The Inca Trail

The trek to Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, is one of the world's most famous. Even though the route to it is crowded, it's only because of the imaginative appeal of its destination. Crowds don't matter when you first arrive at the Trail's end - the stone portal of  Intipunku, the Gateway of the S1ll, through which you first see the ruins of Machu Picchu.

The traditional route begins at Cuzco, once the imperial capital of  the Incas Andean Empire. Most visitors choose to acclimatize to the altitude while browsing Cuzco's Inca and Spanish colonial history,  architecture and artefacts. The trek leads up the Urubamba River valley from Chilca to the Inca ruins at Llactapata; past the gentle farmland slopes and woods of Wayllabamba to a steep climb through cloud forest to the second campsite at Llulluchapampa. The plants, flowers and birds are completely different in the open terrain before Abra de Huannihuanasca, the 'Dead Woman's Pass', at 4,20Om (13,776 ft) the highest point of the trek; but the hard work of climbing at altitude is worth it for the panorama of the Vileanota and Vileabamba mountain ranges.

 

The Trail drops to cross the Pacaymayo River but at the next pass, Runku Raccay, you come to a series of ancient stone steps descending to the Inca town of Sayac Marca, from which a still superbly paved Inca highway disappears through amazing cloud forest to Phuyupatamarca ('Cloud-Level Town'). This campsite is close to the extensive Inca site of Huinay Huayna, from which the Trail drops through forest until it levels out and climbs to Intipunku itself. No photograph prepares you for the reality of Machu Picchu. The legendary In magnificence of the panorama is magnified by the physical investment you make in Inca history and culture on the ascent.

HOW

On foot

WHEN TO GO

June to August is the Andean dry season, and the busiest for visitors, but the Inca Trail is theoretically open year-round, except for February, when it is closed to allow natural regeneration.

TIME IT TAKES

Four days for the 45 km (28 mi) classic Inca Trail. It's a steady hike, made more difficult by the altitude. Most visitors do not give themselves time to acclimatize, Variations on the classic route extend the trek to 6-8 days, making it easier and more comfortable.

HIGHLIGHTS

Acclimatizing at the Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo, and the market and ruins of Pisac - among various Inca sites on the Urubamba River known collectively as the Sacred valley.

The pre-dawn cloud forest hike to reach Intipunku as the sun rises.

The Inca paving stones, stairways, tunnel and multiple other ruins.

The unexpected orchids among the mosses of the mature cloud forest before Huinay Huayna.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Restrictions on the number of Trail permits issued annually mean that they · sell out months in advance. Trail hikers are also required to hire a Government licensed guide for every four people in their group.

Lisbon Tram Line 28

Lisbon's Tram Line 28 takes you across four of the seven summits upon which Lisbon stands, in the course of a classic journey through some of the most interesting areas of this historic city. In 1873, a mass public transport company called Carris began operations, gradually introducing electric trams and new routes across the city. Although gh most lines today use modem, articulated vehicles, Line 28 uses remodelled vintage beauties, which are entered at the front and exited at the rear.

 

The trams depart every seven minutes or so from Largo Martim Moniz, making their way up the Mouraria hill to Largo da Graça, before trundling down through Aliama, the oldest, most beautiful and best-known part of the city. The next port of call is Baixa, the lower city, which was rebuilt in French neo-classical style after the earthquake of 1755, by the Marquês de Pombal. Climbing uphill again, the trams pass through the old city centre, replete with theatres, and on through the traditional nightlife areas, the Bairro Alto and the Bica, haunt of writers and artists. Rattling and clanking their way up and down the hills, through narrow streets, the trams pass many important sites, including handsome churches, the Parliament building and the Cathedral, before finally reaching the Cemitério dos Prazeres - Cemetery of the Pleasures - where members of Lisbon's noblest families are buried.

This trip is great fun. The trams are often crowded – people sometimes even hitchhike by hanging onto the outside as it rattles along. It's noisy with laughter, chitchat and occasional shouts of abuse at cars blocking the way. The bell rings to alert people and traffic to the tram's presence, and there are frequent stops. Your best bet is to buy a pass allowing you multiple journeys, in order to jump on and off whenever you want.

 

HOW

By tram

WHEN TO GO

All year round, but April to June and September to November are probably the best months.

TIME IT TAKES

45 mlnutos, theoretically, but usually more like one hour plus.

