Jetsettersblog

Titan HiTours, the escorted tours specialist, has released the first of its new National Geographic Journeys brochures in conjunction with the National Geographic Society. The new programme of exclusive holidays contains an inspiring collection of exceptional journeys, each accompanied by a National Geographic expert to ensure a rewarding, insightful holiday quite unlike anything else on the market.

The first National Geographic Journeys brochure is Africa & the Near East 2009/10, featuring wonderful wildlife, ancient civilisations and spectacular landscapes in countries as varied as Jordan, Rwanda, Namibia and South Africa.

Over its 120-year history, the National Geographic Society has delivered to a worldwide audience fascinating stories about diverse cultures, wildlife conservation, scientific discoveries and exploration of the planet’s most remote and breathtaking regions. Now, National Geographic Journeys offer travellers the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of great explorers and discover the wonders of the world, National Geographic-style.

What makes these holidays exceptional are the memorable – and often unique – experiences included in each itinerary, such as private access to museums and attractions, meetings with National Geographic contacts and experts around the world or specially-arranged dinners in awe-inspiring locations. In addition to specialist guidance, travellers will enjoy the finest hotels in their class, comfortable transportation, the award-winning VIP Home Departure Service (with transfers to and from their own front door) and, of course, the high levels of quality, customer satisfaction and value for money for which Titan HiTours is renowned.

The first tour featured, the 12-day ‘Temples, Treasures & Tombs: The Mysteries of Ancient Egypt’, leads in at £2,498 per person and provides a good example of how a National Geographic Journey differs from a standard escorted tour. Departing in June, September and December 2009, and January and February 2010, this outstanding tour includes expert guiding by an authority on ancient Egyptian art, an exclusive visit to Luxor’s amazing Tomb of Queen Nefertari (usually closed to the public, now restored to its original glory and as vibrantly colourful as it was 3,000 years ago), private access to the Great Pyramid and Sphinx enclosure, and a private talk by National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr Zahi Hawass.

Other options include the 15-day ‘Natural Wonders of Namibia’ tour, which features visits to towering sand dunes, Stone Age artwork and wildlife-rich reserves as well as private, torch-lit dinners at Sossusvlei and Etosha, a private visit to the Gobabeb Desert Research Centre and tracking wild leopard at Erindi Game Reserve. The first departure is in June 2009 and costs £4,298 per person to include all flights, accommodation, meals and excursions plus the services of a Titan tour manager, a National Geographic expert and the VIP Home Departure Service.

Alternatively, take the 18-day ‘Rainbow Nation Revealed’ tour, which uncovers South Africa’s fascinating and turbulent history through the eyes of its various peoples. Unforgettable elements include a journey aboard the luxurious Rovos Rail, a meeting with a traditional isAngoma (mystic-healer) in Soweto and an exclusive visit to the Sterkfontein Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site credited as being the ‘Cradle of Humankind’.

This tour departs on selected dates from September 2009 and costs from £5,498 per person, covering all flights, accommodation, transfers, most meals, plus the services of a Titan tour manager, a National Geographic expert and the VIP Home Departure Service.

In every destination, hotels, lodges and partners have been carefully selected both for the exceptional quality of the services they provide, and for their support of local charities, community initiatives and conservation trusts. Participation in a National Geographic Journey provides support to National Geographic’s mission of increasing global understanding through exploration, geography education and scientific research.

In addition, through this alliance, holidaymakers in the UK will have the opportunity to travel on any of National Geographic’s expedition ships operated by Lindblad Expeditions, when a second brochure (National Geographic Journeys by Sea) is launched in January 2009. These voyages will be aboard the new, state-of-the-art National Geographic Explorer which plies the seas from Antarctica and South Georgia to the Seychelles, and on other ships in the fleet, exploring destinations such as the Galápagos Islands, Alaska’s fjords, Costa Rica and the Panama Canal.

National Geographic Journeys will be bookable by telephone (0800 988 5175), online (www.ngjourneys.co.uk) and in person, with a staff of expert personal travel consultants at the new National Geographic retail store at 83-97 Regent Street, London, which offers a range of products from casual travel gear to expedition-quality apparel, and also features an exhibition area, auditorium, tapas café and photography studio.

