Egypt has emerged as one of the most popular holiday resorts for 2010 and tourists searching for an adventure holiday are finding that a crescent shaped bay, with rugged mountains, 237 miles south of Suez fulfils there wildest dreams and more. The resort is called Hurghadha and it has become established as an international centre for aquatic sports, offering windsurfing, sailing, deepsea fishing, swimming, snorkelling and diving in the Red Sea. The unique underwater envioronment, offshore from Hurghadha, are some of the finest in the world. Its warm waters support many varieties of rare fish and coral reefs which you can watch through glass bottom boats.
The glass bottom boats allow non-divers to sail over vivid coral reefs and see the beautiful fish and other fascinating marine life that inhabits them while remaining safe and dry. On your trip to Hurghada, independant travellers can book a glass bottomed boat experience that includes being picked up in an air-conditioned vehicle from their hotel in Hurghada and taken to the marina from where they board a glass-bottom boat. Cruise on the Red Sea and enjoy a view of the underwater world, before being dropped back to their hotel in Hurghada. Duration is about 2hrs and cost incl. of all charges per person from £31.45
Swimmers can take advantage of a trip from Hurghada to Mahmya Island, which is one of the most beautiful coral reefs in the Red sea. Participants are picked up in an air-conditioned vehicle from their hotel in Hurghada, accompanied by an English-speaking guide and taken to the marina at the Sheraton hotel, where they board a motorboat that takes them on the 45 minute cruise to Mahmya Island. Once on Mahmya Island you can choose to swim, snorkel or just relax on the beach. The itinary allows about 1hr of snorkelling and also includes lunch which is served on the island. After the trip, participants are driven back to their hotel in Hurghada. Duration is about 8hrs and currently has a sale price, incl. of all charges per person from £56.60
The Red Sea at Hurghada really is a diver's paradise, with clear visibility and warm water throughout the year. Divers can enjoy a wonderful diving trip. They are picked up in the morning from their hotel in Hurghada and accompanied by an English-speaking guide and driven in an air-conditioned vehicle to the Red Sea coast. They then board a boat and sail to a superb diving spot, in the company of an English speaking , expert diving instructor, who organises two dives. There is time between dives to relax on board the boat and enjoy a delicious lunch which is served on board. After the trip, participants are driven back to their hotel in Hurghada. Duration is again about 8hrs and the cost of this trip is, incl. of all charges per person from £56.60
It is important to note that details and prices can change, so it is important that before anyone makes a booking for anything, they must check all details and prices with the supplier.
Co-operative Travel in the Uk, has some spectacular offers for Summer Holidays 2010, because they know everyone loves a great deal!
As seen on UK TV, they are offering as much as a massive 20% off some Summer 2010 bookings when you book between 29th December 2009 and 31st March 2010 for summer holiday departures; that is departures between 1st May 2010 and 31st October 2010. But there's more - yes, I know it's a cliché but I couldn't resist it because customers making summer holiday bookings can also take advantage of other great deals being run by The Co-operative Travel:
2 weeks for the price of 1
Low deposits
Free child places
Save up to £200 for a family of 4
Get great offers for interesting summer holidays in Turkey, Spain, Greece and the Greek Islands, Potugal, Egypt, Cyprus and the Canaries. And that's just a few of the popular destinations that you can choose from. Don't miss out on the very best early booking saving.
Use this link to jump to The Co-operative Travel and ensure that you get the very best service and available offers; they will know that we sent you.
Check out details with the Co-operative Travel before making a booking but remember that popular summer holidays and the best deals are already being booked up, so use the link above to reserve your special holiday for 2010 now.
France is still the most popular choice for Brits wanting a quick ski holiday, whether last minute or a planned getaway, the reason for the popularity is simple, France claims to have the largest number of skiable slopes in the world and some of the best can be reached in just a few hours from the UK.
Although the Pyrenees on the French - Spanish border offers some superb slopes and great resorts, the best-known French ski resorts are to be found in the Alpine region and being closest to the UK, this is exactly where most of the skiers head.
