Karen Rubin, Editor & Publisher, is a veteran travel writer and publisher, who is devoted to the mission of travel: to engender understanding – of self and others – and break down the barriers and borders dividing people, while creating the economic underpinnings to sustain environment, heritage and culture and a base for uplifting, fulfilling jobs.
Abercrombie & Kent has introduced its first private people-to-people journey to Cuba.
DOWNERS GROVE, IL –Travelers now have the opportunity to experience Cuba as it currently is, still untouched by time, on Abercrombie & Kent’s first private journey, Signature Cuba: A Private People to People Journey. On this 7-day privately guided itinerary, you and your chosen travel companions will travel with a dedicated A&K Program Director and local guides who reveal the spirit of this island nation through meaningful interactions and people-to-people connections.
The program is designed to enable you to uncover the Havana only a long-time resident would know. Explore the city by foot with a local architect who offers authentic insights into its charming, historic styles. Dine at a paladar (family-run restaurant) where the owners share their passion for Cuban cuisine and discuss what is involved in running a private business in Cuba – an opportunity that, historically, was all but unheard of. Join renowned Cuban painter and ceramicist, José Fuster on a neighborhood walk, followed by a discussion of the role of the arts in contemporary Cuban culture.
Gain a deeper understanding of the island’s cultural traditions through its art and music. Join in a private salsa lesson and one-on-one talk with a Cuban salsa instructor. Visit the neo-classical-style Museo de Artes Decorativas, an arts museum in the former residence of the Countess of Revilla de Camargo. Explore the Muraleando Neighborhood Community Project, meeting members and seeing firsthand the art projects and significant restorations that are underway.
Compare the distinct differences and similarities between Cuba and the United States with a briefing on the history of U.S.-Cuban relations by a Foreign Service scholar in Havana. Explore Las Terrazas eco-community with resident specialists for a better understanding about Cuba’s environmental commitments at this unique UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Land arrangements for 7 days from $10,795 per person (Pricing available for four guests from $8,295 and six guests from $6,995 per person). Discover this enigmatic destination with family and friends on Abercrombie & Kent’s Signature Cuba: A Private People to People Journey. Call 800.554.7094 to speak with a travel consultant, go to www.abercrombiekent.com or contact your travel professional. For more travel features, visit:
An unusual tour organized by Off the Map Travel allows guests to experience the spiritual side of the Northern Lights at a yoga retreat in Finland.
(Kilpisjärvi, Finland) – An unusual tour allows guests to experience the spiritual side of the Northern Lights. Off the Map Travel, a tour company that specializes in Northern Lights, has worked with a remote Arctic Aurora spotting destination in Finland and well-being experts to create a four-day “Northern Lights for the Soul” program that includes yoga, meditation, a special wellness nutrition menu, and other fitness and wellness activities. The trip is slated for March 7-11, 2016.
Priced starting at $2158 per person, program includes all meals, a private room sharing a Saana chalet, daily yoga and meditation sessions, access to the spa area, optional 1:1 meditation sessions with experts, daily Northern Lights hunts, a traditional kota evening with a meal cooked on the fire, and return airport transfers. Flights are not included.
With yoga, exercise and relaxation techniques; a hot tub and ice hole; a nutritionally designed diet using local recipes and local produce; and an exploration of Sami beliefs around the Aurora, this is an opportunity to not only see the Northern Lights, but also to connect with them to revitalize both body and mind.
Northern Lights for the Soul has been developed in the remote Finnish destination of Kilpisjärvi which offers serenity distinctively delivered from Arctic remoteness. Jonny Cooper, Director of Off the Map Travel, said; “Anyone who has experienced the Arctic night sky and the Northern Lights will agree that it is a transcendent experience. Combine this with the isolation and beauty of the Arctic tundra and you have an amazing shift in physical and emotional well-being. We want you to leave with a new outlook and mindfulness, feeling energized and touched by the Northern Lights. We see this as a way to help make fundamental changes to your physical and emotional outlook and well-being.”