Commenting on the launch brochure, Richard Tarrant, Titan HiTours’ Affinity Manager said, “We are so privileged to be working with National Geographic on this wonderful product. Not only will British travellers have the chance to enjoy extraordinary, expert-led holidays full of unforgettable experiences to the world’s most beautiful and inspiring places, they will also be directly helping local communities and supporting National Geographic’s mission to inspire people to care about the planet.”

Lynn Cutter, Senior Vice President, Travel and Business Development at National Geographic, said, “We are delighted to be working with Titan HiTours to extend our successful travel programme into the UK market. We look forward to offering our unique brand of trips, blending exploration and learning, to this discerning new audience.”

To request a copy of the launch brochure call 0800 988 5174 or visit the website www.NGjourneys.co.uk

Spirit Vacations discounted rates and added kids-stay-free offers for a variety of hotels in the Caribbean, Mexico and the U.S. Examples of air-inclusive deals available for 2009 winter travel include:

Sandos Caracol Beach Eco-Resort and Spa, Riviera Maya, Mexico, all-inclusive, 15 percent off accommodations, one kid stays, plays and eats free, Monday departures Jan. 5 to 19, 2009, three-night stays are priced from $454 from Ft. Lauderdale;

$514 from Orlando or Tampa; and $524 from Atlanta, Atlantic City, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Myrtle Beach, New York/LaGuardia or Washington, D.C./Reagan National; Barcelo Tucancun Beach, Cancun, Mexico, all-inclusive with Monday departures Jan. 5 to 12, 2009, three-night stays are priced from $499 from Ft. Lauderdale; $554 from Orlando or Tampa; and $569 from Atlanta, Atlantic City, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Myrtle Beach, New York/LaGuardia or Washington, D.C./Reagan National.

Additional destinations, hotels and dates are available. Spirit Vacations packages include round-trip air travel on Spirit Airlines, hotel accommodations, round-trip airport/hotel transfers with Caribbean vacations, hotel taxes and service charges and Customer Care Service.

All-inclusive vacations also include all meals, snacks, beverages, non-motorized water sports, entertainment and much more. Spirit Vacations offers complete vacation packages to destinations throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America, Mexico and the United States.

For more information or to make reservations, travelers can contact their travel consultant, call Spirit Vacations at 800-617-3325 or visit www.spiritvacations.com

 The Canopy Tower Ecolodge Has Been Chosen as One of the Top 50 Ecolodge in the World

Panama - According to the November edition of the National Geographic Adventure Magazine, The Canopy Tower Ecolodge located in the midst of the tropical jungle next to Panama City, has been chosen as one of the Top 50 Ecolodges in the world that have been ranked in terms of their lodging quality and ecological surroundings.

This impressive tower with a bird watching deck hanging at 900 feet above sea level and an awesome view of the Pacific side of the Panama Canal was built by the US military as a radar survelling facility in the Cold War times when a soviet attack to the canal was feared.

The Canopy Tower has achieved a worldwide reputation among seasoned birdwatchers as the only place in the world where the rare and beautiful “Blue Cotinga” can be viewed at eye level, and “all you have to do is get out of bed and look out the window!” In fact, this bird is the signature species in the rich catalog of birds of this ecolodge located in the neighborhood of the utmost famous birdwatching site, the legendary Pipeline Road.

Its owner Raul Arias de Para who had the vision of turning this former military watch tower into an outstanding and unique ecolodge for birdwatching expresses his pride for this distinction and adds, “This is just a sample of the quality tourist products us Panamanians can offer to the world.”

Four Central America hotels were chosen among the Ten Best Ecolodge Hotels in the world: besides the Canopy Tower, there are the Lapa Rios in Costa Rica -which is located near the border with Panama-, Pico Bonito in Honduras y Chaa Creek in Belice, But the Canopy is the only one that features, besides the views of the Panama Canal and the most accessible tropical rainforest in the world(only half hour drive from Panama City), some 400 species of birds in the surrounding areas. The “Bird Watching in Panama” web site defines it like this:

“Panama ranks as one of the world’s top bird-watching sites, with more than 950 registered species of resident and migrant birds - more than the US and Canada combined. Because Panama is a land bridge connecting two continents, birders are privy to viewing species from both North and South America. Many of the birds found here are “showcase” birds such as toucans, macaws, and the resplendent quetzal, which delight even non-birders. Keen birders often return home having seen dozens of “life birds,” or their first sighting of a bird species. If you head out with a qualified birding guide, expect to see upwards of 100 or more in a single day.”

