 |
 |
 |
 |
|
HIS EYES were dark pools staring at me through a veil of bamboo. His movements were slow and graceful a startling contrast to his four-hundred-pound frame. It is not everyday one comes face to face with a silverback gorilla. There are no bars. No cages. No signs or lights. Just you. Just him. Beyond the clearing we were able to make out the other members of his group. Two females hovered over a young baby, cradled snugly within its mother’s arms as if she was singing a lullaby. A young male swung lazily from the vines of a giant hagenia tree before lying back on the ground for a grooming with his female counterpart. It was just another day in Rwanda’s Parc National des Volcans on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and I was merely a quiet observer watching a fraction of the world’s remaining 650 mountain gorillas. CONTINUED
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
DID YOU KNOW? Read
on as we spill some of the best-kept secrets from our
travel experts
across the globe. |
|
| |
 |
|
WINE WISDOM
You don’t have to be a local to drink like one. South Australians are escaping the crowds of Barossa Valley and opting for McLaren Vale. Bursting with chic boutique winery estates, it is the latest hot spot for sampling some of the world’s best tipples.
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
LOCAL HIDEAWAY
Just 35 minutes by ferry from Auckland, New Zealand, Waiheke Island is a local kiwi’s hideaway. With award winning vineyards, olive groves and pasture land, the small oasis boasts a small village feel far from the bustle of city life. Try a few nights at The Boatshed, an exclusive island-style hotel with five designer suites, each with private panoramic views of Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. |
|
|
| |
 |
|
APPRECIATE ANGKOR
For the ultimate tour of Angkor Wat, request guide Ly Sarith at the Amansara Resort, a 50-year-old local from Siem Riep who survived the Khmer Rouge and can speak on the recent atrocities and ancient history of this sacred city.
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
If this is your first edition
of the Swain Experience – Welcome! You will receive this newsletter
every quarter. If at any time you would like to be taken off the
list, please see the bottom of this email for
unsubscription information.
|
|
|
 |
|
Q: There are so many tours today, how do I choose the right one?
A:It is no surprise that for many the word “tour” conjures up images of people parading behind a local guide waving a yellow flag. After all, in some countries this type of touring is preferred and commonplace. However, much like selecting a pair of shoes, choosing a tour is all about finding the right fit. What may feel good to your neighbor may not be the right style or size for you.
CONTINUED
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See below for travel advice from the fascinating people
around the world who make Swain Tours distinctively unforgettable. |
|
TAMSYN FRICKER
Cape Grace, South Africa
Sales & Marketing Manager
Don’t Miss: “Bascule Bar offers over 460 whiskies and single malts sourced globally - it is considered the largest collection in the Southern Hemisphere – as well as Vinotheque that can hold over 8000 bottles of wine. Don’t miss the private whisky tastings as well as the wine tasting with the Cape Grace sommelier.” |
|
TREVOR WILSON
Stranraer Homestead, South Australia
Aussie Specialist
Don’t Miss: “On a recent trip to Australia I stayed at Stranraer Homestead on Kanagroo Island. Being a dog lover I was delighted to be taken on a walk in the morning by the family animal Tess. She led me around the property – a lovely touch of home in a far away land.” |
|
ANNE FERGUSSON
Giza, Egypt
Egypt Specialist, Swain Tours
General Manager
Don’t Miss: “I love the luxurious Mena House Oberi Hotel, a former hunting lodge that is surrounded by more than 40 acres of private gardens overlooking the Giza pyramids. I could not stop admiring the carved wooden doors and Arabesque furniture framing the already breathtaking views.” |
|
| |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
