Peregrine goes gourmet in China in 2012

There's an old Chinese saying that all good foods are found in Chengdu. But Peregrine's new Gourmet China adventure sets out to prove that - while Chengdu's Sichuan spice is pretty tasty - Beijing's duck, Xian's dumpling feasts, Yangshuo's ethnic minority specialties and Hong Kong's yum cha are just as delicious.

Peregrine's new, 15-day gourmet extravaganza starts in Beijing and includes cooking classes in a variety of regional cuisines, interspersed with the most famous and inspiring sights of China: the Great Wall; the Forbidden City; the Summer Palace; Terracotta Warriors as well as visiting the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base.

The trip contrasts the tranquil, mushroom-shaped, limestone karst mountains of Yangshuo - explored by bicycle - with the frenetic, futuristic cityscape of Shanghai for more than just a 'taste' of China.

The Gourmet China adventure costs $3405 per person, twin share, including transport and accommodation, cooking classes, entry fees, some meals and local Peregrine leader. But for all new bookings made by December 9, for travel in 2012, there is a 10 per cent discount off the land portion, to $3126. There are currently eight departures from Beijing scheduled between May and September, 2012.

For further information and a copy of the new Peregrine 2012 China Central Asia & Japan brochure, contact your travel agent or Peregrine Travel Centre, call 1300 854 500 or visit their website for more details.

A Moroccan Caravan with Peregrine Adventures

Final photo: courtesy Steve Wroe

We love the sound of the new Morocco tours just announced by Peregrine Adventures! Discover all the colour and culture of a Moroccan Caravan with a 16-day adventure that mixes mountains and medinas, camels and Kasbahs. The adventure begins in Tangier  - one of Lonely Planet's Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2011 - and, along the way, you will visit the blue-and-whitewashed village of Chefchaouen, tucked into the rugged Rif Mountains of the north, and the imperial cities of Meknes and Fes, where the labyrinthine medina is redolent of tantalising spice mixtures and the narrow alleys are packed with stalls selling everything from dates to donkeys.

And for a truly breathtaking experience, mount your own camel for a sunset ride into the Sahara to spend the night in a Bedouin camp under the stars! There is also a day exploring the Roman ruins at Volubilis and another among the crumbling, rose-coloured Kasbahs of the Dades Valley.

 Crossing the High Atlas Mountains, the trip ends with a couple of days in Marrakech among the sorcerers, snake charmers and assorted wares of the World Heritage-listed Jemaa el Fna - the enormous public square that is the heart of the city. It all sounds so enchantingly exotic! 

The Moroccan Caravan departs monthly (more frequently in peak periods) from Tangier, costing $2195 per person, twin share, land only. This includes all transport, transfers, accommodation, entry fees, some meals and a local Peregrine leader.

There is also the shorter 11-day tour,  designed for those with limited time, as an introduction to northern Morocco while still including the three imperial cities of Fes, Meknes and Marrakech. The Colours of Morocco has between one and three departures per month from Tangier, year-round, and costs $1595 per person, twin share. This includes all transport, transfers, accommodation, entry fees, some meals and the services of a Peregrine local leader.

The new Moroccan trips are show-cased in Peregrine's just-released North Africa and Middle East 2011-13 brochure. Contact your travel agent to get more information, or call the Peregrine Travel Centre on 1300 854 500. You can also take yourself direct to their website where you can download an on-line version.

Take an Arctic adventure with Peregrine's new cruises

Think hot air ballooning over the North Pole; hiking to see the Northern Lights in Greenland, or cruising to the top of the world in the most powerful icebreaker on earth for a truly unique and memorable travel experience! If you're keen to do an adventure challenge together, you may like to check out the latest Arctic cruise schedule with Peregrine Adventures. 

Greenland is the best place on earth to see the Aurora Borealis – the Northern Lights – one of nature’s most spectacular shows. Peregrine’s new 14-day East Greenland Explorer trip aboard the Akademik Sergey Vavilov, is timed to coincide with the optimum atmospheric conditions for viewing the Lights.

Departing from Reykjavik, Iceland, the cruise explores the east coast of Greenland, including iceberg-choked fjords, glaciers and Inuit settlements. The focus is on hiking, with a variety of half and full-day hikes through the immense wilderness, with the chance of seeing all manner of wildlife, including Polar Bear and Musk Ox.

The 14-day cruise departs on September 16, 2012 and costs from $7750 per person, twin-share, cruise only.  Or for bookings made by September 30, prices start at $6795.

Possibly the only thing more ‘out there’ than cruising aboard the world’s largest and most powerful icebreaker to the North Pole is jumping into a wicker basket and floating over the ice in a hot air balloon. It’s arguably the most ‘exclusive’ adventure on earth: few humans will ever do it as it’s only open to a total of 100 people.

Peregrine have a whole range of fantastic adventures to be a part of, all details can be found on their website, or see your travel agent or phone the Peregrine Travel Centre on 1300 854 500. Guaranteed to be a trip you will both remember and cherish forever, in a land that is truly, stunning in scope and breathtaking in landscape.