Jetsettersblog

Peddle, paddle, and plod your way through Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia with Southeast Asia specialists, Journeys Within.

This is Adventure Asia tour is ideal for people on their first trip to Southeast Asia that don’t want to just see the highlights, but want to get out, get active, and immerse themselves in other cultures. From cooking classes to bike rides to elephant adventures, and kayaking and trekking, this is a truly amazing and physically active way to see Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

Prices starting at $6675.

www.journeys-within.com

For 14 fun-filled days, AdventureWomen, Inc.’s guests will experience the best in outdoor adventure for women that the South Island of New Zealand has to offer.

From sandy beaches to snow-capped mountains, Christchurch to Queenstown, and from New Zealand’s rolling farmlands to its vast rainforests, AdventureWomen, Inc.’s expert guides will show women travelers why this incomparable country is called an extraordinary “world in miniature.”

This exciting 2-week New Zealand getaway combines adventurous activities and explorations that take visitors through the South Island’s awe-inspiring national parks and wilderness areas.

Travelers will be the guests of a New Zealand family on a farm stay, see New Zealand by helicopter, walk on a glacier, sea kayak and hike in Abel Tasman National Park, jet boat in Queenstown, raft, horseback ride and sample premier New Zealand wines at a vineyard tasting.

Kiwi hospitality and wonderful accommodations round out this spectacular, active New Zealand adventure vacation for women only.

March 16th-31st, 2010. $5595 Land Cost. ).

www.adventurewomen.com

Many travelers are more familiar with Thailand’s magnificent islands, beaches, Buddhist temples, massage, and colorful cuisine, but Thailand’s rainforests are also home to many bird and mammal species; elephants, tigers, 13 species of primates and 900 species of birds.

On Wild Planet Adventures’ 11-day and 15 day Thailand / Laos programs, travelers enjoy itineraries that include Thailand’s best wildlife destinations plus a cooking school, Buddhist temples, floating markets, and more including one of the most unique eco-tourism projects in the world — the Gibbon Experience.

The national parks of Kaeng Krachan, Pa La-U, Sam Roi Yot, Doi Inthanon and Khao Yai harbor some of the most diverse and fascinating wildlife on earth, including populations of wild elephants, guars, tigers, gibbons, langurs, macaques, barking deer, flying foxes and unique birds such as hornbills and Indian rollers.

You’ll also find wildlife experiences that are uniquely Thai: a tiger sanctuary where you can play with baby tiger cubs, an elephant camp where you can bathe elephants in a river.

And of course Thailand’s famous islands, beaches and karst. Choose from a variety of itineraries including the single most unique ecotourism experience we’ve ever encountered: a system of ziplines and tree-houses where you can see gibbons sing duets to each other.

The Gibbon Experience is offered either as part of our award-winning 15-day Ultimate Wildlife eco-tour or as a 5-day tour by itself.

Josh Cohen, 415-925-4300, josh@wildplanetadventures.com, www.wildplanetadventures.com

Nomadic Expeditions, a Mongolia tour operator and expedition outfitter, will join forces with Massachusetts Audubon to create new conservation programs aimed at protecting Mongolia’s vast and fragile ecosystems.

By establishing this alliance, Nomadic Expeditions President Jalsa Urubshurow hopes to pioneer a new concept in environmental conservation — a for-profit company and a non-profit organization working together towards the goal of promoting environmentally sustainable tourism.

This multifaceted program, the brainchild of Urubshurow and Mass Audubon’s Christopher Leahy, will focus on eco-tourism, environmental education, interpretive publications, green building design and earth-friendly operations.

The partnership will combine Nomadic Expeditions’ knowledge of Mongolia with Mass Audubon’s extensive experience creating conservation strategies and programs.

Urubshurow, the founder and CEO of Nomadic Expeditions, is a proponent and leader in the development of sustainable tourism in Mongolia since 1990.

Urubshurow was enlisted by the first prime minister of the newly democratic Mongolia to advise the government in expanding accessibility to Western travelers and to actively promote travel to Mongolia from North America.

In the post-communist period since 1990, Urubshurow has advised Mongolia’s prime ministers and presidents on sustainable eco-tourism, environmental protection issues and business development.

He has twice been named the world’s Top Travel Specialist for Mongolia by Condé Nast Traveler magazine, and was the co-founder and former chairman of the North America Mongolia Business Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding bilateral economic, investment, and trade relations between Mongolia and North America.

As designer and founder of the Three Camel Lodge, an award-winning eco-lodge in the Gobi Desert, Urubshurow has made environmental sustainability a priority of his business operations in Mongolia.

