Do you love wraps with a dash of “I need to go there” teamed with a liberal sprinkle of “Oh God I wish I had more savings”? Well, joy awaits within.

Flexible travel operator, Busabout offers the ultimate North American road trip with inaugural USA & Canada program

Award-winning flexible travel expert, Busabout has launched its inaugural USA & Canada collection, bringing its freestyle form of travel to North America for the first time in 2019.

With Busabout, guests can choose from two main travel styles – opt for a Pass on its Hop-on Hop-off network to create their own adventure, or choose a guided adventure with plenty of inclusions along the way. With Hop-on Hop-off, travellers have the flexibility to design their own West Coast holiday itinerary using Busabout’s unique coach network.

Growing in popularity across Europe, Busabout’s flexible network allows independent travellers to choose where they go, how long they stay and in what accommodation, plus meet likeminded travellers along the way. Busabout has one recommended accommodation provider at each stop and access to hundreds of others. For complete freedom, travellers can book their own accommodation and even change their coach departures with 24 hours’ notice*, allowing them to be more spontaneous without extra cost.

The new West Coast Hop-on Hop-off Pass gives travellers access to eight unmissable destinations, including stops in San Francisco, LA, Las Vegas and South Lake Tahoe. Guests can also add visits to popular cities Santa Barbara and San Diego, or connect with nature at Yosemite National Park and Mammoth Lakes, which are optional stops. Coaches depart all eight destinations every other day between June and August 2019. The West Coast Hop-on Hop-off Unlimited Pass is priced at $799 per person.

Busabout’s Adventures are hand-crafted trips exploring different parts of the USA and Canada, led by expert guides. The USA & Canada 2019 collection features 11 Adventures, spanning from three days to three weeks, and includes accommodation, daily breakfast, all coach transportation, a Busabout Guide and driver, a number of included experiences and plenty of free time. Travellers can traverse the States from east to west, or explore one area in great depth, the choice is theirs. Top trips include a 22-day West to East Road Trip, nine-day Southern Blues Adventure and week-long Canada Rockies Adventure. Adventures start from $989 per person for the three-day West National Parks Adventure.

A new hosted journey from A&K to Ethiopia

Luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent is delighted with the decision by Ethiopian authorities to lift the State of Emergency which has been in place for nearly two years. The Australian government has responded by downgrading its travel advisory for the first time in recent years.

A&K has been tailoring journeys to Ethiopia for private travellers for over a decade and in 2015 launched its first small group journey there. A&K’s leading Africa expert, Patrick Clementson, escorted the group on a fascinating two-week adventure revealing the secrets of this incredibly diverse country whose mysterious fascination extends from its rich history, culture and landscapes to its extraordinary tribal heritage.

Patrick has welcomed the news saying, “Ethiopia is such a surprise package and quite unlike any other African country. It has rare wildlife like the gelada baboon and the Ethiopian wolf, both found in the Simien Mountains, beautiful rock-cut churches and stunning scenery and the tribal villages of the Omo Valley are intriguing. You witness primitive traditions and rituals that haven’t changed in centuries and visiting on market day is a must.”

Though accommodation and food is simple in Ethiopia, there is so much to see and experience right around the country and Patrick recommends that travellers should pack their sense of adventure for a journey that will deliver maximum reward.

A&K’s journeys to Ethiopia

Limited Edition Small Group Journey: Tribes & Traditions of Ethiopia
Tour dates: 5-20 November 2018
Maximum 24 guests.
Twin share per person: $9,915
Single supplement: $1,665

10-day Private Journey for the independent traveller
Ethiopia: the Historic Route
Twin share per person: From $7,895
Solo Traveller: From $12,210

7-day Private Journey for the independent traveller
Tribes of the Omo Valley
Twin share per person: From $5,500
Solo Traveller: From $8,875

Circle Iceland on a new expedition by sea | Early Bird Offer: Save almost US$3000 per couple plus free hotel | Incredible solo traveller fares

Lava fields, waterfalls, glaciers, whale watching and the world’s youngest volcano are among the highlights of a new expedition cruise package from Adventure Canada and Cruise Traveller that takes adventurers on a circumnavigation of Iceland – the land of fire and ice.

