If you know Big Five’s fearless leader, Ashish, then you likely know that he adores all things mechanical that move. New or vintage, two wheels or four… you can’t slow him down. Cars, boats, mountain bikes, go carts, and even a two-wheeled personal vehicle like a Segway – as long as it has wheels and some kind of motor, he’s good to go.

We now know that includes 1940s Russian-designed motorbikes with sidecars. With all the talk of Russian connections these days, Ashish managed to discover a Russian-produced motorcycle in Morocco! Indeed, he was seen scooting around Marrakech’s narrow crowded streets with an enormous grin on his face.

“I love anything with wheels,” said Ashish. “And this sits very low, which gives you the sensation that you are physically connected with your surroundings. You see what’s happening around you, on the ground in front of you, on the streets around you. You also realize just how much of a utility these machines were in the 40s. They don’t build them quite like they used to.”

This specific bike was one of the originals that was found in the factory in Russia and eventually found its way to Marrakech. It has the sturdy look and practical no-nonsense approach you expect from Russian manufacturing of the day.

The company that built this bike is IMZ-Ural, established in 77 years ago during the era of World War II by the Soviet government. According to official accounts, the BMW R71 motorcycle seemed to be the best match for the army’s needs. Five bikes were secretly bought through Swedish intermediaries and transferred to Moscow where Soviet engineers dismantled them, and reverse engineered the design in every detail. Early in 1941, the prototypes of the Dnepr M-72 motorcycle were shown to Joseph Stalin, who ordered the mass production of this design, and hundreds rolled off the assembly line.

As production escalated, the Moscow Motorcycle Plant was established, producing hundreds of Russian M-72 sidecar motorcycles. But Germany’s Nazi Blitzkrieg was so efficient that Soviet leaders were concerned that the factory would be bombed. The plant was moved east to the town of Irbit on the fringe of Siberia in the Ural Mountains.

Initially, the “URAL” was built for the military only, but after WWII the factory was expanded, and in 1950, the 30,000th motorcycle was produced. In the late 1950s, production at the plant turned towards non-military uses.

Today, the now-private company produces heavy-duty Ural sidecar motorcycles with two-wheel-drive designed for rough, rugged terrain, and the sleek cT model for urban commuting and paved roads. The motorcycles are mainly exported to Australia, UK, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Germany, Egypt, Iran, South Africa, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and US. The number sold since the factory was founded exceeds 3.2 million.

IMZ-Ural is the only Russian manufacturer of large capacity motorcycles and one of few manufacturers in the world to still produce sidecar motorcycles.

The next time you think about exploring Marrakech, think about taking the low road in the low-riding sidecar of a vintage Russian motorcycle – President’s Pick Morocco Mazes & Mysteries.

Las Vegas, 110°, New York City, 92°, Washington D.C., 91°, Windsor, Ontario, 78°… Even the North Pole is a toasty 60°. Death Valley just had the world’s hottest month ever recorded for July with an average temperature of 108.1° Fahrenheit.

Oh, doesn’t 51 degrees sound lovely?

That is the temperature in Futaleufú, Chile now. Of course, June to August is winter time south of the Equator so it can be a bit cold and wet, yet still pretty mild with July temperatures averaging 38.5 °F. During this time, precipitation is very high, averaging 10 to 12 inches, with some snow most years, but so what – it is blessedly cool!

Futaleufú is a town and area in Northern Patagonia, specifically in Palena Province. This small frontier town is seven miles from the Argentinian border. A gravel road links the town to Trevelin in Argentina and to the Carretera Austral road in Chile. The town was named after the crystal blue and turquoise Futaleufú River, one of the best whitewater rafting rivers in the world. The river flows from Argentina through the town and empties into the fjord-shaped Yelcho Lake. The river’s name comes from a Mapuche word meaning “Big River.” It was known only to the traditional Mapuche people prior to the turn of the last century. The first European settlers arrived only about 80 years ago. Today, the town has a population of about 2,000 people, who work in the outdoor sports field as well as in forestry and cattle farming.

Honestly, the best time to explore this stunning environment is in the summer, November to mid-March, when nature shows off her most colorful outfits. This relatively lesser-known locale presents you with multiple adventure options including excellent rafting and kayaking as well as fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking and trekking. Futaleufú Valley also boasts ravines and waterfalls that are exceptional for canyoning and rappelling.

Two lakes, Lonconao and Espolón, are ideal for paddlers and fly fishermen and are close to town. Fly fishing is also possible on the Futaleufú River, the Yelcho River, largest river in the valley, and Espolon River, the largest tributary, which is home to brown and rainbow trout as well as salmon that are present in April and May.

Nearby, Pumalín Park was created by a private United States environmental foundation, The Conservation Land Trust, founded by a prominent American businessman and conservationist in 1991 to protect a tract of primeval rainforest. This was the largest private nature reserve in the country. In 2017, it was the park was gifted to the Chile and was consolidated with another large section of land. It then became part of South America’s largest national park. It has an extensive infrastructure of trails.

The Futaleufú region offers a rich tapestry of landscapes, traditional cultures and outstanding adventures as you will discover on our new President’s Pick An Adventurer’s Chile.

