Latin America 2010

Dance the samba in Rio,  become a gaucho,  discover your future with a shaman,  play polo,  crush grapes,  brew coffee at ancient fazendas,  hike the Costa Rican chocolate trail and canoe the Pantanal

This is all possible with Kuoni’s first Latin America brochure featuring 16 colourful countries and hundreds of exciting travel experiences

Prices from £1099

A breathtaking array of exciting holidays are ready for the taking in Kuoni’s new Latin America holiday brochure, valid September 2009 to December 2010. The 76 incredible holiday itineraries position Kuoni as the leading operator of quality tailor-made travel to this exciting continent, all delivered with the reliability of an operator with 103 years of history.

The itineraries include Kuoni Authentic Experiences, unparalleled and authentic travel experiences, allowing travellers to do as the locals do, or learn from experts in their field, such as: -

Professional tango and samba dancers; top chefs scouring the local food markets for their ingredients; native Amazon Indians; local medicine men; spiritual healers; naturalists; geologists; zoologists; historians; trekking guides; plantation owners; expert divers and even the local ‘Cariocas’ in Rio.

Those with a taste for adventure can become a cowboy gaucho for three days at Estancio El Rocio – cattle herd on horseback, cheer on the rodeo, bird watch at the local lagoon and play polo.  Or cook a Peruvian feast, mix a ‘pisco sour’ and become a Llama farmer for a day.

Regular itineraries are no less exciting; such as fishing for piranhas in the Amazon; trekking the ancient trails of the Incas and taking in coffee plantations, marvelling at the volcanoes peppering the Atacaman plains in Chile or hiking the Avenue of Volcanoes in Ecuador.

The brochure features 16 countries and over 20 destinations, including Antarctica, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Easter Island, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Robinson Crusoe Island, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Those seeking a more chilled-out break can languish on the remote Los Roques beaches, reefs and lagoons in the Caribbean waters of Venezuela; feel ‘Darwinesque’ and talk to the experts about the myriad creatures of the Galapagos; canoe through the 1.3 million hectares of ‘Shining Water’ or Ibera Wetlands in Argentina; get lost on Robinson Crusoe Island 400 miles off Chile, snorkelling, diving, kayaking and hiking around this castaway isle; or make a once in a lifetime visit to Easter Island to wonder at man’s ability to create the monolithic moai.

Places to rest after days of adventure are equally diverse, from contemporary, grand and boutique city hotels and stylish beach retreats to rustic lodges and jungle reserves.

Latin American aficionados can design their own perfect trip, relying on Kuoni’s experienced Personal Travel Experts to tailor-make inspired itineraries for the ultimate flexible adventure. Alternatively, there are private or escorted tours accompanied by local experts.

“There has never been a better time to experience South America,” believes Angelo Davino, Latin America Product Manager. “South America is undergoing a travel renaissance and it is now offering a wider choice of quality accommodation, entertainment and better air access and connections on reputable scheduled carriers. We can combine luxury with a myriad of hardly discovered places.”  

Here are three contrasting holiday experiences from the new brochure: -

1. The escorted Peruvian Highlights 14-night journey. Includes boating down the Amazon to a private ecological reserve, a flight into the Andes to Cuzco to visit the Temple of the Moon to have your future told by the ancient shaman, a trek to the lost city of the Incas, Machu Picchu, then, further south, viewing majestic condors as they soar the thermals of the Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world and twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.  Prices from £3399.

2. Wine, dine, dance and live ‘la vida loca’ on the Passion for Dance eight-night private trip.  Learn to tango with the professionals, enjoy expert wine tastings with local aficionados and stay in a former mansion in the old quarter of Buenos Aires for four nights.  Then jet on to Rio for four nights, with private samba lessons with the professionals.  Dance at night and spend lazy days on the fun beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema.  Prices from £3399.

3. The Costa Rica Nature and Wellness 11-night private trip offers one of the world’s most bio-diverse lands to explore and relax in.  The Xandari Resort & Spa offers unique Costa Rican body treatments while El Silencio Lodge & Spa continues the ‘me’ time, along with a Mystic Walk through the El Silencio nature reserve which led up into the cloud forest.   The end of this trip is marked by the dramatic backdrop of the Arenal Volcano where biking, hiking, kayaking and wildlife spotting or wallowing in hot springs are all possible.  An optional extra is the Chocolate Trail in the Tirimbina Rainforest.  Prices from £2655.

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Editor’s Notes:

History and track record

Kuoni was established in 1906 in Switzerland by Alfred Kuoni, a visionary adventurer and explorer of his time who opened some of Europe’s first travel agencies.   Today it has branch operations in over 40 countries. For 103 years Kuoni has been creating holidays with a spirit of adventure and has been recognised  consistently , winning coveted awards such as: ‘The World’s Leading Tour Operator’ for the past 11 years at the World Travel Awards; The Daily Telegraph’s Ultratravel, Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Daily Mail readers all voted Kuoni ‘Britain’s favourite’. Kuoni has been ‘Britain’s Best Longhaul Tour Operator’ for the past 26 years as voted by Travel Agents.

