WILDERNESS TRAVEL TOUCAN NEWS

April 14, 2009

Welcome to our TOUCAN NEWS offering special discounts and the latest Wilderness Travel updates.

ANNOUNCING THE NEW WILDERNESS TRAVEL WEBSITE!
WORLD OF THE MAYA: A Special Event
TRAVELERS’ UPDATE: Bhutan, Peru
SPECIAL OFFERS: For Email Newsletter Subscribers Only
EXPLORATORIES & RARE JOURNEYS: Tibet, Eastern Germany
STILL TIME TO JOIN: But Call Soon...
FEATURED DESTINATION: Mongolia
CURRENCY DISCOUNTS WORLDWIDE
NEWS FROM WT: Another WT “First” in Bhutan

THE NEW WILDERNESS TRAVEL WEBSITE

http://www.wildernesstravel.com

We’re excited to present a brand new website, full of wonderful photos and packed with new capabilities. Along with the new look, we’ve added great features including Compare Trips under the Wish List function, where you can view the details of several trips side by side, and Our Leaders, where you can easily check which trips your favorite Trip Leader is leading next! The website works with a wide variety of web browsers, but some older browsers, particularly Internet Explorer 6, don’t work quite as well. If you encounter problems, please feel free to let us know with a quick email to webmaster@wildernesstravel.com. For the vast majority of you, it should be problem-free and we encourage you to give it a test spin soon!

SPECIAL OFFERS For Email Newsletter Subscribers Only!

In this section of the eNewsletter, we list Special Offers made available to our Email Newsletter Subscribers only. The Specials Offers which were advertised in this last eNewsletter are now no longer valid. To subscribe and receive timely notice of future offers, please click here.

SPECIAL EVENT: WORLD OF THE MAYA

New Discoveries at Ancient Copán, A Symposium & Tour Program
December 29, 2009, to January 8, 2010

Featuring Dr. Robert Sharer, Ricardo Agurcia Fasquelle, Dr. Marc Zender,
Dr. Ellen Bell, Dr. Francisco Estrada-Belli, and Dr. Loa Traxler

Join our remarkable panel of Mayanists for an insider’s view of the Maya world as they escort us on in-depth excursions at the Copán ruins, then accompany us on a choice of four different post-symposium tours. We expect this Special Event to fully sell out and space is going fast, but some space does remain on two of the tours—call soon to reserve your place!

COPAN TO TIKAL with Guest Expert Dr. Ellen Bell, December 29, 2009–January 8, 2010
A perfect combination of magnificent Tikal and less-visited sites such as Yaxhá and Quirigua, the spectacular museums of Guatemala City, and a special opportunity to explore with Dr. Bell at her research project in El Paraiso.

COPAN TO CARACOL with Guest Expert Dr. Marc Zender, December 29, 2009–January 8, 2010
A special chance to explore the vast and rarely visited Mayan city of Caracol and other wonderful sites in Belize with Dr. Zender, one of the rising stars of epigraphy (the reading of Mayan glyphs).

For info, email our Latin America Manager or call 1-800-368-2794

TRAVELER’S UPDATE

Bhutan Rolls Back Prices!
The government of Bhutan has announced they are rolling back the cost of the daily tariff for visitors to enter the country. In addition, they are extending a discount for trips spending eight or more days in country! We are delighted to pass these savings along to you.

HIMALAYAN MOUNTAIN KINGDOMS—Discount $200 per person
HIKER’S BHUTAN—Discount $225 per person
THE CHOMOLHARI TREK—Discount $300 per person
BHUTAN: THE CHOMOLHARI & LAYA TREK—Discount $500 per person
BHUTAN PRIVATE JOURNEY—Discount $200 per person

For info, email our Asia Manager or call 1-800-368-2794

Inca Trail Permit Update
As many travelers know, a government permit system now limits the number of hikers on this amazing ancient trail. Permits have already sold out through July, with just a few exceptions, but are available for autumn—a beautiful time to hike the Inca Trail. But call soon to book your journey!

For info, email our Latin America Manager or call 1-800-368-2794

EXPLORATORIES AND RARE JOURNEYS

Each year we work with our most veteran Trip Leaders to create their ultimate dream trips in their favorite destinations. Our WT Expeditions can be in-depth cultural explorations or rigorous treks in remote regions, and we have some spectacular ones coming up. For a full list of our WT Expeditions see: http://www.wildernesstravel.com/our-trips/wt-expeditions

