« May 2010 | Main | July 2010 »
Have a wander-list of destinations you’ve always aspired to experience?
A recent press release reveals that it's never to late to start planning your next dream adventure to one our far-flung destinations:
Explore these once-in-a-lifetime journeys. Read the full release.
The beautiful Indian Ocean chain of islands known as the Seychelles are home to some really exquisite resorts. Three of these luxury resorts are currently offering great special offers:
Labriz Resort Seychelles,
7th night free
What's Included: 7 nights' accommodation, breakfast daily, return road and boat transfers, non-motorized sports.
Price: From Euro 1,650 per person
Validity date: January 15 - December 20, 2010
Terms and Conditions: based on double occupancy
Labriz Resort Seychelles,
Honeymoon Discount Offer
What's Included: 5 nights' accommodation, breakfast daily, romantic turndown in the villa, fruit basket in the villa, romantic candle-lit dinner during the stay, one bottle of sparkling wine in the villa, return road and boat transfers, non-motorized sports.
Price: From Euro 1,265 per person
Validity date: January 15 - December 20, 2010
Terms and Conditions: based on double occupancy, 5-night minimum stay
Maia Luxury Resort & Spa,
4th night free
What's Included: 4 nights' accommodation, full board dining daily, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (excluding premium imports and Champagne), fruit basket and snacks, private airport transfers, 20-minute jet-lag massage per person on arrival, Internet and fax, laundry, Yoga and more, all introduction and exploratory Dives.
Price: From Euro 3,535 per person
Validity date: May 10 - Jul 31, 2010
Terms and Conditions: based on double occupancy
Frégate Island Private,
6th night free
What's Included: 6 nights' accommodation in One-Bedroom Villa, full board dining daily, all non-alcoholic drinks, scuba diving instruction in the pool, non-motorized sports, guided nature walks on the island.
Price: From Euro 7,800 per person
Validity date: May 15 - Jul 31 and Sept 1-30, 2010
Terms and Conditions: price listed excludes return helicopter transfers to/from Frégate Island, based on double occupancy
Contact Megan Bryant for complete details: 1-800-999-1758.
May - June 2010
(PDF, complete/longer versions of stories)
ELITE TRAVELER, May/June: India Express
Traveling in India is now far more enticing with the launch of the country's first luxury train to cross state lines, the Maharajas' Express. Guests stay in well-appointed cabins named after gemstones like pukhraj (yellow sapphire) with a butler at-hand serving chilled champagne or opt for the Presidential Suite ($2500 per person per day). Evenings are spent in the two restaurants, where dress is formal and the food is excellent. On the Delhi to Calcutta trip (Mumbai to Delhi is also an option), we saw tigers at the Bandhavgarh National Park, temples in Gaya and the incredible Ganges in Varanasi. Guests have access to exemplary tour guides from Cox & Kings who started in India in 1758 and specialize in insider travel.
Town&Country, June 2010: Maharajas’ Express, The Raj by Rail, India
Exploring the subcontinent can be a daunting task even for seasoned travelers, but the new Maharajas' Express takes the hassle out of interstate touring in India. Mixing the refinement of the Raj era with a host of contemporary conveniences (LCD televisions, private baths), the train puts everything on wheels, engineering a ride that's ultra comfortable and rich in cinematic allusion. Choosing from seven- or eight-day itineraries that focus on royal palaces and gardens in western India or the spiritual centers the east, passengers can spend days off the rails on custom adventures, such as a sunrise cruise on the Ganges, and evenings aboard the moving equivalent of a plush hotel. Just outside their spacious cabins, they can dine in one of two restaurants, then have a nightcap in the club carriage, with game tables and granite-topped bar — all the while watching the lights of the tort towns roll by.
VIRTUOSO LIFE, May/June 2010: On Track Section
Over on the subcontinent, Cox & Kings offers departures on India's first luxe cross-country train, the newly built 88-passenger Maharajas' Express. Thirteen- and fifteen-day trips between Mumbai and Delhi in the west and Delhi and Kolkata in the east include tiger safaris, elephant polo matches, and visits to Udaipur palaces and the Taj Mahal. In-depth tours of Mumbai, Delhi or Calcutta, depending on departure, bookend the seven days of rail travel. Departures: Multiple dates October 20, 2010, through January 3, 2011; from $7945, including all meals and most drinks and excursions.
