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2015 ǀ 2016
ChinaI N D O C H I N A , I N D I A & B E Y O N D
For over 35 years, RT Holidays has been creating unforgettable touring holidays to some of the most compelling and beautiful places in the world.
Each tour we provide expresses our belief that travel is
one of life’s greatest pleasures, and that the journey should
be as fulfilling and fascinating as the destination itself.
With this in mind, we offer great-value and customisable
itineraries designed to deliver enthralling sights and
enriching experiences at every turn, all backed by
first-class service and comforts.
CONTENTS
ABOUT US & HOW TO BOOK 4 - 5
FAQ’S 6 - 7
CHINA TOURS 8 - 19
China Discovery 10 days 8 nts 10 - 11
China & Yangtze Discovery 16 days 14 nts 12 - 13
Beautiful China 12 days 10 nts 14 - 15
Yangtze Essence 12 days 10 nts 16 - 17
China Discovery & Chengdu 12 days 10 nts 18 - 19
INDOCHINA, INDIA, DUBAI & NEPAL TOURS 20 - 27
Indochina Excursion 13 days 11 nts 22 - 23
India & Dubai 10 days 8 nts 24 - 25
India, Dubai & Nepal 13 days 11 nts 26 - 27
CITY PACKAGES & EXTENSIONS 28 - 33
City Packages 30 - 31
Taiwan Discovery 8 days 7 nts 32 - 33
TERMS & CONDITIONS 34 - 39
2015 COLLECTION
China takes centre stage in our 2015 collection,
reflecting our stature as a pioneer of luxury tours
to this incredible land. Expect inspiring itineraries
that showcase its great cities, legendary sights
and hidden gems to provide the most spellbinding
encounters with its landmarks, history and culture.
We also offer enticing tours to Indochina, as
well as India, Dubai and Nepal plus exciting city
extensions to add to your main tour and craft
your own, personalised multi-centre holiday.
Wherever you choose to go, our world-
renowned service comes with it: deluxe
hotels, extensive inclusions and enthralling
sightseeing with expert guides.
Browse our brochure and if you need advice
or information, call our travel specialists on
0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk.
Caroline Chan
Managing Director
Welcome
Our Story
Back in 1980, Martin and Carlota opened a tiny office in downtown Los Angeles, California, selling air tickets to travellers.
As sales increased, Martin and Carlota branched
out, expanding their operations into escorted
tours and growing into a global travel company.
One by one, offices opened in different continents
worldwide. One by one, the company, known as
Ritz Tours, launched escorted tours to the world’s
most exciting destinations.
Over 30 years on, Martin and Carlota still own
Ritz Tours, and run it through a global team in the
US, UK and Asia. Yet, it’s still a family business.
Feel like part of the family, across the world
As a business, we hold our family-run
values close. We make great service,
integrity, quality and affordability part of
everything we do. So when you travel with
us, you feel like part of the family, knowing
that your happiness is our top priority.
We also understand your time is precious.
So we create our itineraries with the
greatest care, using exceptional local
knowledge of each destination.
That way, you get the best from each
place you visit. And you also get the rich
cultural encounters and insider insights
that create lasting travel memories.
A WORLD OF TOURS
Want to broaden your horizons beyond China,
Indochina, India, Nepal and Dubai? At RT
Holidays, we offer escorted tours to many
destinations not featured in this brochure,
including Japan, Thailand and Myanmar.
Whatever inspires you to travel – to discover
distant lands, experience different cultures
or witness iconic sights – visit our website
to explore our destinations in full.
SPECIAL OFFERS
We regularly offer deals on selected
tours to different destinations worldwide.
For current deals, please go to our website.
For more info on our tour destinations,
to custom-make a tour, or to book:
Call 0207 470 8852
Visit www.rtholidays.co.uk
Email [email protected]
04
05
F A Q ’sWhat hotels can I expect to stay in? We choose only
the best hotels in the destinations we visit, handpicking
them for their unrivalled comfort, service, facilities and
locations. Plus we also regularly visit our hotels and our
cruise lines to personally check on their standards.
What about your tour guides? When you book a
tour to China that runs with at least 10 travellers, you
will enjoy the services of one of our professional Tour
Managers, who offer a detailed knowledge of the
places and sights visited. They will take care of all the
logistical arrangements and provide assistance whenever
needed. We employ all our Tour Managers and are
proud that each has been with us for an average of 10
years. In addition, you will enjoy the services of local
English-speaking guides in many places you visit.
Can I buy my own international flights? Yes. With
all our escorted tours we offer a ‘land only’ option,
which allows you to purchase your own international
flights. Please bear in mind, however, that you will need
to pay extra for airport transfers with this option.
What can I expect from my tour experience? We
have designed our tours to showcase the must-sees of
your destination and provide interesting excursions to
some off-the-beaten-track places, too. Our itineraries
also include breakfast each day, plus many lunches and
dinners in hotels and local restaurants known for their
excellent, authentic cuisine and high standards. You can
also look forward to exciting, value-added extras, such as
acrobatics shows in China and elephant rides in Thailand.
Are you China specialists? Yes. We have over 30
years’ experience of organising tours to China and
an intimate knowledge of its cities and sights, so are
expert at creating imaginative and well-paced tours
around this wonderful country. We’ve also formed
close relationships with our partners in China, helping
to ensure we offer 5 star tours and superb value.
Why should I choose RT Holidays? We believe the
best tours combine comprehensive itineraries with
extensive inclusive sightseeing, top hotels and excellent
value. So we’re proud to be one of the few travel
companies to offer exactly this blend. And although
it’s an overworked phrase, we are passionate about
travel, leaving no detail untouched to ensure you enjoy
the most fulfilling and seamless travel experience.
Is there an ideal time to visit China or your other
destinations? We recommend visiting China
between May and October, when the weather
is at its most comfortable. For climate details on
our other destinations, visit rtholidays.co.uk.
Can you tailor-make a tour for me? Yes. We’ll
be delighted to work with you to create a custom-
made itinerary that suits your needs. Simply call us
on 0207 470 8851 or email your requirements to
[email protected] and we will get started.
What are the advantages of escorted tours?
Our tours include international and internal flights,
guided sightseeing and excursions, plus many meals
and extras – all of which would usually cost you
much more if booked separately. And with all your
travel arrangements taken care of and the pleasure
of travelling with like-minded individuals, your tour
promises to be stress-free, enjoyable and rewarding.
