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Viking Attempts World Record with World Cruise on Viking Sun

8/30/2019

By John Roberts
Viking Ocean Cruises is sailing for a world record as its Viking Sun departs on an epic world cruise.
Viking's Ultimate World Cruise is a 245-day itinerary that spans six continents, 51 countries and 111 ports. The ship set sail September 1 from London on a journey to remember for all who are onboard for the entire route or even just a healthy portion of it.
The 930-passenger ship's longest-ever continuous cruise will fully circumnavigate the globe to reach a host of the world's most vibrant cities, iconic landmarks and exotic destinations. Viking Sun returns to London at the end of the voyage in May 2020.
Viking is attempting to set the Guinness World Record for the "longest continuous passenger cruise;" upon the return of Viking Sun to London next year, an official adjudicator will confirm whether the attempt has been a success.
"For more than 20 years we have been committed to connecting travelers to culturally immersive experiences that allow them to explore the world in comfort," said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking. "Our Ultimate World Cruise is the most extensive itinerary available in the industry, nearly double the length of our previous world cruise itineraries."
Viking's Ultimate World Cruise is an eight-month journey, allowing passengers to explore Scandinavia, the Caribbean and destinations throughout South America before calling on the remote tropical islands of the South Pacific.
Viking Sun will then continue its journey along the coast of Australia and through Asia before returning to the Mediterranean and Europe.
On all Viking Ocean Cruises, passengers get an included excursion in each port of call and free unlimited WiFi. They also receive business class airfare (when booking an airfare package) and all gratuities and service fees, along with an extensive list of added-value inclusions in their cruise fare.
The world cruise features overnight stays in 23 cities to allow travelers to delve deeper into destinations; and Viking's Culture Curriculum offers additional enrichment onboard with regional entertainment and lectures, as well as learning opportunities as part of the Viking Resident Historian program.
Excursion highlights for this cruise include:
Greenwich: London at Your Door -- Docking in the historic Royal Borough of Greenwich, London, for easy access to the capital's iconic sights, including the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Peak of Brazilian Culture -- One of the overnight stays occurs in the historic city of Rio de Janeiro, to witness the larger-than-life Christ the Redeemer statue and relax on the scenic Copacabana and Ipanema beaches.
Ushuaia, Argentina: End of the World -- Commonly referred to as the "End of the World," Ushuaia is a city perched on a steep hill on the southernmost tip of South America. This stop lets cruisers explore its lush scenery through excursions to the nearby Escondido and Fagnano Lakes or the Tierra del Fuego National Park, which was first inhabited by humans 10,000 years ago.
Hobart, Tasmania: An Island of History and Wilderness -- The capitol of Australia's island state of Tasmania, Hobart is rich in aborigine history and unique wilderness, including Mount Wellington, which the city is nestled under.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Vibrant Saigon -- This eclectic city, home to a mix of modern skyscrapers, French colonial buildings and ornate palaces, offers a variety of experiences, including the Cu Chi Tunnels, the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Reunification Palace.
Mumbai, India: The Front Door to India -- The bustling city of Mumbai is the financial, commercial and entertainment capital of India. Here is the place to learn about the iconic activist Gandhi at the Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum and visit the Hanging Gardens, one of the prized parks in the busy metropolis.
Luxor, Egypt: Temples and Tombs -- The site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor is dense with historical monuments to explore, including the Temple of Karnak and the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, which house the tombs of the pharaohs and their wives.

Check Out Some of Our Viking Ocean Cruise Adventures

Visiting Tunisia and Seeing More on a Cruise on Viking Sky

Thanks for reading,
JR

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Four Reasons to Take a Safari in Africa with Backroads

8/22/2019

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Photo courtesy of Backroads

By John Roberts
An African safari tops many travel wish lists. We're constantly thinking about one and looking ahead to when we can fit it into our plans. We figure we'll need a full itinerary that lasts at least a couple weeks in order to best experience a good slice of what Africa has to offer.
We have traveled with Backroads before (see links to stories below), and the active travel company offers exciting and carefully curated adventures that take a lot of the planning off your hands. The company has a selection of Africa trips to choose from, including safaris that just might work as part of your itinerary when you decide to pull the trigger on your ultimate African safari journey.
A Backroads trip means that you can bike, hike and view wildlife up close from private safari vehicles -- all while staying at some of Africa's most luxurious lodges. Here is why you should consider an active safari in Africa with Backroads.

