Wanderlust Issue 167 (June 2016) Greece: Trip Planner ♦ USA National Parks’ best wildlife ♦ Beyond Sydney ♦ Tanzania ♦ India ♦ Philippines ♦ Pocket guides: Nairobi, Ljubljana (Slovenia) & Dambulla Caves (Sri Lanka)
Beyond Sydney
Discover walks, wildlife and wine in NSW
T R AV E L M AG A Z I N E Win!e www.wanderlust.co.uk June 2016
One of fiv ies good Eagle Creek e 4 g a See p
India
Think lions are only in Africa? Think again...
GREECE Your expert guide to exploring the islands, culture and cuisine the crowd-free way
Go wild in the USA From bison to bears, wolves to eagles – the best places to see the most iconic wildlife
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♦ Tanzania ♦ Philippines ♦ Slovenia ♦ And more...
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CONTENTS
Issue 167 June 2016
360˚ – NEED TO KNOW
nder 6Viewfi to know this month... 12GoNeed 14 Eatnow this... 165 minutes with… Bill Oddie 18 Know your… hawker centres 20South American unique sleeps 22 Galloping zebras, bird’s-eye beach views and Scottish reindeer
Travelling is safer than going to work The gateway to Utah’s National Parks is now even easier to get to... Grub’s up! Creepy-crawlies are the next food trend to hit your plate The popular birder talks Patagonia
Bite into Singapore’s food courts
Make your nights as exciting as your days
▲ Cover story
52 Greece
Think you know Greece? Think again. Journey beyond the beach-crowds for wild walks, Herculean landscapes and fine food in our expert guide to the cradle of Western civilisation
WIN! Eagle Creek goodies, p78
TRAVEL MASTERCLASS
68The masterclass 71Instant expert: drones 74Take better travel photos clinic 76Travel 79Traveller’s guide to… travel shorts
Fancy tackling a water-based adventure? We show you how to make your first kayaking trip go swimmingly Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Neither – learn all about these flying robots and how to use them Our expert snapper on how to ditch the clutter from your photos to capture stunning silhouettes Lend us your ear – Doctor Jane reveals how to protect your lugholes We pick a dozen of this year’s best travel shorts – just in time to kit you out this summer
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“Two adolescents cackled with laughter as they chased each other around a tree; others sat face-to-face quietly grooming, their hands clasped together like a Mahale high-five.” Sarah Gilbert
▲ Special feature
34 Go wild in the USA
From hummingbirds to humpback whales, we profile 15 of the USA’s most iconic wildlife and show you where best to see them
139 “Beyond a gabled entrance, the temples are decked in lavish painted murals and boast over 150 Buddha statues – added to over the centuries by Sri Lanka’s rulers.”
FLYING HIGH Drones, p71
Salt Lake City, p14
“The speed here was lively but not hectic, with most people either drinking on terrace cafés or strolling the banks of the Ljubljanica river.” Chris Moss
“Drones can catch unique perspectives of places never seen before.”
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BALD EAGLE, BISON, BEAR... US wildlife icons, p34 FEATURES
24Beyond Sydney
New South Wales isn’t just about Oz’s most famous city – there’s a world of epic coastlines, great wilderness and wine-rich valleys to explore too India Discover the last great habitat of the Asian lion in Gujarat PLUS: Our guide to India’s other must-see species Philippines Leave behind the bustle of Manila for the raw splendour of rural Luzon, exploring vertiginous rice paddies, cliff-hanging graves and spluttering volcanoes Tanzania East Africa isn’t just known for the Big Five – head to the Mahale Mountains for its star attraction: wild chimps
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Dreamstime
FROM THE ROAD
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POCKET GUIDES
110Your story
24 hours: 137First Nairobi, Kenya
Reader Suzy Pope trawls Vietnam’s street-food stalls in search of the real Saigon, and David Higham returns to Malaysia’s Sarawak 50 years on Letters In our mailbag: Readers feeding their child an early dose of wanderlust in the Arctic Circle; reminiscing about Sulawesi’s spectacular funerals; and comparing passport stamps
After 25 years of UNESCO recognition and now free entry – now is the perfect time to visit these temples
Hunting for dragons in the Swiss Alps; falling for the UAE’s lesser-known sights; adding Madagascar to your wanderlist; rambling the English countryside; and much more...
