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Distant Horizons

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Distant Horizons

Since 1985, Distant Horizons has organized cultural programs to extraordinary places across the globe
(10)

08/05/2024

On our long drives together, Alex talked a lot about Voodoo which he pronounced as Voodun. Voodun is a way of life in Benin, indeed, according to Alex, it is followed by more than 60% of the population and is recognized as an official religion. Our time in Ouidah had included visiting a sacred Voodun sight and I began to understand that Voodeun is more than a belief system, it is a complete way of life, including culture, philosophy, language, art, dance, music and medicine. I was shocked at the complexity of the belief system and how little I knew. As we crossed into Togo, we agreed we should include a visit to the Lome Vooden market. We got there early morning to a number of dusty stalls showing shriveled monkey’s heads, animal skins, squashed lizards and tangles of slightly moldy looking snakes. It was weird and we were the only ones there. I was beginning to question the authenticity of the market when a black expensive looking car pulled up and a young man went to one of the stalls and left shortly thereafter clutching a brown paper bag. With our western focus on rationalism, I had a hard time taking this seriously but when I thought about the bigger picture of Voodun’s underlying belief on the importance of balance in the natural world, I was not so sure.

08/05/2024

We crossed the border into Togo with the goal of visiting the “Maison des Esclaves” sometimes simply referred to as the “wood house,”. The site has been inducted into the UNESCO-protected slave trade historical sites along the West African coast. Throughout the 17th and 18th Centuries, Togo was known as the “Slave Coast.” Instead of building any slave forts on the Togolese shoreline, European colonialists built wooded slave houses where captured men and women would be held until they could be shipped out to the Americas. I was led underneath the comfortable wooden house to feel and experience the conditions in which the slaves lived. There were no ladders or stairs to help me descend to the sandy basement below. I eased myself down and tried to imagine what it would have felt like to have lived in that tiny space for weeks.

08/05/2024

I arrived in Ouidah determined to find the statue of Francisco Félix de Souza. For many years de Souza, one of the biggest slave merchants in the history of the transatlantic slave trade, sold slaves to Portuguese, French and British merchants, from right here in Ouidah, Benin. The slaves usually from rival tribes were gagged and jammed into boats bound for Brazil, Haiti and the United States. De Souza controlled it all. I wanted to understand how he could possibly be honored in a country where he had caused such indescribable pain. I told my guide, Alex, that it was not the Python Temple or even the Gate of No Return, that I wanted to see. I wanted to understand this statue and see where it was placed in the city. Four hours later after countless conversations with locals, with the street cleaners, with mothers and their children, and with construction workers, no-one could answer the question. I think we possibly got to where the statue was placed, a demolition site but I am honestly not sure. We were relying on one street vendor. But where it is now? No-one we spoke to had any idea. So has Benin just wiped him away from history? It reminded me, of course, of the debate here in the US. What to do with these remnants of the past. Is the statue sitting somewhere? Do we just toss them into the ash bin of history, purging them as if they never existed? Not a simple question. Having come to terms with the fact that I could not get resolution, I had sought we moved on to the Door of No Return, a humbling place to find yourself with the sound of the pounding waves and some vendors hoping that people like me would contribute to the country’s economy.

07/30/2024

There are some legacies of slavery that somehow were not part of my education. Today, I spent the afternoon in Ganvie, an expansive lake village on Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. When Alex, my guide told me that the population was around 20,000 people, it was hard to visualize that number of people living on a lake. We drove to a pier through a market teeming with people and then took a boat and meandered through canals with, just as Alex said, a fully-fledged community. Why here? It turns out that in the 17th century, the powerful West-African Fon tribe was hunting and selling other native tribesman to the Portuguese. Fon religious practice forbade their raiders from advancing on any peoples dwelling on water, which laid the groundwork for the Ganvie Lake Village. In the roughly 500 years that have passed since, Ganvie has developed an intricate and prosperous culture within the constraints of life on the lake. As the sun set and we watched the human activity, I wondered if the young children, expertly navigating through the waters, were aware of the heroic acts of their ancestors.