Off the Map Travel consists of a team of travel experts who work with experiences and destinations that allow people to explore hidden wonders of the world. Specializing in soft adventure and viewing of the Northern Lights, Off the Map Travel creates tailor-made itineraries that offer a distinctive vacation based on first-hand experience. Each itinerary is tailored to the ages of participants, creating experiences for families, groups, couples and singles that are comfortable and luxurious, with activity levels appropriate for all participants.
You can win a 7-day/6-night safari, offered by Natural Habitat Adventures, to the famed Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya World in a sweepstakes from the World Wildlife Fund aims to raise public awareness of conservation efforts.
You can win a 7-day/6-night safari to the famed Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya The World. Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Natural Habitat Adventures have just launched a sweepstakes for the safari, custom-designed by Natural Habitat Adventures for the sweepstakes and not available anywhere else. Enter by December 8; the winner will be randomly drawn in mid-December.
The week-long safari offers an immersion in East Africa’s iconic landscapes, amid some of the most prolific and diverse wildlife on the continent. The prize-winner and a guest will explore the vast savannas of the Maasai Mara in search of the fabled Big Five — elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard — and a host of other wildlife. Safari activities include classic game drives and exclusive guided bush walks on a private conservancy, with exceptional proximity to wildlife from a mobile safari camp located in a remote sector of the reserve.
The sweepstakes aims to raise public awareness of the efforts of WWF and its on-the-ground partners in Kenya who have worked together for years to protect elephants, rhinos and other wildlife by fighting illegal wildlife trade, minimizing human-wildlife conflict, and protecting critical habitat.
RULES
Enter the sweepstakes by visiting www.worldwildlife.org/sweepstakes and completing the sweepstakes registration form.
The sweepstakes begins on November 2, 2015 and ends on December 8, 2015.
Open to legal residents of the United States who have reached the age of majority at the time of entry.
The registration form requires each entrant to provide his/her full name, complete mailing address, date of birth, telephone number, and email address. All required information must be provided to enter and to be eligible to win.
During the sweepstakes period (November 2, 2015 – December 8, 2015), there will be a limit of one (1) entry per person. Sponsor (Natural Habitat Adventures) reserves the right to disqualify any person who submits more than a single entry.
No purchase necessary to enter or win.
Winner will be drawn at random in mid-December.
PRIZE DETAILS
Explore the savannas of Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve via open-air 4×4 vehicles and on foot with a local Maasai guide, and spend three nights in a luxury mobile safari camp in the heart of the reserve.
Stay at an intimate safari camp on a private conservancy with exclusive activities that are not available in the national parks, including bush walks and night drives in search of nocturnal wildlife.
Opportunities to look for Africa’s Big Five—elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard— as well as a multitude of other classic African wildlife such as giraffe, zebra, cheetah, gazelle and more.
Grand Prize package includes: Two (2) round-trip standard economy airfare tickets to Nairobi from a major commercial airport in the United States near the winner’s primary residence; accommodations for six (6) nights in Kenya (double-occupancy room, room and tax only); economy-class airfare from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara National Reserve; meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on Day 7; services of the Natural Habitat Adventures’ professional Expedition Leaders and camp staff; airport transfers; and permit and entrance fees.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working in 100 countries for over half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visitwww.worldwildlife.org to learn more and follow our news conversations on Twitter @WWFnews.
Natural Habitat Adventures is a world leader in responsible adventure travel and nature-based ecotourism. Since its founding in 1985, the company has offered eco-conscious expeditions and wildlife-focused small-group tours to the planet’s most remarkable nature destinations. Inspired and created from years of scouring the planet for the singular and extraordinary, Nat Hab’s itineraries are artfully crafted experiences that are far from “typical.” Trips are guided by professional naturalist Expedition Leaders, and Nat Hab enjoys a longstanding reputation for hiring some of the world’s best guides. Conservation is at the forefront of everything NHA does, and its philosophy is simple: tourism must work with and benefit local communities, which will in turn find value in protecting natural resources and wildlife. NHA is proud to be the travel partner of World Wildlife Fund, sharing a mutual commitment to travel as a means of helping to protect the world’s wondrous natural places. Nat Hab has donated more than $2 million to WWF and will continue to donate 1% of gross sales plus $100,000 annual through 2018 in support of WWF’s mission
Xanterra Parks & Resorts and Austin Adventures are teaming up on travel promotions to honor America’s veterans and active military members by way of a photo-sharing contest as well as discounts on 2016 Austin Adventures tours.
