Jetsettersblog

The world’s largest land predator has long been adored in films and documentaries however, long-haul travel specialist, Canadian Sky, can now offer one better with a six-night polar bear expedition to Churchill, Canada. For those wanting to learn about and observe these formidable creatures in their natural habitat The Great Ice Bear Tour is an experience not to be missed!

Taking place in October and November 2009, it is undoubtedly the most diverse polar bear viewing package as it combines a number of polar bear expeditions at the Seal River Lodge, aerial tours and a Tundra Buggy adventure. As all the 2008 tours were sold out, holidaymakers are encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment.

Highlights include a stay at Canada’s most exclusive Polar Bear Lodge where guests are flown in by helicopter and a full-day Tundra Buggy adventure where intrepid explorers are transported across the Tundra on large rubber tired buggies. Bear watchers are positioned 10 feet above ground and with a rear viewing deck and large windows the buggies offer a truly unique vantage… and picnic spot!

It is this ability to see polar bears in the most natural setting possible combined with the luxurious wilderness lodge and an unobstructed view of the northern lights in the night sky that sets The Great Ice Bear adventure apart from any other packages.

Canadian Sky (www.canadiansky.co.uk  0870 904 0930) is offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience on their Polar Bear Adventure Tour with departures throughout October and November 2009 from £3,999 per person. Based on two sharing, the price includes return flights from London Heathrow with Air Canada, two nights’ accommodation in Winnipeg on a room only basis, a five-day guided tour on a full-board basis with air transfers to Churchill and a float plane transfer to Seal River Lodge.

Fort William launches 2009 Mountain Festival programme

The best of the best in the fields of climbing, kayaking, and skiing and much more are flocking to Fort William from Friday 06 to Saturday 14 March for the 2009 Fort William Mountain Festival. The launch of the festival today, unveiled a programme that will put the Outdoor Capital of the UK - Fort William and Lochaber - at the centre of Scotland’s events programme in 2009. Presented with The Nevis Partnership, the week long celebration promises a varied and entertaining programme packed with mountain sports, films, lectures, guided walks, skills workshops and fringe activities for all those who want to learn about and celebrate mountain culture.

Highlights of the 2009 Fort William Mountain Festival include:

Fast and Light in the Himalaya - the world renowned mountaineer Adrian Burgess, a pioneer of high-altitude climbs will join forces with Slovenian climbing superstar Marko Prezelj, known for his impeccable style on spectacularly difficult routes, to share the passion that drives them to keep exploring ever-higher and more exhilarating climbs. Following these empowering talks the winner of the second Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture, sponsored by Rio Tinto Alcan, an annual award to celebrate outstanding contributions to Scotland’s mountains, will be announced.
Paddle Sports evening with Lee Kelly, the legendary whitewater kayaker, photographer and filmmaker.
Snowsports Evening with Myrtle Simpson, the first woman to ski across the Greenland icecap, who will trace the rapid development of Scottish Skiing from an occasional aid to winter mountaineering to the weekend recreation of tens of thousands.
Dave MacLeod, a local climber at the forefront of the modern sport who is opening a new chapter of world-class climbs on Ben Nevis, will host a Climbing Evening. He will explain his unique high-risk, high-stakes approach through inspiring chat and the screening of two incredible films of his recent climbs.

The Best of Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour & International Adventure Film competition evenings - the most inspiring mountain films from the UK and around the world will once again be the festival hot tickets. From jaw dropping action to fascinating mountain culture and wildlife; two nights of thrilling entertainment guaranteed. This year organisers are offering a special Film Buffs ticket that will insure entry to both nights.

Mike Pescod, Chairman of the Highland Mountain Culture Association, organisers of the festival; said: ‘The 2009 Fort William Mountain Festival encompasses the ethos of the Outdoor Capital of the UK - to promote the mountains as an attractive, accessible and above all enjoyable place to be by pulling together adventure, sport, culture and the environment; all the ways people experience and love the mountains.