07/30/2024

Back in Cotonou, I stood in awe in front of a enormous statue of a female warrior which was erected on 2022 -another indication that Benin is reckoning with its past. Known as the “Esplanade des Amazones”, this striking bronze statue stands 30 meters tall and commemorates the Dahomey Amazons, a remarkable group of female warriors. These brave women formed the only documented female army in modern history, defending the Dahomey kingdom (now Benin) with unwavering courage. The statue symbolizes feminine strength and empowerment, celebrating the rich history of the Beninese people.

07/30/2024

I was lucky to be in Abomey during a ceremony honoring one of the king’s key advisors. As I stood on the outside of the compound, I was invited to join and sit with the audience. Extraordinary.

07/30/2024

Excited to be in Benin working on a new program to West Africa. Today I journeyed to the heart of Benin's ancient Kingdom of Dahomey and learned more about the multi-dimensional complexities of the slave trade in Benin. Today Benin and other West African nations are struggling to resolve their own legacies of complicity in the trade. Benin’s conflict over slavery is particularly intense and the government’s plans to build two museums devoted to the slave trade will likely provide a different perspective than previously

06/28/2024

Avoiding the crowds everywhere in Kyoto is challenging but a night time walk through Tenryu-ji temple in Arashiyama is one way. My only company was a series of figures guarding this UNESCO site.

06/28/2024

Great to spend time in peaceful Wazuka which produces half of the tea grown in the Kyoto prefecture. The beautifully trimmed ridges of the tea fields are like works of art set into the hillsides.

06/28/2024

Villa Kumano is the perfect place to stay for exploring the Kumano Kodo and is minutes away from Kumano Hongu Taisha, one of the three grand sacred sites and the views of Japan's largest Torii gate are spectacular.

06/28/2024

The Kumano Gaea River was a vital section of the pilgrimage route between Kumano Hongu Taisha and Kumano Hayatama Taisha and today you can sail down it accompanied by a local guide.

06/26/2024

The Kumano Kodo trail follows the pilgrimage route through the Southern Kii Peninsula. It was extensively used by the imperial family on pilgrimage from Kyoto. You can still walk it today and views are stunning.

06/25/2024

The iconic shrine of Itsukushima...more power to be there in person than any image we can admire!

The city of Hiroshima has done a beautifully graceful job of reminding us of the horrors of war.

09/13/2023

I landed in Marrakech less than 12 hours after the 6.8 earthquake that devastated clay and mud-brick villages across the Al-Haouz region in the Atlas mountains, south of Marrakech.

When I woke Saturday morning and heard the news, I assumed my flight from Madrid to Marrakech would be cancelled but it was not. Like everyone onboard, I wasn’t sure what we were likely to encounter. I had planned this trip to Morocco to visit some new hotels for future tours and to greet a group arriving on Tuesday. Instead, the past four days have been a whirlwind of assessing conditions on the ground and whether we should proceed with our travel plans.

Yesterday I was in Sefrou, a relatively poor town with few tourists. The main square was full of bags of clothes and household goods, piled high. A stream of people were dropping off donations of anything they felt might help. An elderly woman donated a bottle of water, a child dropped off a hat, and very quickly the area was full. I was told three trucks of donations had gone out the day before and they expected even more to go out yesterday. It was incredibly moving to watch as person after person came by to leave whatever they could. In village squares and cities across the country, Moroccans are giving what they can to help those who are suffering.

While tragic and absolutely heartbreaking, the media would almost have us believe that the entire country was hit or that Marrakech is in rubble. Perhaps it is because of its name recognition, but this reporting is a disservice to the city. Marrakech is said to have lost 50 of its 10,000 riads and the last estimated loss of life is under 40 people.

Whilst the tragedy cannot be undone, I agree with everyone here who tells me they truly believe the best course of action we can pursue as travelers is to support the Moroccan people by continuing with our travel plans. It’s a magnificent country whose resiliency and generosity has perhaps never been more apparent than in these past few days.

