Category: Small Group Discoveries

Latin AmericaSmall Group Discoveries

A Cruise to the Ends of the Earth

on March 15, 2016

The southern tip of South America—part Chile, part Argentina—is a wilderness untamed. A tapestry of lush archipelagos…soaring mountainous massifs reaching to the heavens…hulking glaciers spilling into the sea…a lacework of channels, rivers, inlets, and streams. Much of it remains as pristine as when Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan came upon it in 1520. Our small-group Discovery Tour, South American Glaciers, Forests & Lakes, explores its spellbinding beauty just as he did—by ship—on a four-night cruise.

Of course, you’ll enjoy a few more comforts than Magellan did. We’ve arranged your passage on a small expedition ship, the M/V Stella Australis. This technically sophisticated vessel was designed specifically to explore these waters, equipped with sturdy Zodiac craft that can take us ashore to experience the wilderness up close. What’s more, its crew is intimately familiar with local conditions and currents, knowing the most magnificent spots to drop anchor. On board, a private cabin provides homey comfort with large picture windows, so you won’t miss a thing. The restaurant and three lounges are perfect gathering places to compare your discoveries with fellow travelers and to sit in on a lecture by one of the onboard naturalists.

After our 8-day exploration by land, we head to Punta Arenas, embarkation point for the cruise of a lifetime into the breathtaking Strait of Magellan and the vast unspoiled archipelago of Tierra del Fuego.

Viewed on a map, the Strait is a wide, V-shaped spine connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Countless other waterways stretch and splinter off of it to form narrow fjords, channels, and bays. One of its most breathtaking spots is the spectacular Almirantazgo Sound, an astonishing deep-cut fjord that leads to the pristine Ainsworth Bay.

As you might imagine, the waterways of Patagonia are fed from many sources. The two most significant are the tides of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Countless tendrils of rivers and streams also feed the channels and bays as they cascade down mountainous slopes and through sub-polar forests. But in Ainsworth Bay, there’s ample evidence of a glacial source. The Marinelli Glacier, part of Alberto de Agostini National Park, spills down from the Darwin Mountain Range, its ice melt feeding the bay. It’s a majestic and pristine sight akin to glimpsing the Ice Age, made all the more wondrous and primitive by the colony of elephant seals that sometimes whiles away the days here.

Elephant seals aren’t the only residents in the neighborhood. Back on the Tuckers Islets, Magellan Penguins waddle and mingle and dive into the chilly waters for lunch. This species is only found in the southern hemisphere, as our onboard naturalists are sure to tell us. Our Zodiac craft brings us closer to their perch so we can have a look and say hello.

Our expedition ship also takes us into the legendary Beagle Channel. Only small ships like ours are allowed in this narrow strait named for the HMS Beagle, which surveyed these waters in the 1800s under the supervision of Charles Darwin. In his notebook, Darwin wrote of the “many glaciers beryl blue.” He may well have been referring to Pia Glacier, a massive tongue of ice weaving through its eponymous fjord. Or perhaps he had the entirety of Glacier Alley in mind, a spectacular stretch lined with towering walls of ice.

At Wulaia Bay, which tucks into Isla Navarino, some fascinating stonework remains from the Yamana people. These aborigines called this area home for millennia. It’s fascinating to explore their archaeological site and be reminded that humans once eked out a life in this deep and remote wilderness. And speaking of remote, there is perhaps no more far-flung place than Cape Horn National Park, the “end of the earth.” Its fantastic setting—1,394 feet high on a rocky promontory overlooking endless ocean that stretches all the way to Antarctica–takes the breath away.

Sailing through the Chilean fjords and Tierra del Fuego affords sweeping vistas of some of the world’s most spellbinding natural treasures. Of course, broad-stroke views—like an epic canvas—only reveal so much. A closer, more examined look can inspire just as much wonder, which is why we’re so excited that the crew of our ship accompanies travelers on several walking excursions into this incredible wilderness. It’s an enchanting way to experience Patagonia, putting foot to earth and following pastoral pathways. Everywhere, the shores around us are blanketed by Magellan Forests, the southernmost forests in the world. These sub-polar forests are young, a mere 10,000 years; their clusters of lengas, canelos, ferns, and other endemic flora has been growing since glaciers began their retreat.

An enriching and educational cruise into the wild, stunning vistas of soaring mountains and “blue beryl” glaciers, unforgettable wildlife, and invigorating walks to a Patagonian wonderland. You can see why we’re so thrilled to offer this incredible itinerary with this fantastic cruise at its centerpiece!

AfricaSmall Group Discoveries

Extreme Wilds of Namibia

on February 25, 2016

The oldest desert in the world. The tallest sand dunes on Earth. Some of the roughest seas and most extreme environments, all harboring an astonishing variety of wildlife. Namibia holds endless fascinations and intense natural beauty the likes of which you won’t see anywhere else. And in a Discovery Tours small group, we’ll reveal it all to you at an easy pace that lets you drink it in with pleasure.

Namib-Naukluft National Park

Wind-sculpted sand below. Sea of stars above.