DENVER, CO – Xanterra Parks & Resorts and Austin Adventures are teaming up on travel promotions to honor America’s veterans and active military members by way of a photo-sharing contest in which the public is invited to enter the #FreeBecause from Nov. 1-12 as well as discounts on 2016 Austin Adventures tours booked between Nov. 9-13.
The #FreeBeacause photo-sharing contest grand prize is a trip to the Grand Canyon that will be awarded to a veteran or active military member and his/her family. There are also daily giveaways.
Xanterra Parks & Resorts and its affiliated properties, The Broadmoor and The Inn at Sea Island, are sponsoring the contest and offering exclusive vacation deals in honor of Veterans Day. The prize includes two nights at The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, one night at the Maswik Lodge in Grand Canyon National Park, round-trip airfare up to $1,500, up to four first-class tickets on the Grand Canyon Railway and two meals per day for up to four people.
To enter the #FreeBecause photo-sharing contest, participants should Instagram or Tweet a photo of their military hero between Nov. 1 and 11 and tag it with #FreeBecause. Their military friend or family member will automatically be entered into the contest. Winners will be selected to receive the grand prize as well as daily prizes of gifts from the National Parks and Xanterra’s resorts, tour brands and affiliated properties. (For more information and to see a special album of the photo entries, visit www.xanterra.com/freebecause.)
In addition, the collection of Xanterra resorts and tour companies, as well as The Broadmoor and The Inn at Sea Island, are offering active military members and their families – and in some cases, the general public – exclusive vacation deals in honor of Veterans Day. The National Parks are also offering a fee-free entry for the general public on Veterans Day. (For more information on these offers, visit www.xanterra.com/freebecause.)
As part of this commemorative program, Austin Adventures, a member of the Xanterra Parks & Resorts® portfolio of experiential leisure offerings, will offer 25 percent off a 2016 Austin Adventures tour for the veteran/active military and their spouse and 10 percent off for their traveling companion(s) on any Austin Adventures trip to be enjoyed by Dec. 31, 2016, that is booked between Nov. 9 and 13, 2015. (See: www.austinadventures.com/honoring-our-military-and-veteran-heroes)
Based in Billings, MT, Austin Adventures (formerly Austin-Lehman Adventures) has spent more than 40 years building an international reputation as a provider of scheduled small group tours and customized trips to all seven continents. In 2013, Austin Adventures joined the Xanterra Parks & Resorts® portfolio of experiential leisure offerings that includes operations in Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Zion, Crater Lake, Glacier, Rocky Mountain and Petrified Forest National Parks; Mount Rushmore National Memorial; Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley National Park; and five Ohio State Park Lodges as well as the Geneva Marina at Ohio’s Geneva State Park. Xanterra Parks & Resorts also owns and operates Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel in Williams, Ariz., the Grand Hotel in Tusayan, Ariz., Windstar Cruises, VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations, Country Walkers and Austin Adventures.
For more information on all of the destinations, trips and itineraries offered by Austin Adventures visit www.austinadventures.com, call (800) 575-1540 or email [email protected]. For more travel features, visit:
Passage to Africa is inviting solo travelers to join two departures of its safari to Chad’s Zakouma National Park.
Cape Town, South Africa – Passage to Africa is inviting solo travelers to join two departures of its safari to Chad’s Zakouma National Park.
The expedition, limited to a maximum of eight guests on only 16 safaris a year, starts with a night at the 5-star Kempinski Hotel in N’Djamena, Chad’s capital and largest city. Then travelers will charter to Zakouma for a seven-night all-inclusive stay at Camp Nomade.
Solo travelers are invited to join two departures, March 27 – April 4 and April 3 – April 11.
Camp Nomade is an upmarket mobile camp that allows guests to explore numerous paths and rivers across the 3,000 square kilometers of Zakouma Park. The wildlife experience rivals anything else in better-known safari Africa and perhaps more crucially, the park retains the ineffable sense of being truly wild.
