New escorted tours include lesser-visited areas of Burma, India and South Africa that offer travellers a more ‘under the skin’ experience

Specialist tour operator Voyages Jules Verne has added three new itineraries to its ever-expanding range of ‘Secret’ tours. Created for those clients who may already have visited a country but now wish to discover its lesser-visited parts, each of the Secret tours takes travellers well away from the traditional tourist trail and offers ‘cultural immersion’ in abundance.

Joining the Secret collection, which now numbers eight tempting tours from Italy to India, are: 

• Secret Burma: Sailing on small Pandaw vessels that allow exclusive access by water to parts of Burma barely accessible by road, this itinerary offers the opportunity to cruise on the Chindwin – the country’s second longest river – as it flows from the Himalayas through untouched north-west Burma to join the Irrawaddy near Mandalay. Calling at remote, unspoilt towns, the cruise passes spectacular mountain and forest scenery whilst, on-board, clients can relax and enjoy colonial-style comforts, panoramic views and attentive service.

Departing September, October & November 2014, and January to March 2015, the price for this 11-night trip is from £2,995 pp (two sharing) including flights (Heathrow), transfers, seven nights’ full board (with most drinks) on the cruise vessel, two nights’ B&B (in Mandalay & Rangoon), excursions and the services of guides and local representatives. (Two nights are spent flying).

• Secret India: This fascinating tour visits Karnataka, a region studded with a seemingly endless array of temples, royal enclosures and fascinating historic sites. Experiences range from visits to the former British hill station of Ooty, tea and coffee plantations, cave temples, elephant stables and a Tibetan monastery to a ride on the Nilgiri ‘Toy Train’, jungle safaris in Bandipur National Park and palaces galore – amongst them Mysore Palace, Jaganmohan Art Palace  and Tippu Sultan’s Palace.

Departing October, November & December 2014, and January to March 2015, the price for this 14-night trip is from £1,695 pp (two sharing) including flights (Heathrow), transfers, 13 nights’ B&B, five lunches, one dinner, excursions and the services of guides and local representatives. (One night is spent flying).

• Secret South Africa: Encompassing stays in Durban, Drakensberg, Coffee Bay, East London and Addo National Park, this itinerary is eminently suitable for returning visitors who have already ticked off what most would consider as the main sights such as Cape Town, Kruger, the Winelands and the Garden Route. Discover the natural beauty of the Wild Coast, the heritage of the Basotho people of independent Lesotho and the dramatic mountains of the Drakensberg, visit Nelson Mandela’s birthplace museum and track game in Addo National Park.

Departing October & November 2014, and January to March 2015, the price for this 11-night trip is from £2,395 pp (two sharing) including flights (Heathrow), transfers, nine nights’ B&B, four dinners, excursions and the services of guides and local representatives. (Two nights are spent flying).

As well as three additions to its Secret tour selection, Voyages Jules Verne has also introduced four further new itineraries – tempting travellers with Swiss railway bliss, a pioneering Burmese river cruise and sublime safari experiences in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe:

• The Glacier Express: Tour some of Europe’s most scenic spots on this journey through Italy and Switzerland that combines 4-star hotel stays in Menaggio, Zermatt and St. Moritz with spectacular rail journeys on the Bernina Express (to St. Moritz) and the Glacier Express – in first-class Panorama seating – to Zermatt.

Departing June, July, August & September 2014, the price for this six-night trip is from £1,395 pp (two sharing) including flights (Heathrow), transfers, B&B, one lunch, first-class rail journeys in Switzerland, excursions and the services of local guides and representatives.

• ‘The Irrawaddy Defiles’:  After a two-night stay in atmospheric Mandalay, the emphasis of this itinerary shifts to the RV Kindat, a comfortable 20-cabin Pandaw vessel that takes travellers north to the ‘Three Defiles’ (a defile is a narrow pass or gorge). Enjoy en-route sightseeing highlights that include Mingun – home to the world’s largest bell – an elephant logging camp, the ancient city of Tagaung We and the colonial town of Katha, setting for George Orwell’s book, ‘Burmese Days’.

