WWW.KOSHERTRAVELERS.COM presents…A DELUXE TOUR: SOUTH AMERICA AND ANTARCTICA EXPLORER Tour start date Sunday January 3, 2016 Tour end date Sunday January 24, 2016 Land Tour per person $16,340 based on 16 pax [$17,230 min 10pax] Revel in the rich history, culture and spectacular natural splendor of South America. Our tour will show us the very best of South America including Rio de Janeiro, the beauty of Iguassu Falls & Buenos Aires the “Paris of South America”. Days of scenic cruising bring you up close to tabletop icebergs, growlers, drift or pack ice... the Antarctic has its own language, which you’ll soon speak fluently! We are offering you a chance to sail through the Heart of the Peninsula offering our travellers an enchanting polar desert and a final frontier surrounded by a gigantic sheets of ice. Day 1: Sunday 3 Jan, arrival Rio de Janeiro Arrival to Rio de Janeiro the most beautiful city in Brazil and one of the most beautiful in the world. Transfer to hotel. Day 2: Monday 4 Jan, Rio de Janeiro Sightseeing day tour of this beautiful city. The book “Wonders of the World” describes the shore, the inlets and the mountains of Rio de Janeiro as the most beautiful anywhere, and names the city as “The Beauty Queen of the World”. We’ll stroll through the Copacabana quarter, Ipanema, Labron and Sambodromo. We continue along the beaches, and pay a visit to the famous gem manufactory complex of H. Stern and more. Day 3, Tuesday 5 Jan, Rio de Janeiro extravaganza of Samba song-and-dance. Today ascend by train through Tijoco Jungle (a rain forest by the city) to the famous Corcobado Mountain, site of the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The view from the top is surely one of the most impressive ever encountered. We will have a special favela tour and see how daily life happens in this part of the city. In the evening we recommend to feel the spirit of Rio's world-famous Carnival as you're treated to a lively Day 4, Wednesday 6 Jan, Iguazu - Brazil side This morning we take a flight to magnificent Iguassu Falls, straddling the border of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Iguassu National Park boasts one of the world's largest and most impressive waterfalls and is home to many rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. We will visit the Parque das Aves - a tropical bird preserve that's home to more than 500 species of Brazilian birds. Day 5, Thursday 7 Jan, Iguazu - Buenos Aires After breakfast we leave Brazil and cross the border into Iguazu National Park on the Argentinean side of Iguassu Falls. We will explore the Lower Circuit, Upper Circuit and Devil's Throat. The Lower Circuit is composed of a trail approximately 0.8 miles (1.3 km) long that allows you to get close to some of the smaller waterfalls on the Argentinean side. Walk along the trail, which is equipped with both restrooms and snack bars, and get close to the Carlos Bozzetti Waterfall, where you can take some great photos. The Upper Circuit, which is wheelchair accessible, allows you to see the top of the majestic falls on the Argentina side and enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the area. The view stretches from the Argentinean falls to San Martin Island and parts of the Brazilian falls. After this amazing day we will fly to Buenos Aires. Day 6, Friday 8 Jan, Buenos Aires - Ushuaia This morning we will fly to Ushuaia the southernmost town in the world. Upon arrival we will travel to Tierra del Fuego National Park. This National Park was created to protect the southern portion of sub-Antarctic forest. Today it provides visitors with the opportunity to enjoy the Andes and the region’s forests, rivers, lakes and peat bogs. It is also home to a large variety of birds. After the tour we will drive to the pier and board our luxurious ship for an unforgettable 10 night voyage and start preparing for Shabbat. Experience L'Austral In May 2011, l'Austral joined PONANT's fleet. This superb mega-yacht with 132 cabins is the result of the expertise of the Italian Fincantieri shipyard and French sophistication, as interpreted by designer JeanPhilippe Nuel. L'Austral remains faithful to our philosophy - to create a unique atmosphere, a subtle blend of luxury, intimacy and well-being. A sleek silhouette softened by elegantly smooth contours and large, arched windows opening up to the sea and the light: so many features come together to give L’Austral her distinctive shape. Precious materials, discreet elegance and a perfect balance between chic and casual, combine to make you feel as if you are on your own private yacht. You will encounter unique itineraries, calls inaccessible to large ships, chic and elegant yacht-like ambiance, refined and personalized service as well as gastronomic cuisine. Day's 7-8, Saturday-Sunday 9-10 Jan, at Sea –Drake Passage Take advantage of the ship’s many outstanding facilities, or simply relax on deck with a drink and watch unmatched scenery glide by. On Shabbat after the meal and services we will enjoy some interesting lectures. Day 9, Monday 11 Jan, Neko/Paradise Bay Deep in Andvord Bay, we find this little corner of paradise at the foot of an immense glacier. Neko Bay is without doubt one of the most beautiful sights of the Antarctic