cloud 9 | travel magazine | march 2013

1 Talk to the experts ✆ 01737 218 812

cloud 9Inspiration for unforgettable holidays | March 2013

ICELAND • POLAR • AUSTRALIA • SWEDEN • NEW ZEALAND • CANADA • FINLAND • ALASKA • NORWAY

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inside3 WINDOW SEAT Don’t worry if you missed the northern lights — the forecast is just as bright for the end of 2013

4 IcElAND From 3 nights to 49, we’ve got Europe’s best self-drive destination covered

6 GREAT ADVENTURES Take action in our pick of the 9 best adventures, from Alaska to Tasmania

8 GREENlAND Explore the fertile fringes of this spectacular island: a summer treat of hiking, boat trips and culture

10 NZ SOUTH ISlAND A guide to our unique ‘module’ approach to ‘travel less, see more’

12 NORWEGIAN FJORDS We’ve developed the perfect weeklong self-drive itinerary. Click it and see

interactiveHow to get the most from this digital edition of Cloud 9

Seeing red? Give it a click or a tap to explore more. Throughout Cloud 9 you’ll find links to our website, pop-up image galleries and further info panels, video clips and opportunities to enter competitions and share with friends.

William Gray, Editor

A fter last year’s wet summer in the UK, followed by a winter that outstayed its welcome, it’s probably fair to say that we all deserve a holiday! This

issue of Cloud 9 is full of ideas for great escapes between May and September, including no less than 24 self-drive itineraries in Iceland (which, incidentally, had far better weather than we did last year). This is also a wonderful time of year for exploring the Norwegian Fjords on a relaxed self-drive holiday. If you fancy something more adventurous, though, nothing will give you a warmer glow of satisfaction than a summer hiking trip in Greenland...

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See the aurora from Iceland’s new Hotel ION

Book your place on selected Antarctic Peninsula Fly-In voyages now and receive a FREE three-night extension to Chile’s spectacular Atacama Desert! Combine a visit to see the glaciers, icebergs and penguins of Antarctica with the geysers, salt flats and flamingoes of Atacama: two of the world’s wildest wonders.

8 discover-cloud9.co.uk 3 Subscribe to Cloud 9 and our e-newsZ

The show goes on as NASA predicts a ‘double peak’ for the northern lights

aurora encore

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Just when we all thought we’d had more than our fair share of glorious aurora borealis sightings, those lovely people at NASA are now predicting a second helping.

According to scientists, “It seems likely that the end of 2013 could be a lot livelier than the beginning”, with another solar max (the activity that

fuels the aurora) forecast for 2015.

Such is the expected demand for northern lights holidays that Discover the World has launched its programme of 2013/14 trips early.

Click here to see our range of northern

lights holidays

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FREE! Trip to Atacama

Click here to find out more about this

exclusive offer

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Some countries are simply crying out for a self-drive holiday. Empty roads, epic landscapes, intriguing routes

and come-and-get-me horizons all conspire to form the perfect road trip. But if we had to pick our ‘Bugatti Veyron’ of self-drive destinations, it would be hard not to put Iceland in pole position.

You only have to look at a map of Iceland to feel your pulse start revving. Not only has it got a ring road (so you can drive full circle), but it’s riddled with shorter circuits and — for those who like more of a challenge — some spectacular 4WD routes into the interior.

Prime time for Iceland self-drives is June-August, but availability goes fast during this peak season, so start planning now!

Don’t forget that May and September are also perfect months for hitting the road. May has long hours of daylight, wild flowers and bustling seabird colonies, while in September the highland tracks are usually still open and you can enjoy breathtaking autumn colours and even a possibility of spotting the northern lights.

drive of your life

Start planning: Click any of our 24 self-drive itineraries to find out more

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about our Iceland self-drive holidays

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From a three-night short break to a 50-day odyssey, Discover the World is King of the Road when it comes to Iceland self-drives


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West Iceland Escape Reykjavik Explorer

Romantic Retreat

Southern Explorer Arctic Edge

East Fjords Retreat

Essential Iceland Iceland Connoisseur

Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Northern Highlights

Southern Highlights

The Icelandic Way

Birding in Iceland

Volcano Explorer: Fire, Ice & Adventure

Best of the West

National Parks & Natural Wonders

Family Highland Adventure

Natural Iceland Farmstays

4WD Adventure

Fly, Drive & Hike

Around Iceland

Wild Iceland

Iceland Odyssey Around Iceland in 50 Days

2 Rimu Adventure, New Zealand

This all-action 14-day group adventure includes snorkelling with seals, sea kayaking, mountain biking and spectacular South Island hikes.

6 Yukon Explorer, Canada

Few self-drives are more epic than this eight-night sojourn through Gold Rush country and north towards the Arctic along the Dempster Highway.

1 Iceland: Activities from Reykjavík Welcome to Iceland: Europe’s ultimate adventure

playground. Imagine diving in the crystal clear waters of the Silfra fissure between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Or shooting the rapids on the Hvita River. How about a spot of glacier hiking, quad biking, snowmobiling or caving? These, and many other adventures, can easily be included in any of our Iceland tailor-made holidays.

GREAT ADVENTURES

9 OF THE BEST


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3 Natural Wonders, Alaska

Bushplane flights, glacier cruises and rainforest hikes get you to the heart of Alaska’s magnificent national parks on this two-week adventure.

8 Sea kayaking, Arctic & Antarctica

Paddling at the poles is an amazing experience, drifting past icebergs and getting eye-to-eye with wildlife. Try it on one of our polar voyages.

5 Adventure Week, Finland

Explore Finnish Lapland during summer when you will get the chance to ride quad bikes through taiga forest and canoe across pristine lakes.