TIBET’S ORACLE LAKE with Gary McCue, September 10–October 8, 2009
Trek the pilgrim route to sacred Lhamo Latsho (14,000'), the famed “oracle lake,” where Tibet’s high lamas have journeyed for centuries to seek visions of the future of Tibet. We hike past remote monasteries, skirt jagged peaks, and climb alongside glaciers to reach this tranquil and mystic spot. Gary is a veteran Himalayan guide, a fluent speaker of Tibetan, and the author of the definitive Trekking in Tibet—in other words, the perfect leader for this amazing journey.
For info, email our Asia Manager or call 1-800-368-2794

EASTERN GERMANY: BEYOND THE IRON CURTAIN with Robert Sommer, September 12–21, 2009
Robert Sommer, born and raised in East Germany, has a real passion for introducing travelers to his homeland. In his good company, we explore historic Nuremburg and glorious Dresden, boat through Spreewald, with its traditional Sorb culture, visit hidden medieval villages, hike amid castle-topped hills, and finish by “walking the wall” in Berlin. Our hotels include beautifully restored castles. Post-trip, join in the celebration of the Munich Oktoberfest!
For info, email our Europe Manager or call 1-800-368-2794

STILL TIME TO JOIN— But Call Soon!

Last call for these great spring and summer adventures:

AMALFI & CAPRI, May 9–16, 2009
THE GREAT SILK ROAD, May 15–26, 2009
BOTSWANA WILDLIFE SAFARI, May 17–June 1, 2009
MEDIEVAL HILLTOWNS OF TUSCANY, May 22–30, 2009
ITALY’S LAKE DISTRICT, May 23–29, 2009
MOUNTAIN GORILLA SAFARI, June 2–13, 2009
HIKER’S JOURNEY TO MACHU PICCHU, June 4–12, July 5–13, 2009
SERENGETI & KILIMANJARO CLIMB, June 12–29, 2009
ACROSS THE PYRENEES, June 21–29, 2009
TIBET: THE WORLD’S HIGHEST TREK, July 5–August 3, 2009
PERU: CHACHAPOYAS TREK, July 5–22, 2009
KYRGYSTAN: TREKKING IN THE CELESTIAL MOUNTAINS, July 9–27, 2009
HEART OF KHAM, July 30–August 13, 2009

FEATURED DESTINATION: Mongolia!

Mongolia’s vast expanses have to be experienced to be believed, and we have three magnificent journeys that explore the wonders of this Land of Genghis Khan. Ride across the Gobi on a two-humped Bactrian camel, look for dinosaur fossils at the Flaming Cliffs, hike below the snow-capped peaks of the Altai, meet nomads who hunt using trained golden eagles, and sleep in a cozy yurt heated by a wood stove on the wildflower-carpeted steppes. Mongolia is a dream come true for adventure travelers! Call us for Detailed Itineraries and to discuss which trip is right for you:

MONGOLIA’S ALTAI MOUNTAINS & GOBI DESERT, June 26–July 9, 2009
HEART OF MONGOLIA, July 14–26, 2009
MONGOLIA PRIVATE JOURNEY—choose your own dates!
MONGOLIA: CAMEL SAFARI IN THE GOBI DESERT, August 19–September 2, 2009

For info, email our Asia Manager or call 1-800-368-2794

CURRENCY DISCOUNTS WORLDWIDE

The US dollar remains very strong against many world currencies, including the Euro, British Pound, and South African Rand, and we’re delighted to pass the savings along to you. Here’s how it works: we purchase the currency for your trip the day you sign up, thus locking in the favorable rate and guaranteeing your savings. The discount varies with the trip and the currency rates change every day—so call today at 1-800-368-2794 to inquire about the trip of your dreams!

Here are some sample Currency Discounts from April 10th

CZECH CASTLES & COUNTRY WALKS
Discount: $500 per person! (as of April 10, 2009)

ENGLAND COAST TO COAST
Discount: $900 per person! (as of April 10, 2009)

ADVENTURING IN SOUTH AFRICA
Discount: $650 per person! (as of April 10, 2009)

NEWS FROM WT: Another WT “First” in Bhutan

We’ve been granted special permission by the government of Bhutan to visit the Brokpa people of the Merak and Sakten valleys in far eastern Bhutan—we’ll be the first Western group ever allowed to explore and trek in this region! Our BHUTAN: THE GRAND TRAVERSE journey departs April 17 with veteran Trip Leaders Roger Williams and Kinley Gyeltshen. We’re thrilled to add this to Wilderness Travel’s “firsts” in 31 years of pioneering adventure travel! WT was also the first group allowed to trek in Bhutan’s beautiful Haa Valley.

For info, email our Asia Manager or call 1-800-368-2794

Special deals and discounts offered are subject to availability. You must mention the discount offer when you sign up. Discount is not available to guests already enrolled on the departure and cannot be combined with any other discounts. Also be sure to check our Special Offers & Latest News link, updated every two weeks, for more great travel deals.

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