Go global on the tour of a lifetime
BREAKING far beyond the bounds of Europe, escorted touring opens up some of the most fascinating places on the planet – and makes global adventures possible at an affordable price, says GROUP rates and careful planning have brought the cost of quality touring down in recent years. So with just a comparatively small nibble into a savings or pension pot, would-be world adventurers can now find themselves shimmying in Cuba, gazing up into the skies with the figures of Easter Island, or dancing with Masai warriors in Tanzania.
Tour planners take care of everything, from flights and hotels to excursions. And experienced guides who are passionate about their country provide valuable insights on the ground, making for fabulous explorations that are hassle-free.
CHILE AND EASTER ISLAND
FEW places possess a more mystical pull than tiny Easter Island, one of the world’s most remote inhabited islands. Rapa Nui, as it is called locally, is known worldwide for its Unesco-listed stone heads (moai) that look heavenwards with heavy brows and brooding expressions.
While puzzling out their meaning, visitors can learn about the early Polynesian settlers, visit a ceremonial village and venture to shrines and sites which reveal signs of ancient battles.
Most tours will start in long and slender Chile, South America’s safest, most quietly confident country, which also guards some of the world’s most pristine landscapes.
Dine out on ceviche (a delicious seafood dish) in the trendy, historic Lastarria area of Santiago, sample awardwinning sauvignon blancs in the Colchagua Valley, and then prepare to experience nature on a symphonic scale.
The Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth and its eerie landscapes are beautiful beyond belief.
The incredible Salar de Atacama is Chile’s largest salt flat. Cross its crunchy crystalline edge to a lagoon, where flamingos forage in the mineral-rich waters. Tours also take in the Tatio geysers, where gurgling craters force columns of white steam high into the
skies above.
CUBA
WITH the recent landmark thaw in relations between Havana and Washington, 2016 might provide one of the last chances to experience the charms of Castro’s Cuba before it slowly but surely becomes Americanised.
With no shopping centres, no global brands and, of course, a huge number of old, gas-guzzling 1950s cars, a visit here really does feel like stepping back in time.
On this intriguing Caribbean island, the lavish and colourful Spanish colonial architecture of Old Havana, Trinidad and Cienfuegos, all Unesco-listed, contrasts with pristine coasts lined by white sand beaches and verdant plantations.
Peek through the open windows of Ernest Hemingway’s former home, sample the Havana Club Museum of Rum and hear the sounds of the famous Buena Vista Social Club. And don’t forget Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, whose monument, mausoleum and the train he derailed during the Cuban Revolution can be seen in Santa Clara.
TANZANIA
STUNNING safari sightings, white sand beaches, friendly people, fascinating cultures and exuberant colours – Tanzania has all these and more, wrapped up in one adventurous, welcoming package.
This is arguably Africa’s most beautiful country. Relax by the mountain lakes of the Great Rift Valley, dance with Masai warriors, and watch lions roam in the prehistoric Ngorongoro Crater, home to the densest concentration of wildlife on the continent.
In Tarangire National Park, watch from a safari Jeep as wild elephants march across the savannah.
And in Ngorongoro National Park, the traditional Masai way of life is explained in English by a village chief’s son, while you perch on a cowhide bed inside a thatched hut, before touring the kraal (enclosure).
You might even follow the circular great migration of two million antelope on the ethereal planes of the majestic Serengeti – it’s the greatest wildlife show on Earth.
Watch for lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffe, zebras, buffalo and much more, too, on a full-day safari.
Such amazing and privileged experiences are brought in easy reach by an escorted tour.
And with prices now being so affordable, 2016 might be the best time to start making inroads into that bucket list…