Cox & Kings, The Americas - Travel Journeys

Ethiopian Airlines Pilots Complete Training for 787 Dreamliner

WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 30, 2012 – Ethiopian Airlines, the first airline to operate the 787 in Africa, has completed training on the 787 Dreamliner for its first team of pilots at the Boeing Flight Services campus located at Gatwick, London. The second and third teams are scheduled for upcoming 787 training in the same facility.

“This is an important milestone in the history of Ethiopian Airlines,” said Captain Desta Zeru, Senior Vice President of Flight Operations for Ethiopian Airlines. “Our pilots are now qualified as the first African pilots to fly the 787.”

“The 787 is planned to be a key part of our service from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to our hub in Addis Abba, Ethiopia (ADD),” said Kagnew Asfaw, Director of Sales & Services for the Americas. “The introduction of the 787 will enhance the onboard experience that we provide to North American travelers. It also will position Addis Ababa as the most convenient hub to get to Africa from the U.S. and Europe.”

The Boeing 787 flight-training program uses an innovative suite of training devices including a full-flight simulator, flight training device and desktop simulation station to ensure that pilots are ready to fly the Dreamliner.

New schedule links Ethiopia to Seychelles

New direct flights on Ethiopian Airlines will connect Addis Ababa to Seychelles four times a week - Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The flight is about 4 hours long and makes Addis one of only three direct routes to Seychelles from the African continent. Combine our Ethiopia and Seychelles private journeys easily with this new flight - call Yvonne Whitcomb at 1-800-999-1758 for more information.

Cox & Kings in the Press for Seychelles

Journalist Abby Ellin worked with Cox & Kings' Africa Destination Manager, Megan Bryant, on a story for Seychelles, highlighting many of the points we make for this fabulous destination:  it's outside of the cyclone belt, distinctly African, beautifully temperate and far more than a pretty beach... read the Global Traveler article here.

For more on Seychelles, see our website or contact Megan at megan.bryant@coxandkingsusa.com or 1-800-999-1758.

Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue Island, Seychelles

Enews - August, 2011

 

YIPENG LOI KRATHONG &
THE NORTHERN LANTERN FESTIVAL 

As the full moon of the twelfth lunar month (usually in mid-November) lights up the night sky, throughout the Thai kingdom, hundreds of thousands of ornately-decorated krathong or traditional banana leaf floats are set adrift in rivers and waterways in a spell-binding ritual called Loi Krathong - the 'festival of lights'. This is one of the Kingdom's oldest and best-preserved traditions.

The Loi Krathong tradition we know of today has evolved from the royal rituals of the early Rattanakosin period in which several types of lanterns were set afloat in the Chao Phraya River and its waterways. The practice was subsequently adopted and adapted by common folk.
 

Krathong floats are made from basic materials easily found around the village and reflect the simplicity of life beyond the palace walls. They typically take the shape of lotus in full bloom, swans, chedis (stupas), and Mount Meru from Buddhist mythology. However krathong floats in the shape of lotus blossoms are most popular.

Click here and read more about Thailand and our Southeast Asia Discovery.

 

2012 EXOTIC EUROPE JOURNEYS ARE HERE!

Europe is in the air at Cox & Kings, with the launch of our 2012 European journeys. Combining the best of this years most popular trips, along with newly planned journeys for the upcoming year, 2012 is the time to explore Europe!

With unique, imaginative programs to many exotic European destinations such as Iceland, Russia and Estonia - and luxury group tours to Croatia, Scandinavia and Turkey, the time is now to secure these incredible journeys. With the destination experts that have over 250 years experience, Cox & Kings allows you to reap the benefits of our in-depth local knowledge and exclusive opportunities.

Start planning your 2012 Exotic European journey today!

Contact your travel professional or Thor Forsberg at: thor.forsberg@coxandkingsusa.com.

 

BIG CAT SAFARI - NEW! 

