wild travel expedition

You Belong In The Wild

Providing women with transformative travel experiences and an empowering community since 1991.

Discover a World of Adventure

Featured Adventures

Horseback Riding

Machu picchu.

I had the time of my life! Every single day was the best day! The adventures challenged me, pushed me past self-doubt and were truly wonderful, amazing experiences! Lastly, I was blessed with a great group of wild women! When you are challenged as a group, you push forward together, and I am thankful for the comrades who soon felt like friends.” Colleen C.

Connect with Our Community

With over 26,000 members, our Facebook group is one of the best online communities around. Hear travel stories, make new friends and get excited for your own Wild Women adventure.

Women Championing Women

Our guides are truly special. They’re local experts and passionate leaders, who can’t wait to share with you the magic of their homelands and to join you in exciting journeys of discovery.

Read the Latest Stories

The healing power of friendships and penguins.

Vickie Barker recently joined the Journey to the Antarctic Circle trip just two weeks after her beloved husband passed away. Allowing herself to be vulnerable, she shared her grief with the group, who all in turn, provided her with unexpected support and new friendships.

Please confirm you are a person.

Meet our Team

Our team is comprised of highly experienced guides, professional field experts, esteemed photographers and adventurers committed to create the very best adventures and expeditions.

Yoel Schlaen

Owner & Founder Wildlife and outdoor photography guide

Yoel is a man of the outdoors, addicted to nature and wildlife with a passion of exploring the world. With an extensive experience as a traveler, Yoel is a master of planning and conducting  high end operations anywhere on the globe. His motivation is to share his love to nature with travelers in the most unique places on earth.  As a photographer, Yoel specializes in wildlife and outdoor photography in the most remote locations in the world, aspiring to bring the story of unique wildlife on planet earth.

Tomer Razabi

Owner & Founder Landscape and nature photography guide

With a B.Sc in Biology specializing in zoology and ecology, Tomer is a true nature lover. Tomer is an experienced tour leader and photography guide with rich knowledge and guiding resume of dozens workshops and expeditions world wide. As a nature photographer he aspires to experience and photograph the natural wonders of planet earth. With the soul of a true guide, Tomer will make the out most in order for his travelers to enjoy and learn about nature and photography.

Asher Svidensky

Culture & documentary photography guide

Asher is a worldwide renowned culture photographer focused on documentary and story telling. He became  acknowledged worldwide for his Mongolian eagle hunters project which was published in National geographic, BBC, Time magazine and more. Today Asher guides culture focused expeditions and continues to lecture and publish about his documentary projects.

Yoram Shpirer

Wildlife Photography guide 

Yoram is a biologist, expert in wildlife behavior and a very experienced wildlife photographer for over 20 years. Yoram specializes in birding and particularly in birds of prey, but he is passionate about all wildlife.  Yoram is also a man of conservation and uses his knowledge to educate to preservation of nature.

Sela Bucovetsky

Hiking & mountaineering guide

Sela is an adventurer, skier, mountaineer and a certified ACMG Assistant Hiking guide. Sela had traveled all over the world and mainly in Alaska, the US and Western Canada. Sela and his family has been living and running Nuk Tessli - an amazing Canadian wilderness accessible to avid hikers from all over the world. In addition, Sela works as a ACMG hiking guide in the Canadian Rockies.

• Extreme & Adventure
• Photography Trips
• Small Ship Expedition Cruise
• Iceland Photo gallery
• Tanzania Photo Gallery
• Kamchatka Photo Gallery
• Mongolia Photo Gallery
• Canada Photo Gallery
• India Photo Gallery
• Behind The Scenes
• Testimonials
• Join our Newsletter

The experience OF A LIFETIME

Ultimate safari expeditions into the heart of the great migration in masai mara kenya finishing at the indian ocean.

Join me and our Masai-born guide on this epic journey through pristine Kenyan wilderness and witness one of the Seven Wonders of Africa – The Great Wildebeest Migration across the Mara River

This is your once a lifetime opportunity to be part of a unique expedition designed to give you the most thrilling safari experience while staying in the best lodges and villas Kenya has to offer. 

Throughout your trip we have hand-picked special experiences which we know will take your breath away such as hot air balloon ride on top of the Great Migration, visits to authentic Masai villages, horse riding at sundown in the wild and more.

experiencing the rawness of  Africa and its wildlife

will change your life forever

There will be numerous wildlife encounters which will make you tremble with excitement, such as getting up close and personal with large prides of lions (safely of course !) or hearing the high pitch sound of hyenas feasting on the remains of a zebra.

The abundance of wildlife in the whole Mara region guarantees to see things unlikely to be seen on any other African safari.

Our Masai guide called Saruni is specifically trained and certified to drive in the Masai Mara region. We will be driving our 4x4 Jeep off road, across rivers, through mud and the thickest bush in order to find cheetahs, lions and leopards which are the most elusive big cats.

 after a busy week in the wild, discover the pristine indian ocean beaches of the coast of Kenya

‘’You do not just visit Africa and then leave. Instead you become a part of Africa and it takes up a permanent residence within you’ ’

JOHN STRELECKY

expedition photobook

Expedition, Nature & Conservation

Unique expeditions across the world’s diverse habitats, led by passionate naturalists and photographers

• Guaranteed departures at the best moment of the year for each expedition
• 100% Sustainable tourism : each trip finances local conservation projects
• Exclusive hand picked experiences such as trekking, wildlife, photo tours and more.

Thematic Journeys

Safaris in Latin America Pantanal, Amazon, Llanos…

Birdwatching

Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica…

Photography

Wildlife, Birds, Comunities, Photography…

Next Departures

The hills of Mavecure

• 4 Days / 3 Nights

PNN Tuparro

• 5 Days / 4 Nights
• Departure: 03 Mar 2024

Ethnotourism in Araracuara

• Departure: 25 Oct 2022

Why Wild Expedition

Travel and protect.

10% of your trip go to local foundations helping to preserve nature and promote conservation

Best available lodges

Prices without intermediariesbest available lodges.

We work directly with the local guides, to offer you the same prices as if you were traveling alone.

Commitment to satisfaction

From your arrival to your return, our logistics team takes care of the smallest details to ensure that your trip runs smoothly.

Best Picked Guides

Every year we explore the different countries to find you the most exciting guides in Latin America

An Eco-Responsible trip

Concerned to promote tourism that respects nature, with Wild Expeditions 1 traveler = 1 tree planted

A quality follow-up 24 / 7

Whether they are logistical, medical, mechanical or other, our team present throughout the country will help you deal with the unexpected.

Innovation and Creativity

In Latin America, one quickly gets the impression that there is still a lot to explore. Our team is constantly surveying the country to find new routes and activities.

Must see Expeditions

Trekking Sierra Nevada

Cerros de Mavecure

Photo Safari

Feedback on Their Experience

International Medias

They Travelled with us

LIVE YOUR DREAM!

TRAVEL IN ALASKA

What we offer, family travel.

Need assistance with planning the perfect family vacation? From spring breaks to graduation trips, and everything in between, our concierge travel advisors are ready to help you maximize your vacation time.  Your family are the most important people in the world to you – and the greatest gift you can give them is a lifetime of adventure! Every family is different and we’re here to strike a balance between each member and eliminate the stress.

ADVENTURE TRAVEL

Need assistance with getting on the road less traveled? Our seasoned team of active and adventure travel specialists can help! We thrive on helping travelers experience new and faraway places, so let us handle the logistics so you can focus on enjoying the adventure.  Personalized travel itinerary designed for your unique preferences, activity level, and travel style. Dedicated travel expert to manage all logistics and provide expertise on adventure travel destinations.

SPECIAL INTEREST

Travel should always be designed especially for you, but sometimes a trip is more than just a trip,  sometimes it’s a chance to explore something you truly love. Personalized travel itinerary designed for your unique preferences and style.Dedicated travel experts to manage all travel logistics and provide expertise VIP amenities: room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, and more.

24/7 emergency contacts.

Why work with US for your next adventure?

We’re your guide.

We understand that every traveler is different, so our travel advisor team makes sure to get to know you so we can better guide you to the right fit for your next adventure. Want to explore somewhere remote but don’t want to “rough it”? No problem! We’ll go over your expectations, wishes, and overall goals so we can match you to the best outfitters and tour operators for your travel style and activity level.

ADDED VALUE

In a world where a few hours on the internet can get you a hotel room and a flight, our  Travel team brings a more personal, best experience to travel planning. Thanks to our network of local partners around the world, we are able to do things for you that others  simply cannot. Save your time!

ENJOY YOUR RIDE

Let’s face it, the last thing you want to worry about on your vacation time is your vacation! Our expert travel advisors understand this, and stay on top of all the details before, during, and after your travels. You can rest easy knowing that we’ve got your back if you run into any snags while traveling, be it flight delays, lost luggage, or simply running late. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!

