Encounters Travel Blog

A view from the top.

Dan Saunders — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 22:50:19 +0000

Have you ever wanted to climb Everest or see what the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro looks like? Well, Google street view is now offering that chance!

Whether you are planning your next big adventure and want to see what you might be in for or you are just curious what a trek up one of these mountains might look like, you can now do these treks from the comfort of your living room.

Google maps has now imaged 4 of the Seven Summits (these are the highest mountain on each of the 7 continents) meaning that you can walk in the footsteps of legendary explorers without having to stand up. Now this is pretty incredible, but if you are anything like the Encounters Team, these images will only whet your appetite for adventure and you may want to experience these treks in person.

Encounters Travel can take you to two of these mountains on one of our group guided tours.

If you’d like to summit Kilimanjaro, the dormant volcano lying only 3 degrees from the equator but covered in a snowy peak, you can try the Classic Kilimanjaro 8 day Trek

Or if you really want to make your way to the top of the world, try our Everest Base Camp 18 day trek.

Check out these incredible pictures on Google Street View and then call us to book it to see it in real life!

Wild thing: Cosmo meets mountain gorillas

Dan Saunders — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:51:57 +0000

While touring Uganda’s lush landscapes, Bridget March gets a heart-stopping close-up with the severely endangered mountain gorillas

Where: There’s a saying in Uganda: “Be careful what you drop, because everything will grow!” and the rich red soil and vivid green plant life carpeting the country are testament to this. It’s a nature-lover’s dream, being home to the source of the Nile, ‘Big Five’ wildlife and mountain gorillas, the now extremely endangered gentle giants living in the country’s rainforest. With only around 650 left in the world, visiting the human-like primates is the ultimate wildlife adventure as well as a meaningful way to help support their future on earth.

What: The sunrise drive through West Uganda’s misty mountains into the rainforest is breathtaking in itself, and once I reached Bwindi Impenetrable Forest where the primates roam and rest, I understood how it got its name. Led by rangers, I trekked deep into fierce fauna, clambering over vines and crawling under canopy, potentially heeding heavy rain for what could be numerous hours. But this all pales into insignificance at that heart-stopping moment when I saw a family of the rare mountain gorillas. The following hour observing and processing what unfolds mere metres away from me was one of the most humbling of my life.

How: The best way to tackle the ‘bucket list’ tick is on a tour. Encounters Travel’s Gorillas & Plains group adventure makes things hassle-free and fun-filled. Not only do you get your magic moment with the mighty knuckle-walking apes but aboard a super-sized tour truck with other travellers, experienced guides uncover Uganda’s ultimate hot spots for you. It actually begins in neighbouring Kenya where, before crossing the border, I visited magnificent wildlife in the Masai Mara game reserve. Subsequent stop-offs include Lake Bunyonyi, a relaxing retreat ringed by picturesque mountains; Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to the elusive tree-climbing lions; Jinja, where you can raft the world class white-water rapids of the river Nile, and Kasinga Channel which (aboard a sunset cruise) offers close-ups of crocodiles, hippos, elephants and exotic birds. You also get to soak up the sight, sounds and smells of East African life in the country’s chaotic capital Kampala before returning to Nairobi in Kenya for your flight home.

Why: By tracking gorillas on a tour, you’re not only experiencing the wildlife wonder of a lifetime, but you’re contributing towards their conservation. The gold-dust-like permits cost a weighty $500 (£329), but go towards protecting the primates and the education of local communities against poaching.

Cosmo loves: Cherishing the forever-memorable sight of a mother gorilla grooming her baby, indulging an inquisitive youngster showing off for the cameras (and shuddering at a silverback playfully charging towards me!).

Do it! Encounters Travel’s encounterstravel.com Gorillas & Plains Tour costs from £1235 for 15 nights on a mixed-board basis, including airport transfers from/to Nairobi, an experienced local guide and private transportation throughout. Gorilla tracking permit excluded.

Why We are Taking Our Family to Egypt and not Hawaii

Dan Saunders — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:51:01 +0000

By ME RA KOH | January 9th, 2013 at 7:43 am

A great blog by Me Ra Koh about travelling with our partners at Egypt Uncovered

When I tell people we are taking the kids to Egypt, I get two responses: The first is sudden, like a knee jerk reaction: “Have you seen the news lately?! Is Egypt even safe to visit?” The second response, from the same person, comes a few seconds later with a smile that begins to spread wide across their face: “Wow. Ever since I was a kid I’ve always dreamed of going to see the pyramids.”

