africa safaris: 2010

Saturday, 25 December 2010

Deals, Deals, Deals

So Many Deals!
If you're not travelling now; you are missing out on all the deals. Everyday I get bombarded with deals to sell to you; I'm sure you get a lot of these deals yourself. I can sort it out for you, but I'm not going to spray you with it. You must contact me with a somewhat specific request and I will find a deal that is just right for you. I deal is not a deal, if it doesn't suit your needs and desires.

That being said, I have to pass this along: Hot off the press from Kenya.

A KENYA SPECIAL SAFARI
A 6 nights / 7 days high quality road safari visiting Selenkay Conservancy, Amboseli, Lake Elementeita, Lake Nakuru, Ol Kinyei Conservancy, Masai Mara.

*Departs every SUNDAY - Minimum 2 people*

This seven day safari combines 2 nights Selenkay/Amboseli Porini Camp Clik Here - for camp details, with walks and night game drive, game drive in Amboseli for viewing elephants close up, 2 nights at Sunbird Lodge Click Here - for details with walks along Lake Elementaita and a full day in Nakuru to see the flamingos which is also an excellent chance of seeing rhino and leopard. This is followed by 2 nights at Mara Porini Camp Click Here - for camp details, with walks plus night drive and game drive in the Maasai Mara, famous for lions, cheetahs and leopards.

Highlights:
Stay in the exclusive Porini Safari Camps in Selenkay and Ol Kinyei and the intimate Sunbird Lodge at Lake Elementaita
All game drives in 4x4 safari vehicles (not vans), with experienced driver-guides
Selenkay: walk with Maasai warriors to visit an authentic village, night game drive, exclusive wilderness area with no other tourist vehicles
Amboseli: views of Kilimanjaro, best place for viewing elephants at close range
Lake Nakuru: spectacular scenery, excellent for rhino and leopard, huge concentration of flamingo
Ol Kinyei Conservancy: one of the most scenic parts of the Mara eco-system with resident big cats
Masai Mara: the most famous wildlife reserve in Kenya, excellent for lion and cheetah
At Porini Camps all meals and drinks included as well as sundowners, night game drives and escorted walks

PRICE IS $2,195.00 per person

* SPECIAL OFFER PRICE MUST BE CONFIRMED BY FEBRUARY 28TH 2009*

PRICES include minivan road transfer to Selenkay Porini, Amboseli park fees and conservancy fees, Drive to Nairobi for lunch at Village Market, 4x4 road transfer for 2 nights at Sunbird Lodge, Lake Nakuru National Park in 4x4, conservancy and park fees included. 4x4 road transfer to Mara Porini camp arriving for lunch. 2 nights Mara Porini Camp, park fees and conservancy fees included. All game drives in 4x4 vehicles, full board and free mineral water, house wines, beer and soft drinks (Porini only). Flight Mara to Wilson.

International airfare is not included, travel insurance is extra, gratuities are at your discretion.

Fly free between camps in Zambia

Here's a really good deal!

Fly free between camps in Zambia
A collections of the top camps in Zambia’s premier destinations, the South Luangwa, Livingston and the Lower Zambezi have joined together to offer an unbeatable safari deal:

Stay a minimum of 10 days at any of their camps and fly free between them.
10-13 nights: fly free between any 2 destinations
14 plus nights: fly free between any 3 destinations
Choose from six company’s lodges and camps:

The Bushcamp Company
Chiawa Camp
Chongwe River Camp
Robin Pope Safaris
Norman Carr Safaris
Sausage Tree Camp

Applies to 2 people and 10 nights minimum
Does not apply for July, August & September
Book before March 31 2009
New bookings only

Call to book at 206-297-7179 or 877-297-7179
email me at Kristina.Trowbridge at gmail.com

Kristina is on safari again

I will be on safari in Botswana, Namibia and Zambia for a month from March 13-April 13, 2009. This is an independent study tour and I'm taking Tom with me. I have studied the camps we're visiting by taking a specialist course and need to see them in order to choose the "right" camp for you when you can go on safari.

