Cox & Kings USA Travel Journeys

Japan in Winter: The White Season

Sapporo Snow Festival in Hokkaido

One of the most famous festivals in Japan takes place during the winter, on the northern island of Hokkaido. In winter, this mountainous island becomes a snowy wonderland. 

The festival has been held in Sapporo since the 1950's. Competing artisans from around the world carve huge, fantastic designs in ice and snow, recreating landmark buildings, historical figures, and cartoon characters. Lights illuminate buildings and carvings alike. Other towns and ski resorts in the region have their own snow and ice shows during the winter season — some are an easy day trip from Sapporo itself. Dates for the 2011 Sapporo Snow Festival are February 7-13.

There's plenty to do just during the festival: take an ice sculpture class, slide down a snow chute, take a hot air balloon ride, or help make the 10k+ snowmen needed to break the world record from the previous year. This is in addition to all the typical outdoor snow activities such as downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling. Stay at a luxury city hotel, or in a traditional ryokan (inn or guest house), ending each day with a soak in a Japanese onsen (hot spring bath).  

Sapporo is a former Winter Olympics site, and world-class skiing can be found throughout Hokkaido, including Niseko and Tomamu — both are known for their outstanding quality of powder. The city also produces beer and chocolate (even a chocolate beer!).

   

Nagano, the Japanese Alps

Further south, on the main island of Honshu, in the mountains northeast of Tokyo, there's plenty of great skiing also. Nagano hosted the Winter Olympics in 1998.

This region is also famous for its Snow Monkeys (Japanese Macaque). The best viewing of these monkeys is at the wild monkey park, where they enjoy lounging around in the outdoor hot springs, which is especially striking in the winter with the snow around (and on) the monkeys.

A visit to Sapporo or Nagano may be easily added to our Private Journey Treasures of Japan. Our Asia & Pacific product manager Denise Gogarty (1-800-999-1758) will help you customize your personal tour.

More on the Sapporo Snow Festival on Wikipedia

 

Cox & Kings' Cartagena de Indias journey named one of Travel+Leisure’s Trips of a Lifetime

View the article online

Cover: Travel + Leisure - November 2010 (pdf)

  

Shangri-La Villingili Maldives - No Minimum Holiday Stay!

The Shangri-La Villingili in the pristine south of the Maldives has announced they will not have a minimum night stay this holiday season. They have lifted what was a minimum 7-night stay over the period of December 24, 2010 - January 14, 2011. This makes a 4 or 5 night extension to our India, Sri Lanka or Asia Private Classic Journeys very feasible. Most other 5-star Maldives resorts maintain a minimum 7-10 night stay over this festive season.

For more information or reservations, call Megan Bryant at 1-800-999-1758.

Cox & Kings featured in the Fall issue of The New York Observer Playground, "Travel With Heart"

The “Travel With Heart” article by Julie Earl-Levine covers several growing trends — including affluent families who are looking for more meaningful travel experiences and an uptick in eco-tourism. Cox & Kings experiences are featured, from visits to villages in India while on a Maharajas' Express luxury train journey, interactions with a local dance school in Columbia, and teenagers as "panda keepers" in China, to playing soccer with children in South Africa. Our COO Thomas Stanley expressed observations in the piece about the requests he sees from travel agents to design tours that are very hands-on with families. "Many of the tours we design are focusing on learning and 'doing.' Families are expanding their horizons and experiencing destinations at another level."

A good example of the trend towards experiential travel with families, is the recent journey to Egypt featured here on our travel blog: Our Family Trip to Egypt. Peter Bitman, age 13, beautifully tells the story of their family journey.

View the Fall issue of The New York Observer Playground on their website. The story, "Travel With Heart," begins on page 84.

