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Specialists in tailor made luxury holidays and wildlife travel to India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Peru, Ecuador & Galapagos, Guyana, Costa Rica, South Africa and Madagascar
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SUMMERNEWSLETTER 2012
“Hi Paul, Many thanks for this - I had a fantastic time - best holiday ever in fact! Thanks again for all your hard work in putting together an amazing holiday”Dr Nicholas Stuart Smith
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Welcome to the very first newsletter for Greig Smith Travels Ltd which was established in September 2011. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce my company and tell you a little bit about the range of exciting holidays that we sell.
We specialise in tailor made luxury travel and wildlife group tours and in addition to being committed to responsible travel and delivering first class customer service we are also passionate about offering only the very best holiday experiences possible.
This means that all our holidays are very much “once in a lifetime” experiences as opposed to just any old holiday. All of our itineraries have been carefully created together with leading experts in each region, so they are as good as they can possibly be in terms of hotels, incredible destinations, cultural exploration, wildlife viewing and activities.
The Greig Smith Guarantee is that we will do our utmost to ensure your holiday is as enjoyable for you as is can be. Essentially, we do all the hard work when it comes to planning and executing your ideal holiday, so that you don’t have to worry about anything.
This newsletter is designed to inspire and stimulate you to think about your ideal holiday. It might be to cruise in luxury throughout the islands of the Galapagos or down the Amazon perhaps, or maybe you have always wanted to see tigers in the wild or go on an African safari. Then again, cultural tours might be more your thing and you may have always wanted to visit the awe inspiring sites of Machu Picchu or Angkor Wat perhaps.
Whatever you want to do, whether a tailor-made luxury holiday, wildlife group tour, cultural odyssey, or family holiday, you can rest assured that a great deal of careful planning goes into all our holidays meaning you can book in complete confidence. We recognise that your idea of a perfect holiday is unique and personal to you, which is why we take so much care in getting it just right.
www.greigsmithtravels.com Tel: 07414 00 66 03 Tailor Made Luxury Travel & Wildlife Tours
www.greigsmithtravels.com Tel: 07414 00 66 03 Tailor Made Luxury Travel
A trip designed just for you..The great thing about tailor-made travel is that your entire holiday is designed around your requirements. This allows you to explore your interests at your own speed and select your preferred style of accommodation, with our specialists’ knowledge always at your disposal.
First Hand Knowledge
In many instances, we will have personally travelled to the regions you will be visiting and as such, we can offer invaluable advice and suggestions for things for you to see and do, as well as tell you what the hotels are really like.
Relax in the knowledge that you are in safe and capable hands when you travel with us. Our partners around the world have been carefully chosen for their expertise, professionalism, and customer focused attitude that allows you to simply relax and enjoy the trip.
We do the hard work, so you don’t have to
Ensuring our clients have the best experience possible, is of the utmost importance to us. For this reason, we tend to only recommend hotels and lodges that we deem are of a sufficiently high enough standard. Similarly, you can relax in the knowledge that you are in safe and capable hands when you travel with us. Because we regularly travel to the regions you will be visiting, we can offer invaluable advice and suggestions for you. So that you can be confident that your unique itinerary has been created by someone who has extensive first-hand knowledge of the places and accommodation it contains.
Luxury holidays & wildlife tours created by real experts
Whether you are going on a luxury tour or on a wildlife tour, all our holidays have been carefully devised by real experts. From our award winning ground agents to the leading biologists and naturalists that we work with, to our expert local guides - we leave nothing to chance in ensuring you have the best holiday experience possible.
Piece of Mind
We strive to provide stress-free customer experiences. We aim to take any potential hassles out of arranging your holiday and can help with everything from booking VIP lounges at airports, to travel insurance and more. If there is any assistance you need, just ask.
Furthermore, we give you an emergency number, that you can call anytime, if you really need us, 24/7 365 days a year. We aim to create the most enjoyable holiday experiences possible for our clients, and to do so in an environmentally responsible manner. We are passionately committed to wildlife & habitat conservation and strive to ensure all our tours, wherever possible, ultimately help benefit the regions, communities and habitats they operate in.
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www.greigsmithtravels.com Tel: 07414 00 66 03 Wildlife Tours & Group TravelA trip designed just for you..