7 Wilderness Husky Adventure, Sweden

Mush your own team of huskies through the Lapland wilderness, sleep in a rustic lodge, and snowmobile to the ICEHOTEL for a night.

4 Family Highland Adventure, Iceland

This fabulous 11-night self drive is an adventure in itself, but you can add lots of activities to spice it up further – from horse riding to glacier hiking.

9 Tasmania’s Forgotten Coast

Immerse yourself in Tassie’s wilderness on this 10-day small-group tour, delving into Cradle Mountain, Freycinet and the little-visited Tarkine.

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g r e e n l a n da perfect summer’s day in

Our boat weaved through the iceberg-strewn fjord, its wake chuckling

among the silent hulks of cerulean-blue ice. The sun was warm on my face; our jackets lay discarded on deck. It was another beautiful summer’s day in East Greenland, a dazzling, gas-flame sky and the mountains vivid and inviting. We stepped ashore at a secluded cove fringed by rippling green pasture. Snow buntings fussed along the shore, while a raven croaked hoarsely from the slopes above. We began walking along a trail blushed with pink swathes of willowherb. As we climbed higher, the fjord receded below us — a wedge of sun-spangled water flecked with ice. Then we crested a ridge and neither the coastal vista nor the carpet of gentians at our feet could detract from the view inland: a wild mêlée of glacier and mountain, the Greenland icecap glinting in the distance.

Click on the map circles to explore

Greenland

May to September is an ideal time to visit Greenland, hiking the fjords and mountains of the east, or exploring the south and west

Tasiilaq & Ammassalik

Island

Ilulissat & Disko Bay

Nasarsuaq: gateway to Qaqortuoq


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East Hiking in East Greenland Departing 5 July 2013, this nine-night guided hiking trip features breathtaking day walks, returning each evening to comfortable hotels. You’ll walk to stupendous viewpoints and get to know the rich tapestry of arctic flora. An iceberg cruise is included, as well as two incredible helicopter flights. Independent tours can also be arranged in this region of Greenland.

South South Greenland Explorer Narsarsuaq offers a fascinating insight into one of the world’s most isolated communities. It’s also a great base from which to explore nearby fjords and mountains and visit the Viking ruins of Eric the Red’s farm. This six-night holiday also features Qaqortoq where optional activities include day hikes and a boat trip to the inland icecap.

West Essential West Greenland Famed for its icebergs (continually shed from the 5km-wide face of the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier), the World Heritage Site of Disko Bay is the star of this five-night holiday based in Ilulissat. As well as boat trips in the bay (including midnight sun cruises), you can join a whale safari, take a helicopter flight to the icecap and visit a traditional hunter’s camp.

Sea Greenland Explorer Discover the World offers Greenland voyages lasting from seven to 14 nights. The two-week Greenland Explorer embarks from Kangerlussuaq for a spectacular voyage along the island’s west, south and east coasts.

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up to 20% on

Greenland voyages.

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An alternative to touring, Discover the World’s new modules offer a more relaxed, in-depth way to experience New Zealand’s highlights

travel less • see moreNew ZealaNd modules

In the previous cloud 9, we explored North Island’s modules, savouring highlights from Northland to Wellington. Not

surprisingly, South Island is just as rich in travel hotspots — each one deserving far more than a flying visit.

On the page opposite you’ll find all eight of Discover the World’s South Island modules, each one comprising an in-depth, six-day itinerary, plus suggestions for four-day extensions.

Q It’s tempting to squeeze

too much into a New Zealand holiday. You fly all that way and feel almost obliged to cajole as much into your itinerary as possible. Click here to read William Gray’s report on a region of South Island that’s definitely worth lingering over.

Click on the circles to explore

each module

Wanaka & the Southern Lakes

Fiordland & Te Anau

Queenstown & the Southern Lakes

Lake Moeraki & the West

Coast

Christchurch & Canterbury

Dunedin & Coastal

Otago

Kaikoura

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Opposite: Southern Alps; this page: Kepler Track, Fiordland

NZmodules how they work

1 Take your pick from a selection of five-night modules in key regions of New Zealand. *Lake Moeraki is four nights.

2 If you like, add three-night extensions in other regions or bolt on additional five-night modules to tailormake your ideal holiday.

3 Choose your accommodation from deluxe/luxury lodge, boutique B&B or standard/superior hotel.

4 A range of excursions showcasing the best of each region are included in each module.

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At a glance: Norwegian Fjord Highlights Self-DriveDay 1 Fly London to BergenDay 2 Drive from Bergen to Lofthus along the shores of hardangerfjord and SorfjordenDay 3 Explore around LofthusDay 4 Drive from Lofthus to Flam, via lakeside Voss

Day 5 Ride the Flam railway, and travel by car and ferry to Balestrand on SognefjordDay 6 hike the mountains or take a boat trip at Balestrand Day 7 Drive to BergenDay 8 Fly Bergen to London

FJORD Discover the World’s summer self-drive holidays allow you to explore Norway’s dramatic mountains and coastal inlets at your own pace

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Click here for more details


on the red circles to explore our Norwegian Fjord Highlights itinerary

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Bergen

Lofthus

Eidfjord

Voss

Flam

Balestrand

Hardangerfjord

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Discover the World LtdArctic house, 8 Bolters Lane, Banstead, Surrey SM7 2ARwww.discover-the-world.co.uk Email [email protected] Fax +44 (0) 1737 362 341 Twitter @DTW_Holidays


cloud 9In the next issue:Polar: North v SouthWalking & hikingNorthern lights holidaysIceland

Writing & design William Gray | www.william-gray.co.uk

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cloud 9 | travel magazine | march 2013

Documents

selfdrive itineraries

relaxed selfdrive holiday

issue of cloud

digital edition of cloud

aurora forecast

summer hiking trip

summer treat of hiking

spectacular island