HIGHLIGHTS

Café A Brasileira - opened in 1905, this is lisbon's most famous coffee house; a bronze statue of the poet and writer Fernando Pessoa sits outside.

The Basilica da Estrela and the Estrela Gardens.

The English Cemetery, where the author Henry Fielding is buried.

The Castelo de Sao Jorge, originally the Moorish Governor's stronghold.

The Gulbenkian Museum, a superb collection of treasures.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Fado is Portugal's traditional music, and lisbon is the best place to find it. During June, Fado singers accompany visitors along the route of Tram line 28.

Cross the Strait of Gibraltar

The ferry ride across the Strait of Gibraltar is a startling journey of contrasts and culture shock. You suddenly realise how incredible close Europe and Africa really are, which makes the differences between them even more unaccountably stark. The Strait is very narrow indeed - only 13 km (8 mi) at its narrowest point, and 50 km (31 mi) separate Algeciras from Tangier.

 

Algeciras is not the sort of place that anyone goes to by choice. A sprawling industrialized city on the Bay of Gibraltar, at the bottleneck between the Mediterranean and Atlantic, it is one of the busiest ports in the world. But, for that very reason it is a peculiarly exciting city, with the highly-charged, chaotic atmosphere that invariably pervades a port. Once you start to explore, you will be pleasantly surprised by how attractive the older parts are.

 

Even before you step on the ferry you feel the presence of North Africa in the groups of djellaba-clad migrants and back-street tea shops. As soon as you are aboard this sensation is heightened. Everyone around you is suddenly speaking Arabic; you are the outsider. As the boat departs, you experience a surge of anticipation then, looking back to catch a last glimpse of the Rock of Gibraltar, a quite extraordinary sense of loss, only to be overwhehned minutes later by the thrill of sighting the minarets of Tangier in the distance.

Landing in Tangier, your nostrils are assailed by the exotic smells in the air, and there's a sultry atmosphere that befits the city's reputation as a seedy adventurers' haunt. Tangier has a curious, fading grandeur about it and while it's by no means a typical Moroccan city or indeed an African one, it is an exciting and idiosyncratic introduction to an extraordinary continent.

 

HOW

By boat

WHEN TO GO

Any time

TIME IT TAKES

70 minutes to 2.5 hours depending on ferry speed

HIGHLIGHTS

Aigeciras - Mercado de Abastos - main market, Barrio San Isidro - old quarter of Tangier - Views of the Rock of Gibraltar and Dar el Makhsen, Tangier – 17th Century sultan's palace housing vast art collection.

Drinking mint tea or coffee at one of the cafes in the Petit Socco in Tangier or having a drink at (posh) Minzah Hotel or the (unposh) Muniria Hotel, where William Burroughs wrote The Naked Lunch.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

You can also get to Tangier by the fast ferry from Tarifa in only thirty minutes - much quicker but far less thrilling.

Cecil Beaton, Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac are just some of Tangier's famous past residents and habitues. Though the Tangier of today is a pale shadow of its former self, it still has a certain seductive allure.

Grand Canal

Known as La Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic and City of Light, Venice is certainly one of the wonders of Our world. An archipelago of 118 islands formed by 150 canals within a marshy lagoon on the Adriatic, Venice relies upon her waterways for transport, with the Grand Canal as the principal highway.

Take vaporetto No.1 from Piazzale Roma, the gateway to Venice, and you can travel the whole length of the Grand Canal to St Mark's Basin, with perfect views of some of the finest architecture the city has to offer. Almost 200 remarkable buildings, most of which rise straight from the water, form the 'banks' of the canal in na extraordinary sequence of façades, their reflections rippling below. This was the most expensive and sought-after area in the city, and these fine palazzi were built by aristocrats and wealthy merchants between the 13th and 18th centuries.

 

The canal winds through the heart of Venice in an inverted 'S' shape, and the vaporetto zigzags across it to stops on either side, passing under three bridges, the 16th century, marble Rialto, the Academia, made of wood (1854) and the stone Scalzi (1858). Today a fourth bridge is being constructed, linking the railway station and the Piazzale Roma.

 

This is a breathtaking voyage, varied, colourful and surprisin. You'll see the postman delivering by boat, gondolas carrying honeymoon couples to their waterfront hotel, and vaporetti that cross from side to side rather than up and down. You'll pass fifteen splendid churches, museums and galleries such as the Guggenheim Collection, housed in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni. As you head towards San Marco the canal opens out to its widest point, merging with St Mark's Basin and the lagoon ill a magnificent expanse of water dominated by the gleaming white façade of Santa Maria della Salute, which guards its mouth.