Delightfully Diverse
Explorers will have access to diverse landscapes and cultures while staying in luxurious lodges and flying in private charter planes. On foot, on a bike and in safari vehicles, you'll visit private game reserves to see some of Africa's spectacular wildlife.
This vast continent is filled with natural wonders you'll find no place else. Consider some of these trips: Unravel the mysteries of Northern Africa as Backroads introduces you to the many delights of Morocco. Or experience the wonders of Sub-Saharan Africa on a multi-adventure through South Africa and Botswana or by foot through Namibia and Zimbabwe. Witnesses lions stalking the plains and elephants rumbling in the bush on a multi-sport adventure in Tanzania.

A Hassle-Free Option
Backroads' private charter planes connect Africa's remote game reserves, maximizing your time exploring and minimizing complicated travel. There are no shuttles to the airport and no connections to make. The private flights give you the most direct route from one reserve to the next.

Luxurious Lodges
Top-notch hotels, camps and game lodges are all set in private reserves or national parks. This means you get up-close wildlife viewing opportunities led by the world's leading trackers and rangers. You'll arrive in style to these accommodations via private landing strips, and the food and service gives you a feeling of luxury while you are in the middle of the wilderness on your adventure.

All-Season Adventures
These exclusive private game reserves allow visitors to encounter abundant wildlife any time of year. With unique opportunities to explore on foot and on bikes, it's an unrivaled immersive experience that Backroads has developed and perfected over two decades of offering active safari adventures in Africa.

You also might like:
Backroads Multi-Sport Adventure Cruise in New Zealand
7 Things About a Biking Trip with Backroads and AmaWaterways

Thanks for reading, and we hope that we helped you find your next adventure.
JR

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UnCruise's Summer in Hawaii: Sun, Splashes & Moments to Savor

8/13/2019

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UnCruise Adventures Safari Explorer in Hawaii

It was all about the water sports as we explored the wild side of Hawaii, away from the crowds, during our weeklong sailing on UnCruise Adventures'' Safari Explorer.

By John Roberts
UnCruise Adventures has relocated its popular expedition yacht Safari Explorer to Hawaii full-time. (It had also sailed seasons in Alaska.)
With the move comes the chance to cruise during summers with UnCruise. An expedition cruise is obviously the way to go when exploring Hawaii, a chain of magical islands that represents a unique paradise.
The eight-island archipelago is the most-isolated populated land mass in the world. While this might seem to be the definition of "the middle of nowhere," sailing on Safari Explorer with the enthusiastic UnCruise Adventures crew and a small handful of like-minded cruisers makes every day in Hawaii precisely where you want to be.
We jumped at the chance to get a taste of summer expedition cruising in Hawaii, as UnCruise offered five weeklong roundtrip voyages from Molokai this summer to christen the line's year-round commitment to expedition cruises in this special destination.
Starting in fall 2019, UnCruise Adventures will be sailing weeklong one-way "Hawaiian Seascapes" trips from Molokai to Hawaii (and reverse) all year long, with no breaks, and visiting Maui and Lanai along the way.
For our voyage, we joined 18 others onboard the ship, which carries up to 36 passengers on its cozy three-deck layout. Our fellow cruisers ranged in age from 19 to 80s, and we all enjoyed seven days of jumping into the waters and exploring onshore in Molokai, Maui, Hawaii (the Big Island) and Lanai.
Colleen has now been on three UnCruise Adventures sailings and says this one was her favorite. (You can see that is true if you look at her broad and frequent smiles in the extensive photo report below.) It also ranks at the top of my five voyages with the line. You can distill an UnCruise trip to three basic factors that will always make it a memorable journey: the fun, the food and the new friends you will make.
The summertime sailings offer the chance to get out in the sunshine and spend most of your days playing in the beautiful waters of the Pacific. We had numerous chances to snorkel, kayak and swim -- with skiff tours, canoeing and hiking also in the mix.
While the daily active pursuits were the primary focus of the program, we also had time to delve into Hawaiian culture with visits to museums and historic towns, as well as a day in the remote Halawa Valley, and a sendoff pa'ina (traditional feast) on Molokai.
We saw numerous dolphins, with pods surfing on our bow almost daily.
We shared scrumptious meals and fresh-made pastries made with local ingredients and prepared from scratch daily by our chefs.
We met with Uncle Pilipo Solatorio, the last living person who was born and raised in the Halawa Valley, and his family who have made it their passion to preserve traditional Hawaiian culture and teach visitors about the legacy and traditions of Hawaii and the valley. We learned how poi is made and its important role in these traditions (we also had a taste of the freshly made delicacy).
We went out daily for numerous activities in the water and onshore.
And we laughed and made new friends, which is always the best part of these trips.
Here is a photo journal that summarizes and brings to life where we went, what we saw, who we met and a little bit of what we consumed.