Insider's Choice: Wild Siberia
October 20, 2003As travelers, we constantly seek fresh destinations and novel experiences, hoping to add another memorable country or region to our personal chronicles. When we succeed, that destination becomes a yardstick by which we compare our past and future journeys.
Antarctica is, of course, just such a place, and in 2002 I had the great fortune to participate in Zegrahm's first voyage to a region that, with its overriding abundance of wildlife and untrammeled expanses, can justifiably lay claim to being the Northern Hemisphere's counterpart to the great southern continent: Russia's Sea of Okhotsk.
I had greatly anticipated that departure, as the Sea of Okhotsk, on the eastern border of Siberia, was off-limits to Western travelers during the Soviet era and remains little explored. None of the expedition staff except Sergey, a native Russian, had ever been to the area -- astonishing when you consider that, among us, we had been nearly everywhere else on the planet.
Okhotsk's untouched forests and tundra reportedly harbored a great variety of wildlife, including many bird species, so I expected sightings to be plentiful. I was completely unprepared, however, for the sheer numbers we encountered. From the kick-off, we had flocks of birds beyond belief. In one day at Iony Island, we spotted 30 different species, including whiskered, crested, and parakeet auklets; tens of thousands of thick-billed murres; little buntings; and red-breasted flycatchers. On Malminskiye, what was supposed to be just a brief stop became a major highlight when we discovered what we estimated to the largest breeding colony of spectacled guillemots in the world. The region is also home to the Steller's sea eagle, the largest raptor on earth. One afternoon we saw a kettle of these birds nearly 50 strong; on another occasion, we found 31 of them on a rock just a few hundred feet long. To see this many sea eagles is almost unheard of, only about 1,800 of these birds remain in the wild.
The expedition was more than just rare birds. The richness of the ocean dictated all the activity around us. We encountered shoals of fish so large they literally blackened the water. Seals and Steller's sea lions were everywhere, hauled out on rocks, fighting for territory, or popping up to inspect us as we rode Zodiacs ashore. We also sighted orcas and minkes, and Dall's porpoises. As we approached a landing at Okhotsk Town, we saw around 30 harbor seals spying on us, and we were immediately surrounded by thousands of herring jumping from the water.
Our voyage had only one drawback: even with the long days, we couldn't squeeze everything in. It was so overwhelming, what with the wildlife, the scenery, and the cultural encounters each demanding our attention, that getting passengers back on the Zodiacs so we could make our next stop was like pulling teeth. As a result, for next year, we've split the itinerary into two parts to enable us to more fully explore the region. Taken in combination, our Wild Siberia expeditions, which depart 19 June, will spend nearly a month in the Sea of Okhotsk, Kamchatka, and the Kurils. I can't wait to return to see what may have been around that next corner. Please join me for an unforgettable adventure
The Hidden Secrets of South Africa
October 20, 2003Nadia Eckhardt, October 2003
Always, when touting the merits of traveling in South Africa, I focus on its almost boundless variety -- of landscapes, wildlife, and culture -- often employing the term, "A world in one country."
Though this term may seem an exaggeration, it is entirely apt, something that came home to me recently. Last April I had the pleasure of doing some advance scouting and developing of a brand-new Zegrahm program in South Africa and Namibia. I traveled areas of South Africa, as well as neighboring countries, that even I had not previously explored.
I began my scouting in the Wild Coast, Eastern Cape. This area is well named, being sparsely inhabited, little traveled, and distinguished by rivers and estuaries, mangroves, waterfalls, beaches, and coves. Many years ago, the Wild Coast proved particularly hazardous to maritime traffic; numerous ships wrecked against its rocky shores.
My welcome was much more hospitable. When I was planning my trip, the South African Tourism Board was incredibly helpful and offered me the services of a local guide. Since I had almost no experience along the Wild Coast, I gladly accepted their offer. "Zucks," my Xhosa guide, and his entire family met me at the airport in East London. I knew right away that this warm welcome presaged an extraspecial Eastern Cape experience. With Zucks's knowledge I was able to create the best-possible itinerary showcasing this unique and unspoiled corner of the country. Zucks also taught me a great deal about Xhosa history and their way of life.
