Jack's Flight Club ✈️ Travel News & Inspiration |
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Hey there, Travellers,
This week has been fairly incendiary when it comes to panic-inducing headlines about jet fuel shortages. You're likely wondering whether your own trips will be affected over the coming months, and unfortunately I can't give you a definitive answer.
Major airlines like Lufthansa have already cut services, and US budget airline Spirit (which had been in trouble for a while) officially entered liquidation last weekend. This uncertainty has led airlines such as easyJet and package operators like lastminute.com to reassure travellers that they won't come asking you for more money after booking (which, apparently, they have the right to do).
Don't panic, though; if you're yet to book your next trip, we're still finding plenty of great-value Flights, both short- and long-haul, throughout this year and into next. Our best advice for saving cash on a trip right now is to stay flexible and let yourself be inspired by alternative destinations.
Happy travels and safe landings, |
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Katy - Editor of The Detour |
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100 Years of Attenborough
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The man, the myth, the legend, Sir David Attenborough turned 100 years old today. He has dedicated his life to documenting nature and conservation around the world, and left us a trail of travel inspiration along the way.
Here are some of our top Attenborough-inspired destinations that we think everyone should add to their bucket list:
Rwanda & Uganda |
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We'll let David tell you why you must add these countries to your list.
The gorilla trekking high season—with the best hiking conditions—runs from June to September, with a bonus short dry season from mid-December to early February offering a second chance.
It is important to know that gorilla trekking is highly regulated in both Rwanda and Uganda, and only 90–150 permits are available each day, depending on the country. If you're going at short notice, make sure to book your permit or an organized tour before you book your flights.
Now, onto picking between Rwanda and Uganda:
Borneo |
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Sir David first visited the island 70 years ago to meet the elusive orangutan in the wild. He's returned multiple times since, working to highlight the impact of deforestation and importance of conservation, and has left a positive footprint in the local community.
On any trip to Borneo, Kota Kinabalu is the place to start (and most likely where you'll arrive). It is a great base for trips to islands off the coast. Mengalum Island is around an hour away from the city, while trips to Sapi and Manukan just take 20 minutes. Either way, you'll be greeted by passing sea turtles and colourful coral reefs.
No matter where you are, you can't miss Mt. Kinabalu in the distance. It's the country's highest mountain and considered very safe to hike up via one of the two standard trails. You can also opt to take the Via Ferrata if the usual 2-day hike doesn't sound extreme enough for you...
A trip on the old North Borneo Railway is probably a more relaxing way to travel through the jungle. It's designed for tourists and only runs twice a week, but it gives you access to more rural areas without hiring a car.
Borneo is one of only two places in the world where you can see orangutans in the wild (the other being Sumatra), and that's definitely easier if you have your own transport. It's about a 6 hr drive from Kota Kinabalu to eastern Sabah, where you'll have the best chances of spotting the ginger giants.
From there, you can drive to the Kinabatangan River to pick up a boat tour to spot them hanging by the river or head to Deramakot Forest Reserve to be taken off-road in a 4x4. You can save yourself some time on the road with a cheap domestic flight to Sandakan, where you can also join organised tours.
It's possible to save a bit of cash and make your own way to the boat tours without a car, but public transport there isn't great—this blog gives you a good idea of how to go it alone.
Alaska |
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Fans of Frozen Planet, Planet Earth and Our Planet, this one's for you. Alaska is packed with amazing sights, especially in summer, and you hardly need to leave Anchorage to see them.
Following the coastal trail from downtown to Kincaid Park will show you a bit of everything the area has to offer—epic mountain views, a park famous for being the site of a 1964 earthquake, wild moose (in under an hour, apparently), beluga whales and bald eagles.
Unsurprisingly, the summer solstice is a pretty big thing over there. Not only are there street and beach parties galore, there's also a midnight baseball game, music festivals in the mountains, and even a midnight sea swim (for the brave)!
And you will even get some serious glacier action in summer, too. You can actually find 60 glaciers within 80 km of Anchorage! Portage Glacier is easy to reach by train or bus (followed by a boat trip across the lake) and lets you get right up close. Tackling the hiking trail is probably the best way to get a real impression of the glacier's size.
If that doesn't quite scratch the itch, you can also pick up boat trips to countless more glaciers from the nearby town of Whittier on Prince William Sound.
But regardless of when you go and how far from the city you stray, prep the Attenborough voice in your head and keep your eyes peeled for Alaskan snowy owl chicks playing a game of hide-and-seek.
These are just a few of our faves, but there are so many more we'd love to delve into, like the Galapagos Islands and its unique and bizarre wildlife, or Ghana with its endangered crocodile populations. But if you're still dreaming of Life in the Freezer, here's that link to our Beginner's Guide to Anarctica again.
Let us know in the comments which nature-fuelled destination is top of your list! |
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Continuing our Attenborough-inspired topics, last week I asked you where in the world you've had luck spotting whales. Thankfully, you all have some great tips!
Here are a few of the spots that came up multiple times across our comments, Facebook community, and The Detour inbox.
Kaikoura, New Zealand
"New Zealand, South Island Kaikoura, can be done by boat or helicopter." - Jean
"The whale watching I appreciated most, however, was in Kaikoura in New Zealand. I got so much information about the sperm whales and I loved their meticulous attention to sustainability. They really educated the tourists on plastic use and even explained that the boats they used and the methods to find the whales were used in a way to cause as little disturbance as possible to the whale’s environment and communication system." - BoldHiker86402
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Canada
"Johnstone Strait, British Columbia. Lots of humpbacks and orcas in September '25. Also, Bay of Fundy (Nova Scotia) had about 4 different kinds when I went in 2018." - Mel
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Brazil
"Abrolhos islands in Bahia, Brazil are a real treat for nature lovers and for a bonus there are usually whales in the area which you visit by boat. We loved it and were not sure which we enjoyed most: watching whales play, snorkeling in crystal clear water full of fish or wandering past all sorts of marine birds that completely ignored us." - GutsyHolidaymaker46937
"I saw a rock moving once whilst surfing at Praia do Santinho, in Florianopolis, Brasil. It was a humpback whale." - IndomitablePassenger07727
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Iceland
"We had a fabulous time in Akureyri, Iceland. Not huge whales but plenty of them." - Sandra
"We went from Husavik, Iceland. It's a nice town, too, so no hardship to wait there if the weather isn't in your favour. Saw a pod of humpbacks!" - Polly
"We saw several kinds of whales in very early October in Iceland." - PeripateticNavigator74163
Keep those whale-spotting tips coming in the comments, readers! As always, pics earn bonus points |
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