Cox & Kings USA Travel Journeys

Recent Press: Maharajas' Express and Cox & Kings in the News

On Site: Maharajas' Express
Luxury Travel Advisor, July, 2010
– by Julie Earle Levin

"India — you either love it or hate it," says one very well travelled friend. He falls into the first camp and has been more than a dozen times. He enjoys the incredible, luxury hotels where service abounds and the hotels themselves feel like palaces, but hates the inter-city travel and catching planes since 'there are always delays!'


We were excited to try out a new option: India’s first cross-country luxury train, The Maharajas' Express. The train cuts across state borders, whisking guests from Mumbai to Delhi, or in our case, Delhi to Calcutta. We embarked on a seven-day, six night journey in March, that usually requires visitors to fly to and from Delhi to visit each place.



Can you imagine seeing India on a luxury cruise? Clients who have enjoyed Silver Sea would feel right at home on this train. Both a cruise and a train cover huge distances in ultra-comfort, the train moving mostly at night to arrive in a new city each morning. Guests have a leisurely breakfast on board, then are joined by top notch tour guides with Cox & Kings. That company started in India in 1758 and specializes in travel in each city we visit.



Luxury train travel is not new in India, but the Maharajas' Express takes it to a new level. Guests get their own large bathroom with a shower and toilet. Plus, a personal butler meets your every need. Mine, who was named Rameesh delivered cups of hot, sweet Darjeeling tea each morning as a 'wake up' call. He also took clothes to be laundered. If there was ever a WiFi problem, it was fixed fast.


We started our journey in bustling Delhi, India's capital. It's a city in the midst of construction ahead of the October Commonwealth Games. Our first night we stayed at The Oberoi hotel which is well-suited to business travelers with plenty of staff at hand, and a fabulous restaurant/bar called threeSixty that also attracts the locals. Bookings are essential. Very early the next morning we met with fellow passengers. The city was fully awake, it's tri-wheeled taxis known as tut-tuts, motorbikes and cars causing a vast sea of traffic jams. But we had no worries since the delays were anticipated so we arrived with plenty of time to spare. At the train station, a band played traditional Indian music, and we were presented with golden colored marigold wreaths. Waiters carrying silver trays of juice and champagne steered us on to an Oscars-worthy red carpet, that ran the length of the 23-carriage train. Local television news reporters circled eagerly. We oddly felt like celebrities.


On board, our journey began with a tour of the coach, called 'Pukhraj' (meaning yellow sapphire) All the coaches are named after gemstones. Then it was time for breakfast. Fresh watermelon juice and eggs and toast, served on French dinnerware and set on a crisp, white cotton tablecloth. It was thrilling to sit and watch life roll by outside, through the train’s enormous picture windows. There were families collecting water, and lush green landscapes once we left Delhi and were in the country. We got glimpses into houses right by the railway tracks. Women carrying bundles of wood perched on their heads, in bright saris smiled and waved at us.

The train has the sway of a cruise boat, kind of like slow dancing. It’s not unpleasant, thanks to high tech German suspension. It moves especially fast at night.



Our first day of travel was not a large distance. We were traveling to nearby Agra to see the Taj Mahal (so there was plenty of time to settle in, check out the DIRECT TV and Internet, and unpack clothes. Just once! No need to re-pack each day.



In Agra, we pulled up at the train station, where coaches were waiting to take us to Agra Fort, the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then it was on to lunch at a hotel with a bird’s eye views of the Taj. The lunch was disappointing since it was outdoors in the heat. We would have been much happier had it been at The Oberoi, Agra, which is stunning and air-conditioned with its own gorgeous spa and beautiful surrounds. It is a must see attraction in itself. Most rooms have direct views of The Taj, and for guests who want to see it early morning, there are golf carts available for a quick spin to see it). For some of us, who had seen the Taj before, we wandered off on our own to explore. We ended the excursion with a well-organized shopping trip for marble, spices and gemstones.


Guaranteed Group Departures to India

Travel with us to India and choose from five group tours that are guaranteed to depart. These fully escorted journeys depart in Oct, Nov, Dec of 2010 and Feb, 2011. From $7115 per person double.

Splendors of North India starts Dec 18 and finishes Jan 5, 2011. This 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 $10455 per person double.

Additional guaranteed departures for Splendors of North India: Oct 30, 2010–Nov 17, 2010 ($10445 per person double), Feb 12, 2011–Mar 2, 2011 ($10165 per person double).