Featuring both the oldest and largest private game reserves in South Africa, this journey truly encompasses the most intimate view into the big cat predators of this diverse country.

You will have a chance to see not only the big cats, but also the "Big Five" (lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, elephant) as well as a plethora of common plains game, such as giraffe and zebra, unique nocturnal species like the aardvark and aardwolf, and an habituated meerkat colony at Tswalu.

Click here to learn more about this exciting journey.

 

COX & KINGS MAILBAG

Thanks for letting us know how we're doing!

Hi Megan,

We made it to Cape Town and are staying at an amazing place about an hour outside of town, on the ocean in a little fishing village, Kommetje in an "intimate hotel" called The Long Beach. There are only 6 huge rooms, we are the only guests now.

Our rooms are awesome. Huge! One wall is all windows that looks out over the ocean and opens to a garden patio with a swimming pool. Our bathroom is to die for! Huge. The open shower will hold about 10 people and we have a soaking tub with the best assortment of bath products you can imagine - bath milks, salts, oils, bubbles. Crista and I are in heaven. There is a decanter of sherry in each room and the best candy! It is like my mom's homemade divinity! We are in love with this place. Thank you! You really know what we like!

Jenny

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

 

NEW EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: NANCY CIPRA

Born in Denver, Nancy Cipra has a BA in Anthropology and a passion for travel. She took her first trip to China on a cruise in 1985. She loved it so much, that she returned the very next year for a month long land tour. Unable to shake the travel bug within herself, Nancy has traveled to over 90 countries worldwide. From working on cruise ships to developing private land tours, traveling has always allowed Nancy to reconnect with herself and make it her life-long career. Nancy is proud to be your Asia Specialist at Cox & Kings, The Americas.

Contact Nancy Cipra at: nancy.cipra@coxandkingsusa.com.

Places Lived: Denver, Miami, Seattle, Los Angeles and cruise ships

Favorite Travel Spot: Vietnam and Burma

Best Vacation: Two-weeks in Rome and Poisitano with my family

Favorite Drink/Food: Chicken curry (spicy!) with jasmine rice and a Tiger beer

Always wanted to try: Hang gliding

If I were stuck on an island, I would bring (3 things): Diet Dr. Pepper, lots of books, my camera

 

SPLENDORS OF NORTH INDIA 

From the lavish hospitality of princely India, to the opulence of the Mughal empire, the colonial legacy of the British Raj, and the vibrant life of modern India, this journey takes you through Indian history.

Discover the splendors of north India as she reveals her wonders and secrets. Travel across a landscape fed by the sacred Ganges, laden with sumptuous palaces, dotted with ancient temples, guarded by massive forts, and graced with the unparalleled magnificence of the Taj Mahal.

Click here to learn more about this exciting journey.

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.

Enews, June 2011

Introducing Our New European Journeys
Cox & Kings is now offering custom-designed and escorted European journeys, primarily to its less visited, off-the-beaten-path destinations, including Turkey, Romania, Russia, Sicily, the Balkans, Scandinavia and Iceland. Luxury five-star Private Journeys as well as the more value-driven Discovery Group Journeys are available to the region. Overseeing the development of these offerings is our newly appointed Europe specialist and Destination Manager, Thor Forsberg.

European Private Journeys featured on our website range from the Marvels of Turkey to a Train Journey through Northern Spain, and far-flung Iceland and Western Greenland. Discovery Group Journeys include Treasures of the Ukraine: Kiev & Crimea, and Classic Sicily.

Contact Thor Forsberg to book your Private Journeys to Europe, and Janice Decker for Discovery Journeys – both at 1-800-999-1758.

Arabia: Why Go Now — a message from Thomas Stanley
Thomas Stanley, Centre Head & COO, Cox & Kings, The Americas reflects on the Arabic Spring (the complete text may be found on our website.):

"In the past few months we have seen an unleashing of the pent up desire for the peoples of the Arabic world to have what Americans take for granted, a desire for freedom and self-determination through the democratic process. I have traveled to most of these countries and have many friends throughout. The traveler has choices as to whether to travel to these regions or defer to a later time.