Zakouma National Park, one of Africa’s most exotic, vibrant and unexplored areas of Africa is home to 66 mammal species and 374 bird species, highlights include:
Walking with the iconic elephant herd
Viewing flocks of more than 10 million red-billed quelea
The constant presence of northern carmine bee-eaters, like splashes of fire across the sky; a photographer’s dream
Encounters with predators both large and small
Spotting endangered species including the Kordofan Giraffe, Lelwel hartebeest and West African lion.
“A journey to Zakouma is like going back to an Africa that was 30 years ago; to have one’s senses ignited and to be inspired…and at the same time, to make a real contribution to conservation,” said Michael Lorentz, co-founder and CEO of Passage to Africa. “It is the personalization of the experience and its uniqueness, experientially, culturally and spiritually, that transports us. The rewards are infinite – beneath the rough exterior lies a wealth of warmth and undiscovered natural wonders.”
“News about Boko Haram’s involvement near Chad may be alarming, but issues have only occurred in areas at the far west of the country, more than 500 hundred miles away from Zakouma National Park in the east. Passage to Africa guides monitor these issues very closely and if there is any threat to the safety of the guests, the trip will be cancelled and all money will be refunded,” the company stated.
Passage to Africa is a premier safari company comprised of some of the most respected African safari specialists including Michael Lorentz, who started the bush career in South Africa’s Timbavati Game Reserve in 1985. He gained fame for creating Elephant Back Safaris in Botswana in 1991 before starting Passage to Africa in 2000, where he and his fellow guides are legends for family and solo adventure, conservation and historical safaris to Africa and beyond.
For more information and reservations, contact Passage to Africa, at +1 855 451 1689 or +27 15 793 0811; or visit the website at www.passagetoafrica.com.
Natural Habitat Adventures is introducing an exclusive new safari adventure aboard a privately chartered deluxe riverboat cruising the Chobe and Zambezi rivers beginning in June 2016.
BOULDER, CO – Natural Habitat Adventures is introducing an exclusive new safari adventure aboard a privately chartered deluxe riverboat cruising the Chobe and Zambezi rivers beginning in June 2016.
The Great African River Safari features an intimate cruise aboard the Chobe Princess followed by an overland safari through private reserves, a combination that offers some of the best wildlife viewing in Botswana while also touching into Zambia and Namibia. Guests spend three nights aboard the Chobe Princess, plying the broad channels and backwaters of the Chobe River and its confluence with the Zambezi River, and five nights at small luxury camps exclusively for Nat Hab guests and deep within Botswana’s premier private game reserves.
The 10-day itinerary begins in Livingstone, Zambia, near Victoria Falls. Days 2, 3 and 4 are aboard Chobe Princess. Guests then transfer by air from Namibia into Botswana to commence the land portion of the trip, which includes immersive safaris in the Selinda and Moremi game reserves. The adventure ends in Maun, Botswana. Departures begin in June 2016 and are scheduled through October 2017. Rates start at $10,995 per person, double, and vary by travel date. See: www.nathab.com/africa/namibia-botswana-africa-cruise/.
“Animals absolutely abound here, and our guests will encounter them in exceptional seclusion on this private adventure,” said Nat Hab founder and president, Ben Bressler. Hundreds of hippos, enormous elephant herds (70,000 live in Chobe National Park on the Botswana side of the river alone), great numbers of buffalo and antelope, rafts of crocodiles, a multitude of water birds and more are on display from the boat’s outdoor decks, and in air-conditioned comfort through the panoramic windows. Excursions by small skiffs up narrow channels provide even closer eye-level sightings.
Each departure is limited to just seven guests to ensure the most personalized safari experience possible in the quiet, remote areas visited. On wildlife drives, each traveler gets a window seat for optimal viewing and photography.
The adventure also includes Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. Nat Hab guests will have a guided tour of the national park on the rim, exploring different viewpoints over the falls via a network of walkways before heading upriver to secluded Toka Leya camp, located on the banks of the Zambezi. A sunset cruise is included, where guests are sure to see plentiful hippos.
