Jetsettersblog

Encompasses Four Corners of Central Europe

Tour Itinerary Showcases Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic
To Reveal Secrets of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

SCOTTSDALE, AZ, – European travel company Pure Adventures (http://pure-adventures.com/), a division of Discover France Adventures (http://www.discoverfrance.com), announces new “4 Corners of Central Europe” 8-day self-guided cycling tours revealing Old Europe that was once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire of the Hapsburg dynasty.

Cyclists exploring at their own pace the intersections of Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic are armed with maps, lodging, breakfast daily, luggage transfers, local emergency support, cell phone rental (for local calls only), orientation, riding routes and cue sheets, suggestions for visitation and dining, bike delivery, pickup, fitting, and fully equipped bicycle rental for the duration with GPS device for navigation (one per group or couple).

The self-guided per person double occupancy rate is 1290 Euros; a single supplement is 350 Euros. For those more comfortable with a guide, special escorted tour departures are July 15-20 and Aug. 26-Sept. 2, 2012. Custom guided tours can be arranged for a minimum of four guests. The price is slightly higher per person at 1940 Euros based on double occupancy, inclusive of everything on the self-guided program plus a guide, support van, and some guided visits at selected sites. See: http://pure-adventures.com/tours/central-europe-cycling.php

“These four countries represent some of the best historic cycling in Central Europe,” said Loren Siekman, Discover France director, who added that mornings may reveal a UNESCO heritage site with time in the afternoon for a castle visit or winery.

Accommodations are three-star guest houses and small hotels. Some meals are taken in the hotel or just a short walk away. Accommodations include a private bathroom and a variety of other amenities. Local guides and experts are available by phone to assist during a self-guided trip with any kind of emergency and breakdown (except flats). Maps provided are accurate, topographical maps by national map publishers such as the Czech Tourist Club (Czech Republic) and VKU Harmanec (Slovakia). The scales of all maps are 1:50 000 or 1:75 000.

Travel includes the Lednice-Valtice area, a composed landscape created by the Liechtenstein family, dotted with follies, ponds and chateaux. The powerful Esterhazy family settled in Austria’s Eisenstadt and Hungary’s Fertöd where they employed the famous composer Joseph Haydn. Lake Neusiedl is a highlight in the lowlands of Burgenland, ideal for leisurely biking, birdwatching and refreshing swims. This tour, with the exquisite wines of Burgenland and the hearty cuisine of Hungary, blends easy cycling with a mix of architecture and nature preserves.

About Pure Adventures
Pure Adventures http://pure-adventures.com/ is an outgrowth of the success of Discover France Adventures, in its 18th year in 2012. Discover France Adventures has been organizing bicycle tours and hiking tours in France since 1994 and has offices in the US and France. Discover France is a pioneer in bringing self guided cycling and hiking and now multisport adventures to a broader market outside of Europe. Discover France Adventures and Pure Adventures award-winning tours are “competitively priced yet high quality with substantial support,” reports Loren Siekman, Discover France director, “a unique combination that makes a Europe adventure more easily accessible to more people.”

Visit http://www.discoverfrance.com  and http://pure-adventures.com / for all the details or contact them by phone at 800.960.2221 or by email at info@pure-adventures.com

New for 2012, travel specialists Scott Dunn have launched an exclusive Tanzania safari and Mozambique beach yoga itinerary. Pairing up with Vamizi Island’s brand new yoga retreats in Mozambique and Selous Safari Camp in Tanzania, this package offers the very best in African adventure as well as holistic luxury.

For those wanting to explore lesser-known southern Tanzania, the Selous Safari Camp offers the perfect sophisticated safari experience. Situated within an open palm forest on the shores of Lake Nzerakera in the Selous Game Reserve, guests can enjoy daily walking and boat safaris in one of Africa’s least known, yet wildest, conservation areas.

And after discovering the wilds of Tanzania, guests can revive, restore and rejuvenate on Vamizi Island, an ultra-luxurious private beach lodge on the Quirimbus Archipelago, Mozambique.

Celebrating the launch of its first dedicated retreats, visitors can enjoy morning vinasa yoga on the shoreline followed by a freshly-prepared juice or smoothie from the island’s ‘natural pharmacy’ and an evening session against the setting sun – both hosted by renowned instructor Claire Finlay. This exclusive package also offers guests the chance to sample reviving spa treatments, take to the seas to catch surf-fresh tuna sashimi and dive the island’s azure waters.

