Posted by Tony Deis on Oct 28, 2009 in Tracking
April 5-14, 2010 Next year Trackers International offers a trip that I strongly believe is the opportunity of a lifetime. World famous naturalist and wildlife tracker Jon Young joins me on a journey into the the Kalahari to track with its indigenous people, the San (Bushmen). This is a safari to learn an ancient way of living and caring for the land. We walk with the San on their daily routine, tracking, hunting and gathering to feed their family. In turn the revenue we bring to them helps preserve the native lands they've thrived on for thousands of years.
In true village style, the San welcome and deftly appreciate every visitor, bringing all of us into their fold. On this trip you could find yourself sitting around the evening fire hearing stories, singing and even dancing into a timeless past. You meet aunties, uncles, grandmas, grandpas, fathers, mothers and children. And we learn there is truly no difference in how we need to care for the land and one another.
Join us on this journey, learn more at Trackers International
Sincerely, Nicole Apelian
Posted by Tony Deis on Mar 30, 2009 in South America
The 11 mile hike on Sierra Negro on Isabela Island was 7 hours of incredible scenery: the second largest crater in the world with its last eruption in 2005. We hiked over fields of new and old lava, awed at the earthly moonscape.
The next day was about watching wildlife, starting with flamingos feeding and marine iguanas constantly crossing the road. We ended up at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center and a close-up look at their many species of tortoises. We got the inside scoop of how they collect, incubate and hatch the eggs and even saw 2 pairs of these 400 pound animals breeding.
After a walk on the beach, it was back for another snorkeling trip. In the bay we watched frigate-birds at a fishing boat battling for tuna scraps with the sea lions. Here we saw the only penguins in the Northern Hemisphere, the galapagos penguin. Our snorkel started in the mangroves and moved to swimming through two meter wide volcanic tubes teeming with marine life. We even observed one more penguin above and below the water. After our snorkel we hiked a trail through volcanic formations, ending up on a beach with sea lions and their pups. As with their entire trip, their lack of fear was stunning, allowing us to remain respectfully among them.
Another new day and a another gorgeous island. A two hour boat ride brought us to Santa Cruz, the most populated land in the Galapagos. After checking into the Hotel Castro, we went to see giant tortoises in the wild. We then hiked to Tortuga Bay, the epitome of a perfect beach. It was swimming in paradise. We kayaked with sea turtles, sharks and eagle rays in the clear water below us. Dinner that night was fresh tuna and shrimp, with a few mojitos and pina coladas for good measure.
The next day, after a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station and some island shopping, we boated to the island of Santa Fe for our last snorkel. This was my secret spot: schools of tropical fish in the crystal-clear water and as always, sea lions swimming with us. The most spectacular of all, blue-footed boobies dived for the very fish we came to observe. As I watched them dip deep under water, one eventually popped up a foot from my face.
Coming soon my Andean Cloud Forest Adventure...
Come see Africa with Nicole This is where Nicole helped found and run the lion research camp. Nicole is the biologist, adventurer and guide who knows all the ins and outs of Botswana, one of the must incredible places you could ever visit in Africa. Check out Botswana June 2009
Posted by Tony Deis on Mar 24, 2009 in South America
By Nicole Apelian, Lead Guide and Adventurer
A week ago we arrived in Quito, almost 10,000 feet in elevation. There we found a beautiful old town with colorful markets, wonderful seafood and a relaxing atmosphere. After a day of exploring, we went on an amazing horseback ride through the Reserva Geobotanica Pululahaua; a crater 5km across and located in the cloud forest outside of Quito. Up and around, this journey involved climbing extremely steep and narrow pathways about 70 degrees in incline! It was so dense our guide had to cut away the foliage with a machete in front of us. The horses stepped from boulder to boulder and stone to stone on loose rock. It eventually become to steep for them to carry us and we walked alongside our four legged friends. At the end of our expedition we celebrated with delicious local drinks made of fermented sugar cane, cinnamon and juice.
The next morning we boarded a plane to the Galapagos, which is about 1000km from the mainland. After landing on San Cristobal Island we started out with an exhilarating mountain bike ride that ended up on the beach. As soon as I started swimming a sea lion stole my towel. These marine mammals are unafraid of humans, they swam and played with us like we were one of their own. Later we headed back to our hotel and rooms complete with a bed, a hammock and a wonderful local meal; of course fresh fish always being the main dish.
The next day we were ready for a full day of snorkeling. Our boat took us out to places rife with hammerhead, white-tipped reef and Galapagos sharks. We also swam with eagle rays, sea turtles and tropical fish to numerous to name. The young sea lions dodged and dipped around us like we were their playmates. Marine iguanas, male frigate-birds with their balloons all puffed out trying to win a mate and all three species of boobie birds surrounded us. After a full day of snorkeling, we went to the Galapagos Interpretation Center where we learned about the geological, biological and cultural history of the island from our local naturalist guide. The natural history and diversity here is outstanding.
As I post this message I'm convinced everyone should see the beauty of the Galapagos at least once in their lifetime. A place where animals don´t see humans as a danger and you truly find close encounters. I need to go now, I don't much time in the internet cafe and our 7 hour hike today on the Sierra Negro Volcano has me ready for a rum drink at the beach bar. There will be more to come...
Want to see the world with Nicole? Check out Africa June 2009
Posted by Tony Deis on Mar 08, 2009 in South America
by Nicole Apelian
The Galapagos Islands are are every biologist's dream. It's the birthplace of evolutionary biology, teeming with endemic species. Endemic refers to species that are found in the Galapagos (or other singular locations) and nowhere in the else in the world. So as a biologist, I make a pilgrimage this year to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his ground-breaking text The Origin of Species.
Even the great Darwin wasn't able to figure out the process of evolution by natural selection while in the Galapagos. His "Ah-ha!" moment didn't happen there. Instead, his collections and observations fed future thinking of how the process of natural selection works.That's what travel does - it allows us to bring new experiences and ideas home to mull over and let them change our thoughts and our lives for years to come. On March 16th, I will travel to Ecuador to see the Galapagos as a biologist and traveler.
Do you want to join me for my next trip? Check out my June 2009 trip to Africa.
Also, consider Galapagos 2010. This year's trip will be awesome.
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