We have a feeling this year is going to be big for adventure travel. So, why not Catch ’22 while you can and start planning ahead for that trip you’ve been meaning to take since lockdown.
To celebrate the lifting of international travel restrictions, we’re opening up even more exciting departures and offering up to £300 off selected trips across our adventure programmes when you book before 31st January. Feeling inspired? Read on to find out which discounted adventures our Product Team think will be big for 2022. And don’t delay, availability for our most popular departures is likely to run out quickly!
Witness Kandy’s Esala Perahera in Sri Lanka
Make 2022 the year you Discover Sri Lanka. Emma Garrick, Senior Product Manager for Asia & North Africa, affectionately describes Sri Lanka as “a natural paradise with a landscape of verdant mountains, rainforests, paddy fields, palm fringed beaches and sweeping gorges”. Known as “the Pearl of the Indian Ocean” the country is peppered with tea plantations, ancient temples, and 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are waiting to be explored in 2022.
Alongside visits to the magnificent cave temples at Dambulla, a morning climb to the Lions Rock at Sigiriya, and exhilarating game drives in Yala National Park to spot leopards, our expert leaders will take you beyond the guidebook, towards lesser-known sites that give you a real flavour of the country’s remarkable history and culture.
Taking you to the abandoned, ancient capital of Polonnaruwa, you’ll see many temples, palaces and huge dagobas (Buddhist stupas) before heading to the ‘Little England’ deep in the Sri Lankan highlands, to learn about the process of tea production at one the local factories. Later on in this cultural adventure, you’ll also have the opportunity to walk through lush rural farmland in Tissamaharama, where you’ll meet a local family and play traditional Sri Lankan games. Emma recommends that customers, “Visit in August to bear witness to Kandy’s Esala Perahera, a ten-day festival where masked dancers, entertainers and beautifully adorned elephants parade the streets”.
Find out more about our Discover Sri Lanka trip here >>>
Ride across Croatia during Split’s International Flower Festival
Home to a great variety of terrain, Croatia is a world-class biking destination. Whether you’re looking to pedal along the Dalmatian coast towards historic ports and peaceful beaches or ride through quiet country lanes lined with olive groves, cycling in Croatia suits every ability and experience level. And we can’t deny that swimming in the warm, idyllic turquoise waters of the Adriatic is the perfect end to every ride. This is one of the many reasons why our Product Manager, Vivien Urban, recommends that customers take advantage of our discounts and book a spot on our Cycling the Dalmatian Coast trip.
So, why not choose to get on the saddle and ride in May? Not only do you enjoy longer daylight hours, pleasant temperatures, and fewer crowds, but it’s also a great opportunity to see Diocletian’s Palace filled with flowers during Split’s International Flower Festival. What better way to mark the beginning of your cycling adventure than seeing over 30,000 flowers blooming in the halls of Diocletian’s Palace?
Find out more about our Cycling the Dalmatian Coast trip here >>>
Find tropical trails all to yourself in Madeira
Blessed with tropical climates and pleasant temperatures year-round there’s never a bad time to plan a trip to Portugal’s exotic island of Madeira. Tom Wilkinson, Senior Product Manager for Europe, recommends that customers who are looking for an incredible walking adventure travel off-peak in March. The reason? Temperatures are climbing after the winter period and there are little to no crowds meaning you’ll have the springtime flower-lined levadas and spectacular coastal footpaths to yourself.
With great discounts but limited availability, why wait to book a spot on our Walking in Madeira trip? This trip is perfect for trekking enthusiasts looking to clock some steps in early 2022, as you can enjoy varied walking from easy strolls along Levada do Caldeirao Verde to ascending the island’s highest mountain, Pico Ruivo (1862m).
Find out more about our Walking in Madeira trip here >>>
Extend your winter wonderland experience snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees
Between the soaring peaks of the Catalan Pyrenees lie beautiful chocolate-box towns, incredible Romanesque architecture and rural villages to discover. During February and March, the crisp and clear conditions make it an ideal time for a winter walking and snowshoeing adventure, explains our Regional Operations Manager, Raffaele DiSanto. And even though it’s winter in the mountains, you’ll still enjoy plenty of sunshine.
So why not savour these exhilarating winter walks up silent slopes and book on our Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees trip? With limited spaces available, don’t wait to secure your place on this beautiful winter adventure that guides you through the hushed forests of Pallars Sobira and the high passes of Aigüestortes National Park. During this time, you could also bookend your trip with a visit to the rural countryside near Arbeca, in western Catalonia, to take in the breathtaking views of white and pink almond trees in bloom.
Experience Green turtle nesting season in Costa Rica
If you feel like you’ve completely exhausted all the nature trails in your local area, why not make 2022 the year you go further and explore the lush tropical jungles, cloud forests and beaches in Costa Rica? If you’re looking for an extraordinary wildlife adventure, our Costa Rica’s Coastal Secrets trip takes you on boat tours across the wildlife-rich Tortuguero waterways and Corcovado National Park where you can spot Howler monkeys, vibrant toucans, three-toed sloths and more, if you’re lucky. You also have time to relax and unwind on Cahuita’s famous white sand beach.
Vicky Boughton, Senior Product Manager for Africa & the Americas was quick to comment, “Costa Rican culture is encapsulated by the saying ‘Pura Vida’, meaning pure life. It’s about living life to the fullest, as well as taking time to relax, slow down, and appreciate the important things like family, friends, and nature. After the last few years, we all need a taste of the Pura Vida lifestyle in 2022!”
She continues, “With more protected land than any other, Costa Rica is a nature lovers paradise and our friendly naturalist guides couldn’t be more excited to welcome visitors back. From July to October, we offer an optional excursion to see nesting Green turtles arrive onto the beaches by Tortuguero National Park and lay their eggs in the white sand. This is a precious moment that will stop you in your tracks at the wonder of the natural world, and one of the many reasons that Costa Rica should be on your travel wish list for 2022.”
Find out more about our Costa Rica Coastal Secrets trip here >>>
