American climate journalist missing in Norwegian national park
Luhn was last seen when he began his hike Thursday afternoon, said his wife, journalist Veronika Silchenko. She reported him missing when he didn't return as planned from the trip.
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Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
Is Svalbard Still The Best Destination To See Polar Bears?
Quark Expeditions guests watched this young female polar bear climb an ice hummock for a better view. Stephen Bradley, courtesy of Quark Expeditions Aboard Quark Expedition's ice class ship Ocean Explorer , the expedition leader's voice wakes guests over the PA system in the morning before breakfast. It's day four of a high Arctic trip through Svalbard, an archipelago of islands that's one of the northernmost land masses in the world. Svalbard is famous as an Arctic wilderness of serrated peaks, tumbling glaciers, and shifting sea ice. It's also home to an array of Arctic wildlife, including foxes, walrus, reindeer, whales—and polar bears, which is what most travelers come here to see. That is why leader David Wood is waking guests up . 'A polar bear has been spotted off the bow,' he announces. Throughout the 138-passenger ship, travelers hustle out of bed and into gear warm enough for an early June morning up here—it's in the low 30s F°. Some even eschew coffee in the excitement on the way up to the outer decks, from which they'll watch the bear for as long as the ship has a good view of it. But this season, there's a difference in how wildlife like this is allowed to be viewed. The Norwegian government, which controls Svalbard, put new regulations in place that started in January of 2025 to protect this fragile Arctic environment, which last year saw an estimated 500 cruise ships carrying 26,000 passengers. One of those regulations is that expedition ships must keep a distance of at least 300 meters from polar bears. Between March and June, it's 500 meters. 'Climate change is leading to more difficult conditions for polar bears on Svalbard,' Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, the Norwegian minister of climate and environment, told The Independent . 'It is important for them to be able to search for food, hunt, rest, and take care of their cubs without interference from humans. Keeping a good distance will also ensure that dangerous situations do not arise and that polar bears do not get used to humans over time.' Other new regulations include a ban on drone use, and a ban on breaking fast ice, which is ice that's anchored to the shore or a shallow ocean bottom and doesn't move with wind or currents, like sea ice does. Polar bears rely on fast ice as a platform for hunting seals. There was some initial unease within the travel industry and media that these regulatory changes in Svalbard would negatively impact the guest experience. Paul Goldstein, an expedition leader and photographer with the cruise operator Secret Atlas, said that 'thousands of cabins' are going unbooked on ships due to the distance rule, as 'the pleasure and thrill' of a close-up encounter with Earth's largest land-based predator 'is being denied.' But how much was the experience actually being impacted by these rules? Polar Bear Encounters Before and After Regulations On Ocean Explorer , guests are quietly watching a sub-adult female from the two outer decks on the bow of the ship, which the captain is keeping 500 meters away from the bear. Before the new regulations, says Annie Inglis, Marine Biology Presenter with Quark, the expedition crew would be hurrying to get guests in Zodiacs to try to get closer to a bear sighting like this. Quark guests watching a polar bear on the sea ice from the upper deck of the Ocean Explorer. Stephen Bradley, courtesy of Quark Expeditions 'It was always based on a non-disturbance principle,' she says, where any sign that wildlife was changing behavior due to the presence of people or boats meant the boats backed off. Inglis did have some concerns about the new regulations because 'we always want to give guests the best possible experience for seeing wildlife, to meet or exceed expectations they may have.' But without the stress of logistics and time spent in lowering Zodiacs into the water, getting people geared up in waterproof layers, boots, and lifejackets and off the ship into the small rubber boats, Inglis says the experience is, in fact, better. 'The quality of the experiences we've been having this season have so far been remarkable. We're able to observe behavior, watch for longer, and people can find a spot on deck where they can watch comfortably, and change position. We set up scopes all around.' Deck Viewing Allows for Longer Encounters From the height of the upper bow decks, the view of the bear is exceptional. For an hour and a half, guests watch her pace on the ice. She breaks into a run a few times. She climbs a hummock for a better view, and finds a lead of open water to take herself swimming. She stalks a seal resting on the ice, unsuccessfully. 