FROM BOOK TO MOVIE TO FOUNDATION: BORN FREE CELEBRATES 30th ANNIVERSARY WITH “BORN FREE SAFARI”

KENYA (04/2014) – Cheli & Peacock’s nine-day “Born Free Safari” in rugged Kenya has the honor of partnering with celebrity turned conservationist, Virginia McKenna, who after starring in the film Born Free, founded the Born Free Foundation. The nonprofit organization sponsors projects to save, rescue and protect wildlife around the world. To celebrate its 30^th Anniversary, all bookings for this safari result in donations towards the foundation and its mission to help wildlife everywhere. The October 22 – 31, 2014 journey is $6,345 per person sharing, excluding international flights.

From best-selling book to Academy Award-winning movie, Born Free has captured the hearts of many. It is the story of Joy and George Adamson who reintroduced a captive animal to its Kenyan home, a relationship forged between lioness and man and the first success story in history documented for the world to remember.

Elsa’s Kopje – the location where Elsa the lioness was reintroduced to the wild and one of the areas where Born Free was filmed. Dine and partake in talks with Virginia McKenna on her experience working with lions and Elsa’s owners on set. There’s a moment she knew Elsa had changed her life forever.

A bush breakfast takes place by Elsa’s grave within Meru National park during one of many spectacular safaris. Elsa was accepted into the wild, her legacy continuing through her cubs and seen in her DNA documented in lions, today.

Joy’s Camp – Elsa’s Kopje’s sister camp. The “Milestone Safari” continues to the place where Joy Adamson relocated and reintroduced another cat, Penny the leopard. Guest speakers will give talks and show films on the history of Joy’s Camp and the surrounding area. They enhance your view of the owner’s life, the continued reintroduction of other animals and the surrounding Samburu region.

Tortilis Camp – a luxury lodge witness to Born Free Foundation projects within the dusty plains of Amboseli. The region is known for its elephant population consisting of large groups of families – this includes a world famous group with two Born Free adopted elephants. Visit elephant expert Cynthia Moss’ research center where Cynthia’s vital work has been funded by Born Free for 22 years. A visit to Born Free’s Lion-proof bomas project is included – a project initiated in 2010 to combat conflict between local pastoralists and lions with the use of bomas (night enclosures).

The final day in Kenya is commemorated with a farewell lunch with the Born Free Kenya team in a country where one historic event sparked conservation missions around the world.

Born Free Foundation continues the vision the Adamsons had with Elsa the lioness, and the vision McKenna has today: a lifetime commitment to wildlife.

The “Born Safari” includes accommodation at Elsa’s Kopje, Joy’s Camp and Tortilis Camp; and all internal flights, conservation/ park fees, game drives, bush walks, bush meals, sundowners, membership to Flying Doctors Society, laundry and airstrip transfers. For more information, visit www.chelipeacock.com or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.

SECRETS OF A SKY ISLAND: MATHEWS FOREST FLOURISHES AS PROTECTED ECOSYSTEM

SAMBURU, Kenya (04/2014) Mathews Forest is more pristine than ever, marking its 50^th year as a Kenyan Forest Reserve. What’s remarkable is this isolated ecosystem, a tropical mountain forest, in the Northern Frontier District, is accessible as a travel getaway – and it’s malaria-free. Those who seek off-the beaten path destinations direct themselves to Kitich Camp, the only property within the sky island. This is a place where secrets are still being unraveled by scientists, new species discovered. This is a place where cars are left behind. And, this is a place where your guides are the Samburu and Ndorobo people, who grew up by the dense forest and granite outcrops.

To hear that there are no roads is unheard of. Fortunately, this makes for the best kind of safari: guided forest walks through unmarked terrain.  You’ll be one of maximum 12 guests in the surrounding area, hoping to glimpse one of the endemic species.

Mathews Range is one of the very few areas where you can see the rare De Brazza Monkey outside of the Rwenzori Mountains. The biological island is also home to melanistic leopards (black panthers), forest elephants, more than 150 species of butterflies, uncounted species of wild orchids and endemic giant cycads whose origins reach back 280 million years.

Locals do not live within the forest, as it is respected by elders as a valuable resource that helps sustain life in the dry savanna below. They are more than happy to share their culture and treasured ecosystem – both things Kitich Camp and Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy aim to preserve. As a key tourism partner of Namunyak, Kitich Camp pays conservancy fees directly to the community, working with them on a grassroots level.