YOUR TRAVEL EXPERTS. YESTERDAY, TODAY, ALWAYS.

Concierge services.

• Tailor-made trip planning and custom itineraries for individual, family, and business trips
• Your personal advisor backed by a team of experts
• Assistance before, during, and after travel

Insider Access

• Touring with top guides and local experts
• Behind-the-scenes & skip the line access
• Access to unique savings & promotions

Peace of Mind

• Assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• “On the ground” local contacts in case of emergency
• Advocates on your behalf with hotels and tour operator

At Wild Wild Expeditions we  offers concierge planning service for the modern travelers. Our team concentrates on offering perfectly personalized travel experiences to our clients all over the world, no matter their destination or interest. We are here to make your travel experience flawless by providing our expertise, global connections, and seamless planning process that makes complicated surprisingly simple. No matter the journey you are searching for, we look forward to helping your dream travel experience come true.  We’re Wild Wild Expeditions  creators of unique, perfectly-tailored travel experiences. Our clients are our top priority, which means your personal travel needs will always come first with our team. 

OUR SERVICE

Why settle for the same journey as someone else? When it comes to planning your travels, we truly believe that every detail should be personalized. We’re travelers ourselves, so we know firsthand the joys of experiencing that perfectly customized trip. Whether you are looking to taste and toast your way across Baja California,  hike the mountains of Alaska, or celebrate a milestone with the entire family, our travel concierge team is ready to design an unforgettable experience.

Tailor-made trip planning and custom itineraries for individual, family, and business trips. Your personal advisor backed by a team of experts

Assistance before, during, and after travel!

MOST POPULAR IN ALASKA

Concierge service.

whole group

PRIVATE EXPEDITION

Fly-out fishing, snowmobiles adventure, flightseeing, arctic adventure, salmon fishing.

price per boat

OCEAN FISHING

Fjords cruising, bear viewing, glaciers exploring, atv adventure, jet ski adventure, rafting adventure, motorcycle adventure.

per per bike

DOG SLEDDING ON GLACIER

No matter the journey you are searching for, we look forward to helping your dream travel experience come true

EXPLORE OUR TRAVEL AGENCY  FIVE KEY STEPS

Travel is personal, so we start by getting to know you: your likes, dislikes, and vision for your trip

Whether you’re a detail-oriented planner or a big-picture dreamer, we’ll turn your vision into a thoughtfully crafted reality.

We’ll lock in the details and logistics, plus give you insider tips, perks and amenities to maximize your experience. Our network of travel partners are an extension of our team, and these connections open the doors for unique experiences in some of the world’s most remote destinations.

Enjoy your trip! Our  team keeps your reservations easy to access when you need them.

After your trip, share your likes and loves, so we can make your future travels even better

Drop us a line!

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Ready to start planning your next trip?

Wild wild expeditions.

645 G Street Ste. 100, Anchorage, Alaska 99501, United States

+19076906660

Wild Wild Expeditions

645 G. Street Ste. 100, Anchorage, AK 99501

Copyright © 2023 Wild Wild Expeditions

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• Africa Cruises
• Antarctica Cruises
• Arctic Cruises
• Asia Cruises
• Mediterranean Cruises
• North America Cruises
• Northern Europe Cruises
• NZ & Australia Cruises
• South & Central America Cruises
• South Pacific Cruises
• East Africa Cruises 13
• The Seychelles From November to April
• 8 Day Cruise in the Seychelles
• The Seychelles Sailing Cruise (November to A…
• The Seychelles Sailing Cruise (May to Octobe…
• Zanzibar, Aldabra & the Treasures of the Ind…
• Madagascar & the Mascarene Islands Adventure…
• Indian Ocean Cruises 26
• North Africa Cruises 35
• Passage Through Egypt - Nile River Cruise
• Oriental Wonders & Civilisations - Arabian P…
• Reach of Rome
• Levantine Odyssey - Middle East Cruise
• Egypt, the Greek Isles, and the Suez Canal: …
• Cruising the Arabian Coast – with Smithsonia…
• Southern Africa Cruises 7
• Extraordinary Southern Africa: From Maputo t…
• Congo River Safari Cruise - Ouesso to Brazza…
• Puerto Williams to Walvis Bay - 24 Day Atlan…
• Congo River Safari Cruise - Brazzaville to O…
• Cape Town to Lisbon - 43 Day Africa Expediti…
• Puerto Williams to Cape Town - Antarctica, S…
• West Africa Cruises 11
• Rivers of West Africa - Gambia & Senegal Cru…
• The Many Faces of Cape Verde Cruise
• Dakar to Lisbon - Atlantic Ocean Expedition …
• Antarctica & South Georgia Cruises 50
• Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica - 22…
• Spirit of Shackleton - 21 Day Antarctica & S…
• Antarctic Wildlife Adventure - 23 Days
• Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica Expe…
• Epic Antarctica: Crossing the Circle via Fal…
• Antarctic Wildlife Adventure - 21 Days
• Antarctic Peninsula Cruises 82
• Antarctic Express Cruise: Crossing the Circle
• Antarctica Express Air Cruise - Quick & Affo…
• Antarctica Classic in Depth - 13 Day Cruise …
• Antarctica Classic - 11 Day Cruise from Ushu…
• Quest for the Antarctic Circle - 14 Day Expe…
• Crossing 66º South Latitude - Antarctic Circ…
• Ross Sea Region Cruises 2
• In the Wake of Scott Shackleton aboard Herit…
• Cruise Scott & Shackleton's Antarctic - Ross…
• Canadian Arctic Cruises 47
• A Remarkable Journey to Alaska, British Colu…
• Into the Northwest Passage (East to West)
• Out of the Northwest Passage (West to East)
• Fabled Lands Of The North: Greenland to Newf…
• Arctic Express Canada: The Heart of the Nort…
• Canada’s Remote Arctic: Northwest Passage to…
• Greenland Cruises 133
• Arctic Sights and Northern Lights Expedition…
• Greenland & Wild Labrador Expedition Cruise
• Arctic Odyssey Expedition Cruise
• Iceland Cruises 94
• Circumnavigating Iceland - The Land of Elve…
• Three Arctic Islands: Iceland, Greenland, Sp…
• Under the Northern Lights: Exploring Iceland…
• Jewels of the Arctic 2024 Expedition
• North Pole Cruises 3
• The Geographic North Pole Expedition - An Un…
• Transarctic, the Quest for the Two North Pol…
• The Geographic North Pole & Scoresby Sound
• Russian Arctic Cruises 0