'That's one sign she's a sub-adult,' Inglis says. 'She's wasting precious energy swimming, running, and rolling.' The thing is, 500 meters doesn't seem that far away. Guests are close enough that through binoculars, one can clearly see the blood and blubber from the bear's last meal still staining her muzzle. A polar bear rolls on sea ice in the northernmost reaches of Svalbard. Stephen Bradley, courtesy of Quark Expeditions 'I have heard from both Quark and Oceanwide that they are getting much higher guest satisfaction scores on their Svalbard expeditions this year in comparison with previous years,' said Kassandra Magruder, Senior Trip Planner with Adventure Life, a travel planning company that sells Arctic trips. 'They feel that the new regulations in Svalbard are having no negative effects on their ability to deliver a world-class experience to their guests. From Adventure Life's standpoint, Svalbard bookings continue to be as strong as ever and we are seeing less availability for the 2026 season than we have in past years at this same time.' If seeing polar bears in an Arctic wilderness is on your bucket list, now is the time to plan a Svalbard trip.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
Cool-Cation Cruising Is Surging—5 Itineraries That Beat The Heat
Geiranger Fjord, Norway getty With 2025 shaping up to be one of the hottest years on record, more travelers are skipping sweltering cities and tropical heatwaves in favor of cooler, more comfortable destinations. That shift—dubbed the 'cool-cation' trend—is especially strong at sea, where cruise lines are seeing a surge in demand for itineraries that trade pool decks for fresh air and long sleeves. Juliet Archer, managing director of Cruising Holidays, reports a 30% year-over-year surge in demand for cold-climate sailings, saying clients are seeking 'authentic expeditions to the farthest corners of the north.' Below, five cool-cation cruises that deliver on chill without sacrificing summer vacation thrills. Bacharach am Rhein. Small town on the Upper Middle Rhine River (Mittelrhein). Beautiful aerial panoramic Postcard view with a church. Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz), Germany. UNESCO. getty Cool air, storybook scenery and walk-off access to old towns make an AmaWaterways cruise on the Rhine a natural cool-cation. Shoulder and holiday seasons add candlelit squares and steaming mugs of glühwein (mulled wine) to the mix. Amsterdam sets the tone with canal cruises and gabled townhouses before the ship glides into castle country. In Cologne, the spires of the cathedral rise over riverside beer halls. Scenic sailing through the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley brings turreted fortresses and vine-terraced slopes right to your balcony. Rüdesheim charms with cobbled lanes and half-timbered wine taverns. From Ludwigshafen, day-trip to Heidelberg's romantic hilltop castle. Strasbourg layers French patisserie with Alsatian, fairy-tale streets and timbered facades. Basel bookends the journey with easy hop-offs to Alpine towns, like Lucerne. What to know Most moorings are steps from old-town centers, so you spend your days outdoors exploring, not stuck in transfers. Summer is cool and comfortable, but late-November and December departures sync with Christmas markets. Book now Viking Cruises — Into the Midnight Sun (Bergen to London/Greenwich) Eidfjord, Norway - May 21, 2018: Travel documentary of everyday life and place. The cruise ship Viking Sun visiting the village on a sunny and calm day. Mountain peaks in the background. getty This high-latitude arc on a Viking ocean ship strings together fjords, fishing hamlets, and wild islands. Cooler temps and long days (during June and July sailings the sun never sets) mean you're outside more, actually seeing the coastline instead of hiding from heat. Itinerary highlights Sail out of Bergen past pastel Bryggen warehouses, then up to Geirangerfjord where waterfalls stitch silver threads down emerald cliffs. Lofoten brings red-roofed rorbuer cabins, sea eagles and jagged peaks that look hand-drawn. In Tromsø, stroll between the Arctic Cathedral and harborside cafes. North Cape is pure edge-of-the-world drama—wind, cliffs, endless horizon. Crossing to Scotland, Lerwick adds Shetland ponies and stone crofts, Kirkwall delivers Norse-meets-Scottish history and Skara Brae-era vibes, and Edinburgh's skyline crowns it with castle views before the elegant glide up the Thames to Greenwich. What to know Layer for sun, mist