EXCURSIONS TERRESTRES

Accompany Sir Ludo Shaw Stewart around his extraordinary country estate Ardgowan House and enjoy a stirring bagpipe performance and high tea. Once a solitary watch tower, the estate has evolved into an 18th-century private residence so extraordinary that it has been called “Scotland’s Downton Abbey.” Ludo, as he prefers to be called, will take you around his estate, showing you his favorite rooms and regaling you with stories of the property’s unparalleled history. He will then host a high tea for you in one of the estate’s 76 rooms, each one handsomely decorated with period furnishings. During tea, Ludo will describe the importance of bagpipes to the Scottish culture, although the musical instrument originated elsewhere. You will also be treated to an exclusive bagpipe workshop and performance. As the haunting melodies fill the room, you will feel as if you were transported into the distant past, a time when Ardgowan House first lorded over the countryside.

OVERVIEW

Unwind in paradise the moment you arrive at Resorts World Bimini. Hop on an open-air tram and reach our beautiful and exclusive Bimini Beach where your welcome drink awaits. Enjoy the soft white sand and turquoise waters of the sea all around you. Take advantage of our beach amenities: cozy sun chairs, umbrellas, day beds, clam-shell chairs, hammocks as well as our pools. Refreshing drinks and food are available for purchase. At your leisure, jump back on the open-air tram and explore Resorts World Hotel and Casino where your exclusive access to our pools and hotel amenities continues. Swim-up to the bar at our Oasis ground floor pool and enjoy your favorite cocktail without ever stepping foot outside the water. Visit Monkey Business, our stunning adults-only rooftop pool with panoramic views of Bimini Bay and the Atlantic Ocean on the fifth-floor of the hotel. Don’t forget to make a pit-stop at Fisherman’s Village where you will find souvenirs at The Reef, gelato at Amicci’s and live Bahamian inspired music at Healing Hole. A welcome drink "Bahama Mama" (or non-alcoholic) upon arrival at Bimini Beach is included in the tour.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Spend hours enjoying the expansive beach and swimming pools at Resorts World Bimini.
• Swim, bask in the sun, relax in the shade and do most anything else that you please.
• Dine on your own at the resort or in one of the many restaurants in Fisherman’s Village.
• Ride the tram that continuously loops between the resort, Fisherman’s Village and the port.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Experience the joys of a simpler rural life at a wilderness center at the edge of the most extensive highlands in Northern Europe. Even the journey there will be spectacularly scenic, as you will drive through a mountainous terrain of dense forests, thundering waterfalls and an enormous lake that a glacier created long ago. Upon reaching the Wilderness Center, you will browse exhibits that showcase the struggles of life on the farm where the center now stands. The museum dioramas are especially insightful, as they accurately depict the challenges of the area’s earliest settlers, who embraced the natural world rather than trying to control it. As you meander about, you may see adventurers returning from hiking through the wilderness and horseback riding and others simply enjoying the pristine setting. Later, you will pass through Iceland’s largest national forest, which contains indigenous trees and exotics brought from more than 175 locations around the world.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse a wilderness center that depicts the challenges that Iceland’s rural settlers faced.
• Enjoy delicious homemade refreshments in a unique countryside setting
• Drive through Iceland’s largest national forest, a protected natural wonderland.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Start your day with a 40-minute scenic boat ride through historic Nassau Harbor on a high-speed ferry to Blue Lagoon Island. Enjoy this private island at your leisure. Swim on a pristine beach, just relax and lounge in a double hammock or enjoy activities like volleyball and beach soccer. You can also visit the Dolphin Encounter’s facility and observe friendly Bahamian Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, sea lions, and southern stingrays in their natural habitat. Enjoy a complimentary lunch and soft drink – tropical drinks are available at the bar for an additional cost. Enjoy use of inner tubes and noodles. Other non-motorized equipment and activities such as kayaks and inflatable aqua and bounce parks are available for an additional fee.

Cruise the winding Monkey River, looking for wildlife in the surrounding rainforest, and then enjoy a hike with a naturalist that will explain the plants' medicinal uses.

After departing from the pier, you will soon arrive at a small village near the mouth of the Monkey River, where you will begin a leisurely cruise upstream. Along the way, the guide will provide enlightening commentary about the region's history, including how the economy boomed in the late 19th century when large volumes of bananas were exported.

Little evidence of that thriving time period remains, as the meandering Monkey River is bordered by undeveloped rainforest. Natural beauty and remarkably diverse flora and fauna are now the main attractions.

You can expect to see a variety of wildlife, including crocodiles sunning on the riverbanks, turtles popping their heads above the water's surface, and iguanas perched in the tree limbs. You might even spot a troop of black howler monkeys screeching in the forest.

Tropical birds are just as abundant along the river, especially wading birds such as herons, brightly colored tanagers and keel-billed toucans, the national bird of Belize. Toucans are easy to spot because of their large, colorful bills and how they croak like frogs.

Once you disembark, you will hike through the surrounding forest while the naturalist guide points out plants with medicinal qualities. For instance, leaves of the soursop are often brewed into a tea that reduces fever, and the wild yam has anti-inflammatory properties.

OVERVIEW

Hop aboard the vintage White Pass & Yukon Route Railway for an immensely picturesque train ride high into the mountains, following a path blasted out of the rocks in 1898, during the height of the Klondike Gold Rush. As soon as the narrow-gauge train begins its ascent, you will understand why the beloved WP&YR is known as “The Scenic Railway of the World.” The train will climb almost 3,000 feet in just 20 miles and present one breathtaking view after another, from thundering Bridal Veil Falls to the rugged peaks at Inspiration Point. You will also pass over the soaring bridge that spans precipitous Dead Horse Gulch, named for pack animals loaded with prospecting gear that fell to the bottom of the gorge. It will be an exhilarating ride on a railway so ingeniously constructed that it is recognized as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride a narrow-gauge train on a route used during the Klondike Gold Rush.
• Climb high into the mountains and behold Alaska’s majestic scenery.
• Admire the ingenious engineering behind the railway’s construction.
• Receive a collectible magazine that details the railway’s history.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Step back in time at the Beamish Open Air Museum, where dozens of original buildings from different time periods have been re-constructed to create a historical town.

