Gecko’s Releases the ‘Bible’ of Budget Travel

Gecko’s Adventures has just released its 2008-09 Worldwide Brochure, providing cost-conscious travellers with an extensive range of trips covering all corners of the globe. From the heights of the Himalaya to the depths of the Red Sea, from the Western Desert to the Far East – and even introducing Antarctica – Gecko’s Worldwide brochure is the budget traveller’s ‘Bible’.

To celebrate a year full of new adventures, Gecko’s is offering 10 per cent off all new bookings (excluding Antarctica voyages) that are deposited between September 1 and October 31, 2007.

‘Kathmandu to Kerala’ is a new 32-day journey from the Himalaya in Nepal travelling south to the golden sands of Kerala in India’s south. The trip starts in Kathmandu, with a jungle wildlife safari in Chitwan National Park, searching for tiger on elephant back. The trip visits Lumbini, the birthplace of the Lord Buddha, before crossing the border into India to Varanasi, on the holy river Ganges.

The Taj Mahal and the best of Rajasthan follows, with a camel safari near Bikaner, a stop at the beautiful lakeside city of Udaipur, and the rural village of Nimaj to visit with local families. Then a flight from Udaipur to Kochi brings the beaches and laidback lifestyle of India’s southwest. One of the highlights of the south is a night spent on a traditional rice barge in the backwaters of Kerala.

Prices for ‘Kathmandu to Kerala’ start at $2,750 per person twin share (less 10 per cent if booked between September 1 and October 31, 2007), plus a local payment of USD500, which includes an experienced local tour leader, safari guides, accommodation, ground transportation, and entrance fees. There are regular departures between September 2007 and March 2008.

The new 26-day ‘Galapagos with Amazon & Incas’ trip begins in Quito, followed by a seven-night cruise of the Galapagos Islands to see the wildlife that inspired Charles Darwin.

Travelling on Gecko’s dedicated vessel in the Galapagos, the MV Darwin, passengers have amazing opportunities to get up close to the islands’ endemic marine and bird life, such as iguanas, birds, and giant tortoises that live to be over a hundred years old. The islands have been isolated from the mainland for millions of years, so the animals have little intrinsic fear of man.

The rest of the tour encompasses Peru’s highlights, including the former Inca capital, Cusco and four nights hiking and camping along the Inca Trail to reach the remarkable ruins of Machu Picchu. Travellers also cruise Lake Titicaca to stay a night in a traditional homestay with native Indian families, before flying to Puerto Maldonado deep in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, to stay at a jungle lodge and take a canoe safari in search of native wildlife.

Prices for ‘Galapagos with Amazon & Incas’ start at $5,020 per person twin share (less 10 per cent if booked between September 1 and October 31, 2007), plus a local payment of USD550, which includes a tour leader and local guides, accommodation, all breakfasts plus 13 lunches and dinners, the Galapagos cruise, ground transport in Peru, camping equipment and porterage on the Inca Trail, and local flights (excluding flight from Quito to Lima).

With the range of the recently-released 2008-09 brochures, Gecko’s is the first Australian adventure tour operator to offer a voluntary carbon offsetting option on the land component of all its tours, as well as the accompanying flights.

For further information contact Gecko’s Adventures on 1300 854 500 or visit http://www.geckosadventures.com/.

Report by The Mole