 

 

Contact Big Five Tours

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

 

 

The temperature of lava ranges from 1,292 degrees to 2,282 degrees Fahrenheit.

That’s pretty warm… Consider, water boils at 212 Fahrenheit, and a pizza oven is generally 500 to 600 degrees F.

Sounds dramatic, right? Well, it is, especially in the infamous Ring of Fire, a major area in the Pacific Ocean. In a 25,000-mile horseshoe, it is associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts and plate movements. It encompasses 452 volcanoes, more than 75% of the world’s volcanos, both active and dormant. Some 90% of the world’s earthquakes and 81% of its largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire.

Japan lies in that zone of instability and is home to some 10% of the world’s active volcanoes (kazan in Japanese). No place is this more visible and immediate than on Japan’s Sakurajima Island. In fact, one list ranked the top ten most active volcanoes globally and Sakurajima Volcano landed the number one spot.

You will not have to wait long to see this busy volcano in action. Thousands of small explosions occur annually, routinely throwing ash several thousand feet above the mountain.

The volcano began forming more than 13,000 years ago, with the first recorded eruption in 963 CE. The most powerful eruption in 20th-century Japan came on January 11, 1914. A large earthquake followed two days later, which killed 35 people and generated a large lava flow, rare in Japan due to the high silica content of the magmas. Lava engulfed several nearby islands and created a narrow land bridge between the island and the mainland. The lava flows continued for months.

In 1955, Sakurajima’s activity again became pronounced and the volcano has been erupting nearly continuously since. The Sakurajima Volcano Observatory was set up in 1960 to monitor the volcano.

Could an explosion like the 1914 event happen again? Experts from Bristol University and Sakurajima Volcano Research Centre suggested a major eruption could come within 30 years.

Sakurajima is designated a Decade Volcano, one of 16 volcanoes identified worldwide by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) as worthy of special study due to a history of destructive eruptions and proximity to populated areas. This is part of the United Nations’ International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.

Despite this incessant activity, you can enjoy this island. It is part of the Kirishima-Yaku National Park and its lava flows are a major attraction. The area around Sakurajima contains several hot spring resorts. While you cannot approach the crater, the island has beautiful hiking trails.

To explore this unique ecosystem and more, discover the newest President’s Pick Colorful Japan.

When it comes to East Africa’s seasonal wildebeest migration, those who confidently predict where and when the animals will go can sometimes end up all by themselves in the wilderness while the wildebeest are elsewhere.

This just might be one of those years.

Recent reports we have received show the Mara River is swollen with too much water, for the first time in years. The river is running in rapid torrents, making what is already a dangerous crossing, incredibly more perilous. Schedule Your Tanzania & Kenya Safari Adventure.

Some thought the migration would be early this year as it was last year when the herds reached the Mara River in early June. But the abundant rains have led the herds to hesitate. This is frustrating for those who anticipated an early arrival by the mass of animals.

Now it seems the river crossings may run throughout August, lasting well into September and October. This can be good news for those who want to go on safari a bit later this year.

The largest animal migration is the world happens between Tanzania and Kenya when more than 1.5 million wildebeest, zebra and various antelopes set out in search of food. For them, it is a familiar route – moving clockwise between the countries, some 1800 miles, with predators dogging their every step.

The long thin lines begin to form on the Serengeti Plains when the short grasses are exhausted, usually in April and May. The lines snake to the horizon toward the plains and woodland of the Serengeti’s western corridor. But by the end of May, it’s time to move again. This time, they move toward the Mara Triangle. This is where the breeding happens. By July, the animals have gathered at the rain filled Mara River, the last hurdle to cross to reach the Masai Mara’s sweet, short grasses. But many will not survive this crossing. The roiling waters or the crocodiles will take them. Those that complete the crossing will remain on the Mara until October.

But with the extreme weather-related events we have been seeing lately around the globe, the old schedules may be changing in ways none of us can predict.

If you are ready for a safari, contact us for our Tanzania & Kenya Safari Adventure.

 

 

Contact Big Five Tours

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

How did they know?

On July 18, 1918, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born to a Xhosa family in the village of Mvezo in Umtata, which was part of then South Africa’s Cape Province. He was given the name of Rolihlahla, a Xhosa term that means troublemaker.

How could his family have known they were going to be raising a child to a man, who would become a superhero to millions, and cause a great deal of trouble for some along the way?

He came from a royal line. His patrilineal great-grandfather, Ngubengcuka, was king of the Thembu people in the Transkeian Territories of today’s Eastern Cape. Mandela’s father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa Mandela, was a local chief and councilor to the monarch. But he grew up with his two sisters in his mother’s kraal in the village of Qunu, where he tended herds as a cattle-boy. Both his parents were illiterate, but his mother was a devout Christian, and sent him to a local Methodist school when he was about seven. Baptized a Methodist, Mandela was given the English forename of “Nelson” by his teacher. When Mandela was about nine his father came to live at the homestead where he later died.

Mandela would later state that he had inherited “his father’s proud rebelliousness and stubborn sense of fairness.”

In 1933, Mandela began his secondary education at Clarkebury Methodist High School in Engcobo, a Western-style institution that was the largest school for black Africans in Thembuland, and then went on to Healdtown, a Methodist college.

