The ever-restless Simon Reeve has been on the move again and his latest 4-part BBC series ‘Wilderness’ sees him exploring some of the remotest parts of the planet.
With his usual breezy zest for the unusual, he meets isolated tribes-people in the Congo basin, tracks pumas amongst the high peaks of Patagonia, dives beneath the waves in the ‘Coral Triangle’ of the Pacific Ocean and tracks wildebeest with hunter-gatherers in the Kalahari.
The backdrops to these 4 programmes are breathtaking and Simon’s adventures have indeed been truly remote. But if you’re inspired to follow in his footsteps to these amazing locations, you don’t need to be a BBC broadcaster to get there …
The Congo
The Congo is unfenced and untamed – so too are its camps which can be a little unnerving on your first night! Distances are vast so journeys can be arduous and delays and breakdowns are an occupational hazard.
So why go? The fun lies in getting there – flying over an endless horizon of green and driving along dirt roads into the depths of the forest – and entering a world where few people have set foot.
Our Congo specialists ‘Steppes Travel’ can tailor-make a full itinerary including a visit to Odzala National Park to search for lowland gorillas and elephants before flying north to Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, one of Africa’s greatest wilderness areas.
Patagonia
Emulate Simon’s own exciting ‘big cat’ encounter by joining one of Naturetrek’s wildlife tours. Their ‘Pumas & Penguins’ trip begins with a flight to Chile’s southernmost city, Punta Arenas to stay overnight in a hotel overlooking the Strait of Magellan. The following morning visit the huge Magellanic Penguin colony on Magdalena Island, before beginning the scenic drive to Torres del Paine National Park. From a base deep in the heart of the Park and close to several known Puma territories, search for these top predators with the help of local trackers.
The ‘Coral Triangle’
Regarded as the most biodiverse marine location in the world and sitting in the midst of the so-called Coral Triangle, Raja Ampat is rapidly gaining interest from adventurous travellers drawn to it’s underwater magnificence and it’s stunning panoramas of tree-swathed atolls.
Our tailor-made partners Audley Travel offer a 15-day ‘Cruising Raja Ampat’ itinerary that enables you to immerse yourself into local life and enjoy world-class diving and snorkelling amongst the manta rays for which this part of the Pacific is famed for. The trip concludes relaxing on the white sand beaches of Lombok.
The Kalahari
‘Camp Kalahari’ is nestled amongst the acacias and mokolwane palm trees of Hyaena Island, close to the Makgadikgadi National Park. Our Botswana experts ‘Safari Consultants’ can include a stay here as part of a wider Botswana safari to get you right to the heart of the Kalahari.
The Camp is a perfect base from which to experience the Makgadikgadi Pans with its unique scenery, varied habitats and landscapes. There is exceptional and unusual wildlife here including brown hyaena, aardvark, aardwolf and (much fun) habituated meerkats.
Contact us for full details of each of the above travel suggestions and if you have any plans to ‘go wild’ any time soon be sure to let us know!
Happy travelling!