I am thoroughly convinced that the next twelve months are a golden period of travel for Egypt and those who do travel will be glad they did. Tunisia is a delight, the food, the exciting and historic cities and ruins: Tunis and Carthage in particular. Tunisians will welcome you with pride.

The media is full of naysayers but I am simply bullish on these two countries and their future. Now is a great time in history to be there as I feel the Arabic Spring will go down in the books as a great and very important event in world history." Read more.

View our specially designed summer tours to the region: Egypt & Jordan: Kingdoms Lost, Jordan Sojourn: Summer Special, Moroccan Sojourn: Summer Special, Tunisian Sojourn: Summer Special.

Contact Nicole Beattie at 1-800-999-1758 to book your travel to Arabia & Northern Africa.


New Hotel Spotlight — Asia
The recently opened Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel, Shanghai follows in the footsteps of Dubai's over-the-top Burj al Arab, but with an Asian sensibility. With beautiful Himalayan-inspired decor, this well-located property sits the heart of the Pudong financial district across from the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The hotel complex itself includes an art museum, 1100-seat theater, luxury mall, and a 50,000 square foot rooftop garden.

Our Private Journeys Classic China Odyssey, Treasures of the Orient, and Journey on the Silk Road, all visit Shanghai.

Contact Denise Gogatry at 1-800-999-1758 to book your travel to China.


Ladakh: Land of the Lamas — Free domestic air in India
The India region of Ladakh is famed for its remote alpine beauty and ancient Tibetan culture. On this tour you will meet local Ladakhi artists, enjoy guided walks through villages, and visit Buddhist monasteries and medieval temples which house the region's rich history. Delhi and Agra (Taj Mahal) round out the trip. From $5,945 per person double occupancy; 13 Days, 11 Nights.

Receive free domestic air in India on your Ladakh: Land of the Lamas journey for travel completed by Sept 30, 2011.

Contact Seema Prakash at 1-800-999-1758 for more information.


Sales Staff Spotlight
This month we are featuring two newer members of our sales team, who act as liaisons to travel consultants and destination specialists, providing valuable product and destination information.

Michele Dienna is our Southeast Director of Sales, and a veteran travel enthusiast who has enjoyed two decades of success in travel industry business development. Her strengths are in creating strong, loyal relationships by providing information and exceptional service to the client. Michele has traveled to many regions of the world, her favorites being Africa, India, the UK and New Zealand.

Lurdes Muñoz is our Latin America Director of Sales. With her extensive in-depth personal knowledge, and more than fifteen years of international executive sales experience, Lurdes has developed a sharp focus in the Latin American market. She has traveled to over 26 countries — one of her most memorable trips was traveling to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Contact Michele Dienna and Lurdes Muñoz 1-800-999-1758.
 
UNESCO World Heritage Sites — Madagascar
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve
The reserve contains karstic landscapes and limestone uplands cut into impressive "tsingy" peaks and a "forest" of limestone needles, the spectacular canyon of the Manambolo River, rolling hills and high peaks. The undisturbed forests, lakes and mangrove swamps are the habitat for rare and endangered lemurs and birds.

Royal Hill of Ambohimanga
This site consists of a royal city, burial ground and an ensemble of sacred places. It has maintained its spiritual and sacred character both in ritual practice and the popular imagination for the past 500 years. It remains a place of worship to which pilgrims come from Madagascar and elsewhere.

Rainforests of the Atsinanana
These rainforests comprise six national parks distributed along the eastern part of the island. They are important for maintaining ongoing ecological processes necessary for the survival of Madagascar’s unique biodiversity, which reflects the island’s geological history.

Visits to Madagascar’s UNESCO World Heritage sites may be added to our Private Journey Mysteries of Madagascar. View also our Perfumed Isles of Madagascar. To book your trip, contact Megan Bryant at 1-800-999-1758.

