PATAGONIA ADVENTURE

Walks Worldwide’s 19-day Patagonian Adventure guided trek through a wild corner of the Andes, where ice and time have shaped an unbelievable landscape of breathtaking spires, dramatic glaciers, azure lakes and sub-Antarctic forests, should top lots of travellers’ wish lists for 2009! Even more so when you add in seductive Buenos Aires and isolated Tierra del Fuego, the ultimate end of the world experience for true adventure-seekers! Tours depart Buenos Aires every Friday and Sunday from now until March 09. (Fridays only Feb & March).

Sultry, seductive Buenos Aires, kick starts Walks Worldwide’s itinerary, where footwork here is more about seeking out the juiciest steak, and hottest tango venue! Trekking proper begins from El Chalten, gateway to Los Glaciares National Park. From a stunning lagoon campsite, trek through the dense forest to impressive Chorillo Falls and Fitz Roy Base Camp for panoramic views of Cerro Poincenot and Mount Fitz Roy (3,441 metres). Visit magnificent Perito Moreno Glacier and watch giant icebergs crash into aquamarine waters below. Cross into Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, for the next leg of the journey. Trek beneath the majestic Paine massif, a colossus of granite with its hanging glaciers and views of ancient forests and distant Andean ranges. Ascend to Las Torres base camp, an amazing natural amphitheatre beneath vertical granite towers soaring 2,800 metres skyward, and picnic overlooking Grey Glacier, the largest and most spectacular glacier inside the park. On the final part of the journey travellers follow in the wake of early explorers, sailing across the Straits of Magellan to the ends of the earth, Tierra del Fuego.

The tour costs £2,395 p/p (land only) or from £3,195 p/p (with flights) including hotel, hosterias, refuge and camping accommodation, most meals, transfers, camping equipment and expert guiding.

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NEW SRI LANKA - DISCOVER PARADISE ISLAND

Along with sun-drenched, palm-fringed sandy beaches and the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka offers an incredible variety of landscapes and cultures, an abundance of plant and wildlife as well as a wealth of historical and archaeological treasures. Watch the sunrise from sacred Adam’s Peak, trek to World’s End and visit the ‘Fortress in the Sky’ during Walks Worldwide’s NEW 10-day, guided Island Paradise Hiking, with daily seasonal departures from London – best time to go - NOW till May 09.

On arrival in Colombo, transfer to Negombo beach resort for an initial night. From here, discover local village life along the coast before climbing to the rock fortress of Sigiriya, ‘The Fortress in the Sky’, and it’s a magnificent complex of geometrically laid gardens, pools and fountains. Next, explore Knuckles Mountain Range (so named since it resembles the knuckles of clenched fist), offering numerous trails amongst 155km² of spectacular mountain scenery - cross crystal clear rivers, walk through dense forest and encounter spectacular waterfalls together with lush tea and cardamom plantations. Next, enjoy the tranquility at Kandy’s Udawattakele Forest Reserve, only 'disturbed' by the sound of tropical birds and the cries of small Macaque monkeys! Later, a pre-dawn ascent of Sri Pada ('sacred footprint') rock formation, and the summit of Adam's Peak (2,225m) - Sri Lanka’s highest mountain, sacred to four of the world's major religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, offers breathtaking sunrise panoramas - and perhaps some enlightenment! Explore the upper montane forest and wet patana grassland of Horton Plains National Park, situated on Sri Lanka 's highest plateau (over 2,000m), keeping watch for elusive Leopard, Sambar Deer and Bear Monkey, before crossing the desolate plains to World’s End, a spectacular, aptly named precipice plummeting over 1,000m.

The holiday costs £760 p/p (land only) including transfers, beach resort and lodge accommodation, all meals and the expertise of a local guide.

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NEW TOUR - RORAIMA TEPUI & ANGEL FALLS

Walks Worldwide’s exhilarating new 16-day fully guided walking holiday in Venezuela’s Gran Sabana treks to the most famous tepui of all – Roraima, inspiration for Conan Doyle’s The Lost World, and visits the world’s highest single drop waterfall – Angel Falls. Departures from London are available daily, year-round (wet season is May-November, but don’t be put off, wildlife is more active during this time).