We will visit:
Deception Valley Lodge in the Central Kalahari Desert, Botswana
Xakanaxa Camp in the Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
Kwando Kwara Camp in the Okavango Delta, Botswana
Kwando Lebala and Lagoon camps in the Linyanti Wetlands, Botswana
Susuwe and Ntwala Island Lodges in the Caprivi Strip, Namibia
Norman Carr’s Kapani & Kakuli camps in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
Sausage Tree camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia
Tongabezi Lodge at Victoria Falls in Zambia; Here we hope to see the Lunar Rainbow appear over the falls after dark on our last night in Africa.

In my absence, Bob Kerr at Travel House will look after you. If need anything while I'm gone, please call him at 206-248-0900 or 800-809-0154 his email is bob at travelhouse.com.

Sadly, SAS is leaving Seattle for the last time on July 31, 2009. There have been many changes to the schedule lately. Bob will contact you if there are any changes to your schedule while I'm gone.

If I have a chance I will publish updates while on safari.

28 new stamps in my passport

Imagine getting 28 new stamps and visas in your passport in just one trip!!! Here’s how to do it.

1 & 2. First off, get on a plane bound for South Africa. When you arrive at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, you will stay overnight here. The South African immigration officer will paste a visa into your passport (1) and then stamp it (2) for accuracy. Spend the night at an airport hotel.
3. The next day you depart South Africa and they stamp your passport out.
4. Next, you fly to Botswana and when you enter, you will get another stamp.
5. After a week or so here, when you depart Botswana they will stamp you out.
6. Then enter Namibia. You will get another stamp in.

Spend 3 days at Susuwe Island Lodge and then 3 days at the Ntwala Island Lodge in the Caprivi Strip.
When you transfer from Susuwe to Ntwala, although still in the Caprivi this is when it gets really interesting. If you can’t afford to charter a plane to fly the short distance across, you must do a road and boat transfer.

7. You depart Namibia at the Ngoma border and you get a stamp out.

8. Cross the Ngoma Bridge across the Chobe River and enter Botswana on the other side; here you get a stamp in.

9. From here, you drive to Kasane, about 45 minutes, where you stamp out of Botswana.

10. This where you board a small boat to Ntwala Island Lodge, but on the way you must stop at immigration and stamp back into Namibia at Impalila Island.

Spend 3 days at Ntwala Island Lodge.

11. To get to Zambia from here is really easy and takes only about 1-2 hours. You depart Namibia at Impalila Island and stamp out.

12. Enter Botswana at Kasane and stamp in.

13. Drive to Kazungula, 20 minutes, and stamp out of Botswana again.

14 & 15. Here you take a small boat across the confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers where 4 countries meet: Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. On the other side, when you enter Zambia, you must purchase a visa, which gets pasted into your passport; then it must get stamped to be valid.

Spend a week or more in Zambia, including a few days at Victoria Falls, the adventure capital of Africa.

16. If you want to see Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe side while in Zambia, and I highly do recommend that you do this, then you’ll have to purchase a visa to enter Zim.

17 & 18. You will stamp out of Zam., stamp into Zim., see the Falls; then return to Zam.

19 & 20. If you didn’t get a multi-visa when you entered Zam., you have to purchase another visa, which will get stamped to make it official.

21. At the airport when you depart from Livingston, you will get a stamp out of Zambia.

22 -24. If you’re flying out of Vic. Falls airport in Zimbabwe, you will get another stamp into Zim. at the bridge and out again at the airport. Hopefully you purchased the multi entry visa when you visited the falls!! If not, you have to get another visa.

25 & 26. You then fly back to Jo-burg and you may get another visa for S. Africa, another stamp in.

27. Spend the night at a hotel and stamp out the next day.

28. When you arrive back in the US, the immigration officer will stamp you in and you’re home again.

What a trip!!!!

My advice is this: Get the extra pages right off the bat when you apply for a passport if you intend to travel to Africa!!!

On the Road again

I'm sorry about not blogging more often. Time seems to just fly.
It's time for another conference in Kenya. I will return on June 17.

Wonderful Kenya

It's early morning in the Chyulu Hills, where Campi Ya Kanzi is located between Amboseli and Tsavo National Parks. The full moon is still high in the sky, Kilimanjaro is already crystal clear in the far distance and who would stand there posing in front, but this lovely giraffe! What a picture perfect morning.

I've just returned from a conference in Kenya that included visiting 3 camps: Campi Ya Kanzi, SaSaab, north of Samburu National Park and Bateleur Camp in the Masai Mara, next to Kichwa Tembo, both operated by andBeyond.

