Jetsettersblog

For nearly 45 years, luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) has been designing bespoke journeys for the independent traveller. Today one of the company?s most popular features is the unique collection of inspirational experiences available through Egypt and Jordan. Each private itinerary reveals iconic ancient monuments, incredible landscapes and authentic culture with quality service throughout, creating a travel experience never to be forgotten.

A&K on the Nile
The finest way to explore the monuments of ancient Egypt is on a Nile cruise and A&K?s fleet offers the very best there is. The Sun Boat IV has 40 cabins and was extensively renovated in 2006 with cabins now featuring floor to ceiling windows and flat screen TVs. Reflecting a chic contemporary style with strong Art Deco influences, this vessel is the epitome of luxury on the river. Sophisticated touches include teak flooring, Egyptian marble, painted murals and canopied day beds on deck. Three and four night cruises are available on Sun Boat IV.

Sister ship, the Sun Boat III was fully renovated in 2005 to give a comfortable and elegant cruise experience. Warm, earthy tones are used in the d?cor and much of the furniture is styled on that of the 1920s and 30s. Guests seeking a more leisurely experience on the Nile will enjoy the intimate Sun Boat III with her 7 night sailings and just 36 guests on board.

Inspiring Journeys

Just released, Abercrombie & Kent?s latest brochure Inspiring Journeys 2009 highlights all that A&K represents ? refined elegance, exotic destinations, exciting experiences and educational inspiration. The brochure contains a range of exciting and eye opening private itineraries throughout Egypt and Jordan showcasing their history, culture and landscape.

? New for 2009 is the 9 day Egyptian Sojourn which combines a 3 night Nile cruise aboard Sun Boat IV with all the highlights of Cairo and a stay in Luxor?s delightful Old Winter Palace. Additional features are entry to the Mummy Room at the Egyptian Museum, Cheops Pyramid, the Solar Boat and Ramses? Tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Prices start at AUD$5,295 per person twin share.

? The popular Highlights of Jordan features again showcasing old Roman cities, crusader castles, Petra (the newest Wonder of the World) and the mineral laden waters of the Dead Sea. Prices start from AUD$3,355 per person twin share.

? Topping the list of Egypt?s must-see attractions are the breathtaking temples of Abu Simbel. A&K guests are privileged to see them in style as the company has its own office and vehicles on site and its own English speaking guide. At AUD$550 the 3.5 hour excursion including business class airfare is a steal.

? To complete an experience in Egypt and Jordan a number of recommended extension ideas are published. 5 day Alexandria & Siwa journeys from Cairo to Egypt?s Mediterranean coast with highlights including the Roman amphitheatre, El Alamein, and Siwa?s Bedouin culture. There is a choice of accommodation with prices from AUD$4,240 per person twin share.

? For spectacular scenery and outdoor adventure, A&K recommends the Dana Nature Reserve as an add-on to its popular Highlights of Jordan programme. The area is characterised by valleys and mountains, ancient archaeological ruins, quaint villages and wadis of red and white sandstone cliffs. The area is best explored on foot, with a variety of walks of varying levels. Hike along terraced gardens, meet local farmers, and visit a traditional bakery and a jam factory. Prices from AUD$3,880 per person twin share.

? One of Egypt?s natural wonders is the rugged Sinai Peninsula and the coral reefs of the Red Sea. A beach stay is the perfect way to unwind after a busy stay in Cairo or a Nile cruise. A&K features the 4 day/3 night Red Sea Coast Extension staying either at the exclusive Four Seasons Sharm El Sheikh or the family friendly Hyatt Regency both in seaview rooms. Prices from AUD$915 per person twin share.

A&K?s Australasian Managing Director, Sujata Raman said, ?At A&K we have been providing luxury travel within Egypt for over 25 years including operating our own Sun Boats on the River Nile. With Jordan so close by, it offers an amazing opportunity for a truly memorable holiday experience, full of rich culture, ancient history, breathtaking landscapes, all delivered with A&K?s signature style and service.?

For more information or a copy of the 2009 Inspiring Journeys brochure, contact
Abercrombie & Kent on 1300 851 800, or visit www.abercrombiekent.com.au

For further comment please contact Sujata Raman, Abercrombie & Kent, Managing Director
T: +61 (0)3 9536 1800 or E: sraman@abercrombiekent.com.au

On its 2009 World Cruise, Crystal Cruises is introducing the Interactive Literary Review, a book club moderated by best-selling author and literary critic Robert Adams. On each of the seven segments, Adams and guests will delve into three novels. Adams, author of ?A Love of Reading,? lectures exclusively for Crystal and is applauded for his theatrical ?performance reviews? of books. The program is launching through the line?s Creative Learning Institute, which expands its programming on each segment of the 106-day ?Pacific Circle Celebration? World Cruise, departing Los Angeles on Jan. 21.