• Spitsbergen Cruises 117
• Spitsbergen In Depth: Big Islands, Big Adven…
• Springtime in Svalbard aboard Quest
• Spitsbergen Explorer: Wildlife Capital of th…
• Spitsbergen Highlights: Expedition in Brief
• Around Spitsbergen - In the Realm of Polar B…
• India Cruises 22
• Historic Hoogly (Lower Ganges) - River Cruis…
• The Holy Ganges - India River Cruise
• The City of Light, A Varanasi Summer - India…
• The Lower Ganges River - India River Cruise
• Rhinos & More - 8 Day India River Cruise
• Brahmaputra Maximum - 11 Day India River Cru…
• Indonesia Cruises 61
• Indonesia – Bali-Komodo National Park Cruise
• Indonesia Ambon and Spice Islands Cruise
• Indonesia – Raja Ampat Cruise
• Indonesia - Spice Islands to Raja Ampat Crui…
• Raja Ampat Explorer Cruise
• The Whale Sharks of Cenderawasih Bay - West …
• Japan Cruises 25
• Japanese Subtropical Islands Luxury Cruise
• Japan Cruise - Expedition in the Seto Inland…
• Through Japan's Ryukyu Islands
• Through the Heart of Japan
• Journey to Japan
• Coastal Japan: Imperial Dynasties and Modern…
• Southeast Asia Cruises 43
• Aqua Mekong Expedition Cruise - Ho Chi Minh …
• Halong Bay and the Red River (Upstream)
• Halong Bay and the Red River (Downstream)
• Phnom Penh and Siem Reap - Upstream 5 Day Ri…
• Classic Mekong - Downstream
• Classic Mekong - Upstream
• Adriatic Cruises 104
• Croatia Luxury Cruise: from Dubrovnik to Spl…
• Croatia Luxury Cruise: from Split to Dubrovn…
• Croatian Islands Luxury cruise
• Croatia Luxury Cruise South: from Split to S…
• Split to Dubrovnik Luxury Croatia cruise
• Dubrovnik to Split Luxury Croatia cruise
• Atlantic Ocean Cruises 35
• Atlantic Odyssey Including Antarctic Peninsu…
• Atlantic Odyssey Excluding Antarctic Peninsu…
• Islands of the Azores: Basalt Peaks to Volca…
• The Canadian Maritimes and Newfoundland
• Islands of Cape Verde Archipelago - Small Sh…
• St. Helena to Cape Verde aboard Hondius
• Black Sea Cruises 0
• Greek Islands Cruises 93
• Jewels Of The Cyclades - Greek Islands Cruise
• Gokova Gulf Luxury Gulet Turkey Cruise
• Antiquity to Byzantium - Cruise through the …
• Hidden Greece: Unexplored Greek Islands
• Classical Greece Cruise - Cyclades, Kea, San…
• Corfu and the Ionian gulet cruise
• Italy and France Cruises 107
• From the Shores of the Mediterranean to the …
• Malta, Italian Shores and Isle of Beauty
• Mediterranean Gems: Southern Italy and Sicil…
• From Norwegian Fjords to Iberian Charm Europ…
• Venice to Civitavecchia (Rome)
• Civitavecchia (Rome) to Nice
• Portugal and Spain Cruises 84
• Islands of the Azores - 10 Days Around the A…
• Azores to Britain - A Voyage from Sao Miguel…
• Barcelona to Basque Country: Tracing History…
• Alaska Cruises 42
• Wild Alaska Escape: Haines, the Inian Island…
• Remote Alaska Adventure aboard Kruzof Explor…
• Exploring Alaska's Coastal Wilderness
• Last Frontier Adventure - Alaska Cruise
• Alaska's Glacier Bay & Island Adventure - Sm…
• Baja California Cruises 7
• Baja California's Whales & Sealife - 7 Night…
• Baja California Holiday Voyage: A Living Sea…
• A Southern Migration: From the Channel Islan…
• Baja California Cruise: Among the Great Whal…
• Wild Baja Escape: The Whales of Magdalena Bay
• Baja California Cruise: A Remarkable Journey
• East Coast (USA) Cruises 11
• Pole to Pole Adventure The Ultimate Bucket L…
• From Halifax to Boston History, Seafood and …
• From Canada to the American East Coast
• From Québec to the Big Apple: Nature & Remar…
• Voyage Along the St. Lawrence: From Québec t…
• Vibrant Hearts of the East Coast - USA Cruis…
• Eastern Canada Cruises 21
• Greenland to Nova Scotia Exploring the Canad…
• Newfoundland Circumnavigation - 12 Day Adven…
• Natural Wonders of Greenland & Canada via Sa…
• Between the Poles - Our Epic Global Expediti…
• Great Lakes Cruises 4
• A Voyage Along the Great Lakes – with Smiths…
• Expedition Between Lake Michigan & Lake Supe…
• Expedition in the Heart of the American Grea…
• Natalie Dessay & Her Friends, on the Great L…
• West Coast (USA) Cruises 7
• Hawaiian Seascapes - Molokai, Lana‘i, Maui, …
• Columbia and Snake Rivers - United States Sm…
• Wild California Escape: Channel Islands Nati…
• Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine, and H…
• Reykjavik to New York Luxury Cruise
• Puget Sound & San Juan Islands Cruise
• Western Canada Cruises 18
• Exploring British Columbia and the San Juan …
• Voyage to Great Bear Rainforest: Native Cult…
• Alaska and British Columbia – Inside Passage…
• Treasures of the Inside Passage: Alaska and …
• Alaska, Nature on a Grand Scale
• Baltic Cruises 14
• Hidden Baltic & Scandinavia
• Treasures of the Baltic
• A Musical Journey on the Baltic Sea
• Cultural Treasures and Scandinavian Panorama…
• Historic Cities of the Baltic Sea - Luxury C…
• Iconic Capitals & Towns of the Baltic
• British Isles Cruises 98
• Mull Odyssey Cruise: Staffa, Iona and the Ro…
• St Kilda and the Shiants - British Isles Cru…
• Scotland's Isle of Mull and Small Isles Expl…
• The Magical Scottish Outer Hebrides, Skye an…
• The Outer Hebrides Wildlife Explorer Cruise:…
• The Scottish Isles – Whisky & Wildlife from …
• Iceland & Faroes Cruises 13
• Island Hopping in the North Atlantic – Icela…
• Reykjavik to Reykjavik - 17 Day Iceland & Br…
• Shetland, Faroe, Iceland: Wild Islands & Lan…
• Iceland, Faroes & the Shetland Islands
• Northern Lights Explorer
• Coastal Wonders of Norway, the Faroe Islands…
• Netherlands Cruises 8
• From Edinburgh to Lisbon - Discover Atlantic…
• From Hamburg to Lisbon Discover - Atlantic E…
• Europe´s Atlantic Highlights - From Hamburg …
• Classic River Cruise – Holland
• Classic River Cruise – Holland to Belgium
• Scandinavia Cruises 55
• Classic Voyage South Norway: Kirkenes - Berg…
• Orcas and Northern Lights in Northern Norway
• The Norwegian Fjords, Bear Island & Svalbard
• Norway's Fjords & Arctic Svalbard Expedition…
• Norwegian Discovery: Svalbard and the Northe…
• Ancient Traditions & Norwegian Fjords - Luxu…
• Australia Cruises 51
• Northern Quest - 8 Day Northern Kimberley Cr…
• Southern Quest - 8 Day Southern Kimberley Cr…
• Kimberley Adventure Quest
• Kimberley Fishing Expedition
• Kimberley Ultimate 14 Day Australia Cruise
• Ultimate Quest - 14 Day Kimberley Cruise
• Great Barrier Reef Cruises 4
• Outerknown Adventures on the Great Barrier R…
• Great Barrier Reef Ultimate Cruise
• Great Barrier Reef Snapshot Cruise
• Citizen Science of The Great Barrier Reef - …
• Kimberley Cruises 32
• New Zealand Cruises 41
• Fiordland / Te Wahipounamu New Zealand Cruise