His path would lead him in and out of his Xhosa community as his world expanded to encompass college, new friends with different perspectives and law school. Mandela began studying law at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he was the only black African student and he faced racism as he had throughout his life. But he was befriended by liberal and communist European Jewish, and Indian students. He was becoming increasingly political.

From these beginnings, Mandela went on to change South Africa and the world. He was arrested and sent to prison for his beliefs, he was beaten, and he failed as many times as he succeeded. But his indominable spirit and that stubborn sense of fairness would win in the end.

We honor the 100th birthday of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who became the first black president of South Africa (1994-99), saw the end of institutionalized Apartheid in the early 1990s, and would continue to be the best kind of troublemaker, working for peace throughout the remainder of his life.

Thank you, Mr. Mandela.

 

 

Contact Big Five Tours

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

In the U.S., we celebrate Independence Day on July 4th, while in Canada, our neighbors celebrate Canada Day on July 1st.  We can both lay claim to some pretty goofy traditions.

In Oatman, Arizona, on July 4th they like to challenge the premise that it is “so hot outside you could fry an egg.” We don’t know eggactly when the tradition started but we can be pretty sure it has something to do with the seasonal heat. Oatman opted to make this challenge an annual solar-frying contest. So you can fry an egg during the day and catch the fireworks at night.

As a way of celebrating Canadian hardiness in the face of extreme cold, Canadians place their next day’s underwear in the freezer June 30. If anyone forgets and gets caught, they are given the “ice wedgie.”

Lobster racing takes place in, where else, Bar Harbor, Maine. Each year, one of New England’s preferred foods is set loose to race against time and other lobsters. This is even a betting sport, with people cheering on their favorites. The lobsters don’t quite get the idea of the game, so some simply wander off while others sit at the starting line.

Ocean Beach, California, takes a much lighter tone to celebrate. The toss marshmallows at each other. Everyone gets involved and it means sticky fun for all.  The s’mores probably come later.

Each Canada Day, all Canadian children between the ages of 6 and 12 are separated into French-speaking and English-speaking groups. After attaching pillows to their ears, they then take part in a round-robin fistfight tournament, with the winner receiving the “Maple Crown.”

Tug of War is a traditional harmless summer game. But in Bolinas and Stinson Beach, California, well, they seem to take it to extremes. Every Fourth of July, these two towns challenge each other to a Tug of War across the Bolinas Channel that separates the towns. They have both men’s and women’s competitions. But here’s the catch. Bolinas apparently has a 200-pound weight minimum for participants, while Stinson Beach has in past years brought in teammates that include 500-pound Samoans, the UC Berkeley rowing team, the San Francisco Golden Gate rugby team and even a a Jeep.

Finally, and, most likely, not everyone’s cup of tea, the people of Hailey, Idaho, play an unusual annual game to celebrate independence. The parade route is marked out in a series of 10,000 squares, and participants buy the squares to play. The route of the Fourth of July parade follows this path and the game is to see in what squares the horses leave “road apples” behind. If a dropping lands in a paid-for square, the name of the owner of that square goes into a drum for a chance to win prizes.

We celebrate with gusto and imagination. Whatever you do this holiday, have fun but be safe.

Happy Independence Day from Big Five Tours. Be sure to browse tour destinations for your next trip.

The Island Of Naoshima

 

Of all of Japan’s 6,852 islands stretched along the Pacific coast of East Asia, one of the most intriguing must surely be Naoshima Island in the Seto Island Sea. More casually known as Art Island, it was originally the settlement of Honmura, a coastal castle town during the century of warring states, 1467 to 1568.

Today, Naoshima is famous for its contemporary art museums as well as outdoor contemporary art installations throughout the 5.5-square-mile island. Art Island is a superb surprise that was begun by Japanese billionaire Soichiro Fukutake and his Benesse Corporation. The island has become an important venue for large works by some of today’s most prominent contemporary artists such as James Turrel, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lee Ufan, Walter de Maria, Yves Klein, Cy Twombly, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Yasumasa Morimura, Andy Warhol and Richard Long.

Fukutake began commissioning large pieces specifically for this island in the 1980s. The architecture had to be equally spectacular. The islands buildings were designed by noted Japanese architect Tadao Ando, to match the size and scale of the artwork. Indeed, the art and architecture seem inseparable now.

There are half a dozen art museums as well as installations and sculptures spread across both on Naoshima and on neighboring islands. Benesse’s museums include Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum and all the buildings of the Benesse House. Naoshima’s municipal buildings and schools were designed by the modern architect Ishii Kazuhiro. There are also some beautiful nature walks on the island is well.

Art Island from Yayoi Kusama’s “Pumpkin” on the end of a dock on Naoshima Island to the remarkable Teshima Art Museum by Ryue Nishizawa and Rei Naito on neighboring Teshima Island, which is both a work of art itself and a museum, offer unique perspectives on the state of contemporary art in Japan.

Art Island is a must-see for art lovers and nature lovers, and can be incorporated into your Japan adventure.

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

Unlike the summer TV series from a couple of years ago, these domes will not entrap you. They will surround you with comfort, warmth and design in the rugged and incredibly beautiful landscapes of the Peruvian Andes.

