Whether it's a small expedition vessel exploring nooks and crannies that bigger ships can't reach, a working conservation project observing marine wildlife, a luxury exclusive charter or a fascinating cultural journey crossing continents, Steppes Travel is keen to highlight the benefits of voyaging on yachts for those who want a more personal and hands-on experience.

Small yachts allow for a more spontaneous itinerary with the chance to access more rugged and remote places inaccessible to larger boats– and there is often the necessity to help out on deck both with the sailing and conservation work which makes for a more active and more involved experience.

Here are a few voyages which illustrate the wide range of smaller cruises in the Steppes Travel portfolio, and the versatility these smaller yachts allow:

EXCLUSIVE LUXURY CHARTERS:

NEW:  Super Yacht Cruise from Costa Rica to Colombia via Panama Canal 

In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Panama Canal, the newly built and highly stylish 68 metre M/Y Variety Voyager will set sail down the Panama Canal taking in a vast amount of wildlife, culture and desert island beauty.  

This 7 night journey explores the wildlife-rich nature reserves of Manuel Antonio and Corcovado National Parks and mysterious hidden coves before crossing Central America to the Caribbean side via the extraordinary Panama Canal.  From here the journey continues through the beautiful and deserted islands of the San Blas Archipelago, before arriving at the UNESCO city of Cartagena, Colombia.

Baja California Private Charter

90 feet of beautiful mahogany and billowing sails, Besame Mucho ('Kiss me Lots') is the epitome of elegant luxury and will take passengers through the crystal waters of the Sea of Cortez that sits between the east coast of Baja California and mainland Mexico. 

With private crew and chef, Besame Mucho is beautifully decked out with 6 double cabins and all the mod cons you would expect from a modern yacht…

Spend days in search of whales and dolphins, moor at remote beaches inaccessible from land, and snorkel with the playful sea lions circling the yacht.  And for the more adventurous there are kayaks to hunt for exotic birdlife in the mangroves and fishing rods to catch that evening's dinner!

HANDS-ON CONSERVATION AND WILDLIFE EXPEDITIONS 

NEW: Sea Dragon Conservation Voyages in Search of Whales and Dolphins

The charming and fascinating whale expert and skipper, Rodrigo Olsen will be leading two research voyages in search of whales and dolphins – one in the Northern Atlantic and the other in the warmer waters of the Caribbean.  Rodrigo has covered almost 300,000 square nautical miles on sailing boats in search of the world's most elusive whale species and highly regarded as one of the world's leading whale experts.  On these trips he will also be joined by Belinda Braithwaite who will be filming the trip and will be on hand to help travellers with their own photography and film making.

Passengers should be prepared to roll up their sleeves and get involved with all manoeuvres of sailing, as well as have a hands-on enthusiasm for conservation research.

Sailing between Iceland and Sweden on a 1,250 mile journey across the Northern Atlantic, his first expedition will take place July 4 – 17 2014.  The trip will gather essential behavioural data of whales and dolphins with the help of a directional hydrophone which detects whale song and dolphin acoustics.  He hopes to encounter Sperm Whales, Orcas, Bottlenose Whales, Pilot Whales and numerous species of dolphin.  

In March 21 – 30 2015 the Sea Dragon will go in search of humpback whales in the Dominican Republic.    Steppes Travel have exclusively chartered the voyage in order to conduct humpback whale research. The focus of the trip will be to capture video and stills of the Humpback Whales that converge on Silver Banks Reef in Dominican Republic, to assist conservation research being conducted by Oswaldo Vasquez, a local whale conservationist.  Conditions allowing, there will be the opportunity to snorkel and dive alongside these magnificent mammals… and at this time of the year, there will likely be mothers with calves in tow, so a truly fantastic experience.

British Colombia:  Exclusive Charter with Photographer Sue Flood in search of the Spirit Bear

Join award winning photographer Sue Flood on the 68' Island Odyssey to explore and photograph remote areas of British Columbia's coastline, known as the Great Bear Rainforest.  With 8 private cabins, library and living area the yacht is comfortably spacious and the large deck makes it the perfect place from which to spot wildlife. 

