We hope you’ve had a good summer and enjoyed some grand adventures.
In recent months we’ve had clients reporting back from their travels in Albania, Slovenia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Mongolia, Indonesia and Japan, amongst other wonderful countries. And now with autumn approaching, different destinations are on the horizon for those aiming to squeeze in a trip before the winter or starting to look ahead to 2024.
As always, we’re here to provide any extra inspiration you may need.
Call in, phone or email us and we’ll be excited to help create your next trip!
Key destinations you need to book early …
Making plans well ahead of departure is always a good idea as it ensures you get the first pick of the accommodation before availability dries up, the most civilised flight times on the best airlines and of course, you can enjoy the anticipation of your travels for longer too!
However, there are certain destinations where booking well in advance is even more important than ever. This can be due to a limited supply of accommodation in key regions within the destination, a short travel season due to the prevailing climate or the need to be on the spot when a key festival or event occurs.
To help avoid disappointment, a shortlist of countries we would always recommend making early bookings for includes Western Canada (for June – Sept), Costa Rica (Jan – Mar) Patagonia (Nov – Feb), Botswana (July/Aug), Namibia (Sept/Oct), Kenya (July/Aug), Sri Lanka (Jan – Mar), Bhutan (Mar/April), Japan (Mar/April) and New Zealand (Jan/Feb).
If any of the above are on your 2024 wish-list then it’s already time to start plotting your moves!
Update on Peru
We have been keeping a close eye on Peru since the turn of the year when there was civil unrest caused by widespread opposition to president Dina Boluarte, who was accused of illegally removing and jailing her predecessor Pedro Castillo last December. Boluarte is the country’s 7th president in 6 years!
For a while the UK Foreign Office advised against travel to Peru but this advice was soon lifted and during the summer months visitors have been able to access all the main tourist sites around the country with minimal disruption. Intrepid Travel – one of our preferred South America operators – have already led more than 570 trips to Peru since the travel ban was lifted.
Whisper it quietly but now may be a good time to go whilst visitor numbers are lower and the breathtaking sites and scenery can be enjoyed without the crowds.
Morocco earthquake
Anyone who has visited the Berber villages in the Atlas mountains will readily understand how much devastation last Friday’s earthquake has left in its wake
Jarrod Kyte – a long-standing friend of Nomadic Travel – who is Product and Sustainability Director at Steppes Travel, was staying at the Kasbah du Toubkal when the earthquake struck and he has since written movingly about the hospitality that was afforded to him by local people who offered him their time and consideration even though they had their families and loved ones to care for.
Read his thoughts here and if you wish to contribute to the relief effort then there is an opportunity for you to make a donation included in the weblink:
https://mailchi.mp/steppestravel.com/how-we-can-help-morocco
Meeting the Chief
Nomadic client Sue Reed revisited Ghana this summer for the first time since her family lived there – on a diamond mine – in the 1940’s and ’50’s.
This picture of Sue and her son Charles taken in the company of the Chief of Iture came about due to the fact that Sue had taken her ‘Kente Cloth’ (the national cloth of Ghana) along on the trip with her and when they visited the Kente Cloth weaver they discovered it was now very rare because it was woven in pure silk, which ceased happening in 1962.
Word got around and the Chief and his Elders, who had never seen a silk Kente, wanted to meet someone who had lived on the diamond mine 70 years ago. Hence the ‘historic meeting’ recorded below!
European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) update
The introduction date for the ETIAS ‘visa’ required for visitors to EU countries still remains uncertain but the latest advice is that it will most likely become operational in mid-2024.
We understand that the online ETIAS authorisation will last for three years after which it will need to be renewed for future visits, or until the holder’s passport expires, whichever is sooner. It will cost €7 for people aged 18 to 70 but will be free for under-18s and over-70s.
Roll up, roll up … for an Arctic discount
Attractive reductions can be achieved on 2024 Arctic voyages as the various polar operators look to get cabins filled well in advance of next years’ departures to Spitsbergen and Greenland.
Contact us for details on the very special offers of up to 35% discount available to early bookers, but note many of these deals expire by 30th September.
New trips coming soon for 2024
Our tour operator partners are currently finalising their programmes for next year and we’re hoping that some exciting new trips will be announced. This will be the first year since the pandemic that operators will have had a clear run at making longer term plans and so the expectation is that greater innovation around new destinations will be back on the agenda. Watch this space…!
Happy travelling!