Month: November 2024

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Off-Road Adventures

The Dakar Rally completed its sixth event in South America last January, incorporating a route that wound its way through some of the most dramatic landscapes of South America from the Atacama Desert in Chile, to the vast salt flats of Uyuni in Bolivia and the spectacular canyons and cacti fields of the Puna of north-west Argentina. You can have great fun designing your own rugged adventure (perhaps with touches of luxury!) by 4WD vehicle through these breath-taking remote landscapes on a bespoke holiday in South America into the vivid desert regions of the Andes.

Perhaps the most awe-inspiring part of the Dakar route is the vast Salar de Uyuni in southern Bolivia. There are no roads here, only simple tracks and mile upon mile of dazzling salt flats whose crust forms a white sea to the horizon, where it meets high volcanic peaks, and whose surface is broken only by the occasional island of giant cacti jutting out onto the skyline. The pure white of the salt and the dazzling blue of clear desert skies form a stunning contrast as you journey across its surface by jeep, stopping in its centre as dusk falls to admire a beautiful sunset. Have dinner sitting out in the middle of this incredible landscape and sleep in your deluxe campervan, luxuriously fitted out to provide unbelievably comfortable mobile accommodation, taking you wherever in this magical region that you wish to go as you encounter unique rock formations and thermal geysers, before descending to the luxurious lodges of the Atacama Desert in Chile. Even here, luxury combines beautifully with rugged adventures by jeep as you explore the vivid canyons, valleys, and salt lakes where James flamingos graze in the Atacama.

At the convergence of this beautiful high altitude region of South America, the borders of Bolivia and Chile also meet with north-west Argentina as you cross dramatic high road passes to descend into equally breath-taking desert landscapes of the Puna which lead further down to lush valleys of high altitude wineries, quaint little traditional adobe villages, and stunning canyons, gorges, and wild plains. Design your very own bespoke journey in the Puna by 4×4 with your own driver and guide as you discover the Puna and its startling landscapes and panoramas for yourself. Combine your stay in local lodges and villages with a chance to unwind in luxury at a winery where you can pamper yourself with spa treatments and gourmet cuisine and wash the dust off from your off-road adventure.

And for a complete contrast to the multi-coloured terracotta hues of the northern deserts, continue the rugged adventure off-road by heading south to the glittering ice-blue lakes and glaciers of Patagonia around Torres del Paine and El Calafate, set amongst wild steppe where you can look out for condors, eagles, guanaco, armadillos, and even rarely sighted wild cats, such as puma, or huemul (Andean deer). Spot when you wish, have your own driver and guide or not as you wish, set the itinerary at your own pace, stopping for picnics in beautiful secluded spots and relaxing in the evenings at specially selected luxurious wilderness lodges. However you choose to explore the remoter reaches of South America, ensure you get there in safety, comfort, and style.

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Luxury Destination Weddings and Honeymoons

“Lying on a starlit terrace in Marrakech, beautiful and damned, (…) assembled as if for eternity where the curtain of the past seemed to lift before an extraordinary future” – Yves Saint Laurent

The honeymoon, whilst traditionally revolving around a beach holiday is becoming more adventurous and elaborate- especially when it is combined with a destination wedding. Exotic locations, elaborate stagins, once-in-a-lifetime settings… Destination weddings talked about for many years(or generations) to come – from weddings in remote Bhutanese dzongs accessible by an hour-long trek officiated by Bhutanese monks and attended by people from nearby villages to glorious weddings in Ottoman yalis and palaces with the picturesque Bosphorus as a backdrop.

Scouting for the most inspired settings- dramatic cliff-side chapels with glass bottoms, a hundred Maasai warriors serenading the guests with the magical Ngorongoro Crater as a backdrop or the re-enactment of a courtship ritual on horseback in Kyrgyzstan. Every detail- from the food to the wedding decorations, the photography to the entertainment are of utmost importance when planning a destination wedding. Arranging for a destination wedding can be potentially more stressful than co-ordinating a local wedding, given a combination of unfamiliarity with the location, the time difference between the destination and where you’re based as well as sourcing for suppliers. Hiring a wedding co-ordinator specializing in overseas weddings will help mitigate the challenges with co-ordinating a destination wedding. With a wedding co-ordinator lending their destination expertise(which involves scouting for the best locations and suppliers), working with you towards your goals and letting you understand what to expect, a dream destination wedding becomes a feasible reality.

Friends and family who’d come to share in the joy of the couple will encounter a similarly meticulous attention to detail that are the hallmarks of luxury travel – from individual dietary preferences to customized tours pre- and post-event, decadent parties and stylish cocktail receptions- Talitha Getty-inspired togs optional.

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The Perfect Portugal Holidays – Find Out Why This is One of the Most Unique Tourist Destinations!

Portugal is often seen as one of the most historic and oldest countries within Western Europe. Adorned with breath taking historical churches, magnificent castles, and brilliant monuments, these are just a few of the things which will literally help mould your perfect Portugal Holidays. Of course, one of the best things about choosing Portugal for your holidays is that they also are equally equipped with an expansive array of technological and architectural advances, which makes Portugal one of the most unique tourist destinations. Read on to find out more details about your perfect Portugal holidays…

Culture and architecture

This is by far one of the most attractive things about Portugal, because they have quite a developed culture full of vibrant regional traditions which also are a part of the various architectural differences you will notice when moving from one region to the next. If you are really adventurous, then you can try staying in a holiday villa, where you will be able to have a first hand experience of both the culture and architecture.

Climate

The climate of Portugal is also one of the main reasons why it has become a popular destination over the years. The capital city, Lisbon, generally has a warm climate with a very sunny and warm spring and summer, with an average temperature of about 30ºC. But, winters are often windy and wet, with an average of around 10ºC. However, the general climate for most of Portugal is neither too hot nor too cold, but rather just perfect.

Musical Experience

This is one of the most unique aspects of your Portugal holidays, because the live musical experience can literally add a ton of fun and spice to your vacation. As with any nation, music is definitely a huge part of their culture, however Lisbon especially has one of the most brilliant musical forms, known as the melancholic fado. The best way to experience the music is through Lisbon, where you can find various fado clubs around the Bairro Alto and Alfama neighborhoods.

Wine tasting

Naturally, Portugal is renowned for it’s Port wine, but also for the various light wines which often use a variety of indigenous grapes. You can find a huge array of wines as well as vineyards across the country. This can be one of the most luxurious parts of your Portugal holidays, and the best place to go for this is Oporto, as they are famous for port wine.

Coastline

Almost every perfect vacation includes a breath taking view of the ocean, and Portugal most definitely delivers there. With the Atlantic ocean bordering the south and west, the coastlines of Portugal are famously known to be glamorous. If you are more active and want to pursue a more adventurous holiday, then you can try various water sports on Portugal’s coastline. If you love the water, you may want to find an excellent beach holiday where you can swim, snorkel, water skii and even windsurf. You may also want to try diving or if you enjoy fishing as a sport, Algarve is popular for big-game fishing.

In the end, Portugal is a perfect tourist destination because it literally houses such a variety of breathtaking experiences in one. You can relax on the beach, tour the ancient architectural master pieces, or simply take in the sounds, smells, tastes, and sights of the culture and beautiful landscapes.