Ultimate ideas - Autumn 2015 by The Ultimate Travel Company

U LT I M AT E IDEAS I N S P I R A T I O N F R O M T H E U L T I M A T E T R AV E L C O M P A N Y

S I X W AY S T O S A FA R I WILDLIFE EXPERT BRIAN JACKMAN LEADS US INTO THE AFRICAN WILD

MARRIAGES WITH A L AT I N T W I S T SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICAN TRIPS M A D E I N H E AV E N

WINTER SUN HOTLIST PLAN YOUR ESCAPE WITH OUR PICK OF LONG-HAUL FAV O U R I T E S

U LT I M AT E R O A D TRIPS DOWN UNDER FOUR UNMISSABLE ROUTES ACROSS AUSTRALIA

+ CHINA, BRAZIL, VIETNAM, SRI LANKA, SAN SEBASTIÁN, SINGAPORE, AND MORE

INCREDIBLE

INDIA T R AV E L W R I T E R S TA N L E Y S T E W A R T S H A R E S HIS ESSENTIAL INDIAN EXPERIENCE

T H E U L T I M AT E T R AV E L EXPERIENCE TA I L O R - M A D E T R AV E L , E S C O R T E D T O U R S A N D L U X U R Y B R E A K S , E X C L U S I V E LY F O R Y O U . Whether that means tracking the big five on a tailor-made safari or taking a private tour of Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prestigious art galleries; embarking on an epic journey to Antarctica or staying in a luxury villa on the Amalfi Coast... we have the expertise to create all kinds of travel experiences for you. S P E A K T O O N E O F O U R T R AV E L E X P E R T S T O D AY +44 (0)20 3740 1478

Customer Raiting: 100%

W W W. T H E U LT I M AT E T R AV E L C O M PA N Y. C O . U K

U L T I M AT E I D E A S C O N T R I BU TO R S

U LT I M AT E I D E A S The Ultimate Travel Company 25–27 Vanston Place London SW6 1AZ T: +44 (0)20 7386 4646 E: e nquiry@theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk www.theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk Advertising enquiries enquiry@theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk Reader enquiries enquiry@theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk

HUGH HOLLAND

S TA N L E Y S T E W A R T

Food writer Hugh Holland heads to Spain’s Basque Country, where he finds a feast for the senses in Bilbao and a coastal paradise with the highest concentration of Michelin stars in the world. Read about his mind- and belt-expanding weekend break on page 46.

Named Travel Writer of the Year six times, Stanley Stewart is the author of three acclaimed travel books and countless articles based on journeys around the world. He shares his top places to explore and relax in Essential India on page 50.

Ultimate Ideas is produced for The Ultimate Travel Company by Spinach Publishing Zetland House 5–25 Scrutton Street London EC2A 4HJ T: +44 (0)20 7739 2777 E: info@spinachpublishing.com www.spinachpublishing.com

GEOFF GOY

BRIAN JACKMAN

Geoff has embarked on a series of Ultimate Journeys to the four corners of the earth. On page 55, he shares the build-up to and highlights from his inaugural journey to Sri Lanka, the Maldives and the Middle East in Flying Solo, Ultimate Style.

Brian Jackman is an award-winning journalist and author, as well as a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. In Beating Around The Bush on page 20, Brian walks, rides, floats and flies us around the most unique ways to safari in his beloved Africa.

CONTRIBUTORS

HELLO AGAIN! W E L C O M E T O T H E A U T U M N I S S U E O F U LT I M AT E I D E A S . No matter where your dreams may take you, be it to Antarctica or the Arctic, Borneo or Botswana, China or Colombia, you will find ideas and suggestions here to inspire and help you realise those dreams. We like to think we offer limitless choices: weekend breaks in Europe, grand tours in Asia or Latin America, driving the scenic roads of the Americas or Australasia, maybe a life-changing safari or polar expedition… all are possible and easily translated into the perfect holiday. We have also launched a new website, designed to give you as much information as possible on everything we do worldwide, so please have a look and tell us what you think at www.theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk. While such technology is, of course, a valuable tool in helping plan a trip, it is no substitute for personal contact with those who have first-hand knowledge of a destination. We are always here to talk to you – before, during and after your holiday, or, better still, pop in to the office and chat through your plans in person. On another note, I would like to thank those of you who have shown so much support for Nepal after the devastating earthquake earlier this year. As some of you may know, Nepal has been part of my personal and business life since 1977, when I first visited and fell in love with the country. My sister Lisa also moved to Kathmandu in 1973 and still lives in the valley with her family. I was very touched, therefore, by your generous reaction to our appeal. Travel well… and remember, we are here to help you do so!

N I C K VA N G R U I S E N MANAGING DIRECTOR

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

CONTENTS From the hottest places to be during the British winter to the unsung cities that should be on your radar, we’ve travelled the world to bring you this issue of Ultimate Ideas.

08 New Openings Hotel openings, new cruises and route updates from around the world.

Cities Under the Radar ‘Chicago’s amazing skyline is best appreciated from a boat on the Chicago River with a guide from the Architectural Foundation’ Winter Sun: Six of the Best ‘Even the most jaded traveller cannot fail to be warmed by the prospect of leaving the UK on a miserable winter’s eve’

12 Escorted Tours Exceptional escorted tours to Brazil, Vietnam and more, led by our destination experts and Ultimate directors.

20 Beating Around the Bush Wildlife expert and author Brian Jackman suggests six of the best African safaris. 28 Winter Sun: Six of the Best Follow our guide to the hottest destinations on earth this winter.

35 China: Your Questions Answered Our expert Dan Mills fields a few FAQs about beguiling and beautiful China. 38 Marriages with a Latin Twist Combining a few destinations at a time is the only way to tackle Latin America. 42 Cities Under the Radar A roundup of cities that should definitely feature on your city break to-do list. 46 Michelin Star Grazing in San Sebastián Hugh Holland expands on the culinary delights of San Sebastián. 50 Essential India Travel writer Stanley Stewart shares his essential Indian experience with us. 55 Flying Solo, Ultimate Style Geoff Goy reports back from South East Asia and the Middle East as he begins a solo travel odyssey. 60 Ultimate Road Trips Down Under Our selection of the best road trips in and around Australia. 66 A Singapore Fling Stopovers in Singapore needn’t be dull affairs with our guide to the city.

CONTENTS

Marriages with a Latin Twist ‘Cross the high Andean pass into northern Argentina to witness the incredible Salinas Grandes’

70 The Ultimate Selection Our destination experts share their most memorable travel experiences. 73 The Ultimate Challenge Former rugby internationals and 250 Deloitte employees complete a number of incredible Ultimate Challenges. 76 Our Man in Sri Lanka We catch up with Daminda da Silva who heads up Ceylon Exclusive, our local agency in Sri Lanka. 78 Notice Board All the latest news, reviews and updates from The Ultimate Travel Company.

Beating Around the Bush ‘Airborne adventures await you down south in Namibia, where fly-in safaris are the way to go’

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

Essential India ‘Calcutta remains a most fascinating city – charming, chaotic, cultured and fizzing with energy’ China: Your Questions Answered ‘Head to Guilin, where the Li River meanders through a surreal canvas of verdant terraced fields and “sugarloaf” karst mountains’

Michelin Star Grazing in San Sebastián ‘Diminutive San Sebastián has the highest concentration of Michelin stars per square foot in the world’

46 35

Ultimate Road Trips Down Under ‘The Great Ocean Road takes in the once-notorious Shipwreck Coast and the magnificent Twelve Apostles’

Our Man in Sri Lanka ‘The main attraction? Sri Lankans! We’re genuinely hospitable people, and everyone who returns for this reason’

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

A Singapore Fling ‘Venture beyond the hubbub of the city to the suburban neighbourhoods where locals reside, shop and socialise’

CONTENTS

NEW OPENINGS

NEW HOTELS

Linkwasha Camp

Virgin Hotel, Chicago

Linkwasha Camp, Zimbabwe A new dawn beckons in Africa with the opening of Wilderness Safaris’ Linkwasha Camp in Zimbabwe. Set in the southeast corner of the Hwange National Park, close to the game-rich Ngamo Plains, the camp has eight en-suite tents and one family tent overlooking a waterhole that is a magnet for wildlife in Zambia. At the same time, across the border in Zambia’s Western Province, Norman Carr Safaris has opened a new camp on the remote Liuwa Plains. Simple, gloriously isolated and with just five en-suite tents, Matamanene lies directly on the route of Africa’s second-largest wildebeest migration and is also a paradise for birdwatchers, with more than 300 different species recorded.

‘ T he camp has eight en-suite tents and one family tent overlooking a waterhole that is a magnet for wildlife’

Sir Richard Branson has added a new addition to his airline, train, mobile phone, gym and festival portfolio line-up with his first Virgin Hotel, in Chicago. There are plans, too, for at least a further 20 hotels, in Nashville, New York and beyond. Converted from a historic bank building, the hotel is super-cool but affordable. There’s a choice of places to eat, a spa, a gym and a rooftop terrace bar/nightclub. The rooms, which are called ‘chambers’, are innovative in design, with a bedroom area that can be completely closed off by a pair of sliding oak doors, and also include rain showers and yoga mats. Many elements are a consequence of Branson’s pet hotel hates, hence wifi is fast and free, and mini-bar prices are more or less what you’d be paying at the local corner store.

Matamanene

N E W O P E N I N G S

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

Casa Colombo Collection Mirissa, Sri Lanka Unlike many hotels that lay claim to be ‘boutique’, the latest to open on Sri Lanka’s sandy southern shores has legitimate reason. Mirissa has just six ocean-facing suites, each coolly contemporary in design and with either a patio or terrace so you can enjoy the sea view in private.

The hotel, part of the Casa Colombo Collection and a three-hour drive from the international airport, is the perfect spot for some R&R after a tour of the island and before flying home. Aside from doing very little, guests can go whale watching and enjoy sundowner cruises on Mirissa’s 33-foot yacht.

Amandayan, China

Hacienda Urubamba, Peru

Aman Resorts, a name synonymous with unstinting luxury, has opened its third property in China. Set on a hill above the Old Town of Lijiang in the north-western corner of Yunnan Province, Amandayan has 35 spacious suites arranged in traditional Nakhi courtyard buildings, with views of the iconic Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a spa, yoga studio and heated outdoor pool.

Inkaterra’s newest hotel, Hacienda Urubamba, occupies a prime position in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, just a ninety minute train journey from Machu Picchu. Within easy reach of Cusco, the hacienda is contemporary in style, with 12 rooms in the main house and 24 ‘casitas’ in the grounds. The Urubamba Valley itself is an ideal playground for eco-friendly activities such as trekking, mountain biking and rafting.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

‘ T he Urubamba Valley is an ideal playground for eco-friendly activities such as trekking, mountain biking and rafting’

NEW OPENINGS

N E W B O AT S

AmaSonata

European river duo Our cruise specialist, Richard French, has recently inspected two new vessels that have joined the ever-expanding fleet of boats plying their trade on Europe’s great rivers… Amawaterways’ five-star AmaSonata, like her sister-ship AmaPrima, is extremely spacious, with a good choice of staterooms and suites for her 164 passengers, with excellent facilities that include two restaurants, spa, sun deck and small

heated pool with swim-up bar. Excursions and drinks at lunch and dinner are all included in the price. Scenic’s new ship, Jasper, carries 169 guests in fully (and we mean fully) inclusive luxury. Staterooms and suites each come with a modern twist: those on decks two and three have private balconies, while the two top-deck Royal Panorama Suites come with a bath, stand-alone shower, lounge area and even a log fire.

Jasper

Galapagos in style Haugan Cruises’ new motorised catamaran, Petrel, is the latest luxury addition to Galapagos cruising. With just seven cabins and two suites (all with private balconies), lounge and sundeck, Petrel promises to be ‘elegant, swift and silent at sea’, just like her avian namesake.

N E W O P E N I N G S

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

NEW FLIGHTS Ubud, Bali

Dubai to Bali Emirates has begun a new daily service to Denpasar (Bali) from Dubai. With convenient connections to a choice of airports in the UK, it should prove a popular approach to the Indonesian island, a delightful world of picturepostcard beaches, emerald rice paddies, Hindu shrines, local crafts, excellent hotels and a gentle, smiling people.

Balloons over Bhutan The world’s highest commercial hot-air balloon service is about to take to the skies above the remote Phobjikha Valley in Bhutan. Run from the delightful Gangtey Goenpa Lodge, flights will operate at an altitude of around 3,000 metres above sea level giving you unprecedented views of this magical Himalayan kingdom. We can also arrange balloon flights over the temples of Bagan, the Barossa Valley, the lunar landscapes of Cappadocia and the savannah grasslands of the Serengeti.

Smiths Beach Resort

N E W RO U T E S Walkabout in Western Australia There’s a wonderful new ‘Cape to Cape’ coastal walk in the Margaret River region of Western Australia. Beginning in Perth, this guided four-day trip follows a trail linking a pair of hammerhead capes beside dazzling white-sand beaches and the cobalt waters of the Indian Ocean. Transfers to and from the city are included, as is accommodation in two Small Luxury Hotels of the World – Smiths Beach Resort and Injidup Spa Retreat – where gourmet food and wine from some of the region’s best boutique estates is the order of the day. You can even enjoy a post-walk massage before returning to Perth.

Injidup Spa Retreat

WA N T T O K N O W M O R E ? S P E A K T O O N E O F O U R T R AV E L E X P E R T S +44 (0)20 3740 1478

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

NEW OPENINGS

E S C O RT E D TO U R S WE INVITE YOU ON A SELECTION OF EXCEPTIONAL ESCORTED TOURS L E D B Y D E S T I N AT I O N E X P E R T S A N D O U R V E R Y O W N D I R E C T O R S .

