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One of my last trips before travel came to a screeching halt was this gem of an 8-day jaunt with A&K to Peru October 2019. I would spend my first day in the Lima neighborhood of Barranco, known for its art museums, artisanal stores, and top-tier restaurants. That night I would dine on charred octopus and fresh tuna, washed down with powerful pisco sours at a local favorite, Amoramar. Our next stop was Sacred Valley and the highly recommended property, Sol y Luna. Our group of 18 met in a ranch-style setting for cocktail hour and then a sublime dinner, worthy of the property’s Relais and Chateau rating. We started with pisco mojitos, created with the sweet local mint grown in these parts. Then we dined on trout carpaccio and beef tenderloin, finishing with a dessert of tres leches. Lunch aboard the PeruRail Sacred Valley, a 2-hour train ride inspired by the Orient Express, soon led us to our room that night at the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, the only property overlooking majestic Machu Picchu. Finally, we ended with more fresh fish at a sushi joint in Cuzco. Fantastic sights, fantastic food, all at Peru’s finest properties. A&K plans to return to the country in mid-August and offer trips throughout September and October. ActiveTravels is ready to send you to Peru!
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The Spanish colonial city of Cartagena might get all the hype, but if you asked ActiveTravels members who have visited Colombia, the majority would say the highlight of their trip was their time in Coffee Country. Take the 45-minute flight from Bogota to Armenia and you’ll be picked up by your hosts from Hacienda Bambusa for the 30-minute drive to their hidden oasis on a 500-acre farm. Drop your bags off in one of their 8 rooms and then go play. Take a stroll around the farm, go birding with a naturalist, visit a working cocoa farm, hike in a massive bamboo forest, go rafting, horseback riding, even hot air ballooning. Owners Olivier and Diego can arrange all activities and serve tasty authentic Colombian fare outside on a serene patio.
They recently added another property to their expanding portfolio, Casa Yahri, a private villa in the Colonial town of Barichara. Located in the mountains, a 4 ½-hour drive from Bogota, Barichara is one of those towns straight out of a movie set, with narrow cobblestone streets, whitewashed buildings, and red-tiled roofs. It’s the perfect place to unwind and roam the streets checking out all the local handicrafts the region is known for, like papermaking and ceramics. Nearby adventures include hiking, biking, canyoneering, and whitewater rafting. Afterwards, head back to one of the 4 suites and lounge in the infinity pool. Sounds pretty good right about now.
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]]>The post Broadmoor’s Wilderness Gem, The Ranch at Emerald Valley, Reopens June 24th appeared first on Active Travels.
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Anyone planning a driving trip out West this summer should consider a lengthy stay at that classic resort, Broadmoor, in Colorado Springs. It’s not just the championship golf courses, ziplining, tennis courts, and hiking in the Rockies that entice. Broadmoor also runs two lodges nestled deep into the mountains that were once owned by the resort’s founder, Spencer Primrose. I had the pleasure of checking out both lodges on an Austin Adventures trip back in 2017. The Ranch at Emerald Valley, ringed by 11,000-foot peaks, is a bucolic slice of heaven. Indeed, it’s hard to tear yourself away from the vista of pasture, trout ponds, and towering peaks. I could have easily spent the day on the pond throwing out my fly and seeing if luck was in my favor. But I’d be foolish not to take advantage of the horseback riding routes that lace the outskirts of the property.
I hopped into a saddle on a stallion named Lady Bug and off we went on a 90-minute ramble through dense forest high atop a ridge peering at the craggy summit of 10,073-foot Mount Vigel. Many of the trails we rode that day were created by mules and workers to lay down a pipeline built in the 1930s that once brought water from a nearby reservoir to Colorado Springs. After a full day of hiking and horseback riding, I returned to Emerald Valley to soak my weary body into a cedar-lined hot tub while snacking on a favorite dessert at the ranch, peach-filled donut holes.
The Ranch at Emerald Valley’s 13 one-, two-, and three-bedroom cabins are ideally suited for social distancing. Please contact ActiveTravels if you’d like us to check availability.
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]]>The post Backroads Launches Chile Multi-Adventure Trip During December Solar Eclipse appeared first on Active Travels.
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Head to Chile on December 14, 2020, and you’ll get to witness a total solar eclipse. Backroads is taking advantage of this opportunity to offer a special Chile Multi-Adventure trip. The 6-night itinerary takes place in the Chilean Lakes District, where you’ll get the chance to hike, bike, kayak and raft with stunning vistas of Villarrica, Mocho and Osorno Volcanoes. You’ll also venture into the remote sanctuaries of Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve and Parque Futangu, teeming with diverse flora and fauna. Backroads is also debuting an 8-night Chile Patagonia and Fjords Cruise Walking and Hiking Tour. Slated to visit the Chilean Patagonia Fjords and Torres del Paine National Park, the trip offers unique wildlife and glacier viewing, epic hikes and tours of historical sites in Wulaia Bay, once visited by Charles Darwin. Guests can experience three trips in one while living aboard the Australis, a state-of-the-art expedition ship (4 nights) and staying at Hotel Las Torres (2 nights) and The Singular Patagonia (2 nights). Scheduled departures are from December 2020 through March 2021.