Asossusvleibout the size of New Hampshire and Vermont combined, the Namib-Naukluft National Park along the Atlantic Coast is the largest game park in Africa. All in all, it is comprised of a huge swathe of the Namib Desert—considered the world’s oldest—and the Naukluft mountain range. For such a harsh environment, this unspoiled corner of the continent is home to many creatures great and small, including hyenas, jackals, gemsboks, snakes, geckos and countless insects.

The park’s most spellbinding region is Sossusvlei, a vast stretch of undulating red-hued dunes shaped over millennia by ocean winds. Remarkably, some dunes soar to 1,000 feet, the highest in the world. Their fiery deep-orange colors are explained by their age. In this 55-million-year-old ecosystem, iron in the sand has oxidized, much like rusted metal. The brightest colors in this magnificent topography signify the oldest dunes. One mountain of sand, in particular, gets much attention for its rich and sloping beauty: Dune 45. Named for its location on the road to Sossusvlei (at the 45th kilometer mark), it has been formed through the ages by sands from the Kalahari Desert that were carried down the Orange River and blown here from evaporated beds.

These landscapes are at their most mesmerizing at sunset, which you will witness during an adventurous drive by 4×4 vehicle. Yet, thanks to a unique phenomenon not fully understood, the dunes can also be downright hypnotizing: Throughout your visit, keep your ears trained for the region’s famous singing dunes. Silica content, grain diameter and humidity merge to create the ideal environment in which sand will sing, emitting a roaring, booming or squeaking sound caused by wind shear, by a sand-slide, or merely by the disruption of footprints.

Over millennia, the towering dunes, of course, have had a dramatic effect on surrounding environments, particularly in the expanse known today as Deadvlei. In the shadow of the dune known as Big Daddy, a water-rich marsh formed here after heavy rainfall, sprouting a small forest of camel thorn trees, a species similar to acacia. As the climate shifted, the desert’s merciless drought took hold, sand dunes encircled the marsh, and the land became parched. The trees still stand, believed to have died six or seven centuries ago. Black and scorched from the scalding sun, they are a haunting reminder of the marsh’s former abundance.

Nearby, the Sesriem Canyon is a stark counterpoint to the sands of Sossusvlei. Rather than soft and sensual slopes, the canyon is made of rough-cut sedimentary rock walls carved by the Tsauchab River. But it is no less beautiful than the dunes, a striated canvas of oranges, reds and violets stretching a half mile long and yawning to 100 feet deep. The canyon’s name translates into “six belts,” coined by passing settlers who, in order to reach the water that once flowed through, tied six belts together so their bucket would reach the bottom of the ravine.

Walvis Bay

Calm Ocean Haven for Marine Life

walvisbayNamibia’s Skeleton Coast gets its name from the treacherous waters that have sunken vessels off the coast and littered the beaches with the hulls of ships and the carcasses of whales. Portuguese explorers called these shores “The Gates of Hell” and even the San Bushmen believed they were “The Land God Make in Anger.” The rough seas are partly to blame. But a cold ocean current heading up the coast from South Africa is also a culprit as it creates dense ocean fog much of the year. It’s been said that sailors can certainly land on shore here, but they’ll never get back out to sea over the violent surf.

So Namibians are lucky to have Walvis Bay. Called Ezonrongondo by the indigenous Herero people of Namibia, Walvis Bay is one of Africa’s few large natural harbors. Sheltered from the rough waters of the Atlantic, it is not only a calm place from which to launch a ship. It is also a prime habitat for magnificent wildlife. Heaviside’s dolphins frolic in these waters. Leatherback turtles drift with the current. Cape fur seals lounge on beaches and swim out to greet visitors. Humpback whales breach the water’s surface. The coastal lagoon, too, is a menagerie of feathered creatures, including pink flamingoes and great white pelicans.

Damaraland

Immense Beauty and Ancient Art

damaralandIn Namibia’s northwestern corner, the Kunene region—once known as Damaraland under German rule—covers a vast terrain of mountains, dramatic rock formations rising from plains, and low scrubland. This is a rugged place, and hospitable only to those who have adapted to its landscapes and climate over centuries. Yet its beauty is unrivalled. Monolithic walls of rock stand like colossal sentinels and dry valleys host unique succulent flora that’s fed by the mists floating in from the Atlantic.

The centerpiece of Damaraland, however, is a man-made spectacle created 2,000 to 2,500 years ago—the Twyfelfontein petroglyphs. This UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts more than 5,000 individual rock carvings and other depictions of animals and humans etched into sandstone slabs, one of the largest concentrations of its kind in Africa.

Etosha National Park

Big Game Amidst Plains Made of Salt

etosha-natl-parkThe nation’s largest concentration of wildlife thrives in Etosha National Park, the third largest game reserve in the world. Throughout this massive semi-arid savannah grassland, waterholes allow this predominantly desert environment to support a remarkably diverse array of wildlife, including some 144 mammal species and more than 300 bird species. Elephants, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, leopards, cheetahs, and more make this fertile grassland their home.

The center of Etosha is the vast, glittering Etosha Pan, from which the place gets it name (“Great White Place”). The dry salt lakebed stretches 75 miles and supports only the most unique wildlife adaptable to hyper-saline conditions. But when it rains, thousands of flamingoes descend on its waters.

