Table of contents for March 2017 in Wanderlust

Every year, we hold our breath as our Photo of the Year competition opens. Can there really be thousands more brilliant pics out there? And every year, we see the entries and go “wow”. All through the judging we have the heartbreak of rejecting photos that we would, personally, be very proud of. But the pain is worth it when we end up with a set of stunning images (p106). I hope you agree – certainly those of you whom we met at this year’s Destinations show did! Only a little time has passed since the UK’s big travel shows, when we got a chance to meet you and find out about your travel plans. It was clear to us that river cruising had caught your imagination, so we have…

ICON WINNER TAJ BEHIND THE COLOUR Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India Photographer: Sanghamitra Sarkar “One of the true wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal is photographed here behind a veil of yellow gulal during Holi Festival, when Hindus across India celebrate by throwing coloured powder at one another. By shooting it through a magical haze of yellow particles, I set out to capture the beauty of the Taj Mahal and the spirit of the festival together – both a part of India’s unique heritage.” This photo won the Travel Icon category of our annual Travel Photo of the Year competition. Over the following pages, you’ll find the winning images of the four amateur categories. For the full list of finalists, see p106 WILDLIFE WINNER FACING CERTAIN DEATH…

How did you start out hunting? I helped my father from an early age. When he was away he would ask me to look after his golden eagle, giving it sunlight or bringing it into the shade. One day I was feeding my father’s bird when I realised that I was actually interested in this. Where do you hunt with your eagles? All the eagle hunters live in the Bayan-Olgii province and hunt near the Altai Mountains, where you can see them. This is what I love. Many travellers visit western Mongolia to go horseriding and hiking in the Altai Tavan Bogd NP, but during winter they come to see us hunt foxes with eagles. Tell us about life in western Mongolia – what can we expect as visitors? In…

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL Various UK venues, until May 17 www.banff-uk.com From £11.50. Tickets available from various venues From Brighton to Pitlochry and across the Irish Sea to Kilkenny, the Banff Mountain Film Festival is back in 2017, with its tour visiting more places around the UK and Ireland than ever before. Two programmes will cover everything from the story of a quartet of mothers rowing the Atlantic to one man returning to Tasmania’s ‘Totem Pole’ climb 18 years after it left him partially paralysed. BRISTOL WILDERNESS LECTURES Bristol, 8 Mar & 22 Mar www.wildernesslectures.com Chemistry Theatre, University of Bristol, BS8 1TS. 7.30pm. From £9. Visit the website or call 0117 929 9966 to book Scottish mountaineer Sandy Allan retraces his steps climbing Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat (8 Mar) and adventurer…

SEE A FESTIVAL: The main religious festivals in Bhutan are known as tshechus and are celebrated in monasteries across the country. It’s well worth trying to catch a ‘fire blessing’, where the locals run though a burning archway to free themselves from their sins of the past year. HIDDEN TREASURES: You’re likely familiar with the stunning Tiger’s Nest (Taktsang) Monastery, perched impossibly on a cliff edge in the Paro Valley, but Bhutan is full of special places. The incredible Dochula pass boasts 108 stupas along with fine views at its summit, while the lesser-visited Cheri Monastery boasts a chance to spy mountain goral (a type of wild goat) en route. Lastly, the sub-tropical Punakha Valley has a remarkable fortress – the second-ever built in Bhutan. WHEN TO GO: Most of…

STEP UPS Why? This works all the major muscles in your legs and helps build power for steep ascents. How: First place a foot on a high step or chair; step up, then back down, but avoid pushing off with your standing leg. BENT-OVER ROWS Why? This will build the strength in your upper back, to reduce the risk of neck and shoulder pain while cycling. How: Before doing this exercise, ensure that you warm up your core in advance. When ready, bend your knees, then bend your back to an angle parallel to the ground, making sure to keep it straight (not rounded). Initiate the exercise by squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling a weight (eg a chair) towards your body. Then slowly lower. HIP BRIDGES Why? As…

• Your Story Tokyo: Oishi! Reader Suzy Pope won our ‘Cities’ online writing competition with this mouthwatering tale of Tokyo street food… The tick and fizzle of battered prawns gently frying set my stomach rumbling. Squat shopfronts lined the narrow Sunamachi street in Tokyo’s Ginza District. Lanterns and streamers hung from every lamp post. A mushroom parade of umbrellas ruffled in hurried apology as lone cyclists slowly picked their way through the crowd – bicycle bells are too rude for Tokyo, so every front wheel that gently noses into the back of your leg is a surprise. “This is the Tempura King,” our guide, Miyu, explained. A stocky man in a white chef uniform stood proudly behind a stand bursting with golden battered morsels in all shapes and sizes. The…