I enjoyed similar treatment while scouting the Drakensberg area, St. Lucia, and Hluhluwe and Umfolozi. This is a region I am quite familiar with, and I explained to my hosts that a guide was unnecessary. However, my driver, Thathuka (a very proud Zulu), showed me parts of Kwa-Zulu Natal that I didn't know existed, and I can't wait to share some of these experiences with you. One of the high points came in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve when we encountered a white rhino, an animal Thathuka had never seen up close. Also, the sight of hippos frolicking in the St. Lucia estuary had him wide-eyed -- further proof that South Africa constantly surprises even its longtime residents.
Two other countries are part of our travels. High in the Drakensbergs we enter Lesotho -- the "Kingdom in the Sky" -- a small nation, home to the Basotho people. Then, in a first for Zegrahm, we spend two days in Mozambique, enjoying its rich birdlife and one of the finest marine environments in southern Africa.
Our wildlife experience would not be complete without visits to Kruger National Park and the Kalahari Desert. We will have exclusive use of lodges in these locations and also in Mozambique, enabling our guides to custom-design our game drives and maximize our opportunities to see the Big Five and other famed African species.
From Cape Town's cosmopolitan ambiance to trackless wilderness, South Africa holds an inexhaustible diversity. You can sample a wide range of its natural and cultural attractions by coming with me as I reveal the Hidden Secrets of South Africa.
Crossroads of Empires
October 20, 2003For thousands of years the Mediterranean was the heart of the Western world. The nations and city-states that rose to prominence, then fell prey to decadence from within or to conquerors from without, left indelible marks on our art, architecture, politics, languages -- indeed, on our very imaginations. And, if civilization was not invented there, it achieved some of its most notable forms in Pharaonic Egypt, ancient Greece and Rome, the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, and during the Renaissance. That one region could be home to such a number of significant cultures is unparalleled, and to travel in the Mediterranean is to come face-to-face with the full sweep and process of human history.
Now, we have created an expedition exploring sites in Egypt, Turkey, Cyprus, and Greece. We call this voyage, which departs 01 April 2004, Crossroads of Empires: Cairo to Crete. I am excited about this departure from both a professional and personal standpoint, as I've watched it take shape during the planning stages, and I'll be aboard to see the end result of our labors.
We'll begin in Cairo, one of the world's great capital cities. Herodotus once wrote of Egypt, "It has more wonders in it than any other country in the world...more works that defy description..." We'll see some of these firsthand, including the Great Pyramid of Giza, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that still stands today. The work of millennia unfolds as we explore the Giza plateau and its mortuary complexes and Cairo, a treasure-trove of medieval Islamic architecture. On the Sinai Peninsula, we'll journey overland to the famed Monastery of St. Catherine to see its fabulous library and chapel, which date from the sixth century.
The other destinations on our itinerary hold equally exquisite examples of art, architecture, and archeology. On Cyprus we'll admire the Roman mosaics of Paphos, with their scenes of Apollo and other mythological figures; in Turkey we'll marvel at the astounding tombs at Caunos, Fethiye, and Bodrum, and stroll the boulevards at Ephesus, one of the greatest, and today best-preserved, cities of the ancient world. During our travels, we'll see Venetian-era monuments; Crusader castles; sunken cities; Hellen-istic theaters; Roman amphitheaters; remnants of the Minoan civilization, including the Palace of Knossos, on the island of Crete; and, during a 100-mile transit, the Suez Canal, one of the world's great feats of engineering.
Intriguing destinations are but one of four components needed for a successful expedition. The second element is leaders who do more than merely escort travelers, but who are capable of illuminating the varied aspects of a region. For our program we've brought together two outstanding lecturers who will share the history and culture of the Mediterranean with you. Emily Teeter is an Egyptologist and the curator of Nubian antiquities at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute. Emily has a vast knowledge of Near Eastern civilizations and has been enlightening Zegrahm travelers for many years now. She will also be leading the Luxor and the Valley of the Kings pre-extension, and is eager to share the latest information on its temples and tombs, especially the temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu, the subject of her current research and publications.