Peru Adventure | Under The DomeMuch like the yurts of Mongolia, the domes are eminently practical. At the same time, roomy and bright, these domes have space enough for king or twin beds, wood burning stove and a private bathroom with toilet and hydromassage shower. Dinner and drinks are served in either the dining dome or lobby/bar dome. Each camp creates a fine gourmet dining experience in accord to each camp’s altitude.

The sustainable Ecocamps plant organic gardens using solar energy and natural water sources. Each of the five camps is powered by solar energy and water turbine systems. The water is filtered and treated with UV light, so it is safe to drink the tap water, thus reducing the use of plastic bottles. Vegetables are produced with the help of the waste of fruits and vegetables from the kitchen and other organic fertilizers. The camp kitchens and bathrooms use organic non-detergent products. Indeed, the camps are fully self-contained, which limits pollution and reduces wear on the sites.

The best part of these camps is that all are on the route to Machu Picchu!

That’s right, they are strategically placed along the Salkantay Trail, within the great Vilcabamba Mountain Range. Less known or used than the Inca Trail, the Salcantay’s proximity to Machu Picchu makes trekking around it a beautiful alternative. And with fewer, and in places, no fellow trekkers to be seen. Salkantay was one of the ancient trade routes for coca and potatoes, and passes some recently discovered Incan storage facilities.

Peru Ecocamp offers the first private, sustainable luxury glamping experience that brings you in close contact with Andean culture as well as taking you hiking across pristine mountainsides, where condors still fly, passing glacial lakes such as Humantay, small villages and ancient Inca citadels. Every Ecocamp has eight 28 sq. m/300 sq. ft of space to snuggle up in after a good day’s walk.

And you can hardly ask for more spectacular landscapes.

Big Five has a new adventure around this remarkable hiking and glamping experience, a 12-day Peru Adventure Trek.

 

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

Celebrate Memorial Day

On May 28, 2018, people across the country will celebrate Memorial Day to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Many will celebrate with parties, parades and picnics while others gather at cemeteries to lay flowers and flags, and pay their respects.

Did you know that every year on this day, there is an official moment of remembrance at 3:00 p.m. local time?

The holiday dates to the American Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865. A few years later, on the first Decoration Day, as it originally came to be known, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.

This is one holiday that did not arise all at once out of some specific event. It grew slowly, organically in the years following the Civil War. By the late 1860s, towns and cities across the country began to hold tributes in the spring for the fallen soldiers. It’s also associated with the unofficial beginning of summer.

In 1966, the federal government proclaimed Waterloo, New York as the official birthplace of Memorial Day because it first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866, and because its annual event was for the entire community. Businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.

We continue the tradition of honoring those who gave the last full measure of devotion.

We hope you enjoy your holiday weekend, and at 3:00 pm on Monday, you will take a moment to reflect.

 

Contact Big Five Tours

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

 

Hello from Minneapolis, where I am participating in a speaker series on emerging destinations with one our amazing agency partners.

You might notice that our blog is coming out a day early this week. That is because today my hero – my father and our company founder Mahen Sanghrajka – turns 70 today!

Every day when I walk into our office, I look at the plaque next to the front door, and I see the names of my grandparents, who I was never fortunate enough to meet.  You see, Mahen lost both of his parents before he was 20 years old.

Last week while in Colombia on an educational, we were forced to charter a plane from the remote Huila airport to get back to Bogota. Watching the plane land, I became unexpectedly emotional as I thought about my dad’s birthday because memories of my childhood surfaced.

One of my earliest memories is walking into a McDonalds in New York City as a child with my father. I wanted a full meal but he only had enough money for one small order of French fries. He bought it and watched me eat it while he ate nothing. I wanted ice cream and asked for toys that my friends had, but we could not afford those at the time.

I remember stories Mahen told me about growing up in Kenya, and of his deep fascination at an early age for the wildlife. His lifelong commitment to conservation began during the 1960s when he collaborated with zoologists in a project tracking, tagging and studying elephant and rhino populations of Kenya and Uganda. He also participated in research projects studying lowland and mountain gorillas in the rainforests of Rwanda and Zaire. From these beginnings arose a lifetime of commitment to the animals, people and natural habitats of the world. He founded and serves as the chairman of the Spirit of Big Five Foundation, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to supporting to conservation, poverty alleviation, education and healthcare.

Mahen told me once about the people who expected him to fail when we moved from Kenya to the US. But they never deterred him for an instant. He and my mother started our family as they built this company from nothing. And, they managed to save every possible penny to give me a higher education. In fact, I became the first in our immediate family to attend university. I look back and wonder how some weeks we were even able to afford the groceries my mother cooked for dinner.

I watched as Mahen and my mother, the bedrock of our family, never gave up, and worked even harder in the face of certain adversity — proof that my work ethic was inherited. And here we are in our 45th year. Big Five is what it is today because of all our hard work, started by the solid foundation my father and mother created. I have enormous respect for my parents.

Just a few weeks ago, an email from one of our closest consortium partners came out showcasing a video with me in it. My father wrote me an email, and, in typical fashion, no ordinary email.

He wrote in part, “Ashish, I watched the video with you in it and I began to cry (clearly a genetic trait) because I was so proud of what you have accomplished. You gave this company a name in the industry. Love Dad.” I was sitting in a hotel room in Boise, Idaho when I read this. You can guess what I did next… like father, like son.