06
07
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Enjoying your holiday to the full means knowing
you’re completely protected against unexpected
events. To enjoy this vital peace of mind, we strongly
recommend you have the adequate travel insurance
in place before you travel. ABTASure offers a full range
of comprehensive travel insurance at competitive
prices. For a 10% discount on single or annual multi-trip
policies buy online at www.abtasure.co.uk or for a 5%
discount call ABTASure on 0845 618 0380.
YOUR FINANCIAL PROTECTION
When you book a holiday with us, your money is
completely secure thanks to the financial protection
scheme of Air Travel Organiser’s Licensing (ATOL).
The air holiday packages in this brochure are ATOL
protected by the Civil Aviation Authority, which means
that you are protected from losing money or being
stranded abroad. With ATOL protection, all monies
paid to us will be refunded to you and if necessary,
arrangements will be made for your repatriation to the
UK. For more information please visit www.atol.org.uk
ABTA HIGH STANDARDS
We are a member of ABTA, the Association of British
Travel Agents, membership number Y1472. ABTA is
committed to maintaining high standards of trading
practice for the benefit of its members, the travel
industry at large, and you – our guests. For more
information please visit www.abta.com
YOUR PEACE OF MIND
China
Explore the wonders of China, from pulsating cities to the beautiful Yangtze.
From beguiling Beijing to timeless villages, lush paddy
fields and high-octane cities, China offers a myriad
of landscapes and ancient treasures, together with
a vision of the future, all in one remarkable land.
Our tours capture the adventure of exploring this
vast country and team it with expertly planned
itineraries, luxury accommodation and compelling
sightseeing, excursions and cultural experiences.
Each tour itinerary unveils an array of fascinating
destinations, from vibrant Beijing to the legendary
Yangtze. Marvel at Beijing’s Forbidden Palace,
stride the ramparts of the Great Wall, gaze at the
faces of Xian’s astonishing Terracotta Warriors,
be swept up by Shanghai, and cruise along the
Yangtze River’s mystical Three Gorges.
Your China Tour Includes
• All international and internal flights
• Overseas airport transfers on arrival and departure
• Comprehensive sightseeing tours
including entrance fees
• Services of an expert tour manager throughout
China (for groups of 10+) & specialist local guides
• Air-conditioned coach touring
Meal codes: B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner, DS = dinner & show
China Discovery Tour Code: LDX
China Tours
10 Days 8 Nights Beijing 3nts navigateright Xian 2nts navigateright Shanghai 3nts
HotelsBeijing: New Otani star star star star star
Xian: Sheraton North City star star star star star
Shanghai: InterContinental Puxi star star star star star
Highlights & Inclusions• Beijing: Sightseeing &
Great Wall of China• Xian: Terracotta Warriors
& Tang Dynasty Show• Shanghai: Sightseeing &
Chinese Acrobatics Show• 8 hotel buffet breakfasts, 4 restaurant
lunches, 5 hotel or restaurant Chinese or Western dinners
• 2 Special Banquets: Imperial Dumpling Dinner in Xian, Farewell Dinner in Shanghai
1-2 UK – Beijing Fly to Beijing, China’s enigmatic capital. On arrival on Day 2, meet your guide at Beijing airport and enjoy a convenient transfer to your hotel. The balance of the day is free to relax in your hotel or get acquainted with this fascinating city.
3 Beijing (B, L, D) Today enjoy an introductory tour of Beijing, whose roots stretch back over 3,000 years. The seat of the Ming and Qing emperors until the early 20th century, this captivating city blends gold-tipped temples with stark public monuments built by Chairman Mao. See Tianmanen Square, the world’s largest public square, and the Forbidden City, the imperial residence of 24 emperors. This UNESCO World Heritage site is enclosed in 10-metre high walls and contains 8,000 rooms, all exuding regal mystique. Later, visit the exquisite UNESCO-protected Summer Palace. Walk around this graceful park, a masterpiece
Depart UK (Friday)
6 Mar 20 Mar 3, 17 Apr
1, 15 May
5 Jun 19 Jun 3, 17 Jul 31 Jul 14 Aug 28 Aug 11, 25 Sep
9, 23 Oct
7 Nov
Land + Air £1399 £1499 £1499 £1599 £1599 £1599 £1599 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1499Land only £799 £899 £949 £1049 £1049 £949 £949 £999 £999 £1099 £1099 £1099 £949Single Supp. £250 £250 £250 £300 £250 £250 £250 £250 £250 £250 £300 £300 £250
Forbidden City, Beijing
10
11
Beijing
Xian
Hong Kong
Shanghai
of Chinese landscaping, to view the ornate bridges, temples and pagodas that encircle serene Kunming Lake. Also, enjoy photo stops at the remarkable Bird’s Nest and Water Cube stadiums, the settings for the 2008 Olympics.
4 Beijing (B, L) This morning, journey to the Great Wall or ‘Long Wall of Ten Thousand Li’ in traditional Chinese. Built more than 2,000 years ago to protect against nomadic invasions from the north, this mammoth edifice weaves for 5,500 miles across China like an imperial dragon. Walk the battlements and ogle the spectacular views over mountains and valleys stretching far into the distance. From here, continue to the Sacred Way and stroll along this stone pathway, also known as the ‘Divine Way’. Inspect the intricately carved marble figures of animals, humans and mythical creatures, including a lion, unicorn and dragon, that flank the route.
5 Beijing - Xian (B, D) Start today at the Temple of Heaven, an elaborate medieval complex of imperial cult buildings dominated by a sacrificial altar pavilion. Constructed in the early 15th century, the complex is set in gardens and was used by China’s emperors to perform animal sacrifices to ensure good harvests. Admire the halls and temples before flying to Xian this afternoon. On arrival, enjoy dinner at your hotel.
6 Xian (B, L, DS) With a 3,000-year-old history and once the eastern terminus of the legendary Silk Road, the vibrant city of Xian is now famed as the home of the
Terracotta Warriors. Unwittingly unearthed by farmers in 1974, these massed legions of 6,000 carved life-size soldiers and horses represent the real individuals that formed the imperial guard of China’s first emperor, Qin Shih Huang, and were interred here in 200 BC. Marvel at this staggering treasure and after lunch at a local restaurant, view Xian’s ancient City Wall and opulent Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Enjoy an Imperial Dumpling Dinner and Tang Dynasty Show this evening.
7 Xian – Shanghai (B, DS) This morning fly to Shanghai, China’s largest city. Standing imperiously where the Yangtze River meets the East China Sea, and known as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, this high-octane city fuses space-age skyscrapers with the elegant 1930s buildings of its waterfront Bund boulevard as well as traditional teahouses, pagodas and pavilions. See its highlights on our sightseeing tour, taking in everything from the peaceful 16th century Yu Garden to the City God Temple Bazaar and Nanjing Road, the teeming main shopping street. After dinner this evening, sit down to a thrilling Chinese Acrobatic Show.
