Jetsettersblog

Travellers searching for a first-class wildlife and wilderness experience should look no further than the newly upgraded Sea Lion Lodge, located on the most southerly inhabited island in the Falklands archipelago.

Home to over 47 species of birds, including three species of penguins, and an estimated 70 species of flowering plants, it’s no wonder that Sea Lion Island is a prime destination for wildlife enthusiasts and those with a love of the great outdoors.

In response to a growing demand by consumers for unspoilt, exclusive, off-the-beaten-track destinations, the owners of Sea Lion Lodge have recently completed a series of renovations and refurbishments to provide visitors with comfortable accommodation, as well as work on a wind turbine that provides electricity for the Lodge. Affording spectacular views of the South Atlantic with nothing but water between guests and Antarctica, the Lodge is the only tourist accommodation on this tiny island (five miles long and just over a mile wide).

Originally opened by Lord Shackleton in 1988, the upgraded Lodge provides a superb facility for 23 guests to admire the flora, fauna, sealife and birdlife of the island.

The Falkland Islands offer visitors a chance to observe an astonishing diversity of wildlife at a particularly close distance. From late September to April on Sea Lion Island the three penguin species will be incubating and hatching their eggs, making it a magical time to visit. Pods of killer whales in pursuit of elephant seals, breeding colonies of southern sea lions, as well as internationally endangered striated caracara, Antarctic skuas, southern giant petrels, and a host of passerines. No wonder Sea Lion Island is a haven for wildlife watching and photographers alike, as no other island offers such great guaranteed viewing opportunities.

One of only a handful of sites in the world where it is possible to witness the feeding interaction between killer whales and elephant seal weanlings, the Island is being used for a BBC production called LIFE, which follows from the hugely popular Planet Earth and Blue Planet series.

Following the decline of sheep farming and subsequent removal of sheep from the island, native grasses have recovered and one fifth of the island is now covered by beautiful tussac, which provides a perfect habitat for all the wildlife and fauna which make up this island.

Commenting on the upgraded facilities, FITB General Manager, Jake Downing said, “Today’s travellers are looking for ever more unique and breathtaking destinations and want to discover authentic experiences in untrodden, unspoilt locations.

The Falkland Islands, and Sea Lion Island in particular, cater to the demands of these travellers, but the exclusivity of the South Atlantic means that they will remain one of nature’s best kept secrets.”

Access to the Island is via a forty minute flight from Stanley followed by a two minute walk from a purpose-built airstrip!

Steppes Travel (01285 885333; www.steppestravel.co.uk) offers a seven-night ‘Falklands Wildlife’ journey from £1,550 per person including a stay on Sea Lion Island. This package excludes international flights.

For further information on the Falklands Islands, please visit www.falklandislands.com and www.falklands.gov.fk

Families looking for an exciting and interactive way to kickstart the New Year and encourage their children to enjoy the countryside should visit Wiltshire and sample its new interactive walks along King Alfred’s Trail.

These four treasure hunts have been added to the existing King Alfred Trail, located in the Vale of Pewsey and along the banks of the picturesque Kennet and Avon Canal, in the heart of Wiltshire. The walks vary in length from a little over a mile to four and a half miles. Along the route you will find a collection of 20 brass rubbings, each displaying a picture of a plant, insect or animal that may be spotted while you walk.

The idea behind this addition to King Alfred’s Trail is that children and adults can enjoy a fun and educational day in the country.

Simply take along a pad and pencil or crayons and search out the brass rubbings as you walk. Furthermore if you visit and complete all 20 brass rubbings before April 30, 2009, you could be in with a chance of winning a £25 Marks and Spencer voucher. Just send your completed feedback form to Pewsey Area Community Trust.

Alun Williams, the Head of Partnership at VisitWiltshire, said, “We know that visitors of all ages love to collect mementos of places they have enjoyed. This collection of countryside images will encourage people to come to a very special part of our county to experience its beautiful countryside and our warm hospitality.”

The plaques have been developed by ‘Wiltshire Walking for All’, a project designed to encourage everyone, of whatever age or ability, to do some outdoor activity. The project has identified routes that are suitable for all ages and abilities. Walk One, for example, goes through the Scotchel Nature Reserve and up to Pewsey Wharf. It’s suitable for buggies and motorised wheelchairs, having a firm surface throughout.

You can find all the information you need including clues, grid references, the route map and a feedback form at www.visitwiltshire.co.uk or you can pick up the information from Pewsey Area Community Trust, 16 High Street, Pewsey SN9 5AQ, 01672 562000, www.thepactcentre.org.uk

Refreshments are available at Pewsey Wharf (walks 1, 2 and 4) at the pub by the village green at Wilcot (walk 2) or, when you’ve finished your walk there are plenty of places in Pewsey village where you can enjoy refreshments at local tea shops, pubs and the delicatessen.