Peninsula. Wildlife is as abundant as it is exceptional: sea birds such as gulls, Cape Petrels and Cormorants, as well as marine mammals like seals, orcas and whales. Excursions aboard our Zodiac® dinghies allow you to sail close to blue-tinged icebergs or disembark near colonies of penguins, observe leopard seals basking on the shore or watch the Antarctic Terns flying overhead. Day 10, Tuesday 12 Jan, Pleneau Island/Port Charcot Land on Plיneau Island, where Elephant Seals haul-out on the beaches and Gentoo Penguins, Kelp Gulls and South Polar Skuas breed. Plיneau Island was first charted by the French Antarctic Expedition of 1903-05 of Jean-Baptiste Charcot and was named after his expedition’s photographer Paul Plיneau. Day 11, Wednesday 13 Jan, Port Lockroy On the small island of Goudier, you will have the opportunity to visit Port Lockroy, discovered by the French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot in 1903. Initially it served as a relief and repair base for whalers, but in 1944 Port Lockroy became a British base. It owes its name to Edouard Lockroy, a French politician and the partner of JeanBaptiste Charcot during his expedition. You will be able to visit the small museum that retraces the life of the base in the 1950s. Since 1996, it has been open to the public during the short Southern Summer and is used for carrying out research on Gentoo Penguins. Nowadays, this base is the most visited site of the White. Continent and, thanks to its little store and post office, it is the only place to offer you the opportunity to write to your friends and family and share this unique moment. Day 12, Thursday 14 Jan, Deception Island Nestled at the heart of the South Shetland Islands, in the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, Deception Island is easy to recognise for its horseshoe shape. On the black sand of the volcanic beaches, there are remains of abandoned huts that have been overrun by the extraordinary wildlife, part of the treasure that Nature offers us there. It is on these beaches of ash that the largest colony of Chinstrap Penguins in the Antarctic Peninsula has taken up residence. Day 13, Friday 15 Jan, The Weddell Sea A lengthy sail in the Weddell Sea will allow you to experience true silence, an extraordinary and enchanting atmosphere, unrivalled calm...You will discover a secret reserve of preserved treasure: Fur Seals, penguin colonies, Wandering Albatross and other giant Petrels. Here the huge icebergs and the endless ice cap sculpt a landscape beyond compare. The lord of the manor is known as the Weddell Seal. It is a record breaker, able to remain submerged for more than an hour. Its pelage is dark grey and it has a spotted belly. To maintain its access to the sea and be able to fish, the Weddell Seal has special teeth allowing it to make a hole in the thick ice. Shabbat dinner. Day's 14-15, Saturday-Sunday 16-17 Jan, at Sea - Drake Passage Take advantage of the ship’s many outstanding facilities, or simply relax on deck with a drink and watch unmatched scenery glide by. On Shabbat after the meal and services we will enjoy some interesting lectures. Day 16, Monday 18 Jan, Ushuaia - El Calafate Today we disembark in Ushuaia. Transfer to the airport for flight to El Calafate, the city that is famous for its glaciers. Day 17, Tuesday 19 Jan, El Calafate - Torres del Paine Today we will Witness one of the world’s only advancing glaciers at Perito Moreno. The spectacular location in Patagonia’s Glaciers National Park provides the setting for a day watching nature at its most miraculous. After the tour we will drive to Torres del Paine National Park The park was established in 1959, and is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The park centers on an alpine massif of three imposing granite towers (Torres) reaching more than 10,000 feet, together with several lesser horns, or cuernos, formed of black shale, and a variety of glaciers, lakes, and wild rivers. Day 18, Wednesday 20 Jan, Torres del Paine Your drive within the park will offer incredible vistas, including Lago Sarmiento and the intensely blue Laguna Amarga. Across Nordenskjold Lake, you will have a view of the famous jagged spires whose image is synonymous with Chile—a fabulous photo opportunity. We will visit Grey Glacier & lake & Pehoe lake. In the afternoon of Friday, we’ll return to our hotel and prepare for Shabbat, Shabbat services and dinner. Day 19, Thursday 21 Jan, Torres del Paine – Punto Arenas Today we will drive to Punta Arenas. We will visit the penguin colony at Seno Otway. Every year during the Patagonian summer months (this is from mid September to the beginning of April) there are more than 10,000 Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) breeding at this colony at Seno Otway. The colony spreads out over a fairly large area along the shore of Otway Sound you can usually see a few hundred penguins in total. Day 20, Friday 22 Jan, Punto Arenas - Santiago De Chile Today we will fly via Puerto Montt to Santiago De Chile, the capital and economic centre of Chile. After arrival we will in the afternoon and we will drive to the hotel. and prepare for Shabbat, Shabbat services and dinner. Day 21, Saturday 23 Jan, Santiago De Chile After Shabbat services