But before I can even address the first question, I have to start with how this all began.

Our family of four has a New Year’s tradition. We sit together and take turns setting the timer for three minutes (the first year we did this, we only set the timer for 30 seconds so the kids could work up to three minutes over time). For three minutes, we sit quietly and listen. Some might call this prayer, but it’s more of a listening exercise. We are listening for any impressions, words, pictures, senses that God may have for that person in the coming year. We write it down in our family prayer journal and then share what we got with each other. For example, this year Blaze looked at Pascaline after we were done with her three minutes. He said “Sissy, I saw you in a classroom surrounded by friends. You were wearing all kinds of patterns, colors, designs and really stood out. I felt like God said to me “She’s one of a kind Blaze. There is no one like your sister.” Man, when an eight-year-old boy says this to his big sister … words can’t describe the joy that spread across her face (and mine!). If I haven’t lost you yet (because I know this listening exercise may sound odd to some), we take three minutes for each person and then we end by taking a final three minutes to listen for what the New Year may have in store for our family.

Last year was crazy! We all had our own journals, and we wrote down what we sensed before we shared it out loud. Pascaline, 10 years old at the time, had the word “go” and saw our family on an adventure in a foreign land. Blaze, 7 years old at the time, also wrote down the word “go” and saw a globe spinning. Brian had the word “go” too and saw our family looking over a world map. And you guessed it, I had the word “go” and saw us crossing oceans. This had never happened to us before, and we were sure that 2012 was going to be a year of expansive travel for us as a family. Oddly enough, it was the first time in four years that we didn’t go abroad at all. But all last year, the desire to go to Egypt was growing in our hearts, visiting our dreams, coming up in homeschool and conversations over the dinner table.

About four months ago, Brian and I both started to feel a stronger pull toward Egypt. We had no idea why. But if you remember in my first post The Risks and Rewards of Being an Artist, I wrote “There is a knocking that comes to your door, a sense that you feel in your spirit. Do you listen and follow the trail? Do you risk shaking up all that is known and familiar to follow a gut feeling that gives no guarantees of where it will lead?” The knocking to head to Egypt was there — louder than ever. We know better than to ignore it.

But by the fall, every time you turned on the news there was coverage on the civil unrest, turmoil, chaos in Egypt. I asked Brian if he thought it was even safe to go. By looking at the news it looked like it was the last place we should take our kids. Even the U.S. State Department website has flagged Egypt, recommending tourists to not go. Fortunately, we have a friend who works with a company that is often commissioned by the CIA and various governments from countries around the world. The company goes in to potentially vulnerable countries and sees if it’s safe for government officials to visit, despite what the news is saying. We called in a favor with him to see if he could find out for us the true status of being a tourist in Egypt. A week later, his thorough reports came back with what we had expected — the news was blowing things out of proportion. Of course, you want to stay away from a few specific areas (just like I can suggest a few areas in most big cities to stay away from). But most of all, Egypt as a country, was suffering tremendously because of the decline in tourism.

We have seen the dramatic impact bad press can have on a country’s tourism economy with all our trips to Southeast Asia. I have been in the Bangkok airport watching the news tell me about bombings happening in the airport when nothing is really happening at all, but it is a political move – manipulation — to try and control the economy, all the while the locals suffer from it.

Our family is also not new to travel, we have experienced the good and dark side of traveling abroad. For four years, we’ve rented a house in the jungles of Thailand for four to six weeks at a time.

Blaze learned to swim in the Andaman Sea off the Bay of Bengal. The kids learned to use slingshots because that was the only way to defend ourselves against the monkeys who ransacked our house every day. But one year, me and the kids were bit by mosquitoes carrying Dengue Fever. I have never felt so scared and been in so much pain all at once. And yet, it was through this experience that my daughter was surrounded by apes as they heard her screaming from pain. The Gibbon apes encircled our house in the jungle, and began to sing to her — comforting her in a way I couldn’t.