Today we celebrate 70 amazing years for our founder, CEO, my father and my hero. In his honor, I ask you for only one thing. The next time you see Mahen either in town, at a conference, or if you email him at mahen@bigfive.com, please tell him I said thank you.

Happy birthday, dad.

 Learn more about Big Five Tours

 

Ashish just wandered back from the Tatacoa Desert last Friday.

Where is that?

That, my friends, is a little known (even by most Colombians) desert that occupies just 150 square miles sandwiched between Colombia’s mountain ranges, the Central and the Oriental Cordilleras. This is a warren of red – rock formations, dry canyons, and cacti – candelabra and prickly pear. The land is dotted with prehistoric fossils of turtles, armadillos and giant sloths. The soft light of morning brings the voices of canaries, parrots and parakeets as falcons and buzzards wander the sky.

Just five years ago, the region was inaccessible. It was under the control of the F.A.R.C. and no one traveled there. About a year ago, Ashish was there with an educational group meeting with minsters about sustainable tourism. Those same ministers were working on a final offer for a peace treaty with F.A.R.C, a controversial moment. The news of the treaty signing broke that night, and Ashish and the group of travel advisors became a part of history.

While opinions on the treaty may differ depending on who you speak to in Colombia, the indisputable fact is that it is allowing us to expand our exploration of this once sleeping giant.

“I love Colombia, and it feels like home. There is still so much to discover here,” said Ashish. “We have opened so many doors since the peace treaty was signed, and yet only about a quarter of the country has been open to travelers. That is why we are continuing to open doors such as exploring places like Tatacoa. It is a stunning setting that’s been hidden away all these years.”

Tatacoa Desert is not a true desert, but rather a dry tropical forest that millennia ago was a lush forest full of vegetation and animals. Today, there is little water runoff, but the flora and fauna have adapted to the low humidity and high temperatures. Wildlife includes turtles, snakes, spiders, scorpions as well as eagles, alligators and wildcats. The cacti grow to between 13 and 16 feet high.

One of the delightful surprises here is La Tatacoa Observatory, one of the most important observatories on the continent. The sky here is strikingly clear and free from air or light pollution. It seems to explode with stars and meteor showers at night. This desert is one of the best places in the world for stargazing. Due to its location near the equator, the show offers the unusual opportunity to view both northern and southern skies at the same time.

A resident professor of astronomy presents relaxed stargazing show, using several telescopes aimed at the stars and moon and a laser beam flashlight as travelers lay back and relax on a large green carpet rolled out over the desert floor taking in the night sky.

This little traveled Tatacoa Desert can be incorporated into an amazing Colombia journey.

Look for new adventures to lesser known Colombia coming as soon as we can get Ashish to settle down.

Australia Down Under Luxury Tour

I don’t think so….

What we love about our travelers is that they do not come to us for an Eiffel Tower tour or ask us to book a Caribbean cruise. They choose us to take them far off the beaten path. And when they return, they ask us, “Okay, what’s next?”

We relish that challenge to present you with what’s next on the untraveled road. And our newest President’s Pick falls nicely into this category.

We are reimagining Australia with Australia Down Under Canvas. This 15-day journey explores the luxury tented camp experience in out-of-the-way locations, beginning outside Brisbane in northeastern Australia. Sanctuary by Sirromet is a new high-style tented camp on the grounds of Sirromet Winery. Each luxury tented pavilion has a private balcony that seems to float above the landscape as you gaze across the tree canopy over the lake. Activities include a private guided bike tour of Brisbane.

Then, it‘s up north to Darwin on the Top End and west to Kakadu National Park and Bamurru Plains, a safari lodge with exclusive access to floodplains and savanna woodland on the Mary River, edging the remote national park. A cornucopia of wildlife flourishes here, from wallabies and large varieties of birds around the lodge to crocodiles in the shallow floodplains.

On to Perth in Western Australia and then to the Margaret River region, home to outstanding wineries, breweries and galleries plus lime stone caves, white sand beaches and spectacular scenery. The safari-style bungalows of Olio Bello Margaret River are nestled around the lake on an award-winning olive farm. An old dairy farm until an American couple transformed it into an organic olive farm and sustainable retreat, planting thousands of native trees, shrubs and an endless organic orchard.

On the central coast, high on a ridge, adjacent to traditional Aboriginal rock carvings in the beautiful Bouddi National Park is Pretty Beach House, a luxurious private guest house with just four spacious one-bedroom pavilions. The Didgeridoo Smoking Ceremony, private cooking classes, mountain biking and a guided Indigenous cultural experience hosted by traditional Aboriginal Elder are a sampling of opportunities among spectacular landscapes, from beaches and cliffs to rainforest and heathland.

Discover the President’s Pick Australia Down Under Canvas that takes you beyond what most people expect of Australia and offer a taste of many regions of this unique and colorful continent.

Tanzania Tours

If you used Google Earth like we did, you will have discovered that the GPS coordinates mentioned will take you to the area of Tanzania’s Grumeti River where the great wildebeest migration is heading.

It’s the green season and animals have started the long walk across the Serengeti in search of greener grasses.