Travel Advisor of the Month: Nicole Converse
Nicole Converse is our Travel Advisor of the Month. She is President of Sarasota, FL-based Converse Premium Services LLC.

 

Our comprehensive brochure is filled with Cox & Kings' Exquisite Cultural and Wildlife Adventures, featuring Africa, Indian Ocean, India & Beyond, Asia, Latin America, and Arabia & North Africa. Request one online at www.coxandkingsusa.com.

 

Announcing the Winners of our Grand Opening Party Raffle...

Thanks to everyone who attended our Grand Opening Party May 4th at our new offices in Los Angeles.

The following winners have been chosen from our raffle drawing. Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all of our generous prize and event sponsors!

Patti Fowler, Third Millennium Travel, Northridge, CA
2 economy class tickets on Turkish Airlines

3 nights accommodation in Istanbul

3 nights accommodation in Cappadocia

Avril Bransky, New Act Travel, Encino, CA
6 nights at Adriatic Luxury Hotels in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Carolyn Rothberg, Plaza Travel, Encino, CA
1 coach ticket on Copa Airlines
2 nights at the Bristol Panama
2 nights at the  Bristol Buenaventura Resort Panama

Elisa Tomasino, Plaza Travel, Encino, CA
Taj Hotels & Resorts package:
2 nights at the Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi
1 nights at the Gateway Hotel, Agra
2 nights at Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur

Paulette Darensburg, ProTravel, Beverly Hills, CA 

2 economy class tickets on Lan Airlines

3 nights at Orient-Express hotels: Miraflores Park Hotel, Hotel Rio Sagrado, and Hotel Monasterio

Liza Gevera, Travel International, Beverly Hills, CA
2 economy tickets to any Emirates Airlines destination

Greta Gilford, New Act Travel, Encino, CA
2 night stay at Hotel de la Paix, Cambodia

Charles Stevens, Déjà vu Travel, Northridge, CA
A golf shirt and cap from Jumeirah Hotels
 
Phoebe Shackeroff, Beachside Travel, Seal Beach, CA
A Singapore Airlines duffle bag

Cox & Kings Celebrates the Grand Opening of its New North American Headquarters in Los Angeles

Newly Designed Office Reflects the Timeless Art of Travel

What is old is new again with the world's longest operating travel company of 253 years opening the doors of its new North American headquarters in Los Angeles. The new space, with prime location on Melrose Avenue, incorporates vintage décor with a contemporary design and multi-cultural inspiration to create a truly unique space. To celebrate the opening, Cox & Kings welcomed travelers of all types, including travel agents, influential personalities and media, to its new space on Wednesday, May 4, to toast the timeless art of travel in collaboration with Los Angeles Confidential magazine.

"The 'Golden Age of Travel' has inspired us in our search for a great new location for our headquarters. It is tied to our belief that reaches to our company's core, celebrating a time when Americans ventured far and wide with the newfound freedom of the jet age," said Thomas Stanley, Centre Head and COO, Cox & Kings, The Americas. "Our new office reflects this ideal, creating a retro-inspired 'Pan Am' meets 'Mad Men' look and feel through a mixing of vintage inspired pieces with ethnic collectables to illustrate our company's reach around the globe."

The offices located at 8060 Melrose Avenue were the design inspiration of Ron Woodson of cutting edge design firm Woodson & Rummerfield. Woodson saw potential of the mid-century building, drawing in vibrant colors including oranges, teals and greens and counterbalancing with refurbished 1960s Steelcase desks finished in a classic industrial aluminium color. Vintage inspired wallpapers bring in a worldly sentiment with patterns and designs from Asia and Africa and ethnic artifacts line the walls combining African art, Indian quilts, feathered headdresses and global masks. With the company’s origins rooted in travel from England to India, the spiritual center of the office was initiated with a consultation by a Vaastu expert, a traditional Hindu system of design based on directional alignments.

