All the action from our City Breaks Showcase

City Breaks Showcase

OUR SUMMER of showcases continued as Travel Bulletin teamed up with Leger Holidays, the Croatia National Tourist Board, made, Eurostar, and Expedia TAAP to take to the Dunston Hall Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort in Norwich.

We welcomed dozens of agents for an evening of presentations, prizes and networking!

Explore ‘Imperial Capitals’ with Shearings

ON SHEARINGS’ 'Imperial Capitals – Prague, Budapest and Vienna' holiday, guests have the opportunity to experience three of Europe's most enchanting Eastern cities.

Staying in both Vienna and Prague, there is the chance to explore these historic cities and learn more about the heritage and key sights on included guided tours. There will also be an excursion to Budapest, with time at leisure in Hungary's impressive capital city.

This holiday is priced from £839 per person, and includes eight nights’ accommodation with continental breakfast and six evening meals. www.shearings.com

See new cities with Jet2

JET2 HAS revealed its City Breaks programme for Summer 23, with flights and city breaks on sale from six UK bases.

Two new city break destinations are on sale from London Stansted Airport –Athens and Rome, as well as new city break destination from Newcastle Airport – Verona.

There is a choice of 12 city break destinations to Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Budapest, Paris, Krakow, Nice, Prague, Pisa, Rome, Verona and Venice now on sale. www.jet2holidays.com

Riviera Travel adds city break extension options

RIVIERA TRAVEL has added 10, three-day European city break extensions to its 2023 river cruise itineraries, so guests can make the most of their time in either the final destination of their sailing or a nearby location.

As part of the booking price, all city breaks include return flights with a choice of UK regional airports, transfers from the ship to the hotel and hotel to the airport, and a daily breakfast.

The ten city stay extensions, spanning six countries, are in: Amsterdam; Basel; Cologne; Frankfurt; Lyon; Merseille; Munich; Paris; Porto; and Vienna.

Prices start from £2,249 per peron and includes flights and transfers, all onboard meals, welcome cocktails, a welcome dinner and the Captain’s Dinner, complimentary on-board tea and coffee, and a Riviera Travel Cruise Director and Concierge throughout. Guests save £150 per person when they book a 2023 city stay or tour extension before July 31, 2022. www.rivieratravel.co.uk

All things Italy with Rabbie’s

OVER SIX days, Rabbie's ‘Cinque Terre, Florence & the Flavours of Tuscany’ holiday takes guests on a journey exploring renaissance art, culture and world-famous wines.

Holidaymakers will travel from Milan to Rome by way of Parma, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence, Siena and Montepulciano. Travellers will uncover the terraced cliffs and clear deep blue water of the Cinque Terre, admire the famed leaning tower in Pisa before wandering the cobbled streets and picturesque piazzas of Lucca. There will be a chance to admire the finest collection of Italian Renaissance art and architecture in Florence before journeying to the stunning hill town of San Gimignano and the Tuscan hills of Va d’Orcia.

Prices start from €1,519 per person based on an August 1, 2022 departure.

Rabbie’s European tour prices include transport in an air conditioned mini-coach with a local driver, the stories and services of an English-speaking guide, accommodation in threeand four-star hotels with continental breakfast and selected excursions. www.rabbies.com

SPLENDORS OF SOUTH AFRICA

Audley Travel has expanded its Africa programme, with a conservation focus in South Africa.

AUDLEY TRAVEL'S Marataba Conservation Camps opened in September 2020 and offer clients backstage access to conservation activities while enjoying a private safari experience in a 52,000-acre privately managed section of the Marakele National Park.

Each client group staying at the property, which takes only three

bookings at once, has a dedicated conservation guide. From tracking cheetah, monitoring the growth rate of elephants, identifying rhinos and collecting camera trap data to laidback boat trips on the Matlabas River with icecold sundowner drinks, each itinerary is designed around the guests’ interests.

Clients can choose between booking Founders Camp’s four tents on an exclusive basis or staying in a tent in Explorers Camp on a semi-exclusive basis. Founders Camp has living areas with terraced decks hanging over the river, a swimming pool and fire pit for sundowner drinks. Explorers Camp’s six tents (including one family tent) are complemented by a swimming pool and decking by the waterhole.

