True Travel Times: 1st Edition

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH AFRICA’S GUIDES

TRAVEL TIMES

A MYSTICAL EXPLORATION OF BHUTAN

THE BEST EXPERIENCES IN THE UK & IRELAND

THE GODFATHER OF CONSERVATION

An exclusive interview with Tony Fitzjohn OBE

WHEN TONY FITZJOHN was 23 years old, he set off for Africa. Back then, the young Londoner had no plans beyond tracking down an aunt of his (‘the only relation I ever liked’) in Cape Town, but he knew he was heading in the right direction. ‘I had a childhood dream of running around Africa and playing Tarzan,’ he explains. ‘So I decided, I’m going to go to Africa and live this life I always wanted to lead. I worked as a long-distance truck driver, then ended up hitchhiking through the continent, and got to Kenya. It was everything in my imagination, in my dreams.’

Almost five decades on, Fitzjohn, now 75, is still living in the continent of his dreams. Ever since he pitched up in Kenya in 1971, he has worked rehabilitating animals

and reintroducing them back into the wild. He spent 18 years at Kora, a lion camp run by George Adamson, whose wife Joy Adamson wrote Born Free about their experiences, before spending the next 31 years in Tanzania. There he transformed Mkomazi, a derelict game reserve, into a now-thriving national park with two black rhino sanctuaries and a thriving wild dog programme. In 2006 he received an OBE for his work and has been the subject of the film To Walk With Lions. It’s no surprise he is often labelled the godfather of conservation.

‘Don’t make a hero out of me,’ he protests, when speaking to True Travel. ‘I love it and I can’t do anything else. I think I’ve always done a lot in life because people have always believed in me before I believed in myself.’

One of those people was George Adamson. Fitzjohn heard through his wife Joy that Adamson was looking for help because his previous assistant had just been killed by a lion. ‘I thought it sounded great; I was full of testosterone and madness.’ After a week at Kora, Adamson asked him how long he thought he’d stay for, assuming he’d stay a few months. Fitzjohn replied, ‘10 or 12 years?’

In the end he spent 18 years with Adamson, during which time they reintroduced 30 lions and over 10 leopards successfully

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

THE GOOD NEWS PAPER

AFTER THIS ROLLERCOASTER of a year, we’re ending on a high and bringing you a collection of good news stories and uplifting updates from our partners around the globe. Let’s keep dreaming, keep planning trips, and stay connected with the world.

Uganda’s Baby Gorilla Boom

Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has experienced an astonishing baby boom in its mountain gorilla population, with five baby gorillas born in the park in six weeks alone. Two of the newborns have been spotted with their

mothers, Kibande and Ruterana, in the Rushegura family who live in the Buhoma sector of the forest. This brings the total number of newborn gorillas to eight this year, compared to the three born in 2019.

Brand New Reef Discovered

Scientists have discovered a giant pinnacle of coral taller than the Empire State Building, the first large new element of the Great Barrier Reef to be uncovered in 120 years. Even better – the coral is thriving, and divers discovered hosts of fish, coral and sharks, as well as the shells of a living fossil whose ancestors go back half a billion years.

200 Free-Roaming Black Rhinos In Namibia

Thanks to tireless conservation efforts over the last 30 years, Namibia has recently announced a free-roaming population of 200 black rhino, three times the amount seen in the 1990s, as the species comes back from the brink of

Welcome to the first edition of the TRUE TRAVEL TIMES

After a terribly difficult year for everyone, I am thrilled that we are able to bring you the inaugural edition of True Travel Times. The newspaper is packed with in-depth insight and inspiration for your future travels, curated by our team of experts, guest writers and partners around the world.

I was honoured to mark our first edition with the chance to interview Tony Fitzjohn OBE, a titan of conservation and the curator of a blueprint programme for protecting some of Africa’s most endangered species. I urge you to take the time to read his piece and watch his full interview. He is a true inspiration.

Another personal highlight of this edition is Katie’s extraordinary exploration of Bhutan. After a such a forced breath, it strikes me that there is much to learn from the Bhutanese people, culture and way of life.

I hope you enjoy this edition and have a very happy Christmas,

HENRY MORLEY, FOUNDER & CEO

Follow links for more:

extinction. With reduced footfall in the parks through 2020 and reduced funding for conservation as a result, the best thing we can do now to support this fantastic work is to travel and bring much-needed funding to essential projects on the ground.

Our Team’s Fundraising Success

Our team of travel experts used their time away from the office at the beginning of the pandemic to launch a crowd-funding initiative called ‘Travellers for Travel’. The aim was to raise vital funds for three non-profit organisations that are being hit by the lack of tourism in light of the Covid-19 outbreak. They worked on innovative ways to raise funds – a particular highlight was live streaming a group of chickens running around on a giant bingo board from Molly’s home in Northern Ireland, in a game known as ‘Chicken Bingo!’ The team raised just under £3,000 for Imire Rhino & Wildlife Conservation in Zimbabwe, Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation

100 Beached Whales Saved

Locals in Sri Lanka defied coronavirus curfews in November for an overnight rescue operation which saved the lives of over 100 short-finned pilot whales stranded on a beach. Thought to be the country’s largest ever stranding, local villagers joined the coast guard and navy to help push the whales into deeper water and nearly all survived. And that’s not the only positive wildlife news from Sri Lanka – the country’s first ever twin elephant calves have recently been reported in Minneriya National Park.

TRAVELS IN 2020

Celebrating some of the trips our team and clients have managed to take this year.

Follow the links throughout to discover more content, including videos and holiday inspiration with sample trips, itineraries, experiences and accommodations on our site to get you started. And you can always speak to our travel experts for more insider knowledge!

THE MARSDEN FAMILY IN SICILY BILLY, BOBBY & BENJI IN NORFOLK

THE LUKAS FAMILY IN THE SEYCHELLES PETER IN LAKE COMO CLARE & CHRIS IN CYPRUS

MATT & FRIENDS IN CALIFORNIA

GEORGE & KATHERINE IN FLORENCE ALEX & FAMILY ON SAFARI IN KENYA FRANCIS IN THE MALDIVES CARLY IN MONTANA GEORGIE IN VENICE ADAM IN THE SEYCHELLES

Centre in the Democratic Republic of Congo and The Mudita Foundation in Myanmar.

“HE WENT OUT LIKE A CHARGING

into the wild, plus their offspring. Their lions were sourced from a range of ranches and zoos, arriving under a year old, where they were gradually guided into the wild. The lions became a part of the family, especially Freddy – a young lion who once saved Fitzjohn’s life when he was attacked by another lion.

Eventually, Freddy left Kora to live free in the wild. Fitzjohn hadn’t seen him in a year when he suddenly came across him calling out in the bush. ‘This weird feeling came over me,’ he recounts. ‘I thought, do I get out and call him? He’s been alone for a year, he’s out of trouble and alive. In that moment I decided, no we drive on. I didn’t want to interfere with his life and what he’d become and drag him back into the horrible world of humans. It was the hardest decision I’d made in my life. I’d never been closer to anybody in my life like I was with Freddy.’

Those years at Kora taught Fitzjohn everything he needed to know to become the internationally renowned conservationist he is today. ‘I grew up there with this lion Christian who’d come from England,’ he laughs. ‘Christian was bought in Harrods, raised in the King’s Road, and came out with a fanfare. He was two. He had no idea what was going on, and I knew nothing. Between George and Christian I learnt a lot of what there was to know about lions, the bush, and how to see the bush through the eyes of the animals rather than the humans.’ Adamson was tragically murdered in 1989, aged 83, when he tried to rescue his assistant and a tourist from Somali bandits. It’s something Fitzjohn still carries with him. ‘It still gnaws away at me but there was nothing I could have done. He went out like a charging lion. I hope I go like that. But what George would have preferred was that the work went on.’

Fitzjohn had already been forced out of Kora by politics months before Adamson’s death, when the Tanzanian government offered him the chance to transform Mkomazi, a derelict reserve that translates to ‘no water.’ In the last 31 years, he’s done exactly that, with the help of his wife Lucy, 53, who he met in Kora

In an exclusive interview, True Travel founder Henry Morley spoke to Tony Fitzjohn OBE, heralded as one of the founding fathers of conservation, about working on the ground to protect the African continent’s most endangered wildlife for over 50 years.

when she left her home in Surrey to visit the national park, and now works with Fitzjohn, doing ‘all the admin for the whole project - all the stuff I hate.’ Together they have created an incredible operation, providing sanctuary to 36 rhino and counting, reintroducing over 200 wild dogs back into the bush, and had four children in the process: Mukka, Jemima, Imogen and Tilly. he’d never finish the infrastructure work he needed before he could even start preserving the wildlife: ‘I thought, I don’t know what I’m doing. Then I thought about George and him saying do things one step at a time. So I did. It’s just work, and I’m good at it.’