8 Shanghai (B, L) Begin your explorations today with a sightseeing tour along the Bund, Shanghai’s riverside boulevard. Lined by grand colonial buildings built by foreign powers in the 1930s and 1940s, this grand avenue is now a thriving spot and commands splendid views over the gleaming skyscrapers of the Pudong district. After exploring here, head for the Shanghai Museum to admire its fascinating Chinese art and
antiquities. The remainder of the afternoon is free for you to spend as you please.
9 Shanghai (B, D) A free day today provides ample opportunity to explore dynamic Shanghai, perhaps shopping for souvenirs and sampling the tempting restaurants. Alternatively, book our optional excursion to Suzhou, often dubbed the ‘Venice of the East’. Strategically situated on the ancient trade route, this lovely city has been a centre of silk production for centuries and offers picturesque canals, stone bridges and ornamental gardens. Witness its highlights on our tour, which includes a cruise on the Grand Canal and visits to the Master of the Nets Garden and a silk factory. Tonight, celebrate your adventures with a farewell banquet.
10 Shanghai – UK (B) Transfer to Shanghai airport for your return flight or extend your trip with an added few days in Hong Kong.
Itinerary:
Beijing 3nts
Xian 2nts
Shanghai 3nts
Optional Suzhou 1day
Optional Hong Kong 2nts **
For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
Optional Extensions
· 1-Day Excursion to Suzhou
(from Shanghai)
· 2-Night Extension to Hong Kong
Please see page 31 for more details
*
China & Yangtze Discovery Tour Code: LDR
16 Days 14 Nights Beijing 4nts navigateright Yangtze River Cruise 4nts navigateright Xian 2nts navigateright Guilin 2nts navigateright Shanghai 2nts
HotelsBeijing: New Otani star star star star star
Yangtze River Cruise: Victoria Jenna, Executive Superior Cabin star star star star star
Xian: Sheraton North City star star star star star
Guilin: Sheraton star star star star star
Shanghai: Intercontinental Puxi star star star star star
Highlights & Inclusions• Beijing: Sightseeing &
Great Wall of China• Yangtze: Cruise Lectures on
Chinese history & culture, Tai Chi classes, fashion shows
• Xian: Terracotta Warriors & Tang Dynasty Show
• Guilin: Li River Cruise• Shanghai: Sightseeing &
Chinese Acrobatics Show• 14 hotel or cruise ship breakfasts,
9 restaurant lunches, 9 hotel or restaurant Chinese or Western dinners
• 2 Special Banquets: Imperial Dumpling Dinner in Xian, Farewell Dinner in Shanghai
1-2 UK – Beijing Fly to Beijing, China’s bewitching capital. On arrival on Day 2, meet your guide at the airport and relax on a convenient transfer to your hotel. Check in and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.
3 Beijing (B, L, D) Ancient and modern jostle for position in China’s fascinating capital in the shape of ornate teahouses, colossal Mao-era monuments, busy backstreets and imposing palaces. Today, witness the principal landmarks, including infamous Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, a walled complex of palaces, halls and gardens that kept the Ming and Qing emperors closed from the outside world. Admire the Summer Palace, whose exquisite gardens circle shining Kunming Lake, and stop for photos at two of Beijing’s 2008 Olympic stadiums — the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube Aquatic Centre.
Depart UK (Saturday)
14 Mar 28 Mar 11, 25 April
9, 23 May
13 Jun 27 Jun 11 Jul 25 Jul 15 Aug 29 Aug 12, 26 Sep
10, 24 Oct
7 Nov
Land + Air £2099 £2199 £2199 £2299 £2199 £2299 £2299 £2399 £2399 £2299 £2399 £2399 £2199Land only £1499 £1599 £1599 £1699 £1599 £1649 £1649 £1649 £1649 £1649 £1749 £1749 £1649Single Supp. £450 £400 £500 £550 £500 £500 £500 £500 £500 £500 £600 £600 £550
China Tours
Qutang Gorge, Yangtze River
4 Beijing (B, L) See China’s countryside en-route to the Great Wall this morning. When you arrive, explore a section of this mighty edifice, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Built to protect China from Mongol invaders, it runs for 5,500 miles across northern China. From here, head for the Sacred Way, a curving road skirted with extraordinary marble statues of animals and humans, and once believed to be the route to heaven for China’s dead emperors.
5 Beijing (B) Spend today at your leisure, exploring Beijing at your own pace. Shop for souvenirs, dine at any of the countless restaurants or visit some of its lesser-known sights. Perhaps join our optional Hutong tour, exploring the city’s ancient alleyways on a rickshaw ride past ramshackle houses, old shops, temples and bustling markets.
6 Beijing – Yangtze Cruise (B, D) This morning, visit the Temple of Heaven, a complex of elaborate halls, temples and gardens where China’s emperors performed animal sacrifices to ensure good harvests. Next, fly to Yichang to join your Yangtze cruise ship, the Victoria Jenna. Settle into your Executive Superior cabin for your four-night cruise.
7 Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D) Your cruise starts with a visit to the awe-inspiring Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric dam. Marvel at this colossal construct and then cruise upstream, passing through the 5-stage Three Gorges Dam locks
and breathtaking Xiling Gorge, the longest of the legendary Three Gorges.
8 Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D) Swap your ship for a small boat to sail the gorgeous Small Gorges. Then, re-board your ship and cruise by the sheer cliffs and mountains of Wu Gorge and the narrow Qutang Gorge, framed by steep terraced hillsides.
9 Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D) Continue cruising this morning before leaving your ship to visit the stunning Shibaozhai temple, a 12-storey wooden pagoda built during the Qing dynasty of the 18th century. Climb up through its floors to view the sculptures and murals on each level and absorb the panoramic views over the river and countryside far below. An alternative excursion to the ancient ‘ghost city’ of Fengdu may be substituted for Shibaozhai.
10 Yangtze Cruise – Chongqing – Xian (B, D) Your cruise ends this morning at the city of Chongqing. Say goodbye to your ship and visit Chongqing Zoo to view its giant pandas before stopping for photos at the grandiose People’s Grand Hall. Then, fly to Xian, capital of China’s Shaanxi Province, and once the capital of the Middle Kingdom.