Join us to witness some of the most captivating natural beauty in Africa for yourself!

AfricaSmall Group Discoveries

The AfriCat Foundation – Saving One Large Carnivore at a Time

on February 24, 2016

Historically, the relationship between humans and Africa’s large carnivores has been strained. Livestock farmers often lose their valuable cattle to lions and leopards. Village life is disrupted by cats and other creatures on the prowl. And land developers clear grassland, one of the cat’s hunting grounds, leaving them to hunt elsewhere. Indeed, there are many issues to address in communities throughout Namibia in improving the relationship between humans and large carnivores.

The AfriCat Foundation was founded in 1991 to address some of these issues.

The organization’s story started on Okonjima Farm when it was raising cattle of its own. Early in the farm’s existence, around 1970, the Hanssen family felt helpless as they lost 20-30 newly born calves each year to leopards. Even as the Hanssens hunted and killed the cats, their losses continued. Clearly, they needed another strategy and so they created birthing pens and calf pens centered around waterholes. Their strategy worked: they decreased their losses to just 3 or 4 per year.

Soon, other farmers turned to the Hanssens for guidance. How, they wanted to know, can they set up their own pens to protect their livestock? And then there was the unexpected quandary of how to get rid of the large cats that they had caught in traps and were holding captive on their farms.

With this second question, it became clear to the Hanssens that if livestock could be protected, then locals would have no need to hunt and kill cats that, like them, were just trying to survive in a harsh environment. With that realization, the Hanssens took in the captive cats and nursed them back to health. As word spread, more locals brought cats for treatment. In some cases, orphaned cubs were delivered to the Hanssens’s door, creating new challenges of teaching them to fend for themselves before re-releasing them on their own.

By 1991, the Hanssens formalized their mission to conserve and protect large carnivores and created the AfriCat Foundation, a dynamic organization on the border of Etosha National Park. Today, the AfriCat Foundation helps resolve human-wildlife conflict by teaching local livestock management and protection, supports environmental education among local youth, reclaims lost grasslands wherever possible, and provides support to communities, including helping villagers build a kraal (a pen for cattle). You will learn about the Hanssens’ efforts firsthand during a visit to their worthwhile organization.

See the AfriCat Foundation at work during our Namibia, Naturally itinerary.

AfricaSmall Group Discoveries

Namibia – A Brief and Fascinating History of a Magnificent Country

on February 23, 2016

Namibia is one of Africa’s most celebrated nations for its political, economic and social stability. And thanks to the arid Namib Desert stretching along its Atlantic coast, it is also one of the least densely populated countries in the world. What this means for Discovery Tours travelers is clear: In your small group, you’ll experience diverse and vibrant cultures that embrace their past and look eagerly toward the future, and you’ll witness some of the most dramatic and serene desert landscapes on earth. Yet Namibia’s peace, tranquility and prosperity did not come easily.

Ancient Tribes Speak a Curious Tongue

The story of how Namibia evolved into one of the continent’s most captivating nations begins millennia ago. San Bushmen and the Damara and Namaqua people were the region’s original inhabitants. Anthropologists and linguists are enthralled by many tribes in southern Africa, but these are particularly fascinating as they all speak some variation of the Khoekhoe language. The curious clicking sounds typical of their language comprise what is believed to be the oldest language in human history. And even though all three tribes spoke a similar language, they seem to have come from different lineages. Descendents of all three tribes remain today, many of them eking out a living in the same way their ancestors did.

Strangers Arrive by Land and by Sea

In the 14th century, the Bantu arrived as part of the historic Bantu expansion into southern Africa. The following century, other strangers arrived not by land, but by sea, when in the 1480s Portuguese navigators arrived along what today is known as the Skeleton Coast, named for the many ships and sailors who met their demise in these thrashing seas. Even for those explorers who did make landfall, the coastal desert was far from inviting, so they only used Namibia as a pit stop during their long search for a trade route to India.

When the Orlam tribes moved in during the late 18th century, tensions rose between them and the Herero people of Windhoek. By 1880, they were fighting the Nama-Herero War, a conflict that was only quelled when an opportunistic Imperial Germany stepped in and normalized tribal relations. Later, more German colonists and traders who had settled in South Africa (historically known as the Boers) passed through Namibia on their way to Angola, seeking to escape British rule and put down roots. Many stayed and, wittingly or not, set the stage for German rule.

The Roots of Apartheid

Chancellor Otto von Bismarck of Germany kept his eyes on the British and, in a successful effort to thwart expansion of the Crown into his growing colony, moved troops into Namibia and created his own German South-West Africa. Only 20 years passed until the Herero and Namaqua people rose up against the ruling foreigners, but the results of their attempted overthrow were horrific. In fact, some scholars believe that the ensuing systematic genocide—in which 80% of the Herero and half the Namaqua were murdered—served as a model for Nazi Germany’s Holocaust yet to come. We can’t know for sure, but history does tell us with certainty that the segregation and forced labor of the Herero and Namaqua survivors laid the foundations for the policy of apartheid that would soon grip the region.