This trip was an "eco-friendly" safari, learning more about sustainable tourism and philanthropy. Safari operators and individual camps are getting the message and learning from the pro who have always believed in this concept.

I was very impressed by what is being done to minimize the tourists footprints on the local environment and how the local people are involved with tourism to preserve their wildlife and cultures. It's a fine dance that involves everything and everyone. I can go on and on.

The time to go on safari is now. Tourism is way down and the local people depend on us to help them preserve their wildlife for our viewing pleasure. The deals are out there. I can make your dream trip come true, creating long lasting memories for you.

Here’s the entire itinerary:

Sunday, July 12 - British Airways flight 52. Departing Seattle, Washington at 8:45 pm
Monday July 13 - Arrive London - Heathrow, England, UK at 2:00 pm
Stay at the Heathrow Marriott Hotel

Tuesday, July 14 -British Airways flight 65.
Departing London Heathrow, at 10:20 am and arriving Nairobi, Kenya at 8:55 pm.
Stay at the Tribe Hotel, Village Market in Nairobi.

Wednesday July 15 – Drive to Selenkay Conservancy. Amboseli Porini Camp, stay 2 nights.

Friday July 17 - Drive to Namanga border, a Ranger Safaris guide will meet us here and take us to the Mt. Meru Game Lodge in Arusha, Tanzania. Meet the group here.

Reg&Shell’s group

July 16, Day 1 – Thursday: Depart USA on Northwest Airlines/KLM
Overnight flight – to Europe!!

July 17, Day 2 - Friday: Arrive early morning in Amsterdam
Depart on KLM 569 / Northwest Airlines 8383
Depart Amsterdam 10:30am / Arrive Kilimanjaro 7:55pm (8hr 25min flight), local time
Overnight at Mount Meru Game Lodge, Arusha, Tanzania

July 18, Day 3 – Saturday: Full day safari in Arusha National Park with picnic lunch. Dinner and overnight at Mt. Meru Game Lodge; all meals

July 19-20, Day 4 & 5 – Sunday & Monday: 8:00am flight to Grumeti airfield in the Western Serengeti; 2 nights at The Mbalageti Serengeti Tented Camp, all meals

July 21 & 22, Days 6 & 7 – Tuesday & Wednesday: Game drive on route to Northern Serengeti; 2 nights at Migration Camp, fully inclusive of meals, local drinks and laundry

July 23, Day 8 - Thursday: Drive to Ngorongoro Crater via Olduvai Gorge (all day drive); 1 night at Ngorongoro Crater Sopa Lodge, all meals

July 24 & 25, Day 9 & 10 – Friday & Saturday: Game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater; drive to Lake Manyara; 2 nights at Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge, all meals

July 26, Day 11 - Sunday: Drive to the Namanga border with stop in Arusha for lunch, (4 hours including immigration) then 2 hours to Amboseli’s Ol Tukai Lodge, all meals

July 26-28, Day 11, 12 & 13 – Sunday, Monday & Tuesday: 3 nights at Ol Tukai Lodge, Amboseli, Kenya; game drives in Amboseli NP, all meals

July 29, Day 14 - Wednesday:
Early morning flight via Wilson airport, Nairobi to the OlKiombo airstrip, Masai Mara
July 29-31, Day 14, 15 & 16 – Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 3 nights at the Mara Intrepids, Masai Mara, all meals

Reg&Shell’s group:
August 1, Day 17 - Saturday: 2Pm flight to Nairobi
Dinner at Pampas Grill Restaurant before your check-in at 7pm
Depart KLM 566 / Northwest 8566 at 10:10pm
August 2, Day 18 - Sunday: arrive Amsterdam at 5:30am

Tom & Kristina:
Saturday, August 1: Transfer to Naibor Camp for 3 nights. Pick up at OlKiombo at 2pm.

Tuesday, August 4 – Air Kenya flight from OlKiombo at 1400h, arrive Wilson at 1500.
High Tea with Kennedy and VAL
British Airways flight 64. Departing Nairobi, Kenya at 11:40 pm

Wednesday, August 5 - Arrive London - Heathrow, England, UK at 6:20 am.
British Airways flight 49: Depart London - Heathrow at 3:15 pm and arriving Seattle at 4:45 pm.

