Travel Directors December 2016 Newsletter

137 Cambridge St, West Leederville WA 6007 • www.traveldirectors.com.au Tel: (08) 9242 4200 or 1300 856 661 (from outside WA) • Fax: (08) 9382 8393December 2016 Edition ...Adventures of a lifetimeYet another year has almost gone, and it is 2017 is shaping up to be an exciting year IN THIS ISSUE…time once again to wish you a very Merry in travel with no fewer than five inauguralChristmas and all the best for 2017. departures, including our recently released Back to the Black Sea Kamchatka: Nature’s Tour de Force – which Best Exotic Marigold tourWe’d like to thank all of you who have joined is selling like hot cakes! Read on… Info Sessions & Exposus on our Adventures of a Lifetime this year M2M a great successor have booked other holidays and travel with We’re just a call or click away!our friendly front office staff.Kamchatka Tour Sells Out... We were staggered by the response to our - New Departures Released exciting new tour, Kamchatka: Nature’s Tour de Force – which sold out in a matter of hours, with more than a dozen eager travellers wait- listed. The good news is, we have been able to arrange additional departures, the second of which is almost full and the third departure filling fast. If you don’t want to wait until 2018 to visit this remote and scenically dramatic ‘land of fire and ice’, you’d better be quick: it’s first in best dressed! The tour begins in South Korea, visiting the demilitarized zone on the border with North Korea, then heading to the great Russian city of Vladivostok before flying to the Kamchatka peninsula for eleven action-packed days. The tour is 19 days, and the third trip departs 23 July 2017.Klyuchevskaya Volcano, Kamchatka. Bears catching salmon.Jim to Lead Trans-Sibe Jim on the train as it rolls through the Mongolian steppes.You can’t keep a great tour leader and railenthusiast on the sidings for long – and soit is that tour leader extraordinaire Jim Gillis ready to embark on his 27th LegendaryTrans-Siberian adventure in July 2017. Andhe’s as excited as if it was his first time onthis greatest of rail journeys! It is simplya remarkable adventure – on the world’slongest railway – that never ceases toamaze. We enjoy multiple-night stays inBeijing, Mongolia, Irkutsk, Moscow and StPetersburg, and one of the major highlightsis the spectacular Naadam festival in UlaanBaatar, with its colourful opening ceremonyand exciting displays of archery, wrestlingand horse-racing. You’re in good hands allthe way, as Jim escorts you across China,Mongolia and Russia on one of his all-timefavourite tours. Don’t let the train leave thestation without you: give us a call to bookyour berth! Departs all Australian capitalcities on 30 June 2017.

Experience Semana Santa in AntiguaOur magnificent 29-day tour to Central America is timed to coincide with ‘Semana Santa’ - the amazing and colourful Easter processionswhich take place in Antigua, Guatemala, two weeks before Easter Sunday. Throughout Antigua, the cobbled streets are decorated withbright murals and carpets – known locally as ‘alfombra’ – made of brightly coloured sand and sawdust, and decorated with plants andflowers. Purple-clad people carrying floats depicting the crucifixion move in long processions through the streets in an eye-poppingspectacle. And this is just one of the fantastic highlights of our Treasures of Central America tour! The trip also visits Panama, Costa Ricaand Honduras – diverse countries with magnificent scenery, volcanoes, rain-forests and wildlife, and remarkable ancient Mayan ruins.The inimitable Juan Carlos Yanez is leading this great tour, so if you fancy joining him, give us a call asap. Departs all Australian capitalcities on 18 March 2017. Colourful Easter procession in Antigua, Guatemala. Local ladies, Jaipur. The 2014 group at Peles Castle, Romania.Best Exotic Marigold – Take 2! Back to the Black Sea After a hugely successful tour in April, we have, once again, We are delighted to announce that our extremely popular got together with our Indian partners to offer a superb Beyond the Black Sea tour is returning in 2017. One of exploration of India inspired by the travel route in ‘Best our most popular tours, it was suspended for a while as Exotic Marigold Hotel 1 & 2’. Starting in Delhi on 8 April travellers became wary of visiting Ukraine, due to the 2017, you’ll spend 12 days discovering the exotic delights events in the Eastern