Named one of the world’s Top 50 Ecolodges by National Geographic Adventure and Best Lodge of the Year by the Mongolian Tourism Association, the lodge was built in accordance with environmentally and culturally sustainable development guidelines, and is powered by renewable energy resources, including solar and wind power.

The Three Camel Lodge also forged a first-of-its-kind cooperative agreement with local Mongolian authorities for sustainable development and conservation, and is an active contributor to the local community’s conservation efforts, including planting native trees, sponsoring anti-litter clean-up programs and anti-poaching initiatives, as well as school conservation and cultural programs.

Urubshurow intends the partnership with Mass Audubon to lead the way in solidifying and strengthening an environmental ethic within Mongolia’s for-profit travel operators. “Nomadic Expeditions and Mass Audubon share the same interests and have parallel goals,” said Urubshurow.

“Our aim is to reach beyond tourism to form partnerships with local schools and communities, as well as with other conservation organizations and agencies that work in Mongolia.”

Through Nomadic Expeditions’ new conservation unit, Urubshurow also hopes to magnify awareness of the region’s extraordinary natural beauty and biodiversity, as well as the threats faced by Mongolia’s largely unspoiled ecosystems. By enlisting Mass Audubon to enhance and further define Nomadic Expeditions’ conservation efforts, he wants to expand the Three Camel Lodge’s role as a center for environmental education in the Gobi and throughout Mongolia.

Directing the new conservation unit will be Leahy, the first holder of the Gerard A. Bertrand Chair of Natural History and Field Ornithology at Mass Audubon. Leahy was the organization’s director of conservation for 18 years, and has continued to explore Mongolia’s natural wonders since his first visit there in 1982.

He has led education programs in over 70 countries and was instrumental in developing the organization’s international natural history travel program.

He is the author of “The Birdwatchers Companion to North American Birdlife” and many other works on natural history subjects.

Massachusetts Audubon, which successfully founded a program to protect more than 250,000 acres of bird habitat in Belize, is the largest conservation organization in New England and one of the oldest in the United States.

Leahy will lead a Natural History Exploration in Mongolia with Massachusetts Audubon, operated by Nomadic Expeditions, May 22 to June 7.

The trip will visit Lake Hovsgol, the Mongolian steppe, and the Three Camel Lodge in the Gobi Desert. Nomadic Expeditions, the pioneer of adventures in Mongolia and beyond, offers more than two dozen authentic active adventures and cultural journeys, as well as customized adventures throughout Mongolia, Tibet, Bhutan, Siberia and China, and operates the Three Camel Lodge luxury ger camp in the heart of the Gobi Desert.

For more information on Nomadic Expeditions, call 800-998-6634or visit www.nomadicexpeditions.com

For more information on Massachusetts Audubon, visit www.massaudubon.org

Butterfield & Robinson is offering self-guided trips, itineraries similar to the operators traditional programs in scope, service and style, but are designed without a B&R guide.
Examples include Ten Spot: Ten Things You Didn’t Know About the Amalfi Coast, which showcases Almafi’s ancient paths, local cuisine and Mediterranean sky.

The package is priced $7,995 per person.

Also offered is the self-guided A Day in the Life: Of Prague to Vienna Biking.

For more information, visit www.butterfield.com

Mantis, manager and marketer of luxury boutique hotels and game reserves across South Africa and Europe, is making its first foray into Rwanda with a five-star lodge scheduled to open on March 14.

The Nyungwe Forest Lodge is set in Rwanda’s mountainous southwest, the largest remaining extension of uninterrupted montane forest in Central and East Africa, and one of the most ancient. Mantis’ Nyungwe Forest Lodge is the only five-star accommodation within the Nyungwe National Park area.

It lies in a tea plantation on the edge of the Nyungwe closed-canopy rain forest.

Each of the lodge’s 24 sumptuous suites has a private deck affording views of the vast forest terrain.

The lodge has a bistro with an outdoor heated swimming pool, a boma for al fresco dining and sundowners, a restaurant with private terrace, a tea lounge and bar, and a retreat comprising two treatment rooms, a Jacuzzi and a fitness center equipped with treadmill, cycle and weights.

The lodge also offers state-of-the-art Wi-Fi and exclusive conference facilities accommodating up to 18 delegates.

The main lodge is wheelchair friendly.

Suites are air-conditioned and appointed with a fireplace for cooler months, en-suite bathroom with shower, and a flat-screen TV with digital satellite channels.