Bibi's Family Safari was a great success

This was the most fabulous family safari I have ever had the pleasure to escort. They were all full of fun and in high spirits every day. Everyone was ready to go and explore. There was no whining, no complaints, only smiles, jokes and WOWs!

I think the best way to tell their story is to let them do it, so I asked:
What was your favourite activity?
Here are some answers.

1. I liked the game drives in the Masai Mara the best and being so close to the animals was very special.

See all the hippos in the Mara river behind us?

2. I thought the balloon ride was the most exciting and memorable event.

3. The balloon ride above the migration was my favorite! Seeing all the animals from above was just awesome!!! the landing was cool too.

4. We liked all the activities; it was such a nice variety. The balloon ride was special though.

5. My favourite activity was the game drives all over, but the very best was with the guides in Tanzania because we got to know them for a long period and they were so good at seeing the animals.

6. It’s too hard to pick just one favourite activity; everyday brought something new and exciting.

7. The Serengeti and the Masai Mara were my favourite game drives, but my one single favorite activity was our visit to the village, J’s Paradise at Lake Victoria. What an eye-opening experience and one I will never forget.

8. I enjoyed the visit to the Maasai village

9. Spending time with Sokoine at Ol Tukai.

10. Visiting the Maasai village school was a highlight!

11. Seeing Charles Bies working at his craft and seeing all the animals and watching elephants at Ol Tukai …

12. Sokoine learning to play Uno was special …. The Hot Air Balloon over the Mara … everything!

13. Visiting Charles Bies, the Makonde woodcarver was memorable.

14. Every day was amazing. The best day was when we saw the lions kill a zebra because it was a once in a lifetime thing to see with your own eyes.

15. Game drives in the Serengeti. Balloon ride. Everything! Visiting the villages was incredible.
16. Loved the drives: Serengeti with the lion kill (what a thrill)!

17. Mara drives with all the lions, cheetahs and the Mara River crossing of the wildebeests.

Namibia, Land of Contrasts

For Tom's 60th Birthday, I'm taking him to Namibia. Our itinerary looks like this:

19-Nov - Depart Seattle at 07:10am
20-Nov - Arrive Johannesburg at 05:05pm; Spend one night at the Intercontinental Airport Sun at the airport

21-Nov - Arrive Namibia; Spend one night at Olive Grove Guest House in Windhoek
22-Nov - Arrive at Kulala Desert Lodge for 2 nights
23 Nov - Balloon Safari over Sossusvlei Dunes
24-Nov - Spend one night at the Stiltz in Swakopmund; enjoy a desert tour
25-Nov - Arrive at Damaraland Camp for two nights in Damaraland

27-Nov - Arrive at Serra Cafema in Kunene for 2 nights

This is where the Himba people live. This Himba woman is putting a special cream of fat and ochre on her body, which gives them that beautiful and mystical red shine.

29-Nov - Arrive at Ongava Tented Camp, Etosha Pan, for two nights and at Little Ongava for one night

2-Dec - Arrive at Okonjima Camp for two nights and learn about their Cheetah Rescue program

4-Dec - Arrive at Hotel Heinitzburg in Windhoek

5-Dec - Arrive Johannesburg; drive to Madikwe for 5 nights at Jaci's Safari Lodge and Tree Camp
8-Dec - Celebrate Tom's 60th at Jaci's in style!
10-Dec - Depart J-burg at 9:05pm
11-Dec - Arrive back in Seattle

Join Wonky Tusk on Safari with Jonathan Scott & Phil Berry

A Safari with Jonathan Scott & Phil Berry in conjunction with WinWin Vacations & Kristina Trowbridge, are your expert guides for this one of a kind unique week in the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia. this truly is "A once in a life-time opportunity". Please inquire about availability ASAP as this opportunity will not last long. Space is extremely limited.

Oct 31-Nov 3rd: Arrive early and spend 3 incredible days in the Lower Zambezi with Jonathan Scott and Kristina Trowbridge as your guide and escort. Jonathan Scott is a famous wildlife photographer and author. He can be seen on the Animal Channel presenting from the BBC fame: The Big Cat Diary and Elephant Diaries. Chongwe River Camp have won the Zambia Tourism Award for the "Best Retreat in Africa" as well as the "Best Safari Accommodation" for 2009.

