STEPPES ANNOUNCES ONE-TIME-ONLY TOUR WITH HILARY BRADT TO PERU’S PRE-INCA RUINS AND THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN

NEW YORK, NY (03/14) Steppes Travel, the bespoke tour operator known for its pioneering adventures, has linked with Hilary Bradt, the travel authority (with her husband) behind the renowned Bradt Travel Guides, for a one-time-only tour entitled Peru Revisited, Bradt’s final return to the country she fell in love with 45 years ago, and which, she declares, changed her life. 

Steppes’ Peru Revisited tour encompasses the republic’s premier archaeological sites and the spectacular Cordillera Blanca mountain range. Not only is Peru’s highest mountain, Huáscarán (22,204 feet), located in this range, but so is Alpamayo (19,511 feet), proclaimed the "World's Most Beautiful Mountain" by an international survey led by the late, award-winning climber Toni Hiebeler.

The 14-day Peru Revisited tour, personally guided by Hilary Bradt, takes place July 8 to 21, 2014.  Rates start at US$4195 per person sharing (excluding international airfare) and include interior flights, accommodations, daily guided excursions and most meals.

Hilary Bradt was so smitten by Peru when she first visited South America in 1969, that she found the experience transformative. On the next trip, after walking the full length of the Inca Trail, Hilary and her husband wrote their first guide book. Hilary says, “Eight editions of that book followed, fuelled by my annual trips to South America as a trekking and tour leader.  I want to return one last time.  Not to Cusco and Machu Picchu, but to my favorite mountain range, the Cordillera Blanca, and to make my first visit to the ‘Machu Picchu of the north’ – Kuelap in the Chachapoyas region.”

Travelers will have the benefit of Steppes’ seamless travel arrangements as well as Hilary Bradt’s superlative insider knowledge of the fascinating culture of ancient Pre-Inca and Inca-dominated Peru. They will explore the Pre-Inca ruins around Chiclayo in Northern Peru; wander through the largest ancient stone structure in South America; take a lodge-based trek in the Cordillera Blanca and Negra mountains in Central Peru; and listen to Hilary Bradt’s anecdotes of her many explorations through territory that once was home to the Norte Chico civilization, one of the world’s oldest. Along the way, there will be visits to many historical and religious sites, the Royal Tombs Museum to see Moche artefacts, as well as the ruins of Tucume, the pre-Hispanic city of adobe pyramids.

For detailed itinerary and more information: Email enquiry@steppestravel.com or call Toll-free: 1-855-352-7606

CHRISTMAS IN PATAGONIA: CRUCEROS AUSTRALIS OFFERS DEALS FOR THE SEASON

While there won’t be reindeer, cruise specialist, Cruceros Australis, invites travelers to a Christmas with Santa Claus and penguins this winter. With Zodiac excursions and complementary lectures, Cruceros Australis conveys peace on earth with the natural beauty of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. A big bonus for families looking for quality time together: kids cruise free.

These two four-night expedition cruises depart December 21, 2012 and December 22, 2012 with your choice of Ushuaia to Punta Arenas or Punta Arenas to Ushuaia. Either way, the route involves Patagonia’s signature wildlife and environment: fjords, canals and glaciers.

While on board, revel in the season as you pass by the raised Christmas tree, enjoy a special Christmas dinner and meet with Santa who will make an appearance with gifts for the children.

A cruise with Cruceros Australis is an all-inclusive experience including sea transportation, shore excursions, onboard entertainment, all meals and an open bar. Passengers will also enjoy local Chilean and Argentinean wines. The menu combines international cuisine and local recipes to highlight the delicious and varied regional fare. Rates start at $2,187 per adult for these departures, and children 15 and under will sail free (one child per adult).

For more information, visit www.australis.com.

CRUCEROS AUSTRALIS COMMEMORATES WHALE CONSERVATION WITH SPECIAL DEPARTURES

This year marks the 30^th anniversary of the vote to end whaling. To show future generations the importance of the conservation of whales and dolphins, cruise specialist, Cruceros Australis, invites travelers to come to Patagonia and join one of four special departures that will take place early 2013. With Zodiac excursions and complementary lectures, Cruceros Australis displays both the beauty and history of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego at the bottom of the world.

These four-night expedition cruises include special programs that incorporate the observation of humpback whales in the Strait of Magellan to effectively demonstrate that education is part of conservation. Guests are taken to Francisco Coloane Park, Chile’s first marine park. In this protected area, they will be on the lookout for humpback whales and will be able to speak with a leading scientist while surrounded by the typical landscape encountered in Patagonia: fjords, canals and glaciers.

The newest ship, Stella Australis, will host the first departure on January 12, 2013. The Via Australis will then take over for February 4, February 20 and March 8, 2013 departures.

Day 1: Departure from Punta Arenas, Chile

Day 2: Humpback whale watching around Carlos III Island

Day 3: Disembarkation at the bays of Garibaldi and Pia Glaciers

Day 4: Disembarkation on Hornos Island and Wulaia Bay

Day 5: Disembarkation in Ushuaia, Argentina. Check-out is 8am

(Whale sightings cannot be guaranteed due to their natural habits and constant movement.)