Stewart Island / Rakiura New Zealand Cruise

• The Best of the Chatham Islands from Christc…
• Chatham Islands: The Wild Side - Guided Land…
• Discover Marlborough Sounds: An In-Depth Exp…
• All of The Fiords: The Ultimate Fiordland Ex…
• Northern Australia Cruises 6
• Cape York and Arnhem Land - Darwin to Cairns
• Torres Strait & Cape York - Horn Island to C…
• Torres Strait & Cape York - Cairns to Horn I…
• Darwin to Lautoka - Melanesia Luxury Cruise
• Over the Top Australia Cruise
• Fremantle to Valparaiso - 78 Day Grand South…
• Subantarctic Islands Cruises 7
• Expedition to New Zealand's Subantarctic Isl…
• Galapagos of the Southern Ocean aboard Herit…
• Birding Down Under aboard Heritage Adventurer
• Beyond Fiordland aboard Heritage Adventurer
• Forgotten Islands of the South Pacific
• Southern Odyssey: New Zealand and the Subant…
• Amazon Cruises 13
• Voyage to the Heart of the Amazon - River Ex…
• Amazon Explorer Cruise
• Into the Wild Amazon - River Expedition Crui…
• Amazon Expedition Cruise
• Amazon Discovery Cruise
• Upper Amazon Aboard the Delfin II
• Caribbean Cruises 18
• Panama and Colombia: Exploring the Caribbean…
• Panama, Colombia & Caribbean Islands
• Pearls of the Caribbean - Luxury Cruise
• The Essential Caribbean - Luxury Cruise
• Caribbean Island Odyssey - A Voyage from Pan…
• Cruising the Caribbean's Windward Islands – …
• Central America Cruises 21
• Costa Rica and the Panama Canal Adventure Cr…
• Wild Costa Rica Escape: Exploring Guanacaste…
• Costa Rica and the Panama Canal Cruise - Fro…
• A Tropical Odyssey in Central America
• Galapagos Cruises 96
• La Pinta Western Galápagos 7 Day Cruise
• La Pinta Northern Galápagos 5 Day Cruise
• Galapagos Dive Cruise - Enjoy The Best Divin…
• Galapagos A – Southern/Central Route - Beach…
• Galapagos B – Western/Northern Route - Volca…
• La Pinta Eastern Galápagos 5 Day Cruise
• Patagonia Cruises 25
• Essential Patagonia: Chilean Fjords & Torres…
• The Best of Chilean Fjords
• In-depth Antarctica & Patagonia Expedition a…
• Antarctica & Patagonia Expedition - Southbou…
• Southern Patagonia: Glaciers, Fjords & Wildl…
• South America Cruises 36
• In-depth Patagonia & Chilean Fjords Expediti…
• Galápagos Aboard National Geographic Endeavo…
• Patagonia: Chilean Fjords and Argentina's St…
• French Polynesia Cruises 31
• Tahiti & the Pearls of French Polynesia - 8 …
• Tahiti, the Society and Tuamotu Islands - 11…
• Society Islands & Tuamotus French Polynesia …
• Cook Islands & Society Islands - French Poly…
• Marquesas, The Tuamotus & Society Islands Lu…
• Fiji, Tonga, Cook & Society Islands Luxury C…
• Melanesia Cruises 24
• The Mystery of Melanesia Cruise
• Solomon Islands Sojourn
• Ancient Cultures of Papua New Guinea
• Fiji and Beyond: Exploring the Rites and Rel…
• From New Caledonia to Micronesia - 17 Day Lu…
• Mamanuca & Yasawa Islands - South Pacific Cr…
• Micronesia Cruises 5
• West Papua, Raja Ampat & Micronesia Cruise
• From Fiji to Bali Luxury Cruise
• Magical Encounters in the Solomon Islands & …
• Ocean Luxury Voyage: Guam - Kobe
• Through the Islands & Atolls of Micronesia -…
• Papua New Guinea Cruises 16
• Sepik Soirée - Sepik River Cruise
• Adventures in Paradise - Papua New Guinea Cr…
• Exploring Indonesia: Bali, Raja Ampat & Papu…
• New Guinea Odyssey - Papua New Guinea & Indo…
• South Pacific Ocean Cruises 22
• Escape to Paradise Cruise
• Papeete to Valparaiso - 26 Days South Pacifi…
• Lautoka to Papeete - South Pacific Luxury Cr…
• Lau & Kadavu Island 8 Day South Pacific Crui…
• Africa Ships
• Antarctica Ships
• Arctic Ships
• Mediterranean Ships
• North America Ships
• Northern Europe Ships
• NZ & Australia Ships
• South & Central America Ships
• South Pacific Ships
• East Africa Ships 7
• Silver Cloud
• Sea Star & Sea Bird
• Hebridean Sky
• Le Dumont d'Urville
• Indian Ocean Ships 9
• Yasawa Princess
• Le Bougainville
• North Africa Ships 16
• National Geographic Explorer
• National Geographic Endurance
• Oberoi Philae
• Sun Goddess
• Silver Wind
• Le Laperouse
• World Traveller
• Star Breeze, Star Legend & Star Pride
• Southern Africa Ships 3
• Ducret - Congo
• West Africa Ships 6
• Antarctica & South Georgia Ships 26
• Greg Mortimer
• Magellan Explorer
• L'Austral
• Sylvia Earle
• Ultramarine
• National Geographic Resolution
• Ocean Explorer
• Ocean Albatros
• Silver Endeavour
• Antarctic Peninsula Ships 29
• Fridtjof Nansen
• World Explorer
• Le Commandant-Charcot
• Ocean Victory
• Roald Amundsen
• Ross Sea Region Ships 2
• Heritage Adventurer
• Canadian Arctic Ships 21
• National Geographic SeaBird & SeaLion
• Ocean Endeavour
• Arctic Watch Wilderness Lodge
• Le Champlain
• Greenland Ships 35
• Vikingfjord
• Spitsbergen
• World Voyager
• Ocean Adventurer
• Rembrandt van Rijn
• Iceland Ships 28
• North Pole Ships 1
• Russian Arctic Ships 0
• Spitsbergen Ships 32
• Nordstjernen
• Noorderlicht
• India Ships 9
• Kalaw Pandaw
• ABN Rajmahal
• ABN Sukapha
• Kindat Pandaw
• ABN Charaidew II
• Katha Pandaw
• Indonesia Ships 15
• Silver Muse
• Coral Geographer
• Paul Gauguin
• Le Jacques Cartier
• True North & True North II
• Ombak Putih
• National Geographic Orion
• Paspaley Pearl
• Japan Ships 6
• Silver Nova
• Southeast Asia Ships 15
• Mekong Navigator
• Mekong Pandaw
• Indochina Pandaw
• Bassac Pandaw
• Angkor Pandaw
• Sabaidee Pandaw
• Laos Pandaw
• Aqua Mekong
• Adriatic Ships 45
• Queen Jelena
• Prestige, Stella Maris and Equator
• Croatian 'Comfort' Cruiser
• Captain Bota
• Traditional en-suite Croatian vessel
• Sea Cloud II
• Kaptan Sevket
• Sea Dream I & II
• Wind Spirit
• San Spirito
• Croatian Deluxe Ships
• Croatian Deluxe Superior Ships
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Wild Earth Travel

Small ship cruising for big adventures, authentic experiences abound, gone are the endless queues, cheesy activities and impersonal experiences of traditional cruises. small ship cruises offer authentic experiences to the world's most interesting destinations. plan your trip today with wild earth travel, the small ship cruising specialist., wild earth picks, chase the race: sydney to hobart aboard coral discoverer.

Experience the nautical tradition that is the Rolex Sydney to Hobart yacht race! Embarking in Broken Bay …

Tasmania Discovery Tour - 7 Days

Our 7 Day Tasmania in Circle tour is our most popular offering. Designed to fit neatly into …

Scotland's Wild Islands & Lands of Legends with Wild Earth Travel

Wild Earth Escorted Tour ( to & from Edinburgh ) For those who go off the beaten …

Southern India & Sri Lanka by Sea

For those seeking an informative and relaxing experience of India and Sri Lanka, what better way than …

SCENIC, HISTORY & NATURE EXPEDITIONS Our seven-day Scenic Expeditions are designed for individuals, couples or small groups …

Barcelona to Nice - 7 Day Sailing Cruise

Embark on a delightful 6-day sailing cruise from Barcelona to Nice, exploring the captivating Mediterranean coast. Begin …

"What a magical and wonderful time we had. Everything went off smoothly. The ship and crew were first class and within hours on board we felt that we had made new friends forever.. Thank you for all your work in getting us there to have one of the most memorable holidays ever" -Beryle & David, travelled to Alaska, 2016

"Thank you for all your help with planning our Great Barrier Reef cruise. Your professionalism, guidance and expertise ensured that we were on the perfect cruise for us. It was great to be in the water a couple of times a day and learning to dive in one of the world's most iconic destinations was a big thrill. The crew to customer ration was great, we loved the food and our cabin was of a very high standard" - Jason (travelled to the Great Barrier Reef, 2016)

"We had a truly great time. An experience of a lifetime. So thank you and Wild Earth so much for organising it. Everything worked perfectly. It was a great bunch of people on the cruise and the crew were just magnificent in their ability to get everything just right. The trip to Denali was also very memorable, and well worth the effort," - Andrew, travelled to Alaska, 2017

"We had the luck of seeing heaps of whales and even a morning of bubble feeding with a group of about 12 whales! Our captain, Eric was fantastic and the food outstanding..... as a holiday destination it was wonderful. Thank you for doing our booking," Penny - travelled to Alaska in aboard the Alaskan Dream, 2017

"We had the most amazing weather for our trip to Southern Fiordland. Thoroughly recommend it and the crew were great and worked incredibly hard making it a really great trip," Ian, travelled aboard Heritage Adventurer 2022

It was an excellent blend of culture and nature combined with excellent guiding, accommodations, food and service. - Anonymous (Travelled on board Serenissima Scotland In-Depth 2018)

Outstanding, excellent lectures, planning immaculate... impressed with the ease with which programme changed because of adverse weather conditions -Anonymous (Travelled on board Serenissima Scotland In-Depth 2018)

...we were just blown away by everything that UnCruise had to offer - they were amazing. We really did have everything that we needed on the ship. The food was excellent and so varied, the staff were like a group of friends on board ship who worked hard, yet were so professional. Expedition leaders were fountains of knowledge and just great to be with. -Sally & Graham (Travelled Safari Voyager, Unveiled Wonders of Costa Rica & Panama, 2017)

"I took about 1,400 photos and videos... It’s hard to find words (to describe the trip) – amazing, fantastic just don’t do it justice!" Andy - travelled through the Galapagos Islands on the San Jose, 2017

"Cruise was excellent. It went to all the places I wanted to see and scheduled enough time for sightseeing and for leisure. Swimming off the boat near deserted islands was a highlight. Good simple food, good cabins and crew, congenial fellow passengers. Everything went smoothly," Margaret travelled through the Greek Islands aboard Galileo (Variety Cruises), 2022

Choose your type of adventure

Meet wild earth.

Established more than 30 years ago as the pioneers of the small ship cruising industry, our years of experience makes us uniquely placed to find the cruise that best suits you. We've spent years aboard many small ships leading cruises, operating and designing itineraries and experiencing the most interesting parts of the planet. Our extensive experience and passion for this style of travel ensures you are able to speak directly with an expert. We carefully curate our selection of small ship cruisesk our travellers enjoy experiences that deliver more, with more time ashore, more interpretation of the destination visited and more freedom to explore.

Benefits of Booking with Us

We Are Travellers

Largest Choice Providers

Our collection of small ship cruises is constantly growing, we now feature over 1200 cruises aboard more than 80 small ships to choose from. As pioneers of the small ship cruising movement over 30 years ago, our insider knowledge of the industry means that there is barely a ship or a destination worldwide that we haven't experienced.

Customising Your Cruise

We offer you the ability to pay in the original currency of the ship operator, meaning that you don't pay more in currency buffers. Choose to pay in USD, Euro, GBP, NZD or AUD. As a long established Australasian company, you can be assured that you are in safe hands as our team of specialists guide you through the booking process.