The star of this spectacular annual event is the million or so wildebeest. They can make you smile, these irregular animals that tend to look like they were put together by a committee. They are one of the odder-looking members of the antelope family; not at all like their sleek and slender cousins.

But the wildebeest is surprisingly fast and agile. Between four and five feet tall, weighing as much as 600 pounds, wildebeest are powerful animals. There are two species – blue and black. The differences are found in the curve of the horn and the color of their fur. They have powerful hooves that are designed to allow them to travel over rugged terrain, and prevent slipping or sliding in the mud. The curved horns help protect them from predators that are especially plentiful during migration. The back end of the body closely resembles that of an ox.

As they begin the 500- to 1,000-mile journey, the herd cannot slow down for those unable to keep up such as the old, weak or very young.

We have a penchant at Big Five for trying to figure out odd things. We were curious about how many steps it might take a healthy adult wildebeest to walk the same distance as it would for a safari vehicle to drive. I know that sounds like one of the uncertain challenges by the guys from Top Gear. But those of you who know Ashish know he is a car geek who uses car metaphors to explain the world.

While we are not mathematicians, Ashish is pretty good with a calculator. All things being equal, we figure that the vehicle traveling an average of 40 kilometers an hour will take about five hours to drive from the Central Serengeti to Northern Serengeti. The poor wildebeest will have to take some 1,148,000 hoof beats to cover that same distance.

The migration is currently heading toward the Grumeti River before turning north. Explore our newest adventure that takes you into the world of the wildebeest: President’s Pick: Tanzania Safari in the Sun.

Tadoba National Park Tour

The bark of India’s ghost tree changes with the season from pale pink to green, and even at times light blue. But it’s the summer skin of white that gives it that other-worldly feel. It stands out against its surrounding as the slim branches curl and twist and spread, leafless poking up to the sky.

A member of the gum family, the ghost tree, also called mahua, has soft wood that appeals to tigers. They sharpen their claws or mark the bark as part of their territorial messaging. The tree begins life pushing its way through a rocky landscape and is normally found with stones at its base. This deciduous tree with horizontally-scattering branches grows as tall as 49 feet on hillsides and higher ground. This invites the cautious leopard to drag its kill to the top to better keep a wary eye out for tigers. And the ghost tree calls to sloth bears, too, for they are fond of its flowers, which, once digested, turn into alcohol. You may find the bears sleeping near a waterhole after having their fill of the mahua’s flowers.

Man has also found the ghost tree useful as it releases a natural karaya gum that is used as a laxative, and as a thickener in cosmetics and medications. In manufacturing, it is added as a binder, emulsifier and stabilizer in preparing beverages and foods.

The sometimes spooky-looking trees live in Tadoba National Park, also known as Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, one of India’s 47 project tiger reserves. Estimates suggest only about 3,900 tigers are left in the wild on the entire planet. Of all the big cats, tigers are the most endangered. This park is said to have up to 72 tigers spread over 241 square miles, which means you have a good chance at spotting these magnificent creatures.

Although the major attraction here is, of course, its tigers, the park is home to large herds of chital as well as sambhar, barking deer, chousingha, gaur, Nilgai, and whistling wild dog. At night, you may glimpse one of the small civets. For bird watchers, they can search for some 195 species of birds such as the honey buzzard, the crested serpent eagle, the shy jungle fowl and paradise flycatcher. Reptiles include the endangered Indian python, terrapins, star tortoise and cobra. During the monsoon season, spiders abound including giant wood spider, signature spider and red wood spiders.

Landscapes dotted with ghost trees and the stunning wildlife make for a rewarding safari adventure such as on the 15-day Naturally India journey, which focuses on India’s wildlife in Tadoba as well as two other parks.

 

Enjoy this brief video of two brothers.

 

 

Contact Big Five Tours

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

 

The oldest known textiles found to date in the Americas are fragments of six woven textiles and cordage discovered in Guitarrero Cave in northcentral highlands of Peru. The weavings, from plant fibers, date to between 10100 and 9080 BCE.

In the South American Andes, wool came from camelids, primarily llamas and alpacas that were both domesticated by about 4,000 BCE. In the Inca Empire of the Andes, women did most of the weaving using backstrap looms to make small pieces of cloth and vertical frame and single-heddle looms for larger pieces.

Andean textile weavings were practical as well as symbolic and of ceremonial importance. They were also traded, used as currency and tribute, and as an indicator of social class and rank. Sixteenth-century Spanish colonists were impressed by both the quality and quantity of textiles produced by the Inca Empire. Some of the techniques and designs are still in use.

The Awamaki project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Peru that works to empower women’s associations. It partners with eight artisan cooperatives in the rural Peruvian Andes that still use  methods such as the backstrap looms to create traditional textiles. They provide women with training and vital access to global markets not previously available to them.

“I founded Awamaki in the belief that income in the hands of women is the best way to lift communities out of poverty,” said Kennedy Leavens, founder and executive director of Awamaki.

The objective of Awamaki, a Quechua word that means hand weaving, is to help women develop a sustainable source of income to increase their families’ quality of life and opportunities. The textile cooperatives weave, knit, spin and sew. Awamaki offers these women training in quality control, improved skills, product development and business.

