About Marybeth, National Geographic Author, Writer

Curious Explorer. Award-winning author.

Gutsy Traveler: A woman, like travel expert Marybeth Bond, stands among purple flowers, raising her arms and smiling in front of a wooden building in bright sunlight.
Polar bear tracking and snorkeling with beluga whales in the northern Canadian Arctic.

Marybeth knows travel. She has hiked, biked, dived, danced and trekked across all seven continents – from the depths of the Flores Sea near Komodo Island to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

More recently, she tracked polar bears and snorkeled with beluga whales in the Canadian Arctic, then kayaked among icebergs in Antarctica.

Somewhere in between, four years of studying in Paris earned her two degrees – and a taste for good wine and strong cheeses.

Twelve books (three with National Geographic), countless travel articles, and numerous TV and radio appearances have built her devoted fanbase. She won the esteemed Lowell Thomas, Gold Award for the Best Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation.

Woman on cliff in front of a monastery in Bhutan
Yesterday’s Video below. A decade or more later. Is Marybeth still GUTSY? Here in Bhutan.
Marybeth in Antarctica with penguins, snowy mountains, and water—just the kind of moment travel expert Marybeth Bond would capture in a travel video.
Kayaking and camping near penguins in Antarctica.

Yesterday….

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul – John Muir

Hike through Yosemite Valley surrounded by waterfalls, or cross-country ski along the Merced River beneath granite walls, then return to the giant fireplaces and soaring ceilings at the historic Ahwahnee Hotel to sip and sample from the best chefs of the West.

The Chefs’ Holiday Special Event, in January and February, features top-name, innovative chefs from across the country who give dazzling cooking demonstrations and prepare delicious meals. The acclaimed chefs from L.A., Dallas, New York, New Orleans and San Francisco showcase a fascinating range of styles, personalities and emerging trends that characterize the American cuisine scene.

Each session features a “Meet the Chefs” reception, cooking classes and demonstrations, behind-the-scenes kitchen tours and the fabulous five-course Chefs’ Holidays Gala Dinner. Famous vintners speak about their wines from Napa and Sonoma cellars before wine tasting.

If you are looking for a culinary getaway in January or February to a spectacular place to learn a few things about ingredients and cooking, and to have some delicious food and wine, put the dates on your calendar and make your reservations now for next year!

The Ahwahnee Hotel is a 80-year-old stone, timber and glass crown jewel historic hotel   on the floor of Yosemite Valley offering views of Half Dome, surrounded by waterfalls, meadows, and granite walls. Enjoy the hotel’s exposure to the sun and stunning views of Yosemite’s icons – Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point. The Ahwahnee has been home to queens and presidents, and is a AAA Four Diamond Hotel.

For more information visit: https://www.yosemitepark.com/