Wanderlust April/May 2011 issue sampler

Wanderlust Issue 119 (April/May 2011) Africa’s Great Migration • Uruguay • Gibb River Road, Australia • Quito, Ecuador • Camino de Santiago, Spain • Pocket guides: Mumbai, Isle of Man, Angkor Thom

ADVENTURE / WILDLIFE / DISCOVERY ➸ THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

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Incredible journeys Hit the road in Australia, Tanzania, Spain, Cumbria…

Outback road trip

Crocs, rocks & shock absorbers

Africa’s Great Migration 14-page safari guide

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Ecuador

Discover the land of volcanoes

Camino de Santiago

Walk Spain’s holy trail

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106 Cumbria Quito, Ecuador

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Pocke Guides tt Mum o Angkor Tbai, Isle of Mhom, a S ee p135 n

THE FUTURE Like this map? To buy MAPPING a similar wall map, visit COMPANY www.futuremaps.co.uk

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Migration

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Contents APRIL/MAY 2011 • ISSUE 119

360°

Navigator

6 | World in pictures

85 | Skills

Gaze the globe: from California to Andalucía via the high Himalaya...

12 | Shortcuts

The world’s travel news: rhino mating, new Delhi rail link and Italy bans bottles…

14 | Go Now!

Go wild in Romania’s Danube Delta

16 | 10 things to do for free in...

WIN!

Amazing trips to...

Canada | 70 & 112 Mexico | 96 Austria | 123 Lithuania | 132

Bag bargains in pricey Stockholm

18 | Trips to take... camping

Ten trips under canvas, with a difference

From the road

How to survive a mountain hut, a sea kayak expedition and a shark attack!

87 | Gear

What to pack for heading off on safari

88 | Photo tips

How to snap the majesty of mountains

90 | Health

The deadly diseases in unlikely places

92 | Q&A

Your queries answered on: travel writing, Peru and Bolivia, dirham and dollars…

Arrivals 114 | Books

35 | Ripping yarn

One year, one country, 20 festivals – one reader partied with jazz bands and Aborigines on a fun-packed trip to Oz

36 | Letters etc

Emails, blogs, photos and ramblings from around the world – get in touch to win Páramo gear

40 | The world according to…

“Despite being kidnapped in Colombia, I find it inspiring...”

Jonathan Glancey enters Nagaland, plus tomes on the science of flying and sugar

116 | Guides

Guidebook publishers get innovative

118 | World diary

The best global festivals in April and May

119 | What’s On: UK

Lemur exhibition and Scilly walks

122 | Music

The best in world music – we look forward to the upcoming industry awards

Features

98 Gibb River

Rd, West Oz

24 | Uruguay

72 | DR Congo

Ride like a real gaucho, stay at authentic ranches and eat from the world’s best barbecues in oft-overlooked Uruguay

Writer and presenter Conor Woodman lifts the lid on off-limits Africa

42 | Great Migration, Africa It’s nature’s greatest spectacle: millions of beasts on the move across Kenya and Tanzania. Our 14-page guide helps you access the action

This epic pilgrimage isn’t just one fine walk – many trails cross Spain, en route to Santiago: pick the right one for you

60 | Travel photo special: Quito region, Ecuador

Mixing creature comforts, creatures and off-road adventure, this Outback drive is perhaps Australia’s best road trip

Our 2010 Photo of the Year winners went to Ecuador – and came back with these stunning images. Plus Kapka Kassabova reflects on the city and its surrounds

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74 | Walking the Camino de Santiago, Spain

98 | Gibb River Road, West Oz

106 | Cumbria Lyn Hughes is wowed by the tides (and breakfasts) of north-west England

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SPAIN

Birds of a feather Photographer Diego Lopez “Andalucía’s Cadiz Bay Natural Park is one of the most important coastal ecosystems in Spain. A saltmarsh of spectacular beauty, you see different shapes in the sediment during low tide.

This huge flock of common flamingoes is carefully observed from the shore by some cormorants; I observed them all from a light aircraft. I used a stabilised zoom lens in order to prevent the inflight vibrations, and I used a high sensitivity to achieve the right shutter speed and to guarantee a well-defined image.”

