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NEPALWhen asked, “Why do you want

to climb Mount Everest?” the English mountaineer George Leigh Mallory, who twice attempted the climb in the early 1920s, is reported to have infamously replied, “Because it’s there.”

To this day, those three words em-body the collective fascination with the world’s tallest and most renowned mountain—such audacity to take up Everest’s challenge!

Mount Everest lies on the border between China and Nepal, which marks the crest of the Himalayan chain that stretches in the west from Pakistan almost 2,900 kilometres east to Bhutan and China.

Known as Chomolangma in Tibetan, meaning “Goddess Mother of Snows,” and Sagarmatha in Nepalese, mean-ing “Mother of the Universe,” the

mountain was named in honour of the British surveyor-general whose tireless work ultimately proved the peak’s superiority, Colonel George Everest.

Sacred to its native inhabitants, the route and towns that lead to Base Camp are dotted with temples and prayer flags. It is against this geo-graphic and cultural backdrop that the fantastic trek to Everest Base Camp has earned cachet as one of the most sought-after hikes in the world.

And why not? After all, the trek to Base Camp is freighted with history and lore, since it was the route Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay followed for their ascent of Everest in 1953, the first successful expedi-tion and still the single-most famed mountain climb in history.

Join World Expeditions on these

storied trails for its upcoming 18-day Everest Base Camp & Kala Pattar tour. This is not a climb, it’s a trek; one that passes through the hills and valleys of the High Himalayas, and one which many can undertake and accomplish.

Bring a camera and be prepared to upload your snaps—this tour delivers heart-stopping vistas at every turn, as you and your group hike to Base Camp at 5,360 metres on Everest’s south side in Nepal, the same side traversed by Hillary and Norgay and countless other expeditions.

Early on, you’ll get a taste of moun-tain life while traversing vast fields of barley and wheat, and spot that ubiq-uitous Himalayan beast of burden, the yak, wandering the land. You’ll gain your first glimpse of Everest’s peaks through the fragrant pine forests near Namche Bazaar, a village that is the

EVERESTBASE CAMP

gateway to the Himalayas. Check out the market vendors selling clothing, souvenirs, vegetables and local yak-milk cheese.

Namche Bazaar is also known as the Sherpa capital of Nepal. The Sherpa people, most of who live in the Everest region, are renowned for their moun-taineering skills and act as invaluable guides throughout your tour.

Unquestionably, though, the tour’s high point, literally and figuratively, is trekking to the peak of Kala Pattar, at 5,545 metres—only about 350 metres shorter than the summit of Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro. A Hindi name that translates to “black rock,” Pattar provides spectacular views of Everest and its rocky glaciers, as well as the best vistas of Base Camp.

Ironically, it’s not possible to see Everest’s summit from its own Base

Camp, and trekkers on many trips must typically choose between the camp itself or the electrifying view of the mountain’s legendary peak—known as the Roof of the World—from Kala Pattar. But this World Expeditions' trek does not require participants to make that choice; instead, it rewards with both experiences.

Beyond the awe-inspiring scenery, your expedition boasts a strong cultural component. On the snaking trek to Deboche (at 3,770 metres), through pine and rhododendron for-est that is populated with musk deer and Himalayan tahr, you will visit the monastery village of Thyangboche.

The village is so scenic it feels like a storybook setting; its centrepiece is a Buddhist monastery rebuilt with the assistance of Hillary himself after it was destroyed by fire in 1989. Known for

their local hospitality, you may hear monks chanting and be invited into their place of worship. Thyangboche is the biggest, but by no means the only, monastery seen on the Base Camp trek.

Other emblems of spirituality punctuate the Himalayan landscape. Buddhist prayer flags—cloths of red, blue, green, yellow or white—hang on strings along mountain paths, on bridges or outside village homes, blessing the countryside: prayers, it is believed, are blown by the mountain wind across the universe. And you’ll see mani walls: boulders bearing carved or painted Buddhist prayers and mantras.

These spiritual signposts only add to the magical aura of the Himalayan Base Camp expedition, which will dazzle your senses and invigorate your body as you channel your inner Zen.