‘Our 2009 programme is bursting at the seams with exciting and inspiring events and workshops guaranteed to get you into the mountain mood. We are delighted to be welcoming a superb line up of guests from the worlds of mountaineering, paddling, music, poetry, writing and broadcasting including Adrian Burgess, Marko Prezelj, Dave MacLeod, Cameron McNeish, Linda Cracknell, Hamish MacDonald and the 4-MALITY Percussion Quartet to Lochaber to showcase their work and share their passion for the outdoors.’

This year’s ambitious programme of new events and old favourites sees a wide selection of cultural and sporting events and activities throughout Fort William and Lochaber during the best winter walking and climbing conditions of the year. Residents and visitors of all ages, from extreme adrenaline junkies to outdoor enthusiasts, can discover the excitement of extreme whitewater kayaking, the drama of Dave MacLeod’s envelope-pushing climbs, the fascinating story of Scottish skiing, the secrets of high alpine climbing and the rich heritage of the working mountains in the 21st Century; whilst celebrating the iconic Nevis name and enjoying the very best in mountain films from around the world.

The festival will kick off in style with the ‘Party at Nevis Range’, the official opening ceilidh at the Snowgoose Restaurant at the top of the Nevis Range mountain gondola. Further highlights include an evening exploring the little known yet rich heritage of the Working Mountains in Lochaber. With the help of early photographs and archive material the history of Rio Tinto Alcan, one of the area’s biggest employers, will be explored; from the harnessing of Lochaber’s water power, one of the most ambitious projects of the industrialization of Scotland, in 1929 to supply new aluminium smelters at Fort William and Kinlochleven, to the amazing innovator it continues to be today.

Nevis Connections, a whole day of themed walks, talks, music and adventure, presented by The Nevis Partnership, to celebrate the iconic Nevis name makes a welcome return to the 2009 Festival programme. During the day there will be a choice of two guided walks, one the North Face Walk up the Allt a’Mhuillinn path with stunning views of the majestic North Face of the UK’s highest mountain and the other a winter ascent of Ben Nevis. The 4-MALITY Percussion Quartet, one of the world’s most compelling and innovative percussion quartets who have command of over eighty drums, gongs, cymbals and tuned percussion, will spend the day working with local school pupils and young people to produce Rock and Rhythm, a piece of mountain music inspired by the Nevis landscape. The final multi-media piece will be performed as part of the Nevis Connections Evening, an evening of poetry, prose, photography film and music.

Children and adults will have the opportunity to try out new activities and learn new skills through an expanded programme of daily mountain skills workshops. New for the festival in 2009, world-renowned climber Dave MacLeod will be offering free bouldering master classes for one day only! Highly experienced and fully qualified guides from Abacus Mountaineering, in conjunction with Nevis Range, will lead full day courses in avalanche awareness, winter walking and winter climbing. Kinlochleven’s Ice Factor Indoor Climbing Centre will be offering taster sessions in indoor climbing and ice climbing throughout the festival. For those keen to explore their creative ideas in a stimulating environment the John Muir Trust and Nevis Partnership will be hosting a Writers’ Walk and Workshop afternoon with poet and writer Susan Richardson. Beginners ski and snowboard packages and Back Corrie tours, for the more experienced, will also be on offer at the Nevis Range ski area throughout the festival.

BC’s Kootenay Rockies is all about snow. And while award-worthy ski slopes abound, there’s much beyond the mountains to tempt one to take it outside.

A winter wildlife safari? A candlelit dinner served in the cosy confines of an igloo?

Take a walk on the wild side with the folks from Spirit Trail Adventures.

 Located just outside of Kimberley, Martina Danzer and Charlie Sims head this adventure-focused operation which offers eco-friendly and educational excursions;

their guests can indulge in an array of cool climate pursuits, including cross country ski and snowshoe excursions, old-fashioned toboggan rides and romantic sleigh rides for two.

Wildlife Safaris will tour, with a guide, through the traditional wintering grounds of the area’s resident critters, while more sedate experiences will see couples breaking bread over romantic four-course menus in igloos before bunking down for the night. (Accommodations include snug sleeping bags, plenty of hot chocolate and the soft hue of candlelight, while mornings promise a leisurely mug of coffee and a re-hashing of the previous day’s exploration.) Should the urge to make a few tracks take hold, head to nearby Kimberley Alpine Resort for a shush through the slopes.