Slovenia’s newly-crowned eco-capital more than lives up to its billing, with Alpine peaks and vast swathes of verdent forest proving its green credentials in more ways than one
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Don’t be put off by its reputation. With volcano hikes, trendy dining and safaris on its doorstep, Kenya’s lush capital deserves a second look…
icon: Dambulla Cave 139Travel Temple, Sri Lanka
115This month you have been… 141 Short break: Ljubljana
82 “I squinted at the endless expanse of pale beiges, browns and yellows expecting them to suddenly morph into the shape of a lion.” Martin Fletcher
“Clinging to the craggy cliffside before us, the coffins were stacked high, as though suspended in mid-air and defying the very laws of gravity.” Nick Boulos
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Ljubljana, p141 Greece, p52 “There was plenty of wildlife – mother and joey kangaroos, noisily bold kookaburras, dolphins – but also wide swathes of handsomely rumpled coastline to enjoy.” Tom Rhys
India, p82 Philippines, p98 Sri Lanka, p139
TALKING HEADS Bill Oddie, p18
24 New South Wales, p24
“A lot of places you go to remind you of somewhere else – usually Scotland. But Patagonia is unique.”
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Legend of the falls
Fine bushwalks loop the Blue Mountains’ iconic three-tiered Wentworth Falls; (right) grapes ripening in the famed vineyards of the Hunter Valley
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USA Wildlife
PRAIRIE DOGS BEST PLACE TO SEE: Badlands National Park, South Dakota
While a large chunk of the Badlands is taken up with a 160km wall of torturedlooking, gully-pocked pinnacles, the rest is wild prairie. Under these dusty plains sprawl huge ‘towns’ of black-tailed prairie dogs (so-named because of their tiny bark, despite being rodents) – the meerkats of the US. Prairie dogs burrow to escape hot summers, cold winters and high winds – which is all the time here. Drive the 40km of gravel that is Sage Creek Rim Road and you’ll pass Roberts Prairie Dog Town. This
former homestead has one of the largest black-tailed prairie dog colonies in the US. Smaller ‘towns’ can also be glimpsed in the fields of grazing bison en route. Badlands has a lot of walks, but most are rather truncated. The longest is Castle Trail, a 16km round-trip past crumbling mudstone towers. For views, drive to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation where a dirt track leads off County Road 589 across white alkali flats to Sheep Mountain Table.
From there, unmarked trails offer more intense routes. A 140km drive also takes you to Mount Rushmore, if you’re in the mood to tick off an icon. GETTING THERE: There are regular flights and Greyhound buses from South Dakota’s Sioux Falls and Pierre to Rapid City, where transport can be rented to complete the 112km drive to Badlands. WHEN TO GO: Year-round WHERE ELSE? Unlike the thriving black-tails, Bryce Canyon National Park’s Utah prairie dogs (reddish-brown with white-tipped tails) are a threatened species. Drive the park’s northern side and stop to see them scurry in the meadows.
ALSO SPOT: Bison • Bighorn sheep • Pronghorns • Beavers • Burrowing owls
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Beautiful bison
Hayden Valley in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, is a great spot to see bison
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WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
USA Wildlife
From tracking wolves in Yellowstone to kayaking with manatees in the Everglades, the USA is home to some of the world’s most iconic wildlife. Celebrate the US National Park Service turning 100 with a face-to-snout encounter using our expert guide to where’s best to see the Big 15...
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Wildlife Icons
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Caribou Best place to see: Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska also spot: Moose • Brown bears • Dall sheep • Wolves • Bald eagles
Getting there: A railroad links Denali to Anchorage (7.5hr; from $131 [£90]). The park’s sole road extends nearly 150km but is mostly accessed by bus. Shuttles (from $26.50 [£18]), tour buses (from $66.50 [£46]) and accommodation can be booked in advance through park concessionaire reservedenali.com. When to go: Year-round; best from March–September Where else? Grab an air taxi from Kobuk Valley National Park’s HQ in Kotzebue to access Alaska’s remote northern wilderness. Watch 300,000 Western Arctic caribou migrate across the dunes every April/May and September/October, with flightseeing trips your best bet to catch this amazing spectacle.
