For anyone who loves seeing legendary sites up close and walking around gorgeous landscapes, there’s a destination in the North Atlantic that has it all — actually, make that 6,000 destinations. The British and Irish Isles — which also include Scotland, Wales and the 6,000-plus islands around them — pack in endless fascination for travelers. For nature buffs, a trip to this Atlantic archipelago is an especially magical experience. It’s a chance to see spectacular animals and rare plants in the wild, all while hiking in beautiful surroundings dotted with archaeological ruins and local charm. A voyage around this part of the Atlantic brings unexpected daily discoveries along the cliffs, shores and hiking trails of the islands.
Off the western coast of Sweden lies a small group of ice-scoured granitic islands. Väderöarna (or the Weather Islands, in English) is one of those places that seeps into your soul. A remote oasis in the middle of the ocean, it’s way off the beaten path, far from the noise and stressors of everyday life.
Where Spain and Portugal meet southern France, the bounty of the ocean and farmlands, paired with traditional wines and spirits, create a culinary adventure like no other.
National Geographic photographer Alison Wright shares some of her favorite highlights along the European coastline--from enjoying a glass of local ruby port in Portugal to biking England's picturesque Tresco Island.
The medieval walled city of Saint-Malo has birthed explorers and privateers, and risen like a phoenix from the rubble of World War II to become a stunningly picturesque small city known for its authentic character.
Discover some of the awe-inspiring vestiges of history we explore on our diverse European expeditions: from the Suez Canal to the fortress on Belle-Ile-en-Mer.
These fascinating European cities each hold a secret identity, the result of ancient cultural influences. Here's your chance to discover two cultures in one stop.
This morning, National Geographic Orion cleared into Vanuatu, more specifically, the surreal island of Tanna. Tanna is home to Mt. Yasur, an active volcano containing one of the world’s very few lava lakes. Even driving the road to get to the base of the volcano is no small feat. Heavy rains render the muddy, ash covered roads sometimes useless on the best of days, but conditions were perfect for us! After the fleet of pickup trucks got us to the base of the volcano, we were able to hike up the rest of the way. Sulphur, water vapors, and ash greeted us as we looked down the throat of the active volcano. Grumbles from the belly of the beast thundered through to the air as we cautiously observed.
The morning sun found a few early risers scanning the sea for birds as National Geographic Venture made its way up Johnstone Strait towards Alert Bay. The first sighting of marine mammals occurred just before breakfast as a trio of sea otters were relaxing together midwater. We noted that these otters were surprisingly south of their expected location. At Alert Bay, our guests were shuttled to the cultural center and given a tour of sacred artifacts, which we weren’t allowed to photograph. Later, we were welcomed into the Big House for an inspired ceremony featuring traditional music and dance. At the request of the performers, no photos have been shared. You will have to take my word for it that it was a truly spectacular experience.
Our first day aboard National Geographic Sea Lion started with a lovely hike at Lake Eva on Chichagof Island. We took in beautiful vistas as we learned about the wonders of Alaska’s temperate rainforest. The afternoon was spent searching for wildlife in Chatham Strait, and while cruising along the coast, we saw a mother and calf humpback pair. After a few sightings together, it seemed like the mother took a deeper dive to forage, leaving the calf at the surface. Once left to its own devices the baby humpback breached not once, but four times out of the water! But the show was not over because the mother was not going to be outdone as she launched herself out of the water, staying near the surface pectoral slapping. After surfacing, both whales moved toward each other and became reunited after their aerial acrobatics. It was a lovely way to start our first full day of the trip.
We awoke at sunrise and observed the majestic Bartolomé Island showered by the first sunrays of the morning. Our first hike of the day was invigorating, almost 400 steps to the summit of Bartolomé to appreciate the astonishing beauty of the surroundings. What an amazing view! We saw several parasitic volcanoes, an underwater crater, golden sandy beach, and the many shades of blue of the ocean. On our way back to National Geographic Endeavour II, we took a detour to search for the iconic Galapagos penguins and we found them. Yay! Our afternoon destination was Chinese Hat, a small island surrounded by lava fields, fine white sand, and crystal-clear waters. We went snorkeling and swimming and had more encounters with Galapagos penguins. They’re so fast, they look like they’re flying under the water. The day wouldn’t have been complete without a sunset exploration by Zodiac to explore the coasts of Santiago Island and Chinese Hat. Some friendly sea lions greeted us with their spectacular, playful behavior. Soon, we found ourselves riding back under the light of the sunset with the impressive volcanic background of the Galapagos.
Today’s scenic highlight was a visit to Capelinhos, the site of a massive series of volcanic eruptions on Faial in 1957-58. Villages were buried in ash and over 2 kilometers of new land were added to the island. Miraculously, no one was killed. The views over the towering bluffs of ash and pumice were dramatic, as were videos of the eruptions presented in the nearby volcano museum. The museum is creatively built underground at the base of the historic lighthouse, which somehow escaped destruction during the eruptions. Another highlight of the day was the whaling museum in the town of Horta. This museum is located in the former whaling factory, “Fabrica da Baleia de Porto Pim,” where sperm whales were rendered into oil and “meal” – ground bones and meat that were used for cattle feed and agricultural fertilizer on the islands. Whaling officially ended in the Azores in 1987, though it had ceased to be a major activity by the 1970s. We’re pleased that whale-watching is now one of the major tourist attractions of the islands.