With over 70 runs and scenic open glades, the resort proves a favourite for families seeking a bit of fun both on and off its snowy scapes.

Whether you choose to make tracks or find respite within an igloo, this is one destination sure to stir the spirit.

http://www.spirittrails.com/; www.skikimberley.com

From Spectacular Peak-To-Peak

No matter where you travel in Canada you’ll discover record-breaking natural wonders, feats of engineering wizardry and marvels of man-made ingenuity. Explore Canada on a cross-country peak-to-peak tour that includes the world’s most extraordinary gondola, Canada’s highest mountain, its tallest tower and its most powerful tides.

The new Peak 2 Peak Gondola – world’s highest and longest unsupported lift span

Officials are calling this phenomenal $50-million smooth-gliding ride on the new Peak 2 Peak Gondola− opening December 12 at Whistler Blackcomb, BC − “a record-breaking engineering feat that will amaze the world.” Picture 28 sky cabins running along giant rope spools between four towers covering 4.4 km (2.73) miles. The distance between the two towers that are the farthest apart is a staggering 3.024 km (1.88) miles – the highest and longest unsupported cable car span in the world. One sky cabin will depart every 49 seconds and the Peak 2 Peak Gondola can whisk skiers between Whistler and Blackcomb in 11 minutes, carrying up to 2050 people per hour each way. Dreaming of skiing both Symphony and 7th Heaven in short order? After December 12, you can do both before lunch! www.peak2peakgondola.com

Longest peak ski season in North America

Whistler Blackcomb is also home of North America’s longest ski season, from November to June − (June 3rd is traditionally the last day of winter operations) − and boasts the largest skiiable terrain in North America at 3.307 ha (8,100 acres). Add to that one vertical mile, three glaciers, 12 alpine bowls, and North America’s longest intermediate ski run at 5.5 kilometers in length with a 5,000 vertical feet drop, and maybe its time to set your own records for speeding to Whistler Blackcomb this season. www.whistlerblackcomb.com

Canada’s highest peak has the largest base circumference on earth

In southwestern Yukon in the pure pristine spectacle of Kluane National Park, Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak and the second highest mountain in North America (after Mount McKinley), rises an estimated 5,959 metres (19,551 feet) into the sky. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mount Logan’s exact height is hard to pinpoint, since it is still rising in elevation due to tectonic uplifting. With its massive multiple peaks − almost a dozen spire above its 20 km long and 5 km wide summit plateau − Mount Logan has the largest base circumference of any mountain on Earth. A charter flightseeing tour will take you over the vast expanse of Logan’s unclimbed peaks, clear lakes, awe-inspiring icefields, and the wild and wooly grizzly and black bear habitat in Kluane National Park. www.summitsofcanada.ca

Canadian mountaineer reaches seven peaks in world’s first “grand slam”

It was another Canadian record-breaker, Invermere, BC-born Patrick Morrow, who on August 5, 1986 became the first person in the world to complete mountaineering’s “grand slam,” climbing the highest peak on each of seven continents. His 14-year quest to scale the world’s Seven Summits eventually brought him back home to settle near the Canadian Rockies, where the adrenalin-pumping sport of ice climbing reigns supreme. www.rockies-ice.com

The CN Tower elevator ride, the peak of engineering ingenuity

Canada’s tallest building, the CN Tower in Toronto, ON has created an eye-opening new thrill experience by adding glass panels to the floor of its newly enhanced elevator ride, already named #1 on the “World’s Top 10 Elevator Rides” by National Geographic’s JOURNEYS OF A LIFETIME: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips. Now North America’s first and the world’s highest glass-bottomed elevator offers a view 345 metres (1,136 feet) straight down.