Chongwe River House as been especially chosen for its size so that a maximum of 6 guests, plus Jonathan can enjoy a private safari. The house stands on the banks of the magical Chongwe River, close to the Zambezi, with a sensational view of the dramatic mountainous escarpment beyond. Many animals come to the Chongwe River to drink and from the deck the game viewing can be as good as any safari activity. On both the mornings and the afternoons of Nov 1 & 2, you will head off in search of game. The Lower Zambezi is famed for its water-based activities and so, as well as game drives there will be opportunities to get out onto the Zambezi and photograph from a different vantage point - or perhaps go fishing. You will have the House & guide to yourselves and so will be able to make it home.

The main event happens from November 3-10:
After making your own way to Lusaka International Airport, you will be met and assisted through immigration and onto your connecting flight to Mfuwe. A representative from the Bushcamp Company will meet you upon arrival at Mfuwe Airport, where you will be transferred to Mfuwe Lodge by road – the journey takes approx. 45 mins on mainly tar roads, through local villages and into the park.

Wonky Tusk is demanding service by ringing the bell on the concierge desk. She can't find her key, which she left right here last year when she checked out!

Can you find your key?

Having settled in, you will have the opportunity to meet the other guests, hosts and guides for a welcome talk and introduction to the park. After tea will be your first outing with Jonathan & Phil and a sundowner will be followed by a night drive.

Every morning you will be woken early by the dawn chorus. Mornings are cooler and the game is more active, the light perfect for photography. Following a light breakfast you will head off into the park with Phil or Jonathan in search of photographic opportunities and interesting wildlife. Each day will be different with meals in the bush, picnics or lunch back at the lodge. During siesta you will have a chance to unwind, enjoy the Bush Spa, relax by the pool, share stories with fellow travelers or enjoy the view from your deck.

Most days Jonathan will also be available to give one-to-one photographic advice. Another highlight will be before tea each day when Jonathan, Phil & representatives from local conservation organizations (African Wild Dog Conservation Zambia - AWDC & the South Luangwa Conservation Society—SLCS) will be giving talks & presentations. Then, after tea, you will head out once more with either Jonathan or Phil in search of game and night drive back to the lodge in time for drinks & dinner.

Every year in the beginning of November, when the mangos are ripe, Wonky Tusk brings her family right through the lobby of the Mfuwe Lodge to get at the fruit on the mango tree on the other side. Nothing will stop her. This tree was here before the lodge was built and her mother and grandmother came here too. Elephants don't forget.

November 10-16: Add on another week with the legendary Phil Berry at the Africa House & Fruit Bat Extension. Stay 3 nights at Shiwa Ng'andu and 3 nights at Kasanka. Phil Berry is one of Zambia's most prominent naturalists & guides. Having grown up in remote areas of Southern Africa, he always planned to spend his life involved with wildlife. In 1960 he joined the Northern Rhodesia Game Department and spent many years based in the South Luangwa. In 1973 he left the Game Department to establish the Zambia National Tourist Board's walking safari camps in Luangwa, but was later seconded to run the anti-poaching field operations for Save the Rhino Trust. Since 2000, Phil, along with his partner, Babette Alfieri, has run the long established Kuyenda Bushcamp (which Phil founded in 1991) from where he leads walking safaris. For the last 40+ years Phil has been at the forefront of shaping various aspects of conservation in Luangwa. His specialities are the endemic Thornicroft's giraffe, found only in Luangwa, & leopard. He has been documenting the behavior of both species for the past 35 years on which he is a recognized authority and has published scientific papers and an article in BBC Wildlife Magazine on the giraffe.
You will be taken to Mfuwe Airport to join Phil (& his partner Babette) for a scenic flight up to Shiwa Ng’andu, where you will be hosted by Charlie & Jo Harvey. For 2 days, you will have the run of the house and Sir Stewart’s library. Outdoors you can go game viewing, boating, fishing, bird watching, horse riding, on river walks, historical tours of the estate or to the Kapishya Hot Springs. On Nov 13, you leave Shiwa for Kasanka. Your charter flight will stop over enroute at Bangweulu, where you will have the chance to drive amongst massive herds of thousands of Black Lechwe, then fly on to Kasanka for 3 nights. Kasanka hosts a unique wildlife spectacle every year, when millions of Straw-colored Fruit bats assemble to roost in an area of forest there. Join Phil at twilight to watch the bats fill the sky, as they leave their roost site to feed. During the day you will go in search of a variety of unusual Zambian wildlife including sitatunga, Bohm’s bee-eaters & Ross’s Louries.