 Austin-Lehman Adventures Makes Panama Accessible to Active Families on Three New Departures

BILLINGS, MT – New for 2009 on Austin-Lehman Adventures’ (ALA) list of iconic destinations for families is a 9 day / 8 night Panama Family: Reef & Rainforest Adventure with three departures scheduled in spring and summer breaks beginning in April.

The per person (double) rate is $3,498 (single supplement $780), with children ages 7 and up at $3,148 for first child and $2,798 for each additional child. Departures are Apr. 11-19; June 27-July 5 and July 11-19. See this link.

While trekking through a rainforest or flying overhead the canopy in an aerial tram, guests have the opportunity to see monkeys, toucans and elusive wild boars. They will hike to the top of Volcano Baru with views of the Caribbean and Pacific from the summit and explore the engineering feat that is the Panama Canal. There are also cultural and scientific visits to a coffee plantation, butterfly farm, ancient ruins and more.

Guests lodge in distinctive accommodations at the Gamboa Rainforest Lodge, at Casa Grande Bambito in the Bambito Highlands offering fine dining and a wine cellar, and at Hotel Playa Tortuga on the Atlantic shore.

Dan Austin, ALA co-founder and director, says that “Panama is the new, hot destination for 2009. It’s the perfect place for adventurous families looking for that undiscovered, undeveloped slice of paradise. It has so much to offer kids in terms of discovery, watchable wildlife, colorful culture and warm friendly people.”

 The Austin-Lehman Adventures forte is to give guests a comprehensive and authentic insider’s view of regions visited through terrain-specific multi-sport activities. On this trip guests will white water raft, kayak, snorkel and ride horses. The nearly all-inclusive rate, exclusive of round trip air to/from Panama City, includes accommodations, meals, guides, entry fees, ground transportation and more.

“Our programs are about the luxury of learning, stimulating activity and the tender loving care we lavish on our guests,” says Paul Lehman, ALA founding partner, noting that his company’s 6 guests to one guide ratio has set an industry standard that makes these immersive trips personally rewarding.

Austin-Lehman Adventures manages all of the arrangements for its selected destinations that include iconic regions of North, Central and South America as well as southern Africa and Europe. Small groups are limited to 12 guests (18 on family departures).

Rates include first-class accommodations, most meals and beverages, expert guides, park entry fees, multisport activities such as hiking, biking, rafting, horseback riding and more, ground transportation and luggage service. Not included is round trip travel to the host city.

For a copy of the 2009 catalog as well as information on ALA’s 66 unique itineraries for active adult and family travel, please call toll-free 1.800.575.1540, or e-mail info@austinlehman.com  

To review current trips, schedules and itineraries you can log onto its website: www.austinlehman.com

 Cultural Immersion

Latin America offers endless opportunities to get off the beaten path, experience exotic landscapes and cultures in active, adventurous and exciting ways. Aventouras specializes in active and unusual trips such as a multi-day camping and hiking trip through the jungle of northern Guatemala to reach the spectacular Mayan ruins of Tikal, sea kayaking the highest navigable lake in the world in Peru to reach a remote island community, or snorkeling among the islands of the indigenous San Blas archipelago of the Caribbean in Panama.

Other activities include biking trails and roads in parts of the Sacred Valley of the Incas that most tourists never see, climbing an active volcano in Guatemala, and flying through the canopy on zip lines in Costa Rica and Panama.

Small group sizes of twelve or less allow Aventouras adventurers access into lodges and communities that are simply not available to larger tourist groups. There is always a personal touch - largely in getting to know the guides, communities, and lodges in each destination country.

 Thorough planning maximizes time for activities and top-notch remote locations, while minimizing travel time. Aventouras trips depart each month to Peru, Galapagos, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Belize, and Ecuador, with additional new destinations planned. Trip lengths generally range from a week to ten days, and prices range from $1798 - $2698 with a supplement for single occupancy.

Prices include all activities, meals, lodging, guides, and in-country transportation.

http://www.aventouras.com

 Tour operator The Adventure Company is launching a new style of holiday for 2009 after identifying a gap in the responsible tourism market.

The company’s new Hands On Adventures will enable travellers – including families - to spend two or three days directly involved in community-based or conservation projects around the globe as part of their longer holiday. Experiences on offer range from tracking bears and wolves in the mountains of Eastern Europe, to spending time in remote villages in a tsunami-affected region of southern Thailand.