As an add-on for guests booking a minimum of three nights in either camp, a stay in the Star Camp can be arranged. Set up on demand, it puts a focus on exploring on foot and has accommodation in more basic tents without electricity. The 10-day trip costs from £4,550 per person (based on four travelling) and includes international flights, domestic flights, transfers, accommodation on an all-inclusive basis at Marataba and bedand-breakfast elsewhere and all safari experiences and park fees.

Experience otherwordly Namibia with Intrepid

TOURISTS CAN experience Namibia on Intrepid Travel’s 10-day ‘Namibia Premium’ trip.

The group will take in desert landscapes of Swakopmund and Sossusvlei and uncover peaks, forests and culture in Damaraland. There will also be the chance to visit Swakopmund and see animals in the vast Etosha National Park.

The holiday is priced from £3,515 per adult in a twin share room, based on a September 24, 2022 departure date. www.audleytravel.com/south-africa

Beyond average birding in Botswana

&BEYOND IS offering a nine-day, limited edition itinerary for an avian enthusiast (as well as their non-birding partner). Hosted by &BEYOND specialist birding and safari guide, Daryl Dell, travellers can enjoy interpretive sightings, luxury accommodation and the opportunity to unwind amidst the awe-inspiring surrounds of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Okavango Delta in Botswana.

This trip is priced from $11,900 per person, based on a May 1422, 2023, travel date. www.andbeyond.com

Conscious stays with Lepogo Lodge

COMMITTED TO supporting local communities by helping them start businesses, Lepogo Lodges is a good choice for clients looking to be socially conscious while on holiday.

Lepogo Lodges’ Noka Camp consists of five stilted villas, including one villa especially designed for families. The villas are joined by a main lodge comprised of dining room, bar, lounge area and sprawling outdoor terrace, all perched atop a 100ft cliff overlooking the winding Palala River below and the endless bush ahead. The camp is entirely off-grid, with all energy self-generated by a bespoke, 250m solar walkway.

Just a short air transfer or a three-hour drive from Johannesburg, Noka Camp is set within the 50,000-hectare, malaria-free Lapalala Wilderness Reserve, home of the ‘big five’.

Nightly rates at Lepogo Lodges will start from £784 per person, per night for a Luxury Clifftop Villa on an all-inclusive board basis.

www.lepogolodges.com / info@lepogolodges.com

Go wild with ToursByLocals’ South African safari

TRAVELLERS CAN join local guide Sithembiso on his search for the gentle giants of the African forest and be awed by the scenic beauty of Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa with ToursByLocals.

The park is home to the ‘Big Five’, and is the third largest national park in South Africa with a total land area of over 133, 000 hectares. The tours are conducted in closed air-conditioned vehicles. ToursByLocals can arrange open game viewing vehicles, subject to availability, to explore the biome supporting a diverse population of birds and animals. The park has the world's densest elephant population, lions, buffalo, the highly elusive black rhino, various antelope species and birds. Tourists can watch the dust fly as herds of elephants come charging towards the waterhole on a scorching day.

ToursByLocals offers the eight-hour guided tour ‘Big Safaris’ from £207 per person (price based on a group of two people). The tour includes guiding service, private transportation and admission tickets.

www.toursbylocals.com

Experience the sights and smells of Southern Africa with Exodus

EXODUS TRAVEL’S ‘Victoria Falls to Capetown’ holiday will take travellers through the heartland of Southern Africa.

Starting from the mighty Victoria Falls on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, this trip travels through wildlife-rich game parks in Namibia and Botswana, Namibia's spectacular desert landscape and finally Cape Town, South Africa’s most cosmopolitan city.

This is an adventure through the heart of southern Africa’s dramatic scenery, with rich culture, diverse wildlife and the opportunity to partake in numerous activities along the way.

Highlights include a mokoro (traditional dug‐out canoe) ride from the camp on the Okavango River. Gliding through the waterways by mokoro is the ideal way to absorb the sheer peace and tranquility of the region. There is also the option of a village tour to meet the local community.

The 20-day trip starts from £3,899 per person for a November 20, 2022 departure.

