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On the Fly
The northern climes aren’ t just about snow and cold; during the spring and summer months The Lodge at Gold River, a remote but luxurious hideaway on Canada’ s Vancouver Island, welcomes affluent fly anglers looking to tap the region’ s rivers for salmon and steelhead. Wake early each morning in one of 18 beautifullyappointed pine bedrooms, complete with fireplace and patio, enjoy a Canadian bush breakfast in the dining room with your fellow fishermen, before a helicopter whisks you away to remote and highly-coveted West Coast fishing spots. The Lodge also owns 1,200ft of river frontage should you prefer to hunt trout and stay closer to the bar, and when you casting arm is tired, outdoor guides will lead you on hiking trips into Strathcona Provincial
Park, and on wildlife watching excursions by boat. Packages that include accommodation as well as salmon fishing, heli-fishing and local fishing start from CAD $ 2,965 per person. www. thelodgeatgoldriver. ca
Africa’ s Eden
Once devastated by civil war, Gorongosa National Park in central Mozambique is today one of Africa’ s hottest and most exciting wilderness experiences. A safari here illustrates what happens when nature is given the chance to rebound. The park is again home to the plentiful wildlife which drew safari enthusiasts in its heyday in the 60s and 70s. Asilia Africa itineraries explore the park, which has been restored to its former beauty by the
Gorongosa Restoration Project. Time your visit to coincide with the July opening of Kubatana Camp, which blends luxurious accommodation with a host of sustainable tourism activities. Explore this surreal landscape on traditional game drives or walking safaris in search of lions, elephants, buffalo, crocodiles and hippos, as well as high oribi, sable and waterbuck antelope populations. Alternatively boat on Lake Urema, visit the rainforests of Mount Gorongosa for hiking and birding, or get involved in research and census counts that record the Park’ s revitalisation. www. kubatanacampgorongosa. com
From the Desert Sands
The Middle East is a destination that rarely seems free of drama, but that doesn’ t stop intrepid travellers seeking out the truly unique experiences this amazing region offers. The ancient land of Jordan is a locale seeing a booming renaissance, and Cox & Kings combine comfort with culture on its eight-day Splendors of Jordan itinerary. Visiting the roman theater and citadel of ancient Jerash, the biblical site of Mount Nebo, the mosaics of Madaba, and the ramparts of Kerak castle, built in 1142 by the crusaders, travellers will also have two whole days to soak up the ambiance of Petra, the rock city lost for a millennium and now one of the New
Seven Wonders of the World. Between nights spent in five-star accommodation and feasting on gourmet local cuisine, including home cooking in Madaba, travellers can explore rose-red Petra by candle light, race through the shifting sands of Wadi Rum by 4x4 and finish off with a well-deserved soak in the curative waters of the Dead Sea. www. coxandkings. co. uk www. jetsetter. hk