11 Xian (B, L, DS) Dubbed the ‘Eternal City’, Xian houses China’s greatest archaeological treasure: the Terracotta Warriors. Unearthed by local farmers in 1974, the silent ranks of these clay-carved soldiers around 6,000 and still stand in the pits they were buried in to guard China’s
first emperor in the afterlife. Inspect the individual features of the figures, each carved to represent one of the living individuals of the long-ago imperial guard. Later, see Xian’s Big Wild Goose Pagoda and savour an Imperial Dumpling banquet and Tang Dynasty show tonight.
12 Xian – Guilin (B, L) Admire Xian’s massive City Wall and Great Mosque before flying to Guilin, whose surrounding countryside is described by the Chinese as ‘unmatched under heaven’. Check in at your hotel for two nights and enjoy the rest of the day free.
13 Guilin (B, L, D) Soak up Guilin’s exquisite landscapes as you sail the Li River past lush rice fields, conical-shaped karsts and waters speckled with bamboo fishing rafts — some with fishermen who use cormorants to hunt for their catches. After lunch on board, disembark at picturesque Yangshuo and visit its quaint West Street.
14 Guilin – Shanghai (B, L) This morning, visit Reed Flute Cave, an ancient cavern brimming with stalagmites and stalactites. Also, admire the riverside Elephant Trunk Hill, so-called for its resemblance to an elephant drinking water. Later, fly to Shanghai, once known as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’.
15 Shanghai (B, DS) China’s largest city, Shanghai boasts soaring skyscrapers, colonial-era architecture, classic teahouses and photogenic temples. Today, experience its highlights, including the handsome Bund waterfront, teeming Nanjing Road, the City God Temple Bazaar and fascinating Shanghai Museum. Tonight, dinner is followed by an exciting Chinese Acrobatic show.
16 Shanghai – UK (B) Transfer to the airport for your return flight or extend your holiday in colourful Hong Kong.
12
13
Beijing
Yangtze River Cruise
Xian
Shanghai
Guilin
Optional Extensions
· 2-Night Extension to Hong Kong
Please see page 31 for more details*
For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
Beautiful China Tour Code: LDZ
HotelsBeijing: New Otani star star star star star
Xian: Sheraton North City star star star star star
Guilin: Sheraton star star star star star
Shanghai: InterContinental Puxi star star star star star
Highlights & Inclusions• Beijing: Sightseeing &
Great Wall of China• Xian: Terracotta Warriors
& Tang Dynasty Show• Guilin: Li River Cruise• Shanghai: Sightseeing &
Chinese Acrobatics Show• 10 hotel buffet breakfasts, 6 restaurant
lunches, 6 hotel or restaurant Chinese or Western dinners
• 2 Special Banquests: Imperial Dumpling Dinner in Xian, Farewell Dinner in Shanghai
12 Days 10 Nights Beijing 3nts navigateright Xian 2nts navigateright Guilin 2nts navigateright Shanghai 3nts
1-2 UK – Beijing Fly to Beijing, and on arrival on Day 2, meet your guide at the airport and enjoy a transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to do as you please, perhaps relaxing in your hotel or making your own forays into China’s beguiling capital.
3 Beijing (B, L, D) Today, enjoy a full day tour that serves as an ideal introduction to Beijing, one of the world’s greatest cities. An enthralling blend of old, medieval and ultra-modern, the city presents everything from gleaming high rises to crowded markets, imperial palaces, tiny backstreets and imposing public buildings dating from the time of Mao Tse Tung. Admire the incredible Forbidden Palace, a collection of walled imperial palaces where China’s emperors resided for over 500 years. Gaze at infamous Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public square, and view the ornamental bridges and pagodas of the enchanting Summer Palace.
Depart UK (Friday)
6 Mar 20 Mar 3, 17 April
1, 15 May
5 Jun 19 Jun 3, 17 Jul 31 Jul 14 Aug 28 Aug 11, 25 Sep
9, 23 Oct
6 Nov
Land + Air £1649 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1799 £1799 £1899 £1899 £1799 £1849 £1849 £1699Land only £1049 £1099 £1099 £1099 £1099 £1149 £1149 £1149 £1149 £1149 £1199 £1199 £1099Single Supp. £270 £270 £350 £350 £300 £300 £300 £300 £300 £300 £380 £380 £350
China Tours
Li River, Yangshuo, Guilin
14
15
Other highlights include photo stops at Beijing’s iconic Olympic buildings, the Water Cube Aquatics Centre and Bird’s Nest stadium.
4 Beijing (B, L) Today, visit the Great Wall, one of the greatest wonders of the world, which snakes from the Gobi Desert to the border with Korea. Trace the footsteps of China’s ancient warriors as you walk a section of its ramparts, built to safeguard the country from northern tribes. After lunch, visit the famous Sacred Way, the ‘Divine Way’ that China’s emperors were said to take to reach heaven after death. Walk along this paved route, which is slightly curved to confuse evil spirits, and view the stunning stone statues of animals and men that line its edges. 5 Beijing – Xian (B, D) This morning, visit the Temple of Heaven, a richly decorated sacrificial complex where China’s emperors would make animal sacrifices to secure bountiful harvests. Afterward, catch your short flight to Xian, the easternmost terminus of the Silk Road and home to the iconic Terracotta Warriors. Check in at your hotel for the next two nights and spend the rest of the day as you wish.
6 Xian (B, L, DS) Sometimes known as the ‘Eternal City’, Xian’s must-see is the Terracotta Warriors, a staggering collection of 6,000, life-size clay warriors and horses carved to represent the real-life guards and animals of China’s first Qin Emperor in 200 BC. Gaze in awe at this astonishing army and each soldier’s
individually carved features during our fascinating visit. After lunch, admire Xian’s gargantuan City Walls, and enjoy an Imperial Dumpling Banquet and Tang Dynasty folklore show this evening.
7 Xian – Guilin (B, L) Today, visit Xian’s 65-metre-high Big Wild Goose Pagoda and beautifully preserved Grand Mosque before flying to Guilin for a two-night stay.
8 Guilin (B, L, D) This morning, have your camera ready for our scenic cruise along Guilin’s Li River. Our route takes you through the region’s most spectacular scenery, as everything from surreal karst peaks, conical hills, emerald rice fields and rickety fishing boats roll into and out of view. Keep watch especially for local fishermen who use cormorants to dive for fish. Your cruise concludes at Yangshuo, a charming town filled with quaint architecture. Tonight, enjoy dinner at your Guilin hotel.
9 Guilin – Shanghai (B, L) After breakfast, visit the fabled Reed Flute Cave, an ancient limestone cavern crammed with stalactites and stalagmites, as well as ancient wall inscriptions. Continue to Elephant Trunk Hill, a massive riverside rock formation that resembles an elephant drinking water and has become a symbol of Guilin. Afterward, take your short flight to Shanghai, China’s commercial mecca.
