Gordon says: Of all the safaris I've done, the Kalahari is my all time favourite because of the unique choice of terrains and diversity of wildlife to be seen. Plus, the opportunity to walk with elephants or take a canoe trip on the Okavango Delta are not to be missed!
Julie says: I love the walk along the promenade at Puerto del Carmen. Lots of lovely restaurants and bars and it's ideal for couples or families. Have a day out at Rancho Texas Park...it's a great place to see wild animals and birds, and has several pools with rides and slides for all ages!
Chris says: The TWA Hotel at JFK Airport is such a great option for a pre- or post-flight stopover! The original TWA terminal has been restored to its 1960s glory as a hotel with an incredible pool bar and observation deck overlooking the runways at JFK. There's also a museum with over 2000 exhibits documenting air travel in the mid-20th century and a Lockheed Starliner propliner which has been converted in to a cocktail bar!
Claire says: Cornwall is a great place for families and couples - my favourite place to visit is St.Ives and I love to stay at Gwel An Mor 5* Resort in Portreath.
Kids will love the Basecamp indoor play zone, Feadon Farm Wildlife Centre and the swimming pool with amazing views over the sea. Couples can chill out in their own hot tub, enjoy spa treatments or even take the beautiful forest walk down to Portreath beach.
What’s hot for 2024, you ask? We have chosen our top 17 ski resorts for this year, including lesser-visited resorts in Norway, Canada and Spain as well of some of our favourites. Each of these resorts offers something really special, find out where to ski this year below…
Often trumped by its French and Italian counterparts, Sierra Nevada is Spain’s number one resort. Thanks to its location as the southernmost resort in Europe and high altitude, skiers can expect fantastic conditions and bright blue skies. Come sunset, you can even look over to Morocco’s Rif Mountains from the Veleta peak.
Bluebird skiing in Sierra Nevada
In British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains, Panorama is a family friendly resort that caters for both beginners and powder skiers. Made up of two villages that are linked by a free gondola, families can make the most of the confidence-boosting ski runs, ice-skating rink, outdoor hot pools and water slides.
A crowd-free family ski holiday in Panorama
Aspen hosts the Winter X Games every January, where elite skiers from every corner of the world descend on this classy town. Aspen is also a popular haunt with the Obamas, Elton John and Gigi Hadid. With sought after addresses like the W Hotel, The Little Nell and Hotel Jerome, don’t forget the skiing: there are challenging double-black diamonds and awesome gladed tree runs.
Skiing with the pros in Aspen Snowmass
A quick flight to Zurich and a short transfer and you’re in this Swiss powder haven. With a laid-back Scandi vibe, Engelberg is popular with young European freeskiers. Reaching 3,020m, there are verticals of 2,100m, which creates some incredible off-piste terrain. Much of the terrain has been deliberately left un-pisted for powder skiers.
Powder skiing on the Titlis glacier © Engelberg, Oskar Enander
This prestigious French resort in the Trois Vallées has more opulent restaurants, bars, spas and hotels that you can count on two hands. Split into four towns, the saying goes “the higher the altitude, the higher the price”. Courchevel 1850 has several Michelin-star restaurants that attract gourmands and palatial spa hotels for soothing well-used legs.
Le K2 Goji Spa in Courchevel
With an excellent snow record and access to two glaciers, it’s no surprise they filmed James Bond in Sölden. Featuring in Spectre, you can retrace his steps at the interactive 007 installation. Dine at the ice Q restaurant that has incredible views through floor-to-ceiling windows. Meanwhile, the 155km of slopes are primarily blue runs with some more challenging red and blacks.
The 007 Elements cinematic installation
Dubbed by Condé Nast Traveller as the ‘world’s poshest ski resort’, they claim Klosters is where the real stars go off piste. Julia Roberts, Prince Charles and the King of Sweden are just a few of the visitors over the years. And if you pine after the White Company interiors, you could even stay in the founder’s hygge Haus Alpina. Despite its en vogue status, the charming village still retains its traditional Alpine character.
Where to ski this year? The traditional Swiss village that allures royalty…
Want to broaden your horizons on your ski holiday? In Norway you can combine a day’s skiing with a trip to the infamous Norwegian fjords. Spend two nights skiing in Myrkdalen, followed by two nights exploring the foggy fjords. The northern lights are common in the winter, so keep your fingers crossed for a sighting!
Group skiing in Myrkdalen © Sverre / Myrkdalen
Located just off the Sellaronda loop is this gastronomic ski resort. San Cassiano offers the perfect mix between family-run rifugios serving Italian fare and innovative Michelin stars. Most importantly, our favourites are mountain-side Rifugio Scotoni and Hotel Ciasa Salares’ dedicated cheese and chocolate rooms.
Hotel Ciasa Salares’ wine cellar
There’s no other place to be past 4pm than the two neighbouring après ski bars: the MooserWirt and Krazy Kanguruh. With stein-clinking music and a rather lively atmosphere, St. Anton has a notorious reputation for its après and nightlife. First lifts are the best hangover cure, with a fantastic snow record and 305km of awesome pistes.
MooserWirt in St Anton
Perched on the mountaintop, Avoriaz may be largely purpose built but this car-free town has a certain charm. The best way to get around is by skis, foot or horse-drawn carriages, which the kids will love! Above all, the views are sensational across the rugged Dents du Midi and Dents Blanche. And, it’s one of our sustainable resorts too!