With the end of World War I in 1915, South Africa occupied Namibia and ruled it from its own court made up entirely of a white minority. Throughout the 1950s, the Herero’s Chief Council petitioned the United Nations for independence. And as European countries in the 1960s began pulling out of colonized Africa, pressure mounted on South Africa to give sovereignty to Namibia. Still, even after an International Court called South Africa’s presence “illegal,” it would not budge.

Revolution and Independence

The white South African farmers who settled in the region came to represent just 0.2% of the population, yet 74% of the arable land was theirs. Brutality and repression of Namibians were daily occurrences. Pushed to the brink, the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia took up arms in 1966. An ensuing guerilla war lasted 22 years.

It wasn’t until 1990 that Namibia was free, after much local and international pressure on South Africa. Today, the peaceful nation is a multi-party democracy and promotes human rights protections, compensation for loss of private property, an independent justice system, and national reconciliation around the events of its turbulent past.

AfricaSmall Group Discoveries

Glimpse the Timeless Culture of the Himba

on February 22, 2016

At its best, travel broadens our minds and invites us to see the world and its people through a new lens. Visiting Africa, in particular, challenges our preconceptions of culture and of how to be in the world. In Namibia, our small group drops by a modest Himba village to meet tribespeople who uphold traditions that stretch back untold centuries.

It is an incredible privilege for Discovery Tours travelers to meet the Himba, the last semi-nomadic people of Namibia. About 50,000 people comprise the total population, which straddles northern Namibia and southern Angola. Because their culture has evolved in seclusion amidst a harsh desert climate, they have maintained their unique tribal traditions without outside influence from the modern world.

A Typical Himba Village

An extended family lives in a homestead called an onganda, a circular village of huts and other shelters surrounding a sacred ancestral fire (an okuruwo) and a sacred livestock pen (a kraal). The fire and livestock are more than a source of warmth, cooking, and food. The Himba people revere their dead and believe the fire embodies ancestral protection. The fire is kept burning by the fire-keeper of the tribe, who has the additional responsibility of standing before the flames every week or so to communicate directly with their god, Mukuru. The Himba believe that their livestock, as well, connects them to those who have passed before.

Currency and Food

Himba wealth is not measured in money. Instead, their most valuable asset is their cattle. This is not to say that they don’t use money as a means of exchange; it’s common for the Himba to mingle in marketplaces and enjoy the conveniences of 21st century consumerism. But all in all, cash makes up a tiny portion of a tribe’s typical livelihood.

Rather, theirs is a self-sustaining economy. For generations, they have bred chickens for eggs, sheep and goats for milk and meat, and bees for honey. The men look after the cattle, sometimes herding them away from their villages for many days in order to follow the best grazing land. Killing animals for food and construction of dwellings also fall to the men. Meanwhile, the women keep the home fires burning, often quite literally. In addition to keeping the firewood stocked, women and girls fetch water, plaster homes with a mud-manure mix, cook, and make handicrafts for tribal wear and for selling. Maize, millet and cornmeal make up most of their diet, and it’s typical for them to stop by a favorite berry bush or tree for a snack on the run.

Clothing and Cosmetics

Meeting the Himba for the first time, it is easy to marvel at their clothing and hairstyles. Their traditional dress is heavily influenced by the desert environment in which they live. Sandals, a calfskin skirt and many beads and other jewelry are common among both women and men. But what sets them apart is the otjize paste with which many women and some men cover their skin and hair. This cosmetic mix of butterfat and ochre pigment, sometimes scented with the resin of a local fragrant shrub, cleanses the skin and acts as a sunscreen and mosquito repellent. The resulting red-orange tinge of the skin is considered the height of beauty, representing life-giving blood and the rich, red earth.

Your small group is invited into a Himba village during our Namibia, Naturally itinerary.

Asia & PacificSmall Group Discoveries

Mysterious Roof of the World

on January 27, 2016

Shangri La. The Land of Snows. The Roof of the World. Tibet has been steeped in mystery and magic for centuries. Until the 1980s, this Buddhist land seemed forbidden, if only because of its remote location on a Himalayan plateau. Like its neighbor Nepal, it was locked away by its geography. Its average elevation was 16,000 feet and it was surrounded by insurmountable peaks. Still, it tugged at the imagination of every traveler eager to experience one of the most unique and exotic cultures on earth.

Today, Tibet is within easy reach. So you’re free to mingle among Buddhist pilgrims as they turn prayer wheels and murmur mantras amidst juniper incense. If you’re not sure where to find them, look no further than the Barkhor, a pilgrim circuit—or kora—that circumambulates around Lhasa’s Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s most important Buddhist shrine. The devout come here from all over the world to walk clockwise around these contemplative city blocks—stopping along the route for spiritual souvenirs such as prayer flags and amulets (and not-so-spiritual accessories like turquoise jewelry and cowboy hats). Commercialism aside, this is where all of Tibet—from nomads to merchants—gathers to honor Buddha.