 Travelling at a speed of 22 km/15 mph, it rockets visitors to the top of the tower in 58 seconds. At a height of 553.33 metres (1,815 feet, 5 inches) the CN Tower is Canada’s National Tower. More than two million people each year ride the elevator to the top of this Canadian engineering marvel that has claimed first place as the world’s tallest tower for more than 32 years (only recently surpassed by the Burj Dubai building now under construction in Dubai). www.cntower.ca

World’s highest tides peak in Nova Scotia’s Bay of Fundy

The Bay of Fundy’s eight-knot current makes it the top contender for the strongest and fastest current in the world. Everyday, 100 billion tonnes of sea water flow in and out of the Bay of Fundy, equal in one tide cycle to the flow of all the rivers on earth. High and low tides reach their peaks on average every six hours and 13 minutes.

And now this fierce barrage of tidal power may be on the leading edge of tidal power technology with the Nova Scotia Department of Energy declaring it “the most effective site for tidal power generation in North America.” Visitors flock to the Bay of Fundy to see the world’s mightiest tidal flow, the bay’s 12 species of whales, its vast rock cliffs, mud flats and wind-scraped sandstone sculptures. A site of major fossil and dinosaur discoveries, the Bay of Fundy is competing to become one of the world’s New 7 Wonders of Nature. www.bayoffundytourism.com

Peak travel time: 10 minutes to cross the world’s longest continuous bridge over sea

The curved 12.9 km (8 mile) long span of Canada’s Confederation Bridge arches over the Northumberland Strait linking the provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island and is not only Canada’s longest bridge, it is the longest continuous bridge in the world over ice-covered waters. The bridge has 310 street lights, 17 cameras, and 7,500 drainage ports. It took four years of construction, more than 5,000 local workers and a cost of $1 billion to build this fixed-link ocean crossing to pastoral PEI. Now peak travel time to cross is a mere 10 minutes, earning the rightful slogan “The Longest Bridge. The Shortest Route.” www.conferedationbridge.com

Adventure West Resorts announced the addition of the new Eden on Chilko Lake to its portfolio. Formerly known as the Chilko Lake Lodge, Eden on Chilko Lake will begin operations starting in June 2009 as a lakeside wellness resort and spa following an extensive renovation.

Set in Tsylos Provincial Park in British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, a two-and-a-half hour drive from William’s Lake, Eden on Chilko Lake will feature a variety of lakefront accommodation including private chalets, deluxe half duplexes and waterfront suites in authentic Chilcotin log cabins, Eden on Chilko Lake will present a refined experience in the heart of British Columbia’s wild west.

Open from June through October, guest packages include accommodation, all meals, Pilates or aqua aerobics class, and one guided morning outdoor activity such as wildflower hikes, instructional fly-fishing or scenic lake tours.

For more information about Eden on Chilko Lake, visit www.edenonchilkolake.com

For more information on Adventure West Resorts, call 877-3-GO-WEST or visit www.adventurewestresorts.com

Big Kahuna Winter Adventure Trip Offers A Taste Of Westcoast, Interior and Rocky Mountain Snow.

Traditionally a major challenge for skiers and snowboarders exploring Canada was negotiating the vast distances between breathtaking snow destinations. While the award winning coastal skiing in Whistler is a short ride from Vancouver, the high altitude fluffy powder of the Okanagan and Rockies is a considerable distance and being able to package all of these unique regions posed a challenge even for the most determined traveler. With this in mind the Big Kahuna tour was born!

Combining elements of the Coastal Mountains, the Central Interior and the Canadian Rockies this 14-day experience gives the skier/snowboarder the chance to sample 7 world-class destinations at a great price. Whistler/Blackcomb, Silverstar, Big White, Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, Kicking Horse and Fernie can all be checked off in the first winter adventure of its kind.

As an upgrade to their summer tours Moose offers hotel accommodation upgrades while exploring this award winning destinations in addition to it’s very successful hostel-based trips. Beyond the world-class skiing and snowboarding is the chance to take on snowmobiling, dog-sledding, winter tubing, curling, ice skating and some legendary nightlife.

Combining winter adventures with budget accommodation has become a magic formula for Moose- as bookings for winter tours have exploded in the last few seasons. Rob Sheridan owner of Moose Travel Network contends that “10 years ago an amazing multi-resort trip like this would not have been financially viable for most people. Now the masses can take advantage and enjoy an all in one lifetime experience”.

