NEWSPAPER POST
March 2019
BSL
Britannia Tours www.bsl.com.mt
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Malaysia & Borneo
VISITING Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, Taman Negara, Cameron Highlands, Ipoh, Penang, Kuching, Batang Ai Saturday, 15th June / Sunday, 16th June | We meet at Malta International Airport at 12.30pm for our Emirates flight that leaves at 3.30pm and arrives in Dubai at 1.00am on 16th June. We then board our flight to Malaysia departing at 3.10am and arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 2.25pm. On arrival we are transferred to Malacca, a UNESCO Heritage City with Portuguese, Dutch and British influence. We check in at our hotel – Hatten (or similar) and the rest of the day is free. Later that evening, we have dinner. Monday, 17th June | Breakfast and we start our trip in Malaysia with a city tour of Malacca. We visit St. Peter’s Church, the oldest christian church still in use in the country. We drive past the largest 17th century Chinese cemetery outside Bukit China, we visit Porta de Santiago and the ruins of St. Paul’s Church lined by 17th century tombstones. Proceed on to Red Square to view the colonial Dutch administrative building and Christ Church. We will also visit Cheng Hoon Teng Temple and Kampong Kling Mosque built by the Indian Muslim community during the spice trading days. We enjoy a stroll along Malacca’s antique street and view neo classic buildings and local traders at work. We have lunch and later we make our way to Kuala Lumpur. During the city tour we see the King’s Palace, visit the National Monument situated on a hill slope overlooking the Parliament House, drive through Lake Garden, have a viewing stop at Old Railway Station and National Mosque. We then drive to Merdeka Square to view historical landmarks such as Clock Tower, Tudor style club house, St. Mary’s Cathedral and Moorish designed Sultan Abdul Samad Building. We will also walk across to the meeting point of Gombak & Klang River to view the beautiful Jamek Mosque. Later we check in at Journal Hotel (or similar) in Kuala Lumpur. Dinner (extra). Tuesday, 18th June | After breakfast we set off for another excursion, we visit Batu Caves, climb 272 steps to the cave entrance and view a Hindu shrine
located inside the limestone cave. It is a worship place for the Hindus. Each year close to a million pilgrims come to the cave during Taipusam Festival to pray and watch the spectacular feats of devotees. We later proceed to visit the Orang Asli museum in Gombak for an insight to the customs and culture of the aboriginal people in this country – number over 200,000 with 18 separate ethnic types. View bark pants, personal adornments, musical instrument, hunting implements and information on orang asli wedding rites. Later we visit Royal Selangor Pewter and see products being made at the factory. Founded in 1885 it is the world’s foremost name in quality pewter, a brand synonymous with design and craftsmanship. We will have lunch at KL Tower Revolving Restaurant. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the city. Dinner (extra). Wednesday, 19th June | Today after breakfast we depart to Tembiling, the entry point to Taman Negara. We take a boat ride (about 2 hours) up against the flow of Tembiling River, passing by local villages situated along the river bank. We arrive in Kuala Tahan, disembark and proceed to check in at Mutiara Resort (or similar). Free time to explore the surrounding before meeting up for dinner. After dinner, we go for a night walk with our nature guide to view nocturnal wildlife. Thursday, 20th June | We start the day with breakfast followed by a guided trek to Teresik Hill to view flora and fauna in the world’s oldest tropical rainforest, 130 million years old. The trek has a gradual inclination with a steep part at the end of the trail before arriving at the peak. We view the superb panoramic of lowlands, hills, and mountains. Admire views of the rivers, spectacular grey-leafed Seraya trees in broad valley, Gunung Perlis and Gua Besar in Keniam. On clear days one can see Gunung Tahan 2187M – height the highest peak in Peninsular Malaysia. We enjoy a canopy walk, view birds and insects at tree top canopies before return to the resort for lunch. In the afternoon,
2 | BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
boat ride up Tahan River to visit fish sanctuary and Lata Berkoh cascade. Here one can enjoy a cool dip and listen to the natural music under the thick foliage of tropical rainforest trees. Later we board our boat and drift down the river to lookout for wildlife. In the evening dinner included. Friday, 21st June | Breakfast and afterwards we get the boat back to Tembiling. We depart to Cameron Highlands – Malaysia foremost hill resort located within the Titiwangsa Mountain range which forms the backbone of Peninsular Malaysia. Lunch at local restaurant in Kuala Lipis. We will arrive late afternoon and stop for a brief visit at Brinchang Town before we proceed to our hotel Strawberry Park Resort (or similar) and check in. Lunch and dinner included. Saturday, 22nd June | After breakfast today we take a jeep ride, cruising along the picturesque rolling tea garden to Brinchang Hill, located 6,666 feet above sea level. We explore the Mossy Forest by taking a walk with the nature guide who will reveal some of the exotic floras on earth, like the Pitcher plant, Orchids, Primitive Ferns, Spices and Medicinal Plants. On clear days the drive up to the highest mountain accessible by road in South East Asia, one will be blessed with the magnificent view of the surrounding area. We later descend to the tea plantation and tea factory to observe the process of tea making and visit a local market. After lunch, we depart to Ipoh - once the richest town in the country during the tin mining days. We will also visit Sam Poh Tong, a Buddhist temple in a limestone cave. Dinner and overnight at Weil Hotel (or similar). Sunday, 23rd June | Breakfast and we start the day with a tour of Ipoh. We visit historical landmarks such as concubine lane, Railway Station, Birch Memorial, Civic Center, St. Michael Institution and the famous “Ipoh Padang”. Afterwards we depart to Penang with a stop at Kuala Kangsar to visit the royal town to see the Sultan Palace and the beautiful Ubudiah
Mosque. We continue our journey and travel on Penang Bridge to reach George Town, the capital of Penang. Lunch included. We will also Visit Kek Lok Si Temple, the largest Chinese temple in South East Asia, founded by a Buddhist priest from Fujian who arrived in Penang in 1887. The main buildings were completed in 1904 with many different deities found in the temple and the Goddess of Mercy Statue overlooking the city. Walk up the seven-tier Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas with three architecture style, a Chinese base, a Thai middle section and a Burmese top. The walls are decorated with 10,000 alabaster and bronze Buddha image. Our stay for today will be at Royale Chulan Hotel (or similar). Dinner included. Monday, 24th June | After breakfast, we set off for a city tour of Georgetown were we visit Esplanade to view neoclassic buildings and Fort Cornwallis, the famous landing point of Sir Francis Light in 1876 and water front stilt house where dwellers live next to modern buildings. Drive through Penang Street, visit Kuan Yin Temple to observe locals praying with joss stick and burning incense paper for good health and prosperity. We walk across to Little India, take in the smell of spices and view locals working at street stalls. We will visit Sri Mahamariaman Temple which is the oldest on the island and continue walking along the narrow street to Penang most beautiful temple, Khoo Kongsi Temple. We then proceed to the Reclining Buddha and Botanical Garden before adjourn for lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon is free to explore George Town. Penang is also known as a food paradise – making it excellent to explore eating out at the local hawker’s food center for dinner. Tuesday, 25th June | Breakfast and today we proceed to Borneo, third-largest island in the world divided into four political regions: Kalimantan belongs to Indonesia; Sabah and Sarawak are part of Malaysia and a small remaining region comprises the sultanate of Brunei. In the morning we are transferred to Penang
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
FROM
¢2899
15 June - 2nd July th
BORNEO
Airport for our flight to Kuching, and upon arrival we will proceed to our hotel - Grand Margherita (or similar). Lunch included and later in the afternoon we have a city tour of Kuching where we visit the gigantic Cat Stature (mascot of the city), travel to Chinatown and stop at the Tua Pek Kong temple – the oldest in Sarawak, admire the view of the imposing Fort Margherita and the Waterfront Esplanade. Later we proceed to the Civic Center Building for a panoramic view of the city from its tower block. The route passes by the beautiful St. Joseph Cathedral, the Syariah Court, Satok Market, traditional Malay houses built on stilts and State Mosque built at the Sarawak River bank. Visit the old Colonial Law Court House - complete with a Clock Tower and a granite obelisk built in memory of Rajah Charles Brooke, view the majestic Astana the former palace of White Rajahs and the imposing State Assemble Building. We take a short walk at the Waterfront and visit the Chinese Museum. Tour ends with visit to Sarawak Museum, which is known as one of the finest in the world. It is a treasure house of artifacts and exhibits which possess great archaeological and cultural significance. Dinner included. Wednesday, 26th June | Today after breakfast we have an excursion to Bako National Park. We depart for a 45 minutes drive which passes through mangrove forest with its unique nipah palms
before arriving at the Bako Fishing Village. Continue by a motorized boat for a 30 minutes cruise along the coast facing South China Sea to reach Bako National Park. We visit the Park’s information and exhibition center, proceed to the park’s western end by trekking through mangrove forest to observe the mud skippers and blue-fiddler crabs, Paku trail to lookout for Proboscis Monkey and climb to the plateau which is home to various botanical delights and several species of the carnivorous pitcher plants. Notice the changes of the vegetation (mangrove, rainforest, kerangan and padang forest). After lunch, we proceed by trekking through the forest which boasts monstrous rainforest trees, indulge in bird watching and observe wildlife. Later we go back to the jetty, then by boat to Bako Village and return by coach to Kuching. Dinner at local seafood restaurant.
orang utans are being rehabilitated and trained to fend for themselves before being release back to the wild. Lunch included and in the afternoon we have the Wetland Tour - a 45 minute drive to Santubong Jetty then board a motorized boat to cruise along the Mangrove Forest to view the flora and fauna. The Irrawaddy dolphins are quite easily spotted near the mouth of the Santubong River. Later proceed along the Salak River / Kuching Wetland National Park to look for Proboscis monkeys and other wildlife’s. After nightfall, cruise along the river to search for Crocodiles and witness Fireflies lighting up the night. Dinner at local seafood restaurant and return to hotel.
Thursday, 27th June | Breakfast. On this day we visit Semonggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. Set up in 1975, the 740 hectares of virgin forest is home to orang utans rescued from captivity and are being rehabilitated in their natural surroundings. This excursion provides an opportunity to observe how the
Friday, 28th June | After we enjoy breakfast, we depart from Kuching to the Batang Ai Jetty. We will have three stopover along the route, Serian – a predominantly dayak trading town, Chinese farm house to see how pepper and cocoa are grown and Lachau for lunch. The journey passes through scenic countryside of rice fields, rubber, cocoa, pepper and oil palm plantations which intermingle with luxuriant tropical rainforest, rivers and mountain ranges. Upon arrival at Batang Ai jetty,we take a boat ride across
PRICE PER PERSON
PRICE INCLUDES
Adult in Triple Adult in Twin Adult in Single
¢2899 ¢2999 ¢3549
MALACCA
BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
Return flights with Emirates to Kuala Lumpur via Dubai Internal flights with AirAsia from Penang to Kuching & Kuching to Kuala Lumpur Accommodation in 3 & 4 star category hotels 15 breakfasts (buffet style with mixture of western and local food) 14 lunches and 12 dinners as per programme All excursions guided with an experienced English-speaking guide as per itinerary All the entrance fees, as mentioned in the programme All transfers as per programme Tips, porterage and Tourism Tax Service of a tour leader All taxes Insolvency funds
the man-made lake to your resort. Check in at Aiman Resort Batang Ai (or similar). The rest of the day is free to explore the surrounding. Dinner included. Saturday, 29th June | Today after breakfast we board a motorized longboat to visit an Iban Longhouse. Ibans are known as fierce headhunters living in the jungle interior and live a nomadic life. On arrival we are welcomed by the natives, then tour the longhouse and watch the native at work such as making mats, baskets, handicrafts and mending fishing nets. We will join the natives in their daily chores like feeding their livestock, washing clothes, socialize with the “Tuan Rumah” (headman), the longhouse dwellers and presentation of gifts. “Tuak” (a potent rice wine) will be served and there will be cultural performances (where you can partake). Travel upriver for a cool dip and enjoy a picnic lunch cooked native style at the river bank before returning to the resort. Dinner included. Sunday, 30th June | After breakfast, take a boat ride to Batang Ai Jetty and continue by coach to Kuching. Lunch included en route and arrive at Kuching late afternoon. Check in at hotel - Grand Margherita (or similar) and dinner at local seafood restaurant. Monday, 1st July / Tuesday, 2nd July | Breakfast at the hotel and later we are transferred to Kuching Airport for our flight to Kuala Lumpur arriving at 1.10pm. Our return flight to Malta will depart at 7.20pm and arrives in Dubai at 10.20pm. This is followed by our next flight that leaves at 7.55am on the 2nd and arrives in Malta at 2.10pm.
Notes: Minimum group size is based on 20 passengers Visa/Requirements: A Maltese passport with a validity date of 6 months beyond departure date. Vaccines: Kindly check with the National Immunisation Service at Floriana Health centre. Contact: 2568 0299
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
| 3
Cuba a Caribbean adventure
VISITING Havana, Miramar, Viñales, Las Terrazas, Cienfuegos, El Nicho waterfalls, Trinidad, Sancti Spiritus, Camaguey, Santiago, Sierra Maestra, Bayamo, Manzanillo, Santa Clara and Remedios Friday, 5th July | We will meet at the airport at 4.00am for our flight with Air Malta, to Havana via Paris. The flight departs at 6.25am and arrives in Paris at 9.20am. We will then board our Air France flight to Havana which leaves at 4.10pm and arrives at 8.05pm. On arrival, we will be transferred to our Hotel
Telegrafo (or similar) in Havana, check in and rest. Saturday, 6th July | After breakfast, we depart with classic cars for a ride over the Malecon, into 5th Avenue, Miramar. We visit the house of Carlos Fuster, next to the cementerio Colon, plaza de la
HAVANA
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Revolucion and callejon de Hamel. Return to Habana Vieja, drop-off and go for a walk. We will visit the 4 squares and have lunch in la Mina. We will also visit the museum Capitanes El Templete, Fortaleza de la Fuerza Real, Bodeguita del Medio, Convento San Francisco de Asis, Cathedral and the specialty shop of cigar & rum - Conde de Villanuevo. Return to our hotel, refresh and evening dinner in Porto Habana and afterwards we visit the Cañonazo ceremony in El Morro Fortres.