But still, others have asked me: “Why not take a vacation to Hawaii or the Grand Canyon?” I love that question because the answer is simple: My heart has not yet heard the knocking to go there. When the knocking comes, the nudge within, to follow a sense, an instinct, I know that there is much ahead — that this trip will not just be about vacationing as a family, but has a deeper meaning. If nothing else, I want to continue to nurture in my children a sense of global consciousness. But I know it doesn’t end there.

Right now, I’m working with Babble to see how we can bring as much positive press as possible to Egypt. The country’s two-year anniversary of their revolution is on January 25th. Being there during this anniversary was one of my biggest fears. Ideally, I wanted our trip to be over and us out of the country by then. But things have not unfolded that way. To take all safety precautions, we have made sure that during the anniversary our tour is nowhere near the demonstrations. But we will still be in the country, and I’m sure the world will be reporting. Could it be possible that in a world of press that seems to feed off fear, our small family could share a different view through what we experience, write, photograph and film? And that this could have a positive impact on their tourism? This has become our family’s heart’s desire.

Do you ever have those moments when you know you are exactly where you should be? You couldn’t feel more confident in your choices and next steps … and yet the familiar voice of fear is ever present, ever there, whispering worst case scenarios to you? That voice can taunt me with colorful scenarios all day long, getting louder and louder as we near our departure date; What about rumors of tourists being kidnapped or taken hostage? What about the violence you see on TV? What kind of mom would risk putting her kids in these scenarios? Didn’t the Dengue Fever teach you to NOT make your family vulnerable to the unknown?” The unknown. The space that exists in the dark, that is also where the heart of creativity begins. The unknown … the starting point of all that is impossible having a chance to become possible. Yet, the voice of fear is ever present, nasty, condemning, and pulls up all the stops. I used to envision a day when that voice would no longer taunt me because my courage had grown to such proportions. Now I have learned that courage is moving forward whether the voice of fear is there or not.

We leave in less than a week. We will be there for almost a month. We have found an incredible tour company, Egypt Uncovered, to work with that has helped us become more aware of whether or not those fearful voices in my head are founded. They have also helped us hammer out an itinerary that is engaging for the kids, me and Brian, and also helps us capture specific scenes we envision for filming and photography — like the pyramids at sunset by camel or camping in the desert with a Bedouin tribe or experiencing one of the Nile cruises. We will have an Egyptologist guide with us the whole time and hope to visit some of the orphanages like we did in Cambodia. Our kids have been reading every book they can find at the library on Egypt. We’ve been watching documentaries for homeschool. There has been camera equipment to figure out and just answering the sheer question of “How do you pack a family for a trip like this when the desert can drop to 0 Celsius / 32 degrees Fahrenheit at night?” Great question, right?! I’m excited to share all the answers we’ve been finding in our preparations.

We welcome your prayers, well wishes, and support. I would even love to hear your questions or maybe your own fears of what would hold you back from taking your family to Egypt. Whatever those fears are, you are in good company. I hope to share answers to as many questions as possible throughout our trip. We believe there is a beautiful purpose to us going, a timeliness, that can’t be known on this side of the journey but will surely unfold as we step into the unknown.

xo,

Me Ra Koh loves cameras, kids, and parents, and spends her life bringing them together. See her new show Capture Your Story with Me Ra Koh on Disney Junior. Her book Your Baby in Pictures is a national bestseller. She is honored to be one of SONY’s Artisans of Imagery. Me Ra and her team of certified teachers lead CONFIDENCE photography workshops for women nationwide. She has been featured in The New York Times, Parenting, American Baby, Popular Photography, and her photography has been on exhibit from San Fransisco to New York. You can find her at merakoh.com.

Like Me Ra on Facebook and Follow Her on Twitter.

Economy or business? The choice is simple!

Dan Saunders — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 10:32:35 +0000

On most Egyptian tours, the long overnight train journey from Cairo down the Nile to Luxor or Aswan is unavoidable. This journey can be taken in two ways, the first is the sitting train where the seating is arranged much like a bus, the second option is the far more comfortable sleeper train with enclosed cabins. The difference between the two is very similar to the difference between an economy or business class seat on a flight which makes the choice a no brainer.

There are many pro’s with the sleeper train which make it an easy choice over the sitting train. The main benefit is being able to get better sleep and an enjoyable evening experience on board before a busy day the next morning, the sleeper train is much quieter overnight, as there are not so many people moving about.

