inspiringholidays.com: November 2008

Friday 28 November 2008

Real Adventures with Pioneer Expeditions

If you want a travel experience that will test you, inspire you and possibly change your life then Pioneer Expeditions are looking for you. The latest activity holiday specialist to join Inspiring Holidays, Pioneer Expeditions offer real adventures achieving extraordinary Pioneer Firsts.

Their original 'Pioneer' itineraries are only run a limited number of times. This allows very small groups (usually up to 8 people) to visit exotic and little visited destinations, minimising the negative impact on the local environment and maximising the positives.

Nature and culture play an important part in their adventures and there are plenty of opportunities on every trip to explore the fascinating flora and fauna, unusual places and landmarks around you. And after comfortably roughing it in the wilds, they tend to spend the last few days relaxing in more luxurious accommodation. They promise to try to make life as comfortable as possible, even when camping out in the wilds.

Their expedition leaders are very experienced field professionals and, while they are highly knowledgeable about their expedition area, they also recognise that no one knows a place better than the people who live there. As a result they always employ local guides and experts to work with their Pioneer leaders.

On many expeditions they aim to be the first group to achieve an unusual objective or particular mission. Canoeing a river from source to sea, climbing a remote mountain, swimming a volcanic lake, trekking a glacier or traversing a tropical island; they are constantly researching new ideas and experiences.

You will not need any specialist skills to come on a pioneer expedition – though you may leave with some – and age is no barrier.

"The world is full of pristine wilderness and unique challenges. You just need to know where to look..." Adrian Gray, Managing Director

Here's a taster of some of the amazing expeditions on offer:

Thursday 27 November 2008

Special Offers on Travelsphere Walking Holidays

Travelsphere is the number-one operator of worldwide escorted holidays in the UK . They currently have a number of special promotions on walking holidays.

Walking in the Dolomites - 10 days from GBP539
Visitors have marvelled over Lake Molveno in northern Italy for over 100 years, with the dramatic backdrop of the Brenta Dolomites reflected in its crystal clear waters.

Walking in the Cinque Terre - 7 days from GBP739
Discover the captivating resorts and stunning scenery of northern Italy’s wild and beautiful Ligurian coast. Our superb walks take you through lemon groves, wooded hillsides and vineyards as you explore the picturesque Cinque Terre.

Walking in the Ahr Valley - 5 days from GBP259
Join us on this great value holiday in Germany’s beautiful Eifel Hills region, bordered by the Moselle river in the south and the mighty Rhine to the east. You will walk through pretty villages and beautiful terraced vineyards.

Walking in Catalonia - 7 days from £759
Experience the magic of Catalonia. With three fantastic walks through beautiful wetlands and forests, charming villages and wonderful full day excursions to vibrant Barcelona and the stunning Pyrenees Mountains.

Walking in the Canadian Rockies - 14 days from £2074
Explore the spectacular scenery of the Canadian Rockies. Discover the delights of cosmopolitan Vancouver. Gaze in awe at the splendours of Banff National Park and beautiful Lake Louise. Enjoy a range of scenic walks.

Austrian Walking Trails - 10 days from £549
This delightful Austrian holiday features a stay in the beautiful Alpine resort of Saalbach, an ideal location for walkers, offering an unrivalled selection of wellmarked trails and magnificent mountain scenery.

Travelsphere is the UK’s number-one operator of escorted holidays worldwide, with more than 30 years’ experience of creating great-value escorted tours to the most beautiful places. Wherever you go, one of their expert tour managers will take care of all the details and tell you everything you want to know about the attractions on your tour.

Visit the Travelsphere website or telephone 0845 358 2368 for more information

Late Availability Deals - The Adventure Company

The Adventure Company have one of the widest range of inspiring activity holidays and adventure vacations on the planet. Walking, cycling, caving, rafting, sailing - you name it and they can find a holiday doing it!

If you're one of the lucky few who can drop everything and head off on an adventure at the drop of a hat then take a look at the following holidays - They all depart within the next 8 weeks.

For details of any of these holidays telephone The Adventure Company on 0845 609 0838 or visit the Adventure Company Website

Winter Toubkal - 8 days
North Africa’s highest peak - Atlas Mountains in winter - Explore Marrakech
This is your chance to conquer North Africa's highest peak - in winter.
Morocco Tour ref: WT
05 Dec 08 - 12 Dec 08 £649 inc. flights

Antarctic Peninsula - 14 days
Remote wilderness - Penguins, seals & whales - Giant icebergs & glaciers
An unforgettable chance to explore the last great wilderness on earth - Antarctica
Antarctica Tour ref: AOP
08 Dec 08 - 22 Dec 08 £4,949 inc. flights
17 Dec 08 - 31 Dec 08 £5,249 inc. flights

