As 2014 draws to a close, we wanted to share with you some of our favourite images from the past 12 months. A big thank you goes to the crew and expedition members of all our trips who have shared their stories and photos and allowed all of us back at "home" to share in their adventures, and have inspired us to hit the road ourselves!
January
Our 2013-14 South American Explorer expedition rang in the new year in the Pantanal wetlands of Brazil. This is the world's largest wetlands area, and is home to a diverse range of wildlife including capybara, caiman, piranhas and the elusive jaguar. Staying at a hacienda (ranch) our group went off on horseback, in jeeps, in boats and on foot in search of the wildlife.
February
Our 2013-14 South American Explorer group celebrated Carnival in Barranquilla in Colombia which was an Odyssey first, and we are pretty sure it was an overlanding first too! Colombia is quickly becoming legendary amongst our groups for its friendliness and the welcome that we receive when we are there, and often rates as a favourite country amongst group members! Our 2014-15 South American Explorer group will be celebrating carnival in Salvador in Brazil where we have celebrated in previous years and where partying as part of a "bloco" is a fantastic way to get involved rather than just sitting on the sidelines watching!
March
The mind-blowing Galapagos Islands are always rated as a trip highlight by those who choose to go on one of the cruises on offer which allow you to experience the unique wildlife that lives on and around this remarkable archipelago. Our South American Explorer trip includes a week in Quito to give everyone time to join a cruise if they choose, and our 11-week Heart of South America trip finishes in Santiago which is just a short flight from the Galapagos Islands, making it a great option for further travel after the trip which we can help arrange.
April
With the northern hemisphere weather warming up, April saw the start of our Asian season which began with our Istanbul to Singapore expedition. This trip starts with a couple of weeks in Turkey, exploring Istanbul, Ephesus and Troy, Pamukkale, Goreme and the Cappadocia region and the Black Sea coast.
May
Our 2013-14 South American Explorer expedition drew to an end in May, but not before they experienced a trip highlight - the salt flats and altiplano in Bolivia. An unforgettable sight which you can also experience on our Heart of South America trip.
June
Kyrgyzstan is always rated as a favourite country on our expeditions through Central Asia - perhaps it is the wide open spaces, incredible scenery, horse-riding and trekking, unique hospitality at the homestays or maybe even the jam! Whatever it is, if Kyrgyzstan isn't on your list of Must-See destinations, it should be, and June saw our Istanbul to Singapore and Istanbul to Beijing trips both visiting this wonderful country.
July
Travelling through China and the Tibetan Autonomous Region is often one of the most challenging parts of our Istanbul to Singapore and Kathmandu to Istanbul expeditions with its high altitude, potential for extreme weather and significant bureaucracy. But sights such as the Potala Palace in Lhasa and the mighty Mt Everest make it all worthwhile as our Istanbul to Singapore group discovered in July!
August
After travelling through Nepal and India, our 2014 Istanbul to Singapore expedition headed across to south-east Asia, starting in Bangkok and northern Thailand, crossing into Laos on a 2-day river cruise down the Mekong River finishing up in the wonderful town of Luang Prabang, home to one of the best night craft markets you will ever experience, as well as plenty of adventure activities, waterfalls and delicious food to satisfy everyone!
September
Turkmenistan is one of the most unusual countries we visit on any of our expeditions, and in September it was our Beijing to Istanbul expedition who explored the sights of this well off-the-beaten-track country. From the marble-clad capital Ashgabat, to the stark beauty of the Karakum Desert, and the astounding burning Darvaza gas crater, it is a country that leaves you with plenty of memories!
Meanwhile, in Africa, Pete & Kirsten headed off on a tailor-made mini-Odyssey in southern Africa with a focus on game parks and scuba diving. It was quite a different style of trip (no camping!), but the principles of Odyssey Overland-ing were still definitely in evidence as we took our time to really explore all the destinations we visited, enjoyed some fantastic crew-cooked meals (albeit not a campfire in sight) and came away with wonderful photos, memories and experiences. 2015 will see Odyssey returning to Africa in a proper overlanding way with an epic Cairo to Cape Town trans-Africa trip.
October
One of the world's great journeys has been travelled for thousands of years - the Silk Road. Much more than just a trade route, the Silk Road was an avenue for the transfer of ideas, skills, religions, food and much more. A key part of our travels along this historical route which stretched from Turkey to China is the Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva in Uzbekistan. Undeniably photogenic, there is also plenty of fascinating history which our local guides are passionate about sharing, as well as the region's unique culture to experience which our 2014 Kathmandu to Istanbul trip did in October.
Meanwhile in South America we had a short 3-week trip from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro with a great group of Danish travellers on a tailor-made trip, highlights of which included the Ibera wetlands, Iguazu Falls, snorkelling down the crystal clear waters of Bonito, a boat trip to the islands off Paraty on Brazil's Emerald Coast and finishing up with a tour of the fascinating favelas of Rio de Janeiro.
November
With the northern hemisphere winter approaching, November saw the end of our Kathmandu to Istanbul expedition, but not before they both enjoyed the unique hospitality and sights of Georgia. Georgia's wine-making history dates back thousands of years and wine, food and family are still fundamentally important parts of the Georgian culture, along with a Christian base visible through the stunning cathedrals, monasteries and churches which dot the landscape.
December
While we are only a week or so into December, it has been a busy time with the start of our 2014-15 South American Explorer expedition which is currently exploring Argentinian Patagonia on their way south to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, where they will be celebrating Christmas. You can follow their adventures on the blog - updates to follow soon!
