Elite Traveler November-December 2017

INSPIRE GIFT EXPERIENCES

July

For explorers BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

Offering some of the most breathtaking landscapes on earth, British Columbia has plenty to offer all year round but we recommend visiting in July when you can enjoy the warmer climes and minimal rainfall. Compass Heli Tours’ Fire and Ice trip is a unique way to experience the diverse terrain and combines the best of both worlds. The tour begins in Abbotsford with a scenic helicopter trip through the spectacular landscape up into the gargantuan Cascade mountains. Land at the foot of a glacier and step inside a secret ice cave for a one-of-a-kind picnic before flying over a subglacial volcano. The volcano is unnamed and can’t be found on a map. Nick Drader, pilot and guide at Compass Heli Tours, discovered it in October 2015 and sent samples to the University of British Columbia, which estimated it to be less than 200,000 years old, and it is only accessible by helicopter. Nick currently visits two different ice caves and explains that “one is a nearly perfectly symmetrical tunnel and the other twists and turns as it follows a creek down the glacier to the lake below. Estimated length of the larger cave is over 1,000ft. Except for the first 200ft, the cave remains largely unexplored. The striking turquoise blue hue is a result of extremely dense ice from years of compression. The weight of the glacier forces out the tiny air pockets between the crystals, which means the ice absorbs a small amount of red light, leaving a stunning blue tint.” Enjoy guided walks at both the ice cave and the volcano, but to make the experience truly extraordinary, go kayaking in the crater lake and glide through the crisp, clear waters as you take in the epic scenery from another vantage point. $3,500 per group for Fire and Ice tour. Contact Nick Drader, pilot and guide, nick@compasshelitours.com, +1 778 242 1145, compasshelitours.com

DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR …

Wimbledon, London, UK, July 2-15 Tickets $9,513 for two people on Fri 13, center court, Men’s semi finals, wimbledondebentureholders.com Stay Royal Suite, InterContinental Park Lane, from $15,525 per night. Contact Steven Sheridan, director of sales, steven.sheridan@ihg.com, +44 207 409 3131, parklane.intercontinental.com