Inhaltsverzeichnis für December 2020 in Wanderlust

UK’s best winter walks Great in summer, even better with a layer of frost. From breezy beaches to dazzling waterfalls, these scenic walks are perfect for an invigorating winter stroll... www.wanderlust.co.uk/WinterWalks 12 northern lights experiences in Norway Where to eat, sleep, drink and what to do when you head into Norway’s north for a glimpse of the aurora. www.wanderlust.co.uk/Twisper African safaris for anyone Whether you’re travelling on a budget or in luxury, or whether it’s your first or third time in Africa, we’ve listed the best safaris to suit every traveller. www.wanderlust.co.uk/AfricanSafari Unforgettable journeys quiz Whether by plane, train or automobile, the journey often matters more than the destination. So how many of these expeditions have you ticked off? www.wanderlust.co.uk/JourneysQuiz 6 fun facts about... sloths Here’s a few things you…

ALONG FOR THE RIDE If it’s time you got back in the saddle then commit to Fjordmino, a new 52km route that loops Horsens Fjord south of Aarhus, Denmark. From Horsens Marina, cycle clockwise past Langelinie and Husodde beaches before arriving at Stensballe Forest; its viewpoint is the perfect pit stop. Next, tackle Trustrup Hills, where you’ll be rewarded with a panorama of the fjord. Meander through villages to Sondrup Hills, then hop on a ferry to Alrø Island, where you’ll cycle over farmland to a 15th-century church. After sampling tarteletter – a traditional chicken and asparagus pasty at Café Alrø – another short ferry takes you to Hjarnø Island. Back on the mainland, stop by Boller Castle, before ending the day in the wine bar at Jørgensens Hotel. visitdenmark.…

“Shake it like a Polaroid picture!” my guide shouted as our Jeep juddered over mountainous off-road terrain on our journey from Madeira’s rural north to the equally hilly but sun-kissed south. Each jolt from my seat was made easier by the views sweeping dramatically down the mountains to the villages below, towards the unending ocean. So high up that my ears almost pop, it becomes obvious that Madeira is far from a fly-and-flop destination. Almost everything in the island’s rural north is an assault on the senses, smacking you with just about every element. You’ll emerge with salt-encrusted skin after several invigorating hours of often-fruitful whale- and dolphin-watching on the glowy blue waters off Machico. Hiking along any of the island’s levada trails, which together cover more than 2,000km, is…

Vital statistics Capital: San José Population: 5.1 million Language(s): Spanish with English widespread Time: GMT-6 International dialling code: +506 Visas: Not required for stays of up to 90 days but you willl require insurance covering COVID-19 and complete an advance epidemiological information form. Money: Costa Rican Colon (CRC); £1=772CRC. Ideally travel with US$ When to go The author travelled in wet season, typically May-December; low season is September-early November when turtles nest on the Pacific beaches. Antarctic humpback whales show July-November. European summer visitors arrive between June-September. Winter offers hotter days with temperatures reaching to the mid-30°C during Jan-April, when the country fills with American visitors. December-March marks the return of humpback whales from the North Atlantic. Health & safety See the FCO (www.gov.uk) for latest travel info and COVID-19…

JANUARY Best for…wolf watching YELLOWSTONE NP, USA It might seem contrary to visit Yellowstone National Park in winter, when it’s mostly closed, but this is a special month – as wildlife watchers know. The thick snows of January and February put the park’s famous wolves in focus, their grey-black fur easier to spot against a white background. Winter tours follow the life-and-death antics of the packs of the Lamar Valley, while snowshoeing side-trips reveal the other side of life in the park: the tough winter ahead for the herds of elk, bison and pronghorn antelope. Best for… close encounters BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO In January, grey whales complete the longest migration by a mammal on Earth – around 12,000km – heading down the North American coast to arrive in the Sea…

Reader travel tips You lot love Japan, so we figured you’d have ace advice on where to visit in the Land of the Rising Sun. And we were right – you delivered like a Japanese train timetable! Top Ten highlights: Grand Canal, Venice We break down a travel icon into its most celebrated bits – this issue, Venice’s ‘main highway’ and the classics along its banks. Xmas travel gifts Don’t know what to ask Santa to bring for the travel fanatic in your life? Worry no more, as our festive gift guide is more stuffed than a Christmas turkey. And less dry too. Just back from... Reader Heather Twomey underwent Iceland’s rigorous COVID-19 testing – and found the country was worth every second of the one-week quarantine requited. Pocket guide:…

