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.

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

Picks The Best Of The USA’s Last Frontier

USA travel specialist TrekAmerica (www.trekamerica.co.uk) is inviting customers to join the celebrations in 2009 as Alaska – the state which brought us Sarah Palin, Northern Exposure, Jewel and Into the Wild – celebrates 50 years of US statehood.

Alaska became the 49th state of the USA in January 1959 - only Hawaii was admitted later.

“Exhilarating, awe-inspiring, majestic and larger-than-life are just some of the terms we’d use to describe the landscapes of Alaska,” comments Richard Hanson, sales director and ex-tour leader at TrekAmerica. “Its geographical separation from the ‘Lower 48’ states presents a completely different experience from the rest of the USA. With its glaciers, lakes, mountains and forests, travel in Alaska is bigger, wilder and more extreme than anywhere else in North America.”

With over 36 years in the business and several dedicated tours based in Alaska, TrekAmerica has had plenty of chances to explore the best of the 49th state. Here, it provides its top ten reasons to visit Alaska in 2009.

• A COMMON PHILOSOPHY

Alaska epitomises the essence of a TrekAmerica trip. Its vast wilderness areas allow travellers to venture off the beaten path, leave the crowds far behind and share the thrill of new experiences in a distant and unfamiliar land

• DENALI NATIONAL PARK

Home to Mount McKinley – the highest peak in North America at 20,320 feet – and more grizzly bears than people, Denali NP is the centrepiece of the Alaskan wilderness

• WIDE OPEN SPACES

Alaska is the biggest US state, at more than twice the size of nearest rival, Texas. It has a longer coastline than all the other US states combined, but only one person per square mile of land mass. That’s one large and semi-private playground for travellers to enjoy

• LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN

In Alaska, you can wear sunglasses at midnight without looking like a poser or a drunk. Visit in June for the longest daylight hours

• SNOW IN THE SUMMERTIME

Clip on the crampons for vertical ice climbing on Root Glacier; trek over Exit Glacier and Harding Icefields; or simply take a boat trip and listen out for the ear-splitting crack of carving glaciers as huge chunks of ice break off in the summer months

• NORTHERN LIGHTS

Nothing on earth compares to the sight of the mystical, magical, Aurora Borealis dancing across the sky. For the best chance of seeing the northern lights, book one of TrekAmerica’s tours in late August or September

• ACTIVE ADVENTURES ABOUND

Alaska inspires a love of the great outdoors into everyone. Take a hike, paddle a wilderness canoe, enjoy a scenic flight, explore by mountain bike or go white water rafting to experience the very best of what the state has to offer

• WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS

No need to visit a zoo here – just travel into the wild for the chance to see grizzly bear, moose, caribou, sea otters and perhaps even mighty killer whales

• IT’S OUT OF THE ORDINARY

Dog mushing is the state sport; the woolly mammoth is the official state fossil; and the state capital, Juneau, has no road access. You can’t fail to love a state with such quirks

• EVERYBODY LOVES A BIRTHDAY

Celebrations for Alaska’s 50th anniversary have already begun, so travellers visiting in 2009 could well find themselves joining in the fun with a programme of concerts, parades and other festivities promised for 2009

Sample Alaska packages from TrekAmerica

Alaskan Denali – Seven days from £549 per person (excluding flights)

Wrangell-St Elias National Park, the Tangle Lakes, the Alaska Mountain Range and Denali National Park are all on the itinerary for this camping adventure. Departures available between May and August 2009.

 For full trip details, see www.trekamerica.co.uk/tours/ad.html

Alaskan Kenai – Seven days from £579 per person (excluding flights)

Venture out into the Kenai Peninsula and explore Kenai Fjords National Park by boat, stay in a luxury wilderness camp and visit the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Departures available between June and September 2009.

For full trip details, see www.trekamerica.co.uk/tours/ak.html

Alaskan Wonder – 14 days from £1,079 per person (excluding flights)

Combine the two itineraries above to create this two-week Alaskan adventure. Departures available between May and August 2009. For full trip details, see www.trekamerica.co.uk/tours/aw.html

To book any of the trips listed above, or to find out more about TrekAmerica’s tours in Alaska, see www.trekamerica.co.uk or telephone 0845 330 6095.

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

Sun Country Airlines welcomed 50 youths at the Humphrey terminal where they were scheduled to board a Boeing 737 and take a “Flight to the North Pole.” The children, participants in Perspectives, Inc. “Kids Connection” program, were aboard a Sun Country aircraft where a voluntary crew of pilots and flight attendants welcomed them.

While the plane taxied for approximately 30 minutes on the ground, the children enjoyed a detailed description of their flight to visit Santa. Santa sightings, reindeer sightings and other holiday-themed activities were part of the experience.

Also, a meal was provided by Sky Foods Catering. Perspectives, Inc. is a 32-year-old human service agency that provides comprehensive services to hundreds of homeless and disadvantaged families. Specifically, Kids Connection serves over 50 high-risk youth through nutrition lessons, self-esteem programs tutoring and mentoring, as well as extending learning activities.

After receiving a tour of the cockpit, the kids returned to the gate area where they were greeted by two very special guests. Other activities included decorating ornaments for the Sun Country Christmas tree and photographs with Sun Country crew and special guests.

For more information, visit www.suncountry.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)!

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.

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

WestJet has introduced a new pillow and blanket kit which, for a small fee, will provide guests with another option to enrich their travel experience. Starting Dec. 1, 2008, pillow and blanket kits, complete with a travel pillow, fleece blanket and convenient carry bag, will be available for purchase on all WestJet flights. Both the pillow and blanket are brand new, allergen-free, breathable and washable, and can be used over and over again. The new blanket and pillow kit will cost $7 in flight. The kit also includes a $5 coupon that can be used towards the purchase of a CleanBrands product through their online website. Reusable blankets will still be available on all WestJet flights for guests to use at no charge.

For more information, visit www.westjet.com