The tropical paradise of the Maldives has always seemed like it was reserved for honeymooners and the rich and famous. This is no longer the case as Encounters Travel is opening up this world to adventure travellers with the first ever group tour of this magical archipelago.

With the first tour set to run in September this unique opportunity should now make your short list of must see destinations.

This tour offers all the same features as other Encounters Travel tours, with a maximum group size of 18, local guides and guaranteed adventure!

This trip will give you a true insight into the beauty and culture of the Maldives. You spend one night in the capital city of Male before boarding your luxury yacht for a 3 night sea safari with ample opportunity for snorkelling, diving and exploring deserted islands.

You then get to experience true Maldivian culture by spending two nights in  a Guesthouse on a local island. Here you will see how people from these tiny islands live day to day. One afternoon will be spent on an uninhabited island, swimming and snorkelling in the crystal warm waters, in the evening enjoy a beach barbecue with local cultural show including singing, drumming and dancing.

Now the only thing that is missing so far from this tropical experience is what most people think of when you picture the Maldives, this incredible tour is finished off with 3 nights in a 5 star luxury beach resort! The Royal Island Resort and Spa is a series of beachfront bungalows with all of the mod cons. There is a reef in front of the hotel for you to enjoy and your snorkelling equipment is included for spontaneous dips in the ocean.

This tour gives you a real taste of the real Maldives, it is for people who want a bit more than just lying on the same beach for a week. It gives you the culture,  relaxation and luxury of the Maldives with a spirit of adventure.

This is the first group tour of the Maldives and will become popular quickly, the first 4 departures are discounted to an unbelievable £699 per person, but be fast, we won’t keep it that cheap for long!

If the thought of discovering the mysteries of Egypt’s ancient kings and queens sounds more appealing than eating cucumber sandwiches in front of the TV this Jubilee bank holiday, then Encounters Travel (www.encounterstravel.com / 0800 088 6002) has just the ticket, offering an escorted, six-day group tour of Egypt with a 15 per cent discount, for just £288 per person (saving £51). Available for departure on 5 June, the price includes airport transfers from/to Cairo, varied accommodation in four-star hotels and on board a sleeper train on a mixed board basis, and the services of a fully qualified Egyptologist throughout. Flights excluded. The perfect introduction to Egypt, the Pharaonic Encounters tour visits all the main sites including the Pyramids, the Sphinx, Luxor Temple, Karnak, the ancient city of Thebes and the Valley of the Kings.

When I think about Nepal, the first thing that springs to mind is the image of a snow covered Everest shooting into the sky with strings of multicoloured prayer flags flapping in the crisp wind. Even though Everest is an iconic part of Nepal, the country has more to offer adventurous travellers than I had ever imagined.

From the majestic mountains of Annapurna to the exotic wildlife of the national parks. The activities are endless, from white water rafting in icy mountain rivers to trekking up to Everest Base Camp, there are wildlife safaris and rowing  on the lake in the picturesque town of Pokhara. All of these are experienced with the beautiful backdrop of the Himalayas!

The variety of wildlife in Nepal is astounding and to me was surprising. On a wildlife safari in Chitwan National Park you may see tigers, rhinos, elephants, sloth bears to name a few. The park covers almost 1000 square kilometres and is home to over 43 species of mammal, 45 species of reptile and amphibian and an incredible 450 bird species!

You can explore the culture and religion of Kathmandu, visit temples, go mountain biking or walk in the footsteps of Sir Edmund Hillary on your way to Everest base camp. Nepal has endless opportunities for visitors which are as varied as it’s climate,  from the steamy flats on the border of India to the whitecaps of the ‘Abode of Snows’ (Himalaya in Sanskrit)  Nepal will blow you away and will make you want to revisit over and over.

Encounters Travel offer 3 different itineraries for Nepal and cover both the Himalayas and the national parks. The First is an 11 day itinerary called Nepal Exposed, that gives you a taste of its beautiful mountain scenery, ancient cultures and religions, lush wildlife parks, remote hilltop villages, and includes time to relax in the lakeside town of Pokhara.

The next one is a 15 day  trip, Classic Nepal. This combination tour gives you a taste of everything this beautiful Himalayan country has to offer, including sightseeing in the Kathmandu valley, a taste of white-water rafting, wildlife safaris, and a short trek to Poon Hill.

And lastly, the 18 day Everest Base Camp trek. This trek gives you a once in a lifetime chance to get right up close to Everest. It is a tough trek that needs some preparation, but immensely rewarding. We pace the itinerary sensibly with acclimatisation days en-route, and time in the Kathmandu Valley at either end of the trek.