So you can see that 2014 has been quite a year for us, and 2015 is looking even busier! We can't wait!
January
Our 2013-14 South American Explorer expedition rang in the new year in the Pantanal wetlands of Brazil. This is the world's largest wetlands area, and is home to a diverse range of wildlife including capybara, caiman, piranhas and the elusive jaguar. Staying at a hacienda (ranch) our group went off on horseback, in jeeps, in boats and on foot in search of the wildlife.
February
Our 2013-14 South American Explorer group celebrated Carnival in Barranquilla in Colombia which was an Odyssey first, and we are pretty sure it was an overlanding first too! Colombia is quickly becoming legendary amongst our groups for its friendliness and the welcome that we receive when we are there, and often rates as a favourite country amongst group members! Our 2014-15 South American Explorer group will be celebrating carnival in Salvador in Brazil where we have celebrated in previous years and where partying as part of a "bloco" is a fantastic way to get involved rather than just sitting on the sidelines watching!
March
The mind-blowing Galapagos Islands are always rated as a trip highlight by those who choose to go on one of the cruises on offer which allow you to experience the unique wildlife that lives on and around this remarkable archipelago. Our South American Explorer trip includes a week in Quito to give everyone time to join a cruise if they choose, and our 11-week Heart of South America trip finishes in Santiago which is just a short flight from the Galapagos Islands, making it a great option for further travel after the trip which we can help arrange.
April
With the northern hemisphere weather warming up, April saw the start of our Asian season which began with our Istanbul to Singapore expedition. This trip starts with a couple of weeks in Turkey, exploring Istanbul, Ephesus and Troy, Pamukkale, Goreme and the Cappadocia region and the Black Sea coast.
May
Our 2013-14 South American Explorer expedition drew to an end in May, but not before they experienced a trip highlight - the salt flats and altiplano in Bolivia. An unforgettable sight which you can also experience on our Heart of South America trip.
June
Kyrgyzstan is always rated as a favourite country on our expeditions through Central Asia - perhaps it is the wide open spaces, incredible scenery, horse-riding and trekking, unique hospitality at the homestays or maybe even the jam! Whatever it is, if Kyrgyzstan isn't on your list of Must-See destinations, it should be, and June saw our Istanbul to Singapore and Istanbul to Beijing trips both visiting this wonderful country.
July
Travelling through China and the Tibetan Autonomous Region is often one of the most challenging parts of our Istanbul to Singapore and Kathmandu to Istanbul expeditions with its high altitude, potential for extreme weather and significant bureaucracy. But sights such as the Potala Palace in Lhasa and the mighty Mt Everest make it all worthwhile as our Istanbul to Singapore group discovered in July!
August
After travelling through Nepal and India, our 2014 Istanbul to Singapore expedition headed across to south-east Asia, starting in Bangkok and northern Thailand, crossing into Laos on a 2-day river cruise down the Mekong River finishing up in the wonderful town of Luang Prabang, home to one of the best night craft markets you will ever experience, as well as plenty of adventure activities, waterfalls and delicious food to satisfy everyone!
September
Turkmenistan is one of the most unusual countries we visit on any of our expeditions, and in September it was our Beijing to Istanbul expedition who explored the sights of this well off-the-beaten-track country. From the marble-clad capital Ashgabat, to the stark beauty of the Karakum Desert, and the astounding burning Darvaza gas crater, it is a country that leaves you with plenty of memories!
Meanwhile, in Africa, Pete & Kirsten headed off on a tailor-made mini-Odyssey in southern Africa with a focus on game parks and scuba diving. It was quite a different style of trip (no camping!), but the principles of Odyssey Overland-ing were still definitely in evidence as we took our time to really explore all the destinations we visited, enjoyed some fantastic crew-cooked meals (albeit not a campfire in sight) and came away with wonderful photos, memories and experiences. 2015 will see Odyssey returning to Africa in a proper overlanding way with an epic Cairo to Cape Town trans-Africa trip.
October
One of the world's great journeys has been travelled for thousands of years - the Silk Road. Much more than just a trade route, the Silk Road was an avenue for the transfer of ideas, skills, religions, food and much more. A key part of our travels along this historical route which stretched from Turkey to China is the Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva in Uzbekistan. Undeniably photogenic, there is also plenty of fascinating history which our local guides are passionate about sharing, as well as the region's unique culture to experience which our 2014 Kathmandu to Istanbul trip did in October.
Meanwhile in South America we had a short 3-week trip from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro with a great group of Danish travellers on a tailor-made trip, highlights of which included the Ibera wetlands, Iguazu Falls, snorkelling down the crystal clear waters of Bonito, a boat trip to the islands off Paraty on Brazil's Emerald Coast and finishing up with a tour of the fascinating favelas of Rio de Janeiro.
November
With the northern hemisphere winter approaching, November saw the end of our Kathmandu to Istanbul expedition, but not before they both enjoyed the unique hospitality and sights of Georgia. Georgia's wine-making history dates back thousands of years and wine, food and family are still fundamentally important parts of the Georgian culture, along with a Christian base visible through the stunning cathedrals, monasteries and churches which dot the landscape.
December
While we are only a week or so into December, it has been a busy time with the start of our 2014-15 South American Explorer expedition which is currently exploring Argentinian Patagonia on their way south to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, where they will be celebrating Christmas. You can follow their adventures on the blog - updates to follow soon!
So you can see that 2014 has been quite a year for us, and 2015 is looking even busier! We can't wait!