Other fantastic benefits to the sleeper train are listed below;

Not too cold – the sitting train can get very cold at night with the AC on full blast
More secure – your bags remain safely locked in your cabin away from prying eyes
Toilets are much cleaner, and I stress MUCH!
Train times are more reliable – the sleeper train gets precedence over the sitting train, but this is still Egypt, so on occasion the sleeper is still subject to delays
Meals are included – you get an airline style dinner & breakfast which is served to you in your cabin
Cabin features are a storage cupboard, wash basin (great for brushing your teeth in the morning!) seats, and fold down beds which are prepared for you after you dinner by your room steward
Bedding provided – fold down beds with comfortable mattresses, sheets, cozy blankets and pillows
Restaurant/club car is available on most services
Sitting train can often have broken seats that don’t recline, there is nothing worse than getting stuck with one of these

Now we would have put some of our photos up of the toilets on the sitting train, but to be honest, they’re not really fit for display on the web! You’ll have to use your imagination and just trust me, you really don’t want to use them after about half way through the night! The sleeper train toilets aren’t the Ritz, but at least they are presentable and you’re still happy to use them in the morning.

With most tour operators, the sleeper train is an upgrade to your tour, which can be an expensive addition to the base tour price. With Encounters Travel, the sleeper train is always included in the tour price! Overall it is a much better experience and a necessity if you want to feel your best as you explore and learn about incredible Luxor or Aswan without being exhausted. If you check out the Encounters Travel prices, and compare with anyone you are comparing us to, make sure to take this point into account. There are lots of other included extras like the facilities boat during our fellucca cruises. If you compare all of the extras, you will see what great value our tour prices in Egypt are, even if they look a little more expensive to start with.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our reservations team, they will be happy to help point out the differences between us and other tour companies so you can make the best choice for your trip, we hope to see you on one of our tours soon!

Economy or business? The choice is simple!

Dan Saunders — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:28:05 +0000

Other fantastic benefits to the sleeper train are listed below;

- Not too cold – the sitting train can get very cold at night with the AC on full blast
- More secure – your bags remain safely locked in your cabin away from prying eyes
- Toilets are much cleaner, and I stress MUCH!
- Train times are more reliable – the sleeper train gets precedence over the sitting train, but this is still Egypt, so on occasion the sleeper is still subject to delays
- Meals are included – you get an airline style dinner & breakfast which is served to you in your cabin
- Cabin features are a storage cupboard, wash basin (great for brushing your teeth in the morning!) seats, and fold down beds which are prepared for you after you dinner by your room steward
- Bedding provided – fold down beds with comfortable mattresses, sheets, cozy blankets and pillows
- Restaurant/club car is available on most services
- Sitting train can often have broken seats that don’t recline, there is nothing worse than getting stuck with one of these

With most tour operators, the sleeper train is an upgrade to your tour, which can be an expensive addition to the base tour price. With Encounters Travel, the sleeper train is always included in the tour price! Overall it is a much better experience and a necessity if you want to feel your best as you explore and learn about incredible Luxor or Aswan without being exhausted. If you check out the Encounters prices, and compare with anyone you are comparing us to, make sure to take this point into account. There are lots of other included extras like the facilities boat during our fellucca cruises. If you compare all of the extras, you will see what good value our tour prices in Egypt are, even if may they look a little more expensive to start with.

Reservations can be contacted on 0800 088 6002 or tours@encounterstravel.com

Beauty survival in the jungl

Dan Saunders — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 12:34:25 +0000

23 November 2012 by Bridget March

Now on month 13, I’m exploring the last continent on my world trip itinerary – Africa. My first stop is Uganda, rich with lush landscapes and wow wildlife making it a magical destination as different to home as you can get. Last week I toured the captivating country with Encounters Travel which gave me a true once-in-a-lifetime experience: gorilla tracking. As a group we set off at 5:30 am into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (aptly named thanks to its fierce fauna), and after intense hours trekking at incline, plus numerous muddy slip-ups on my part, we got up close to a family of some of the last remaining mountain gorillas in the world. Uh-mazing!