Snow Geese of Skagit Valley

This is not in Africa. This is an hour's drive north of Seattle in the Skagit Valley, also known for its tulip fields. Those will bloom in about a month when the snow geese head north again. Right now the fields are yellow with daffodils.

Snow geese spend their summers in Alaska, but in winter they flock by the thousands to the warmer climate of the Skagit Valley.

Nowadays, after the January duck hunting season, they have been seen in big gaggles of many thousands of birds together feeding, like what I saw.

Local farmers plant winter wheat, which is just what the snow geese needs to fill up on and get fat before they fly back north.

The swans were fewer in numbers and all spread out pretty far away. Bald eagles and other raptors are also commonly seen. Here are some pictures from Sunday, February 21, 2010:

What a gorgeous day in Seattle! WOW! Never mind the Olympics going on just 2 hours away in Vancouver. Today I went just 1 hour north, half-way, to see the snow geese in the Skagit Valley with Mt. Baker in the background.

Yes, Mount Baker is in Washington state, USA. People in British Columbia think they have a better view of it and sometimes they do, but not today.

I have posted an album on Facebook here or cut and paste this link into your browser:

3 new words: Fimmvörduháls, Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull

I'm taking Tom to Iceland for 5 days from April 1-5, 2010. Not sure if we’ll be able to see the eruption. Tom sure wants to though. I'm not sure I want to hike 6 hours each way in the cold to where you can see it. The weather forecast calls for snow this Easter weekend. Fimmvörduháls is a passage between two glaciers, Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. This is where the eruption is taking place.

Here's our itinerary.
04/01/2010 depart Seattle to Keflavik on FI 680 4:30 PM - 6:45 AM
The FlyBus waits for each incoming flight at the curb outside the Arrivals Hall.
3 nights at Icelandair Hótel Loftleiðir in Reykjavik
Icelandair Hotel Loftleiðir guarantees early checkin from 9am, plus you’ll enjoy a breakfast upon arrival.

Icelandair Hotel Loftleidir is centrally located at the domestic airport in a peaceful seacoast area in Reykjavik just west of restaurant Perlan, on the beautiful Oskjuhlid Hill.
The Icelandair Hotel Loftleiðir offers four-star accommodation in beautifully renovated surroundings. The hotel features 220 rooms and a Presidential suite. The rooms all encompass warm and inviting décors with rich colours and fine linens. The hotel has five different room types including Standard, Superior, Poet, Deluxe and Gimli Suite. All rooms are equipped with a phone, TV and refrigerator. On the ground floor there is an excellent restaurant and bar. The Loftleiðir also has a large indoor swimming pool, Chinese foot massage parlour (discount for guests), hairdresser, souvenir shop and a bank. A free shuttle bus takes visitors to the Old Town Reykjavík area five times a day. For those who like to walk, an easy path can bring you to the Old Town area in about 20 -25 minutes. Hotel Loftleiðir is found near one of Reykjavík's main beauty spots, at Öskjuhlíð Hill, with striking landscapes carved by the last ice age. The Pearl, located on the hill, offers stunning views of the city. Wooded pathways are an ideal way to enjoy the scenery or a morning walk or jog.

12:00 pm Depart Hotel for Golden Circle Express Tour for 5,5 hours
A motorcoach picks you up directly from the hotel and departs for the Golden Circle Tour which presents some of Iceland’s “must see” sights such as the world-famous Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss. In one afternoon you encounter a spectacular cross-section of Iceland's natural wonders and geological phenomena. The Geysir geothermal area has spouting springs, bubbling pools of mud, hot water and exploding geysers with the famous Strokkur shooting water 100 feet into the air every ten minutes.
Gullfoss (The Golden Waterfall) queen of Icelandic waterfalls is Iceland's most famous waterfall, and one of the natural wonders of the world. On a sunlit day, the mist clouds surrounding the hammering falls are filled with dozens of rainbows, providing an unparalleled spectacle of colour and motion.

