2014 was an incredible travel year for ArcticTropic. We explored Myanmar ( Burma), European Russia,Siberia,Mongolia,China,Japan,British Colombia,Canada,Singapore,Philippines and Panama. Here’s 184 clips in 11 minutes. This version is natural sound,a musical version will be uploaded soon.

The bus for Ulanbataar,Mongolia leaves Ulan Ude at 7:30 sharp every morning. The trip is about 12 hours including 3 hours to cross the border and several rest stops.

The landscape is steppe and high desert, with more mountains towards UB.

The border crossing is not an easy one. While Russian customs were very easy coming in by air at Moscow, leaving the Federation by land is a very different experience. About 100km before the border, a soldier boards the bus and inspects all passports. At the actual border there is a two hour wait. No photos are permitted in the border zone. There is a baggage check and individual questioning by a Russian border patrol agent before the exit stamp is issued. The same process is repeated a few minutes later going into Mongolia, minus the interview.

ArcticTropic returns to UB.

UB continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in the world, but monastery life never changes.

For adventures in Mongolia, CLICK HERE

One week in Namibia barely scratches the surface. ArcticTropic was there in October, 2013 for the Adventure Travel Trade Association annual conferences in the capital city of Windhoek and the small seaside city of Swakopmund. At least weeks is needed to see the country properly.

For adventures in Namibia, CLICK HERE

After Namibia , ArcticTropic had less than a week to explore the vast territory of South Africa. 3 days in Cape Town was plenty, but the 1000 mile,1600 km journey back to Johannesburg via the Wynlands,the Great Karoo and the South Coast was quite a feat, meaning many hours in the car.

For adventures in South Africa, CLICK HERE

On our way from Swakopmund to Walvis Bay Airport for a flight to Cape Town. An edited version of the flight over the Skeleton Coast is soon to follow. ArcticTropic has just taken part in the ATTA Summit.

For adventures in Namibia, CLICK HERE

Looking slightly out of place Swakopmund is thoroughly German town that looks as if it could be a neighborhood in Hamburg or Bremen, but instead is one of the remotest ” cities ” in the world perched between the barren sand dunes of the Kalahari and the frigid South Atlantic Ocean. Along with nearby Walvis Bay it is 200 miles from the next town and is one of the only settlements between Angola and South Africa.

Der Kaiser is fondly remembered.

German Southwest Africa was taken over by the British Empire after World War !, but German is still spoken today all throughout Namibia in additoin to English , Afrikaans and many local languages.

A lighthouse warns ships away from the treacherous Skeleton Coast.

Just past the town line. Truly one of the Ends of the Earth.

For adventures in South Africa, CLICK HERE

On Monday morning,October 28th, we departed the desert cam for the coast. The first stop was a cheetah reserve. We were able to get up close to the slumbering cats as the sun was too high for them to chase small prey at 110 kph.

Out Chameleon Tours all terrain vehicle. Much more detail will be given about our hosts in later posts. Though now in South Africa writing this, hotel bandwidth is still extremely limited.

This tree grows where rain is scarce because the roots are up to 40 feet deep , getting miniscule amounts of groundwater to stay alive.

Flamingos in a coastal lagoon.

For adventures in South Africa, CLICK HERE

Our hosts were Jargalsaikan and his wife Tuya. We stayed with them in the yurt ( ger ) on the left for two days and nights. The encampment is in Bulgan Aimag ( an Aimag is similar to a province or state ) about 15 kilometers from the village of Gurvanbulag,where they spend the winter.

With two children of the encampment.

The inside is very comfortable. A video of daily life will be uploaded shortly.

For more adventures in Mongolia, CLICK HERE

Mongolia – with only 2.5 million people in 600,000 spare miles is the most sparsely populated country on Earth. The center of the Asian Continent is an empty spot on the globe !

For more adventures in Mongolia, CLICK HERE

Horses are central to Mongolian nomad life. They provide transportation,clothing,meat and milk. The horses are small but very strong and have a wider head – related to Prezlowski’s Horse ( re-released into the wild a few years ago) – these are the horses ridden by Genghiz Khan.
Special thanks to our Horse Guide Tanj !

For more adventures in Mongolia, CLICK HERE