Classical Journey of India & Nepal, Nov 3, 2010–Nov 23, 2010, $11665 per person double. 

A 21-day tour covering the must-sees of northern India: Delhi, Agra (Taj Mahal), Jaipur, Ranthambore (Bengal Tigers), Udaipur, Varanasi, Khajuraho, and Mumbai, as well as two days in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Wonders of the South, Dec 18, 2010–Jan 2, 2011, $7115 per person double. 

Discover magnificent forts, elaborately decorated temples, tropical backwaters, and a rich cultural and historical heritage. This leisurely-paced tour showcases the very best of a wonderful yet under-explored region.

To book your travel to India, contact Seema Prakash at 1-800-999-1758.

Cox & Kings — The Next 250 Years!

– by Thomas Stanley, COO Cox & Kings USA

I cannot tell you how excited I am to join one of the most esteemed and regal tour operators in the world. It is truly an honor to be part of the legacy that is Cox & Kings. 

I’ve cut my teeth as a young tour director for the legendary pioneer of modern adventure travel, Lars Eric Lindblad, who instilled in me a standard of the best — the best experiences, the best hotels, the best restaurants. I've had the pleasure of accompanying celebrities and the elite while working with Private Jet Expeditions. And my skills were honed with "the experience" while working at adventure travel company Mountain Travel Sobek. I was also President of Travcoa, one of Cox & King's noble competitors, and was involved in the emerging world of the Internet, with a mission to democratize information on the web.

I bring these skills and experiences to Cox & Kings. I plan on using this wisdom to ensure Cox & Kings offers the finest, most experiential travel programs available at the best possible value.  

My first impressions of working here was the unbounded enthusiasm of the travel professionals at Cox & Kings. The depth of knowledge, the attention to detail, the persistent mission of trying to raise the bar of the traveler's experience are a dream come true for a new executive like me. I can't ask for a more talented, cheerful and more dedicated group of professionals to work with. Each person possesses unique qualities that make this company great. And with our combined experiences and expertise, I believe we cover just about every country on earth.

In the past 25 years I've been operating tours, we've seen Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Libya, Saudi Arabia and other closed destinations open up. The last remaining un-opened country is North Korea, which lets in very few visitors. And we think the travel ban for Americans to Cuba will be lifted shortly. The world is truly the most open it's been in modern times. 

But what will the next 250 years bring? With the Internet, our knowledge of the world has grown. We know more than we ever have about other cultures, their cuisine, their traditions and their perspective. I firmly believe that the future for Cox & Kings is in offering travel programs that fit the individual traveler's interest and comfort. It's the power of experience! More and more of our clients want an authentic and real interaction within the culture they visit. They want to come away with an emotional connection to the destination. This will be our mission.

Additionally, we have more clients who also want to experience great destinations at a better price point. We are developing, along with our counterparts at Cox & Kings in the UK, new group tour programs for those who want to travel with like-minded travelers but want to travel at a lower price point. We’re excited about these new programs and will have many announcements to come in the near future. 

There's so much more that the great crew at Cox & Kings will be developing over the next year. Rest assured, we strive to ensure that we create the most unforgettable travel experiences.

I look forward to making my contribution to the next 250 years of Cox & Kings.

Cox & Kings partner Hôtel de la Paix donates bikes to local schoolchildren

A recent initiative by Hôtel de la Paix has resulted in the purchase of 500 school bags and bicycles for needy children living in the outlying villages around of Siem Reap, Cambodia, making it possible for them to get to school. 

Between October and December 2009, any stay at Hôtel de la Paix paid for with a MasterCard card resulted in a bicycle and school bag being donated as part of the "MasterCard Purchase with Purpose" project. 

The bicycles were given to local organizations including the Sangkheum Centre, Sunrise and Green Gecko orphanages, the Life and Hope Association, the Shinta Mani Hotel School, and the New Hope Community Project. 

Since the program's inception in 2008, Hôtel de la Paix has been able to donate nearly 900 bicycles total, creating a lasting legacy in the wider community. The success of this project means that even more local children, particularly those in remote villages, can have access to an education. Each bike donated is often shared by up to three children, so the effect of a bike in the family is multiplied.  

Hôtel de la Paix is passionate about taking an active role in helping the local community wherever possible. Through its Community Connections program, the hotel helps needy families by providing basic necessities such as food and personal amenities, to employment opportunities and support. 