Saturday April 3rd - is Pamper Day at a five star health & spa resort in Reykjavík
The health & spa resort opened January 2004 is situated in a valley known as Laugardalur, “Hot Spring Valley”, a beautiful leisure area blessed with hot springs, complete with botanical gardens, a family zoo and an activity park. Laugar, an 18,000-square-metre health and swimming resort, has a full-sized outdoor pool and an Olympic-sized indoor pool, seven Jacuzzis and a big thermal pool for family fun. Other facilities at Laugar include a gym, spa, beauty- and a massage salon, restaurant, hairdressing salon and a sports shop. In the spa you enter an aquatic heaven where you can indulge both body and soul. Indulge yourself in six different saunas and steam rooms, each with its own aromatherapy experience. Enjoy the Jacuzzis with hot and cold subterranean sea water and the massage jet showers. End your stay in the relaxation room equipped with comfortable chairs and a cozy fireplace.

This evening we'll embark on the Northern Lights & Lobster - Jeep Tour: We head for the south coast into the dark night away from the lights of the city. Once we are outside of the city, we'll begin our hunt for the beautiful Aurora Borealis, while the guide tells us stories about this striking phenomenon, often seen dancing around in fantastic colors across the Arctic sky. The Northern lights originate from the sun, where large explosions and electronic storms throw flares and solar particles deep into space. These clouds of solar particles are caught by the Earth's magnetic field on the south and north poles. The solar particles collide with the atmospheric gases and create this wonderful light effect, known as the Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights. Next we will visit the black sand beaches of the south coast for a little taste of Icelandic delicacies! As we continue our quest for the northern lights we drive to one of Iceland's most renowned seafood restaurants for an unforgettable lobster feast. And, after this delicious dinner we drive into the night and look out for the mysterious lights once again as we head back to Reykjavík.
• Guided Super truck tour
• Lobster feast and Icelandic schnapps
Please note that the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and sightings, therefore, cannot be guaranteed. Please wear warm clothing as winter nights in Iceland can get quite cold.

Sunday April 4th - is a full day tour: 8:30am Depart for the South Shore Adventure Guided Tour for 10 hours. The coach picks you up directly from the hotel and departs for the South Shore Adventure which is ideal for nature lovers of all kinds. There are over 10,000 waterfalls in Iceland and during this excursion you will experience up close and personal two of the country’s most stunning falls: Seljalandsfoss where visitors can walk behind the waterfall, and the thundering Skógarfoss where you can walk up to the falls and feel the refreshing spray of water on your face. From there the route follows along the South Coast of Iceland as far east as Vík in Mýrdal, a charming village surrounded by striking bird cliffs. Highlights of the day are stunning views of glaciers, black sand beaches and bizarre lava formations.

Monday April 5th - Departure for Seattle, but with a Blue Lagoon Twist

11AM:Morning departure by motorcoach to the amazing Blue Lagoon - renowned for its restorative and healing powers. Get pampered with a relaxing massage in the lagoon itself, using treatments made from the unique, active Blue Lagoon silica salts. Your confirmation information will show you the time reserved for your 10 minute massage. After your swim, you might opt for a light lunch at the excellent Lava Restaurant offering a view over the lagoon and its spectacular surroundings.
Afternoon transfer via coach to Keflavík International Airport for your departure flight (Blue Lagoon is 15 minutes from airport.)
04/05/2010 Depart Keflavik to Seattle on FI 681 5:00 PM - 5:45 PM

Fire and Ice, Volcanic Eruptions, Waterfalls and Rainbows, Evil Lava and Delicate Moss

We're back from Iceland and what an experience it was.
Iceland is a land of contrasts: Fire and Ice, Waterfalls and Rainbows, Evil Lava and Delicate Moss, Violent Eruptions and Jagged Lava Flows, Smooth Glaciers and Deep Crevasses, Gentle Rivers and Big Rapids, Fissures and Lagoons opening up inside your house, Mid-Atlantic Rift, NO TREES! Icelandic horses, Iceland Lobsters are the best I ever tasted - small, soft, sweet and delicious!!! Hmmm GOOD!!

We really lucked out with the weather in Iceland, especially since the forecast was awful. But it turned 180 degrees and we had cool sunny weather with clear skies for 3 full days. We were able to drive up to the volcano (take a look at some of Tom’s videos) and we saw the Northern Lights 2 nights in a row.

I’ve posted my highlight pictures with a few comments on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=54300&id=1025908296&l=a40dccb199

Tom has posted all our pictures and videos here: http://tomtrowbridge.com/

Here are some of the highlights: