2019 marks Steppes Travel’s 30th Anniversary. For three decades Steppes has pushed the boundaries of intrepid travel, opening doors onto the world’s most spectacular and remote locations.
To celebrate their milestone anniversary, Nicholas Laing, Founder and Chairman of the company, with his wife Katya Galitzine, will be returning to the company’s origins (formerly Steppes East) hosting a trip on the Trans-Siberian Golden Eagle train, reflecting on that moment high in the Altai Mountains in 1989 which inspired Nick to create the company that is now Steppes Travel.
Writer, historian, descendent of Catherine the Great and former Chief Executive of the Hermitage Foundation UK, Katya will share her knowledge of Kazan’s Kremlins, the golden domed church at Yekaterinburg and the last hours of the Romanovs. 2019 will see the return of some high-profile expedition leaders including the TV presenter and naturalist, Chris Packham and Blue Planet and Planet Earth photographer, Sue Flood. New stars include Liz Bonnin, tipped as the next Attenborough, and Valerie Hemingway. Award winning photographers offer expert tutelage.
Sue Flood, will lead a trip to capture the spectacular vistas of the Himalayas and whirling monks clad in psychedelic colours at the Paro Tsechu Festival in Bhutan. National Geographic photographer Harry Skeggs will advise on the artistic and technical skills required to capture photographs of the wildlife in Kenya, and Hugh Pearson BBC director and natural world film-maker, will lead a trip to showcase his recent work in Costa Rica with the spinner dophin’s where pods can be 10,000 strong.
BBC presenter Dr George McGavin offers fun and adventure and a fascinating insight into the world of bugs and creatures in Sri Lanka whilst Liz Bonnin, presenter of the BBC series ‘Galapagos’, will be in the Galapagos sharing her knowledge of this unique eco-system.
Further travel with Jonty Rajagopalan as she lifts the lid on Hampi and the Deccan Plateau with its intoxicating mix of culture and history or join Diana Driscoll as she heads along the world’s longest trading route passing the towering Tien Shan mountains and the ominously named ‘sea of death’, Taklimakan Desert. And to mark the 500th Anniversary of Havana and the 60th Anniversary of the end of the revolution, Lydia Bell will meander through Cuba’s colourful colonial towns following in the footsteps of the characters who have shaped Cuba’s history.
Dynamic hands-on conservation
Whether hiking, paddling in a canoe or travelling by 4X4, BBC cameraman Kartikeya Singh will share his knowledge of tigers in India explaining the need for tiger relocation projects. In Brazil’s Pantanal, clients will gain insight into pioneering conservation initiatives designed to save the endangered jaguar and giant armadillo.
Respect and understanding is the way forward
A tourist visa in Saudi Arabia is imminent and so we have a world leading authority on the region, Peter Harrigan on standby, ready to lead our special interest group tour. In Central Asia, Chris Aslan Alexander will open up a cultural treasure trove of arts, architectural gems and historic sights, on a journey through Uzbekistan while in Israel and Palestine, Steppes offers a journey though the biblical lands of Israel and Palestine, led by a team of experts spanning Middle Eastern geo-politics, contemporary art and archaeology, culture and history.