Travelers lodge at remote tented camps booked exclusively for Nat Hab guests. These include Selinda Explorers Camp and Little Tubu, an isolated enclave on Hunda Island. Rather than frequenting the more heavily visited national parks in Botswana, guests explore private concessions where visitor numbers are strictly limited but wildlife is prolific. The 320,000-acre Selinda Reserve is vast big-game country home to huge herds of elephant and buffalo, as well as lion, wild dog, sable and roan antelope that are spotted on a regular basis. Hunda Island within the private Jao Concession borders Botswana’s famed Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta. Huge numbers of various hoofed game abound here, with accompanying predators, especially lion and leopard. Guests fly on charter flights between locations, to reduce rough road travel and maximize time on safari.
Guests enjoy the personalized service of some of the top naturalist safari guides in all of Africa — a Nat Hab hallmark. A Nat Hab Expedition Leader accompanies the trip from start to finish. This staff also has additional training and resources provided exclusively to Nat Hab guides by World Wildlife Fund’s top researchers.
The Chobe Princess riverboat offers five suites with a choice of king and twin bed configurations. Bathrooms are en suite. Crisply decorated with contemporary flair in a palette of white, dove gray and chartreuse, the boat’s interior including the dining area and lounge make the most of its river setting with large picture windows and sliding glass doors in the cabins that provide private views of an ever-changing landscape.
For information on all of Nat Hab’s trips, descriptive itineraries, date availability and reservations, call 800.543.8917 or visit www.nathab.com.
Natural Habitat Adventures is a world leader in responsible adventure travel and nature-based ecotourism. Since its founding in 1985, the company has offered eco-conscious expeditions and wildlife-focused small-group tours to the planet’s most remarkable nature destinations. Inspired and created from years of scouring the planet for the singular and extraordinary, Nat Hab’s itineraries are artfully crafted experiences that are far from “typical.” Trips are guided by professional naturalist Expedition Leaders, and Nat Hab enjoys a longstanding reputation for hiring some of the world’s best guides. Conservation is at the forefront of everything NHA does, and its philosophy is simple: tourism must work with and benefit local communities, which will in turn find value in protecting natural resources and wildlife. NHA is proud to be the travel partner of World Wildlife Fund, sharing a mutual commitment to travel as a means of helping to protect the world’s wondrous natural places.
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Lion World Travel is offering a last-minute 10-day “Wonder of Victoria Falls and Chobe” safari.
DELRAY BEACH, Fla.– Lion World Travel is offering an incredible last minute 10-day vacation package to Victoria Falls and Chobe, Botswana from U.S. $3,699 per person including international economy airfare, based on two people sharing a room. This affordable and carefully curated safari vacation takes you to Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and the Chobe Game Reserve in Botswana, famous for its enormous elephant population and magnificent scenery. This “The Wonder of Victoria Falls and Chobe” vacation package is valid for travel from Oct. 21 through Dec. 20, 2015.
The itinerary also includes:
Economy class flights from New York (JFK) to Johannesburg on South African Airways
Regional flights to Victoria Falls and back from Kasane
Road transfers as per the itinerary
Seven breakfasts / three lunches / five dinners
Four nights at the newly refurbished four-star Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, featuring an onsite waterhole and a non-stop parade of wildlife visitors
Three nights in luxury at the four-star Mowana Safari Lodge, offering superb and comfortable accommodation on the banks of the Chobe River
Guided walking tour through the magnificent rain forest of Victoria Falls
Tranquil sunset cruise on the Zambezi River
Boma Restaurant dinner for an African experience
Six game activities at Mowana Safari Lodge including game drives, bush walks, fishing and bird watching
Mowana river boat cruise at either sunrise or sunset to witness the breathtaking beauty of the colorful African skyline
This package is valid for travel from Oct. 21 through Dec. 20, 2015 and is priced from U.S. $3,699 per person sharing.
Lion World Travel, in its 51st year, is a leading North American tour operator specializing in group and individual tours to Southern and East Africa, and is a member of Travel Corporation , which also includes: Trafalgar Tours, Contiki, Brendan Vacations, Insight Vacations, The Red Carnation Hotel Collection and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection.
For details and reservations, contact Lion World Travel at 800-387-2706 or visit www.lionworldtravel.com.
