Geology Holidays

Goa is situated on the West coast of India and is home to stunning beaches, ancient buildings and bags of culture. When the Portuguese first landed in Goa in the 16th Century as merchants they left behind a strong Portugese influence which existed until the 1960’s. You can experience incredible plants, animals and people – a true once in a lifetime holiday. You name it, Goa has it.

India has complex geology as the whole Country has moved around. It moved from the South of the Earth where it collided with the rest of the Asian Continent, creating the Himalayas. It has also faced mass periods of Volcanic activity (The Deccan Traps), meteors landing (the Lonar Crater) and massive folding and breaking of the rocks that helped to form the Western Ghats that run through Goa. The Western Ghats are not mountains, they are part of a massive fault/crack in the ground.

A great holiday offer;



A great hotel offer;

Masca is a small village set in the middle of the Teno Mountains in the Buenavista del Norte area of Tenerife. The winding roads through the mountains give you breath taking views of the island and the mountains. There is a small square and church in the town and a great bar that sells gifts and cactus ice cream – a must try in the hot weather of Tenerife. Masca is known as the most beautiful village on Tenerife and it is not hard to see why.

Masca Canyon is incredible. It leads you down to the ocean where you can relax before taking a walk back up to the village, or you can hire a local and their boat to collect you at the bottom and take you for a boat ride. Masca Canyon is full of interesting rocks held in its high steep cliff like sides. The canyon used to flow with water and even 400 years ago Columbus noted it. The sides of the canyon have little ledges where sediment and ancient soils can still be found, these have been used to prove the existence of a once free flowing river.

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Lake Garda is home to the rich and famous, with it’s great climate, stunning views and clear blue waters who can blame them!  Home to beaches, mountains and more water sports than you can image and the Italian laid back way of life Lake Garda is a must visit! Incredible food, shopping and tranquility are just some of the highlights of Lake Garda.

Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake at an impressive 143 sq miles and 1,135 ft deep. Two thirds of the lake is a narrow fjord enclosed by mountains including Monte Baldo, the South of the lake widens to 11miles across and is surrounded by rolling hills and stunning views. The area was formed when ancient glaciers and ice sheets moved across the land cutting deep crevices in the rocks.

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Bled is a small town set in stunning scenery in the North West of Slovenia. Romantic castles with bags of history and medieval villages are just a few of the sights you will see. Ideal in summer or winter this village really is a great holiday destination. Check out the famous Bled Castle that over looks Lake Bled, which is home to a tiny white church on an island, you don’t have to swim to it, there are boats!

Bled is situated in the Julian Alps (named after the Julian Roman Emperors) and is overlooked by Mount Triglav which is Slovenia’s highest point, and gives name to Triglav National Park. Standing at an impressive 2,864m Triglav stands between the two rivers, Soca and Sava and is home to the Triglav Glacier which is 280m deep! Most of the mountains in the area are made from limestone and have many exceptional fossils in them including Triassic fish from 210 million years ago! See what you can find!

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You can’t beat Cape Town for sun, sand, sea and lot’s of great memories. It has everything you need for a great holiday – bars, shops, cafe’s, beaches, mountains and friendly people. Great wines are an added bonus! If you like outdoor adventure then hit the waters for a dive or the mountains for a hike.

The Cango Caves are truly spectacular, they formed millions of years ago when water began trickling down a small ridge of limestone that runs parallel to the Swatberg Mountains. They now stretch for over 3 miles, the largest cavern being 107m long and 6m high. The caves are situated near Oudtshoorn which is famous for Ostrich, you can even have a ride on one at one of the farms!

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Kemer is a seaside resort found on the Mediterranean Coast of Turkey. The western Taurus Mountains lay behind the town and until recently the town was only accessible by boat. The town has everything you need to enjoy a relaxing holiday including bars and cafe’s or for the more adventurous you can try diving the ‘Three Islands’ visits the Beldibi Caves or take a walk or jeep ride up the Taurus Mountains.

The Chimaera was an ancient Greek fire-breathing  monster which gives its name to this phenomenon. The Chimaera is a place where gas seeping from deep within the Earth spontaneously catches fire. Although this is great witnessed in the day, it’s recommended you go at sunset and take a torch for the walk back down. It is truly mystifying!

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Bansko is found in the South West of Bulgaria, right at the foot of Mount Pirin. It is a town that is beautiful all year round, in the summer the lakes come alive with their crystal clear waters and the slopes of the mountains spring to life with various plants, trees and animals. The winter is dedicated to all things Ski, Snowboard and all other winter sports.

The Pirin Mountains are a mixture of Granite, Limestone and Marble. They run for around 38 miles and are 25 miles wide. The highest peak, Vihren is 2,914m high with another 60 plus peaks rising above 2,500m. You will also find waterfalls in the mountains, such as Poinolashki, and major rivers such as Mesta and Struma which both take their source from lakes such as Popova showing just how important water is the mountain range, helping to shape its ever changing appearance.

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Sharm El Sheikh is the place to go if you love to dive, want to try diving or fancy some snorkelling. It has clear tropical waters brimming with all the colours you can imagine, fish, coral reefs and wrecks are just some of the things you can discover. If diving isn’t for you then why not relax on the long stretches of white sandy beach. Or the local bedouin tribes with their colourful tents or the desert or the mountains. You will never be stuck for something to do.

Geologically, Sharm El Sheik is very interesting, from Mt Sinai, to the Sulphur Springs, the desert, the beaches, the underwater geology and the Sinai Peninsular itself. One of the most fascinating and incredible sites to see is the Coloured Canyon. Yellows, blues, reds, purples and greens are amongst some of the colours you will see in the canyons. Here old rivers have cut their way through the rocks creating incredible views of the layers deposited through time.

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Cape Town is not only the Capital city of South Africa, it is also home to incredible long beaches, clear waters and a phenominal harbour. Sample some of the finest wines the world has to offer along with some great food whilst overlooking the harbour, Cape Point and Table Mountain.

Table Mountain gets it’s name from it’s shape, a flat topped mountain that can be seen with a thin layer of cloud on the top (a tablecloth). The mountain dominates the skyline of not just Cape Town but South Africa too. It forms the heart of the Table Mountain National Park along with Devil’s Peak and Lion’s Head. Take the Aerial Cableway right up to 1067m and take in the breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and surrounding peaks. A short hike up 19m will take you to the summit of Table Mountain at 1086m above sea level. The Mountain itself is mainly made from Table Mountain Sandstone, Shale and Granite giving it a plethora of textures and colours.

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Santiago Island is situated in a chain of islands mid-way between Brazil and Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean, just off the West coast of Africa. There are ten islands but Santiago is the largest and home to the  Nations Capital Praia.Full of a mixture of cultures including Portuguese and African the city is alive with music, food and colour. Set that amongst some of the most truly spectacular beaches in the world and you have a dream holiday. Watersports, diving and turtle watching are just some of the things you can do when in Santiago.

The whole set of islands is known as an archipelago which is a chain of islands. Cape Verde are volcanic islands with the last eruption being in 1951 on Fogo. Santiago is made from volcanic basalt rocks, some sedimentary rocks and some pyroclasts (ash flows) meaning for any hiker or walking holiday maker you will get a full spectrum of walking environments, from beach, to fertile plantations, to baron volcanic lands.  A truly spectacular island.

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There is a great 7 day trekking guide here too.