There are about 40 ski resorts within just an hour's drive of France's Chambery airport, which is called the gateway to the Alps. The resorts include the popular destinations of Courcheval and Meribel and those prepared to drive for a further two hours are spoilt for choice, with a further 74 ski resorts to choose from, not least of which is the deservedly popular Chamonix.
Of course, you could take the ski train. Board at London's Waterloo International (or at Ashford International in Kent) to enjoy a non-stop journey, all the way to the foot of the slopes in the French Alps. Or alternatively, take advantage of an overnight coach service for your travelling to give you more time on the slopes.
Both our recommended suppliers are established holiday providers with excellent reputations. They are also ABTA and ATOL bonded, so customers can be assured that their travel arrangements and holiday money is protected and secure. However, note that ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents and ATOL, the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing schemes are both UK operated organizations and as such, scheme benefits usually only cover UK customers. As always, you must check and confirm all details with supliers before making any payments.
The picture of Morzine was photographed by Steven Griffin.
Second only to the famous Venice Carnival, the magic of the Viareggio Carnival in Tuscany, attracts more than a million spectators every year. Visitors come from around the world to marvel at the great parades, where giant floats featuring extraordinary sculptures in papier-maché, some of which weigh 40 tons, depict popular celebrities and public figures.
The parades take place in a 2 km circuit around the seaside avenues of Viareggio and includes masked folk musicians and performers. There are five parades, taking place throughout the month of February, during which time there is also a big entertainment programme. One of Italy's favourite sporting events takes place as part of the Viareggio Carnival entertainment programme, a youth football tournament known as the Torneo di Viareggio (Coppa Carnevale).
Here is a wonderful video from roleck0666 which captures the spirit and fun of Carnevale di Viareggio.
This year, the Activity Holidays Guide is delighted to be offering the opportunity to sail the warm waters of the Tuscan coastline on-board your own private luxury yacht. Go to our Sail In Italy page for more information or to make a booking inquiry.
Parades for Viareggio Carnival 2010 take place 31 January, 7,14,16 and 21 February 2010.
Well the nights are drawing in for the northern latitudes and many of us are beginning to think about an affordable winter break. In recent years Bulgaria has come to the fore as a winter destination and snow junkies will love a High Peaks Snowshoeing holiday in Bulgaria, a winter trekking holiday on snowshoes! This week-long adventure explores the dramatic snow-clad forests, peaks and valleys of the Rila Mountains. There are daily hikes of four to five hours that take walkers to sights such as the 70m Skakavitza waterfall, which is often frozen solid in the winter. Other hikes take in the historic Rila monastery; Mount Maliovitza; and the celebrated Seven Lakes area.
For full trip details from the Adventure Company, see High Peaks Snowshoeing in Bulgaria.
Anyone wanting a winter adventure suitable for the whole family, should head to the Rhodope Mountains on the Bulgarian Winter Experience. This trip combines cross country skiing, snowshoeing, animal tracking and the wonder of star gazing.
Anyone booking a Summer 2010 holiday with Co-operative Travel now, will be able to take advantage of the very best early booking savings. Early booking offers which include free child places, low deposits and early discounts on brochured holidays.
They tell me that these deals will not be around for long and the best hotels, top quality villas, stunning self-catering apartments and amiable Greek pensions are quickly booked by discerning travellers with an eye for a bargain. So get in quick and take a look at the 2010 holiday offers now.
Looking for an affordable adventure in 2009? For many years, the Activity Holidays Guide has been offering inspiration for great escapes and now we have teamed up with leading adventure company G.A.P Adventures.
With more than 1250 small group adventures around the world to choose from, your bound to find an affordable adventure holiday bargain that won't break the bank. Typical of their adventures have been an Egyptian Civilization tour from £209, an Adventure in Nepal from £299 or Roaming Thailand from £300.
Visit G.A.P Adventures to look at their extensive range of trips and if you cannot find the exact adventure holiday that you are looking for, try their Custom Tours service. All the best adventures start with a single dream and the motto is "If you can dream it, we can take you there". An expert Adventure Specialists team is on hand to help you arrange worldwide travel for between 1 and 7 passengers with a minimum 4-day stay, even six months! Groups of eight or more are looked after by the groups department.
