Category: guided tours

A Volcano Tour In Bali

BaliNewTwoBedroomPoolVilla A Volcano Tour In Bali

The Royal Beach Seminyak Bali.

The Royal Beach Seminyak Bali has opened on the island of Bali.

Located on Seminyak Beach between Seminyak and the Indian Ocean, the hotel offers 128 guest rooms and 17 villas on 4.5 hectares of lush jungle gardens.

Right now, the hotel is featuring a visit and tour to Batukaru Volcano, Bali’s second highest peak.

Highlights of the tour will include a temple visit, traditional rituals, Jatiluwih and picnic lunch.

“This tour will enable you to see both urban and rural life of Bali and take in some of the islands beauty,” says the hotel.

For more info, visit the hotel site.

Image courtesy of MGallery

In Search Of Exotic China

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Asia specialist Bamboo Travel has launched two new exotic China tours in the south west province of Yunnan.

“The Burma Road & Tropics of Yunnan” tour will explore the historic town of Tengchong in the western corner of Yunnan province.  Located on the old Southwestern Silk Route, this area is known for volcanoes, hot springs and volcanic lakes.

The tour will feature a visit to the Gaoligong Mountains Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its biodiversity.

The “Yunnan’s Passage to Shangri-la”tour will travel overland from Yunnan’s capital Kunming to the fabled land of Shangri-La then to Deqin.  In the corner of China bordering Eastern Tibet, travelers will see Buddhist holy mountain Kawa Karpo, one of the most sacred mountains in the Himalayas.

Image courtesy of Bamboo Travel

New Aboriginal Outback Adventures

AustraliaBookabeeTours New Aboriginal Outback Adventures

Fancy an aboriginal cultural adventure?  Then check out the Aboriginal-owned and operated Bookabee Tours Australia.

Based in Adelaide, the company specializes in providing authentic Aboriginal experiences in Adelaide and the Outback in south Australia.

Bookabee Tours Australia recruits only native Adnyamathanha guides to show visitors their homeland and explain their culture and Creation Stories.

Tour options for 2010 include:

  • Adelaide Full Day Tour – This tour explains traditional Aboriginal life and the role of Aboriginal people in the development of the city. Highlights include the Adelaide Botanic Gardens; the Aboriginal Cultures Gallery in the South Australian Museum, Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute and lunch in Adelaide’s East End.
  • Wilpena Art & Culture Tour – This half day tour from Wilpena Pound Resort visits Arkaroo Rock and includes the Adnyamathanha interpretation of the ancient paintings; the creation story and a bush walk.
  • 2, 3 & 5 day Flinders Ranges Trips – These tours showcase the landscape, Aboriginal culture and wildlife.  Accommodation is either at Wilpena Pound Resort, Leigh Creek Township or the Nepabunna Aboriginal Community.

Image courtesy of Bookabee Tours Australia

New Global Expedition Series

ExpeditionSeriesKensingtonTruck New Global Expedition Series

Adventure travel company Kensington Tours has developed a new Expedition Series featuring trips to destinations thought to be inaccessible to most travelers.

The company has also named explorer Mikael Strandberg as the first member of its Explorers-In-Residence-Program.  He will guide these expeditions and tailor-made expeditions upon request.

Strandberg will collaborate with Kensington founder Jeff Willner to design and develop the Expedition Series for intrepid travelers.

Says Strandberg:

“It’s the places that people believe that they cannot go, these are the places where the hidden wonders of the world and breathtaking experiences await. The Expedition Series will highlight many of these destinations.  I am indeed honored to be an Explorer-in-Residence for this brave company. Brave makes a difference, helps a country, builds bridges and creates trips that open people’s minds.”

The first in the Expedition Series will be Congo itineraries featuring endangered Eastern Lowland Gorillas, Pygmy tribes and the Nyiragongo volcano.   Other itineraries under development include:

  • Antarctica exploration with polar explorers;
  • Motorcycle safaris in Kenya, Tanzania and Russia;
  • Deep dive submarine into the Cayman Trench and
  • Cultural discoveries in Yemen, Oman and North Korea.

Image courtesy of Kensington Tours.

Sleeping On The Great Wall Of China

ChinaGreatWall Sleeping On The Great Wall Of China

Have you been to the Great Wall of China?  Travel company The China Guide offers a different kind of Great Wall tour, their  “Sleep on the Great Wall.”

This all-inclusive 2-day tour includes hiking, a home-cooked meal, sleeping and sunrise on the Great Wall with morning coffee and breakfast.

A Beijing-based travel agency, The China Guide says it’s an American-managed travel agency which specializes in Western-style service.

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Says Peter Danford, owner of The China Guide:

“Since we pioneered this experience five years ago, it has been the highlight of many travelers’ trips to China. It is completely off-the-beaten path…There is also a great little guest house at the base of the wall for those who don’t want to camp on it. They can still wake up early and walk up onto the wall to catch the early morning light.”