NEPAL Visually spectacular and culturally vibrant is the unparallelled experience of a High Himalayan trek

18-DAY Trek to Everest Base Camp & the Peak of Kala Pattar, Himalayas Limited time offer, see the Outpost Travel Center for details www.outpostmagazine.com/travelcenter

• Mount Everest is 8,850 metres (or 29,035 feet) high.• Everest is growing upward from three to six millimetres and moving northeast about three inches every year.

• There are 18 climbing routes on Everest, and it takes about 40 days to summit (mostly to adjust to altitude). • The youngest person to summit was 13 years old, the oldest was 80.

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EVEREST BASE CAMP NEPAL

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VIETNAMExploring the world by train is a

category of travel unto itself. From a region that spans the Trans-Siberian railway to the mysterious Orient Express, few modes of transport are more romantic than clack-clacking by locomotive through an exotic region or switchbacking up a steep mountainside.

Undoubtedly, one of the world’s most renowned train journeys runs along Vietnam’s North-South Railway—known as the Reunification Express, the line stretches 1,726 kilometres from the capital of Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh City in the south.

More than a mere dream odyssey for train junkies, the Reunification Express acts as a potent political symbol for the

Southeast Asian nation, and is a fantastic way for travellers to explore a colourful and culturally rich country. It’s also the centrepiece of Intrepid Travel’s exciting 15-day Scenic Vietnam excursion.

In Hanoi, the trip’s launch destination, the controlled chaos of busy streets teeming with motorbikes blends seamlessly with the serenity of Hoan Kiem Lake. Meaning “Lake of the Restored Sword,” the small body of water is located right in Hanoi’s historical centre and serves as the focal point for public life.

According to legend, Emperor Lê Lo’i was boating on the lake when a turtle grabbed his magic sword and disappeared. When all attempts to find

either the turtle or the sword failed, the emperor concluded that the Golden Turtle God must have come to reclaim his sword. Fittingly, he renamed the lake. When you’re there, look for the Turtle Tower on a small island close to the lake’s centre and for large, soft-shell turtles. (And definitely keep an eye out for any magic swords!)

Hanoi also offers the opportunity to experience Vietnam’s mystic culture—you will attend a local water-puppet show, a modern version of a centuries-old art form. Performed in a waist-deep pool of water, the show, which dates back to the 11th century when villagers would entertain themselves after their rice fields flooded, involves lacquered-wood

puppets supported under water by large rods. Puppeteers, hidden behind screens, use the rods to control the figures, which appear to be moving over the water.

After a few days of visiting the exquisite coastal area of Halong Bay, with its many limestone rock towers and islands, you board the train and head south to Hue, in central Vietnam. In addition to its vibrant, busy streets, Hue is home to the Purple Forbidden City, a walled fortress and palace dating from 1804 that was substantially damaged during the Vietnam War’s Tet Offensive. Bullet holes scar some structures and are reminders of a history writ large.

Influenced by history, cuisine shapes and reflects identity. In Vietnam, there’s

no better example of this than cao lau, a regional dish of noodles, pork and greens, which is native to the town of Hoi An in central Vietnam’s Quang Nam province. Cao lau noodles are widely thought derived from Japanese soba noodles, which fits since the town was a hub of Japanese trading activity before the 17th century.

More glorious food awaits further down the track, in Nha Trang, a city on Vietnam’s South Central Coast known for its beaches. Here, as an Intrepid traveller, you’ll tuck into a meal featuring locally caught seafood—perhaps blue swimmer crab (go ahead, use your fingers!)—and other dishes such as cha gio, crispy spring rolls filled with pork and crab.

Ho Chi Minh City marks the end of the line for the North-South Railway; known as Saigon until 1976, it's still often referred to by that name. Today, it is a vibrant melting pot defined by its French colonial architecture, its tumultuous recent past, its modern economic resurgence, its hope for the future. Ho Chi Minh City is also a more literal melting pot for Vietnamese cuisine, and you’ll have ample opportunity to taste the city’s incredible local fare at its many restaurants, cafés and food stalls.

