Every day Machu Picchu attracts adventurers, archaeologists, photographers and intrigued travellers to view the amazing Inca city. Many will make the challenging trek to this New 7 Wonders of the World, but although Lisa Rollinson took the easier route she was still overcome by the legendary site…
“I had heard tales about the mystique of Machu Picchu and dreamed of visiting the ancient ruins since I was young. I had seen pictures and read books, but finally the time came for me to jump on a plane and visit this man-made wonder for myself.
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Any trip to Cambodia wouldn’t be complete without spending time at Angor Wat, but the full complex of ruins is actually scattered over an area of some 160 sq km. So you can imagine why Graham Stanley decided to spend a second day marveling at these amazing archaeological sites…
“Our Intrepid trip included a visit with a local guide to the temples of Angkor Wat. This was amazing, but there are so many temples that it’s impossible to see them in one day, so on our free day a group of us decided to go back into the temples to explore in our own time.
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We talk about walking in the footsteps of pharoahs, but in reality re-tracing the paths of these remarkable people is a powerful moment, as Intrepid Express reader Chris Powell experienced…
“Slowly I walk downwards, half crouched, into the heat and dust of the tomb, my lantern passing over walls with the most magical scenes – Ramses, hand in hand with his little son, guiding him on his journey to the Underworld. He was only around 15 years old, I thought, how terribly sad.
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The astounding ruins of Machu Picchu remain one of the world’s most remarkable archaeological discoveries and as Intrepid Express reader Henrietta Grant experienced, retracing the steps of the Inca to reach this ancient site is a wonderful way to explore Peru…
“Whilst I on holiday in Tanzania, one of my travelling companions spoke so enthusiastically on numerous occasions about her experiences of walking along the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, that I decided what better way to visit the South American continent for the first time but to do this trek. So six months later, I found myself on day two of a three day trek at the highest point of the Inca Trail, Dead Woman’s Pass. The views from both sides of the Pass were staggering and I found it an awe-inspiring experience to look down to the valley far below where we had started our journey the previous day.
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Between the 9th and 13th centuries the Khmer Empire commissioned the construction of a magnificent temple site. Perfectly balanced in symmetry and composition, these wonderful temples of Cambodia continue to astound, as Intrepid’s Danielle Watts experienced…
“The alarm sounds while it’s still dark. A small but much-needed breakfast is served and we’re off on an adventure to see one of the most spectacular sights. We are in Siem Reap, the previous capital of Cambodia, to see sunrise over an ancient wonder of the world, Angkor Wat.
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One of the wonderful things about reading real travel tales from real travellers is reliving that feeling of being somewhere or seeing something for the first time. Our Intrepid group leaders always love seeing that first time excitement on the faces of our travellers and as Sameh Tawfik explains, we never tire of sharing these experiences with you…
“As a small boy growing up in Cairo, I always knew I lived in a special place. My fascination with the vast history of my country started when I was young and my desire to show my country to the world has only increased as I got older.
I am always delighted to see the expressions on the faces of my groups as we turn the corner and come into sight of the great Pyramids of Giza for the first time. (more…)
Samarkand, one of the legendary cities of the Silk Road, is a place of many marvels and mysteries. Intrepid’s Tara Kennaway takes us to Uzbekistan to uncover the unusual…
“Travellers are immediately drawn to the magnificent Registan – the immaculately decorated medressa and mosque complex that dominates the centre of the Old Town – and mesmerised by other glittering remnants of Samarkand’s golden past such as Guri Amir, Tamerlane’s gilt lined mausoleum. But on the dusty fringes of the town, surrounded by sloping hills and with a stream running by is perhaps the most curious site of all: the Tomb of the Prophet Daniel.
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In Shanxi Province in 2005, Chinese archaeologists discovered what they believe is the world’s oldest observatory, dating back some 4,100 years. In this International Year of Astronomy we continue to wonder about our place in the Universe, and if you can really see the Great Wall from the moon, then Intrepid’s Rachel Wasser wonders who is looking at who…
“One of the major highlights of any trip to China is the Great Wall. Having been to six different sections at various times of the year, I like to consider myself somewhat of an expert. I have to say, the best way to see it is a four-hour hike along the Gubeikou to Jinshanling section. I have done the hike twice and there’s just nothing like it!
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If you are searching for a real adventure that takes you off the regular tourist trail, then join Intrepid’s Jill Petrella as she reveals that hidden beneath the forested hills of Belize are river caves with tales to tell…
“Many of the Mayan ruins of Central America are well-known and sites such as Palenque, Chichen Itza and Tikal can’t fail to impress with their size and grandeur. However, not all the remnants of this civilisation are so easy to find.
From the small town of San Ignacio in Belize I enjoyed the day river-caving. To enter the cave we had to swim across deep, cold, crystal clear water. Then we spent the next two hours wading, swimming and climbing through the cave. The water was fast-flowing so we had to hold on to each other in some sections to avoid being swept away. The only light was from our head torches and the only sound was the gushing of water.
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