Salsa, bossa nova, tango, merengue, marimba…Central America & South America are a region of music, movements and laughter. High up in the Andes, the low tone of Peruvian pipes envelopes the magnificent Inca fortress of Machu Picchu. Down by the sea, the checky residents of Brazil’s Rio de Janiero samba late into the night. The tango is more the taste in sophisticated Argentina, even on the plains of the Pampa. In Chile, home to both beautiful lakes and Atacama, the oldest and driest dessert on earth, the locals dance a mean merengue. And in the strange and wonderful Galapagos Islands, living testament to the world of Charles Darwin, the lapping of the sea make music all of its own. Let us show you the fiesta that is Central and South America.
Archive for the ‘Galapagos’ Category
Sizzling Sounds, Tantalizing Tastes and Colorful Sights
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
Galapagos Trips
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
The wildlife in the Galapagos is extreme. Giant tortoises whose saddle-shaped carpaces inspired the name Galapagos. Marine iguanas who have adapted to an ocean-going existence by grazing on seaweed and developing a special gland to rid them of excess salt. The world’s only Equatorial penguin, which has learned to hold its flippers out to cool off and protect its feet from sunburn. Species never developed a fear of man, so they’re unusually easy to approach and observe.
Even though the archipelago has been studied extensively, new species continue to emerge. A new species of giant tortoise was recently discovered not far from the Charles Darwin Station. A hefty pink iguana with black stripes was discovered in 1986 and only announced in 2009. You never know what new wonder you might discover in this UNESCO World Heritage site – a place that has become a “must see” for those who long to continue evolving their own knowledge of the world around them.
Interested in planning a Galapagos trip? You can either tour or cruise the Galapagos Islands. Our travel consultants can help you find the perfect Galapagos vacation.
Globus Tours 2010
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
Released today – Globus 2010 Vacations to Asia, the South Pacific, South & Central America & Hawaii. Book early & save!
Save $600 per couple on air-inclusive 2010 Globus family of brands South & Central America vacations booked between August 12 and October 13, 2009.*
Booking window: August 12 – October 13, 2009
*Book a 2010 Globus, Monograms or Avalon South America air-inclusive vacation to receive the $300 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between August 12 and October 13, 2009 for travel commencing through December 31, 2010. Offers not valid with any other offer except Journeys Club and applies to new 2010 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.
Save $400 per couple on air-inclusive 2010 Globus family of brands Asia and South Pacific vacations booked between August 12 and October 13, 2009.*
Booking window: August 12 – October 13, 2009
*Book a 2010 Globus, Monograms or Avalon Asia or South Pacific air-inclusive vacation. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between August 12 and October 13, 2009 for travel commencing through December 31, 2010. Offers not valid with any other offer except Journeys Club and applies to new 2010 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.
Save $500 per couple on air-inclusive 2010 Globus family of brands Hawaii vacations booked between August 12 and October 13, 2009.*
Booking window: August 12 – October 13, 2009
*Book a 2010 Globus or Monograms Hawaii air-inclusive vacation to receive the $250 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between August 12 and October 13, 2009 for travel commencing through December 31, 2010. Offers not valid with any other offer except Journeys Club and applies to new 2010 Hawaii bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.
Adventures by Disney 2010
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009Adventures by Disney Invites Families to Experience the World in 2010
Adventures by Disney just released their tour vacations for 2010.
Entering its fifth year, Adventures by Disney designs tours with the family in mind and provides educationally-enriched experiences so even younger travelers understand, appreciate and have fun in their new surroundings. These hassle-free vacations, rooted in the service and quality of family travel leader Disney, provide distinctive opportunities and special touches to make memories that last a lifetime.
“We are able to offer vacation experiences to some of the most fascinating places on earth, literally bringing history to life for our guests,” said Don Gross, Vice President, Adventures by Disney. “Each itinerary is carefully planned, creating a vacation that includes the most iconic and must-see sites as well as off-the-beaten path excursions. In fact, guests often tell us the hardest part about the trip is choosing the adventure.”
The Disney Difference
From snorkeling with sea turtles in the Galapagos to discovering Europe’s classic history, each itinerary is as matchless as its surroundings. Yet one aspect holds true for every trip: the special touches that are collectively called “the Disney difference” .
Adventure Guide: Part storyteller, ambassador, concierge and role model, Adventures by Disney’s highly-trained Adventure Guides are the friendly hosts and travel specialists who lead guests on every trip. With two guides assigned for every group (of up to 40 people), travelers receive individual attention to ensure a fun and enriching vacation.
Junior Adventurers: Young travelers are transformed into Junior Adventurers – seeing, hearing and tasting things that they might otherwise not have experienced. The immersive activities created just for kids allow young travelers to learn and have fun in places like museums that aren’t always as entertaining for the younger set. For example, at the Louvre in Paris, the Junior Adventurers play an Art Detective game throughout the museum with their Adventure Guides, while adults take a privately guided tour with an art historian. In addition, the Adventure Guides are expert storytellers and are trained to create fun and unique, locally-based experiences for the kids. On almost every departure, there is also a Junior Adventurers night, in which the kids have a special evening experience with their Guides, while the adults get a quiet evening on their own at the resort.