A Seattle native, Leavens launched Awamaki in early 2009 with two staff members, a handful of volunteers and ten women weavers. The focus was on connecting women artisans to markets through a store and wholesale business, and through a tourism program.

Today nearly 200 women are learning not only how to survive in this fast-paced world, but how to improve their lives and the lives of their children. Most of them have been working with fabrics since they were small, learning the craft in their Andean communities. Awamaki supports the women in becoming leaders who can help transform their communities.

In the heart of these Quechua communities, you can engage with these women through an impactful and intimate community visit to learn more about the pre-Incan weaving traditions and the remarkable Andean indigenous culture that has managed to survive. You learn about backstrap weaving and how it relates to their culture and history. You will receive a demonstration of the entire process, beginning with how alpaca or sheep wool is hand spun into yarn, how local plants are used as natural dyes, and finally how the yarn is woven into the final product. After the demonstration, you also have the opportunity to try weaving yourself.

You can add this rewarding encounter to almost any Peruvian itinerary such as Peru Andes Adventure by Train.

 

This project is part of our ongoing commitment to global sustainability. For more about sustainable travel in Latin America, visit www.galapagos.com.

 

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

Sorry, blame it on Ashish!

He got a little bit carried away when he was shooting photos of the Northern Lights in Yellowknife in Canada’s beautiful Northwest Territories. We think it was a case of brainfreeze

Actually, he had a great time but the Florida guy whined a lot about the -30 degrees. “Plus wind chill, he kept whimpering.

Have a fabulous, fun April Fool’s Day on Sunday, and please come back next week when we will tell you about our newest sustainable collaboration in Peru.

 

 

 

Contact Big Five Tours

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

Big Five Tours Kids Kollaborate Study

Here we go again… Big Five is creating another new challenge for itself. On Saturday, March 17, Big Five had its inaugural gathering, which at the moment is dubbed the Kids Kouncil. The event took place in our headquarters and was composed of six children between the ages of 6 and 20 years of age, who are all related to Big Five employees. Two of them joined in via Skype.  We took a really cool video at the end of the meeting about that experience that you can watch here.

Why? Well I promise it wasn’t to hold them captive or deprive them a fine Saturday morning outdoors.

As many of you already know, we have a family collection of trips called Precious Journeys, which features activities and hands-on learning experiences specifically tailored for children.

As we began to look for new adventures and options for this select collection, the idea was born to have a meeting for and run by kids – no adults allowed. We came up with a short list of questions for them to discuss.  The oldest member of the team served as the moderator.

The objective of this exercise was to get real answers from the children directly, without the adult filter, to discover what is important to children today. We did not focus on travel much but rather on what each child looked for and valued. Questions ranged from what was the best day you ever had, to what was the grossest food you ever ate.

The only rule was that wherever the conversation went, the adults would not interfere in any way. They weren’t even allowed in the room, except for a silent Ashish to take some pictures.

We realized this was a bit risky as we did not know what to expect. Would they all sit there mute? Would the run around and talk video games?  Would we get any useful data from this experiment?

But it wasn’t long before we saw that these kids had a lot to say about the world and what they expect. We learned more in two hours than we could have learned in a couple of lifetimes. What we think and what kids think are miles apart. If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, parents must be from Mercury and kids from Pluto!

Over the coming months, we are going to use what we learned to fine tune our process for family trips, and build our next Precious Journeys adventure. We are going to make family travel more purple as some of our friends in certain parts of the US would say. This goes back to one of our primary ideas that travel today is as much about why and less about where – even with kids.

We were impressed by how enthusiastic these children were and how eager they were to do it again. So we have decided to make the Kids Kouncil a formal part of the Big Five process and we are expanding the group to include children from outside our circle.

This is where you come in.  We are looking for a name for our gathering. We have five choices listed below, which our kids came up with. Watch their video on our Facebook page and cast your vote in the comments section.

  1. Kids Kouncil
  2. K Kids
  3. Voices Council
  4. Kids Options
  5. Kids Opinions

 

Tour Cairo The Way Egyptians See It

After a day of exploring Cairo’s glorious past, spend an evening learning about Cairo’s active present. You have been on the move all day with your Egyptologist, discovering the epic monuments of a civilization that arose more than 5,000 years ago; from the breathtaking Pyramids of Giza and the great Sphinx, to King Zoser’s Step Pyramid at Sakkara.

But what about the people?

This evening, you get a look at Cairo the way Egyptians see it. Your host this evening is Farah Abouseif, who will pick you up in her car. This is a personal outing as if you were going out with a friend who lives in the city. The drive starts with Tahrir Square. You have the unique opportunity to talk politics, which is normally discouraged when traveling in foreign countries. But right now with Farah, it is permissible. Discuss the revolution, what happened, how it was and what it is like now.

Farah will also tell you what it is like for her, as an Egyptian female, and for other women in Egypt in general today. Travel through the downtown area to Zamalek, a nice district and home to Sequoia, a relaxing restaurant with comfortable couches and overstuffed chairs, low wooden tables, draped canopies and soft light. Savor fusion Mediterranean cuisine from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Morocco, Turkey, Greece and Italy in simple elegance, where conversations flow easily. You talk about your journey and experience, and compare Egypt to your home and to other countries that you may have visited. The topics vary depending on what interests you most.

