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The Times (London), UK
April 6, 2013 Saturday
Edition 1; Ireland
Journeys to the edge
by Tom Chesshyre
South Sudan: Few people have visited the world's newest country. South
Sudan split away from Sudan in 2011 after a long civil war. The
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises against travel to areas
within 40km of the northern Sudan border, but elsewhere is safe.
Undiscovered Destinations (0191-296 2674,
undiscovered-destinations.com) offers nine-day trips to villages
belonging to the Mundari, Toposa and Boya people from £2,675pp;
flights are about £650 extra.
North Korea: With the 30-year-old dictator Kim Jong Un threatening to
launch missiles at the US and Seoul, this may not seem the perfect
moment to visit. But you can, and Regent Holidays (020-7666 1290,
regent-holidays.co.uk) has nine-day tours taking in Pyongyang, below,
Kaesong and the Demilitarised Zone from £1,395pp; flights excluded.
The trip takes in the mausoleum of Kim Il Sung, a captured US "spy
boat", and the International Friendship Museum.
The Congo: You can track gorillas, giant hogs and elephants in
rainforests rarely visited by outsiders in the Republic of Congo and
the neighbouring Central African Republic. Responsible Travel (01273
823700, responsibletravel.com) arranges 13-day trips that cover the
remote forests of Dzanga Sangha and Nouabalé Ndoki. Groups visit
Ba'Aka communities and can join them on a hunt. The cost is from
£4,095pp, plus flights.
Kashmir, India: After 22 years, the FCO has lifted its travel ban to
Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, because violence caused by the
territorial dispute with Pakistan has fallen. Wild Frontiers (020-7736
3968, wildfrontiers.co.uk) offers a fortnight-long tour that takes in
Delhi, Shimla and the twin towns of Dharamsala and McLeod Gan (where
the Dalai Lama's Tibetan government in exile is based). At Srinagar,
three nights are spent on a Lake Dal houseboat. The price is from
£2,245pp, without flights.
Armenia: The border crossing between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains
closed after reports of sporadic gunfire last year. But much of
Armenia, the little-visited country in central Asia, is open to safe
tourism. Silk Road Tours (020- 8728 2478, silkroadtours.co.uk)
organises nine-day tours from £995, flights excluded, that begin in
Yerevan, the capital, with visits to ancient Christian sites. The trip
continues through countryside with vineyards to Goris, where you can
take a ride on one of the world's longest cable cars to the Tatev
monastery. The country's second city, Gyumri, is also visited.
Sierra Leone: The brutal civil war ended in 2002 but a trickle of
tourists visits this West African country. Rainbow Tours (020-7226
1004, rainbowtours.co.uk) offers eight-day trips with stays in old
colonial Freetown, Bunce Island (in an eco-chalet near where English
slave traders settled in the 17th century), and Banana Island. The
price is from £2,150pp and includes flights.
Eritrea: A security zone separates Eritrea from Ethiopia after a peace
deal ended their war in 2000. Eritrea had earlier endured civil war
and then fought Yemen. Explore Worldwide (0845 0131537, explore.co.uk)
offers nine-day tours from £1,733pp including flights that take in the
capital Asmara, with its Art Deco architecture, Keren and the port of
Massawa.
Afghanistan: British troops may still be on the ground but you can
already holiday in Afghanistan. While the FCO categorically advises
against all travel, Hinterland Travel (01484 719549,
hinterlandtravel.com) is arranging a tour across central and north
Afghanistan in July, which it says will bring foreign cash to poor
communities. The 22-day tour costs from £2,860pp excluding
international flights - and insurance.
Tom Chesshyre It is essential to check the latest travel advice to
these countries on the FCO website (fco.gov.uk)
April 6, 2013 Saturday
Edition 1; Ireland
Journeys to the edge
by Tom Chesshyre
South Sudan: Few people have visited the world's newest country. South
Sudan split away from Sudan in 2011 after a long civil war. The
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises against travel to areas
within 40km of the northern Sudan border, but elsewhere is safe.
Undiscovered Destinations (0191-296 2674,
undiscovered-destinations.com) offers nine-day trips to villages
belonging to the Mundari, Toposa and Boya people from £2,675pp;
flights are about £650 extra.
North Korea: With the 30-year-old dictator Kim Jong Un threatening to
launch missiles at the US and Seoul, this may not seem the perfect
moment to visit. But you can, and Regent Holidays (020-7666 1290,
regent-holidays.co.uk) has nine-day tours taking in Pyongyang, below,
Kaesong and the Demilitarised Zone from £1,395pp; flights excluded.
The trip takes in the mausoleum of Kim Il Sung, a captured US "spy
boat", and the International Friendship Museum.
The Congo: You can track gorillas, giant hogs and elephants in
rainforests rarely visited by outsiders in the Republic of Congo and
the neighbouring Central African Republic. Responsible Travel (01273
823700, responsibletravel.com) arranges 13-day trips that cover the
remote forests of Dzanga Sangha and Nouabalé Ndoki. Groups visit
Ba'Aka communities and can join them on a hunt. The cost is from
£4,095pp, plus flights.
Kashmir, India: After 22 years, the FCO has lifted its travel ban to
Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, because violence caused by the
territorial dispute with Pakistan has fallen. Wild Frontiers (020-7736
3968, wildfrontiers.co.uk) offers a fortnight-long tour that takes in
Delhi, Shimla and the twin towns of Dharamsala and McLeod Gan (where
the Dalai Lama's Tibetan government in exile is based). At Srinagar,
three nights are spent on a Lake Dal houseboat. The price is from
£2,245pp, without flights.
Armenia: The border crossing between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains
closed after reports of sporadic gunfire last year. But much of
Armenia, the little-visited country in central Asia, is open to safe
tourism. Silk Road Tours (020- 8728 2478, silkroadtours.co.uk)
organises nine-day tours from £995, flights excluded, that begin in
Yerevan, the capital, with visits to ancient Christian sites. The trip
continues through countryside with vineyards to Goris, where you can
take a ride on one of the world's longest cable cars to the Tatev
monastery. The country's second city, Gyumri, is also visited.
Sierra Leone: The brutal civil war ended in 2002 but a trickle of
tourists visits this West African country. Rainbow Tours (020-7226
1004, rainbowtours.co.uk) offers eight-day trips with stays in old
colonial Freetown, Bunce Island (in an eco-chalet near where English
slave traders settled in the 17th century), and Banana Island. The
price is from £2,150pp and includes flights.
Eritrea: A security zone separates Eritrea from Ethiopia after a peace
deal ended their war in 2000. Eritrea had earlier endured civil war
and then fought Yemen. Explore Worldwide (0845 0131537, explore.co.uk)
offers nine-day tours from £1,733pp including flights that take in the
capital Asmara, with its Art Deco architecture, Keren and the port of
Massawa.
Afghanistan: British troops may still be on the ground but you can
already holiday in Afghanistan. While the FCO categorically advises
against all travel, Hinterland Travel (01484 719549,
hinterlandtravel.com) is arranging a tour across central and north
Afghanistan in July, which it says will bring foreign cash to poor
communities. The 22-day tour costs from £2,860pp excluding
international flights - and insurance.
Tom Chesshyre It is essential to check the latest travel advice to
these countries on the FCO website (fco.gov.uk)