Adventure Holiday Specials

Now is a fantastic time to take in some of what Southern Africa has to offer, as you can take advantage of Intrepid’s great travel offers on trips through South Africa -

Kruger Short Stays – 30% off!

Book one of three 4 day trips around world-renowned Kruger National Park before Oct 31 for 2009 departures and receive 30 per cent off brochured prices.
Quote promo code: 3224

Southern Explorer/Southern Magic -20% off!

Explore the magic of Southern Africa by taking in Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls, the Okavango Delta and Khama Rhino Sanctuary! Book your place on one of these 13/14 day trips before Oct 31 for 2009 departures and get 20 per cent off the standard trip price.
and quote promo code: 3223

Overlanding, an excellent way to travel across, literally – land, can be an ideal way to see a lot of countries without the travel hassles of doing it yourself, whilst having an incredible time with your new-found friends. Riding a famous route – Cairo to Cape – Andes and Amazon – is an adventure in itself  and there is a real sense of camaraderie as everyone gets stuck in cooking together or digging the truck out of sand.

Classic routes run across Africa and South America, ranging from anything from 5 days, to a 36-week circumnavigation of each continent! However, the range of routes is constantly expanding, with newer routes travelling through the Middle East, or Central Asia, along the Silk Route. Specialist companies, such as UK to Oz Overlanding and Odyssey Overland, even offer London to Australia overland trips, crossing Europe, Central and South-East Asia.

A few of the big players are offering some incredible deals on trips at the moment . Now might be the time to take that trip of a lifetime – if you can pick between these great offers, that is!

Absolute Africa is offering 20% off safaris booked by 31 Aug 09 for select trips departing October to December. (Including, ‘The Absolute Safari’, ‘Wildlife Journey’, ‘Rivers of Africa’, ‘Gorillas and Gameparks’ and ‘African Drums’.) Quote ASP20 when booking.
They also have a 2 for 1 offer on ‘The Big Six’, ‘Tusker Trails’ and the ‘Gorilla Trek’ trips for departures October to November. Book now quoting A241.

Dragoman has a range of late deals and specials for trips to South America and Asia departing soon, including:
25% off Andes and Argentinian gauchos – ZZS79
10% off Machu Picchu, Inca Trails and Lake Titicaca – SCZ139
20% off India Adventure – FIN19

Oasis has some great deals on some of their shorter trips to Egypt and the Middle East:
Egypt Encompassed (10 Days) Cairo to Cairo, taking in Luxor and Aswan, has been slashed from £345 to just £295.
You could save yourself £100 on the 18 day Ottoman Odyssey from Damascus to Istanbul -  was £375 now £275.

Whilst Tucan similarly has late deals going, they also run a number of year-round special discounts.
Any of the following conditions will get you 5% off a trip: early booking, booking 2+ trips, repeat clients, booking with 2 mates, students/under 26s, over 55s.
And you can combine up to 3 of these discounts together to get 15% off your trip!

Intrepid has some great offers on some of the Indochina adventure travel trips, allowing you to explore Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia for bargain prices!

With their ‘Mates Rates’ offers, going traveling with your friends can cut your travel costs by up to a quarter -

Book one person get 10% OFF
Book two people get 15% OFF
Book three people get 20% OFF
Book four people get 25% OFF
(off each trip)

The promotion is valid for travel between 01/08/2009 and 31/12/2009, and trips must be booked before 32 August, quoting promo code 3171.

