Though fall has just arrived, we’re firmly immersed in the annual excitement that is the winter season – not necessarily because of the coming weather, but for all the enticing options available for you to escape it!
Below is a list featuring our first quarter of tours for 2020. Full details on any of these trips is a click or toll-free call away!
Journey through Panama
January 19th to February 2nd, 2020 – Escorted by Paulette Kelly
Starting with the history and charm of Panama City and the Canal, you will learn about the events in history that lead to the eventual movement of the capital city to its present location. Stay in the small town of El Valle de Anton, nestled in the second largest inhabited volcanic crater. Explore the Herrara Highlands, an area profusely inhabited by indigenous groups in the pre-Columbian era. Here we discover the manufacturing process of traditional products such as sugarcane, salt, clay and bread. Later, enjoy spectacular views hiking through scenic cloud forests in one of the many scenic trails surrounding the Baru Volcano, home to diverse flora and fauna. Travel by boat, traversing the expanse of Bastimentos National Park, Panama’s first marine national park and end the journey with a relaxing stay at the white-sanded Bocas del Toro, before heading back to Panama City.
Western Cuba – The Heart of Cuba including Havana
February 1st to 15th, 2020 – Escorted by Sharon Sawatzky
Beyond what the world’s interpretation of what Cuba has been, lies a country that is full of life. Our Cuba group tours introduce you to a life that has a way of making you tap your toes to the soft rhythm of the salsa beat echoing down alleyways of colonial buildings whose walls are slowly chipping away with the weathering of time. A life that welcomes visitors with a broad smile even as locals fiercely play dominoes outside their houses; where the wafting smell of cigars mix in with the sweet smell of fresh fruit; where the turquoise coloured ocean laps at the soft white sand and the sound of laughter is never far away.
The moment you arrive in Cuba it is hard to not recognize both its colonial importance and revolutionary past. With opulent buildings such as grand theatres on elegant boulevards to the ornate plazas, Havana gleams with an old-world charm that hasn’t been spoiled by skyscrapers and new developments. From the tobacco fields of Vinales where karst mountains rise and fall between plantations to the musical soul of Trinidad, a preserved colonial town still standing amongst once the gleaming sugar capital of the country, tours to Cuba show a different side than just the revolution. We venture into the mountains of the Escambray to discover the herbal medicines used historically by Cubans and the biodiversity found in this Caribbean paradise. Our guided tours to Cuba show you that this is a place like no other.
Classic Colombia
February 21st to March 7th, 2020
If there were ever a country that suffered from a case of seriously bad press, it’s Colombia. It’s not well known by travellers, so it feels like crossing one of the last frontiers of travel. Colombia is ripe for discovery, and there is a little of everything: green valleys, golden beaches and snow-capped mountains, charming colonial towns and incredibly friendly laid-back locals. There’s no better place to be if you’re looking to try fresh seafood, hike through the dazzling wax palm landscape, admire some of the best street art in the Americas, trek through a tropical forest where you might find monkeys, and relax on the beach of a Caribbean fishing village. Be a part of the revitalization of this warm, welcoming country and come back with more stories than you’ll ever have time to tell.
Inca Explorer
May 3rd to 17th, 2020
From its amazing archaeological treasures to its gastronomic delights and from its rich history to its melting pot of cultures, Peru offers visitors a wide array of attractions—and on this tour; you’ll experience its highlights. Discover Lima’s colonial heritage steeped in history with pre-Columbian ruins and Spanish colonial buildings. Encounter the vibrant local culture of Lake Titicaca, walk the halls of a historical convent in colonial Arequipa, and delight in views of the Sacred Valley from the comfort of the train to Machu Picchu. Marvel at the strange, mysterious beauty of the Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Whether watching for wildlife or exploring Incan culture, strike travel gold in this incredible country.
Ecuador & Galapagos Highlights
April 10th to 26th, 2020
Discover the magic of Ecuador’s biodiversity and culture on an exploration of the rural and urban charms of one of South America’s most rewarding destinations.
Along the Andean Mountain range, we admire the contrast between the equatorial lushness in the valley and glacial volcanoes. Find treasures at the largest market in South America where numerous Indigenous groups come to barter, and later slip into a world of “ahh” in a mountain hot spring. Our tour takes us into the Amazon to see jungle wildlife, its impressive landscapes with exotic flora, fauna and a rich culture of all, all these flavours are packed together, so you can be in the jungle in the morning and at the foot of a glacier by the evening.
Ecuador also has one gem found nowhere else: the pristine and fragile Galápagos Islands made famous through the writings of Charles Darwin. The ultimate experience for animal lovers awaits in the Galápagos Islands, where an incredibly diverse and unique array of wildlife prosper among fertile lands and volcanic formations. The most attractive aspect of this trip is that it is not a cruise, but rather a land-based adventure that allows for more time and greater immersion in not only the natural splendour of this special place but also in its unique and little-known island culture.