08/30/2023

As we mark the U.N.’s International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, we want to take this moment to applaud our friends and partners at Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez Center for Human Rights (Centro Prodh) in Mexico City. For nearly 35 years, Centro Prodh has been heroically fighting government corruption, holding police forces accountable, defending the rights of indigenous people, and working for a fair and equitable justice system. We are proud to both sponsor this important organization and to host forums with its leadership and our travelers to to discuss human rights in Mexico and U.S. policy.
Photo Credit: Centro Prodh

United Nations

08/09/2023

On International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, we at Distant Horizons join our remarkable partners and friends in indigenous communities across the globe to celebrate the diversity and resiliency of marginalized cultures everywhere. From the Amazigh (Berber) of North Africa to the Malagasy of Madagascar to the native tribes of the American Plains, who, for years, have graciously allowed us into their homes and communities, we’re inspired by their commitment to preserving their cultures, rights, and languages for future generations.

Their dedication to greater self-determination, their leadership in conservation efforts, and their fight for economic self-sufficiency has inspired our 35+ years of designing small-group educational tours that place local people, local businesses, and local leaders and experts at the heart of everything we do.

06/19/2023

This Juneteenth, as we contemplate our nation’s tumultuous history of slavery, racism, and the on-going struggle for equality and inclusion, we at Distant Horizons want to acknowledge our amazing friends and partners dedicated to the on-going struggles for social justice and preserving the legacy of those who fought and died for full access to the American Dream.

In too many places, history itself is currently under attack. Attempts to whitewash the past and erase the victories won across the civil rights spectrum are at a record high in many states. That's why we are proud to work with progressive travel partners, educators, and minority-owned small businesses to fulfill our mission of providing authentic and insightful opportunities that educate travelers, foster dialogue, and most importantly, inspire.

04/10/2023

Spent a grueling day at Alzhir Camp where over 18,000 women, mothers, wives, sisters and daughters were sent between the years of 1937 and 1953.

04/08/2023

Woke up early this morning to an amazing view of Astana. At the top of the Baiterek building is an imprint of Nur Sultan’s handprint.

04/07/2023

Do you know whose handprint this is? Excited to be in this capital city for this first time.

12/02/2022

Thank you to Mr and Mrs Jackson for the wonderful review of their recent trip to Malta, Crete, Jordan, Qatar and Oman! We enjoyed helping you on another trip and look forward to working with you again!

07/30/2022

Time to travel again! Guess where we are headed?

02/23/2022

Today our drive west took us Qalansiyah where we were surrounded by at least a hundred dolphins who seemed to enjoy following our boat. Not far away, in a lagoon, dozens of flamingoes basked in the sun.

Tomorrow, a bit of a reality check when I meet the supposed “hermit” of Socotra! He was the one individual I wanted to talk to and I did find him, just not in the way I expected. “HermitofSocotra

02/23/2022

The Summerland Hotel was so much more amazing that I had prepared myself for. Like we all do, I read the TripAdvisor reviews and was resigned to a basic hotel – the kind I remember in Burma years ago. I can travel pretty undemandingly if I am prepared but, as age creeps up, I like my crisp cotton sheets. In an effort to mitigate any sheet issues. I decided at the last minute, to bring a set of my own. The thought of seven nights with uncomfortable sheets was not appealing. How wrong I was. This hotel is an utter gem. Every night when I walked up the stairs to room 30, I felt blessed. Opposite the town’s main mosque, the ascent of those stairs was often accompanied by the call to prayer. At 3.45am perhaps it was not so appealing but I got used to that too. My room was like my palace in Socotra. It had everything anyone could need. It was spotlessly clean, great mattress, wonderful sheets, soft towels, air-conditioning, a bathroom with a shower and masses of hot water and a TV which I never turned on but was assured was a SmartTV. Given the speed of the wireless, I can’t imagine that Netflix would work but maybe it would have. I never tried. Infrastructure in any hotel is critical but without a staff that complements, infrastructure is pretty worthless. The staff at the Summerland are totally exceptional. I don’t know where to start but holding it all together is the unflappable, sensitive and absolutely brilliant Taha who became my friend, my guide and my bouncer of ideas. He had asked me to bring a router, which I did, and he spent hours positioning it on the roof to try and capture Saudi or UAE signals. I sat with my computer and he called down to see if things improved if he repositioned the router. I did not really have the heart to tell him it seemed to make little difference but the bottom line was I could connect, albeit painfully slowly. I had, enroute to Socotra in Abu Dhabi, picked up a luxury magazine which featured all manner of luxurious hotels and spas. Somehow, the Summerland beats all those places hands-down because luxury ultimately is about experience and on a scale of 1 to 10 – the Summerland scores a 10.

