SMALL-GROUP JOURNEYS TO THE WORLD’S FINEST GARDENS AND ICONIC ATTRACTIONS
2018 International
Garden Tours
Enriching lives through travel since 1974 800-451-7111 | holbrooktravel.com | travel@holbrooktravel.com
Dear Friends, If you are a gardens enthusiast with a curious mind for unique travel experiences, then you will delight in Holbrook’s newest collection of boutique, small-group garden tours. Immerse yourself in the world’s finest gardens – natural and curated, public and private – as you discover the local flavor and culture of the destination. Holbrook Garden Tours are designed for those who enjoy getting “off the beaten path,” far away from crowded tourist attractions. Each itinerary is different, but each features unique experiences for flora enthusiasts with curious minds and a passion for gardens. Included in this catalog are several enriching new tours, augmented by local experts who will give you the chance to learn more about the destinations you visit. We frequently hear from travelers how much they appreciate the “behindthe-scenes” encounters with directors, curators, or horticulturists at the various gardens they visit. They especially like meeting and traveling with those who share a similar interest, and bringing non-gardening partners and friends, who always enjoy the activities. With over 40 years of experience, Holbrook Travel has unmatched expertise in researching, planning, and operating worldwide expeditions. This means you can travel with confidence, knowing that our professional team will take care of all the details. We invite you to join us and your fellow gardening friends on a Holbrook Garden Tour soon. With every good wish,
Andrea Holbrook President, Holbrook Travel
Sandy Schmidt Garden Tours Director, Holbrook Travel
2 HAMILTON gardenS, NEW ZEALAND
Welcome to Holbrook Travel For more than 40 years, Holbrook Travel has been a pioneer in the world of specialty travel. Since our company’s inception, we have partnered with hundreds of organizations and taken thousands of curious travelers to the far corners of the world. We’re dedicated to providing enriching learning opportunities that support your themed objectives – from gardens and natural history, to birding and photography.
Table of Contents 02 | Welcome to Holbrook 04 | International Garden Tours: the Holbrook Difference 06 | How We Support Your Organization 08 | 2018 Garden Tours 08
Argentina
10
Australia
12
Chile
14
China
16
Costa Rica
18
Cuba (Eastern)
20
Cuba (Western)
22
Ecuador
24
India
26
New Zealand
28
South Africa
30 | Worldwide Destinations
INTERNATIONAL GARDEN TOURS | The Holbrook Difference
GARDEN VISIT IN CUBA
Whether you are seeking a tried-and-true experience or a garden expedition customized to your needs, Holbrook is adept at combining your specific interest in gardens with a multitude of cultural, environmental, or adventure-based activities. Botanical & Cultural Experiences, Iconic International Destinations Holbrook’s carefully crafted itineraries combine iconic, must-see landmarks with visits to renowned gardens and nature preserves. Designed primarily for flora enthusiasts, we work to tailor each program to the goals of our institutional partners and their communities.
Learn from the Experts In addition to the group leader(s) from the sponsoring garden or institution, our journeys provide a specialist local guide to enhance your experience, offering a wealth of information. These guides impart in-depth knowledge about each place you visit and often have expertise in botany and natural history.
Travel with Like-minded People Traveling with people who have a common interest is a great way to make new friends. Share your botanical knowledge and experience with guests while learning from them in return. Come away with enduring camaraderie and a shared life experience.
Companions & Non-Gardeners Most of our programs are suitable for a variety of ages and different life experiences, making for a dynamic and interesting group. Traveling companions with different interests are welcome. If one of the partners isn’t quite as enthusiastic about visiting gardens as the other, there are ample opportunities to take part in non-garden related sightseeing and activities. 4
Why sponsor a Garden Tour? There are many benefits: • • • • • • •
Increase both membership and donor participation. Create a lasting connection between directors and members. Get inspiration for your organization and members by exploring public and private gardens in different countries. Connect generations, including teen members of your garden, with intergenerational programs. Link research projects, conservation projects, affiliates, and sponsors of your group to the various countries visited. Raise funding levels with donations built into the cost of the program and seed post-travel donor activity. Tailor your program to your horticulture program through our experienced consultants.
Etlingera Elatior (TORCH GINGER)
“
Holbrook Travel did a beautiful
job in organizing two Missouri Botanical Garden trips to China. Pat and I would highly recommend their travel services to anyone!
“
— Peter H. Raven, President Emeritus, Missouri Botanical Garden
Traveling to other countries is one
of the most educational and enjoyable activities anyone can undertake! Thanks to Holbrook Travel we have been able to share some the most beautiful and biodiverse parts of our planet with our friends and supporters at the National Tropical Botanical Garden. From the tip of South America, to the tip of South Africa and back to the rainforests of Costa Rica and then down to the beauty of New Zealand, Holbrook Travel has taken us there and back in comfort and safety. They are the best! — Chipper Wichman, President & CEO, National Tropical Botanical Garden
Meet Sandy Schmidt Garden Tours Director
Sandy Schmidt began her career with Holbrook Travel in 1992, shortly after obtaining a degree in horticulture from the University of Florida. Her time at Holbrook has given her numerous opportunities to travel to places like the Galápagos Islands, Peru, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Chile, and Argentina — just to name a few. After several years working as a specialty travel consultant, Sandy combined her touring expertise with her knowledge of flora, creating Holbrook’s International Garden Tours. Sandy has worked with thousands of clients who care deeply about nature and gardens and who appreciate the world’s vastly different cultures. She holds a passion for garden tours and keeps coming up with exciting programs year after year. Through Sandy, Holbrook became a corporate gold member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) and attends its annual conference every summer. 5
HOW WE SUPPORT YOUR ORGANIZATION
“
I now realize what an important role a trip can play in bringing our mission to the center of the experience. When planning our trip, it became apparent that visiting places where biodiversity is of such critical importance would allow us to have conversations within our trip and how our role fits together to support our mission and hopefully will allow more connections with our donors. — Kathy Hong, retired Director of Philanthropy at National Tropical Botanical Garden
DESIGNING TOURS THAT BUILD LOYALTY Holbrook Garden Tours are an excellent way for travel organizations to increase their member loyalty and support their overall mission. We curate activities for the inquisitive garden enthusiast, tailored to the goals of each institutional partner and its community. Most organizations choose to send a staff member on the trip, providing the continuity and the tone for a warmer relationship that can lead to increased funding and positive word of mouth. But what really builds loyalty are the special touches Holbrook provides, making each program unique to that group.
PLANNING A TOUR IS EASY Using one of Holbrook’s designed itineraries, the sponsoring group can turn to us to make the process go smoothly. We can provide as much or as little as you need in preparation for your program.
Here’s how it works: • Consult with a Holbrook specialty travel consultant to identify the dates, audience, and market you envision for your program. • Decide on a tried-and-true itinerary or customize one with your specialist. • Once you accept the trip proposal, we can handle all reservations, documentation, payments, questions, air reservations, and anything else the participants desire, including pre- and postprogram extensions. • We provide references from other chairs and organizations as to the quality, safety, and thoroughness of our programming. • We provide periodic check-in calls regarding the planning, safety and security, and logistics of your program. • We develop materials promoting your program. Our marketing support services include: −− Tour brochure and webpage −− PowerPoint or Keynote presentations −− Signage for meetings or informational sessions −− Any other services you might need for marketing your trip Fuchsia magellanica, QUITO BOTANICAL GARDENS
Sarah Reichard (1957-2016), Former Director of UWBG, leading a garden tour of Chile
“ “
Our travels with Holbrook to Cuba, South Africa and Madagascar have been the best. We have
traveled with other companies but Holbrook makes us feel safe and well cared for and bends over backwards to make sure everyone in the group is happy.
— Leslie and Julian Duval, President & CEO, San Diego Botanic Garden
My experience with Holbrook Travel has been exceptional. This was my first trip with you and as
a tour leader. The amazing itinerary you put together coupled with the pre-tour coaching and advice made me shine. Providing a botanist to accompany our group made the flora of Cuba come alive — a really nice touch. Look forward to planning the next trip!
— Scott LaFleur, Director, Sherman Library & Gardens; APGA Board of Directors, Director at Large
WE’VE WORKED WITH SOME BIG NAMES Holbrook has partnered with organizations such as: • • • • • • •
Missouri Botanical Garden (China 2011, 2012) National Tropical Botanical Garden (Costa Rica 2011, New Zealand 2014, South Africa 2016, Argentina/Chile 2017) The Longwood Graduate Program (Ecuador/Galápagos 2007, Brazil 2013, New Zealand 2014, Australia 2015) University of Washington Botanic Gardens (Chile 2011, Cuba 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, Costa Rica 2015) San Diego Botanic Garden (Cuba 2014, Madagascar/South Africa 2016) Sherman Library & Gardens (Cuba 2016) Pacific Horticulture Society (South Africa 2017, Eastern Cuba 2018, Chile 2018) 7
ARGENTINA | Gardens, Tango, Wine,
History & Nature
13 days from $6,330 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: Sep–Nov, Jan–Mar
BARILOCHE LANDSCAPE
Stretching more than 2,200 miles from north to south, Argentina encompasses diverse landscapes and ecosystems, making for the perfect botanical exploration. Begin in the cosmopolitan capital of Buenos Aires to explore the parks and public gardens, some of which have been in operation for 100 years or more. Then explore the forests, dry Andean foothills, and wine-producing regions of Salta and Cafayate, before heading south to the mesmerizing Lake District of northern Patagonia, where the architecture and conifer-studded scenery are reminiscent of the Swiss Alps. 8
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS •
•
•
•
•
Stroll through Buenos Aires’ parks, plazas, and green spaces, including the Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, and Carlos Thays Botanical Garden.
SALTA CAFAYATE
Visit several wholesale nurseries, where you will meet with the owners and discuss the challenges facing their industry.