Oslo is a fantastic city to visit during the summer. Try a refreshing dip in the water from one of the many islands or beaches only minutes away from the city centre by public transport.

Due to the Gulf Stream a swim in the Oslo Fjord can be surprisingly pleasant with water temperatures up to 23 degrees Celsius!

Only 15 minutes away from the city’s water front, you can enjoy hiking in the idyllic Oslo forest. Signposted hiking trails will help you find your way and most of the trails are also accessible for mountain bikes. Should you need to cool down, you can stop for a swim in one of the many picturesque lakes. For people-watching and a fresh sea breeze, go to Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen harbour.

Here you will find an abundance of restaurants and bars where you can sit outside enjoying the bustling nightlife into the long hours of the bright summer night.

Oslo one of TripAdvisor’s “Mapmakers”

http://www.visitoslo.com/en/oslo-one-of-tripadvisors-mapmakers.49108.16521r52c.tln.html

Abenteuer Afrika Safari is offering a four-day, three-night Flying Safari along Africa’s Skeleton Coast with stays at comfortable, fully-equipped camps.

Named for the numerous hulks of ships smashed by the tumultuous, fog-beset Atlantic, and strewn with the bleached bones of whale and seal, the Skeleton Coast is a visual believe-it-or-not.

Depart at Eros Airport in Windhoek, heading to the coast via Conception Bay, and take in aerial views of gargantuan red sand dunes, the remote and narrow Kuiseb Canyon and the remains of the Eduard Bohlen, the famous ship wrecked in 1909.

As the flight continues northward at low level, it passes the seal colony at Cape Cross and traverses the desert to the Ugab formations, a lunar landscape of black ridges rising dramatically from the stark white desert floor. From there the flight proceeds to touchdown at Kuidas Camp in the Huab River Valley.

A walking tour takes in mysterious, ancient rock engravings in an area marked by red lava and yellow sandstone that is known for the diversity of its fauna and flora. Especially interesting is the Welwitschia Mirabilis, a fossil tree that has been miniaturized over time by the encroaching desert climate.

On the second day, the flight advances along the coast and lands at Terrace Bay in Skeleton Coast National Park, the northern part of which is a designated wilderness area. Proceed by Land Rover to the “roaring dunes” for a beach walk on multi-colored pebbles comprised of agate, lava, granite and quartz.

Then back in the plane for a flight to the Hoarusib Valley in the Kunene Region bordering Angola.

Night is spent in the valley’s Purros Camp. Following breakfast the next day, embark on a scenic drive along the valley to visit a settlement of the semi-nomadic Himba people. This is the area frequented by the desert-dwelling elephant. Next, board the aircraft to fly further north over the Skeleton Coast, a stretch that takes in views of the Kaiu Maru shipwreck and the rusted remains of old sailing vessels.

From the airfield the Land Rover motors to a favorite lunch site. The journey continues through the mountains and dunes of the Hartmann Valley and arrives at Kunene River Camp in late afternoon.

The final day includes an early morning boat trip on the Kunene River as it flows through the desert. Along the way, observe a multiplicity of birds — aquatic birds as well as those endemic to the desert and those that inhabit dense riverine vegetation. After lunch at the camp, the plane returns to Eros Airport in Windhoek, arriving late afternoon.

The price of $5,495 per person, double occupancy, includes accommodations as indicated, meals and drinks (except premium brands), game drives and activities. Not included are laundry and gratuities. Groups of four are entitled to a discount. Luggage restrictions do apply.

For more information, email plaprelle@abenteuerafrika.com or visit www.abenteuerafrika.com

Insurefor.com is set to become the saviour of clever golfers thanks to its ‘Hole in one cover’, which allows for a bar bill of up to £100!

Those familiar with golfing will know that many golfers have promised to buy the entire clubhouse a drink if they are lucky enough to score a hole in one! Now thanks to Insurefor.com’s ‘Hole in one cover’ they need not fear the consequences of the resulting bill.

The optional cover, which starts from as little as £7.99 for a one week European holiday, covers holders for up to £100 in bar expenses should they be lucky enough to score a hole in one.

In order to qualify for the expenses the golfer must be able to provide a written statement from the Golf Club Secretary confirming the competition name and date, a certified copy of the score card countersigned by the opponent and the official scorer and a dated receipt from the bar.

Players must be 18 or over to be eligible for ‘Hole in One cover’.

For more information and to purchase insurance visit www.insurefor.com

or call 0844 482 0662.

Downtown Miami’s new lifestyle boutique hotel, Epic, managed by San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, celebrated its official opening last week.

The occasion marked the introduction of Kimpton’s first Miami hotel, as well as the first partnership between owners Lionstone Development, Ugo Colombo and Grupo Ponte Gadea. The hotel also represents the first partnership between Alfredo and Diego Lowenstein of Lionstone Development, Ugo Colombo of CMC and Spanish real estate company Grupo Ponte Gadea.