Ten years ago I was all set to visit the extraordinary island of Socotra but events in Yemen scotched those plans and my trip was called off. So, I was rather jealous of publishing legend Hilary Bradt when she told me she was heading there (p68) to fulfil a four-decade long dream. Of course, the world was pretty much our oyster back in 2010 with wars and political unrest about the only reason why you wouldn’t travel somewhere. Now, we’re at the mercy of a virus and deciding where to go can be a lottery. It makes planning this magazine a challenge, but we know from your feedback that you still love to research and dream. So on page 52 we have a Where to Go When that are ideas…

No one was going to tussle with the nun, and neither should I. That was all I understood. My self-taught holiday Spanish hadn’t prepared me for the rapid-fire conversation of the Andalusian housewives. A Spanish waiting room, I realised, doesn’t operate an orderly queuing system but relies instead on survival of the fittest and an arcane pecking order. So the elderly nun was first to shuffle painfully toward the surgery door. The day had begun well. This was the day we would visit the Alhambra, the reason we had come to Granada. But first, I wanted to meet the gypsy. She arrived each morning to take her place selling her wares in the middle of San Nicolás Plaza. Dressed in black from head to toe, her face turned leather by…

South Korea is an enchanting blend of mountain-pocked landscapes, millennia of chequered history and a culture that blurs the boundaries between the ancient and the modern. During this stressful period, let’s take a trip to this relaxing and peaceful place... BEST FOR NATURE 2020 has been a challenging year for a lot of us, so it’s only natural that we yearn for calm-inducing wild escapes. Many South Koreans love to surround themselves with nature and hiking is a national pastime that’s tightly woven into the cultural fabric. The granite peaks, lush maple forests and gurgling streams of Bukhansan National Park make it a local hiking favourite. Its peaceful ambience belies its location – less than an hour’s subway journey away from Seoul. Prefer exploring on two wheels? South Korea has…

Undoubtedly, the most alluring aspect of Palma, the compact coastal capital of Mallorca, is that its star shines brightly all year round. With its mild Mediterranean climate, the lively and cosmopolitan city even packs a punch out of season, offering a rich cultural and authentic visitor experience without the crowds. Here are just four of many year-round adventures to have here… GET ACTIVE The best way to explore the medieval old town is on foot, via the labyrinth of cobbled streets that run like pulsating veins through the districts of La Calatrava and La Lonja. From lively Paseo del Borne, the city’s pedestrianised central avenue, head for Calle San Feliu and its surrounding lanes that are home to art galleries, artisan ateliers and cafés. Here, erstwhile Renaissance palaces rub shoulders…

After a year that no-one could have expected, there’s never been a better to dig out those old memory sticks and get creative with printing out your photos. That’s why CEWE is offering one lucky winner the chance to win a £100 CEWE PHOTOBOOK voucher. And with Christmas just around the corner, why not use it as a chance to create a photo book for the travel enthusiast in your life? Here are just three reasons why a CEWE PHOTOBOOK makes such a meaningful gift… 2020 will always be remembered as the year the world stopped travelling. But it’s also been a time where we’ve had the chance to slow down and really look back at our past travel memories. While you may not be able to whisk the traveller…

Timely advice Seasonal sights “Timing a visit for the cherry blossom in spring can be hit and miss. It’s very weather-dependent and lasts only a few days. Fans of Japanese gardens will appreciate the autumn leaf colours just as much. It’s a less short-lived event, so you’ll be less likely to miss it.” David Kingsnorth Island life Odaiba “When in Tokyo, spare an afternoon to visit the island of Odaiba. See the Gundam statue [right], shop till you drop, eat traditional food and relax in the gardens. Oh, and don’t forget to see the robotic receptionist. Well, it is Japan!” Mark Blyth Saving face Dining etiquette “When eating out, most restaurants give you a small, damp cloth before your meal. It’s to clean your hands before the meal – not,…

Apparently size does matter – at least it did according to the medieval folk of Dorset. Why else would they graffiti an 11m-long erection on a hill that can be seen for miles? Now a National Trust monument, the 55m-tall Cerne Giant is an outline of a man – complete with abs, pecs and the aforementioned member – which was dug out of chalk near the village of Cerne Abbas. The earliest written evidence of the figure was in 1694 but, of course, the history of Dorset’s hills go back long before then. The Jurassic Coast – England’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage site – spans the coast from neighbouring Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage, Dorset. It is valued because it tells a geological story that started around…

What’s in a name anyway? The world’s third largest ravine, the 26km-long Blyde River Canyon has been renamed as the Motlatse Canyon, although its delights remain the same. Running through South Africa’s Mpumalanga province, its green lushness attracts birds of prey as well as Knysna and purple-crested lourie, Narina trogon and malachite sunbird. The canyon’s a key part of the Panorama Route, which snakes through the 290 sq km Motlatse Canyon Provincial Nature Reserve that borders the canyon. Other highlights of this scenic road include the 56m-high Mac Mac Falls, 200m-high ‘weeping’ Kadishi Tufa waterfall and God’s Window – a sweeping panorama of leafy plateaus. Deeper into the park there’s Bourke’s Luck Potholes and The Three Rondavels – a trio of 700m tall peaks – close to the 71m-high Blyderivierpoort…