Hands-on activity will be incorporated into adventure travel itineraries so travellers can provide practical help or support at the same time as enjoying a holiday exploring the highlights of the destination. Experiences will encourage interaction with locals, helping travellers really get under the skin of the culture.

“Our new Hands On Adventures bridge the gap between Voluntourism trips and holidays that simply provide financial support to worthwhile causes” explains Nicola McFarlane, product director at The Adventure Company.

She continues: “The Adventure Company has for many years promoted community-based tourism activities and donated money to responsible tourism projects through our charitable foundation, but feedback from our customers suggests they are keen to be more proactively involved. The key to our Hands On Adventures is ensuring a significant amount of time is dedicated to practical assistance, giving greater fulfilment to the traveller and tangible contributions to the chosen projects.”

 The Adventure Company is offering Hands On Adventures in eight countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and Central America in 2009. The trips include seven family itineraries – some suitable for children as young as five – to inspire in children an interest in responsible tourism, foreign cultures and lifestyles.

Hands On Adventures are broadly divided into two areas - wildlife conservation and community projects – and are offered in both the Worldwide Adventures and stand-alone Family Adventures brochures.

On most trips, hands on activity will vary, to focus on tasks that need assistance at the time. Therefore, one group visiting an orphanage may spend their time in the classroom, teaching children, while a group the following month might be tasked with redecorating dormitories or constructing new beds for the children. This flexibility is to ensure the help provided by travellers is as beneficial as possible.

Examples of The Adventure Company’s new Hands On Adventures include:

Family Hands On Adventures:

Turtle Conservation in Costa Rica and Panama – This family trip allows travellers to get up close to the leatherback and green turtles that inhabit the Caribbean coastline of Costa Rica. Take part in turtle patrols – protecting the nests, hiding them from poachers and helping to measure and tag turtles – all of which helps to preserve the fragile ecosystem. Crossing into Panama, families will spend time on the palm-fringed island archipelago of Bocas del Toro as well as exploring the lush Panamanian Highlands of Boquete.
Minimum age: 5 years.

 Namibian Community Encounter – Families will spend two days in a community-based tourism project run by San bushmen in the northeast of Namibia. Learning to track wild animals and gather bushfood will be some of the tasks at hand to support the efforts of the local communities to preserve their knowledge and heritage. Other highlights of this 17-day trip include wildlife encounters at Etosha and the red desert dunes of Sossusvlei. Minimum age: 5 years.

Worldwide Hands On Adventures (aged 18+):

Bear Tracking in the Tatras Mountains – Work alongside researchers to track bears and other wildlife in their natural habitat. Travellers will visit areas that are otherwise closed to tourism, accompanied by expert rangers. Between walks in the mountains there is plenty of time to explore the local area and visit the city of Krakow.

Rural village living in Thailand – Make a positive contribution to the lives of a rural village community, teaching English, helping in the community garden, taking part in beach clean-ups or even just going to market to buy provisions. Elsewhere, enjoy jungle trekking, river tubing (in season), an optional elephant ride and the beautiful beaches of Koh Phangnan.

Otter rehabilitation in Guyana – Help with the rehabilitation of giant river otters, getting involved with the daily feeding and care whilst staying at the Karanambu Ranch. Other wildlife encounters will be found on a three-day canoe excursion along the Burro Burro River, while there is also the chance to spot elusive jaguar from a canopy walkway through the jungle.

The Adventure Company is offering seven Hands On Adventures in its new Family Adventures brochure and six Hands On Adventures in its Worldwide Adventures brochure. All departures are scheduled for 2009.

All of The Adventure Company’s trips can be booked direct.

To request copies of the 2009 Adventure Company brochures (out 3rd October 2008), please visit www.adventurecompany.co.uk  or telephone 0845 609 0889.