While joining locals on the Barkhor captures any traveler’s heart, stopping to visit the grand Jokhang Temple evokes the Tibet of old. When it was built in the seventh century, it was less a center of religion and more one of science. Back then, this institution was known as the Zuglagkang—meaning the “house of religious science”—and it brought together a scholarly lot that pre-dated Buddhism. They followed the shamanistic precepts of Bon, and so studied geomancy, astrology, and other forms of divination. That original air of mystery remains as yak butter lamps flicker in the dim light, incense wafts from dark corners, and pilgrims prostrate before altars. All is hushed and tranquil here; the noise of the outside world retreats.

Some three miles away, the Sera Monastery stretches across one corner of the ancient city. It too was founded as a learning center. It remains so today, one of three university temples in Tibet. Its name suggests that learning and intellect blossom here—se ra in Tibetan translates as “wild roses.” Nowhere is that more clearly on display than during the so-called “monk debates,” in which students participate in passionate discussions about Buddhist doctrine. As much pageantry as it is deliberation, the debates follow strict procedure and are enlivened with vigorous gestures, each of which carries its own meaning.

The shimmering jewel in Lhasa’s crown is the Potala Palace, the massive white and ochre fortress that dominates the skyline. Today, Potala is a museum, but it once housed the Tibetan government. Its White Palace, comprising the eastern wings, was the living quarters of the Dalai Lama while the Red Palace in the center of the building served a religious function. Until the 20th century, Potala was the world’s tallest building, even soaring almost twice the height of the Gothic spires of Europe’s cathedrals. From the bottom-most buildings at its base to the rooftop measures 1,000 feet. But its height isn’t the only impressive number. This 17th-century palace boasts more than 1,000 rooms, 10,000 chapels, 200,000 statues, and a network of dungeons.

Unravel the mysteries of Lhasa and Tibet with Gate 1 Travel today!

Asia & PacificSmall Group Discoveries

The Yangtze: River of Fables, River of Beauty

on January 26, 2016

High on the Tibetan plateau, a glacier-fed stream trickles down the western slope of Geladandong Mountain. As it plummets in elevation, other waterways strengthen its surge, pushing it past walls of mountains and into valleys, past yak herds, rice paddies, and wide-open farms.

This is the mighty Yangtze, third longest river in the world and one of the largest waterways by volume. Its course has shaped the fate of China’s history and culture over millennia, a source of drinking water, irrigation, transit, and legendary tales. To say nothing of the breathtaking beauty of the Three Gorges. This 75-mile stretch could well provide some of the most dramatic scenery of any river in the world, thanks to the towering mountains that guide the water’s winding route.

Ming Mountain and the city of Fengdu oversee the Yangtze from its northern banks, providing the perfect riverside vantage point for the spirits that many believe inhabit this “ghost city.” Fengdu is an interesting prelude to a Yangtze cruise, fertile as it is with legends about the afterlife. In Chinese lore, the dead must pass three tests before they pass into heaven. If they fail, they are destined to spend eternity in the underworld. In Fengdu, this journey is brought to life: the city’s main attractions are the three bridges that represent the three tests.

Perhaps three—three bridges, three tests—is the magic number along the Yangtze. Surely, the Three Gorges through which we cruise cast a spell of their own. Of the trio of mountain-lined river passageways, the Qutang could be the most spectacular. Only five miles long, it zig-zags through a narrow canyon, dwarfed by mountains as tall as 4,000 feet. Near its entrance, you are greeted by the Hanging Monk Rock. Legend has it that a soldier who was trying to climb this hillside in the dark of night to recover the body of his revered general was frightened away by a monk who crowed like a rooster greeting the dawn. As revenge, the soldier hung the monk upside down, and he remains there still.

After winding through Qutang Gorge, the Yangtze flows through the Wu Mountains and into the 25-mile Wu Gorge, known as the Witches Gorge. Each of the dramatic Twelve Peaks that marks our progress symbolizes a fairy popular in local lore. Here, another rock formation at one of the summit’s peaks tells a story, this one of a penitent maiden represented by a huge rock that resembles a kneeling goddess. Long, deep canyons here leave this section of the river in shade much of the day.

Xiling is the final gorge on a downstream itinerary, the longest at 49 miles. The river quickens here through some narrow, magnificent stretches along the Three Rapids of Xiling. Passage along this section of the Yangtze was once treacherous, but some water control projects have calmed the waters, making for a smoother journey.

But one project along the Yangtze was not so smooth: the controversial Three Gorges Dam. Fully completed in 2012, it is the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, and its construction was highly contested. When the dam was complete, water levels rose upriver and submerged priceless artifacts of Chinese culture and history. The government stepped in to save some of the treasures, but not all. The larger impact was on the tiny villages that once lined the Yangtze’s banks. Millions of people were relocated to higher ground. Proponents of the dam point to the huge amount of energy generated by its turbines, increased shipping and more trade upriver thanks to deeper waters, and the prevention of historically deadly flooding downriver every spring.

No matter your position, the Yangtze waters still flow, and they lead Gate 1 travelers into a magical landscape.

MediterraneanSmall Group Discoveries

Morocco’s Imperial Gems

on January 8, 2016

With shifting sands of time, four cities have vied for Morocco’s crown

“The tar of my country is better than the honey of others.” So goes the old Moroccan proverb, revealing the deep pride of its people-a pride justified by its sweeping history, abiding culture, and dramatic settings. And there’s no better way to peer behind the veil of centuries than to explore Morocco’s four Imperial Cities. Fez, Marrakesh, Rabat, and Meknes have all held the title of capital-often swapping back and forth-but each has its own unique flavor.

