap Decaders, after a friend growth in this market, although Specialists in this market, such a little contribution to help, that’s joked they wouldn’t be back for 10 it’s early days. He senses that as Projects Abroad and Voluntary extremely satisfying,” he says. years — now includes destination growing career fluidity, freelance Service Overseas (VSO), are also guides, motorhome itineraries and work and the rise in second or reporting growing demand in the Extended time away is never advice for a life spent on the road. ‘encore’ careers is opening up over-50s age group. Bob Campbell without pitfalls. The Kellys 162 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .

OVER-50S THINGS TO THINK ABOUT IMAGES: @LATEEF.PHOTOGRAPHY; GETTY It’s spawned a YouTube channel From left: Fine dining What does it cost? Am I ready to ditch my and social media accounts, and it at Onda by Scarpetta, current life? has become popular enough that the Italian restaurant That’s very much dependent on advertising income supplements aboard Norwegian your expectations and resources. Any extended travel takes a bit the couple’s savings and Phil’s Cruise Line’s Norwegian But, like everything, the answer of courage and commitment. But army pension, meaning they can Encore; driving along a will likely be: more than you if finances allow it, it’s prudent keep going indefinitely. winding mountain road thought. It behoves any would-be not to cut too many ties to your in Madeira, Portugal golden gapper to do some good, existing life in case you want to go The couple have now spent more honest research on the cost of home earlier than planned. If you than three years away from home, Previous pages: A couple living and travelling, including can fund your adventure without their previous lives becoming ever hiking above Lake fuel if relevant, in the countries selling your house, then it’s smaller in the rear-view mirror Lugano, Switzerland you plan to visit. Estimate weekly better to rent it out, for example. of their truck. They don’t rule out expenses and, particularly if Likewise, it’s worth asking how a return to conventional life and you’re relying on a vehicle such as long a sabbatical an employer work, but have a lot more to get out a yacht or motorhome, set funds might agree to, rather than of their system. aside in case of big, unexpected quitting. Keeping a career ticking maintenance bills. over in the background may be a Does she not miss anything canny move in the longer term. about home? That giant bath? “I do What about insurance? miss my garden, but not the bath,” Travelling as a couple? Izzy says. “It was always my stress Standard travel insurance is reliever, and now I don’t need one.” unlikely to cut it for trips longer Any existing tensions in a than 30 days (some stretch to relationship, however broadly MORE INFORMATION 90). But long-stay or ‘backpacker’ loving and healthy it might be, are thegapdecaders.com saga.co.uk insurance is there for those with unlikely to disappear when you’re ncl.com vsointernational.org bigger plans. As one example, in constant company, perhaps in projects-abroad.co.uk the Post Office offers backpacker a confined space, for an extended travel insurance for a single trip period of time. Be honest about of up to 18 months, including up this in the planning stages to to three trips back home of up to avoid turning a gap year into the seven days, for travellers aged wrong kind of break. 18-60. What about my And visas? creature comforts? Always check the requirements Part of the gap year mindset for of your destination. Brexit an 18-year-old is the non-existent hasn’t been kind to long-stay expectation of comfort or quality, travellers from the UK (who used whether it’s in lodging or food. to be able to roam the continent Older career breakers may have indefinitely) wanting to stay in the evolved in this regard, and it’s EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland worth considering how much you or Liechtenstein. You can now or, perhaps, your dodgy back are stay in the 27 countries that make prepared to sacrifice in the name up the Schengen area without of adventure. Even the plushest a visa for up to 90 days in any motorhome, for example, is 180-day period. Crossing borders unlikely to be as comfortable as or returning to the UK doesn’t your actual house. reset the clock; if you’re in any of these countries during the 180 Travel can be physically days (starting with the first entry), demanding, and careful pre-trip you’re adding to your 90-day preparation can reduce the risk of limit. Tip over 90 days and you’ll exacerbating or inducing medical need to check eligibility and apply conditions. A consultation with for the relevant visa or permit for your doctor before a long journey each country you want to visit. can yield helpful advice about medications and vaccinations.  APRIL 2023 163