Local Experts: An authentic Tuscan chef, a naturalist from Costa Rica, a Chinese tai chi master – these local experts share a passion; they live and breathe the local history and culture of their destination. They are an integral part of every Adventures by Disney vacation. They join guests to share their stories and provide an “insider’s” perspective to each destination.
VIP Access: Travelers vacationing with Adventures by Disney receive VIP experiences that are practically impossible to schedule on their own. Special entry to otherwise crowded sites, unique accommodations (like castles in Ireland and Germany, a dude Ranch in Yellowstone and at the base of a live, active volcano in Costa Rica. Guests also get backstage access of celebrated performances like “The Lion King“ in London. These are just a few of the exceptional moments woven through each itinerary, promising expedited service and a broader knowledge of each destination.
Adventures by Disney’s 2010 destinations include 19 global itineraries:
Asia & Pacific
- Enchanted China - China: Beijing, Chengdu, Guilin, Shanghai and Hong Kong
- Safari to South Africa - South Africa: Cape Town, The Garden Route and Kapama Game Reserve
- Discovery Down Under - Australia: North Queensland, Ayers Rock and Sydney
British Isles & Europe
- Cities of Knights and Lights – England and France: London and Paris
- The Emerald Isle – Ireland: Dublin, Killarney and Shannon
- Once Upon a Fairytale – Germany: Heidelberg, Trendelburg, Rothenburg and Munich
- Alpine Magic - Italy and Switzerland: Stresa, Zermatt and Lake Lucerne
- Viva Italia - Italy: Rome, Tuscany and Venice
- Bella Italia – Central Italy: Sorrento and Florence
Latin America
- Path to Pura Vida – Costa Rica: San Jose, Arenal and Manuel Antonio National Park
- Treasures of the Galapagos - Ecuador and Galapagos Islands
- Sacred Valleys and Incan Cities – Peru: Lima, Sacred Valley and Cusco
North America
- Spirit of America -Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Pa., and Williamsburg, Va.
- Quest for the West – Wyoming: Jackson Hole, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
- Southwest Splendors – Arizona and Utah: Sedona, Grand Canyon and Moab
- Backstage Magic – Southern California: Hollywood and Disneyland Resort
- Golden Path to Yosemite – Northern California: Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park and San Francisco
- Taming the Last Frontier – Alaska: Fairbanks, Denali National Park and Kenai Peninsula
- Rocky Trails and Mountie Tales - Montana and Canada: Glacier National Park and Banff National Park
For more on Adventure by Disney & other family tours, we invite you to visit www.luxurytour.com
Galapagos Cruises
Monday, May 18th, 2009
Galápagos Islands…Overview of what you can expect to see in each island:
North Seymour Island:
Known for its nesting colony of frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, sea lions, and marine iguanas.
Hood Island:
The most southeastern island featuring quite eroded lava terrain. See Galápagos sea lions, lava lizards, Nazca boobies, and the only island with a Waved Albatrosses colony (May-December). Also see the famous blowhole!
Floreana Island:
See flamingos that inhabit a brackish-water lagoon, and other birds like ducks, stilts, and sandpipers. Great snorkeling here for close-up views of marine life that includes sea lions, rays, sea turtles, and possibly the Galápagos penguin. This island is also the site of Post Office Bay, where you learn about early inhabitants and adventures of pirates and whalers.
Santa Cruz Island:
The second-largest island boasts the largest human population, giant tortoises in the wild, and the CHARLES DARWIN RESEARCH STATION. The highlands are great for bird watching, walking through a Scalesia forest, and seeing the twin pit craters, Los Gemelos.
Tower Island:
Due to its northern isolation and the effect of northern currents, this island’s ecosystems are quite different from others. Boasting the most seabird diversity, you will find frigate birds, red-footed and masked boobies, gulls, herons, finches, mockingbirds, and the short-eared owl. Good snorkeling is found here, too—along with hammerhead sharks!
Isabela Island:
Discover secluded Tagus Cove, a favorite anchor for pirates and whalers in past centuries. The vegetation includes the unusual Palo Santo trees, white-barked leafless trees that look dead most of the year. See Darwin Crater, filled with saltwater and one of Isabela’s six volcanoes. Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants, sea turtles, marine iguanas, and giant tortoises are a few species that call this island home.
Fernandina Island:
The youngest of islands is home to continuous volcanic activity and recent black lava flows. Considered by many as one of the most pristine islands in the world due to the absence of introduced mammals, Fernandina has a unique environment with the highest density of marine iguanas, sharing their space with sea lions, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hawks, penguins, and the flightless cormorant.
Bartolomé Island:
The most photographed view of islands in the Galápagos is seen here with Pinnacle Rock. A great place for swimming and snorkeling with its schools of tropical and subtropical fish, sea lions, sharks, rays, sea turtles, and Galápagos penguins.
Photo & Information from Globus Journeys
Click here for more on Globus trips to the Galapagos.