A Son Shows Off: Fez

Sultan Idriss II, a great-great grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, established Fez, Morocco’s first capital, early in the 9th century-directly across the river from the city his father founded. The city takes it name from the word for pickaxe, as Idriss II is said to have used one made of gold and silver to mark the glorious city’s borders. The son’s handiwork soon outpaced the father’s when the new city welcomed 800 Berber families fleeing conflict in Andalusia; they were soon followed by 2,000 displaced Arab families.

Over centuries, the two cities-Idriss II’s and his father’s-became one, blossoming into an epic metropolis whose city walls extended for nearly 10 miles. By 1170, it was home to over 200,000 and the largest city on earth. See the city from above today and its scope remains staggering, with the constantly bustling medina (the world’s largest car-free urban area), the “new” city from the 13th century, and the French-influenced ville nouvelle.

Here, one experiences a panoply of delights from the colors and textures of ancient madrasas to the artisan district where carpets are made, leather is dyed, and copper craftsmen ply their trade. The world’s oldest continuously operating university, the Islamic Al-Karaouine, is here, coexisting for centuries with the adjacent Mellah, the Jewish Quarter. But it’s more than architecture and monuments that inspire visitors: sharing a meal with a local family will offer you the best insight of all into life in this storied city.

A palm-dotted sight for sore eyes: Marrakesh

Even while Fez was still growing, an upstart nabbed the title of capital. Marrakesh was made an Imperial capital by successive Berber empires in the 12th century, the first of which laid the groundwork for a true city. The second included a building spree that yielded the Marrakesh we see today, with its royal palaces, imposing Kasbah, and city walls. An array of entirely new mosques was built as well; the second rulers tore down the old ones because it was deemed that they had been positioned incorrectly in relation to Mecca.

With the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains to one side and deserts stretching into the distance on the other, Marrakesh was a natural caravanserai for camel-riding traders. It greeted weary travelers with hundreds of acres of lush greenery and a stand of more than 100,000 palm trees-an oasis better than any mirage could be. No wonder the Berbers called it the “land of god.”

Not everyone agreed with this praise, and the capital returned to Fez, launching a rivalry that, in many ways, continues to this day. From copper-topped Koutoubia Mosque to the 360-room Bahia palace, it’s easy to see how Marrakesh stakes its claim. And there’s still something for everyone here, from the serenity of the Majorelle botanical gardens to the electricity of lively Djemaa el Fna square, the souk of all souks.

Pirate’s bounty: Rabat

It is said that when coastal Rabat was made capital, it was to shut up Fez and Marrakesh both. Rabat was an old city, settled as Chellah in 300 BC and renamed Sala Colonia by the Romans in the first century. It was the Almohads who made it a capital in the 12th century-rebuking both former capitals in the process and calling it “The Stronghold of Victory.” The ruling Sultan ordered the building of the world’s largest minaret, the Hassan Tower, with a grand mosque and madrasa, to show his kingdom’s might-but he died and the tower was capped at 140 feet (just over half the height he imagined). It still stands today.

The sultan’s death led to the decline of the city and the loss of its capital status. By the 17th century, it had a new reputation as a pirate lair. As the base for Barbary pirates who called their territory the Republic of Bou Regreg, Rabat was the launch pad for countless sailing attacks on western traders for nearly 200 years. But the days of lawlessness ended when France set up a protectorate in the early 20th century, and Rabat became a port to visit-not fear-once again.

From its ruins of Chellah and Sala Colonia to the unfinished tower and lush French-Andalusian gardens, it’s easy to see why UNESCO named Rabat a World Heritage Site.

A Bloody Showoff: Meknes

While pirates were running the show in Rabat, Moulay Ismail had moved the Moroccan capital to Meknes in 1672. Meknes was not a new city: it had been settled by the Berber people known as the Miknas (who gave the city its name) in the 9th century and had grown steadily under three successive dynasties. But Ismail had a vision for something bigger.

He built a 25-mile wall, along with massive gates, lush gardens, and dozens upon dozens of mosques, earning Meknes the title “City of a Hundred Minarets.” It was also a city of blood: the “Warrior King,” as he was known, once adorned those new city walls with 10,000 human heads. Though legend of his barbarism endured, he himself perished, and Meknes was displaced as capital in less than a century. Marrakesh reclaimed the honor – at least for a time.

For the last century, Rabat has been capital, its seaside location making it both a practical and visually appealing choice. Any visitor is quick to choose their favored Imperial Capital, regardless of the tales that history tells. But this much is clear no matter which modern capital calls to you most: the pride of Morocco endures.

Visit the Imperial Cities for yourself during our Moroccan Allure trip. Click here for trip details!

