National Geographic Traveler

the story of our lives

We’ve been around the world for 35 years, and along the way we’ve collected stories. Lots of stories. Geographical explorations, cultural expositions, historical quests, adventurous yarns, voyages of discovery, sound journeys, road trips, revelatory romps, secret missions, daring escapes, postcards from the edge. You name it, we ran it. And we loved every word, every picture, every tale. Stories are what we bring to the campfire. But the spark comes when a story finds an audience and when that audience carries the story onward. Once an idea takes root in a curious mind who knows where it will end up? While our greatest stories have no end, this magazine does. With the publication of this issue, Traveler will retire. But we won’t be on vacation: we will channel our energies into…

how to see the world

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPEDITIONS Discover and plan your next adventure 1 Looking for a portal into the pages of National Geographic magazine? Expert-led trips channel the experiences of our explorers, with special access to remote cultures and active research sites. In 2020, expedition cruises to Antarctica will host a citizen science project examining the presence of microplastics on the Antarctic Peninsula, while a journey along the fabled Silk Road passes through five Central Asian countries and a new private expedition to Egypt delves into ancient archaeology. There’s also a feel-good factor: each trip gives back to the National Geographic Society’s exploration efforts. Visit natgeoexpeditions.com/explore. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL Go globe-trotting with Gordon 2 In the first season of Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, the famed chef (pictured below) searched for culinary inspiration in six countries spanning the globe. Food,…

further

Everything Is Illuminated “A good photograph is knowing where to stand.” So said the master photographer Ansel Adams. But it’s easier said than done. I have always loved his classic 1942 image of the Tetons and the Snake River, Wyoming. When I was working on a story about wild and scenic rivers for National Geographic magazine, I decided to pay homage to Adams by photographing from nearly the same spot. Alas, the trees had grown over the years, so I secured a permit to hang a camera from a weather balloon above them. After drifting up a hundred feet, it got this shot. I’ve been fortunate to travel the world many times over, and I’ve photographed dozens of Traveler stories. Here’s what I’ve learned: Nothing else compares to America’s national parks. They…

marvels of the jungle

National Geographic Emerging Explorer Ricardo Moreno studies jaguars, the biggest cats in the Americas. His research as a biologist shows that these members of the panther family are dying faster than they can reproduce, largely due to hunting and habitat loss. “To see one is like seeing a ghost,” he says, adding that a jaguar is “like a shadow moving between the trees in the forest—a magical master of illusion.” Here Moreno shares his tips for spotting these canny cats in the wild. 1 Brazil In the vast national park of Pantanal Mato-grossense, “jaguars don’t change behavior when people are around,” Moreno says. The cats have become accustomed to humans aboard boats, much as African lions have habituated to safari vehicles. This 335,000-acre park is the world’s largest inland wetland, home to…

city guide rotterdam

With its striking design-forward architecture, Rotterdam is not your traditional Dutch town. Flattened by German bombs in World War II, the Netherlands’ second largest municipality has evolved from a gritty harbor city into one of Europe’s most exciting urban destinations. Amid buildings by renowned architects like native son Rem Koolhaas, new sustainability initiatives are emerging, such as a “smog-eating” tower and incentives to slash shipping emissions in Europe’s busiest port. “Reinventing is part of Rotterdam’s DNA,” says local digital entrepreneur Arnold van Iterson. In May the city will host the greenest yet Eurovision Song Contest, with some 3,000 solar panels on the event venue. But as Rotterdam rises, “don’t expect us to take on starlike airs,” says van Iterson. “We keep both feet on the ground.” ANDREW MOORE/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTION (MARKET…

book it rotterdam

Slumber Parties TRENDY NEW CLASSIC An exemplar of Jugendstil architecture and now a national heritage site, the 1901 HOTEL NEW YORK served as headquarters for the Holland America Line of cruises until the 1970s. Its 72 rooms (including two-floor stunners inside a tower) overlook Rotterdam’s harbor and the Maas River. Cool kid THE JAMES appeals to luxury lovers with its stylish guest rooms in the heart of the city—and impressive views of the cable-winged Erasmus Bridge. A newcomer fast winning the hearts of locals and visitors, boutique-style SUPERNOVA calls itself a “non-hotel” for global nomads. Local art covers the walls, cocktails come in takeaway bottles, and a “silence garden” encourages the information-addled to unplug from all devices. MITCHELL VAN VOORBERGEN/BY JARMUSCH (RESTAURANT), JURJEN DRENTH PHOTOGRAPHY (PORT)…