02/21/2022

I am not sure when I was last in a country where basic supplies were an issue. Most of the very basics are here in terms of food…flour, rice and basic vegetables and, surprisingly olive oil from Turkey! I have been working with the incredible, and patient, chef at the Sumerland Hotel to come up with some new recipes. We made a great carrot and ginger soup and this morning scored some lobster…not so easy! Tomorrow more on the hotel and how they meet all the challenges. Spent an hour waiting to buy gas this morning! Summerland Hotel Socotra

02/20/2022

Obviously Socotra is an island so the fact that you are surrounded by water is no surprise. The surprise, to me at least, is how many different bodies of water there are and the gorgeous shades of blues they encompass. I took one photo today and thought this could be a canvas – strips of blue. Later we hiked for no more than thirty minutes to a natural swimming pool with 180-degree views perched on a clifftop. One of the memorable swims of my life. In the east, springs of fresh water flow out between giant sand dunes and lagoons dot the island. As I was about to jump into the ocean yesterday, I spotted a whale shark inches from our boat. I was too scared to go in right there but we turned the corner to a patch of paradise and not a human being in sight. Just a vast ocean and silence.

02/19/2022

Following up on Socotra’s trees from yesterday … one of our group members asked today why almost every tree has someone’s initials carved into them. Driving around and looking more carefully at the trunks, she is right. Avoidable, one would hope, but the island is riddled with political complexities and competing power sources so I suspect getting any educational proposal in place would not be straightforward.

02/19/2022

Dragon Blood trees are stunning and to the untrained eye, the are everywhere in Socotra. The reality is quite different and today they face a range of threats. Native only to the island of Socotra, Dragon Blood trees resemble an upturned umbrella. They loom over the island’s rocky, mountainous terrain and produce a red sap, a once prized commodity that has been used for centuries as everything from medicine to lipstick to dye. Their odd shape is no accident. The island receives little rainfall and as the occasional morning mist sweeps across the mountains, water droplets accumulate on the tree’s long waxy leaves. Its shape allows it to transport the water from the leaves down the branches and trunk to the roots. Last night I met Cecile Palusinski who, along with two young men from Socotra is setting up an organization, which will soon have a page, the Socotra Dragon Blood Tree Association. Threats include habitat fragmentation and overgrazing of young shoots by the goats which seem more numerous then people here in Socotra. I am looking forward to staying in touch with Cecile’s team and hoping we can learn from them as we tread carefully on Socotra. Palusinski

02/18/2022

Located two hundred miles off the coast of Yemen, Socotra is an extraordinary place from so many different perspectives. But let's start with the trees. Today my guide, Taha, amazing Taha, navigated a mountainous dirt path through a surreal landscape to Homhill on the Eastern side of the island. We passed six different types of Frankincense trees, flowering Desert Roses whose blooms ranged from a pinkish white to a vibrant pink, Cucumber trees and, of course, the islands iconic Dragon Blood trees. The last two are just two of the hundreds of plants and trees endemic to the island. We took a coast road home with the water glittering a thousand different hues of blue. Looking down and up tiny trees and giant trees grew in what looked like impossible spots between rocks and some right by the side of the road. Welcome to Socotra!

02/17/2022

There is never anything pleasant about a 3am departure time for a flight but when that flight from Abu Dhabi is going to take you to an island that sees few visitors and is home to an extraordinary natural environment and the magic of the call to prayer, you can forgive your alarm clock a whole lot. There are not too many places left on earth that have escaped the padding of tourist footsteps. This is one of them.

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Doha Airport under construction getting ready for the FIFA World Cup! #dohaqatar #doha #dohahammadinternationalairport #worldcup2022

Water puppet performance, Luang Prabang, Laos

Two of our lovely travelers enjoying the Seychelles after a visit to Ethiopia!

Some of our travelers enjoying Ethiopia on an individual trip! If you have never thought of Ethiopia as a place you want to visit, it is time to change your mind! This is a very special country with so much to offer!