Following on from your ‘Top 50 Trips for 2017’ article [February 2017, issue 173], Balkans fans should visit Albania! I went in 2015, after seeing a trip to the Accursed Mountains (pictured) in the magazine. It was stunning. But my favourite trip last year was trekking the Arctic Circle Trail from the ice sheet to the coast of Greenland. I swam in a lake inside the Circle, which is not something I thought I’d ever say, and I’m looking forward to walking its coast one day. I hope everyone else has an amazing year of travel ahead. Emma Halford, via website…

• Essential Info When to go: Year round. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant periods. Summer can be scorching, and many restaurants close for several weeks during late July and August. Some regional flights also only run from March to October. Getting there: EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies from Gatwick, Luton, Belfast, Bristol, Glasgow and Liverpool to Bordeaux from £45 return; flight time is between 90 minutes and two hours. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Stansted and Edinburgh; British Airways (ba.com) from Gatwick; and Flybe (flybe.com) from Birmingham and Southampton. Getting around: It’s easy to walk around the centre, and there’s also a bike hire scheme. Buses, trams and boats all use the same tickets, which you can buy for €1.50 (£1.30) each; a day pass costs €4.60 (£4). Where to stay:…

1 Madagascar’s sacred tsingy rock formations are gestured to by locals with a bent index finger, as a›mark›of respect; p26 2 Legend says that Buddhism was first brought to Bhutan in the 8th century by a guru riding on the back of a flying tigress; p56 3 Western Australia is about to get a›new national park – the remote Houtman Abrolhos Islands; p75 4 You can gain ‘eternal forgiveness’ by completing a 100km section of the Camino de Santiago trail; p88 5 The Vikings first visited Ireland some 1,200 years ago, leaving a legacy of Norse settlements; p133…

The majestic mountains, rolling hills and lush grassy lowlands of Rwanda create a beautiful wild and untamed piece of Africa. Nicknamed ‘the land of a thousand hills’, this tiny landlocked country dwarfed by its neighbours is brimming with colossal landscapes and striking scenery. But when it comes to Rwanda, the landscapes often find themselves overlooked as this country is most famously known as the home of mountain gorillas. These endangered and gentle characters, even furrier than other great apes, can be found deep in the forested Parc National de Volcans – the perfect setting for an epic wildlife-tracking trek with experienced park rangers. Trekking permits to seek out wild gorilla families are heavily limited, ensuring these majestic creatures live a life as undisturbed as possible while still generating a little…

YES Gina Clarke, Wanderlust reader “As someone with two kids under five, I think that it’s good to have places that are aimed at specific travellers, like this or for families. This is often what you find in the big resorts, where there are activities for the children and options for parents to just have time to themselves. With so many different types of holiday being thrown in your direction, it’s really handy to have an option to tick where you get a trip that you actually want and is suited specifically to you.” NO Tabitha Green, Wanderlust reader “I suspect that this already happens to a certain degree, simply because most destinations don’t build five-star hotels next to backpacker areas or party resorts. I have seen some places where…

VITAL STATISTICS Capital: Antananarivo Population: 22 million Languages: Malagasy and French Time: GMT+3 International dialling code: +261 Visas: Required by UK nationals, with short-stay visas issued on arrival (€25/US$25/£20) and valid for up to 30 days Money: Malagasy ariary (MGA), currently around MGA4,047 to the UK£. You are legally required to change money in banks and hotels, though most guides can find you better rates. ATMs are available in Hell-Ville but are not very reliable. Most bars, restaurants and hotels accept credit cards anyway, and many also take Euros. When to go Milder and dryer – pleasantly warm (temperatures around 26ºC) with rare showers. The landscape is very green and the tsingy can be walked on safely. Rainy season – expect warmer, more humid temperatures (26-32ºC), as well as…

VITAL STATISTICS Capital: Thimphu Population: 750,000 Language: Dzongkha; English is common Time: GMT+6 International dialling code: +975 Visas & taxes: ‘Visa clearance’ must be applied for by your tour operator in advance, with visas ( US$40/£33) issued on arrival . Bear in mind that a government-set minimum spend of US$200 (£165; Jan–Feb, Jun–Aug & Dec) or US$250 (£205; Mar–May, Sep–Oct) per person per night is factored into all trips; singles and couples also pay a US$40 (£33) and US$30pppn (£25) premium respectively. This includes three-star hotels, transport, food and taxes, and is paid in advance. Money: The Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN), currently around BTN82 to the UK£. Indian rupees are also widely used. There are few ATMs, but pounds, US dollars and euros can be changed in banks and hotels. When…

