News: Undiscovered Destinations is growing!
Posted: 24 December 2009
At Undiscovered Destinations we’ve been busy all summer coming up with an exciting selection of new tours to add to our existing itineraries - finally all the hard work is done and we’re ready to unveil them.
With new trips in Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia we cover more of the world than ever – but are still keeping to our philosophy of offering trips to some of the more unusual corners of our planet. After all, that’s what we’re passionate about, and we know that you are too. For 2010 we are proud to offer even more trips that break the mould of traditional adventure travel and visit some truly unique destinations.
Two trips in Siberia offer superb opportunities to visit places that few have ever heard of, let alone reached. Our tour in the far eastern region of Chukotka gives travellers the chance to meet traditional reindeer herders, and hopefully stay overnight in their tents on a journey of cultural discovery. We search for wildlife, meet Yupik Eskimo communities and search for seals, walrus and whales, camping and staying in local homes. Our tour to Kamchatka enters the land of bears and volcanoes, exploring bizarre geological phenomena and rafting along the Bystraya River before climbing some of the impressive volcanoes. This is the very edge of the world.
We are also offering a fantastic tour in Burkina Faso, exploring the romance of the Sahel region with its colourful desert markets, staying as guests of the local chief in his compound – a truly unforgettable and quintessentially African experience – wandering through the leafy streets of Bobo-Dioulasso and hiking through the bizarre landscape of the Sindou Peaks. And just next door, our tour to Togo and Benin – ‘Land of Voodoo’ – takes travellers to an authentic voodoo ceremony in a remote village, explores the delightfully ramshackle Beninese capital Porto Novo, visits Somba and Taneka villages which are strongholds of arcane local traditions, and spends time in West Africa’s biggest secret – the spectacular Pendjari National Park, with its elephants, lions and buffalos.
The tiny nations of Georgia and Armenia offer a huge wealth of attractions largely ignored by the outside world. Our new ‘In the Mountains of Myths’ tour takes you to the exquisite ancient monuments, churches and cathedrals of two of the first nations to adopt Christianity, and shows you the very best in the renowned regional hospitality in homestay accommodation, where the food is plentiful and the wine keeps flowing. We also visit the spectacular region of Svaneti, perched high up in the High Caucasus with its traditional stone watchtowers and fiercely held traditions. Not quite Europe and not quite Asia, Georgia and Armenia pack a punch that would shame much larger countries.
Heading east, our new ‘Forgotten Cities of the Silk Road’ shows you a China that could not be more different from the stereotype. We visit the western province of Xinjiang, more part of Central Asia than China, with a rich cultural heritage that is the legacy of the numerous different civilisations that have left their mark. Visit Kashgar’s famed Sunday market to see traders from all across Central Asia come to buy and sell livestock, explore the ruins of ancient Buddhist cities long since fallen to raiders and the desert, meet Kyrgyz nomads at Lake Karakul and spend a night in the dreaded Taklamakan Desert. This trip visits a region of China largely ignored by other companies, and is an absolute joy for anyone interested in the history of this diverse region.
Not forgetting Latin America, we have designed an incredible trip to Colombia, emerging from its past reputation as a trouble spot to take its place as one of the continent’s true highlights. We wander through cities packed with stunning colonial architecture and delve into the history of this exciting country, spend time on a working coffee farm amidst superb scenery and walk on some of the most gorgeous beaches you’ll ever see at Tayrona National Park. Finally we head to the remote and mystical La Guajira peninsula, home to the Wayu Indians, to experience a very different side of this magical and captivating country.
But that’s not all. We also have new trips in Ukraine, Mali, Indonesia, Romania, Belarus, Turkey, Madagascar, Algeria, Bolivia, Mongolia, Tibet and North Korea, as well as tours exploring remote tribal regions of India and Morocco. We told you we’d been busy.
All of these tours are offered as group departures, but many can be taken as private tours should you wish.
Watch out for more trips to be added in the coming months – it might be a small world but there are still some incredibly exciting destinations out there that offer real rewards for even the most experienced travellers.
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