As part of a special, earlybird offer for the July 2019 voyage, Adventure Canada and Cruise Traveller are offering discounts of between US$700 and US$1470 per person, depending on cabin categories, plus – exclusive to Cruise Traveller – a free hotel night in Iceland is also offered for bookings made before September 20, 2018.

With the help of HBO’s hit show, Game of Thrones, Iceland has become one of the world’s hottest tourist destinations. Like Games of Thrones author, George RR Martin’s novels, Iceland is, literally, a land of ‘ice and fire’ and guests can experience the best of the geological marvels it has to offer on this eco-friendly voyage aboard Adventure Canada’s 198-passenger vessel, the Ocean Endeavour.
Including a free night in Reykjavik and a nine-night, round-trip expedition cruise from Reykjavik, the 10-night ‘Iceland Circumnavigation’ package features:

* The spectacular Snaefellsnes Peninsula – a 100km-long landscape filled with sparkling fjords, pristine beaches and rolling lava flows, all topped by the mighty Snaefellsjokull volcano

* A visit to Grimsey Island to see one million seabirds that live there including puffins, guillemots and gulls

* A visit to Husavik, the whale capital of Iceland, with over 15 different species frequenting the area

* A visit to the volcanic Vestmannaeyjar islands, home to Eldfell volcano, formed in 1973 – the youngest volcano in the world.

Beginning in Reykjavik on July 4, 2019, Adventure Canada’s 10-day ‘Iceland Circumnavigation’ package, including the earlybird saving, is available from US$6195 per person, twin-share.
For solo travellers, fares in selected cabins are available from US$6895 if booked before September 20, 2018.

The offers are subject to availability and conditions apply.

Fares include:

* One-night free hotel accommodation, pre-cruise, in Reykjavik

* Complimentary expedition parka (yours to keep)

* All shipboard meals and zodiac shore excursions

* The expertise of Adventure Canada expedition staff

PANDAW ESCALATES EXPANSION IN INCREDIBLE INDIA – Pandaw boosts India offering, following high demand for the river cruise pioneer’s ‘The Lower Ganges’ launch

Pandaw is set to ramp up its cruise offering in India, following the tremendous response to the news that the cruise pioneer will offer a Lower Ganges sailing from December 2018, as they position a Pandaw ship in the country for the first time.

Pandaw’s rapid expansion plans for India include deploying two more ships to the region, adding three new itineraries or itinerary combinations and launching a range of new pre and post cruise tours of the mesmerising country.

“The response to our announcement in May that we will place our own ship, RV Orient Pandaw, on the Lower Ganges River from December 2018, has been truly phenomenal,” said Pandaw founder, Paul Strachan. “The reaction from our customers and industry partners has been so positive that we have decided to significantly expand our offering in India.”

“Pandaw will place two further river cruise ships in the country, sailing two new routes for us – the Upper Ganges, all the way to Varanasi, and the Brahmaputra, one of Asia’s major rivers. We are also planning to take our sea-going vessel, the Andaman Explorer, to the region, where true to her name, she will sail amongst the Bay of Bangal’s beautiful Andaman Islands.”

“India is a fascinating country that offers the visitor a richness of experience that cannot be found anywhere else. This expansion of our India programme is a key objective for Pandaw and we will raise the bar in the region for cruising excellence.”

In May, Pandaw announced the launch of ‘The Lower Ganges’ itinerary, which will sail from Kolkata to Farraka, and vice versa, onboard the stately RV Orient Pandaw, from 23 December 2018. This expedition will wend its way through the lush countryside of West Bengal, with its culturally significant towns crammed with temples and palaces.