10 Shanghai (B, DS) Still sometimes called the ‘Paris of the East’, electrifying Shanghai encapsulates China’s modern economic revolution, yet also harks backs
to the country’s olden days. Towering office blocks sit side-by-side with roadside markets, teahouses and colonial architecture built by foreign powers in the 1930s and 1940s. Enjoy a sightseeing tour, taking a stroll along the Bund that traces the western bank of the Huangpu River and visiting the hectic shopping avenue, Nanjing Road. Also, visit the Shanghai Museum to see its fascinating Chinese art and antiquities. Your day finishes with dinner and a Chinese Acrobatics show.
11 Shanghai (B, D) Today is free to discover Shanghai at your leisure. Browse for souvenirs in its shops and markets, try its restaurants or seek out its lesser-known sights. Alternatively, take our optional tour to nearby Suzhou, a charming city known as the ‘Venice of the East’ for its canals and gardens. Admire the UNESCO-listed Master of the Nets Garden, regarded as one of southern China’s finest, cruise along the picturesque Grand Canal and visit a silk factory. This evening, enjoy a special Farewell Banquet.
12 Shanghai – UK (B) Today, transfer to the airport for your return flight or continue your holiday in exhilarating Hong Kong.
**
Beijing
Xian
Hong Kong
Shanghai
Guilin
Itinerary:
Beijing 3nts
Xian 2nts
Guilin 2nts
Shanghai 3nts
Optional Suzhou 1day
Optional Hong Kong 2nts
Optional Extensions
· 1-Day Excursion to Suzhou
(from Shanghai)
· 2-Night Extension to Hong Kong
Please see page 31 for more details
*
For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
Yangtze Essence Tour Code: LDV
12 Days 10 Nights Beijing 3nts navigateright Xian 2nts navigateright Yangtze River 3nts navigateright Shanghai 2nts
Depart UK (Wednesday)
4 Mar 18 Mar 8, 22 Apr
13, 27 May
10 Jun 24 Jun 8 Jul 22 Jul 5, 19 Aug 9, 23 Sep 7, 21 Oct 4 Nov
Land + Air £1749 £1899 £1899 £1999 £1899 £1999 £1999 £2099 £2099 £2099 £2099 £1899Land only £1149 £1299 £1349 £1449 £1349 £1349 £1349 £1349 £1349 £1449 £1449 £1349Single Supp. £400 £400 £400 £450 £390 £390 £390 £390 £390 £480 £480 £400
HotelsBeijing: New Otani star star star star star
Xian: Sheraton North City star star star star star
Yangtze River Cruise: Victoria Anna, Executive Superior Cabin star star star star star
Shanghai: InterContinental Puxi star star star star star
Highlights & Inclusions• Beijing: Sightseeing &
Great Wall of China• Yangtze: Cruise Lectures
on Chinese history & culture, Tai Chi classes, fashion shows
• Xian: Terracotta Warriors & Tang Dynasty Show
• Guilin: Li River Cruise• Shanghai: Sightseeing &
Chinese Acrobatics Show• 10 hotel or cruise ship buffet breakfasts,
6 restaurant lunches, 7 hotel or restaurant Chinese or Western dinners
• 2 Special Banquents: Imperial Dumpling Dinner in Xian, Farewell Dinner in Shanghai
1-2 UK – Beijing Fly to Beijing, China’s vibrant capital city. On arrival on Day 2, meet your guide at the airport and relax with a convenient transfer to your hotel. Check in and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.
3 Beijing (B, L, D) Get a taste of Beijing’s rich history and culture on our sightseeing tour of this fascinating city, a microcosm of China’s radical economic growth yet also its oldest traditions. View famous Tiananmen Square, which takes its name from its Gate of Heavenly Peace, and pass Chairman Mao’s Memorial Hall on your way to the Forbidden City, a vast 15th century palace complex that was home to China’s Ming and Qing Emperors for over 500 years. Next, marvel at the entrancing Summer Palace, a garden of lakeside hills, marble bridges and temples that served as a summer retreat for China’s rulers. Photo stops at two of the city’s newest attractions – the superb Bird’s Nest stadium and Water Cube
China Tours
Yangtze River
16
17
Aquatics Centre – stadia built for the 2008 Olympics – round off your sightseeing.
4 Beijing (B, L) Today, witness one of the Seven Wonders of the World — the Great Wall of China. This 5,500-mile edifice trails across northern China from the Gobi Desert to the border with Korea and was built about 2,600 years ago to stave off Mongol invaders. Walk part of its ramparts, following in the steps of the one million soldiers who once manned it. After lunch, continue to the Sacred Way, sometimes known as the ‘Divine Way’. This slightly curving road – its bends designed to confuse evil spirits – was believed to lead to and from heaven and is flanked by remarkable marble-carved statues of animals and humans.
5 Beijing – Xian (B, D) This morning starts with a visit to the magnificent Temple of Heaven, a huge imperial courtyard of temples and buildings used by China’s emperors to perform sacrifices for good harvests. The centrepiece is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a circular wooden hall constructed without nails and topped with blue tiles symbolising heaven. Later, catch your short flight to Xian, known as the ‘Eternal City’ and the ancient capital of the Middle Kingdom.
6 Xian (B, L, DS) Today, soak up Xian’s star attraction — the incredible Terracotta Warriors. Discovered in 1974, this gigantic legion of 6,000 soldier and horses was sculpted by hand 2,200 years ago to guard China’s first emperor in the afterlife. Marvel at the individual expressions of each life-size warrior,
noting details such as the finely carved studs on their shoes, and imagine the real soldier each was modelled on. After lunch, visit Xian’s colossal City Wall, built in the Ming Dynasty, and Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a 65-metre high BudDist temple. This evening, enjoy an Imperial Dumpling Banquet dinner and Tang Dynasty show.
7 Xian – Chongqing – Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D) Leave Xian and fly to Chongqing where your Yangtze River cruise begins. Scooped into mountains, this thriving city is famed for its zoo, home to giant pandas. See these rare animals in the panda enclosure and stop for photos at Chongqing’s Great Hall of the People. Then, join your Victoria Cruises ship, the Victoria Anna, and settle into your comfortable cabin for your three-night cruise.
8 Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D) This morning, cruise downstream and enjoy a shore excursion to the beautiful Shibaozhai temple, a 12-storey red wooden pagoda rising from the northern bank of the Yangtze. Explore this extraordinary 18th-century building and soak up the stirring views over the river and hills as you climb higher up its floors. An alternative excursion may be arranged to the ‘ghost city’ of Fengdu.
