Mountain City's Travel Blog

A new selection of activities for visitors to Australia allow you to experience the country’s history and nature, with the added richness of Aboriginal culture.  Australia’s Aboriginal people are the island continent's original inhabitants, with a history that dates back over 65,000 years. That makes them one of the world’s oldest continuous cultures. A revival of Australian indigenous cultural practices, oral...

Norway is so famous for its fjords, the Norwegian word has become part of the international travel dialect. In languages around the world, ‘fjord’ means a deep, natural sea channel reaching far inland, surrounded by dramatic cliffs carved millennia ago by glaciers on their way to the sea. According to Visit Norway, the word ‘fjord’ has Viking roots, relating to the...

On the other side of the earth from the epicenter of the Paris Summer Games, one competition is returning to its roots – while still flying the French flag. For the second Summer Games in a row, surfing is part of the Olympic Games. And while many of the Summer Games competitions are spread around the French capital and even...

Copenhagen is putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to sustainable travel. The tourism board of the capital of Denmark is rewarding you to make green choices when you visit this summer as part of a pilot program that could lead the world in helping both locations and visitors to benefit more from travel.  More popular destinations are...

Discover – or renew – your love of train travel, and take advantage of one of the most sustainable forms of travel to explore in depth a destination renowned for its eco-sensibilities and spectacular scenery. Great Journeys of New Zealand, part of the country’s KiwiRail, has designed new rail tours allowing visitors to step off the beaten ‘track’ and explore both...

The legendary Eastern & Oriental Express, a Belmond train, captures the essence of ultra-luxury train travel’s history and modern opulence like never before, with revamped interiors, a new culinary curator with two Michelin stars, and eye-opening, one-of-a-kind journeys through Malaysia. NEW DESIGN AND ELEVATED ONBOARD EXPERIENCESThe revamped Eastern & Oriental Express reflects both the heyday of luxury train travel and the...

May 23 is World Turtle Day, to celebrate and protect what may be the planet’s most captivating reptiles. Here are some of the best places to see turtles in the wild – and some tips to help protect turtles and tortoises in ways their own protective hard shells can’t.  World Turtle Day is the brainchild of the non-profit organization American...

Of all the creatures of the oceans, seahorses may be one of the most magical and endearing. And now, a new maritime preserve in the Caribbean with the densest population of seahorses in the world has been designated to protect this weird and wonderful fish. Seahorses are indeed fish! But they are unique among fish species, with that distinctive upright posture,...

For many people, a visit to the bridge is a highlight of any cruise. When you get to visit the bridge while your ship is underway on a scenic sailing, or holding position in one of the world’s picturesque waters, that’s even better. But maybe the best bridge visit is when you can meet the captain and hear the perspectives...

The Douglas Mawson  If you’ve followed along in previous newsletters, it’s no secret that I personally adore expedition cruising. There’s nothing like it. Which is why I can’t help but share the latest, crazy-exciting announcement of a new state-of-the-art ship, the Douglas Mawson.  Adventure has a new name!   Named after the legendary Australian geologist and explorer, this new small ship embodies Mawson’s...

Spring has sprung and cultures the world over celebrate the season of fresh color and new life. It’s not all about bunnies, lambs, chicks, eggs, chocolate and spring flowers. Here are just a few different traditions that inspire us to travel in the springtime: Climb a Mayan Pyramid on the Spring Equinox in MexicoSpring officially begins on the Spring Equinox, usually...

It’s a balancing act – French style! Indulgence meets outdoor activity in the south of France on our Emerald river cruise on the Rhone and the Saone. The south of France has a legendary way of life, and a river cruise is one of the best ways to experience it all. That includes its wine, cheese, chocolate, olives, fine cuisine and...

They call the Seychelles the ‘Galapagos of the Indian Ocean’, and Emerald Cruises is doubling down on exotic wilderness with a never-before cruise tour that combines once-in-a-lifetime explorations of the Seychelles and an African safari.  If you have to look up the Seychelles on a map, you’re not alone – and Emerald Cruises’ new cruisetour may be the best and only...

Viking has two expedition cruise ships and each is equipped with 2 ‘yellow submarines,’ zodiacs, kayaks, and special operations boats that allow guests to launch into excursions right off the ship – no port infrastructure required! That opens up a whole new way of experiencing the world, even in remote regions from pole to pole, on one of Viking’s polar-class expedition...

Wildlife photography safaris have never been more popular, as constant advances in technology make incredible image capture more accessible to ordinary travelers. One study of millions of wildlife photos on a photo-sharing website has revealed which countries’ creatures are the subject of the most snaps – indicating the best places to go to photograph some of the planet’s most photogenic...

The Scenic Eclipse ultra-luxury expedition ship is equipped with not one – but two, 6-seat helicopters – and they were the key to a life-changing excursion during our cruise in Antarctica. Even many of the crew and expedition team members said in years of bringing cruise travelers to the White Continent, they’d never seen Emperor penguins – the world’s largest...

We have lift off! It’s a “giant leap” for The Bahamas, which is joining the exclusive club of destinations appealing to fans of humankind’s Last Frontier. The country has entered into an agreement with Elon Musk’s space tourism company SpaceX to become a global destination to witness booster landings.  SpaceX – short for the Space Exploration Technologies Corp. – is planning mission...

Most North Americans have never seen the Northern Lights, but this is the year that could change for you. Scientists say that in 2024, the captivating astronomical phenomenon will be more visible than it has been for years – and for years to come.   Word is getting out. Requests by travelers for trips to see the Aurora Borealis this year...

Ultra-luxury cruise line, Seabourn, is famous for not just cruising – but helping you live your best life. An expedition cruise to the Arctic may sound remote from luxuries or celebrations, but it turns out that even at the earth’s poles, Seabourn creates moments that elevate already-extraordinary experiences into unforgettable memories of a lifetime. Seabourn recently expanded its fleet, introducing two...

 Zodiaks, kayaks and submarines, oh my! Expedition ships are opening up a whole new way of cruising and experiencing the world – even parts of the world you may think you already know! We sailed on board a Viking expedition cruise of the Great Lakes. Both of Viking’s two expedition ships, the Viking Polaris and the Viking Octantis, were designed specifically to...