From the Aberdares we head north to the famous Samburu/Buffalo Springs game reserves. Here we will experience the beautiful dry northern country which is home to wildlife only seen north of the equator: namely Grevy's zebra, beisa oryx and reticulated giraffe. Other residents are gerenuk gazelle, the Somali ostrich, the 'big five' and the more common savannah game.

From Samburu our journey now heads back south to Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for its spectacular bird life.

We then head on to Masai Mara, justifiably one of the most famous reserves in Africa. With good reason as this is the Kenyan section of the Serengeti Plains and wildlife abounds. It is also traditionally the land of the nomadic Masai people. While on game drives, you will often notice young tribesmen herding their cattle amongst the plains game. The Mara is 1,510sq km of open grassland dotted with the distinctive flattopped acacia trees. It is watered by the tree-lined Mara River and its tributary the Talek River. The western border of the park is the spectacular Oloololo Escarpment, a difficult part of the Mara to access because of the swampy grounds. The concentration of game is at its highest in the months of July through October when the Mara is host to the annual migration of more than 2 million wildebeest.

To break up the long drive day from the Masai Mara to Serengeti National Park we head to Speke Bay for a night. From Speke Bay we head into Serengeti National Park, which takes its name from a Masai word meaning 'endless plain'. This 14,763sq km park encompasses lakes, savannah grassland, wooded hills, rivers, swamps and volcanic massifs and is home to a wide array of wildlife. The Serengeti is home to over 2 million wildebeest, half a million Thomson's gazelle and a quarter of a million zebra, giraffe, eland, topi, kongoni, impala and other antelope, in addition to predators such as the lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena.

We then head to Ngorongoro Crater, a collapsed volcano that is the largest, unbroken caldera in the world. The crater is home to elephant, buffalo, hyena, jackal, eland, hartebeest, black rhino, waterbuck, hippo, black-manned lion and leopard. The crater is also populated with birdlife: ostriches, kori bustards, secretary birds, white egrets, red-billed ox-pickers, crested cranes and lesser flamingos.

We head to Lake Manyara National Park, situated on the western slopes of the Rift Valley with the lake spanning 390sq kms. Lake Manyara boasts a wondrous array of birdlife, along with herds of buffalo and elephant. The itinerary finishes off with a visit to Tarangire National Park, before concluding in Arusha.

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We start in Egypt, where we explore the ancient pyramids and Sphinx before heading south to Aswan. We visit the awesome temples at Abu Simbel and take a relaxing four-day riverboat cruise to Luxor, a great way to observe everyday life. Our Nile riverboat offers an intimate on-board atmosphere, with air-conditioned cabins, each with their own private shower and toilet. In addition there is a comfortable restaurant, where all meals are served, and a rooftop bar. The spacious top deck is ideal for sunbathing and relaxing, with a large shaded area and refreshing showers.

Crossing the Sinai we arrive in Jordan, where we discover friendly people, excellent food and the fabulous 'lost city' of Petra, one of finest ancient cities in the world. Up the road from Amman is Damascus, the oldest continually-inhabited city in the world, with its atmospheric old quarter and the stunning Ommayad Mosque. To the east lies the legendary ancient city of Palmyra and to the north the fabulous city of Aleppo, with probably the most interesting bazaar in the Middle East.

We reach southern Turkey and travel north into the remarkable landscapes of Cappadocia where we hike through picturesque valleys, explore several troglodyte villages, visit the massive underground city at Kaymakli and discover amazing churches carved deep into the rock.

The grand finale is Istanbul, perched on the cusp of Europe and Asia Minor, with a rich and complex history, outstanding mosques and minarets that seem to soar into the heavens. It's a fitting end to an incredible journey!

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From Ushuaia, the southernmost city in South America, we set sail for the volcanic South Shetland Islands, where we’ll make several landings each day – with location and frequency dependent upon weather and ice conditions. Our first landing may be on Deception Island, site of a large chinstrap penguin colony. Deception is a mountainous and volcanically active island where steam rises from the black sand beaches.

Weather permitting, our next stop will be Esperanza Base, Argentina’s scientific research station. There’s a large Adélie penguin colony in the area and, by this time of the year, many will be tending to newborn chicks. Next we’ll see how far the sea-ice will let us push through the bergs into the heavily-iced Weddell Sea.

James Ross Island boasts two volcanic mountains named Erebus and Terror, after the ships in Ross’ expeditions. From here we travel back to the north and visit Paulet Island, site of one of the largest Adélie penguin colonies. Then we’ll attempt a landing on Elephant Island, where the Endurance sailors took refuge while Shackleton went to seek rescue.

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The scenery also changes dramatically across the province from the dry, windswept plains of the Tibetan plateau to the spectacular gorges surrounding the early stages of the Yangtze River.

This is a superb ten-day adventure that introduces many of the highlights of an amazing region, including a memorable walk through Tiger Leaping Gorge.

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Pyramids & Aswan
Beginning in Cairo, we visit the Great Pyramids at Giza, the enigmatic Sphinx and Egyptian Museum. Then travel by overnight train to the colourful and easy-going town of Aswan, located on the first Nile cataract. From here you can take an optional excursion to the famous rock-cut temple of Abu Simbel, 3000 years old and dedicated to the pharaoh Ramses II.

3-Day Felucca Sailtrek
Setting sail at a relaxed pace we continue by Nile felucca, the ideal way of getting to know the river and its people. As well as observing life in the many small villages and farms along the way, we stop to visit the monumental temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu. The pace of our sailtrek is dictated by wind and river conditions, so our nightstops are flexible.

Luxor - Ancient Thebes
We drive to Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes, to discover the richest concentration of archaeological wonders in the western world - and a place where the sky is always pure blue! We explore the Great Temple of Amun at Karnak and organise a donkey trek along an ancient route to the Valley of the Kings - the painted gallery of pharaohs' tombs.

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