| PAID CONTENT FOR BUSAN TOURISM ORGANISATION IMAGE: BUSAN TOURISM ORGANISATION BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA City of celebration From centuries-old rituals to vibrant music celebrations, a festival in Busan is a life-changing experience. Words: Chris Tharp Nuri Maru APEC House, Busan, South Korea

| PAID CONTENT FOR BUSAN TOURISM ORGANISATION K nown for its expansive beaches, gleaming high- rises, fresh seafood and laid-back vibes, South Korea’s seaside city of Busan is also home to some of the most distinctive festivals in the country. Combining a trip to Busan with a festival is the perfect way to soak up the infectiously vibrant energy the place has to offer. Here are seven of the best local celebrations and festivities to book in 2023. 1 JOSEON TONGSINSA FESTIVAL 4 -7 MAY More than 1,000 participants take to the streets in a spirited ‘Peace Parade’, featuring placards, props, splashy period costumes and traditional music. This is both an acknowledgment of Korea’s desire for cooperation with Japan, as well a recognition of the resilience of a people. This historical re-enactment is inspired by a series of historic delegations sent over to Japan from Busan during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty period (1392-1910). It’s a glimpse into Korea’s past that also illuminates just how the country came to blossom into the place it is today. The Joseon Tongsinsa Festival also features rides on a traditional Korean ship, a drone show, joint programmes for Japanese and Korean children, as well as an international symposium focusing on efforts aimed at peace, cooperation and prosperity between the two nations. 2 LOTUS LANTERN FESTIVAL 27 MAY Busan is an wonderful place to take in the national holiday of Buddha’s birthday, which is widely celebrated in Korea. One tradition observed all over the country is the stringing up of bright, multicoloured lanterns, and one of the best places to witness this is Samgwangsa Temple in the city’s Choeup neighbourhood. Situated at the base of Baekyangsan Mountain, this sprawling spiritual complex is lit up with tens of thousands of lotus lanterns on and around the enlightened one’s birthday, creating a magical world bathed in light. Other places to see the festival include Song Sang Hyun Plaza next to Busan Citizens Park. This relatively new public space features a brilliant lantern display that takes on the forms of human figures, characters and animals. It also hosts a lantern procession on the big day itself, delivering a much-needed dose of colour and serenity to the city’s otherwise hectic streets.  3 HAEUNDAE SAND FESTIVAL LATE MAY OR EARLY JUNE Haeundae Beach isn’t just the most famous seashore in Busan, but also the nation. This one-mile stretch of sand draws hordes of visitors in the summer looking to lie down under parasols between refreshing dips in the sea. It is, however, thankfully less busy during the rest of the year, making it the perfect spot for the Haeundae Sand Festival, which runs for four days in late May or early June. The festival features huge, intricately designed sand sculptures created by artists from around the world.

| PAID CONTENT FOR BUSAN TOURISM ORGANISATION These stretch all the way up and down the beach, and each year the works reflect the festival’s theme. In addition to the naturally made art, activities include sand baths, sand sledding, and a sand treasure hunt, along with a parade, musical performances and nightly fireworks show. 4 BUSAN SEA FESTIVAL 29 JULY – 6 AUGUST  During the height of Korea’s sweltering summer, people from all over the peninsula flock to the sands of Busan to escape the heat and plug into what becomes the nation’s biggest outdoor party. Celebrated across all five of the city’s main beaches — Songjeong, Haeundae, Gwangali, Songdo and Dadaepo — the Sea Festival highlights Busan’s proximity to the cooling ocean waters with wading pools, foam parties and music galore. The live acts include rock outfits, traditional Korean ensembles, classical musicians, rappers, jazz combos, ballad crooners, EDM spinners and enough hyperkinetic K-pop to power a small country. 5 BUSAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 4-13 OCTOBER Since its launch in 1996, Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has grown to become Asia’s largest film festival, and arguably its most culturally significant. The event offers a mix of art house and more commercial films shown at around 30 screens in six theatres, drawing cinephiles from around the world. What’s more, the festival grounds also feature event stages, cafes, interactive zones and food trucks.

