Latest Travel Blog Entries

Sunday, July 31, 2011

India is the seventh largest country in the world and as such the climate in one part of the country can differ significantly from another. Broadly speaking, the best time to visit India is during its winter season, from October to March, when the weather is very pleasant in most parts of the country. The months of September and April, with warm days and cool evenings, are also a comfortable time to travel.

A major attraction for visitors is India’s colorful fairs and festivals, most of which take place during this period. Popular Hindu festivals such as Dussehra and Diwali take place in October or November, while the Pushkar fair in Rajasthan in November also attracts a lot of visitors from around the globe. The festival of colors, Holi, takes place in March and is best celebrated in Jaipur or Jodhpur.

Summer is at its peak in India from May to June when most of India experiences very high temperatures. This is the time to escape into one of the many picturesque hill stations. In some of these cool retreats, adventure sports such as trekking, paragliding and angling are available. As summer is considered the lean season for tourism, most services are available at attractive prices.

Monsoons arrive in late June and cool down the Indian sub-continent. The monsoon period usually runs through to August. However, the south-eastern region receives most of its rainfall between mid-October and late December while other areas of India such as Ladakh, the highest desert in the world, and the neighboring Himachal Pradesh remain dry, which opens up trekking opportunities for visitors.

Content provided by Abercrombie & Kent

Thursday, July 21, 2011

A&K Press Release July 20th, 2011:  Inaugural Journey for U.S. Citizens to Operate in September 2011

For decades, the allure of Cuba has remained just out of reach for most Americans. Thanks to amended regulations, Americans may now travel to Cuba legally in the experienced hands of global luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent. This September, A&K will operate an inaugural journey to Cuba for U.S. citizens, followed by five additional departures this year – revealing the destination with a combination of authenticity and luxury beyond the reach of any other travel company.

Long-established relationships in Cuba make it possible for Abercrombie & Kent to offer a degree of access and insight no other travel company can match. With experience orchestrating seamless travel to Cuba for guests from the United Kingdom for the past five years, A&K has access to people and cultural experiences that reveal the diversity of this intriguing destination.      

"We've built upon our experience in Cuba, as well as the rest of the world, to ensure our guests will discover Cuba at its most intimate, authentic and in complete comfort," explains Abercrombie & Kent USA President Scott Wiseman. "We have arranged an expedited immigration process on arrival, exclusive accommodations at Cuba's best hotels and a carefully-planned itinerary that includes private access to Hemingway's home, Finca Vigia for an informative discussion with the curator and local staff involved in restoring the home and its lush surroundings."      

Abercrombie & Kent has partnered with the Foundation for Caribbean Studies, a licensed people-to-people non-profit organization, on an itinerary that takes Americans beyond Havana to Trinidad in central Cuba, a Spanish colonial settlement and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the rural countryside. There is time to explore Cuba's cultural and historical wonders, while meeting local people to talk about daily life in Cuba and to enjoy mojitos, salsa dancing and intimate dinners at paladares (privately-owned restaurants) for a first-hand introduction to Cuba's growing private business sector.          

Learn the finer points of tobacco, rum and coffee: the "triangle" of the Cuban economy. Try your hand at crafting one of Cuba's most enduring icons during a hands-on rolling workshop at a cigar factory, followed by a tour of a working tobacco plantation. Taste Cuba's other famous exports during a visit to the Rum Museum, located inside an evocative seventeenth-century colonial residence, and at a coffee plantation where you learn the provenance of cortaditos (espresso topped with steamed milk).      

Experience Ernest Hemingway's Cuba, on a privately guided visit to room 511 in the Hotel Ambos Mundos, Hemingway's hideout, where he is said to have penned For Whom the Bell Tolls. Visit his seaside home, Finca Vigia, before it opens to the public to discuss preservation efforts with the caretaker, then take a walking tour of Cojimar, the inspiration for The Old Man and the Sea, and meet a local fisherman who brings local folklore to life. Enjoy lunch at Las Terrazas, another of Papa's favorite haunts.      

Visit the Valley of the Sugar Mills, the most important sugar production region during colonial times. Explore Old Havana with a local architect, who shares his insights into the city's restoration projects. Wander the streets of Matanzas, one of Cuba's most authentic cities and the birthplace of rumba. Explore the intriguing Farmacia Museum with members of the family that preserved the tools of the trade used in Latin America's first pharmacy and established the museum.      

