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Saturday 29 September 2018

Choose Cruise Month - up to $800 onboard credit with MSC Cruises


MSC Cruises will be offering up to $800 onboard credit per cabin, during October for Choose Cruise Month. With over 45 itineraries to choose from in the Mediterranean, Norwegian Fjords, Baltics, Arabian Peninsula & India, Caribbean & Cuba and great repositioning cruises, it will be hard to say no to this great offer.

Nobody knows the Mediterranean like MSC and during Choose Cruise  Month they are offering a 10-night Mediterranean cruise from $1,239 per person with a bonus $500 onboard credit per cabin (twin share). Mix with celebrities in Portofino, re-trace the steps of history in Rome and Malta and discover the vibrancy of Barcelona and Marseille in France on board MSC Sinfonia.

In Northern Europe, over 7 nights MSC will take you to spectacular fjords, ancient cities and picturesque hamlets aboard state of the art MSC Meraviglia from $1,099 per person with a bonus $400 onboard credit per cabin (twin share).

Fancy a longer cruise? Journey from Rio de Janeiro to Genoa, Italy over 18 nights. Book a balcony cabin from $3,059 per person and receive a bonus $800 onboard credit per cabin (based on twin share).

Just a sample of the itineraries available with MSC Cruises' onboard credit promotion, valid during Choose Cruise Month until October 31.  To BOOK call 1300 028 502, www.msccruises.com.au or call your local travel agent.

*Conditions apply

Monday 24 September 2018

Tauck Under The Tuscan Sun


Tauck Australia's new Under The Tuscan Sun event is being hosted from 14 to 19 October 2019.

Guests will be taken on an immersive 6-day/5-night journey into Tuscany, celebrating the region's cultural pleasures and hilltop treasures in depth, up close and authentically rich in every way, and including a keynote address from author Frances Mayes, whose best-selling book, 'Under the Tuscan Sun' later became a box office success in the movie of the same name.

This authentic view of Tuscany includes hosted accommodation at Toscana Resort Castelfalfi, born out of a medieval hamlet 800 years old and embraced by vineyards and olive groves. This beautiful property will host a cooking class for guests and conduct insider lectures on the history of Tuscan City States. There is plenty of time at leisure to perhaps immerse in the scenery, refresh and rejuvenate in an indoor pool, steam room and sauna and play a round of golf of 9 and 18-hole courses.

In-depth exploration awaits guests on daily sightseeing tracks including Etruscan Volterra, The Alabaster City and discovering a wealth of architectural treasures on a guided walking tour that showcases the temple walls of the Etruscan Acropolis,  the Medici Fortress, and the artistry of alabaster craftsmen.

In Siena, guests will see the Duomo and Baptistery and learn the history behind the 17 colourful, flag-lined contrade (districts) that are so much a part of the fabric of life here during an exclusive presentation by Dario Castagna in his contrada.

In Chianti Country, guests will spend the day with the Corsini family (whose legacy as one of the oldest families in Florence includes ties to the Vatican) at their Villa Le Corti estate, to sample their wine and olive oil, tour their private villa, listen to stories about the family business, and dine al fresco amidst stunning views of the Chianti Classico region.

There is a guided walking tour of hilltop San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site encircled by 13th-century walls and its iconic towers plus truffle hunting, pasta making, wine pairing and olive oil tasting, and many more optional activities including golf, bicycling and yoga classes. 

Tauck's exclusive welcome reception and dinner will be hosted in a medieval castle showcasing the finest of Tuscan cuisine and wines whilst the farewell dinner on the final evening will be held at the Piaggio Museum.

Tauck Australia's 6-day/5-night Under The Tuscan Sun is priced from $6490 per person twin share.

Bookings are to be directed to your travel agent or Tauck Australia on 1300 732 300 or reservations@tauck.com.au

www.tauck.com.au

Monday 10 September 2018

Intrepid launches new range of South America experience



Intrepid's New South America Program Offers Adventurous Alternatives to the World's Most Saturated Tourist Experiences

Travellers now have an alternative to trek the 'other Inca Trail', try an alternative pilgrimage to the Camino or swap Everest for the Southern Hemisphere's highest mountain, with Intrepid Travel's new range of South America experiences that follow a less-trodden path without overtourism.

Tourists equate to 14 per cent of the population in Peru, and Intrepid wants to disperse the tourist dollar into more communities while taking travellers even further off-the-beaten-path.

"Intrepid recorded growth of 68% to South America this year from Australian travellers and according to our Adventure Travel Index the number one thing that Australians want on an adventure is to go to places less visited by mainstream tourists. We'll be putting the adventure in adventure travel as we take our very first groups to the Glacier of Tears, the summit of Mt Bonete and the Choquequirao Inca site in 2019," Intrepid Travel South America product manager Martin Ruffo said.

"While Mt Everest and Machu Picchu are always going to be high on the traditional bucket list, there are alternatives which are less trodden, just as beautiful and sometimes even more special," Ruffo added.

