Easter Island: Poike

Poike, one of the three main volcanoes of Easter Island.

Poike forms the eastern headland and there is an abrupt cliff “the Poike ditch” across the island marking the boundary between flows from Terevaka and Poike.

Poike last erupted between 230,000 to 705,000 years ago, and as the oldest of the island’s three volcanoes is the most weathered with relatively stoneless soil.

At 370 metres it is the island’s second highest peak after Terevaka.

For those who are keen, you can also visit the top of Terevaka, the central volcano on the island.

Terevaka is less than 400,000 years old. Its lava field at Roiho has been dated at between 110,000 and 150,000 years old.

Easter Island: Rano Raraku

Rano Raraku volcano is of particular note as the birth place for the majority of the Moai statues.

For almost 500 years this was a quarry supplying the stone for the statues. Rano Raraku is a visual record of Moai design and technological innovation.

The edges of the volcano are littered with nearly 400 statues, some still in-situ with others erect on the slopes.

The incomplete statues in the quarry are remarkable for their number, for the inaccessibility of some that were high on the outside crater wall and for the size of the largest;

At 21 metres in height almost twice that of any Moai ever completed, and weighing an estimated 270 tonnes, many times the weight of any transported.

Some of the incomplete Moai seem to have been abandoned after the carvers encountered inclusions of very hard rock in the material.

El Calafate, Argentina

El Calafate is situated on the southern shore of Lago Argentino, and is your starting point for discovering Argentine Patagonia.

Most trekkers will come through El Calafate en route to Chalten and Fitzroy National Park.

Nearby attractions to El Calafate itself include the Perito Moreno Glacier – one of the few glaciers which is still advancing. There are a series of walkways mean that you can get up close to the 75 m high and 5Km wide glacial wall.

Other glaciers which can be visited are the Upsala glacier and the town has its own Glaciarium – ice museum.

The town offers a wide range of accommodation options and restaurants as well as outdoor shops.

El Chalten, Argentina

El Chalten is the trailhead for the trekking trails into the Glaciares National Park – Fitzroy!

Day treks include the Torre Trail (to Lake Torre), trek to Laguna Los Tres at the base of Mount Fitzroy, and the Loma de Pliegue Tumbado Trek.

The town is also the departure point for expeditions to the Southern Ice Field.

Other options in the area include horseback riding, kayak, mountain bike and glacier treks.

This small settlement has a variety of accommodation options.

Etosha National Park, Namibia

Etosha National Park is undoubtedly the wildlife highlight of Namibia.

The wildlife is varied and plentiful, including lion, giraffe, elephant, leopard and rhino, and over 330 bird species.

The landscapes of Etosha makes it a unique environment with some thorn and Mopane trees, grasslands, and a large salt pan.

You will never tire of driving into the park to view the animals, or sitting quietly by the camp spot lit waterholes as rhino, lion and other animals come to drink after dark.

It is situated in the northwest of the country and is easily accessible by road.