 

HOW

By vaporetto

WHEN TO GO

All year round, though there can be floods from November to March, and June to September can be very crowded.

TIME IT TAKES

Under one hour - but buy a travel card and you can jump on and off at any number of stops to explore.

HIGHlIGHTS

The fish and vegetable markets at the Rialto - go early in the morning.

The Venice Biennale - a major art exhibition every two years.

The Venice Film Festival - the oldest in the world and highly influential; it takes place in late August/early September.

The Carnival - one of the most famous in the world, with fabulously costumed and masked participants, it ends at midnight on Shrove Tuesday every year.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Venice, with its lagoon, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit if you possibly can, the entire place is a work of art.

Hotels in Venice

The End of the World Train

This is a journey to delight any railway enthusiast. Not only are you travelling on the world's southernmost railway line but you are pulled by one of several heritage steam engines along a narrow gauge track with a fascinating past.

 

The railway starts 8 km (5 mi) from Ushuaia and runs for some 14 km (9 mi) into Tierra del Fuego National Park, a protected area of 630 sq km (240 sq mi) once inhabited by Yamaha Indians. As the train meanders along the River Pipo valley at a sedate 15 kph (9 mph) you have breathtaking views of the wild glacial landscape of the South Andes Cordillera - steep snow-capped mountains, rivers, waterfalls, woods and lakes interspersed with tundra plateau carpeted in lichens and mosses. The journey ends at Estación del Parque from where you can explore this remote region on foot.

 

Although today the End of the World Train is a tourist attraction, it was originally built to ful1il an altogether murkier purpose - the transportation of forced labour to the hinterland forest and of felled trees back to the coast. By the end of the 19th century the Argentinian authorities had established a penal colony as far away from civilization as possible, at the tip of South America. From these inauspicious beginnings emerged today's city or Ushuaia, its earliest buildings constructed by convicts using timber from the surrounding sub-polar forests. The prison was transformed into a naval base in 1947 and the railway was decommissioned in 1952 after na earthquake badly damaged the track. The growth of the travel industry led to its re-opening in 1994 as an environmentally-friendly means of conveying tourists to an otherwise inaccessible part of the National Park. Despite the best efforts of tourist brochures, the railway is still commonly known as 'The Prisoners Train'.

HOW

By train

WHEN TO GO

All year

TIME IT TAKES

One hour

HIGHLIGHTS

Ushuaia Museo del Presidio – Prison Museum.

Cañadón del Toro gorge.

Cascada La Macarena waterfall.

Tree cemetery.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

To fully appreciate the trip it is a good idea to visit the Prison Museum first, where you will get atmospheric impressions of life in the penal colony and find out more about the railway and National Park.

The Bruce Trail

At 800 km (500 mi) the Bruce trail in Ontario is the oldest and longest marked trail in Canada, taking the hiker along the Niagara Escarpment from Niagara to the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. There are also about 300 kIn (187 mi) of additional side trails that link well with the Bruce. The iconic waterfalls at Niagara are a great place to start and having left with the sound of crashing water in your ears and ozone in your lungs, it is a short hike to the main trail proper.

 

This well-maintained trail, with its clear markings and efficiently  run campgrounds is the most ambitious of projects. The nine chapters of the Bruce Trail Association work hard at protecting this UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, acquiring new land and opening to up this most beautiful, fragile environment for all to see. Hence, it is important to take nothing and leave nothing, except memories and  photographs. The fact that the campsites provide all necessary camping gear, to avoid outside contamination, means that you can travel light and cover more ground than you would otherwise.

This ancient escarpment shelters a rare bio-diversity and is home to an array of woodland dwellers, from chipmunks to bear and chickadees to Canada geese. The further north you venture the more isolated the trail becomes and the more likely you are to witness the resident fauna in its natural envirornnent. A good pair of binoculars and a soft step is all you need - enjoy.

 

HOW

On foot and by bike

DEPART

Niagara, ON

WHEN TO GO

During the fall colours (September-October) is best, but really any time from May to October is good

TIME IT TAKES

An experienced hiker could expect to complete the trail inside 20 days, but since 200 km (125 mi) of the Bruce is paved road, it is probably best tackled in sections.

HIGHLIGHTS

Blue Mountains Section (Lavender to Craigleith).