and brisk winds—often in the same day. Early summer departures give you glowing evenings that linger past midnight, while days surrounding the summer solstice literally look like noon even at 2 a.m. Book now Windstar Cruises — Around Iceland (Reykjavik roundtrip) The Godafoss (Icelandic: waterfall of the gods) is a famous waterfall in Iceland. The breathtaking landscape of Godafoss waterfall attracts tourist to visit the Northeastern Region of Iceland. getty Iceland is cool-cation catnip: glacier air, black-sand beaches, steamy geothermal pools and waterfalls that thunder so loudly you feel them in your chest. Plus, Windstar's small-ship size gets you close to everything. Itinerary highlights Circle the island from Reykjavik with a puffin-rich call at Heimaey in the Vestmannaeyjar, where lava fields meet sea cliffs. Seyðisfjörður hides a rainbow-street village backed by blue-veined waterfalls. Akureyri is your gateway to Goðafoss waterfall and lunar-like lava formations. Ísafjörður feels like the edge of the map—fjord-rimmed, quiet, absurdly beautiful. In Grundarfjörður, Mount Kirkjufell rises like a perfect cone with ribboning falls at its feet. Expect whales finning through calm bays, seabirds wheeling overhead, and hot-spring soaks after wind-kissed hikes. What to know It's winter coat and rain jacket weather even in July. Pack a shell, hat, and gloves, then enjoy those long, glowing evenings on deck. Book now Princess Cruises — Voyage of the Glaciers with Glacier Bay Alaska, USA - May 15, 2025 : Tourists on a cruise ship admire glaciers at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Comprised of 3.3 million acres of mountains, glaciers, forests and waterways, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is a UNESCO world heritage site. getty Few cruise lines have more access to Glacier Bay than Princess, and September trades peak crowds for crisp air and darker nights. Wildlife is busy, trails are quieter and the big ice feels even more alive in cool weather. Itinerary highlights Sail between Whittier and Vancouver with headline days in Glacier Bay and scenic sailing in Hubbard Glacier. Park rangers narrate as blue ice calves with rifle-crack echoes and house-sized chunks plunge into the water. In Juneau, pair a harbor walk with views of Mendenhall Glacier or ride the tram for alpine trails. Skagway's Gold Rush facades lead to the White Pass & Yukon Route, climbing past waterfalls and trestle bridges. Ketchikan adds totem heritage, creek-side boardwalks and salmon runs right through town. What to know Bring rain gear and a beanie. Northern lights are never guaranteed, but late-season darkness improves your odds—add a land segment farther north if the aurora is a must. Book now Azamara Cruises — Japan Intensive (Kobe to Tokyo) Mount fuji at Lake kawaguchiko with cherry blossom in Yamanashi near Tokyo, Japan. getty March and April are sweater-cool and cherry blossom-bright. Azamara's overnights and late stays mean unhurried exploration, local dinners off the ship, and nighttime activities in town. Itinerary highlights Embark in Kobe for easy access to Kyoto's temple-lined lanes, tea houses and the Philosopher's Path flanked by blooming trees. Hiroshima balances solemn reflection at the Peace Park with spring gardens along the river. Nagasaki layers hillside viewpoints with port-side promenades. North along the Sea of Japan, Kanazawa's Kenrokuen Garden is a sakura showpiece, while Niigata's riverside walks and sake culture add flavor. Aomori and Hakodate deliver lantern-museum stops, morning markets, and views over glittering bays. Tokyo wraps it with parks like Ueno and Chidorigafuchi—petal-strewn moats and evening glow. What to know Bloom timing shifts by latitude and weather, so keep checking the trees daily as you move about the country. Overnights in Kobe and Tokyo give you wiggle room to chase peak blossoms if dates slip a few days. Book now
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Bloomberg
Brazil Refuses to Move Climate Summit as Lodging Crisis Looms
By , Gabriel Diniz Tavares, and Daniel Carvalho Save This year's United Nations climate summit, scheduled for November in Brazil, has been designed to make history by bringing world leaders, diplomats and some 50,000 other participants into the heart of the Amazon rain forest. Now the event increasingly risks being defined by a looming logistical fiasco. With fewer than 100 days to go, Brazil is under fire from countries concerned about a shortage of hotel rooms and soaring accommodation costs in Belém, the host city selected for its proximity to the rain forest rather than its tourism infrastructure. Brazil's secretariat for COP30, as the summit is known, postponed a meeting set for Wednesday to address lodging issues; no new date announced.