These 'not hot' spots are featured in the travel company's 2019 South America trips, on sale now:

  • Switch the Lost City: Offering a less-trodden and less touristy alternative to the Inca Trail, Intrepid is offering a trek to Peru's other Lost City, Choquequirao, which is believed to be up to three times larger than Machu Picchu and home to some of the best preserved Inca ruins. The road to Choquequirao takes travellers deep into the wilds of the Peruvian Andes, along steep trails that zig-zag through dense cloud forest, dusty desert and scenic passes with views of dramatic landscapes and snow-capped peaks. With only a handful of people making the journey each day, visitors often have the place to themselves. Because a trip to Peru wouldn't be complete without Machu Picchu, this trip also includes a guided tour of the famous Inca city and time to explore historic Cusco. The 13-day tour includes eight days of hiking and is priced from $2470*.
  • Switch Base Camp: Instead of Everest Base Camp, Intrepid is offering a hike to the base camp of Aconcagua, the Southern Hemisphere's highest mountain. Walking through glacial valleys and over rugged Andean peaks on a seven-day trek that reaches the 5000m-high summit of Mt Bonete, this Argentinian experience has everything that Everest does, plus the added bonus of starting and finishing in the Mendoza wine region offering ample opportunity to sample malbec. The 10-day tour is priced from $3412*.
  • Switch the Pilgrimage: The Valley of Tears mightn't be as well-known as the Camino trail but it has one hell of a story. Intrepid is offering a four-day trek through the rugged Andes to the site of one of the most famous plane crashes in history. The story of the crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 and the lengths survivors went to survive, including cannibalism, was told in the '90s movie 'Alive'. The eight-day tour is priced from $2735*.

For more information or to book visit:  https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au



*Subject to availability, conditions apply


Saturday 8 September 2018

Cruise the Treasures Of The East



In March 2019, Ecruising invites travellers to discover some of the most spectacular natural and historical wonders of Eastern Asia on its Terracotta Warriors, Giant Pandas and Oriental Treasures journey.

As part of the sensational 23-night itinerary, guests will embark upon an escorted 8-night land tour from Beijing to Shanghai, including stopovers in Xi'an and Chengdu, before boarding Celebrity's Millennium cruise ship in Shanghai where they'll set sail on a 14-night cruise to Tokyo, Japan.

In each destination, guests will experience some of the Orient's most iconic sights and treasures, from face-to-face encounters with giant pandas to a visit to the celebrated Terracotta Warriors, one of the world's greatest archaeological finds.

On arrival in Beijing on 22 March, guests will spend one night in the luxurious Beijing Penta Hotel, before travelling aboard a high-speed train to Xi'an for a 2-night stay. Here, they will be fully immersed in China's culture. Day one includes a stroll through the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, one of China's holiest Buddhist sites, along with a mandarin lesson and a calligraphy session at the famed Tang Dynasty Museum, while the second day features an escorted tour of the Terracotta Warriors, followed by a visit to the ancient Xi'an City Wall.

On 25 March, guests will make their way to Chengdu via train for a 2-night stay at the Buddha Zen Hotel. Upon arrival, guests will be escorted to Du Fu's Thatched Cottage, now a museum commemorating the famous Tang Dynasty Chinese poet. In the afternoon, travellers can explore Chengdu's Kuanzhai Xiangzi district, an intriguing maze of alleys blending ancient culture with international flair, filled with restaurants and street vendors selling local Sichuan cuisine.

Of course, Chengdu is most famous for being China's panda capital, and day two in the city includes a visit to the renowned Dujiangyan Panda Base. Here travellers can see endangered giant pandas first hand and learn about China's research and conservation efforts to protect its most famous mammals. After lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, guests will continue on to the Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On 27 March, guests will fly to Shanghai for a 3-night stay where they will be transferred on arrival to the Shanghai Central Hotel, followed by an afternoon exploring China's most cosmopolitan city at their leisure. The next morning they will pay a visit to the Shanghai Museum, containing over 120,000 pieces and hailed as one of the world's finest collections of ancient Chinese art and antiques, followed by stroll along the famed Bund and Nanjing Road. The afternoon is a chance for guests to immerse themselves in Shanghai's more contemporary history, with an escorted walk through the charming tree-lined streets and Art Deco architecture of the city's former French Concession.

The last morning in Shanghai is chance to explore its Old Town district, with its bustling narrow alleys and noodle houses, including a stopover at the picturesque Yuyuan Garden, while the afternoon includes a visit to Shanghai's M50 Art Community, a thriving artists quarter on the banks of Suzhou Creek.

On 30 March, guests will board  Celebrity's Millennium, setting sail across the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea to Tokyo. Along the way they will explore Seoul, Jeju Island and Beijing, before the cruise heads eastwards towards Japan. After one last stop in Kobe and a visit to Mt Fuji, the journey concludes in Tokyo on 13 April, where guests will spend one night before flying home the following day.

Prices for Ecruising's Terracotta Warriors, Giant Pandas and Oriental Treasures itinerary start from A$6,519 per person twin share, departing on 22 March 2019.

Subject to availability. Term and conditions apply.

For more information about the cruise and Ecruising please visit: www.ecruising.travel or phone 1300 369 848.

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