VOGUE LIVING/Australia: May/June 2010, Royal Tour
The Maharajas' Express evokes the splendour of travelling India in regal style. India's first Pan-India train offers journeys between Mumbai and Delhi, and Delhi and Kolkata, capturing the enticing colour and excitement of this great continent. Exciting trips straddle state borders and offer distinctive itineraries: "Royal India" is a week-long epic including a champagne lunch overlooking the Taj Mahal, a tiger safari in Ranthambore National Park, and elephant polo matches in Jaipur.
ARareWorld., May 2010: Maharajas’ Express
In India, we hopped aboard one of the inaugural journeys of the Maharajas’ Express. Having just begun departures in mid-March, this new train line brings unprecedented luxury and a “cruise on wheels” experience to a nice mix of India’s most favored destinations with a few diversions unto the road less traveled.
For many, a trip to India is more of an “experience” than a holiday. If you haven’t been yet, perhaps you’re too scared after hearing a friend recount an emotional and trying yet life changing trip where they spent the majority of their time sitting in the back of a car with a stomachache while the driver dodged livestock, children, and the occasional dead body. Though the fact of the matter remains that this densely populated country is just as densely packed with real world experiences, there is now a new way to make the trek which will have you wondering what your friend was fussing about. (…continue, read the complete/longer version of this story)
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, Sunday, May 9th 2010
India's Maharajas' Express: All aboard for a train vacation that takes the stress out of sightseeing
– By Mark Ellwood
Train travel through India can be luxurious when taking the 'hotel on wheels' known as the Maharajas' Express. There's a brand-new train running on India's commuter railway, but it's a little more lavish than the LIRR or New Jersey Transit.
The Maharajas' Express has two restaurants — decked out in vibrant, gorgeous colors, like the swankiest Indian restaurant — as well as two bar cars and staffers with five-star service skills. There are also deluxe cabins, complete with private bathrooms and showers, since this train runs overnight. In fact, travelers step on board for seven days for a journey through the Indian countryside that's much like a cruise with wheels. (Read complete/longer versions of stories)
Just Back From: Tokyo, Japan
Cox & Kings Asia & Pacifc Product Manager Denise Gogarty just returned from visiting Tokyo, Japan. "Tokyo is a city of contrasts — from the ancient to the quintessentially modern — a place where centuries-old traditions of bowing to acquaintances still transpire in the shadows of the city's skyscrapers and glittering Ginza district." reflects Denise. Here are her top 5 must-do's in this city: Imperial Palace Plaza, Senso-ji Temple, Shinjuku District, Tsukiji Fish Market, and shopping. Details here.
Whether attending a traditional Japanese tea ceremony or having afternoon high tea at the Peninsula Hotel, Denise can create a range of experiences in Tokyo designed to immerse you in both the modern and the traditional sides of Japan. See also our Private Travel Journey Treasures of Japan. Contact Denise Gogarty at 1-800-999-1758.
Ladakh — August Festival Departure
India's region of Ladakh is famed for its remote alpine beauty and ancient culture. Meet Ladakhi artists, enjoy guided walks through villages, and visit Buddhist monasteries and medieval temples, or gompas, which house the region's rich history. The main event of the area is the Ladakh Festival — truly a cultural extravaganza: locals dressed in their absolute finest traditional costumes, dance performances, music concerts, painting demonstrations, a polo match and archery demonstrations. Delhi and Agra (Taj Mahal) round out the trip.
Festival tour dates: Aug 30-Sept 11, 2010. From $4145 per person double. Contact Seema Prakash at 1-800-999-1758.
Zimbabwe Makes a Comeback
Having just returned from Zimbabwe, Megan Bryant talks about the country's improved stability and shares 3 new suggested itineraries for 2010-11 that incorporate the best wildlife viewing areas of this amazing destination. A newly stabilized Zimbabwe shines with its kind people, new USD-based bank, strong concentrations of game, affordable upscale accommodations and community projects. Read more. Contact Megan Bryant at 1-800-999-1758.
Celebrate Hanoi's 1000th Anniversary
Hanoi's 1000th birthday is being celebrated this October with a grand weeklong festival held throughout the city. We will be introducing distinctive excursions focusing on the culture and history of Hanoi and its environs — stay tuned for package details. A visit to Hanoi is included in our Private Travel Journey Classic Vietnam. For more information, contact Denise Gogarty at 1-800-999-1758.
A Family Journey to Peru: Llamas, Sea Lions & Incas
Share the wonders of Peru with your family — enjoy special kid-friendly activities created to enhance your family's learning experience of this colorful country. Our 9 day, 8 night tour includes Peru's main attraction Machu Picchu, along with fun activities like swimming with sea lions, pottery-making, horseback riding, and feeding llamas and alpacas at a breeding center in the Andes. Let Cox & Kings help make this a memorable family adventure!
