Oakland, CALIFORNIA - To meet unprecedented demand, Explore has yet again increased the number of Burma departures it has on offer. The adventure travel company has now added an extra 70 tour dates for its Burma trips. This more than doubles the number on offer and is a far cry from the original 12 departure dates first on sale when it returned to the country last year, after a 16 year absence. Explore offers four different tours to the enigmatic country – a two week Burma Highlights trip, a more thorough Burma In Depth trip, a two week cycling tour and a two week family adventure.
Closely following guidelines issued by Burma Campaign UK, and avoiding junta owned facilities and services as per the appeals of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Explore is acting appropriately and responsibly to ensure its tourism is only of benefit to the Burmese people. Having received outstanding feedback from customers*, Burma is proving to be Explore’s hot destination for 2012. With so many departure dates to choose from, Explore is offering the perfect opportunity to discover this fascinating country before the crowds arrive.
Explore’s 14 day Burma Highlights tour is proving particularly popular. From the gold-encrusted pagodas in Ragoon and the stilt villages of Inle Lake, to the temple-studded plain of Bagan and the Shan Highlands, customers will also visit the old British hill station of Kalaw and spend time with the Palaung hill-tribe. With departures from February to April, and July to December 2012, the tour costs from $1,800 per person and includes; 13 nights’ accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis; two other meals; transport and the services of a tour leader and driver.
For people looking to truly immerse themselves in Burma, Explore’s new 23 day Burma in Depth tour goes beyond the classic highlights. Giving customers the opportunity to learn about Mon Culture, the tour explores Burma’s ancient temples and tribes, travels to the fabled city of Mandalay and sees the floating gardens, stilt villages and leg-rowers of the Inle Lake. With departures in February, March, October, November and December, 2012, the tour costs from $3,070 per person, and includes; 20 nights’ accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis; one other meal transport and the services of a tour leader.
Explore’s new 16-day Cycle Burma trip offers a truly unique way to discover this enchanting country. Cycling between the major highlights of Bagan, Inle Lake, Mandalay and Rangoon, the tour provides customers with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the local culture while passing from village to village. Graded moderate, 510km is covered on generally flat and quiet roads. With departures from January to March and October to December, the tour costs from $2,600 per person and includes; 13 nights’ accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis; one other meal; mountain bike hire; transport and the services of a tour leader and support vehicle.
For families with children aged seven and over, Explore’s new Adventures in Burma tour takes in ‘The Golden Land’s’ highlights. The 16 day tour visits Rangoon and Inle Lake, discovers a giant’s pagoda and bell in Mandalay and explores the Shan highlands where families have the unique opportunity to meet people from the local tribe. With departures in August, 2012, the tour costs from $2,120 per adult and $2,060 per child and includes; 13 nights’ hotel accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis; one other meal; transport and the services of a tour leader; driver and some local guides.
Trevor Saxty, President of Explore! – North America, commented “Explore has been overwhelmed by the demand for our Burma tours. After an absence of 16 years Explore was one of the first operators back into the country following the relaxation of the boycott and has always acted responsibly to ensure the Burmese people benefit from the tourism we create. We believe that this is what has made our Burma trips so popular with travellers who like Explore respected the boycott.”
He continued, “We travel in small groups, support the local communities that we visit, and most importantly, follow Aung San Suu Kyi’s requests to minimize our contact with the government as much as possible. Remaining true to our principles of being a trusted and responsible tour operator, customers travelling to Burma with Explore can rest assured that the money they spend helps the local communities they visit. For a country that has remained virtually untouched by tourism for so long, it’s important to us and our customers that the tourism we create has a positive impact on the people of Burma”.