Bhutan
Asia & PacificSmall Group Discoveries

Preserving a Kingdom: Bhutan’s Enduring Culture

on January 8, 2016

To enter Bhutan is to enter a world unto itself. Many have compared it to the elusive Shangri-La of fable, and the country safeguards its treasured traditional culture. With its doors closed to outsiders until 1974, and the flow of visitors still carefully observed, this kingdom of the dragon tucked between Tibet and India has preserved its glorious textiles, beloved national pastimes like archery, and its Buddhist serenity. From lush low-lying plains to Himalayan peaks rising a stunning 23,000 feet, its diverse ecosystems boast an epic beauty that is maintained with deep pride and the force of law.

All of this leaves the traveler with the indelible impression that they have, indeed, stepped into Shangri-La. But Bhutan is far better than Shangri-La: It’s real.

Buddhism-The Heart of a People

For most of the nation’s history, Bhutan was closed off not only to travelers from beyond its borders, but to outside cultural influences as well. It wasn’t until 1999 that the government lifted its ban on television, though it still made clear that programming must be consistent with the most abiding Bhutanese values, the roots of which are largely Buddhist. Having been secluded from so much of the outer world, the people of Bhutan are nourished by their inner spiritual lives, most of them practicing Buddhism.

Across Bhutan, you can see ample evidence of nearly 1,500 years of that faith on display. One of the oldest temples in the country is the Temple of Kyichhu, which has beckoned worshippers since the 7th century. With its gleaming gold roof and elegantly carved wooden pillars, it’s a jewel-box of a temple, a suitable home for the heavily-ornamented Jowo Sakyamuni statue, one of the most valuable artifacts in all the land.

Material objects are secondary to matters of the soul at Chari Monastery, established by Bhutan’s founding father in 1620. Perched on an emerald hillside, the monastery is an epicenter of prayer for Buddhist monks, some of whom spend up to three years here in meditation. At Tachogang Lhakhang, the rewards of such mindful practice are made concrete: The 15th-century monastery and its iron bridge are the realization of a vision that came to a Tibetan yogi who had paused at the riverside site for meditation.

At Chimi Lhakhang, the focus is less on the Zen of its monks and more on the love life of the local worshippers who come to this temple for its fertility-enhancing properties. Chimi Lhakhang was founded by a monk known as the “the divine madman.” He filled the temple with phallic symbols and used sexual innuendo to deliver some of the tenets of Buddhism. Though his approach was highly unorthodox, he is considered a national hero.

Dzongs-Protecting a Kingdom

Bhutan’s fortress-like dzongs are every bit as impressive as its temples. These massive complexes were positioned for defense against invaders, but much more was hidden behind the high fortified walls. Guard stations shared space with dwellings, civic offices, courtyards, and temples. Like the fortified medieval villages of Europe, Bhutan’s dzongs were miniature cities within citadels.

One of the largest is Tashichho Dzong, its sprawling splendor visible from Big Buddha Hill. In one form or another, a dzong has been present in this spot since 1216 and despite being damaged by four fires and an earthquake, the central tower has endured. Since 1968, Tashichho Dzong has been the seat of government.

Punakha Dzong used to hold that title, but what it lost in terms of political power, it makes up for in beauty, with its gold, red,and black colors, and gleaming statues filling a Coronation Hall, where the Kings of Bhutan are still crowned to this day.

Ringpung Dzong, with its 14 shrines and chapels, is considered an architectural masterpiece in Bhutan, and visitors may recognize some of its features from the Bernardo Bertolucci film Little Buddha. Though Drukgyal Dzong has no cinematic pedigree, the pale stone fort built to commemorate a victory over Mongol invaders is nonetheless evocative, with an eerie silence surrounding the ruins of this once triumphant structure.

Nature-The Greatest Treasure

Fortresses may fall in time, but Bhutan does more than just about other nation on earth to make sure its natural treasures are never lost. Nearly a third of the land is preserved for national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation areas, and nature reserves. About 60% of the land is forest that may never be touched, and where building is allowed, sustainable development is a state requirement.

The result is a nation that remains a paradise for nature lovers: crystalline lakes…verdant valleys…flower-studded plains…and, of course, the watchful gaze of the snowcapped Himalayas. With so many different ecosystems flourishing here, it’s no surprise that the flora and fauna is equally diverse. The 6,000 species of plants, from the iconic blue poppy to hundreds of orchid varieties, are joined by a veritable safari’s worth of wildlife, including elephants, tigers, monkeys, and Himalayan “blue” sheep. Overhead, nearly 700 avian species wing from treetop to treetop, soaring like the chanting of monks on mountain air.

Tiger’s Nest-The Symbol of a Nation

Nature, culture, and faith all come together at the monastic retreat of Taktsang, the Tiger’s Nest. Ancient legend says that the 8th-century Guru Rinpoche, considered the second Buddha, flew through the skies of the Paro Valley on the back of a magical tigress looking for a place to meditate. He landed on the small outcropping of a cliff 2,700 feet above the valley floor. Despite its seemingly impossible location, the site became the home to a temple in his honor in 1692.

For more than 250 years, Tiger’s Nest has endured the cycle of seasons and powerful winds with little change, but two fires in the second half of the 20th century destroyed its main building. At the dawn of this century, the government invested millions of dollars in restoring it, spending five years to painstakingly recreate its beauty.