Custom Tours can be almost anything you want; you can even specify the accommodation style, basic, standard, comfort and for those with the budget, superior.
G.A.P Adventures are truly the Great Adventure People; more than 85,000 travellers, from 18 to 80, book with them each year, so if its an adventure holiday bargain your after, make sure that you visit their site now and check out their award-winning trips focusing on cultural experiences, active adventure and wildlife encounters. Did I mention, no compulsory single supplement on any adventure? Better start dreaming. Plus they have some last minute bargains that are the real deal.
There's something for everyone, take a look at this very small sample.
While browsing the web in relation to our new web site Walking Holidays Special. I came across this delightful video gallery from independent Spanish walking holiday specialists, Hike Pyrenees, comprising of some stunning views from their favourite walks in the Valle de Tena, Spanish Pyrenees.
Holiday travel companies are slashing prices in an effort to maintain market share during 2009, which means that there are some hot holiday deals to be had.
Many people are realising that they can save money by taking their vacation closer to home and making use of local amenities such as national parks or facilities such as the UK's National Trust properties and gardens; magnificent gardens that have been bequeathed for the enjoyment of the nation.
Remember also that package companies have often built up good relationships with accommodation and transport providers, so combined with their bulk buying power, can be in an excellent position to negotiate some really good deals that they are able to pass on.
Typical of the trend to offering holiday makers more for their money are the cruise providers, who are now selling cruises for unprecedented low prices. There are some ground-breaking expeditions on offer, that will take you far away from the usual tourist tracks, allow you to explore seldom visited islands and be at one with remarkable wildlife.
Cater Allen Private Bank has commisioned a survey and found that nowdays, the majority of British tourists prefer activity holidays. We could have told them that, you only have to look at the way our site visitor numbers have grown over the last five years.
Only 20% of British holidaymakers opt for lounging on a beach, while 26% indulge in some form of walking when on holiday. It seems that 1 in 8 Brits are also pretty keen on scuba diving and there are a lot of British boarders who will shortly be heading for the slopes.
Cater Allen found further evidence that Britons are changing their holiday habits, and moving away from the traditional European beach holiday when respondents stated that they wanted to go on holiday primarily for adventure.
The Mount 7 flying site in Golden, BC, Canada, has hosted hang gliding and paragliding pilots from all over the world. Mount 7 and the Columbia Valley have become justly famous amongst the flying community for incredible thermal conditions and excellent cross-country opportunities.
rwgreen12 posted this great video of hangliding and paragliding at Mount 7 and I reckoned that it makes a nice end of week video.
But there is much more to enjoy in the Rocky Mountains and Golden BC, which straddles the junction of the Columbia and Kicking Horse Rivers, is now a central hub for numerous mountain activities. Kicking Horse Mountain Resort features incredible verticals for skiers in the winter and mind-blowing downhill trails for mountain bikers in the summer. A gondola operates all year so there is easy access to the summit.
Dan(M7action) has posted this video of himself and a few pals having a little fun and demonstrating an alternative way of getting down the mountain.
Kicking Horse River flows through downtown Golden and is described as an unforgetable white water ride but that can be the subject of another end of week video. Don't want you guys overdosing on adrenalin.
Take a look at our article on Paragliding holidays for the joys of getting a bird's eye view. Even someone that has never flown before can enjoy a tandem flight with an experienced pilot.
Chris Haslam reports in the TimesOnline that under a new scheme for tour operators, if your summer holiday is rained off, you might soon be entitled to a full refund, including any flight costs.
US company WeatherBill is behind the scheme, which is sceduled to begin in summer 2009. Read the full article, which includes comment on the weather woes that have affected many of the European holiday destination this year.
It appears that Recycle Now, the UK's recycling champions, are urging everyone to cut down on their use of travel brochures. They point out that nowadays it is easy to use sites such as the Activity Holidays Guide to source a holiday and it is easier than ever to book on line.