La Moka (or similar) and have a free evening. Dinner (extra). Tuesday, 9th July | Today after breakfast we will start off the day with an early walk in nature, sendero La Serafina a well known paradise with more than 70 bird species on show. We will have lunch at Casa del Campesino and afterwards have some time for a swim in river San Juan. Dinner (extra).
Sunday, 7th July | Breakfast and then we start today’s excursion with a visit to the house of Hemingway - casa Vigia, and later visit La Terraza de Cojimar, where he spent most of his time. We will have lunch at Las Brisas restaurant and after that return to Havana and visit the handicraft market. In the evening, we’ll have dinner at Lamparilla 361 followed by a visit to Gato Tuerto for live music and dancing.
Wednesday, 10th July | After breakfast, we depart to Cienfuegos, starting off with a short visit to the orchid gardens in Soroa. Arriving in Cienfuegos, we will have lunch in local restaurant and this is followed by a city tour where we will spot several fascinating historical sites and visit Teatro Tomas Terry, Palacio del Valle, Casa de la Cultura and the historic centre amongst others. Check in at our hotel – Melia Union (or similar) in Cienfuegos and the rest day is at leisure. Dinner included.
Monday, 8th July | Breakfast is followed by an excursion to Viñales, enjoying Cuba’s best natural scenery. We will visit the Cueva del Indio and Mural de la Prehistoria, have lunch in local agrorestaurant el Paraiso and enjoy the view at the Mirador. We will also visit a Vega de tabaco. Later, we make our way towards Las Terrazas, check in at our hotel
Thursday, 11th July | Today’s excursion will take us to El Nicho waterfalls. We will depart after breakfast and upon arrival we will have a walk in nature, enjoy a swim under the falls and have lunch in local restaurant. We will then proceed to Trinidad via Hanabanilla lake and Topes. On arrival, we check in at Iberostar Gran Hotel Trinidad (or simi-
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
FROM
¢3789
5 - 20 July th
TRINIDAD DE CUBA
lar), dinner and in the evening we visit casa de la Trova for music and dance. Friday, 12th July | After breakfast we will have a walking tour in Trinidad, Cuba’s best preserved colonial town, with the old part of Trinidad being a UNESCO heritage site since 1988. While going around exploring the town founded in 1514 with gorgeous brightly coloured buildings, we will visit plaza Mayor, the museum of Romance, the Cathedral and the handicraft market Have a drink in bar Canchanchara and then depart to Sancti Spiritus. On the way we visit Manaca Iznaga, have lunch in Mexxon and later proceed to Camaguey. Upon arrival we check in at our hotel – Melia Gran Hotel Camaguey (or similar). We will enjoy a city tour in bicycle taxi and have dinner at Campana de Toledo. Saturday, 13th July | Breakfast and afterwards we depart to Santiago - the former capital of Cuba, which has a fascinating history as during the Cuban revolution the city was a hotbed of guerilla activity. On the way, we stop at the Cobre basilicum and then continue to Santiago. We will have lunch in a local restaurant El Zunzun and check in at Melia Santiago (or similar). Dinner included and in the evening we visit Casa de la Trova for live music and dance.
tre as well as plaza Cespedes, the Cathedral, callejon Padre Pico, museum of Rum, the museum Ambiente Cubano (house Diego de Velasquez) and have at a local restaurant. We then drive to the Morro fortres and the Granjita de Siboney. Later return to the hotel and have a free evening. Dinner (extra). Monday, 15th July | This morning, after our breakfast, we have an early departure to the Sierra Maestra for an excursion to the Comandancia la Plata (incl lunch box), former hiding place of Fidel in the mountains during revolution. We then continue to Bayamo where we visit the house of Manuel Cespedes, the historic centre and check in at hotel – Royalton (or similar). In the evening we will enjoy a horse carriage ride through the city. Dinner (extra).
PRICE PER PERSON Adult in Triple Adult in Twin Adult in Single Visa cost
¢3789 ¢3889 ¢4216 ¢47
Sunday, 14th July | Today’s excursion after breakfast we visit the historic cen-
BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
Tuesday, 16th July | After breakfast we will depart to Manzanillo and visit this former pirates village. Our next stop will be at Media Luna where we visit the monument of Celia Sanchez, former mistress of Fidel. We will have lunch in a local restaurant and proceed to Camaguey. We check in at our hotel – Melia Gran Hotel Camaguey (or similar). Dinner (extra). Wednesday, 17th July | Breakfast and afterwards we depart to Santa Clara - the capital of the central Cuban province of Villa Clara, chiefly known for its revolutionary landmarks. We visit mausoleum Che Guevarra and the historic city centre. Afterwards we will have lunch at a local restaurant and continue our way to the village of Remedios for our stay in a small boutique hotel – Camino del Principe (or similar).
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We will also visit the museum Parandas Remedianas and have a free evening. Dinner (extra). Thursday, 18th July | Today, after breakfast we make our way to Havana. Upon arrival we have lunch in el Aljibe and later check in at our last hotel – Telegrafo (or similar) and afternoon at leisure. Later in the evening we will have a farewell dinner in restaurant Gijones. Friday, 19th July / Saturday, 20th July | Breakfast and enjoy our final day in Havana. Later in the evening we are transferred to Havana airport for our flight back to Malta. Our flight leaves at 10.25pm and arrives in Paris – Charles de Gaulle airport at 1.35pm on the 20th. We will then board our flight from Paris Orly to Malta, departing at 6.50pm, and arriving in Malta at 9.25pm.
PRICE INCLUDES
NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE
Air Malta flights to/from Paris Air France flights to/from Havana 14 nights accommodation in 3, 4 & 5 star hotels 14 buffet breakfasts, 13 lunches and 7 dinners All transfers as per programme All excursions guided by English speaking guide, as indicated in itinerary Services of Tour Leader All taxes Insolvency Fund
Tips
Notes: Minimum group size is based on 20 passengers Visa/Requirements: The passport must have more than 6 months of availability from day of departure. A photocopy of the passport’s details’ page is required together with the filled in application. Vaccines: Kindly check with the National Immunisation Service at Floriana Health centre. Contact: 2568 0299
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
| 5
Golden route of Japan
VISITING Osaka, Kurashiki, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, Himeji, Kyoto, Nara, Nachikatsuura, Ise, Inuyama, Takayama, Shirakawa, Kanazawa, Matsumoto, Hakone, Kamakura and Tokyo Monday, 8th July / Tuesday, 9th July | We meet at Malta International Airport at 12.30pm for our Emirates flight that leaves at 3.30pm and arrives in Dubai at 1.00am on 09th July. We then board our flight to Japan departing at 3.00am and arriving in Osaka at 5.15pm. On arrival we are transferred to our hotel; Candeo Hotels Osaka Namba (or similar). Check in and have dinner at a restaurant. Wednesday, 10th July | After breakfast, we make our way to Kurashiki and visit the bikan area. During the Edo period, Kurashiki was an important point
along the distribution route of Japan’s most important commodity – rice. Canals were built to allow boats and barges to nagivate between the city’s storehouses and the nearby port. We then proceed to Hatsukaichi, then go by ferry to the island of Miyajima (included) and visit the sanctuary of Itsukushima Shrine (included) whose colourful buildings float on the water of the Inner Sea. From here we continue to Hiroshima, famous for Genbaku Dome (the striking Cupola of a building which remained famously intact after the nuclear attack). Check in at our hotel Oriental Hiroshima (or similar). Dinner at a restaurant.
Thursday, 11th July | After breakfast we start of by visiting the Peace Memorial park, an urban park dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack and to the memories of the bomb’s direct and indirect victims (of whom there may have been as many as 140,000). The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is visited by more than one million people each year. From Hiroshima we make our way to Himeji where we visit the castle. It is known as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture compromising of 83 rooms with advanced defensive systems. We then proceed to Osaka and visit Dotonbori area, a bustling commercial street in Osaka, always busy with playhouses and food shops from the Edo Period to today. Overnight at Candeo Hotels Osaka Namba (or similar) and dinner at a restaurant. Friday, 12th July | After breakfast, we have an excursion to Kyoto. Together with our English-speaking guide we visit Kinkakuji Temple (included), the “Golden Pavillion”, covered entirely with gold leaf and Heianjingu shrine, which was built on the 1,100th anniversary of the foundation of Kyoto as the capital of Japan. Later we visit Fushimi Inari, a famous Shinto shrine, famous for its thousands of red Torii. We then proceed to Nara. Check in at Piazza hotel (or similar) and dinner at a restaurant. Saturday, 13th July | Today after breakfast, we set off for our excursion to we discover Nara. We visit: TodaijiTemple (included), famous for the biggest bronze statue of Buddha in Japan;
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the Kasuga Shrine with 3,000 lanterns; and Nara Park where about 1,000 tame deer circulate freely. Afterwards we make our way to Nachikatsuura, a town on the southereastern coast of the Kii Peninsula, best known for the hot springs and its fishing industry. Our overnight stay will be at Wakayama Minabe (or similar) and dinner included at the hotel. Sunday, 14th July | Breakfast – today we start by trekking the first part of Daimonzaka (between 30-40 minutes walk). It runs from the base of the valley to Kumano Nachi Taisha, Seiganto-ji and Nachi waterfall. It is lined with centuries old Japanese cedars, camphor trees and bamboo groves. We will be picked up at the 1st crossing and transferred to the bottom of the stairway to Seigantoji Temple (entrance included). We will visit the temple and Nachi Taisha on foot. We visit Kumano Nachi Taisha, a Shinto shrine and part of the UNESCO designated World Heritage Sacred sites, an example of Buddhist and Shinto amalgamation nestled in the Kii Mountains, near Kii Katsuura with forests surrounding the site located halfway up Nachi Mountain, about 350 meters above sea level. We will visit the Nachi waterfalls, one of the best-known waterfalls in Japan (on foot - entrance included). Afterwards we continue our trip to Ise. Check in at Hotel Route-Inn Ise (or similar) and dinner at a restaurant. Monday, 15th July | We start the day with breakfast and make our way to Ise to visit the Ise Grand Shrine. It is officially known as simply Jingu. It is a complex composed of a large number of Shinto shrines centered on two main
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
FROM
¢4373
8th - 22nd July
FUSHIMI INARI
shrines – Naiku dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu & Geku dedicated to Toyouke-Omikami, the god of agriculture, rice harvest and industry. We later proceed to Inuyama Castle that is one of only 12 original Japanese castles. The view from the top of the castle built on a small mountain on the banks of the Kiso River is exceptionally spectacular. Afterwards we visit Urakuen Japenese garden, just to the East of the castle. It is the site of Jo-an, one of Japan’s most celebrated teahouses, a national treasure. Later on proceed to Takayama and overnight at Takayama Ouan (or similar). Dinner included in a restaurant. Tuesday, 16th July | After breakfast we will enjoy a brief city tour on foot of Takayama. This is followed by visit the Shirakawa region, declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995. The region is famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses. The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms. Later, we proceed to Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture on Japan’s central Honshu Island. It’s known for well-preserved Edo-era districts, art museums and re-
gional handcrafts. Check in at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kanazawa (or similar). Dinner at a restaurant. Wednesday, 17th July | Today we enjoy a full day city tour of Kanazawa and we will visit Kenrokuen Park, an old private garden classified as one of Japan’s ‘three most beautiful landscapes gardens’. The spacious grounds used to be the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle and were constructed by the ruling Maeda family over a period of nearly two centuries. It features a variety of flowering trees which provide the garden with a different look for each season. Eventually we will arrive at Matsumoto and visit the castle built on flatland. Overnight at Alpico Plaza Hotel Matsumoto (or similar) and enjoy dinner at a restaurant.
kone-Izu National Park. This mountainous town is famous for hot springs, its natural beauty and the view across Lake Ashinoko of nearby Mount Fuji. Hakone is one of the most popular destinations among tourists. Later we enjoy cruising on Lake Ashi where Mount Fuji is reflected in all its glory. We will also have the opportunity to enjoy the Komagatake Ropeway, an aerial lift line in Hakone, that climbs Mount Komagatake from the lake. We proceed and check in at Sengokuhara Prince Hakone (or smiliar) for our stay in Hakone. Dinner included at our hotel.