Annapurna Circuit - 4 days
Classic 17-day trek - Teahouse accommodation - Kathmandu & Pokhara
Real adventure on Nepal’s finest trekking circuit - the Annapurna
Nepal Tour ref: AC 12 Dec 08 - 04 Jan 09 £1,649 inc. flights

Himalayan Explorer - 16 days
Kathmandu Valley & Pokhara - Easy trek in the Annapurnas - Chitwan National Park & wildlife
The perfect introduction to walking in Nepal
Nepal Tour ref: AA 13 Dec 08 - 28 Dec 08 £1,599 inc. flights

Gorilla Trails - 12 days
Mountain gorillas - Kazinga Channel cruise - Chimp tracking
An unforgettable adventure in the wilderness of Uganda
Uganda Tour ref: ACUL 13 Dec 08 - 24 Dec 08 £1,959 inc. flights

Colours of Rajasthan - 21 days
Forts, palaces & temples - Taj Mahal - Pushkar
Full exploration of India’s most colourful and fascinating desert state
India Tour ref: RJ 13 Dec 08 - 02 Jan 09 £1,769 inc. flights

Feluccas & Pharaohs Family Holiday - 10 days
Family Holiday to Egypt - Sleep & sail on a felucca - Pyramids & mummies (daddies too!) - Swim & snorkel in the Red Sea
'Feluccas and Pharaohs' is our number one trip to our number one destination.
Egypt Tour ref: FEG
14 Dec 08 - 23 Dec 08 £1,099 inc. flights
19 Dec 08 - 28 Dec 08 £1,079 inc. flights

Himalaya Discovery - 14 days
Little-visited Bandipur - Kathmandu & Pokhara - Wildlife of Chitwan National Park
A non-trekking cultural journey discovering Nepal’s highlights
Nepal Tour ref: IA 17 Dec 08 - 30 Dec 08 £1,399 inc. flights

Spicelands & Elephants Family Holiday - 13 days
Wildlife walks - Exploring the backwaters - Tropical Beach Stay South India boasts temple cities, spices galore, stunning landscapes, jungles with wild animals and beautiful beaches India Tour ref: FTR 17 Dec 08 - 31 Dec 08 £1,999 inc. flights

Headhunters of Borneo Family Holiday - 13 days
Rainforest & headhunters - Orang-utans & turtles - Mt. Kinabalu ascent
A trip to grab the imagination; explore tropical forests, meet Iban tribespeople and come face to face with turtles and orang-utans
Malaysia Tour ref: FBA 18 Dec 08 - 30 Dec 08 £2,449 inc. flights

Salsa Cubana - 16 days
Havana & Santiago - Mountains & beaches - Country walks
An in-depth exploration of Cuba’s past and present
Cuba Tour ref: CU 18 Dec 08 - 02 Jan 09 £1,969 inc. flights

For details of any of these holidays telephone The Adventure Company on 0845 609 0838 or visit the Adventure Company Website

NB All holidays listed here are subject to flight availability - if you book your holiday with plenty of time the Adventure Company have an allocation of flights for you to use, however they do need to hand these seats back to the airlines if they haven't all been taken. If this is the case they will still normally able to find flights but it makes things that much harder!

Thursday 13 November 2008

Get Hooked on Cycling!

Hooked on Cycling are the latest specialist holiday provider to join Inspiring Holidays.

Their cycling holidays, which span a vast range of countries, allow you to tour a variety of regions experiencing the local culture and history and enjoying the great scenery local food along the way.

Hooked on Cycling are proud that they are cyclists themselves which means they have designed the perfect holidays not only for experienced cyclists but also for those keen on experiencing the pleasure of cycling for the first time.

A cycle tour enables you to see things which are often bypassed when inside a car - the stunning landscape, that historic building, that great cafe or that hidden waterfall. At the same time a biking vacation isgood for the environment and good for your health. Hooked on Cycling have selected the very best cycling regions around Europe and other parts of the World and hand picked only the best roads for you to be cycling along.

They pride themselves on the personal attention they give to all aspects of tour planning, routes, accommodation and the service they give to all their holiday clients.

The tours they offer have been selected to appeal to all tastes and levels of fitness - from the first time cycle tourist, leisure cyclist or the most experienced cycle tourist. Whether you are a family group, couple, single, first time cyclists, regular cyclists or someone in training they have a tour for you.

Hooked on Cycling must have one of the most extensive ranges of cycling holidays of any specialist tour operator on the market. They have created quality cycling vacations throughout Scotland, France, Corsica, Spain, Majorca ( Mallorca ), Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Holland, Slovenia, Portugal, Czech Republic, Croatia (Istria), Germany, Greece, Romania, Denmark, Switzerland, England, Wales, Canada, New Zealand, USA ( New England ), Poland and Tasmania.

