Cox & Kings, The Americas - Travel Journeys

Enews, July 2011

COX & KINGS, THE AMERICAS SHINES IN
 TRAVEL + LEISURE’S WORLD’S BEST AWARD
 2011 READERS’ SURVEY

Cox & Kings, The Americas, is proud to announce its status as one of the world's best Tour Operators and Safari Outfitters in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards 2011 readers' survey. Cox & Kings ranked as the top sixth tour operator as polled by Travel + Leisure readers for its 16th annual survey, which is considered an essential index of the places travelers want to go and the best companies to take them there.

 Cox & Kings' top rank in Travel + Leisure's prestigious survey distinguishes the brand's top-notch travel excursions as premier product, providing unsurpassed customer satisfaction and authentic travel experiences. 

Read more here.



COX & KINGS MAILBAG
Thanks for letting us know how we're doing!

Megan,
Luby and I had the time of our lives!!!!
 The trip FAR exceeded anything I could have imagined. Seeing the animals on safari was incredible and each of our trackers and guides were outstanding. The four hotels just were beyond fabulous! The time with Trevor in CapeTown and Wine country was great. He was so kind and attentive and so knowledgeable too. We were surprised when Derek met us in JoBurg to escort us to the airport for our plane ride home. We were not expecting that but it was very helpful! Megan, thank you so much!!!! Your planning and arrangements for our trip were wonderful. I sure hope I can return again to this wonderful country!

Fondly, Mary

We love hearing from you! Please write us at tours@coxandkingsusa.com.

BOUTIQUE SOUTH AFRICA
8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS - Lion Sands Private Game Reserve, Cape Town - From $4,195 PER PERSON*

Cape Town has experienced nearly a month of sunny weather in their typically dreary, winter season, while much of South Africa is seeing record lows and snow. With the recently erratic and unusual weather patterns around the world, good travel times are becoming more and more unpredictable. October should be a great time to travel this year with warmer weather and super pricing that may not be available next year as travel around the globe increases.

Let us share the good value of our Boutique South Africa private journey with you this season.

Call your travel advisor to reserve your journey today or contact Graeme Watson at graeme.watson@coxandkingsusa.com.

 

NEW EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: GRAEME WATSON

Graeme Watson was born and bred in Durban, South Africa and has had a love for travel from an early age. He remembers going into travel agencies when he was as young as 10 years old and collecting brochures and planning itineraries! This love was firmly cemented when he got a job working on a cruise liner based in Mombasa, Kenya and would frequently visit exotic island paradises such as Zanzibar, The Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, the Maldives and the Comores. He has travelled extensively in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands and was running his own travel business in London, England before moving to Los Angeles earlier this year. 

He is very happy and proud to be able to promote travel to his home continent by working as one of the Africa Specialists for Cox and Kings, The Americas.



Contact Graeme at graeme.watson@coxandkingsusa.com.
 
Places Lived: Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, London, England and Los Angeles, USA

Favorite Travel Spot: La Digue in The Seychelles

Best Vacation: Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi while visiting Victoria Falls

Favorite Drink/Food: Savanna Cider from South Africa and Lasagne

Always wanted to try: Trekking with the mountain gorillas in Rwanda

If I were stuck on an island, I would bring (3 things): Solar powered laptop with satellite internet, Swiss army knife, water filtration device




DUBROVNIK - DALMATIAN DREAM
6 DAYS / 5 NIGHTS - Roundtrip Dubrovnik - From $2,040 PER PERSON*

Dubrovnik, described by Byron as "Pearl of the Adriatic," is a city of a unique political history, of world-famous cultural heritage and beauty. Our tour includes a wine, olive oil and oyster tour to Peljesac peninsula and options for kayaking and bike riding on the many islands near Dubrovnik.

    •    A private gourmet dinner in a lighthouse, surrounded by magnificent
         Dalmatian scenery
    •    A visit to a family farm in the olive oil and wine region of Peljesac
    •    Oyster harvesting and tasting

Click here to read more about Dubrovnik - Dalmation Dream

Call your travel advisor to reserve your journey today or contact Thor Forsberg at thor.forsberg@coxandkingsusa.com.




MAHARAJAS' EXPRESS: ROYAL INDIA
13 DAYS / 11 NIGHTS - Delhi to Bombay - From $10,040 PER PERSON*

Relive India's days of romance and nostalgia aboard the newly launched Maharajas' Express deluxe train. Your journey begins in the Imperial city of Delhi, home to the former British Viceroy. The first stop is Agra where you can gaze upon the romantic Taj Mahal. Your journey then takes you to one of the well-known hunting grounds of the erstwhile princes, Ranthambore, now a national park famous for its Bengal tiger preservation efforts.

On to Jaipur, quintessential India, where forts and palaces, maharajas and snake charmers, history, color and pageantry combine to project Jaipur as the dream image of India. Bikaner is the next stop on your romantic journey through Rajasthan. This medieval city was once a major stop on the cross-desert caravan trade route. On to the desert region of Rajasthan and the principality of Jodhpur, home to some of the finest architectural wonders of the desert region.

Your next stop is the magical city of Udaipur, an enchanting image of white marble palaces, placid lakes and green hills. Your rail journey continues to Vadodara, the princely capital formerly known as Baroda, ruled by the Gaekwads who were so rich at one time, they had a carpet woven of diamonds and pearls and cannons cast of gold.

Your romantic journey ends in the cosmopolitan city of Bombay, where modern skyscrapers and gracious colonial buildings coexist!

Click here to read more about Maharajas' Express: Royal India.

Call your travel advisor to reserve your journey today or contact Seema Prakash at seema.prakash@coxandkingsusa.com.