4
ARGENTINA 1-2-3
Explore the lush vegetation, streams, pools, and cliffs of the highly biodiverse Yungas ecosystem in Salta. Travel on foot and by boat through northern Patagonia, where you’ll have the chance to see Fitzroya cupressoides, Austrocedrus chilensis, Pilgerodendron uviferum, and the rare arrayán trees (Luma apiculata), among others.
6
5-6
BUENOS AIRES 12 -13
9 -10 -11
BARILOCHE ESQUEL 7- 8
Take in a tango show for a taste of the Buenos Aires nightlife. see full details online at holbrooktravel.com/ARGC18
ITINERARY
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 1 | Buenos Aires Arrive in Buenos Aires this morning. This afternoon, take a driving tour of the city’s landmarks, including the Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, and Avenida de Mayo, and the neighborhoods of San Telmo, La Boca, Palermo, and La Recoleta. Casasur Bellini (D)
A more detailed itinerary is available on the website or by request
notable of which is the Torrontés varietal. Viñas de Cafayate Wine Resort (BLD) Day 5 | Salta Enjoy the amenities at the resort before returning to Salta. Nicknamed Salta la Linda (“Salta the Beautiful”), it has become a major destination due to its colonial architecture, excellent weather, and natural scenery. Alejandro 1 Hotel (BL)
of Argentina’s Lake District, Bariloche is famed for its Swiss alpine-style architecture and is a popular destination for hiking and skiing. Cacique Inacayal Lake & Spa Hotel (B)
Day 6 | Salta
Day 2 | Buenos Aires Jardín Japonés, Rosedal, Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays, Cementerio de la Recoleta Today visit several of the city’s premier gardens, including the Japanese Garden, Rose Garden, and Carlos Thays Botanical Garden. Also explore the labyrinthine Cementerio de la Recoleta, where Evita Perón and other important historical figures are buried. Black pine trees, sakura, bonsai, cypresses, poplars, laurels, Ginkgo biloba, Acacia spp., Eucalyptus spp., Casuarina spp., oaks, hazelnut trees, African brackens and palms, sequoias, and Chorisia speciosa; Cementerio de la Recoleta Casasur Bellini (BL) Day 3 | Buenos Aires
Parque Nacional Calilegua Spend today hiking the Yungas ecosystem of Calilegua National Park. The terrain, formed by valleys, fluvial mountain trails, and streams, is extremely rugged and varied, contributing to the ecological diversity and richness. Along the route, you’ll see three different environments: the jungle foothills, mountain forest, and mountain woods, each with their own characteristic vegetation. 270 bird species, jaguars and other large cats, tapirs Alejandro 1 Hotel (B, Boxed lunch) Day 7 | Esquel Fly to Esquel in northern Patagonia. Originally founded by Welsh immigrants, Esquel is a tranquil town with wide avenues divided by densely planted medians, and is the gateway to Parque Nacional Los Alerces. Cumbres Blancas Hostería (BD)
Arrayanes Forest Hike the inner paths of the famous Los Arrayanes Forest, which was created in 1971 to protect its forest of rare arrayán trees, Luma apiculata. Nothofagus dombeyi, Nothofagus pumilio, Nothofagus antarctica, and colorful flowering shrubs such as Embothrium coccineum and Fuchsia magellanica are also found in these forests. Continue to Victoria Island to see sequoias, abedules, Vachellia aroma, and pines, among others. Boat rides on Lake Nahuel Huapi Cacique Inacayal Lake & Spa Hotel (B) Day 11 | Bariloche Today is at leisure to relax and take advantage of the amenities and natural areas of your lakeside hotel and the town. Cacique Inacayal Lake & Spa Hotel (B) Day 12 | Buenos Aires
Wholesale nurseries on Ruta de la Flor
This morning travel to several wholesale plant nurseries on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. Spend time with the owners and managers and learn about their operations, exportation, and the challenges facing the industry. Evening music and tango performance Casasur Bellini (BLD)
Day 10 | Bariloche
Return to Buenos Aires, with time this afternoon at leisure to rest or explore. Farewell dinner Casasur Bellini (BD) Day 8 | Esquel
Day 13 | Fly home
Parque Nacional Los Alerces
Day 4 | Cafayate Fly to Salta in Argentina’s arid northwestern region and from there make the scenic drive amid river gorges, mountain deserts, and red limestone formations to Cafayate. The region is characterized by its wine production, the most
Spend the day in Los Alerces National Park, whose name refers to the park’s Patagonian cypresses, Fitzroya cupressoides. Other conifers here include Austrocedrus chilensis and Pilgerodendron uviferum. Travel through the park by vehicle, enjoy boat rides across mountain lakes, and hike some of the trails. Cumbres Blancas Hostería (BLD) Day 9 | Bariloche Travel north to San Carlos de Bariloche, a breathtaking drive through valleys, lakes, and snow-capped mountains. The unofficial capital
PRICING $6,330
per person, double occupancy, based on 18 participants (plus 1 complimentary from Los Angeles, single occupancy). Single supplement: $1350. Cost includes: Accommodations, meals as indicated, specialist guide, transportation, gratuities for guide & driver, activities per itinerary, carbon offset, bottled water on bus. Cost does not include: International & internal airfare, items of personal nature, optional activities. Price valid until Dec. 2018.
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AUSTRALIA | Public & Private Gardens, Rainforests,
Cloud Forests, Ancient Culture, & the Great Barrier Reef 12 days from $5,950 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: Sep–Nov, Mar–May
MOUNT TOMAH BOTANICAL GARDENS
Discover true splendor Down Under as you explore some of Australia’s best public and private gardens. The island’s biodiversity unfolds as you travel from Melbourne to Sydney to Tropical North Queensland, including an excursion to the spectacular Great Barrier Reef. You’ll appreciate the variety of habitats and garden styles showcased in this itinerary, which presents endemic species plus plants from around the world in 19th-century colonial farm gardens, formal Europeanstyle gardens, eco-conscious contemporary parklands, and along the rainforest trails of the aboriginal Kuku Yalanji people. 10
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • Explore three of Australia’s acclaimed Royal Botanical Gardens at Victoria, Cranbourne, and Sydney. • Spend a day on the Great Barrier Reef cruising, swimming, snorkeling, and admiring marine life from an underwater observatory. • Dine on an unusual, rainforest-to-table lunch at the Botanical Ark. • Discover the diverse species and landscape styles of private gardens like Cruden Farm, Vaucluse House, Cloudehill, Blue Mountains Mount Tomah, Tabu, and more. • Examine the spiritual connections between Australia’s aboriginal people and the natural world on a Dreamtime Gorge Walk.
PALM COVE 8-11
AUSTRALIA
SYDNEY 4-7, 12
MELBOURNE 1-3
see full details online at holbrooktravel.com/AUGC18
ITINERARY
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 1 | Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Admire 28 different collections including rare and threatened native plants; stroll the Australian Forest Walk, with species from forest giants to middle and understory trees and shrubs. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Clarion Suites Gateway (LD) Day 2 | Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne & Cruden Farm Cranbourne’s stunning collections include 170,000 Australian native plants in contemporary landscaped gardens. Later, visit Cruden Farm—133 acres of gardens, ornamental lakes, native gardens, and an avenue of lemon-scented gums. Wetlands, woodlands; Garden Explorer tour; walled, Italianate, native, vegetable, and flower gardens. Clarion Suites Gateway (BL) Day 3 | Melbourne Cloudehill Garden & Nursery, Heide Museum of Modern Art Cloudehill is a cool climate garden that incorporates both flower farm plantings and nursery propagation specimens. Back in Melbourne visit the historic garden at the Heide Museum, a haven of art and nature. Dandenong Ranges; Sherbrooke mountain ash. Clarion Suites Gateway (B)
A more detailed itinerary is available on the website or by request
Contemporary oceanside gardens, beaches, cliffs. Grace Hotel (BD) Day 6 | Sydney Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah, Nooroo, and Windyridge Blue Mountains rests atop a basalt-capped peak and features cool climate plants from around the world. You’ll also visit private gardens Nooroo, which dates to 1880; and Windyridge, with towering trees, terraced lawns, a waterfall, and sculptural focal points. English oaks, chestnuts, ash, cedars, bluebells, daffodils, crocus Grace Hotel (B)
A Harbor Story Cruise brings Sydney Harbor’s main attractions alive through anecdotes and insightful commentary. During cruise, sightings of Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbor Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens, Fort Denison Grace Hotel (BD) Day 5 | Sydney Wendy’s Secret Garden Admire an urban public garden on Lavender Bay, and visit a Newport Beach native coastal garden and wildlife habitat.
