A few weeks ago we asked you, our clients, to share your wonderlands. These are those destinations your memory wanders away to during quiet moments. The places you have explored that will stay with you for ever.
The quotes we received were fascinating and inspiring. The perfect antidote to a time when travel seemed far beyond the horizon. Take a look below and discover those poignant experiences.
South Africa
by Susan Young
“From the weaver birds to sunsets over vast African skies. The amazing array of animals and creatures makes South Africa my Wonderland.”
Falkland Islands
by Erika Lindsay
“Bleak, windswept but surpassed by beauty and magic. This best sums up the Falklands for me. A privilege to wander the islands amongst hundreds and thousands of penguins and other birds. A touch of the surreal too, landing on a plane from far away and catching sight of a touch of home as we landed in the British military base. A place of warm hospitality and history. We hope to return again one day.”
Galapagos Islands
by Fiona Ryder
“I never imagined being lucky enough to see so much wildlife in one holiday. Chartering our own boat in the Galapagos with our friends was the perfect way to explore but at our own pace. And underwater, well, a whole other world to explore. John, as you know, is a keen diver and was ecstatic after diving with whale sharks, hammerheads, rays, sea lions, marine iguanas and even penguins to name a few. He still shares the photos and stories with friends now!”
Antarctica
by John McKenzie
“Sue booked two of us on ‘Polar Pioneer’ – the last season before the ‘Greg Mortimer’ was taking over for Aurora Exp. but it was what my friend Neil and I wanted because it was only 54 passengers, crossed into the Antarctic Circle and allowed everyone to land. Saw Adélie, Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins, Crab Eating Seals, Sea Elephants, Albatrosses, Skuas, Giant Petrels plus Fin and (very impressive) Humpback Whales. But my abiding memory was watching a Seal Leopard showing off for ages… swimming sinuously and sinisterly. I was in a Zodiac with the guides – all of us in ecstasy! I particularly loved crossing the Drake Passage (really rough and stormy) and landing on Cape Horn! As well as landing on Detaille Island – a disused British Antarctica Survey base now a museum of sorts… We went on to Easter Island afterwards (another story). Next on the list: Svalbard.”
Kenya
by Annie Williams
“Exploring Kenya with the children was incredible. At a young age, they were able to see how important and interconnected the wildlife, community and us as travellers really are in just one holiday. We experienced Ol Pejeta’s lion-tracking program, visited the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and saw the northern white rhino enclosure too. Of course, they also loved the bush school mornings and mountain biking and horse riding too!”
India
by Rita Donald
“The sheer, quiet exhilaration of seeing a tiger in India. Nothing has come close to it. Our naturalist created quite the atmosphere for us and we felt like being in a natural history documentary! Kanha is a truly magical place and in the evenings the light seemed to just make it glow.”
Myanmar
by James Chatham
“Life really slowed down for us when we were in Myanmar. It was exactly what we needed, perhaps somewhat similar to lockdown recently. Staying at Inle Lake allowed us to just see local life pass us by and appreciate other peoples’ normal routines. In particular, the Inle Lake leg rowers were incredibly fascinating to watch. Their iconic one-legged stance allows them to wrap one leg around the oar to guide their boat while keeping both hands free to cast their conical net into the water – magical to see the ease of their execution!”
Namibia
by Neelam Patil
“There are few places as surreal as Sonop in Namibia and despite seeing the images and reading up about the region I was still quite taken aback. The tents are all set atop giant boulders and every morning I woke up to the vast panorama of the Namib desert, my eyes always drawn and never bored of that perfectly shaped volcanic cone.”
Chile
by Geoffrey Wright
“Desolate but so vibrant, the Atacama Desert in Chile is to this day one of our favourite regions to explore. From the shimmering salt flats to the magnificent geysers and starry nights, if we could we would both truly love to visit again.”
Turkey
by Thomas Linden
“Exploring the Aegean Coast of Greece and Turkey by boat was undeniably one of our best family holidays! I loved the historic sites of the Bodrum Peninsula and the kids loved the watersports and getting to know the Captain and crew – not to mention the incredible food!”
Sri Lanka
by Sue Bennett
“You really get to see a country when travelling by train and I am so glad that Kate organised that for us. It didn’t disappoint. Every moment was like a window into the beautiful landscape and culture that created such a soft spot in my heart for Sri Lanka.”
Uzbekistan
by James Ingham
“Travelling the Silk Road made Margaret and I feel like explorers once more. Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan was a particular highlight, not just because of its importance as a centre for silk production but for the wonderful landscapes, its people and their nomadic culture, and also the bazaars!”
Canada
by Diana Fenton
“The Great Bear Rainforest in Canada has been on our wishlist for years! Where better to see grizzly bears? Kayaking and hiking old trails kept us both quite busy and eager to see more wildlife every day. We didn’t manage to see the elusive spirit bear unfortunately, perhaps an excuse to go back?”
Thank you to our clients for getting in touch and reminiscing with us. If you would like to share your wonderlands with us please email [email protected].
