Madagascar group tour – September 2010

 Madagascar is such a diverse and interesting country that tourism is really starting to take off. Famous for being the only country in the world where you can see lemurs in the wild, Madagascar also has many endemic reptiles and plants that also act as a huge draw.

To make visiting this stunning landscape more affordable, we have put together our first group tour that will take in 5 of the national parks including Perinet, Berenty and Ranomafana. During this trip you will see many different species of lemur but also take in the different cultures and landscapes that make up this land.

The group tour will start in the capital and Antanarivo from there a domestic flight to Fort Dauphin and a visit to the famous Berenty National Park. You’ll fly to Tulear and travel up through the middle of the country along the Route Nationale 7 visiting towns and national parks along the way. Including Isalo National Park, Andringita national park, Ranomafana national park with its stunning rivers and waterfalls – see the bamboo lemur here. The final national park is Antsirabe where you can see the Indri Indir lemur before returning to Antananarivo or you may like to take a three night extension to the island of Ile Sainte Marie, as it is whale watching season. The tour will have a maximum of 14 and be guided throughout so you’ll see it all!

Depature date: 24th September 2010

Interested in this? Find out more and download the full itinerary

Discover a new age of sail…

Cruising Costa Rica

We are very excited to have the magnificent Tall ship the Star Clipper sailing along the coast of Costa Rica this winter – it will be an amazing relaxing way to visit Costa Rica and the neighboring countries and within Costa Rica explore national parks not accessible by road.

It was my task to go and check-out the ship, such a hard job!   So, we headed of for a short cruise.  I love sailing so was very excited.  We set sail out of Athens port to the sounds of  ‘Vangelis’ playing and the crew on deck ready to host the sails in the evening breeze, very dreamy.

The ship is very comfortable, I found the cabin spacious and loved the outside space where there are so many place to find a nice stop to sit and enjoy the fresh air. With 2 swimming pools on board and plenty of sun loungers, lots of opportunity to relax. Also there are sailing dinghies and ribs for watersports once at anchor, including waterskiing. I climbed the mast (well up to the first crows nest – that was high enough!) with the safety lines and watchful eyes of the great entertainments team – who later produced a very funny fashion show of the ships clothes in a force 8!

The ship offers a perfect holiday, cruising along beautiful coastlines – while enjoying the relaxing atmosphere through the lunch and dinner, then visiting the different national parks and places of interest each day.  On the shore trips you can relax on the beach or venture further and experience more the amazing countries you visit. 

 I thought this would be a perfect family holiday too, plenty for everyone.

I can’t wait to go again…..

Helen

Explore our selection of Star Clippers cruises

New refurbished cabins on the Antarctic Dream Expedition

Good news about the Antarctic Dream Expedition in Argentina the Amundsen deck on board the cruise ship has recently been refurbished providing 26 twin cabins for those passengers who are willing to share or have an opportunity to get to know other explorers. The Antarctic Dream Expedition is a 10 night cruise operating from November to March. With departure and return from Ushuaia, Argentina, guests make an exciting crossing through the legendary Drake Passage to arrive in the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula.

You may also be interested in the Antarctica XX1 Fly Cruise – The crossing through Drakes Passage can be unpredictable and this option is ideal for clients who want to avoid Drakes passage or have a limited amount of time. In less than 2 hours of flying from Punta Arenas to King George Island clients will arrive in the white continent. On arrival clients are taken by zodiac boats to the Ocean Nova Cruise boat to start the 5 night cruise.

This is the trip of a lifetime that needs to be booked well in advance. 

2010 Irish charity cycle challenge

On the 30th September 2010 I will be taking part in the 2010 Irish Cycle Challenge. In two teams of four ladies we will cycle in relay over 500 miles in three days from Blarney Castle in south west Ireland to Dublin and aim to raise a minimum of £2000 for charity. 

50%  of the money raised will go to ‘Cancer Research UK’ and the ‘British Heart Foundation’, 25% to ‘Weldmar Hospicecare Trust’ and 25% to ‘Kick Asthma for Kids’.

Weldmar Hospicecare Trust www.weld-hospice.org.uk is an independent charity based in Dorchester and their services are provided free of charge. 70% of the funds they need is raised locally; the rest is given by the NHS. The trust supports people in Dorset affected by cancer and other life-limiting diseases. We have chosen the Weldmar Hospice for the loving and caring support they gave to our team member Julie and her family when Julie’s brother, Steve, was in their care.  Julie says “Steve died at the age of 37 and, although its the most painful thing I have been through, I dont know how we would have coped without their amazing support.”

Giving to ‘Kick Asthma for Kids ‘ www.asthma.org.uk will allow children to experience in a controlled environment an outward bound holiday of a life time, an experience they never thought they could with their illness. We are blessed to be able to cycle round Ireland for this cause, which is particularly close to our team member Stepanie’s heart after losing a sister too young to this debilitating illness.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor us: Challenge Adventure Charities gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

 Please could you sponsor us for this challenge by simply clicking on the link below.

 http://www.justgiving.com/                 

Thank you so much for your support and we will let you know how we get on.