part of the country. While the number of Agra, Kanota, Jaipur, Pushkar, Khempur and Udaipur of tourists dropped in 2014, they are on the rise again – awith a wealth of sightseeing and special inclusions. In Khempur you’ll spend very welcome state of affairs for the locals who dependtwo nights in the real ‘Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, and other hotels are heritage on tourism. Our tour visits the western part of the country,properties inspired by the film, and also 4-5 star deluxe accommodation. Daily beginning in Kiev then heading to Kamyanets-Podilsky andbreakfast and dinner is included, as well as entrance fees at specified sites, local the beautiful city of Lviv. We then move on to Moldova,English speaking guide, transfers, tour and excursions by deluxe coach. The Romania (possibly the major highlight of this part ofwhole package, including flights, is priced from $4,699pp twin-share (no price ‘undiscovered Europe’) and Bulgaria, visiting Dracula’sincrease!), and departure date depends on which Australian capital city you fly castle along the way. This remarkable tour reaches intofrom. We also have optional tour extensions if you’d prefer to spend more time a corner of Eastern Europe that many travellers overlook,in India. There is a group maximum of 16 people, so get in quickly to reserve making it a classic TD destination. Check it out on thea spot. Call us on 9242 4200 (1300 856 661 ex WA) for the detailed itinerary. website or call us for more information.

Save the Rhino Fundraiser Nicholas, 2nd from left at the back, with this year’s group.For the fourth year running Travel Directors were proud Southern African Magicsponsors of the annual SAVE African Rhino Foundationfundraising dinner. Hosted by the foundation’s founder and As mentioned above, our fabulous Southern African Magic tour is led bypresident, Nicholas Duncan (who also leads our Southern none other than Nicholas Duncan, president of the SAVE African RhinoAfrican Magic tours – see below), the evening featured an Foundation. So not only do you get to visit some of Southern Africa’s bestauction of sporting memorabilia and African artworks and safari lodges and game reserves, which boast their own expert local guideswood carvings, as well as general auction items such as and rangers, you are accompanied throughout by a tour leader with agetaway weekends. All up the evening raised a staggering passion for wildlife conservation and an impressive knowledge of the animal$135,175 to help protect the critically endangered rhinos. and birdlife and the places we visit. Here’s what some of this year’s groupFormer Australian cricketers Greg Chappell and Jason had to say:Gillespie were guests of honour and entertained theaudience with anecdotes from their illustrious cricketing ‘Nicholas’s passion for Africa, the animals and birds was infectious.’ Jancareers. It was a great night for a great cause! Morgan, NSWJacqui, Julie, Camilla and Karen from TD’s office ‘Nicholas has his heart and soul in Africa with the work he does for thewith Jason Gillespie. Rhino Foundation and his interaction with the African people along the way (over many years) which makes a perfect tour.’ Betty Turnbull, WA The tour is strictly limited to 20 people, so book as soon as possible if you want to join Nicholas on this wonderful safari tour to Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa in August 2017.Follow the HerdOur magnificent 29-day tour to Central America is timed to coincide with ‘Semana Santa’ - the amazing and colourful Easter processionswhich take place in Antigua, Guatemala, two weeks before Easter Sunday. Throughout Antigua, the cobbled streets are decorated withbright murals and carpets – known locally as ‘alfombra’ – made of brightly coloured sand and sawdust, and decorated with plants andflowers. Purple-clad people carrying floats depicting the crucifixion move in long processions through the streets in an eye-poppingspectacle. And this is just one of the fantastic highlights of our Treasures of Central America tour! The trip also visits Panama, Costa Ricaand Honduras – diverse countries with magnificent scenery, volcanoes, rain-forests and wildlife, and remarkable ancient Mayan ruins.The inimitable Juan Carlos Yanez is leading this great tour, so if you fancy joining him, give us a call asap. Departs all Australian capitalcities on 18 March 2017.Wildebeest charge across a river, Tanzania.

