WALK YOUR WAY TO HEALTH WITH ON FOOT HOLIDAYS

New York, NY (03/14) - We have good news about the bad news! The bad news is that obesity is expected to overtake tobacco as the leading preventable cause of death in America, where one third of the adults are considered obese. The good news is that one of the best ways to get your heart pumping and body toned is walking.

Self-guided walking tours specialist, On Foot Holidays, offers over 20 different tours that unveil little-known and charming areas of Europe. With routes ranging from easy to hard, it is now possible to get fit while on vacation without having to miss out on any of the culinary specialties of each village.

Each tour is created by a ‘route designer’, a local of the area with a strong interest in its landscape and culture. It usually takes a lot of time to get a handle on a place and get to know its hidden gems; this is why On Foot Holidays arranges your stay in small inns, farms or pensions, which allows you to get closer to the hospitality and the traditions of each region.

Sample Walks:

Slovenia (The Karst- culture and landscape)-  Ideal for the casual walker, this eight-night tour explores the Slovenian Karst, one of Europe’s most diverse landscapes that ranges from sharp edges of limestone caves surrounded by the greenest pine trees to disappearing lakes and rivers. Explore the woodlands and meadows from Ljubljana to Trieste, and indulge in the villages’ wild beauty and culture. After all the walking you will be rewarded; staying at local farmhouses that produce their own wine, hams and honey, makes this tour a great fit for foodies. You will have the opportunity to taste the unique and local Teran wine, famous for its rich and robust character, that pairs perfectly with the local prosciutto (Prsut). Rates per person sharing start at $1,160 and include accommodation, breakfast daily, five evening meals, six picnics, luggage transfers between hotels and detailed “walkers’ pack”. Level: Easy (three to five hours of walking per day).

Sabine Hills (Italy) – This seven-night self-guided walk through  old woods, paths and tracks in the Sabine Hills is more challenging, but you will have lifts available to get over the steep sections. Starting in the historic medieval village of Contigliano, the route will pass through several delightful Italian villages where cuisine will be exceptional, and with all that walking you will not feel guilty about having a taste of everything. In Casperia you will even have the chance to sign up for cooking lessons and learn how to make fresh pasta from scratch. Accommodation is among the highlights of this route– from charming B&Bs and a small palace, to the house of a local artist and an organic working farm, you will experience Sabina at its fullest. The tour ends in the Eternal City, Rome, where you will stay at a wonderful B&B with an excellent location, close to Campo di Fiori and Vatican City. Rates per person sharing start at $1,136 and include accommodation, breakfast daily, four evening meals, two picnics, luggage transfers between hotels and detailed itinerary and supporting material for walkers to follow the routes. Level: Medium (three and a half to six hours of walking per day).

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

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

THE ECHO OF CANYONS AND THE LAPPING OF WAVES: STEPPES TRAVEL GROUP DOES COPPER CANYON & BAJA CALIFORNIA

NEW YORK, NY (03/14) Steppes Travel Group, the bespoke tour operator known for its innovative itineraries, goes beyond the ordinary with an 11-day visit to Mexico’s travel treasures: Copper Canyon and Baja California. On a trip both rugged and refined, take this opportunity to explore one of the deepest and largest networks of canyons in the world, and enjoy the stark contrast of an off-the-radar beach hot spot.

Start off with a bang on board the Chihuahua al Pacifico, one of the most scenic railway journeys in the world: observe the sun-drenched shores of the Pacific coast turn into a mountainous and arid interior.

Ride the rail to treasure number one: the series of more than twenty spectacular canyons that is jaw-dropping Copper Canyon. Picture a region the size of Switzerland and four times the size of the Grand Canyon. Hidden within the canyon network are indigenous Tarahumara caves, the natural shelters of the country’s second largest native Indian group. A visit here gives insight to a culture largely uninterrupted by modern technologies.

Steppes Travel Group’s own managing director took on Copper Canyon’s best adrenaline rush: a mile long zip line. Justin Wateridge reflects, “Standing up to the first zip-line platform, hands sweaty and [body] constrained by a harness, I asked myself why I was doing this. Seconds later I was whizzing out over some of the most spectacular scenery in the world at seventy kilometers per hour.”

The opposite of a rugged interior is treasure number two: Baja California’s luxurious beaches, laidback towns and boutique hotels filled with local art. Your highlight is an excursion to the island of Espiritu Santo. The boat anchors near a Sea Lion colony and offers an awe-inspiring option to snorkel with these underwater acrobats. Perhaps extend your trip to an overnight cruise in the whale-rich Sea of Cortez, a UNESCO World Heritage wonder. 