?Crystal?s new Literary Review was designed to stimulate discussion, entertain, foster camaraderie and provide an intellectual forum for common interests,? said Bret Bullock, Crystal?s vice president for entertainment. ?Robert has selected a diverse collection of the world?s most compelling, topically relevant books. Set in international locations from Papua New Guinea to Afghanistan, the multi-layered characters and story lines invite discussion.?

The novels, penned by authors from more than 10 countries, include such titles as ?A Thousand Splendid Suns? by Khalid Hosseini, ?Cat?s Eye? by Margaret Atwood, ?Palace Walk? by Naguib Mahfouz, and ?Birdsong? by Sebastian Faulks.

All titles for each cruise segment are listed at www.crystalcruises.com. Onboard, they are available for purchase in the Captain?s Choice retail shop.

And several of the works, along with more than 1,500 others, are available in Crystal Serenity?s library. Crystal Serenity?s World Cruise will visit 45 ports in 22 countries throughout the South Pacific, Asia, Africa and Europe. Eight segments range from 11 to 17 days. In addition to the Interactive Literary Review, instruction is offered through a wide range of Crystal partners, including Yamaha, Berlitz, Tai Chi Cultural Center,

The Cleveland Clinic and The Society of Wine Educators.

Abenteuer Afrika Safari, a destination management company specializing in adventure travel, designed a 13-day tour to Madagascar available from Nov. 30. The tour takes in the habitats of baobabs and tree boas, Nile crocodiles and coconut groves, radiated tortoise and tree-tailed mongoose. It covers the cultural waterfront as well, with visits to the tombs of the Sakalava, a diverse group of ethnicities that once comprised an ancient empire, and to the village of Manambato, a community of farmers whose crops include rice, maize and the seed-pods of the catechu and the vaunted Madagascar vanilla. Rates for the tour start at $2,800, and include all accommodations, meals, boat and road transfers, excursions and entrance fees, local English-speaking guides, vehicle rental with driver, fuel and vehicle insurance. Participants arrange their own air transportation to the capital, Antananarivo.

The Abenteuer Africa Safari tour of Madagascar has been packaged to maximize the pleasures of this wildly exotic island formed some 80 to 100 million years ago when it separated from India. Travelers will be entertained watching varieties of lemurs cavort through the rain forest, whistling, grumbling and meowing, hanging by their tails or cuddling choo-choo style. And they will be beguiled by the amazing ecology that encompasses steppe and savannah, dry and tropical forests, beach and bay. The capital city, Antananarivo itself sits on the summit and slopes of a narrow ridge at an altitude of 4200 feet above sea level.

An island nation, Madagascar lies in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The world?s fourth largest island is also home to one of the world?s most exotic ecosystems. It claims three distinct climates, a full 5 percent of the world?s plant and animal species, spices besought by kings and commoners, and 10,000 types of plant life, 90 percent of them found nowhere else on earth.

Still largely unexploited, the island has retained its charms, not the least of which is its friendly, unspoiled people. Madagascar is the subject of a popular current exhibit at the Bronx Zoo which is bringing into focus the work of The Wildlife Conservation Society partnering with the Malagasy government to establish the protected areas of Masoala and Makira.

Collectively, these parks span 1.6 million acres and provide a safe haven for half of Madagascar?s species, including rare and endangered animals found only on this unique island, referred to by many ecologists as ?the eighth continent.?

Tour highlights include Perinet National Park, Vakona reserve, Nile crocodiles, Betsimisaraka habitation, Manambato community of farmers and the tombs of the Sakalava. Accommodations include two nights at La Varangue or Le Royal Palissandre in the heart of Antananarivo; one night in Perinet National Park at Vakona Forest Lodge on a eucalyptus plantation or at the Mikalo Hotel; two nights at Sharon Hotel in Maroantsetra; four nights at Aroi Ecolodge in Masoala; one night at Coco Beach or Relais du Masoala, a lush coconut grove by the bay; and two nights in Antananarivo.

?For more information, call 011-264-404030 or visit www.abenteuerafrika.com

Peregrine has added new adventures to its Africa program to tempt travellers beyond the game parks to experience the energy and diversity of the world?s oldest inhabited continent.

In East Africa, the company has introduced a twist on the typical safari with its new Essence of Tanzania adventure, which combines a fully-supported mobile camp (with ensuite toilets) in the best game parks with a unique and unforgettable cultural experience. There is game viewing: elephants (and baobab trees) in Tarangire and tree-climbing lions in Lake Manyara, as well as
up-close encounters with the ?big five? in Ngorongoro Crater and the nearby private conservation area. The Serengeti is the site of the greatest animal migration on earth, and the flexibility of the mobile camp ensures the best possible wildlife viewing.

But perhaps the greatest highlight of the trip is spending time with the Hadzabe Bushmen, Tanzania?s oldest tribe and nomadic hunter-gatherers thought to be related to the San people of the Kalahari. Very few tourists have had the opportunity to visit their village and join in a hunt. The 11-day Essence of Tanzania tour departs from Kilimanjaro Airport monthly between June
and March and costs $5335 per person, twin share, including accommodation, transport, Peregrine leader, most meals, park entry fees and domestic flight.