Beaver Valley Section {Craigleith to Blantyre) - offering fine views of rocky crevasses.

sydenham Section (Blantyre to · Wiarton) - teeming with nature.

The camaraderie of the campgrounds.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

If you are backpacking you need to be in good shape. The rocky terrain can make this journey treacherous and it can be slippery in wet weather. Campfires are not allowed and drinking water must be treated.

Trans-Canada Train Journey

There is no rule which states that crossing a whole continent will ever be easy and this journey certainly tests the mettle of the traveller. Nevertheless, the sights you see and the people you meet on this epic trip will stay in the memory for the rest of your life. Nearly all those who make the journey from Halifax to Vancouver do so for fun (flying is cheaper and quicker) - and this gives the whole experience a real party feel.

 

Completing the journey currently comprises three stages. The first from Halifax to Montreal takes you from the extremely picturesque Nova Scotia coast, through New Brunswick. Skirting the Appalachian Mountains, you are then transported to Montreal, the beating heart of French Canada. The second leg allows you to sample the most modern railway Canada has to offer. The Montreal to Toronto link feels strangely normal compared with the rest of the trip. Business people barely look up from their laptops as the train passes along the St Lawrence River, past the Thousand Islands and along the shore of Lake Ontario.

From Toronto, Canada's most modern of cities, you embark on the truly monumental part of the train ride. The seemingly endless forests of Northern Ontario eventually give way to wide open prairies as you cross the Continent's interior - the vastness of it all is quite breathtaking. After two nights on board, the train approaches the Rockies. Waterfalls and sheer rock faces heave in to view one after another and this is the time to grab a seat in the panoramic dome car. After this, Kamloops is the last major stop before arriving in Vancouver and your chance to experience the city often voted the 'World's Best Place to Live'.

HOW

By train

DEPART

Halifax, NS

WHEN TO GO

Year round, but schedules can be disrupted in winter (November to April)

TIME IT TAKES

Plan your schedule and book ticket in advance. Currently it takes about six days with a long stopover in either Montreal or Toronto. If you want to see a lot of Canada allow two weeks and spend time in Montreal, Toronto, Jasper and Vancouver.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Thousand Islands - the islands that gave you the dressing.

Old Montreal - fabulous, French and funky.

Mount Robson and pyramid Falls – in the Rockies.

Vancouver - it really is as good as they say: the sea, mountains, excellent affordable eating and really friendly people.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

The combination of harsh weather, 1950s rolling stock and the prevalence of mega-weight goods trains can make this a bumpy ride, · but who needs sleep anyway when you're having such a good time?

Around the World in 80 Days

Undoubtedly the most dramatic journey you can ever undertake, circumnavigating the world in 80 days, following in the footsteps of fiction's Phileas Fogg, created by 19th-century author Jules Verne, and M TV globetrotter Michael Palin. This is definitely not a matter of booking long-distance flights that get you back to your starting point in a few days. Instead, you must follow Phileas Fogg's 45,000 km (28,000 mi) route as closely as possible, using only transport methods available in Jules Verne's time.

 

The journey starts outside the Reform Club in London's pall Mall. To follow Palin's route, take a train to Folkestone, ferry to France and I train to Venice via the Alps, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Austria. From there, a boat through the Corinth Canal takes in Greece, Crete and Egypt.

 

After boat-hopping down the Persian Gulf, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, a week on a traditional sailing, , dhow brings you to Mumbai (Bombay), from whence a train across India leads to a sea passage to Singapore and on to Hong Kong. A railway marathon across China to Shanghai is followed by a ferry to Japan, and then a monotonous crossing of the Pacific on a container ship. The journey across the USA is by train. From New York another ship will return you to England and journey's end - Palin made it with a few hours to spare.
There's ample scope for planning an individual itinerary packed with plenty of interesting stops and fascinating sights. Though the basic methods of transport are boat and train, half the fun is finding alternative means of progress. For example, Phileas Fogg travelled by elephant and sledge, whilst Palin rode a camel and took a hot-air balloon trip. Not many have done it, because this really is the epic journey of a lifetime!

 

 HOW
Various!

WHEN TO GO
Any time you can arrange a very long vacation

TIME IT TAKES
80 days (if you don't fall behind Schedule

HIGHLIGHTS
Venice - use a precious day to explore this special city, once a stop on another great journey – the 8,OOO-km (5,OOO-mi) Silk Road linking the Orient with the Mediterranean.