Articles by: Ross Evans

Wildlife Viewing with Arctic Watch for the Active Traveler

Published on February 11, 2019

By Daven Hafey, Quark Expeditions Wildlife guide and documentary producer Daven Hafey has a passion for all things related to wildlife, weather, tides and Indigenous culture. He has guided on more than 40 polar expeditions, in the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, Alaska and the Antarctic.    The Arctic. Just speaking the name evokes a wide array […]

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Top Destinations to Visit in 2019

Published on January 17, 2019

  Drum roll please…the hottest destination of 2019…is Italy! Credit: Insight Vacations That’s according to a recent survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) for the tour operator members of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA). With Italy leading the pack, the top 10 “hot” destinations for this year include Iceland, which ranked second, followed by […]

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Antipodean; Across the Himalayas

Published on December 13, 2018

By Ryan Neal Cordwell, AFAR Ambassador Just as Galileo had made headlines with his findings of the universe, some seven-thousand kilometers away, the great unifier Zhabdrung had just tossed a replica of the sacred Buddhist relic into the Mochu River. This implausible gambit, midst a grim and unflattering outlook, had effectively ended the Tibetan invasion. […]

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Rubies of Bhutan

Published on December 3, 2018

By Ryan Neal Cordwell, AFAR Ambassador   “Chilis,” Dorji responded. I hadn’t yet asked the question, but drawing from the gaze I wore at the passing valley as our tour descended unto the mountain Kingdom of Bhutan, he’d preemptively and accurately answered. Why are the roofs painted red? They weren’t painted, of course. Their otherwise […]

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How to Make the Most of Your Safari Experience

Published on November 16, 2018

By Megan Murphy, AFAR Ambassador   Africa changes you forever, like nowhere else on Earth. I heard that time and time again from friends, colleagues, and fellow journalists who were touched by the magic of safari. But only now that I’ve been on a Kenya Private Safari with Monograms do I whole-heartedly understand how true that […]

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African Adventures: Up Close with the Big 5 and Beyond

Published on November 5, 2018

By Megan Murphy, AFAR Ambassador   Acclaimed travel writer Brian Jackman once said, “Everything in Africa bites, but the safari bug is worst of all.” I can now say with certainty that after being bit—hard—by the safari bug, I will never, ever be the same. As an impassioned animal lover and enthusiast of travel and […]

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USTOA Asks Why Instead of Where

Published on October 30, 2018

This year, USTOA set out to uncover the emotional connection between travelers and the destinations they visit with the Why We Travel campaign. Through a collection of articles and videos, like the one below, you can hear firsthand accounts of guests who traveled on four USTOA tour operator member itineraries this year. You can follow […]

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New Brunswick, Canada: Getaway Like a Maritimer

Published on October 10, 2018

  New Brunswick’s famed Bay of Fundy coast, culturally-vibrant cities like St. Andrews by-the-Sea, and historic sites such as Campobello island are enticing travelers to experience Atlantic Canada in 2019.  Whether it’s a walk on the ocean floor at Hopewell Rocks, or a visit to Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt’s beloved Campobello Island, USTOA member packaged […]

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Uncover the South Pacific’s Best Kept Secret

Published on September 17, 2018

 Credit: David Kirkland, Pacific Corner, Pacific Resort Aitutaki, Cook Islands Which tropical paradise is on your bucket list…Hawaii, Tahiti, or perhaps Fiji? While all these destinations offer sun, sand, and relaxation, for a truly off-the-beaten-path experience consider the Cook Islands.  Located in the South Pacific Ocean northeast of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, comprised of 15 […]

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A Safari North of the Arctic Circle

Published on September 5, 2018

By John Newton, AFAR Ambassador   Travelers with Quark Expeditions photographing belugas in Cunningham Inlet on Somerset Island Every year, thousands of travelers head to Africa in the hope of seeing the famous “Big Five” animals—lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo—during a stay at one of the continent’s safari camps. Far fewer, only a […]

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