Located near the UNESCO World Heritage site of Angkor Wat, the stylish Hôtel de la Paix is a featured property in two of our Private Travel Journeys to Cambodia:

Cambodia Discovery: Beyond Angkor

The Enchanting Temple of Angkor

Contact Denise Gogarty for more information: 1-800-999-1758.

E-News, July 2010

Uma Paro — Hidden Bhutanese Enclave

Uma Paro offers exceptional style in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Situated on the cusp of the Paro Valley, the resort integrates Bhutanese vernacular style and contemporary elegance with sleek, uncluttered interiors. Rooms and suites are located in glades planted with azaleas, maximizing views of forest, mountains and the Paro Valley. Materials include handcrafted stone, wood and tiles. The main building, formerly a Bhutanese nobleman’s home, forms the hotel’s heart.

Explore the culture-rich town of Paro and visit the iconic Tiger's Nest Monastery or sample hiking, archery and mountain biking. Restore and indulge in vital holistic therapies at COMO Shambhala Retreat. Dine at the Bukhari restaurant, where local Bhutanese produce blended with Indian cuisine, provides exquisite, original gourmet fare. Contact Seema Prakash at 1-800-999-1758.

Tswalu, South Africa, Offers 2010-11 Incentives

Tswalu focuses on giving guests a very personalized experience — even providing their own pressurized aircraft for transfers out of Cape Town or Johannesburg, free flights offers and your own private safari ranger. At the reserve, a rare game experience awaits, complete with Kalahari black-maned lions, desert black rhino, cheetah and meerkats. Read more about special offers and details on the diversity at Tswalu. Please contact Megan Bryant at 1-800-999-1758.

Silk Road Highlights

One of the world's oldest and historically important transcontinental trade routes, the Silk Road influenced the cultures of China, Central Asia and the West. One of the highlights on your journey through the region, will be the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang. This World Heritage Site was built starting in 366 AD, and by the time of the Tang Dynasty empress Wu Zetian, more than 1000 rooms had been carved and painted. See our Private Travel Journey Silk Road Odyssey for more tour details. To book your trip, contact Denise Gogarty at 1-800-999-1758.

The Art of the Tango — A Cox & Kings Signature Event

Take a private tango lesson in a Buenos Aires dance salon, then try out your stuff at an authentic milonga (tango) club with a dance instructor and guide. Learn the traditional customs of tango culture first hand, with insight by your guide. This is an exciting evening that will bring you closer to the culture and the heart of life in Buenos Aires.

This Cox & Kings Signature Event may be added to our Escorted Travel Journeys Chile, Brazil & Argentina, Savoring Chile & Argentina, and Photographing Argentina or our Private Travel Journey Portrait of Argentina. For more information, contact Rachel Robar at 1-800-999-1758.

Libya Re-Opens for US Travelers!

Our Private Travel Journey Timeless Treasures of Libya covers three well-preserved UNESCO World Heritage sites. You'll spend a whole day exploring Leptis Magna, considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the ancient Roman Empire. Tour Sabratha, with its large ampitheater and overnight in the desert ghost town of Ghadmaes. In Tripoli, visit the Archeological Museum with its excellent collection of Roman sculpture and artifacts, and stay at a beautiful modern hotel overlooking the sea. Contact Nicole Beattie at 1-800-999-1758 for more information.

Christie's Art Expert on the Maharajas' Express

Dr. Amin Jaffer, International Director of Asian Art at Christie's, joins the Maharajas' Express as guest lecturer on its Royal India journey this fall. As you step aboard the Maharajas' Express, you will find yourself transported back in time, embarking on the voyage of a lifetime. Each state-of-the-art cabin has large panoramic windows so you can savor every bit of magnificent India. Royal India tour dates with Dr. Jaffer; Nov 10-22, 2010. From $8700 per person double. For more information, contact Seema Prakash at 1-800-999-1758.

Client Spotlight — Ethiopia

One of our clients just returned from traveling with us to Ethiopia. Mary and her friend Catherine visited and photographed the ancient peoples of the Omo Valley in the south of Ethiopia. These native tribes still maintain their customs, ceremonies and traditional dress. Read her account of their travels here. For more information on traveling to Ethiopia, see Omo Valley: Cultures Southern Ethiopia, and Ethiopian Odyssey, contact Logan Stine at 1-800-999-1758.

Just Back From: Canoeing in Zimbabwe

Megan Bryant just returned from Zimbabwe’s Mana Canoe Trail, a 4-day, 3-night journey on the lower Zambezi River by canoe. To read more about canoeing past hippos and crocodiles and seeing elephants and other animals on foot, click here. View the story on our travel blog. To book your trip to Zimbabwe, please contact Megan at 1-800-999-1758.