The architecture of the lodge is loosely based on traditional Rwandese buildings and, like them, is designed to blend with the landscape. To the extent possible local materials and construction methods have been used. The resulting spaces are comfortable and elegant, and celebrate the uniqueness of the site, an area so old it predates the last Ice Age. Known for its rugged terrain and complex mosaic of vegetation, from tall, dense forests to open, flower-filled marshes, the park is home to more than 200 different tree species and a myriad of flowering plants. Found here are the African mahogany, Mulanje cedar, the evergreen Waterberry tree, the other-worldly giant lobelia and a host of colorful orchids.

Nyungwe is an ideal area for walking and trekking, with no fewer than 13 species of primates ranging from chimpanzees (man’s closest living relative) to acrobatic black and white colobus monkeys, from blue and golden monkeys to the baboon-like Grey-cheeked Mangabeys.

Guests can walk to the Kamicanovu swamp or enjoy the extensive network of well-maintained walking trails leading through the forest to a variety of waterfalls and viewing points for beholding old mahoganies, ebonies, giant tree ferns, orchids and other epiphytes, brightly colored birds, butterflies and some larger forest residents.

The Nyungwe Forest Lodge is an hour’s drive from the town of Kamembe on the shore of Lake Kivu. Nyungwe Forest Lodge is managed and marketed by the Mantis Group. The rate per person per night of $400 includes accommodation, breakfast and dinner, selected beverages and VAT.

For more information, visit www.mantiscollection.com

Couples visiting South East England can enjoy a number of romantic breaks, days out and special offers for all tastes and budgets this Valentine’s Day. This year, February 14th falls on a Sunday, making it a great excuse for a short break to any of the South East’s nine counties: Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

For more information on romantic days out in South East England, please see: www.romanticdaysout.co.uk

Five-star Valentine’s breaks in Chichester, West Sussex
This Valentine’s, why not spend a romantic weekend at Chichester’s latest five-star hotel, The Fish House, which is located amidst beautiful rolling Sussex countryside – the perfect backdrop for a romantic break.

Guests can book secluded hot tubs with their own private thatched gazebo, complete with iPod docking station and champagne and chocolates fridge.

There’s also an award-winning Fish Bar boasting a delicious Oyster counter and fresh seafood menu. Guests can choose from a fine dining a la carte menu or an eight-course restaurant tasting menu.

An overnight Valentine’s package for two costs £295 per night in a luxury designer king size bedroom and includes champagne and chocolates, dinner, bed and breakfast, roses and a teddy bear. This offer is valid from 13th-15th February 2010.
www.thefishhouse.co.uk

Escape to a romantic retreat on the Isle of Wight

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a romantic weekend in a luxurious converted barn in the scenic village of Niton, South Wight.

The characterful Tennyson Barn offers charming accommodation surrounded by acres of picturesque countryside, making it the ideal destination to embrace privacy and relax with a loved one.

Departing on 12th February 2010, a three-night self-catering Wightlink Green Getaways break in Tennyson Barn costs £220 per person. A week’s stay starts from £280 per person. Prices include return Wightlink car ferry crossings from Portsmouth or Lymington.
www.wightlink.co.uk

Michelin-starred hotel restaurant, Isle of Wight

Partners can treat their other halves to a luxurious Valentine’s break with a stylish stay at The Hambrough this February.

Couples can enjoy an overnight stay in one of the hotel’s exclusive seven rooms, together with a champagne breakfast and six-course dinner at its Michelin-starred restaurant, prepared by Chef Patron Robert Thompson.

Designed with romance in mind, the special Valentine’s menu will feature specialties such as Champagne and Canapés, Oyster Tempura and Wild Strawberry Mousse.

A bottle of champagne and a handmade sugar rose is also included in the package. Departing on 13th February, the one-night Valentine’s break at The Hambrough starts from £230 per person and includes dinner, champagne breakfast and Wightlink ferry crossings.
www.wightlink.co.uk

River Thames Rainbow Cruises

In honour of Valentine’s Day, Rainbow Cruisers is offering a special deal when hiring a deluxe cruiser to sail along the River Thames. Couples can cruise along the royal river in one of the elegant self-drive boats, stopping off along the way to visit quaint pubs, picturesque picnic spots and interesting attractions. All Rainbow Cruisers come equipped with a microwave, DVD player, stove, fridge, heating, linen and toiletries – making them a fantastic home from home.

Prices start from £400 for two days and one night.
www.visitthames.co.uk

Love on a budget with Four Pillars Hotels, Oxfordshire
Couples wishing to celebrate 14th February on a shoestring can take advantage of a number of discounted Valentine’s breaks with Four Pillars Hotels.