Cairo is complex and not easy to understand. But this evening is all about giving you a personal look at the culture and the society of the city, and the way Egyptians see it as well as the history and the monuments, many of which are around underdeveloped areas. You meet Egyptians, who are relatively open-minded, exposed to Western education and culture. Conversations range far, from politics and economics, to entertainment and lifestyles.

This very special and personal evening can be added to any Egypt itinerary that includes Cairo.

 

 

Contact Big Five Tours

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

Puppet Masters In Indonesia Tour

What child, or adult for that matter, doesn’t like a puppet show?

Puppetry is one of the oldest art forms and thought to have originated some 4,000 years ago. Societies from ancient Egypt and Greece to the Middle East and India had their versions of puppet shows. Archaeologists have even discovered a terracotta doll capable of manipulation by a string that dates back to 2500 BCE, which suggests that puppets and Puppet Masters may have been used in the Indus Valley Civilization.

Puppetry in Indonesia goes back to about 800 CE. The term for puppetry, wayang, is derived from the Indonesian word for shadow, bayang. Wayang kulit, shadow puppetry, is a type of storytelling that originated on the Indonesian island of Java. It thrived at the royal courts of Java and Bali and in rural areas as a popular form of entertainment as well as to communicate ideas. It spread to other islands including Lombok, Madura, Sumatra and Borneo, each developing local variations. The puppets vary in size, shape and style. There are two main types of puppets: the three-dimensional wooden puppet (wayang klitik or golèk) and the flat leather shadow puppet (wayang kulit) projected in front of a screen lit from behind.

Shadow puppets present a singular form of narrative theater that makes use of light and shadows. The puppets are made of water buffalo hide and mounted on sticks, which can be made of water buffalo horn, wood or bamboo.

The puppet master, dalang, manipulates the puppets behind a large section of white cloth or screen with a bulb or an oil lamp used as a light source, capturing the shadows on the screen. In times past, puppeteers were regarded as literary experts who communicated moral and aesthetic lessons through puppetry. Wayang stories use characters from a variety of sources including indigenous myths, historic epics and heroes from Persian tales. Some of the plays also included local events or gossip. The repertory and performance techniques were transmitted orally within the families of puppeteers, musicians and puppet-makers.

Puppet shows remain popular in Indonesia, but have had to undergo some changes in style and subject matter to compete with today’s video and digital world.

Wayang puppet theater has been recognized by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

You can add a visit a puppet-making shop in Solo to see how this amazing art form is created on any exploration of extraordinary Indonesia.

 

Contact Big Five Tours

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

As you meander the streets of a vintage city like old Cartagena, Colombia, take time to notice the details – plant-strewn balconies, antique cracked windowsills, the intricate doorways with sometimes massive doors and… the door knockers.

Yes, antique door knockers adorn the doors of many older period houses and mansions. Cartagena is known for door knockers, aldabas, which were used to indicate the status of the residents inside. The larger and more elaborate the aldaba usually signaled wealth and referenced status. Lizards, for example, were associated with a family’s royal Spanish heritage.

The use of these attention-getters is said to date back several thousand years to ancient Greece. Doors replaced hangings for improved safety and privacy. Spartans would simply yell to alert the homeowner of their presence. The more sophisticated Greeks such as the Athenians adopted for the use of a door knocker.

But not just a door knocker.

Upper-class Greeks had slaves whose sole purpose was to answer the door. In fact, the door-opener slaves were chained to a heavy ring attached to the door in order to greet guests. If the slave fell asleep, the visitor rapped on the door with a short bar of iron attached to a chain. Evidently, some people took to using the bar as a weapon to attack the householder so property owners turned to new technology.

The knocker evolved into a heavy ring fastened to the door by a plate to serve as both knocker and handle. Early designs were based on statues that stood in front of old Greek houses. These statues were created with distorted, grotesque features, and were thought to be useful to banish malevolent spirits and witches. Churches were the exception as they had no such statues outside. They had a holly water stoup by the entrance of the church’s main door that they thought was enough to deter malignant spirits.

Good luck door knockers were used to insure good fortune to the dwelling, and were said to have magical or healing properties. These door knockers were crafted using a motif of good luck charms including horseshoes, stars, suns, angels and flowers. Many intricate door knockers are in the shapes of human heads or mythical beasts.

One popular shape is a hand. This is often seen in Muslim countries, and is thought to symbolize the Hand of Fatima protecting the house from evil as well as showing that the occupants of that house followed the Muslim faith. It was also assumed that there were different knockers, one male and one female, to avoid women opening the door to a man. Each knocker made a different sound, so the woman would know when to open the door.

Elaborate or plain, door knockers around the world have been used to symbolize hospitality and good luck as well as to serve as a warning or to ward off bad spirits. So be sure to keep an eye out for these striking door adornments in the old town sections of Cartagena and Quito as well as in colonial towns such as Colta and Ingapirca in our newest President’s Pick: Ecuador & Colombia Exploration.

Contact Big Five Tours today

Learn about South American sustainable tourism

 

Navigator Series® Edition III
Order your copy today
Brochure Order Form
Or contact us at 800 244 3483

« back