Some may call a heli-skiing expedition through volcanoes an epic experience, others may call it bonkers. Home to the greatest concentration of active volcanoes in the world, Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula has remained relatively untouched by humans. In keeping with this, the guided expedition chartered by private helicopter is limited to just six avid skiers.
Take flight to the summits of blazing volcanoes, drinking in unencumbered vistas puckered by jagged peaks blanketed in undisturbed powder and the glowing red eyes of molten lava, and fang down up to 3000 vertical metres of staggering virgin slopes to beaches and hot springs at the base. If you’re lucky, you might find yourself racing down the mountain beside one of the local brown bears. Only the adventurous need apply.
While it’s the south of Spain that is best known for flamenco, there is one institution in Madrid that does it in spectacular fashion. Corral de la Moreria is home to the most talented, authentic and powerful dancers the world has to offer, and their epic shows change every eight days (just in case you’re going to be in Madrid for a while).
Here, the dancers perform the flamenco of the streets accompanied by musicians who are at the top of their game. There are two shows each night, and you can either book to have dinner before it starts or simply just grab a ticket to watch the exquisite performance.
Welcome to the granddaddy of Madrid eateries. With its gold-leaf interior, wine catacombs and fascinating heritage, you better believe dining at Sobrino de Botín is quite the experience. It opened in 1725 and is now the oldest continually operating restaurant in the world (at least according to the Guinness Book of Records). In the past Spanish writer María Dueñas, Graham Greene and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Ernest Hemingway – the restaurant gets a mention in both The Sun Also Rises and Death in the Afternoon – have all sat at its tables, spread across four dining rooms.
Don’t come for the spectacle or its pedigree though. Here, it’s all about the food. Whether you fancy the scrambled eggs with black sausage and potatoes or the inky baby squid served with rice, you’ll walk away satisfied. We do have one very strong recommendation for you, though: the roast suckling pig, Botín’s specialty, is the dish to order. Such is the demand, special Segovia suckling pigs are delivered to the restaurant three or four times a week. They’ve been cooking it the same way in the same wood-fired ovens for a couple of centuries now and, man, have they nailed the right way to do it. This is the sort of meal you’ll be talking about for years to come.
If you’re the sort of person who watches a bit of reality TV, has a hot Milo and is in bed by 10pm on a Monday night, you’re probably going to want to move on right about now. However, if you treat every night like an equal opportunity party while you’re on holiday, you’ll be completely sorted in the Spanish capital Madrid.
Once you’ve eaten all the tapas, watched some flamenco and the people promenading on Plaza Santa Ana, and tasted both sherry and locally brewed cerveza, it’s time to dance it out at Fucking Monday. This temple to debauchery has a vast dance floor, rows of bars and even a slick lounge upstairs that hosts an all-night beer pong tournament. Here you’ll discover the kind of fun that can make you want to keep partying, fuelled by cheap drinks and the crowd’s fierce energy, right through till dawn.
The peculiar trees in Poland’s Crooked Forest in Krzywy Las look more like an upside down question mark – a fitting shape for the puzzling place. Shrouded in mystery, the trees were planted in the 1920s and 30s, however the question behind the warped shape of these pines, while largely debated for decades, remains unknown.
Some theorise that tanks passing during World War Two pushed them aside and they have been stuck ever since. Others believe they were covered by a heavy snowstorm in the early years of their lives and when spring came they could no longer stand tall. Surrounded by a larger forest of straight growing pines unaffected by this bizarre event, the true reason is likely to remain a secret.
A thirty-minute drive from the city of Szczecin in Poland’s northwest, the forest is easily accessible for those who are keen walkamong the unusual formations and ponder the theories of this fascinating enigma.
Getting to the ice cave is half the fun; taking control of a dog sled to venture into the great white wilderness part of the adventure. Kicking things off in the dog yard, you are introduced to 300 eager huskies waiting for their next tour. While you’re equipped with an exposure suit, your guide will harness and prepare the dogs for an epic adventure across frozen river beds, glaciers and on to an ice cave at the Scott Turner Glacier.
Cave access is via a small opening where you unceremoniously reverse through an inconspicuous entry before the caverns of silky-smooth ice layers become illuminated only by your headlamp. With the headlamp off, the immersion in darkness is so absolute it feels heavy.