The exclusive Tanzania Safari and Vamizi Spa Retreats package is only available for limited weeks in 2012 from $6,310 per person. Valid for the weeks commencing March 1 and November 6, the price includes three nights at the Selous Safari Camp on a full-board basis with daily safari activities and five nights at Vamizi Spa Retreat on a fully-inclusive basis to include twice daily yoga sessions, one spa treatment, dive and fishing trip per stay. The price also includes taxes, domestic flights and transfers. Visit http://www.scottdunn.com  or call 0044 20 8682 5070 for more information.

Shambala Private Game Reserve, located in the picturesque central region of the Waterberg Mountain Range in South Africa and awarded as “Best Luxury Lodge” in Africa by World Travel Awards, is calling all romantics. After all, the Tibetan word, “Shambala,” means “Paradise on Earth.”

If an unforgettable bush picnic surrounded by the sights and sounds of African wildlife and lilting birdcalls doesn’t spark the adrenaline rush of love, then perhaps a sunset cruise will do the trick. As the boat leisurely drifts along the Douw Steyn Dam, the sky will transform from stark blue to a rich crimson and gold until finally the golden twinkle of the stars sparkle in the sky. And, one of the most magical experiences at Shambala is spending a few hours in the silence of the African bush under the Milky Way, taking in the wonders of galaxies, constellations and stars.

Shambala’s Zulu Camp offers traditional honeycomb-shaped chalets in the heart of the bushveld, with streams from the nearby river running through the camp. The seven chalets are furnished and decorated in chic Afro-French Provincial style. Each has its own private entrance with the bedroom featuring a dressing room and leading out to the romantically situated outdoor shower and bathroom. The doors from the bathroom open out onto a wooden deck with views of the surrounding bush.

And during your stay, enjoy personalized cuisine where world class chefs take the greatest pleasure in preparing dishes to suit guests’ individual tastes accompanied by wine pairings. With food for the soul and stomach, and the use of Shambala’s spa, anyone will be refreshed enough to take on an elephant safari. The elephants are trained and cared for by their experienced trainers with whom they share a close bond. This will be your opportunity to see the Big Five: the leopard, lion, elephant, black and white rhino and buffalo.

While discovering the quiet rhythms of nature, uncover a lover’s paradise at Shambala.

Rates are R18000.00 ZA ($2,282) per night, excluding transfers and international brand drinks.

Contact info@shambalagamereserve.co.za , +27 (0)11 292 6030 or visit http://www.shambalagamereserve.com / for more information.

Rates are based on the exchange rate between US Dollars and South Africa Rand as of 01/26/12

The new itineraries include:
- two days gorilla tracking in Rwanda, staying at Virunga Lodge, followed by chimp tracking and game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- a trip to the dramatic Kyambura Gorge to track the threatened community of chimpanzees

ECO-LODGES IN UGANDA AND RWANDA

KAMPALA, UGANDA – Volcanoes Safaris is one of Africa’s most sought after luxury safaris offering life enriching travel experiences. Following an exciting year of refurbishments, continued conservation commitment and many stories from the gorilla and chimpanzee lodges, the 2012 itineraries offer guests an incredible, exhilarating and unrivaled journey.

7 day Gorillas in Rwanda and Chimp with wildlife in Uganda
This safari features two of the most spectacular wildlife experiences in Uganda and Rwanda: two days gorilla tracking in Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda staying at Virunga Lodge, followed by chimp tracking and game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park, staying at the recently opened Kyambura Gorge Lodge.

6 day Gorillas in Parc National des Volcans and Culture in Mgahinga
This fascinating safari offers guests a unique insight into gorilla and local community life in Uganda and Rwanda and demonstrates how they are linked by responsible tourism. It offers guests the opportunity to spend two days tracking mountain gorillas on the slopes of the volcanoes before transferring to Mount Gahinga in Uganda where they can spend time with the Batwa community to learn about this ancient way of life.

4 day Wildlife and Chimps in Kyambura Gorge
Either as an extension or a short safari, a trip to the dramatic Kyambura Gorge to track the threatened community of chimpanzees is an exhilarating experience. When not in the Gorge, guests can spot an amazing array of birds and experience the game of the Kasenyi plains. Guests will stay at the newest addition to the Volcanoes Collection, Kyambura Gorge Lodge, a unique lodge which has been described as “a celebration of contemporary Africa”.

6 day Wildlife and Chimps in Uganda
This 6 day safari takes you to of one Uganda’s best destinations for chimp tracking, Kibale forest. In addition to the community of approximately 120 habituated chimpanzees, the forest is home to twelve other species of primate including black and white colobus monkeys. Guests will spend two nights at Ndali lodge which overlooks a spectacular crater lake, before transferring to Kyambura Gorge Lodge in Queen Elizabeth where they will have the opportunity to view game and over 600 species of birds.