and lunch we’ll take a walking tour of the interesting surroundings of our hotel. Day 22, Sunday 24 Jan, Santiago De Chile – Back home We will drive to the airport and take our flight back home. Price Includes: Domestic flights Air-conditioned tourist coach Half Board throughout plus supplies to make sandwiches for lunch Full board during the cruise English-speaking local guides and a professional experienced guide Entrance to all sites mentioned in the itinerary first class hotels throughout Price Excludes International flights Taxes and surcharges Personal expenses and services Insurance Tips for local service providers ($180 per person) Tips during the cruise (to be paid on the ship) Tip for guide (Recommended: $3-$4 per person per day) Important to Know: There may be changes to the order of places visited. We will make every effort to visit every place mentioned in the itinerary. The tour organizers have no control over airline services such as seating, special meal requests, changes in departure times or delays. These remain the sole responsibility of the airline company. Deposit, Cancellation Fees & Policy: A $500 USD Deposit per person must be received at the time of booking in order to confirm your reservation. Payment in full is due 90 days before departure. A minimum number of participants are required to operate tour dates. If a minimum number has not been reached prior to tour departure and the tour is cancelled you will receive a FULL refund. • • • • • 90 days before departure bookings are refundable less a $100 administration fee 60-90 days prior to departure: $500 + $100 per passenger 30-60 days prior to departure: $1,000 + $100 per passenger Less than 30 working days prior to departure: 100% of total - no refund We strongly recommend purchasing Travel Insurance. Kashrut on Tours Kosher food is provided to our travelers on all our tours. We work with the local Rabbinate to provide Hashgacha for all local ingredients and fresh meat and poultry. In some cases, we fly in kosher food from Israel and other sources, depending on the destination of the tour. We do not guarantee Pat Israel and Chalav Israel for all destinations. In many destinations we have our own crockery and cutlery. Where we don't, we provide disposables at the meals. When we cook in Hotel kitchens, we ensure proper Kashering and we use our own kitchenware on kashered and covered surfaces. All this is done under the strict supervision of our trained staff/guides who function as our Mashgichim. Our travelers enjoy gourmet meals prepared by our team including fresh local fish, fruit, and vegetables. This is an integral part of Jewish travel. We make great efforts to assure that our travelers will experience local foods first-hand, while maintaining stringent observance of Kashrut laws on all occasions. Rabbi Yisrael Meir Levinger – Head of Kashrut on all Land Tours Graduate of Yeshivat Kfar Haroeh and Yeshivat Beer Yakov. He served as Chief Rabbi for 22 years in Basle, Switzerland and for 20 years was on the council of Vaad Hakashrut of Europe. He has authored books on Shechita, and many Kashrut topics and is now working on the Encyclopedia of Kashrut. Rav Levinger is the Company Rav and oversees and is responsible for all our operations and logistical methodology to ensure the highest standards of Kashrut on each tour and each destination worldwide. Any questions about Kashrut please submit to [email protected] and Rav Levinger will respond directly. Deposit, Cancellation Fees & Policy: A $500 USD Deposit per person must be received at the time of booking in order to confirm your reservation. Payment in full is due 90 days before departure. A minimum number of participants are required to operate tour dates. If a minimum number has not been reached prior to tour departure and the tour is cancelled you will receive a FULL refund. • 90 days before departure bookings are refundable less a $100 admin fee • 60-90 days prior to departure: $500 + $100 per passenger • 30-60 days prior to departure: $1,000 + $100 per passenger • Less than 30 working days prior to departure: 100% of total - no refund • We strongly recommend purchasing Travel Insurance. Flights: If you are joining us for the Land Tour package only (from outside Israel) you can get an obligation free quote for your flights from [email protected] Travel Insurance: Travel insurance encompassing both cancellation and medical insurance is very important and we cannot stress that enough. We strongly recommend that our clients are adequately insured when travelling. It is crucial to purchase the travel insurance within 14 days from the 1st payment that you make for this trip (flights/cruise/tour etc). Your payment is made directly to the insurance company. We highly recommend the 'cancel for any reason' upgrade option. Our preferred policies are Travel Safe (USA & Canadian residents), Travel Select (USA residents) and Global Trip Protection Elite (All other Nationalities). For an obligation free quote and further details email Yonah [email protected] Reservations: To reserve your space on this tour, please complete the booking form attached and fax by return at soonest to guarantee your place on the tour
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