9 Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D) Today, sail through the awe-inspiring Three Gorges, the most beautiful stretch of the Yangtze. Relish the views as you glide through the narrow Qutang Gorge and 25-mile Wu Gorge, passing wooded peaks and sheer rock faces. Along the
way, leave your vessel to cruise along the enchanting Small Gorges of Shennong Stream in a small boat, bobbing past cave-dotted cliffs. Then, re-board your ship to traverse the Xiling Gorge and impressive Three Gorges Dam locks.
10 Yangtze Cruise – Yichang – Shanghai (B) This morning, view the astonishing Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric construction in the world whose building transformed the Yangtze and the surrounding countryside. Continue your cruise to Yichang, where you disembark and enjoy a brief orientation tour before flying to Shanghai.
11 Shanghai (B, DS) Shanghai is China’s economic powerhouse and its most cosmopolitan and contemporary city. Yet its space-age skyscrapers, busy shopping avenues and colonial architecture still co-exist with a more traditional China of temples and gardens. Today, experience the best of this pulsating city, with a visit to the elegant waterfront Bund, Nanjing Road shopping district and the colourful City God Temple bazaar.
12 Shanghai – UK (B) Today, transfer to
the airport for your return flight or continue
your holiday in bustling Hong Kong.
Itinerary:
Beijing 3nts
Xian 2nts
Yangtze River 2nts
Shanghai 2nts
Optional Hong Kong 2nts *
Beijing
Yangtze River Cruise
Xian
Chongqing Yichang
Hong Kong
Shanghai
Optional Extensions
· 2-Night Extension to Hong Kong
Please see page 31 for more details*
For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
Tour Code: LDU
12 Days 10 Nights Beijing 3nts navigateright Xian 2nts navigateright Chengdu 2nts navigateright Shanghai 3nts
HotelsBeijing: New Otani star star star star star
Xian: Sheraton North City star star star star star
Chengdu: Crowne Plaza star star star star star
Shanghai: InterContinental Puxi star star star star star
Highlights & Inclusions• Beijing: Sightseeing &
Great Wall of China• Xian: Terracotta Warriors
& Tang Dynasty Show• Chengdu: Visit to Chengdu Giant
Panda Breeding Research Centre• Shanghai: Sightseeing &
Chinese Acrobatics Show• 10 hotel buffet breakfasts, 5 restaurant
lunches, 5 hotel or restaurant Chinese or Western dinners
• 2 Special Banquets: Imperial Dumpling Dinner in Xian, Farewell Dinner in Shanghai
1-2 UK – Beijing Fly to Beijing, China’s capital city. On arrival on Day 2, meet your guide and transfer to your hotel. The balance of the day is yours to relax in your hotel or dip into this vibrant city.
3 Beijing (B, L, D) Today, get to know Beijing on a fascinating sightseeing tour. The origins of the city stretch back more than 3,000 years, creating a multi-layered mix of architecture, and rich cultural and social heritage evident in everything from imposing Mao-era monuments to wooden temples, bustling markets, gabled palaces and glass high-rises. See Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public square, and the stunning Forbidden City, once the residence of Ming and Qing Emperors. This UNESCO-listed building is girded by walls and consists of 8,000 rooms, all exuding regal mystique. Later, visit the enchanting UNESCO-protected Summer Palace, a serene park dotted with temples,
Optional Extensions
· 2-Night Extension to
Hong Kong. Please see
page 31 for more details*
Depart UK (Friday)
6, 20 Mar
3, 17 Apr 1, 15 May
5 Jun 19 Jun 3, 17 Jul 31 Jul 14 Aug 28 Aug 11, 25 Sep
9, 23 Oct 7 Nov
Land + Air £1899 £1899 £1899 £1899 £1999 £1999 £2099 £2099 £1999 £1999 £1999 £1799Land only £1299 £1349 £1349 £1349 £1349 £1349 £1349 £1349 £1349 £1349 £1349 £1249Single Supp. £330 £350 £400 £350 £350 £350 £350 £350 £350 £430 £430 £350
China Tours
Pandas, Chengdu
China Discovery & Chengdu
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19
Beijing
Xian
Hong Kong
Shanghai
bridges, pagodas and a mirror-like lake. Other must-sees today include the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube stadiums, two of Beijing’s iconic 2008 Olympic sites.
4 Beijing (B, L) This morning visit the spectacular Great Wall of China, or ‘Long Wall of Ten Thousand Li’ in old Chinese. This enormous edifice was built more than 2,600 years ago and extends for 5,500 miles from the Korean border to the Gobi Desert. Walk a part of this awe-inspiring structure and absorb the never-ending mountain views. Next, head for the Sacred Way, once believed to lead to heaven, and step out along this age-old pathway, admiring the marble statues of animals and mythical creatures that frame it.
5 Beijing – Xian (B, D) Start your sightseeing at the Temple of Heaven, one of Beijing’s most beautiful medieval constructs. Dating back to 1420, this wondrous temple complex has a circular wooden hall built without using a single nail, as its centrepiece. As you explore, learn how China’s emperors would come here to pray for good harvests from your guide. Later today, fly to Xian.
6 Xian (B, L, DS) The original starting point of the legendary Silk Road, 3,000-year old Xian is the home of the Terracotta Warriors, perhaps the world’s most stunning archaeological find. Discovered accidentally in 1974, this vast clay-sculpted army of around 6,000 life-size figurines of soldiers, chariots and horses were buried with Emperor Qin Shih Huang to guard him in his afterlife. Each statue boasts individual features,
giving them a resonance that still deeply affects even after the passage of over 2,000 years. . After your visit and a stop for lunch, take in Xian’s ancient City Wall and Big Wild Goose Pagoda. This evening, sit down to an Imperial Dumpling Dinner and vibrant Tang Dynasty Show.
7 Xian – Chengdu (B) Today, transfer to the airport and fly to Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province. This fast-growing city is famed for its spicy Sichuan cuisine, charming teahouses and Giant Panda Breeding Research Centre: home to more than 50 species of giant and red pandas. After checking in at your hotel, enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.
8 Chengdu (B, L) After time at the Wu Hou Shrine, an extravagant temple that honours the important statesmen of the Three Kingdoms period, visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Centre, a vast lakeside reserve of bamboo groves created to mimic panda habitats. As you walk around, enjoy close-up sightings of these beautiful endangered animals as they rest and eat.. Afterwards, explore Chengdu’s Wide and Narrow Lanes, two quaint alleyways that date back to the Qing Dynasty mirror old and new Chengdu with hidden courtyards, wooden teahouses and boutique shops and restaurants.