Galapagos Family Vacation
Saturday, April 25th, 2009Featured trip: Galapagos: Wildlife Wonderland
If thoughts of exploring lands time forgot gets your heart pumping with excitement, then wait until you see some of the animals that live on the remote Galapagos Islands, many of which are found nowhere else in the world! This amazing adventure begins with a 2 night stay in Guayaquil, Ecuador, just the right amount of time to get acclimated to this tropical destination. Then it’s all aboard the m/v Santa Cruz for a 4 night cruise you’ll never forget. Walk on lava landscapes; meet blue footed boobies & marine iguanas and come nose to nose with a giant tortoise. You can swim with sea lions, snorkel with penguins and search for whales. Every day brings a new discovery. Guided shore excursions and ECO-Moments with on-board naturalists make learning about life in the Galapagos even more fun.
Click here for more information on this trip, and other amazing journeys to the Galapagos.
General Tours Review: The Galapagos
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
Just thought I’d give you an update on our recent trip to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos. We had a wonderful and mostly uneventful trip. We were very pleased with General Tours and their attention to detail. There were tour operators to meet us at every airport, and they made sure we were always taken care of at our hotels and on our tours. The hotels were very nice and accommodating. We especially enjoyed the Inka Terra hotel in Aguas Calientes near Machu Picchu.
On the down side…..we were very disappointed in our cabin on the ship. I have reviewed our original correspondence, and we feel we had wait listed for the Renaissance suite. When you contacted us in July, that is what we thought we were upgrading to for the additional fee. Our cabin was small and dirty. We did have a nice sliding door that led to a very small balcony, but the rest of room was very small. Other guests that we met were on a lower level (2nd level) and they had much larger rooms complete with a walk in closet. Their view was limited as they only had port holes, but the room was much more commodious. Since we spent very little time in our rooms, it would probably be good information that you can afford any future clients so that they may make a decision about their rooms based on some facts. The crew and staff were all very attentive and polite, so we chalked it up to experience and enjoyed ourselves each day. The last day of the cruise, we were taken off the ship at 8AM, amused ourselves on land in a small town near the airport, then transported to the airport around 11AM. Unfortunately, the plane we were to board at 1PM back to Guayaquil was damaged, and we, the departing guests, had to wait at the airport for 6 hours until they were able to send another plane from the mainland for us. You should have heard the roar from the crowd when the plane finally arrived……we boarded, and were in the air in 20 minutes! There are no lights at the airport or at the terminal, so it was crucial we get in the air during daylight. It was a close call.
We have friends that are now considering doing this tour and we would like to get a breakdown of the fees, and maybe some available dates for them. Again, we really enjoyed working with General Tours and plan to use them in the future. One of the highlights of the trip for me was the train ride on the Hiram Bingham train. It was a wonderful experience.
Thank you for all your help. M/M Saunders
For more information on this and other popular trips to the Galapagos, visit our South America website.
Celebrity Xpedition
Friday, March 13th, 2009
At 17 knots, you’ll sail Celebrity’s newest ship into the fabled waters of the Galapagos. As the perfect complement to the exotic, we’ve filled Celebrity Xpedition with touches of the familiar. The first being the sense of intimacy that can be achieved only aboard a ship that’s smaller than most others in our fleet by the length of two tennis courts, and that sails with a mere 100 guests.
Relax with room service. Slip into complimentary stateroom extras like Plush Frette™ bathrobes. And revel in a host of other amenities, like our Hot Tub and Sauna, Salon and Fitness Room, and our lounge featuring nightly lectures by naturalists or live music.
Add to that, this: the price of your Celebrity Xpeditions™ Galapagos package includes almost everything on board, from afternoon tea to tips for the staff from house wines and most beverages to our signature dishes (roast leg of Lamb or Banana Flambe, anyone?). Not to mention the comfort of knowing that while the Galapagos will touch you in unimaginable ways, you’ll sail this itinerary on a ship specifically designed to leave them untouched.
The ship features 47 comfortable staterooms and suites, all of them offering exterior windows. All rooms have standard Celebrity Cruises amenities, including televisions, telephones, complimentary use of bathrobes, complimentary room service, and hair dryers. Balcony cabins range from 230 to 460 sq. ft. Ocean view cabins from 145 to 160 sq. ft.
Celebrity Xpeditions offers 7-Night cruises from Baltra visiting North Seymour, San Cristobal, Punta Suarez, Cormorant Point, Baroness Outlook, Las Bachas, Bartolome, Elizabeth Bay, Punta Espinoza, Puerto Eqas, Dragon Hill & Puerto Ayora. There are also 10-Night packages available on a cruisetour, that give you 2 nights in Quito, Ecuador before the cruise & 1 day at the end of the cruise.
TIP: Suites sell our about a year in advance, so book early! Keep in mind that your deposit is refundable, and should the price go down, your rate will be adjusted, so there is no down side to booking early, only the benefit of getting the cabin and location that you want.
There are still good rates available for ocean view cabins on May 17-24th; June 28-Jul 5th 2009 & Jan 17, 2010. Best priced balcony cabins are currently Jan 31 & February 28, 2010