Where to ski this year? Snow-sure Avoriaz
Another glamorous Swiss ski resort, St. Moritz is best-known for the perilous Cresta Run, where racers reach 80mph on rock-hard ice. Moreover, the lake is a centre-point for sports, with the annual Snow Polo World Cup, international horse race and cricket games all taking part during the winter. We hope the ice is thick enough!
The Cresta Run © Roger Schaffner
The powder capital of Canada, Revelstoke has an incredible average between 12 and 18 metres of powder each year. What was once a well-kept local secret with one lift, subsequently became heaven for powder hunters. With incredible powder bowls, groomed pistes and gladed tree runs, there’s plenty to keep you entertained, especially after a big snowfall.
Choosing a path in Revelstoke
Set between two national parks, Geilo is a picturesque resort with a great snow record. Thanks to the lack of light pollution, the charming town often witnesses the natural light show of the aurora borealis and similarly has great stargazing. Family friendly too, kids can try dog sledding, tobogganing and ice fishing, among others.
Take a horse-drawn carriage around Geilo
Our Italian favourite, Courmayeur lures us back year in year out. Many of the hotels, restaurants and bars are family run and have been passed down through generations, making it a special place. In addition, Via Roma comes alive in the evenings and at weekends with chic Italians from Milan and nearby towns.
Via Roma by night, Courmayeur © Eleonor Greco
For weekend skiing: La Clusaz, France
Approximately an hour from Geneva Airport, La Clusaz is the perfect French resort for a ski weekend. Not only does it have a short transfer, but the village is traditionally Alpine and has fantastic skiing options for all levels. With wide, cruisy blues and more challenging reds and blacks, there are also some epic off-piste opportunities.
For luxury and alpine chic: Gstaad, Switzerland
This glamorous ski resort in the Bernese Oberland has a certain flair. Meander through the charming town that is made up of wooden chalets, boutique shops and fine dining restaurants after a day on the slopes. To stay in style, the Gstaad Palace and Alpina Gstaad are turreted luxury ski hotels that look like dominating castles on the mountainside.
Gstaad at night © Christof Sonderegger, SwitzerlandTourism
It’s only a silverback – just one of the world’s largest living primates. He’s a few metres away, chomping on leaves. He looks content, but we hikers are beaming.
That’s why gorilla tracking is so sought after – it feels primal, standing this close to a creature that shares 95% of your DNA. We fall silent as he knuckle-walks along the forest floor. Our guides spot a mother and her babies, with only the click of cameras interrupting the spell cast over us.
It is magical, but with permits costing $600 ($700 from July 1), facts and expectations are paramount. About 150 permits are available daily, with no group exceeding eight people, so booking ahead is key.
“Clients set off from one of four trail heads, then trek to the gorilla families and spend an hour with them.”
There are two populations of mountain gorillas in the world: a 604-strong group in the Virunga mountains, across Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and about 400 in Bwindi. Clients set off from one of four trail heads, then trek to the gorilla families and spend an hour with them; more expensive habituation experiences give you more time.
It’s high-end ecotourism that funds conservation and guide training. Gorilla numbers are rising, and their status has changed from critically endangered to endangered, though guides, trackers and porters still earn very little.
There has been a human cost too: creating the national park meant relocating the forest-dwelling Batwa tribe or pygmies into villages. A few have been compensated but for many, it’s been a harsh adjustment to a very different lifestyle. Batwa cultural experiences provide an interesting and important perspective.
“Nothing’s guaranteed – one group spotted gorillas within 60 minutes, while we spent seven hours in the forest.”
Treks vary in difficulty, but it’s worth paying a porter – $15 to carry your daypack can be the difference between enjoyment and endurance. Hikers can also request less-challenging treks to easier-to-find gorilla groups. Trackers go out daily to monitor locations, but nothing’s guaranteed – one group spotted gorillas within 60 minutes, while we spent seven hours in the forest.
One word of advice for clients: take a few snaps for Instagram, then put the phone away and enjoy the thrill of being so close to one of man’s closest relatives.
Book it
The price of a gorillatracking permit rises to $700 on July 1, with habituation experiences from $1,500, plus a $40 park entrance fee. Operators such as Rainbow Tours, Somak, Abercrombie & Kent and Tucan Travel generally include permit fees with trekking experiences, We advise to book well in advance.
🎉🏆WE WON FIRST PLACE! 🏆🎉
We are delighted to announce we have won Best Christmas Season Business Frontage Awards in Durham City!!!
👏👏👏👏👏
this is the story of our window...
🎄🎅This Christmas window has been created by Gazelle Travel staff and nearly all of the decorations have been handmade from The tiny sleigh to Santa’s flight path background .
🎄🎅The passport tree decorations have been designed and printed in store. Santa’s sleigh is being pulled by gazelles to represent our business’ logo .
🎄🎅To keep in theme with travel we have based the whole scene around Lapland, where you can see all the busy little elves passing through the airport. you might also notice Santa and his ‘gazelles’ are taking flight from a hand crafted runway , which we used atop LEDs to light it up in the style of a traditional airport runway .
We hope you enjoy looking at it as much as we enjoyed making it !
We are looking forward to attending the awards evening on Wednesday to collect our plaque for our store , it will certainly be put pride of place!
MASSIVE thank you to Durham City Parish Council for giving us this amazing award! But also for running the competition which added an extra level of cheer and sparkle to Durham City. Claypath looked particularly beautiful !