| PAID CONTENT FOR BUSAN TOURISM ORGANISATION IMAGES: BUSAN TOURISM ORGANISATION; ALAMY; GETTY 6 JAGALCHI FESTIVAL hundreds of thousands of spectators pack the sands and 12-15 OCTOBER seafront establishments of Gwangalli Beach to take in the dazzling show.  ‘Oiso! Boiso! Saiso!’ (Come! See! Buy!) — this is the slogan of Jagalchi Fish Market, Busan’s storied centre of seafood Led by an international team of pyrotechnic experts, commerce that’s been in operation for more than six the Busan International Fireworks Festival is more than a hundred years. Jagalchi is a must-see destination when demonstration of kaleidoscopic visuals: the multimedia visiting Busan. For many, it’s the city’s beating heart display is a combination of music, lighting and storytelling. — so much so that it’s got it’s very own festival. The entire spectacle takes place above Busan’s towering Gwangan Diamond Bridge, the multicoloured lights of Food, of course, is the name of the game at the Jagalchi which work in tandem with the explosives as the sparks Festival, with a focus on the finned, scaled, shelled and shower down. People come from around the world to witness tentacled. Vendors set up tents near the main concourse and this thrilling event. along the side streets, where the ocean’s bounty is served up at little plastic tables and usually washed down with copious Clockwise from left: Lotus lanterns for Buddha’s birthday; fireworks fill the sky amounts of soju and beer. during Busan International Fireworks Festival; a group of people covered in foam enjoying the Busan Sea Festival This is an exciting and often energetic festival is where the locals take to the streets and really enjoy themselves. As PLAN YOUR TRIP people tuck into plates of fresh sashimi, octopus, shellfish, coal-roasted squid and grilled eel, traditional street Festival dates are subject to change. Korean Air and Asiana performers bang on drums, sing songs and clown it up to the Airlines both offer daily nonstop flights from Heathrow to delight of the lively crowd. The Jagalchi Festival is where Seoul’s Incheon Airport. From Incheon Airport, it’s just an old Busan comes out to play in all of its lovely, rough-and- hour flight south to Busan. Visit visitbusan.net tumble glory. It’s an unpretentious celebration of seafood and life. 7 BUSAN INTERNATIONAL FIREWORKS FESTIVAL 25 NOVEMBER Originally created to mark Busan’s hosting of the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in the fall of 2005, the spectacular fireworks display proved so popular the city of Busan decided to make it an annual occasion. Ever since then, on the last Saturday of November,

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION 2023 OUR PRESTIGIOUS ANNUAL AWARDS AT TR AC T SUBMI SSION S FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. HERE, WE SHOWCASE THE BEST IM AGES FROM THOUSANDS OF ENTR ANTS IN SIX CATEGORIES 168 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .

PEOPLE Travel portraiture is about seeking out the human stories within a destination. It requires a compelling subject and an interesting backdrop to frame them. Grand prize winner Renato Granieri Mariama Turay (left) and Marah Hawa engage in conversation. Mansonia village, Loma Mountains National Park, Sierra Leone T H E P H OTO G R A P H E R S A I D : After an all-day drive to Mansonia village, in Sierra Leone’s Loma Mountains National Park, we finally arrived at this remote destination. The goal of this journey with the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary outreach team was to provide the local community with training and devices to protect the Western chimpanzees and their habitat. Mariama and Marah are two of the newly qualified eco-guards that have been hired and trained by the outreach team. The team’s presence alone during Covid-19 has made a difference in terms of preventing poaching, deforestation and other illegal activities. A census of the national park was conducted, which confirmed that it holds the highest concentration of chimps in West and Central Africa. Instagram: @renato_granieri_photography T H E J U D G E S SA I D : So much happiness in the frame. This well-composed shot of the lady in the house and the one outside is beautifully layered. I love the authenticity of shared laughter; the vibrancy of the colours juxtaposed against the white wall. APRIL 2023 169