This image is part of the Wild Wonders of Europe (www.wild-wonders.com), a photography project aimed at sharing the continent’s amazing creatures

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Ripping yarn | Letters etc | The world according to…

From The Road Letters, tips, photos & exploits from you, our endlessly adventurous readers

Ripping yarn

‘I went to 20 Australian festivals in one year’ Forget the quiet life. Philippa Jones decided to spend a year exploring Australia’s wild side by visiting a score of the country’s best bashes…

“The fields, forests and sundrenched beaches of Australia come alive with festivals during summertime and I wanted to take full advantage. I hitchhiked around the country, attending a total of 20 festivals in just one year.

ConFest (New South Wales) was a shocking and liberating experience. I went in blind and came out blind – it was extreme hippy territory. Everyone was naked and covered in mud, strolling along with a cup of chai in one hand and a spliff in the other.

Meanwhile, I experienced the real Outback at the Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival (in Queensland).

Camping in dust blizzards and 40°C was tough, but learning the ‘little prawn dance’ provided a connection between us travellers and the Aboriginal tribes. We were so bad that the elders made us perform on stage, as an example of how not to dance!

Yet, my strangest moment was at Byron Bay’s Bluesfest. One morning I woke up in my hammock only to find that, despite being completely sober, I couldn’t walk in a straight line: the swaying had disrupted my balance so much that for two days I kept falling over.

By the end of the year, normality seemed miles away – but I’d do it all again. I say get out there – there’s a festival waiting for you, too.”

Got a ripping yarn of your own? Done something different? Email fromtheroad@wanderlust.co.uk

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From The Road in association with Photo of the month Our favourite reader photo on www.wanderlust.co.uk/ mywanderlust. This issue:

Mountain gorilla, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda Lisa Bukalders, company administrator, Surrey

‘This is a silverback mountain gorilla from the Nkuringo family. You can reach this family of habituated gorillas on a trek through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, accompanied by guides.

It can be tough going down the steep mountainside through dense vegetation. It’s difficult to get a clear shot of the gorillas in the undergrowth so I was really pleased with this photo; I love his dreamy look and the fact that he seems completely oblivious to his admirers.’

Win! Páramo gear worth £110 + Wanderlust goodies

From The Road is all about your travels, and we want your contributions – by email, post or online (see page 36 for addresses).

We’re after snaps of you on your travels, letters and advice, great travel tales and photographs – even quirky souvenirs. So surprise us!

Each issue our favourite contribution wins Páramo gear plus a bundle of other must-haves. This issue we’re equipping you for summer trips.

Páramo, innovators of ethically manufactured outdoor gear, is offering a shirt and legwear of your choice from its Trek & Travel range, worth up to £110 (www.paramo.co.uk).

Páramo Trek & Travel garments function well in multiple locations and the range of colours co-ordinate with everything, so you can pack less and travel light. From city touring to wilderness exploring, the tried and tested range of shirts and trousers are easy to care for, offer UV protection and work for every kind of adventure.

We’re also giving away Craghopper walking poles, dry bags and an assortment of other travel goodies.

This issue’s winner is Daphne Juniper, for her lovely letter on page 36.

For more details, see www.wanderlust.co.uk/competitions

‘We took teddy bears and sponsorship money to South Africa’

Peter Jackets, managing director, and Iris Jackets, company secretary, both from Hertfordshire ‘After listening to Stuff Your Rucksack founder Kate Humble on the radio, we decided to get in touch with a wonderful charity called Village of Hope, an orphanage that helps children aged up to seven who are suffering from HIV/Aids or TB. We agreed to take out dressing-up clothes, colouring books and DVDs plus 15 knitted bears. Inspired by Tim and Maz Walker, who founded the charity, I (Peter) did a sponsored 1,600km drive around the UK in just 17 hours. This enabled us to hand over a sizeable cheque, too.

The children thoroughly enjoyed dressing up and hopefully the funds will help to build a new baby unit.’

Have you stuffed your rucksack? Email fromtheroad@wanderlust.co.uk

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I I I

Kenya/Tanzania

I Witness two million creatures on the 1 move greatest wildlife spectacle 1 I – nature’s

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Fly to Nairobi (Kenya) or Arusha 1 (Tanzania) to access Masai Mara/Serengeti 1

Year-round; Jun-Oct for river crossings

Travel icon

the great migration How to get a front-row seat at the world’s greatest wildlife show Words William Gray | Pictures William Gray & Paul Goldstein

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Great Migration

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he stage is set: 40,000 sq km of tawny savannah, flushed green in places by recent rains and scattered here and there with acacia woodland and jumbled rocky outcrops.