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Merritt's 5th Day on The Maharajas' Express

October 8, 2010

This morning we enjoyed a countryside drive to the vintage estate of Jambughoda.  The Jambughoda Royal Family are descendents of the Parmar Dynasty from Dhar in Madhya Pradesh.  Today, Maharana Vikrimsinh (Vikram) resides there with his family who at one time was considered a princely family and given authority by the British to help the Maharaja with their affairs.  They lived a rich life and with India’s independence in 1947, they lost the stipends from the Indian government and any exercise of power.  This left large estates and palaces to the family with no money for upkeep.  Today the family hosts visitors to lunch and dinners to help with the estate.  We were able to glimpse from the photos on the wall, the days of royal hospitality and how Colonial British India was historically recorded.
 
This afternoon we visited the Maharaja Feteh Singh Museum on the grounds of the Magnificent Laxmi Vilas Palace.  The is actually a series of palaces in Vododara and is considered the largest private home built in the nineteenth century and four times the size of Buckingham Palace. It is reminiscent of a large European Estate.  

Today, it remains the residence of the Royal Family.  It was room after room of beautiful furniture, art and armor.

The Maharani and her granddaughters met our group and watched a dance performance with us in the ornate Darbar Hall. 

—Merriit Howerton, Cox & King Director of Sales for eastern U.S. and Canada

Merritt's 4th Day on the Majarahas' Express

October 6, 2010
 
Wow, what a Royal Welcome!  The canopy and dancers waiting to greet the Maharajas’ Express Travelers was the most colorful yet!  

We were whisked away to the City Palace located on a hill on the banks of Lake Pichola.  I have heard Udaipur referred to as the “Venice of the East” and I now know why.  Udaipur was also named Best City of the World in 2009 by Travel & Leisure Magazine. The City Palace construction began in 1559 but has been added to by 22 different Maharajas.  The halls of the palace are lined with colored mosaics and frescoes, inlay work and paintings of the local people.  The entire palace is made of marble.  

Out on Lake Pichola, you can see The Lake Palace which was built in 1743 which was originally built as a royal summer palace but now the luxurious Taj Palace Hotel.  Also in the distance you can see The Oberoi Udaivilas, conceived as a traditional Indian palace, and another wonderful hotel option for guests wanting to stay for a longer visit.  

The afternoon brought the option of spa treatments or more shopping.  Once again, I opted for shopping.  Hand crafted papers and writing journals, silk pillowcases and leather goods are just a few of the prizes that will make it home in my suitcase as a reminder of this stunning city. 

Off to the lovely dining room for more fabulous Indian delights!

—Merriit Howerton, Cox & King Director of Sales for eastern U.S. and Canada

Merritt's 3rd Day (Evening Time) on the Maharajas' Express

Evening of October 5, 2010
 
After a delightful afternoon of bazaar shopping, we arrived to the Meherangarh Fort perched high above Jodhpur City.  The part of the fort we saw today was  built in 1638-1678.  The fort spreads over 3 miles atop of 410 ft high hill.  Within the fort, brilliantly decorated palaces are found.

There is also a museum which hosts a collection of palanquins, royal cradles, costumes and furniture.  The true highlight of this fort was the spectacular view it offered of the Blue City.

 After a walk through the Fort and Museum we were escorted to a sprawling courtyard with more fantastic views of the city below where our group dined by candlelight under the Jodhpur sky with local musicians and dancers to entertain us. 

Merritt's 3rd Day on the Maharajas' Express

October 5, 2010
 
This morning I was so excited to disembark the train and start our exploration of “The Blue City” of Jodhpur!

I had read about the fabulous Meherangarh Fort but knew little about the Bushnois People and Village Safari that was the morning option of sightseeing. There is a group of about 6 million people called Bishnois that are wholly and solely devoted to nature and the conservation of human life as well as the largest contributing factor to the survival of wildlife in the region.  The Bushnois are truly the world’s first environmentalists.  We visited their village home with mud floors and walls covered with cow dung, the interiors were clean and the people in robust good health with a very high level of hygiene.  They could not have been more welcoming to their home. 