Hand-holding your camera to snap off a shot just won’t do justice to this magical fissure in an ice mass that is hundreds of meters deep and more than a thousand years old. Using the widest possible lens and a sturdy tripod, frame a shot that shows the scale, diversity and magnitude of the cavern. Set your focus to a point at the back of the cave and shoot on full manual settings. Set your aperture to f/7.1 to f/11 and use a cable release or shutter timer to ensure a shake-free result. The most important element os a shutter speed of 10 to 20 seconds. Be ready for the shot and, as soon as the camera commences the exposure, use your headlamp to ‘paint’ the walls of the cavern with light as quickly and evenly as possible. Don’t stop until the exposure is complete. That’s it!
For extra points, have a fellow explorer positioned in the photo as far from the camera as possible to provide a sense of scale and to provide contrast with a familiar, living element in this otherworldly scene.
Staying in tents on Norway’s spectacular Lofoten Islands doesn’t necessarily mean roughing it. Wake up to the archipelago’s famous fjords right at your tent’s doorstep, in one of these traditional Sami tents designed by Off the Map Travel. The two-night, three-day glamping experience will introduce you to the local wildlife, while you immerse yourself in this picturesque landscape of fjords, mountains and lush green valleys.
Your days will be filled with cruises, visits to local farms, hikes and kayaking experiences, while you play I-Spy with the white-tailed sea eagles, porpoises and whales under the midnight sun. This pre-packaged experience also includes a wilderness catch-and-cook cooking class.
Hotels are fast becoming more than just a place to sleep. Zoku Amsterdam nails it by transforming a cosy abode into an office space then changes it back again. Lofts meld space efficiency with homey comforts – each boasts a kitchenette, nifty storage areas and chic decor. Your soft king-size bed, usually a hotel room centrepiece, is hidden away and accessible via a retractable staircase.
Beyond your loft, the top-floor open-plan common room is the place to get comfy and creative. Large windows lined with squishy couches and a hammock-dotted rooftop garden overlook the city. There’s also craft beer on tap, a games and music room, ping-pong table and high-speed wifi. The grab-and-go store offers tasty snacks or you can enjoy the breakfast buffet at one of the long communal tables and head to the bar in the afternoon for bevvies, olives and cheese plates.
Zoku also offers co-work memberships to local creative types, so you’re not only going to be surrounded by tourists either. Regular events, from acoustic music sessions to travel writing workshops, bring visitors and locals together.
Climbing into a saddle is a befitting way to exploring a rugged country steeped in history and legends. Meet your Freerein guide and get acquainted with your steed – you’ll be responsible for your horse’s care for the coming days – before you set out on your ride. On the four-day Welsh Prince Trail ride, you’ll begin by cantering along the velvet trails that score the Begwyns and Mynydd Epynt and overlook the Wye Valley, a breathtaking patchwork of greens, woodlands and babbling rivers.
Breathe in the fresh air as you climb Aberedw Hill, cross into the valley to Llanbedr Hill then walk the line at Hergest Ridge, the border between England and Wales. After a full day in the saddle, wind down beside a crackling fire and fill up on wholesome nosh at a cosy inn or bed and breakfast.
There are shorter rides available, and for those experienced on horseback, there’s also a number of self-guided riding tours available.
Sure, you may have sauntered in the temperate, tropical waters with humpback whales in Australia or Hawaii but swimming with orcas dwarfed by imposing glaciers and surrounding Norway’s icy oceans is next level exhilaration.
Both swimming with orcas and the Northern Lights are two experiences that usually feature at the top of most people’s bucket list and now you can get ‘twofer’ with eco-tourism company Majestic Whale Encounters who are offering both experiences in November.
The expedition starts as travellers embark the MS Stonstad, where six days are spent sailing through the stunning surroundings of the Norwegian Fjords before taking to the water to freely swim alongside the largest of the dolphin family – orca whales. Onboard the MS Stonstad passengers can treat themselves to a soak in the hot tub or enjoy the comforts of the central heating whilst waiting for a glimpse of the enchanting northern lights before disembarking at the town of Tromsø.
Once on land, guests will have the opportunity to participate in a husky safari and reindeer experience before retreating to the quaint cabins nestled at the base of Tromsø’s breathtaking mountains for a warming aquavit, seagull egg, or tørrfisk (dried cod).
The Majestic Whale Encounters’ Norway tour package includes six days onboard with all transfers, meals, orca swim, reindeer encounter, husky safari, Northern Lights tour and three nights accommodation in Tromsø. Get packing!
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