The hotel group has some great offers, including an overnight stay at Abingdon hotel on Valentine’s night for only £40 per person with dinner, bed and breakfast and a complimentary glass of bubbly to enjoy with an evening meal.

Abingdon is also hosting a Gala Dinner Dance on 12th and 13th February from just £95 per person. Abingdon Four Pillars hotel is located just six miles South of Oxford in the heart of the Thames Valley.
www.four-pillars.co.uk

Bungalow breaks with in-lodge therapies, Isle of Wight
Gurnard Pines Resort enjoys a peaceful woodland setting close to the yachting haven on Cowes.

Set within 55 acres of woodland these spacious and wonderfully appointed holiday homes provide visitors with an ideal base for an active or relaxing holiday.

The heart of the resort boasts an array of sports and leisure activities, whilst those looking for quieter moments can discover the nearby delights and many beautiful sandy beaches that the Isle of Wight has to offer.

Guests can also enjoy an array of in-lodge therapies, massages and beauty treatments.

A seven-night stay at Gurnard Pines Resort starts from £245 in a four-berth bungalow.
http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/places-to-stay/special-offers/valentines-offers

Stylish wine breaks in Dorking, Surrey

Visit Denbies Vineyard this Valentine’s Day for the chance to unwind and learn all there is to know about the wine making process at the UK’s largest vineyard. Couples can take part in Denbies’ indoor wine experience, which transports visitors through the working winery teaching them all about how wine is developed – from the grapes to bottled wine – along the way.

Tours end with a tasting of award-winning Surrey wine in the sprawling wine cellar.

The indoor wine experience starts from £14 per person.

Denbies also offers two restaurants with amazing locally sourced food and accommodation in a tastefully renovated farmhouse in the heart of the vineyard.

Seven stylish double rooms with en-suite facilities are available from £95 per room on a bed and breakfast basis.
www.denbiesvineyard.co.uk

Discover the Philosophy of Love in Brighton, East Sussex
Visitors to Brighton can discover the Philosophy of Love at the Brighton Science Festival this Valentine’s Day, as science writer Richard Robinson will be taking a humorous look at the bewildering stages of love.

Why not take a romantic stroll along the seafront, stopping off at Brighton’s famous boutique shops down The Lanes along the way? Top the day off with a visit to Brighton’s classy oyster and champagne bar, Riddle & Finns, for some aphrodisiacal delights near the seafront.
www.visitbrighton.com

Love Heart Chalk the Pavement, Portsmouth, Hampshire

Why not confess your love on the pavements of Portsmouth this Valentine’s Day and scrawl a romantic message on the street for a loved one to see?

On Sunday 14th February 2009, there will be a Love Heart Chalk the Pavement Project and a Love Heart Wall at Gunwharf Quays for people to create their own meaningful messages of love. Marriage proposals with chalk are also encouraged! It is free to leave a chalk love message and all materials are supplied.
www.visitportsmouth.co.uk

Tourism New Zealand launched a new-look corporate website featuring news, research, market information and in-depth campaign information. TNZ Chief Executive Kevin Bowler said the new website provides comprehensive information about Tourism New Zealand’s work and gives valuable insights into how offshore markets are performing.

“The new website will help make sure the industry is coordinated in its marketing efforts by providing a hub of information about what we are doing offshore,” he said.

For more information, visit www.tourismnewzealand.com

Spice Roads Cycling Adventures in Asia is offering a 10 percent discount on all 2010 scheduled trips of seven days or more departing after April 30 if booked by Feb. 28.

Spice Roads Cycling Adventures enables you to see the temples of Angkor Wat, step back into time in mystical Bhutan or cycle off road day after day in Mongolia.

If you have already booked your trip, don’t worry, the discount will be applied. Spice Roads offers trips to 12 countries.

For more information, visit www.spiceroads.com

At a gala awards dinner attended by travel editors, writers and hospitality leaders held at The Ritz Hotel in London, Huka Lodge was honored as the recipient of the Tatler Enduring Excellence Award for 2010.

The international award honors Huka Lodge, New Zealand, for its outstanding consistency in maintaining the highest standards of excellence for the last 25 years.

On hand to receive this recognition was the owner of Huka Lodge, Alex van Heeren. Van Heeren purchased Huka Lodge in 1984 and shaped it into the exclusive retreat it is today.

Huka Lodge has been and continues to be ranked amongst the best in the world and the Tatler Enduring Excellence Award 2010 certainly bears testament to this. Huka Lodge is a sister property to Dolphin Island, Fiji and Grande Provence Estate in South Africa. All three properties comprise The Huka Retreats.

For more information, visit www.hukalodge.nz.co