Drive inland for approximately one hour to the Beamish Museum, a collection of historical buildings that have been re-assembled in the countryside to create an open-air museum. Beamish reflects two significant points in history: when the region was rural in the 1820s, and when it was thriving at the peak of the Industrial Revolution in the early 1900s.

Upon arriving, you will board a double-decker tram and travel down the main street taking in the fascinating sights. All of the buildings in Beamish are original, brought in from elsewhere, and then re-constructed brick by brick. To add even more atmosphere and authenticity, the townspeople wear period costumes and are employed in different professions of the time.

Spread over 300 acres, an Edwardian town and colliery have been re-created with farms, railways, tramways, a co-op shop, a pub, a printers and a chapel. It is a living museum of the years around 1913 showing the impact of industry on people’s lives and is one of the North East’s most popular and fascinating attractions.

During your free time here, you might visit the stables, the Motor & Cycle Works, and the Sweet Shop, where various confections are still made according to the original recipes. There is a bank with its safes wisely located in the cellar, and a dentist’s office, where you can browse the rather gruesome surgical equipment used to extract teeth. The railway station is another point of interest because it looks just like it did in Edwardian times, right down to the authentic signal box.

The luau is an essential part of the Hawaiian experience, and the cultural extravaganza at the historic Kilohana Plantation is a feast for all the senses. You’ll have the option to gather around the traditional fire pit and watch the roast pig emerge, a special treat to accompany the already lavish buffet of local delicacies and desserts. While torches blaze, graceful hulas and energetic fire dances will entertain you, and the ancient sea voyages that brought the original Hawaiians to these islands from Polynesia will be brought to life in story and song.

Join this catamaran for an exhilarating sail to Little Buck Island's Turtle Cove. Your crew will provide you with snorkel gear and guidance for an unforgettable fun filled marine life adventure. The warm waters of the Caribbean Sea feature numerous species of coral reefs and tropical fish. You can't miss spotting the resident green sea turtles gliding along in their natural habitat while stopping to graze on the sea grasses below. Don't want to get wet, relax on the spacious deck. The fun continues on your return sail - join the party and enjoy the music and complimentary beverages.

OVERVIEW

Discover the wonders of Mendenhall Glacier at its visitor center and cruise a purpose-built vessel through waters where humpback whales and other marine creatures are commonly spotted. The glacier is the only one in Southeast Alaska accessible by road, just one of the facts you will learn while browsing the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. The glacier is 13 miles long and is part of the massive Juneau Icefield, a remnant of the last ice age. Time permitting, you can stroll the glacier-view path at the center or watch salmon in a nearby stream before driving on to Auke Bay. Here, you will embark a catamaran specially designed for wildlife viewing. Humpback whales are the star attractions in these waters, but you may also spot orcas, sea lions and bald eagles. To enhance the experience, the vessel is outfitted with a hydrophone that may allow you to hear the sounds of the whales below. Throughout the cruise, your onboard naturalist will explain the behavior and habitat of the humpback whale.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See Mendenhall Glacier from its enlightening visitor center.
• Cruise a catamaran through waters where humpback whales are commonly seen.
• Watch for other marine animals and bald eagles.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress warmly in weather-appropriate clothing, gloves and a hat.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes. Bring a rainproof jacket.

After departing from the pier in a sleek catamaran, you will soon be sailing across the heart of Boka Bay. The surrounding landscape is so wild and the cliffs so precipitous that the bay is often referred to as the southernmost fjord in Europe. It’s that stunningly beautiful.

In time, the ancient village of Perast will come into view. Like Kotor, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with extraordinary Venetian-style architecture and abundant Catholic churches. One of the most beautiful churches is Our Lady of the Rocks, which sits on a tiny island in the bay. As you circumnavigate the island, you can expect to hear the legend of how it was formed—supposedly by sailors who dropped rocks in the same spot every time they sailed by in honor of the image of the Virgin Mary being seen there.

Then it’s on to the exclusive Movida Beach Club, where you might stroll along the sea, take a refreshing swim in the typically calm waters and relax in a lounge chair under the shade of an umbrella. The scenery is just as impressive as the beach, and you will have plenty of time to soak it in before boarding a coach and driving back to the pier.

OVERVIEW

Snorkel the gorgeous waters in the Bonaire Marine Park and enjoy the beach on the uninhabited island of Klein Bonaire. You will cruise to both attractions on a sleek, 42-foot catamaran with plenty of shaded and sunny areas for lounging. The park is the world’s first Blue Destination, a certification awarded to protected waters that are used for sustainable and socially responsible business endeavors. While snorkeling the coral reef, you may spot parrotfish, angelfish, sea horses and sea turtles. Klein Bonaire is within the marine park and is completely undeveloped even though it lies just off Bonaire’s capital city of Kralendijk. While enjoying one of its remote no-name beaches, you will be free to stretch out in the sun, stroll along the sugar-white shoreline and take a refreshing swim. You will also be welcome to snorkel as the marine life is sure to be different than what you encountered on the reef.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise the crystal-clear waters off Kralendijk on a sleek catamaran.
• Observe the colorful marine life while snorkeling in the Bonaire Marine Park.
• Relax however you please on a no-name beach on the uninhabited island Klein Bonaire.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes with non-slip soles.