What makes us unique?

Cruising north, back towards the Scandinavian lands of the midnight sun, we’re sailing from Tallinn towards the Swedish island of Gotland. Half-way through our Crystal Cruises‘ Baltic exploration of medieval cobbled alleys and contemporary eco-architecture, on seas once sailed by Vikings and then Czars, the Serenity has become more than our palatial retreat, it has become our home. Even when we dock at some of Northern Europe’s most spectacular cities, guests linger over their cooked-to-order eggs, sneak in a gym session and catch up on a talk they missed on the ship’s television channel. For all the travel adrenaline of a new port-of-call, it can be hard to disembark. Day 5: Visby, Sweden… almost Dr Jim Rowe’s lecture had raised expectations for our day exploring Visby, on the island of Gotland. “The entire town is recognised by UNESCO. It’s beautiful,” Rowe enthused.  We were looking forward to a day of walking rose-tangled ramparts, on the 13th century walls, with views across a town of medieval beams and cobbles. But a gusting gale and eight-feet waves, conspired to stop us from docking and the Captain declared, as most of us were breakfasting, that it would be “a sea day.” Surprisingly, with

Certain destinations seem like secrets the planet itself tries to conceal. The Galapagos Islands — remote, timeless, exotic — is such a destination. As if flung some 600 miles off the coast of mainland Ecuador, this legendary archipelago is not your typical vacation spot; it’s a portal into the distant past, an age when the earth moved to its most primordial beat. Even for travelers who’ve seen the sun set on Paris or the Nile sunrise, the Galapagos is different – something special. It’s unvarnished, authentic, raw. And yet, when blended with the comfort and attention of a premium expedition cruise under the watchful eye of an experienced tour operator, it’s an experience both awe-inspiring and humbling.  An experience that begins before you arrive The greatest thing about an efficiently planned expedition in the islands is that you hardly notice the gears turning in the background. You begin your adventure in earnest in the Ecuadorian city of either Quito or Guayaquil, where your tour staff has already prepared the ground. It’s required. No worries, no hassles, no surprises — only a VIP welcome, private transfers, and luggage that appears exactly where they are supposed to. If you choose, spend a

Having returned from yet another incredible trip to Greece, I thought I’d share with you some of our favourite places to eat from our latest spell in the South Ionian. This is by no means exhaustive – after all, we had just two weeks and were only able to visit a handful of different islands during that time. But we did enjoy some excellent meals, all special for a variety of different reasons… For superb views: Kastro Cafe, Il Borgo and Olive Lounge, Kastro, Kefalonia During our stay at Angel Pools Villa, we ate at all three eateries in Kastro – all special for different reasons, but all with one thing in common – a wonderful view out towards Argostoli and the Mediterranean beyond. Head to Kastro Cafe for an excellent all-day breakfast, to Il Borgo for a more traditional taverna experience and to Olive Lounge – where it’s recommended to book ahead – for Greek dining that’s a little more upscale and contemporary. For waterfront dining: Lamda Casual Dining, Vasiliki, Lefkada We ate at a few places on the waterfront in Vasiliki but none matched the Greek cuisine we enjoyed at Lamda Casual Dining. The lentils served with smoked

Uganda is the source of the Nile, home to Africa’s highest mountain range, and has the highest concentration of primates in the world. It is a truly unique and incredible destination, especially for the some of the best wildlife encounters. It is particularly famous for its gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, some of the best birdlife in the world with over 1,000 species, and Big Five encounters. Pair this with its intensive conservation and anti-poaching efforts, and there is no question that Uganda should be at the top of your bucket list for wildlife viewing. Uganda has many protected national parks, each worth a visit if time allows. Here at Humboldt Travel we have shortlisted the top areas to visit for wildlife encounters, paired with some of the best luxury places to stay for each. Starting with the UNESCO-protected Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a large forest located in south-western Uganda. It is the only place where chimpanzees and mountain gorillas live in the same ecosystem and is home to over half of the worldwide population of these gorillas. There’s therefore no better place to visit for primate trekking. Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Lodge Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Lodge is located inside the