As our Chief Experience Officer Charlotte shared on our Instagram, mastering time zone transitions come down to one essential accessory: a quality eye mask. Here's our carefully curated selection of premium sleep masks that blend sophisticated function with luxurious comfort. 

Planning an Antarctica expedition? Here's what you'll need, based on the Hotungs' experience.

Basic Layers: 

• Thermal Underwear
• Multiple pairs of warm socks 

Outer Wear:

• Waterproof hiking boots
• Waterproof pants
• Warm hat or beanie
• Gloves
• Sunglasses (for intense Antarctic glare)

*Note: Expedition ships provide their parkas

Special Items: 

One thing I would recommend is a balloon safari. These are truly awesome. It's an amazing way to see the area from a different vantage point. You lift off as the sun rises, view the game for about an hour, then touch back down for breakfast or brunch in the bush. It's a beautifully serene way to see the animals.

Do you have any tips for photography and wildlife viewing?

By James Durston

9 Safari Insights with Ewan Burger, Head of Africa

From watching throngs of wildebeest crashing through a crocodile-infested river to floating serenely in a hot-air balloon over the savannah plains to view grazing giraffe, safari experiences are becoming more personalized, more family-friendly and more accessible. Ewan Burger, Head of Africa at Charlotte Travel, explains why safaris are such a popular bucket-list experience and what you need to know before you go. 

What are the current trends in luxury safari travel?

Moments of Restoration: Cozy Retreats & Finnish Saunas 
Finns understand the art of balance. After days filled with snowy thrills, there's nothing more restorative than a real Finnish sauna. Most resorts across the country offer variations on a private sauna experience-an unmissable part of any Finnish expedition. Families can warm up together in herbal-scented sanctuaries before taking a dip in crisp, ice-carved pools-a bracing and unforgettable tradition, even for younger guests.

By Arsalan Mohammad

With Mexico at ten, the Netherlands at five, and Nordic nations filling out the top four slots, the UN-sponsored World Happiness Report recently crowned Finland as the world’s happiest country, for, astonishingly, the eighth consecutive year. No wonder then, that to the smart traveller considering a family trip packed with fun, joy, and wonder, a flight to this merriest of nations is a no-brainer. 

By James Durston

Few experiences implant themselves in the memory of better than a wildlife excursion to Antarctica.

“Summing up a continent twice the size of Australia tricky,” says Chris Dwyer, a travel writer who recently took a cruise to the icy continent to celebrate his 50th birthday. “The utterly pristine natural beauty on an epic, cinematic scale, was often impossible to take in.”

By Bobby McGee

By Jackie & Roger Harris