ESCORTED TOURS

13-NIGHT

‘COLONIAL B R A Z I L’ £5,985 PER PERSON

COLONIAL BRAZIL Robin Hanbury-Tenison and wife Louella introduce their much-anticipated fourth tour for The Ultimate Travel Company Robin Hanbury-Tenison OBE, DL, is a British explorer, conservationist, broadcaster, film-maker, author of more than 20 books, lecturer, campaigner, farmer and, with his wife Louella, equestrian traveller par excellence. He is a Gold Medallist of the Royal Geographical Society, and President and Founder of 2 Survival International, the world’s leading organisation supporting tribal peoples. Named as the greatest explorer by The Sunday Times and a veteran of more than 30 expeditions, he took 115 scientists to live for 15 months in the interior of Borneo as leader of the RGS’s largest expedition. This research and his book, Mulu: The Rain Forest, sparked the first real international concern for tropical rainforests.

Opposite Paraty This page 1. Tiradentes 2. Ouro Preto

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

LOUELLA AND I have now led three fantastic tours for The Ultimate Travel Company – to Antarctica, Indochina and Borneo – and so we are greatly looking forward to Brazil. It will, though, be quite different to most trips to this wonderful country. Instead of hopping on and off small planes to explore the more remote reaches of the Amazon, we will be visiting 3 some of the world’s most beautiful baroque churches and perfectly preserved 17thcentury towns, well off the beaten track but in civilised comfort. Before a road was cut through the mountains from the rich mines of the interior to Rio de Janeiro, the gold, diamonds and precious stones were transported by mule train some 500 miles to Paraty. The fabulous wealth generated was then ploughed into exuberant churches and elegant houses. We follow this historic route – not on mules but in a plush air-conditioned coach – staying at luxurious hotels and enjoying superb local cuisine.

Highlights include the colonial mining town of Ouro Preto, founded during the late-17th-century gold rush and since designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its outstanding baroque architecture; the contemporary art museum of Inhotim, near Belo Horizonte, where we are joined by a leading Brazil art expert; and Tiradentes, an exquisite colonial gem nestling beneath the São José mountains in the state of Minas Gerais. Our journey along the ‘Gold Route’ ends at the idyllic port of Paraty, another 17th-century colonial jewel set on a stunning stretch of jungle-clad coastline between Rio and Sao Paulo. Here we can gorge ourselves on fresh seafood while cruising through a necklace of beautiful offshore islands in a private schooner, and explore one of the richest remaining tracts of rainforest on the planet. The Regua reserve, of which I am a Trustee, may be barely an hour’s drive from Rio, but is an extraordinary hotspot of biodiversity, with a rare mixture of flora and fauna that includes no fewer than 455 recorded bird species. I do hope you’ll join us on what promises to be another fabulous Ultimate experience.

T O U R D E TA I L S Dates: 19 February – 3 March 2016 Price: £5,985 per person Single supplement: £760 Contact: Sophie Pullan

ESCORTED TOURS

THE COLOURS A N D F L AVO U R S OF VIETNAM Chris Caldicott and his wife Carolyn introduce a truly sensory exploration of this South East Asian jewel.

E S C O R T E D T O U R S

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

ESCORTED TOURS

4 4

Formerly Photographerin-Residence to the Royal Geographical Society, Chris Caldicott is now a freelance photographer, writer and lecturer specialising in food and travel. As a journalist, he is a regular contributor to Condé Nast Traveller, Harper’s Bazaar, House & Garden, Tatler and The Telegraph. He also gives travel-photography lectures and workshops. Carolyn Caldicott owned and ran the World Food Café in London’s Covent Garden for 20 years and, together with Chris, has written several recipe books about global cuisine.

FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS of our tour to South India in February, we are planning another fabulous combination of travelphotography workshop and authentic culinary experience, this time on a journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, through the heart of Vietnam. We will help you get the best out of a beautifully photogenic country, and also show you how to recreate some of the signature local dishes at home. We begin in Hanoi, for us the quintessential Asian city: exotic, friendly, stylish and good value – it ticks every box. Culinary treats can be found everywhere, from simple street stalls to trendy cafés and gourmet restaurants. Local markets and designer boutiques provide superlative shopping, and there is a thriving new art scene, with galleries opening across the city. Nowhere combines Hanoi’s elegant colonial past and contemporary charms better than the Metropole Hotel in the French Quarter. Rooms in the old wing are straight out of a Graham Green novel.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

‘ Cruising on the South China Sea is like floating through a Chinese scroll painting – a photographer’s dream’ From Hanoi, we travel inland to Ninh Binh to experience village life, culture and cuisine in a dramatic landscape of towering limestone rock formations soaring skyward from a sea of iridescently green paddy fields. Then on to Halong Bay to board a traditional junk vessel for an overnight cruise on the shimmering waters of the South China Sea. It’s like floating through a Chinese scroll painting – a photographer’s dream. Flying south to the historic oriental port of Hoi An, we visit its vibrant and atmospheric market with a local chef followed by a cooking demonstration. A walking tour will then allow us to photograph the old quarter of the city, with its eccentric mix of architecture and fascinating blend of pagodas, merchant’s houses and 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge. We continue south across the spectacular Hai Van Cloudy Pass to Hue and La Residence Hotel, a gorgeous Art Deco classic on the banks of the Perfume River. Highlights here include the Imperial Citadel, a traditional lunch at a beautifully restored royal residence in the old city and a dragon-boat trip to the Thein Mu Pagoda. And finally to Ho Chi Minh to sample the very best of South Vietnamese cuisine in the city’s atmospheric local restaurants and to fill any space left in our suitcases in the dazzling array of markets and boutiques.

13-NIGHT

‘THE COLOURS & F L AV O U R S OF VIETNAM’ £4,595 PER PERSON

T O U R D E TA I L S Dates: 15–27 February 2016 Price: £4,530 per person Single supplement: £995 Contact: Verity Smith

Opposite 1. Yen stream, Hanoi This page 2. Imperial Citadel, Hue 3. Hoi An 4. Vietnamese cuisine

ESCORTED TOURS

T H E D I R E C TO R S ’ SELECTION J O I N T H E U LT I M AT E D I R E C T O R S A N D S O M E E X P E R T GUEST LEADERS AS THEY JOURNEY TO SOME OF THE M O S T F A S C I N AT I N G A N D R E M O T E P L A C E S O N E A R T H .

Wild Canada 1–13 September 2016 With David Wickers As co-founder of Bridge & Wickers, I will be at the helm of what should be a very exciting journey through Canada’s ‘wild west’ provinces of British Columbia and Alberta – a spectacular corner of the world I know well but that never ceases to amaze. From the handsome waterfront city of Vancouver and remote seascapes of the Pacific to the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, our journey will include scenic jaunts by seaplane, wildlife safaris in rigid inflatables, river-rafting adventures and the fabulously scenic Rocky Mountaineer railway. The scenery may be wild, but the levels of comfort are far from it. We will stay at some of western Canada’s best hotels and also travel ‘Gold Leaf’ class on the train, with its separate dining and ‘bubble’ observation carriages. TOUR PRICE: From £5,995 per person

ESCORTED TOURS

Myanmar: The Road To Mandalay

Vietnam: Red River and Halong Bay

11–26 September 2016 With Nick & Iris Van Gruisen and Chris & Carolyn Caldicott

7–20 October 2016 With Martin Thompson

Following the unqualified success of our previous trips to Myanmar, we have decided to repeat this magical journey on the Ayeyarwady River in September 2016. The trip combines a two-night stay in Yangon with 11 nights aboard the Belmond Road to Mandalay, which we have chartered exclusively for a cruise into northern Myanmar. We will discover timeless and enduring landscapes, from the jungle-clad gorges that dominate the upper reaches of the river to the market scenes of Katha, as described in George Orwell’s Burmese Days, and the ancient capital of Mandalay, immortalised by Kipling’s eponymous poem. For many, the high point of the cruise will be the 3,000 temple ruins spread across the great plain of Bagan, but for everyone on board the overwhelming impression will be of a land and a people unchanged by time. TOUR PRICE: From £5,220 per person

This fascinating journey, following its launch in Summer 2015, will be one of the first chances to explore the key sites of Northern Vietnam by river. We will traverse the Red River Delta and its main tributaries, sailing deep into the Vietnamese highlands in search of beautiful mountain villages and remote tribal communities, and connecting the excitement of downtown Hanoi with the wonders of Halong Bay. Our route will take us as far as is navigable up the Song Red River, then down the little known Da or Black River. ‘Home’ is the very comfortable RV Angkor Pandaw, a new addition to the renowned Pandaw fleet and the perfect base for our journey with spacious interior, delicious food and a friendly, enthusiastic crew. They have also offered us exceptional rates for the private charter. With the maximum capacity of 30 guests and Ultimate Travel director Martin Thompson on board to ensure everything runs smoothly, this is an adventure not to be missed. TOUR PRICE: From £3,995 per person

S TA RT YO U R J O U R N E Y S P E A K T O O N E O F T H E D I R E C T O R S T O D AY +44 (0)20 3740 1478

ESCORTED TOURS

The Mekong Delta: Saigon to Angkor

Galapagos: The Enchanted Isles

Arctic: The Northwest Passage

14–27 March 2017 With Nick & Iris Van Gruisen

29 April – 10 May 2017 With Rowan Paterson

March 2017 will find Nick and Iris Van Gruisen hosting a private cruise on the mighty Mekong River. Beginning in Saigon and ending in Phnom Penh, this fascinating journey will include an overland detour to Siem Reap and the world-famous temple city of Angkor. We have chartered the brand new, all-suite Mekong Princess exclusively for the 7-night cruise. With a maximum of 24 passengers in 12 exquisite suites on board, we will explore the sprawling Mekong Delta before heading up river and across the border into Cambodia. Disembarking near Phnom Penh, we then drive to Siem Reap for a fitting finale at the wonderful Belmond La Residence d’Angkor. Highlights, and there are many, will include the modern day vibrancy and colonial past of Saigon, a sampan ride through the floating markets of Can Tho, the eccentric Cao Dai Temple and sunrise over the temples of Angkor...magical!

The ‘enchanted isles’ of the Galapagos need little introduction. Located some 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, in the Pacific, this archipelago of hauntingly beautiful volcanic islands first came to the world’s attention with the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of the Species and remains a treasure trove of natural history, wildlife and ecology. Aboard Isabela II, a very comfortable 40-berth vessel that combines the amenities of a small cruise ship with the relaxed intimacy of a private yacht, we will have eight nights to explore the central and southern islands in the company of experienced naturalist guides. May is also a great time to visit, with calm seas and clear skies. Galapagos fauna have little or no fear of man, so we will see all the most iconic species, except for the flightless cormorant, which is found only in the western islands – unless it learns to fly in the meantime!

11–26 August 2017 With Nick & Iris Van Gruisen and Dr Huw Lewis-Jones The quest for the fabled Northwest Passage, the Arctic trade route to the Indies and China, consumed mariners for centuries. In January 2016, Iris and I will be escorting a two-week expedition through this iconic seaway aboard the Polar research vessel Akademik Ioffe. On what promises to be a truly great seafaring adventure, we will cut through Greenland via one of the world’s longest fjords, navigate past hotel-sized tabular icebergs drifting into Disko Bay, and explore the archipelago of islands and channels that make up Canada’s High Arctic. We will also experience local Inuit culture and have endless opportunities to discover the Arctic’s incredible diversity of wildlife. As well as being the hunting ground of whales and seabirds in staggering numbers, this is the home of the polar bear, barrenground grizzly bear, muskox, caribou and walrus.

TOUR PRICE:

From £6,095 per person

From £6,995 per person

From £8,840 per person

S TA RT YO U R J O U R N E Y S P E A K T O O N E O F T H E D I R E C T O R S T O D AY +44 (0)20 3740 1478

E S C O R T E D T O U R S

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

Indian Ocean Islands: Durrell Wildlife Expedition 24 February – 9 March 2017 With Martin Thompson, Amelia Dalton, Dr Lee Durrell and Dr Mark Stanley Price The wondrous islands of Madagascar and Aldabra, and their unique wildlife, will be the main draw of our fifth but arguably most exciting expedition in association with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. We have once again chartered MS Island Sky, a small expedition vessel that regularly navigates these waters and is purpose-built for an adventure of this kind. Supported by the ship’s zodiacs and her experienced expedition team, we will land on empty beaches, tuck into small ports, explore two of Madagascar’s major national parks and snorkel in the clear-blue waters of the Aldabra Atoll. We will also visit the mountainous volcanic island of Anjouan, before sailing D U R R E L L W I L D L I F E E X P E D I T I O N through the outer coral islands of the Seychelles to disembark in Mahe after 12 nights at sea. TOUR PRICE: From £8,880 per person

saving species from extinction saving species from extinction saving species from extinction saving species from extinction saving species from extinction saving species from extinction saving species from extinction

M A DAG A S C A R , saving species from extinction A L A DA B R A AT O L L saving & species from extinction saving species from extinction T H E O U T E R S E YC H E Lsaving L Especies S from extinction 2 4 F E B R U A R Y – 9 M A R C H 2 0 17

saving species from extinction

Both described by David Attenborough as ‘an island of marvels’ and ‘one of the wonders of the world’, Madagascar and Aladabra are the focus of this exciting new expedition in association with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Led by The Ultimate Travel Company Director Martin Thompson – who is joined on the exclusively chartered MS Island Sky by lecturers Dr Lee Durrell and Dr Mark Stanley Price – the tour will visit national parks, remote archipelagos and let you discover first hand the diverse wildlife that make these remarkable Indian Ocean islands and atolls their home. To receive a full itinerary for this tour, contact Emily Pontifex on 020 7386 4664 or emily@theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk.