Thursday, 18th July | We start our day with breakfast followed by a full day city tour of Hakone, part of the Fuji-Ha-
Friday, 19th July | Breakfast and on this day we leave Hakone to the coastal town of Kamakura. The political center of medieval Japan, modern-day Kamakura is a prominent resort town with dozens of Buddhist Zen temples and Shinto shrines. Its most recognizable landmark is the Kotoku-in Temple’s Great Buddha, a roughly
PRICE PER PERSON
PRICE INCLUDES
Adult in Triple Adult in Twin Adult in Single
¢4373 ¢4473 ¢5096
FUSHIMI INARI
BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
Flights with Emirates to Osaka / return from Tokyo via Dubai Accommodation in 3*** similar category hotels 12 breakfasts [a mix of western and Japanese style breakfast] 12 dinners as per programme Return ferry to Miyajima All excursions guided with an experienced English-speaking guide as per itinerary All the entrance fees, as mentioned in the programme All transfers as per programme Service of a tour leader All taxes Insolvency funds
13m high bronze statue of Amida Buddha which resisted the 15th century tsunami. It was also chosen as a National Treasure. Later we continue our way to Tokyo, Japan’s busy capital that offers a mixture of traditional and ultra modern sights – skyscrapers to historic temples. Overnight at Sunshine City Prince (or similar) and enjoy dinner in a restaurant. Saturday, 20th July | In the morning, soon after breakfast we start our excursion to discover the city of Tokyo. Our first stop will be at Meiji Shrine known for its towering gate located within a stunning inner-city park. We will also visit Koukyo higashi Gyoen – The Imperial Palace East gardens and later a visit Sensoji Temple too, the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo dedicated to Asakusa Kannon. Transfer back to our hotel and dinner in a restaurant. Sunday, 21st July/Monday, 22nd July | Breakfast. On our last day in this splendid country, we have a day at leisure for personal sightseeing and shopping. Later in the afternoon we are transferred by private coach to Airport. We depart Tokyo at 10.00pm and arrive in Dubai at 3.40am. We then proceed to our flight to Malta that departs at 7.55am and arriving at 2.10pm (Monday afternoon).
Notes: Minimum group size is based on 20 passengers Visa/Requirements: A Maltese passport with a validity date of 6 months beyond departure date. Vaccines: Kindly check with the National Immunisation Service at Floriana Health centre. Contact: 2568 0299
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
| 7
Journey to
Argentina, Uruguay & Brazil
VISITING Sao Paolo, Montevideo, Punta del Este, Colonia Del Sacramento, Buenos Aires, Tigre Delta, Iguazu Falls, Rio De Janiero, the Corcovado and the Sugar Loaf Mountain Thursday, 22nd August | We meet at the airport at 4.30pm for our AirMalta flight to Lisbon departing at 6.40pm and arriving at 8.55pm. Upon arrival we are transferred to our hotel and overnight. Friday, 23rd August | In the morning we make our way to the airport for our flight to Sao Paolo, the biggest city in South America. We arrive in Brazil at 6.55pm, and then, we are transferred to our hotel in Sao Paolo for check in and overnight. Saturday, 24th August | Early breakfast, check out and an early departure for a panoramic tour of Sao Paolo. Amoungst others we see various places of interest of the city as the historical Downtown with its landmarks, the Paulista Avenue, Higie-
nopolis district, the Pacaembu Stadium, the residential district of Jardins and the famous Ibirapuera Park. We will then proceed to Sao Paolo airport to board our flight to Montevideo - the capital city of Uruguay. Upon arrival, we are transferred to our hotel and overnight in Montevideo. Sunday, 25th August | Breakfast and today we go on a city tour visiting the main monuments, parks and gardens of Montevideo. The main points of interest are the Plaza de Constitucion with the Cathedral and the Colonial Town Hall, the Solis Theatre, Independence Square with a monument of national hero José Gervasio Artigas and his mausoleum. A unique experience is the visit to Mercado del Puerto, a lively place with street
musicians and local artists showing their handicrafts. Our next stop will be the Mercado Agricola, where one can get an insight in the culinary customs of Uruguay. Then we continue to Batlle and Ordoñez Park, passing by the Obelisk, to the Centenario Soccer Stadium which was constructed for the first World Cup in 1930. Our tour continues to the residential area of Carrasco, where we will stop at Plaza Virgilio with a monument dedicated to the fallen soldiers of the navy. Here one can enjoy an excellent view of the city, a great spot for photographers. Overnight in Montevideo. Monday, 26th August | Breakfast is followed by our excursion that takes us to the unspoilt peninsula of Punta del Este wild oceanic beaches, modern buildings
and many fish restaurants. We begin our tour with a scenic drive through the impressive neighbourhood with tree-laned roads, seaside mansions and chic boutiques. We then stop at Punta Ballena for sweeping views up and down the coast. We then visit Casapueblo, the former home and atelier of the internationally renowned artist – Carlos Paez Vilaro. The dazzling white complex, resembling Spanish-Moroccan architecture, is situated on a rocky bluff overlooking the ocean. Vilaró built it in 1958 with his own hands – and help of some friends using only traditional tools. Narrow steps lead to a maze of rooms scattered on different levels and filled with the artist’s works. We continue the drive to Punta del Este and visit the residential areas with its elegant homes of the most sophisticated architecture such as San Rafael, Cantegril, Parque Golf and Beverly Hills. Next we will visit La Barra and its unique hanging bridges. Along the wide variety of fine sandy beaches such as Playa Brava, San Rafael, El Emir, we will continue to the downtown area with its main avenue (Avenida Gorlero) and the port. Free time before we go back to our hotel for overnight in Montevideo. Tuesday, 27th August | Breakfast. We leave Montevideo and make our way to Colonia Del Sacramento. A port in the south by the Rio de la Plata, it is the oldest town in Uruguay with a historic quarter, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The cobblestone streets and various buildings built by the Portuguese in the 17th century, make this an interesting place to visit. Major sights include Iglesias Matriz, the Bull ring and Municipal Museum, are just to mention a few of the many. Later in the day we take the ferry to Argentina. On arrival in Buenos Aires we are transferred to our hotel,
IGUAZU FALLS
8 | BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
22nd August - 5th September
RIO DE JANEIRO
where we check in and have some free time. Overnight in Buenos Aires. Wednesday, 28th August | We start our day with breakfast and then discover Buenos Aires - an impressive city and capital of Argentina and which was one of the richest countries in the world. We will see some of the main highlights such as Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada and Recoleta with its cemetery the final resting place of Eva Peron. We visit the artist’s quarter of San Telmo, a historical neighborhood and the oldest district in the city with many antique stores. We walk along the streets with its old colonial houses, churches and famous antique shops. We will have time to stroll around and take in the views. In the evening, we will enjoy a Tango show with tango singers, dancers, musicians as well as a demonstration of folklore with a “boleadora” performance. Overnight in Buenos Aires. Thursday, 29th August | This morning, we have breakfast and start our excursion – we visit a Gaucha farm where we participate in a Feasta Gaucha, a show of folk dance and song with car-
riage and horse rides showing the charm of Argentine countryside. Afterwards, a typical Barbecue will be served. The day will end with some typical activities of an estancia: regional Gaucho games such as as the “carrera de sortijas”. Return to our hotel and overnight in Buenos Aires. Friday, 30th August | Breakfast and today’s half day tour takes us to Tigre Delta, an attractive area with its rivers, streams and numerous green islands. The continuous sediment of the Paraná River, which gives the river their particular brownish-red color, forms the Delta islands. We drive through the northern district and outskirts of the city to get to Tigre, a resort with a great number of summer residences, yachting and rowing clubs. We then board a boat which will take us along the many channels of the Parana-Delta to see some of the hundreds of islands covered with vegetation. Overnight in Buenos Aires. Saturday, 31st August | In the morning we check out from hotel and we are transferred to the airport to take our flight to the Iguazu Falls. Upon arrival we
make our way to the National Park on the Argentinean side which has 80 percent of the falls. We first go at the Visitors Centre, then proceed to the Inferior Circuit (down-river falls) and then to the Superior Circuit (up-river cascades). A substantial amount of walking is needed for this excursion. Afterwards we board an ecological jungle train which takes us to the most impressive observation point of the falls – The Devil’s Throat. We afterwards check in our hotel and free time. Overnight in Iguazu Falls. Sunday, 1st September | Breakfast and today we discover the Brazilian Side, where we wonder along the ‘Cataratas Trail’ to enjoy the panoramic views of the Devil’s Throat falls, considered as a natural beauty landmark in South America. The waterfalls of the Iguazu River are on the border between Argentina and Brazil, surrounded by flora and fauna. A substantial amount of walking is needed for this excursion. Time is given to enjoy this unique environment. Later we return to the hotel and the rest of the day is free for personal sightseeing and shopping. Overnight in Iguazu Falls. Monday, 2nd September | We check out and head to the airport for our flight to Rio De Janeiro and upon arrival we go on a city tour of this great city. We start by exploring Rio’s central district enjoying the main highlights, mainly Soa Bento Monastery, Candelaria and palace Praca XV de Novembro. The area is where historic events took place such as the coronation of Brazil’s emperor. The walk also takes us down Uruguaiana Street, then Carioca Square and up to the Metropolitan Cathedral. We check in in our hotel and overnight in Rio de Janeiro. Tuesday, 3 September | After breakfast we go for an incredible tour to visit rd
BUENOS AIRES
BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
the Corcovado statue in the Tijuca forest. The tour starts at the Cosme Velho cog-train station, we climb up through the Atlantic Forrest full of diverse flora and fauna (plants and animals). We arrive on top of the mountain, where the statue of Christ the Redeemer dominates over one of the most stunning scenes on earth. The view from the top explains why Rio is considered the world’s most beautiful city. The mixture of sea, lagoon, forest and mountains arising from the ocean, makes the landscape a perfect masterpiece. The statue is impressive and a photo opportunity is not to be missed. Overnight in Rio de Janeiro. Wednesday, 4th September | Breakfast and check out are followed by our excursion - we drive through the Flamenco Park from where we will be able to enjoy views of various beaches and of the Sugar Loaf Mountain. We take a cable car to the top from where prime views of the city, Corcovado and a 360o view of Rio de Janeiro. The mountain is a natural geographic area covered in quartz and granite set in the shallow waters of the harbour. We then proceed to the airport where we start our journey back to Malta, starting with our flight to Sao Paolo. Thursday, 5th September / Friday, 6th September | The next flight will take us from Sao Paulo to Lisbon leaving at 00.40am. We arrive in Lisbon at 2.30pm and this is followed by our flight to Malta departing at 9.45pm and arriving at 01.45am (6th).
Prices have not yet been confirmed upon printing of this brochure. Please ask us for more details.
