Crystal's Overland Gorilla Adventure

Locking eyes with an almost-500 pound silverback mountain gorilla, with just a few feet of African forest standing in between, might not the thing most people would expect from a luxury cruise.

But Crystal Cruises are increasingly pushing back the boundaries of what's possible on a voyage, and the Gorilla Adventure is the latest possibility in their impressive Overland Adventure portfolio.

With just 600 mountain gorillas left in the world, and only a handful of active guests permitted on the excursion, Crystal’s new “Bwindi Forest Gorilla Tracking Experience” is an ultimate bucket list trip. The five-night journey is available only to guests sailing back-to-back on two of Crystal Serenity’s 2014 World Cruise segments: an 18-night March 10 voyage from Singapore to Cape Town and the following 21-night March 28 cruise from Cape Town to Southampton. From South Africa’s port of Durban, outing participants will travel deep into Uganda, then re-join the ship in Cape Town.

On non-tracking days, the group will also learn about Uganda’s wetland, savannah and forest eco-systems at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, and participate in a mock Batwa Pygmy (considered the “keepers of the forest” for more than 5,000 years) hunting party, including tribal singing and dancing. Luxury accommodation includes two nights at The Lake Victoria Serena Resort, set on the world’s largest tropical lake, and three nights at the silver-service Sanctuary Gorilla Camp.

The Bwindi Forest Gorilla Tracking Experience costs from $11,676 per person. The combined, 39-night cruise itinerary calls in Singapore (overnight); Jakarta, Mauritius/Port Louis, Durban, Cape Town, Walvis Bay, Luanda (maiden call), Bom Bom Island/São Tomé, Takoradi, Dakar, Agadir, Lisbon and Southampton.

Crystal is also offering 10 other Overland Adventures (shore excursions where guests stay inland overnight during a cruise) in Africa next year, taking guests to Nelson Mandela’s former home, through the countryside by Victorian-era railcar and on multiple safaris in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.

More info: call 020 7399 7601 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

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Silversea's Relais & Châteaux Style

Acclaimed culinary trainer David Bilsland, a former instructor at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in London, is again set to host Silversea's exclusive "Relais & Châteaux L'École des Chefs" interactive cooking school in 2013. Chef Bilsland will present a programme developed in collaboration with Jacques Thorel, a consulting Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef, on 14 ultra-luxury voyages across the globe.

Silversea enjoys the privilege of featuring the only Relais & Châteaux cooking school at sea. The innovative programme, which is offered free of charge, provides guests with a special culinary curriculum, including hands-on instruction and entertaining events and has been carefully designed to celebrate the cultural flavour of the itinerary. Also offered on certain voyages, when the itinerary permits, is a "Market to Plate" experience that provides an escorted tour of a local market followed by a cooking class and a "Culinary Outing," an instructor-escorted excursion to a local restaurant, hotel or other venue where guests can enjoy a unique culinary exploration.

Here is a representative selection of the L'École des Chefs voyages for 2013:

AFRICA

Voyage 2336: Silver Wind departs Las Palmas December 3 on an 18-day sailing to Cape Town with calls in Porto Novo, Praia, Dakar, Takoradi, Walvis Bay, and Lüderitz. Silver Privilege fares start at £3,450.

ASIA
Voyage 3329: Silver Shadow departs Tokyo September 29 on a 10-day sailing to Shanghai with calls in Hiroshima, Busan, Jeju, and Tianjin (Beijing). Silver Privilege fares start at £3,250.

MEDITERRANEAN
Voyage 2334:Silver Wind departs Rome November 19 on a 7-day sailing to Málaga with calls in Sorrento, Trapani, Valletta, La Goulette, and Cartagena. Silver Privilege fares start a £1,450.

Voyage 2335:Silver Wind departs Málaga November 26 on a 7-day sailing to Las Palmas with calls in Cádiz, Casablanca, Agadir, Arrecife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and Santa Cruz de la Palma. Silver Privilege fares start at £1,850.

NORTHERN EUROPE
Voyage 7309:Silver Explorer departs Lisbon April 29 on a 14-day "Flavours of Europe" voyage to Portsmouth with calls in Oporto (Leixoes), Vigo, Santander, St. Jean de Luz, Bordeaux, Quiberon, Saint-Malo, Guernsey, and Honfleur. Silver Privilege fares start at £4,450.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury cruising specialists.

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Silversea's Expedition Adventures

Adventure-seeking travellers with discerning tastes will be thrilled to discover that Silversea's Expeditions programme offers a range of cruises that are just as exhilarating as they are luxurious, taking in the wonders of Antarctica and the lure of Africa alike. 

Take a look at this small selection for their winter 2012/13 season:

USHUAIA-USHUAIA : Marvel at spectacular iceberg sculptures and calving glaciers, set foot on the continent of Antarctica and encounter gentoo, chinstrap and Adelie penguins. Watch for whales (humpback, Minke, orca, pilot and beaked) and identify seabirds, including Antarctic cormorant, kelp gull, Antarctic tern and cape petrels.

Silversea’s Silver Explorer sets sail December 3 on a 10-day round-trip voyage from Ushuaia in Argentina. Prices start at £5,399 per person, based on double occupancy in adventurer class. It is also available on voyages departing Jan 21 and 31 and Feb 10 and 20.

USHUAIA-CAPE TOWN: Follow in the footsteps of great Antarctic explorers, see snow-covered mountains, mighty glaciers and spectacular icebergs. Watch for sea lions, seals, dolphins and whales and identify seabirds including albatross, shearwaters and petrels. Visit the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world and marvel at the dramatic views from South Africa’s Cape Point.

Silver Explorer sets sail on March 2 on a 22-day voyage from Ushuaia, Argentine, to Cape Town, South Africa. Prices start at £6,399 per person, based on double occupancy in adventurer class. 

ACCRA TO DAKAR : Visit a traditional Ewa village and school, Learn of the voodoo culture and contemplate the solemn history of slave trade sites. Admire the fishing skills of the Tofinu people, explore the seldom-visited Bijagos Archipelago and identify rare endemic bird species and wild monkeys.

Silver Explorer sets sail on April 11 on a 12-day voyage from Accra, Ghana, to Dakar in Senegal. Prices start from £4,299, based on double occupancy in adventurer class. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's adventure-cruise specialists.

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