Frequently looking for the unusual, Steppes Travel Group’s regional specialists piece together cultural and historical landmarks – which extends right down to the accommodation. Spend two nights at colonial mansion Posada del Hidalgo, which is believed to be the original home of “El Zorro,” the very Don Diego de la Vega. 

The rate starts at $2,918.40* per person, depending on pre- and post- extensions of an area you’ll find most compelling. This includes internal flights, accommodations, select meals and transfers. For more information, call toll free 1-855-252-7606 or visit www.steppestravel.com. Email is enquiry@steppestravel.com.

* Based on the exchange rate between USD and British Pound Sterling on 10/23/13

ROBIN POPE SAFARIS UNVEILS DETAILS OF NEW CAMP IN MALAWI

LILONGWE, Malawi (02/2014) Robin Pope Safaris (RPS), known as one of the finest safari operators in both Zambia and Malawi, announces MIYALA CAMP, a new safari camp opening in Liwonde National Park, Malawi in July, 2014.  The camp is being designed by acclaimed architect Neil Rocher, whose work, including Robin Pope Safaris’ Luangwa Safari House, has been featured in Architectural Digest.  Rates start at $385 per person per night from July – October 2014 and $355 per person per night for November and December 2014.

Miyala Camp will comprise four guest tents (including one family tent) with a maximum occupancy of 10. Each safari tent is designed in modern, open-plan style – with bedroom, lounge, and bathroom a seamless flow. Miyala means “rocks/stones” in the local Chichewa language, and the crisp, gray interiors echo the huge rocks outside the tent walls. Each tent has its own private viewing deck and boasts Evening Breeze air conditioning (a state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly air cooling system.)

In announcing the new camp, managing director Ton de Rooy said, “Our aim was to have Miyala Camp blend into the beautiful landscape surrounding it. To that end, each tent features natural gray and blue hues, wooden floors and decks, and simplistic canvas roofs that seem to float in space and time. One is swept away on a true African Safari while enjoying overtones of luxury.”

Miyala Camp is located within Malawi’s beautiful Liwonde National Park, which lies 71 miles from the city of Blantyre in southeastern Malawi. Miyala is at the southern end of Liwonde National Park overlooking the Chikalogwe Plain of the Shire River at the base of Chiunguni Hill. Despite Liwonde’s relatively small size at 212 square miles, it is one of Malawi’s most famous parks for its abundance of wildlife, birds and varied landscapes.

Liwonde boasts excellent game including the largest numbers of elephant in the country and more than 2000 hippos. The rhino sanctuary set up in 1992 has successfully reintroduced black rhino to the park. Liwonde is also home to buffalo, sable, impala, waterbuck, bushbuck, nyala, kudu, warthog, yellow baboon, vervet monkey, and leopard, with the occasional lion crossing over from Mozambique. It’s a favorite, too, of twitchers, both for its high volume of birds and variety of species such as the rare Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Pel’s Fishing-Owl, Lillian’s Lovebird and many more.

For more information contact info@robinpopesafaris.net or visit: www.robinpopesafaris.net

ROBIN POPE SAFARIS SALUTES MALAWI’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH GOLDEN SAFARI PACKAGE

LILONGWE, Malawi (02/2014) Robin Pope Safaris, the preeminent safari operator known for its innovative safaris, announces a celebratory Golden Safari Package to honor this year’s 50^th anniversary of Malawi’s independence. The Southern African country is known as “the warm heart of Africa” for the friendliness of its people.

Rates for the 11-night package with stays at Mkulumadzi, Huntingdon House, Miyala Camp (alternatively Mvuu Lodge for travel before July 2014) and Pumulani start at US3772 per person sharing and are valid beginning April 2014 through January 2015, and include such highlights as:

Majete Wildlife Reserve, one of Malawi’s largest protected areas covering more than 173,000 acres and the only Big 5 reserve in the country. It is located within the Miombo woodland eco region.

Satemwa Tea Estate is among Malawi’s most respected and established tea and coffee producers, managed and operated by third generation members of the Cathcart Kay family.  Colonial-style Huntingdon House, the heart of the estate, is surrounded by rolling manicured gardens with secret patios and terraces, and evokes the colorful history of Malawi’s spectacular Shire Highlands.

Liwonde National Park, considered to be one of the top birding locations in Southern Africa, offers fine game viewing, beautiful riverine surroundings and excellent bird watching. Much of the terrain is Shire River floodplains, much loved by the healthy population of elephants in the park.