Along with its new office, Cox & Kings continues steady growth, increasing its presence by adding highly experienced regional sales staff and Custom Journeys destination experts. Offering the richest travel experiences ranging from high-end customized luxury to the more value-driven escorted tours, Cox & Kings provides once-in-a- lifetime travel experiences to destinations including India, Africa, the Middle East, the Indian Ocean, Asia, the Pacific, Europe and Latin America.

Cox & Kings' gala Grand Opening had the sponsorship of several of the premium brands in the industry including Los Angeles Confidential, Emirates Airlines, LAN and Copa Airlines, as well as YTL Hotels, Tourism Corp. Africa, Adriatic Luxury Hotels, AFAR Magazine, Botswana Tourism, Bristol Hotels, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hotel de la Paix, Macau Tourism, Orient-Express, Orion Cruises, Singular Hotels, South Africa Tourism, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, Turkish Airlines and Singapore Tourism.

To reach a Cox & Kings expert, contact 1-800-999-1758.

For catalog requests, please contact tours@coxandkingsusa.com or dail 1-888-53-KINGS (1-888-535-4657). 

 

Around the World with Cox & Kings: A Calendar of Colorful Festivals

You don't have to wait until December for your next holiday celebration.   
Exotic and exciting festivals continue around the world throughout the year and Cox & Kings can put you right in the middle of the revelry. Party your way through Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval, master your elephant polo skills at the Jaipur Elephant Festival in India, or dance to the rhythms of traditional Ethiopian beats in one of the most diverse music festivals in Africa.

Samba Down the Streets of Rio de Janeiro at Carnaval
Follow the rhythms of Rio to the most popular holiday in Brazil with Cox & Kings’ Carnaval: Party like a Native journey. Held forty days before Easter each year, Carnaval is a spectacular event of massive proportions featuring heart- pounding beats, ornate costumes and celebrations that last through the night. Cox & Kings arranges for travelers to parade their way down to the Sambódromo with one of Rio’s most famous samba schools, then use their new moves to dance the night away at the black-tie Carnaval Ball at the iconic Copacabana Palace. Guests can recover from all of the merrymaking with a day on the famed Copacabana beach, or ride a cable car to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain and board a train up the mountain of Corcovado to see the magnificent and legendary Christ the Redeemer statue, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Cox & Kings’ 6 day, 5 night Carnaval: Party Like a Native journey starts at US $15,985 per person, based on double occupancy.

Ride a Royal Elephant at the Jaipur Elephant Festival
Each March, the city of Jaipur transforms into a kaleidoscope of colors for the annual Elephant Festival. Guests of Cox & Kings' India’s Splendor journey can channel the magnificence of the royal India of the past while riding these stately animals and watching them compete in elephant polo matches and races. Held during Holi, the festival of colors, the Elephant Festival also features processions of the regal creatures adorned from tusk to tail with vibrant colors and glittering gold trinkets, as well as lively dancers performing traditional Indian folk dances. Guests are also invited to hop on one of the gigantic creatures to throw and be doused in a rainbow of Holi powders, signifying wishes of good health, wealth, love and happiness.

Cox & Kings' 16 day, 14 night India’s Splendor Luxury Group Journey starts at US $8,950 per person, based on double occupancy.

Experience the Passion of Semana Santa in Antigua, Guatemala
Semana Santa is celebrated throughout Latin America with elaborate festivals and colorful processions. Cox & Kings offers travelers a look into one of the most spectacular Semana Santa celebrations with their Guatemala & Honduras: Mayan Treasures private itinerary. Guatemala’s holy week celebrations begin on Ash Wednesday and reach their peak on Good Friday when the streets are full of processions consisting of massive andas (floats) bearing statues of Christ on the cross that are carried by hundreds of men in purple robes, followed by a float with the Virgin Mary. The streets are covered in ornate carpets of flowers, leaves and multicolored sawdust and as the processions move slowly along, the feet of the bearers are cushioned in the carpets which are spread throughout the streets as the procession passes over. Though holy week occurs around the world, Antigua's vibrant and passionate traditions illustrate to travelers the true essence of this revered celebration.

