Born to holiday

So what if you're back from your summer break? It's time to start preparing for the autumn vacation. Cruise through the rivers of Europe, stay in a "cave" or in an Amazonian forest.

Travel packages have continuously been evolving to prevent travellers’ interest in them from waning. Thanks to the mass media and the Internet, the likes of the Eiffel Tower, for example, are no longer enough to make travellers gape in awe. Today’s discerning travellers need something completely out-of-the-box and travel packages need to be designed in a manner that will allow vacationers to experience comfort and convenience and yet enjoy a unique holiday.

 

We pick a few options that you can try for the autumn holiday season.

Hassle-free backpacking
There isn’t a more romantic way to travel than backpacking, especially when you’re discovering Europe. The dampener, however, has been the reluctance of European countries to hand out visas to Indians (especially backpackers) for fear of illegal immigration. That apart, it is a hassle — and risky — to find your way in an alien land with just a guidebook. Thankfully, Backpacker&Co, a Mumbai-based travel company, promises to get all the loose ends tied up for you and plan out your entire adventure. On offer, in September and October, is a trip through Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium. The highlight is a chance to sample the famous beer festival, Oktoberfest, in Munich. And for those who don’t want to leave even an inch of space out, the trip also includes a stop at the infamous red light district of Amsterdam.

Costing Rs 1.25 lakh per person, the package includes return airfare, visa and insurance charges and travel between cities in luxury buses. Travellers going on the tour need to foot their own bills for food, drink, intra-city travel and all location entry fees.

This works perfectly because the company takes care of all the travel plans but allows you the freedom to explore places on your own. And while there is an itinerary, it leaves you with 15 days completely free to fill on your own. Each group is limited to 10 members.

Europe through the river route
The riverine waterways that crisscross Europe have been historically regarded as political and cultural nerve centres, especially since the routes were developed for trade. Almost all big cities in Europe have at least one major or minor river flowing through them, and today you can cruise through these to experience the very heart of Europe. Deilmann Cruises offer packages on its cruise ships that navigate the incredible European rivers. You can choose from the Rhine, Dutch canals and Moselle Valley besides Danube, Seine, Rhone and Saone. These cruises also cover the south of France, Elbe Havel, Moldau and Oder.

The cruise vessels offer between 50 to 100 cabins and motor through the countryside, past castles, quaint villages, important cities and historical monuments. The cruise package includes stay on the ship, meals and sightseeing. Activities include music, golfing, gardening (yes, even that), cycling and walking. Some of the highlights include classical music performances along the Danube and traditional performances like the Viennese waltz. Most cruise ships have a no-smoking policy. Smoking is permitted only on open decks and select on-board bars. Tour lengths vary from five to 14 nights, and start at $2,000. For itineraries and tariff, do visit www.deilmann-cruises.com

Not just hotels...
Today, a good property is one that seamlessly blends in local flavour and experience with the comfort of a hotel for visiting guests. Hotels.com, a travel website, brings out a list of such unique properties that do preciselt this. Here are two of these:

Aydinli Cave House is a family-run hotel in the heart of the historically significant Göreme region of Turkey. It retains many of the rock-cut features of traditional cave dwellings for which the region is famous. The rooms in this property are actually caves but smartly include Travertine-lined bathrooms, jacuzzis, walk-in showers and hamam basins. A walk from the hotel will take you to the numerous cafes, restaurants and shops of the town centre.

Ariau Towers Hotel is another spectacular property in the Amazon jungle in the Rio Negro region of Brazil. The hotel is built above the forest canopy so that guests can stay in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. It is accessible only by speedboat, helicopter or houseboat from the local town Manaus.

Room tariffs for these properties can be found on www.hotels.co.in.
Forget destinations, which “experience” will you pick?