Joining Emily is Jim Delgado, archeologist, historian, and executive director of the Maritime Museum in Vancouver, British Columbia. Jim cohosts a National Geographic International television series and is the author of 30 books. His most recent book, Lost Warships: An Archaeological Tour of War at Sea, touches on the ancient trade routes of the Mediterranean as well as some of its legendary sea battles. Jim is also a compelling speaker who communicates his material with a great deal of wit and insight.
An adventure of this magnitude and leaders of such ability require a vessel of equal merit, the third component of a great expedition. We've exclusively chartered the sailing ship Le Ponant as our conveyance, and we'll travel in the manner of the triremes and galleons of the past, with the sun sparkling on turquoise waters and the wind filling our ship's 16,000 square feet of sail as we head to our next marvelous port of call, Zodiacs at the ready for our explorations. The ship carries only 56 passengers -- the perfect number for our voyage -- with all cabins facing the sea, an open-air restaurant, excellent cuisine, and an experienced and accommodating crew.
We have matched some of the world's great cultural and historic sites with top-notch lecturers and one of the finest expeditionary ships, and now only need a group of curious and adventurous travelers -- the fourth and final requirement for an outstanding voyage. Please join Emily, Jim, and me for an exploration of lands that have been at the crossroads of world events for centuries.
The Best of Melanesia and Micronesia
October 20, 2003Werner Zehnder, October 2003
When asked to name my favorite part of the world, I invariably single out the islands of Melanesia and Micronesia. These archipelagos, spread across a vast span of the western tropical Pacific, captivated me in the early 1980s when I first encountered them during a voyage aboard the Explorer.
Assuming the duties of Zegrahm CEO meant that I had to sharply curtail my activities in the field in order to plan and oversee our programs from the Seattle office. Of course, as CEO I enjoy certain prerogatives; exercising one of these, I assigned myself the position of expedition leader on the March 2004 The Best of Melanesia and Micronesia departure.
Just what qualities draw me time and again to this region? The shortlist of reasons includes encounters with traditional island peoples; the fantastic craftwork and artifacts created by their artisans and forebears; the lush vegetation of frangipani and palm groves populated by exotic birdlife; protected anchorages and spectacular white-sand beaches dominated by a skyline of active volcanoes; and snorkeling and diving coral grottoes in the company of pelagic fish and iridescent giant clams.
From the first, the Melanesian and Micronesian islanders impressed me with both their hospitality and their adherence to a long-held way of life. Wherever we go, islanders will exuberantly welcome us and share with us their customs. In Papau New Guinea we'll see ritualistic dances that date back centuries, including a nighttime performance of the Baining tribe's fire dance; learn the cultural history of the Kula Ring, a traditional pattern of ceremonial trade relationships binding the islands; and walk among thatched-roof huts for glimpses of everyday island life.
The engines and electronics of the industrialized world have made few inroads in Micronesia. Mariners there still navigate their outrigger canoes by the sun and stars, not by GPS, and people still dress in lava-lavas and grass skirts. The chiefs of Ifalik Atoll are particularly dedicated to preserving their people's cultural integrity: they have banned motor-powered boats from the lagoon, and televisions are likewise forbidden in their village. Before our group will be allowed to land, our expedition team will need to go ashore and sit with the elders to request their permission, observing a time-honored ritual of petition and welcome.
Isolation maintains this state of affairs. These serene islands lie far from the tumult of contemporary life, untroubled by the strife of the world and the frenzied routine of day-to-day existence. Just as they are separated from the outside world, so are they separated from each other by barriers of distance and terrain. Micronesia covers an ocean area larger than the continental United States, but has an actual landmass smaller than that of Rhode Island, and Melanesia's almost-impenetrable reaches kept its human populations divided into small cultural and linguistic communities. Even today, a dearth of airstrips ensures the islands experience minimal contact. On last year's expedition, we landed at the island of Tingwon, the first Westerners to do so in roughly 20 years.