A few rivers claw their way across the plains, while distant hills and volcanoes pimple an otherwise unblemished horizon, stretched taut beneath towering African skies.

Enter the leading cast: 1.5 million wildebeest, 500,000 Thomson’s gazelle and 200,000 plains zebra. Waiting in the wings, lion, cheetah, hyena and crocodile prepare for their killer cameos. The supporting cast completes the scene: everything from the hippo to the dung beetle has a role to play in this wildlife extravaganza. Just don’t expect a big curtain raiser. The Great Migration is more fringe theatre than West End blockbuster. It has no fanfare opening or edge-of-seat finale. Instead, you can drop in at any time you choose, to witness a small but utterly transfixing part of this perpetual performance.

The big question is where to go and when.

To answer that, you need to know the script, the game plan for the Great Migration – but

be warned, wildebeest are notoriously bad grazing is good, they lightly pepper the at learning their parts, while the vagaries of grasslands for as far as the eye can see. seasonal rains can also play havoc with your That’s not to say, however, that the carefully planned safari. pilgrimage isn’t punctuated by drama.

Essentially, the Great Migration is an Far from it. When the herds reach the endless search for food. The grazers move to legendary crossing points of the Grumeti where the grass is freshest – and that and Mara rivers, they bottleneck in nervous, depends on where the rains have fallen. skittish hordes, well aware of lurking It’s the weather that controls the herds, crocodiles and strong currents. spinning them in a giant clockwise rotation The urge to migrate, however, is through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. overpowering and it only takes a single Red tape is trampled under some bold zebra (or gung-ho gnu) to eight million hooves as the wade in before the rest follow, TOP TIP: ungulate legions cross back and churning the river to BE MALARIA AWARE forth between Tanzania and a boiling stew of flailing legs, Forget lions – the most Kenya. Nor do they respect the straining necks, leaping dangerous animal in Africa is boundaries of the two flagship white water and reptilian the mosquito. Check the latest antimalarial advice with reserves in the area (the lunges. A feast for predator your GP or travel clinic Serengeti National Park and and photographer alike. at least a month before you travel.

Masai Mara National Reserve), Wherever (and whenever) instead spilling out into neighbouring you witness the Great Migration, conservancies to mingle with Maasai cattle. however, it is the sheer wonder that Don’t run away with the idea that this is such a wide-ranging natural spectacle some kind of irrepressible stampede, a wave still exists in our crowded world that of wildebeest flooding the savannah in ultimately leaves the greatest impression. a single amorphous mass of clattering Spend a few hours in the midst of a 100,000hooves and tossing heads. When the herds strong herd of wildebeest and zebra, are on the move, they break up, like striped flanks and bearded faces ebbing unravelling balls of wool, threading singlearound you in ceaseless currents, and file for miles across the plains; where you’ll almost feel part of the show. > Hell’s Gate NP

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Lake Natron

Southern Plains

Nairobi NP

Athi River

Maswa GR

Lake Ndutu

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Magadi Lake Magadi

Nansio

Maswa Mwanza

Karatu

Namanga

Serengeti National Park

Amboseli NP

Magadi Lake Amboseli Kilimanjaro NP

Lake Manyara NP

Kilimanjaro

Arusha

Meru

Arusha NP

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100km

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Masai Mara National Reserve Kenya’s NAIROBI premier reserve can get busy but boasts gorgeous lodges and some of the Migration’s Athi River most dramatic moments. Nairobi NP

Mara River The herds dash across this watercourse Jul-Sep. Lamai Wedge Picturesque piece of park between Mara River and Kenya border; the only Magadi bit of Serengeti where off-road driving is allowed.

GrumetiLake River Watch wildebeest and zebra Magadi take the plunge across the Grumeti Jun-Jul. Serengeti National Park Archetypal Africa: big skies, endless savannah, Big Five game; magnificent regardless of Migration.

Seronera Small settlement Namangain the centre of the Serengeti; a great base for forays into Amboseli Magadi NP the wider park, though has excellent resident Lake game. Always busy.

Amboseli

NAIROBI Masai Mara NR

Thika

MIGRATION MAP

Lake Eyasi

Lake Manyara

Loliondo Game Controlled Area The Kilimanjaro Migration passes through here Oct-Nov;NPbeing outside the national park means opportunities for night drives and walking safaris.