PEOPLE • RUNNERS-UP CHRIS UPTON STEPHANIE POLLAK Museo de las Ciencias, City of Arts Guddi Devi, a block printing and Sciences, València, Spain artisan in Bagru, India TH E PH OTO G R APH ER SAI D: This TH E PH OTO G R APH ER SAI D: While image was shot before the morning in Rajasthan, I toured Chhipa Prints, crowds arrived, as the commuters a traditional block printing factory were passing by. A big part of this in the small artisan village of was down to luck, as it had rained Bagru. The quiet rhythm of the vat overnight and a shallow pool had churning, fabric dipping and block collected in the paved area. This, stamping combined to create combined with the beautiful soft a meditative atmosphere. early morning light, gave me the I was entranced when I walked into reflections of the structure I was a small brick building to encounter looking for. The trick was to get the this woman illuminated by the camera as low as possible: it was soft light, wearing her fuchsia almost in the water. scarf while she worked. Instagram and Facebook: Instagram: @thebohobeet @chrisuptonphoto and @stephsnapsfood 170 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION 2023 WILDLIFE Observing animals in the wild is one of the great joys of travel, but, as subjects, they don’t play by our rules. This category calls for outstanding shots of creatures great and small. Ed Hasler A stag looking into the distance in Richmond Park, just after sunrise on an autumn morning T H E P H OTO G R A P H E R S A I D : I decided to head to Richmond Park in October, as the autumn colours would be at their peak, and also it was rutting season for the deer that live in the park. Getting there before dawn involved an early start, two trains and a short walk. As the sun rose, the morning mist gave an atmospheric feel to the scene. After walking around the park for a while, I found a group of deer and tried to find a composition that I liked. Eventually this stag moved into position, with his fur catching the warm glow from the sun. During rutting season, it’s dangerous to get close to the deer, so I took this photo with my 100-400mm lens at 400mm. Instagram: @edhasler T H E J U D G E S SA I D : I love the classic composition, the soft lighting and the beautiful colour palette of this serene, intimate scene. APRIL 2023 171

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION 2023 WILDLIFE • RUNNERS-UP FOOD & TR AVEL SHIVANGI MEHTA DONNA JOYCE This category called for images that tell a story from any stage of the journey from field to fork. Think dynamic scenes of A lioness with her new cub, Maasai A young fox at sunset on the fishing, farming or harvest, and rich shots of bustling markets. Mara National Reserve, Kenya shingle at Dungeness, Kent (previous page) TH E PH OTO G R APH ER SAI D: The Simon Urwin T H E P H OTO G R A P H E R S A I D : We vast, desolate landscape of shingle were on a morning drive, heading is a love it or hate it location with Helen Turner in the kitchen of her Tennessee towards the Mara River, and a scattering of abandoned boats barbecue joint: Helen’s Bar BQ spotted a lioness walking across and homes made from old railway T H E P H OTO G R A P H E R S A I D : On a road trip from Nashville the plains. Scanning the horizon carriages — all in the foreboding to New Orleans, I took a detour to Brownsville, TN, to in front of her, she blended in shadow of the nuclear power have lunch at this Deep South institution, famous for its perfectly with the tall grass. Then station. On this particular evening, wood-smoked, slow-cooked meats. This shot was taken as we were treated a magical sighting: I went to locate a family of foxes her speciality pork was retrieved from the charcoals after she stopped to pick up her new I’d previously seen. As the sunset 12 hours. The barbecued pork is then hand-pulled and cub. Our guide repositioned the began to glow a beautiful orange, served in a slider bun with homemade slaw and a splash vehicle so as not to obstruct her this youngster sat down in the of Miss Helen’s ‘secret sauce’. “Only I know the recipe but path. With a telephoto lens, I was perfect spot for me to capture I’ll never tell,” she said. “When I die, the recipe will be gone able to capture this moment from a him: it was a magical moment. for good. Not everything has to last forever; maybe that’s respectable distance. Instagram: what makes it special.” Instagram: @shiva_wildlife @donnajoyce_photography Twitter and Instagram: @SimonUrwinPhoto T H E J U D G E S SA I D : I love how this atmospheric image transports the viewer to a dimly lit, smoke-filled restaurant. The choice of light complements the scene, the darkness of the room contrasting with brighter smoke and meat. A perfectly timed image, and the composition is spot on. 17 2 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

