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Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan

The three republics straddling the Caucasus in the former Soviet Union, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan have much in common, yet are each very different indeed. Georgia and Armenia share an ancient Christian culture, whereas the population of Azerbaijan is overwhelmignly Muslim. Georgia offers a huge variety of landscapes, rich culture and incredible mountain vistas; resilient Armenia is home to a plethora of monasteries and monuments; Azerbaijan, the 'Land of Fire' meanwhile, lies at a crossroads of empires, a unique country rushing headlong into the future.

Madagascar

A remnant of ancient Gondwana gone astray and left in isolation for 88 million years, the island republic of Madagascar is home to an astonishing array of wildlife, including over 100 species of lemur. Add to this almost 15,000 plant species, another 100 mammal species and birds, reptiles and amphibians too numerous to count and you start to realize the natural bounty this island harbours.
But there is more to the country than flora and fauna. Incredible beaches, wild limestone pinnacles known as tsingy, beautiful waterfalls and rock pools, thriving markets, traditional villages, gorgeous sunsets, a fascinating history, some of the best hiking on the continent and the most incredible vistas and landscapes all conspire to make Madagascar one destination you will not soon forget.

Russia

In 2018 I had the pleasure to visit Ukraine. I fell in love with the people and their spirit of newly found independence and pride.
We stand with the people of Ukraine and will not book tours to Russia until a comprehensive peace deal has been reached.
If you can, please help the people of Ukraine through a donation to the Canadian Red Cross.
Donate to the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal
https://donate.redcross.ca/page/100227/donate/1

Russia?

In 2018 I had the pleasure to visit Ukraine. I fell in love with the people and their spirit of newly found independence and pride.
We stand with the people of Ukraine and will not book tours to Russia until a comprehensive peace deal has been reached.
If you can, please help the people of Ukraine through a donation to the Canadian Red Cross.
Donate to the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal
https://donate.redcross.ca/page/100227/donate/1

Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania

The Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have much in common - geography and a shared history being the most obvious. Yet each country is very different too. There is the Nordic appeal of Estonia, sharing ethnic and linguistic links with Finland, hurling headlong into the cyberage while maintaining beautiful towns like Tallinn and unspoiled nature and islands.
To its south lies traditional Latvia where endless pine forests hide palaces, churches and crusader castles and endless beaches line the Baltic. Its capital Riga is famous for its Art Nouveau architecture.
Rounding off this trio of intriguing destinations is Lithuania where the beaches of the Curonian Spit give way to deep forests sprinkled with lakes and towns loaded with sculpture parks, a Cold War museum and galleries. Its capital Vilnius is a gem known for its Baroque architecture.

Belize

A country proud of its cultural and natural heritage, Belize occupies a sliver of land between Central American jungles and the Caribbean.
Belize's Barrier Reef has some of the best snorkelling and diving anywhere on the planet. Where the reef peeps out of the water you will find sandy Cays, perfect for kayaking, paddleboarding or just lazing about.
The jungles of the interior, where tubing, canoeing and caving are but some of the activities offered are a haven for myriad wildlife, flora and birds. Lost within are Mayan archaeological sites with numerous temples and tombs.
Beautiful Belize is an adventure playground, a nature lovers' dream come true and a beach paradise all rolled into one.

Rwanda

No experience is quite like coming eye to eye with mountain gorillas in their natural setting. After you trek through dense jungles and up and down slippery slopes, the hour spent with our closest relatives is one experience you will carry with you for life. All this against the stunning backdrop of volcanoes and terraced farmlands in Rwanda, the Land of a Thousand Hills.

Namibia

Tucked away in the south-western corner of Africa, Namibia has some of the most stunning landscapes in Africa - driving the lone roads it is the amazing arid rock formations and desert sands that will stay with you forever. The Fish River Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of Africa, the red sands of some of the highest dunes in the world at Sossusvlei; the salt pans at Etosha; it is hard to know where to begin. Add to those the unique wildlife like desert rhino, elephants and oryx and you have a destination that is hard to beat.

Svalbard and Beyond

Svalbard, the archipelago Spitsbergen is part of, truly is Europe's last great wilderness, home to more polar bears than people, land of snow-covered mountains and glaciers. Further east you will discover previously inaccessible lands such as Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya and other islands of the Russian Arctic. As you sail these frigid waters you are sure to encounter polar bear, walrus, bearded seal, minke whales and beluga, a myriad of wildlife such as Arctic fox and reindeer, as well as countless birds. The land is dotted by remains of centuries-old human intrusions, people that, like you, explored the outer limits of our earth.

Arctic Canada and Greenland

For nature and wildlife lovers, few places rival with the Canadian Arctic and Greenland. Endless mountain ranges, some covered in tundra alive with flowers, others as barren as a desert, are the domain of muskoxen, Arctic fox and hares. Deep-blue iceberg-studded straits, bays and seas, are home to polar bear, walrus and whales, including the elusive narwhal. Visit Inuit settlements and remains of expeditions of discovery, hike to marvellous views or kayak the still waters at the bottom of towering bird cliffs. The Arctic will leave you speechless at time, full of energy at others, changed forever.

Antarctica

No other destination in the world will leave you feeling as insignificant before nature, yet as alive, as Antarctica does. Giant glaciers calving enormous icebergs; penguins porpoising through the waters; leopard seal chasing their prey; whales feeding and coming up for air, curiously inspecting you in your zodiac. Hike along pristine shorelines and up snowy ridges to experience incredible views. This is Planet Earth at it's best, a proverbial Eden, Earth as it was before the arrival of humankind. This is a journey of a lifetime and Antarctica will change you forever.

Jordan

As you walk through the Siq to the Treasury at Petra, you cannot help but be in awe. Hand-hewn red sandstone buildings rise up into the clear desert sky, remembering ancient caravans of spice traders travelling far and wide to sell their wares. In the Roman ruins at Jerash and in the crusader castles and Byzantine mosaics along the King’s Highway, history is everywhere in this beautiful land. Travel through canyons and oases, stay with locals among the rock formations of Wadi Rum, and begin to understand why T.E. Lawrence loved this land.