Western Sun

7 days, ex Los Angeles
from £470 plus trip kitty

Hike around the rim of the Grand Canyon, Witness a dramatic sunset over the Colorado River, Road trip along iconic Route 66, Ride a cable car through the steep streets of San Fran

California Dreamin’

14 days, ex. Los Angeles
from £780 plus trip kitty

Hit the road on meandering Hwy 1, Discover a slice of the Mediterranean in Santa Barbara, Dance with Lady Luck in glitzy Las Vegas, Be awestruck by the wild beauty of Yosemite

Norway Arctic Whale Safari

• Long weekend of whale watching inside the Arctic Circle
• Enjoy the great variety of sea & bird life on the Lofoten Islands
• Experience summer in the ‘land of the midnight sun’

4 days, from £895 inc flights (£495 without flight

In Sri Lanka you can see the old Bo Tree, which is believed to be a cutting from the tree under which Buddha gained enlightenment. But this is not the country’s most important Buddhist site. Our top trip this week follows the drumming and chanting rituals of pilgrims to reach Dalada Maligawa.

In the cultural town of Kandy you will find Dalada Maligawa, or Temple of the Sacred Tooth, which famously houses one of Buddha’s teeth. Every morning an elaborate ritual is performed to awaken the tooth and streams of pilgrims dressed in white enter the temple to pay their respects to Buddha. On festival days the streets are a fervent display of local culture and colours, as the tooth is placed in a gold box and paraded through town on the back of Sri Lanka’s most majestic elephant.

Sri Lankan culture spans over 2,000 years and remains vibrant and alive, so book your Circle Sri Lanka trip this month and you can take a friend with you for 30% off

It’s easy to put a foot wrong when we travel, but thanks to our intrepid team, here are some responsible travel tips to help you get it right…

In Moscow it won’t cost you a ruble to visit the Sakharov Museum, which tells the history of repression and human rights in Russia from the revolution onwards. Another great option is the newly-designed ‘Eco Walk’ to Vorobyovy Gory. The walk to the city’s highest point marks Moscow’s first attempt at recycling bins, bird feeders for the local wildlife and information about the nature of the area.

In St Petersburg, Intrepid supports Nochlezhka, a wonderful organisation that gives food, clothing and shelter to homeless people and helps them integrate back into society. So any clothes, shampoo and food you have to donate will be gratefully received. A great sightseeing option is visiting one of the Siege of Leningrad museums so you can learn more about this city’s fascinating history. A portion of museum profits goes towards funds for Siege survivors. These museums are not expensive and very interesting, especially if you hire a guide.”

If you are eager to explore right now, check out this week’s specials for 20% off Russia and Beyond and A Taste of Russia – but you will have to act fast, as availability can change at any time!

The people of Uzbekistan are so welcoming, that even when something goes wrong you might not know it. Thanks to this top travel blooper tale, Trans-Asia Express is this week’s top trip…

Two Trans-Asia Express travellers were keen art lovers, so they asked the owner of our Samarkand hotel if there was an art gallery nearby, or maybe an artist who works from home?

The owner happily called a friend and let her know that the guests would be there in twenty minutes. With instructions on how to walk there, our Intrepid travellers set off.

They thought they found the house and were greeted by the family. They looked around the house, admired the artwork and were offered a cup of tea. They couldn’t find anything they wanted to buy, so thanked the ‘owner’ of the gallery and walked back to the hotel.

Upon their return the surprised hotelier asked where they had been? Her gallery friend had phoned, because she’d been waiting for them for two hours! Ah, the hospitality of the Uzbek people!

Here are some of the latest deals from the Adventure Holiday Group…

Trans-Mongolian railway | Mongolian Grasslands | Homestay by Lake Baikal | St Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow | St Petersburg

The ultimate Trans Mongolian adventure through Siberia and Mongolia. Whereas most Trans Mongolian tours only stop over for the … more

Bustling Marrakech | Atlas Mountains | Comfortable Accommodation

This short break takes you from bustling Marrakech to the tranquility of the Atlas Mountains. The trip is unaccompanied and you … more

A short introduction to Peru | Lake Titicaca & Uros Islands | Cusco & Machu Picchu

The perfect short introduction to the varied landscapes of Peru … more

The experience of locking eyes on one of the world’s most revered sights can often be tainted by hordes of swarming tourists. You know the type: clambering over one another snapping away with their cameras – often with little regard to those around them or the monument in question.