At Greig Smith Travels Ltd we are passionately dedicated to wildlife conservation and as part of our commitment to environmentally responsible tourist practices, one of our principle aims is to elevate the role that eco tourism can play in helping to conserve endangered habitats and species.
Our wildlife tours range in comfort to suit everyone from the general wildlife enthusiast to the serious wildlife professional. Our wildlife group trips include everything from Amazon wildlife tours to tiger safaris to herpetological holidays in search of snakes.
Using our extensive destination knowledge together with our experts on the ground, our trusted local guides, as well as actively supporting scientists and researchers in the field, we are able to create inspiring wildlife holidays in which everyone benefits, especially our clients, who get to experience the most rewarding experience possible.
We believe that responsible wildlife tourism can be a valuable way of helping to conserve threatened habitats and the species found within them. It can also provide local communities and indigenous tribes with more sustainable ways of generating income than that gained by poaching, logging and other environmentally detrimental activities.
The Amazon is one of Ecuador’s treasures. Wide winding rivers, the steamy heat of exuberant tropical rainforests, and an abundance of colourful plant and wildlife, is what Tropic’s Amazon is all about. And while only a small part of the Amazon is within Ecuador’s borders, colourful birds abound here and species diversity is off the charts.
But the Amazon offers more than just exciting wildlife. Here Tropic offers visitors a unique opportunity to share time with people from ancient Amazon forest cultures: the Huaorani, the Secoya and other native people that share and preserve this globally important ecosystem. Travellers will see this special world through the eyes of the people that live here, and learn what it means to have the rainforest as a home, and have to fight to preserve it.
THE AMAZON: Rainforest home
Huaorani Ecolodge:
* 4, 5 day programmes. Tailored
* Highlights: > Birdwatching in the forest> Huaorani communities > Kayaking the Amazon headwaters
Amazon Ecolodges:
* 4, 5 day programmes. Tailored.
* Highlights: > Hiking in Yasuni & Cuyabeno > Protected Areas> Birdwatching towers, saltlicks and canopy trails
Amazon Rainforest
Journeys in Nature
Award Winning Ecolodge
The Guyana Experience
Ecuador & Galapagos Adventure
Wildlife Tour of Laos
Birds of Cambodia
Wildlife of Gujarat
Costa Rica Wildlife Tour
Zambia Explorer
A selection of our wildlife holidays
“All in all, a spectacular holiday!”
Charles CareyGREIG
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Herp Tours
“We both thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Western Ghats. Paul, Gerry and the team made the experience a once in a lifetime opportunity. The wildlife encountered was breathtaking in abundance and diversity and the teams knowledge regarding them was in depth and comprehensive”
David Willis
What exactly is a herp tour? Well, a herp tour is a trip focused on finding reptiles and amphibians and whilst they may not be everyones cup of tea, they are certainly my favourite.
Back in 2007 I ran a herpetological expedition to the Andaman Islands with Romulus Whitaker and Gerry Martin and am pleased to still be collaborating with them today.
I first started organising herp trips because of a lack of commercial wildlife holiday experiences that catered to people like me - people who didn’t just want to get off a coach, take a few photos and return back to a hotel for the night. I wanted to create wildlife viewing experiences, where you really could spend every waking moment, immersing yourself in the natural habitat. And at the same time, learn from the very best wildlife specialists.
By traveling with the best wildlife trackers, often tribal guides as well as going out with world renowned herpetologists, helped ensure the most informative, educational and deeply rewarding experience possible.
Travel means different things to different people. For me, its as simple as wanting to get close to nature and never losing that childlike sense of awe and wonder whenever I come across fascinating wildlife.
Its also great to do a job you love and I am a passionate believer in the merits of responsibly managed ecotourism. Which is why choosing to work with similar minded individuals and companies around the world, who share the same bel iefs and vis ion about habitat conservation is so important to me.