The journey begins in tropical Caracas, a city of soaring skyscrapers, old colonial buildings and some of the hottest and steamiest salsa venues anywhere. Depending on arrival time, explore the city before transferring to Puerto Ordaz on the mighty Orinoco River. From here, head south along the Pan American Highway to the savannah lands of La Gran Sabana. This green plateau situated 1,000 metres above sea level, is scattered with dramatic mist-shrouded table mountains known as tepuis. These near vertical formations dominating the surrounding plateau, were the inspiration for Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic The Lost World. Biologically unique, these mesas are some of the oldest rock formations on earth, boasting distinctive animal and plant life. Four days of trekking through an impressive landscape of savannah and virgin rainforest ensue, before tackling the most infamous of all tepuis, Roraima. Often described as an ‘island in the sky’ due to the frequently mist-enveloped savannah below making Roraima appear to float in the clouds. It’s a five-day round trip to the summit of Roraima and back, and although no mountaineering skills are necessary, it’s nevertheless a challenging trek. The holiday culminates with a visit to the incredible Angel Falls, where a dip beneath the falls surely offers the ultimate in refreshment!

The tour costs from £2,595 p/p including scheduled flights, transfers, accommodation, some meals and expert guiding.

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CHRISTMAS WALKING - MOROCCO’S JEBEL SAHRO

As the pre-Christmas frenzy cranks up, there’s still time to book a festive escape. Walks Worldwide has late availability on its 10-day guided winter walking holiday in Morocco’s Jebel Sahro, departing Marrakech 19th December, just before the ‘big fella’ puts in an appearance!

Visit the relatively low and gentle Jebel Sahro region of the Atlas mountains on the fringe of the Sahara, walking through semi-desert, passing stunning wind-eroded rock formations of Tadout n’ Tablah and Bab N’ Ali, green oases and gently trickling streams. During the winter months when snow turns the High Atlas into a skier's domain, the Jebel Sahro provides a delightfully contrasting walking area with warm daytime temperatures usual in December (no red noses here!). Sparsely populated by the gentle Ait Atta Berbers and infrequently visited, the region offers mostly easy walking terrain with the optional ascent of a couple of peaks, including Jebel Sahro’s highest summit, Amalou n’ Mansour (2,712 metres). Spend a final day in fascinating Marrakech, and as dusk falls, watch the drama unfold when storytellers, acrobats, snake charmers and cooks with their steaming stalls, throng the city’s famous square of Djemaa El-Fna.

The tour costs £575 p/p (land only) including scheduled flights, transfers, gite d’etape, camping and hotel accommodation, most meals and expert guiding. Flights are not included.

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QUEBEC'S WINTER WONDERLAND ADVENTURE

Enjoy a multi-activity holiday packed full with snowshoeing, husky sledding, skiing and snowmobiling amongst Quebec’s beautiful Charlevoix region, covered under a blanket of glittering - virtually guaranteed – snow! It may be cold but the activities will keep you warm! Walks Worldwide’s 9-day, guided Quebec Winter Wonderland tour departs London 17th January 2009.

Quebec is an exceptional land in North America, its distinctive varied geography, history and culture, forging a unique identity. From Montreal, travel north to Jacques Cartier Park near the Saint Lawrence River in time to meet musher-guides and dogs for a 20km exploration deep in to the Canadian winter forest. After a cosy night in a wood cabin, continue the husky sled ride through forest wilderness before exchanging 'dog power' for 'horse power' on a 100km snowmobile expedition. Next, proceed to the Charlevoix region in the heart of the Canadian Shield, one of the Earth’s oldest geological features, formed by an ancient meteor impact. Here, don snowshoes and head out in to some of the region’s 6,000-square-kilometres of dramatic rolling terrain, fjords, headlands and bays. Later, transfer to the Massif de la Petite-Riviere-Saint-Francois – Quebec’s highest downhill skiing mountain - from the summit, skiers have the impression of falling in the frozen Saint Laurence River! Finally, explore Quebec City (UNESCO World Heritage Site), atop Cap Diamant (don’t get fooled by the sparkles!), soak up the atmosphere and enjoy a warming mug of chocolat chaud in one of the city’s many brasseries. Return to Montreal for homeward flights next day.

The holiday costs £1,830 p/p including flights, baggage transfers, hotel, log cabin and chalet accommodation, most meals, equipment and expert guiding.