TOUR PRICE: FROM £8,880 PER PERSON Includes airport taxes

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

ESCORTED TOURS

B E AT I N G A RO U N D THE BUSH Journalist, wildlife expert and author Brian Jackman shares six of the best ways to safari in his beloved Africa.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

Africa changes you forever. No matter how many Attenborough documentaries you have seen, nothing can prepare you for the real thing – like when your open-sided safari vehicle comes head-to-head with a six-ton elephant bull, who greets you with a flap of his outspread ears and then strides past, silent as a shadow. The conventional safari Wherever you stay – five-star lodge or no-frills bush camp – most conventional safaris are built around the same basic concept of two game drives a day: one setting out at sun-up, and another after tea, in the mid-afternoon. The vehicles used – Land Rovers or Toyotas – are the workhorses of the African bush. With an experienced professional guide at the wheel they can cover the toughest terrain, as well as providing the perfect vantage point from which to observe and photograph wildlife at close quarters.

The mobile safari

This page 1. Wildebeest migration, Kenya 2. S keleton Coast flying safari Opposite 3. Abu Elephant Camp, Botswana

AFRICAN SAFARI

To make the most of your time in the bush, there is nothing to beat the flexibility of a mobile safari, which gives you the freedom to plan every day, leaving camp whenever you wish and staying out as long as you like. It’s certainly by far the best way to explore the Serengeti, setting up camp wherever the world-famous wildebeest migration happens to be.

The walking safari To connect with the wild on an even more intimate level, you need to pack your walking boots and head for Zambia, where the original Dr Livingstone-style foot safari was reinvented in the 1970s. Today, led by a professional guide and an armed scout for safety, it’s still the best way of getting to know the bush. At Chiawa Camp on the Lower Zambezi, you can combine bush walks with canoe trips down Africa’s mightiest river; but South Luangwa is the place to be if you want to see big game on foot. The Luangwa River runs through the park, attracting game from miles around, and at idyllic riverside bush camps such as Tafika and Tena Tena you’ll want for nothing in the way of creature comforts.

The flying safari In Kenya, Lewa Wilderness offers you the chance to take to the air in the open cockpit of a biplane with pilot Will Craig, the lodge’s owner. Take flight over herds of game, through towering gorges and over vast forests as effortlessly as a fish eagle. Kenya is also the spiritual home of hot-air ballooning, another way to experience a spectacular airborne perspective of Africa. Lift-off is always at dawn, when the low light floods across the plains, picking out the dark shapes of lions in the grass below. As an experience, it’s best described as like going to heaven in a picnic hamper – especially as you find a champagne breakfast waiting for you when you return to earth.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

‘ Perhaps the greatest safari experience of all – sloshing through water-lilies on elephant back’ More airborne adventures await you down south in Namibia, where fly-in safaris are the way to go. Pick of the bunch is a four-day jaunt with the legendary Schoeman brothers, flying up the Skeleton Coast and its dramatic desert hinterland to spend the last night gazing across the Kunene River into Angola from the most remote camp you’ll ever find.

The boating safari The rains that fall on the Angolan mountains eventually find their way to Botswana’s Okavango Delta, creating a watery paradise in the dry heart of the Kalahari. This is Africa’s biggest oasis, a 15,000-square-kilometre mosaic of lagoons and floodplains braided by crystal-clear channels. Choose a camp such as Eagle Island and you can go exploring by mokoro, the traditional Delta dugout canoe. No effort is involved – just sit back and go with the flow as your boatman stands in the stern, an African gondolier steering you past toppling reed beds and palm-grove islands heaving with all kinds of wildlife, from red lechwe antelope to rare fishing owls.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

The riding safari The Okavango is also famously the home of Abu Elephant Camp. Named after Abu, the giant tusker who once led the camp’s unique family of riding elephants, a threenight stay here offers not only top-end luxury but also, perhaps, the greatest safari experience of all – sloshing through the water-lilies on elephant back. Anyone who is at home in the saddle can also go horseback riding in the Okavango – or canter over the East African savannah, where Tristan Voorspuy is the man to help you saddle up for an unforgettable horseback safari through the Masai Mara and its herds of plains game. Or how about a camel safari in Northern Kenya? No previous experience is needed. Simply climb aboard your ship of the desert and away you go to the clank of camel bells and the chanting of your Samburu warrior guides. Could travel ever be more romantic?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brian Jackman is a freelance journalist and author with a lifelong passion for travel and wildlife. Although his travels have taken him around the world, he is best known as Britain’s foremost writer on African wildlife safaris and has spent more than three years in total under canvas in the bush. Brian is also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a trustee of the George Adamson Wildlife Preservation Trust and a patron of Tusk Trust. His African books include The Marsh Lions and The Big Cat Diary (both with Jonathan Scott), Roaring at the Dawn, and his latest, Savannah Diaries, published last year by Bradt.

B E AT I N G A RO U N D T H E B U S H We organise bespoke safaris throughout Africa. The following will give you a flavour of what is possible. 1

Kenya ‘Bush & Beach’

Zambia Walking

WHEN TO GO

Best to avoid the ‘long rains’ from April to May and the ‘short rains’ in November. Go from July to October if you want to witness the Masai Mara wildebeest.

The dry season runs from April to October, but walking safaris do not start until June.

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

PRICES / ITINERARY A 12-night itinerary, with six nights on safari in Samburu and the Mara and four nights on Zanzibar Island, costs from £5,295 per person, including flights and taxes.

WHEN TO GO Year round (as is the migration), except during the rains from April to May. JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

PRICES / ITINERARY A 13-night itinerary, with seven nights on safari in Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti and four nights on Zanzibar Island, costs from £6,645 per person, including flights and taxes.

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

PRICES / ITINERARY A nine-night safari in the South Luangwa costs from £5,260 per person, including flights and taxes.

Wings over Namibia WHEN TO GO

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

PRICES / ITINERARY A six-night Schoeman Brothers’ safari along the Skeleton Coast costs from £6,525 per person, including flights and taxes.

Kenya Riding WHEN TO GO Best to avoid the ‘long rains’ from April to May and the ‘short rains’ in November. Go from June to October.

Botswana ‘Mobile’

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

WHEN TO GO

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

Go during the dry season from April to October, when days are warm and nights cool.

PRICES / ITINERARY

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

PRICES / ITINERARY Tailor-made safaris for groups of four or more, or join our set departure to Savuti and the Okavango: dates 3–13 October 2015, cost £5,665 per person (single supplement £750), including flights and taxes. This page 1. Rock Restaurant, Zanzibar 2. Lake Manyara 3. Tafika Camp, Zambia 4. Abu Elephant Camp, Botswana

FEB

JUL

Year round, but December to March can be oppressively hot.

Northern Tanzania 2

JAN

Opposite Chiawa Camp, Zambia

An 11-night safari through the Mara costs from £6,585 per person, including flights and taxes.

Abu Elephant Camp WHEN TO GO Go during the dry season from April to October, when days are warm and nights cool. JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

PRICES / ITINERARY A three-night stay at Abu with all meals, drinks and wildlife activities costs from £6,480 per person.

S TA RT YO U R J O U R N E Y S P E A K T O O U R A F R I C A E X P E R T S TA N I A & V I C T O R I A +44 (0)20 3740 1478

A F R I C A N S A F A R I

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

F O R I N F O R M AT I O N A N D R E S E R V AT I O N S P L E A S E C O N TA C T T H E U LT I M AT E T R AV E L C O M PA N Y

E V E N T H E M O S T J A D E D T R AV E L L E R C A N N O T FA I L T O B E W A R M E D B Y T H E P R O S P E C T O F L E AV I N G THE UK ON A MISERABLE WINTER’S EVE, K N O W I N G T H AT I N J U S T A F E W H O U R S THEY COULD BE BASKING IN THE CARIBBEAN SUN, SWIMMING IN THE BALMIEST OF OCEANS, I M B I B I N G C U LT U R E I N T H E S O U T H E R N HEMISPHERE OR EXPLORING T H E R U I N S O F A N A N C I E N T C I V I L I S AT I O N . H E R E ’ S O U R P I C K O F L O N G - H A U L D E S T I N AT I O N S AT T H E I R P E A K D U R I N G T H E B R I T I S H W I N T E R .

WINTER SUN S I X O F T H E B E S T D E S T I N AT I O N S

1. THE MALDIVES

Coco Bodu Hithi, Maldives

‘ T hink of the Maldives as an archipelago of individual hotels rather than islands and you’ll have the right idea’

The Maldives are probably the most dreamt-about islands in the world. Unlike those in the Caribbean, there is little difference in topography between one island and the next – all share the same natural template, of a low-lying coral island with a deep-green heart, fringed by a glaring-white beach. Each is surrounded by a shallow, calm lagoon of the most fabulous pale lime and azure, and by coral reefs inhabited by kaleidoscopic marine life. What does differ between the 100 or so islands where tourists can stay are the resorts. Think of the Maldives as an archipelago of individual hotels rather than islands and you’ll have the right idea. Wherever you choose, don’t come in search of culture. Aside from thick books and a loving partner, the best way to kill time in the Maldives is underwater. Going without goggling or, better still, diving, is like going to the Himalayas without trekking or Singapore without shopping. An eight-night trip, with seven nights in an Island Villa on Coco Bodu Hithi – a tiny island with a choice of contemporary private-pool villas on or off the water and a stunning over-water spa – costs from £2,745 per person, including flights, taxes, speedboat transfers and breakfast.

Tulum, Mexico

2. MEXICO With non-stop flights from the UK to Cancun, the beaches of Mexico’s corner of the Caribbean are very do-able in a week. Rather than stay in Cancun itself, we suggest you head south to one of the more exclusive and secluded resorts on the Riviera Maya. The attractions of Mexico extend, of course, well beyond its Caribbean coastline, so you should try to factor in time to explore Mexico City, the colonial town of Merida and the wondrous Mayan sites of the Yucatan Peninsula. A 10-night trip, combining Mexico City, Merida, Yucatan and Riviera Maya, costs from £3,020 per person, including flights and taxes.

W I N T E R S U N

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

Wahiba Sands, Oman

3. OMAN You could spend an entire week in Oman – loafing on a sunbed amidst the luxurious trappings of a five-star hotel, enjoying glorious sunshine in the depths of winter – and not even venture beyond the capital, Muscat. But you’d be missing a treat. Unlike its neighbours, Oman offers a rich blend of traditional Arabian culture, historic forts and palaces, beautiful mosques, wild mountains and remarkable deserts. Top sights include the ancient capital of Nizwa and its enthralling Friday-morning goat and cattle market; the Al Hajar mountains, as wild, barren and bone-dry a landscape as you’ll find anywhere on the planet; the medieval mountain oasis of Misfah, known as the ‘Heaven on Earth’; and the Wahiba Sands, a world of immense, rolling golden dunes where you can ride camels and ‘dune bash’ up and over the edge of precipitous contours, kicking up wakes of golden sand like bridal veils. And after the adrenaline-fuelled activities of the day, magical nights can be spent under a blazing canopy of stars, absorbing the desert silence.

‘ Mauritius is a fair way to go, but the living is oh-so-easy when you get there, thanks to the excellent resorts and their armies of smiling staff’ 4. MAURITIUS It’s a fair way to go, but the living is oh-soeasy when you get there, mainly thanks to the island’s excellent resorts and their armies of smiling, attentive staff. They are also among the best on the planet for two very different but highly intertwined amenities: spas and children’s clubs; the kids, therefore, will be happily entertained while you get lost in a cocoon of seaweed wraps and aromatic rubs. If you want doorstep nature, head for the south west of the island. For social rather than scenic distractions, stay within reach of Grand Baie, where there are a handful of restaurants (although most hotel packages tend to include breakfast and dinner). For the most gorgeous beaches, stick close to Île aux Cerfs.

A nine-night trip, combining Muscat, Jebel Akhdar (Al Hajar mountains) and Wahiba Sands, costs from £3,495 per person, including flights and taxes. Constance Le Prince Maurice, Mauritius

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

A nine-night trip, with seven nights in a Junior suite at Constance Le Prince Maurice – a boutique resort with two spas, an array of water sports and championship golf a shuttle ride away – costs from £3,165 per person, including flights, taxes, transfers, breakfast and dinner.

WINTER SUN

5. SOUTH AFRICA With overnight flights in both directions and no jet-lag, South Africa is a viable candidate for a long weekend break. But with more time, visitors to the aptly named Rainbow Nation can effectively combine a spectrum of different holidays on the one trip to include game viewing, hiking, wine tasting, whale watching, battlefield tours and self-drive. With two weeks at your disposal, you could fly via Johannesburg to one of the many private wildlife concessions on the edge of the Kruger for a ‘big-five’ safari, then on to Cape Town, where you can stay downtown near the city’s iconic harbour, on the beach or among the vineyards. From Cape Town you have a choice – either head to Franschhoek for some serious wine tasting or hire a car and drive the glorious Garden Route to picturesque Knysna and Plettenburg Bay, South Africa’s Côte d’Azur. A 14-night trip, combining the Kruger, Cape Town, Franschhoek and the Garden Route, costs from £2,970 per person, including flights and taxes.

Franschhoek, South Africa

6. THAILAND

Chiang Mai, Thailand

With its combination of cultural attractions, wonderful beaches and luxury hotels, it’s no surprise that Thailand is such a popular escape from the rigours of our grey skies and chilly airs. Many visitors adopt the ‘golden triangle’ approach: a few days in Bangkok – think Grand Palace, Buddhist temples, ‘longtail’ boat rides on the klongs (canals), heartin-your-mouth tuk-tuk rides and unrivalled shopping – then a visit ‘up country’ to historic Chiang Mai and the tribal villages nearby, and finally some R&R at one of the many excellent beach resorts in Phuket and Koh Samui. A 14-night trip, combining Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, costs from £2,795 per person, including flights and taxes.