When it was reopened in 2005 in the presence of the King, it was a great source of national pride. The care given to the cultural treasure was a perfect embodiment of the Bhutanese belief that the dragon kingdom will endure as long as it preserves and protects its heritage.

Experience the wonders of Bhutan for yourself, small-group style, during our Himalayan Kingdoms: Nepal & Bhutan trip.

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Raise a Glass to the Wines of France & Spain

on January 8, 2016

“Wine cheers the sad, revives the old, inspires the young, makes weariness forget his toil, wrote Lord Byron, who was not only famed as a poet, but a traveler, carouser, and bon vivant. He came to this opinion glass by glass, having sipped his way across Europe, visiting the vineyards of France and the bodegas of Spain alike.

French vintners have been perfecting the art for some 2,000 years, creating the largest wine economy in the world. Spain may have a younger viticulture, but it boasts the highest percentage of land dedicated solely to vineyards of any nation on earth. And both countries are passionate about the wines they make.

Rioja

Over the millennia, rulers as diverse as Visigoths, Moorish invaders, and Napoleonic troops have claimed the fertile landscape of La Rioja for themselves. Today it is an autonomous province under Spain’s banner, a kingdom within a kingdom.

A sweeping mountainous plateau marked by seven plunging valleys and ribboned by the ebro and Oja Rivers, La Rioja is a land where geography and climate have conspired to favor winemaking. The mountains, covered in forests of oak, beech, pine, and juniper, offer vineyards protection from the fierce winds common to northern Spain, and help to moderate the climate.

Since at least the 9th century, when monks began tending vines, winemaking has been part of the local culture here, but it wasn’t until 1902 that Rioja was formally recognized as a wine variety, and not till the end of the 20th century that it was both awarded a certificate of origin (which guarantees its provenance) and then given the highest classification Spain allows.

Though best known for its reds, white and rose riojas are also available. experts describe classic Rioja wines as bold and complex, with unmistakable cherry and vanilla notes. What makes a Rioja so full-bodied is the employment of oak barrel-aging techniques inspired by the wineries of Bordeaux. Some Riojas are aged up to five years in barrel and bottle before their release. The result is a wine imposing enough to stand up to meat and strong cheeses, and, if you ask a Spaniard, to challenge any wine France can produce.

Bordeaux

However, Bordeaux – the elegant “Little Paris” on the banks of the Gironde River – feels no threat from other wine regions. With a wine industry dating back to the 8th century, Bordeaux blossomed fully in the wake of the marriage of eleanor of Aquitaine to the future King Henry II. In the 18th century, as it became the world’s wine capital, the city added 5,000 buildings of such beauty that Victor Hugo compared it to a metropolis-sized version of Versailles. In fact, “Little Paris” was the model for its (now) bigger sister: Napoleon used the building boom for inspiration in revitalizing the City of Lights.

As Bordeaux became a major port city, merchants were able to ferry the wine to the Netherlands and Great Britain, creating a global demand. Still the epicenter of the wine industry to this day, Bordeaux’s 13,000 grape growers and 10,000 chateaux together produce nearly a billion bottles of wine every year.

Like Riojas, the wines of Bordeaux vary by color, though it is the array of deep, rich reds for which the region is best known. Bordeaux reds blend two wines-Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-and each vineyard determines the proportions. Vineyards on the left bank of the Gironde are Cabernet heavy, while those across the water favor the Merlot. Both yield earthy reds, good with lamb, beef, truffles, and tomatoes. The whites here, drier than the reds, are excellent with seafood, including the sweeter varieties, which also shine with cheese.

St. Emilion

Older still than Bordeaux and further north, St. Emilion is one of the most romantic cities in France. Settled since prehistoric times, it is best known for its medieval architecture, with steep, narrow streets winding between limestone buildings. Some of the streets continue below ground into tunnels and catacombs, once home to the hermetic monk for whom the city is named.

Emilion was originally from Breton, where he was credited with a number of miracles. His acclaim drew attacks from the Benedictine community and he fled south, hiding in the underground cavern where he would live the rest of his life. Pilgrims began to seek him out as confessor and as the catacombs became a destination, an entire religious community arose.

Within a century, the town of St. Emilion was making wines commercially, expanding private vineyards that were planted a good 700 years before. When the Santiago de Compostela through France became a major pilgrimage route in the 11th century, a robust wine industry tempted visitors to stop here. Though both the Hundred Years’ War and The War of the Religions both stalled the region, the wine trade never ceased completely; in fact, wine sales fueled St. Emilion’s rebirth in the 18th century.

Today, it is known for its reds, which most often blend Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with a few wineries adding Cabernet Sauvignon to the mix. Reaching maturity-and your table-faster than the Bordeaux vintages, St. Emilion wines stand up well to game birds, salmon, and nutty cheeses like tomme de savoie or reblochon.

Though you may now enjoy the best wines of both lands in the comfort of your own home, those who have followed in Byron’s footsteps to Europe know the difference it makes to savor these regional creations right where they’re made. Lift a fine Bordeaux to your lips while the sun sets over the countryside, or inhale the heady bouquet of Rioja in a Spanish bodega. Drink them while on tour with Gate 1 Travel!

 

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