‘IT WASN’T EASY. ‘TO THIS DAY I DON’T know how I found the money to do it; I made the whole of Mkomazi with a gifted JCB digger,’ says Fitzjohn. He tells of a moment when he stood there crying, feeling

status and into national park status, and we needed an iconic species to do that. I thought the rhino would obviously be the animal to do that.’ In 1989, when Fitzjohn arrived at Mkomazi, there were two dozen rhino in Tanzania. A decade earlier, there’d been 10,000. While a 1970 count showed a rhino in every square mile at Mkomazi, with every female having a calf. ‘But when I arrived, there wasn’t a single rhino,’ says Fitzjohn grimly. With the help of friends, he created a plan to buy rhinos from national parks and foreign zoos, creating highlyfenced sanctuaries, and guarding them day and night until the world regained its sanity and allowed rhinos to live.

He decided to focus on working with wild dogs, after initially planning to work with cheetah and then realising there was already a healthy cheetah population. ‘Wild dogs are a pack animal,’ he explains. ‘When you put them into the wild, you just have to hope you’ve done the right thing, that their own instincts and inherited knowledge will take over. That proved to be the case. Most of the dogs went back very successfully. But they need thousands of square miles to roam. Sadly I think in the future they won’t be able to roam free like they did many years ago.’

The other focus at Mkomazi was the rhino. ‘I knew if Mkomazi was going to survive we had to get it out of reserve

“Christian the lion was bought from Harrods, raised in the King’s Road and came out with a fanfare. He was two. He had no idea what was going on and I knew nothing. Between George & Christian, I learnt a lot of what there was to know about lions.”

LION – I HOPE I GO OUT LIKE THAT”

As the operation grew to greater success, Fitzjohn and his wife founded an education project. They helped build 40 local schools, as well as creating their own secondary school. ‘If you’re going to survive, you’ve got to get your neighbours on the side,’ explains Fitzjohn pragmatically. ‘Education for their kids was what they wanted most so that’s what we did.’

thrive, and is now back in Kenya. ‘I’m talking with Kenyan Wildlife Services at the moment about a possible return to Kora. For the past 15 years, I’ve maintained George’s old camp. I brought a lion in again a few years ago, but I’ve never managed to kick-start it and get it off the ground.’

‘I‘VE REALISED

THAT

WHAT MY JOB ENTAILED wasn’t to carve out a piece of Africa for myself in someone else’s country and say look at me, I’m the king of the castle. My job was to train Tanzanians to do this

job. Ultimately if these animals are to survive, they have to accept the responsibility and have the feelings to want to do it for themselves. I couldn’t cling on to it forever. I had to pass it on.’

This year, Fitzjohn is officially moving on from Mkomazi. He has handed the whole operation over to Tanzania National Parks, in whom he has full faith it will continue to

He’s already drawn up a possible 10-year plan, that includes building a rhino sanctuary, and is hopeful Covid-19 will not get in the way. ‘From what I’ve seen here, [the pandemic] was a big shock to everybody. But as far as the wild animals are concerned, if I can generalise, everything looks in pretty good shape. I haven’t heard of a massive increase in poaching anywhere. People have learnt to adapt, extra money has been raised, and everyone’s going to have to tighten their belts. It’s going to hurt in the long run, maybe, but I think people are learning to adapt, and the line is being held right now.’

Fitzjohn has always shunned any kind of praise for his extraordinary achievements. His hopes for the future are much the same as they have been all his life: to live in Africa, surrounded by wildlife, with more animals than people to speak to. And this time he knows exactly where he belongs. ‘My heart’s in Kora,’ he says simply. ‘It’s in my bones.’

More Information on Tony’s work can be found at www.georgeadamson.org

Follow Tony on Instagram @tonyfitzjohn.

Watch Henry’s full video interview with Tony here.

TRUE FREEDOM COLLECTION

Get off the grid, rediscover far corners of the Earth and take the time to breathe in the freshest air.

ESCAPE, EXPLORE AND liberate – our exact plans for 2021. After all that time inside, now is the moment to get out into the great outdoors. Our collection of exclusive experiences takes you far from the crowds to the cleanest air, in search of silence, wildlife and connections with real people and cultures. That, for us, defines true freedom.

Camp in the Secret Himalayas

Even the pathways of Everest can at times feel like a hiker’s highway. Which is why we instead recommend Solu Khumbu in Eastern Nepal; here you can have the Himalayas to yourself to hike, horse ride, mountain bike and even helicopter your way through the Earth’s most majestic mountain range. Sleep under the stars in private camps at 4,000m altitude, with a solitude that many Everest Base Camp trekkers never experience. Your camp is within an identified ‘Beyul’ – a Tibetan phrase for hidden valleys that were blessed by the founder of Buddhism. There doesn’t seem a more appropriate time than the present to escape to this ultimate Shangri-La hideaway.

Fly Over Scorched Dunes

For a country known for its epic scenery, astounding beauty yet inhospitable conditions, there is no better way to see Namibia than from the skies. The scale of the country makes it perfect for those looking to get off-the-beaten-track, but there is only one way to access its most remote corners. During the course of your multi-night flying safari, you will enjoy bird’s-eye views of abandoned shipwrecks, dramatic geological formations and the refuges of desert-dwelling animals, such as the endangered black rhino and desert-adapted elephant.

Condors & Puma in Patagonia

The majestic Andean Condor –the ultimate symbol of freedom – can often be seen soaring overhead or perched on rocky outcrops in Chilean Patagonia. From Patagonia’s private reserves, spend your days with a specialist guide in a truly ‘offroad’ vehicle, or discovering hidden trails on horseback. The best condor sightings are of gruesome yet fascinating feedings at ground level. But condors are not the only wildlife you’ll encounter, as this remote spot offers unparalleled access to guanaco llamas, foxes, flightless rheas and the elusive puma.

Polynesian Sailing Vessels

Join the crew of these beautiful Polynesian vessels and learn to sail by the stars, enjoying a private expedition hopping between seldom-visited islands in the South Pacific. This is possible through a rather special relationship with the Vanuatu chapter of the Okeanos Foundation – an organisation with a mission to empower Pacific Island people to implement traditionally based sustainable sea transportation. An authentic and rich astrological and anthropological experience.

Overnight in an Italian Rifugio

The Italian Dolomites are a mecca for skiers in the winter, adventurers in the spring and summer, and foodies all year round thanks to the number of Michelin stars in the area. Spending time in the Dolomites means sighting the old wooden rifugios (refuges) sitting high in the meadows of the mountains. An overnight stay in one allows you to truly connect with the nature around you. Some are only accessible by foot, so carry a picnic supper on your back, light some candles and enjoy the warmth of a fire for the ultimate back to basics overnight in the mountains.

The Inaccessible Dusky Sound

Far to the south, over rainforests, mountains and deep glaciated valleys, lies the beautiful Dusky Sound in New Zealand’s Fiordland. Very few visit due to its isolated location; the lack of roads make it inaccessible to all but ocean-going vessels and helicopters. You’ll arrive by alpine helicopter, tracing the footsteps of Captain Cook to enjoy a day of fishing and wildlife discovery out on the waters and along the pristine shoreline of these serene fjords.

In the Footsteps of Explorers

Follow the footsteps of Norman Carr, a legendary conservationist and safari pioneer, with an authentic walking safari and sleep out experience in the South Luangwa National Park. This is Zambia’s premier wildlife destination and the home of walking safaris in Africa – so where better to return to the wild with an award-winning guiding team. After an afternoon walk in the bush, listening to lions calling in the distance, experience Zambia’s signature sleep out under a canopy of a million twinkling stars, with the sounds of Africa around you.