FOOD & TR AVEL • RUNNERS - UP STEPHANIE POLLAK JOSHUA AKERS Two bakers prepare for their Peeling prawns at the Sassoon morning customers in Tel Aviv Docks in Mumbai, India THE PHOTOGRAPHER SAID: THE PH OTO G R APHER SAID: Casual After immersing ourselves in workers often come to the dock the high intensity of the Carmel early in the morning with their Market, we stumbled across this families before the children attend small corner bakery. The minimalist school in the afternoon. I liked the whitewashed walls and monotone circular aspect of the photo with the baked goods on silver sheet dock workers in fabulously coloured pans were a stark contrast to the attire chatting and laughing vibrancy and noise of the shuk. together — a real team effort. Instagram: @thebohobeet and Instagram and Twitter: @stephsnapsfood @joshuapaulakers APRIL 2023 173

LANDSCAPE From vast, panoramic vistas to drone shots that capture the patterns of a terrain, this category is all about offering unusual perspectives on the world around us. Sam Davies The yacht, Adventure, navigates through an ice field off the coast of Greenland T H E P H OTO G R A P H E R S A I D : After a stormy 48-hour crossing, a bank of fog lifted to reveal breathtaking views of a field of icebergs. To get to Tasiilaq, our port destination, we had to navigate a 3km stretch of this treacherous, constantly shifting ice. I knew this shot could be special, and I hoped to frame the insignificance of our 70ft yacht between these enormous icebergs. Lining up the moving boat and ice was tricky. As my fingers froze and the drone’s battery drained, it all came together, and I had time for just one shot. Instagram: @Samdaviesphoto T H E J U D G E S SA I D : Great aerial composition and beautiful layers of blue. I really like the simplicity of the image and the placement of geometric shapes against the negative space of the sea. Had it not been for the sleek contour of the ship, you might not be entirely sure what you were looking at here. 174 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION 2023 LANDSCAPE • RUNNERS-UP URBAN ENVIRONMENTS JULIETTE DELARUE ANDREW WELLS Your composition should capture something of the spirit of Lago di Carezza in the Italian The Mittens in Monument Valley a city or town, be it figures moving amid striking architecture Dolomites Utah, US, taken just before sunset or moments of happenstance in a public square. T H E P H OTO G R A P H E R S A I D : We T H E PH OTO G R A PH ER SA I D : During were staying overnight in a chalet an American road trip we stayed Richard Quirke next to the Latemar range. The a couple of nights in Utah. We night before, while hiking on were just sat on the deck of our The water feature El Paraguas at the Museo this mountain, we got stuck in a cabin, soaking in the view and the Nacional de Antropología, Mexico City terrible thunderstorm. We only ever-changing colours as the rain T H E P H OTO G R A P H E R S A I D : Friends had recommended escaped the wrath of nature after showers moved through the valley, the Museo Nacional de Antropología as a must see, so we racing back in the dark and ended when a bit of rainbow appeared in went to check it out on one particularly hot afternoon. up absolutely soaked. The next the sky, just to the left of where we On entering you immediately walk into a large courtyard morning we came by this lake just were sitting. We said: “Wouldn’t it surrounded by the exhibits, with a huge central water in time to see the fog starting to be amazing if a complete rainbow feature, El Paraguas (The Umbrella) standing over 10 lift, unsure if it was indeed fog or appeared right over the mittens.” meters high. Getting this photo involved a lot of luck. As some remaining smoke from the Five minutes later this happened. we entered, I noticed some kids running a race around thunder of the previous night. Facebook and Instagram: the water feature and figured it could be a playful way Instagram: @goearthexploring @AndrewWellsPhotography of capturing the scale of the architecture. I ran over and quickly framed it, shooting into the sun to light up the water, while silhouetting the kids in the foreground. Instagram: @qfiveq T H E J U D G E S SA I D : It’s a great dedication to seek out unusual angles within our urban environments. The patience to wait, then capture the perfect moment, as shown here. APRIL 2023 175