Departing September, October, November and December 2014, and from January to March 2015, the price for this 12-night trip is from £3,195 pp (two sharing) including flights (Heathrow), transfers, seven nights’ full board (with most drinks) on the cruise vessel, three nights’ B&B (Mandalay & Rangoon), excursions and the services of guides and local representatives. (Two nights are spent flying).

• Robin Pope Safaris: Experience unrivalled game viewing in Zambia’s premier national park, South Luangwa, staying in small, remote camps set in pristine wilderness areas. With an excellent reputation and over 30 years’ experience, Robin Pope Safaris offers Voyages Jules Verne’s clients the opportunity to experience unforgettable animal encounters in idyllic surroundings, travelling between three of its well-appointed properties with ample time for relaxation in between game viewing excursions.

Departing October & November 2014, and June 2015, the price of this ten-night trip is from £3,295 pp (No Single Supplement – limited availability) including flights (Heathrow), transfers, eight nights’ full board with drinks, game drives and the services of guides and local representatives. (Two nights are spent flying).

• Safari in ‘Wilderness’: Choose between a classic tented safari in either Botswana or Zambia and Zimbabwe on an African odyssey that starts and ends with a stay at the grand Victoria Falls Hotel. Each safari experience offers its own character – Botswana’s Okavango Delta boasts herds of buffalo and elephant, along with hippo, big cats, hyenas and hunting dogs – whilst the Zambia and Zimbabwe itinerary visits both countries’ biggest national parks (Kafue and Hwange). Each holiday includes meals with drinks, game drives, walking or boat safaris, sundowners and private flights, leaving travellers with little more to think about than capturing their spectacular surroundings on camera.

Botswana ‘Wilderness’ Safari

Departing November 2014 and January & February 2015, the price for this 12-night trip is from £2,995 pp (two sharing) including flights (Heathrow), transfers, six nights’ full board (includes afternoon tea and soft drinks), four nights’ B&B, game drives and activities as per the itinerary, and the services of guides and local representatives. (Two nights are spent flying).

Zambia & Zimbabwe ‘Wilderness’ Safari

Departing November & December 2014 and from January to March 2015, the price of this 12-night trip is from £3,495 pp (two sharing) including flights (Heathrow), transfers, six nights’ full board (includes afternoon tea and soft drinks, four nights’ B&B, game drives and activities as per the itinerary, and the services of guides and local representatives. (Two nights are spent flying)

Peace of mind… guaranteed

Travelling in small groups – the maximum being 25 people, generally less – all of Voyages Jules Verne’s itineraries offer the opportunity to visit a chosen destination in the company of like-minded people, whilst enjoying the expertise and local knowledge of Voyages Jules Verne’s carefully-chosen, experienced guides and representatives. Peace of mind is assured, too: all of Voyages Jules Verne’s holiday arrangements are fully bonded with ABTA and ATOL, whilst a price guarantee ensures that the price quoted at the time of booking is the price its customers will pay.

Booking with the best

Voyages Jules Verne was placed among the top ten UK holiday companies in a July 2013 survey of Which? Travel magazine readers. Achieving an overall customer service score of 85%, VJV performed consistently against a set of criteria that included ease of booking, value for money and overall holiday quality.

For further information, or to book one of the new tours, contact Voyages Jules Verne on 0845 166 7035, email sales@vjv.co.uk or visit the award-winning website at www.vjv.com. To view VJV’s latest World of Wonders brochure, spanning worldwide departures until April 2015, please click here.

Ends / 27 May 2014

Press: For further information, contact Karen Carpenter at Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 or email k.carpenter@travelpr.co.uk. At Voyages Jules Verne, contact Prini Patel on 020 7616 1094 or email prini.patel@vjv.co.uk.