Kayak with Orcas in the Arctic

With extraordinary settings come extraordinary experiences, and true to form, the far-removed Lyngen Alps in the Norwegian Arctic offer these in abundance. Ice fish for king crab on the frozen sea, enjoy some of the best summit-to-sea skiing on the planet, and kayak in the company of orca and humpback whales. Tour the fjords by boat to find these great mammals, before sliding into your drysuit and kayak, then entering the water to get closer to these incredible creatures. Better still – with nightfall comes the opportunity to see the Northern Lights, reflected in the water.

Quad Biking & Fly Camping

A game drive in a 4x4 isn’t the only way to discover Africa’s wilds. In fact, one of the best ways to see Northern Kenya is to jump on a quad bike for exhilaration and unrivalled access to its most remote locations. Spend your days exploring winding sand tracks, ancient elephant paths, surrounded by wildlife and birdlife. With a cold drink in hand, unwind with a sundowner looking over vast vistas, and after a candlelit supper in a dry riverbed, settle down around a crackling campfire and listen to safari stories of old.

The Land of Bears & Eagles

If all that space isn’t enough for you, why not start exploring the six million acres of Alaska’s wilderness that make up Denali National Park. With only one road and one entrance, it’s a hiker’s paradise and home to North America’s highest peak. Vastly untouched by human hands, instead it’s the land where bears, wolves and caribou roam, and eagles soar over colourful cliffs.

THE HIMALAYAS OF EASTERN NEPAL

ON THE OPEN ROAD

‘MEET THE MAKERS’ AN ITALIAN ROAD TRIP

IN OUR OPINION, ROAD TRIPS offer freedom to explore like no other form of holiday. Let us take you to Italy, starting in dazzling Portofino and finishing in the romantic coastal town of Porto Ercole. Forget endless motorways – the drive incorporates some of Italy’s most beautiful views from cliffs, countryside and coastal roads as you wind south through the Italian Riviera, Umbria and Tuscany.

As with all of our itineraries, this is an opportunity meet local masters and makers along the way. The power of connecting with the right people as you travel can elevate a journey into something transformational – and the Italians certainly know how to welcome you with open arms. Sample wines in a grotto in Portofino with a sommelier, then in Florence, be charmed by perfume producers and artisans of leather factories. Hike through Umbria’s woodlands with a local truffle hunter

and his trusted canine companion, in the hope of collecting truffle treats for your picnic feast.

As you wind through poppy fields and hilltop towns, along the way there is a bounty of experiences to break up your journey. Stop to visit the marble cliffs so loved by Michelangelo outside Pisa. Work up an appetite with a quick stroll around San Gimignano, before a cooking lesson in the rolling hills of the Val D’Orcia. Then finish in style on the Argentario coast, where you can leave the car keys in your room and cruise through turquoise waters, snorkelling in private bays and discovering white sand islands.

Enjoy this 8-day road trip itinerary from £13,500 per person.

Follow this trip link for the full itinerary details.

AWASI PATAGONIA

FLYING OVER THE NAMIB DESERT

FLYING INTO DUSKY SOUND

ZAMBIA’S SOUTH LUANGWA

A SAFARI FOR THE SOUL

In Botswana & Namibia, True Travel partners with Natural Selection, a portfolio of award-winning camps that are full of unique soul & colourful character in the best locations across southern Africa.

Image: Hoanib Valley Camp, Namibia

Immerse in the Okavango’s waterways

Voyage through Raja Ampat

XIGERA SAFARI LODGE - BOTSWANA - DEC 2020

Situated in the heart of the Okavango Delta – an area known for its remarkable wildlife sightings and predator action – suites here float delicately above the water, overlooking palm-filled islands and floodplains. Spend a night in the exquisite ‘Baobab Treehouse’ for total immersion into nature.

3 nights fully inclusive of meals and activities from £ 12,230 for two people.

Feast like an Umbrian Count

CASTELLO DI RESCHIO - ITALY - SPRING 2021

This 10th century Umbrian estate, set in the wild countryside, has been lovingly restored by the family owners with full Italian flair. The castle itself is set to open next year as a stylish hotel. Explore flower meadows and ancient forests on horseback, try wild swimming in the lake, or an Italian cooking lesson. 4 nights on a B&B basis, including a rental car to explore Umbria, from £3,300 for two people.

Ski out of a sumptuous chalet

LE COUCOU - FRANCE -

REOPENING DEC 2020

Our favourite new ski opening is a chic retreat in Méribel and a contemporary take on the traditional alpine chalet – think clean lines and warming terracotta coloured walls. It’s all about the valley views, whether you’re enjoying the ski-in ski-out, steaming yourself at the sumptuous spa, or indulging at the restaurant. A week on B&B basis with return airport transfers, ski hire & pass from £6,320 for two people.

RASCAL VOYAGES - INDONESIA - DEC 2020

Rebel is making her maiden voyage this December 2020, sailing between Bali and Komodo National Park. Dive in Komodo National Park, home to one of the richest coral reefs and diverse ecosystems on the planet. Explore hidden villages, climb volcanoes, or dine on exclusive sand bars. Exclusive use for up to 10 guests, fully inclusive of all meals and activities from £7,850 per night.

Float above the vast NamibRand desert

KWESSI DUNES - NAMIBIA - MAR 2020

Break away from traditional game drives and instead soak up the rich colours of this landscape, craggy mountains and elusive fairy circles, with only oryx for company. Spend your days unwinding by the pool overlooking desert vistas, or exploring your surroundings on foot, quad bike or even hot air balloon. 3 nights fully inclusive of meals and activities in mid season from £2,310 for two people.

AMAN

in the heart of Manhattan

AMAN - NEW YORK - 2021

This hotly anticipated AMAN will bring the brand’s eastern serenity to the heart of the city that never sleeps – on the corner of 5th Avenue in the iconic Crown Building. Highlights include the 25,000-square-foot spa and a wraparound Garden Terrace and Bar with sweeping views of Central Park. Pricing to be released in 2021.

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE UK & IRELAND

This year more than ever, we’ve learnt to appreciate the gems on our own doorstep. Head of Europe Molly Kinnaird t akes you on a tour of our favourite experiences in the UK and Ireland, introducing the local producers, guides and experts who are ready to welcome you to their beloved corners of the British Isles.

IRELAND PACKS A PUNCH OF fresh air, dramatic scenery, charming locals and plenty of snug pubs – and the wild beaches of the West Coast were the backdrop of my childhood summers. Discover the history of the Emerald Isle, and uncover why the likes of Wilde, Yeats and Beckett were so inspired by their native motherland.

Fishing for Giant Tuna

Contrary to popular belief, tuna are not a rare visitor to Irish waters, and a number of species frequent the waves of the Atlantic in the summer and autumn. Venture out with local skipper Adrian in the hope of catching one of these enormous fish. Keep your eyes peeled on the ocean for the chance to see common and bottlenose dolphin, minke whale and basking sharks along the way. The very lucky might even see hundreds of huge tuna bursting to the surface while feeding. All of this can regularly be experienced off the coast of Donegal from August to October.

Centuries-old Oyster Farm

Visit an Irish oyster farm in Ballinakill Bay – one of the oldest in the country. Accompanied by owner David, you will see how oysters have been grown for centuries in the crystal cold waters here in Connemara since 1893. Originally, the oysters were brought by horse and cart in barrels to Clifden, then transported by rail to Dublin for shipment on the mail boat to England. Today, oysters from Ballinakill Bay are served in local hotels and restaurants as well as being exported worldwide. Visit in August and you can watch the horse racing on nearby Omey beach at low tide.

In the Footsteps of Giants 3

Rich in folklore, the Giant’s Causeway is Antrim coastline’s most spectacular area. The Causeway, with many

thousands of hexagonal basalt pillars, creates an extraordinary coastal landscape – little wonder it is UNESCO protected. With your walking guide Jackie, explore the striking coast and learn about the stories of how it came to be. Favour the scientific argument of volcanic explosions and lava, or the myth of two fighting giants, one Scottish and one Irish, busting up and bickering across the sea.

Taste

the Beara Peninsula

So often overlooked in favour of the Ring of Kerry, the Beara Peninsula is a wild and woolly coastal finger of Ireland. The remote and unspoilt peninsula is renowned for its majestic cliffs and wild Atlantic landscape. But the peninsula, washed by the Gulf Stream, has had its food and flavours shaped by influences from across the world. Explore and savour the Beara on this guided tour of the peninsula, introducing you to its characters and food stories as well as its tasty produce.