We Offer More

As you prepare for your cruise, we will be in touch to ensure that you have everything that you need, from packing lists to suggested reading lists to pre and post transfers and accommodation. For some cruises, there will also be the options to add on extras such as the Rocky Mountaineer train, or explorations of Machu Picchu and the Amazon.

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Featuring the latest small ship cruises to a number of destinations, our Small Ship Cruising brochure is carefully curated to include small ship cruises from expeditions to luxury cruises to the world's most fascinating destinations including Alaska, Croatia, the Galapagos and the Antarctic and Arctic.

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Take your thirst for adventure into unchartered territory on our brand-new 15-day expedition through Pakistan. Ensuring you see the real and unfiltered parts of this captivating country, this tour will take you from Islamabad to the Hunza Valley and back down to Lahore where you’ll discover breathtaking natural landscapes, meet local families, wander around ancient monuments, and dine on traditional food your tastebuds are sure to love. 

Our range of Expedition tours

Pakistan expedition, 15 days from 4163.

A 15-day expedition through Pakistan with Intrepid Travel. Visit Islamabad and Lahore...

Vanuatu Expedition

8 days from 2669.

Embark on an expedition to the beautiful islands of Vanuatu where you can trek to the...

Papua New Guinea Expedition: Firedance Festival

9 days from 4070.

Travel deep into Papua New Guinea on a 9-day adventure to experience local culture and...

Bhutan Expedition: Hike the Trans Bhutan Trail

11 days from 5180.

Discover a land of mysticism, proud traditions and pure happiness on an 11-day hiking...

Peru Expedition: Trek the Great Inca Road

12 days from 4155.

Join an active 12-day expedition in Peru to hike the spectacular routes of the Great...

Tailor-Made trips

Take four or more on an exclusive trip and tailor your itinerary

Vanuatu Expedition: Land Diving Festival

5 days from 2259.

Take a five-day expedition to the islands of Vanuatu, explore the origins of land...

Trek the Great Inca Road and Inca Trail

19 days from 6215.

Hike routes of the Great Inca Road, see the hub of Huaraz, then tackle the Inca Trail...

Trek Pakistan's Karakoram Mountains

10 days from 2916.

Trek into Northern Pakistan’s Nangma Valley on a 10-day guided hiking trip from...

Nepal Expedition: Manaslu Circuit Trek

16 days from 2060.

Reach altitudes of over 5000 m on a trek along the Manaslu Circuit, walking through...

Vanuatu & New Caledonia Adventure

14 days from 5409.

Explore two gems of the South Pacific on an adventure to Vanuatu and New Caledonia,...

Tunisia Expedition

12 days from 3387.

Uncover Tunisia on an expedition travelling from the turquoise coast to the vast desert...

Comoros: Wildlife Expedition

9 days from 3596.

A 9-day wildlife tour around Comoros from Moroni on Grand Comore. Visit Nioumachoua and...

Indonesia Expedition: Orangutans of Kalimantan

12 days from 3007.

Head into the depths of Borneo’s forests in search of orangutans and other wildlife....

India Expedition: Sikkim, Assam & Nagaland

16 days from 3245.

Discover the beauty of India’s most remote area on an expedition that visits Sikkim,...

Vanuatu Expedition & Land Diving Festival

11 days from 3983.

Immerse yourself in Vanuatu’s raw beauty and breathtaking local traditions on this...

Vanuatu & Fiji Adventure

17 days from 7105.

Experience the best of Vanuatu and Fiji on an adventure through rainforest-rich islands...

Albania Expedition

9 days from 1668.

Discover the beauty and culture of Albania on an 9-day expedition, travelling between...

Timor-Leste Expedition

9 days from 2670.

Leave the beaten track in your dust on this 9-day expedition to Timor-Leste, where you...

Borneo Expedition: Maliau Basin - Sabah's Lost World Trek

8 days from 1720.

Embark on a unique 8-day Expedition into the heart of Borneo’s Sabah – the Maliau Basin...

Create your own Expedition

There aren't many places Intrepid hasn't been, so even if you've got a destination in mind that isn't on our list of Expeditions, our Tailor-Made team is here to help. We'll use our 30 years of experience and regional specialists to help you create your perfect adventure.

inquire with our Tailor-Made team

Discover the captivating local culture in Vanuatu

Submerge yourself into the culture of the Pentecost Island’s Indigenous people on a five-day expedition to Vanuatu. Trek through rich rainforests towards remote villages and witness traditional practices few people get to see, marvel at the fascinating naghol festival (land diving ceremony), and snorkel through waters you won’t ever want to get out of.  

Find out more

Explore the stunning scenery of Pakistan

Its nearest neighbor might be on the regular tourist trail, but Pakistan isn't such an easy adventure. Find nature unleashed in the rarely visited Hunza Valley region. Travel on the famous Karakoram Highway, visit the point where the Himalaya, Karakoram and the Hindu Kush all meet, and wander the ancient museums and cultural icons of Lahore. 

Explore Bosnia and Herzegovina

An often-overlooked destination, Bosnia & Herzegovina is full of breathtaking landscapes, mouthwatering food, enchanting history, and riveting experiences waiting to be discovered. Starting from Sarajevo, embark on an 8-day expedition where you’ll be welcomed into the home of locals for a traditional dinner, go white-water rafting down the Neretva River, traverse the foothills of Mount Cincar, explore the ancient town of Jajce, and visit a historic underground bunker hidden for decades. 

Journey to India’s edge

Everyone knows about the colorful chaos of Mumbai and New Delhi, but few visit the outer reaches of India’s wetlands and mountains. Climb aboard a steam-powered train for a captivating ride through the Himalayas, stopping to track one-horned rhinos through Kaziranga National Park, meet warrior tribes in Nagaland, get lost in the eclectic cultures of Assam and Sikkim, and pay homage to Tibetan Buddhists in cliff-side villages. Beginning and ending in Kolkata, this is a unique opportunity to explore West Bengal on one of our India tours .

Expedition FAQs

Do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an expedition trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises). However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Learn more about Intrepid's COVID-19 policy

What is an Expedition style trip?

An Expedition style trip is one that visits distant and often overlooked destinations with the idea of taking 'adventure travel' to a whole 'nother level. These trips will likely include active activities like hiking as well as community-based activities, local village visits and traditional festivals.

Think trips in remote countries, meals cooked by local families and cultural practices you'll never have heard of but won't easily forget.  

What kind of accommodation can I expect on an Expedition trip?

Expedition trips may feature a variety of authentic accommodation experiences, including camping, multi-share and homestays. Due to the nature of the destinations these trips go to, the choice of accommodation can be limited, but just remember... it's all part of the adventure. 

How fit do I need to be to go on an Expedition trip?

You can enjoy Expedition trips with a reasonable level of fitness, however, some trips may have included or optional activities that fall under a higher physical rating. Read your trip itinerary carefully and communicate any concerns you may have to your leader as soon as possible - you can always opt out of any activities that you're not comfortable with during your trip. 

Expedition trip itineraries can also be faster-paced (multiple 1 night stops) and include long-haul overland travel so keep that in mind when choosing the right trip for you. 

What should I pack for an Expedition trip?

What you should pack and how much you should pack will differ depending on which country/s your Expedition trip visits but keep in mind that on some Expedition trips you'll be expected to carry your own bag/luggage so it's best to keep the weight under 10kg / 22lb.

You should always pack a pair of comfortable walking shoes, plenty of layers (such as long-sleeve tops, cardigans, sweaters and coats), waterproof clothing and a day bag/backpack for day trips and activities. 

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before traveling on an Expedition trip?

Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their tour. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Are Expedition trips accessible for travelers with disabilities?

Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. We’re always happy to talk to travelers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.

If you do live with a visual, hearing or other impairment, let your booking agent or group leader know early on so they’re aware and suitable arrangements can be made. As a general rule, knowing some common words in the local language, carrying a written itinerary with you and taking to the streets in a group, rather than solo, can help make your travel experience the best it can be.

Learn more about Accessible Travel

Read more about our Expeditions

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Summer 2024 Expedition Registration is now Open

Grand canyon train expedition sold out, grand teton/yellowstone train expedition.

This 8-day expedition will take you to the Grand Canyon by train. Explore the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and Flagstaff area while you camp just a short walk from the Grand Canyon South Rim. 

This 8-day expedition will take you to incredible places in both the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Lodging will include a stay at a working bison ranch along the way with the week at Flagg Ranch in the Northern Tetons. 

Rocky Mountain Train Expedition

This 8-day expedition will take you into some of the most beautiful and lesser-traveled places in Rocky Mountain National Park. Your lodging will be at an Estes Park campground with nightly activities and even a concert. 

Special Needs Smoky Mountains

IN THE WORKS!  

Everyone should be able to enjoy our amazing national parks.  We are working to develop a special needs/accessible Smoky Mountain Expedition. Stay tuned!