Cox & Kings' 14 day, 13 night Guatemala & Honduras: Mayan Treasures Private Journey starts at US $6,215 per person, based on double occupancy.

Drink tea with Mongolian Nomads at the Naadam Festival
Held each July, the Naadam Festival in Mongolia is one of the largest of the year and an amazing opportunity for travelers to experience traditional Mongolian culture. Locally referred to as "eriin gurvan naadam" or "the three games of men," the celebration begins with an elaborate opening ceremony featuring dancers, athletes, horse riders, and musicians. Travelers on Cox & Kings’ Land of Blue Sky Discovery Group Journeys in July can visit and share tea in the tents of the nomads who travel from the remote countryside and set up camp for the festival. Guests will also experience fascinating cultural performances including hoomi (throat singing) and enjoy a front-row seat at the exhilarating main events of Mongolian wrestling, archery and horse-racing.

The 13 day, 12 night Land of Blue Sky Discovery Group Journey begins at $2,995 per person, based on double occupancy. Festival journeys depart July 1 and July 10, 2011.

Sample the Diverse Flavors of the Seychelles at the Creole Festival
While the white sand beaches and inimitable blue waters of the Seychelles make it an ideal destination year round, guests who wish to delve into the true spirit of Seychellois culture must visit during the annual Creole Festival held each October. A celebration of the country's vibrant melting pot of diversity, the festival is an exciting manifestation of Seychellois and Creole identity through music, dance, cuisine and crafts, offering visitors a colorful week of the sounds, flavors and fragrances of these fascinating islands. Travelers can try their hand at the tantalizing sega, a traditional dance accompanied by guitars, drums and even synthesizers, and tempt their taste buds with a variety of traditional Seychellois foods including creamy curries, bright flavorful chutneys and fresh grilled fish. This colorful week of fragrant flavors and fun is celebrated on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue Islands.

This experience can be arranged as part of any of Cox & Kings’ Private Journeys to the Seychelles (such as Seychelles: Jewel of the Indian Ocean), beginning at $2,545 per person, based on double occupancy.

Expand Your Musical Horizons at 1,000 Stars Festival in Arba Minch, Ethiopia
Set in Arba Minch in the heart of the Rift Valley in Ethiopia every December, The Festival of 1,000 Stars is a spectacular experience for travelers with a passion for music. Guests can dance to the diverse beats of a more than 1,000 performers, representing over 56 ethnic tribal groups from southern Ethiopia. The three-day music festival is a relaxed, informal affair featuring dynamic songs and dances celebrating thediversity of these tribes. Cox & Kings can arrange a visit to this festival as part of the Omo Valley: Cultures of Southern Ethiopia private journey, giving travelers a front row seat to this unique, beautiful festival of music and tradition.

Cox & Kings' 11 day, 10 night Omo Valley: Cultures of Southern Ethiopia private journey starts at $4,235 per person, based on double occupancy.

 

 

Travel Advisor of the Month: Vicki Boyle

Lawrence Travel Center
Lawrence, KS

Vicki Boyle began her career in the travel industry with Maupintour for many years as an international tour planner and operations supervisor for special interest groups. Vicki entered the retail market in 1989 and worked as a full-time travel consultant until 2000. Since that time, she has managed two full time careers, one as an outside consultant for the Lawrence Travel Center while pursuing another career by day. 

Vicki worked with our Africa Product Manager Megan Bryant on an extraordinary Dubai and Seychelles booking for her long time clients. Megan said she really enjoyed working with Vicki and she was very professional with her clients and with Cox & Kings. She was very easy going and yet always looking out for the best interest of her clients.