Translation: this is a trip to bring your appetite—it ’s going to be a delicious (rail) ride across in what is becoming one cool tropical paradise.

Ride the Reunification Express, and get on track to discover the soul of this Southeast Asian destination

15 DAYS of travel to Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Limited time offer, see the Outpost Travel Center for details www.outpostmagazine.com/travelcenter

• Although still a developing country, Vietnam has a literacy rate of 94 percent.• Every day, there are an estimated 10 million motorbikes travelling on the country’s roads. • Traditional gongs are still used to call children to school.• Ruou ran (snake wine), a specialty of rice wine containing a pickled snake, can allegedly (allegedly!) cure any sickness.

• The country’s most common surname is Nguyen.• The Vietnamese often keep potbelly pigs as pets.• The Vietnamese language has six different tones. A change in tone can alter the meaning of a word, making it linguistically challenging to learn.

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OUTPOST TRAVEL CENTER DISCOUNT $300

SCENIC VIETNAM

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TANZANIAPicture this: You’re on safari in Lake

Manyara National Park, in Tanzania, East Africa. All day, you’ve been on high alert, senses alive, hoping to see classic African game up close and personal.

You’ve prowled the park’s rivers, its lush forest, expansive grassy floodplains, and are now exploring a narrow belt of acacia woodland. Suddenly, your expert guide says the magic word: “Lions.” You all scrutinize the swaying grasses, while he points upward.

You and your fellow travellers look at each other in giddy disbelief. Lounging lazily on the long yellow limbs of an acacia tree is the pride of Africa’s largest cats. Smiles spread all around as your guide explains that these are Manyara’s legendary tree-climbing lions—a smaller breed that climbs trees to sleep, escape

pesky tsetse flies, enjoy the cool breezes afforded by the higher vantage point…and that lies in wait for prey to show up below. Ready, set, pounce!

For centuries, explorers believed it was these yellow-barked trees, also known as Fever Trees, which caused malaria (they don’t). When it comes to an acacia full of lions, however, even the most fevered of travellers would agree that here the bite is certainly worse than the bark!

Seeing these lofty lions is a highlight of any visit to Lake Manyara, yet it is only the first stop on the seven-day Tanzania Safari Experience organized by G Adventures.

During the 19th-century quest for the source of the Nile, Tanzania became the gateway to the continent’s then-mysterious interior. Setting off from Zanzibar, legendary explorers like

Livingstone, Burton and Speke criss-crossed Tanzania, blazing trails that are still followed today by those seeking discovery of a different sort.

Your group’s discoveries will be every bit as exciting as those of pith- helmet sporting adventurers. You will go on safari and encounter some of Africa’s largest and most fascinating mammals: rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard—otherwise known as The Big Five.

An adventure traveller ’s dream African trip can be summed up by visiting one place: Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, home to The Big Five and featured in G Adventures’ trip. Tanzania’s oldest national park covers more than 14,760 square kilometres of plains and savannah, and offers one of

the planet’s oldest ecosystems. It also offers travellers one of the most iconic of African safari experiences.

Lions are abundant here—Serengeti is believed to have Africa’s largest popula-tion of big cats—as are buffalo, elephant, cheetahs, gazelles, hyenas and giraffe. A casual look up at the sun-drenched sky also brings rewards—the park features about 500 magnificent species of birds, such as the enormous martial eagle. Also present is the lovably inelegant but totally grounded ostrich.

But even here the adventure is just warming up. One of Africa’s greatest wildlife populations, along with a fasci-nating archaeological tour, awaits visitors in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The area’s main feature is the famed Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s larg-

est intact and unfilled caldera and an unmatched wildlife reserve.

A full day is spent exploring the 610-metre deep crater in search of game. While home to The Big Five, giraffe are strangely missing, with theo-ries for their absence ranging from the difficulty to roam beyond the crater’s precipitous slopes to insufficient acacia trees on the crater floor.