On the upper slopes of the Mathews Mountain Range, Kitich Camp features six traditional en-suite safari tents, all with exceptional views of the lush Ngeng River, and a main lounge that overlooks the floodlit river glade where animal sightings are frequent as dusk approaches. An intimate size creates an intimate experience.  

Rates start at $450 per person sharing per night and include all meals, drinks, guided forest walks, river swimming and dips in natural rock pools, bird watching, bush picnics, local airstrip transfers and limited laundry. For more information, visit http://kitichcamp.com/ or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.

VILLAGES UNTOUCHED BY TIME IN NORTHERN PORTUGAL

New York, NY (04/14) Go back in time with “Walking the wild hill country”. On Foot Holiday’s self-guided eight-day hike through the hills of Northern Portugal will take you to the most rural villages where you will experience Portugal’s traditional country life. Hike through the charming little hamlets of Soajo, Lindoso, Brufe, Camp Geres and the Roman Road to Emaus, until reaching Pousada Santa Maria do Bouro, a monastery that was converted into a top hotel.

On this tour you will visit Portugal’s national park, Peneda-Gerês, a splendid landscape characterized by lush green valleys and granite hills. Hidden in the park you will find delightful villages where rural communities continue a lifestyle that is centuries old. These small towns are the epitome of remoteness. See typical Portuguese granaries, espigueiros, where farmers keep their maize, to feed to their long-horned cattle; and walk on ancient paved footpaths and along the Via Romana high above the valley.

Every On Foot itinerary puts a strong emphasis on culture and local hospitality.  Throughout your journey, the choice of accommodation will vary, ranging from friendly pensions and traditional Portuguese houses to a luxurious hotel. You will also have the opportunity (for an extra charge) to taste typical dishes at Brufe’s remarkable restaurant, Restaurant Abocanhado, recognized worldwide for its delicious bacalhau, and can have a memorable evening at Emaus, tasting Paulo’s menu tradicional, accompanied by his excellent range of local wines.   

This tour is available from April to October. Rates for eight nights per person sharing are from $984 and include accommodation, breakfast daily, one evening meal, six picnics, detailed itinerary and supporting material, and luggage transfers between hotels.

For more information contact On Foot Holidays at (011)44 1722 322 652 or visit www.onfootholidays.co.uk

****

Note to editors: On Foot Holidays features predominantly linear, self-guided walking holidays in France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia and the UK’s south-west. Each walk has been designed by a ‘Route Adviser’ – a person who lives locally and has painstakingly developed an itinerary through varied countryside, packing in as much culture as possible en route and seeking out the most welcoming small hotels, farmhouses and village rooms. The emphasis is very much on good food and wine after a day’s walking. On Foot Holidays is a member of AITO (the Association of Independent Tour Operators).

PAINTBRUSH IN THE BUSH: KENYA’S ART SAFARI

SAMBURU, Kenya (04/2014) The colors, vistas and landscape of Kenya’s Samburu region bring you to a standstill. Sometimes a camera just can’t capture what the eyes see. Joy’s Camp Art Safari is a chance to create an image that conveys a single moment. A whisper through swaying grass, a reflection in rippling water and sunlight dusting smooth volcanic rock.

A local artist accompanies you during a walking or driving safari to sketch on location. Feet on the ground, you’re in the middle of the African bush – a 360 degree view of untouched land in the Northern Frontier. Choose watercolors or charcoal pencils, grab an easel and let your hand glide over paper. The artist is there for instruction and advice. Popular spots include the winding Ewaso Nyiro, a river lined with Fever Trees and sand, creating an oasis of green; and the top of Penny’s rock for views of an expansive arid landscape – looming mountains on the horizon. Itineraries are flexible in the bush, so choose a departure from early morning to sundown; choose the position of the sun for the light contrasts you desire most.

Joy’s Camp Art Safari is inspired by the site’s previous artist, Joy Adamson. Joy was a part of history when she helped reintroduce a domestic lion, Elsa, to the wild for the first time. It became a best-selling book, Born Free. When she moved on to the area where Joy’s Camp stands today, Joy documented the plants and people of Kenya through her drawings.