SCOTLAND BRINGS

countless lochs, volcanic glens, snow-capped mountains and waterfalls. Its islands offer the most remote retreats, and no Scottish trip would be complete without sampling the goods of the oldest whisky distilleries.

Skye’s Oldest Whisky 5

Deep and elemental, Talisker is very much a product of its rugged, windswept home. Visit the Minginish Peninsula, take in the dramatic views of the Black Cuillin and discover why the oldest working distillery on Skye owes so much

to the sea. Enjoy a tutored tasting tour of four unique drams, three of which are hand-drawn from casks taken from the Talisker warehouse.

Harry Potter’s Edinburgh 6

J.K. Rowling wrote the original Harry Potter stories while living in Edinburgh, making the Scottish capital truly a place of pilgrimage for Potter fans. With Harry Potter boff Sam, visit the cafés where Rowling used to write and explore Greyfriars Kirkyard, which inspired Tom Riddle’s graveyard in The Goblet of Fire. Edinburgh’s fine architecture is world-renowned and with your guide, you’ll also uncover some of the places that inspired the design of Hogwarts and Diagon Alley.

Award-winning Gardens 7

This elegant garden was created from scratch in 2000, in and around a once derelict 17th-century farmhouse. Owners Robert and Anna Dalrymple will welcome you to Broadwoodside – an eye-catching, heady mix of classic herbaceous and landscape planting intermixed with the most whimsical of contemporary and classical art. Continue onto the contemporary sculpture garden, Jupiter Artland. Founded in 2009 by philanthropic art collectors Robert and Nicky Wilson, Jupiter Artland has grown into one of Scotland’s most significant arts institutions. The award-winning gardens and galleries,

set in 100 acres of meadow and woodlands, are home to 35 site-specific sculptures from artists including Anish Kapoor, Phyllida Barlow, Charles Jencks and Antony Gormley.

ENGLAND’S quintessential countryside views and historic cities may be

iconic, but to gain a new perspective, nothing beats the insight of an expert guide –whether that’s on a family farm with generations of experience, or gaining exclusive access to London’s sights after hours.

Behind the Scenes - 8 the Tower of London & Changing of the Keys

The Tower of London has been used as a royal residence, prison, and menagerie since its construction by William the Conqueror in 1066. So, as you can imagine, the history of the building is quite something. After being closed to the public, your guide will bring the Tower’s dark history to life, depicting stories of imprisonment and execution before revealing the dazzling Crown Jewels. After your tour, experience the Ceremony of the Keys, one of the oldest surviving enactments of its kind. “Halt, who comes there?” The Yeoman Warder replies, “The keys.” “Whose keys?” “Queen Elizabeth’s keys.” “Pass then, all’s well.”

Farming Life in Dartmoor 9

Dartmoor is the stuff of legends and is known to many as the setting for the famous Sherlock Holmes novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles. Join a local farmer at Lowertown Farm, where you can expect the crow of the cockerel to sound the start your day. Get ready for an adventure with a hearty full English breakfast with farm-raised eggs, bacon and sausages before heading out on a farm tour to feed the chickens, stroll through the water meadow to check on the cows, and pop into the 400-year-old shippon to say hello to the pigs. You’ll learn not only about the moors and how the landscape is used, but about the people who have lived and farmed here for generations.

WALES’ CASTLES, coasts and countryside keep us coming back, and scaling the dunes, discovering quiet bays and including an element of adventure make for the perfect family pastime.

Coastal Foraging 10

Venture to the Pembrokeshire coast to discover sea vegetables and learn more about the seashore environment with local expert Craig and his trusty four-legged companion. Whilst foraging for seaweed, and even crustaceans and coastal plants, hear all about the diversity of this pocket of the Welsh coast. Afterwards, cook up a feast with your culinary pickings on the dunes, from

Bouncing through Mines 11

Located inside a 176-year-old disused slate mine near Blaenau Ffestiniog in North Wales, Bounce Below is a network of gigantic bouncy nets, walkways and slides, all strung up from the mine’s walls. The highest trampoline is suspended 180ft above the bottom of the cavern, twice the size of St Paul’s Cathedral. After the whole family has let off some steam, venture deeper into the mines to learn about the extraordinary conditions that people survived in whilst working here.

Explore the best of the British Isles and Ireland with our ultimate 22-day itinerary packed with experiences and the country’s top guides, from £18,700 per person.

Follow this trip link for full details of this 22-day itinerary. mussels to edible seaweed, plants and crabs.

MOLLY KINNAIRD heads up True Travel’s European specialist team, and has spent the year championing staycations, both in the UK and on her home turf in Ireland.

Callherintheofficeoremailherdirectlyonmk@true.traveltostart planningyournextEuropeanadventure.

“For an area so small, the differences are mighty, and with dramatic scenery, colourful pasts, unique traditions and exceptional local food comes access to some of the most extraordinary guided experiences in the world.”

We’ve spent 2020 dreaming - let’s spend 2021 travelling!

Cruising in the Galapagos

Although a great destination all year round, warm temperatures and calm seas make January ideal for cruising the Galapagos Islands. You may get a chance to spot turtles laying eggs, the courting iguanas become brightly coloured and land birds begin ground nesting.

The Southern Serengeti’s Calving Season

In January you’ll find over two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle littered across the plains of the Southern Serengeti. The vast herds come here to give birth; safety

in numbers is the strategy and it’s a jaw-dropping sight to behold.

JANUARY FEBRUARY

Wining and Dining in Cape Town

What better way to get away from a Northern Hemisphere winter by migrating to South Africa’s sunny Western Cape. With no shortage of world class restaurants and vineyards, the living sure is easy!

Catch Winter Sun in the Maldives

There’s nowhere else on earth that epitomises a relaxing beach holiday quite like the Maldives. But if the idea of sitting on the beach makes you restless, get scuba certified as February offers the best visibility and sea conditions of the year.

Chasing Norway’s Northern Lights

With a choice of destinations to chase these elusive lights of the night sky, it can be difficult to choose where to stage your hunt. Norway offers a unique opportunity to see them both from the sky and reflecting off the Arctic Ocean in the fjords below.

MARCH

Botswana’s Zebra Migration

Overshadowed by the famous migration in East Africa, this movement of zebra is no less remarkable. The herds migrate in search of the mineral rich grass

surrounding the salt pans, and as a quieter and much less expensive time to visit Botswana, this is a true insider recommendation! Jack’s Camp is one of Africa’s most iconic and an exclusive spot right at the heart of this action.

Exploring Cambodia’s Temples

Spend your early mornings on foot or by bicycle discovering Angkor’s impressive archaeological site. Retreat to your hotel pool at the Belmond to shade yourself

from the midday sun. As the sun lowers, prepare yourself for Siem Reap’s circus and night markets, then head on to the island of Koh Rong for the beach.

APRIL

Family in the Seychelles at Easter

The 115 islands that make up the Seychelles archipelago offer something for everyone – beautiful beaches, a warm tropical climate and luxury resorts. However, this is not just a destination for rest and relaxation, but somewhere you’ll find a true commitment to conservation and sustainability.

Central Vietnam for all ages

This quiet region is the perfect retreat for families. Learn local fishing practices and cook over an open fire, weave your own basket boats and navigate the coconut grove waters. Light lanterns on the river before dinner, and enjoy ox cart and bicycle rides, and boat trips.

Seville’s Holy Week Celebrations

There are few cities that stage such chaotic events so seamlessly. Holy Week in Seville is a celebration of not just faith, music and colour but also strength. Months of training

goes into carrying the vast floats. Groups of up to fifty burly men carry 2,000kg for up to eight hours through the city.

MAY

Costa Rica’s Jungles & Volcanoes

Visit just outside of peak season – right at the beginning of the showers for bursting greenery and less tourists. Explore wildlife and river rapids, stay in Central America’s

most luxurious eco-lodges, and finish off with sun, sand and surf.

Victoria Falls in Full Power

The Mighty Zambezi is mightiest in May! Take to the sky for a better perspective. As the warm water roars over the falls and hits the cold air, the spray towers 400m into the sky – visible from 30 miles away – and it’s easy to see how the name ‘Smoke that Thunders’ was coined!

20th - 23rd May | Chelsea Flower Show

Quintessentially British, the Chelsea Flower Show is beloved by those with green fingers world over and it is easy to see why. A burst of colour, scent and texture it offers not just inspiration but access to some of the world’s best gardeners. Fortunately, May sees London in full bloom so you can immerse in all things floral before, during and after the show.