W I N T E R S U N

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

AND NOT FORGETTING AND NOT FORGETTING

THE CARIBBEAN Still our number-one escape from the rigours of a British winter, the Caribbean is ideal for anyone with just a week to spare – although, if that’s the case, the last thing you want to do when you arrive is start messing around with connecting planes. To make the best use of your time, we suggest picking one of the islands with a non-stop flight. BARBADOS For stylish resorts, private villas and chic restaurants. Stay on the west coast for the best hotels and calm waters, but visit the east for wild coastal scenery. Costs from £2,190 per person for flights, taxes, private transfers and seven nights at Coral Reef Club in a Garden cottage with breakfast. ANTIGUA The island has 365 beaches and a number of excellent hotels to choose from. Costs from £2,470 per person for flights, taxes, private transfers and seven nights at The Inn at English Harbour in a Junior suite with breakfast and dinner. JAMAICA Hard to beat for Caribbean flavours. The beaches are impressive and the interior of the island, should you wish to explore, stunning. Costs from £1,985 per person for flights, taxes, private transfers and seven nights at Jamaica Inn in a Superior Balcony suite. ST LUCIA Interesting hotels, beautiful beaches and dramatic scenery, but airport transfers can be lengthy (you can charter a helicopter). Costs from £2,085 per person for flights, taxes, private transfers and seven nights at Cap Maison in a Garden View room with breakfast. GRENADA About the same size as Greater London, Grenada offers the complete Caribbean experience on a single, stunning island, with sophisticated hotels and wonderful beaches. Costs from £2,665 per person for flights, taxes, private transfers and seven nights at Spice Island Beach Resort in an Oleander Garden suite with all meals and drinks.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

St Lucia

‘ Save yourself time by flying non-stop to any one of these Caribbean islands’

S TA RT YO U R J O U R N E Y SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR EXPERTS +44 (0)20 3740 1478

WINTER SUN

D E S I G N E D I N A M E R I C A F O R G LO B A L C I T I Z E N S

TUMI.COM

211 Regent Street, London • 170 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London • Westfield Shepherds Bush, London Also available at Harrods and Selfridges

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

CHINA China is huge, beguiling and more than a little daunting for first-time visitors. Here, our China expert Dan Mills answers some of your frequently asked questions.

4 This page 1. Li River, Guilin 2. Forbidden City, Beijing 3. Terracotta Warriors, Xi’an 4. Lijiang, Yunnan

CHINA: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Q: SO WHAT’S THE BIG ATTRACTION? A: China is home to three of the world’s most amazing man-made wonders: the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors. To go without ticking these essential boxes would be like going to Cambodia and not visiting Angkor Wat, or Peru minus Machu Picchu. Fortunately, all can be easily combined by flying to Beijing, home to the Forbidden City, taking an outing to one of the most impressive stretches of the Great Wall, then hopping on the new bullet train to Xi’an to inspect the 8,000 warriors guarding the tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuang.

C H I N A

Q: ISN’T SHANGHAI NOW ON THE ‘MUST-SEE’ LIST?

Q: WHERE SHOULD I GO FOR AMAZING SCENERY?

A: Yes, if you want to see China at its most dynamic and cosmopolitan, a showcase to its recent economic success. It’s an intensely urban, glitzy experience, with excellent shopping, too. But don’t come in the hope of seeing any cultural legacy aside from the Bund, the riverside prom lined with colonial buildings. If you do go, we would recommend a side trip to the Venice-like ‘water town’ of Zhujiajiao.

A: If, like generations of Chinese poets and painters, you are inspired by water, then head south to the province of Guilin, where the Li River meanders through a surreal canvas of verdant terraced fields and ‘sugarloaf’ karst mountains. You’ll also see the famous cormorant fishermen. There are frequent flights from Guilin to Hong Kong, so you may want to spend a couple of days there before flying home.

Q: AM I TOO LATE TO SEE THE THREE GORGES?

Q: WHICH BEACH RESORT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

A: No, although rising waters have certainly diluted their ‘wow’ impact. The classic three-night river cruises depart from the heaving city of Chongqing (an easy flight from Xi’an) and offer a pleasant, rural, gentle alternative to frenetic urban encounters and the endless procession of people.

A: We wouldn’t. If beaches are an essential ingredient in your holiday, we would suggest adding a few days in Thailand. But if what you need most are a few days in a gentle, relaxing setting, consider the cobbled streets and canals of the ancient Naxi capital of Lijiang in Yunnan. The surrounding countryside, on the edge of the enormous Tibetan plateau, is also delightful, with the Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest in the world, within excursion range.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

RUSSIA

K A Z A K H S TA N MONGOLIA

GOBI DESERT

Beijing G R E AT W A L L O F C H I N A

KOREA

Pingyao

CHINA

Xi’an

TIBET

Shanghai Chongqing

N E PA L

Lijiang

Guilin / Li River

YUNNAN

INDIA

Hong Kong

BURMA LAOS THAILAND

13-NIGHT

‘HIGHLIGHTS O F C H I N A’ Q: WHERE CAN I DISCOVER A MORE TRADITIONAL CHINA WITHOUT GOING TO THE BACK OF BEYOND? A: Here’s how. Break the train journey from Beijing to Xi’an with a night or two in the ancient walled city of Pingyao. You’ll then get a feeling for what the country was like before its stratospheric leap into the 21st century. Q: AM I GOING TO HAVE TO ROUGH IT? A: Far from it. Many of the swish hotel brands are widely in evidence, including Aman, Four Seasons, Shangri La, Peninsula and others. Although such illustrious names will push up the price, each destination also offers a range of more affordable four-star properties. Food is, or can be, a much more enjoyable experience than you might imagine, especially in restaurants at the top hotels (although menus in local neighbourhood eateries have barely moved from the ‘anything with legs except the table’ offerings!).

Q: WHEN’S THE BEST TIME TO GO?

FROM £3,825 PER PERSON

A: The ideal months, avoiding extremes of hot or cold, are from late March until the end of May, and September until early November.

PRICES / ITINERARY We can, of course, take you anywhere in China – west along the fabled Silk Road, north into the vastness of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, or even south to Tibet if you wish. The canvas is huge. The choice is yours. But if you are looking for a more classic introduction to the country, a 13-night ‘Highlights of China’ itinerary, visiting Beijing, Pingyao, Xi’an, Guilin and Shanghai, costs from £3,825 per person, including flights and taxes.

‘ Best scenery? Head to Guilin, where the Li River meanders through a surreal canvas of verdant terraced fields and “sugarloaf ” karst mountains’

S TA RT YO U R J O U R N E Y SPEAK TO OUR CHINA EXPERT DAN MILLS +44 (0)20 3740 1478

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

CHINA

M A R R I AG E S W I T H A

L AT I N T W I S T

At more than twice the size of the USA, Latin America is far too large to tackle in a single trip. Our advice is to limit your ambition to two, maybe three countries in one visit. Here, we suggest four Latin marriages.

L A T I N A M E R I C A

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

ITINERARY ONE

Atacama, Salar de Uyuni and Machu Picchu Chile, Bolivia & Peru An itinerary that links Chile with Bolivia and Peru. Begin at the colonial estancia and winery of La Casona in the Rosario Valley, Chile, before flying north to San Pedro de Atacama. Crossing the border into Bolivia and the Eduardo Avaroa Fauna Reserve, you will be treated to an incredible show of nature – erupting volcanoes, geysers, fumaroles and beautifully coloured lagoons – before heading north to the Salar de Uyuni. Here, on the world’s largest salt flats, you have two nights under the stars in luxuriously appointed US Airstream campervans with a private guide and cook. Continuing north to La Paz and Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake on Bolivia’s border with Peru, the final leg of the journey takes you by train across the Altiplano to the Inca capital of Cusco and their fabled ‘lost city’ of Machu Picchu.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

WHEN TO GO Year-round, but best to avoid the rains in Bolivia and Peru from December to April. JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

PRICES / ITINERARY A 17-night itinerary, visiting the Rosario Valley, San Pedro de Atacama, Salar de Uyuni, La Paz, Lake Titicaca, Cusco and Machu Picchu, costs from £7,560 per person, including flights and taxes.

BRAZIL PERU Machu Picchu Cusco

La Paz

BOLIVIA Salar de Uyuni

San Pedro de Atacama This page 1. Machu Picchu, Peru 2. La Casona, Rosario Valley 3. Eduardo Avaroa Fauna Reserve, Bolivia 4. La Paz, Bolivia 5. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia 6. Lake Titicaca, Bolivia Opposite 1. Antigua, Guatemala

CHILE ARGENTINA Rosario Valley

L AT I N A M E R I C A

MEXICO

Ambergris Caye

Tikal National Park

Chaa Creek

BELIZE

Lake Petén Itzá

ITINERARY THREE

G U AT E M A L A Chichicastenango Guatemala City Lake Atitlan

Antigua

HONDURAS

E L S A LVA D O R

ITINERARY TWO

Antigua, Tikal and the Caribbean Guatemala & Belize Our Central America blend of Guatemala and Belize is both richly and surprisingly diverse. From Guatemala City you drive straight to Antigua, one of the most beautiful colonial towns in Latin America, then on to Lake Atitlan and the village of Santiago, where locals have retained their historic customs, crafts and colourful dress. A visit to the magical, timeless market of Chichicastenango is a must before flying to Flores, gateway to the iconic Mayan ruins of Tikal. You stay here at La Lancha, an exclusive Francis Ford Coppola resort set in lush tropical forest on the shores of Lake Petén Itzá. Crossing the border into Belize, your final few days are best divided between Chaa Creek, a private nature reserve on the banks of the Macal River, and the idyllic Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye.

L A T I N A M E R I C A

WHEN TO GO Both countries are at their best from December to April, but May should still be okay before the rains arrive in June. JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

PRICES / ITINERARY A 15-night itinerary, visiting Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Flores, Chaa Creek and Ambergris Caye, costs from £4,425 per person, including flights and taxes.

This page 1. Tikal, Belize 2. La Lancha, Belize Opposite 3. Salinas Grandes, Argentina 4. Buenos Aires, Argentina 5. Cartagena, Colombia

Atacama, Salta and Buenos Aires Chile & Argentina The most familiar bonds of matrimony between Chile and Argentina happen in the deep Patagonian south, but we also recommend a northern approach for equally dramatic and contrasting scenery. Starting in Santiago, with an initial detour to the colonial coastal port city of Valparaiso, you fly to Calama and then on to the oasis of San Pedro de Atacama, located in the fertile Katarpe Valley and surrounded by rugged desert landscapes. After crossing the high Andean pass into northern Argentina, you then visit the canyons of La Quebrada de Humahuaca, the salt pans of Salta and the vineyards of the Calchaqui Valley before a final stop in Buenos Aires, the ‘Paris of South America’. WHEN TO GO During the autumn, winter and spring months, from April to December. JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

PRICES / ITINERARY A 16-night itinerary, visiting Santiago, San Pedro de Atacama, Salta and Buenos Aires, costs from £5,980 per person, including flights and taxes.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

‘Take to the air by microlight zooming over the river and its oxbow lagoons as effortlessly as a fish eagle.’ 3

ITINERARY FOUR

Cartagena, Coffee and the Caribbean Colombia’s finest

San Pedro de Atacama

La Quebrada de Humahuaca Salta

ARGENTINA Santiago Buenos Aires

A combination of political calm and new non-stop flights between London and Bogotá is creating a surge of interest in Colombia as a holiday destination. And such are its attractions – stunning Caribbean and Pacific coastlines, exotic wildlife, lush interiors, a mix of indigenous and Spanish colonial heritage – that we are giving the country its own stand-alone billing. Bogotá, the capital and main gateway, is likely to figure on most agendas. Essential sights include the city’s Gold Museum in the historic La Candelaria neighbourhood and the nearby Salt Cathedral at Zipaquirá. The funicular ride to the 3,100-metre summit of Cerro Monserrate for panoramic views across the city is also well worthwhile. Beyond Bogotá, you will discover the natural charms and traditional Indian villages of the Sierra Nevada, the junglecloaked beaches of Tayrona, some of the world’s most prolific bird watching in the Utria National Park… and a coffee culture that is uniquely Colombian. The fairytale Caribbean port of Cartagena is, of course, a must-see, but find time as well for the fading charms of Mompox on the Magdalena River, and Medellín, the ‘City of Eternal Spring’. El Chocó on the Pacific Coast may be a newcomer to the Colombian party, but it boasts one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. Only accessible by air or sea, this natural paradise is sanctuary to migratory birds, marine turtles and humpback whales, who arrive to calve from July to October.

Tayrona National Park

Cartagena Mompox

VENEZUELA

Utria National Park

Medellín Bogota

COLOMBIA ECUADOR

WHEN TO GO The driest months are December to April, the wettest October to November, but rain can also be significant in the Andes from April to June. Being close to the equator, regional temperatures change little throughout the year. The best time for whale-watching is from July to September. JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

PRICES / ITINERARY A 12-night ‘Colombia’ itinerary, visiting Bogota, the Coffee Zone, Cartagena and Tayrona, costs from £3,295 per person, including flights and taxes.

S TA RT YO U R J O U R N E Y S P E A K T O O U R L AT I N A M E R I C A E X P E R T S PA U L & L A U R A +44 (0)20 3740 1478

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

L AT I N A M E R I C A

CITIES UNDER T H E R A DA R PA R I S , C O P E N H A G E N , B E R L I N A N D N E W Y O R K A R E P E R E N N I A L C I T Y- B R E A K FAV O U R I T E S . H E R E , W E S U G G E S T S O M E A LT E R N AT I V E C I T I E S T H AT A R E J U S T A S W O R T H Y.