There are 10 chic canvas bedrooms at Joy’s Camp overlooking a natural spring. Each tent is uniquely decorated with handmade glass and vibrant fabrics of the local nomadic tribes, and has a private veranda, ideal for game viewing. Joy’s Camp is one of ten properties in Kenya with a Gold eco-rating, the highest level of environmental responsibility.

Book the art safari in advance. Rates start at $350 per person sharing per night, and include meals, game drives, bush walks, bush breakfasts, sundowners, local airstrip transfers and limited laundry. For more information, visit joyscamp.com or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.

LE TORRI DI BAGNARA, LUXURY CASTLES COLLECTION: “LA DOLCE VILLA” & PALATIAL EVENTS VENUE UNDER THE UMBRIAN SUN

ASSISI, Italy (03/2014) Le Torri di Bagnara (LTDB) is a world-class collection of exquisitely restored medieval castles set within the “Tenuta di Bagnara,” a superb, 1500-acre historic estate and nature reserve in Umbria, offering one of its five castles as a luxury villa and another as an exclusive venue for weddings and special events. The seven-bedroomed Pieve SAN QUIRICO Castle Villa (PCV), is available on a weekly basis to private groups, multi-generational families, groups of friends and those seeking privacy. Il Castello di Bagnara (CDB), the private residence of the Counts Giunta Tremi, is available as a palatial events space, offered without accommodations.

The Pieve Castle Villa (11^TH century historic residence), designed as a luxurious private home, but with the services of a hotel, comprises seven bedrooms (15 beds); nine bathrooms, a professional kitchen, a Renaissance-styled courtyard, and a saltwater pool. On the grounds is a large, 18^th century consecrated church. PCV is available from April through October and over the Christmas-New Year’s holiday – December 20 to January 10. Rates for the Pieve Villa start at Euro 7350 per week and include a maid, breakfast service, full gardening and pool cleaning services (Sunday excluded), with other services obtainable on an ad hoc basis. Groups needing additional accommodations can make use of the Bagnara Tower (11^th century historic residence)-- four apartments sleeping a total of 15.

The Castello di Bagnara (11^th- 15^th century historic residence) is an exquisite venue for weddings and special occasions. The fanciful castle is a complex of buildings: a dwelling space; a crenelated tower adjoined by a small, three-story palazzo with vaulted ceilings between ground and first floors; a stone mill containing an antiques-filled dining room and living room; a small, 17^th century consecrated chapel and an Orangery. The Castello features an immense park with an Italianate garden, a pool, covered dining veranda and an outdoor fireplace.

Since 1901, this exceptional estate, located near Assisi, has been owned by the Counts Giunta Tremi, a noble family descended from Napoleon Bonaparte via his oldest brother, Joseph (King of Naples, Spain and the Indies), and through a younger brother, Lucien (Prince of Canino and Musignano). Today, beautiful Zenaide Giunta, named for her great-great grandmother, owns and operates LTDB.  Commenting on the Pieve Castle Villa, she said, “This is not a simple house rental, but a life experience that speaks to all the senses and that guests take away with them.” She added, “We are pleased to extend our hospitality to those wishing to immerse themselves in the “Tenuta’s” enriching lifestyle – the beauty of this pastoral setting, the pleasures of our food and wine, the privacy of a heritage estate and the age-old culture of Umbria.”

The estate’s working livestock farm breeds hare, roe-deer and white Chianina beef cattle, and cultivates honey, herbs and vegetables, tasty provisions for the table. Among the structures on the estate are several to-be-restored medieval castles, including Castello di Pegliola, once the site of a casino or private club frequented by aristocrats. The scenery is a painter’s or a poet’s dream, a serene countryside of hills, plains, sylvan forests, flower-embroidered meadows, formal gardens and green pastures, all interlaced with small lakes, water features and crenelated castles.

A plethora of services and activities is available: in-house cooking (professional Chef); cooking lessons; massage; Wi-Fi; biking; hiking; golf (an 18-hole, Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed course is 10 minutes away); yoga, picnics; truffle hunts; wine tours; seasonal festivals (Spoleto in June; Umbria Jazz in July; Euro-chocolate in October) and visits to Assisi, Perugia and Todi or over the border to Tuscany or even to Rome.

For more information or bookings: info@letorridibagnara.it