Yet the tour isn’t just about spectacular wildlife. Students of human history will relish a visit to the conservation area’s Olduvai Gorge, one of the world’s most important archaeological sites—or more exactly paleoanthropological sites—and one that is widely considered the cradle of human evolution.

It was here that the earliest remains of Homo sapiens, including the two-

million-year-old Homo habilis, were found. Olduvai Gorge is also significant as the first place where primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall did her field work, before moving onto Gombe Stream in western Tanzania to study chimpanzees.

Providing a vivid glimpse into authen-tic Tanzanian tribal culture will be a visit to a Maasai village, also in the Serengeti. A semi-nomadic people, the Maasai are fiercely independent, proud of their heri-tage and pleased to share their unique lifestyle with interested travellers.

Although Maasai villagers are often familiar with modern technology, their life today still revolves around livestock, particularly cows and goats, which is a source of food and wealth.

Wildlife, wilderness and history for the ages—this trip has it all.

TANZANIA The Serengeti savannah, Big Game Safari and the place where humans began—a once-in-a-lifetime East African gem

7-DAY Safari ExperienceLimited time offer, see the Outpost Travel Center for details www.outpostmagazine.com/travelcenter

• Tanzania’s official language is Swahili, a Bantu language primarily prevalent in the East African Coastal region, although more than 120 languages are spoken in the country.• Tanzania has the largest concentration of wildlife animals per square kilometre, with a more than four million total population.

• Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 5,895 metres, is located in Tanzania.• In 2005, scientists discovered Rungwecebus kipunji, a new species of monkey in Tanzania. • Louis and Mary Leakey, the famed archaeologists and anthropologists, spent most of their time working at Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge.

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TANZANIASAFARI EXPERIENCE

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OUTPOST TRAVEL CENTER DISCOUNT $433

WAPTA

• The Wapta Icefields are some of the most studied in the Canadian Rockies. • Runoff from the icefields and outlet glaciers supplies water to the Kicking Horse and Bow rivers, as well as many streams and lakes.

• Wapta is easily accessible by mountaineers in both the summer and winter.• The Alpine Club of Canada operates Bow Hut, Peyto Hut and Balfour Hut, which provide accommodation to mountaineers.

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Most people experience ice as cubes floating in a drink or an

annoyance on a winter sidewalk. But for a thrill-seeking subset of mountaineers, ice is the terrain of choice, a veritable call to action.

Catering to this bold crowd is Yamnuska Mountain Adventures and its three-day Wapta Ice Hike—ironi-cally, only offered during the summer months.

North of Alberta’s Lake Louise, in Canada’s esteemed Banff National Park, a series of icefields stretches for miles along the Continental Divide in the Waputik Mountains of the Canadian Rockies. Known collectively as the Wapta Icefields, they are unmatched for providing hikers with the incredible opportunity to experience Banff as one

might have during the last Ice Age.Ice climbing’s origins lie in 19th-

century European mountaineering. In 1908, British climber Oscar Eckenstein revolutionized the sport when he designed a type of toothed claw that attached to mountaineering boots. These crampons eliminated the need for step-cutting in ice, a practice that made ice climbing frustratingly slow.

Crampons grip the ground exceed-ingly well—a good thing, for sure, when you’re crossing icefields and climbing glaciers. But it takes some practice to learn how to walk with the appendage strapped to your boot. The key, when taking each step, is to lift your foot entirely off the ground and place it back down again as you walk. Widen your stance, so the crampons don’t

catch on your pant leg. Ice hikers call this “walking like John Wayne,” named for the iconic American film actor and quintessential cowboy known for his distinctively slow, deliberate gait.

Your first opportunity to try the Wayne Walk comes on Day Two of Yamnuska’s mini expedition, when your group will reach the edge of Bow Glacier, strap on crampons and climb the gentle slopes below the cliffs of St. Nicholas Peak.

You’ll need a thesaurus to describe the experience of standing on a 10,000-year-old glacier, as you gaze at St. Nicholas protruding out of the ice like a colossal shark fin. Yes, you’ll say to yourself, “This is why I came here.” This is the payoff for your derring-do. And your group

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ICEHIKE

couldn’t be in better hands, with all your tour guides highly trained and fully certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides.