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION 2023 URBAN ENVIRONMENTS • RUNNERS-UP PORTFOLIO CHRIS BYRNE JAMES MALONEY Whether it’s the vibrant Holi festival in Kerala or the surf culture scene in Devon, the portfolio category features An aerial shot of the Petronas Taken at Adams Plaza Bridge up to 10 images of a single destination to create a nuanced Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in Canary Wharf, London and cohesive portrait of the place. THE PHOTOGRAPHER SAID: T H E PH OTO G R A PH ER SA I D : During Faced with the challenge of how a recent visit to London, I explored Serge Melesan to photograph one of the most Canary Wharf. I was amazed by recognisable buildings on the the modern architecture which Mayotte planet in a unique way, I decided contrasted with the ancient areas T H E P H OTO G R A P H E R S A I D : A French to use my drone to capture the of the city. The bridge with its archipelago in the Indian Ocean, I call Mayotte the lost towers from above. After stitching surrounding high-rise buildings paradise — people always talk about Fiji, French Polynesia, together a seven-shot panorama, I really stood out to me. I placed Seychelles… but Mayotte is still unknown. I’m a big scuba was left with this image. The towers my tripod on an overhead diver, but during my stay in Mayotte snorkelling was the make everything else look small in walkway and aligned the scene. key. You don’t need to go deep here to appreciate marine comparison, and the patterns and As I waited for the perfect life. I wanted to show the wealth of the lagoon — but it’s compositions that the drone can moment, a distinct figure walked a wealth that needs to be protected due to overpopulation provide have left a creative image into the frame. and climate change. This is a way to show people living I’ll cherish for years to come. Instagram and Facebook: there they’ve got an incredible area that needs protection. Instagram: @thechrisbyrne @jamesmaloneyphotography Instagram: @pacificbluefilm T H E J U D G E S SA I D : With portfolios it’s no use having a few blinding images, then a lot of fillers — this wins by some distance. Every shot is compelling and a few utterly outstanding. Good variety too. This is not easy work but these photographs make it look so. A fascinating insight to a world below water. 176 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

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PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION 2023 PORTFOLIO • RUNNERS-UP RENATO GR ANIERI Serra Cafema, Namibia T H E PH OTO G R A PH ER SA I D : Namibia offers incredible opportunities to understand an otherworldly environment. I focussed on the uniqueness of its landscapes, combined with images of those who live there, the Himba people. I spent three days with a Himba tribe in Serra Cafema, in the north of Namibia, alongside the border with Angola. My goal was to capture their way of living, the daily routine, engaging in different activities, from witnessing local women making the ochre the Himba are famous for, to dancing, to more intimate portraits. I also wanted to include the vast, barren landscapes of this area, to show the resilience these people have and the challenges for survival they face. Instagram: @renato_granieri_photography APRIL 2023 179