Just some of our Herp Tours in 2012
South Indian Wildlife Experience
Arunachal Pradesh Expedition
Sri Lanka Herp Tour
Gujarat Herp Tour
“You should be applauded for providing a satisfying, sustainable and professional ecotourism experience and be proud to have directly influenced greater conservation movements. I would highly recommend your expeditions to fellow herpetologists and look forward to participating in future trips” Todd Lewis B. Sc. AIBiol. Senior Ecological
Herp Tourswww.greigsmithtravels.com Tel: 07414 00 66 03
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Destinations - Asia
“Congratulations on a thoroughly successful trip that exceeded all of my expectations!”Rowland Griffin, Griffin Ecological
INDIA -From the Majestic Mountains of the Himalayas to the serene backwaters of Kerala, India’s landscapes are as diverse as they are beautiful. From tracking tigers atop an elephant to viewing Asiatic Lions to simply relaxing cultural tours. Our featured itineraries are just a small sample of some of the possibilities available, please get in touch for a tailor made itinerary.
Kipling Country
SRI LANKA - With wide ranging appeal, whether your a family looking for a break or a couple looking for a intimate getaway. Sri Lanka has a rich cultural heritage, beautiful scenery, great beaches and fantastic wildlife viewing from leopards to whales and much more. Sri Lanka Holiday
VIETNAM - The country has quickly become one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia. Whether you are seeking a luxurious honeymoon retreat with long, deserted, white sand
beaches and turquoise waters or wish to trek with hill tribes, dive amongst coral reefs or experience a historical tour, Vietnam has something for everyone.
Classic Vietnam
CAMBODIA - No longer the sole p rese rve o f dus ty backpacke rs , Cambodia boasts first class hotels as well as a fantastic range of activities, from viewing the magnificent temples of Angkor to spotting rare wildlife species such as yellow cheeked gibbons or giant ibis.
Classic Cambodia
LAOS - Step back in time and take it easy in Laos. From the charming riverside town of Luang Prabang to the stunning natural beauty of the 4000 islands. Laos is a captivating country filled with breath taking paddy fields and mountain scenery, cascading waterfalls and remote ethnic minority villages, all bound together by the the lifeblood of the country - the mighty Mekong River.
Grand Tour of Laos
India - Sri Lanka - Vietnam - Cambodia - Laos - Myanmar
MYANMAR - One of Southeast Asia’s most rewarding destinations. Myanmar’s t r a v e l e x p e r i e n c e s a r e s i m p l y unparalleled. Try taking a slow boat up the Irrawaddy to Mandalay. Relax in a private lodge on the shores of the peaceful Inle Lake. Take a balloon ride and get a bird’s eye view of the extraordinary temples of Bagan.
Myanmar is not the simplest Southeast Asian country to visit in terms of infrastructure and access, but travelers who make the effort are richly rewarded. Get in touch for a sample itinerary or a tailor made quotation.
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COSTA RICA Costa Rica is a veritable tropical
paradise and is a first rate tourist destination appealing to serious wildlife enthusiasts as well as families and couples seeking soft adventure.. With extraordinary biodiversity and dramatic landscapes, from reefs to rainforests, majestic volcanoes, rivers and waterfalls, the natural wonders in Costa Rica are simply breathtaking. Ultimate Costa Rica
PERU Machu Picchu certainly ranks as one
of those “must see” destinations in your lifetime, however there is much more to Peru than this incredible ancient city in the clouds alone. Peru boasts more ancient archeological sites than any other country in South America. In addition, a whopping 60% of the country is made up of the Amazon rainforest. Not only can you combine a trip taking in Inca history as well as the Amazon, but you can also check out the incredible Nazca lines as well as take in the sheer enormous majesty of Lake Titicaca. Get in touch for a tailor made quotation.
ECUADOR From the snow-capped Andean
mountain range, the sun-soaked Pacific coastline, to the lush Amazon rainforest, Ecuador truly has it all. Ecuador is by area the most megadiverse country in the world, and its geographical, biological and cultural diversity is unparalleled.While hikers and trekkers will definitely want to visit the Andean parks and imposing volcano’s, wildlife and nature
enthusiasts can head into the extensive reserves of the Amazon jungle.
GALAPAGOS
Without a doubt, one of the most awe inspiring destinations for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiast to get a chance to observe some of the most rare and beautiful creatures on the planet in their natural habitats. The opportunities for wildlife observation are seemingly endless. The islands are world renowned for its birds such as boobies, flightless cormorants, pelicans, penguins, and many others. Underwater is a variety of vibrant tropical fish, giant rays, turtles, eels, dolphins, sharks and even whales. Check out our exciting range of holidays and cruises.