“The focus for 2012 is to give our guests the opportunity to explore an amazing combination of wildlife and primates that the areas have to offer whether at the contemporary Kyambura Gorge, where you can track chimpanzees and view over 600 species of bird; or at the newly refurbished Bwindi Lodge where there are 4 gorilla families that can be seen in their natural habitat” says Praveen Moman, co-founder and managing director of Volcanoes Safaris.

Volcanoes Lodges are the only properties in Uganda and Rwanda to be sold on an all-inclusive basis including all meals, soft and alcoholic drinks, complimentary massage and any activities guests may wish to indulge in whilst at the lodge. The itineraries are available on a scheduled group departure or private, tailor made basis.

With the opening of Volcanoes Kyambura Gorge Lodge in July 2011, there are now four lodges in the Volcanoes Collection, enabling guests to experience all the highlights of Uganda and Rwanda in exceptional comfort and style. Guests can also visit some fascinating community and cultural projects near the lodges which are supported by Volcanoes Safaris.

For additional information, please visit www.volcanoessafaris.com  or call 1.866.599.APES (2737).

About Volcanoes Safaris
The Volcanoes Safaris Group (VS) is a unique great ape ecotourism business specializing in mountain gorilla safaris to Uganda and Rwanda. Established in 1997 in Kampala, Uganda, no other company in the world has invested so heavily in the area around the mountain gorilla parks in these two countries. VS offers an integrated set of services including safaris and eco safari lodges. Kyambura Gorge Lodge is the latest addition the Volcanoes Collection of leading lodges in Uganda and Rwanda. The other three properties are Virunga Lodge in Rwanda – a luxury gorilla lodge; Bwindi the jungle gorilla lodge and Mount Gahinga offer hiking and cultural tourism. The company has also set up the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust, which links neighboring communities to conservation and ecotourism in keeping with Volcanoes distinctive vision for great ape eco-tourism. It also promotes the conservation of chimpanzees through the creation of a buffer zone along the gorge and reclamation of 40-acre wetland that was previously used as illegal brickworks.

Travel Impressions added Alaska to its product line-up with five escorted tours for 2012. “Alaska is truly the last frontier — a land where caribou outnumber people, sunlight shines at midnight and mountains rise out of the sea,” said John Hanratty, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Travel Impressions.

The new tours include transfers, some meals, hotel accommodations and taxes. Winter Extravaganza Tour (seven days, six nights) features Alaska’s Iditarod Sled Dog Race and Mushers’ Banquet. Alaska Explorer Tour (seven days, six nights) includes Fairbanks, Denali National Park and Anchorage. The Alaska National Parks Tour (eight days, seven nights) includes Anchorage, Denali National Park, Seward and Girdwood. The Denali Express Tour (four days, three nights) focuses on Anchorage and Denali (well suited for pre- or post cruisers). The Grand Alaska Land Tour (10 days, nine nights) features Anchorage, Valdez, Fairbanks and Denali National Park.

Highlights include visits to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Alaska SeaLife Center; city tours and visits to the Alaska Zoo with a behind-the-scenes experience; Iditarod festivities and dinner at the Mushers’ Banquet; a visit to the Iditarod Headquarters and to see first-hand a replica Iditarod Trail station; Iditarod festivities in Anchorage; a visit to the Alaska Native Heritage Center; a sightseeing tour with a visit to the Fairbanks Museum; a tundra wilderness tour; an Anchorage city tour; Alaskan-style dinners; a visit to Kenai Fjords National Park; a tram to the top of Mount Alyeska for beautiful views of Turnagain Arm; a visit to Valdez, known as “Alaska’s Little Switzerland”; a glacier and wildlife cruise through the Prince William Sound; an encounter with the Columbia Glacier; and a riverboat cruise on the Chena River.

Travel Impressions prepared an Alaska Dimension Series presentation, with product knowledge and training through animated presentations including videos, voice-over narration, background music and attachments, as well as interactive quizzes.

Founded in 1974, Travel Impressions is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express that offers FIT vacations to more than 200 destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, Dubai, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the Islands of Tahiti, Canada, Hawaii, Alaska and the Continental U.S. For more information, call 800-284-0044.

General Tours World Traveler introduced a new program in its Small Group Journey series for travel to India. The 13-day Visions of India features stays in Taj Hotels. Groups have a maximum of 16 guests and are structured to provide cultural encounters, excursions and fine dining experiences that would be impossible with the large groups of traditional escorted tours.

