A week in Northern Spitsbergen in search of pack ice and polar bears. by Ian Collier
A few years ago, I wrote a short piece about how much I enjoyed my 2 day ‘digital detox’ aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train in the wilds of British Colombia. Disconnected from phone and internet does provide an increasingly rare opportunity to focus entirely on your surroundings and so a… Learn more
A Circumnavigation of Iceland in Springtime by Ian Collier
Keflavik Airport in Iceland has come a long way since I first passed through it twenty years ago. It’s certainly a lot bigger and grander than I had remembered, which is perhaps explained by the recent incredible increase in popularity of this tiny island nation for overseas visitors. Iceland is… Learn more
My Windstar Spirit Cruise – Dreams of Tahiti
“I’m not really a water baby, I wonder whether I will enjoy this…” were my initial thoughts when I first considered the opportunity of sailing around the Tahitian islands in a small cruise ship. “This trip may be wasted on you then, Monica” was the response I got from my… Learn more
Cruising the Greek Islands by Peter Dunne
Having not visited Greece since 1987 it was probably time for me to go back, and what better way to visit Greece than on a small ship cruise. The MS Galileo departs every Saturday from Pireaus for the Jewel of the Cyclades cruise, a great itinerary taking in Poros, Folegandros,… Learn more
Cruising the Galapagos Islands by Ian Collier
In October 2012, I visited one of the world’s outstanding wildlife sanctuaries, cruising for 4 nights aboard the luxury 48 passenger yacht La Pinta in the Central and Northern Galapagos Islands. Wow, what an extraordinary experience! I’ve been fortunate to witness wildlife in Africa, the Antarctic and Arctic and I’d… Learn more
Small Ship Expedition Cruising by Juliet Davis
Expedition cruising is about getting off the beaten track, out of the way of other ships and other visitors. You may not be far from civilisation but you will often be out of sight of it. This will often be via a fleet of on board Zodiac landing craft which… Learn more
Amazon Lodge Stay by Discover Travel
Stay at an Amazon Lodge In April this year I visited the Ecuadorian Amazon for a 3 night stay in a lodge. Getting there was a bit of an adventure and it started with a 40 minute flight from Quito to Coca that gave great views of the Andes as… Learn more
Snorkeling with turtles in the Galapagos! by Discover Travel
Being a huge fan of wildlife viewing, the Galapagos has been high on my wish list for many years. I finally got there this April and have to say it is a truly amazing experience, second only to being on safari in Africa. The snorkelling experiences were utterly outstanding! I… Learn more
Small Ship Cruise of Alaska’s Inside Passage by Discover Travel
This was our favourite highlight of our six week Canada & Alaska trip. Our small ship (just 8 guests) was based within the Inside Passage and essentially every day we had 2 activities – usually a hike, a kayak or fishing. The hikes were absolutely beautiful and remote and the… Learn more
Back to the ‘ice’ in Shackleton’s footsteps by Ian Collier
For me, it’s the deep blue colour of the ice that draws me back, and the overwhelming sense of humility that you feel when confronted with the enormity of the continent. It’s a cliché, but it really is ‘the trip of a lifetime’ and once you’ve been, you’ll come back… Learn more
Polar Bears in Spitsbergen by Peter Dunne
I joined Peregrine Adventures on a 10 night journey from Longyerbyen return aboard the Akademik Sergei Vavilov with 64 other passengers. We explored incredible terrain and I have to say this is a fantastic way to see some incredible wildlife in their natural habitat. We have just had 2 of… Learn more
Cruising the Canadian Arctic and Greenland by Ian Collier
In 2005, I was fortunate to join an expedition cruise aboard the Akademik Ioffe from Churchill in Manitoba for 12 days, through Hudson Bay and across the Davis Strait to the fabled ‘iceberg’ alley of Illulisat in Western Greenland. It remains one of my most treasured travelling experiences, starting even… Learn more