On this tour, overnight accommodation will be on the Wall, either under the stars or in the shelter of a watchtower. The company will provide all necessary sleeping gear, snacks and local beer.

TheChinaGuideSunrise Sleeping On The Great Wall Of China

Other trip highlights include a sunset hike and a hike to the Simatai section of the Great Wall, which stretches along the mountain tops.  The China Guide calls this tour “moderately difficult in some places but achievable” for travelers aged 8 and older.

For more info, check out TheChinaGuide.com.

Images courtesy of The China Guide.

Savoring The Flavors Of Austria

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If you’re planning a trip to Central Europe, take a look at regional tours with Tempo Holidays.

“From enchanting imperial capitals and medieval towns to fast paced cosmopolitan cities offering a mix of history and vibrant culture, Central Europe is a feast for the senses,” says Tempo Holidays.

The travel company is featuring Flavours of Vienna & Salzburg, showcasing Austria’s UNESCO World Heritage cities.  The package includes six nights accommodation; six breakfasts; two dinners; half day Vienna historic city tour; return second class train tickets for Vienna to Salzburg and a Salzburg Mozart city tour.

Another tour option is Flavours of Vienna & Innsbruck. This package includes six nights accommodation; six breakfasts; two dinners; return second class train ticket from Vienna to Innsbruck and a Innsbruck Walking Tour.

For more holiday tour ideas, visit TempoHolidays.com.

Image courtesy of Tempo Holidays.

New Wild Global Adventures

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Are you an adventure traveler?  Then think about packing some outdoor clothing and heading out on a trip with Bridge & Wickers.

The adventure travel company has earned a reputation for its custom holidays to Australia, New Zealand, Indochina, Thailand, the South Pacific and Canada (above).

Recently, the travel company introduced a new Africa program featuring wildlife safaris, beaches, cultures, luxury lodges and the tropical islands of the Indian Ocean.

The program countries will be Southern Africa (South Africa, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe); East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda and Rwanda); the Indian Ocean (Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles) and Oman.

Says David Wickers, co-founder of Bridge & Wickers:

“No matter how many ‘Africa in the wild’ documentaries you may have watched, nothing can prepare you for the experience of seeing the real thing. Safari is arguably the most evocative word in the entire travel dictionary, and Megan and Sam have such depth and breadth of knowledge that we can offer an Africa experience like no other.”

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The company is featuring special offers in South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Namibia and Madagascar including:

  • South Africa Classic Highlights. “Stay in exceptional accommodation on a two week self-drive through South Africa’s Cape Town, winelands and the Garden Route combined with a safari.”
  • Madagascar and Beach Tour. “Explore Madagascar’s remote southern region, visiting some of the most endangered habitats in this unique country including the gallery forest, home to the iconic ring-tailed lemur and the eastern littoral rainforest.”

For more info, visit the Bridge & Wickers website.

Images courtesy of Bridge & Wickers.

The Snowman Trek In Bhutan

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Adventure travel company One World Trekking has expanded its Fall 2010 Epic Himalayan Journey Series.

The new series trek is the Snowman Trek in Bhutan, where mountain travelers can experience some of the tallest, unclimbed mountains.

Among the most challenging, high altitude treks in the Himalaya, the 25-day Snowman journey starts on October 8, 2010 and traverses the country from Punakha to Bumthang.

Says the company:

“Our journey takes us into pristine mountain valleys where shaggy yak graze and tiny villages are nestled. We will travel through regions seeped in Buddhist tradition and history, and villages adorned with stately Dzong (monastery), where the Bhutanese practice this philosophy so integral to their culture and existence.”

Trekkers will follow yak herder trails through the temperate forests of Rhododendron and Magnolia.  They will have the chance to soak in high Himalaya hot springs at Gasa on the way to the village of Laya.

Then the challenging path ascends six mountain passes over 15,850 feet and offers stunning views of virgin peaks including the world’s tallest unclimbed mountain Gangkar Puensum.

For more info, check out OneWorldTrekking.com.

Image courtesy of One World Trekking.

In The Mountains Of Laos

LaosMountains248642 In The Mountains Of Laos

Deep in the mountains of northern Laos, Khiri Travel has launched a new luxury “Tribes and Rivers of Northern Laos” tour.

This seven-day tour is part of the company’s Khiri Gold collection of travel experiences.  The tour explores UNESCO World Heritage town Luang Prabang and its surrounding areas.  In the mountains, travelers will als0 learn about  hilltribes in Udom Xay province.

Based at the Muang La Resort, on 4WD drives and hikes,  the tour will visit an Akha village on a 3,000 foot mountain top, and Hmong, Lao Loum and Khmu tribal villages.   The tour also features  a riverboat cruise on the Nam Ou River and lunch on a secluded beach.  In Luang Prabang , travelers will go on walking tours and visits to textile galleries, weaving centres, museums and temples.

For more info, check out Khiri Travel online.

Image courtesy of Khiri Travel