Teacher Trek

IN THE WORKS!

Teachers are the most important part of a school. To help them incorporate place-based learning in schools, we will offer subsidized super cheap "At Cost Expedition each summer. Stay Tuned.

Trek with Us

Wild Trek Expeditions provides unique place-based educational and travel opportunities focusing primarily on nature trips and summer camps where students can learn, explore, and be kids in some incredible places. Our staff has many years of student travel experience and has run the largest trip program in the country, right here in Missouri. You can rest assured that your child will have a great time while you enjoy unbeatable comfort and communication during the entire process.  Our offerings will be ever-expanding to include local day trips to long-distance week-long experiences.  Wild Trek is a non-profit organization. Our trips are "at cost" with all money paid going towards our costs: lodging, transportation, food, supplies, and staffing. This along with out of the box creative thinking, keep our trips far below what you can find at other private student travel groups and cheaper than anything we can find anywhere.

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Melanie van Zyl |

the shimmering, sinuous path of the Magwegqana Channel

Take a safari with Wild Expeditions to experience (and help build) an alternative Africa

Jamie Thom |

outstanding locations immersed deep in nature

Our bush camps could be described as simple luxury and provide all necessary comforts and appropriate luxuries.

Situated either on the ground or on stilted decks within the tree canopy, the canvas constructions might be called tents but are somehow far more than that; they are pods that immerse you in the wilderness.

Our Expeditions

Our expeditions are designed to reach unique and otherwise difficult-to-access destinations at the optimal times for travel.

The mobile nature of these camps means that they are often miles from anywhere and can move on demand should local conditions change. This also means impact is light and temporary.

Where We Are

We crave remote, untouched, pristine environments far from the trappings of urbanisation and the developed world.

So, you’ll find us in or adjacent to national parks and other protected areas in some of the most interesting and rewarding destinations to travel to in Africa: Botswana, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Zimbabwe.

Explore with us

We love talking to past and future guests and helping plan trips of a lifetime, but we don’t take direct bookings.

Instead, we work with a wide network of specialist tour operators all around the world in order that our guests can liaise with someone in their own jurisdiction, time zone, culture and language to craft the perfect African expedition for them.

Contact us - We’d be happy to help design a trip and recommend a tour operator that is right for you.

© Wild Expeditions 2024

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Swede dreams are made of this: wild swimming and forest walks in West Sweden

Dissolving into nature is possible in West Sweden, where a new holiday concept offers low-impact stays that don’t compromise on Scandi style

A s I slip off the jetty into the chilly water of Lagmanshagasjön, the world loses all distinction. Low mist blurs everything; I can’t see where the lake ends and the sky begins. It is like breaststroking into a silvery infinity. I haven’t bothered with swimwear. Between the tannin-dark water and early morning brume, I can barely see myself, let alone be seen. And dissolving into nature feels delicious: wearing nothing and seeing nothing, I am feeling everything.

I eventually climb out (flashing an unsuspecting heron), dress quickly and walk back to my “room” – a dazzling cabin made of glass hidden among mossy mounds, blueberry bushes and pine trees. Before long, Katarina arrives with a basket of home-baked sourdough and local cheese. She leaves, and I eat in a silence so loud it seems to vibrate.

That’s partly because I’m well off the tourist trail in Västergötland (West Gotland). Though that may change with places to stay as lovely as this. I’m at Erikson Cottage , a fourth-generation family farm two hours east of Gothenburg . It is a perfect marriage of Swedish taste and sustainability, with three greenhouse-like cabins scattered around the grounds. It’s run by sisters Elisabeth and Katarina, and everything is just so: from the lovely linen to the hygge-ness of Elisabeth’s bakery-cafe – all fresh flowers, candlelight and coffee in handmade mugs.

But there’s substance to the style. The glasshouses are off-grid, and if lifted away would leave no trace. The site has solar panels and its own well. Food is mostly from local suppliers, the bread made with heritage grains. There’s an EV charging point and two nearby train stations from which guests can be picked up.

Activities on offer at the farm are low-impact, too. Guests can swim (naked or otherwise), kayak and paddleboard out on the lake, walk in the forest and learn to make pizza.

“But 90% of guests do nothing,” says Elisabeth. “They read, lie in bed, read some more. They enjoy slowing down.”

Which is, increasingly, what West Sweden is all about.

In 2021 West Sweden launched Stepping Up Sustainability, a tourism programme looking to minimise the industry’s environmental footprint. But it’s more than a nice green manifesto: West Sweden has put its morals where its money was. The tourist board has ceased marketing to North America and Asia, instead focusing on domestic and European travellers who don’t have to fly from far away. Or even fly at all (I travelled by train).

Then, last year, the region launched “climate smart holidays”, a tourism industry initiative working with a handful of low-carbon accommodation providers to create experience-rich itinerary ideas for exploring western Sweden. The places to stay are between 0.2kg and 1.5kg CO2-equivalent per person per night; the average Swedish hotel creates 6.8kg. (Erikson Cottage scores 0.3kg.) Which is all great, but could be boringly worthy if they weren’t also exceptional places.

I drive to Erikson Cottage in an electric car as part of a tour of several of West Sweden’s climate-smart spots. After a few days of green-chic forest living, I head north, into the land between two huge lakes, Vättern and Vänern, for something different.

Lugnåsberget Ekohotell is a guesthouse converted from a 19th-century farm on one of West Gothland’s hills. Indeed, I barely realise it is on a hill at all until Pia Åkesson, co-owner of the Ekohotell, takes me into its bowels.

The bedrock below the hotel – 1.5bn-year-old gneiss – is especially suitable for making millstones, which people have been doing here since the 12th century. I walk the Stonecutter’s Trail and find the scars of old quarries (about 600 were dug here) and millstones scattered like loose change.

Then Pia leads me into Minnesfjället, one of the area’s mines, now a small museum. She sweeps her torch across the floor: smooth round holes, like cookies cut from pastry, show where men had hacked out the stones using simple picks. Next, she raises her light to the ceiling: “Here you have the first life on Earth – animals that lived 540m years ago.”

We are essentially looking up at an ancient sea floor, left rippled by waves and flecked with fossils of brachiopods and trilobites. “The miners called them planets, moons and stars,” says Pia. They didn’t know, or care, how rare and extraordinary they were. They were too busy trying to extract a livelihood.

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This is what Pia and her partner Jesper Persson are doing. “There’s no tradition of B&Bs here,” Jesper says, back at the Ekohotell, over homemade cinnamon buns. “But we long dreamed of having a hostel, and we wanted to show people there are different ways of living.”

For this couple, sustainability isn’t a fad – it’s fundamental. Their solar panels generate more energy than the Ekohotell uses, and produce for the kitchen comes from the couple’s own smallholding or local farms. I plug my car into the on-site charger, but there’s a train station a few miles away, on the scenic Kinnekulle Line. Best of all, guests who stay here, exploring the surrounding biosphere reserve , are pumping money into this little-visited region.

My next stop is in Dalsland, a province between the west bank of Vänern lake and the Norwegian border. It is awash with lakes but has few people. Swedish Country Living , a stylish group of “hermitages” and holiday cottages, looks fresh from a photoshoot, which, as owners Marie and David Naraine previously worked in fashion, is perhaps no surprise. My cabin, the Slate House Hermitage, looks plucked from a fairytale: a little gingerbread home with smoke twirling from the chimney.

But it isn’t just good-looking. It was handmade using wood felled on site, recycled slate tiles and salvaged antique doors and windows, and insulated with wool from the Naraines’ sheep. The shower block runs on a circular system that takes water from the lake, purifies it after use, then pumps it back into the lake. Waste from the toilet becomes compost for the permaculture garden or feed for the apple trees.

David also used to be a chef, and his food – the lamb he rears, goodies from the veg patch – is delicious. There are pilgrim trails and nature reserves on the doorstep. And guests are free to use the lake as they choose.

One day I borrow a canoe. These waterways are sleepy now, the domain of ducks and reeds. So it’s hard to fathom that this was once a trade highway, part of the Dalsland Canal system, linking Lake Vänern with the North Sea. There are no other vessels in sight as I paddle over to uninhabited Björkon island, hauling ashore at the remains of an 18th-century shipyard.

I have the place to myself and spend a while exploring the ruins amid the toadflax and wild strawberries. I clamber through the overgrown dry dock where, a sign reveals, the 28-metre schooner Clara was constructed in 1867. And I sit on a stone slab – part of the old forge, maybe? – trying to imagine the hubbub when Clara set sail for the Black Sea.

Eventually I paddle back. I can see smoke coming from Swedish Country Living’s outdoor spa, the hot tub – hidden discreetly behind the reeds – being fired up for my return. But I am in no rush. I’ve slowed down to West Sweden speed.