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
| 9
China & Yangtze River Cruise
4 star hotels, all excursions, meals & entrances included as per programme
VISITING Beijing, Tian’an men Square, the Forbidden City & the Great Wall of China, Kunming Lake, Xi’an, Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Terracotta Warriors, Giulin, Longji Rice Terrace, Sea Pearl Museum, Chengdu, Panda breeding Centre, Huanglongxi, Shibaozhai, Yangtze River, Qutang and Wu Gorge, Goddess Stream, Shanghai, Three Gorges Dam, the Bund, Yu Garden and Shanghai Museum Thursday, 22nd August / Friday, 23rd August | We will meet at the airport at 12.30pm, for our Emirates flight to Beijing that leaves at 3.30pm and arrives in Dubai at 1.00am (23rd). We will then board our flight to Beijing departing at 3.55am and arriving in Beijing at 3.25pm. On arrival, we will be transferred to Landmark Hotel (or similar) in Beijing. After check in, we will have some free time to relax after our long flight and familiarise ourselves with this city and later have dinner. Saturday, 24th August | After breakfast, today we will visit the Forbidden City – a palace complex in central Beijing and the former seat of Imperial Chinese Dragon Throne from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty. It now houses the Palace Museum. We will also go to the centre of Beijing City and see the famous Tiananmen Square, admire the Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People’s Heroes, Great Hall of the People and Mao Zedong Memorial Hall. A highly recommended experience is the Hutong tour on rickshaws (extra) to experience local people’s life. One can also enjoy lunch with a local family. Lunch and dinner are both included today, overnight in Beijing. Optional Kungfu Show tonight. Sunday, 25th August | This morning after breakfast, we will visit Badaling Section of the famous Great Wall. A symbol of ancient Chinese civilisation, the Great Wall has stood for more than 2,000 years. It was built in stages from the 5th century BC to the 16th century AD as protection against northern nomadic tribes. Stretching from the coast of the Bohai Bay in the east and ending at the Jiayu Pass in the west, it snakes along the back of mountains, deserts and valleys for 6350km. It is said to be, one of the only two human engineering projects visible by astronauts from space with the naked eye. Later in
the afternoon, we will visit the Summer Palace cruising on the Kunming Lake (weather permitting). Return to our hotel. Lunch and dinner included. Monday, 26th August | We will start the day with breakfast and a transfer to the airport for our flight from Beijing to Xi’an. Upon arrival, we will visit the Ancient City Wall. Lunch and dinner are included – dinner will be in a restaurant with distinct local flavour of dumpling. Overnight at Golden Flower Hotel (or similar) in Xi’an. Tuesday, 27th August | Today, after breakfast, we will visit Xi’an Antiques Research & Protection Institute located inside Small Wild Goose Pagoda where we will have the chance to admire 15 pieces of bronze, jade and gold ware dating from thousands of years ago. In the afternoon, we will visit the world-famous Terra-Cotta Warriors. The vaults or pits containing Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army are located just outside Xi’an and were found by accident by farmers in 1974. This army of more than 6,000 lifesize terracotta warriors, with horses and chariots lined up facing east and ready for battle, is one of the world’s most remarkable archaeological finds. Lunch (included). We will have the opportunity to visit Tang Dynasty Dance and Music show (extra). Dinner (extra). Wednesday, 28th August | After breakfast we are transferred to Xi’an airport. We board our internal flight to Giulin and upon arrival we are met by a local guide and transferred to our hotel. Check in at Lijiang Waterfall Hotel (or similar). Today we will have an optional cruise excursion on the four lakes (extra). The night four lake cruise is one of the must-do activities during a Guilin tour, the construction of two rivers and four lakes reconstruction project was complete in 2000, com-
10 | BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
posed of Fir Lakes, Banyan Lakes, Guilin Lakes and Wood Jorgen Lakes. Overnight in Giulin. Thursday, 29th August | Today during our excursion we will be able to visit the Longji Rice Terrace and visit the sea pearl museum. These rice terraces are one of the most amazing terraces in China. The construction began in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and continued until the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) - a beautiful natural picture. The linked together rice terraces vary from season to season. In spring, the water is irrigated into the fields and the terraces look like great chains or ribbons hung on the hillsides. The theme of autumn is the harvest, with mountainside decorated with the gold of ripened millet. During winter, the whole mountain is covered with white snow. Amazing scenery, Longji is also the area to experience China’s ethnic minorities’ culture. Lunch and dinner included. Friday, 30th August | After breakfast, today we will enjoy the Li River Cruise. Li River is a highlight during a visit to Guilin - a 54 kilometer waterway covering hundreds and thousands of grotesque peaks with picturesque scenery and green hills. Afterwards we will also have some free time to explore the West Street, the oldest street in Yangshuo with a history of more than 1,400 years. Situated at the centre, since the 1980’s, the street has become, a window of eastern and western culture and the biggest ‘foreign language centre in China. It is the most prosperous district in Yangshuo, and, each year, approximately 100,000 foreigners come here on their travels or to attend advanced studies. Lunch and dinner included. Saturday, 31st August | After breakfast, we will be transferred to the airport
to fly to Chengdu. In the afternoon, after we check in at Crowne Plaza Chengdu City Centre Hotel (or similar), we will visit Jinli Ancient Street, famous for the baldachin - a rich, ornate cloth. We will admire the traditional-style buildings, tea houses, artisans stores and taste some local snacks and enjoy a cup of tea in a traditional tea house. The wooden steles and the brick-walls exhibit an ancient charm. Strolling down the narrow street, we will find ourselves surrounded by oldworld stores selling Shu Embroidery, lacquer products, folk handicrafts, curios, or calligraphies and paintings of celebrities. Lunch and dinner included. Sunday, 1st September | Today we will spend our day with loveable creatures – pandas. The Chengdu Panda Breeding Center is a non-profit research and breeding facility for giant pandas and other rare animals that strive to simulate a natural environment for these creatures. Our guide will take us through the centre to get a full overview of pandas’ development. Later, we’ll go to Huanglongxi, a historic Chinese town located about 50 km from Chengdu in China’s Sichuan Province. The town is over 1,700 years old and has been restored to retain its rustic charm, with ancient cobbled streets, temples, and wharves and houses along its curving alleys. The town features a number of temples and some of the well-known ones include Zhenjiang Temple, Chaoyin Temple and Gulong Temple. In the evening, one can opt to go to the Changing Faces show (extra). Lunch and dinner are included. Monday, 2nd September | Today we will take the bullet train from Chengdu to Chongqing. On arrival, we will have a city sightseeing tour of Chongqing. Time for lunch – included and later on we will make our way to board the Victoria Jenna cruise ship, the newest and largest river
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
FROM GREAT WALL OF CHINA
cruise ship. Inaugurated in 2009, the Victoria Jenna sets the standard for fine luxury river cruising not just in China but throughout the world, we will set sail at 9.00pm. Dinner is included. Tuesday, 3rd September | Today we’ll be enjoying our time onboard the Victoria Jenna and along the Yangtze River. This river plays a big role in the history, culture and economy of China. It flows through a wide array of ecosystems and is habitat to several endemic and endangered species including the Chinese alligator, the finless porpoise, the Chinese paddlefish, the possibly extinct Yangtze River dolphin or baiji, and the Yangtze sturgeon. For thousands of years, the river has been used for water, irrigation, sanitation, transportation, industry, boundary-marking and war. Our excursion today, takes us to Shibaozhai, known also as the Precious Stone Fortress, a hill along the bank of the Yangtze River. This 200m tall hill has very steep sides. On the river side of the hill is a red pavilion which leans against the side providing a walkway to the temple at the top of the hill. It is considered to be one of the largest wooden temples, built at the side of rock having nine floors. We will return to the Victoria Jenna (full board) where we can enjoy the rest of the day.
¢3199
22 August - 8th September nd
Wednesday, 4th September | Another day of cruising the Yangtze River, and we shall sail through Qutang and Wu Gorge. Qutang Gorge, the shortest and most majestic of the Three Gorges that winds five miles from Baidi City in Fengjie County to Daxi Town in Wushan County. Today’s excursion takes us to Goddess stream which is hidden deep in the valley, therefore the primitive landscape fortunately is well-reserved and represented as a spectacle to tourists after the construction of the Three Gorges Project. It offers beautiful scenery decorated by five towering peaks of Wushan Mountain and a unique interaction with the locals. In the middle section, south of the bank stands Rising Peak and the north-west faces Qiyun (Clouds Lifting) Peak, both surrounded by the stream and covered by a thin layer of mist, also known as “Beauty Stream”. Full board on Victoria Jenna.
lowed by visit of the 3 Gorges Dam Site. The Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest power station. Apart from producing electricity, the dam is intended to increase the Yangtze River’s shipping capacity and reduce potential floods downstream by providing flood storage space. After disembarkation, we will be transferred to the airport for our flight to Yichang to Shanghai. Upon arrival, check in at Equatorial Hotel (or similar). Both lunch & dinner included.
Shanghai Museum housing a collection of over 120,000 items, including bronze, ceramics, calligraphy, furniture, jades, ancient coins, paintings, seals, sculptures, minority art and foreign art. The Shanghai Museum houses several items of national importance, including one of three extant specimens of a “transparent” bronze mirror from the Han Dynasty. Lunch and dinner included. Tonight there will be the opportunity to enjoy the optional Acrobatic Show.
Thursday, 5th September | Today, we will arrive at Maoping and we have an optional excursion of ship elevator fol-
Friday, 6th September | After breakfast, today we will start with a visit to the Bund, a waterfront area in central Shanghai. The area along the river faces the modern skyscrapers of Lujiazui in the Pudong District. From here, we will make our way to Yu Garden - “Garden of Happiness “ which is an extensive Chinese garden located beside the City God Temple in the northeast of the Old City of Shanghai. Yu Garden occupies an area of 5 acres and is divided into six general areas laid out in the Suzhou style. Later, we will also visit the
Saturday, 7th September / Sunday, 8th September | Today, we have a free day to enjoy our last day in this country, at Shanghai – the city with the largest population in the world. Shanghai shows traditional roots in several temples, neoclassic and art deco styles and authentic Chinese wares and bargains. In the evening we are transferred to the airport for our Emirates flight to Dubai leaving at 00.05am arriving at 4.55am (8th Sept). We proceed with our flight back to Malta departing at 7.55am and arriving back home at 2.10pm.
PRICE PER PERSON
PRICE INCLUDES
NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE
Emirates flights to Beijing /return from Shanghai via Dubai Air China internal flights: Beijing / Xi’an / Guilin / Chengdu, Yichang / Shanghai 12 nights accommodation in 4 star hotels 3 nights accommodation on board Victoria Jenna Cruise Ship 15 buffet breakfasts, 13 lunches and 14 dinners Meals (except for breakfasts) are taken in typical Chinese restaurants with one glass of soft drink All transfers as per programme All excursions guided by English speaking guide as indicated in itinerary Entrance fees to places of interest as shown on itinerary Hotel and luggage van gratuity Services of Tour Leader All taxes Insolvency Funds
Hutong in Beijing - ¢37 Kung Fu Show in Beijing - ¢38 Tang Dynasty in Xi’an - ¢35 Four lakes in Giulin - ¢40 Changing Faces show in Chengdu - ¢40 Ship Elevator excursion - ¢31 Acrobatic Show in Shanghai - ¢38 Gratuities CNY 50 per person per day, total of CNY 800 - per person for gratuity throughout the trip to be shared by tour manager, local guides and drivers. This does not include the separate gratuity of CNY 150 per person has to be paid upon check in at the Victoria Jenna Cruise ship The above prices are subject to change
Adult in Triple Adult in Twin Adult in Single
¢3199 ¢3299 ¢3889
FORBIDDEN CITY
BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
Notes: Minimum group size is based on 20 passengers Visa: Visa costs ¢60 and must be paid directly at the Embassy together with a reference letter. Please ask at the desk for requirements. Vaccines: Kindly check with the National Immunisation Service at Floriana Health centre. Contact: 2568 0299
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
| 11
Grand tour of South Africa
Johannesburg to Cape Town
VISITING Johannesburg, Hazyview, Swaziland, Hluhluwe, Umhlanga, Plettenberg Bay, Oudtshoorn and Cape Town Sunday, 25th August / Monday, 26th August | We meet at the airport at 12.30pm for our Emirates flight that leaves Malta at 3.30pm and arrives in Dubai at 1.00am. We then board our flight to South Africa departing at 4.05am. We arrive in Johannesburg, OR Tambo International Airport at 10.15am. Transfer to our Hotel in the heart of Sandton to check-in and freshen up. Photo opportunity at Nelson Mandela Square, in front of a bronze statue of late President Nelson Mandela, before transfer to Lesedi. We will arrive at about 1630 at Lesedi Cultural Village where we will enjoy a guided tour of this traditional village with traditional song
and dance display with dinner (included). Overnight at The Maslow Hotel, Sandton (or similar). Tuesday, 27th August | Early breakfast and check-out. Today we make our way to Hazyview that is located amongst sub-tropical fruit orchards, close to the renowned Kruger National Park. Transfer to our hotel allowing for early afternoon check in. We have dinner (included) and overnight at Casa do Sol Resort Hotel (or similar) in Hazyview. Wednesday, 28th August | Breakfast and full day to exploring the magnificent Panorama Route. From many well-
positioned vantage points, one has a view of the 33 km long gorge, which starts at Bourke’s Luck Potholes (included) and ends at the Three Rondavels (included). We then stop at God’s window (included). A waterfall also included on today’s itinerary and visiting Graskop. We have dinner (included) Thursday, 29th August | Today we have an early morning, check out and depart our hotel for our excursion of the day. [Packed breakfast]. We enjoy an open vehicle safari through the Kruger National Park (included). The worldrenowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the
best in Africa, supporting more than half of the world’s remaining white rhinos, together with other animals such as buffaloes, elephants, black rhinos, leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs & giraffes and one of the few viable lion populations in southern Africa. Later we make our way to the Royal Kingdom of Swaziland. Entering through Jeppe’s Reef Border Post, we will continue to the Ngwenya Glass Works (included) and see master craftsmen create beautiful sculptures and artwork from molten glass. Afterwards, we are transferred to our hotel - Royal Swazi Resort & Spa (or similar). We have dinner (included). Friday, 30th August | Breakfast and afterwards we will enjoy a morning visit to Malandela’s as well as the Swazi Candle Factory, colourful handmade products featuring wax encased lights, pure vegetables glycerine soaps and marula oli bodybalm. Coffee stop at Nisela Safaris in the Nisela Nature Reserve before crossing over the border at Golela Border Post into KwaZulu-Natal. Overnight at Zulu Nyala Heritage Safari Hotel, Hluhluwe (or similar) and dinner (included). Saturday, 31st August | Today after breakfast we are transferred to the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve (included) for a morning of game viewing in open 4x4 safari vehicles. Return to the hotel giving the afternoon free to relax at your Hotel or enjoy optional excursions in this area (extra). We have dinner (included).
BOURKE’S LUCK POTHOLES
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Sunday, 1st September | Breakfast is followed by a journey along the Elephant Coast of KwaZulu Natal to St Lucia, located at the southern extremity (PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
FROM
¢3699
25 August - 10th September th
CAPE TOWN
of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Here we will embark on an estuarine safari boat cruise, enjoying hippo, crocodiles and an abundance in bird life before we make our way to our hotel. Overnight at Protea Hotel Mariott Umhlanga Ridge (or similar). Lunch and Dinner (extra). Monday, 2nd September | (Packed breakfast) - This morning we make our way to the airport for our flight to Port Elizabeth. Arriving in Port Elizabeth, we have a short, drive by city tour and later transferred to Plettenberg Bay. We travel via the coastline to the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park (included) - ‘garden of the Garden Route’. One can enjoy a walk along the suspension bridge across the Storms River mouth gorge which offers incredible views. Arrival and check in at Whalesong Hotel & Spa, Plettenberg Bay (or similar). Dinner (included). Tuesday, 3rd September | After breakfast we will visit Monkeyland & Birds of Eden (included) – the largest free-flight bird aviary in the world. We then proceed to Bramon Wine Estate (included) for some tasting followed by lunch (extra) and later visit Keurbooms National Park - we will embark on a cruise up the Keurbooms River. Dinner (included).