Sears Tower, Chicago

Helsinki (not Copenhagen) Finland’s seaside capital is a compact world of museums, art nouveau architecture, cathedrals (there are two: one Orthodox, the other Lutheran), both contemporary and traditional cafés and shops selling such designercool Finnish brands as Marimekko for fabrics, Aalto for furniture and Iittala for glassware. Make time to catch the bus, train or boat to Porvoo, a medieval town of wooden buildings and cobbled streets, and also for a jaunt to one of the islands. Helsinki is virtually surrounded by water and there are some 300 islands on its doorstep, with World Heritagelisted Suomenlinna, just a 15-minute ferry hop away, the most popular. Three nights in a Deluxe room at Hotel Kämp, including flights, private transfers and breakfast, costs from £875 per person.

Chicago (not New York) Chicago takes just an hour longer to reach than New York, but is far less popular. And yet it is one of the few cities in the world where the words ‘high rise’ are associated with architectural magnificence rather than inner-city blight. The amazing skyline is best appreciated from a boat on the Chicago River with a guide from the Architectural Foundation. The collections in the Art Institute, rated by Trip Advisor as the best museum in the world, are also a must, and find time to visit one or two of the suburbs. Best of these are Oak Park, where Frank Lloyd Wright build several ‘prairie-style’ houses (his own is now a museum), and the stylish, fashionable neighbourhood of Wicker Park.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

Four nights in a Chambers King room at the Virgin Hotel Chicago (see New Hotels on page 8 for further details), including flights, private transfers and breakfast, costs from £1,030 per person.

CITY BREAKS

Dresden (not Berlin)

Bülow Palais

For a place so utterly devastated by the war-time Blitz, Dresden’s beauty will probably come as a complete surprise. More than three quarters of the old city was flattened and 25,000 residents killed on a single day in February 1945, but a remarkable and painstaking process of restoration has seen Dresden restored to its pre-war glory. Located on the banks of the River Elbe, the city’s baroque masterpieces include the Semperoper opera house, two cathedrals and two palaces – the Residenzschloss and the enormous Zwinger. Known as the ‘Florence of the Elbe’, Dresden also has one of the most important collections of art in Europe and, in December, reigns as the undisputed Christmas capital of Germany, its Striezelmarkt a treat of seasonality and the oldest of all Christkindl markets. Three nights in a Deluxe room at Bülow Palais, including flights, private transfers and breakfast, costs from £675 per person.

Nice (not Paris) Nice, the fifth biggest city in France, is full of small-town charm. At the heart of its old quarter – a warren of mostly 17th- and 18th-century buildings wearing coats of apricot and yellow ochre, fading fuchsia and terracotta – is the Cours Saleya, where you can stock up the home larder with Provençal specialities at the daily market. Nice, of course, meets the Med on a five mile swathe of grey, Brighton-sized pebbles that are agony on the insteps but worth the pain for a refreshing dip in the Blue Flag clean and clear waters. Looking for more cultural distractions? Then Nice is second only to Paris in its museum score. Matisse has one all to himself – a renovated, salmon-pink 17th-century Genovese villa. And if you get tired of town, just hop on the train, which stops at all the glittering resorts along the Cote d’Azur, including Monte Carlo, Antibes and Cannes. Three nights in a Deluxe Sea View room with balcony at Hôtel La Pérouse, including flights, private transfers and breakfast, costs from £1,090 per person.

CITY BREAKS

WA N T T O K N O W M O R E ? S P E A K T O O N E O F O U R T R AV E L E X P E R T S +44 (0)20 3740 1478

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

Collector’s

‘first edition’ comprising 300 pages illustrated with over 325 high resolution images.

‘The perfect read for the bon vivant’ Few cocktails have acquired the cult status of the Negroni thanks to its stylish Italian associations, seductive taste and illustrious history. With its flamboyant red hue, aromatic nose and sophisticated palate of exotic botanicals and herbaceous bitters, the Negroni has come to be an icon amongst cocktails.

The Life Negroni offers a unique perspective on the cocktail by delving into its past, discovering the stories behind its component ingredients – gin, vermouth, and bitters – and decoding its timeless influence on style, fashion, music and art, and its impact on cocktail culture and the high life.

A tale of legends, movie stars, classic cars and luxury in all its manifestations, The Life Negroni is a book that spans many things and multiple generations. It is a spirited history of Italy, of sprezzatura, la dolce vita, Futurismo and aperitivo. It is a story about satisfying one’s pleasure principle. It is the perfect read for the bon vivant.

Perfect for Christmas, available to buy now at TheLifeNegroni.com On sale in Foyles, Waterstones, Amazon and all good book stores in November

Puffed lamb at Mugaritz

M I C H E L I N - S TA R GRAZING IN SAN SEBASTIAN Hugh Holland loosens his belt and expands on the culinary delights of San Sebastián, on Spain’s Basque Country coast.

3-NIGHT

‘SAN SEBASTIAN CITY BREAK’ FROM £895 PER PERSON

CITY BREAKS

SOME MONTHS AGO, still kicking myself for failing to secure a table at El Bulli, I read an article about great restaurants in Spain. Contrary to received opinion, France was no longer the home of the world’s great chefs, and London, despite the ludicrous hyperbole, remained a vastly overpriced backwater populated by flashy egotists who are much better at PR than cooking. The place to go was Spain, and in particular San Sebastián – or Donostia, as the Basques would call it – home to any number of three-star Michelin restaurants and the only city with two establishments rated in the world’s top ten (Arzak and Mugaritz). Indeed, the city has the highest concentration of Michelin stars per square foot in the world.

San Sebastián is in ‘green Spain’, on the Bay of Biscay in the northwest of the country, 40 minutes south of Biarritz. The city is ancient by any standard, with early settlements dating back to 22,000 BC. With its beautiful natural harbour, La Concha, and steep hillsides around the coastal perimeter, notably Urgull, San Sebastián was of huge strategic significance and much-coveted by a succession of empires from Roman times forward. Thankfully, it is now a tourist destination, but the legacy of years of conflict and the self-aggrandising monuments the victors brought in their wake are reflected in the magnificent buildings that dominate the city. There is an old and new town, and the Parte Vieja appears particularly charming, although largely given a miss by the locals, which should serve as a warning… U LT I M A T E I D E A S

San Sebastian

Hotel Maria Cristina

PHOTOS: © JOSÉ LUIS LÓPEZ DE ZUBIRÍA/MUGARITZ / HOTEL MARIA CRISTINA / AKELARE

Akelare

The Hotel Maria Cristina sits on the outskirts of the old town and has no peer at the top end of the market. Its Belle Époque glamour resonates throughout every room, and the loyal and attentive staff do all they can to make you feel you’ve arrived in a different era of charm and style. There is, however, no sign of the aristocrats whose patronage made the hotel famous after it opened in 1912. The breathtaking gin and tonic is worth the price of admission on its own: a small bucket containing a cylindrical brick of gin that gradually releases in to a fizzing tonic – delicious and very dangerous. Bilbao and the Guggenheim Museum are less than an hour away, as are the golf courses and seaside activities of Biarritz, across the border in France. Landlubbers can explore the beautiful countryside in the foothills of the nearby Pyrenees. The real focus for us was the restaurants, which are each worth the journey alone. Our two favourites were Akelare and, top of the tree, Martin Berasategui – the former has fabulous food and a wonderful atmosphere, but the latter, judged on cuisine alone, was in a class of its own. I can think of no better place for a short break to invigorate the mind, the mouth and the waistline!

‘ Bilbao and the iconic Guggenheim are less than an hour away, as are the golf courses and seaside activities of Biarritz’

PRICES / ITINERARY A three-night weekend break in San Sebastián, staying in a Deluxe room at Hotel Maria Cristina, costs from £895 per person, including flights (to Bilbao), private airport transfers and breakfast. Restaurants are about £150 to £250 per person for a signature ‘tasting menu’ with good Spanish wines (follow the sommelier’s recommendations) and service included. It’s imperative to make lunch and dinner reservations well in advance – we can help with this. It is advisable to check whether golf courses are open to visitors, and to prebook starting times. Again, we can assist.

S TA RT YO U R J O U R N E Y S P E A K T O O U R S PA I N E X P E R T J O A N D C AT H E R I N E +44 (0)20 3740 1478

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

CITY BREAKS

Combine the discovery of 400-year old Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the balmy seclusion of a palmfringed golden beach on a journey that reveals the rich dimensions of Sri Lankaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colourful south coast.

Fort and Beach Journey Stay five nights and receive complimentary inter-resort transfers, daily breakfast, minibar (excluding alcohol), afternoon tea and one complimentary activity at each resort. Stay seven nights and enjoy an additional half board which includes daily lunch or dinner. Guests of Ultimate Travel will enjoy a complimentary room upgrade in addition to the above. Journey until 30 April 2016.

Reservations The Ultimate Travel Company Tel: 020 3468 8587

Aman offers 30 destinations in 20 countries. amanresorts.com

ESSENTIAL

INDIA O V E R T H E Y E A R S , A W A R D - W I N N I N G T R AV E L W R I T E R S TA N L E Y S T E W A R T H A S T R AV E L L E D T H E L E N G T H A N D BREADTH OF INDIA FOR WORK AND PLEASURE. H E R E , H E P I C K S O U T S O M E O F H I S FAV O U R I T E D E S T I N AT I O N S A N D P L A C E S T O S TAY.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

INDIA

Colonial relics in Calcutta

In the Victorian age, Calcutta was the second city of the empire, outranked only by London itself. The showpiece capital of British India, until power was shifted in the 20th century to upstart New Delhi, it remains its most fascinating city – charming, chaotic, cultured and fizzing with energy. There are haunting souvenirs of the colonial era – Fort William, the Royal Calcutta Turf Club, the white-marble expanses of the Victoria Memorial, St Paul’s Cathedral, St Andrew’s Kirk, the Viceregal Palace, modelled on Kedleston Hall. Calcutta’s most prestigious colonial address is without doubt the Oberoi Grand. An oasis of old-fashioned manners, the hotel dates back to the late 1880s and was frequented by the country’s leading figures during the late colonial era. Today it continues to host lavish State functions in its fabled Grand Ballroom.

Tea in Darjeeling India’s hill stations are a world apart – a retreat from the heat and the dust, from the crowds and the confusion of the subcontinent. Many were tea plantations whose green manicured terraces were enlivened by the bright saris of the pickers. In Darjeeling, the Glenburn Tea Estate is one of India’s most sophisticated properties – a former planter’s house elegantly renovated. Afternoon tea on the lawns, while gazing across at the Himalayas, is one of the house rituals. But Glenburn offers more than the perfect cuppa: in these vertiginous regions there is fly-fishing, white-water rafting, hill trekking and some of the best bird-watching in India. 2

Gods in Madurai Hinduism’s contemporaries – the religions of classical Greece and Ancient Egypt – may have been extinct for 2,000 years, but in India the old gods are more tenacious. Endearing fellows with charming picaresque lives, they inhabit the temples of India, where they are fed, bathed, adorned and occasionally taken for walks by attendant priests. Southern India has the most impressive temples in the subcontinent. And the best of them is the great Sri Meenakshi temple at Madurai – vast, labyrinthine, richly decorative and very old, just like Hinduism itself. And when you tire of the prostrating pilgrims, you can head into the hills outside the city to the Pasumalai Madurai – part of the Taj group. Set in acres of manicured gardens, this colonial hotel is like a private hill station for its guests.

I N D I A

This page 1. Victoria Memorial, Calcutta 2. Tea plantation, Darjeeling 3. Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

‘ Dating from the 10th century AD, the sandstone temples at Khajuraho are among the most beautiful in India’

This page 1. Sandstone temple carvings, Khajuraho 2. Pench National Park 3. Jamtara Wilderness Lodge 1

Stone Carvings in Khajuraho All across India, exquisite temple carvings stir the senses. Dating from the 10th century AD, the sandstone temples at Khajuraho are among the most beautiful in India. And the strangest. Khajuraho has been called the Kama Sutra in stone. The sculpted reliefs begin with the merely sensual, but soon gravitate to the downright carnal in scenes of eye-watering coupling. Barely half an hour away is Sarai at Toria, a wonderful lodge whose elegant thatched cottages offer rural seclusion. There are village walks, river trips, game drives in Panna National Park and excursions to ruined temples.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

Tigers in Madhya Pradesh No one forgets their first glimpse of a tiger in the wild. Mine did not arrive so much as materialise: one moment there was nothing, and the next there was the tiger, padding through dappled shade with aristocratic grace. But with wildlife tourism on the increase in India, visitor numbers can sometimes spoil your tiger viewing. Which is why Jamtara Wilderness Lodge is such a welcome new arrival. Situated in the buffer zone of Pench National Park – the setting for both Kipling’s Jungle Book as well as the BBC’s wildlife documentary Tiger: Spy in the Jungle – Jamtara brings its guests into parts of the park to which other lodges do not have such natural access. So when that tiger appears, you may well have him all to yourself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Award-winning travel writer Stanley Stewart’s work regularly appears in The Sunday Times, Condé Nast Traveller, National Geographic Traveller and the Financial Times. Past travels in India have included riding a motorbike across the south, discovering lost gardens in Rajasthan and surviving an ashram in Kerala. He hopes one day to have the chance to do nothing at one of his favourite retreats in Goa.