Kilimanjaro Lobo Hills Attractive area of hills and kopjes Arusha (an abrupt hill on an otherwise flat plain); good NP for Migration viewing Meru Arusha Oct-Nov. Ngorongoro Conservation Area Not only Moshi do herds wander here Dec-Mar, it’s home to Ngorongoro Crater, a lush caldera packed with game year-round.

Lake Ndutu Hub of herds Dec-Mar.

Mudukani

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On assignment

Quito

Photo of the year 2010 Winners return

The four winners of our 2010 photo competition earned a prize trip to Ecuador’s lofty capital. Here we showcase their best photos, while writer Kapka Kassabova celebrates a city with volcanic allure Pictures by Cat Edwardes, Bart Heirweg, Asbjorn Olsen & Claire Waring

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Cotopaxi with Laguna Limpiopungo “If there was one shot I wanted to make on this trip, this is the one. I really wanted to get the ‘icon’ of Ecuador in a picture. It took three days to get it.” (BH)

Q

uito will take your breath away – literally.

It sits – or, rather, soars – at nearly 3,000m above sea level, at the heart of a region that 19thcentury naturalist Alexander von Humboldt dubbed the ‘Avenue of the Volcanoes’.

Stand in the palm-tree-dotted Plaza Grande, at the heart of the Centro Histórico, and it’s hard to believe that just a few years ago it was considered seedy and rundown.

Since being lovingly restored, its distinctive architecture and mellow vibe have earned it a Unesco listing and made it the loveliest colonial capital on the continent.

Here, shoeshiners doze in the sun, teenagers sneak kisses, schoolkids chew gum and the dapper gentry gossip. The odd hemp-robed monk scuttles across on his

COLOMBIA

Pacific Ocean

Otavalo

• • • QUITO •Cotopaxi

Mindo

ecuador

PERU way to one of the nearby monasteries.

The Archbishop’s Palace is now full of shops and eateries, but the city’s most important civic buildings are still here, ornate and crammed with history.

The Plaza is also known as Independencia – it has long been a favourite spot for protests and murders; in 1877 a bishop was despatched during Mass at the cathedral by poisoned holy wine. The plush Hotel Plaza Grande was originally the home of a rich conquistador, but now they put rose petals in your bath. In the souvenir shop across the way, you can buy the best quality Ecuadorian chocolate, cigars and coffee.

More esoteric yet, in the nearby Carmen Alto Monastery, the resident nuns sell herbal potions and velvety hand-cream through a revolving wooden door – you’ll never see the nuns themselves; they’re wedded to Jesus.

Among the architectural masterpieces is the walled San Francisco Monastery, which is the size of a small neighbourhood and took generations to build. Here lie sublime statues and carvings from the baroque >

Meet the photographers

The four winners of our 2010 Travel Photo of the Year amateur categories picked up this assignment to Quito as their prize. They are: Cat Edwardes

Telecoms manager “The adventure began in Quito, where the hills gave the best views. It’s amazing how quickly the sun sets on the equator – I had to work fast to get the shots I wanted. Further south, from our marvellous hacienda by Cotopaxi, I tried to shoot a hillstar hummingbird. From the road nearby there were clear views along the Avenue of the Volcanoes: nine peaks were visible, including one erupting 300km away. The road led to Quilotoa Crater Lake, more impressive than any photo can convey.” (CE)

Bart Heirweg Web developer “We expected the rainy season to have passed when we took our trip to Ecuador – but things turned out differently… The weather couldn’t spoil our fun, though – we were assigned an amazing guide, Maria, who not only proved to be an incredible weather-prophet, but also showed us places a tourist would never discover on their own. Maria, and our lovely driver Armando, typified Ecuadorian hospitality, which we were glad to find at every single stop throughout our trip.” (BH)

Asbjorn Olsen General manager “In the old part of Quito you could almost feel the dramatic historical events around every corner. On the last day, I got a special permission to photograph inside an impressive ancient church. Outside the city we stayed in haciendas, each with its own unique character – we really felt at home here. The Otavalo area remains imprinted in our minds, with its volcanoes, markets and colourful local people – not least our guide, Carlos, who knew everything worthwhile knowing about Quito and Ecuador!” (AO)

Claire Waring Freelance editor/ administrator “Every part of our trip to Ecuador was an adventure. We saw condors and hummingbirds, spectacular moths and a rare, as yet unnamed, owl. We sat in a hot spring to watch the sun rise and walked along the centre of the earth.