Wednesday, 4th September | Breakfast and optional excursion: Marine Encounter boat trip - (weather & time permitting / extra). Today we will also visit Knysna Waterfront Complex, certainly one of the most popular leisure and shopping destinations in the region. Dinner (included). Thursday, 5th September | Breakfast and today we make our way to Oudtshoorn – the ‘feather capital’ of the world. We enjoy a tour of the Cango Caves (included). From here we will have a guided tour on an ostrich show farm. Check in at De Opstal Country Lodge (or similar) in the late afternoon before enjoying dinner (included). Friday, 6th September | Today after breakfast we enjoy a visit to Cango Wildlife Ranch (extra) before departing Oudtshoorn. The Cango Wildlife Ranch & Conservation Centre (special attractions includes cheetah land; Kuranda forest; Lemur falls; Snake park; crocodiles and much more). We will travel via
PRICE PER PERSON Adult in Triple Adult in Twin Adult in Single
¢3699 ¢3739 ¢4349
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
Route 62 to Barrydale for lunch (extra) and onward to Cape Town. Enjoy a drive pass city tour showing us Cape Town. We admire its historical beginnings and its modern buildings and malls. Our overnight will be at Pepperclub Hotel & Spa (or similar). Dinner (extra). Saturday, 7th September | After breakfast, we travel along the Atlantic Seaboard via Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay to Hout Bay (optional boat trip to Seal Island – extra). We later continue via Chapman’s Peak (weather permitting) to Cape Point and the Good Hope Nature Reserve [funicular not included], and then to historic Simon’s Town – a village with charming Victorian architecture, a naval base and a large penguin colony at the beautiful Boulders Beach. Overnight and have dinner (extra). Sunday, 8th September | Breakfast and today’s excursion takes us first to Table Mountain (weather permitting). Access to one of the eight natural wonders of the world is an optional excur-
sion, with a cable car (extra). From here we will travel to the heart of the Cape Winelands through superb mountain ranges, vineyards and Cape Dutch homesteads. We be visiting Stellenbosch as well as a Wine Estate for wine tasting and farewell lunch (included) before browsing in the main street of Franschhoek with all its stalls; galleries and shops. Return to our hotel and have dinner (extra). Monday, 9th September / Tuesday, 10th September | After breakfast we will check out. We will visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens this morning. Transfer to V&A Waterfront afterwards, where you can enjoy a few hours at leisure to do shopping and enjoy lunch (extra). Later in the afternoon, we are transferred to Cape Town International Airport and check in for our flight departing at 6.05pm and arriving in Dubai at 5.30am (early Tuesday morning). This is followed by our next flight departing at 7.55am and arriving in Malta at 2.10pm.
PRICE INCLUDES
NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE
Return flights with Emirates to Johannesburg / from Cape Town via Dubai Internal flight South Africa Airways or British Airways from Durban to Port Elizabeth 14 night accommodation in 4**** hotels 12 buffet breakfasts, 2 packed breakfast, 1 lunch and 10 dinners All excursions guided by an English speaking THETA accredited guide as per itinerary All the entrances, as mentioned in the programme All transfers as per programme Service of a tour leader All taxes Insolvency Funds
Marine Encounter boat trip off Plettenberg Bay beach ¢53 per person (whale watching) Cango Wildlife Ranch in Oudtshoorn - ¢24 per person Seal Island boat trip in Hout Bay - ¢8 per person Table Mountain, Cape Town cable car - ¢22 per person The above prices are subject to change
Notes: Minimum group size is based on 20 passengers Visa/Requirements: A Maltese passport with a validity date of 6 months beyond departure date. Vaccines: Kindly check with the National Immunisation Service at Floriana Health centre. Contact: 2568 0299
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
| 13
Peru
VISITING Lima, Cuzco, Sacred Valley, Indian market of Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, Urubamba Valley, Aguas Calientes, Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Tambomachay, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios River, Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, Amazon Basin, Lake Sandoval, Tambopata National Reserve, Inkaterra Canopy Walkway, Anaconda Walk, Aguajales swamps, Butterfly House, Uros Island, Puno, Colca canyon, Tocra, Pata Pampa, Chivay, Cruz del Condor, Pinchollo, Antahuilque, Choquetico, Yanque, Arequipa Wednesday, 28th August | We meet at the airport at 4.00am for our flight to Paris departing at 6.25am and arriving at 9.20am. Upon arrival we are transferred to the majestic capital of France and enjoy a city tour. Later we are transferred to our hotel – Ibis Bercy (or similar) and check in. Lunch & dinner (extra).
Indians meet to sell their merchandise as they have done for centuries. We stop for a buffet lunch. In the afternoon we visit to Ollantaytambo, the great Inca fortresses and sacred areas in the Urubamba Valley. We board the train to Aguas Calientes. Check in at Casa Andina Machu Picchu (or similar). Dinner (extra).
Thursday, 29th August | Early breakfast and we proceed to the airport for our flight to Peru, we board Air France flight to Lima arriving at 4.00pm. On arrival we are transferred to our hotel and check in at San Agustin Exclusive Hotel (or similar) in Lima. Dinner (extra).
Sunday, 1st September | Today after breakfast we visit the ruins and tour the citadel – Machu Picchu with a private guide. In the afternoon we return to Cuzco on board the Vistadome train. Cuzco is South America’s archaeological capital and is now one of Peru’s most important and most frequented tourist attractions. Nevertheless, it has maintained its vivid legacy as the hub of the Inca Empire: Quechua-speaking Inca descendants can still be found multitudinously in the centuries-old stone-walled city streets. Cuzco also boasts magnificent repositories of colonial art – fine examples can be found in the Cathedral and Museum of Archaeology. Upon arrival we are transferred to our hotel – Costa del Sol (or similar), check-in and overnight in Cuzco. Lunch & dinner (extra).
Friday, 30th August | We start our holiday in Peru with breakfast followed by a city tour including the Plaza Mayor, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We will then continue our way towards the Cathedral, with its splendid carved stalls, silver covered altars surrounded by fine woodwork, the Government Palace, the City Hall and the Archbishop’s Palace. We will also visit the San Francisco Monastery which houses the largest exhibition of Colonial religious art in America. Another visit will be at the Monastery of Santo Domingo where we see one of the masterpieces of the Maltese artist Melchior Gafa’ – Santa Rosa di Lima. We will have time for lunch (extra). Later in the afternoon we do a visit to Parque de las Agua (entrance included). Return to the hotel and dinner (extra). Saturday, 31st August | After breakfast we are transferred to the airport for our flight to Cuzco. On arrival we make our way to the Sacred Valley to visit the Indian market of Pisaq where the local
Monday, 2nd September | Today after breakfast we have some free time. Later in the afternoon we start our excursion with a city tour, visiting the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, the Santo Domingo Temple & Koricancha, the Dominican Church and convent built on the foundations of the Koricancha, which are the Incas principal religious building dedicated to the worship of the sun. Then we continue with the visit to Sacsayhuaman fortress overlooking the ancient capital of the Incas, Qenqo and Tambomachay. Qenqo is a vast rocky hilltop carved into
14 | BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
staircases, holes and channels, probably built to store the chichi (fermented maize beer) used in Inca rituals. Tambomachay is another fine example of Inca architecture made up of platforms, niches and fountains which still function today, as water flows down through them from a spring higher up in the hills. Lunch & dinner (extra). Tuesday, 3rd September | After breakfast we go to the airport for the flight to Puerto Maldonado. Here we experience the enchantment of the rainforest, as we take a 45-minute boat ride along the Madre de Dios River to arrive at Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica lodge. After a short briefing, we settle into the beautiful cabaña and enjoy lunch. Some free time followed by refreshing tea and get ready for the afternoon excursion. After gathering with our Inkaterra Explorer Guide, we choose from the various excursions available at Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica. We recommend a guided walk along the Trail system, into the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica natural area, where we discover the Amazon Basin. This trail offers an excellent introduction to the jungle environment, winding past impressive trees such as the Shihuahuaco, and the strangely beautiful strangler fig, offering excellent opportunities for bird watching and observing exotic insects. The Twilight River excursion is also recommended - a guided afternoon boat ride on the Madre de Dios river. Witness the transformation from a diurnal to a nocturnal world: animals and birds of the daytime give way to species specially adapted to the night. As we enjoy this paradise, we learn about their habits, while searching for nightjars, owls, capybarasand big caimans. After dinner,
relax in our cabaña. Overnight at Hacienda Concepcion by Inkaterra (or similar) in Puerto Maldonado. Wednesday, 4th September | A full buffet breakfast is served from 5.30am to 9.30am. This morning we go on the Lake Sandoval excursion into the Tambopata National Reserve. We glide in a wooden canoe, across a beautiful, mirror-like oxbow lake that is home to the endangered giant river otter, as well as red howler monkeys, redbellied macaws, anacondas, side-neck turtles and black caimans. Return to the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica for lunch and afterwards we have the opportunity to visit the remarkable Inkaterra Canopy Walkway and Anaconda Walk. For more than a quarter of a mile, we will literally walk through the rainforest canopy on a suspension bridge network linking eight observation platforms. During this hour-and-a-half expedition, we have to be on the lookout for bright toucans, woodpeckers, trogons, monkeys and the three-toed sloth. We then cross the lush eco system, you may observe the various species of amphibians, birds, mammals, abundant flora, trees and there is a possibility to see snakes of this flooded marshland. The walk finishes by returning to the lodge. Once at the lodge, we enjoy the daily nature presentation in the Eco Center. In the evening, we enjoy dinner and overnight in Puerto Maldonado. Thursday, 5th September | Enjoy a full breakfast before departure. A 45- minute return trip by boat on the Madre de Dios River takes us to Puerto Maldonado, where we visit the Butterfly House. Peru boasts the greatest variety of butterflies in the world, with 3,700 known species.
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28th August - 13th September
MACHU PICCHU
Many of these canbe seen at the Butterfly House, a showcase for the variety, beauty and adaptability of these fascinating insects. Transfer to the airport and take a plane back to Cuzco. Overnight stay at Costa del Sol (or similar) in Cuzco. Lunch & dinner (extra). Friday, 6th September | After breakfast we are transferred to the bus station, and board a touristic bus where we will be visiting Raqch’i, Pukara and Andahuaylillas. Raqch’i is an Inca archaeological site in Peru located in the Cusco region, 3480 meters above sea level. It is also known as the Temple of Wiracocha. Pukara is a site of military ruins in Peru situated in the Cusco Region. This fort is made of large walls, terraces, and staircases and was part of defense of Cusco in particular and the Inca Empire in general. The name probably comes from the red colour of the rocks at dusk. The main attraction of Andahuaylillas is its baroque church dedicated to Saint Peter the Apostle. The church is nicknamed “the Sistine Chapel of America” because of the magnificent frescos that adorn its walls. Lunch and entrance fees are inclusive. Check in and overnight stay in Puno – Taipikala Lago Hotel (or similar). Dinner (extra). Saturday, 7th September | Today after breakfast we embark on a cultural journey and explore the island of Uros,
learning about their indigenous people and traditions. We head out across Lake Titicaca toward Uros, a group of man-made floating islands constructed entirely out of reeds. The friendly Uru people are always happy to welcome tourists to their islands, and will share with us their history, culture and traditions. We take a boat out to the islands and learn how the Uru built their floating homes entirely out of totora reeds and rope. The islands initially acted as a defensive mechanism, and were easily moved in case a threat arose. The bottoms of the islands rot away fairly quickly, so reeds are being constantly added on top, allowing each island to last for years. Later return to our hotel in Puno. Lunch & Dinner (extra).
where we will be able to see the Ampato (6,300m), the Sabancaya Volcano Smoking, the Hualca-Hualca, the Cordillera de Chila and the Mismi - the source of the Amazon River. We arrive to Chivay at 3,651mts. Overnight stay at El Refugio Hotel Colca (or similar) in Colca. Lunch & dinner (extra).
Sunday, 8th September | After breakfast we start our journey to Colca canyon. On the way we stop to visit Tocra over the 4,500mts observe the lakes with the migrant’s birds, and take spectacular pictures of the Altiplano with lamas and with hick Guanacos, to Pata Pampa (Pata-High, Pampa-Land) which is the highest point of our tour 4,820 meters,
Monday, 9th September | Early start on this day. After breakfast we go to the Canyon, visit to Cruz Del Condor. Here we can observe the condors and have a look at the depth of the Canyon. We return to Chivay, visiting Pinchollo the Cabana town and then arrive at Antahuilque Viewpoint, where a wonderful 1,500 year old terracing constructed by the Collaguas culture, before the Inca time, can be observed. We visit Choquetico viewpoint with the Tumbas colgantes – hanging tombs, and the litomaqueta – the terrace model drawing in the rock. Later on, we continue to Maca, a destroyed Andean community by an earthquake in November 1991. We visit Yanque with the most beautiful church in the valley where we can appreciate the mestizo
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Adult in Triple Adult in Twin Adult in Single
¢4599 ¢4659 ¢5279
CUSCO
BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
Return Air Malta Fights: Malta/Paris/Malta Air France Flights: Paris/Lima/Paris Internal flights with Latam Airlines Lima/ Cuzco; Cuzco/Puerto Maldonado; Puerto Maldonado/Cuzco; Arequipa/Lima 1 night accommodation in Paris 14 nights accommodation in 3 & 4 star hotels 15 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 2 dinners All transfers as per programme All excursions guided by English speaking guide as indicated in itinerary Entrance fees to places of interest as shown on itinerary Services of Tour Leader All taxes Insolvency Funds
style in the sillar, a volcanic stone. Return to Arequipa and overnight at El Fundador Hotel (or similar). Lunch & dinner (extra). Tuesday, 10th September | Breakfast and today we go on a city tour of Arequipa which is a great way to get to know the impressive beauty of “La Ciudad Blanca”, the White City. The tour includes sites such as the church and square of San Francisco, dome of La Compañía de Jesus, colonial homes, the Plaza de Armas and the unforgettable Convent of Santa Catalina, characterized by its narrow streets and different styles famous in the 16th century. The Convent of Santa Catalina, perhaps the most fascinating colonial religious building in the country, was until recently home to almost 450 nuns. Overnight stay in Arequipa. Lunch & dinner (extra). Wednesday, 11th September | Today is a free day for personal sightseeing, enjoying walking around and exploring or shopping. Overnight stay in Arequipa. Lunch & dinner (extra). Thursday, 12th September / Friday, 13th September | Breakfast and later in the afternoon we are transferred to the airport where we board our flight: Arequipa to Lima, followed by the flight Lima to Paris Charles de Gaulle departing at 6.20pm and arriving at 1.50pm (13th Sep). This is followed by our final flight from Orly departing at 6.50pm and arriving at 9.25pm.
