Top 20 Alternative Experiences

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Top 20 Alternative Experiences


Specialists in the Alternative for over 40 years


Regent Holidays has been pioneering travel experiences to a wide range of unique and off-the-beaten-track destinations since 1970. Whether you want to experience the propaganda-filled world of North Korea, explore the unspoilt archipelago of the Faroe Islands on a small group tour, discover the landlocked mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh, or watch the northern lights from the comfort of your own private thermal tent in Lapland, our Travel Specialists can offer expert advice on planning your alternative holiday. We’ve put together a selection of our favourite alternative holidays ranging from a mildly alternative 1* to a wildly alternative 5* and given you the chance to win a place on one of our group tours featured inside.

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Call 020 7666 1246 | regentholidays.co.uk


Pioneering North Korea Alternative Rating |

*****

Group Tour

Led by Regent’s award-winning Carl Meadows, our Pioneering North Korea tour heads firmly off the beaten track, exploring towns and regions rarely visited by other travellers. After discovering the classic sights, leave behind the giant statues and grand buildings of Pyongyang and travel by chartered aircraft to the remote towns of Hoeryong and Chongjin. Voted one of Wanderlust’s 50 Best Trips in 2014, this pioneering itinerary pushes the boundaries of travel in the DPRK, taking chartered trains and untravelled backroads.

18 days from £3100pp Departs 5 Sep 2016 or contact us to book for 2017

02 | 020 7666 1246 | www.regentholidays.co.uk


On Location with War & Peace Alternative Rating |

***

Tailor-Made

In celebration of the BBC taking on one of the greatest novels of all time and turning it into an epic adaptation to grace our TV screens, we’ve picked some of the most spectacular film sets and locations from War and Peace for a new journey through Russia, Latvia and Lithuania. Step inside the grand palaces which once held lavish balls for the aristocratic families, visit the ornate Amber Rooms and Hermitage Museum of St Petersburg and discover the mansions of Riga and Vilnius that were featured as part of the set.

10 days from ÂŁ1735pp

www.regentholidays.co.uk | 020 7666 1246 | 03


Highland Adventure to Northern Iceland Alternative Rating |

*

Tailor-Made

Take to the open road in a four-wheel drive to experience a lesser-explored side of Iceland. Traverse the dramatic and breathtakingly beautiful landscapes that cover central and northern Iceland, following highland passes through valleys and past vast glaciers to reach waterfalls and natural hot springs. Spend time in a quaint fishing village on the northern coast where keen whale watchers can choose to embark on a boat trip to spot Humpback, Minke and Blue whales.

9 days from ÂŁ1599pp

04 | 020 7666 1246 | www.regentholidays.co.uk


A Journey through Persia by Train Alternative Rating |

****

Group Tour

This journey takes in ancient citadels and Persian palaces, travelling across lands where some of the world’s greatest kingdoms once rose and fell. You’ll voyage through the ancient desert trading city of Kerman and the Persian paradise gardens of Shiraz to return to Tehran. Stop to explore the UNESCO World Heritage crumbling palaces, Pasargadae and Persepolis and the stunning blue-domed Shah Mosque.

12 days from £3095pp Departs on various dates throughout 2016 & 2017

www.regentholidays.co.uk | 020 7666 1246 | 05


Albania & the Balkans Alternative Rating |

**

Group Tour

This exclusive Regent group tour combines the historic cities and stunning landscapes of Albania with forays into Kosovo and Macedonia to visit the unmissable Balkan treasures of Prizren and Lake Ohrid. Staying in accommodation from boutique hotels to mountain resorts and even a luxury five-star hotel in Tirana, travel in a small group with a local guide discovering Albania’s national parks and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, enjoying many delicious local meals along the way.

15 days from ÂŁ1680pp Departs 13 Sep 2016

06 | 020 7666 1246 | www.regentholidays.co.uk


Faroe Islands in Depth Alternative Rating |

***

Group Tour

Hidden between Iceland and Norway in the heart of the North Atlantic’s swift current are the Faroe Islands, an unexplored archipelago offering unspoilt landscapes, exceptionally fresh air and some of the most unpredictable weather in the world. Set sail to the beautiful island of Suðuroy to visit the southernmost point, pass famous rock formations along the coast of Streymoy to the islands of Eysturoy and enjoy a traditional Faroese feast in fantastic historic surroundings.