Highlights include spotting humpback whales and steller sea lions, visiting ancient Native villages along remote shorelines and exploring the wilderness of Princess Royal Island.  Here the group will spend two dedicated days at viewing platforms to photograph an abundance of wildlife including grizzly bears feeding on spawning salmon … with the hope of seeing and capturing the elusive Spirit Bear on camera. 

The small group will trek deep into coastal mountains to explore the Fjordland Conservancy, remote springs, beautiful waterfalls and also kayak up to stunning and inaccessible beaches.

ADVENTURE YACHTING

NEW: Falkland Islands Circumnavigation, 11 – 17 February 2015

Steppes Travel is proud to be one of the few tour operators offering a circumnavigation of the Falklands.  Needless to say, the Southern Ocean can be a hostile place and sailing a small expedition yacht in these unpredictable waters is not for everyone.  However, this voyage is the embodiment of 'travel beyond the ordinary', adrenaline adventure and the chance to see some truly wild and spectacular places. 

The small expedition yacht carries a maximum of 7 passengers and 2 crew and with its size comes the advantage of accessing the archipelago's most remote and rugged areas that bigger ships and land based tours cannot. 

There will also be plenty of time to explore the Falklands on foot, accessing landing sites by an aluminium hulled inflatable tender.  Here there is an abundance of wildlife such as Gentoo penguins, Magellanic penguins, Rockhopper penguins and the world's largest colony of Black Browed Albatrosses, and the chance to visit the poignant war memorials and historic battlefields of the Falklands War.

TRADITIONAL BUT CONTEMPORARY CRAFTS:

The Contemporary Gulet in Turkey

Ecce Navigo is a traditional 34-metre wooden sailing ketch with recently renovated stylish interiors, world-class service, exquisite cuisine and a variety of options available from water sports, hiking to massages, swimming and yoga.

Available for exclusive hire only, Ecce Navigo underwent a complete refurbishment this year and now has the latest naval technologies and a sophisticated on-board entertainment system.   It sails along the Lycian Coast, voyages perfect for cultural and historical enthusiasts whilst appealing to hikers who may like to explore the rugged landscape.   Highlights include the ancient cities of Letoon, Patara and Xantos (mentioned by Homer in the Iliad), the Simena and Myra ruins and harbour towns of Fethiye, Kas and Gocek.

These are just a few ideas to demonstrate the huge variety in Steppes Travel's voyaging portfolio and to highlight some of the benefits of small vessel sailing. These yachting experiences allow for a more hands-on sailing exploration where clients are so often an integral part of making the adventure happen, and of course these smaller boats are able to explore many remote spots, often otherwise inaccessible.  We would definitely agree that, in this case, 'Small is Beautiful'…

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For further press information please contact:

Frangelica Flook frangelica.flook@cedartreepr.com

Henrietta Quicke henrietta.quicke@cedartreepr.com

T:  020 7978 4534, M:  07747 606 898

Note to Editors:

Steppes Travel:  Specialist tour operator Steppes Travel designs innovative tailor-made itineraries for 'off the beaten track' trips. With over two decades' experience in the industry, Steppes Travel fields a team of creative, knowledgeable and responsible experts committed to providing ethical, pioneering journeys all over the world.

Steppes Discovery:  Exceptional wildlife holidays focusing on conservation with sustainable and responsible travel at the forefront of their mind.By joining forces with local research projects on an Indian tiger safari or whilst gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda, or supporting carefully chosen wildlife charities in the Galapagos Islands, Steppes Discovery is able to give privileged insight into the natural world while supporting conservation and local communities worldwide.

The Traveller:  Recognised as one of the UK's leading specialists in cultural tours and historical and archaeological small group holidays, The Traveller prides itself on offering a diverse range of small group tours led by renowned experts, and their pioneering reputation.