With 180 million travel brochures being distributed in the UK each year and most of them ending up in landfill, they urge holidaymakers to recycle those old brochures. Problem is that I suspect many of the brochures are not all that eco-friendly. As you might expect, we only really use the Internet in my household, but in the past we have fed old brochures to the worms (we have a garden wormery) but they didn't show a lot of interest in the hard, glossy, finish that makes most travel brochures so attractive.
Latest consumer research from Mintel looking at changing trends in the leisure marketplace, indicates that Britain is becoming a nation of cycling enthusiasts. During 2006, biking-mad Brits went on an exhausting 450,000 two wheeled holidays, with some operators experiencing as much as a third increase in bookings on 2005 figures.
"The growth of independent travel is creating a new breed of holidaymaker, who is resourceful, adventurous and hungry for a taste of authenticity away from the crowds. Cycling is a great way to explore the hidden secrets of a region, enjoy intimate contact with local culture and an opportunity for travellers to feel good about benefiting local economies," comments Richard Cope, Senior Travel Consultant at Mintel.
Mintel believes that the greatest future scope for the cycling holidays market lies in combining biking with mainstream holidays. Operators could re-brand more holidays as "cycling-plus" trips, offering cycling interspersed with other experiences such as R&R, spa, walking, boating and other hobbies. "Whilst Britons cycle less than many other Europeans, we take more frequent holidays and cycling breaks have enormous potential. These do not have to be the preserve of cycling clubs and the Tour de France-emulating hardcore. Cycling holidays will also appeal to families, sightseers, and those simply seeking relaxation and escape from the crowds," explains Richard Cope.
Mintel has provided key insight into leading global trends for over 35 years. More information is available on their web site
The last Monday in May is Memorial Day in the United States of America and since 1971, has been a federal holiday. Memorial Day began in the United States on May 30, 1868, following the ending of the American Civil War, and is a day of remembrance for those who have died in the nation's service.
However, in modern times, as Pat Ferrier notes in the Coloradoan, the holiday has become the unofficial start to the summer travel, camping, rafting and hiking season.
It is predicted that over 38 million people will be travelling in the US during the holiday weekend, around 84% of them by car. More than 4 million people will be flying to their destination and 2 million will be using the bus or train. Apparently, holiday travel numbers are likely to hit record highs despite the soaring fuel prices.
Had the press release been a few weeks earlier, many might have thought that a newly announced British Standard was an April Fool joke. The standard in question BS 8848:2007 Specification for the provision of visits, fieldwork, expeditions and adventurous activities outside the United Kingdom, is a 45 page document developed for adventurous activities abroad with the laudable aim of reducing the risk of injury or illness. It was conceived because of (British) consumer concerns about the risks associated with adventure holidays, fieldwork, expeditions and other visits, and the variable levels of competence, training and fitness of participants.
However, the standard's strategy is to specify requirements that should be met by an organiser of adventurous trips, in order to conform to good practice. Of course, the definition of 'good practice' was decided by the committee that produced the standard, but that aside, the key words are: 'specify requirements' and 'good practice'; what is being offered is a checklist of items that can be used by British nationals, or anyone else, planning adventurous travel outside the UK, and is particularly aimed at expedition organisers; universities, further education colleges and other organisers of field work and field research; gap year travel companies; providers of adventure holidays or vacations; and voluntary groups organising adventurous travel. Helping them to identify and manage risks when planning their ventures and therefore reducing the likelihood of serious harm or injury to participants.
I guess that the value of the standard will depend on the definition of 'good practice' and the way in which it is applied. The provision of such activities within Britain is governed by UK Health and Safety guidelines, and various consumer protection laws, but presumably the same 'good practice' is relevant, whatever and wherever the adventure. Participants can use the new standard, BS 8848:2007, to gauge levels of risk applicable to them and get answers to the 'what if' questions. Hopefully, the advice is universal.
By the way, the reference number for the new standard '8848' corresponds to the height of Mt. Everest in metres, the International Standards Organization unit of distance.
Biosphere Expeditions are planning another expedition to the mountains of Oman, where they will monitor the Arabian leopard and its prey.
Oman is the land of the Queen of Sheba and Sinbad the sailor, it is a land of varied landscape and remarkable wildlife; we have several tour operators offering vacations in Oman.