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION 2023 PORTFOLIO • RUNNERS-UP 18 0 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL P O LLY RU SY N Andalucia, Spain T H E P H OTO G R A P H E R S A I D : Southern Spain’s Andalucia region has always held a fascination for me. And after a few visits — including a week of training at a Sevillian flamenco school, where I discovered I was a terrible flamenco dancer — I fell in love with all things Andalucian, especially the numerous ferias (fairs) that take place in several cities, mainly in the spring. The ferias bring together communities in an explosion of colour and tradition. The Feria del Caballo (horse fair) in Jerez, where these photos were taken, is an annual event that imbues the entire city with an atmosphere of celebration. Instagram and Twitter: @pollyrusyn The judging panel BECKY REDMAN PAUL GOLDSTEIN Art director, National Award-winning Geographic Traveller (UK) photographer and BRIAN SIAMBI Exodus Travels tour Fashion and travel leader photographer RICHARD JAMES JORDAN BANKS TAY L O R Travel, landscape and Freelance photographer adventure photographer specialising in location KAROLINA photography, portraiture WIERCIGROCH and travel features. Food and travel OLIVER PUGLISI photographer and writer Picture editor, LAURYN ISHAK National Geographic Lifestyle and travel Traveller (UK) photographer THE PRIZES The grand prize The grand prize winner receives a week-long adventure for two on an Exodus Travels small-group trip to Jordan. The itinerary offers experiences in the vast desert at Wadi Rum, camping like the Bedouin at an exclusive camp; snorkelling in the Red Sea; and guided tours of the ancient cities of Petra and Jerash. With 45 years’ experience, Exodus Travels excels in curating group trips and won the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Reader Awards 2021 and 2022 prizes for Best Operator. exodus.co.uk Runners-up All category winners receive a year-long subscription to National Geographic Traveller (UK) and tickets to a full suite of Masterclasses travel photography panel discussions. SEE THE FULL GALLERY OF WINNING SHOTS AND FINALISTS AT NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/TR AVEL

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| PAID CONTENT FOR CO - OP HOLIDAYS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Six nature-led activities With idyllic beaches, mountainous regions and a plethora of unique ecosystems, the Dominican Republic is a natural haven for explorers. Words: Vivienne Dovi 1 HIKE THROUGH THE THREE EYES palm trees or venture out by boat to snorkel PLAN YOUR TRIP NATIONAL PARK amid various marine life and spot starfish The Three Eyes National Park is an open- in one of the island’s shallow lagoons. Co-op Holidays offers a tour to Punta Cana air limestone cave in Santo Domingo, which Note, that there are strict regulations in that includes key activities such as a day houses three beautiful, turquoise-hued place to ensure the island’s natural resources trip to the Anamuya Mountains safari-style, lagoons. Guides are optional as visitors are protected. Saona Island and the Three Eyes National head down steep steps to access the cave Park. For details, visit cooptravel.co.uk once used by the Taíno people for spiritual 4 TRY RIVER RAFTING, TUBING OR IMAGES: ALAMY purposes — one of the reasons swimming is CANYONING IN JARABACOA prohibited here. This small town in the central highlands has mild temperatures year-round, providing 2 VENTURE INTO THE ANAMUYA a safe and comfortable environment for M O U N TA I N S  both beginners and experts seeking an Discovering the viridescent landscapes of adrenaline rush. Here, visitors can raft the northeastern Dominican countryside down rapids in the Yaque del Norte River is a fascinating alternative to spending the or descend through narrow valleys on a day at the beach resorts of Punta Cana. Here, canyoning or tubing adventure. visitors can whiz through the mountain passes in an open-air safari truck, or opt 5 SEE CROCODILES AND FLAMINGOS to go hiking and zip-lining through one of IN LAKE ENRIQULLO  Anamuya Mountains’ many trails. Keep a Festooned with palm trees and lying close lookout for farmers tending their coffee crops. to the Haitian border, Lake Enriqullo is the Caribbean’s largest and deepest lake below 3 EXPLORE THE REEFS AND COASTAL sea level. The high levels of salt and minerals LAGOONS OF SAONA ISLAND  have generated a unique ecosystem that Spanning 42sq miles off the southern coast, support endemic wildlife. Visitors may spot Saona Island’s beaches are a haven for American crocodiles and flamingos between thalassophiles. Sunbathe under swaying April and June.