I must admit, as a girlie girl, the experience was close to bursting the boundaries of my comfort zone. But I’ve come to learn that this is what travelling’s all about and armed with my survival kit, I took the trauma out of the trek. Here are some top tips for fellow explorers encountering such extreme environments…

- At the opposite end of the animal kingdom to gorillas are mosquitoes – my bug bear. To avoid being bothered by creepy crawlies in the jungle it’s imperative to pack a good, DEET-based repellent. Many travellers also swear by Avon Skin So Soft. It’s not a bug spray but the dry oil happens to work wonders at warding off insects, so I currently use it in place of my body moisturiser, beneath repellent.

- Should you suffer from bites, soothe the sting with some all-natural Antipodes Saviour Skin Balm. It does exactly what it says on the (pretty) tin and not just for stings and bites, it also aids sunburn, chapped skin, grazes and sore muscles. I now swear by it! If this is unavailable to you, try vinegar on bites to dull the sting – as successfully tried ‘n’ tested by a girl in my tour group.

- Good sun protection is as important as good insect repellent. Try P20 for your body which you only need to apply once, meaning you don’t have to lug it with you all day. Lips-wise I like Vaseline Intensive Rescue Lip Therapy Repair Balm SPF20 and for the face I really rate Shiseido Sun Protection Foundation SPF30, a foundation/sunscreen hybrid that has a matte finish – perfect in clammy climates – and is also conveniently water resistant.

- Speaking of which, waterproof makeup is effective in the rainforest (the reason’s in the name!). I’m not suggesting you wear a full-face for this kind of thing, but if you feel more comfortable having the essentials on ensure waterproof lashes with Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Waterproof Mascara, or raid Estee Lauder’s Double Wear collection for eyeliners and blushers that stay put no matter what.

- When it’s not actually raining, jungle conditions are humid which can play havoc for the hair. If yours is like mine and loses control in wet weather, try applying the brilliant Avon Friz Fighter Advanced Techniques Friz Control Lotus Shield straight after washing (the night before if you have an early start like I did!). Then simply slick it up in a pony and go.

- As with my approach to festivals back home, I like to hide reminders that I’m roughing it. Dirty nails are a giveaway so I camouflaged them with a neutral nail polish. Nude nails happen to be a big beauty trend for spring/summer 13 – so while your trekking trousers might let your look down, your talons can be fashion forward, forest-stylee! Try L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Nails in Rose Bagatelle.

- Above all, look and feel your best by staying hydrated. As well as drinking water, pack snacks. I followed skincare maestro, Dr. Murad’s advice on my gorilla trek to eat raw fruits, vegetables and nuts which contain structured water to hydrate you quicker and for longer. But remember, ‘don’t feed the animals’…

Please share your travel tips with me and follow my adventures on Twitter - @BridgetMarch.

Trekking with Mountain Gorillas.

Dan Saunders — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 13:23:27 +0000

The moment had arrived, our small gorilla trekking group had not been able to sleep because of all of the excitement of what we were about to do! Trekking day had arrived and we were going into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda to search for the Silverback Mountain Gorilla!

We were all up extra early, the excitment that lay ahead of us was almost too much to handle! There was also a little ‘uncertainty’, I mean, how long would we have to trek before finding the gorillas, and then the big question,would we actually see these amazing creatures?

Dressed in our camoflage gear and comfortable hiking boots, we walked for about two hours until we reached the forest area. The walk itself wasn’t too hectic but it was very humid! Once in the forest the trekking went a bit slower. There were branches and tree stumps everywhere and we were bushbashing through it, everyone had to watch their step a bit more carefully.

After about 45 minutes we came around a bend and there they were – a whole family of gorillas! What an awesome and unforgettable moment in my life! Definitely the highlight of all my travels! It is impossible to explain the feeling I had watching these spectacular creatures, an experience that I will never forget. According to our guide, we were watching the Bitukura gorilla family. The young gorillas were playing, just like children rolling and tackling each other. One or two gorillas also farted, very loud and quite funny! The adult gorillas were just chilling in the shade chewing on branches and leaves. The silverback male was indeed a gentle giant but I knew that his mood could change very quickly if any enemy threatened his family.

All too soon our time with the mountain gorilla family was over and we had to head back to camp, with many fond memories and photos to accompany us.

You can experience this, and more, yourself on our new Gorillas and Plains 16 day tour with Encounters Travel.