Botanical Ark and Whyanbeel Arboretum Alan and Susie Carle share their passion for the rainforest and unique cuisine at the Botanical Ark in far North Queensland, where they grow 3000 different species of rainforest plants, more than 400 of which are edible. Tour the gardens, then savor a fine lunch with some unusual taste sensations. Next see Whyanbeel Arboretum, a former sugar cane farm that is a botanical garden and flower farm. Heliconias, costus, native peppers, vanilla orchids, palms, bromeliads, cordylines. Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple Resort & Spa (BL)
Day 7 | Sydney Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and Vaucluse House Discover Bondi Beach and the Royal Botanic Garden, Australia’s oldest scientific institution. The Domain surrounding the gardens was the buffer between the governor’s residence and the penal colony. Next explore Vaucluse House, and its original 19th-century gardens. Bondi Beach, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, The Domain, Vaucluse House Grace Hotel (B) Day 8 | Palm Cove
Day 4 | Sydney
Day 10 | Palm Cove
Tabu Gardens Fly to Cairns in Tropical North Queensland and explore Tabu, with mass plantings sculpted into a rainforest hillside. After lunch relax at your seaside spa resort. Tabu Gardens Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple Resort & Spa (BLD) Day 9 | Palm Cove Discover the Great Barrier Reef aboard a Quicksilver catamaran cruise from Port Douglas to Agincourt Reef. You may dive, snorkel, or explore from a semi-submersible or from Quicksilver’s unique underwater observatory; or via optional reef helicopter flightseeing. Agincourt on the Great Barrier Reef Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple Resort & Spa (BL)
Day 11 | Palm Cove Mossman Gorge in the World Heritage-listed Daintree National Park is the traditional land of the aboriginal Eastern Kuku Yalanji people. Learn about their spiritual connection to the environment during a guided 90-minute Dreamtime Gorge Walk. Back in Port Douglas you’ll visit the private nursery and garden of horticulturist/landscaper John Sullivan, who will discuss plans to develop Mossman Botanic Garden. Interpretive Aboriginal Dreamtime walk; private garden visit. Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple Resort & Spa (B) Day 12 | Fly home (via Sydney)
PRICING $5,950
per person, double occupancy, based on 18 participants (plus 1 complimentary from Los Angeles, single occupancy). Single supplement: $1560. Cost includes: Accommodations, meals as indicated, specialist guide, transportation, gratuities for guide & driver, activities per itinerary, carbon offset, bottled water on bus. Cost does not include: International & internal airfare, items of personal nature, optional activities, visa fee. Price valid until May 2018.
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Chile | Gardens, Culture, Wine, National Parks, & Glaciers 13 days from $5,980 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: Oct–Nov, Jan–Mar
TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK
Discover beautiful Chile and its native and endemic flora as you explore botanical gardens, national parks, and private reserves spanning a variety of climates and vegetation zones during this 13-day garden tour. From the culture and fine dining of Santiago, Chile’s metropolitan capital, to the country’s world-class wine region, and the stunning floral landscapes and awe-inspiring Torres del Paine National Park in remote, beautiful Patagonia, you’ll be immersed in the natural beauty of this South American gem. 12
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • Visit the coastal town of Viña del Mar and view one of the few documented collections of the toromiro of Easter Island (Sophora toromiro), now extinct in the wild. • Sample a selection of Chile’s renowned wines on a vineyard tour. • Take a sunset cruise on Lake Llanquihue in Chile’s lake district.
VIÑA DEL MAR 3
SANTIAGO 1-2, 4-5, 12-13
CHILE
PUERTO VARAS 6-7
• Discover the glaciers, lakes, and multiple vegetation zones of Torres del Paine National Park. • Meander through Lahuen Ñadi Park, famous for preserving Alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides), practically extinguished due to overexploitation.
9-11
TORRES DEL PAINE NP PUNTA ARENAS 8
see full details online at holbrooktravel.com/CHGC18
ITINERARY
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A more detailed itinerary is available on the website or by request
Day 1 | Santiago
accommodations: comfortable, circular, independent tents immersed in a coigüe tree forest, with views of Toro Lake and the Paine massif. Patagonia Camp (BLD)
Arrive in Santiago and check in at your hotel, with time to relax or take a stroll amid the interesting shops, vibrant cafes, and cocktail bars of the neighborhood. Hotel Plaza El Bosque Park & Suites (D) Day 2 | Santiago
Day 5 | Santiago
Jardín Botánico Chagual, Parque Forestal Today visit Jardín Botánico Chagual in Santiago’s Metropolitan Park. This garden’s focus is on the preservation of plants native to Chile’s Mediterranean climatic zone. Collections include evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, thorn bushes, mountain cypress, bromeliads, amaryllis, and lilies. Later, take a funicular ride and then visit the National Fine Arts Museum, in the heart of Parque Forestal. A distinctive feature of the park is its Platanus orientalis trees. Funicular; Fine Arts Museum Hotel Plaza El Bosque Park & Suites (BL)
Winery Tour Spend the day in Santiago’s surroundings to learn about Chile’s viticulture. Chilean wines have come into their own in recent decades, thanks in part to the country’s Mediterranean climate, lack of vine pests, and proximity to the Andes. Enjoy tours and tastings at some of Chile’s finest wineries. Cultural dancing performance Hotel Plaza El Bosque Park & Suites (BLD)
Day 3 | Concón Travel to Viña del Mar on Chile’s Central Coast, known as the “Garden City” for its many parks, plazas, and green spaces. Enjoy time to explore the beach, the town, and your hotel on the water’s edge. Radisson Acqua Hotel & Spa Concón (BL)
Day 4 | Santiago Viña del Mar National Botanic Garden The National Botanic Garden of Viña del Mar encompasses a total area of 976 acres, 79 of which are dedicated to a public park. It features more than 280 species of trees, including one of the few documented collections of the extinct toromiro of Easter Island (Sophora toromiro). They have a collection of plants from the Juan Fernandez archipelago, with 420 individuals of 37 species, which are endemic. Other collections include cactus, Chilean Myrtaceae, “bosue valdiviano” plants, medicinal plants, and fuchsias. This afternoon return to Santiago. Hotel Plaza El Bosque Park & Suites (BLD)
Day 6 | Puerto Varas Fly from Santiago to Puerto Montt and head to Puerto Varas. Take a walking tour of the city, which was founded by German immigrants who settled the shores of Lake Llanquihue as part of a government colonization project during the presidency of Manuel Montt. Radisson Hotel Puerto Varas (BLD) Day 7 | Puerto Varas Philippi Botanical Garden, Lahuen Ñadi Private Park This morning visit the Philippi Botanical Garden, named for the natural scientist Dr. Rodulfo Amando Philippi. This afternoon, take a guided hike in Lahuen Ñadi Private Park, an important area that preserves a small sample of the beautiful Alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) forests of the Central Valley. Coigües and cinnamon trees, birds such as the chucao, huet-huet, and diucón; sunset cruise on Lake Llanquihue Radisson Hotel Puerto Varas (BL) Day 8 | Punta Arenas Take a driving city tour of Puerto Montt, a port city that blends Chiloé culture with German heritage. Late this afternoon, fly to Punta Arenas near the tip of Chile’s southernmost Patagonia region. Cabo de Hornos (BL) Day 9 | Torres del Paine Depart for Torres del Paine National Park and get settled at your nearby Patagonia Camp
Days 10-11 | Torres del Paine Torres del Paine National Park Mountains, glaciers, lakes, rivers, and the iconic Cuernos del Paine make up Torres del Paine National Park. Over the next two days, choose from a variety of excursions—including scenic hikes, kayaking, horseback riding, and more—to explore the national park and surrounding areas. Three vegetation zones: Patagonian steppe, Pre-Andean shrubland, Magellanic subpolar forest Patagonia Camp (BLD) Day 12 | Santiago Return to Santiago via Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas, with a special farewell dinner this evening. Farewell dinner Hotel Plaza El Bosque Park & Suites (BD) Day 13 | Santiago / Fly home Spend the day at leisure – perhaps take a stroll from your hotel, do some last minute shopping, and/or rest and relax to get ready for your international flight home this evening. Day room at Hotel Plaza El Bosque Park & Suites (B)
PRICING $5,980
per person, double occupancy, based on 18 participants (plus 1 complimentary from Los Angeles, single occupancy). Single supplement: $3500. Cost includes: Accommodations, meals as indicated, specialist guide, transportation, gratuities for guide & driver, activities per itinerary, carbon offset, bottled water on bus. Cost does not include: International & internal airfare, items of personal nature, optional activities. Price valid until Nov. 2018.
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ChiNA | Gardens,
Culture, History, People, & Nature
13 days from $5,880 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: May, Sep–Oct
STATUE IN YU YUAN GARDEN
See how 7,000 years of continuous civilization find beautiful expression in the legendary gardens of China. Our journey spotlights a variety of classical Chinese gardens, nature reserves, and botanical gardens whose biodiversity is complemented by the distinctive characters of cities like monumental Beijing, futuristic Shanghai, and ethnic Kunming. Your itinerary includes visits to six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Great Wall and six of the nine Classical Gardens of Suzhou. Achieve a few travel milestones while witnessing the best of Chinese horticulture. 14
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • See the Classical Gardens of Suzhou, which date to the 11th century and comprise a UNESCO World Heritage Site. • Behold the iconic treasures of Beijing, from the Forbidden City to the Great Wall and more. • Explore 2,222-acre Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden, a research facility of the Chinese Academy of Sciences whose 13,000 tropical plant species thrive in 35 living collections. • Ride the world’s fastest high-speed train, the Shanghai Maglev, which travels 240 mph and makes the 18.6-mile trip to the airport in seven minutes.