How do you approach a staycation? Start to look at your own country as a traveller, then you realise just how much there is to see. It always surprises me. I think it’s a state of mind: an adventure is whatever makes you feel adventurous. As long as you’re pushing yourself outside your own personal comfort zone, then you could be a mile away from home and still be on a thrilling adventure. And if you’re in the UK, you’re sorted; there’s a lot to explore on these wild little isles! What are the first steps toward booking a staycation? I would advise people to plan in the same way that they would for a trip abroad. If you usually hire a car, go in your own; if you’d rather…

Luca Alfatti (2012) A guidebook and driver rolled into one, Luca displayed an unbridled commitment to ensure everyone had the trip of a lifetime. He has even inspired others to become guides. Deana Zabaldo (2013) An American by birth, but Nepal is where Deana’s heart lies. Her knowledge of its language, culture and religion impressed everyone that she guided, and she has also co-founded a non-profit fund in Nepal that directly benefits local people. Efrain Valles (2014) From his humble beginnings as a street kid in Cusco, Efrain overcame all the odds to lead treks across Peru for well over a decade, sparing time to also volunteer for various local charities. A truly selfless ambassador for his country. Mark Steadman (2015) Mark has long been the epitome of all a…

The caravans of the Afar tribe traverse Ethiopia’s Danakil Desert as part of an eight-day cycle, travelling from lush highlands down to one of the most inhospitable places on Earth. Here, salt is harvested by hand in temperatures of over 50ºC, ready to be loaded onto the arriving caravans. I love that this ancient trade still exists. So, to capture these shots, I spent two days in the desert watching the camel trains set out at dawn and return at dusk. It was hard to chose just a small selection of images, but I went with these (pictured), as I felt they represented the diversity of life in the desert as well as the resilience of the Afar. I wanted to show the interaction that exists here between people and…

VITAL STATISTICS Camino de Santiago – Last 100km Start: Samos End: Santiago de Compostela Languages: Spanish (Galician) Time: GMT+1 International dialling code: +34 Visas: Not required by UK nationals for stays of up to three months Money: Euro (€), currently around €1.18 to the UK£. There are some ATMs in the major towns but taking cash is advised, especially if you want/need to buy snacks and drinks en route. Most restaurants, bars and hotels accept credit cards. When to go Winter – it can get cold, and fewer attractions will be open along the route. Best time – warmer weather, less rain and everything should be open. Avoid July and August’s high-season crowds and prices. Some albergues will fill fast. Shoulder season – high chance of rain with temperatures cold…

• Essential Info Population: 378,715 Languages: English Timezone: GMT-6 (Mar–Nov GMT-5) International dialling code: +1 Visas: Not required by UK nationals. You will need to obtain an ESTA before arrival (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta); these currently cost $14 (£11) and are valid for a period of two years. Currency: US dollar ($), currently $1.21 to the £UK. Highest viewpoint: The best view of the city skyline has to be from the water. Old-style paddleships the Creole Queen (creolequeen.com) and Steamboat Natchez (steamboatnatchez.com) offer two-hour sightseeing cruises along the Mississippi River as well as dinners and jazz. Perfect for getting a skyline photo. Health issues: Tap water is fine to drink. Be careful of walking alone after dark, especially in the French Quarter and out to Frenchmen Street. It’s better to take a cab/Uber…

SANGHAMITRA SARKAR Winner of the Icon category in Wanderlust’s 2016 Travel Photo of the Year competition (p106) Sanghamitra’s prize-winning shot (p6) expertly combines two icons of India: the yellow gulal (powder) of Holi Festival and the marbled extravagance of the Taj Mahal Mountain, desert, ocean or jungle? Mountains. First great travel experience? A trip to the cold desert of Ladakh, India. Favourite journey? When I return to the fresh air of my countryside home in Kalyani, West Bengal, every weekend, after a week of working in the concrete jungle of Kolkata. Top five places worldwide? Pangong Lake, Nubra Valley, Kashmir and Munnar (all in India), as well as Bhutan. Passport stamp you’re proudest of? Mongolia. Passport stamp you’d most like to have? Iceland. Guilty travel pleasure? On the last evening…

1 Lofoten Islands, Norway  The remote northern archipelago is known for its dramatic fjords – no shelter there! Instead, see them from inside your own rorbu (old fisherman’s cabin), making sure to gorge on delicious local stockfish. 2 Skeleton Coast, Namibia  There’s nowhere to hide on this bleak-but-beautiful coastline, so if you can’t beat the drones, join them instead, with plane tours offering great views over dunes full of whale bones and shipwrecks. 3 Gunung Rinjani, Indonesia  Before you head for the milky blue crater lake atop this sacred peak, spend some time inside the homes of its cultural guardians, the Sasak people of Senaru village. 4 Victoria Falls, Zambia  You really need to be outside to appreciate this waterfall’s might, so trek beneath its thick spray (and away from…