JUNE

Okavango Delta in Full Flood

The Okavango is Earth’s largest inland delta and between June and August it’s at its most extensive. Floodwaters that fell as rain in the Angolan highlands swell the

channels of the delta, bringing life-giving water. Truly Africa’s Eden.

Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way

June offers you the best chance of missing an Irish shower. Driving the Wild Atlantic Way offers wild and woolly peninsulas, golden sand beaches, the Cliffs of Moher and history lessons all along the way.

28th June - 11th July | Wimbledon

We may be biased, but Wimbledon is the best tennis tournament of the year. Experience the silence of Centre Court with a Pimms. Get close to the action on the outer courts where Dustin Brown’s dreads frequently wollop a bystander.

JULY

4th July in Montana’s Old West

Channel your inner cowboy or cowgirl, embrace the frontier and head ‘Out West’ for the 4th, with rodeo, fireworks and all!

3rd Jul - 7th Aug | Lions Rugby

After a year of frustration for all sports fans, we have our sights set firmly on the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa. The best players from the Home Nations gather to take on the World Cup winning Springboks.

23rd Jul - 8th Aug | Japan’s Olympics

Travel to Tokyo for sporting events dotted around the city, with a record 339 events to watch. Let us fill your days with Tokyo’s highlights from Tsukiji Market, visits to the sumo stables and sushi making.

Mara River Crossings

6th - 30th Aug | Edinburgh Fringe

For the month of August, Edinburgh’s population doubles in size. Every cafe, bookshop, bar, pub, gallery, park, street corner...becomes a stage. In 2021 the festival will be back with a bang, and why not combine with an adventure through the Highlands.

The Barrier Reef & Great Outback

The outback offers cattle herding on horseback, aboriginal encounters and long warm evenings, perfect for a Australian BBQ and stargazing.Then hop to the beach

NOVEMBER

Ranthambore Tiger Safaris

to discover some of Australia’s 2,900 protected reefs.

SEPTEMBER

Trekking mountain gorillas in the forests of Rwanda and Uganda is simply something everyone should experience at some point in their life. There are no

It’s time for the iconic drama of the riving crossings. Herds take on the formidable Mara River, along with its huge crocodiles. Not an experience for the faint of heart, this is real life drama on a massive scale.

Greek Island Hopping

FIND OUT MORE

words to describe the feeling of looking into the eyes of these magnificent creatures.

September sees an exodus from Greece as schools return and the cruise ships slow down after the high heat of summer. Yet, the sun is still high and hot, the sea is still gloriously warm and restaurants still serving tzatziki and calamari by the bucket. Also, the Greeks will tell you that Santorini’s sunsets are best in Autumn.

OCTOBER

Bhutan’s Festivals

Step back in time, immerse yourself in the local culture and enjoy masked dances, chanting and performances by monks at their annual festivals in some of Bhutan’s most impressive monasteries.

Truffle Hunting in Tuscany

What is more satisfying than foraging for your lunch? With two expert local hunters – one of them a canine variety – experience the beauty of Autumn in the Tuscan

Exclusive use lodges are dotted across both islands, on dramatic coastlines, farm estates or prime fresh water fishing territories. Traverse the country by car, greeted FIND OUT MORE FIND OUT MORE

countryside, when the truffle season bursts into life. Along the way learn all about these tricky to find but delicious Italian treats.

Machu Picchu Without the Crowds

Top travel tip – check out the shoulder seasons. With a destination like Machu Picchu, high season crowds can upset the experience. Travelling in October gives you ideal temperatures for hiking and the chance to find some solitude and silence in the sanctuary.

of luxury, and combine with a colourful discovery of India’s food and rich culture.

Japan Heliskiing and South Korea

For off-piste enthusiasts, hop aboard helicopters with your guides to experience Niseko’s endless powder filled backcountry. For your cultural fix to complete your trip, spend a weekend in Seoul visiting street markets and Buddhist temples.

DECEMBER

Riding Safaris Through Kenya

Escape the noise of a safari vehicle, be free of the restrictions of a well-traversed track and take to horseback. It’s incredible how differently wildlife reacts to ‘one of their own’ and how quickly your senses soak up the small details of the bush.

Christmas Adventures in New Zealand

FIND OUT MORE FIND OUT MORE FIND OUT MORE

Visit Father Christmas in Lapland

Make no mistake – Father Christmas is an icon. For a child, the opportunity to meet in his own home in the build-up to Christmas is unquantifiably magical. High in the Arctic Circle, make gingerbread with Mrs Claus, ride in a reindeer pulled sleigh and have one of his many elves read you a bedtime story before you meet the big man himself.

Gorilla Trekking

THE ULTIMATE CHIMPANZEE EXPERIENCE FROM AFRICA’S MOST ICONIC CASTAWAY LODGE

Come on a legendary journey to meet the most privileged primates on the planet: the wild chimpanzees of Mahale - and us, the trackers, guides and helpers who share their leafy Nirvana. We live and breathe wilderness here, by a gin-clear lake under a billion stars.

On a typical tropical day out, we hike you out into the forest’s dappled sunlight, where chimpanzees romp and commune around us; picture tumbling woodland, streams strung with vines, butterflies, ripening fruit and jasmine flowers. Back at the lakeshore, on a white sand beach, stands our famous jungle-chic lodge, hewn from vintage dhows, proffering yet another level of pleasure unbound to all our intrepid guests.

Chat to your True Travel consultant to plot an escape to this magical paradise in Western Tanzania.

Greystoke Mahale: in our famous jungle-chic lodge by a gin-clear lake, we live and breathe chimpanzees.

BEHIND THE SCENES

HEAD OF AFRICA GEORGIE PRESTON JOINED SOME OF AFRICA’S GREATEST GUIDES TO BRING YOU ‘A DAY IN THE LIFE’ ON THE GROUND, AS THEY TREK CHIMPANZEES AND SURF AMONGST THE PENGUINS.

WHEN CREATING YOUR dream trip to Africa, it’s easy to focus solely on the hotels and lodges

where you’ll be staying. This vast and diverse continent is home to some of the most exciting and innovative hotels in the world, and even 2020 has welcomed new properties that have pioneered a new era for the African bush with their bold and unique designs. However, over thirty trips to Africa has taught me that where you stay tells only part of the story. The lasting memories you take away from Africa almost always begin with the people you meet.

A guide has an incredibly important job. Whether you’re on safari in the Serengeti or exploring the labyrinth of paths that make up Marrakech’s medina, your guide can make or break your experience. In fact, I believe a good guide has the ability to transform a routine experience into an exceptional one. My most memorable guided experiences are always those that surprise me; where my guide

has stayed clear of the well-trodden tourist traps and shown me a side of the destination that feels untouched. I felt very smug as I hopped on my stand-up paddleboard to glide through the penguins at Boulders Beach in Cape Town, as onlookers watched in wonder from the crowded beach. In the Masai Mara, a guide once surprised me by driving away from the herds of wildebeest, attempting to cross the treacherous Mara River. Why share this spectacle of nature with so many other vehicles? With a little patience, we soon found a much quieter crossing point and had the experience all to ourselves.

WHO: JAMES STENNER WHERE: OKAVANGO DELTA

Through the team’s collective travels across the continent, we’ve built up an unrivalled network of guides in every destination. These guides have been tried and tested by us, and over the years have become a vital extension of our team. Hearing about the experiences that our guests have on their own travels with these guides will always be one of the main highlights of what I do. Calltheofficeoremailherdirectlyongeorgie@true.traveltostartplanning.

“DESCRIBING ONE typical day on a mobile safari is impossible; every day is different

and you never quite know what you’re going to find! One particularly special day though is our private island excursion in the Okavango. The evening before, over dinner we chat about the next day’s plans with our guests, but we always like to keep a bit of mystery. We’ll say, “Tomorrow we are heading to a private island,” and you can sense the excitement grow. The island excursion takes safari back to basics with a true fly camp setup. It’s a much more basic camp, but you’ve still got your bush oven, your fine dining cutlery and white table cloths. We like to use these beautiful white mosquito nets to sleep under on the island. Often on safari, I will sleep with just a mosquito net in camp and guests will think I’m mad. We then explain how the white nets pick up the ambient light from the moon and the stars. To a nocturnal animal it looks like a solid object, so as long as you don’t illuminate yourself with a torch, you’re very safe!