1-3
BEIJING
10-11
SUZHOU CHINA
SHANGHAI 9, 12-13
KUNMING JINGHONG
4, 8
5-7
see full details online at holbrooktravel.com/CNGC18
ITINERARY
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 1 | Beijing Transfer to your hotel in one of Beijing’s hutong neighborhoods. Bamboo Garden Hotel
A more detailed itinerary is available on the website or by request
Expo Garden, then fly to Jinghong. On Day 6 visit the Wild Elephant Sanchahe Nature Reserve. Stone Forest UNESCO site; 34 domestic, 34 foreign, and 9 enterprise gardens; subtropical and tropical rainforests. New Tai Garden Hotel (2B, 2L, 1D) Day 7 | Jinghong
Days 2-3 | Beijing Beijing Botanical Gardens, Summer Palace, Daguanyuan Gardens The Beijing Botanical Gardens cultivate 6,000 plant species, including rarities like Metasequoia glyptostroboides. Next is the Summer Palace, a masterpiece of landscape design. Cruise its Kunming Lake and roam the gardens before our Peking Duck dinner. On Day 3 see Daguanyuan Gardens, created as a set for a television series based on the classic novel, A Dream of Red Mansions. Next, take a stroll on the iconic Great Wall of China; stop at Olympic Park; then enjoy dinner and a performance at the Peking Opera Museum. Roses, peonies, medicinal herbs, WoFoSi Sleeping Buddha Temple; Osmanthus spp., plum garden, sunflowers; Great Wall, Bird’s Nest Stadium, Water Cube. Bamboo Garden Hotel (2B, 2L, 2D)
Menglun (Xishuangbanna) Tropical Botanical Garden Enjoy a boat trip along the Lancang (Mekong) River, visiting an ethnic minority village on the way to the Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden, home to 13,000 tropical plant species. Dragon dracaena (Dracaena draco), upas tree (Antiaris toxicaria), dancing grass, talipot palm (Corypha umbraculifera) ylang-ylang (Cananga odorate). New Tai Garden Hotel (BLD)
Days 5-6 | Kungming/Jinghong Horticultural Expo Garden Ride to the Stone Forest (Shilin), a karst formation where limestone pillars rise from the ground. In Kunming, visit the Horticultural
Classical Gardens of Suzhou Visit the Urban Planning Exhibition and the Shanghai Museum, housing 120,000 pieces of ancient Chinese art. After lunch drive to 2,500-year old Suzhou, dubbed the “Venice of the East” for its canals. Suzhou’s nine classical gardens have been classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll see four on Day 11 (two more on Day 12) plus Tiger Hill Pagoda (Huqiu Shan); the Bonsai (Panji) Nursery at Wanjing Villa; and the I.M. Pei-designed Suzhou Museum. Bronzes, jade, ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, coins, furnishings, folk art Lingering Garden (Liuyuan) Master of the Nets Garden (Wangshi Yuan), Great Wave Pavilion (Canlang Ting). Nanlin Hotel (2B, 2L, 2D)
Day 8 | Kunming Nannuo Mountain Tea Gardens Visit a local market and the Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion. On Nannuo Mountain, see terraces where tea has been cultivated since the Tang Dynasty (618–920 A.D.). Fly to Kunming. Traditional Dai market, Buddhist temple, tea plantations Grand Park Hotel (BLD)
Day 4 | Beijing/Kunming Discover Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, whose magnificent pavilions house a treasury of art and antiques. Then fly to Kunming. Architecture, timepieces, jade, bronzeware, furnishings, paintings, jewelry, ceramics. Grand Park Hotel (BLD)
Days 10-11 | Suzhou
Day 12 | Suzhou/Shanghai Classical Gardens of Suzhou See two more gardens before returning to Shanghai for a farewell dinner and Huangpu River cruise. Humble Administrator’s Garden (Zhouzheng Yuan), Lion Grove Garden (Shizilin). Okura Garden Hotel (BLD) Day 13 | Fly home
Day 9 | Shanghai Yu Yuan Garden, Shanghai Botanical Garden (Zhiwuyuan) Fly to Shanghai, and transfer to Yu Yuan. Its six main areas feature rockeries, ponds, pavilions, bridges and gardens separated by dragon walls. Next we see Shanghai Botanical Garden, China’s largest municipal garden with 5,000 plant species, many of them rare. Temple of the City God, Exquisite Jade Rock, Pavilion of Listening to Billows, Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber; magnolias, peonies, azaleas, roses, Osmanthus spp., ferns, bamboo, maples, conifers. Okura Garden Hotel (BL)
Stop at the Pearl TV Tower observation deck and historic diorama. Then board the Maglev (magnetic levitation) Train, which reaches speeds of 240 mph and makes the 18.6-mile trip to Shanghai International Airport in seven minutes. From here you’ll fly home.
PRICING $5,880
per person, double occupancy, based on 14 participants (plus 1 complimentary from Los Angeles, single occupancy). Single supplement: $850.
Cost includes: Accommodations, meals as indicated, specialist guides, transportation, gratuities for guides & drivers, activities per itinerary, carbon offset, bottled water on bus. Cost does not include: International & internal airfare, items of personal nature, optional activities, visa fee. Price valid until Nov. 2018.
15
COSTA RICA | Gardens, Tropical Forests,
Culture, Nature Reserves, & National Parks 13 days from $3,395 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: Oct–May
Etlingera Elatior (TORCH GINGER)
Rainforest, cloud forest, volcanoes, botanical gardens— the lush and varied ecosystems of Costa Rica are abundant with tropical plants, diverse wildlife, and colorful birds. For serious garden lovers, this 13-day itinerary is the perfect opportunity to sample the best in biodiversity that Costa Rica has to offer. From visits to worldrenowned tropical research institutions and behind-thescenes tours at botanical gardens to guided trail hikes and boating excursions, this program takes a multifaceted look at the country’s floristic heritage. 16
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • Examine the varying vibrant flora of different types of Costa Rican forests, including cloud forest, tropical rainforest, premontane forest, and transitional forest. • Explore the impressive collections of palms, orchids, gingers, cycads, bromeliads, and more at Else Kientzler Botanical Garden and Wilson Botanical Garden. • Learn about the research underway at the Organization for Tropical Studies Las Cruces Biological Station during a site lecture by the director. • Hike amid ancient trees and watch for Scarlet Macaws in the transitional forest at Carara National Park. • Embark on a twilight boat safari, stopping at a local farm for a typical Costa Rican snack.
2-3
4-5
ARENAL 6-7
TARCOLES
CHILAMATE SAN JOSÉ
1, 12-13
SAN GERARDO DE DOTA 10-11
COSTA RICA
8-9
SAN VITO
see full details online at holbrooktravel.com/CRGC18
ITINERARY
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 1 | Santo Domingo Arrive in San José, with time to enjoy the hotel gardens. Designed by the hotel’s owner, an advocate for Costa Rican flora, the gardens showcase the Central Valley’s biodiversity. Bromeliads, orchids, gingers, flowering trees Hotel Bougainvillea (D)
A more detailed itinerary is available on the website or by request
primary and secondary rainforest of Selva Verde’s 500-acre private reserve. The reserve is home to one of the largest almendro trees in Central America, providing important habitat for the endangered Great Green Macaw. Virgin rainforest, choice of whitewater rafting or relaxing boat ride; nocturnal wildlife walk Selva Verde Lodge (BLD)
Day 10 | San Gerardo de Dota Travel to Savegre Hotel, located in San Gerardo de Dota amid the Talamanca Mountains, and visit the on-site research station. The property has nearly 1,000 acres of trails, both in virgin and secondary cloud forests. Savegre Hotel, Natural Reserve & Spa (BLD)
Day 6 | Tárcoles/Pacific
Day 2 | Arenal
Travel to Hotel Punta Leona, located on the Pacific Ocean, with time to explore with your guide or on your own. Dry forest-to-rainforest transitional zone Hotel Punta Leona (BLD)
Else Kientzler Botanical Garden, Arenal National Park Collections of palms, orchids, gingers, fruit trees, succulents, and a children’s garden are highlights of the private Else Kientzler Botanical Garden. Later, check in at your lodge, located near Arenal National Park, with great views of the volcano. Have time to explore the trails around the lodge or relax by the pool. Sarchí orchid project; primary and secondary rainforest Arenal Observatory Lodge (BLD)
Day 7 | Tárcoles/Pacific
Day 3 | Arenal
Las Cruces Biological Station Depart for the Organization for Tropical Studies Las Cruces Biological Station. Situated close to the Panamanian border, this mid-elevation site protects more than 740 acres of premontane wet forest habitat. Site lecture with station director Las Cruces Biological Station (BLD)
Arenal Hanging Bridge, Twilight Safari Float Explore the network of mountainside trails and suspension bridges for amazing views of the canopy and, on clear days, the volcano. This evening set out on a twilight safari float. As you meander down the Río Peñas Blancas in your raft, your guide will point out nocturnal fauna. Tropical transition wet forest; local farm visit Arenal Observatory Lodge (BL)
Carara National Park Take a guided hike in Carara National Park, whose trails feature thick, ancestral forest that has remained unchanged for thousands of years, and where flocks of Scarlet Macaws swarm the palm trees in search of fruit. Optional beach and water activities Hotel Punta Leona (BL) Day 8 | San Vito
Day 5 | Chilamate Selva Verde Private Rainforest Reserve, Río Sarapiquí Take a guided hike in the tropical lowland
Set out on the Los Robles Trail through an old oak forest to see trees that are more than 700 years old and up to 197 feet tall. Optional bird walk; Centenary Oak; optional waterfall hike Savegre Hotel, Natural Reserve & Spa (BLD) Day 12 | Santo Domingo Enjoy an easy guided hike through primary cloud forest on the La Quebrada Trail, looking for birds (including the highly sought-after Resplendent Quetzal) and other wildlife as you take in the amazing flora. Later transfer back to Hotel Bougainvillea. Farewell dinner Hotel Bougainvillea (BLD) Day 13 | Fly home This morning you will be transferred to the airport in San José for your flight home. (B)
Day 4 | Chilamate Tirimbina Biological Reserve Learn about the natural and cultural history of cacao and about traditional chocolate-making methods at Tirimbina Biological Reserve. Taste samples from different stages of production, from bean to bar. Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center, Selva Verde self-guided rainforest trails Selva Verde Lodge (BLD)
Day 11 | San Gerardo de Dota
Day 9 | San Vito Wilson Botanical Garden Within the Las Cruces Biological Station, the 30-acre Robert and Catherine Wilson Botanical Garden features over 1,000 genera in more than 200 plant families from around the world. Tropical and subtropical ornamentals; cycads; the world’s second largest collection of palms; ferns; aroids; bromeliads; gingers; heliconias; marantas Las Cruces Biological Station (BLD)
PRICING $3,395
per person, double occupancy, based on 18 participants (plus 1 complimentary from Los Angeles, single occupancy). Single supplement: $550. Cost includes: Accommodations, meals as indicated, specialist guide, transportation, gratuities for guide & driver, activities per itinerary, carbon offset, bottled water on bus. Cost does not include: International & internal airfare, items of personal nature, optional activities. Price valid until mid-Dec. 2018.