Ethical Performance

Kuoni is committed to being a good corporate citizen, empowering people to protect the natural environment and local populations.  The broader aim of Kuoni’s Corporate Responsibility (CR) policy is to minimise the adverse impact of tourist travel.  Kuoni has over 32 active global CR projects and four priority areas: protecting children from sexual abuse in tourism; promoting fair working conditions; finding solutions for water scarcity and mitigating the consequences of climate change.

Kuoni’s Unique Selling Points

1.  Concierge service

The Kuoni Concierge service offers all the usual facilities of booking theatres, concerts, restaurants, festival or cultural occasions and overseas sporting events. It also manages private airport transfers, late check-outs, private tours and personal guides.

2. Kuoni Personal Travel Experts

Kuoni Personal Travel Experts are knowledgeable staff passionate about travel and ready to tailor-make the perfect holiday and offer a personal touch by building a relationship with customers so they can call on the same travel expert each time they book.

3. At Home with Kuoni

Launched this year, At Home with Kuoni offers complimentary champagne, canapés and a Kuoni personal travel expert for individuals able to host a small gathering of friends and family in their home to learn about exciting holiday options.  Guests are offered exclusive discounts.  

Customer Assurance

Kuoni is ABTA and ATOL protected, giving customers financial protection and ensuring they won’t be stranded abroad.

For further press information, please contact Kuoni PR: -

Fiona Blaszkowski on 01306 744 194/ fiona.blaszkowski@kuoni.co.uk

or Anne-Marie Hansen on 01306 744 173/ anne-marie.hansen@kuoni.co.uk

or Jemma Purvis on 01306 744 006/ jemma.purvis@kuoni.co.uk

For images please download from http://www.kuoni.co.uk/pr/images.html

Editors Notes: Highlights from Latin America 2010 brochure

Lead-in Price: 3 nights at the Orla Copacabana Hotel Rio, including flights with British Airways and transfers in resort.  Prices from £1099 per person based on two sharing.

Peru (pages 20-31)

• Have your future told by a shaman, and take part in an ancient ritual about emotional and spiritual healing
• Scouring local markets with a local chef and then cook the local dishes
• Visit a ‘pisco’ tavern and mix cocktails
• Enjoy cocktails and live music aboard the luxury train ‘Hiram Bingham’ from Machu Picchu to Cusco
• Traverse one of the highest points of any railway on The Andean Explorer
• Stay in an Amazon eco lodge and search for rare and exotic wildlife
• Descend into the Colca Canyon, twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, and marvel at the condors
• Combine Peru with the Galapagos Islands for a wildlife extravaganza
• Visit mystical pre-Inca ruins and archaeological sites in three ancient northern cities
• Cruise the Amazon aboard the new Delfin II luxury cruise boat
• Conquer the ancient trails and passes of the Andes with experienced guides staying in mountain lodges
• Unravel the mystery of the Nazca lines by flying over images of sharks and hummingbirds
• Spot rare birds and dolphins in the Paracas National Reserve, a  wildlife hotspot

Bolivia (page 32-33)

• Stay in one of the world’s few hotels made from salt, Luna Salada Hotel on the dazzling white nothingness of the Uyuni Salt Flat
• Hydrofoil on Lake Titicaca and visit Bolivia’s holiest shrine, Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana
• Contrast the Atacama desert with the sticky Amazon and the towering peaks of the Andes, in one trip

Venezuela (pages 36-37)

• Go on safari in search of pumas and jaguars in Los Llanos, the vast tropical grassland east of the Andes
• Explore ‘The Lost World’ (as named by Air Arthur Conan Doyle) or Gran Sabana region by 4x4; a vast savannah plateau dotted with ‘tepuys’ or table-top mountains cloaked in lush forest and spectacular waterfalls
• Spend time with an indigenous community and photograph the magical Angel Falls in the Canaima National Park (6^th largest n the world)
• A divers paradise, chill-out under the Caribbean sun on the coral islands of Los Roques

Colombia (& Panama) (pages 38-39)

• Experience the true coffee experience and stay in restored coffee farms
• Wonder through the underground salt cathedral at Zipaquira and stop in Bogota’s Gold Museum
• Relax in Tayrona National Park on rugged, deserted beaches - some of Caribbean Sea’s most picturesque
• Salsa the night away in Colombia’s colonial town of Cartagena on the Caribbean coast
• Extend your stay and visit Panama City, take a boat tip on the Panama Canal and view the amazing birdlife

Ecuador & Galapagos (pages 40-43)

• Travel north of Quito to the equator and stand with one foot in each hemisphere
• Ride Chiva Express, a one-coach train which zigzags up the Andes to Devil’s Nose, passing volcanic scenery and plantations
• Extend to the Galapagos Islands with a wide choice of cruises, now suitable for families and luxury travellers
• When in the Galapagos, learn from the wildlife experts whilst spotting sea lions, dolphins, blue footed boobies, giant tortoise, penguins and so much more