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Those of you who like your adventure lathered in luxury most likely know about Amangiri, the 34-suite lodge unveiled by exclusive Singapore-based hotelier Amanresorts. Amangiri is located near Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in Utah’s canyon country, surrounded by stunning mesas and remote desert. Now you can get a little closer to nature thanks to ten luxury all-weather tents that are set to debut next spring. Evenly divided between one and two-bedrooms, the 10 units are equipped with a living area, dining area, as well as private bathrooms with a bathtub, and indoor and outdoor showers. The one-bedroom tents are approximately 1,900 square feet, while the two-bedroom tents offer over 2,800 square feet of canvas-covered comfort. Wake up with morning yoga, then spend the day hiking in the canyons with a naturalist, boating on Lake Powell, or staring in awe at the Vermillion Cliffs. Afterwards, reward yourself with an outdoor spa treatment.
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]]>The post Abercrombie and Kent Announces Limited-Edition Journeys in 2020 appeared first on Active Travels.
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Having now traveled with Abercrombie and Kent on group trips to Kenya, Botswana, and Peru, I can recommend this company without hesitation. Guides are exceptional, groups are small, the properties they choose are unique and memorable, and dealing with logistics in challenging parts of the world is as close to seamless as I’ve witnessed. New in 2020 is A and K’s Limited-Edition Journeys to more remote locales in the world like Sri Lanka, the republic of Georgia, Madagascar, Southern India, and Zimbabwe. Itineraries range from 12 to 15 days and pricing starts at $5,995 per person. If any of these trips gets you excited, please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll check availability. We can also help with flights and design routes before or after your memorable journey.
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We went to the big Africa Showcase in Boston several weeks ago, where reps from many of the sub-Saharan African countries and many lodge owners do their version of speed pitches for some 6 hours. Loved meeting people from Uganda, Zambia, and Namibia, all high on my wish list. But I absolutely adored the presentation on the Seychelles, 115 dreamy islands in the Indian Ocean. Only 2 hours by flights from Nairobi or Dar, it’s the perfect add-on to a safari in the Masai Mara and the Serengeti. Especially when you realize that the Seychelles are home to some of the finest island resorts in the world. If I was a honeymooner, I’d take a good look at Fregate Island, North Island, Six Senses, the Four Seasons, or MAIA. Contact ActiveTravels and you’ll receive extra Virtuoso amenities like free upgrade, spa treatments, and meals when booking. We’re here to make dreams come true!
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]]>The post St. Lucia’s Sugar Beach Debuts Beachfront Collection appeared first on Active Travels.
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Smack dab between the dramatic conical-shaped Pitons on a glorious stretch of white sand, Sugar Beach deserves top billing in the Caribbean. But now the ultra-sybaritic escape just pushed the envelope a little farther with the opening of two of five planned Beachfront Collection Residences. The four-bedroom homes have private access to the white sands of Glenconner Beach and come with all of the amenities of this Viceroy property, such as personalized butler service and access to the Rainforest Spa. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors connect the living and dining rooms with the outdoor terrace and private pool. Rates start at $5,000 a night. Let ActiveTravels know if you want to check availability.
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]]>The post Northern Lights Viewing, Dogsledding, and Yoga Retreat in Finnish Lapland appeared first on Active Travels.
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Arctic travel and Northern Lights specialists Off the Map Travel have just announced a new winter wellness retreat in Finnish Lapland. The 4-day/3-night itinerary includes 2 nights at a glass-roofed igloo in Rovaniemi and one night in a snow room at the Arctic Snow Hotel. In the daytime, you’ll go dogsledding, take yoga classes, and experience rest and relaxation in the world’s first sauna made from snow. You’ll be enveloped by an instant cloud of steam, resulting from the contact between the sauna’s 1.5 meters-thick snow walls and the heat from the sauna’s stove. The result is a steam-room like effect with cleansing benefits for both mind and body. Then it’s off to the ice bar and your glass-roofed igloo with uninterrupted views of the Arctic night sky. Cost starts at $1606 per person based on double occupancy, and includes lodging, breakfast, activities, and airport transfers.
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]]>The post Clayoquot Partners with Rosewood Georgia to Present Luxury Gone Wild appeared first on Active Travels.
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Take one of Abercrombie & Kent’s luxurious tented African safaris and plop it down on the northern fringes of Vancouver Island in British Columbia and you start to understand the sumptuous wilderness experience that can be had at Clayoquot Wilderness Resort. On the shores of the Bedwell River under the canopy of a temperate rainforest, you can spot bear, whales, porpoises, moose, and bald eagles as you choose to sea kayak, hike, or go on horseback. Then it’s back to home base for a hot tub or massage at the spa, and a fabulous dinner that features the bounty of British Columbian goods. There’s halibut, tuna, and every type of salmon available, from the pink Coho to the cherry red smoked sockeye salmon, and loads of fresh fruit like figs, blueberries, gooseberries, and yellow golden berries. Now Clayoquot has teamed with Vancouver’s classic Rosewood Hotel Georgia to combine city with country in their Luxury Gone Wild package. Spend at least one night in Vancouver and then fly via floatplane to Clayoquot for a 3 to 4-night adventure. Make sure one of those nights at Clayoquot is atop Cloud Camp, a private retreat overlooking the terrain, replete with private chef and guide.
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