You may think that I would become overly familiar with the islands, having traveled among them so often, but I always make some new discovery. Last year we had the incredible fortune of finding a large group of megapodes, an endangered flightless bird. Such a sighting is incredibly rare -- I had only seen one megapode in all my travels, and on this one island, we were able to photograph 50 of the birds from ten feet!
The megapodes are only one example of a wildlife array that equals the cultural attractions in its variety and numbers. Tropicbirds, sooty terns, black sunbirds, white-bellied sea eagles all perch in the dense foliage or fly overhead. Beneath the waves, 600 species of coral and more than 1,400 species of fish, as well as bottle-nosed dolphins, await divers' and snorkelers' investigations, and a custom-designed glass-bottom boat, newly added by our expedition ship Clipper Odyssey, gives us yet another way to view the undersea world. On Palau we will have the opportunity to snorkel with stingless jellyfish, something that previous passengers have described as "embryonic."
To make sure next year's voyage has its own share of unique finds and experiences, we've assembled an expedition team of people who share my passion for this region, experts in its human and natural history. Whether you are searching for endemic birds with our ornithologist or accompanying our anthropologist into secluded villages, I know you will come to understand just why I prize these islands above any other adventure travel destination.
Insider's Choice: Wild Siberia
October 19, 2003 | Tags: Antarctica, Arctic, AsiaAs travelers, we constantly seek fresh destinations and novel experiences, hoping to add another memorable country or region to our personal chronicles. When we succeed, that destination becomes a yardstick by which we compare our past and future journeys.
Antarctica is, of course, just such a place, and in 2002 I had the great fortune to participate in Zegrahm's first voyage to a region that, with its overriding abundance of wildlife and untrammeled expanses, can justifiably lay claim to being the Northern Hemisphere's counterpart to the great southern continent: Russia's Sea of Okhotsk.
I had greatly anticipated that departure, as the Sea of Okhotsk, on the eastern border of Siberia, was off-limits to Western travelers during the Soviet era and remains little explored. None of the expedition staff except Sergey, a native Russian, had ever been to the area -- astonishing when you consider that, among us, we had been nearly everywhere else on the planet.
Okhotsk's untouched forests and tundra reportedly harbored a great variety of wildlife, including many bird species, so I expected sightings to be plentiful. I was completely unprepared, however, for the sheer numbers we encountered. From the kick-off, we had flocks of birds beyond belief. In one day at Iony Island, we spotted 30 different species, including whiskered, crested, and parakeet auklets; tens of thousands of thick-billed murres; little buntings; and red-breasted flycatchers. On Malminskiye, what was supposed to be just a brief stop became a major highlight when we discovered what we estimated to the largest breeding colony of spectacled guillemots in the world. The region is also home to the Steller's sea eagle, the largest raptor on earth. One afternoon we saw a kettle of these birds nearly 50 strong; on another occasion, we found 31 of them on a rock just a few hundred feet long. To see this many sea eagles is almost unheard of, only about 1,800 of these birds remain in the wild.
The expedition was more than just rare birds. The richness of the ocean dictated all the activity around us. We encountered shoals of fish so large they literally blackened the water. Seals and Steller's sea lions were everywhere, hauled out on rocks, fighting for territory, or popping up to inspect us as we rode Zodiacs ashore. We also sighted orcas and minkes, and Dall's porpoises. As we approached a landing at Okhotsk Town, we saw around 30 harbor seals spying on us, and we were immediately surrounded by thousands of herring jumping from the water.
Our voyage had only one drawback: even with the long days, we couldn't squeeze everything in. It was so overwhelming, what with the wildlife, the scenery, and the cultural encounters each demanding our attention, that getting passengers back on the Zodiacs so we could make our next stop was like pulling teeth. As a result, for next year, we've split the itinerary into two parts to enable us to more fully explore the region. Taken in combination, our Wild Siberia expeditions, which depart 19 June, will spend nearly a month in the Sea of Okhotsk, Kamchatka, and the Kurils. I can't wait to return to see what may have been around that next corner. Please join me for an unforgettable adventure