In the morning, John and I will typically get up at around 4:30am to give ourselves a chance to check everything is ready to go before waking up the guests. Before we set off, we all sit down around the fire to a nice big cooked breakfast. We’ll then head off on a game drive and make our way through the forest by Xakanaxa, before arriving at the boat station. Meanwhile, the rest of our team are busy working behind the scenes and moving our whole camp to the new location. We spend the morning cruising up the river, meandering through the endless waterways of the Okavango Delta, before finding a beautiful spot on an island to stop off for a picnic lunch. Some of the guests will take the opportunity to enjoy a cooling dip in a safe swim spot before we set off again on our journey.

We normally arrive at our overnight island spot by sunset. I love to see the guest’s reactions at this point, as they find that the camp has been set up, the fire is burning away and all of the lanterns have been lit. After a hot shower, everyone will sit around the fire with a cocktail in hand, before enjoying an alfresco meal under the stars. As the guests go to bed, we’ll usually spend another hour around the camp, checking everything is secure.

Being an owner-run operation and running the private safaris ourselves, we spend a lot of time with our guests, and it’s not uncommon for us to spend hours together sat around the table, exchanging stories and chatting away. There’s a saying amongst the industry that guiding is essentially ‘chatting and checking!’ And of course, you have to expect the unexpected at all times. I have many memories of things not going to plan, one in particular where I almost missed my brother’s wedding – but that’s a story for another day!”

4 nights for a family of 4, fully inclusive, island sleep out & domestic flights, from £13,000.

James is one half of the Barclay Stenner Safaris duo, guiding our guests on ‘old school’ private safari adventures through the wilds of Botswana.

Watch James’ video update from Africa as they walked through lion country.

GEORGIE PRESTON is True Travel’s Head of Africa, and has visited the African continent 32 times to date.

WHO: MWIGA MAMBO WHERE: WESTERN TANZANIA

Mwiga is an expert chimpanzee guide at Greystoke Mahale in the Mahale Mountains – and is famous with our team for his chimpanzee impressions!

year. The alpha male is now Teddy and there are four others fighting for position number two

I’m excited to keep following them and see what happens! The youngest members of the group are particularly enjoyable to watch. It is amazing to have watched them grow and develop over the 20 years that I have been working in the forest, and there are so many similarities between humans and chimpanzees, with family dynamics so similar to our own.

WHO: JACQUI SMITH

WHERE: SOUTH AFRICA’S WESTERN CAPE

F THERE IS ONE THING that 2020 has taught me, it’s that my word I do love my job, and I miss it dearly. It has given me time to

“IWAKE

AT 5.30AM EACH

DAY, always excited to find out what the day has in store for us. Once I have prepared the guests, I call on the

trackers to see if they have news of the chimpanzees, then it’s a quick briefing before beginning our trek. Some days, the chimps are very close to camp and we barely need to trek at all, yet others, you might find you are trekking for 2-3 hours before you locate them. I am always excited to head up into the mountains, not only because of the chimps but also because of the endless sounds you hear along the way. Even though I trek these animals every day, it never gets old and I’m always learning from them.

I enjoy informing guests about the different members of the chimp family and all of their different behaviours. I’d advise everyone to visit Greystoke Mahale for a live TV soap opera! There’s been a lot of change in the pecking order between the chimps this

After a morning trekking the chimps, we head back to camp and enjoy a well-deserved lunch and rest. In the afternoon, there are plenty of activities for guests to enjoy at the camp, from boat cruises to swimming, kayaking or relaxing at the beach and bar. Another favourite part of my day is when I head to the bar and chat with guests about the day’s events. We swap stories and enjoy a sundowner as we watch the sunset over Lake Tanganyika. Then comes a delicious meal and I make sure to have an early night, ready to do it all again.

This is my typical day, yet this year has obviously been a little different. In these times of Covid-19, life at Mahale has been very challenging. Without guests visiting us, it has been much harder to maintain protection for our wildlife, and we went into full lockdown at the camp to protect the chimps from any threat of the virus. As borders reopen, now is the time to get a group together and make isolation the best thing you ever did at Greystoke Mahale. It’s so remote that it feels like a lost world – and I can’t wait until we’re welcoming the same number of guests as before.”

3 nights all inclusive, incl. 2 chimp treks and return domestic flights, from £4,960 per person.

reflect and I’ve often enjoyed looking back on some of my favourite days, showing off what the incredibly beautiful city of Cape Town has to offer. On one particular day, we were exploring the many delights of the Cape Peninsula. We started with a stop at the Shark spotter’s hut, where we were treated to the most spectacular sunrise over one of my favourite beaches – coincidentally one of the top five beaches to learn to surf in the world. The view itself is a jawdropper as the mountains hug the shoreline all the way from Hangklip to Cape Point. From there, we went to visit one of my favourite animals, the African penguin. How could you not love those little guys and girls waddling about on the sand, watching how the males collect gifts to keep their wives happy? Penguins and humans are pretty similar, as they look after their young, go out to collect food and cuddle up together when it gets windy. Viewing these incredible birds might be most popular on foot, but I am always excited when there is the opportunity to go out on a stand-up paddleboard. Not only does this method offer you a completely different experience with the penguins, but it also gives you the chance to see the kelp forest, an underwater-world home to all sorts of creatures. On this day, we were also lucky enough to spot the elusive Cape Clawless otter!

From there we headed to the most southwestern tip of the African continent. The crashing waves on the one side of the peninsula and the calmness on the other are clear to see from here and entrancing to watch. With over 650 shipwrecks, there are plenty of stories to be told over a well-earned picnic lunch. The fynbos (which is the Cape’s floral kingdom) lures one closer with its scent and mesmerises you with all its beautiful geometric shapes. We spotted ostriches, bontebok and the Chacma baboons. These baboons are so interesting as they have adapted their diet along the coast here. During the low tide, they forage on limpets, mussels and well, anything else that tickles their taste buds.

From there, we explored the diversity of South Africa’s households and spoke about the history of the country, which always fascinates me to no end. We then continued along the overwhelmingly beautiful Chapman’s Peak Drive, which in itself is a masterpiece –and also the road where one of the James Bond car chase scenes was filmed. Of course, it made for the perfect place to enjoy a sundowner drink from one of our local breweries!

I’ve spent this year looking back to happy memories such as this, but I’ve also grabbed every opportunity to still get out for an adventure. Every day that I can, I go free diving. It is almost ritualistic for me to do the whole packing of gear, meeting with my dive buddy and then making my way to that beautiful blue Atlantic Ocean. You never know what you are going to find in her moody waters as her colours change, from the Caribbean blue that gives you ice cream headaches, or the days when the ocean is murky when the water tends to be toasty and warm. Afternoons I’ll spend bouldering, mountain biking or trail running, cycling or even paragliding. One thing is for sure, whichever activity I choose, the sunset here in Cape Town never disappoints so I always make sure not to miss it.”

Enjoy 3 nights accommodation in Cape Town with 2 days of private Western Cape guiding included, from £2,280 per person.

Got longer? Follow this trip link for a 10-day itinerary with the best of South Africa

Jacqui is an expert adventure and SUP guide in the Western Cape, who leads our guests exploring the waters, wildlife and landscapes around Cape Town.

Watch Mwiga’s video update on the chimps’ activities this year (and be sure to watch until his chimp impressions!)

TRANSPORT

yourself to Bhutan and feel the full force of the country’s magic, where the misty morning dew clears to reveal the towering Himalayas, majestic temples and enchanting villages. Katie Kennard, Head of Asia travel writes: “Visiting this peaceful country, I couldn’t help but adapt to the locals’ gentle pace of life. With this trip I have created a rare chance to discover their true culture, from archery tournaments with local villagers, to meditative chanting with monks in high places, dinner with members of Parliament, private festivals and even a night sleeping under the stars.”

DAY 1-2 THIMPHU DAY 2-4 PUNAKHA

Begin your journey in the capital, with a night in Six Senses Thimphu, offering sweeping views of Thimphu Valley and the majestic Buddha statue. There’s no greater welcome to local culture than a meeting with a Member of Parliament, learning the philosophies of the Gross National Happiness and the history of this unique kingdom. Spend your first day exploring the plethora of monasteries behind the scenes with a local guide, before retiring to your Bhutanese bolthole in the shadow of the Himalayas, with freestanding tubs poised to soak in the views.