The trip was provided by the West Sweden tourist board and Sustainable Journeys . Eri kson Cottage ’s 48-hour package is £ 563 (7,500 krona) for two , including breakfasts and dinner s. Doubles at Lugnåsberget Ekohotell from £1 19 for two nights. A two-night package at Swedish Country Living is £79 6 for two, full board . Sustainable Journeys offers a 14- day Low Carbon Grand Tour of West Sweden , staying at five climate-smart places and including EV hire , from around £1,92 0 pp. The author travelled from London to Gothenburg by train via Brussels, Cologne, Hamburg and Copenhagen; the journey time (with an overnight stay) is from 32 hour s

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“Refreshingly Mad”: 10 Facts About the First Pole-to-Pole Journey Around the World

I n August 1982, a ship rolled into Greenwich, London, bearing explorers who hadn’t been home in three years. They had been at the North Pole, the South Pole, and many places in between—covering some 52,000 miles overall and earning them the distinction of being the first people ever to circumnavigate Earth’s surface from pole to pole.

Find out how the Transglobe Expedition came to be, what it accomplished, and why then-Prince Charles had cause to call it “refreshingly mad.”

1. The Transglobe Expedition was Ginnie Fiennes’s idea.

In February 1972 , Lady Virginia “Ginnie” Fiennes proposed a seemingly harebrained scheme to her husband of 18 months, Sir Ranulph “Ran” Fiennes: a journey around the world—not latitudinally, as was the custom, but longitudinally, crossing through the Arctic and the Antarctic. 

The two, both still in their twenties , had no experience as polar explorers. But they were already pretty accomplished adventurers, with a joint résumé that included leading the first hovercraft trip up the Nile and the first overwater traverse of British Columbia. Once Ran warmed to his wife’s idea, they published a request for volunteers that read, in part, “No polar experience necessary. Hard work, great danger, and no pay. No guarantee of success or glory.”

Ginnie and Ran passed most of the ’70s assembling a team, securing funding, and becoming experts in their chosen roles. Ginnie would be base leader, which put her in charge of all communications to and from the explorers, the sponsors, and everyone else involved in the venture; she spent years mastering radio operations. Ran, as expedition leader, took prospective members of the land team on training missions in the UK’s mountainous regions and the Arctic . 

2. The journey spanned three years and five continents.

On September 2, 1979, the expedition set sail from Greenwich, London, in a 213-foot-long ship called the Benjamin Bowring (nicknamed the Benji Bee ). The land team stopped in Paris and then in Barcelona, where the Benji Bee picked them up and deposited them in Algeria . In late fall 1979 , after a trek across West Africa, they were taken by the Benji Bee for a brief stopover in Cape Town before charting a course to Antarctica.

They arrived on the coast in early 1980 and journeyed inland to overwinter near Ryvingen Peak . In late October , Ran and two companions—Charles Burton and Oliver Shepard—set off for the South Pole on snowmobiles while Ginnie stayed at the base to run communications. The trio reached the Pole on December 15 and headed east across the continent, reaching New Zealand’s Scott Base about a month later. The next several legs of the journey were mostly via the Benji Bee : Auckland to Sydney to Los Angeles to Vancouver to Alaska’s Yukon Delta by June 1981.

Ran and Burton started up the Yukon River in inflatable boats and soon switched to an 18-foot-long whaleboat (procured, as always, by Ginnie), which they guided through the Northwest Passage. They then swapped that for snowmobiles to take them partway to the North Pole; eventually, they abandoned the machines to hike on foot, dragging their sledges of supplies behind them. The pair reached the North Pole on April 10, 1982.

The penultimate segment of the expedition was mostly a waiting game for Ran and Burton, who spent more than three months drifting on an ice floe as the Benji Bee slowly battled its way to them from the Arctic island of Spitsbergen. The two parties reunited early on August 4 ; and on August 29 , the Benji Bee sailed into Greenwich—completing the Transglobe Expedition and making history in more ways than one.

3. It combined some of polar exploration’s biggest feats.

The Transglobe Expedition earned the Guinness World Record for the first surface circumnavigation via both geographical poles. In other words, its participants had completed a trip around the world, hitting the North and South Poles, by land and sea only; they didn’t fly at all (though planes were hugely necessary in delivering supplies to them along the way).

It was also a grand amalgamation of the greatest landmark moments in the history of polar exploration. They reached the South Pole, which Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen had first done in 1911 (beating Robert Falcon Scott of England by mere weeks). They journeyed across Antarctica, which Ernest Shackleton had famously failed to do in 1914 and Vivian Fuchs had accomplished in 1958. They sailed the Northwest Passage, which Amundsen had first done in 1906 (and which many people, including everyone on the Franklin expedition , had died trying to do before him). And they hit the North Pole —such a tantalizing moving target that we’re still not really sure which early 20th-century explorer got there first.

And even when the Transglobe adventurers weren’t covering new territory, they were often still doing it in groundbreaking ways—or just faster. They were the first people to traverse the Northwest Passage from west to east in an open boat, for example; and they crossed Antarctica in 67 days , beating Fuchs’s record by weeks.

4. Then-Prince Charles was the expedition’s royal patron.

The explorers had a powerful ally in then-Prince Charles , who served as the expedition’s royal patron. “It is an extraordinary adventure, and, in my opinion, gloriously and refreshingly mad,” Charles said before it began. In addition to seeing them off at Greenwich, Charles also met them in Sydney and later hopped aboard the Benji Bee on the River Thames to sail into Greenwich with the explorers at the very end of the expedition.

They also had at least 1000 sponsors who donated everything the participants required, from clothing to the Benji Bee itself. Because the Fienneses had no budget for their adventure, they had a strict rule against accepting anything that wasn’t free. That included labor: Nobody involved in the expedition got paid for their work. Still, the explorers did rack up a debt of £106,000—about $135,000, which amounts to roughly $439,000 today when adjusted for inflation—during the journey. They partially repaid it with the advance on Ran’s memoir, To the Ends of the Earth , as well as by “selling wall charts, T-shirts, pamphlets and left-over equipment,” he wrote .

5. The Transglobe explorers brought cricket to the South Pole … 

One of the expedition’s lesser firsts involved cricket. When Ran, Burton, and Shepard arrived at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in December 1981, Ran wrote that they were greeted by “friendly and hospitable” American scientists who shared meals with the newcomers “in exchange for washing up dishes and cleaning the canteen.” The two groups also faced off in the first cricket match ever played at the South Pole. The Brits won.

It wasn’t the last time the South Pole was the site of a cricket match. On January 17, 2012, another group of British visitors played cricket against an international team of researchers at the same base to mark the 100th anniversary of Scott’s arrival at the South Pole. The Brits won that match, too.

6. … And came face to face with polar bears near the North Pole.

During the months they spent camped out on an Arctic ice floe, Ran and Burton weathered a number of close calls with polar bears , which they did their best to frighten off by banging pots together and sometimes firing their guns. In one haunting face-off with a bear who refused to be cowed by the noise, Ran actually did shoot the animal in its foreleg. It stopped in its tracks and shuffled off into the water, with “no sign of a limp” despite all the blood, Ran wrote in To the Ends of the Earth .

The frequency of the polar bears’ visits called for constant vigilance that sometimes bordered on paranoia. Once, Ran recalled , “I heard a rhythmic scuffling that I was certain must be a bear. It turned out to be the sound of my heartbeat against the canvas earflaps of my nightcap!”

7. A fire at their Arctic basecamp threatened the mission.

Polar bears were far from the only threat to the success of the expedition. As Ran and Burton were trudging toward the North Pole, a massive fire—whose cause remains a mystery—broke out in the garage back at Alert, their basecamp in Nunavut, Canada. Ginnie reached it first and watched with a few other Transglobe volunteers as eight gasoline drums inside the garage exploded . Gone were all the supplies, including snowmobiles, that a plane was meant to ferry to Ran and Burton during their trek north.

Ginnie transmitted the news to Ran and Burton and encouraged them to press on, which they did, while she scrambled to procure replacement supplies for them, which she did. The disaster wasn’t without a silver lining, though: Now that the expedition seemed like it could fail, the whole world suddenly started paying attention to it. As Ran wrote , “after the night of the fire nearly every action that we took, and one or two that we didn’t, became news from London to Sydney, from Cape Town to Vancouver.”

8. The expedition earned Ginnie the first Polar Medal ever given to a woman. 

In 1987, Queen Elizabeth II awarded the UK’s prestigious Polar Medal to Ran, Ginnie, and Burton—making Ginnie the first woman to ever receive it. Two years earlier, she’d been the first woman ever granted membership to the Antarctic Club, an exclusive UK-based dining club [ PDF ].

9. The expedition’s canine sidekick set a world record.

Ginnie’s Jack Russell terrier , Bothie, who kept her company through the long, cold months running communications in the Arctic and Antarctic, earned an honor of his own: an entry in 1984’s The Guinness Book of Pet Records as “the only dog to have visited both the North and South Poles.” (He reached both spots by plane.) The Fienneses also co-authored a book all about his adventures entitled Bothie the Polar Dog .