INDIA

PA K I S TA N

TIBET

Kumaon Himalaya Delhi

N E PA L B H U TA N

Agra Darjeeling Khajuraho

BANGLADESH M A D H YA PRADESH

Calcutta

Pench National Park

Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa

Western Ghats

INDIA

Madurai

Chakras in the Western Ghats Meditation, yoga, ayurveda – India offers oriental wisdom on wellness, mental and physical balance, and the harmony of body and mind. One of the country’s newest numerous health and wellness resorts is Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa in the Western Ghats. Though far from India’s madding crowds, deep in the Western Ghats, this luxury property is still only two and a half hours from Mumbai, making it an ideal place to start or end any Indian itinerary. Shillim is a cure for anything that might be wrong with you. An ayurvedic doctor is on hand to sort out your tejas from your apa, the restaurants will tailor a diet to suit your chakras, a yoga teacher will get you doing great things for the large intestine, and the spa offers a full range of pampering massages and treatments. This page 1. Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa, Western Ghats 2. 360˚ Leti, Kumaon Himalaya

Luxury in the Himalaya There are moments when we want to escape the car, to feel our feet on the ground, to be in touch with village India. The foothills of the Kumaon Himalaya offer the most wonderful walking – enjoy gentle strolls through a rich agricultural landscape, staying at night in village houses that have been elegantly upgraded for visitors. And at the end there is a stunning reward, 360° Leti, a Himalayan retreat of just four elegant cottages, contemporary creations of glass, teak and stone perched on a high ridge. It has sophisticated food, stylish details and roaring fires, but the real prize here is the view – the great Himalayan snow peaks that command the northern horizons. And for those of a less-active disposition, you can cheat and come by car. Alternatively, you can hang back in the foothills of the Himalaya and rejuvenate at Ananda, India’s leading spa resort.

WHEN TO GO The Himalayan regions of the north are at their best in the late spring and early autumn. Elsewhere, it is best to avoid the monsoon rains from July to September, and also the heat and humidity of the pre-monsoon period, and travel between October and April. PRICES / ITINERARY We can organise bespoke journeys to all four corners of India, such as: A 12-night ‘Taj and Tigers’ itinerary, visiting Delhi, Agra, Khajuraho, and Panna and Pench National Parks, costs from £3,195 per person, including flights and taxes. An 11-night ‘Colonial East India’ itinerary, visiting Calcutta, Kaziranga and Darjeeling, costs from £3,395 per person, including flights and taxes. An 11-night ‘Himalayan Journey’, visiting Delhi, Kumaon and 360° Leti, costs from £4,935 per person, including flights, taxes, all meals and drinks (except in Delhi).

S TA RT YO U R J O U R N E Y S P E A K T O O U R I N D I A E X P E R T S AY E S H A & Z E L I E +44 (0)20 3740 1478

I N D I A

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

F LY I N G S O L O, U L T I M AT E S T Y L E G E O F F G O Y, S O L O T R A V E L L E R W I T H A D E S I R E F O R D I S C O V E R Y, E M B A R K S O N T H E F I R S T O F A S E R I E S O F U LT I M AT E J O U R N E Y S TO THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE WORLD.

Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN REASONS FOR TRAVELLING: a sense of adventure, a desire for discovery, a need to get away from the monotony of everyday life. For me, it was all these things and more. I’d had an innate yearning to expand my horizons from a very early age, and my career and lifestyle choices have reflected this ever since. Early in 2013, a number of factors came together to give me the opportunity of realising my dream to travel around the world for 12 months. I approached a few of the more renowned UK tour operators, explaining my requirements, and was met with an almost-universal ‘no’. With the singular exception of The Ultimate Travel Company who, despite an early reluctance, worked extremely hard to accommodate my ideas and, it has to be said, finally came up with a far better scheme than I had ever dreamed of. And so it came about that, in February 2014, after several months of planning and fine-tuning, I found myself at London Heathrow, about to board an Emirates Airbus for the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. It was the first leg of what would prove to be an unforgettable series of journeys to the four corners of the world – flying solo, Ultimate style.

Sri Lanka 4

Admittedly, I was somewhat reticent about travelling alone, and I arrived in Sri Lanka with a certain trepidation. I needn’t have worried, however, as the local agents, Ceylon Exclusive, were wonderfully welcoming, introducing me to Shanta, who was to be my guide, driver, companion and teacher for the next eight days. We headed north in the most comfortable MPV and, despite the vagaries of other local drivers and the condition of the roads, made the 106-mile journey to Thirappane in a very creditable five and a half hours. In Thirappane I stayed at the stunning Ulagalla Resort, exploring the ancient Sinhalese capitals of Sigiriya and Anuradhapura, as well as the Minneriya National Park, before moving on to Kandy, Hatton – at the heart of the ‘tea country’ – and finally Hikkaduwa, on the southwest coast of the island. It was time for a well-earned rest and also a fond farewell to Shanta, who had taught me so much about local culture, religion, politics… and, most important of all, the dangerous Sri Lankan pastime of tuk-tuk avoidance.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

‘ T he first instruction I received after disembarking on Kunfunadhoo in the Maldives: “Please be advised that the island is shoe-optional” ’ The Maldives It was then a hop, skip and a jump south to the Maldives, where I was a guest of Soneva Fushi on their island paradise of Kunfunadhoo in the Baa Atoll. Only accessible by seaplane from the capital, Malé, the first instruction I received on landing and transferring to the small boat that was to take me to the island’s single dock was: ‘Please be advised that the island is shoe-optional.’ That was enough for me. The only thing I wore on my feet for the next few days were flippers for snorkelling in the astonishingly clear, blue waters. It was a luxurious, indulgent treat of indescribably beautiful sunsets, mouthwatering cuisine and one of the best Balinese massages outside of, well, Bali. It was utter perfection.

Dubai & Abu Dhabi It was therefore with some reluctance that I returned by seaplane to Malé and flew on to Dubai and the opulence of the One&Only Royal Mirage. Waking the next morning from a deep, dreamless sleep in one of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in, I found myself in an altogether different world. Dubai is

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

fascinating and, it must be said, unique. To experience it, however, is akin to Marmite: you either love it or you hate it. I actually managed to do both in equal measure, loving the cleanliness, the massive shopping malls, the breathtaking Dubai Marina, the climb to the top of the Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest building), the seaplane flight to Abu Dhabi and Ferrari World, the camel racing and the surrounding desert.

Oman The last leg of this first journey took me across the border onto the Musandam Peninsula in northern Oman for another bout of rest and recuperation at Zighy Bay after the rigours of Dubai. It was difficult to get any real kind of impression of Oman as a whole from just a few days in a single resort, but my stay was wonderfully relaxing, made all the more so by the ‘Wellness Director’ and his team. If you are looking for a holistic approach to R&R, you need look no further than this signature Six Senses hideaway. And so, after 30 glorious, stress-free, impeccably organised days away, I returned home to deepest Dorset to prepare for my second journey, to Southeast Asia…

This page 1. Soneva Fushi, The Maldives 2. Burj Khalifa, Dubai 3. Baa Atoll, The Maldives 4. Six Senses, Oman 5. One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai Opposite 1. Hikkaduwa coast, Sri Lanka 2. Temple of the Tooth, Kandy, Sri Lanka 3. Geoff Goy in Dubai 4. Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka 5. Ulagalla Resort, Thirappane, Sri Lanka

WANT TO PLAN YOUR OWN? As a single traveller you have a choice. You can join a small group of like-minded companions on one of our inspiring escorted tours – our portfolio extends across the globe and caters for all interests – with charming escorts and guest lecturers to cosset and gently educate you. Or, like Geoff, you can go it alone. There’ll be no barriers between you and the respective cultures, and meetings with local people and other travellers will be random but the more genuine for it. You will also still be very well guided by our on-ground teams in each destination.

TRAVELLING SOLO

EMBARK ON A BREATHTAKING JOURNEY Great journeys are at the heart of all Belmond’s luxury experiences, so why not begin your journey through Southeast Asia in captivating Myanmar... This spectacular jewel in Southeast Asia’s treasure trove is famed for its astonishingly beautiful scenery, undisturbed landscapes and a fascinating culture dating back 3,500 years. It is also home to the legendary, life giving Ayeyarwady River. Board the luxurious river cruiser Belmond Road to Mandalay and stop off to explore rural villages from a bygone era, see saffron-robed monks go about their daily rituals, and marvel at the golden spires of pagodas soaring out of the lush jungle. Then onto Cambodia in search of the famous Angkor Wat staying at Belmond La Résidence d’Angkor. This intimate retreat on the banks of a tree-lined river beautifully captures the region’s rich history while offering every modern luxury. Anticipate an authentic Cambodian experience at this centrally located hotel in Siem Reap. Over in neighbouring Laos, positioned atop a hill, gazing across the sacred mountains, Belmond La Résidence Phou Vao is another unforgettable place to stay. Its calm, tranquil ambience echoes that of the sleepy World Heritage town of Luang Prabang – former royal capital of Laos – spread out below.

In Thailand, away from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, Koh Samui is a charming island sought out by the more discerning travellers looking for more tranquil Thai experience. Nestled between verdant tropical gardens and the dazzling sea, Belmond Napasai is a true paradise on the north coast of the island. This secluded hideaway is the perfect place to escape the world and let your troubles melt away. Stand-alone villas sit within 17 acres of tropical gardens, rich with cashew and coconut trees, hibiscus and bougainvillea. Tempting aromas of fresh local cuisine drift through the air, and staff greet every request with a warm smile. Take an unforgettable rail journey through the heart of Southeast Asia aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express. Masters of the art of luxury train travel, Belmond provides the perfect balance between leisure on board and inspiring excursions further afield. Choose between their classic journeys through the vibrant and contrasting cities of Singapore and Bangkok or venture further north to Chiang Mai. Further south, in Indonesia, the supremely romantic Belmond Jimbaran Puri sits on one of Bali’s most beautiful beaches. Talcum-soft sands set the scene for a tropical retreat. Enjoy a massage by the sea, then let the calm, azure waters tempt you in... Your kind of journey?

To book a stay or holiday to any of these fantastic Belmond hotels, trains and river cruises, simply contact The Ultimate Travel Company and enjoy the benefits of our preferred partner status. Call us on 020 7386 4646 to find out more.

BELMOND ROAD TO MANDALAY

BELMOND LA RÉSIDENCE PHOU VAO

BELMOND JIMBARAN PURI

BELMOND NAPASAI

BELMOND JIMBARAN PURI

EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS

BELMOND LA RÉSIDENCE D’ANGKOR

Great Ocean Road, Victoria

U L T I M AT E

RO A D TRIPS DOWN UNDER

D I S TA N C E S I N A U S T R A L I A A R E O N A N A L I E N S C A L E . B U T D O N ’ T L E T T H AT P U T Y O U O F F D R I V I N G , B E C A U S E T H I S I S W I T H O U T D O U B T T H E B E S T W AY T O C O M E T O T E R M S W I T H T H E C O U N T RY ’ S S C A L E A N D G R A N D E U R .

Sydney NEW SOUTH WALES

VICTORIA

Melbourne 1

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

ROAD TRIP ONE

ROAD TRIP TWO

Adelaide Coorong National Park

Great Ocean Road: Melbourne and the Grampians

VICTORIA

Grampians National Park Melbourne

F I V E - D AY D R I V E After passing through the popular surfers’ resort of Torquay, you follow the coast road to Apollo Bay and the Otway National Park, where rugged rainforests, towering eucalyptus (popular with koalas) and secluded fern gullies meet the dramatic coastline. But it is the next stretch that is the most famous – the Great Ocean Road, which takes in the once-notorious Shipwreck Coast and the Twelve Apostles, the ruggedly eroded ‘stacks’ of rock, as well as other scenic highlights. From here you have a choice of routes, either continuing to Adelaide via the Coorong National Park, or returning to Melbourne via the Grampians, a region of goldrush towns, waterfalls, soaring peaks, deep valleys, wildflowers, birds, kangaroos, emus and several Aboriginal rock-art sites.

NEW SOUTH WALES

Apollo Bay Great Otway National Park

Sydney to Melbourne S E V E N - D AY D R I V E Although little known in comparison to the Great Ocean Road, the drive between Sydney and Melbourne also showcases gorgeous coastal scenery, as well as a stock of other natural assets, from inland lakes and rivers to vast national parks and indigenous wildlife. Drive the 750-mile route and you’ll tap into a rich seam of goldrush heritage and experience the region’s fine food and wine. It will also lead you through canopies of magnificent gum trees, beside forested mountains and over rolling green hills, the air perfumed by the tantalising fragrances of the Australian bush. WHEN TO GO: November to April

WHEN TO GO: November to April This page 1. The Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road 2. Yarra Valley vineyard 3. Sydney 4. Melbourne 5. Koala, Otway National Park Opposite 1. The Kimberley 2. Gibb River Road 3. Margaret River

A U S T R A L I A

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

ROAD TRIP THREE

The Southwest S E V E N - D AY D R I V E First spend some time in Perth, visiting the yachting mecca of Fremantle, where the Swan River meets the sea, and the lively seaside suburb of Cottesloe and Rottnest Island (best explored on a rented bicycle). Then head south to the Margaret River, a region that combines some of the most stunning beaches on the planet with award-winning vineyards. Turning the southwestern corner of Australia, you’ll encounter a stirring sight – a line of coast that alternates between national park scenic glories and deserted beaches. One essential stop is the Tree Top Walk in the so-called ‘Valley of the Giants’, high in the canopy of ancient karri trees, whose pale-grey, blistering bark reveals delicate burnt amber and salmon-pink skins (just like the Poms who neglect to slip, slap and slop on the high-factor sun cream). Finally, you should allow time for both Denmark and Albany, appealing small towns with shops, galleries, cafés and restaurants, before driving directly back to Perth cross-country.