Meet Madagascar’s famous facesThe first thing that springs to mind when you think of Madagascar, is probablyits national symbol – the lemur. But Madagascar is fast becoming famous – withour travellers, at least – for something else. A man named Diary. That’s Dee- ah-ree. Diary has been our highly-regarded tour leader on Pearls of the Indian Ocean for four years running, and is now as much a highlight of the tour as the wonderful sights we see! The 22-day tour to Mauritius, Reunion and Madagascar begins in Reunion - an island of exquisite waterfalls, mountains, canyons, and lively Creole villages, all lying in the shadow of Piton de la Fournaise, one White-ruffed lemur. of the most active volcanoes in the world. We then head to Madagascar where we spend two weeks exploring the island from the capital Antananarivo - better known as ‘Tana’ - through the central highlands to the fishing town of Ifaty. Along the way we visit several of Madagascar’s diverse national parks where we see an exciting mix of extraordinary flora and fauna, including several varieties of lemur. Finally we head to the sparkling waters and lush landscapes of Mauritius beforeLyn Power learns a boarding our homeward flight. Nest year’s tour departs all Australian capital cities on 7 May.traditional dance with ‘He is my hero. I’d bottle him if I could.’ Pat Smith, VICtour leader, Diary.Omis, Croatia. New Year Info Sessions & Expos: Save the Date The dates are set for our Information Sessions early in the New Year, and next time around we are including the Gold Coast in Queensland. So if you want to find out a bit more about a range of our Adventures of a Lifetime save the date and check out our website in early January for the full schedule. If you’re not on our emailing list and would like to receive email notifications, head to our home page and subscribe. The Information Session dates are as follows: MELBOURNE: Sunday 29 January 2017 BRISBANE: Saturday 18 February 2017 GOLD COAST: Sunday 19 February 2017 CANBERRA: Saturday 25 February 2017 SYDNEY: Sunday 26 February 2017Gateway to the Balkans We will also be at the Adelaide AFTA Expo over the weekend of 4 & 5 February, and at the Perth TravelThe sparkling Croatian coast is one of the most breathtaking stretches of coastline and Cruise Expo 11 & 12 February. We hope toin Europe, and we invite you to explore it aboard MS Emanuel, our small, private see you in your capital city in the New Year!charter ship. Our brand new tour, Gateway to the Balkans, features a 12-nightcruise from the northern Croatian town of Pula to the magnificent city of Split, zig- Petra to Pyramidszagging south via Opatija, Rab, Mali Losinj, Zadar (recently voted ‘European BestDestination 2016’), Kornati National Park, Skradin and Omis. This northern part of Yes folks – we’re heading back to that remarkablethe Adriatic is less-visited than the southern portion, but every bit as spectacular pocket of the Middle East in 2017 with a fabulous– if not, more so. Post-cruise we visit one of Croatia’s most dramatic UNESCO itinerary which will take us from the amazing ‘lostheritage sites – Plitvice Lakes – where we spend two nights and explore the area city’ of Petra in Jordan, to the iconic pyramids ofon foot and by boat. Pre-cruise we spend 12 days travelling from the Bulgarian Egypt, and a cruise down the mighty Nile. We’recapital, Sofia, right through the heart of Serbia, and onto beautiful Slovenia, where putting the finishing touches to it right now, but wewe visit magnificent Lake Bled and the delightful capital, Ljubljana. The inaugural can tell you that it will be 20 days duration departing29-day tour departs all capital cities on 12 July 2017. in mid-April 2017. Call the office for details.