Contact us for 2017 prices

www.regentholidays.co.uk | 020 7666 1246 | 07


Pioneering Nagorno-Karabakh Alternative Rating |

*****

Group Tour

This small group tour travels to the landlocked mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan which declared itself independent in 1992 - an independence recognised by no one except Transdniestr. Despite decades of languishing as a breakaway Caucasus state of the former Soviet Union, similar to South Ossetia or Abkhazia, the beauty and cultural richness of this isolated mountain landscape are undeniable.

Contact us for 2017 prices

08 | 020 7666 1246 | www.regentholidays.co.uk


Luxury Kosovo Short Break Alternative Rating |

***

Tailor-Made

On this guided tailor-made tour discover traditional wines and cuisine of Kosovo and enjoy a relaxing break at the luxury Swiss Diamond Hotel, Prishtina’s first and currently the only five star hotel in Kosovo. Wander through Prishtina and learn more about its history in the National Museum. Stop at small towns and villages where family wineries and ancient wine cellars abound and taste the superb Rahoveci Tava (fresh vegetables baked in clay in the oven).

6 days from ÂŁ1135pp

www.regentholidays.co.uk | 020 7666 1246 | 09


Glamping Under the Northern Lights Alternative Rating |

***

Tailor-Made

Travel to the far north of Finnish Lapland and explore the remote region of Muonio by husky-sled, reindeer sleigh and snowmobile on this fully inclusive short break. On the final evening spend a night camping under the starry winter sky. This, of course, is no ordinary camping experience – luxury thermal tents provide a cosy base from which to lie back and search for the incredible northern lights.

5 days from ÂŁ1249pp

10 | 020 7666 1246 | www.regentholidays.co.uk


Bhutan in Depth Alternative Rating |

****

Group Tour

Crystal clear glacier-fed rivers, jaw dropping mountain passes and soaring Buddhist temples festoon the secluded Himalayan country of Bhutan. Discover this untouched mountain paradise and visit the iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery on this Regent exclusive small group tour arranged to coincide with two of Bhutan’s colourful and fast-paced festivals; Thimpu Tsechu in the capital, one of the largest in the country, and the smaller intimate Thangbi Mani Tsechu in the remote Bumthang Valley.

13 days from £4050pp Departs 29 Sep 2017

www.regentholidays.co.uk | 020 7666 1246 | 11


Kyiv & Chernobyl Alternative Rating |

*****

Group Tour

Ukraine remains one of Regent’s favourite destinations, and this unique group tour offers a fascinating insight into the country’s past and present. Compare the opulence of Kyiv’s golden-domed cathedrals with the stark remains of Chernobyl, a place ever synonymous with the massive nuclear disaster that rocked the Soviet Union and the world in 1986. Spend two days touring inside the “Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Exclusion Zone,” including one night in Chernobyl itself, staying in a small hotel built for scientific advisors, for an unparalleled insight into one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters.

6 days from £795pp Departs 29 Sep 2016

12 | 020 7666 1246 | www.regentholidays.co.uk


West Spitsbergen & Polar Ice Cap Alternative Rating |

***

Cruise

Luxury Arctic expedition ship, M/V Sea Spirit, offers unscripted adventures to true wildernesses, where the weather and ice conditions call the shots and wildlife abound. Step aboard in the world’s northernmost capital, Longyearbyen for a journey to discover the unique geology and human history of the Arctic archipelago, Svalbard. Sail around a network of pristine nature reserves and sojourn to the edgeof the pack ice to catch a glimpse of the Arctic’s most famous nomads - polar bears.

11 days from £6085pp (excluding flights) Departs 28 June 2017

www.regentholidays.co.uk | 020 7666 1246 | 13


Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan Explored Alternative Rating |

****

Tailor-Made

From Kazakhstan’s former capital Almaty, travel to picturesque Kyrgyzstan where mountain ranges, lush green valleys and stunning blue lakes dominate the landscape. Discover the lonely Burana Tower, explore the pretty market town of Kochkor, spend the night in a traditional yurt and stop at Tash-Rabat Caravanserai, constructed in the 10th century as a stopping off point for merchants on the Great Silk Road.

15 days from ÂŁ2835pp

14 | 020 7666 1246 | www.regentholidays.co.uk


Undiscovered Moldova Alternative Rating |

**

Group Tour

Join this Regent exclusive small group tour timed to coincide with the annual Moldovan Wine Festival. Discover the remarkable Orheiul Vechi cave monastery, carved into a limestone cliff and undoubtedly Moldova’s most impressive sight, and explore the medieval fortress in Soroca. Visit Purcari Winery and Cricova Wine Cellars to enjoy a tasting of the finest wines in Moldova – a country once known as the vineyard of the Soviet Union – and spend a day in the breakaway communist republic of Transdniestr before sampling high quality cognac at Kvint distillery.