Darwin

ROAD TRIP FOUR

WHEN TO GO:

Gibb River Road, Kimberley

October to April

1 4 - D AY D R I V E Rottnest Island

Perth Fremantle

Broome

The Kimberley

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Margaret River

Denmark Valley of the Giants

Albany

The Kimberley, in Australia’s northwest, has been called the Last Wilderness. Its main artery is the Gibb River Road, a 400-mile track built in the 1950s to transport cattle, and is the best way to appreciate the waterfalls, gorges and awesome natural sights of the Kimberley’s rugged escarpment country. Linking Broome with Darwin, this two-week trip on mostly unsealed track has to be one of the most adventurous self-drive road trips in the world. A robust 4WD is essential, as is careful planning, and accommodation en route is basic – so best to think Ranulph Fiennes, but with back-up and comfy beds. WHEN TO GO:

May to October

S TA RT YO U R J O U R N E Y SPEAK TO OUR AUSTRALIA EXPERTS JEREMY & GINA +44 (0)20 3740 1478

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

AUSTRALIA

Contact Bridge & Wickers to find out how you can experience Ultimate Australia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 020 3468 8587 64

X X X X X X X X X

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

The only aquarium visible from sp ace

D I S C OV E R B R E AT H TA K I N G G R E AT B A R R I E R R E E F AT AU S T R A L I A .C O M U LT I M A T E I D E A S

XXXXXXXXXX

S T O P O V E R S I N S I N G A P O R E N E E D N ’ T B E D U L L A F FA I R S . S I M P LY F O L L O W O U R G U I D E T O G E T T I N G T H E B E S T O U T O F A B R I E F S TAY I N T H E C I T Y.

A SINGAPORE 66

FLING 67

Hit the shops

See art on parade

Try a taste of India

It’s not all about the big stores on the Orchard Road. Haji Lane, a sliver of an alley sandwiched between Arab Street and Bali Lane, has several tiny boutiques, including a number of renovated old shop houses, with wares on show on the second floors. Soon Lee is one must-visit shop, offering an eclectic range of books, one-of-a-kind clothes, jewellery, hats and accessories.

Gillman Barracks is a contemporary arts cluster with 16 international galleries, three restaurants and the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), all housed in the old military camp. Built in 1936 to accommodate the expansion of the British infantry on the island, the buildings began their new life two years ago and are helping to establish Singapore as an important centre for contemporary art in Asia.

Little India is Delhi shrunk to a dime – an intense, ethnic pocket of silks and sarees, gold shops and sellers of jasmine garlands, money lenders and fish-head restaurants, Hindu temples and curry grinders who cloud the pavement air with spicy dust. If you’re hungry, go to The Banana Leaf Apolo for curry served on a banana leaf and eaten with your fingers (right hand, please). Order two glasses of the delicious lime juice: one to quench your thirst, the second to cool your tongue.

Visit the gardens The Heritage Gardens, part of the enormous ‘Gardens by the Bay’ project, is a collection of four themed gardens that will take you through the history and culture of Singapore’s three main ethnic groups and colonial past. The Malay Garden, for example, ‘a Reflection of Community’, stresses the role of edible fruits and medicinal plants used by the local Malay population, while the Colonial Garden, ‘a Reflection of Ambition’, covers issues such as plant transportation and profitable crops that have shaped Singapore’s economy.

S I N G A P O R E

Feed the fish Don’t inflict your feet on some poor pedicurist – instead, let the fish take care of them. A shoal of industrious little Turkish tiddlers wait in a pool to nibble away dead skin and leave your toes fresh and exfoliated. Best avoided by those with ticklish feet! For around £20 you can have 20 minutes in the pool and a further 20 minutes’ foot reflexology at Kenko on the Orchard Road.

Go wild after dark Through the use of special lighting, natural barriers and cleverly camouflaged moats, the ‘Night Safari’ allows you to observe what 900 nocturnal animals get up to after dusk. The 45-minute narrated tram ride is the best way to see the animals from the safety of your seat, but brave the dark walking trails if you dare for a closer look at some of the smaller creatures, such as flying squirrels and dangling bats.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

M A L AY S I A

The Heritage Gardens Night Safari

SINGAPORE Toa Payoh Katon Joo Chiat

Little India Orchard Road

Haji Lane

The Esplanade

CCA

Marina Bay Sands

Brani Island Sentosa

See a classical show Catch a performance by international touring companies (the Royal Shakespeare Company, for example) or local talents such as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra at The Esplanade, an iconic landmark and world-class artistic venue.

‘ Venture beyond the hub of the city to the suburban neighbourhoods where locals reside, shop and socialise’

Meet the locals Venture beyond the hub of the city to the suburban neighbourhoods where locals reside, shop and socialise. Toa Payoh, for example, features a bustling local mall as well as the grand Buddhist temple, Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery. Katon and Joo Chiat are also worth a visit for their melting pot of cultures, from Malay to Indian and Chinese to Peranakan. Opposite 1. Gardens by the Bay 2. The Esplanade 3. Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery 4. Traditional Malaysian curry 5. Gardens by the Bay

Eat street food

WHEN TO GO

Enjoy lunch at one of Singapore’s many hawker centres, with choices ranging from roast pork or fluffy pancakes at Tiong Bahru (for as little as £2) to seafood at Lau Pa Sat and the food courts in shopping malls such as Vivocity’s Food Republic. With so much money saved, you can then splash out on a memorable dinner at Tetsuya’s Waku Ghin at Marina Bay – the signature ten-course degustation menu starts at around £150 a head.

Any time of the year, but be prepared for sticky heat – Singapore lies just 80 miles from the Equator – and the occasional downpour.

This page 5. Little India 6. Gillman Barracks 7. Night Safari

WA N T T O K N O W M O R E ? S P E A K T O O N E O F O U R T R AV E L E X P E R T S +44 (0)20 3740 1478

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

SINGAPORE

THE

U L T I M AT E SELECTION

W E A S K E D O U R D E S T I N AT I O N E X P E R T S T O T E L L U S A B O U T T H E I R PA S S I O N F O R T R AV E L A N D T H E P L A C E S THEY LOVE MOST IN THE WORLD.

The Wild Arctic

Epic Namibia Sara Willis Polar specialist

I have always loved animals and nature. Studying for a degree in zoology led to expeditions to Madagascar and Tanzania, and I then took off to Asia for two years, which convinced me that I wanted to work in the travel industry. I have been lucky enough to see and experience more of the world than I ever thought possible, but I particularly love expedition-style cruises to remote places such as Antarctica and the Arctic. If you want to get away from it all but don’t fancy trekking to the middle of the Amazon jungle or climbing K2, Spitsbergen could be your answer. Due to the remoteness of the area and the presence of polar bears, the only sensible way to explore it is by ship. I sailed on the reassuringly sturdy Akademik Ioffe, which offers comfortable accommodation but still lets you feel as if you are on a real expedition. A very energetic team of on-board experts stirred an interest in geology I never knew I had and were able to answer all my questions about the polar bears’ turbulent love lives. Although I developed a surprisingly keen interest in Arctic birdlife, the polar bear was, of course, the star of the show. My first sighting was just five minutes into our first trek, when a large male came padding its way along the beach towards us, sniffing the air as he went. A calm but rapid retreat was called for and, once back on the Zodiac, we watched him take a refreshing dip in the sea. A few days later, we had a similar experience with a mother and her two cubs. But the supporting acts were, in their own way, just as enjoyable, and I spent many an hour whale spotting, bird watching and hanging out with walrus while marvelling at the remote beauty of the Arctic.

Augusta von Preussen Africa specialist A family holiday to Zambia when I was just 13 was my first experience of Africa. Move forward ten years and I was happily navigating the somewhat hazardous bus routes between Nairobi and Johannesburg with just a bulky backpack for company. Now in my third year with The Ultimate Travel Company, my love of Africa and of life in the bush remains undimmed. And Namibia is one of my favourite places. Nowhere does epic scale quite like Namibia, and nowhere is this better illustrated than at the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp. Accessible only by light aircraft, the construction of the camp was a feat in itself in such an isolated spot. There are seven beautifully decorated tents, designed to blend with the moonscapes of the northern Kaokoveld. Never have I felt more remote and cut off from civilisation, yet never have I felt so pampered and comfortable. Guided walks and game drives were a surprise, too, revealing skittish oryx, elegant giraffe, elephants chomping away on their favourite mopane trees, and even a pride of extremely rare desert-adapted lion. From camp, a three-hour journey through dusty riverbeds, across magnificent dunes and past flamingo-filled oases will also bring you to the wild and stormy seas of the Skeleton Coast.

‘ Never have I felt more remote and cut off from civilisation, yet felt so pampered and comfortable as in Namibia’

WHEN TO GO WHEN TO GO In the Arctic’s summer months, from June to September. PRICES / ITINERARY A ten-night trip, with a night in Longyearbyen and a nine-night Spitsbergen cruise on Akademik Ioffe, costs from £5,480 per person, including flights and taxes.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

Although Namibia is a year-round destination, December to March can be oppressively hot, with the risk of flash flooding disrupting overland travel. PRICES / ITINERARY A 12-night safari, combining Kulala Desert Lodge, Desert Rhino Camp and Hoanib Skeleton Camp, costs from £8,252 per person, including flights and taxes.

T H E U LT I M A T E S E L E C T I O N

Sensational Sydney

Orang-utans In Borneo Gemma Williams Australia specialist

Zelie Lewis Asia specialist

My passion for travel began at a young age, on a school exchange to Philadelphia. We also took family holidays abroad most years. In 2006 I set off around the world, visiting San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles before flying on to Fiji and the Cook Islands for my first real taste of paradise. By the time I reached New Zealand and Australia, I knew what I wanted to do. Whenever I go to Australia I always try to include Sydney. With its waterfront setting and iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge, it’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Such are Sydney’s range of attractions – beaches, boat trips, walking trails, superb restaurants and bars, great museums and shops, seaplane flights and even bridge climbs – that you could spend an entire two-week holiday here without even leaving the city boundaries. If you decide to move on, you don’t have to travel very far to experience lots of what Australia has to offer. A two- to threehour drive will take you south to the beautiful protected beaches of Jervis Bay, west to the scenic wonders of the Blue Mountains or north to the vineyards of the Hunter Valley. Indeed, it could be argued that New South Wales is Australia but in miniature form. WHEN TO GO Southern Australia enjoys a temperate, Mediterranean-style climate with four seasons, so Sydney is at its best from October to April (although any time works for me!). PRICES / ITINERARY A 13-night trip, visiting Sydney (for five nights), Jervis Bay and the Blue Mountains, costs from £2,390 per person, including Singapore Airlines flights from London, taxes and car hire throughout.

After studying microbiology at university, I decided that I preferred the bigger things in life. A year’s globetrotting ignited my passion for Asia and was the catalyst for a career in the travel industry. Twelve years on and the passion is as strong as ever, with every trip bringing new experiences and lasting memories. The Danum Valley was the absolute highlight of my recent trip to Borneo. It is a truly magical place, far from human habitation and a naturalist’s paradise, with a fascinating array of fauna and flora. It is also the best place in the whole country to see wild orang-utan. Stay here at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge, in a wonderful setting beside the Danum River and with 31 spacious, en-suite, fan-cooled chalets. The Deluxe chalets also have private balconies with hot tubs. The best way to explore the pristine rainforests of the valley is on foot, listening to the constant hum of the jungle and looking out for orang-utan. When you do find them, it is an experience you’re unlikely to forget in a hurry. WHEN TO GO Best to avoid the winter rains and travel between May and September, although weather conditions are hot and humid throughout the year. PRICES / ITINERARY A ten-night trip, combining Kota Kinabalu, Danum Valley, Kinabatangan River and Sandakan, costs from £3,195 per person, including flights and taxes.

S TA RT YO U R J O U R N E Y

DON’T FORGET! WE CAN CUSTOMISE ANY ONE OF THESE TRIPS TO YOUR NEEDS

SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR EXPERTS +44 (0)20 3740 1478

T H E U LT I M A T E S E L E C T I O N

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

U L T I M AT E C H A L L E N G E S U P DAT E F O R M E R R U G B Y I N T E R N AT I O N A L S J O N AT H A N D AV I E S A N D M AT T D A W S O N H AV E B E E N O N T H E I R B I K E S F O R V E L I N D R E A N D S PA R K S R E S P E C T I V E LY. W E S A L U T E T H E M .

iams (left)

by Martyn Will Jonathan Davies flanked and Mike Hall

Jonathan Davies OBE: services to Velindre Our congratulations to Jonathan Davies OBE on his award in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to Velindre, the specialist cancer-treatment centre in Cardiff. Jonathan has participated in two fundraising challenges in the US – cycling from Yosemite National Park to San Francisco and from Boston to New York – and will hopefully be joining another cycling challenge in the Canadian Rockies next year. www.velindrefundraising.com

From Dusk to Dawn: Cardiff to London with Matt Dawson The longest day of the year, 21 June, saw 25 cyclists join rugby legend and World Cup winner Matt Dawson MBE on a 150-mile bike ride from the Millennium Stadium to Twickenham. A perfect day for cycling – dry roads, temperatures in the high teens and a westerly tailwind – saw them all cross the finish line at the home of England rugby well within 12 hours. Some achievement, and they also raised more than £20,000 for Sparks, a charity that funds pioneering children’s medical research and for which Matt is vice-president. www.sparks.org.uk

S TA RT YO U R C H A L L E N G E SPEAK TO OUR CHARITY TEAM, LISA & CAROLINE +44 (0)20 3740 1478

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

U LT I M A T E C H A L L E N G E S

DELOITTE T H E U L T I M AT E C H A L L E N G E DELOITTE HAS JUST COMPLETED AN INCREDIBLE FIVE U LT I M AT E C H A L L E N G E S , R A I S I N G M O R E T H A N A M I L L I O N P O U N D S F O R C H A R I T Y I N T H E P R O C E S S . W E TA K E A L O O K B A C K AT A FA N TA S T I C A C H I E V E M E N T.