A cruise with Cruceros Australis is an all-inclusive experience including sea transportation, shore excursions, onboard entertainment, all meals and an open bar. Passengers will also enjoy local Chilean and Argentinean wines. The menu combines international cuisine and local recipes to highlight the delicious and varied regional fare. Rates start at $1,989 for these departures.

For more information, visit www.australis.com.

MANTIS ADDS FIVE-STAR CASASUR ART HOTEL IN BUENOS AIRES TO ITS PORTFOLIO OF EXCLUSIVE PROPERTIES

Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA - The Mantis Group, marketers/managers of upscale boutique hotels, resorts and game reserves across the world, has added the five-star CasaSur Art Hotel in Buenos Aires to its portfolio of luxurious properties.

CasaSur Art Hotel is a charming boutique hotel located in Recoleta, the city’s exclusive arts district, a lively area teeming with galleries, shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. The hotel comprises 36 guest rooms, from smart Executive suites equipped with wifi, a working desk and a French balcony, up to the Grand suite located on the 12th floor, offering panoramic views of the city from its wide, private deck. All rooms are decorated in shades of brown, beige and white, creating a stylish, rotogravure-like effect.

The hotel’s deluxe wellness center offers full-day and half-day spa packages, and its fine dining restaurant called Croque Madame caters to the sophisticated palate. Breakfast is served buffet style, while the sit-down menu items are a mix of regional and international dishes. At five o’clock, guests settle in to the lobby bar for tea and artisanal pastries; grilled sandwiches (the signature “croques”) or tapas and wine selected from the most prestigious Argentinean estates.

Because of its popular location, the CasaSur Art Hotel is ideal for exploring the neighborhood on foot. Beyond Recoleta’s shops and galleries, the district is home to La Recoleta Cemetery, an historic burial ground as renowned for its eclectic architecture as for those entombed in its many mausoleums, among them the country’s “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” former first lady, Eva Peron. After taking a walking tour of Recoleta, visit greater Buenos Aires. With its excellent climate, French and Italian-influenced architecture, bustling arts and music scene, many museums, great cuisine and seductive tango studios, the city is considered one of the most desirable destinations in the world, often compared to Paris.

For reservations: email reservations@mantiscollection.com or visit: www.casasurhotel.com

BAOBAB LEADS BELIZE TRIBAL TREK

Belize City, BELIZE (3/10) Trek through Belize in the footsteps of the Mayan people, with a unique 12-day adventure from Baobab Expeditions, offered from May 9th to the 20th, 2010.

The adventure begins in Belmopan. While here, explorers will visit the Belize Zoo (filled with all the country’s native animals); discover the local Mennonite community, users of modern methods to sustain their community; and travel to the Green Iguana Farm, hidden on an Indian Reserve, which has sought to bring back the Green Iguana from the brink of extinction.

The next day, adventurers will trek to the famous Mayan ruins of Caracol, the largest Maya archeological site in Belize. At its peak, Caracol had a radius of 10 km, larger than modern Belize City, with a central acropolis, three plaza groups, and two ball courts. While in the deep high-canopy jungle surrounding Caracol, adventurers will receive basic jungle training to prepare them for the days ahead.

Travelers will then make their way along the coast to the Toledo District, stopping at Nim Li Punit to admire the views of the Caribbean islands and at Lubaantun to discover striking jungle-backed Mayan ruins. They will spend the night at the Sun Creek Lodge, a premier eco-adventure lodge nestled between the Mayan mountains and the Caribbean Sea.

From here, adventurers will hike along the Cacao Trail to a local village, where they will learn about the medicinal properties of the local jungle flora, before going cave swimming at Blue Creek. Next, they will travel onwards to discover the non-excavated Uxbenka site (estimated to be 600 to 700 years older than either Lubaantun or Nim Li Punit), the waterfalls at Santa Elena, and the unexcavated Kayuko Cave and Mound Group. The group will camp out overnight, where they will enjoy open-air evenings by the camp fire and sleep under the jungle’s thick canopy in hammocks, bashas and mozzy nets.

After several days, travelers will reach the Sun Creek Jungle Lodge from where they will explore the Mayan village of Santa Cruz, the Pusilha Acropolis and the Maya Bridge, before proceeding on to several days in the sun at either the stunning diving destination of Caye Caulker or the beautiful beaches of Placencia.

Explorers will return to Belize for their return flights home. Please note that there must be a 24-hour layover between diving and flying.

Baobab’s 12-day tribal Belize journey is set for the 9th to the 20th of May, 2010. Pricing begins at $4,444 per person for double occupancy and includes accommodations, all meals on expedition and breakfasts at hotels, local experienced guides, drinking water, all transportation and excursions, and Royal Geographic Society membership. A luxury camp upgrade is also available, which provides higher quality hotels (where available), vehicle upgrades, faster boats (where available) and the use of tents on expedition. The expedition, available to groups of up to ten, will require moderate to difficult physical effort.

Baobab Expeditions has been ranked by National Geographic Adventure Magazine as one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth 2009,” with a client satisfaction rating of 100 percent. For more information on Baobab Expeditions, please call 516 622 2279 or visit www.BaobabExpeditions.com.