Citing the fact that while traveling with Moose- one will have the opportunity to spend time with like-minded travelers, enjoy the benefits of door-to-door convenience and the bonus of enthusiastic and passionate Canadian guides – skiers/snowboarders are leaving with a big smile (and a goggle tan)!

As first reported in Travel Pulse last June, Tauck World Discovery’s new product line, Tauck Culturious, will launch in January, targeting active boomers who are “culturally curious.”

The product is designed to provide an in-depth, immersive cultural experience in each destination and is the result of extensive market research conducted across the country over a period of several months with consumer and travel agent focus groups and online surveys. According to Tauck CEO Dan Mahar, “Culturious trips will typically be more regionally focused, explore a destination in greater depth, incorporate more dynamic, hands-on experiences, and provide more time for independent exploration.” Groups will be limited to around 20 guests. The target client is in the 45 to 65 age bracket.

According to Rick Baron, director of worldwide accounts, Tauck Culturious was “designed to meet a specific need in the marketplace that has not been previously adequately addressed.”

The product targets active baby boomers who are seeking authenticity in travel, interactive experiences and depth of discovery. Tauck’s research shows that the segment will trade some measure of its customary creature comforts for authentic experiences. Like traditional Tauck products, the packages will include high-end accommodations, but will allow for a little more roughing it than previous Tauck programs. The itineraries will provide for more independent exploration. Though the programs may not be strenuous, they will be designed for clients who want to be mentally engaged, not passive observers.

For example, in the Tauck Culturious Provence program, clients will have the opportunity to kayak on the Sorgue River, create a picnic lunch with regional foods from a local outdoor market, take a two-hour stroll from Gordes to Roussillon, play the traditional Provencal game of boules, discuss French politics with a resident of Joucas, attend a tasting of Rhone wines led by a professional sommelier, learn about the life of painter Paul Cézanne from an art scholar and have a chance to create a painting of their own in Provence’s afternoon light.

The brand will launch with seven programs, including packages for Costa Rica, Croatia, Manitoba, Provence, Vietnam and Cambodia, Tuscany and Cinque Terre, and Peru, with more on the way. Culturious is Tauck’s first new brand launch since Tauck Bridges family journeys were introduced in 2003. Bridges rapidly became one of the company’s most popular product lines. Tauck is promoting the product as “a new kind of group travel” that “takes intimate groups of like-minded people on adventures that deeply engage in the cultures they are visiting.”

The programs are “hands-on, totally immersive and physically active.” Arthur Tauck, chairman of the company, calls Culturious “a product for the future” and says it is targeted to a younger market than Tauck’s traditional tours.
The initial seven Culturious itineraries are: Provence, eight days including Aix-en-Provence, Gordes, Joucas, St. Remy, Arles and Avignon; Tuscany and Cinque Terre, eight days including Florence, Carrara, Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza and Lucca; Croatia, eight days including Dubrovnik, Cavtat, Peljesac, Korcula, Hvar, Brac and Split; Manitoba, seven days including Winnipeg, Churchill and Hecla Island; Costa Rica, eight days including San Jose, Poas, Bajos del Toro and Punta Islita; Peru, 12 days including Lima, Cuzco, Reserva Amazonica, Urubamba and Machu Picchu, and Vietnam and Cambodia, 14 days including Hanoi, Hue, Mekong Delta, Phnom Penh, Saigon and Siem Reap.

For more information, call 888-840-1852 or visit www.tauckculturious.com

Air Canada has recently increased service from Toronto to St. Lucia through the fall and now offers weekly non-stop service on Sundays and Mondays into Hewanorra International Airport. From Friday, December 14, 2008 through the winter, the flights will run four times per week on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.

Additionally, Air Canada will begin non-stop service from Montreal on December 22, 2008. The airline will fly weekly on Mondays into Hewanorra International through April 16, 2009.