 

E-News, January 2011

Our New Website Launches with Improved Features
The Cox & Kings new website is now live! We hope you enjoy using its enhanced features, with more to be added soon.

From every page, you’ll have three easy ways to find your next adventure: browse by Destination (such as Africa), Country (such as Kenya), and by Journey Type within a Country (such as Private Journey).

You'll also be able to easily order one of our new destination catalogs for you and a friend. If you are a travel advisor, you may order multiples of the catalogs.

The Art of Moroccan Cooking—a Cox & Kings Experience
In the ancient medina of Marrakech, learn the secrets of Moroccan cuisine from a Dada, the traditional cook among wealthy families. Held in a gorgeous restored riad hotel, you’ll work alongside an English translator. At the end of each half-day workshop, participants dine on the meal that they have prepared. May be added to any of our private travel journeys to Morocco: Splendors of Morocco, Jewels of Morocco, and Moroccan Odyssey. 

To book your Moroccan cooking workshop, contact Nicole Beattie at 1-800-999-1758.

Holy Week in Guatemala—Semana Santa Celebration
Travel to Antigua, Guatemala for the most beautiful religious celebration in the Americas—the Holy Week of Easter (Apr 15-Apr 24, 2011). Amazing processions of people, floats, statues and banners wind their way slowly through the town's cobblestone streets which are covered with ornate carpets handmade from flowers, palms and colored sawdust.

Cox & Kings’ suggested itinerary to Guatemala includes visits to Lake Atitlan, local Maya markets, and Tikal. See Guatemala & Honduras: Mayan Treasures.

Reservations for this Easter event are essential and space is limited—contact Rachel Robar at 1-800-999-1758.

Madagascar in the News
Madagascar was the cover story in The New York Times’ travel section last week: Only in Madagascar. According to the National Tourism Board of Madagascar, no entry visa will be required for any nationality when visiting Madagascar in 2011 for 30 days or less. View our private journeys Mysteries of Madagascar and Perfumed Isles of Madagascar.

To book, contact Megan Bryant at 1-800-999-1758.

Just Back From: Ethiopia
Ethiopia was Africa product specialist Logan Stine’s destination last month, and her first trip to that country. Read about her exciting journey and see her pictures here, and more on our blog. For information on traveling to Ethiopia, please contact Logan Stine at 1-800-999-1758. See also our Private Journey Northern Ethiopia: The Historic Route and our Discovery Group Journey Ethiopia Odyssey.

Just Back From: Egypt
Nicole Beattie, our Arabia & North Africa product manager recently returned from Egypt. Instead of cruising the Nile, she chose to drive along it, providing her a quite different view of the river, its historical sites, and its people. This drive is featured in our Ancient Roads of Egypt private journey. Contact Nicole Beattie at 1-800-999-1758.

Sri Lanka
The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka is a wonderful place to observe semi-wild elephants going about their daily routine—from grazing, to playing and bathing in the river. One can also bottle-feed a baby elephant. Founded in 1975, this famous orphanage rehabilitates elephants, and has introduced a successful breeding program as well. A visit to the orphanage is included in our private travel journey Sri Lanka: The Spice Island.

To book, contact Seema Prakash at 1-800-999-1758.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites—Honduras

Maya Site of Copan
Discovered in 1570 by Diego García de Palacio, the ruins of Copán, one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilization, were not excavated until the 19th C. The ruined citadel and grand public squares reveal the three main stages of development before the city was abandoned in the early 10th C.

Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve
Located on the watershed of the Río Plátano, the reserve is one of the few remains of a tropical rainforest in Central America and has an abundant and varied plant and wildlife. Mountainous landscape slopes down to the Caribbean coast, where its indigenous people have preserved their traditional way of life.

Visits to Honduras' UNESCO World Heritage sites may be added to any trip to Honduras, and Copan is a highlight of our Guatemala & Honduras: Mayan Treasures private journey. To book your trip, contact Rachel Robar at 1-800-999-1758.