9 Chengdu – Shanghai (B, DS) This morning take a short flight to Shanghai, China’s most cosmopolitan and fast-moving city, once known as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’. This electrifying
metropolis is the world’s most populous, and is a dizzying fusion of old and modern.. See its most celebrated landmarks, including the exquisite pavilions and pools of its classical 16th century Yu Garden. Other highlights include the exuberant City God Temple Bazaar and Nanjing Road shopping district. This evening, enjoy dinner and a breathtaking Chinese Acrobatic Show.
10 Shanghai (B, L) Continue your explorations of Shanghai at the Bund, the city’s handsome riverside boulevard, where pre-1950s buildings recall the city’s golden age as a trading hub. From here, head for the Shanghai Museum to admire its impressive collections of ancient Chinese art and antiquities. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to relax as you wish.
Day 11 Shanghai (B, D) Enjoy a free day today to explore Shanghai at your own pace. Alternatively, you may wish to join our optional full-day excursion to nearby Suzhou. Known as the ‘Venice of the East’, this delightful city is an age-old centre of silk production and woven with pretty canals, bridges and classical gardens. See its landmarks with a cruise along the Grand Canal, visit the enchanting Master of the Nets and call in at a silk factory. Tonight, enjoy a Farewell Banquet dinner in Shanghai.
12 Shanghai – UK (B) Transfer to Shanghai airport for your return flight or extend your trip with a stay in exciting Hong Kong.
Itinerary:
Beijing 3nts
Xian 2nts
Chengdu 2nts
Shanghai 3nts
Optional Hong Kong 2nts *
Beijing
Xian
Hong Kong
Shanghai
Chengdu
For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Dubai, Nepal
Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Dubai, Nepal
Succumb to the dazzling colours of India and Nepal, explore buzzing Dubai, and discover the serene beauty of Vietnam and Cambodia in Indochina.
From the temples of India to the markets of Vietnam and
skyscrapers of Dubai, our tours to Indochina, the Indian
subcontinent and the Arabian Peninsula take you to
worlds very different from our own.
Marvel at mist-shrouded Angkor Wat in Cambodia and
journey through jewel-green Vietnam to explore colonial-
era cities, the Mekong Delta and enchanting Halong Bay.
Experience the intoxicating cities and sights of India,
including the ethereal Taj Mahal; unlock the mysteries of
Nepal in the shadow of the Himalayas, and wonder at the
vision of the future that is Dubai.
Our tours to these stunning lands will leave an indelible
impression and incredible memories.
Your Tour Includes
• All international and internal flights
• Overseas airport transfers on arrival and departure
• Service of expert local English-speaking guides
and your tour manager (if applicable)
• Admission fees for sightseeing attractions
• Air-conditioned coach touring
Meal codes: B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner, DS = dinner & show
Indochina Excursion Tour Code: LAA
Indochina, India, Dubai & Nepal Tours
13 Days 11 Nights Hanoi 2nts navigateright Halong 2nts navigateright Saigon 2nts navigateright Siem Reap 3nts navigateright Bangkok 2nts
Depart UK (Thursday)
26 Feb 19 Mar 16 Apr 21 May 18 Jun 16 Jul 13 Aug 10 Sep 15 Oct 12 Nov 3 Dec
Land + Air £2399 £2399 £2399 £2399 £2399 £2399 £2399 £2399 £2399 £2399 £2399Land only £1699 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1699 £1699Single Supp. £650 £650 £650 £650 £650 £650 £650 £650 £650 £650 £650
HotelsHanoi: Sofitel Plaza star star star star star
Halong: Novotel Halong Bay star star star star star
Saigon: Renaissance Riverside star star star star star
Siam Reap: Victoria Angkor Resort star star star star star
Bangkok: Dusit Thani star star star star star
Highlights & Inclusions• Hanoi: Sightseeing Ho Chi
Minh Stilt House, Mausoleum & Temple of Literature
• Halong Bay: Long-tail boat cruise including lunch on board
• Ho Chi Minh (Saigon): Sightseeing & Cu Chi Tunnels Excursion
• Angkor Wat & Angkor Thom• Bangkok: Sightseeing including Grand
Palace & Thai Welcome Dinner
1-2 UK – Hanoi, Vietnam Fly to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Meet your guide at the airport on Day 2 for a transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the spellbinding capital of Vietnam.
3 Hanoi (B, L, D) Vietnam’s second largest city has a tumultuous history, having been occupied by the French, Chinese and Japanese during its 1,000-year history. Fringing the Red River, its tree-lined boulevards, tiny backstreets, busy markets and colonial buildings are redolent of its eclectic past and cry out to be explored. Today, see the principal sights, visiting the 11th century Temple of Literature, lotus-shaped One Pillar Pagoda and Mausoleum where Vietnam’s hallowed founder, Ho Chi Minh, lies in state. Also, view the humble Stilt House, where Ho Chi Minh lived, and explore the atmospheric Old Quarter, alive with artisans and stallholders. Tonight, watch a traditional water puppet performance.
All departures are guaranteed with a minimum of 4 persons
Angkor Wat, Siem Reap
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4 Hanoi – Halong (B, L, D) Spend this morning as you please, perhaps venturing into Hanoi further to see more of its sights. After lunch at a local restaurant, travel through fascinating rural Vietnam to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Halong Bay, and check in to your hotel for two nights.
5 Halong (B, L, D) Today, have your camera ready for a cruise around Halong Bay. Board a traditional long-tail boat and spend an idyllic day on this glassy-watered bay, where over a 1,000 rock islands rear from the waters, forming a magical landscape. Enjoy lunch on board and visit two island caves, ThienCung and Dau Go. Stop at stunning Titov Island, and on your way back, pass rickety floating villages and lone fishermen at work in the clear waters.
6 Halong – Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) (B, L) This morning, return to Hanoi and fly to Ho Chi Minh City, previously known as Saigon. Check in at your hotel for two nights and enjoy the rest of the day to unwind or get to know this hectic city.
7 Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) (B, L) Vietnam’s economic powerhouse, Ho Chi Minh is Vietnam’s largest city and home to seven million people. A profusion of French colonial buildings, bustling markets and gleaming skyscrapers make it a fascinating city of contrasts. Today, leave the city confines to witness the the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, a vast underground network used by the
Viet Cong to fight the US, consisting of command posts, shelters and clinics. Learn more about the Viet Cong and descend into some of the tunnels. Return to Saigon and spend the afternoon as you wish.