17
eastern cuba | Gardens, National Parks, Culture, & History 12 days from $5,295 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: Oct–Nov, Jan–May
PLAYA MAGUANA
Explore Cuba’s diverse and endemic flora on this 12-day expedition through eastern Cuba’s public gardens, national parks, research stations, and Biosphere Reserves. See the ecosystems of Pinares de Mayarí and Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, where high levels of endemism translate to unique species found nowhere else. Discover Baracoa, Cuba’s oldest city, and Santiago de Cuba, the country’s first capital and the birthplace of the Revolution. You’ll also have the chance to explore the region’s breathtaking forests, beaches, waterfalls, and mountains. 18
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • Discover the unique flora of Humboldt National Park, home to some of the highest levels of endemism on the island. • Meet with a researcher at the Cuban Academy of Sciences Integral Mountain Research Station. • Visit Jardín de los Helechos, home to an internationally important collection of tropical ferns, bromeliads and orchids. • Take an interpretive hike to see cacao trees at various life stages and sample chocolate at different steps of production. • Examine the history, cultural influences, and modern day life of vibrant cities such as Holguín, Baracoa, and Santiago de Cuba.
CUBA
2-3
HOLGUÍN
1, 11-12
MAYARÍ 4-5 MAGUANA BARACOA 6-7
SANTIAGO DE CUBA 8-10
see full details online at holbrooktravel.com/CEGC18
ITINERARY
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 1 | Holguín Arrive in Holguín, with time to explore the hotel grounds and take in views of the Cristal Mountains. The fourth largest city in Cuba, Holguín was founded in the 1500s and today is well-known for its vibrant cultural scene. Mirador Mayabe (D) Day 2 | Pinares de Mayarí La Silla de Gibara La Silla de Gibara (or “Chair of Gibara”) is a karst formation named for its unusual shape. Hike along the trails to learn about the area’s flora and fauna. After a short walking exploration of the town of Gibara, continue to Pinares de Mayarí, with views en route of the Cristal Mountains pine forests. Christopher Columbus’s landing site at Cayo Bariay, optional nocturnal wildlife walk Villa Pinares de Mayarí (BLD) Day 3 | Pinares de Mayarí El Guayabo waterfall, Mountain Research Station Located within La Mensura National Park, El Salto del Guayabo is Cuba’s highest waterfall. The site has two trails and is home to 36 species of orchids, 33 species of ferns, and 21 endemic species. This afternoon visit the Cuban Academy of Sciences Integral Mountain Research Station. Visit the on-site orchid garden and talk with a station researcher about La Mensura’s flora and the station’s projects. Villa Pinares de Mayarí (BLD)
A more detailed itinerary is available on the website or by request
park encompasses diverse ecosystems and climate types, and it protects the richest flora and fauna in Cuba. More endemic species are found here than anywhere else on the island. Semi-deciduous broadleaf and pine forests, xenomorphic shrub formations, mangroves, ferns, colorful and endemic polymita land snails Hotel Villa Maguana (BLD) Day 6 | Baracoa Today get to know Baracoa, the oldest Spanish settlement in Cuba. The city is nestled between the Bahía de Miel (Honey Bay) and the table mountain El Yunque, and is known for its individuality and old-fashioned way of life. Visit the city historian’s office, Paradise Cave Archaeological Museum, and main square. Hotel Castillo (BLD) Day 7 | Baracoa Baracoa Chocolate, Toa River Begin the day learning about cacao and the process of making chocolate in the tropics. Take an interpretive hike to see examples of the cacao tree at various life stages, and sample chocolate at different steps of production. Continue to the Toa River and board wooden boats with a local guide, who will paddle along the river and out to an oceanfront beach. En route enjoy scenic flora and abundant bird life. Free time to explore Baracoa Hotel Castillo (BL)
Day 5 | Maguana Alejandro de Humboldt National Park Today explore Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, hiking the Iberian Balcony trail inland to waterfalls and natural pools. Set within the larger Cuchillas de Toa Biosphere Reserve, the
Day 10 | Santiago La Gran Piedra Formed most likely from a volcanic rupture, the Gran Piedra (Grand Stone) is an enormous rock weighing approximately 63,000 tons. This boulder sits atop a mountain summit 4,000 feet above sea level. Examine the unique flora that surrounds the area, including 222 varieties of ferns, 352 types of orchids, eucalyptuses, Pinus cubensis, cypresses, and a variety of fruitbearing trees. Restored French Haitian-style cafetal and museum Meliá Santiago (BLD) Day 11 | Holguín Explore Santiago on your own this morning before traveling back to Holguín. Farewell dinner Hotel Pernik (BLD)
Day 4 | Maguana Pass through a variety of tropical palms, mountains, rivers, rural villages, and mining areas on your way to Maguana. Check in at the hotel and enjoy time at the beach to swim, snorkel, or relax. Hotel Villa Maguana (BLD)
propagation. Later return to Santiago and visit important sites of the city center. Founded in 1514, Santiago de Cuba was the country’s first capital and remained so until 1553. Learn about the leading Spanish political figures who have lived here, and about the city’s role as the birthplace of the Revolution. Music at Casa de la Trova Meliá Santiago (BLD)
Day 12 | Holguín / Fly home Day 8 | Santiago Travel one of the most scenic routes in Cuba, over steep ascents through pine forests and breathtaking views, on your way to Santiago de Cuba. Colonial architecture, Afro-Cuban heritage, and revolutionary history characterize Cuba’s second largest city. Meliá Santiago (BLD) Day 9 | Santiago Jardín de los Helechos Jardín de los Helechos is home to an internationally important collection—the most complete in the Americas—of tropical ferns, bromeliads and orchids. The garden also conducts research on fern preservation and
(B)
PRICING $5,295
per person, double occupancy, based on 18 participants (plus 1 complimentary from New York City, single occupancy). Single supplement: $950. Cost includes: Accommodations, meals as indicated, specialist guide, National guide, local guides, transportation, gratuities for guides, driver, porters, wait staff, activities per itinerary, carbon offset, bottled water on bus. Cost does not include: International airfare, items of personal nature, optional activities, gratuities to housekeeping and musicians, visa fee. Price valid until Dec. 2018.
19
Western Cuba | Gardens,
Culture, Discovery, and the Caribbean Sea 9 days from $4,295 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: Nov–Jun
VALLE DE VIÑALES
Explore Cuba’s unique indigenous species of flora and fauna on this 9-day itinerary. Discover the history and culture of Havana, with its many museums, churches, fortresses, and other buildings under restoration. Despite the revolution and economic hardships endured by the people of Cuba, its botanical gardens, organic farms, private gardens, and agriculture have thrived. Travel to Viñales Valley, one of the most beautiful regions of Cuba, and to Soroa, home to a stunning orchid garden. Evidence of the Cuban population’s passion is evident at every turn, from their music, dance, love of life, and appreciation of the natural beauty found on this small Caribbean Island. 20
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • Visit a selection of Cuba’s public and private gardens, including the National Botanical Garden of Cuba, a family-owned garden in Viñales, and an urban cooperative garden in Havana. • Meet with a staff member and tour the Soroa Orchid Garden, which has over 20,000 plants representing 700 orchid species. • Take guided hikes in Viñales National Park, the valley of the limestone formations known as mogotes. • Explore Old Havana on a walking tour and enjoy a private dance performance. • Stroll through the butterfly house of Quinta de Los Molinos Garden, Cuba’s oldest botanical garden and a breeding nursery of Polymita spp., an endemic genus of colorful terrestrial mollusk.
HAVANA
5-6
VIÑALES
1-3, 7-9
SOROA
CUBA
4
see full details online at holbrooktravel.com/CWGC18
ITINERARY
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 1 | Havana Arrive in Havana, with time to check in at the hotel, exchange money, and freshen up before dinner at a local paladar (a restaurant in a private home) in Old Havana. Hotel Meliá Cohiba or similar (D)
A more detailed itinerary is available on the website or by request
Day 4 | Soroa National Botanical Garden, Las Terrazas Founded in 1968 and located on the outskirts of Havana, the National Botanical Garden’s collections include native Cuban plants, orchids, cacti, succulents, palms, and an expansive arboretum. After a guided tour, continue to Las Terrazas, a Biosphere Reserve and self-sustained community named after their 12,000-acre reforestation project. Horizontes Villa Soroa or casas particulares (BLD)
Day 2 | Havana Old Havana This morning take a guided walking tour of Old Havana. Founded in 1519, the historical city center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and features cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, tree-lined avenues, and plazas and squares. This afternoon enjoy a private performance by the talented group of dancers from Danza-Teatro Retazos. Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza Vieja, Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, Plaza de Armas; restoration projects; La Guarida restaurant Hotel Meliá Cohiba or similar (BLD)
Day 5 | Viñales Soroa Orchid Garden Meet with a staff member for a guided tour of the Soroa Orchid Garden, which is run by the University of Pinar del Río and features 700 different orchid species along with other ornamental plants. This afternoon travel to Viñales Valley. Hotel Los Jazmines or casas particulares (BLD) Day 6 | Viñales
Day 3 | Havana Alamar Organoponic Gardens, Ministry of Agriculture This morning meet with owners of the Alamar Organoponic Gardens, an urban cooperative farm, and learn about the garden’s history, accomplishments, crops, and horticultural practices. This afternoon meet representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI), which has created a special unit to promote and support urban agriculture. Hotel Meliá Cohiba or similar (BL)
Viñales Valley, Caridad and Carmen Miranda Botanical Garden Explore the landscapes, geological features, and unique flora of the Viñales Valley — including the “mogotes triad,” Bombacopsis cubensis, Gaussia princeps, and Spathelia brittonii — on a guided walk this morning. This afternoon visit a whimsical, family-owned botanical garden. Finca of Raul Reyes; Cueva de la Vaca trail; Palmarito Valley Hotel Los Jazmines or casas particulares (BLD)
Day 7 | Havana Depart Viñales and enjoy some time to relax at Cayo Jutías, a beach with turquoise waters and beautiful coastlines where you can walk to the end of the caye, rest under the palm trees, or enjoy a swim. Later return to Havana. Hotel La Florida or similar (BL) Day 8 | Havana Quinta de Los Molinos Garden Conclude your Cuban journey with a visit to the country’s oldest botanical garden, Quinta de los Molinos. Highlights include endemic Cuban flora, a butterfly house, and a breeding nursery of Polymita spp., an endemic genus of colorful terrestrial mollusk. You’ll have the remainder of the day to explore Havana at your leisure. You may wish to check out the San José crafts market, Havana’s main enclosed local arts and crafts market and cultural fair, or take in a museum or two. Farewell dinner and show at the famous Tropicana Hotel La Florida or similar (BD) Day 9 | Havana / Fly home This morning you will be transferred to the Havana airport for your flight home. (B)
PRICING $4,295
per person, double occupancy, based on 18 participants (plus 1 complimentary from New York City, single occupancy). Single supplement: $650. Cost includes: Accommodations, meals as indicated, specialist guide, transportation, gratuities for guide & driver, activities per itinerary, bottled water on bus. Cost does not include: International airfare and visa, gratuities not listed, items of a personal nature, optional activities. Price valid until Dec. 2018.