Later that day, the hike tackles Peyto Glacier, which brings its own wrinkled crevasses. While most crevasses are easily seen and avoided, Yamnuska takes no chances and insists all groups wear harnesses and be tethered by ropes.

These safety precautions can have unintended benefits—the rope fosters a literal and figurative bond between travelling companions, forged in the crucible of the physically challenging environment. The group gels, adding a collegial element to the effort.

Adding a small but intriguing educa-tional element, the icefields provide an archaeology lesson on Day Three, as

your group descends Peyto Glacier and follows it almost to its snout. Hiking on mostly white ice, you’ll see how glaciers preserve elements of the past—the exposed ice, hundreds of years old, brings to the surface rocks, spruce needles and twigs from long-ago fires, and even the occasional bird or rodent that is decades, perhaps centuries, old.

Throughout, the hike inspires stirring sentiments, the terrain conjuring an unequalled sensation of being in an isolated wilderness, close to nature, undisturbed by cellphones (there’s no service, leave the thing at home!), and other such distractions. While there’s no technical climbing and it’s not necessary to have mountaineering experience or have previously donned crampons, you should be in good

shape and have the confidence of an experienced hiker to get the most from the adventure.

If Mother Nature cooperates, you may even see, in the night sky, the Northern Lights, their psychedelic-like curtains shimmering in warm shades of pink and pale green.

While the effects of climate change are not apparent in our daily lives, not so on Peyto Glacier, which is retreating. Dr. Shawn Marshall of the Western Canadian Cryospheric Network es-timates that at current rates of melt, more than 90 percent of the roughly 45 cubic kilometres of glacier ice in the Alberta Rockies may be gone by the end of this century.

The clock may be ticking. Now’s the time to hike these amazing icefields.

WAPTA Hike Alberta’s glacial fields of ice and experience Banff National Park as it was during the last Ice Age

3-DAY Hike from Bow Lake to Peyto GlacierLimited time offer, see the Outpost Travel Center for details www.outpostmagazine.com/travelcenter

WAPTAICE HIKE

OUTPOST TRAVEL CENTER DISCOUNT $125

MOROCCO

• Officially the Kingdom of Morocco, the country is a constitutional monarchy currently ruled by King Mohammed VI.• People often greet each other by exchanging kisses on the cheek. • It ’s considered impolite to decline eating meat in Morocco. Handling food with your left hand makes you doubly so.

• During warmer parts of the year, Moroccans visit Erg Chebbi (an area of high sand dunes) and bury themselves neck-deep in hot sand for minutes at a time as a spa-like treatment. • The Sidi Yahya shrine located in the Moroccan city of Oujda is rumoured by some to be John the Baptist ’s tomb.

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Steeped in history almost as ancient as the origins of humanity, the North

African country of Morocco has long cast a mysterious and unique spell—on adventure seekers, epicures, nature enthusiasts, history buffs and trekkers.

Even Hollywood has been unable to resist its spell, drawn as it is by Morocco’s medieval architecture and exotic terrain. During the past 80-plus years, more than 40 major motion pictures have been filmed partially or entirely in Morocco, even as it has rarely appeared on screen as itself. Lawrence of Arabia, Inception and The Bourne Ultimatum all showcase parts of Morocco’s incredible topography, while Gladiator was partly shot in the fortified Berber settlement of Ait Benhaddou.

The Ait Benhaddou Berber settlement,

on the itinerary of Explore Worldwide’s 15-day Highlights of Morocco trip, sits in the Dades Valley in Ouarzazate province, and is a striking example of southern Moroccan architecture. Also known as the Valley of One Thousand Kasbahs, it was one of many trading posts on the caravan route that linked ancient Sudan with Marrakesh.

Berbers have lived in Morocco since the end of the second millennium BC, and in 2011, Berber became one of the country’s official languages. The Dades Valley boasts some of the most authentic Berber settlements of all the Southern Oasis Valleys. Exploring these towns is like stepping back in time.