Notes: Minimum group size is based on 15 passengers Visa: A Maltese passport with a validity date of 6 months beyond departure date. Vaccines: Kindly check with the National Immunisation Service at Floriana Health centre. Contact: 2568 0299
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
| 15
Sri Lanka
All excursions, meals & entrances included as per programme
VISITING Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Sigiriya, Minneriya National Park, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla Cave Temples, Matale Spice Garden, Kandy, Ramboda Water Falls, Nuwara Eliya, Hortain Plains, Ella, Ravana Waterfalls, Tissamaharama, Yala, South Beach & Colombo Saturday, 7th September / Sunday, 8th September | We meet at the Malta International Airport at 1.30pm for our Emirates flight to Dubai. Our flight departs at 3.30pm and arrives in Dubai at 1.00am (8th September). We then board our flight to Colombo which departs at 2.40am, and arrives at 8.35am. Upon arrival we are transferred to Sigiriya. En-route we visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, currently a home to 93 elephants which started off with the introduction of five abandoned baby elephants to the premises. On arrival at Sigiriya, we check in our hotel The Paradise Resort & Spa (or similar). Monday, 9th September | After breakfast we discover Sigiriya, one of Sri Lanka’s most popular tourist attractions. We start with a visit to Sigiriya Rock – an ancient rock fortress located in the northern Matele district near the town of Dambulla. It’s a historical and archaeological site dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200m selected by King Kasyapa to built his palace on top and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. Later we will have the opportunity to enjoy a village tour with boat riding & oxcart riding and in the end return to our hotel. Tuesday, 10th September | Breakfast and today’s excursion takes us to Polonnaruwa heritage site. Polonnaruwa, the Capital of Sri Lanka between the 11th and 13th century, offers splendid and spectacular statues. Sri Lanka’s splendid medieval capital was established as the first city of the land and Kings ruled the country from here 800 years ago when it was a thriving commercial and religious
centre. The glories of that period can be found in the archaeological treasures that present a good idea of how the city looked like in its heyday. The archaeological park is a delight to explore, with hundreds of ancient structures – tombs, temples, statues and stupas. Later we will enjoy the exciting Minneriya Safari - a jeep safari tour of Minneriya National Park that gives us the opportunity to see herds of elephants throughout the year. Return to hotel and overnight. Wednesday, 11th September | Today after breakfast we leave for another full day excursion and at the end we will arrive at Kandy. Our first stop being Dambulla Cave Temple, a World Heritage site also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla. Situated in the central part of the country, Dambulla is the largest and best preserved cave temple complex of the country. One finds more than 80 caves in the surrounding area and the main attractions containing statues and paintings are spread over 5 caves. We will also visit a Spice Garden in Matale. For centuries, spices have been one of Sri Lanka’s famous exports. Spices are mostly grown in home gardens (as a home industry) and used not only to flavor food but also in medicine and cosmetics. Upon arrival in Kandy, we will check in at Cinnamon Citadel (or similar). Thursday, 12th September | After breakfast we start our day with a visit to the Royal Botanical Garden. These started off in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the Kings of Kandy. There are more than 5000 species of trees and plants, rare and endemics as well as flora from
16 | BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
the tropical World, Spice Garden, Orchid House and a giant Javan fig tree that covers 1600 sq metres. This visit will be followed by a visit to Kandy temple and the cultural show. The Temple of tooth relic, also known as Dalada Maligawa is believed to house the ‘tooth relic’ of the Lord Buddha. Return to our hotel. Friday, 13th September | Following breakfast, we make our way to the gem shop. Sri Lanka’s gem industry has a long and colorful history known as Ratna-Dweepa which means Gem Island. The name is a reflection of its natural wealth for the best sapphires, topazes, amethysts, amongst other gems. Later we make our way to Ramboda Water Falls, being the 11th highest waterfall in country, situated in Pussellawa area. En route to Nuwara Eliya, we will also visit a tea factory. Check in upon arrival at Grand Hotel (or similar). Saturday, 14th September | This morning we leave early for an excursion to Horton Plains National Park. At a level of over 7000 ft above sea level, Horton Plains is the highest plateau in the country and its unique landscape and wilderness attracts numerous visitors .The vast Patna rises from the marshland here trees are stunted by the winds, covered in ‘Spagnum moss ‘ or old man’s beard. The swirling mist envelops it all. In the lush jungle rare and endemic trees and plants flourish – the ‘Niloo’ flowers bloom once in 12 years. Sambur, leopard and other mammals as well as many species of birds and butterflies are also found here. Return to our hotel and overnight.
Sunday, 15th September | We start our day with breakfast, followed by another excursion, this time with a city tour of Nuwara Eliya, offering picturesque landscape and temperate climate. The city’s altitude of 1868m is considered to be the most significant location for tea production in Sri Lanka. This city is overlooked by the tallest mountain located here – Pidurutalagala. We then continue with a visit to Victoria Park and Gregory Lake. Later we return to our hotel and overnight. Monday, 16th September | After breakfast we head to Ella. Along the way we enjoy breathtaking views and picturesque valleys that stretch for miles. Upon arrival in Ella, with an exciting drive down to the wilds of Yala national park awaits us. At Ella we visit Ella Gap & Ravana Waterfalls, a spectacular gap in the southern mountain wall where the land falls away in a dizzy drop of 3000 ft to the southern plains and the sea, which is visible in the far distance on a clear day. Rawana fall origins from Kirindi Oya, and are the most attractive falls with a charming environment. This is also associated with the romantic legend of Rama & Sitha narrated in the ancient Indian epic poem, Ramayana. According to folklore, King Rawana of Sri Lanka had hidden the beautiful princess Sitha whom he abducted after defeating her husband prince Rama of India. We will continue our trip and check in upon arrival at Ekho Safari (or similar) in Tissamaharama. Tuesday, 17th September | Today after breakfast we leave for Yala. We set
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7 - 23rd September th
NUWARA ELIYA
off on an exciting wildlife safari at Yala National Park, the second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Yala is known for holding the highest concentration of leopard in the world. The vast extent of the park is mainly scrub jungle with rocky outcrops and dotted with many salt and fresh water lagoons. Elephant, leopard, sloth bear, crocodile, wild buffalo and sambur thrive here, as well as herds of spotted deer, wild boar, langur and macaque monkeys and many small mammals. Over 130 species of birds can be seen with peacocks being a common sight. The bordering coastline also forms a major nesting ground for marine turtles. Evening at leisure and overnight in Tissamaharama. Wednesday, 18th September | Breakfast and then we make our way to South beach. En route visit the heritage city of Galle. For centuries Galle has stood strong against invasions from colonial powers and nature’s volatile outbursts. The famous Dutch Fort was first built by the Portuguese, fortified by the Dutch and preserved by the British. Battered daily for over 400 years by the
ocean it even survived the onslaught of a tsunami and is enjoyed today by residents and visitors alike. The colonial architecture of the walled city too has resisted the advance of modernity and holds tightly to its past glory. In the afternoon we continue the journey along the coast to South Beach, taking in the unique sight of Stilt Fishing along the shores of Ahangama. An iconic image of Sri Lanka, stilt fishing is a skill handed down from one generation to the next: an ancient tradition that is sadly on the decline. Upon arrival, we check in our hotel Cinnamon Bay (or similar).
ered with water and 64 islands. The boat ride is a wonderful way to take a closer look at this complex wetland ecosystem; a world heritage site protected by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands being one of the last wetlands in Sri Lanka to contain a pristine mangrove forest. We will then proceed and visit a turtle hatchery - a successful conservation effort established to protect Sri Lanka’s turtles from extinction having has five out of seven species of turtles In the world. All 5 species have been recorded to nest along specific areas of Sri Lanka’s coast. Most vulnerable of all are their eggs, which are left uncovered on beaches all around the coast. Return to hotel and overnight stay.
Thursday, 19th September | This morning, after we have breakfast, we have the opportunity to enjoy a Madu River boat ride down the beautiful river, a wetland estuary spreading over 900 hectares of which 770 hectares is cov-
Friday, 20th September | Breakfast and today we take the opportunity to enjoy a full day at leisure at South Beach.
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Adult in Triple Adult in Twin Adult in Single Visa cost
¢2399 ¢2499 ¢3129 ¢33
PINNAWALA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE
BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
Emirates flights to/from Colombo via Dubai 15 nights accommodation in 4 & 5 star hotels (incl. late check out on the last day) 14 buffet breakfasts & 15 dinners All transfers as per programme All excursions guided by English speaking guide, as indicated in itinerary Services of Tour Leader All taxes Insolvency funds
Saturday, 21st September | Today after we enjoy breakfast, we are transferred to Colombo and enjoy some free time in the commercial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka. Overnight at Cinnamon Lakeside (or similar) in Colombo. Sunday, 22nd September / Monday, 23rd September | Breakfast and later during the day, we will have a city tour of Colombo with some shopping. A drive through the city takes us to the busy commercial areas as well as the tree-lined residential, Cinnamon Gardens. We visit Fort, the former British administrative center and military garrison, Sea Street - the Goldsmith’s quarters in the heart of Pettah, the Bazaar area, where is also a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carvings and the Dutch Church of Wolfendhal dating back to 1749. The historic Dawatagaha Mosque and the former Eye Hospital are two buildings in Cinnamon Gardens worth looking at. (Late check out). Later, we proceed to the airport for our Emirates flight departing Colombo on the 23rd at 3.15am and arriving at Dubai at 6.00am. This is followed by our connecting flight departing Dubai at 7.55am and arriving in Malta 2.10pm.
NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE All lunches
Notes: Minimum group size is based on 20 passengers Entrance fees included: Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Sigiriya, Minneriya, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla Cave Temple, Village Tour, Kandy Temple, Cultural show, Botanical Garden, Gregory lake, Victoria Park, Yala safari, Madu River boat safari & Turtle hatchery Visa / Requirements: A Passport valid for not less than 6 months from the date of arrival. Photocopy of Passport’s details’ page - Please ask at the desk for requirements. Vaccines: Kindly check with the National Immunisation Service at Floriana Health centre. Contact: 2568 0299 (PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
| 17
Vietnam & Cambodia Discovery 4 star hotels, all excursions, meals & entrances included as per programme
VISITING Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Saigon, Mekong, Phnom Penh & Siem Reap Friday, 20th September / Saturday, 21st September | We meet at Malta International Airport at 12.30pm for our Emirates flight to Hanoi. The flight leaves at 3.30pm and arrives in Dubai at 1.00am (on the 21st Sep). Our next flight departs at 3.30am and we arrive in Hanoi, Vietnam at 1.15pm. Upon arrival we are transferred to our hotel – Lan Vien Hotel (or similar) in Hanoi. We check in and have some free time after the long flight. Later on we have a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Sunday, 22nd September | Today after breakfast we start with a city tour of Hanoi, where we first visit the complex dedicated to Ho Chi Minh, the nation’s founder containing Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and house on stilts. This complex also comprises the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of the city. Then we visit the Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hanoi’s oldest pagoda on the bank of West Lake. Lunch at a local restaurant and in the afternoon we visit Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature & Vietnam’s first university). Constructed in the 11th century, the gardens and the well preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past. We take a cyclo ride around the Old Quarter streets which were named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. We stop at Hoan Kiem Lake to learn about legend of the lake and visit Ngoc Son Temple, followed by a Water Puppet show - a uniquely Northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history. Dinner (included). Monday, 23rd September | Breakfast and we depart from our hotel to Halong Bay, one of the World Natural Heritages recognized by UNESCO with over 3,000 spectacular limestone islands rising from the clear, emerald sea in the Gulf of Tonkin. Upon arrival, we board the ship where we will enjoy a welcome drink before checking in to our cabins. While we
pass by many rocky islets, caves, floating villages and beaches, our fresh seafood lunch will be served on board. We then stop to explore one of the most beautiful caves of the bay. Later the cruise ship will move in a quiet area to dock for the night. Typical Vietnamese dinner will be served on board. Overnight on board. Tuesday, 24th September | Early birds can attend a Tai Chi demonstration on the sundeck at the break of dawn. Breakfast is served while we continue exploring Halong Bay by sailing across its 2000 islets. Arriving at the dock we disembark and are transferred back to Hanoi. Later we make our way to the airport for our flight to Danang. Upon arrival, we are transferred to our hotel – Hoi An Historical Hotel (or similar) in Hoi An. Dinner (extra).
Danang where we pass through the Hai Van Pass, which ranks among the top rides in Vietnam with sweeping vistas to historic sites. At the base of the mountain we see a stretch of prisitine coastline near the village of Lang Co. At the top of the mountain we stop and soak in the beautiful views of one of Vietnam’s most scenic spots. Upon arrival in Danang, we make a stop to visit the Cham Museum where it houses the finest collection of Cham sculptures. We admire marvelous sandstone carvings, statues of genies and female dancers and numerous valuable artifacts. Then we proceed to the Marble Mountains with mysterious cave pagodas and a stone carving village at the foot of the mountain. We continue to Hue and upon arrival, we check-in at Eldora Hotel (or similar) in Hue and then have lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon we visit the Imperial Citadel where Kings of Vietnam’s last feudal dynasty ruled from 1802 to 1945. We will see amongst other the Flag Tower, Nine Holy Cannons, Ngo Mon Gate, Thai Hoa Palace, Nine Dynastic Urns, Forbidden Purple City. We then continue to visit the Tomb of King Tu Duc - the ‘poet Emperor’, which is set in an elegant garden with a magnificent lake and pavilion complex. Dinner (extra).
visit the incredible network of the underground Cu Chi Tunnels constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for independence and reunification. This network of over 200 km of tunnels became legendary during the 1960’s when they played a vital part in the American War, allowing the Viet Cong to control a large rural area close to Ho Chi Minh City. In their heyday, the tunnels were functioning underground cities. Then we head back to the city for lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon, we visit the War Remnants Museum which presents a partial, but riveting, view of the American War, as it is known in Vietnam. We then continue to the Reunification Palace, former residence of the Indochina Governor General and later President of the Republic of Southern Vietnam until the fall of Saigon in April 30, 1975. The day ends with visit to Notre Dame Cathedral and the bustling Ben Thanh Market for shopping. Dinner (extra).