  After another wonderful lunch on board my beautiful train away from home, we visited the bustling center of Jodhpur, the clock tower and the lively bazaar.  I began to sense we had some people that were ready to shop, once in the bazaar, the bartering began!  

Our guide took us to a lovely store with every color of pashmina you could ever dream of.  Since I had already purchased a few for family back home, my attention turned to raw silk bed coverings. Never did I imagine coming home with one but the colors were so vibrant, I am now the proud owner of this treasure from Jodhpur! 

 
While walking through the bazaar, you can’t help but to notice, it is an incredible backdrop for even the most beginner photographers (like myself). The spices, the jewelry, and the various food offerings.  I happen to catch a group of women in a sari shop checking out the latest arrivals.  I could only imagine how fun it is to pick from the vibrant colors offered to them, it is one of my favorite pictures so far!

—Merriit Howerton, Cox & King Director of Sales for eastern U.S. and Canada

Around the World with Cox & Kings: Holiday Travel Made Easy

Guests are encouraged to book now for end-of-year travel to exotic destinations...

Cox & Kings, the world's most enduring travel company, is adding spice to the holidays and encouraging travelers to live for the exceptional moments of the season with specially-designed itineraries ideal for end-of-year travel to several of the most exotic destinations on the globe. With customizable journeys to Africa, Asia & Pacific, India and Latin America, this year’s holidays are destined to bring tidings of comfort, joy and adventure.

Embark on an Epic Journey into 2011 in Namibia and Botswana
Reflect on the year and march anew into 2011 with unforgettable journeys from Cox & Kings in Africa. With the Great Namibian Journey dreams will reach far beyond just sugar plum fairies to include the stunning landscapes, endless skies, barren deserts, rugged mountains of Sossusvlei and the Skeleton Coast and spectacular wildlife of Etosha National Park. Travelers will experience such diverse activities including black rhino tracking, interacting with local tribes and hiking and cycling in Damaraland. For another grand adventure, ideal for the wildlife patterns November through May, the Green Desert Expedition will show travelers incredible contrasts in Botswana from the sporadic rains of the Kalahari Desert to the always-fertile islands and waterways of the Okavango. Witness a true miracle during one of the most prolific wildlife-viewing periods with concentrations of desert species and their young in the ancient river valleys of Deception Valley.

Cox & Kings' 13-day, 12-night Great Namibian Journey itinerary starts at US $6,926 per person, based on double occupancy; the 8-day, 7-night Green Desert Expedition itinerary starts at US $3,145 per person, based on double occupancy.

 

Enjoy a Laid-Back Holiday in Laos
Laos, long isolated from international influences, is the ideal destination to find serenity during the holiday crush. Cox & Kings’ Luang Prabang: Crown Jewel of Laos journey traverses the magical and charming province of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and perhaps the best-preserved city in Southeast Asia. Travelers can witness monks gather to receive alms during the early morning, explore the weaving village of Ban Phanom and ride on elephants through the jungle to Tad Sae Waterfall before concluding the trip with a beautiful evening ballet performance. Cox & Kings' 4-day, 3-night Luang Prabang: Crown Jewel of Laos itinerary starts at US $2,085 per person, based on double occupancy.

 

Embrace the New Year in Vietnam & Cambodia, Where Classic Meets Modern
There is no better place to welcome the New Year than in the dynamic, ever-evolving Ho Chi Minh City, which perfectly exhibits contemporary Vietnam’s amazing juxtaposition of old and new. On Cox & Kings' Classic Vietnam & Cambodia journey, travelers cycle through the lovely northern city of Hanoi and take in a performance of traditional Vietnamese water puppetry, cruise Halong Bay, visit the royal tombs of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh, enjoy sightseeing in the Marble Mountains, and lounge on China Beach — all before the real highlight of the trip, an exploration of Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor in Cambodia, and a prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture.

Cox & Kings' 14-day, 13-night Classic Vietnam & Cambodia itinerary starts at US $6,465 per person, based on double occupancy, with a price of US $1,445 per person for the Siem Reap extension, based on double occupancy.

