Our favourite places

Seeking inspiration?

Here's a sample of our favourite places and experiences – any of which can be incorporated into a tour or tailored holiday …  

Torres del Paine, Chile

The most spectacular region in Chile comprising mountains, glaciers, lakes and rivers (right). The Cordillera del Paine is the centrepiece of the Park and is well known for the soaring towers which dominate the scenery. The Park is located 312 km north of Punta Arenas and the journey here is amazing in it's own right – no boring vistas here and the chance to see condors gliding effortlessly above the peaks. After the grandeur has sunk in on arrival there is plenty to do with trekking for all abilities, horse riding, fishing and wildlife watching. It is a seriously long way to go but well worth it!  – Ask Barb who has been to both Chile and Argentina.

Petra, Jordan

Many travel destinations are glibly said to take your breath away but the 'rose-red city' of Petra is one of the very few that do so in real actuality. A unique rock-carved architectural wonder of the world, Petra is tantalizingly reached via a narrow 'siq' – a naturally formed passageway through multi-coloured sandstone – and the first glimpse of the exquisitely delicate façade of The Treasury will never be forgotten.  Many visitors are surprised at the size of the wider ruins – now designated a World Heritage Site – and you should allow yourself a couple of days here to wander and wonder.  – Ask Rob about visiting Petra and travelling more widely in Jordan.

Gokyo Ri, Nepal

A small, unassuming 'hill' in the Khumbu region of Nepal, Gokyo Ri (at altitude 17,575 ft) provides one of the Himalayas' most impressive panoramas. Due east Everest stands centre stage with Lhotse and Makalu in close proximity and Cho Oyu looms magnificently away to the north. From the Sherpa village of Gokyo on the shores of a turquoise lake below your feet, you can traverse the mile-wide Ngozumpa Glacier and cross the Cho La, a 17,782 ft pass that offers a much less frequented alternative approach route to Everest Base Camp. Wonderful trekking country amongst the planet's most giant peaks. – Speak to Rob about trekking hereabouts and elsewhere in Nepal.

Ningaloo Reef, Australia

Ningaloo Reef is Western Australia’s spectacular coral reef, spanning 260km along the length of the North West Cape. The best access to this beautiful part of Australia’s coral coast is from Exmouth in the north and Coral Bay in the south of the North West Cape. The warm waters of Ningaloo Marine Park are home to an utter abundance of marine life including soft and hard corals, manta rays, dugongs, sea snakes, whales, turtles, sharks and over 500 species of tropical fish. During the months of March and April it is also home to the largest fish on the planet, the whale shark. It is an exhilarating experience to take to the water and snorkel alongside these marine giants. – Speak to Jo who has travelled extensively in Australia.

 Pench National Park, India

This is the smallest and the least visited of the National Parks in Madhya Pradesh, India, although visitor numbers will probably increase following the BBC programme on tigers where they used web cams to such good effect. The 300 square kilometres of the Park has a large lake at its heart which guarantees a wonderful variety of wildlife. The tigers are without a doubt the star attraction but there is so much else to see –sloth bears, antelopes and a wide range stunning birds including the turquoise and pink Indian roller, a dazzling combination. Pench makes an exciting alternative or addition to Kanha and Bandhavgarh – Speak to Barb – she has visited these three parks and other areas of India.  

Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
This beautiful park situated in the north of Rwanda encompasses a section of the glorious Virunga Mountains which straddle, Uganda, The Congo and Rwanda.  The park is home to extinct and active volcanoes enveloped in bamboo forest and inhabited by rare plants, over 200 species of bird and primate species such as the golden monkey. The biggest attraction of this park is that it is home to the largest remaining population of Mountain Gorilla.  Research by the famous naturalist Diane Fossey was carried out in this park and was the setting for the inspiring film ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.  You set out in the early morning to track the gorillas which can take a few hours. A face to face encounter with these magnificent creatures is a wildlife experience I will never forget. – Ask Jo about Rwanda, Uganda and other parts of Africa.