In Southern Africa, Peregrine has introduced two, eight-day adventures that can be combined to form the 15-day Botswana and Zambia Discovery tour. For wildlife enthusiasts, this is the ultimate trip, combining private game reserves and some of Africa?s best-known game parks.

The trip starts at Victoria Falls and heads to remote Kafue National Park for two full days on the watch for lion, leopard and antelope. The South Luangwa National Park has one of the richest concentrations of game in Africa ? including huge pods of hippos.

Heading into Botswana, first stop is Chobe National Park before the vast, arid expanse of the Makgadikgadi salt pans (for quad bike exploring) en route for the Khwai River region, bordering the Moremi Game Reserve ? where spotting the ?big five? is virtually guaranteed! Botswana?s most famous attraction is left until the end: the magnificent, tranquil waterways of the Okavango Delta, where motorised transport is traded for the peace of a paddled canoe (mokoro).

The 15-day Botswana and Zambia Discovery tour departs Victoria Falls every three weeks between June and October and costs $8895 per person, twin share, including all transport, entry fees, accommodation, leader and domestic flight.

The cost of all Peregrine trips includes carbon off-setting the land and domestic air portion of
the trip. For further information call your travel agent or Peregrine Travel Centre on 1300 854
500. Download a .pdf of the new Africa brochure or watch a video of Peregrine?s African adventures at www.peregrineadventures.com

Skyjet, a new airline licensed earlier in the year, has finally secured an AOC according to reliable sources from the Civil Aviation Authority in Entebbe. They reportedly intend to begin operations with an ancient B737-200, not the most credible of options for a start up airline in this day and age. The new airline has sought permission to also fly on the Entebbe ? Juba route before expanding to other regional destinations. No other details on their future plans are presently available.

Information received from the ET offices in Kampala indicates that from end October onwards they will fly six times a week from Addis to the West African destination, using a B757 aircraft. The flights will be routed via Accra and Abuja, although Lome is also still a possibility for a stopover.
Ethiopian Airlines, together with Kenya Airways, offer the most comprehensive inter African networks and are largely responsible to not only connect Africa within but also connect Africa to the rest of the world.

SAUTI ZA BUSARA 2009 DATES PUBLISHED

The ?Sounds of Wisdom? or Sauti za Busara annual music festival in Zanzibar will take place next year from February 12th to 17th. The annual event has gained global attention and some 400 performers and groups have so far performed in past years to the delight of thousands of visitors who come to Zanzibar every year.

The festival will start of with a ?carnival? parade and street events on the 12th February next year and will then be followed by performances of about 10 groups each day at the ?Stone Town?s? ?Old Fort?. Local food delicacies, handicrafts and curio items will be on sale at the venue throughout. Entrance is free from up to sunset every day but passes or tickets will be required in the evenings.

The final event will take place on 17th February at ?Kendwa Rocks? on one of Zanzibar?s best beach locations and an all night party will then conclude the celebrations.

The Sauti za Busara festival this year will be preceded by workshops in art, journalism and music and specially tailored sound engineering and lighting courses, aimed at building greater capacity amongst East Africans.
Sponsors for some of the events are still invited and the festival organizers can be reached via www.busaramusic.org or email Busara@zanlink.com

Meanwhile, the Busara organizers have also confirmed their participation in ?WOMEX 2008?, arguably the world?s biggest showcase event for international music and folk. Meet them at the showground in Sevilla, Spain between 29th October and 02nd November.

Royal Daisy Airlines in the meantime is still without their Embraer 120, which also plied the route with daily flights but is now undergoing heavy maintenance with no replacement aircraft in sight as of going to press.

Information was received that Air Uganda has upped their frequencies from 5 per week to daily flights between Entebbe and Southern Sudan?s capital Juba. Load factors on this particular route show the best performance within their route network, justifying the extra flights.

Third contender on the route, Eagle Air Uganda, reduced their scheduled flights to three times a week via the Southern Sudanese town of Yei, basically leaving the profitable Juba route without serious competition at this time. Eagle Air however has commenced scheduled operations to Bunia in Eastern Congo using Beechcraft 1900B and LET 410 aircraft. Brussels Airlines has also recently signed an agreement with Air Uganda to cater for connecting passengers in Entebbe to and from Juba.

An investment consortium from Hong Kong and China has now unveiled plans for their new 5star hotel in Kigali, on the site of the former Jali Club.? Rwanda is in a new phase of activities. Construction of the new hotel is due to start early in 2009 and is expected to take two years towards completion of the project. The 200 room and suite hotel will also feature a major conference facility, building yet more capacity for Rwanda in the tourism industry. The initial investment is said to be worth about 40 million US Dollars.

Other new projects in the hospitality sector are underway by Dubai World with a US Dollars 250 million investment package for a luxury hotel cum golf course, two new safari lodges and the refurbishment of the main lodge in the Akagera National Park, and a multi million dollar rehabilitation of the Hotel Mille Collines.