Argentina (& Uruguay) (pages 46-59)

• Spend days at historic or working ‘estancia’ and learn how to play polo, be a gaucho or work the farmland

• Learn to dance the seductive tango in Buenos Aires with the professionals at Mansion Dandi Royal
• Learn about the life of Eva Persón and her influence on Argentina’s politics and visit the ‘Pink House’
• Cruise the waterways, islands and delta of the Tigre and experience the life of the wealthy locals or ‘portenos’
• Visit the esteemed wineries and in Mendoza plan your wine cellar with the oenologist
• Whale watch and see millions of Magellanic penguins on the Peninsula Valdes, a marine haven on Atlantic Coast and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Canoe, mountain bike or hike through the Ibera National Reserve which covers 1.3 million hectares.  See the  swamp deer, caiman, yacare, monkeys, 350 bird species, river otters and more
• Travel far south to Ushuaia, the southernmost town in the world and take a passage to Cape Horn, a maritime legend where the great oceans meet, to see the wild coastline dotted with icebergs
• Jump aboard a catamaran and ride to Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay, the oldest city in the country and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; join the locals for a drink of ‘clerico’

Antarctica (pages 60-61)

• Board The Antarctic Dream and sail through the fearsome Drake Passage and the Antarctic Peninsula setting foot on pristine shores.   Expert guides will give talks about the incredible landscape and its wildlife from leopard seals and albatross to orcas and Antarctic minke whales and much more
• Board Silversea Prince Albert 11 for a luxury expedition with experts and plenty of luxury additions with on-board spa and beauty treatments

Chile (pages 62-69)

• Visit the driest place on earth, the Atacama Desert in the north of Chile with its Valley of the Moon, salt flats and surprising Altiplanic lagoons
• Taste a glass or two in the lush wineries of the Casablanca Valley
• Cruise the Southern Ice Fields in the Skorpios III, an expedition cruise vessel and marvel at the fjords, glaciers and the awesome scenery of the Torres del Paine National Park
• Head to one of the most remote places on earth, Easter Island famous for the iconic moai statues
• 400 miles off Chile is Robinson Crusoe Island named after a Scottish castaway who spent four years marooned there. Snorkel, dive, kayak and hike to your hearts content and the eat the amazing local lobster

Brazil (pages 72-83)

• Immerse yourself in carnival atmosphere with an energetic samba lesson
• Feel like a Brazilian footballer and enjoy a behind the scenes personal tour of the Maracanã Stadium in Rio
• Glide on a schooner like boat across the beautiful bay of Itacurucá and spot dolphin, kingfishers and turtles then relax in on the beautiful beaches and enjoy a delicious buffet on a stunning island
• Take a 4x4 tour of Tijuca Forest, the largest urban forest in the world and bathe under waterfalls
• Discover the 270 waterfalls of Iguacu and hear its thundering beat
• For true adventurers take a trek or canoeing expedition down the Amazon visiting local communities in the rainforest
• For exotic wildlife lovers trek or ride through the Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland looking for huge anacondas, giant anteaters, macaws, hyacinth, piranha and try to count all 1,000 types of butterfly
• Learn ancient coffee recipes at live on the ancient coffee fazendas or farms
• Dive to see shipwrecks or simply chill out at Fernando de Noronha, a remote archipelago of 21 islands 220 miles of Brazil’s north-east coast

Mexico (pages 86-97)                                                                                                         

• Discover the famous Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza; listed as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World
• Spot alligators and pink flamingos at Rio Largatos, or relax on white beaches on the Mayan Riviera
• See Mexico some of Latin America’s richest colonial architecture from the magnificent Zocalo and Cathedral in the city, to the quaint narrow cobblestone streets of Taxco and to the grandeur of the imposing Teotihuacan
• Take a new Colonial five night tour from Mexico City, includes Puebla, Tasco and Teotihuacan with extension to Acapulco

Central America (pages 98-99 & 104-107)

• Visit best countries, towns and experiences of the area including little known destinations such as Nicaragua
• See Panama, famed for its canal, it is one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever built
• In Guatemala head to lake Atitlan, a volcanic crater lake often regarded as the world’s most beautiful
• Experience Belize with the longest barrier reef in the southern hemisphere, ancient Mayan sites and tropical rainforests brimming with wildlife

Costa Rica (pages 100-103)

• Walk through lush rainforests are home to toucans, monkeys and brightly-coloured frogs
• Relax on idyllic beaches
• Get a sugar rush tasting chocolate among cocoa plantations in Tirimbina Rainforest Reserve
• Hike past steaming volcanoes and then stay in La Fortuna and watch Arenal Volcano spewing ash and steam
• Explore national parks by mountain bike spotting wildlife including jaguars, monkeys, toucans and sloths
• Enjoy a ‘wellness’ tour of the country staying at renowned spa hotels and lodges

ENDS