Take a virtual vacation
We’ve tested some of the best online adventures on offer, all of which can be enjoyed from the comfort of your armchair at home.
Spot the big cats of the Kruger
Luxury travel company andBeyond has teamed up with wildlife broadcaster WildEarth to livestream twice-daily safari drives from two South African game reserves throughout April. For anyone who has already been on safari, this is a slick, unscripted production that is so true to a real drive, it might just frustrate you with the yearning it inspires to be back – or, at least, that’s how we felt. For those who haven’t, it is the best way to get a preview of what awaits you.
The camera pans between several vehicles, all led by witty and engaging guides, and the first 45 minutes is dedicated to questions from children, which you can submit via social media. andbeyond.com
Head for the peaks of Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is wonderful, but it’s often really busy and the chatter of tourists can detract from the scenic drama of the citadel and its Andean setting – not to mention the spiritual dimension of the ancient site.
YouVisit’s simple photo tour hasn’t the bells and whistles of full-on virtual reality (VR), but it features crisp 360-degree photographs from several overlooks, courtyards and terraces along with audio descriptions, so you know what you’re looking at.
It’s a great introduction if you’ve not been, a fun memory-jogger if you have – and you won’t get out of breath hiking those virtual stairways.
youvisit.com/tour/machupicchu See the Northern Lights – satisfaction guaranteed
If there’s one thing virtual travel does better than the real thing, it’s temperature control. Heading north of the Arctic Circle in winter is glorious, but it requires insulated onesies, big gloves and boots. The other thing it delivers is certainty.
If you’ve journeyed to the extreme bits of Finland to see the Northern Lights but drawn a blank, now you can watch the Lights Over Lapland’s film from the comfort of your own home, and the green shimmer of the aurora is ever-present.
There’s husky sledding, too, and you can ‘‘meet’’ the dogs themselves without their frantic yapping as a soundtrack. The perfect northern exposure. lightsoverlapland.com/virtual- aurora-tours
Up close and personal with Van Eyck
Perhaps you have been lucky enough to stand in the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent about two metres from one of the greatest art treasures in Europe, the central panel of The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb – part of the Jan van Eyck exhibition, which has now been cancelled.
Never mind, the website Closer to Van Eyck offers some consolation. It brings you almost all known works by Van Eyck and, through macro photography, allows you to go in super-close, down to the tiniest brushstroke and surface crack. closertovaneyck.be
Hop between the national parks
Led by real rangers, Google’s Hidden World of the National Park transports you into the heart of five United States national parks: Kenai Fjords in Alaska, Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park, Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, Bryce Canyon in Utah, and the Dry Tortugas in Florida.
It may be a million miles from the real thing – but this is VR travel done about as well as it can be. Interactive elements, such as the retreating glacier in Kenai Fjords, are illuminating, and the responsive sound effects – panning between headphones as you rotate your view – take you one step closer.
artsandculture.withgoogle.com Be spellbound by ballet in Paris
In response to le confinement, the Opera de Paris – responsible for productions in the exquisite Palais Garnier opera house and more modern Opera Bastille – is streaming some of its most spellbinding recent productions.
Gone are the hefty ticket prices, and obligation to dress up; instead, don your finest pyjamas and let the impeccable pirouettes and whimsical costumes transport you from our current predicament into an enchanting dreamworld.
You might even be inspired to do a (YouTube) ballet exercise class at home. operadeparis.fr/en/magazine/replay
Watch a Michelin master at work
Watch Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura dexterously whip cream, vanilla and salt with yoghurt, herbs and lemon juice, giving life to a creamy dip that he serves with zesty artichoke hearts. He switches between English and Italian, his daughter, Alexa, translating as she flicks the camera from her father to the pots bubbling away.
Streaming most days on Instagram at @massimobottura, #KitchenQuarantine transports guests to Bottura’s home, sharing tips on how to rustle up tasty Italian dishes, while encouraging viewers to get creative. The sessions are light-hearted, with Bottura’s family adding to the jovial atmosphere.
massimobottura.it Discover the secrets of the pyramids
This series of digital lectures allows you to delve into the world of archaeology without having to get out of bed. Led primarily by the Egyptology department at Harvard University, the seven modules lead you through the history of the
pyramids at Giza, the significance of the artefacts found there, and the secrets of the hieroglyphs.
But some of the video narrators detailing the science behind the discoveries are equally as fascinating. One version of the course is free but, if you are the sort of person who likes assessments and grades (and a certificate at the end), you can sign up to the Verified Track for US$98 (NZ$165). edx.org/course
Take your seat in the Sydney Opera House
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Opera House, having mothballed their plans until at least July, are intent on keeping the music going.
They’ve delved into their archives for Antipodean renditions of Stravinsky, Mendelssohn and more, plus indigenous sound and dance, streaming free each week.
Pour something strong, dim the lights and turn up the volume to get a sense of sitting among a rapt audience. You’ll find the past videos should you decide the times don’t suit. mso.com.au; sydneyoperahouse.com
Get a glimpse of the musical greats
The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles has launched a comprehensive Museum at Home programme, designed to keep music aficionados in touch with their favourite artists during the lockdown. A quick browse reveals never-beforereleased interviews, which usually take place behind closed doors. Nabbing tickets for their talks – like the one last September with pop megastar Billie Eilish and her brother and collaborator Finneas – can be like gold dust, so you’ll be thrilled that they uploaded a video of the chat.
Alongside these there are highlights from recent exhibitions, including 40 Years of Punk in Los Angeles, and music education classes for all ages. grammymuseum.org/museum-at-home
Party in the world’s clubbing capital
Dance to some of Berlin’s finest DJs, as well as a live set by Cologne groove connoisseurs Atlantik. The club, Sisyphos, is one of the city’s most lauded underground venues, but you have no trouble getting past a bouncer. The only downside is the club is empty except for the artists and crew.
That’s right: you’re in your living room enjoying a live stream organised by United We Stream. It’s a smart response to the coronavirus crisis by Berlin’s Club Commission and television channel Arte – and donations go towards supporting the currently beleaguered scene. en.unitedwestream.berlin
Dance to a new beat with a salsa class
On previous holidays to Colombia and Mexico, you may have never quite got the hang of salsa and always looked on as skilled dancers step-stepstepped around the room.
Now you can finally nailed the fancy footwork with an easy-to-follow video on Discover Puerto Rico’s YouTube channel, led by experts Tito Ortos and Tamara Livolsi.
The two exude a brilliantly positive energy and, though the video, which was originally filmed live, isn’t the best quality, it’s great fun.
Set to work swirling around your sofas and you’ll be better prepared than ever for the real thing.
Add a pina colada to the mix for the best results. discoverpuertorico.com
Raise your glass to a wine tasting treat
After-work drinks are just as necessary in times of isolation.
Bringing that possibility to our homes is a new virtual meeting place on Instagram, which you are bound to love – @winehourathome uplifts and educates in equal measure to the background noises of corks popping and wine swirling.
The idea of Lisbon-based Chefs Agency and Martins Wine Advisor, the virtual gathering at three times a week, and features Portuguese wine adviser Claudio Martins and sommelier Rodolfo Tristao alongside a different wine producer each session. vinha.co.uk