From $4050 based on a family of 3 (triple or double/single occupancy, connecting rooms). Contact Rachel Robar or Lynsey Hendry at 1-800-999-1758.
Cairo's Egyptian Museum & Mummy Room
Any trip to Egypt would not be complete without a visit to the renowned Egyptian Museum in Cairo, with includes the treasures of Tutankhamun. Behind the scenes is the royal Mummy Room, which contains 11 royal mummies from pharaonic times, where you'll meet some legendary kings such as Tuthmosis II, Seti I, and Ramses II.
Our fully escorted Treasures of Egypt, or our private tours Classical Egypt, Highlights of Egypt, Splendors of Egypt, Discover Egypt, and Ancient Roads of Egypt all feature a private tour of the museum and the mummy room upstairs. Contact Nicole Beattie at 1-800-999-1758.
Brazil Now Summer Promotions
Rio de Janeiro: Energetic Rio is one of the most important cultural and economical cities in Brazil and features some of the country's most famous attractions such as the Pão de Açúcar, the Corcovado, and Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. 3 days 2 nights, from $405 double.
Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge: The Amazon is the largest tropical rain forest in the world. Enjoy learning about this amazing area through a variety of different activities and excursions. 3 days 4 nights, from $885 double.
Belo Horizonte & Ouro Preto: Due to careful preservation of the city's beautiful Baroque churches, art and other elaborate, flowing architecture, you will feel as if you've stepped back in time to experience Brazil's former silver and gold rush. 3 days 2 nights, from $349 double.
For more information contact Lynsey Hendry at 1-800-999-1758.
Guaranteed Group Departures to India
Spend the holidays in India with Cox & Kings. Splendors of North India is a guaranteed trip, starting Dec 18, 2010 and finishing Jan 5, 2011. This fully escorted group tour encompasses the holy city of Varanasi, the intricately carved temples at Khajuraho, the iconic Taj Mahal and the beautiful palaces and lakes of Jaipur and Udaipur. From $10445 per person double. Additional guaranteed departures: Oct 30-Nov 17, 2010, Feb 12-Mar 2, 2011.
Space is also guaranteed for these India tour departures: Classical Journey of India and Nepal, Nov 3-Nov 23, 2010, from $10865 per person double. Wonders of the South, Dec 18, 2010-Jan 2, 2011, from $7115 per person double. Contact Seema Prakash at 1-800-999-1758.
Call us at 1-800-999-1758
E-News, June 2010: feature story, Just back from Japan
Just back from the kitchens of Southeast Asia
Special offers: E&O Express train journeys, through August 2010
Family journey to India, special offer through September
Special departures: Chile & Argentina with Liz Caskey
Egypt: special 9-day summer group departures, May - September 2010
Maharajas' Express dream train journeys through India
Visit the Cox & Kings Maharajas' Express site for photos and details.
Fall 2010 guest lecturer: Asian art expert Dr. Amin Jaffer, Royal India journey
Please visit the links below for more information on some of the sustainable projects going on in Zimbabwe:
For more information on Zimbabwe, contact Megan Bryant at mbryant@coxandkingsusa.com or 1-800-999-1758.
By: Megan Bryant
Bradt travel guides are publishing their 1st edition Zimbabwe guide this year, while Footprint guides have one coming out in 2011. For the first time in 8+ years, we're seeing reputable publications talking about this country, and I'm excited.
Zimbabwe is on the upswing from over a decade of really hard times and controversy. Let's hope this year, their 30th anniversary of independence, marks a new era for a more mature Zimbabwe.
Having just returned from this beloved country that I like to refer to as "Zim," I have a new perspective. I never doubted Zimbabwe was a remarkable wildlife destination, but it's been of moral and economic controversy in recent years. These are my first-hand impressions on how things have changed and how this is a viable destination now more than ever:
How the country has improved:
More reasons to visit:
NEW Special Packages for Zimbabwe:
I'm pleased to present some new suggested itineraries and special offers that incorporate this truly wonderful safari destination.
See my Zimbabwe photos on Facebook.
For customized itineraries and other travel planning contact me at mbryant@coxandkingsusa.com or ask for Megan at 1-800-999-1758.
COMMENTS
This is our professional company and community blog. Open communication and conversation is welcomed. Be aware that we do monitor comments. We'll check in as often as possible, and share everything we can.
The opinions blogged herein represent only those of the authors, and do not reflect those of Cox & Kings, persons or companies mentioned herein, or anyone else.