21
ECUADOR | Gardens, Cloud Forests, Dry Forests,
History, Culture, Otavalo Market, & the Galápagos 13 days from $6,995 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: Nov–Aug
GALáPAGOS ISLANDS
From the Andes to the Galápagos, Ecuador boasts a dazzling biodiversity and a fascinating blend of Hispanic and indigenous cultures. This tour celebrates it all while shining a spotlight on the rich flora you will admire in the botanical gardens of Quito and Guayaquil, and in the cloud forests of the Choco Bio-Zone. A highlight will be your four-night cruise in Darwin’s “living laboratory of evolution,” the iconic Galápagos Islands, which you’ll explore aboard a first-class expedition yacht. 22
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • View the impressive collections at Quito Botanical Gardens and Guayaquil Botanical Gardens. • Explore the rich flora and diverse ecosystems within the Mashpi Reserve and the Cerro Blanco Reserve. • Discover the unique plants and hardy vegetation endemic to the Galápagos and its volcanic terrain, like the Incense Tree and red Vesuvius. • Come face-to-face with the iconic wildlife of the Galápagos, including Blue-footed Boobies and giant tortoises.
4 -5
MASHPI RESERVE
BALTRA
OTAVALO 3
SANTA CRUZ
8
SAN CRISTOBAL
QUITO 1 - 2, 6
7
ECUADOR
10 9
FLOREANA
ESPAÑOLA
GUAYAQUIL 11 - 12 - 13
GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS
see full details online at holbrooktravel.com/ECGC18
ITINERARY
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A more detailed itinerary is available on the website or by request
Day 1 | Quito
Day 7 | Galápagos Islands
Arrive in Ecuador’s capital and be transferred to your hotel, a newly restored historic mansion on Plaza San Francisco. Casa Ganglena
Fly to San Cristobal in the Galápagos Islands. Our naturalist guide introduces us to the archipelago’s history at the Interpretation Center; then leads a hike on Tijeretas Hill. Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill. M/Y Coral II (BLD) Day 8 | Galápagos Islands
Day 2 | Quito Jardín Botánico de Quito Quito’s botanical gardens display Ecuadorian plants from varied habitats including Andean páramo, cloud forest, desert, and wetlands, plus greenhouses for orchids and Amazonian flora, and an ethnobotanical garden. You’ll also enjoy a walking tour of Quito’s historic district. Carnivorous plants, roses, orchids; Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, Metropolitan Cathedral, Presidential Palace, Archbishop’s Palace, San Francisco Church Casa Ganglena (BL) Day 3 | Otavalo Discover the world’s largest Andean market. Otavalo Market Hacienda Cusin (BLD) Day 4 | Mashpi Reserve Explore the handicrafts villages around Cotacachi, then proceed to Mashpi Lodge in the Choco Bio-Zone. The Lodge is surrounded by a profusion of plant species and is home to 500 bird species and other fauna. Enjoy guided daytime and nocturnal rainforest walks. Ferns, bromeliads, orchids; monkeys, peccaries, birds. Mashpi Lodge (BLD) Day 5 | Mashpi Reserve A full day of elective hikes, or explore the forest canopy riding a “Sky Bike,” or aboard the “Dragonfly” gondolas that carry you under, through and above the forest. Rainforest exploration, hummingbird garden, waterfalls, wildlife. Mashpi Lodge (BLD) Day 6 | Quito Return to Quito and enjoy a free afternoon in the historic district. Casa Ganglena (BL)
Discover Cerro Brujo on San Cristobal. It boasts lava formations and a white sand beach, great for snorkeling, sunbathing, and observing migratory birds. Take in the views of Kicker Rock; then cruise to Punta Pitt. Bursera graveolens, cacti, red Vesuvius; black-necked stilts, ruddy turnstones, whimbrels, sandpipers, white-cheeked pintails, frigatebirds, boobies; sea lions M/Y Coral II (BLD)
Day 11 | Guayaquil Arriving at Santa Cruz you’ll travel by motorcoach through all seven vegetation zones found in Galápagos. In the highlands visit Rancho El Manzanillo, where giant tortoises roam in their natural habitat. Almost every land bird present on the island lives or migrates here. Afterwards cruise to Baltra; fly to Guayaquil; tour the public gardens; and stroll the waterfront Malecón before your farewell dinner. Tree and ground finches, vermilion flycatchers, paint-billed crakes, cattle egrets; Galápagos tortoises; Guayaquil public gardens. Oro Verde Guayaquil (BD) Day 12 | Guayaquil
Day 9 | Galápagos Islands Visit Suarez Point on Española, an island with a high percentage of endemism. Today’s trail cuts through Salt Bush where you will see varied wildlife and the “Soplador,” a seaward blowhole that shoots water 75 feet into the air. Swim and snorkel at Gardner Bay. Cryptocarpus pyriformis HBK; Nazca boobies, Galápagos doves, Galápagos hawks, waved albatross, yellow warblers, Darwin’s finches; lava lizards, marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crabs, green sea turtles, sea lions; king angelfish, parrot fish. M/Y Coral II (BLD)
Lineal Park, Cerro Blanco Reserve, Jardín Botánico de Guayaquil Explore Lineal, a small park with ornamental and endemic species. Continue to Cerro Blanco within the tropical dry forest ecosystem in the Chongon-Colonche mountain range. It boasts more than 700 species of vascular plants, 20% of which are endemic. Next visit the Jardín Botánico de Guayaquil, with 324 plant species, plus timber and fruit trees, ornamentals, and exotics. Orchids are the main attraction. Lineal Park, Cerro Blanco Reserve, Jardín Botánico de Guayaquil M/Y Coral II (BLD) Day 13 | Fly Home
Day 10 | Galápagos Islands
PRICING
Cormorant Point on Floreana features an olivine green, sanded beach. Hike from the black mangrove beds to a brackish lagoon, which holds the Galápagos’ largest flamingo population; observe endemic plants; and see a Pacific green sea turtle nesting site. At Post Office Bay you’ll see the iconic barrel used since 1793 for islanders to deposit mail. Avicennia germinans, Scalesia villosa, Laguncularia racemosa, Bursera graveolens, Lecocarpus Pinnatifidus, Polygala sancti-georgii; flamingoes, Blue-footed Boobies, penguins; stingrays, reef sharks, reef fish. M/Y Coral II (BLD)
$6,995
per person, double occupancy, based on 19 participants (plus 1 complimentary from Miami, double occupancy). Single supplement: $2700 (mainland only). Cost includes: Accommodations, meals as indicated, specialist guides, transportation, internal airfare, activities per itinerary, carbon offset, bottled water on bus, Galápagos National Park Fee, Galápagos Transit Card. Cost does not include: International airfare, items of personal nature, optional activities, gratuities to guides, drivers, crew and naturalist guide. Price valid until Dec. 2018.
23
INDIA | Gardens, Temples,
Parks, Palaces, Mountains, & the Arabian Sea 14 days from $6,180 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: Oct–mid-Dec
TEA PLANTATION IN MUNNAR
Prepare for the sensory overload that is southern India as you explore its extravagant gardens, redolent spice plantations, multicultural ports, and cool hill stations. You’ll wander through bowers of sweet-smelling red, pink, yellow, purple, and green roses. Behold elaborate temples and Victorian mansions. Listen to mesmerizing raga music, tinkling fountains, and delightful birdsong. Cruise the serene Kerala backwaters. And seek out the rare Bengal tiger in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. It’s a world whose cultural treasures come framed in exotic natural splendor. 24
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • Explore the world-famous Vrindavan Gardens, arrayed across three terraces next to a dam, with sparkling musical fountains. • Visit the 18th-century “red garden,” Lal Bagh, with India’s largest collection of tropical plants and a stunning glasshouse. • See the Botanical Gardens of Ooty and the nearby Rose Garden, whose 2,800 cultivars include rare black and green roses. • Encounter the Dutch, Portuguese, and Jewish heritage of Kochi (Cochin), the famous spice trading port.