8 days from £1435pp Departs 1 Oct 2016

www.regentholidays.co.uk | 020 7666 1246 | 15


Reindeer Spring Migration Alternative Rating |

*****

Group Tour

Join Sámi herders and experience the spring migration of Alta’s reindeer. Depart the snowy inland landscape and head towards grazing areas on the coast for the summer months. Experience near 24-hour daylight as you lead the herd across the desolate Finnmark plateau by snowmobile before finally reaching the reindeer’s home. Gain an insight into the Sámi way of life and live like a reindeer herder on this truly unique small group adventure.

16 days from £3460pp Departs 10 Apr 2017

16 | 020 7666 1246 | www.regentholidays.co.uk


Cruise the Mergui Archipelago Alternative Rating |

**

Tailor-Made

Explore Burma’s picturesque Mergui Archipelago, a relatively untouched part of Burma comprising over 800 beautiful islands and home to the Sakone sea gypsies, who still live a lifestyle largely untouched by modern development. Set sail around the islands, snorkel colourful reefs and spend nights under starlit skies on-board a luxury yacht. Return north to visit the spectacular temple complex of Bagan, the bustling city of Mandalay and iconic Inle Lake with its traditional farming communities and floating villages.

18 days from £4995pp

www.regentholidays.co.uk | 020 7666 1246 | 17


Halloween in Transylvania Alternative Rating |

****

Group Tour

Delve into the history surrounding Romania’s most infamous historical figure, Vlad the Impaler or as he is more commonly known Count Dracula on this 6-day tour of Transylvania. Discover Sibiu’s Evangelic Cathedral where Vlad’s son was buried after his assassination, explore the town of Medias where he was kept prisoner by the Hungarian king, enjoy a walking tour of the fabulously preserved town of Sighisoara and visit dramatic Bran Castle, made famous by Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula.

6 days from £870pp Departs 29 Oct 2016

18 | 020 7666 1246 | www.regentholidays.co.uk


Northern Lights in Illuissat Alternative Rating |

****

Tailor-Made

The only UNESCO-protected site in Greenland, Ilulissat boasts one of the world’s most productive glaciers: Sermeq Kujalleq calves around 46 cubic kilometres of ice every year, decorating the seas around the town with gigantic icebergs as tall as skyscrapers. Located 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, the town’s northerly position also means that chances of seeing the northern lights are extremely high.

4 days from £1385pp

www.regentholidays.co.uk | 020 7666 1246 | 19


Papua New Guinea Alternative Rating |

****

Group Tour

Perfectly preserved traditions, verdant mountainous regions descending to idyllic beaches and pristine marine environments make Papua New Guinea a compelling destination for intrepid travellers. Mingle with mudmen in Goroka and stand in the smouldering shadow of East New Britain’s most explosive character, Mt Tavurvur before attending the Warwagira & Mask festival in nearby Rabaul. Here traditional masks are displayed while local village dancers and storytellers share vibrant and energetic displays of the region’s colourful culture.

Contact us to book for 2017

20 | 020 7666 1246 | www.regentholidays.co.uk


Baikal-Amur Mainline Alternative Rating |

*****

Group Tour

This unique railway adventure is a Soviet epic that takes the Baikal-Amur Mainline through remotest Siberia, stopping at small off-the-map towns. The line fully opened in 1991 and today only a handful of trains pass along the route. Discover Tynda – home to the BAM headquarters – and explore the town with your Regent tour leader before travelling through the longest tunnel in Russia. Explore the unspoilt parts of Lake Baikal and learn about Vladivostok’s key military attractions.

16 days from £3460pp Departs 10 Oct 2016

www.regentholidays.co.uk | 020 7666 1246 | 21


Call 020 7666 1246 to book your ALTERNATIVE EXPERIENCE today Or visit regentholidays.co.uk/alternative

WIN

A PLACE ON ONE OF OUR

ALTERNATIVE GROUP TOURS ENTER ONLINE AT WWW.REGENTHOLIDAYS.CO.UK/ALTERNATIVE

TERMS & CONDITIONS One prize only will be given away. The prize draw is open until midnight on 31 August 2016 and the winner will be notified by email on or before 15 September 2016. Entry is free and is via the Regent Holidays website at www.regentholidays.co.uk/alternative The prize is a place for one person on one of the Regent group tours in this booklet. Personal spending money is not included in the prize. Travel must be completed by 31 Dec 2017. The prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash or exchange and the prize is subject to availability at time of booking. Regent Holidays is part of ITC Luxury Travel Group Limited


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