Call us at 1-800-999-1758

Just back from Zimbabwe

JULY 2010
– Megan Bryant

The Mana Canoe Trail is about 60 km, one-way, paddled over the course of 3 days and 3 nights camping on the banks of the Zambezi River. Maximum 8 guests and 2 guides in 5 canoes.

MAY 2nd — CROSSING THE CHIRUNDU BORDER

Ruckomechi Camp, Mana Pools, Zimbabwe: Today was a travel day. I came from Johannesburg very early this morning after being up late repacking, as I can only have 26 lbs on the flights here in Zimbabwe. I did quite well, I must say. On the way to the airport you can still see much construction going on in Johannesburg for World Cup, a mere 38 days or so away at the time I’m writing this, and over by the time you’re reading!

I flew from bustling capital, where I met my traveling companions: Bob and Peggy from California, starting in Zimbabwe and going on to Botswana, and Annie and Julien from Belgium, who’ve been to Africa many, many times. The five of us headed, by road, south then east towards the Chirundu border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. We passed through the Kayila Mountains on perfect roads with intermittent sightings of large cargo trucks, alongside clean-looking villages and into Chirundu and across the Zambezi River into Zimbabwe. The drive was about 2.5 hours and very scenic. The sun was out. It’s quite pretty. The Chirundu border facility is one of the nicest I’ve ever seen. The people are pleasant and easy going. It didn’t fit the general ill opinion of Zimbabwe at all.

Here we met one of our lovely hosts, Grant, a handsome young Zimbabwean, waiting by a motorboat equipped with snacks and gin and tonics for the sunset. We had arrived. The pleasant under-1-hour boat journey — our first moments on the mighty Zambezi River — offered us a gorgeous sunset, hippos grazing on the river banks and an excitement for the journey to come.

In camp this evening at Ruckomechi Camp, we met Reid, who’s been in Botswana and is headed to the same travel trade show as me, in South Africa, after we brave the Lower Zambezi River with our newfound friends. Ruckomechi Camp has 10 beautiful en suite tented rooms with copper fittings and soft, white linens. It is the perfect place to begin or end your canoe journey. From here you can do twice-daily game drives by Land Rover and find elephants who actually stand on their hind legs to reach the trees in winter, a unique game experience. Lion, wild dog, cheetah, buffalo, zebra, hippo, waterbuck, warthog and more can be seen here.

Now with dinner, drinks and a civilized fire pit on the deck over-sitting the river, I think we’re ready to face the mighty river we’ve come so far to conquer. Tomorrow, it begins.

MAY 3rd — PUTTING CANOES IN THE LOWER ZAMBEZI RIVER

After a morning game drive, lunch and a siesta, I headed down to the main area, all packed, geared up and ready to go. By geared up I mean sunscreen, hat and camera. There’s not much you really need, as everything is provided, including “dry bags” for cameras, binoculars and any other water-sensitive items you might have. With my five new traveling companions, veteran Zimbabwean canoeing guide Mathew Nyamakope and renowned walking guide Sam Nkomo, we pick our partners and get a briefing.

“The paddler in back does eighty percent of the work,” says Mathew. I’ve already decided he’s my partner. And that puts me in the very front of the caravan of four canoes — a good vantage point and a daunting position. We are the first canoe trip on the lower Zambezi for the season. The river is higher than it’s been in, some say, about 50 years. It is a truly a pioneering venture, and I am in riding “shotgun.” This year is the first time since 2001 that, due to record-heavy rainfall, four gates of the Kariba Dam have been opened half way at this point to keep the dam from bursting as it fills with more water coming down from its origin. Mathew has been guiding on this river for nearly two decades, and the guides learn these waters, their shallow points, deep trenches, bends, islands, etceteras. When a river takes on a new look and new depths, islands get covered and channels get flooded. A guide can find himself faced with a once-familiar water landscape with new challenges. Hippos change their “hide-outs” for one.

Mana Pools National Park is along Zimbabwe’s northwest border with Zambia, across from the Lower Zambezi National Park. There are parts of the park that do not have roads and are accessible only by foot with your walking guide.

It was a good day getting used to the current, which was about 7 knots. My pointer finger was getting a workout taking pictures of hippos grazing on the riverbanks while Mathew nearly effortlessly pushed us along with his paddle.