The Andean sliver that cuts through Peru is a pretty inhospitable place to live. Yet, as the Inca proved, no peak is too high (or stark) to live on – Choquequirao or Machu Picchu, for example. Just as the Inca’s architects defied their surroundings, so, too, did their farmers, growing crops in an impossible setting. And one in particular still dominates the region and the menus that altitude-adjusted travellers will find when they visit. Corn (specifically the choclo variety) has been a part of Andean diets for thousands of years. A hardy crop, able to survive high altitudes, its giant ears are still a staple of the communities here, whether ground into flour or (using purple corn) brewed into a non-alcoholic drink called chicha morada. Over 55 varieties of corn…

Wanderlust Travel Magazine Adventure Travel Book of the Year WALKING THE HIMALAYAS by Levison Wood It’s easy to be sceptical about a TV tie-in but Wood’s account of his five-country trek through the historic range doesn’t just expand on his on-screen adventures but exceeds them. An accessible, well-written tale of adventure that adds a real sense of travel and place to the drama, taking the reader on a journey from start to finish. Specsavers Fiction (with a sense of place) DO NOT SAY WE HAVE NOTHING by Madeleine Thien Combining quality of writing with a great sense of destination, this book takes you into the streets and countryside of China during the Cultural Revolution – you can feel yourself in Tiananmen Square with the protestors. National Book Tokens Children’s Travel…

‘It’s one thing to be able to go for a long ride, but to be able to pedal for several days in a row is much harder on your body’ ON TWO WHEELS It is tempting to assume that travelling long distances by bicycle is gentler on your body than, say, hiking or walking. But depending on how far you plan to pedal, a certain level of preparation is always wise. There are many kinds of long- distance cycle trip, from a solo five-day Lakes and Dales Loop around Cumbria to a border-crossing tour of Cambodia and Vietnam. Homework should include noting the gradient and climate, which determines your training. For example, if you’re going to mountainous regions, gradients can be simulated by riding in a very high gear. In…

HOW IT WAS JUDGED In December 2016, gear manufacturers were asked to submit one piece of kit per category. An expert panel of judges scored each item on its merits for travellers, taking into account the product’s versatility, weight, size, durability and features that would be key for travellers. This year, the judges were: Sean Conway, writer and adventurer; Paul Goodyer, founder of Nomad Travel Stores; Phoebe Smith, Wanderlust editor; and Rob Johnson, mountain instructor and certified drone pilot at FilmUpHigh.com 1 FJÄLLRÄVEN, Abisko Lite Trekking Zip-Off Trousers, £130 Judges’ comments: “Super versatile, super comfy and well designed.” Runners-up: Craghoppers NosiLife Pro Trousers and Sherpa Naulo Pant 2 LIFESTRAW, LifeStraw Steel, £55 Judges’ comments: “If you’re heading somewhere with questionable water, this will be the most vital accessory…

Patagonia dreams Inspired by a description of Bruce Chatwin’s travelogue In Patagonia in a recent issue of Wanderlust [December 2016/ January 2017, issue 172], I decided to buy it. Patagonia, though, was not on my childhood list of dream destinations. As far as these go, I’ve done most of them – apart from Antarctica. Instead, Patagonia was a realm revealed much later to me, as I took to researching my travels more. Wanderlust has had a huge part to play in this, with some amazing photos on the forum and a fair few articles on it over the last two years I have been subscribing to the magazine. Of course, the revelations continue, but Patagonia is now definitely on my list. Thanks to Wanderlust for not only directing me to…

TRIP FINDER Our online Trip Finder tool searches a huge range of trips from our directory of specialist tour operators: ] . Search by region, destination or activity ] Instantly . see all recommended trips ] . Click directly through to the tour operator’s website for more details ] Easily . see which tours you can use your Wanderlust £50 travel voucher on TRIP WIZARD Let the tour operators recommend the right trip for you! Trip Wizard will contact relevant specialist tour operators on your behalf, who will then email you directly with a customised itinerary. ] Define your trip preferences ] Set your budget ] Select . your departure dates ] Automatically . receive a custom itinerary Visit: www.mytripfinder.co.uk…

SWIM WITH WHALES Venture with us to Western Australia and go beneath the waves to snorkel with whale sharks, dolphins and humpbacks… PLUS South-East Asia: trip planner – your ultimate guide Hiking above Sweden’s Arctic Circle …in summer Alaska road trip – journey from Canada’s Yukon to the USA’s military past Wanderlust Readers’ Travel Awards 2017 – winners revealed Top tips for solo travellers and much, much more… FREE £50 travel voucher if you subscribe now – see wanderlust.co.uk/ subscribe for our latest special offers…