Trenton, NJ – Eleven historic lighthouses and three museums along the New Jersey shore open to the public on October 17-18. As part of the annual Lighthouse Challenge, locals and visitors can experience the state’s remarkable maritime history by climbing to the top of working lighthouses, soaking in the spectacular ocean views, and enjoy a host of inviting coastal communities without the summer crowds.
Participants in the Lighthouse Challenge will earn souvenirs at each site as they compete to visit every one. Proceeds from the Challenge will support the preservation of these treasured landmarks.
During Challenge weekend, most of the museums and lighthouses are open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. There also are unique nighttime climbs of the lighthouses at Absecon, Cape May, Tinicum, and Tuckerton on Saturday from 6-8 p.m.
A complete list of hours of operation and fees is available at www.visitnj.org.
For additional information or to order a New Jersey travel guide, access http://www.visitnj.org/form/request-or-download-free-travel-guides
Twin Lights of Navesink, 2 Lighthouse Rd.; Highlands, 732.872.1814
There are many firsts associated with the Twin Lights, which tower 250 feet above Sandy Hook Bay on one of the highest points along the coast: the first Fresnel lens in the U.S.; site of Guglielmo Marconi’s first practical use of the wireless telegraph in 1899; and the first lamps fueled by kerosene in 1883.In 1898, Twin Lights became one of the first electrically lit seacoast lighthouses in the country. On exhibit are lighthouse and lifesaving station artifacts, plus films and slide shows.
Barnegat Lighthouse, State Park 208 Broadway & Long Beach Blvd.; Barnegat Light, 609.494.2016
Features panoramic views of Long Beach Island, Barnegat Inlet, and Island Beach State Park, trails through one of the state’s last maritime forests, a birding site for water fowl, fishing and scheduled nature walks and talks, and the nearby Barnegat Light Museum.
Absecon Lighthouse, 31 S. Rhode Island Ave.; Atlantic City, 609.449.1360, 609.449.1919
Built in 1857, the 171-foot Absecon Lighthouse—New Jersey’s tallest—hosts educational programs, weddings, guided tours, events, and more. A recent multi-million-dollar restoration includes a replica of the lightkeeper’s dwelling, museum, gift shop, and a Fresnel Lens exhibit.
Tuckerton Seaport, 120 W. Main St., Rte. 9; Tuckerton, 609.296.8868
The 40-acre working Maritime Village has 16 restored and replicated buildings, including the Tucker’s Island Lighthouse, a re-creation of the structure that fell into the sea in 1927. Exhibits tell the history of the U.S. Lifesaving Service, Barnegat Bay pirates, and the bay.
East Point Lighthouse, 10 Lighthouse Rd. & E. Point Rd.; Heislerville, 856.546.7810
Standing along picturesque Delaware Bay, East Point Lighthouse has guided commercial fishermen and pleasure boaters since 1849.
Finns Point Rear Range Light, 197 Lighthouse Rd.; Pennsville, 856.935.1487
This wrought-iron lighthouse with its unusual open-frame design, was built in 1876 and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Nearby Fort Mott State Park is a 104-acre waterfront park with buildings and gun emplacements from the Spanish-American War.
Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse, 2nd St. & Mantua Ave.; Paulsboro, 856.423.2545
First lit on New Year’s Eve in 1880, this light is a key guide for ships heading north along the Delaware River.
Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, 111 N. Central Ave.; North Wildwood, 609.522.4520
Known as the “Victorian Lighthouse”, this unique “stick style” building was designed by Paul J. Pelz, who designed the Library of Congress. A working Lighthouse, it also features a museum showcasing the life of a Lighthouse keeper in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, plus a gift shop and award-winning English gardens.
Sandy Hook Lighthouse, Park Entrance off Rt. 36, Sandy Hook Unit Gateway National Recreation Area; Highlands, 732.872.5970
This National Historic Landmark, the oldest standing lighthouse and the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States, is the only surviving tower of the 11 lighthouses built in the 13 colonies between 1716 and 1771. It dates back to 1764, and has thick walls for protection from cannonballs. The Lighthouse Keeper’s Quarters is now a museum.