They also have a great range of walking holidays worldwide.

As members of the UK Inbound Tour Operators Association Hooked on Cycling have exceeded very tough quality guidelines for their business. UKinbound requires strict business practices when providing holidays throughout Europe. They have been members of this professional organisation for several years. Your money is also fully protected via their insurance based travel bond giving you greater protection than those companies who only hold a trust account.

Although they have predefined tours they can often customize tours for you. Extra or fewer days on most tours are also often possible.

They also regularly provide fully supported tours for ready made groups, clubs and charities.

Here are some examples of the cycling holidays Hooked on Cycling provide:

Wednesday 5 November 2008

Discover Portugal - Riding a Bicycle!

PortugalBike are the latest specialist activity holiday provider to join Inspiring Holidays.

They have been organising Guided Bicycle Tours in Portugal under the name of BTTour since 1995 and have organized more than 200 Bicycle Tours with over 800 people riding with them.

They are a Portuguese-owned Company so they know their country better than anybody else. This means customers are exposed to people, to places and curiosities about Portugal that only the Portuguese know!

On PortugalBike Tours you have the opportunity to visit historical, cultural and landscape heritage in Natural Parks, enjoy the sun and the beaches, and at the end of the day you can recover your strength with an exquisite dinner. You can taste famous wines, amazing cheeses and lovely desserts, and sample typical dishes of each region of Portugal. They always choose 4-star quality hotels whenever possible and try to offer the best of each region.

In 2006 they were Finalists in the PUBLITURIS Travel Trade & Hotel Guide 2005 Awards for the "Best Company of Active and Animation Tourism in Portugal".

There are three types of PortugalBike Tours

1. Road Bike Tours are on asphalt roads (100%). They always try to avoid roads with a lot of traffic, preferring secondary roads. On these tours, you ride more km/day than on a Hybrid Bike Tour. These tours can be Guided or Self-Guided (with a GPS device on the handlebar), so that you are completely free to ride at your own pace, but there is always a backup car to give you any assistance you may need. You use a Road Bike (700x23 wheels with carbon frame). Participants are usually 25-65 years old.

2. Hybrid Bike Tours are mainly on asphalt/tarmac (more than 60%) with some off-road rolling trails. Usually the tours are a little bit longer than the Mountain Bike version tours. It is the best and most relaxing way to know a country by bicycle while also having fun. These tours can be Guided or Self-Guided also. You use a Hybrid Bike (700x38 wheels with a little front suspension). Participants are usually 45-65 years old.

3. Mountain Bike Tours are mainly on off-road rough trails (more than 60%), sometimes technical, with very little asphalt. You need some biking skills and you need to be in good shape. Usually, these tours are a little bit shorter than the Hybrid Bike tours. It is the best way to know a country and feel the challenge of nature. These tours are always Guided; you will only have to follow your guide through wonderful single-tracks in nature. You use a Mountain Bike (26x2.1 wheels with front suspension and hydraulic disc brakes). Participants are usually 25-45 years old.

DIFFICULTY LEVELS
Each PortugalBike Tour is classified according to its difficulty level, from 1 to 5; level 1 is the easiest and level 5 is the most difficult.
- Levels 1 and 2 are for Beginners (You are not in a good shape)
- Level 3 is for Intermediate Bikers (You must be in a good shape)
- Level 4 is for Advanced Bikers (You are fit and in a good shape)
- Level 5 is for Expert Bikers (You are in a very good shape! You are a winner!)

Besides the classification for overall difficulty level of each PortugalBike Tour, each day is also classified from 1 to 5. When the trails are difficult, you ride less km/day and when the trails are easy, you ride more km/day. Please note that the purpose of PortugalBike Tours is not to train, but only to enjoy your bicycle, nature and environment.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT ON PORTUGALBIKE TOUR?
PortugalBike Tours are designed so that you begin at a certain point and end elsewhere. You do not start and end at the same place. Read the specific information about each ride to learn more details.

PortugalBike Tours can be Guided (with a Guide) or Self-Guided (with a GPS device with all tracks recorded). The big difference between the prices for Guided and Self-Guided Tours is that the Self-Guided Tours do not include dinners, picnics, energy bars and water during the day. There is always a backup car to provide any assistance you may need.

If you want to take a Self-Guided Tour with dinners included, this can be arranged. PortugalBike Tours have a maximum of 16 participants, and a minimum of two. Larger groups are also possible upon request and according to our availability.

Their Bike Tours are generally for one week (7 days / Saturday to Friday). You can choose to join a scheduled PortugalBike Tour or they can arrange a tour on request subject to availability and with a small extra fee. The prices are for the scheduled PortugalBike Tours. If you would like a different date, ask for prices and availability.

Here are some samples of PortugalBike tours:

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