Travellers enjoy the personalized service of a Rocky Mountaineer Tour Escort throughout their journey ~

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – Rocky Mountaineer Vacations has always offered seamless vacation experiences, but now the company is taking it a step further by introducing five new Escorted Rail Tours through Western Canada in 2009. Guests enjoy the personalized service and expertise of a Tour Escort onboard the internationally acclaimed Rocky Mountaineer as it travels through the magnificent Canadian Rockies. Escorted Rail Tour guests also have access to a private lounge onboard the train which features entertaining and educational presentations such as wine tastings, natural history, regional storytelling and photography lessons.

“We are consistently striving to exceed our guests’ expectations by creating innovative and unique product offerings,” says Hubert Wat, Vice President, Marketing of Rocky Mountaineer Vacations. “With our new Escorted Rail Tours, travellers are given personalized service by our knowledgeable Tour Escorts, offering an in-depth experiential journey through Western Canada.”

Escorted Rail Tour guests have exclusive access to two coaches onboard the Rocky Mountaineer. In the designated dome coach, travellers can relax and take in the stunning scenery or head to the Escorted Tours Lounge, where they can mingle, browse the library or enjoy onboard presentations such as Wine Appreciation, Take Better Photographs, Storytelling and Natural History. Guests may book their Escorted Rail Tour depending on which feature appeals to them the most. A schedule is available in the new 2009 Rocky Mountaineer Vacations’ brochure.

One of Rocky Mountaineer Vacations’ five new Escorted Rail Tours offered during the 2009 season, is the Escorted Rockies Highlights which is a five-night/six-day package. It combines heart-stopping scenery by day and deluxe accommodations by night. On this fully escorted vacation, travellers visit Vancouver, British Columbia, Lake Louise and Banff, Alberta and enjoy a thrilling summit Helicopter Tour for a spectacular view of the Rockies from the air. Prices for this package begin at $2,539.

Another new package is the Escorted Rockies Circle, where travellers experience ten-nights/eleven-days in Canada’s West. Guests marvel at the vast forests, winding river canyons and surrounding peaks of the Coast Mountains, Cascade Range and the Canadian Rockies as they journey aboard Rocky Mountaineer’s Kicking Horse and Yellowhead routes. They also stay in Fairmont Hotels & Resorts properties throughout their stay and spend time in the great Canadian Rocky Mountains. Prices begin at $5,249.

All Escorted Rail Tour packages include a Tour Escort throughout the itinerary, transportation, accommodations and welcome and farewell dinners.

For additional information or to book a Rocky Mountaineer Escorted Rail Tour, contact your local travel professional or Rocky Mountaineer Vacations directly at (800) 665-7245, or visit www.rockymountaineer.com/escorted

Rocky Mountaineer Vacations offers unique Canadian vacation packages and four spectacular rail routes through British Columbia and Alberta. Best known for the world-acclaimed Rocky Mountaineer train, a two-day, all daylight rail journey through Canada’s West and the Canadian Rockies, the company also offers trips onboard the Whistler Mountaineer train, a daily three-hour experience between North Vancouver and Whistler, BC. Since its inception in 1990, the company has grown to be the largest privately owned passenger rail service in North America and welcomed its one millionth guest in 2008. In 2007,

RMV was honoured with the World Travel Award as “World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train” for the third consecutive year and named by National Geographic as one of the World’s Greatest Trips.

Avis Budget Group said Avis and Budget will offer customers across Canada vehicles equipped with snow tires. Now through April 15, 2009, snow tires will be available on all Avis and Budget passenger vehicles in Quebec, as required by law. Beginning snow tires are now also be available on certain vehicles at select corporate Avis and Budget locations in Vancouver, Calgary, Northern Ontario, Ottawa, Newfoundland and New Brunswick.

In Quebec, all rentals through April 15, 2009 will incur an additional charge of CAN $8 per day, $32 per week or $115 per month. In other select cities across Canada, through April 15, 2009, snow tires will be available on select vehicles for an additional charge of CAN $10 per day, $60 per week or $240 per month.

For more information, call Avis Reservations at 1-800-879-2847 or Budget reservations at 1-800-268-8900.

For additional information, visit www.avisbudgetgroup.com