The program includes sightseeing in Delhi; dinner at Cibo; a trip to Varanasi, with an encounter with ancient rituals that take place on the Ganges River at dusk and dawn; an elephant-back safari in Jaipur and time with a master elephant trainer; and a stay at the Taj Lake Palace Hotel, built in the middle of Lake Pichola in Udaipur.

General Tours is giving $300 per person on bookings that are paid in full at time of booking. The program is priced from $2,999 per person after the discount. Celebrating its 65th anniversary, General Tours operates small group, privately guided and small ship journeys to Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East with never more than 16 guests traveling together. For more information, call 800-221-2216.

Thailand’s Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle has introduced custom-made wooden hot tubs at three of the camp’s deluxe tented accommodations. Guests can return to each of the resort’s personal tents to find their bath already drawn, filled with local organic Thai herbs and flowers, a “mahout mix” blend, targeted to soothe muscles after a day of elephant riding.

Each tub is positioned so guests can have complete privacy, yet can enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding jungle, the Ruak River, and of Burma and Laos beyond. Each of the three tents will feature a hot tub and guests may select one of the following for their romantic retreat — The Botanist’s Tent affords views of the jungle and the Ruak River, the river that forms the border between Thailand and Burma; The Burmese Tent is decorated with Burmese scrolls and accented with Burmese textiles, and has expansive, wide-open views into Burma, taking in the Ruak River and the dramatic plains; and The Elephant Tent offers views over the Elephant Camp and elephants bathing.

The non-profit arts organization Wai Art has joined with the Banyan Tree Bangkok to launch a series of exhibitions aimed at promoting young and up and coming artists in Thailand and give them an opportunity to showcase their talents.

The partnership will see the works of Thanapon Junkasain open on Feb. 16 — a collection of contemporary Buddhist paintings that explore the concepts of right and wrong in society by drawing on traditional mythology — which he brings to life in his first solo exhibition.

The show — titled Mara — will be exhibited at the Banyan Tree Bangkok until March 31 and is open daily. Key to Wai Art’s philosophy and the partnership with the Banyan Tree Bangkok is to not only provide this opportunity but to ensure that sales profits are given to the artists rather than the galleries. A small amount of the proceeds will also be donated to Banyan Tree Bangkok’s Corporate Social Responsibility Fund, which supports various community projects in Thailand.

LONGWOOD, FL.—Switch gears this spring break and choose to lend a hand instead of taking that cookie-cutter resort vacation.

Join volunteer wildlife conservation organization, Biosphere Expeditions, on a brand new underwater diving volunteer vacation in beautiful Malaysia. This SCUBA diving volunteer vacation takes a group of international divers to Tioman, the Malaysian island that was called “one of the world’s most beautiful islands” by Time Magazine.

Working in a very small group of five participants, one scientist and one expedition leader, volunteers assist the local researcher to study and protect the local marine park’s beautiful, but fragile coral reefs, as well as its marine megafauna such as sharks, dolphins and turtles.

The first five days of the expedition are spent learning the Reef Check research techniques while volunteers are based on a beach chalet resort on Tioman Island. After this, volunteers move to a 45-foot sloop rig sailing yacht research vessel, which will take them to the most remote areas of the marine park.

The expedition includes training as a Reef Check EcoDiver; with this qualification volunteers are eligible to apply for PADI or NAUI Reef Check Speciality Course certification after the expedition. Volunteers must be fully qualified divers to take part in this expedition (minimum PADI Open Water or equivalent) and they can obtain this qualification on site prior to the expedition (allow four to five extra days). April 1-13th, April 15-17, 2012. $2140 pp. www.biosphere-expeditions.org

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Spring is just around the corner, and that means it’s time for a family spring break trip to shake winter’s doldrums. In Kentucky, spring breakers will find plentiful opportunities to experience world-class golf, fishing, hiking, camping, horseback riding, off-roading, and many other fun, adventurous things to do.

In Kentucky, you don’t have to venture far to have an exciting vacation that will create great memories for kids, college students, family and friends for years to come. These activities are easily accessible to visitors from throughout the Midwest and other surrounding states, allowing an escape that doesn’t require a long drive or expensive airline flight. Kentucky State Parks’ 17 resorts are open seven days a week and are the perfect place for a spring getaway. The park system’s 30+ campgrounds offer outdoor enthusiasts easy access to stunning scenery, outdoor pursuits, and budget-friendly spring break accommodations.

Golfers will find attractive packages at state parks. Eighteen state park golf courses in every region of the state offer championship play amid pastoral beauty. Economical packages start at $79 per person for one night lodge accommodations and 18 holes of golf with a cart. For more ideas about how to enjoy the great outdoors in Kentucky this spring, visit
THISI LINK.