Ecuador & Galapagos
GUYANA For its unparalleled and remarkable biodiversity, come and meet some of the endangered giants of South America, jaguar, giant river otter, giant anteater, giant a rmadi l lo , capybara , harpy eag le , arapaima, to name but a few.
Guyana has preserved the vast majority of its rainforest in pristine form, replete with all the creatures, big and small, who cal l i t home. This presents an opportunity for first-hand exploration found in few other places on Earth. No touts; no tour bus traffic jams; even postcards and souvenirs are in short supply. When you visit Guyana, you encounter something that’s hard to find these days: a magnificent, untamed natural paradise. Guyana Nature Tour (group trip)
The AmericasCosta Rica - Peru - Ecuador & Galapagos - Guyana GR
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AFRICABe captivated by the magic of the African Bush, become enraptured by the spirit of African Culture, be inspired by our choice range of carefully selected holidays. Below are a small range of sample itineraries
KRUGER Search for big game in the world famous Kruger National Park as well as on a private game reserve together with our expert guides and trackers on this 7 night action packed wildlife adventure.
ZAMBIA AND SOUTH AFRICA
Go on game drives and bush walks in Zambia & South Africa in search of the big 5 and stay in our carefully chosen selection of luxury bush camps. For those who want a fantastic safari experience, yet dont wish to compromise on life’s comforts, then this trip is ideal.
NAMIBIA HIGHLIGHTS
Journey through this hauntingly beautiful land and its magical desert landscapes. On this journey you may encounter all forms of wildlife, from endangered cape vultures to white and black rhino to elephants, lions, leopards and more. You will also be able to learn more about the valuable work undertaken in the name of Cheetah Conservation. In addition, you will be able to meet members of the Ova Himba tribe and learn about their ways of life. For the more adventurous, there are plenty of activities such as sand boarding, quad biking, desert flights, skydiving and dolphin cruises in Swakopmund.
MADAGASCARThe many faces of Madagascar vary from tropical rainforests to barren steppes. From monumental sandstone formations to crystal clear lakes, picturesque terraced rice paddies to remote white sandy beaches. Home to over 70 varieties of lemur, including one that sounds like a police siren, the w o r l d ’ s b i g g e s t a n d s m a l l e s t chameleons, and the last home of the elephant bird, the largest bird that ever lived. Marvel at the bottle-shaped baobabs, especially the Avenue du Boabab near Morondava As well as the twisted, spiny ‘octopus’ trees and in the west.
Throw in a little bit of pirate history, coastlines littered with shipwrecks, great regional cooking, some of the world’s longest place names, and unfailingly polite and friendly people, and you’ll experience a holiday quite unlike anything you may have experienced before.
E m a i l u s f o r a t a i l o r m a d e Madagascan holiday quotation
Africa & MadagascarAfrica - Madagascar
“Hi Paul, Natasha here. Just wanted to say a massive thank you to you! We have had a wonderful time here, I can speak on behalf of everyone and say that we loved every minute of it!....Once again a massive thank you for making our holiday incredible! Natasha McKay GR
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www.greigsmithtravels.com Tel: 07414 00 66 03 Tailor Made Luxury Travel & Wildlife Tours
Whether your contemplating your honeymoon plans, an anniversary getaway perhaps or simply putting together a holiday for all the family, then get in touch for some holiday inspiration.
In many instances we have personally inspected the hotels, stayed in the beds and travelled extensively throughout the region and so we are best placed to give you impartial advice on where to stay.
We recognise that your idea of a perfect holiday is unique and personal to you, which is why we take so much care in getting it just right.
That's why we specialise in tailor-made holidays and luxury travel and so we strive to understand exactly what you want from your holiday. Then, through discussion with you, we plan the itinerary, style of accommodation, mode of travel and the types of experiences you want to have, to ensure the combination is just right. For you.
100% Financial Protection! Member of the Travel Trust Association
Our membership to the TTA means that when clients book with us, they enjoy the piece of mind that comes with 100% financial protection and confidence in booking with one of the most complete consumer protection systems that the market has to offer.
For a wider range of tours and holiday inspiration visit
www.greigsmithtravels.com
Alternatively get in touch for a tailor made quotation
07414 00 66 03
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