Endangered animals: a world tour
ANEW safari costing R10.6-million will take couples to see the world's most threatened species, The Telegraph reports. Run by UK-based Natural World Safaris, the $1-million safari will take couples to 12 countries, ranging from Arctic Canada to the Antarctic Peninsula, with the chance to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda, lemurs in Madagascar, sun bears in Borneo and snow leopards in India. The participants will also be able to take part in conservation projects.
The safari — which involves first-class travel all the way — would take 111 days to complete if done in one go rather than being staggered over several years.
LUFTHANSA TO ALLOW ELECTRONICS LUFTHANSA will soon allow its passengers to use smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices throughout the flight on its Airbus aircraft, Travel Buyer reports.
Until now, electronic devices could only be used in in-flight mode on the airline’s Boeing 747-8s and had to be switched off during take-off and landing. The airline says it has been granted official approval for passengers to use electronic devices on its Airbus planes and is hoping to extend permission across its fleet.
TAKE A POLITICAL TOUR OF UKRAINE A UK tour company is promoting a politically themed trip to Ukraine in April to help participants learn about the crisis currently gripping the former Soviet Bloc country, The Telegraph reports. Political Tours, run by former New York Times Balkans correspondent Nicolas Wood, is offering a nine-day trip to Ukraine during which the participants will visit Kiev and Kharkiv and meet local journalists, “grassroots” politicians and — possibly — serving MPs. The tour will not go to Crimea, which has voted to split from the country to join Russia. The trip costs £3 200 (about R56 900) per person, excluding flights.
THE GRANDEST RAIL TOUR OF ALL RAIL tour operator Great Rail Journeys has launched a 53-day, 84 800km round-the-world train ride that will reach destinations as far apart as New York and Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, The Telegraph reports.
The R390 000 journey is 27 days shorter than Phileas Fogg’s round-the-world attempt recounted in the Jules Verne classic
Around the World in 80 Days but is possibly a lot more luxurious.
Departing from London, the train journey will take travellers across Europe, Russia, Mongolia, China and North America, taking in such sights as Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon, Xi'an and the Terracotta Army, and the steppes of the Gobi desert. Trains to be used on the trip include the Tsar’s Gold Private Train from Mongolia, the Venice Simplon Orient-Express and the British Orient Express Pullman.
The fare — R7 300 per day — covers four- and five-star accommodation, all air and rail travel and most meals.
VIC FALLS AIRPORT UPGRADE A PLAN to upgrade Victoria Falls International Airport will see a new terminal and runway ready for business by April 2015, Travel Buyer reports. Large wide-body aircraft will be able to land on the new runway and the new terminal will be able to handle 1.2 million passengers a year. The existing terminal building will become the domestic terminal, while the old runway will be lengthened to become a taxiway. Local tour operators have welcomed the R1.6-billion upgrade, saying it will help give tourism to Zimbabwe a significant boost.
VIRGIN GOES CRUISING
VIRGIN is to begin offering cruises, using two ships to be built from scratch, Travelmole reports. Sir Richard Branson told The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi that the company had secured $1.7-billion in funding to build the ships. He said the Virgin brand would work “very well in cruises”.
Virgin Cruises will be based in Miami with the ships sailing to Caribbean and Mediterranean destinations.
Branson was also said to be looking for investors for Virgin Oceanic to build submarines capable of undersea exploration.
RYANAIR PASSENGERS SUE LAWYERS have begun proceedings against no-frills airline Ryanair after one of its planes made a rapid 20 000-foot descent due to a loss of cabin pressure, allegedly leaving passengers injured and traumatised. Travelmole reports that the Boeing 737-800 was en-route from Milan to East Midlands Airport on April 4 2012 when it was diverted to Frankfurt following an emergency descent, which led to the release of oxygen masks on board the aircraft.