Last year on 5th November I waved goodbye to Ushuaia aboard the Ocean Endeavour. For the first time in my life I was Antarctica bound as a trainee guide with the Quark Academy, Quark Expeditions. I am fortunate to be working aboard the Ocean Endeavour again this year and the 5th of November will mark the first departure of the season for this vessel. As I think back to that first voyage I can clearly remember the buzz and excitement that filled the air on board. I'm not sure

There are few countries that will overload your senses and pull at your heartstrings in quite the way India does. The colours, the food, the people, the architecture, the wildlife, the list is endless. A visit certainly teaches you a few life lessons, tests your patience and, for most, has you leaving lighter than when you arrived. I spent six weeks in India, travelling with a friend. We visited Assam, Kolkata, Nagpur and the infamous 'Golden Triangle' of Jaipur, Agra and Del

Nepal, home to the world's highest mountain, offers endless trekking opportunities. On my first visit to Nepal I trekked to Everest Basecamp with my family. On my second visit I explored the Annapurna region with a friend. With limited time on our hands, we chose to trek to Poon Hill. At 3210 metres this trek is ideal for those concerned about altitude sickness, and is convenient as it can be completed in 4 days if you have time constraints. We left from Pokhara in a taxi wit

Whether it is the extreme climes, the isolation, the spectacular ice formations or the penguins, Antarctica’s spell beckoned past explorers

Famous throughout South America for it's skiing in the winter, Bariloche is a hiker's paradise for the rest of the year. Surrounded by the dramatic Patagonian landscapes found on the cover of a National Geographic magazine, with a myriad of lakes and imposing mountains, Bariloche is everything it's promised to be and more. The main street of the town is lined with chocolatiers; good luck to anyone who tries to walk down this street without indulging! My top pick is the dark c

Lake Titicaca sits at an altitude of 3800 meters between Bolivia and Peru. It has the largest surface area of any lake in South America and is well known for it's deep blue colour. Lake Titicaca has 48 sacred islands, the largest and most notable of which is Isla del Sol, as it is believed to be the birthplace of the Inca's sun god and of the first two Incas. The infamous Inca's ancient ties to the lake and islands is what draws people from all over the world. It is a mysteri

Say the word 'Bolivia' and my mind immediately conjures up images of pristine salt flats and sparkling lagoons full of pink flamingos. A recent three day tour with Ker and Downey, starting at the Hito Cajon Bolivian border and finishing in Uyuni was far beyond any expectations I had. The varied landscape in this area completely took my breath away. Day 1 Our first stop was Laguna Blanca (White Lagoon). During the winter months this lagoon is frozen but this doesn't stop a var

Nestled in the heart of Chile's lake district lies Pucon. The town sits on the shore of lake Lago Villarrica and is dwarfed by the snow capped Vilarrica volcano. The town has a definite 'ski resort' feel to it. Cafes, bars, ice cream and chocolate shops line the streets; you won't go hungry here! Nature lovers will not be disappointed by Huerquehue National Park. There are plenty of hikes, two being particularly popular. One to Los Lagos, a 4-5 hour return journey to four la

As a child I watched a documentary of an orca propelling itself onto a beach in order to catch a seal pup. After this epic feat the orca then elegantly wriggled down the shingle beach and back into the sea with it's prize. From that moment it has been a dream of mine to see this happen. Valdes Peninsula, Patagonia, Argentina is the place where this extraordinary behaviour occurs. This protected UNESCO semi arid area is home not only to these specialised orcas but to a whole h

Many backpackers are put off of travelling to Australia because of the sheer cost of it. There is no denying that a return flight is going to eat into your budget. Once you've taken that hit there are many ways to be thrifty and make those dollars go as far as possible. Consider renting a car or buying one if you are in Australia for a longer period of time. Many tourists rent big campervans but these are expensive to rent and cost a lot in fuel. A car gives you a lot more

When planning a trip to Sydney I'd suggest setting aside a day to explore Sydney's harbour. Sydney is a very clean city with a great atmosphere. Despite it being 44 degrees Celsius during my visit I was passed by a runner every few minutes. Around each corner there is a water fountain for you and a doggy tap. Although teeming with tourists, locals are easy to spot with their sun kissed hair, a tan and dressed either in gym clothing or office attire in keeping with the famousl

Australia is well known for it's weird and wonderful wildlife. As a wildlife fanatic I found myself paging through travel guides and internet sites searching for the best possible places to see some of Australia's iconic wildlife. I get a thrill from finding and photographing animals in their natural environment . Of course, finding animals in the wild is often easier said than done and requires above all else patience. Australia is massive and with time and budget constraint

Kaziranga, Assam India, is home to two thirds of the world's Greater One-horned rhinos. This fact alone had us travelling on a train for 9 hours followed by a five hour bus ride. Kaziranga is split into four zones: The Eastern range, the Western range, the Central range and the Burapahar Range We did three game drives at Kaziranga. Two in the Eastern range and one in the Central range. The Central and Western ranges tend to be more crowded with vehicles as they are closer to

Perched on a mountain side overlooking Khangchendzonga (8598m), Darjeeling is neatly tucked between Nepal and Bhutan. Darjeeling is world famous for it’s tea and plantations cover every mountain slope. The Happy Valley Tea Estate is India’s highest tea plantation at an altitude of 2100m . The tea from this plantation produces black, green and white tea and is sold to Harrods, UK. A recent tour of the tea factory gave me a new appreciation for the hard work that goes into prod

I recently had the opportunity to visit Tiger Tops, Tharu Lodge, situated on the western side of Chitwan National Park, Nepal. This beautiful corner of the jungle is home to 12 Asian elephants. Tiger Tops set themselves above the rest by being the first lodge in Nepal to stop tourists riding elephants. Some of the daily activities include jeep safaris, safari by ox wagon and a river cruise. We were fortunate to see one horned rhino from the jeep and the canoe. Walking with th

Meet Kevin. An Egyptian vulture and my guide for the day. Kevin is one of two Egyptian vultures at the Parahawking project in Pokhara, Nepal. Kevin is an ambassador for vulture conservation and due to his contact with humans from an early age is unable to be released back into the wild. Sadly the vulture population in Nepal has declined severely in the last decade due to a drug called Diclofenac. Diclofenac is administered by locals to their old and dying cattle to relieve pa

Top things to do in Kathmandu in a couple of days.

Thanks to some recent rain the Waterberg is lush, green, the rivers full and the dams overflowing. Last week the Marataba section of the Marakele National Park received over 160mm of rain in three days. The day after the big rains I made my way along the Matlabas River in the late morning. It was nine o’clock and already over thirty degrees. On the road ahead I saw a large elephant cow cross the road towards the river. I approached slowly and parked where the road was close t

It has now been six months since we started working to familiarise a female leopard and her 3 cubs with game drive vehicles. All three cubs are still alive and doing well; two males and a female. Their mother has done a fantastic job in rearing, feeding and protecting them. I have been fortunate to have spent a great deal of time with the four of them and have watched the cubs grow and develop unique personalities. At first the female seemed to use a handful of den sites (we

The Zambezi River is the very essence of ‘true Africa’. It’s banks are abundant with wildlife and it’s water full of hippos, crocodiles and tiger fish. Mana Pools, Zimbabwe, is one of the few places in Southern Africa where visitors are permitted to explore on foot without a qualified guide. September is the end of the dry season and many of the smaller watering holes have dried to mud; forcing animals to congregate around the larger pools and the river. Mana Pools had long b