Wind through endless breathtaking scenery to Punakha, stopping at the Temple of Fertility and Dochula Pass. Your destination is Amankora Punakha – an elegant riverfront hideaway set within traditional farmland. From here, enjoy the exclusive honour of joining the Chief Abbot for meditation in the inner sanctum of a 17th century Dzong palace. The next day, hike along the Butterfly Trail to a riverside barbecue lunch and exchange stories with monks learning English. I remember a magically peaceful day meandering along the river, greeting locals heaving hay in the farmlands.

MEDITATE WITH MONKS, HIKE TO TEMPLES

VIEWS OF THE GANGTEY VALLEY

JOINING THE LOCALS FOR ARCHERY

DAY 4-5 KHOTOKHA DAY 5-6 GANGTEY DAY 6-8 BUMTHANG DAY 8-10 PARO

Journey far from the tourist trail to the large glacial Khotokha Valley, an area of few inhabitants that very few travellers are able to visit, and many sacred sights. Join a traditional community of self-sustaining farmers, who rarely leave the village. Here you’ll experience an exclusive performance of a ceremonial masked dance, created just for you. Local villagers will gather and celebrate with you, adorned in bright colours, and receive blessings from the monks. Join your hosts for a candlelit dinner, before retiring to comfortable beds laid under canvas.

Rise in your camp and trek to Phobjikha Valley – the land of the majestic black-necked cranes which migrate every year from the Tibetan Plateau. Pass through pines, meadows and fields, then forests of juniper, magnolia and rhododendrons. Hop aboard off-road vehicles to reach Gangtey Lodge, one of the most remote locations in the world. Set in a protected reserve nestled high in the mountains, the lodge is home to both adventure and comfort, with the most welcome massage on arrival, after a long day’s hike.

Join a senior monk in the early hours to be blessed and remove bad spirits in a traditional, spirit cleansing ceremony. Along the journey to the country’s spiritual heart of Bumthang, conduct a private prayer flag hoisting, visit blacknecked cranes, and wind through dramatic landscapes and gorges. Spend the next two nights at Amankora Bumthang, a stately lodge fit for royalty. Visit patterned twill weavers and a traditional farmhouse for buttermilk tea and liquors – my personal highlight!

A scenic flight lands you in Paro, where a stay in Six Senses Paro begins with a traditional lighting of 108 butter lamps in the Kyichu Temple. Battle it out in an archery tournament against a local team, then explore Paro by bicycle. Conclude your adventure with a pilgrimage hike to Bhutan’s most iconic sight: the ‘Tiger’s Nest’ monastery, perched on a vertical cliffside at 3,000m altitude. Celebrate your last night with a feast fit for Bhutanese royalty, in an enchanting setting and surrounded by live music and dancing. Experience this 10-day Bhutan itinerary from £12,000 per person.

DO NOT MISS

Always say yes to a mug of buttermilk tea with the monks.

Chant with the Chief Abbot in Punakha Dzong - it’s rare to get such an honour.

Take a pre-breakfast walk in Gangtey Valley for sights of rising mist.

TEMPLES & FIND PEACE IN SPIRITUAL VALLEYS

Head of Asia, Katie Kennard, takes you on a journey through one of the world’s last hidden kingdoms – the mystical Bhutan.

KATIE KENNARD is True Travel’s Head of Asia, and last visited Bhutan in 2019. One of her highlights was trekking to the Tiger’s Nest (left).

Calltheofficeoremailherdirectlyonkatie@true.traveltostartplanning.

PRAYER FLAGS ON THE TRAIL TO THE TIGER’S NEST

KATIE IN BHUTAN LOCALS AT PUNAKHA DZONG

EXPLORING THE WORLD AT EVERY AGE

OFF-THE-GRID FAMILY PICKS

A Medieval Family Retreat

Once home to Franciscan monks, this unique 15th-century monastery has been meticulously restored into the five-suite exclusive use property Lopud 1483 – a spoiling coastal hideaway for a family looking to explore Croatia next summer. Follow the island paths through lush vegetation either by foot or bicycle. Then explore the coastline with boat trips or kayaking, and venture to the mainland for a tour of Dubrovnik’s Old Town. From £10,000 per night for exclusive use, full board and activities.

Our favourite experiences and adventures that families of every age can enjoy together. Tick off the list as you show them the world.

Now’s the chance to learn all about the art that goes into a good bottle of wine. Fortunately, it seems vines like to grow in some of the most beautiful corners of the world, from Champagne in France to Babylonstoren in South Africa.

Older teenagers can travel up to Ladakh, Northern India, in search of the elusive snow leopard, and for an insightful journey into Buddhist history.

Get adventurous and join an expert guide on a walking safari and fly camping from sixteen years old, discovering the flora and fauna of the bush from up close. From fifteen, you’re old enough to head to Uganda or Rwanda and trek through the jungle for magnificent gorilla encounters.

At fourteen, why not explore the volcanic landscapes of East Java. Hike majestic Mount Bromo and marvel at the blue fire inside the Mount Ijen crater.

From twelve, in Sri Lanka’s vibrant countryside, learn to cook in a local mud-hut kitchen, after an all important visit to the markets for ingredients.

Harry Potter fanatics (from the kids to the adults!) will delight in exploring the magical filming locations, retracing footsteps of both JK Rowling and the characters themselves with an expert guide.

Children as young as ten can begin to learn to dive and take the Junior Open Water qualification, converting automatically to a full PADI with the freedom to dive on their own from fifteen.

Dressed in traditional Japanese attire, including armour and a Samurai helmet, kids from nine can learn to draw swords and perform poses like the real Samurai.

From eight (or as soon as they’re tall enough to see over the top!) children can take to the skies in a hot air balloon, whether it’s gliding over the herds of the Serengeti or soaring at sunrise in Bagan.

Many of Kenya’s family run lodges are well equipped to introduce young children from the age of six to the bush, from nature walks with Maasai guides to all sorts of safari activities.

Head to Finnish Lapland for the ultimate five year old’s fantasy, cooking gingerbread with elves and heading out on reindeer sleigh to meet Santa himself.

Museums aren’t always the best match for children, so instead join a specialist guide in Venice for a private family scavenger hunt as an alternative way of exploring the sights – perfect for four years and up.

Mauritius is one of our top choices for families with toddlers – and Lux Belle Mar has it all with top childcare and an award winning kids club. Island escapes aren’t just for the adults!

Take advantage of long haul travel whilst you don’t have to pay for a full priced ticket for infants and head to South Africa for some winter sun. Affordable and trusted local nannies will allow you some time off to explore.

A Different Perspective

Escape to Mongolia for a whole new outlook for your family, far away from the fastpaced digital world. In the vast, spectacular landscapes of this remote country, learn more about the local culture as you live alongside a nomadic family with children of similar ages. You will all learn to live off the land, milking cows and cooking traditional cuisine. The children will buddy up and you’ll watch them learn archery whilst out riding horses and collecting wood and dung for the fire each evening. A truly immersive experience. 10 days in Mongolia from £5,000 per person.

The Ultimate Family Safari

Mkombe’s House is the only exclusive-use house in the Serengeti designed for travellers with small children. This home-from-home in the bush is ideal for privacy and safety while witnessing the greatest spectacle of the Great Wildebeest Migration. Everything in the house is built with families in mind, complete with two safe swimming pools, a snug for film screenings and an in-house chef with daily menus boasting choice and flexibility. £32,500 for 5 nights, for 4 adults and up to 6 children, all inclusive with activities and domestic flights.

Follow this page link to discover more of our family trips around the world.

8 HOURS IN PORTO

PORTO

LONG REGARDED AS LISBON’S QUIETER SIBLING, PORTUGAL’S SECOND CITY IS NOW UNDERGOING A MAGICAL MOMENT OF REJUVENATION. HERE, HEAD OF EUROPE MOLLY PLANS A PORT-FUELLED WEEKEND TO EXPERIENCE ITS HIGHLIGHTS.

CENTURIES AGO, British merchant ships would cluster in Porto’s medieval harbour to

ferry the region’s port wines home. Now, the city’s riverbanks are crowded with pavement restaurants, and the old town neighbourhoods of Vitoria, Ribeira and Miragaia hum with artisan shops and long-forgotten trades.

