RSS Feed

Related Articles

Related Categories

What’s new in 2012 from Journeys of Distinction

20th December 2011 Print

As the company enters its 40th year Journeys of Distinction is emphasising the value of escorted touring as a way to see more of the world, guided by experienced locals and following a pre-planned itinerary, with pre-arranged high quality accommodation. MD Karen Gee said “Escorted touring is the clever way to see the world. The whole concept of touring has changed since Journeys of Distinction launched in 1972. These days it’s far more experiential. Our clients are seeking travel experiences way beyond the ordinary while travelling in the company and safety of a group of no more than twenty five guests. We pave the way for them to explore further, while in the company of a personable and experienced tour manager, and local tour guides”.

New tours for 2012

Footsteps of the Plant Hunters – the most innovative new tour of 2012

Participants on Journeys of Distinction’s new exploration of China, in the `Footsteps of the Plant Hunters’, explores the rural and lesser known Yunnan Province and Zhongdian (Shangri La) and follows a journey of discovery to learn how the 19th and early 20th Century plant hunters, such as Joseph Rock in the 1920's, (who travelled with his own silver place setting and an Abercrombie & Fitch canvas bath), changed the face of western horticulture, introducing now familiar plant species such as the rhododendron, peony and mountain ash. The 14 day tour starts in Shanghai, with a visit to the UNESCO listed Classical Gardens of Suzhou, to the towering rocks of the 'Stone Forest' at Kunming and on to Lijang, with its ancient cobbled streets and rich culture where the itinerary includes a visit to Joseph Rock's home. The tour continues to Shangri-La, home to rhododendrons, azaleas and a multitude of life, including 30 nationalities of people, pigs, yaks and ponies and where a visit to a Tibetan family includes a taste of yak butter tea. 

Inaugural departure of 25 May costs just £3,799 and is accompanied by Karen Gee, JOD’s Managing Director who researched and planned the trip. The trip can be extended with a 3 day visit to Tibet for just £4,999 for the 17 day tour.

This 14 day luxury tour costs from £3799, or from £4,999 including the Tibet extension. Prices include return flights, luxury hotel accommodation, some meals, local guides, air conditioned road travel, and a tour manager to accompany from the UK.
 
Sing your way through the USA

Singing with a Gospel Choir and visiting the old haunts of Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington on a tour through Harlem is one of many highlights of Journeys of Distinction’s new 12 day itinerary from Washington to New York, via Niagara Falls and Gettysburg. The tour provides a fascinating and in-depth way to discover America’s cities and iconic suburbs, blending top tourist sites with opportunities to learn about life and the different cultures in the U.S. from local tour guides. This exceptional 12 day tour costs from £3755 and includes return flights, luxury hotel accommodation with breakfast, travel by air conditioned coach, a daily touring programme with local guides and the services of a tour manager throughout.

New tour aboard the world's most luxurious train 

Journeys of Distinction includes a three day journey on board one of the world’s most spacious and luxurious train; the privately owned Rovos Rail, as part of its new `South African Heartlands’ luxury escorted tour, which travels from Johannesburg to Durban through the plains and mountains of KwaZulu Natal with excursions to a wildlife park and the battlefields. The train carries a maximum of just 72 passengers in 36 suites, recapturing the romance and atmosphere of a bygone era on an iconic rail journey from Durban to Pretoria. This exceptional 13 day tour costs from £4855 and includes return flights, luxury hotel accommodation with breakfast, travel by air conditioned coach, a daily touring programme with local guides and the services of a tour manager throughout.

New eastern Europe tour

For the first time in 2012 Journeys of Distinction is offering tours of Europe from 8 to 17 days, including a new Grand Balkan and Adriatic Adventure through Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Montenegro. The tour starts in Zagreb, moving to Slovenia's Lake Bled, down to the Istrian Peninsula through Rovinj, Split, Sarajevo and Dubrovnik and includes accommodation in character hotels, including Vila Bled, Tito’s former summer residence on the shores of Lake Bled, and excursion opportunities such as truffle hunting in Croatia and visiting the war tunnels in Sarajevo. The tour costs from £2695pp and includes return flights, luxury hotel accommodation with breakfast, travel by air conditioned coach, a daily touring programme with local guides and the services of a tour manager throughout.

Sun worship and wine making 

Journeys of Distinction’s `Very Best of South America’ tour, takes in Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil visiting Machu Picchu, Iguazu falls and Rio de Janeiro. Unforgettable experiences include travelling by coach over the Andes from Chile to Argentina and blending wine in Mendoza, the highest winelands in the world, where guests will be able to blend their own wine. This exceptional 23 day tour costs from £6795 and includes return flights, luxury hotel accommodation with breakfast, travel by air conditioned coach, a daily touring programme with local guides and the services of a tour manager throughout.

Modern day gap year

‘The Very Best of Vietnam’ is a new tour for 2012 with accommodation in top hotels, accompanied throughout by a tour manager and hosted by local experienced guides, it's a far cry from the average teenager’s `gap’ travels to the same region! The 17 day tour travels from north to south along the length of the country. Highlights include an overnight stay on a deluxe Bhaya Junk on Halong Bay, a hands-on Vietnamese cookery class in Hoi An, entering the tunnels at Cu Chi, a series of underground passages used by the Viet Cong to fight the U.S Army and a trip along the canals of the Mekong Delta with a two night stay at the 5* Can Tho Victoria resort. This exceptional 20 day tour costs from £3995 and includes return flights, luxury hotel accommodation with breakfast, travel by air conditioned coach, a daily touring programme with local guides and the services of a tour manager throughout.

For more information, visit jod.uk.com.