A journey to the far south of Chile – to the magical Patagonia, a land of numerous national parks, strong winds and breathtaking views.

Katja, a photographer and traveller, first set off on her own to the southernmost part of the country – Torres del Paine. This was followed by a roadtrip along the legendary 1240 km long Carretera Austral – the only road connecting the north and south of Chilean Patagonia. Although it’s called a “highway”, it’s far from it – the drive along the rugged dirt road, surrounded by breath-taking views, offers a real adventure.

In five weeks of travelling from south to north Patagonia, she experienced nature in all its forms – from mighty glaciers, volcanoes, fjords, blue glacial lakes and rivers, one of the oldest tree species on earth, to the sandy beaches and colourful streets of Santiago and other seaside towns.

Madagascar, an island located off the east coast of Africa, is the fourth largest island in the world in terms of size and almost a continent of its own in terms of diversity. From rainforests to sandy beaches, it is home to many endemic species of flora and fauna, including lemurs, chameleons and baobabs. Madagascar has much to offer, but above all it offers an unforgettable adventure.

Aleš Fevžer has dedicated his life to sports photography and in the last 30 years has travelled the world photographing 18 Winter and Summer Olympic Games, World and European Championships in various sports, sports adventures such as the Camel Trophy, Camel Rafting Challenge, Grand Slam tennis tournaments, America’s Cup sailing and others.

He started with in-camera film and developing black and white photography, and has now been shooting with digital cameras for over twenty years. He will show you how it used to be and how it is today in a fascinating journey through time.

In the spring of 2025, our family – including two curious teenagers – embarked on a 5,500 km journey through the western part of the USA. From the street hustle and bustle of sophisticated San Francisco and frenetic Las Vegas to the vast deserts, snow-capped peaks and deep Pacific forests of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Oregon. In Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Death Valley, Crater Lake and Redwood National Parks, we enjoyed breathtaking views and moments that soothed nerves and strengthened relationships. An experience that will last forever – enriched by the authentic pulse of everyday American family life – confirms R.W. Emerson’s thought: Life is a journey, not a destination.

Top musicians, known as soloists and members of many Slovenian ensembles, will present themselves in an interesting combination, which with their virtuosity and wit will present Slovenian folk music in contemporary and live arrangements, and incidentally, but just as truly, will also often come from the cauldron of the world’s brass bands. The core of the ensemble has been proven for several editions of this traditional gathering in a truly special ambience, but the performers (as is their old custom) surprise us again and again with improvisation, unique repertoire and other antics.

One of the last destinations Arne and Katja visited a few months ago is Uzbekistan. A fascinating country that experienced its greatest boom in the 14th and 15th centuries, when Genghis Khan’s descendant and great warlord Timur (1320-1405) founded one of the greatest empires of all time. Its territory then stretched from eastern Turkey, across almost the whole of Asia, to India and China. His armies were feared in Asia, Africa and Europe, and his military campaigns cost millions of lives. These conquests are now regarded by historians as genocidal, and with the plundered wealth he founded some of the great cities along the Silk Road, the trade route that linked the Far East with the European powers of the time. These architectural masterpieces, especially the mosques, still take the breath away of today’s visitors. In this lecture, Arne will shed some light on the historical  background of this mega-emporium, but most importantly both he and Katja will tell us more about the route itself and show us many interesting photos.