BY: MARIANA PAULSEN | 2012-08-07

The Sandy Road Less Travelled…

Dan Saunders — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:15:28 +0000

Many well travelled people are often looking for the next big thing but before the masses find out about it. There is something very intriguing about a destination which is not yet mainstream. Many years ago most of the countries that we now consider touristy were at one time mysterious and exotic, before the infrastructure of the country was boosted by a huge influx of tourist cash. Places like India and Cambodia, Mongolia and China, these places are now easily accessible for even the greenest of travellers.

One destination that is just starting to open up to adventurous travellers is Sudan. This incredible country is a hidden gem in the Nubian desert. Steeped in history, this country has much to offer travellers, with a huge concentration of pyramids and temples and some of the most welcoming people on the planet, Sudan will not disappoint. The area of Meroe is a stunning landscape of narrow pyramids shooting up from the rolling sand dunes. The real attraction here is that you are likely to not pass any other tourists while you explore these ancient sights, so if you are a traveller who doesn’t like to get sucked into tourist traps and who likes to mingle with the locals, then Sudan could be perfect for you, make sure to get there before this incredible location opens up fully to the world, as inevitably it will.

Encounters Travel offers a 9 day Sudan group tour called Hidden Treasures.

Amazing Thailand!

Dan Saunders — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:20:27 +0000

What do you think of when you picture Thailand? There are many things that may spring to your mind… the incredible culture, the mind-blowing architecture, the beautifully wild jungle or the remarkable wildlife, oh and the food! Glorious Thai food!

The other thing that is conjured up in most people’s mind when you mention Thailand is the beaches which line the thousands of islands that are dotted along Thailand’s coastline. These islands have much to offer and most are distinctively unique, some are known for their beaches, some for their caves and some for their wild parties. The island of Ko Phangnan is a tiny jewel in the Gulf of Thailand, this small island hosts the famous Full Moon parties. Each month 10,000-30,000 people flock to the island, at least doubling the population. The party begins at dusk, when the round, yellow moon makes its appearance over the white sand beach and doesn’t stop until the sun rises above the horizon the next morning.

Revelers on their way to Ko Phangan for Full Moon Party!

Encounters Travel has 2 tours which spend a few nights on the nearby island of Ko Samui, this gives you ample opportunity to hop on a boat for the short ride to Ko Phangnan where you can dance the night away with 10,000 new friends! We have multiple departures that will get you there at the right time, we have our Jungles and Beaches tour, the following departures are timed with the Full Moon Party – 26th Aug, 23rd Sept, 28th Dec and Jan 26th 2013. The other tour that visits Ko Samui at the right time is, Siam Treasures - 19th Aug, 16th Dec or the 13th Jan 2013.

If the idea of an all night beach party doesn’t float your boat, Ko Samui and the surrounding islands have a myriad of options for any type of traveller, go elephant trekking, snorkelling, sunbathing, shopping, get a massage, go for a dive, take a cooking class, or just plan nothing and soak up the sun and relaxation of this amazing part of the world. Amazing Thailand will not disappoint.

Ko Samui

Israel – A Hidden Gem?

Dan Saunders — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 19:07:58 +0000

Israel has an incredible past and is shaping up to have an amazing future. It has much to offer travellers from all walks of life.

Flying High in Tel Aviv.

Israel is part of the Holy Land and it has ties with the three major monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This creates a melting pot of culture and religion which is fascinating for all visitors. From the rich history of the religious sites which attracts pilgrims as well as sightseers, to the modern buzz of Tel Aviv, or the feeling of super buoyancy bobbing on the Dead Sea, you will not be disappointed with a holiday in Israel.

A common reason for a trip to Israel is to journey through the Holy Land with visits to Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth among other places where you can walk in the steps of Jesus. Another reason is the unforgettable experience of floating in the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. The Dead Sea has long been renowned for it’s healing properties and after a day in the sun floating high on it’s surface, I am sure you’d agree!

Jerusalem

Another major draw for some travellers is the night life and modern lifestyle of Tel Aviv who’s beaches have been voted some of the top urban beaches in the world. On top of that, Israelis see the end of the day at sunset and who wouldn’t love a culture who sees the new day beginning when the sun goes down? With ample opportunity for sights, relaxation and nightlife why not make Israel next on your travel to-do list?

Encounters offers our 8 day Holy Land Journey with weekly departures from only £949 per person. This is a great alternative to just any old week on a beach, you will go home with memories which will last a lifetime.