At the North Pole, Bothie wasted no time in peeing at the base of the flagpole that bore the Union Jack, “which we were not entirely happy about,” Ran wrote in the book. “Since there were no other vertical objects in the vicinity he was forgiven.”

10. It gets a shout-out in Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher .

In episode 6 of Mike Flanagan’s horror miniseries The Fall of the House of Usher , viewers learn a little about the backstory of Arthur Gordon Pym , the Usher family’s steely lawyer (played by Mark Hamill). According to patriarch Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), Pym was a member of the Transglobe Expedition who reached the North Pole, where he allegedly discovered that the Earth was hollow—and harboring a hidden “realm of beings who lived beneath us out of time and out of space.” Ran Fiennes has never mentioned that.

This article was originally published on mentalfloss.com as “Refreshingly Mad”: 10 Facts About the First Pole-to-Pole Journey Around the World .

• Nov 19, 2020

California’s Wild Turkeys

Written by EPIC Intern, Clary Greacen Montagne

Brightly colored “Toms” or male turkeys are recognizable by their tail fans and facial wattles. Photo: October Greenfield

The wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, is an instantly-recognizable game bird closely associated with the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States. This species has inhabited North America for over 11 million years, since the end of the Pleistocene era, or Ice Age. Wild turkeys have held a cultural role for peoples across the continent far before the first Thanksgiving celebration. Turkeys were revered in ancient Aztec civilizations as the manifestation of the trickster god Tezcatlipoca, and their feathers were used for spiritual practices and to adorn jewelry and clothing. The Navajo people may have been among the first people to domesticate wild turkeys, and they remained an important food source across North America throughout history. 

Prior to European colonization of North America, more than ten million wild turkeys roamed the continent, but by the turn of the twentieth century, wild turkeys were at the brink of extinction. Four hundred years of westward expansion and the overhunting, deforestation, and resource extraction that came with it left the population decimated. Today, due to conservation and reintroduction efforts, wild turkeys populations have rebounded to around seven million, and they inhabit about 18% of the state of California. While this successful reintroduction has often been deemed a conservation success story, there is debate over their place in California’s ecosystems. 

National symbol: bald eagle or wild turkey? In 1776, Benjamin Franklin proposed the wild turkey as a national symbol, considering the proud, adaptable turkey to be more respectable and noble than the bald eagle, which often steals food or feasts on carrion. In the end, the bald eagle won out. Photo: Chris Stevenson

There are six distinct subspecies of Meleagris gallopovo; the eastern wild turkey, Florida wild turkey, Gould’s wild turkey, Merriam’s wild turkey, Rio Grande turkey, and Mexican wild turkey. The Rio Grande subspecies is the most widespread and is not native to California. Bones from a species of wild turkey once native to California, Meleagris californica, have been found in the La Brea tar pits in southern California, but this species has been extinct for thousands of years. From the 1950s through the end of the twentieth century, the California Fish and Game Commission (now the California Department of Fish and Wildlife,) imported thousands of non-native Rio Grande wild turkeys to California, releasing them in over 200 locations throughout the state. The turkeys quickly adapted and can now be found living everywhere from oak savannas to the Sacramento suburbs. 

With well-established populations, wild turkeys remain a highly valued upland game bird, but they may be having a negative impact upon California ecosystems. The California State Department of Parks and Recreation in 2007 identified wild turkeys as having the following potential negative impacts: competition with native ground-dwelling bird species, contribution to the spread of the sudden oak death disease, and consumption of endangered reptiles and amphibians. Wild turkeys are generalist feeders, meaning they eat a variety of plants, seeds, and small animals, creating competition for a variety of native species. A short-term study conducted in 2001 at a reserve in Sonoma County showed that turkeys directly caused an increase in soil disturbance and a decrease in terrestrial herbivores, decomposers, and invertebrates fundamental to the ecosystem. More research and long-term studies of wild turkeys in California are needed to fully understand their effects upon the environment, but interest and funding are both scarce. 

For now, population management falls to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which encourages hunting of wild turkeys where safe and legal. Currently, wild turkey populations are not increasing at a rate to elicit major environmental concerns, but overpopulation could become an issue in the future.

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Scientists went on a hunt for the elusive colossal squid — and brought cruise ship tourists with them

• Kolossal hopes to film a colossal squid in its natural habitat, the waters around Antarctica.
• The squid is large but elusive and difficult to study since it lives thousands of feet underwater.
• Using Antarctic tourist boats made searching for the squid far more cost-effective.

Over the course of four trips, tourists on an Antarctic cruise ship watched researchers lower a camera into the frigid, icy waters of the Southern Ocean. They had the same question every day: "Did you find it yet?"

The scientists were searching for the colossal squid, an evasive cephalopod that can weigh 1,100 pounds. Though fishing boats have found a handful of complete and partial specimens, researchers have had difficulty finding one in the wild.

Matthew Mulrennan hopes to change that with Kolossal, the nonprofit he founded to film a colossal squid in its natural habitat. The goal is to learn basic information about the sea animal , like how it hunts and looks in different life stages.

"I always like to say that it's an oversize poster species for how little we know about the ocean and how little we've explored it," he told Business Insider.

In 2022 and 2023, Mulrennan assembled a team of scientists to attempt to get footage of the squid aboard the Antarctic tourist cruises. Though he estimates the endeavors cost $500,000 in total, it was far cheaper than hiring a research vessel.

The cruise ship holds 200 passengers, each paying upwards of $6,720. While they expected lectures from geologists, marine biologists, and other experts, they didn't necessarily know there would be a full research station aboard.

The team's underwater camera filmed dozens of Antarctic species, including one squid resembling a young colossal.

The enigmatic colossal squid

Measuring about 46 feet with its tentacles spread out, the colossal squid is nevertheless hard to spot.

Adults live over 3,000 feet deep in the waters around Antarctica, putting them beyond the reach of even the most skilled technical divers. Submersible vehicles may scare them off.

Many of the known specimens were found in the stomach of sperm whales, whose diets may be 77 percent colossal squid. Only 12 complete specimens have been found, according to a 2015 study .

"There isn't that much that's known about it because it's so elusive," according to Myrah Graham, a master's student at Memorial University's Marine Institute who accompanied Mulrennan on one of the expeditions.

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They're also difficult to preserve for long-term study, and so a lot of the fundamentals about them aren't known, including how old they get, details of their reproduction , and the population size, Graham said.

"The bottom line is we just need to film it, and we can learn a lot off of just brief interactions," he said.

Combining science and tourism

Mulrennan first became interested in colossal squids in 2007 when he was studying abroad at the University of Auckland. Researchers dissected what he called a "monster specimen" captured by a fishing vessel.

Though Mulrennan wasn't involved in the dissection, he was hooked on learning more about the sea animal. In 2015, he made a goal to film the colossal squid within 10 years.

Chartering research vessels can cost tens of thousands of dollars a day. Similar expeditions have cost as much as $8 million, Mulrennan said.

Eventually, Mulrennan hit on the idea of getting on Intrepid Travel's Ocean Endeavor, a cruise ship that would already be traveling to Antarctica .

Once aboard, curious cruise-goers would stop by and watch brittle stars and other deep-sea life captured by an underwater camera . The passengers started referring to the researchers as the "squid heads," Mulrennan said.

"You're getting this kind of privileged access immediately on board, Graham said. "One of the comments I got the most was, 'Oh, I wish I had gone to school for marine biology .'"

In order to accommodate the cruise passengers' itineraries of seeing penguins and seals — what Mulrennan called "air-breathing cuties" — the researchers had to pull all-nighters when the ship was in the deep ocean .

Sometimes the passengers would complain about the smelly toothfish bait the scientists used to lure the squid. The researchers had to be flexible about lowering the underwater camera, especially when the waves churned ice nearby.

Once, the researchers had to take down their whole research station so passengers could use the nearby door for a polar plunge.

"You get 150 half-naked guests walking out doing vodka shots in your research station," Mulrennan said. "It's like bizarre stuff that can't happen on a normal vessel."

The future of the colossal squid search

During 58 days at sea, Kolossal's camera captured over 80 marine species , including giant volcano sponges, dragonfish, icefish, Antarctic sun stars, and — maybe — a colossal squid.

"We're not claiming this is the colossal squid, but it's also not not a colossal squid," Mulrennan said of footage of a translucent squid that the camera filmed.

Based on assessments of experts who have seen the footage, it's impossible to tell whether the animal is a young colossal squid or a full-grown glass squid.

Graham said she thinks it shows they're on the right track.

Mulrennan hopes to return to Antarctica during the next season, just in time for his self-imposed deadline of finding the colossal squid by 2025.

"We're closing in on a hundred years of our interaction with the species," Mulrennan said, "and we still know so little about it."

Watch: Dumbo octopus 'wows' researchers during deep-sea expedition

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