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The cool breeze brushes against your face and the sound of leaves rustling enters your ears. The sun shines bright and it makes your skin feel warm and full of life. This is the beauty of the great outdoors, a place, reality where I, like so many of our travelers, feel peace and a sense of serenity. So take a deep breath. Imagine yourself in these destinations.
Switzerland:
All aboard! Travel on our small group Explorations Switzerland: Hidden Trails and Majestic Peaks tour is done entirely on the Swiss rail system. The panoramic train windows provide a view of the majestic Swiss countryside as you travel between Neuchatel, Vevey, Zermatt, Bern, and Lucerne.
Enjoy views of the Swiss alps in the city of Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn Mountain. This pyramid-shaped mountain was the inspiration for the ride at Disneyworld. Zermatt, the town at the bottom of the mountain, is a quiet skiing town, where travelers from across the globe take in the crisp, clean air of the Swiss alps.
The Swiss Alps are a perfect example of Switzerland’s beauty, and the magic of the great outdoors. On Switzerland: Hidden Trails and Majestic Peaks, travelers get to have dinner on Mount Rigi, just outside of Lucerne, and enjoy some of the most spectacular views in the world. The small group tour feature also lets you explore these locations with a group of your peers.
Switzerland is also home to picturesque lakes like Lake Geneva and Lake Lucerne, home to deep blue waters that reflect the beautiful cities for which they are named. Be mesmerized by the sun glinting off of the lake’s surface as you sit back and wonder why water is such an intriguing element to look at.
The Chapel Bridge is another feature of this tour that brings you closer to the outdoors. Considered one of the most famous bridges in the world, the 14th-century structure has been connecting people with nature for hundreds of years. Walk across the bridge, hear the soft stream of the River Reuss, and see for yourself why this bridge is so famous.
Costa Rica:
In Costa Rica: A World of Nature, let the sounds and critters of Costa Rica’s jungles be your gateway to a tropical world of enchantment. Hop on a boat and visit the car-free village of Tortuguero, located inside Tortuguero National Park. Experience the jungle and try to spot its finest residents: sloths, monkeys, birds, turtles, and even crocodiles.
At Manuel Antonio National Park on the southwest coast, travelers can get a taste of Costa Rica's tropical coastline and crystal blue waters. Bring a towel and set it on the sand, remember to lather yourself in sunscreen, and breathe in the sea spray. Maybe get in the water and feel nothing but the current push and pull against your body. This experience feels almost too good to be true, but it exists, and it’s waiting in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is a perfect example of the importance and diversity of the great outdoors. Here, in this small central American country, there is an array of different landscapes. Each one is vying for the admiration of our travelers. Jungles, beaches, and volcanoes are just some of the landscapes that will transport you to a different world. And isn’t that what the great outdoors is all about?
Patagonia:
Latin culture with a hint of tango, and an expanse of mountains. On our small group Explorations Patagonia: Edge of the World tour, you will see firsthand why Patagonia has become so ingrained in our historical consciousness. Patagonia, a region shared by Argentina and Chile, is divided into two by the Andes Mountains. On the Argentine side, there’s grasslands, desserts, and arid steppes. On the Chilean side, massive glacial fjords and temperate rainforests call this region of the world home.
On this tour, you will spend 4 nights on a Patagonian cruise. From your bedroom window, you will be able to see Cape Horn. Later, you’ll have the opportunity to hike on it. Cape Horn itself is the southernmost point in South America, located where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet. Watching the water and terrain of the land will make you feel one with the world.
Blue is a color you will feel like you have never truly seen before until you visit the Perito Moreno Glacier. Named after the Argentine explorer Francisco “Perito” Moreno, this glacier will make you feel small, and truly humbled in its presence. You’ve never seen anything like this before. Don't be surprised if a chunk or two of it falls off before your eyes. Embrace the loud, roaring sound of ice plunging into water. You’re listening to something special.
You’ll get close to nature on the cruise, but get an immersive firsthand experience when you're back on land with a naturalist guide at your side to fully explain the local flora and fauna. There are deer, guanacos, cougars, and even penguins.
Smell the forests of Patagonia and feel the coolness of its glaciers spark your energy levels. And maybe try to snap a pic of a guanaco or two.
Balkans/Croatia:
Did you know that parts of Game of Thrones were filmed in Croatia? Since the show, travel to the small Balkan country has gained popularity. And it’s easy to see why people are flocking to this gem of the Mediterranean. Its long coastline, turquoise waters, and complex history all call to travelers.
On Collette’s A Taste of the Balkans tour, travelers get an inside look at this small country, and reap the benefits of all its cultural and natural amenities. Travelers on this small group journey begin their tour in Dubrovnik the seaside city of Dubrovnik
Travelers can enjoy the beaches along the Adriatic coast and experience nature aside inland bodies of water as well. One lake featured in this tour is Lake Bled in Slovenia. Located along the Julian Alps in northwestern Slovenia, this place is sure to make you feel like you’re the main character in your very own storybook tale. Get closer to the turquoise waters of Lake Bled and take in its views from the Pletna boat. The boat, similar to a Venetian gondola, will take you around the lake and to Slovenia’s only island.
Find a new appreciation for this underrated part of Europe and savor its natural beauty.
Antarctica:
On our Journey to Antarctica: The White Continent tour, see what makes this frozen tundra so special and get an up-close look of some penguins along the way.
Spend a night in Santiago, Chile, before flying over the Patagonia region and into Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. From there, board the National Geographic Resolution expedition ship and brace yourself for the chill of the frozen continent.
On the journey to Antarctica, you will pass through the Drake Passage, the large body of water between the southernmost point of South America and Antarctica. Named after the explorer Sir Francis Drake, sailing across these freezing, deep blue waters is sure to bring a sense of pride in the fact that you’re one of the few people who have traveled this far.
Once you arrive, it’s time to explore. Sail around the giant icebergs in a zodiac or walk onto the continent in search of penguins. Hike to a summit for a breathtaking view, or kayak along a cliffside rookery in search of blue-eyed shags.
This is probably one of the ultimate examples of the great outdoors because it is, for the most part, completely untouched by humanity.
So bring your thickest jacket and some gloves and take in the artic chill. Watch how penguin colonies adapt and survive on one of the most barren continents in the world and, of course, say hello to the trip of a lifetime.
