Issue two is full of ideas for escapes between May and September in Iceland, Norway and Greenland as well as go-slow in New Zealand and 9 great adventures.

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cloud9Inspiration for unforgettable holidays | March 2013
ICELAND • POLAR • AUSTRALIA • SWEDEN • NEW ZEALAND • CANADA • FINLAND • ALASKA • NORWAY
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inside
3 WINDOW SEAT
Don’t worry if you missed
the northern lights — the
forecast is just as bright
for the end of 2013
4 iceland
From 3 nights to 49, we’ve
got Europe’s best self-drive
destination covered
6 GREAT
ADVENTURES
Take action in our pick
of the 9 best adventures,
from Alaska to Tasmania
8 GREENLAND
Explore the fertile fringes
of this spectacular island:
a summer treat of hiking,
boat trips and culture
10 NZ SOUTH ISLAND
A guide to our unique
‘module’ approach to
‘travel less, see more’
12 NORWEGIAN
FJORDS
We’ve developed the
perfect weeklong self-drive
itinerary. Click it and see
interactive
How to get the most
from this digital
edition of Cloud 9
Seeing red? Give it a
click or a tap to explore
more. Throughout Cloud
9 you’ll find links to our
website, pop-up image
galleries and further info
panels, video clips and
opportunities to
enter competitions
and share with
friends.
William Gray,
Editor
After last year’s wet summer in the UK, followed by
a winter that outstayed its welcome, it’s probably
fair to say that we all deserve a holiday! This
issue of Cloud 9 is full of ideas for great escapes between May and
September, including no less than 24 self-drive itineraries in Iceland
(which, incidentally, had far better weather than we did last year).
This is also a wonderful time of year for exploring the Norwegian
Fjords on a relaxed self-drive holiday. If you fancy
something more adventurous, though, nothing will
give you a warmer glow of satisfaction than a summer
hiking trip in Greenland...
COVERARTWORK:LIZLUNNON

3. See the aurora from
Iceland’s new Hotel ION
Book your place on
selected Antarctic
Peninsula Fly-In
voyages now and
receive a FREE three-
night extension to
Chile’s spectacular
Atacama Desert!
Combine a visit to see
the glaciers, icebergs and
penguins of Antarctica
with the geysers, salt
flats and flamingoes of
Atacama: two of the
world’s wildest wonders.
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The show goes on as NASA predicts a
‘double peak’ for the northern lights
aurora encore
window seat
GilesChristopher/mediawisdom
Just when we all thought
we’d had more than our
fair share of glorious
aurora borealis sightings,
those lovely people at
NASA are now predicting a
second helping.
According to scientists,
“It seems likely that the
end of 2013 could be
a lot livelier than the
beginning”, with another
solar max (the activity that
fuels the aurora) forecast
for 2015.
Such is the expected
demand for northern
lights holidays that
Discover the World has
launched its programme
of 2013/14 trips early.
Click here to see our
range of northern
lights holidays
win!
a £500 voucher
towards your next holiday
with Discover the World
Click here to enter
FREE! Trip
to Atacama
Click here to find
out more about this
exclusive offer
CLIVESTACEY

4. Click here
for photo
gallery
S
ome countries are simply
crying out for a self-drive
holiday. Empty roads, epic
landscapes, intriguing routes
and come-and-get-me horizons all
conspire to form the perfect road trip.
But if we had to pick our ‘Bugatti Veyron’
of self-drive destinations, it would be
hard not to put Iceland in pole position.
You only have to look at a map of
Iceland to feel your pulse start revving.
Not only has it got a ring road (so you
can drive full circle), but it’s riddled with
shorter circuits and — for those who like
more of a challenge — some spectacular
4WD routes into the interior.
Prime time for
Iceland self-drives
is June-August,
but availability
goes fast during
this peak season, so
start planning now!
Don’t forget that May
and September are also
perfect months for hitting the road.
May has long hours of daylight, wild
flowers and bustling seabird colonies,
while in September the Highland tracks
are usually still open and you can enjoy
breathtaking autumn colours and even a
possibility of spotting the northern lights.
drive of your life
Start planning: Click any of our 24
self-drive itineraries to find out more
RAGNARTHSIGURDSSON/ARCTIC-IMAGES.COM
4 Talk to the experts ✆ 01737 218 812
here to find out more
about our Iceland
self-drive holidays
Click
From a three-night short break to a 50-day odyssey, Discover the
World is King of the Road when it comes to Iceland self-drives

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NIGHTS
3-7 4
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16 49NIGHTSNIGHTS
NIGHTS
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NIGHTSNIGHTS
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West Iceland Escape Reykjavik Explorer
Romantic Retreat
Southern Explorer Arctic Edge
East Fjords Retreat
Essential Iceland Iceland Connoisseur
Journey to the
Centre of the Earth
Northern
Highlights
Southern Highlights
The Icelandic Way
Birding in Iceland
Volcano Explorer:
Fire, Ice & Adventure
Best of the West
National Parks &
Natural Wonders
Family Highland
Adventure
Natural Iceland
Farmstays
4WD Adventure
Fly, Drive & Hike
Around Iceland
Wild Iceland
Iceland Odyssey Around Iceland
in 50 Days

6. 2Rimu Adventure,
New Zealand
This all-action 14-day
group adventure includes
snorkelling with seals,
sea kayaking, mountain
biking and spectacular
South Island hikes.
6Yukon Explorer,
Canada
Few self-drives are more
epic than this eight-night
sojourn through Gold
Rush country and north
towards the Arctic along
the Dempster Highway.
1Iceland: Activities from Reykjavík
Welcome to Iceland: Europe’s ultimate adventure
playground. Imagine diving in the crystal clear waters
of the Silfra fissure between the Eurasian and North
American tectonic plates. Or shooting the rapids on the
Hvita River. How about a spot of glacier hiking, quad
biking, snowmobiling or caving? These, and many other
adventures, can easily be included in any of our Iceland
tailor-made holidays.
GREATADVENTURES
9 OF THE BEST
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gallery
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3Natural Wonders,
Alaska
Bushplane flights, glacier
cruises and rainforest
hikes get you to the heart
of Alaska’s magnificent
national parks on this
two-week adventure.
8Sea kayaking,
Arctic & Antarctica
Paddling at the poles is
an amazing experience,
drifting past icebergs and
getting eye-to-eye with
wildlife. Try it on one of
our polar voyages.
5Adventure Week,
Finland
Explore Finnish Lapland
during summer when you
will get the chance to
ride quad bikes through
taiga forest and canoe
across pristine lakes.
7Wilderness Husky
Adventure, Sweden
Mush your own team
of huskies through the
Lapland wilderness,
sleep in a rustic lodge,
and snowmobile to the
ICEHOTEL for a night.
4Family Highland
Adventure, Iceland
This fabulous 11-night
self drive is an adventure
in itself, but you can add
lots of activities to spice
it up further – from horse
riding to glacier hiking.
9Tasmania’s
Forgotten Coast
Immerse yourself in
Tassie’s wilderness on
this 10-day small-group
tour, delving into Cradle
Mountain, Freycinet and
the little-visited Tarkine.
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greenland
a perfect summer’s day in
O
ur boat weaved
through the iceberg-
strewn fjord, its
wake chuckling
among the silent hulks of
cerulean-blue ice. The sun
was warm on my face; our
jackets lay discarded on deck.
It was another beautiful summer’s
day in East Greenland, a dazzling,
gas-flame sky and the mountains
vivid and inviting. We stepped ashore
at a secluded cove fringed by rippling
green pasture. Snow buntings fussed
along the shore, while a raven
croaked hoarsely from the slopes
above. We began walking along a
trail blushed with pink swathes of
willowherb. As we climbed higher, the
fjord receded below us — a wedge of
sun-spangled water flecked with ice.
Then we crested a ridge and neither
the coastal vista nor the carpet of
gentians at our feet could detract
from the view inland: a wild mêlée of
glacier and mountain, the Greenland
icecap glinting in the distance.
Click on the map
circles to explore
Greenland
May to September is an ideal time to visit Greenland, hiking the
fjords and mountains of the east, or exploring the south and west
Tasiilaq &
Ammassalik
Island
Ilulissat &
Disko Bay
Nasarsuaq:
gateway to
Qaqortuoq

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gallery
IMAGECOURTESYOFGREENLANDTOURISM/GREENLAND.COM
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EastHiking in East Greenland
Departing 5 July 2013, this
nine-night guided hiking
trip features breathtaking
day walks, returning each
evening to comfortable
hotels. You’ll walk to
stupendous viewpoints and
get to know the rich tapestry
of arctic flora. An iceberg
cruise is included, as well
as two incredible helicopter
flights. Independent tours
can also be arranged in this
region of Greenland.
SouthSouth Greenland Explorer
Narsarsuaq offers a
fascinating insight into
one of the world’s most
isolated communities. It’s
also a great base from
which to explore nearby
fjords and mountains and
visit the Viking ruins of Eric
the Red’s farm. This six-
night holiday also features
Qaqortoq where optional
activities include day hikes
and a boat trip to the inland
icecap.
WestEssential West Greenland
Famed for its icebergs
(continually shed from
the 5km-wide face of the
Sermeq Kujalleq glacier),
the World Heritage Site of
Disko Bay is the star of this
five-night holiday based in
Ilulissat. As well as boat
trips in the bay (including
midnight sun cruises), you
can join a whale safari, take
a helicopter flight to the
icecap and visit a traditional
hunter’s camp.
SeaGreenland Explorer
Discover the World offers
Greenland voyages lasting
from seven to 14 nights.
The two-week Greenland
Explorer embarks from
Kangerlussuaq for a
spectacular voyage along
the island’s west, south
and east coasts.
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up to 20% on
Greenland voyages.
Click here for details
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An alternative to touring, Discover the World’s new modules offer a
more relaxed, in-depth way to experience New Zealand’s highlights
travel less • see more
New Zealand modules
I
n the previous Cloud 9, we
explored North Island’s modules,
savouring highlights from
Northland to Wellington. Not
surprisingly, South Island is just as
rich in travel hotspots — each one
deserving far more than a flying visit.
On the page opposite you’ll find
all eight of Discover the World’s South
Island modules, each one comprising
an in-depth, six-day itinerary, plus
suggestions for four-day extensions.
QIt’s tempting
to squeeze
too much into a New Zealand
holiday. You fly all that way and
feel almost obliged to cajole
as much into your itinerary as
possible. Click here to read
William Gray’s report on a region
of South Island that’s definitely
worth lingering over.

11. Click on the
circles to explore
each module
Wanaka & the
Southern Lakes
Fiordland
& Te Anau
Queenstown & the
Southern Lakes
Lake Moeraki
& the West
Coast
Christchurch
& Canterbury
Dunedin
& Coastal
Otago
Kaikoura
Nelson
RobSuisted
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Opposite: Southern Alps; this
page: Kepler Track, Fiordland
NZmodules
How they work
1 Take your pick from
a selection of five-night
modules in key regions
of New Zealand. *Lake
Moeraki is four nights.
2 If you like, add
three-night extensions
in other regions or bolt
on additional five-night
modules to tailormake
your ideal holiday.
3 Choose your
accommodation from
deluxe/luxury lodge,
boutique B&B or
standard/superior hotel.
4 A range of excursions
showcasing the best of
each region are included
in each module.
Your ticket to
go-slow travel,
savouring the best
of New Zealand.
Pt2: South Island

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At a glance: Norwegian Fjord Highlights Self-Drive
Day 1 Fly London to Bergen
Day 2 Drive from Bergen to
Lofthus along the shores of
Hardangerfjord and Sorfjorden
Day 3 Explore around Lofthus
Day 4 Drive from Lofthus to
Flam, via lakeside Voss
Day 5 Ride the Flam railway,
and travel by car and ferry to
Balestrand on Sognefjord
Day 6 Hike the mountains or
take a boat trip at Balestrand
Day 7 Drive to Bergen
Day 8 Fly Bergen to London
FJORD
Discover the World’s summer self-drive
holidays allow you to explore Norway’s
dramatic mountains and coastal inlets at
your own pace
VISITNORWAY

13. Click here for
more details
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on the red circles to
explore our Norwegian
Fjord Highlights itinerary
Click
Bergen
Lofthus
Eidfjord
Voss
Flam
Balestrand
Hardangerfjord

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Discover the World Ltd
Arctic House, 8 Bolters Lane, Banstead, Surrey SM7 2AR
www.discover-the-world.co.uk Email travel@discover-the-world.co.uk
Fax +44 (0) 1737 362 341 Twitter @DTW_Holidays
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cloud9In the next issue:
Polar: North v South
Walking & hiking
Northern lights holidays
Iceland
Writing & design William Gray | www.william-gray.co.uk
win!
a £500 voucher
towards your next holiday
with Discover the World
Click here to enter