Nankumba Peninsula Explorer David Livingstone dubbed Lake Malawi the “lake of stars,” because of its shimmering waters. It contains more variety of fish than any fresh water body in the world. Nankumba is one of the lake’s most beautiful shores and borders Lake Malawi National Park, established to protect the cichlid fish, endemic to the lake. 

For detailed itinerary or more information, contact info@robinpopesafaris.net or visit: www.robinpopesafaris.net

IN SEARCH OF THE KING COBRA STEPPES DISCOVERY TAKES YOU TO A HOTSPOT OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

NEW YORK, NY (02/14)Ever looking beyond the ordinary, Steppes Discovery, part of the Steppes Travel Group, hosts a tour to track India’s most revered snake, the King Cobra.  This 10-day unconventional journey takes place in a hotspot of biological diversity, the Western Ghats, the 1,600 km long mountain range along the western side of India.  You will be in the company of cobra-whisperer Gowri Shankar on a tour led by Sanjay Thakur, an expert herpetologist.

In the world of snakes, lizards, crocs and frogs, the King Cobra is culturally significant with many superstitions around it.  Indians believe the King Cobra possesses exceptional memory.  It is larger than other cobras and prefers a diet of snakes, finding rattlesnakes particularly tasty.  The King Cobra rarely attacks humans but keep in mind that one bite has enough venom in it to bring down an elephant.  It is the world’s longest venomous snake.  They are difficult to discover because they are very shy.

You will trek with Irula tribesmen as they demonstrate age-old skills to track cobras, rat-snakes and vipers.  This is a small Indian tribe who, in addition to traditional skills, hold a knowledge of indigenous wildlife, valuable resources for naturalists.   Amphibians are very sensitive to environmental change and are often the first to indicate an ecological issue.  And some venoms and toxins of snakes are very useful in human medicine.      

You will go in search of King Cobras but also learn about vipers, Wolf Snakes and India’s other intriguing reptiles such as Caecilians, crocodiles, caimans, turtles, Monitor Lizards, and Flying Lizards, and amphibians such as tree frogs, burrowing frogs and gliding frogs.  You’ll have the opportunity to gain insight into how local people in rural India live side by side with their often vilified neighbors.

The group tour is from June 14 to 24, 2014 for a maximum of 10 people and a minimum of eight.  By joining this tour, you can be assured you will be traveling sustainably and responsibly.  If these dates don’t work for you, Steppes will customize the tour on other dates.  The rate is $3,511 per person, double occupancy.  For more information, visit www.steppesdiscovery.com or call 1-855-352-7606.

EXPLORE MALLORCA WITH ON FOOT'S NEWEST ROUTE

NEW YORK, NY (02/14) Self-guided walking tours specialist, On Foot Holidays, offers a new route for travelers to discover the Spanish, little-known, wild and remote Mediterranean Island, Mallorca. Starting in the capital of Palma, the scenic eight-night trail will guide you through a range of different landscapes, including lofty peaks and deep valleys, all this, perfectly complemented with wonderful local cuisine.

Mallorca: Palma and the Serra de Tramuntana (Where the mountains meet the Mediterranean) – is a medium/ hard route with five to nine miles of walking per day. On Foot’s route designer, avid hiker and historic aficionada, Jesca Scott, has created a path rich in both history and landscapes.  Stroll through Palma’s labyrinthine streets, palace courtyards, art museums and the elaborate Gothic cathedral before heading for the hills. The Serra de Tramuntana range, running down the west coast of Mallorca, is a World Heritage Site because of the extraordinary techniques used to develop agriculture on its steep slopes over the centuries.  Other highlights of this trip include the impressive Finca Galatzo (an historic estate house) in the first few footsteps, the chance to learn how to cook Mallorcan paella at a family-run hotel en-route, and magnificent 360-degree views of mountains and sea from the ‘Archduke’s trail’, and the picturesque Alaro Circuit, complete with ruined castle and hilltop Es Verger restaurant for your final triumphant meal.

On Foot Holidays will create a detailed itinerary and arrange your stay in typical inns and boutique hotels. While walking with your partner, friends or solo, On Foot’s staff will transfer your luggage from village to village so you can enjoy a hands-free excursion.

This trip is available anytime from March to June and from September to December. Rates for seven nights per person sharing are from $1,384 and include accommodation, breakfast daily, one evening meal, detailed itinerary and supporting material and luggage transfers. 

For more information, and questions regarding customized variations of the trip, contact On Foot Holidays at (011)44 1722 322 652 or visit www.onfootholidays.co.uk

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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).