“When the wind of change blows, some people build walls, some build windmills.”Chinese Proverb The world turns... Herringfleet Mill, Suffolk Photographer: David Andrews The rising sun washes the frosted Suffolk flats with its warm salutations, as Herringfleet Mill – actually a 19th-century water pump – seemingly waves back at it. We’re going to be making the most of the British winter’s brittle beauty over the next few months – we may not get much of a choice in it – so it’s heartening to remember that there’s so many vistas to enjoy, with one sure to be near you. Giving us a visual aid on that front are the winners of 2020’s Landscape Photographer of the Year, from which this image was shortlisted. After all, a fresh local perspective could…

”Enjoying the late afternoon beauty of Havana from a rooftop when storm clouds rolled in.” Andrea Stein “Mumbai, Maharashtra. Minimal, just like the dartboard!” Shanu Dhawale ”Boka Bay, Montenegro. The most colourful breath of fresh air I have taken this year.” Mathias Falcone ”Bonnie and Harry at Cresswell Beach in Northumberland.” Julia Stevens ”Kaikōura, South Island, New Zealand. ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’ indeed!” Carina Storey ”We visited Myanmar a couple of years ago. This is me at the temple on the top of Mt Popa.” Lynda Nicholls ”One of the (few) advantages of COVID is we had the Shambles in York to ourselves walking back to our hotel.” Craig Helliwell ”Gorging at the National Trust’s Fairbrook. Freezing cold but great fun with Acclimbatize.” Sarah Booker ”Exploring the mesmerising…

Arriving at Tiskita Jungle Lodge in pitch blackness during a thundery tropical downpour, I flinched at fruit-bats that were sinisterly backlit by phosphorene flashes of lightning. Even if Count Dracula never materialised, my hairs still prickled at the tumble-dryer roar of the unseen ocean while the relentless electrocardiogram ping of tree-frogs synced with my quickening pulse. It seemed only fitting that later, during dinner, a glossy boa slithered into the lounge and took residency between the armchairs. My senses were on overdrive. Any lingering demons I’d had about travelling during these strange times were quickly supplanted during the wildest night imaginable in Costa Rica. And still fright night wasn’t over in this south-western corner of Costa Rica. Pre-sunrise, the jungle’s blood-curdling baritones, howler monkeys, awoke me with their simian rendition…

Orangutans and proboscis monkeys swing through thick rainforests, a bright underwater world hides an abundance of marine life, 60 million-year-old caves await exploration. There’s so much to discover in Sarawak, Malaysia. And now, thanks to Malaysia Airlines and the Sarawak Tourism Board, you and a friend could be jetting off on a six-day trip to this incredible country... A wild adventure Less than an hour from the airport is pristine Peraya, where you will spend your first night soaking up the local culture at this homestay. Your trip will get off to a thrilling start as you board a traditional bamboo raft and are paddled down the rainforest-lined river by guides. The guides will steer you through rapids before anchoring up at a pebble beach where you can refuel on…

Socotra THE TRIP The author travelled with the Canadian company The Inertia Network (travel.inertianetwork.com) in February 2020. The week’s itinerary encompassed all the island’s main highlights, with two additional days in Cairo. The two-week itinerary usually involves camel trekking (the camels carry the luggage not people). The total package cost US$4,584pp (£3,550) with two sharing, including the Cairo to Socotra flight. Vital statistics Location: The largest island in the Socotra Archipelago, approx. 250km from Somalia and 380km from mainland Yemen. Capital: Hadiboh Population: 75,000 Language(s): Arabic and Socotri Time: GMT + 3 International dialling code: +967 (0)5 Visas: At present Socotra tourist visas are provided through whichever international or local tour operator you use to book your trip. Money: The Yemeni rial. (YER) Because of the war, its value is…

The highlights: Iceland is a living postcard with volcanoes, geysers, bubbling hot springs, glaciers, icebergs, canyons and more. Seek out the different waterfalls and climb behind them or to the top. In the howling wind the water goes up to the sky and in the sun you get beautiful rainbows. Relax in the ‘hot pots’, where it’s wonderful to soak for an hour or two among breathtaking scenery. Must see: Húsavik, whale-watching and the GeoSea outdoor hot baths with a cold beer; Höfn, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach; the mountain pass to Seyðisfjörður and its beautiful rainbow street; Vestrahorn Mountain on a sunny day; and the northern lights if you’re lucky. Top tip: Bring waterproof and windproof outerwear, waterproof boots, gloves, a hat and layers – the weather can…