Meet with Cuban artists including Cuban community iconic painter and ceramicist, Jose Fuster, while visiting his art studio, and Salvador Gonzales for a tour of Callejon de Hamel, a tiny alley he turned into an Afro-Cuban art and music epicentre. Discover Guanabacoa, known for its strong Santeria influence and nearby Regla, to visit the Afro-Cuban Museum and the Shrine of the Black Virgin, steeped in local legend. Explore Las Terrazas, a pioneering eco-village turned UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Ride in style in a vintage America car to the historic Santa Isabel Hotel for dinner on the rooftop terrace. Experience a tradition as old as Havana itself, the cañonazo ceremony, from VIP seats, followed by a carnival parade.

A&K Exclusives in Cuba:         

• The best hotels including the 5-star Iberostar Gran Hotel Trinidad, a beautifully restored boutique hotel in the center of Trinidad (A&K is the only US tour operator to offer lodging here) and exclusive rooms at Havana's historic Hotel Nacional
• VIP access to Fincas Vigia, Ernest Hemingway's home at Cojimar, before it opens to the public, viewing his immaculately-preserved home in small groups of three or four
• Discover Matanzas (A&K is the only travel company visiting the culturally-rich city) on a private visit and tour a 19th-century pharmacy, hosted by descendants of the original owners
• Enjoy a hands-on lesson in local environmental conservation by planting a tree at the beautiful Cienfuegos Botanical Gardens
• Travel in comfort and style on the newest and most deluxe motor coach available with first-class leather seats and air conditioning
• Charter flight from Miami to Havana includes expedited check-in and baggage retrieval, in addition to a dedicated immigration agent.        

Abercrombie & Kent's inaugural departure of Cuba: The Forbidden Isle is Sept 30-Oct 10, followed by Oct 14-24 and 17-27, Nov 23-Dec 2, Dec 12-22 and Dec 21-30.* Eleven days from $4,325 per person, double occupancy, plus charter international air ($449), visa ($55) and a non-profit partner fee ($200). Discover the soul of this enigmatic, exotic destination, long out of reach but now within your grasp.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Offer: Reserve select departures and save $400 per couple

Booking Window: January 1 – April 30, 2011

Terms & Conditions:

• Offer valid on new bookings made January 1 - April 30, 2011.
• Offer is only available of specifi departure dates noted below.
• Offer is based on availability and has no cash value.
• Other restrictions may apply.

Applicable Departures:

• East Africa Hemingway Offer 683994
  Reserve the 6/4; 7/9 or 7/29/11 departure and Save $400 per couple!

• Machu Picchu & Beyond Offer 683995
  Reserve the 5/15 or 7/17/11 departure and Save $400 per couple!

• Yangzi Passage Offer 685751
  Reserve the 5/3 or 5/17//11 departure and Save $400 per couple!

Monday, November 01, 2010

World of Abercrombie and Kent Travel

Friday, March 05, 2010

Did you know about Abercrombie and Kent's price assurance policy?

Abercrombie & Kent Price Assurance is A&K"s promise to travellers that they will experience the world's most incredible journeys at the best possible prices. They guarantee that if the price on your A&K journey goes down after making a reservation, they will refund you the difference — whether you book an escorted journey, an unforgettable Family Holiday, a challenging Extreme Adventure or an independent Signature Series journey arranged just for you.

Explore this web site and discover A&K's full range of extraordinary journeys, and continue booking with ease and peace of mind.

Terms & Conditions

The A&K Price Assurance applies to 2010 escorted tour programs including Connoisseurs Series, Discovery Series, Explorer Series, Family Series, Signature Series, Marco Polo Club Invitational Programs and Extreme Adventures itineraries available from Abercrombie & Kent USA, LLC. Royal Scotsman, Canal & River Cruising, North America, European Villas, Galápagos 'Eclipse' and Antarctica cruise departures, Once in a Lifetime promotions and international air and extra services are excluded. The A&K Price Assurance applies only to 2010 advertised rates on abercrombiekent.com for the same program, travel date and accommodation classification. Abercrombie & Kent reserves the right to modify or cancel the A&K Price Assurance for future bookings without prior notice.