It’s much more rewarding to avoid the crowds and have a little bit of paradise to yourself. And remarkably, it’s easier than you think.  Adventure travel specialist Explore, whose knowledge covers every corner of the world, has collated its Top 10 Tourist-Free Destinations. Apart from a few canny travellers, it’ll just be you, your small group tour and the locals…

Winetasting in Georgia

It may come as a surprise, but Georgia boasts a thriving viticulture industry. The Kakheti region is particularly famous for its wine production. Visit a local winery that’s been operating for over 300 years and sample red and white wines.

Tour: Land of the Golden Fleece – 16 days from £1,909 pp*

Asmara, Eritrea

The highest capital in Africa, Asmara boasts a wonderful climate and friendly residents. Although African, the town has retained its distinctly Italian feel – a legacy of its colonial days. Feast your eyes on Art Deco and Italian architecture, a vibrant market, cathedral and mosques.

Tour: Eritrean Highlights – 9 days from £1,514 pp*

Hirado Island, Japan

Tranquil and unspoilt, see rural Japan at its best with towering cliffs and basalt columns along the coast. Cruise through the fabled ‘Ninety Nine Islands’ and learn about old whaling communities and the local way of life.

Tour: Shogun Trail – 14 days from £3,000 pp*

Join a ‘Kora’ at a monastery in Tibet

Join the local Buddhist pilgrims as they walk around the monastery perimeter on a trial known as a ‘kora’. Interact with local Tibetans while earning merit on the path to enlightenment!

Tour: Abode of the God-Kings – 17 days from £1,997 pp*

Kuelap, Peru

The imposing fortress at Kuelap is one of the most outstanding archaeological remains of the little-known Chachapoyas culture. The ruins contain over four hundred buildings and round houses – many decorated with intricate patterns – and are just as impressive as those at Machu Picchu.

Tour: Lost Cities of the Cloud People - 16 days from £2,515 pp*

Sail around the Greek island of Evia

The island the Greeks go to when they want to relax is pleasantly untouched by mass tourism, offering lush mountainous scenery interspersed with quant towns and villages. Sail the Gulf of Evia on a traditional Greek caique, stopping in secluded coves to swim and snorkel in the clear blue waters of the Aegean Sea.

Tour: Greek Caique Cruise – 8 days from £690 pp*

Admire the tallest building in the world (in AD 1127)

Located in the fabled city of Bokhara, Uzbekistan, and standing at 150ft tall, the imposing medieval Kalyan Minaret is built in baked brick, enabling a circular structure that narrows as it rises. Used as a watchtower during periods of war, the minaret was the tallest building on earth in the 12^th century.

Tour: Golden Road to Samarkand – 12 days from £1,396 pp*

Ancient Mayan city of Yaxchillan

Hidden deep in the Mexican jungle and only accessible by boat, the remote Mayan ruins hold extensive history, detailed in well preserved carvings. Enter through the labyrinth and climb level upon level of buildings each beholding a unique architectural wonder.

Tour: Indian Mexico – 16 days £1,972 pp*

Hike Europe’s best canyon

The Tara River Canyon in Montenegro is both the deepest (1,300m) and longest (51 miles) canyon in Europe. It’s also arguably its prettiest: linking a mountain massif to a series of 50 breathtaking waterfalls, the canyon takes in steep, pine-clad walls, diverse vegetation and more than 80 large caves along its course.

Tour: On Foot in Montenegro – 9 days from £995 pp*

Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary in Swaziland

Discover many of Africa’s species of wildlife on foot. The absence of big cats allows for a very different game viewing experience. Take a “foot safari” in search of giraffe, wildebeest, impala and warthog and take the meaning of “close to nature” to a whole new level.

Tour: Zululand and Kruger Wildlife – 11 days from £1,630 pp*