1-2 3
MYSORE OOTY 4-5
KOCHI 8-9, 14
BANGALORE INDIA
COIMBATORE MUNNAR THEKKADY 10-11
see full details online at holbrooktravel.com/INGC18
6-7
12-13
ITINERARY
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 1 | Bangalore Arrive and transfer to our hotel in Bangalore. Bangalore is the “Silicon Valley of India,” and its trendy side is made more attractive by the many parks and fine climate. The Lalit
A more detailed itinerary is available on the website or by request
Biosphere Reserve. While here we visit the Botanical Gardens which display 1,000 exotic and endemic species. There’s also a fossilized, 20-million year old tree trunk. You can also visit the Government Rose Garden, with more than 20,000 roses of 2,800 cultivars. Plants, shrubs, ferns, trees, eucalyptus, bonsai; hybrid tea roses, polyantha, papagena, Floribunda, Ramblers, Yakimour. Fernhill Palace (2B, 2L, 2D)
If you’re lucky, you may spot a Bengal tiger. Teak, rosewood, terminalia, sandalwood, orchids, gloriosa lilies; bison, sambar, wild boar, langur, elephants, Bengal tigers, blue-winged parakeet, brahminy kite. CGH Spice Village (BLD)
Days 6-7 | Coimbatore
Day 2 | Bangalore Lal Bagh Botanical Garden See the government buildings, Maharaja’s Palace, and Cubbon Park, beautifully laid out in 1864. Lal Bagh occupies 240 acres and is Bangalore’s most famous garden, with 1,854 species arrayed among lawns, flowerbeds, fountains, a glasshouse, and a rare collection of tropical plants. Exotics such as Araucaria sp., Averrhoa bilimbi, Brownea grandiceps, Castanospermum australe, Eriobotrya japonica, Swietenia mahagoni; indigeneous Bombax ceiba, Cassia fistula, and Dillenia indica. The Lalit (BLD)
Travel to Coimbatore in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, where we see how Indian zoos, botanic gardens, forest departments, research institutions, and are working together to conserve plant diversity. You’ll also visit Perur Patteeswara Swamy Temple. Agricultural University, Coimbatore Zoological Park and Conservation Center, Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding. Vivanta by Taj-Surya (2B, 2L, 2D)
Vrindavan Gardens En route to Mysore stop to see Srirangapatnam Temple. In the afternoon tour Mysore and see the Maharajah’s Palace; and ride up Chamundi Hill to see Chamundeshwari Temple and panoramic views. This evening visit Vrindavan Gardens. Laid out across three terraces, it’s known for its lakes, topiaries, pergolas, and a fountain that is synchronized to music. Ficus trees, duranta plumaria, euphorbia, celosia, marigolds, bougainvillea. Hotel Metropole (BLD) Days 4-5 | Ooty Botanical Gardens of Ooty, Government Rose Garden On Day 4 transfer overland to Ooty in the Nilgiri
After a thrilling, early-morning game viewing cruise on Lake Periyar, you will explore the surrounding towns. Kumily is a plantation town where you can shop for gifts and spices. In Murikkady, admire cardamom, coffee and pepper plantations. Pandikuzhi is a photographer’s dream with streams, waterfalls, and lush flora. CGH Spice Village (BLD) Days 12-13 | Munnar
Days 8-9 | Kochi
Day 3 | Mysore
Day 11 | Thekkady
Cosmopolitan Kochi (formerly Cochin) is Kerala’s commercial heart, thanks to a fine natural harbor that has attracted traders from Arabia, China, Holland, Britain and Portugal for centuries. After arriving you’ll take in a Kathakali show, a traditional dance form with elaborate costumes, hand and facial gestures, and movements derived from martial arts. On Day 9 you’ll delve into the city’s multicultural past at important Dutch and Portuguese sites; observe fishermen tossing their iconic cheenvala nets; and enjoy a harbor cruise. Kochi Synagogue, Dutch Palace, St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica, Fort Cochin. CGH Brunton Boatyard (2B, 2L, 2D) Day 10 | Thekkady Cruise Vembanad Lake and its canals, witnessing Kerala’s backwater beauty and village life. In Thekkady, a hill station surrounded by tea, cardamom, and coffee plantations, you’ll explore one of India’s finest wildlife reserves, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Transfer to idyllic Munnar in the serene Kannan Devan Hills. Your relaxing time here reveals the exquisite scenery of Anaimudi, South India’s highest peak; Eravikulam National Park; and the spice plantations of Pothamedu. You will have the opportunity for hiking through the lush forests with your guide. Windemere Estate (2B, 2L, 2D) Day 14 | Kochi / Fly home Travel to Kochi and relax in your hotel, where you will have reserved day rooms until your evening flights home. Courtyard Marriott day room (BLD)
PRICING $6,180
per person, double occupancy, based on 18 participants (plus 1 complimentary from New York City, single occupancy). Single supplement: $1600. Cost includes: Accommodations, meals as indicated, specialist local guides, National guide, transportation, gratuities for guides & driver, activities per itinerary, carbon offset, bottled water on bus. Cost does not include: International & internal airfare, visa fee, items of personal nature, optional activities. Price valid until Apr. 2018 (excluding Dec. 20, 2017 — Jan. 5, 2018)
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New Zealand | Public
& Private Gardens, Nature, Culture, & the Pacific Ocean 15 days from $6,730 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: mid-Oct–mid-Dec
LAKE TEKAPO
With its rich volcanic soil and temperate climate, New Zealand boasts a botanic diversity that’s matched by the Kiwis’ passion for gardening. Discover a bower of beauty as you travel from the sub-tropical north to the subalpine south island, visiting ten acclaimed gardens, many deemed nationally or internationally “significant” by the New Zealand Gardens Trust. In a land of superlatives, the collections at Ohinetahi, Ayrlies, and Hamilton Gardens stand out, but so do the national parks, wineries, and Maori cultural sites you’ll celebrate in “the Land of the Long White Cloud.” 26
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • Delve into “The Story of Gardens” through five award-winning collections at Hamilton Gardens. • Discover New Zealand’s “Garden City” and its 150-year-old crown jewel, Christchurch Botanical Gardens. • Revel in the mirror-like beauty of Milford Sound in Fiordlands National Park on an overnight cruise. • Walk among the treetops and the undergrowth along the Natural Trail and Canopy Walkway at Otari-Wilton Bush Native Botanic Garden. • Explore Maori culture in the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua.
AUCKLAND 1-2
NEW PLYMOUTH
ROTORUA 3
4-5
NEW ZEALAND
BLENHEIM
WELLINGTON
7-8
13
MILFORD SOUND
CHRISTCHURCH
QUEENSTOWN 11-12, 14
see full details online at holbrooktravel.com/NZGC18
9-10
6
ITINERARY
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A more detailed itinerary is available on the website or by request
Day 1 | Auckland
Day 6 | Wellington
Transfer to your hotel, then enjoy a welcome dinner. Grand Millennium Auckland (D)
Otari-Wilton Bush Native Botanic Garden, Zealandia Wildlife Sanctuary En route to the capital you’ll visit Otari-Wilton Bush Native Botanic Garden, a unique forest reserve that shelters many threatened species and an 800-year-old rimu, Dacrydium cupressinum. Walk along the Canopy Walkway and Nature Trail. Later, enjoy a twilight tour of Zealandia, an urban eco-sanctuary where 18 native wildlife species have been reintroduced. Te Rewa Rewa Bridge; weta, glow worms, tuatara. West Plaza Hotel (B)
Day 2 | Auckland Totara Waters Subtropical Garden, Ayrlies Gardens Explore Totara, a subtropical garden filled with rare plants on upper Waitemata Harbor; and Ayrlies, with winding paths through maple woods and distant sea views. Cycads, aloes, Beaucarnea spp., Dracaena spp., bromeliads, bonsai; Hosta spp., Iris spp., azaleas, Camellia spp. Grand Millennium Auckland (BD)
Day 3 | Rotorua Hamilton Gardens Hamilton Gardens boasts five strikingly different collections that run the gamut from Italian to Chinese to Indian to simple kitchen gardens and beyond. It won the International Garden Tourism Award at the 2014 International Garden Tourism Network (IGTN) conference. Continue to Rotorua, the “Geothermal Capital of New Zealand,” for a Maori cultural evening and hangi barbecue. Roses, Camellia spp., Clivia spp., Xeronema spp., Niphidium spp., Darmera spp.; Te Puia’s bubbling mud pools, geysers, colored hot springs. Sudima Hotel (BD) Days 4-5 | New Plymouth Whirinaki Forest, Pukekura Park, Tupare Gardens, Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust Enjoy a guided tour of Whirinaki, a unique podocarp forest; then travel the Forgotten Highway in view of Mount Taranaki. In New Plymouth you’ll explore Pukekura, a Garden of National Significance that winds around stunning lakelands; Tupare, a Tudor-style manor with a glade, glass house, and cliff cascade; and Pukeiti, a premier rhododendron garden. Dacrycarpus dacrydioides, Podocarpus totara, Prumnopitys taxifolia; rhododendron and bush gardens, grass walks. Novotel (2B, 1L)
Days 7-8 | Blenheim Barewood Garden Take the Interislander Ferry to the South Island. During your two days here you’ll enjoy wine sampling at the Allan Scott Winery; see Barewood, a large, semi-formal Garden of National Significance; and Grove Mill, a carbonzero winery. Vineyards; Malus spp., Wisteria spp., Clematis spp., Viburnum spp., Philiadelphus spp., Deutzia spp., Sambuscus spp., Rosa spp. Chateau Marlborough Hotel (2B, 1L, 1D)
herbaceous borders. Fisherman’s Bay Garden boasts natives and exotics in a coastal setting. Black locust shade trees, Monterey cypress, Camellia spp.,Buxus spp., tulips, daylilies, Dahlia spp. The Ridges Latimer (B) Days 11-12 | Queenstown The scenic route to Queenstown winds past glacial lakes and Aoraki Mount Cook. In Cromwell, visit two wineries; then tour the Gold Rush town of Arrowtown. Day 12 includes a Dart River jetboating safari and a wilderness walk along Lake Wakatipu in Mount Aspiring National Park. Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki, Lake Dunstan, Aoraki Mount Cook; Dart River, Lake Wakatipu. Scenic Suites Hotel (2B, 1L)
Day 13 | Milford Sound Discover Fiordland National Park, part of a UNESCO-listed site that includes Milford Sound, where you’ll enjoy an overnight cruise. Lake Te Anau, Homer Tunnel, Milford Sound, Mitre Peak Milford Mariner (BD) Day 14 | Queenstown
Day 9 | Christchurch Mona Vale Estate, Christchurch Botanic Gardens Mona Vale is a public park beloved for its heritage houses, gardens, and landscaped lawns on the Avon River. Then visit Christchurch Botanic Gardens, established in 1863 and renowned for its hundred-year-old trees. Tropical and temperate plants; cool greenhouse flowering plants; rose, rock, water, azalea, woodland, Primula and fragrant gardens. The Ridges Latimer (BD) Day 10 | Christchurch Ohinetahi, French Farm Winery, Fisherman’s Bay Garden Ohinetahi is one of New Zealand’s finest gardens with trees planted in 1865 by Sir Thomas Potts, New Zealand’s first botanist. At French Farm Winery admire dramatic
Explore more of Milford Sound, then disembark ship and transfer overland to Queenstown. Later, enjoy a gondola ride and dinner atop Bob’s Peak. Milford Sound, Bob’s Peak Scenic Suites Hotel (BD) Day 15 | Fly home from Queenstown
PRICING $6,730
double occupancy, based on 18 participants (plus 1 complimentary from Los Angeles, single occupancy). Single supplement: $1350.