We mixed with local farmers at the market and bartered for handmade crafts. We experienced the wide, open spaces of the páramo and the dense cloudforest. I don’t think we could have asked for anything more.” (CW)

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How to | Skills | Gear | Photo tips | Health | Q&A

Navigator

“There are annual outbreaks of plague in the US...”

For more on nasty diseases in unexpected places, see p90

Expert travel advice, from sea kayaking to safari gear to snapping mountains

5 steps to mountain hutting

Home on high The Nűrnberger Hűtte in Austria’s Stubai is one of a vast network of hikers’ retreats

How to tap into the network of high-altitude digs

1

Choose your mountain range.

Alps, Pyrenees, Norway… all have huts.

Comfort levels vary, from twin rooms with private facilities to dorms (sleeping-bag liner required). In summer most huts have a warden serving hearty meals.

2

Most huts have good websites.

You can book by email or phone – essential in July/August. Some huts are privately owned, others run by alpine clubs.

Google ‘DNT’, ‘SAC’, ‘AAC’, ‘DAV’ or ‘CAI’ and follow links. Join a club (£40-60 a year) and receive reduced rates and insurance covering you for mountain rescue.

3

The fun of hutting lies in working out a continuous route over high ground.

Consult websites for accessible huts and peaks. Alternatively, join a tour. Classics include the Tour du Mont Blanc, the circuit of the Stubai Alps in Austria and Alte Vie I and II through the Dolomites.

4

Go light and be happy. Your pack need weigh no more than 7kg. Invest in hi-tech light gear. Hutting geeks cut toothbrushes in half. On arrival at a hut wash your clothes and yourself, then have a beer. Most huts provide packed lunches.

5

Take ear plugs. Chances are you’ll be sleeping next to a snorer.

Alamy

By Michael Hatch, Ramblers Worldwide Holidays (www.ramblersholidays.co.uk), which offers many mountain trips.

Did you know…? Europe’s highest hut is the Capanna Margherita.

It rests on the top of the Punta Gnifetti at 4,554m, a snowball’s throw from the summit of Monte Rosa on the Swiss/Italian border.

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Navigator Gear

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What to pack on safari

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1 THE IDEAL ZOOM The wide range of Nikon’s new AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm means you won’t have to change lenses amid safari dust, while vibration reduction keeps shots steady (£888.99, www.nikon.com) 2 THE SHOE SOLUTION Combine sandal ventilation with boot protection: Keen’s McKenzies keep feet safe in scrub, but cool too (£75, www.keenfootwear.com) 3 THE SAFARI SPECS Loved by Jonathan Scott, Serengeti’s Larino Polar PhD sunglasses have UV protection and superior optics for crisp vision (£149, www.serengeti-eyewear.com) 4 THE HOT HEADGEAR Keep sun off and bugs away with Rohan’s repellentimpregnated Pilkington Wide Brim Hat (£42, www.rohan.co.uk) 5 THE POWERLESS TORCH It’s dark in the bush: Gerlert’s Solar Torch soaks up five hours of power from five hours of sun (£18.99, www.surfdome.com) 6 THE SMART SHIRT Craghoppers’ NosiLife clothing range, with inbuilt bug-proofing, is super for safari; try the Long-Sleeved Shirt (£52, www.craghoppers.com) 7 THE COSY COVER-UP Stuff a lightweight The North Face TKA 100 Glacier 1/4 zip fleece in your daypack to stay snug after sunset (£33.30, www.nomadtravel.co.uk/wanderlust) 8 THE MUST-HAVE REPELLENT Nothing deters mossies like DEET – use Bugproof 50% DEET spray for easy application (60ml £4.90, www.nomadtravel.co.uk/wanderlust) 9 THE SUPER SOCKS Keep mossies away from your ankles with Care Plus’s Bugsox Adventure, impregnated with HealthGuard (£15.99, www.careplus.eu) 10 THE BEST BINOCULARS Bushnell’s Legend Ultra-HDs have a wide field of view and premium optics for better spotting; available in 10x36mm, 8x42mm or 10x42mm (from £439.95, www.bushnell.com)

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