American World Traveler Winter 2018-19 Issue

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5. Uzbekistan: Uncover the Silk Road
This journey to the heart of Central Asia will
take you back to a time across the centuries.
Explore the city of Bukhara, which is home to
900 monuments, jewelled coloured domes
and fascinating Islamic architecture. One of
the city’s great landmarks is the Kalyan
minaret, known as the death tower, where
apparently many an unfaithful wife met a
dreadful end. Spend a night in the desert by
staying in a traditional Yurt camp and be
regaled stories of the local culture by Kazakh
nomads. Travel to Samarkand, the jewel of
the ancient and modern Silk Road, and still a
major trade centre of textiles, carpets and
works of art in this fascinating country.
6: Madagascar: Wildlife Paradise
The wildlife of Madagascar is one of the
island’s main attractions, and its chief superstar
is undoubtedly the lemur with over 70
species spread throughout. Quite a number
of the native animals cannot be found anywhere
else in the world, such as the
Grandidier Mongoose, Appert’s Greenbull
and the Crested Ibis. There’s a chance to see
the rare Indri, the largest lemur in
Andasibele, while in the cloud forest of
Ranomafana National Park, catch a glimpse
of the elusive rare Golden Bamboo and
Greater Bamboo Lemurs. Madagascar also
boasts some glorious coastlines, so relax on
their white powdery beaches, go snorkelling
or a take simple stroll on the sand.
7. Macedonia: Cultural Journey
A lesser-discovered cousin of the Balkans,
Macedonia has an intense history where
influences from the East and West collide. It is
famous for ancient civilisations, UNESCO
world heritage monasteries and the vibrant
cities of Sofia and Skopje. Ottomans,
Communists and Romans left their mark during
their occupation, which subsequently
imprinted many contrasts across the cultural
landscape of this country. This Baltic state is
also rich in nature with a multitude of national
parks, waterfalls, and famous wine
regions, and travelers will sample locally
grown Macedonian wine in the city of
Tikvesh. Foodies will also enjoy discovering
the coffee culture in Bitola, and the role it has
had on the city in the last few centuries.
8. Italy: Walking the Francigena Way
As trail tourism increases in popularity, The
Francigena Way should be next on your list to
conquer. This historical journey has been
walked by thousands of pilgrims, and was
once the route from Canterbury to Rome. It
begins in the beautiful city of Orvieto, before
walking through Tuscia Laziale, an agricultural
region of fields, olive groves and volcanic
lakes. Following the ancient Via Cassia, pass
through beautiful villages such as
Montefiascone, also known as the city of
Popes and for its fine wine. Many medieval
cities and monasteries fill this path, including
thick forests of oaks, abbey ruins, and secluded
communities. The journey ends in the
Eternal City of Rome.
9. West Greenland: Discover Disko Bay
Polar expeditions have grown in popularity
over the years, as people want to see glaciers
and icebergs in all their glory. This arctic
expedition takes a unique spin as it also journeys
into local Inuit communities living on the
western coast of Greenland. Travelers have
the opportunity to delve into the local culture
within the icy seas. No journey in Greenland
would be complete without a visit to the
impressive Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site. There’s a vast amount of
Arctic wildlife on this route, and the best
whale watching can be done on Disko Island,
as its surrounding waters are home to the
humpback, fin, and minke whales.
10. Sudan: Desert Explorer
An underrated destination compared to other
African nations, Sudan is slowing gaining
momentum as an unchartered destination to
visit. It has vast red deserts and believe it or
not, a large number of ancient pyramids.
Built by the rulers of the Kushite kingdoms,
they are smaller compared to Egyptian pyramids
and are extremely well preserved. The
best part is, there are hardly any tourists
around so your chances of taking an unobstructed
photograph of a pyramid is extremely
high. Explore the Temple of Soleb, and
capture images of colonial style railway stations
still reminiscent of British architecture in
the middle of the desert. On top of that,
camp under the stars and visit Nubian villages
in this out of the way itinerary.
About Exodus Travels
Celebrating 44 years, leading adventure tour
operator Exodus has a vast range of adventure
and activity holidays across seven continents,
offering places as diverse and as exhilarating as
Kilimanjaro, Machu Picchu, the Ice Hotel and
Antarctica. Whether it is solo travelers, couples,
groups or families, Exodus offers an incredible
choice of trips for all ages and activity levels.
Operating in 100+ countries with 600+ tours,
Exodus insists on low impact tourism and contributing
to local communities.
For more information visit:
www.ExodusTravels.com
American World Traveler Winter 2018-19