Landing on the bank of our first camp was exciting. There were our 4 guest tents pre-erected for us, a campfire and bar, and the dining table. We met our chef, Bob, complete in his white chef coat. The sunset was one of the most amazing I have ever seen, and then night broke through, and a delicious dinner was served by lantern-light.

Each tent is equipped with 2 small cots (or 1 for us single travelers) and the basic necessities. There is no electricity or running water. It is truly camping, but first-class for sure. Bucket showers are set up for us in an extension on the back of the tent, whenever you want one. There is one “loo with a view” at the edge of camp, which always offers a great lookout over the landscape.

TSWALU: South Africa's Kalahari Gem

Tswalu focuses on giving guests “your very own Tswalu.” As the largest private game reserve in South Africa (100,000 hectares, or nearly 250,000 acres), and with only six vehicles on the property at any one time, the   exclusivity is unparalleled.

 The Motse is the main lodge with 8 beautiful suites overlooking a waterhole, with a heated swimming pool, spa & gym, library, wine cellar and gift shop. Tarkuni is the exclusive use lodge for up to 10 guests in 5 luxurious suites, complete with a private ranger and vehicle and its own swimming pool. Modern South African cuisine is executed in various and personalized venues around the property by executive chef Theresa Fehrsen. 

Not a thing is compromised, with truly unique and rich game sightings, such as the rare desert black rhino, black-maned Kalahari lion, meerkat, cheetah, rare Hartmann's mountain zebra and lesser-seen antelopes like roan, sable and tsessebe. Common and beloved animals such as giraffe and Burchell's zebra are also resident, while aardvark, aardwolf, brown hyena and bat-eared foxes come out at night. 

Unique activities abound, with game drives, moonlit horseback rides, photographic safaris, trekking desert rhino on foot, ecological talks by resident researchers, 380,000-year old Bushman rock art, hot-air ballooning over the desert, and star-lit sleep-outs. Book 90 days in advance and you will be guaranteed a Private Safari Ranger (valid for 2011 bookings).

Tswalu has their very own pressurized Pilatus PC-12 aircraft offering convenient flights direct from Cape Town and Johannesburg. And if you're looking for great value, those flights are FREE when you stay 4 or more nights, making accessibility more convenient and far less costly than most game reserves.

To make reservations or for more information contact Megan Bryant at 1-800-999-1758.

Megan Bryant
  

 

July 2010, Around the World with Cox & Kings: Fun & Games, Globally

Have you ever dreamed of journeys beyond the ordinary? Perhaps surfing in Peru or chariot racing in Jordan?

Our recent press story features journeys full of adventure activities and sports in exotic locations.

• Sea Kayak with Penguins...
• Pitch a Tent in Tahiti…
• Hang Ten in Peru…
• Ride Chariots of Fire in Jordan…
• Scuba Dive in the Seychelles…
• Tee Off in the Himalayas…
• Deliver a One-Two Punch in Thailand…

Learn more about these itineraries that are bound to take you to new heights of adventure!

Press Release: Travel Industry Veteran Thomas Stanley Appointed to Head Cox & Kings USA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

We're excited to announce our the appointment of our new Chief Operating Officer, Mr.Thomas Stanley. He brings decades of experience with leading travel companies to Cox & Kings USA.

“I have a personal belief that travel should be deeply experiential,” said Stanley. “It’s not just about seeing, but about learning and coming away with a strong emotional connection with a destination. The experiences provided by Cox & Kings are designed to enable meaningful interactions between the traveler and the destination, providing the most satisfactory of travel experiences. I look to continue to advance this principle in cultivating the next generation of Cox & Kings travelers.”

Peter Kerkar, Executive Director, Cox and Kings India Ltd. states: “We are honored to have an industry veteran such as Mr. Stanley join our organization to head operations in the U.S. market. As a legacy travel company, we are extremely proud of the firm foundation and 252 years of experience our company is built upon and together we look to continue this reputation of providing the utmost in luxury travel experiences.”

Read the full Press Release. View bio and photo.

TOP STORIES, July 2010

E-News, July 2010: feature story, Uma Paro — Hidden Bhutanese Enclave

Just back from Zimbabwe

July 2010, Around the World with Cox & Kings: Fun & Games, Globally

Guaranteed Group Departures to India: Oct, Nov, Dec 2010, Feb 2011

Special departures: Chile & Argentina with Liz Caskey

Cox & Kings — The Next 250 Years! by Thomas Stanley

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