Wednesday, 25th September | This full-day tour offers you an unbeatable chance to discover the worldwide famous Golden Bridge with its unique design and breathtaking views. The Golden Bridge has a walkway of 150 metres long and comprises of eight spans, each of which is lined with purple chrysanthemums, the bridge serves as a transit between a replica of a French village and Le Jardin D’Amour flower garden in Ba Na Hills. After breakfast we are transferred to Danang - to Ba Na Hills cable starting station. We take the cable car to the main cable station and enjoy some free time on Ba Na Hills for further activities: walking, visiting the wine cellar amongst others. Lunch will be at a local restaurant in Ba Na Hill, and afterwards journey (by cable car) downhill and go back to Hoi An. Late afternoon, take have a guided walking tour around Hoi An Ancient Town, were we visit the Japanese covered bridge, Chinese assembly hall, a typical Vietnamese merchant’s house, one of the interesting museums and the local market.
Friday, 27th September | This morning, after we have breakfast, we are transferred to the pier to take a boat to visit Thien Mu Pagoda on the bank of the scenic Perfume River. We then continue by bus to visit Tomb of King Khai Dinh, its interest lies within its uneasy combination of Vietnamese and European features and the use of fragments of ceramics and glass for decoration. Lunch at local restaurant and after we are transferred to the airport for our flight to Saigon. Upon arrival, we go at our hotel in Saigon – Central Palace Saigon (or similar) for check-in. Dinner (extra).
Sunday, 29th September | Today we start off with breakfast and then depart for a 2 hour pleasant drive to Ben Tre province, crossing Rach Mieu bridge. On arrival in Hung Vuong Pier, we hop on a motorized boat where we cruise Ben Tre river – one of the tributaries of Mekong river. Our first stop is at a brick factory to learn how traditional bricks are made and baked. We then visit one of the many coconut processing workshops located along the canal. We return to the boat and go through the natural creeks to a village where we see some locals making sleeping mats. Lunch at a riverside restaurant, afterwards we take a rowing-boat along the beautiful water palm creek before boarding the boat to go back to pier. Return to hotel after a memorable day merging in Mekong Delta local living. Dinner (extra).
Thursday, 26th September | After breakfast, we leave Hoi An to Hue via
Saturday, 28th September | Breakfast and check out from our hotel to
Monday, 30th September | Breakfast and today we enjoy a free day for shop-
18 | BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
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¢2999
20th September - 5th October
HALONG BAY
ping and personal sightseeing to discover the capital. Later we are transferred to the airport for our flight to Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Upon arrival, checkin at our hotel – Himawari (or similar) in Phnom Penh. Dinner (extra). Tuesday, 1st October | Phnom Penh has been the capital since 1866 and although it suffered extensive damage during the Khmer Rouge era, the city still retains its rustic charm. Accompanied by an English-speaking local guide we will tour the city to discover its ancient and recent past. After breakfast, we will visit Cambodia’s Royal Palace, which stands majestically in the city center just off the riverfront area. Several buildings are open to visitors including the Silver Pagoda whose floor is lined with solid silver tiles. We then continue to the Cambodia National Museum that is located in a fabulous old building, the Museum is filled with art and artifacts dating back to the preAngkorian era. At the north end of the city is the hilltop pagoda of Wat Phnom, for which the capital was named. Climb the stairs to the top of the hill for fabulous views of the city below. Lunch at a local restaurant, then in the afternoon we go to visit Tuol Sleng Prison (S-21) and the Killing Fields which is a sobering reminder of the evils of the Khmer Rouge regime. Although not a joyful tour, visiting these monuments unlocks
keys to understanding the development of this still developing country. Dinner (extra).
Thursday, 3rd October | After breakfast, transfer to the countryside with
stopping en route to visit a local village. We arrive at the quay, board a local boat for a 2-hour ride on the Tonle Sap Lake, also known as the Great Lake of Cambodia. We find out how communities live and work on the lake; see the floating schools, markets, and police stations among others; observe their daily lives. Lunch at local restaurant and in the afternoon, transfer to visit Angkor Thom, the ancient royal city of the Khmer Empire with its centre piece; the Bayon temple. Although it may look like a shapeless mass of stone, further scrutiny reveals towers with enigmatic faces of former King Jayavarman VII. Continue to the Terrace of the Elephants, which served as a platform from where the King could welcome back his victorious army and the Terrace of the Leper King, which holds perfect carvings winding along a narrow passage way that leads to the Baphuon complex. Continue to Ta Prohm, considered to be one of Angkor’s jewels with is overgrown fig trees, giving a haunting yet exotic atmosphere. The magnificent roots of the trees
PRICE PER PERSON
PRICE INCLUDES
Wedensday, 2nd October | Breakfast is followed by a transfer to the airport for our flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, pick up and transferred to our hotel in Siem Rep – Angkor Palace Resort (or similar). Lunch at a local restaurant and afterwards we go to Angkor Wat, one of the modern wonders of the world. The temples are set among a large forest with shaded roads which are relatively quiet. On arrival at the temple, we stroll through the intricately carved hallways that still show hundreds of fine carvings of Apsara and Hindu mythology and discover small shrines still in use today by local people. Will be amazed by the sheer size of the temple and will learn how the Khmer Empire prospered between the 11th and 13th century. Return to the hotel in Siem Reap and have dinner (extra).
Adult in Triple Adult in Twin Adult in Single Visa Cambodia Visa Authorisation letter
¢2999 ¢3199 ¢3499 ¢35 ¢10
SIEM REAP
BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
Emirates flights to Hanoi via Dubai Vietnam Airlines internal flights from Hanoi to Danang / Hue to Saigon / Saigon to Phnom Penh / Siem Reap to Hanoi Cambodia Angkor Air internal flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap 13 nights accommodation in 4 star hotels 13 buffet breakfasts, 11 lunches and 3 dinners Meals (except for breakfasts) are taken in typical local restaurants based on local food All transfers in a private air conditioned vehicle All excursions guided by English speaking guide as indicated in itinerary Entrance fees and boat fees where applicable as shown on itinerary Services of Tour Leader All taxes Insolvency Funds
have merged itself over the centuries with the temple’s huge stone blocks, emphasizing a ‘forgotten city’ feeling. Then, visit to Artisans d’Angkor, an organization focusing on training unschooled rural youth in traditional handicraft skills. Ancient techniques are still practiced here such as wood and stone carving, lacquering, gilding and silk painting. Overnight in Siem Reap dinner (extra). Friday, 4th October / Saturday, 5th October | After breakfast, the day is free to enjoy Siem Reap with its colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market. In the city, there are museums, traditional Apsara dance performances, Cambodian cultural village, souvenir and handycraft shops, silk farms and many markets. One can also visit the Psar Chaa – Old market which every day is packed with locals as well as tourists. Many small stalls are set up on the ground, like vegetables, fish and meat. You can find everything you can imagine - from spices, snacks, souvenirs, linen, clothes, leather goods, home furnishings and more. Something not to be missed are stalls that sell Cambodian silk scarfs or shawls. (Check-out time is at noon). In the afternoon we are transferred to the airport for our departure flight from Siem Reap to Hanoi. We later board our next flight to Dubai, departing at 1.30am (05th Oct) and arriving at 5.05am. Our final flight departs at 7.55am and we’ll return home at 2.10pm (Saturday, 5th).
Notes: Minimum group size is based on 20 passengers Visa: A Maltese passport with a validity date of 6 months beyond departure date. Ask desk for information Vaccines: Kindly check with the National Immunisation Service at Floriana Health centre. Contact: 2568 0299
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
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Planned Tours 2020
20 | BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
January Australia & New Zealand March Golden route of Japan May Mexico & Guatemala July Cuba – A caribbean adventure British Colombia & Alaska Cruise August China & Yangtze River Cruise Grand tour of South Africa September Sri Lanka Vietnam & Cambodia October Peru BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
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Booking Conditions Britannia’s reputation has been built on client satisfaction because we go that extra mile, striving to ensure that you, our client, get value for money. We want you to enjoy your holiday to the full and return to Malta feeling both satisfied and relaxed. We therefore invite you to please read these booking conditions. GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS The holidays in this programme have been planned and are operated by Britannia Services Limited of The Landmark Suite 4,Triq l-Iljun, Qormi to ensure maximum client satisfaction. These terms and conditions have been laid out according to Maltese legislation and international rules, and cover every aspect of your holiday, from the moment you book until the moment you return home. The general conditions clearly spell out our obligations to you, and your commitments when you book your holiday with us. In these Terms & Conditions, the term “you” and its derivatives include you and all other persons travelling with you, in whose name you have made the booking. OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU 1. BOOKING AND DEPOSIT After you have paid your deposit (¢300 per person on any package, ¢600 per person on long haul holidays, ¢300 per person on cruises) and a receipt has been issued by us, the booking is considered confirmed. Payment of the initial deposit also confirms that you have read and understood these Terms and Conditions. However, your participation in the tour is only confirmed, and can only be ensured, once you have paid the full amount due. When making a booking, it is important that the name you give us is exactly as shown on the passport or other valid travelling document. If you fail to do so, you may be denied boarding on the tour altogether, or we may be constrained to affect a name-change, in which case, an administrative fee of ¢50 will be levied, together with any additional fees which our suppliers may impose. This also applies should you require a transfer of the booking to a different traveller. The notice for change or transfer is to be given within a reasonable time, at the latest seven days prior to your intended departure. Should you wish to change your holiday arrangements in any way, we will try our best to meet your wishes to the best of our ability. We reserve the right to charge you a handling fee of ¢50 for any such change to your booking, in addition to any actual costs incurred in respect of such a change. Where the price varies depending on the number of persons booked into the accommodation and you wish to change that number of persons, you will need to pay the price on the basis of the new party size as shown in this brochure. Any increase in the price per person, which would be due by you and payable as a result of a part cancellation (eg: for a hotel room under-occupancy, changing from twin room to single room), is not a cancellation charge. 2. PRICE POLICY The prices indicated in this brochure are set at the time of its publication and are the price per person. Children’s rates apply provided the children share the room with 2 or 3 adults.
The actual costs relative to your holiday may change from the time of issuing the brochure, or from the date of booking due to: i. An increase in Cost of Fuel prices, imposed by the airlines or the cruise ship companies, or any other increase relative to other power sources that affects the price directly or indirectly; ii. An increase in taxes or fees imposed by third parties, such as government authorities, including but not limited to, any increase in tourist taxes, landing taxes, embarkation or disembarkation costs; iii. Changes in Visa Costs; iv. Change in the exchange rates or currency fluctuations. 3. PAYMENT OF BALANCE The balance due for the holiday must be settled by not later than six (6) weeks prior to departure in the case of packages, and eight (8) weeks prior to the departure in the case of cruises or long hauls. If the booking is made less than eight (8) weeks prior to the departure of your cruise or long haul, or six (6) weeks prior to the date of departure of any other holiday, the full payment is due immediately. Payments may be made in Cash, by Personal Cheque, Banker’s Cheque or Bank Transfer. Since it may take up to 7 working days for cheques to clear, payment by Personal Cheque will not be accepted in the last 10 working days before the date of travel. 4. CANCELLATION If, for whatever reason, we do not receive your payment in time as indicated above, we reserve the right to cancel the booking and impose a cancellation fee. You are entitled to cancel your booking with us at any stage prior to your departure, subject to a cancellation fee. A cancellation can only be accepted once this is communicated in writing to us by any of the persons listed on the booking form or by the Travel Agent through whom the booking was made. The cancellation will be effective from the date it is received and duly stamped by our offices. The stamp constitutes irrefutable proof of the date of receipt of the cancellation. The cancellation fee which you must pay shall be: • If you cancel more than 43 days before scheduled departure – a sum equivalent to your deposit • If you cancel between 29-42 days before scheduled departure – a sum equivalent to 50% of the total price of your package inclusive of extras if previously booked by you • If you cancel between 15-28 days before scheduled departure – a sum equivalent to 75% of the total price of your package inclusive of extras if previously booked by you • If you cancel between 14 days or less before departure – a sum equivalent to 100% of the total price of your package inclusive of extras if previously booked by you In the case of a cancellation of a cruise package, should the cancellation be affected more than 65 days before scheduled departure, only the deposit shall be lost. Should, however, the cancellation be affected less than 65 days before the scheduled depar-
22 | BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
ture, a cancellation fee equivalent to 100% of the total price of your package will be imposed. In the event of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at the holiday destination, which would significantly affect your trip, you may cancel your booking, without paying the cancellation fee, and receive a full refund of any payments made to us. We reserve the right to cancel the tour if there are not at least 30 people booked on the tour you have reserved, or if sales of that holiday are so low as to make it economically not feasible for us to operate it. In this event, we may offer you an alternative holiday to purchase, of comparable standard, if available, with no obligation on your part to purchase such alternative package. If you choose not to purchase an alternative holiday, we will refund you all the money you have paid us for your cancelled holiday. In case of cancellation by us, you will be informed at least:i. 20 days before the departure date of said cancellation, if your tour was planned to last longer than 6 days; ii. 7 days before the departure date of said cancellation, if your tour was planned to last between 2-6 days iii. 48 hours before the departure date of said cancellation, if your tour was planned to last less than 2 days. Furthermore, we reserve the right to cancel the tour at any time should this be necessitated by force majeure or unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances. In the latter event, we shall contact you to inform you about the cancellation without undue delay. No compensation will be due by us in the event that the cancellation results because of: i. reasons attributable to you; ii. unforeseeable and unavoidable reasons attributable to third parties unconnected with the provision of services included in the package that we are supplying, such as government authorities; iii. force majeure; iv. unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances. 5. OUR ASSURANCE ON STANDARDS, DUTIES & OUR OBLIGATIONS We take all reasonable steps to ensure that proper arrangements have been made for all the holidays which are advertised in this brochure. We are not responsible for any prejudice, extra costs or consequential loss that you may suffer, directly or indirectly, if you choose to make any independent arrangements with third parties in relation to your holiday, separately to the services included in our package. You will appreciate that we have no direct control over the provision of services to you by suppliers. We cannot be held responsible if any activities are cancelled due to force majeure or due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, such as adverse weather, strikes or the indisposition of the protagonist in a show or entertainment event. We always try our utmost to communicate your specific requests to our suppliers; however, we can never give a guarantee that these will be definitively confirmed since adherence to said requests is always subject to availability.