Spend a weekend here and also enjoy the nearby Douro Valley – undoubtedly one of Portugal’s most beautiful corners and the oldest regulated wine-growing region in the world. The dramatic landscape is so beautiful it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2001.

Saturday Morning: Exploring Porto

To prepare for all the pavement pounding ahead, amble over to Manteigaria for some Pastéis de Nata. Synonymous with Portugal and deliciously moreish, they are the perfect start to your day. Next, make your way to Bolhao – the main market of the city, where cheerful vendors sell everything from seafood to herbs and honey. Situated east of Avenida dos Aliados, the market is open weekdays until 5pm and Saturday to 1pm. Next, wander on down the pedestrianised Santa Catarina street until you reach the Church of St. Ildefonso. The exterior provides a wonderful example of the ornate blue azulejo tiles for which Porto is rightly famous.

LUNCHTIME Order the ‘Terylene’ slow-cooked marinated pork sandwich and a glass of sparkling Tinto Bruto red at Restaurante Flor dos Congregados

Saturday

Afternoon

After a leisurely lunch, your private guide will meet you for a walking tour of the rest of the city. Weave through the cobbled alleys towards the Church of Sao Francisco, a stunning Gothic church known as ‘the cave of gold’ thanks to its dazzlingly opulent gold leaf interior. Next onto the Stock Exchange Palace to admire its neoclassical architecture.

You can’t travel to Porto without trying its eponymous port wine, and your final destination is one of the famous port houses for a spot of tasting. That means heading over to the wine cellars for an introduction to Port wine, Vinho Verde, as well as some of the country’s lesser-known appellations.

“A petiscos tasting dinner combines many small dishes

that showcase the country’s rich heritage.”

Sunday Morning: To the Douro Valley

This morning after a leisurely start, leave the city for the countryside. Experience the beauty of the Douro Valley in style, cruising along the river in your very own private boat. Admire the incredible scenery en route and stop for a traditional lunch.

LUNCHTIME Settle down at a table on the outdoor terrace of Cozinha da Clara; the views of the vineyards and Douro far below are breathtaking.

Sunday Afternoon

train journey. The Douro Valley boasts a historic train which travels directly along the bank of the Douro River between Tua and Regua, through spectacular landscapes.

DINNER TIME Enjoy the flavours of Portugal with a petiscos tasting dinner. Located in one of the most charming streets of Porto, Mercearia das Flores opens its doors to food lovers looking for a local gourmet experience. Enjoy this 2-night trip in Porto from £1,450 per person.

DINNER TIME

For those looking to push the boat out, The Restaurant (with two Michelin stars at the The Yeatman hotel) cannot be beaten. It is renowned for its fish dishes and extensive wine cellar.

After a scenic lunch venture to local winery, Quinta do Crasto – a family-owned estate producing wines and port, located in Gouvinhas right in the Douro Valley. The property boasts 135 hectares, 75 of them covered with vines, and enjoys exceptional conditions for the production of wines and olive oils of the highest quality. Finally, break up the drive back to Porto with a scenic

WHERE TO STAY

From a decanter-shaped pool and the 25,000 bottle cellar to the grape pip treatments at its spa, this stylish family-owned hotel revolves around wine. It has a two restaurants (one with two Michelin stars) and mesmerising views over the city.

WHAT TO EAT & DRINK

Pastéis de Nata, and White port with tonic

The Yeatman

SRI LANKAN HOPPERS

NORWEGIAN GLØGG

Spice up your mulled wine game this Christmas with a version straight from the land of the fjords. Get this bubbling and fill the house with wonderful smells.

Serves: Depends on your glass size!

Time: 2 1/4 hrs

Ingredients:

1 bottle of red wine, 1 tsp cardamom, 5 whole cloves, 1 large sliced cinnamon stick, 2-inch piece of ginger - chopped, 340g white sugar, 375ml of aquavit (or substitute vodka or Cognac), 100g raisins, 100g sliced almonds.

TANZANIAN BILTONG

Traditionally, hoppers are served as breakfast or a street food snack in the towns of Sri Lanka. Experiment with fillings to eat at any time of day.

Serves: 8-10 Time: 30 mins + 3 hrs proving

Ingredients:

20g dried yeast, 400ml coconut milk, 1 tbsp caster sugar, 300g red (or white) rice flour - sifted, 300g tapioca floursifted (or 100g tapioca flour and 200g trisol), 400ml coconut milk, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda - sifted, around 500ml fizzy water, 1 egg per serving to make an ‘egg’ hopper (optional)

Optional fillings:

Duck egg

Double egg

English Breakfast Hopper with bacon, black pudding, roast tomatoes and mushrooms

Avocado, feta, Vegemite

White truffle, Parmesan

Marmite with plenty of butter

Chilli, crispy sage, prosciutto or anchovies

Seaweed, wasabi, cured trout

Variety of curries e.g. fried potato, pork

Method:

1. Heat the red wine slowly in a saucepan over mediumhigh heat.

2. Put the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and ginger in a spice bag and add to the pot.

3. Stir in the sugar until it dissolves.

4. Remove the pan from heat and let cool, approximately two hours.

5. Just before you’re ready to serve, add the aquavit to the pan and place over medium-high heat. Heat until just before mixture reaches a boil.

6. Add raisins and almonds. Transfer mixture to a punchbowl, remove the spice bag and ladle into large glasses with little spoons for scooping up the raisins and almonds.

This recipe comes from our founder Henry’s great friends in northern Tanzania, a family who have become famed for their epic biltong. Give it a try this Christmas!

Serves: Depends how greedy you are Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 4-6 days

Ingredients:

3kg beef silverside – fat trimmed as per your biltong preferences, 1 ½ cups of brown (malt) vinegar, 100ml of Worcester sauce (just under a cup) Brine mixture: 3 cups of rock salt, 2 cups brown sugar, 1 tsp bicarbonate soda, 1 cup coriander seeds, 1 cup pepper corns - heated and crushed

Method:

Following the grain of meat, cut into 1 inch (2.5cms) thick lengths and place in a non-metallic container. Mix in the brown vinegar and Worcester sauce. Squish down so that all the strips are covered and soak for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the brine mixture by adding two thirds of the above brine ingredients together in a bowl. Save the last third for the final step.

Method:

Make ahead: Whisk the yeast, coconut milk and caster sugar in a large bowl. Wrap with cling film and leave for 40 minutes in a warm place for the yeast to activate.

To the flours and bicarbonate of soda, add the coconut mixture and fizzy water to the consistency of double cream. Whisk and leave for a minimum of 2 hours (I usually leave overnight in a warm place unless in a hurry).

On the day: Once your hopper batter is bubbly and smells a bit like beer, it is ready. Heat a hopper pan or frying pan until it is hot but not smoking. Ladle about half a cup of batter into the pan and, once it starts to bubble, swivel a full 360-degree turn to coat the sides of the pan. Crack an egg into the middle of the pancake, if you like.

Cover the pan with a lid or tin foil and steam for 2–3 minutes until the sides of the hopper start to separate from the pan (and the egg is cooked, if using). With a wooden spatula, carefully remove the hopper and serve hot.

Every time you use the hopper mix, give it a good stir with a whisk as the batter will separate. You can freeze the mix freshly made, but if not, it only lasts a day or so.

After 30 minutes, take each beef strip and smear it with brine mixture on both sides, before placing in a Tupperware box (do not throw the brown vinegar / Worcester sauce mixture away!)

Pack in the strips and leave them, without a lid on, for 1 hour. Then turn the strips with your hands and pack down again. Do this each hour for 3 hours in total.

After 3 hours, lift each beef strip out of the Tupperware, flick off any big bits of salt and rinse each strip in the original mixture of brown vinegar and Worcester sauce. Place a hook in one end of the beef and hang in an aerated room.

We suggest 4 days in US, 6 days in UK (Spring to Autumn). However, drying time will vary with humidity, airflow and temperature. So test the readiness of your biltong every few days by squeezing the sides together with clean fingers.

TIPS: If using venison, game or cheaper cuts of beef, add 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda to tenderise the meat. If you see mould appearing when hanging – take a cloth with vinegar on and dab off the mould spots. Good airflow will help to avoid mould. Ensure that you use a plastic rather than metal bowl –anything metallic will spoil the flavour.