U LT I M A T E C H A L L E N G E S

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

EARLIER THIS YEAR, our Ultimate Challenges team took some 250 Deloitte employees on five separate events on four different continents, all departing or returning on the same day – a mindboggling logistical examination that, dare we say it, was passed with flying colours. In fact this was the third time Deloitte had entrusted us with the organisation of a fundraising initiative, and it was an absolute privilege to do so. This year’s initiative has raised more than £1,000,000 for Deloitte’s charity partners – Mind, Prostate Cancer and The Alzheimer’s Society. A truly fantastic achievement.

IN NUMBERS

WANT TO JOIN AN U LT I M AT E C H A L L E N G E ?

71 Trekked through the beautiful foothills of the Sierra Nevada before ascending to the 3,482-metre summit of Spain’s highest mountain, Mulhacen.

46 Climbed Kilimanjaro, 5,985 metres above sea level, the ‘roof of Africa’ and the world’s highest freestanding mountain.

44 Conquered

‘ A jungle-survival trek and the world’s longest island-to-island zip line made for an equally exciting, demanding challenge’

Ecuador’s Mount Cotopaxi, all of two metres higher than Kilimanjaro at 5,897 metres and the world’s highest active volcano.

86 Completed their Borneo hiking, biking and whitewater-rafting challenge, despite the devastating earthquake on Mount Kinabalu that struck just a few days before the first group’s arrival. Kinabalu was understandably off-limits, but a jungle-survival trek and the world’s longest island-to-island zip line made for an equally exciting, demanding challenge.

We have been organising ‘once-ina-lifetime’ overseas challenges for charities and corporate partners since 1996, and they remain a hugely successful and highly efficient way of raising both awareness and vital funds. From weekend hikes in Europe and cycle rides across America to full-scale Himalayan expeditions, we can source the right challenge for you, your charity or your company – one that will fit with your Corporate Social Responsibility Policy, time frame, budget and target audience. www.ultimatechallenges.co.uk

Opposite 1. Sierra Nevada, Spain This page 2. Borneo 3. Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania 4. Borneo challenge

S TA RT YO U R C H A L L E N G E SPEAK TO OUR CHARITY TEAM, LISA & CAROLINE +44 (0)20 3740 1478

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

U LT I M A T E C H A L L E N G E S

OUR MAN IN

SRI LANKA In the first of a regular series of features profiling the irreplaceable men and women who look after our clients ‘on location’, we meet Daminda da Silva, who heads up our local agency in Sri Lanka. How would you describe your job? Challenging! Holidays have become so important. Dealing with people’s expectations, and their emotions, brings the best out of us. How, and why, did you first get into the travel business? I was offered a job by Gulf Air while studying for my A-levels in Colombo. It was a blue-chip company, and so I jumped at the idea. I moved on to Singapore Airlines, based at Colombo airport, and then to Walkers Tours to learn all about the ‘inbound’ industry and how to look after visitors to Sri Lanka.

S R I L A N K A

What are your interests (we hear you’re something of an ace cricketer)? I love anything and everything that keeps me healthy and fit. Mountain biking is probably my main interest at the moment. Yes, like most of my contemporaries, I played a bit of cricket at school… and was given the chance to represent the national youth team on a tour to England in 1992. A prolonged back injury forced me to give up the game, but I have no regrets at all.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

One thing that does make us stand out from the rest, perhaps, is that our driver/ guides have been working with us for years and are full-time, properly salaried employees, so they will never drag clients around the shopping bazaars to earn extra commission – unless asked to do so! We are also available 24/7 and even give our clients a local mobile phone so they can contact us about anything, any time. We are also always more than happy to go that extra mile to make it all happen, and we never, ever, compromise on service levels.

14-NIGHT

‘CLASSIC S R I L A N K A’ FROM £2,675 PER PERSON

Many of our clients are extremely well-travelled. Does that make them hard to please? It actually works to our advantage. We try to be as honest as possible in our dealings with clients by readily admitting to any mistakes and doing everything possible to correct them, with the full benefit given to the client or our respective overseas partner. The Ultimate Travel Company’s clients are indeed well-travelled, but they are always very appreciative. We love looking after them and it has been an absolute pleasure for all of us here to represent The Ultimate Travel Company in Sri Lanka for the past six years. WHEN TO GO Sri Lanka can be visited throughout the year, although best to avoid May to June and October to November, when the monsoon rains are at their peak. What makes Sri Lanka such a special, exciting and interesting place to visit? So many things, but I’d like to think the main attraction is us Sri Lankans. We are genuinely hospitable people, and everyone who visits wants to return for this reason. The island is also quite small, and it doesn’t take long to drive to areas that are very different in terms of scenery and climate. It really is something unique to Sri Lanka and adds huge value to any holiday here. What have been the most significant changes to travel in Sri Lanka? The recently built highways have made getting around much easier and quicker. The increasing number of high-end, boutique-style hotels, resorts and villas have also made a huge difference – and there are many more in the pipeline. However, it’s important that we take things slowly and ensure that everything is done in the right way, without compromising Sri Lanka’s integrity.

Do you have a favourite part of Sri Lanka? The ‘tea country’. The same goes for my friends and family – we always head there when time allows. Do you plan on talking a holiday yourself in the next few months? Yes, I do, although I will combine business with pleasure and inspect some of the new boutique hotels. What do you like best about your job? Meeting visitors from overseas and delivering holidays of a lifetime for them. A tough call at times, but tough times bring the best out of us, and that’s an amazing feeling. We also take immense pride in what we do, and we value everyone’s loyalty.

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

M AY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

PRICES / ITINERARY A 14-night itinerary, visiting Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Kandy, the ‘tea country’ and Galle, costs from £2,675 per person, including flights and taxes.

This page 1. Tea country, Nuwara Eliya 2. Sigiriya 3. Polonnaruwa Opposite 1. Fishermen, Galle

What do you do that’s particularly special to our clients? I honestly don’t think we do anything special or out of the ordinary, other than making a genuine effort to ensure they have a great time.

S TA RT YO U R J O U R N E Y S P E A K T O O U R S R I L A N K A E X P E R T S N E I L & AY E S H A +44 (0)20 3740 1478

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

SRI LANKA

NOTICE B OA R D H E L P F O R N E PA L You may recall we recently launched an appeal to raise funds for those whose lives were devastated by the Nepal earthquake earlier this year. Your response was amazing, and we were proud to match your generous donations and tens of thousands of pounds were sent via The Bulldog Trust to small, grassroots NGOs working on the ground in Nepal. Much of the day-to-day management has been in the hands of Alison Marston, and she has done a superb job assessing where the funds are best directed and also dispersing them as quickly as possible. A close personal friend of ours, Alison was born in Nepal, speaks Nepali as her first language, and has worked there for several years on various charitable and humanitarian projects.

CAPTURE YOUR MEMORIES

WINGS OVER RUSSIA From late April to the end of May, the eastern shores of the Gulf of Finland are a very popular migration route between the Baltic and Barents Sea for tens of millions of Arctic birds. So dense is the migration that, on certain spring days, divers, geese, grebes, gulls, sea duck and waders can appear to cover the entire sky like strands of a cobweb. Our partners in Russia can arrange guided field trips with a professional English-speaking ornithologist, and researchers at St Petersburg State University can combine this amazing spectacle with the architectural wonders of medieval Vyborg. www.openrussiatours.com/ bird_watching_tour.html

N O T I C E B O A R D

Atlas & I We are delighted to offer all our readers an exclusive 20 per cent discount on Atlas & I’s unique range of printed leather journals and photo albums. These can all be personalised with a vintage map of your choice, and of anywhere in the world. To redeem your discount, simply enter the coupon code TUTC20 in the shopping cart on its website, www.atlas-and-i.com, or email sophie@atlas-and-i.com with your order requirements. Living Images Design Make the most of your holiday memories with one of Living Images Design’s bespoke hand-bound photo albums or movies. The albums are digitally printed on high-quality paper and beautifully finished, while movies are created from your own photos and videos for viewing on any homeentertainment system. To claim your exclusive 10 per cent discount, visit www.livingimagesdesign.com or email hello@livingimagesdesign. com, quoting ‘ultimate’.

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

Sarai at Toria, India

TIGER, TIGER It’s not every day you sit down to dinner with a hero and champion of the Indian tiger. That is, unless you’re staying at the Sarai at Toria, an eight-cottage eco-lodge belonging to big-cat biologist Raghunandan Singh Chundawat and his wife, wildlife photographer, writer and conservationist Joanna Van Gruisen. Perched above the pristine Ken River, across from the Panna Tiger Reserve, this rustic-chic lodge minimises its impact on the environment through the use of traditional mud-based insulating construction, grass roofing, solar power and natural landscaping. Activities include game drives into the reserve and some excellent bird watching on the river, but equally enjoyable are the excursions to local villages and the intricately carved World Heritage temples of Khajuraho, just a 30-minute drive from the Sarai.

WILD INSIGHTS We’ve recently joined forces with Keith and Linda Offord (below) of Wild Insights, a family-run company specialising in bird watching and wildlife safaris. Its trips are immensely popular and suitable for any level of experience, with the accent on quality and an unhurried appreciation of the natural world. Both zoologists, Keith and Linda’s knowledge of the destinations visited is impressive, and the fact that 95 per cent of their business is ‘repeat’ bears testimony to the care and attention they devote to every one of their tours. From October this year, all overseas departures to such countries as South Africa, Sri Lanka, Estonia and Iceland will be part of our own Escorted Tours portfolio and feature in the brochure enclosed. For more details visit www.wildinsights.co.uk

U LT I M A T E I D E A S

Taprobane Island, Sri

Lanka

Rovos Rail

PLANNING A BIG B I R T H D AY B A S H . . . ...or a private celebration with family and friends? Then have a look at our portfolio of villas, chalets, safari lodges, yachts, river boats, even entire islands that can all be booked privately for your exclusive party. Addresses such as Lewa House in northern Kenya, Taprobane Island on Sri Lanka’s south coast and Hacienda Zuleta in the Ecuadorian Andes are tailor-made for such events. Or you might prefer to charter a traditional two-masted phinisi and explore Indonesia’s Raja Ampat Islands, reserve a couple of carriages on one of Rovos Rail’s luxury South African trains, rent a boutique-style riad in the heart of the Marrakech medina… The options are endless, but we can determine numbers, budget and time of year and help you make the right choice.

S TAY I N G O N If you’re retired, need a sabbatical or are lucky enough to have several weeks spare for travelling, it’s worth remembering that we can often secure very favourable rates from hotels and lodges if you stay longer than a few days. You will also benefit from spreading the cost of flights over a lengthier period of time, and if you swap the winter weather at home for a more tropical climate, just think of the money you’ll save on domestic fuel bills! You don’t have to go far to feel the benefits: from January to March, the average lowest temperature in Malaga (southern Spain), for example, is the same as the average highest in London. Should you wish to head for more distant climes, then our suggestions for ‘Winter Sun’ on page 28 will be useful.

NOTICE BOARD

AU T U M N 2 0 1 5 D E S T I N AT I O N S I N D E X T O S T A R T Y O U R J O U R N E Y, S P E A K T O A N E X P E R T O N + 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 0 3 7 4 0 1 4 7 8 , O R V I S I T W W W . T H E U L T I M A T E T R A V E L C O M P A N Y. C O . U K D E S T I N AT I O N A R T I C L E

Arctic, The Argentina Australia Bhutan Bolivia Borneo Botswana Brazil Cambodia Canada Caribbean Chile China Colombia Dubai Finland (Helsinki) France (Nice) Galapagos Germany (Dresden) Guatemala India Indian Ocean Islands Indonesia (Bali) Kenya Maldives, The Mauritius Mexico Myanmar Namibia Oman Peru Singapore South Africa Spain (San Sebastian) Sri Lanka Thailand USA (Chicago) Vietnam Zambia Zimbabwe

Escorted Tours: The Directors’ Selection The Ultimate Selection Marriages with a Latin Twist New Openings Ultimate Road Trips Down Under The Ultimate Selection New Openings Marriages with a Latin Twist The Ultimate Selection Beating Around the Bush Escorted Tours Escorted Tours: The Directors’ Selection Escorted Tours: The Directors’ Selection Winter Sun: Six of the Best Marriages with a Latin Twist Marriages with a Latin Twist New Openings China: Your Questions Answered Marriages with a Latin Twist New Openings Cities Under the Radar Cities Under the Radar Escorted Tours: The Directors’ Selection Cities Under the Radar Marriages with a Latin Twist Essential India Escorted Tours: The Directors’ Selection New Openings Beating Around the Bush Flying Solo, Ultimate Style Winter Sun: Six of the Best Winter Sun: Six of the Best Winter Sun: Six of the Best Escorted Tours: The Directors’ Selection Beating Around the Bush The Ultimate Selection Winter Sun: Six of the Best Flying Solo, Ultimate Style New Openings Marriages with a Latin Twist A Singapore Fling Winter Sun: Six of the Best Michelin Star Grazing in San Sebastian New Openings Flying Solo, Ultimate Style Our Man In Sri Lanka Winter Sun: Six of the Best Cities Under the Radar New Openings Escorted Tours Escorted Tours: The Directors’ Selection Escorted Tours: The Directors’ Selection New Openings Beating Around the Bush New Openings

PA G E

18 71 40 11 62 72 11 39 72 23 13 18 16 33 39 40 9 36 41 11 43 44 18 44 40 52 19 11 22 57 30 31 30 17 23 71 31 57 9 39 68 32 46 9 56 76 32 43 8 15 17 18 8 22 8

A 400 mile journey from Key West along Florida’s stunning coastline to our Orlando finish line. £200 Deposit • £4200 Sponsorship Target 01782 600435 | challenges@caudwellchildren.com www.caudwellchildren.com/floridacycle This exciting challenge is brought to you by Ultimate Challenges www.ultimatechallenges.co.uk

U LT I M AT E I D E A S AU T U M N 2 0 1 5

W W W.T H E U LT I M AT E T R AV E LCO M PA N Y.CO.U K