We assure you that should any of the travel services included in our package not be performed in accordance with the package booked with us, we shall seek to remedy the lack of conformity, unless this is impossible or entails disproportionate costs. We plan our holidays to give you the maximum enjoyment. In order to do so, we may occasionally have to change your holiday arrangements, and we reserve the right to do so in the unlikely event that this should become necessary. Such changes may be necessary, for example, as a result of force majeure, government or local authority action, essential maintenance or cleaning, lack of support or demand, religious or local holidays or changes made by our suppliers, and include, changes in flight times, hotels closing down, hotel overbookings, or inclement weather imposing a change in itinerary. We may not be held responsible for changes in the programme resulting from said third party interventions. However, we shall inform you within a reasonable time of any changes to the programme once the relative change is communicated to us. Touring itineraries may also have to be changed, sometimes at short notice, due to weather, road or traffic conditions, mechanical breakdowns, police activity etc. Whilst we strive to make sure that everything goes according to the plan set out in this brochure, we cannot be held liable for said changes when these are caused by force majeure or unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances. Changes to the programme may have to be made: a. Before Departure - Should we be compelled to make any changes, we will inform you or your Travel Agent of all the details relative to said changes within a reasonable time prior to the departure. Should the changes to the travel programme be significant, or increase the price of the package booked with us by more than 8%, and you are not satisfied with the new arrangements, you will be entitled to cancel your booking without incurring any cancellation fees, provided that your instructions to cancel your booking are made within a reasonable time, which shall, under no circumstance, be longer than seven days from the date that we would have informed you about the change, or later than seven days before the scheduled departure, whichever is the earlier. b. After Your Holiday Has Commenced – Occasionally, it may be necessary, due to unforeseen circumstances, to change a hotel or some other part of your holiday arrangement after your holiday has commenced, in which event we will do our best to maintain the overall standard of the holiday arrangements. Should, however, the alternative arrangement be of a lower quality or cost than the one originally planned, you shall be entitled to an appropriate reduction. 5.1 Flights Details of the airlines we anticipate using are shown in the programme. The choice of airline is exclusively at our discretion. We reserve the right to substitute alternative airlines and/or aircraft if necessary; however, we shall immediately inform you should such change be made. Flight schedules are subject to changes
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
and confirmation by the airline. Our reservation system will show the latest schedules as advised to us. Please check your flight tickets as soon as you receive them, as they will show the confirmed time for your flights. Some flights may have intermediate stops en route and this is not always known before departure date. In such cases, we cannot notify you in advance. Flights are subject to the granting of permits and licenses by authorities both in Malta and overseas. We cannot be held responsible for any prejudice or consequential damage that you may suffer from such changes. However, we are committed to inform you as soon as the change is made known to us. Should the change lead to a delay which results in an overnight stay abroad, we will cover the costs for reasonable meals and refreshments in a reasonable relation to the waiting time, the hotel accommodation should overnight stays be necessary, transport between the airport and place of accommodation, and also 2 telephone calls or emails. Transport of any kind is subject to the conditions of carriage of the company providing that trip. These conditions applicable to you are likely to embody the provisions of the law of the country where the company concerned is situate. 5.2 Accommodation Our brochure descriptions are based on the information obtained from hoteliers and other service providers at the time of printing. Check-in at hotels is not done before 3 p.m. and check-out from rooms must take place by 9 a.m. We kindly ask you to respect such times and abide by the instructions provided by your tour leader or the accommodation manager/s. Hotel rooms and ship cabins may be small or even very small when compared to standards which you may be accustomed to, including any adjoining en-suite or bathroom. We only work with hotels that have single or twin rooms. Triple or quadruple rooms are hardly ever available. A third and/ or fourth person wishing to share a twin room will most probably be given either a small extra folding ‘camp bed’, a bunk bed or a sofa bed, which may make accommodation quite uncomfortable. In America, three or four persons wanting to share a room will always be given just two double beds (single beds for each person will not be available). Therefore, we are not to be held liable should a room or cabin be smaller than what you expected. The assignment of rooms is handled directly by the hotel and at no stage are we involved in said assignment. At the time of booking, you may inform us whether you wish two single beds or a double bed, or whether you wish rooms next to each other or with a specific view. Although we will strive to obtain your desired arrangement, we do not have any control as to whether the accommodation-provider adheres to the submitted request. Swimming pools may only be heated in colder weather and the general standard of hygiene, public utilities, drainage, plumbing and services in general may not be of the same standard as in Malta. Breakfast is always continental unless otherwise specified. Lunches and dinners are always served in three courses. No choice of food will be provided unless you have informed us upon booking that you suffer
from a particular food allergy, or health condition, in which case, we will inform the catering establishment of said dietary requirements. Please note that portions served abroad are moderate, and sometimes may be considered small when compared to local customary food portions. When buffet meals are provided, a choice is available. Any drinks ordered, including water and soft drinks, are not included in the package price and are to be paid for separately. The use of the mini-bar, telephone and pay-tv, when available, is not included in the package price, and must paid by you separately. Policies vary from one hotel to the other – therefore, if in doubt, you should enquire with the hotel management directly of any charges to which you may be liable, before making use of the service. 5.4 Entrance Fees & Excursions Unless otherwise specified, entrance fees to museums, shows, boat or train trips, and the use of cable cars are charged separately whilst you are on holiday. Excursions that are listed as ‘optional’ are also charged separately whilst you are on holiday, and unless otherwise stated, do not include the service of a local guide, but do cover the cost of the coach transfer. The prices for optional excursions are clearly listed in the price box on the programme. Only items listed in the section ‘Price Includes’ are included in your package price. We are only responsible for Optional Excursions which are included in this brochure, even if you decide to take them whilst you are already on holiday. The price for these Optional Excursions is extra and unless clearly specified, they only include transportation costs by coach. These are clearly marked in the price box printed at the end of each programme in this brochure. We are not responsible for any additional excursions, and their relative costs, organised by yourself, your Britannia tour leader or any other third party while you are abroad, if said excursions are not indicated in this brochure, and are not carried out with the written consent of Britannia Services Limited management in Malta. 5.5 Services of a Tour Leader Each group tour is escorted by a Maltesespeaking tour leader who will be responsible for the implementation of the programme. The tour leader is under no circumstance responsible to provide any service over and above the official programme, and is not obliged to accompany members of the group around shops, flea markets or theme parks even if the relative visits are included in this brochure. In cases of emergency, namely if you should suffer any injury or fall victim to a crime, the tour leader will use his best endeavours to offer you emergency assistance necessary to approach local health services, authorities and consular assistance, and assist you in making alternative travel arrangements should you so require. We reserve the right to charge you for the cost of such assistance. If you have a problem, you should immediately inform your tour leader, ideally also in writing, so that, if possible, the problem can be dealt with promptly. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES I. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of a valid passport
BRITANNIA TOURS LONG HAULS 2019
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
or other valid travel document, and any appropriate visas. Be sure to check passport, travel document and visa requirements with your Travel Agent, well in advance, particularly if you are a non-Maltese passport holder. You are responsible for any charges, fines etc. that may be levied by authorities in Malta or overseas for non-compliance with regulations in this area and any such amounts will be charged to you. Health facilities, hygiene and risk of disease vary worldwide. It is your responsibility to check if you are healthy enough to travel. You must seek all necessary advice regarding your health and specific requirements from your trusted medical adviser, as soon as possible. You must also take any inoculations you may need depending on the country you are going to travel to, and ensure that any medication, such as Malaria pill, can be taken within the stipulated time (this varies and could be necessary months prior to departure) in order for such treatment to be effective on the departure date. You may phone the National Immunisation Service in Floriana on 21250492 for advice on these matters. Please ensure that you have a valid European Health Insurance Card so that you may use certain medical services in Europe. Airline regulations state that if you are more than 28 weeks pregnant, at the time of return travel, you must have a medical certificate of fitness to travel. It is your duty to purchase Travel Insurance. We provide the service to sell Travel Insurance, although you are under no obligation to purchase such cover from us. You must be responsible for a reasonable standard of behaviour. We reserve the right to decline to accept or retain any person as a client if their behaviour is, in our opinion, or in the opinion of the airline pilot, ship captain, hotelier or accommodation owner or manager or other person in authority, likely to cause distress, danger, damage or annoyance to other customers, employees and to other people or to property. We shall be under no liability to pay any refund or compensation to, or costs incurred by, any person whose behaviour is considered unacceptable and is made to leave any of the aforementioned premises or facilities. All children travelling on a reducedprice holiday must not have reached their 12th birthday by the end of the holiday. Our staff do not normally check passports to verify dates of birth. If a child has reached his or her 12th birthday by the end of the holiday, and was declared as a child on the booking form, the airline will refuse boarding to the child. Disabled persons are welcome on Britannia Tours Holidays. However please note that our personnel cannot provide the services of a personal assistant or carer. Please advise us about any requirements or pre-existing medical conditions that you think may be important for us to know about. Otherwise, we cannot guarantee the provi-
sion of adapted services and facilities. X. We also welcome senior citizens and point out that insurance companies impose special conditions for clients 70 years and over. Please check with your insurance company and travel advisor to ensure that the level of activity on your chosen holiday, and the cover you have chosen, are suitable. LIABILITY We are not responsible for anything that may happen to you outside the hotel we booked for you, or for the quality of any services not offered directly by the hotel where you will be staying. Nor are we responsible for any theft that you may suffer throughout your holiday, even if this occurs in the hotel or on the coach. We cannot be held responsible for any injuries you may suffer during activities or excursions. INSOLVENCY Britannia Services Ltd is a participant in the Insolvency Fund. This fund protects you when purchasing a package holiday. You are to ensure that a certificate is issued as this is the only legal document that will provide you with the necessary protection. FORCE MAJEURE OR UNAVOIDABLE AND EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES Force Majeure or unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances shall be a defence to the non-performance of the package. If a cruise liner misses a port of call, for the benefit of the passengers’ safety or due to Force Majeure, passengers will be transferred, possibly by air (at no extra cost) to another port. In such cases, no port tax refunds will be issued. IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT We do our best to give you an enjoyable, trouble-free holiday, but occasionally even the best laid plans can go wrong. If you have a problem or complaint relating to the overseas part of your holiday, you must contact our tour leader, representative or agent in your resort at the earliest opportunity, and ideally register your complaint in writing, in order that it may be investigated, and we may have the opportunity to resolve the matter on the spot. In addition, you must notify us in writing within seven (7) days of the date of your return from your holiday of any difficulties which you may have experienced while overseas. Given the difficulties of investigating a complaint too long after the event, we cannot accept liability in respect of claims received after the seven (7) day period, and/ or which have not been reported in writing to the Tour Leader during the holiday. All disputes arising from this package will be subject to Maltese law and adjudicated by the Maltese Courts. In the case of cruises, complaints must be submitted in writing within 2 months after the incident. We shall strive to address your complaint to your satisfaction, but should you disagree with our conclusions, you can lodge an appeal to the MCCAA, in line with your rights as a passenger. Disclaimer: These terms and conditions have been set-out in accordance with the current Maltese and EU legal provisions and are subject to change should there be any amendments to the relative laws.
(PLEASE READ BOOKING CONDITIONS ON PAGES 22-23)
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Tour Calendar
PAGE
TOUR
DATE
2-3 4-5 6-7
Malaysia & Borneo Cuba - a Caribbean adventure Golden route of Japan
15th June - 2nd July 5th - 20th July 8th - 22nd July
8-9 10-11 12-13
Journey to Argentina, Uruguay & Brazil China & Yangtze River Cruise Grand tour of South Africa
22nd August - 5th September 22nd August - 8th September 25th August - 10th September
14-15 16-17 18-19 20-21
Peru Sri Lanka Vietnam & Cambodia Discovery Planned Tours 2020
28th August - 13th September 7th - 23rd September 20th September - 5th October
Valletta Branch
Paola Branch
Mosta Branch
Gozo Branch
The Savoy Shopping Arcade, St. John Street, Valletta Tel: 2123 8039, 2124 1904 2124 5418 e-mail: sales@bsl.com.mt
143, Antoine de Paule Square, Paola (between Main Street and APS Bank) Tel: 2180 9930 Fax: 2180 9868 e-mail: paola@bsl.com.mt
Independence Avenue, Mosta Tel: 2141 3030 Fax: 2141 0002 e-mail: mosta@bsl.com.mt
10, Triq Mro. Dirjanu Lanzon, Victoria, Gozo Tel: 2156 5620 Mob: 7920 0488 e-mail: mjs382@gmail.com