 

Experience Holidays of Curry and Color in North & South India
Count on India to make every day — not just the holidays - merry and bright. On Cox & Kings' Grand Tour of North India journey, travelers tour India’s spiritual and regal landscapes, marveling at sumptuous palaces, sacred temples and dramatic sights along the way. One highlight is a cruise down the Ganges in Varanasi to see the gathered faithful locals, ritually cleansing themselves of their sins. On Cox & Kings’ Wonders of the South journey, guests luxuriate in tropical forests and visit lagoons canopied by coconut trees, savor the warm aroma of exotic spices, and observe the unique rhythm of Southern India. Included in this journey are visits to an agricultural farm in Cochin, the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai — one of the oldest living temples in South India — and the famous Kalakshetra Dance Academy in Chennai.

Cox & Kings' 17-day, 15-night Grand Tour of North India itinerary starts at $5,430 per person October through December 2010, based on double occupancy; the 17-day, 14-night Wonders of the South itinerary starts at US $6,675 per person October through December 2010, based on double occupancy. Holiday supplements may apply.

 

Witness a Sacred Celebration in Guatemala & Belize
Guests can celebrate the holidays by exploring the sacred Mayan sites, colonial architecture and indigenous cultures of Guatemala – as well as marvel at the natural wonders of Belize — on Cox & Kings' Discovering the Ancient Mayans journey. The experience includes a walking tour of colonial Antigua, the former capital of Guatemala and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as a visit to the Mayan god Maximon in Santiago, with the scenic Lake Atitlan as the backdrop – all experiences that put the "holy" in holidays. Guests will also have the memorable opportunity to watch the sun set from Yaxha, as well as enjoy a luxury picnic at Tikal. Cap off the adventure with a jungle hike and river tubing in Belize’s Jaguar Paw. Likewise, Cox & Kings' From Ancient Kingdoms to Coral Reefs journey offers snorkeling at Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley, where guests' swimming companions are Central American nurse sharks and southern stingrays.

Cox & Kings' 12-day, 11-night Discovering the Ancient Mayans itinerary starts at US $4,560 per person, based on double occupancy; the 12-day, 11-night From Ancient Kingdoms to Coral Reefs itinerary starts at US $3,795 per person, based on double occupancy. Book each by October 31, 2010 to receive a free Mayan Shaman ceremony at Iximche.

Have a Peru Christmas
For families looking to spend their holiday uncovering the Lost City of the Incas as opposed to unwrapping presents, Cox & Kings offers an intrepid 9-day, 8-night journey, Peru: Llamas, Sea Lions & Incas, in which guests don their best wetsuits and swim with sea lions, go horseback riding through the Sacred Valley, enjoy pottery workshops and weaving demonstrations, and conquer Machu Picchu, one of the most breathtaking sights in the world. For foodies looking forward to seasonal feasting, Cox & Kings' 7-day, 6-night Peru With a View adventure offers a jaunt through Lima, where guests can enjoy a delicious fusion of Chinese, Japanese, Inca, Spanish, Italian and African culinary influences, before journeying on to Urubamba, Machu Picchu and Cusco. Lastly, Cox & Kings' 10-day, 9-night Luxury Peru with Orient-Express journey offers well-heeled travelers unparalleled experiences in Peru, including a visit to the old town of Cusco, "the white city" of Arequipa, and the spectacular Colca Canyon. All accommodations on this journey are at Orient-Express's luxury hotels – an indulgence too sumptuous to fit in a holiday stocking.

Cox & Kings' 9-day, 8-night itinerary, Peru: Llamas, Sea Lions & Incas, starts at US $3,740 per person, based on double occupancy and on a family of 4; Peru With a View, starts at US $3,025 per person, based on double occupancy; and Luxury Peru with Orient-Express, starts at US $5,255 per person, based on double occupancy.