Cost includes: Accommodations, meals as indicated, specialist local guides, transportation, gratuities for guide & driver, activities per itinerary. Cost does not include: International & internal airfare, visa fee, items of personal nature, optional activities. Price valid until Dec. 2018.
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SOUTH AFRICA | Public
& Private Gardens, Wine, Culture, History, & Nature 11 days from $4,750 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: Oct–Nov, Jan–Mar
KIRSTENBOSCH GARDENS
Experience the spectacular Cape Floral Region, a biodiversity hotspot and the only floral kingdom contained within one country. South Africa’s botanic diversity exceeds that of even the Amazon, and 70% of it grows nowhere else on earth. Come admire a variety of botanical gardens such as legendary Kirstenbosch. Enjoy a thrilling wildlife safari. Taste exquisite vintages in the Cape Winelands. Trace apartheid’s rise and fall in historic Johannesburg and beyond. And see for yourself why South Africa is described as “a world in one country.” 28
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • Explore four National Botanical Gardens including worldrenowned Kirstenbosch. • Seek out the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo) and other wildlife during a safari at Kapama Reserve. • See jaw-dropping scenery as you ride through the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. • Take in spectacular Cape Town and ocean views while surveying the rich habitats of Table Mountain. • Visit Stellenberg, a stunning private garden, and enjoy wine tasting in the Cape Winelands. 9-11
KAPAMA RESERVE
JOHANNESBURG 1, 7-8
SWAZILAND
LESOTHO
SOUTH AFRICA 2-4
CAPE TOWN
5-6
STELLENBOSCH
see full details online at holbrooktravel.com/SAGC18
ITINERARY
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A more detailed itinerary is available on the website or by request
Day 1 | Johannesburg
Day 5 | Stellenbosch
Upon arrival transfer to your five-star hotel, then enjoy a welcome dinner. Inter-Continental O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel (D)
Stellenberg Gardens Stellenberg is a private homestead and gardening masterpiece featuring 16 distinct areas including white, parterre, and vegetable gardens; a lime tree walkway; a nursery; and more. Then proceed to Stellenbosch in the Cape Winelands, where you may explore on your own or relax at your historical hotel. Quercus palustris,Verbascum chaixii, Agapanthus spp., Heliotropium spp., Myrrhis odorata, Scabiosa spp. Spier Hotel (BL)
Day 2 | Cape Town Fly to Cape Town and transfer to your awardwinning hotel near the Victoria & Albert Waterfront. The rest of the day is free. Southern Sun the Cullinan (B)
and resulted in international sanctions against the regime. Afterwards explore Pretoria National Botanical Garden, devoted almost exclusively to endemic plants; and Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, whose varied habitats accommodate 600 endemic species. Soweto Township; rocky highveld grassland, savanna, and forest biomes; Namaqualand daisies, Ochna pretoriensis, thorny acacia, Rothmannia globosa; African Black Eagle (Aquila verreauxii), antelope. 54 on Bath (BL)
Day 3 | Cape Town Ride a cable car to the top of Table Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is a perfect habitat for fynbos, a category of bush vegetation that includes 6,200 species unique to South Africa. You may also spot furry rock hyrax (called dassie by the locals), peregrine falcons, and tiny sugarbirds. Then enjoy a spectacular ride through the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve; and stop at Boulders Beach, an African penguin breeding ground. Table Mountain, fynbos, rock hyrax; Chapman’s Peak Drive, baboons, Cape of Good Hope; Boulders Beach, African penguins. Southern Sun the Cullinan (BL)
Day 4 | Cape Town Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden Achieve a milestone as you discover one of the world’s finest botanical gardens. Kirstenbosch boasts more than 7,000 Cape Floral Kingdom species from diverse biomes. Highlights include the Botanical Society Conservatory, a custom-built glasshouse; and the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway (also called the “Boomslang”), an aerial walkway winding above the treetops. Fynbos, Protea spp., Leucospermum spp., Encephalartos spp., Ilex mitis, Podocarpus latifolius, Ocotea bullata, Olinia ventosa, Cunonia capensis, Rapanea melanophloeos. Southern Sun the Cullinan (BL)
Day 6 | Stellenbosch Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden South Africa’s oldest university botanic garden includes three glass houses (tropical, succulent, and karoo houses), a Japanese garden; and an arboretum with indigenous and exotic trees. From here travel to Franschhoek and the Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate for lunch, a wine tasting, and an estate tour. Oxalis spp., Pelargonium spp., Olea europaea subsp. africana, Sequoia sempervirens, bonsai collections. Spier Hotel (BL)
Days 9-10 | Kapama Private
Game Reserve
Transfer to Hoedspruit to commence your two-day safari. Here is your chance to spot the vaunted “Big Five” (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and Cape buffalo) as well as 350 species of birds. Enjoy daytime and nocturnal game drives, and relish your lodge’s comfort, hospitality, and African aesthetic. Lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, Cape buffalo, nyala, vervet monkeys, giraffe, impala, kudu, wildebeest, cheetah, zebra, hyena; numerous reptiles and birds. Kapama River Lodge (2B, 1L, 2D)
Day 7 | Johannesburg
Day 11 | Fly to Johannesburg for
Transfer to Cape Town and fly to Johannesburg. The focus of this afternoon is the award-winning Apartheid Museum, where 22 emotionally powerful exhibition areas depict the story of South Africa’s state-sanctioned system of racial discrimination, and its demise. Apartheid Museum 54 on Bath (B)
return flight home
Day 8 | Johannesburg Pretoria National Botanical Garden, Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden Tour historic Soweto Township, the former home of Nelson Mandela. Here in 1976, police fired on South African children protesting the enforcement of Afrikaans as the official language of instruction—a watershed moment that galvanized the anti-apartheid movement
After a morning game drive transfer to Hoedspruit; fly to Johannesburg; and continue on your return flight home.
PRICING $4,750
per person, double occupancy, based on 18 participants (plus 1 complimentary from Los Angeles, single occupancy). Single supplement: $1300.
Cost includes: Accommodations, meals as indicated, specialist guides, transportation, gratuities for guides & drivers, activities per itinerary, carbon offset, bottled water on bus. Cost does not include: International & internal airfare, items of personal nature, optional activities. Price valid until Dec. 2018.
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WHERE WE TRAVEL | All Destinations Our deep-rooted experience extends to Latin America, Africa, and beyond. We’ll work with you to tailor any itinerary so that it’s the ideal match for your interests, travel dates, and budget. In addition to the programs featured in this catalog, we can create custom programs in any of our other destinations for your garden, organization, or even small groups of friends and family.
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OTHER POPULAR GARDENS DESTINATIONS
Iceland
Colombia
Guatemala
Brazil
Madagascar
PHOTO CREDITS: Todd Gustafson | Gustafson Photo Safari, Michelle Korczynski, Katie Bordner, Dain Van Schoyck, Sandy Schmidt, Lisa Weichel, Nester Galina, Corey Leopold, Alex Proimos, Michael Zimmer, Visit Chile, Natalie Becerra, Patrick Denker, Marcin Bialek, BrĂźcke-Osteuropa, Pete Stewart, Stephanie Kowacz, Isaac Bardas, Joanna Livingstone, Lauren Gonzalez, Julio Larramendi, Adam Jones, Sigi Knoll, Jaume Escofet, Graham Campbell, Alton Biggs, Jill Richmond, Putney Mark, Eric Chan, Melanie M., Ashwin Kumar, Manfred Sommer, Laurie McLaughlin, Anup Shah, Graeme Churchard, Michiel Van Balen, Steve Slater, Lisa Palmese-Graubard, Dick Culbert, Deb Savarese, Jimmy Baikovicius, and Olivier Lejade.
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HOLBROOK INTERNATIONAL GARDEN TOURS Holbrook Garden Tours are uniquely designed for those who enjoy getting “off the beaten path,” far away from crowded tourist attractions. Travel to the world’s finest gardens – natural & curated, public & private, and discover the local flavor and culture of the destination. Each itinerary provides unique experiences designed for flora enthusiasts with curious minds and a passion for gardens.
800-451-7111 | holbrooktravel.com | travel@holbrooktravel.com