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Corbis
In the early 1980s the borders of Denali NP were expanded to encompass its roaming caribou. Today, some 3,000 tread its icy tundra and taiga year-round in the shadow of North America’s highest peak, Mount Denali (6,190m, formerly known as Mount McKinley). Usually spotted in small groups (5-10), the caribou head to the far north of the Park Road during winter, so time your visit well to see these stunning beasts. You won’t spot much within the first 40km of the park; after that, it’s partly potluck. However, try taking the bus to Polychrome Pass where wolves have often been seen hunting caribou against a backdrop of multi-coloured mountains. Further on, caribou trails weave the pass from the top of Stony Hill Overlook, which affords good views of the land below. Denali is densely packed with trails – albeit unmanaged in most places. Thorofare Pass is a good place to spot brown bears in early summer, while dall sheep scatter the trail up Igloo Mountain. From September onwards, try dogsledding (earthsonglodge.com) with a guide, or visit the kennels in summer. Backcountry passes can also be applied for to cycle the length of the park road, camping along the way.
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USA Wildlife
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Discover tradition & adventure in beautiful Bavaria With festivals and customs dating back centuries, the real Germany is found in its medieval towns and villages where tradition thrives, wild trails abound and the wine flows freely…
W
hen visiting Germany, the temptation is to head for its cities. The history of Berlin, the culinary culture of Munich and the Gothic grandeur of Cologne all offer compelling reasons. But beyond its urban centres, a wealth of medieval villages, scenic valleys and vineyards await discovery. Picturesque hiking routes scythe Germany’s vast rural expanse, skirting palaces, mills, mountains and lakes, and providing visitors
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with a main artery into the countryside – so get out and explore! Away from the roads, these scenic trails trace the hills, opening up valleys and sky-scraping peaks to walkers and cyclists. Many weave villages and towns where customs have remained unchanged for centuries, and where hospitality means a hearty local meal. Away from Germany’s cities, life is slower, the air purer and the walks more breathtaking. You could even argue the grass is greener – well, there’s more of it – so why not see for yourself?
Wanderlust March 2015
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Promotional feature
Hike & taste traditionally different Bavaria Arrive for the scenic roads and fairytale castles, but stay to explore the real Germany – a hidden world of Alpine hikes, ancient festivals and fine wines …
Vintage experiences
The typically traditional Franconian town of Miltenberg on the Main; (right) enjoy a wine with your wanders at the village of Grossheubach
© Churfranken e.V. / Mainblende
T
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radition is as much a part of Bavarian life as the Alpine peaks that spear its southern borders or the Tyrolean hat. Local customs aren’t just kept alive as curiosities here, they’re lived across valleys and villages, and warmly shared with visitors. Old customs thrive and brewing is a touchstone across the state. The 500-yearold Bavarian beer purity law – which allows only four ingredients – water, malt, hops and yeast – is still in use, especially in the community breweries of Eastern Bavaria, where recipes date from the 14th century. It’s not just beer, though, wine culture here goes back nearly 2,000 years. To sample it yourself, head to the Franconia region, which centres on Würzburg but stretches the River Main to Bürgstadt. Local vintners 0pen up bars in their wineries whenever a fresh batch is ready; meanwhile over 100 wine festivals are held across its medieval towns and villages between May and November.
And then there’s the food. From the hard cheese of the Allgäu region to Bavaria’s sweet mustard (Weißwurstsenf) – best eaten with white sausage – local treats abound. Try the meatloaf (Leberkäse) or sweet Bavarian doughnuts (Funkenküchle) accompanied by coffee topped with whipped cream. Food and tradition are tied in more ways than one here – especially dairy. In September, vast herds of cattle are driven down from a summer spent grazing on high Alpine pastures. The sight (known as Almabtrieb) is so synonymous with the region that it now draws large crowds each year. Many slivers of old Bavarian life survive but there is no better link to the past than its scenery. Head to the resorts of Mittenwald, Krün and Wallgau for ageless Alpine walks. Alternatively, the medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber has trails that skirt the old mills that were once the backbone of the area. Just strap on your walking boots and step back in time.
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Travel Masterclass Become an instant expert with our travel know-how
Discover the joy of drones
Getty
see p71
■ This month’s experts include: Enthusiastic paddler Ben Pickering, p68 ♦ Wild-Scandinavia swimmer Ben Love, p71 ♦ Shadow caster David Taylor, p74 ♦ Ear popper Jane Wilson-Howarth, p76 ♦ Travel shorts tester Phoebe Smith, p79 Wanderlust June 2016
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CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
Fancy some quality face-time with wild chimps? Visit the Mahale Mountains to discover that Tanzania isn’t just about the Big Five WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS SARAH GILBERT
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Tanzania
Into the woods
Around 800 chimps live in separated communties within the thick forests of Tanzania’s Mahale Mountains
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