Lara Lazare

Intrepid’s been a leader in responsible travel adventures for over 35 years. Their small group trips connect you with people, places and stories you’d miss on your own – thanks to having a passionate, locally-based leader showing you around and like-minded travelers alongside you.   And in 2026 they introduced these new and exciting itineraries, making it easy to explore two of the world’s most intriguing regions: Central Asia and Mongolia. Places where traditions ...Read More

  For those who relish traveling to remote and unconventional locations, the seventh continent offers a type of pristine beauty and off-the-grid adventure that exists practically nowhere else. And what better way to celebrate meaningful milestones than by journeying to one of the world’s most unique and inspiring destinations? More than 50,000 travelers from across the globe journeyed to the distant land of Antarctica last year. For those who relish traveling to remote and unconvent...Read More

When Is the Best Time to Cruise Alaska? Alaska’s cruise season runs from late April to early October, but not all months offer the same experience. The answer to “When is the best time to cruise Alaska?” depends on what you hope to see, feel, and do. Do you dream of vivid wildflowers and uncrowded trails? Or would you prefer long days drenched in sunlight with a high chance of spotting wildlife? Let’s explore what each part of the season has to offer.   May and Ea...Read More

  Australia is the land of natural wonders. Where there is marvelous scenery from Coast to Coast. Every region has its own unique landscapes to explore. Here are some of the most iconic to consider for your next visit.   The Great Barrier Reef We couldn’t start without talking about the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia. One of Australia’s greatest treasures and the world’s largest coral reef. So big, in fact, it can be seen from space and spans over 2,3...Read More

A River That Reveals Europe, One Moment at a Time Some journeys announce themselves with grand gestures. The Rhine does something quieter and more lasting. It reveals Europe gradually through changing landscapes, centuries-old towns and the everyday life that continues along its banks. AmaWaterways’ Rhine River journeys, paired with immersive land packages in Amsterdam and Switzerland, are designed for travelers who want more than a checklist of landmarks. This is an experience shaped by...Read More

In June 2019 I went to Slovenia for a 6 night stay and I had a wonderful time touring around this beautiful country. Slovenia is a gem of a country, it is very green, clean and safe country. It is safe to drink water from the tap, the hotels give you free water bottles, you can even go to a bar and they will refill your empty water bottle for free.  We started our journey in the capital Ljubljana and we stayed for 3 nights at the Grand Hotel Union which is right in the centre of the old c...Read More

I love being on the ocean. I especially love being on the Pacific Ocean. And although California draws me close every year there is nothing quite as spectacular as Vancouver Island's west coast. The west coast beaches that lie between Ucluelet, on the north shore of Barkley Sound, and Tofino, on the south shore of Clayoquot Sound are unique on the northwest coast. They're long and flat and the waves roll in attracting beach walkers and surfers clad in wetsuits. We're here for the weekend with ou...Read More

My son Adam is spending his college co-op term working in Alberta so I decided to fly out to Calgary for the weekend and take in the Canadian Rockies. This is usually a winter trip for me as our group of guys descends on Banff each ski season for "Happy Ski Week". However this time we're concentrating on golf and mountain biking in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Our accommodations for the weekend are at the castle, The Fairmont Banff Springs. On Friday we played golf at the Robert T...Read More

With a surname like Robertson you would think Scotland would be a regular destination for me, but this is actually my first time in this "new country". 2009 is a special year for Scotland: it's the 250th birthday of one of Scotland's most famous sons, Robert Burns and they're celebrating Homecoming Scotland. The Gleneagles Hotel, set in a breathtaking 850-acre estate in the heart of a beautiful Scottish Glen is our home here for 5 days of meetings, events and of course, golf. This is one of the ...Read More

We just spent the most wonderful vacation in Maldives, a string of pearls scattered over the deep blue Indian Ocean. The first glimpse you get of this fascinating atoll-formation confirms two unique aspects of the Republic of Maldives. Not only does it consist of the most beautiful tropical islands, but most of its 90.000 km² is covered by the sea. 1190 islands are spread over 26 major atolls, ringlike coral formations enclosing a lagoon, which gives the Maldives its unique paradise-like ap...Read More

Greetings from Gangtey in The Royal Kingdon of Bhutan! We arrived here by flying from Bangkok to Paro, the only International airport in Bhutan and travelled 1.5 hours to Thimphu, the Nation's Capital. Our first night was at the Taj Tashi hotel located centrally in downtown Thimphu in close proximity to the National Textile Museum, National Library and Takin Wildlife Reserve. The Takin is Bhutan's National Animal and resembles a cow with a goats head... Our 9-night adventure here is with Amanres...Read More

We're travelling on a 9-night adventure through the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan staying at Amankora Lodges in Gangtey, Bumthang, Punakha and Paro. Distances are very deceiving in Bhutan. The drive from Thimphu, the capital city to Gangtey is approximately 140k and takes 4 hours. Our driver Phunsho is originally from the Eastern region and our guide Tashi is originally from the Central region. The village where Tashi grew up is a 5 hour walk to the nearest road and school was 2 days away... We trav...Read More

Our journey to Jakar (Bumthang) along the East-West highway has some of the most dramatic landscapes of terraced farmland, deep river valleys. We stopped at Chendebji Chorten and toured the Trongsa Dzong built in 1644, ancestral home to Bhutan's monarch. Onward over Yatong La pass (3425m) into Chhume Valley, home of Yatra weaving and Amankora Bumthang for 2 nights. This lodge neighbours Wangdichhoeling Dzong built in 1857 and is very close to town for exploring and local entertainment. We visi...Read More

We're more than half way on our 9-night adventure through the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan staying at Amankora Lodges in Gangtey, Bumthang, Punakha and Paro. Our guide Tashi and our driver Phuntsho have been fabulous showing us this Himalayan kingdom. Our journey from Jakar (Bumthang) to Punakha follows the East-West highway west over Pele La (3420m) and the Black Mountains to Trongsa for a visit to the Ta Dzong, a watchtower converted to a national museum of history and culture. The Amankora Punak...Read More

We're on the final leg of our Amankora Adventure in Bhutan. After departing the Punakha Valley, we drove over Dochu La (3140m) once again and descended into the capital city Thimphu for a game of golf at the Royal Thimphu Golf Club. This is a 9 hole course beautifully situated above Trashi Chhoe Dzong. Our ensemble of 6 golfers, young local caddies and a handful of drivers and guides was very amusing for all participants. Afterwards we visited a local handicrafts shop to pick up hand painted art...Read More