GET IN TOUCH INBOX DID YOU LOVE ONE OF OUR FEATURES? HAS A STORY INSPIRED AN ADVENTURE? LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE MAGAZINE AND THE STAR LET TER WILL WIN THE INCREDIBLE PRIZE BELOW. Get in touch [email protected] Have a query about STAR LETTER Hikers enjoy views across subscriptions? Lake Wanaka from Roy’s Peak, Travel inspiration Get in touch at South Island, New Zealand natgeotraveller@ I’m currently reading the Jan/Feb 2023 edition subscription.co.uk of National Geographic Traveller (UK) in my Belgian adventures or call 01858 438787 local library, pinpointing every location that makes my heart sing into Google Maps. Every I love National Geographic Traveller (UK) WIN adventure begins with research, and where for its travel tips and wonderful photos. The better to start than with a good nudge from walking tour of Bruges (On the Trail, Jan/Feb Keen NXIS this publication. The new year often sparks 2023) tempted me to visit. I joined a cruise Explorer boots new interests and hobbies, and I like to spend that stopped in Zeebrugge, then took a shuttle worth £160! this time dreaming and planning adventures bus to Blankenberge, the nearest big town. for the months ahead. The magazine has From here, I boarded a train to Bruges. After New for 2023, these some fantastic spots picked out, like Durban a short journey, I was in the centre, with the waterproof boots have a in South Africa, and New Zealand. Even the Belfry, the article’s first stop, in sight — and my snug fit and are designed smallest cafes are enough to tempt me. I screenshot of the page meant the next stops were for trail-walking comfort, wonder where all of us readers of the magazine easily found. It was -3C, but spirits were high and but the classic-looking will be in six months? A LI C E FO U C H Bruges very welcoming. J O H N M U R R AY leather upper makes IMAGE: GETTY them a great option for In the know urban adventures, too. Smart features include a In an ever-changing world, reading National breathable lining for climate Geographic Traveller (UK) remains one of control, a high-rebound life’s great pleasures for me. Its bright and midsole for underfoot informative articles have kept me in touch cushioning and an all-terrain with this wonderful life, with its shear rubber outsole with reliable diversity of landscapes, people and cultures. grip. keenfootwear.com With the cost of travel increasing and what seems like a never-ending sea of changes, rules and regulations — not to mention unpredictable strikes — it pays to be well informed. National Geographic Traveller (UK) does all this and more for me. Keep up the good work. M U R R AY B LOW E R APRIL 2023 193

PHOTOGRAPHY SOUTH AFRICA HOW I GOT THE SHOT CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGR APHER BEN PIPE TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES OF THIS CLOSE-UP PHOTOGRAPH OF A LION, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN OUR JUNE 202 2 ISSUE Tell us about this image.  We were in a safari jeep in South Africa, heading out to document a white rhino collaring at Marakele National Park, when this magnificent lion strolled down the track ahead of us. Our guide was in a hurry to take us to the park, but this was too good a shot to miss. I began photographing the lion head on as it came towards us — an exhilarating experience I’ll never forget. Then, as he nonchalantly passed by our car, this side view became possible. The lion paused, scanning the track, only a few feet away from us. This was a dream assignment — I could have happily spent all year working on it. How did you achieve the shot? I knew this was mainly going to be a wildlife assignment, so I needed different kit from a regular travel job. Long lenses were essential; I took a Nikon 200-400mm f/4, which I used when we got closer to wildlife, and hired a Nikon 500mm f/4 from Johannesburg airport. I mounted them on a Nikon D850 and Nikon Z6 II. All of the usual things like lighting and composition came into play, but I was also particularly aware of the background. That can make or break a shot, even if it’s out of focus due to the wide apertures often used for wildlife photography. What were the challenges at play?  This image was shot from the jeep, but I wanted to be as low down as possible — eye level with the lion. However, I obviously wasn’t allowed out of the car — our guide was trying keep me alive — so I had to work with the space I had. Photographing wildlife also means dealing with unpredictable subjects. I always try to be prepared for a picture, camera at the ready, as you often only get a few seconds before the animals are gone again. Yet, this lion very generously gave us a nice long session with him. What advice would you give someone starting out in travel photography?  Originality, originality and originality. The internet and Instagram were supposed to feed a new creative age, but I think, in many ways, the opposite has happened. Now, everyone goes to the same places to take the same pictures. This will get you nowhere — you have to go and explore a place for yourself, put mud on your boots and find the shots and angles nobody has got before.  Read the South Africa feature and full interview online at nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel benpipe.com @benpipephoto I SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOGR APHY FOR CONSIDER ATION AT PHOTOGR APHY@NATGEOTR AVELLER .CO.UK 194 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

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