No. 3
Celebrate Snow in Sapporo
Spend a week in Sapporo, the
capital of Japan’s northernmost
island of Hokkaido, attending the
Snow Festival (Yuki Matsuri) that
features iconic snow sculptures.
The festival, held in February, is
spread across three sites in the city,
with the 1.5-kilometre-long Odori
Park at the centre of the festivities.
Climb up to the Sapporo TV Tower
for a bird’s-eye-view of the
sculptures. At the Odori Park, one
can also take part in concerts and
events through the week, some of
which use the sculptures as their
stage. Take time off from the
festival to visit the Tomamu Ice
Village, which is dotted with
illuminated ice domes and exists
only during winter. Sample ramen
at the Sapporo Ramen Republic
(sapporo-esta.jp) and gulp down
Japan’s best beers at the Sapporo
Beer Garden to round up an
unforgettable trip.
REASONS TO TRAVEL NOW
No. 2
Track the Wolves Who Changed the Course of a River
Nobody could have foreseen the dramatic landscape and biodiversity changes
that would happen at the 9,000-square-kilometres Yellowstone National Park
in the US with the introduction of wolves. Not only did the wolves bring about a
balance in predator-prey population, but in a snowballing series of events,
changed the course of a river. Book a Winter Wildlife-In Depth tour with Grand
American Adventures (grandamericanadventures.com) and witness the
miracle for yourself. On this week-long adventure, you are guided by a wolf-
tracking expert and taken through some of the less-travelled areas of the park.
Besides the wolves, you are likely to encounter grizzly bears, elks, bisons, etc.
The landscape is no less of a wonder: you can experience the Mammoth Hot
Springs and live five minutes away from the Old Faithful Geyser. Winter brings
in an additional opportunity to ski in the park; equipment and a two-hour-long
coaching session is included in the cost. The tours take place in January 2019.From top: A
slide made of ice
in Sapporo,
Japan; a wolf at
the Yellowstone
National Park,
US; a grey whale
breaches next to
a boat in Baja
California,
Mexico.Get Close to Whales in Mexico
According to whale expert Mark Carwardine, “You can see a greater variety
of whales and dolphins at Baja California in a couple of weeks than anywhere
else on the planet.” Book a 10-day (or shorter) Camp and Cruise tour on the
luxurious catamaran El Mechudo with Baja Expedition (bajaex.com). This
cruise will take you along the migration paths of humpback whales, grey
whales, and majestic blue whales. While on the expedition, you can hop on a
kayak and paddle alongside the whales, snorkel to see them from up close,
and relax by the beachside after a tiring day of adventure. Enjoy locally-
sourced fresh food while listening to fascinating whale tales narrated by the
on-board naturalists. If you carry the lucky gene, you may chance upon
bottlenose dolphins too. The tour departs in February 2019.4
No.FROM TOP: STEVE KAUFMAN/GETTYIMAGES; JOHN E MARRIOTT/GETTYIMAGES; SHUTTERSTOCK; BARCROFT MEDIA/GETTYIMAGEStravelandleisureindia.in