Comprised of earthen buildings surrounded by high walls, the kasbahs are little changed from ancient times

and provide a taste of Morocco’s rich heritage. Here, many valley women still favour the colourful dress and ornamen-tation displayed by their ancestors.

Connect further with Morocco’s tradi-tions by camping out in Berber-style tents on the edge of the Sahara Desert near the settlement of Merzouga, in Erg Chebbi—an area of high dunes that offer some of Morocco’s most spectacular landscapes. Spending a night in a traditional low-slung, black-wool tent is both the best way to experience the tranquility of the desert and stave off the intense chill of a desert night. Sip mint tea—Morocco’s national drink—and marvel at a sky aglow with a pulsating constellation of stars.

Tour the area in a four-wheel-drive vehicle—or dare go local and take a

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camel ride into the V-shaped dunes that pepper the desert floor. Be forewarned: camels are laid-back creatures!

An exponentially more delicious ad-venture is to explore Morocco’s culture through its food—a history lesson on a plate. Exerting the strongest culinary influence were the Arabs, who invaded in the seventh century, and who, from 1554 to 1659, ruled the country.

They also brought Eastern spices such as cinnamon, ginger, saffron and cumin, which Moroccans incorpo-rate into their cuisine, in particular, their tagines—rich, fragrant meat and vegetable stews cooked and served in conical earthenware pots. Arabic influences are also found in sweet-and-sour combinations, and the way honey, sugar and fruit, either fresh or dried,

are added to tagines and couscous, creating the refined sweet/spicy ac-cents so typically Moroccan.

Another not-to-be-missed experience takes place at night in the souks—the colourful, cacophonous marketplaces located in the bigger cities, such as Fez and Marrakesh, both on Explore Worldwide’s tour. Peruse the dozens of stalls and choose from the tempting array of Moroccan street food—kebabs, flatbreads, merguez sausages, snails steamed in broth, to name a few—and wondrous sweets confected from paper-thin sheets of pastry soaked with syrup, honey or rosewater and studded with figs, dates and almonds. Then find a bench and picnic, Moroccan-style.

Besides food, souks sell everything from teapots and spices to expensive

leather and metal handicrafts, while carpets fly off the shelves. Haggling is expected, so be prepared to negotiate!

For centuries, Marrakesh has been a meeting place for the mountain Berbers and the desert peoples of the south. The city’s beating heart is Djemma-el-Fna square, a scene straight from Arabian Nights, with streets and alleys alive with storytellers and musicians, jugglers and acrobats, snake charmers and clowns.

As the sun goes down, witness the magical moment when the call to prayer goes out and the faithful head to the mosque. Quiet descends in a ritual that has played out daily for centuries. It is the ideal time to prowl a maze of alleyways so narrow it’s easy to get lost, which is precisely the point in this bewitching destination.

MOROCCO A North African kingdom with medieval cities, rolling sands and a cuisine, some say, that’s gastronomically unmatched

15-DAY Adventure of Morocco’s Cultural and Geographic GemsLimited time offer, see the Outpost Travel Center for details www.outpostmagazine.com/travelcenter

HIGHLIGHTS OF MOROCCO

OUTPOST TRAVEL CENTER DISCOUNT $400

NORTHS wimming with dolphins at sun-

soaked resorts throughout the world has become fashionable. But for true adventure seekers looking for something a little more wildlife robust, how about snorkelling with a scimitar-horned narwhal beside an ice floe in the Arctic? Now that’s one for the bucket list.

This exclusive-to-the-Arctic activity is hugely popular on Arctic Kingdom’s eight-day Narwhal and Polar Bear Safari, offered in May and June 2014. Small wonder, as it has all the wildlife awesomeness, the adrenaline-pumping panache of diving with the great whites without fear of death! In fact, narwhals are so hospitable that when they spot snorkellers—typically 30 to 50 feet away—the docile, inquisitive creatures

will often turn lazily on their backs to check out their new floe friends.

Medium-sized by whale standards, narwhals live year-long in the Arctic. The male is distinguished by a long, straight, spiralling ivory tusk that is thought to be used for hunting, establishing stature during the mating ritual and gauging water temperature and salinity.