Lionstone Development is a family-owned hospitality and real estate firm responsible for elite properties such as The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, South Beach. Ugo Colombo is the creator of the landmarks Bristol Tower and Santa Maria condominiums on Brickell Avenue.

The hotel’s 411 rooms offer a wide range of amenities, including Italian linens with triple sheeting and throw blankets, LCD flat-screen TVs, and spa-inspired bath amenities, with many of the guestrooms offering hydrotherapy air bath tubs.

Additional services and amenities include complimentary morning newspaper, coffee and tea in the hotel’s Living Room lobby, Hosted Evening Wine Hour, twice-daily housekeeping service, as well as high-speed wireless Internet access.

On the hotel’s 16th floor is a 13,752-square-foot wrap-around pool deck with two swimming pools and 10 private cabanas, providing a relaxing atmosphere by day and a pulsating hotspot at night.

Epic also features a private marina that offers charter departures directly from the hotel and is available for one-of-a-kind yacht parties and events. Area 31, the adjacent restaurant, offers premium seafood with a Mediterranean influence.

A waterfront lounge, 11,000 square feet of meeting space and a full-service spa and fitness center operated by Exhale are also part of the Epic experience.

To further celebrate its opening, Epic is offering a Grand Opening introductory rate of 33 percent off on stays of three nights or more through March 31, 2009. With this special offer, rates start from $267 per night plus tax.

For more information, call 866-760-3742 or visit www.epichotel.com

WorldHotels announced the opening of a new affiliate hotel, the Buddha-Bar Hotel in Prague.

The Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague is the first property of the luxury hotel brand to open.

The property is located in the heart of the Czech Republic’s capital, close to the Old Town Square and only 10 minutes from Charles Bridge.

Its 36 rooms and three suites are decorated in a contemporary modern Asian design with French colonial influences and feature the legendary ambience of the Buddha Bars.

The Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague offers wellness amenities including fitness facilities, a hammam steam room, a Jacuzzi, as well as signature spa treatments offered in the privacy of guest rooms.

In-room facilities include an iPod cradle, LCD TV screen, high-speed wireless Internet access and other amenities that suit both business and leisure travelers alike.

The two-level underground Buddha-Bar restaurant, bar and lounge features its well-known giant sitting Buddha, and the Siddharta-Cafe offers a blend of Asian and Western cuisine in a Pacific Rim style.

For more information, visit www.buddha-bar-hotel.cz

Scandic continues to expand, building a new sports hotel in Vierumäki, Finland’s leading resort for sports and leisure activities.

The hotel will offer almost 200 rooms when it opens in spring 2010.

The new Scandic Vierumäki will bring the total number of Scandic hotels in Finland to 21.

Scandic has signed a long-term lease with the property owner, insurance company Varma Mutual Pension.

The hotel, which should be completed by spring 2010, will boast ultra-modern meeting facilities, a restaurant, bar, gym, bowling and a day-spa in partnership with Vierumäki Country Club.

Total investment in the new hotel amounts to around 40 million euros.

 Vierumäki already has a sports arena, ice rink and swimming pool, several football pitches, walking trails and two 18-hole golf courses.

The internationally renowned Sport Institute of Finland is also located here.

For more information, visit www.scandichotels.com

Nordique Tours is offering new cyclists customized itineraries that enable clients to cycle through Germany’s most enchanting areas from Wuerzburg to Fuessen.

Beginning with a five day/four night package from May 15 through Oct. 15, Nordique Tours will tailor the trip based on the cyclist’s expertise and the mileage wanted covered each day.

The basic package is priced at $557 per person double occupancy or $892 for single. Additional days can be added to the itinerary for $139 per day double occupancy or $225 for single.

The package includes daily breakfast, a city sightseeing voucher for a walk or visit to a castle along the route and luggage transportation from each hotel to the next one on the itinerary.

Bicycle rentals are available at $26 per day, using all-terrain bikes with seven gear transmission, lights and carrier. Helmets are required in Germany and must be brought on the trip since rentals are not available. Cyclists will experience three areas in Germany — Franconia, Swabia and Upper Bavaria.

The route is gentle, undulating countryside that runs along the Rivers Tauber and Wörnitz before it crosses the Danube and heads south.

Nordique Tours is owned and operated by Picasso Travel, one of the largest air consolidators in North America in business for more than 28 years.

For more information, call 800-995-7997 (Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST) or visit www.nordiquetours.com

Ethiopian Airlines Journeys offers a choice of adding on a safari to Ethiopian journeys. Currently, Ethiopian Airlines Journeys offers six safaris.

Ethiopian Journeys offers four-, six- and eight-day safaris, four- and eight-day Kenya safaris and an eight-day Kenya/Tanzania safari.