This is the last live-in lighthouse built on the Atlantic Coast, opened in 1896. Built to bridge the 40-mile gap between Barnegat Light and the Twin Lights of Navesink, it was decommissioned in 1945. The interior has been restored.
Cape May Lighthouse, Cape May Point State Park, 299 Lighthouse Ave. (Rt. 626) at Yale Ave.; Cape May Point, 609.884.5404
Built in 1859, the Cape May Lighthouse is still an aid to navigation. At the top of its 199 steps are spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay. There’s an orientation center and shop. On nearby Sunset Boulevard is the recently opened World War II Lookout Tower, part of the Delaware Bay harbor defense system known as Fort Miles.
Amsterdam -Context, organizer of critically acclaimed walking tours, expands its Amsterdam program with their Van Gogh Museum Seminar, an exploration of the life and works of one of the world’s most iconic artistic figures.
After extensive renovations, the Van Gogh Museum recently reopened its doors to the throngs of art lovers who are clamouring for an encounter with the artist’s vivid paintings. In 2015, 125 years after his death, the mythology of this enigmatic man and his turbulent life continues to grow, captivating art historians and the public alike. The Van Gogh Museum is home to the world’s largest collection devoted to a single artist, and sees its popularity grow year on year.
This two-hour tour weaves through the exhibits of the Van Gogh Museum, examining the development of Van Gogh’s hallmark style and revealing the secrets of some of his most famous and well-loved paintings.
“For me, Vincent Van Gogh is the quintessential Dutch artist; stubborn, committed and fighting against greater powers to reach his goal,” says Context docent Sabry Amroussi, an art historian who leads the walk. “He is more than the distorted genius that most people take him for; he is a learned intellectual, who demonstrated true resilience, perseverance and strength. I’m excited to be able to share this deeper story with Context clients.”
Van Gogh Museum Seminar lasts 2 hours, and is available daily. Group walks cost €70 per person, private tours cost €285 per party. As with all Context walking seminars, groups are led by a credentialed expert and limited to six (6) people maximum.
Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and designer Lani Bevacqua, Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead walking seminars in thirty-four (34) world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Milan, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Cartagena, Istanbul, Athens, Beijing, Shanghai, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Milan, Dublin, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hong Kong, Vancouver, Montreal, Melbourne, and Sydney. A certified B Corporation, Context Travel was named one of the fastest growing American companies in 2011 by Inc Magazine. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit the website at:www.contexttravel.com
In 1966 Lars-Eric Lindblad led the first ever citizen-explorer expedition to Antarctica – at the time it was almost as extraordinary as a lunar launch would be today. It also marked the creation of the category of expedition travel. He opened up the remote regions of the world and countless opportunities for so many, helping them to experience and think of the world differently.
Lars-Eric Lindblad pioneered travel to the Galapagos Islands, as well as measures to protect the fragile ecosystem from being overrun by tourists.
In 2016 Lindblad Expeditions will honor Lars-Eric’s vision and his courage in myriad ways as they mark the 50th Anniversary of these two major milestones. Their efforts begin with a search for memorabilia from Lindblad voyages in the 60s or 70s – from the legendary first expedition to Antarctica in 1966 to other remote parts of the world. The search is on for:
Expedition photos – ideally with Lars-Eric Lindblad and/or his expedition team – but all are welcome;
Vintage ship photos or photos aboard the ship;
Original voyage documents including vintage luggage tags, patches, pins or other collectibles: parka, tee, etc. plus any short Lars-Eric stories/anecdotes;
Postcards or letters from someone on a voyage.
The collection of memorabilia will be used in a multitude of ways, including being featured (with credits) in the updated version of Lars-Eris Lindblad’s autobiography, Passage to Anywhere that will chart the history of expedition travel from 1966 to now.
To share your materials, send negatives and/or collectibles via tracked mail (please insure any items of value to you) to: Lindblad Expeditions, c/o Elissa Marton, 96 Morton Street, 9th Floor, NY, NY 10014. Small digital files should be emailed to [email protected]; and large digital files can be uploaded to http://anniversary.expeditions.com. ; Items will be photographed and returned via tracked mail.