*Fares are in U.S. dollars and are per person based on double occupancy. Offers are subject to availability, and may be higher for desired travel dates. New bookings only. Cannot be combined with other offers. Please visit our website for further restrictions that may apply to your booking.

Travel Advisor of the Month: Susan Fetterly

Susan Fetterly, Journeys Peak Travel (Signature Travel Network)

With over 30 years as a Travel Professional, Susan Fetterly currently works as an independent with Journeys Peak Travel, part of Signature Travel Network.

Her training in this field has been enhanced by many certifications through Wellesley College in MA with ICTA (Certified Travel Industry Executive, Certified Travel Counselor, and Destination Specialist for Africa, Western Europe, South Pacific, Pacific Rim, to name a few). Other designations she holds are: Premier Aussie Specialist with Tourism Australia, as well as Luxury New Zealand and Kiwi Specialist with Tourism New Zealand. She'll soon be completing the India Specialist with ICTA/Cox & Kings.

Susan specializes in customized complex itineraries for Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Europe, and Southeast Asia which normally include land arrangements and cruises, tours, rail, and luxury properties. These itineraries include the personalized needs and interests of each client so that their time is maximized and their experience is most memorable.

Her travels include cruises with Regent Seven Seas and Lindblad. Favorite trips have been to East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania), South Africa (including Victoria Falls, and Kruger National Park), The Luxury Lodges of New Zealand, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and the Outback, Tahiti, Fiji, Italy, France, Ireland, and may other destinations.

Notes Susan: "I truly enjoy the challenging aspects of my work, and I love working with my great clients who have been with me for many years. It is a pleasure to work with Cox & Kings who provide excellent service for my valued clients!"

Susan is pictured atop Mount Tarawera, North Island, New Zealand.

peaktravel.com

 

TOP STORIES: July 2011

E-News, July 2011: Cox & Kings Shines in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Award 2011

Wonders of Georgia Discovery Tour on Concierge.com

Private Journeys to Turkey — Introductory Special Offer

Travel Advisor of the Month: Susan Fetterly

Singita's School of Cooking — A Community Project

Maharajas' Express dream train journeys through India
Visit the Cox & Kings Maharajas' Express site for photos and details.
View details about guest lecturers scheduled for select 2011 journeys.

Cox & Kings' Wonders of Georgia Discovery Tour on Concierge.com

"You've done Paris, Rome, and London, but where next on your grand tour? We suggest it's time to venture off the beaten track to the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The folks at travel company Cox & Kings have launched a tour of Georgia as part of a new package of undiscovered destinations across the pond.

The eight-day trip goes from a fourth-century fortress in Tbilisi to the birthplace of Stalin to the underground monasteries of Davit Gareja and the famed vineyards of Kakheti, the oldest wine-producing region in the world. Medieval churches, Soviet-era history, and ancient booze? That's enough to get Georgia on anyone's mind."

Cox & Kings' Wonders of Georgia tour, from $1,735. Upcoming 2011 departures: September 4, October 2.

View the page on Concierge.com.

 

 

Singita's School of Cooking — A Community Project

The Singita School of Cooking community project is located at the staff village that serves Lebombo and Sweni Lodges, in Kruger National Park, South Africa.

The school was launched in 2007 by the Singita Sweni head chef at the time, with the support of one of his sous chefs. They created a chef training concept focused on unemployed young people from local communities. The project was extremely successful and is now headed by Oriel Mbowane previous Sweni Sous Chef.

The third course began last September; 300 young people were interviewed and just 8 candidates were accepted. Students participate in a 2-stage interviewing process and young people with a real thirst to achieve, a passion and a genuine desire for cooking are identified.

Vocational skills training is very much lacking within rural communities in South Africa. Singita and the community place great value on this particular project—the training provides skills that will not only impact a student's future but that of their dependents and their communities too.

After 18 months of training, Singita's vision is for these students to be working at Commis Chef level in a Singita kitchen or at other lodges in the Kruger National Park. The school has successfully trained three groups, totalling 14 young people from local communities, 12 of whom have found employment either at a Singita property or with other organizations.

To date, 150,000 US dollars have been contributed to the Singita School of Cooking by Singita, Singita guests, as well as the South African government, to help make real the dreams of young, talented and motivated members of the communities surrounding Kruger National Park.

Thank you Singita, one of our favorite travel partners, for setting up and managing this worthwhile community program. 

For more information on Singita's lodges, contact our Africa destination expert Megan Bryant at 1-800-999-1758.

View our private African safaris featuring Singita properties:

Classic South Africa

Singita Southern Africa

 

Cox & Kings Wins in Travel + Leisure's World’s Best Awards 2011

The results of Travel + Leisure's annual World's Best Awards are in— Cox & Kings has been voted #6 in the Tour Operators & Safari Outfitters category. The survey results are based on readers’ ratings.

Notes the magazine: "For the 16th year, Travel + Leisure's definitive list of the top hotels, cruise lines, airlines, car-rental agencies, outfitters, cities and islands, as voted by readers, is an essential index of the places you want to go and the best companies to take you there. Navigate the globe like a skilled insider—starting now."

Find the complete "World's Best" list online, or in the August issue of Travel + Leisure magazine.

 

 

Interview with Thomas Stanley, Chief Operating Officer at Cox & Kings, The Americas

Interview with Thomas Stanley, Chief Operating Officer at Cox & Kings, The Americas

Mark Murphy Interviews Thomas Stanley at the new Cox & Kings office in West Hollywood. Cox & Kings' has a long, storied history and will greet the future with a renewed commitment to the travel agent community.

 

Please watch Mark Murphy’s interview with Thomas Stanley in today’s featured video: click here