Narwhal tusks were also worth more than their weight in gold in medieval Europe, where some believe they were the basis for unicorn stories. For double the fun, double-tusked males—and even horned females—ex-ist, but they are rare. For more than a thousand years, the Inuit have hunted narwhals, utilizing their meat, skin,

bones and ivory, and a regulated subsistence hunt continues to this day.

As a snorkeller, however, you come to play. Pull on a dry suit and you’re good to go. Along with snorkelling, kayaking is an everyday option on this Arctic mini expedition. Narwhals, usu-ally in pods of six or seven, have been known to swim toward safari groups and pass right underneath their feet, below the ice.

The beluga whale, a narwhal relative, and the larger bowhead whale, are also occasionally spotted, as are harp, ring and bearded seals. On land, Arctic Kingdom likes to employ the traditional Inuit hunting technique, wherein your group walks in single file, with the lead person holding a piece of white material

• The word Arctic comes from “arktikos,” the Greek word for bear, because Ursa Major, the Great Bear constellation, is seen in the northern sky.• The lowest Arctic temperature ever recorded was -68˚C (-90.4˚F) in Siberia.• The Arctic Ocean covers more than 14 million square kilometres, making it more expansive than Europe.

• The line of the Arctic Circle is about 2,655 kilometres (1,650 miles) south of the North Pole.• Every year, grey whales from the Arctic migrate to Mexico and back.• Eight countries extend into the Arctic: Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the United States and Russia.• If all the ice in the Arctic melted, the global sea level would rise about 24 feet.

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to shield your group from the seals’ sight. The goal is to get within camera range of the seals as they sunbathe on the ice. Mission (often) accomplished.

Although notoriously curious, polar bears can also be human-wary, tend-ing to keep their distance at about a hundred yards from any group. But, of course, this is not set in stone. You’ll spot these incredible animals patrol-ling the ice-floe edge while looking for lunch (the aforementioned seals).

Winged wildlife is abundant too, as the safari visits the bird cliffs of Bylot Island, which lies off the northern end of Baffin Island in Nunavut. Well over 1,000 feet high, the cliffs are home to thousands of seabirds, with more than 30 species represented, including

thick-billed murre, kittiwake, guillemot and ivory gull, along with many other species of gull.

It’s here, in Pond Inlet, between mountainous North Baffin Island and Bylot Island’s Sirmilik National Park, where the safari spends its time. Camp is a 30- to 60-minute snowmobile ride from the ice-floe edge, known as “the line of life” here because it’s the meet-ing point for migrating whales, seabirds and polar bears in search of prey.

The sea ice reflects the sun, so bring a good pair of sunglasses and plenty of sunblock. About that sun: at this time of year, it shines almost all day long, which makes 1 a.m. walks something quite unique. The so-called night-time light is fantastic, bathing the landscape

in hues of pink, orange, yellow and blue.Blocking out the sun are the blackout

curtains in your double-walled, heated and insulated yurt-style sleeping struc-ture. Between the action-packed safari days, the comfy twin or king beds (with mattress, pillows and comforter), and darkened yurt, you’ll sleep like a baby.

Once on safari, you’ll quickly discover there’s no fixed itinerary. Weather and wildlife set the agenda in a land that, for centuries, has been home to the Inuit. Senior local guides, who have been travelling and living here all their lives, draw on their deep, intuitive knowledge to lead the excursion.

In their expert hands, you will experience a mind-blowing ecosystem first-hand.

Journey to Canada’s North in search of polar bears, whales, seals and seabirds, right on the edge of the Arctic ice floe!

5 DAYS Narwhal and Polar Bear SafariLimited time offer, see the Outpost Travel Center for details www.outpostmagazine.com/travelcenter

NARWHAL AND

POLAR BEAR SAFARI

OUTPOST TRAVEL CENTER DISCOUNT $1,039

Photos: Iceberg (spread), Manuel Lazcano; Walrus, Maria March; Polar Bear, Todd Mintz; Narwhal, Eric Baccega