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NEW WALKING TOUR - ARIZONA AND UTAH

Geologists have identified a collection of over 1,000 dinosaur footprints near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on the Arizona–Utah border - dubbing the site 'a dinosaur dance floor'…T-Rex or Mud? Exchange your dancing shoes for boots ‘made for walking’ and head off along the South Rim into a prehistoric land of dramatic red rock, deep canyons, waterfalls, natural arches and archaeological sites during Walks Worldwide’s NEW 14-day, self-guided Canyons of the Southwest. Explore the Grand Canyon, Escalante River and famous ‘Grand Staircase’, Navajo and Havasupai Indian Reservations, Bryce and Zion NPs and stay in ‘The Most Beautiful Place in America’. Tours depart London Fridays and Tuesdays – NOW!

From Las Vegas, transfer to Peach Springs, Arizona – the tribal headquarters of the Hualapai (meaning ‘People of the Tall Pine’) based south of the Colorado River. Spend the next few days exploring a landscape of rock formations, azure creeks and waterfalls. Next, drive into the heart of the Grand Canyon for hikes amongst cacti, pine and fir along the South Rim Trail, keeping watch for California condor soaring high above expansive vistas. Head south to ‘Americas most beautiful’, the town of Sedona, offering an extensive network of trails leading to high elevations, winding creeks and famous ‘slick rock’ - a natural water slide eroded into a creek bed surrounded by massive red-rock walls. Cross into Utah through the rainbow colours of the Painted Desert and Navajo Nation on the Escalante River. From here, hike into the extraordinary chambers of a ‘slot canyon’, winding through sandstone cuts, and visit the remarkable Grand Staircase National Monument - immense sedimentary rock layers of cliffs and terraces, across the rugged Kaiparowits Plateau. Later, discover Bryce Canyon and the breathtaking ‘Hoodoos’ – tall thin rock spires of up to 40-metres high, and towering cliffs of Zion Canyon before returning to Las Vegas for homeward flights.

The holiday costs from £2,995 p/p including flights, hotel, inn and log cabin accommodation, some meals, car hire, boat trips, guided Algonquin trip, route notes and maps.

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WALKING IN SPAIN’S ALPUJARRAS – SAVE 15%

From now until the end of January, Walks Worldwide is offering a special 15% discount on its walking tours in Spain’s stunning Alpujarras region, the last enclave of the Moors before they were eventually banished from the country in the 15th century. Choose from an Alpujarras Circuit offering village to village trekking, or a centre-based Alpujarras Explorer where travellers choose from a menu of day walks. Departures are available daily from either Malaga or Granada.

Alpujarras Circuit: 8-day self-guided walking tour.

Combine lovely day walks exploring the almond orchards, olive groves and traditional white-washed villages high up in the southern Spanish mountains, with a 4-day trek walking from village to village at your own pace. The more ambitious can climb El Chullo (2,612m), one of the region’s highest peaks, or tackle a challenging 11-hour trek to the summit of Mulhacen. Evenings are spent in a handpicked selection of charming family-run hotels and pensions with opportunities to taste locally-grown food and other specialities.
The tour now costs £468 p/p (normally £550 – saving £82) including transfers, accommodation, most meals, maps and route notes. Flights are not included.

Alpujarras Explorer: 8-day self-guided, centre-based walking tour.
Guests are based at the restored Casa las Chimeneas guesthouse in the mountain village of Mairena. Walkers can choose from a menu of suggested day walks varying from leisurely meandering village paths to a wide variety of well-marked routes which head up high into the Sierras, including a bracing trail following the famous GR7 long distance track. Friendly English hosts are on hand to make helpful suggestions and discuss various walking options, plus provide a ‘pick-up’ and ‘drop-off’ service. Optional activities include mountain biking along forest trails, a visit to the wine growing town of Laujar, the last stronghold of the Moors, and a full day’s guided horse riding along the ancient Camino Reales. Car hire is also included on this tour, so guests can venture further afield – a visit to the Alhambra Palace in Granada, a 90-minute drive, is highly recommended.
The tour costs £468 p/p (normally £550 – saving £82) including accommodation, most meals, car hire, maps and route notes. Flights are not included.

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