Alternatively, view a range of Hands On Adventures online by visiting www.adventurecompany.co.uk and clicking on ‘Hands On Adventures’ in the Adventure Inspiration box; or by following this link:

 In response to growing consumer demand and ease of travel, Avanti Destinations has added new programs to Latin America. “The increase in consumer vacations to South and Central America reflects the great sightseeing, amazing cuisine and wonderful accommodations that are available at a very affordable cost,” said Harry Dalgaard, president of Avanti Destinations. The destinations are featured in Avanti’s new Essence of Latin America brochure, which is now off the printing presses and is arriving at travel agencies. For 2009, Avanti has added FIT programs for Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and Guatemala. “Reflecting the increase in traffic to Latin America, airlines have been adding capacity. It is now easier than ever to fly from either Atlanta or Miami,” Dalgaard said.

Dalgaard noted that the interest in vacations to Chile has been especially strong. On that basis Avanti has added five new FIT programs for that country. One example is the 13-Day Ultimate Chile RVP. It features Santiago; the mountains, lake, glaciers and unique flora and fauna of Patagonia; the beautiful Lake District; the pristine scenery of the Atacama; and picturesque Valparaiso. Priced from $3,868, the package includes all ground transfers, accommodations, daily breakfast and select meals. Also new for Chile is a self-drive program focused on Chile’s wine country with bookends in the exciting cities of Santiago and Valparaiso. It includes two nights in a charming Colchagua area inn, nestled between the Andes and the coast.

The Central Valley Self-Drive Tour is a six-day package with an airport arrival transfer, compact manual car rental, accommodations and daily breakfast, priced from $889. Argentina continues to be a favorite for Avanti in South America.

 One of the most popular choices has been Avanti’s eight-day Argentine Food and Wine package in Buenos Aires and Mendoza. It features fine dining, cooking classes and visits to wineries with tastings. It is priced from $4,052 and includes roundtrip airport transfers, accommodations, daily breakfast and featured meals. Avanti’s new Ultimate Argentina RVP is an 11-day package that includes cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, a stay in Southern Patagonia, the famous Lake District and Iguassu Falls.

The program includes three nights in Buenos Aires, three nights in Calafate, two nights in Bariloche and two nights at Iguassu. Ultimate Argentina is priced from $1,756.

For more information, call 800-422-5053 or visit www.AvantiDestinations.com

In conjunction with three winter/spring 2009 Panama Canal cruises between Los Angeles and Miami, Crystal Cruises is offering complimentary air fare to guests originating in those cities, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach.

Value Collection and Special Savings Fares offers fares up to 50 percent off.

The offer is available with Crystal Serenity’s 15-day cruise from Miami to Los Angeles, departing on Jan. 6; Crystal Symphony’s 14-day cruise from Miami to Los Angeles, departing on Feb. 16; and Crystal Serenity’s 16-day cruise from Los Angeles to Miami, departing on May 7.

 In addition to the daylight transit of the Panama Canal, the luxury cruises call at ports in Mexico, Costa Rica and the Caribbean and/or South America. The Feb. 16 and May 6 cruises also offer culinary and wellness “Experiences of Discovery,” respectively. Depending on the cruise, guest chefs, wine experts and expert instructors in yoga, Pilates and fitness will share their insights.

MSC Cruises said there is limited space on the MSC Lirica’s Caribbean holiday sailings at rates starting at $699. Plus, kids sale free in the same stateroom as two full-fare-paying adults. The seven-night Christmas/Hannukah sailing departs Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 20 on an Eastern Caribbean itinerary that calls at Tortola, Philipsburg, Nassau and Cayo Levantado, a private retreat in the Dominican Republic.

Rates begin at $699 for an interior stateroom, $849 for ocean-view and $1,299 for a balcony suite. The seven-night New Year’s Western Caribbean itinerary departs Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 27 and calls at Key West, Cozumel, Georgetown and Cayo Levantado.

Rates begin at $799 for an interior stateroom, $949 for an ocean-view and $1,549 for a balcony suite. Rates are cruise only, per person, double occupancy; government fees and taxes and fuel surcharge are additional. Youngsters age 17 and under sharing a stateroom with two full-fare-paying adults sail free (government fees and taxes are additional).

MSC Cruises is now offering online express check-in, expediting embarkation for its guests.

To use MSC Express, guests can log onto the MSC website up to 48 hours prior to departure and click on the MSC Express icon to enter their booking information.

The completed printed form, cruise ticket and required identification information can then be presented at the MSC Express priority check-in desk at the port.

 “MSC Express serves to fast-track guests through the check-in process, saving them valuable time and letting them start their MSC Cruises experience as soon as possible,” said Richard Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises USA.

For more information, visit www.msccruisesusa.com