Luxurious birding in Botswana with Ker & Downey

THE TEAM of experts from luxury travel company Ker & Downey Africa have embedded their expertise into a new ‘10 Day Botswana Birding Safari LuxVenture’, showcasing the nation’s status as a bird haven and its biodiversity of over 600 bird species.

“Here at Ker & Downey Africa we understand the difference between birdwatching and birding and have crafted this particular itinerary to provide the best of both worlds”, says Lisa Nel, head of group product and marketing.

“Guests will have the opportunity to both immerse themselves in some of Africa's most untouched wild spaces and see what unveils naturally, as well as actively pursue iconic birds of the region with experienced guides.”

The experience begins at Camp Kuzuma, on the border of the Chobe National Park, a hotspot home to over 450 species. A light aircraft then brings the group to the Moremi Game Reserve, with a private hide offering elevated views across the Khwai River. The final leg takes place in a private Delta concession at one of the Delta’s most luxurious camps.

The 10-day tour starts from US$11,910 per person, and is available year-round.

www.ker-downeyafrica.com

More from Malawi with 2022/23 brochure

WITH ENTRY regulations to Malawi easing in early June, meaning arrivals only require a negative PCR or proof of vaccination, the Malawi Travel Marketing Consortium has unveiled ‘The Best of Malawi’, a 28-page brochure available as an e-Book and PDF.

The brochure showcases over 40 companies offering the best of Malawi.

Explore more at www.malawitourism.com

‘Find Your Freedom’ with Cape Town’s interactive tours

CAPE TOWN Tourism is inviting the UK market to ‘Find Your Freedom’, unveiling an interactive guide to the city’s hidden corners. The choicedriven game introduces visitors to the lesser-known experiences on offer, led by a choice of guides: the Fearless Foodie, Nature Warrior or Urban Adventurer.

Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, said: “Find Your Freedom uses the latest digital technology to immerse viewers in unique Cape Town choicedriven video experiences. You choose your guide. You choose your adventure. It’s an interactive journey from start to finish.”

The interactive game aims to restore confidence in Cape Town as the city recovers from the pandemic.

Chasing waterfalls from Johannesburg to Nairobi

G ADVENTURES offers the ‘Johannesburg to Nairobi Overland: Waterfalls & Beaches’ itinerary for travellers looking to explore Africa on their own terms.

The affordable adventure targets young, budget-minded travellers, with a blend of camping and hotel/hostel accommodation throughout.

Traversing southern Africa to the east coast, guests kick off in Johannesburg. Crossing the border into Botswana, the group sets up camp in Serowe before a wildlife drive through the Khama Rhino Sanctuary the following morning.

Onto Maun and the Okavango Delta, the group boards a traditional canoe through the clear channels.

The tour then travels through Zimbabwe, calling at Victoria Falls en route, before heading north through Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, and drawing to a close in Kenya on the continent’s east coast.

The 27-day tour starts from £2,575 per person, with a 20% discount available through July 31, 2022. The discount is reduced to 15% afterwards through September 30, 2022.

www.gadventures.com

Family adventures in Zambia

EXPLORE HAS collated the ‘Botswana and Zambia Family Tour’, bringing the family together for an adventure through some of the last untouched wilderness in Botswana and Zambia.

The 12-day tour begins with a bushfront lodge in Livingstone, with day two offering a visit to Victoria Falls and a whitewater raft on the Zambezi River.

Day three offers a local boat trip across the Zambezi to check into the Kwalape Safari Lodge in the Chobe National Park, with a late afternoon game drive. The 35,000 elephants are on show during an afternoon game viewing on day four.

Heading across the Caprivi Strip, guests set up camp on a houseboat on the Okavango Delta, which will explore the Okavango Panhandle past pods of hippos.

Day seven features a tour of the Tsodilo Hills, heading to the Moremi Game Reserve in Xakanak for days eight and nine.

On day 10, the group explores the flood plains, home to elephants, giraffes and zebras.

The home stretch begins with a drive back to Maun for a cultural show before the trip ends on day 12.

This 12-day tour starts from £2,570 per person (not including flights), with places available to secure with a 10% deposit.