8 Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) – Siem Reap (B, D) This morning, enjoy a sightseeing tour of this effervescent city, including its enthralling War Remnants Museum that charts the Vietnam War. Other highlights include the Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, City Hall and Opera House and time at Ben Thanh Market to browse its jumble of food and trinket stalls. This afternoon, fly to Siem Reap.
9 Siem Reap, Cambodia (B, L) A guided tour of spectacular Angkor Thom beckons today. Explore the overgrown relics of this magnificent 12th-century walled complex including the Elephant Terrace, Terrace of the Leper King, Baphuon, Royal Enclosure and Phimeanakas. Also, view the bas-reliefs at the Bayon complex and watch a glorious sunset from the top of a temple.
10 Siem Reap (B, L, D) Today, explore wondrous Angkor Wat, the finest of all the complexes in Angkor and a fixture on Cambodia’s national flag. This 12th-century architectural ensemble consists of towers, shrines and temples, highlights of which include the jungle-entangled Ta Prohm temple and the Ta Keo, Chau Say Tevoda and Roluos Group Temples. After soaking the glories of Angkor, visit the handicrafts centre of
Les Chantiers Ecole to see how artisanal Khmer crafts like stone-carving, silk weaving and woodcarving are carried out.
11 Siem Reap – Bangkok (B, D) Fly to Bangkok, Thailand’s capital. Sitting on the Chaophaya River, this fascinating city brims with floating markets, hooting tuk-tuks, gold-roofed temples and tempting restaurants. Today, head for the spectacular Grand Palace, the former residence of Siamese kings, to admire its opulent temples and halls. Marvel at the exquisite Emerald Buddha
12 Bangkok (B) Enjoy today free in Bangkok or take our optional excursion to Ayutthaya with a stop at the lavish Bang Pa-In Summer Palace en-route. Explore the splendid historic temples of Ayutthaya, the ruined capital of the legendary kingdom of Siam. Afterwards, cruise back to Bangkok on a Grand Pearl liner, gliding past bustling riverbanks and colourful villages as you savour a lunch buffet on board.
13 Bangkok – UK (B) Today, transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.
Itinerary:
Hanoi 2nts
Halong 2nts
Saigon 2nts
Siem Reap 3nts
Bangkok 2nts
Optional Ayutthaya & Gand Pearl Cruise 1day *
Halong
Ayutthaya
BangkokSiem Reap
Ho-Chi Minh (Saigon)
Hanoi
Optional Extensions
· 1-Day Ayutthaya & Grand Pearl
Cruise (from Bangkok)*
For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
Incredible India & Dubai Tour Code: LIB
10 Days 8 Nights Dubai 2nts navigateright Delhi 2nts navigateright Agra 1nt navigateright Jaipur 3nts
Depart UK (Mon)
26 Jan 16 Feb 16 Mar 13 Apr 11 May 14 Sep 19 Oct 16 Nov 14 Dec
Land + Air £1899 £1899 £1899 £1799 £1799 £1799 £1999 £1999 £1999Land only £1349 £1349 £1349 £1249 £1249 £1249 £1449 £1449 £1399Single Supp. £590 £590 £590 £430 £400 £400 £600 £600 £590
HotelsStay in comfort in these 4-star deluxe hotels or similar:Dubai: Grand Millennium Hotel star star star star star
Delhi: Trident Gurgaon star star star star star
Agra: Radisson Blu star star star star star
Jaipur: Radisson Blu star star star star star
Delhi: (Relax & Refresh Room) Holiday Inn star star star star
Highlights & Inclusions• Dubai: Burj Khalifa, Dubai Museum• Delhi: Jama Masjid, Humayun’s Tomb• Agra: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Red Fort• Fatehpur Sikri• Jaipur: Amber Fort, City Palace,
Jantar Mantar• 8 hotel breakfasts, 5 restaurant lunches
including one gourmet lunch at the iconic Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, 4 Indian or Western dinners at hotels
1-2 UK– Dubai, UAE Board your flight to Dubai, your first destination on your magical odyssey to the UAE and India. Arrive in Dubai and meet your representative at the airport. Enjoy a convenient transfer to your hotel in the city and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
3 Dubai (B, L) Today, enjoy a full-day sightseeing tour to experience glamorous Dubai, one of the most exciting and cosmopolitan cities in the world. Sitting between the golden shores and translucent waters of the Arabian Gulf and the deserts of the UAE, this glittering metropolis is both relaxing and enlivening, thanks to its state-of-the-art leisure amenities and buzzing atmosphere. On your tour, visit both shores of beautiful Dubai Creek to experience the two sides of the city – the old town with its medieval towers and alleyways and the glitzy modern city with its soaring skyscrapers. Ride the high-speed elevator to the observation deck of the incredible
All departures are guaranteed with a minimum of 6 persons
Optional Excursions
· Agra - Taj Mahal at Sunrise
· Jaipur - Sanganer Excursion
with lunch. *
Indochina, India, Dubai & Nepal Tours
Taj Mahal, Agra
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25
Burj Khalifa*, the world’s tallest building and Dubai’s showpiece tower. At the top, marvel at the panoramic views over the city, ocean and desert. Next, enjoy a photo stop at the iconic Atlantis The Palm, the monumental hotel sitting on the artificial archipelago of Palm Jumeirah. Other highlights include visits to the Dubai Museum, Dubai World Trade Center, and the city’s traditional spice and gold souks. Also, enjoy lunch at the stylish Junsui restaurant in the iconic, sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel before heading for Dubai Mall to browse its upscale shops for souvenirs. Spend this evening as you wish, perhaps enjoying Dubai’s varied dining scene or relaxing at your hotel.
4 Dubai – Delhi, India (B) Enjoy this morning doing as much or as little as you please before transferring to Dubai airport to catch your flight to Delhi. On arrival, meet our local guide and transfer to your Delhi hotel for check-in.
5 Delhi (B, L, D) After breakfast this morning, immerse yourself in this captivating city, the capital of modern India. Split into two sections – New Delhi created by the British in 1911, and Old Delhi, the walled older district dating to the 17th century – this vibrant city always charms visitors with its vibrancy and fascinating sights. Today, start you explorations in Old Delhi, with a walking tour through its labyrinthine lanes and teeming streets. Here, see an age-old silver bazaar, bustling flower market and a Jain temple. Then, climb aboard a traditional rickshaw to ride to the domed Jama Masjid, Asia’s largest
mosque. Afterward, drive past the Red Fort and sit down to lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, the focus switches to the imperial grandeur of New Delhi. Visit the ornate Humayun’s Tomb and drive past the imposing India Gate, Presidential Palace, Parliament House and the Secretariat Buildings, all recalling the days of the British Empire. Tonight, enjoy dinner at your hotel.
6 Delhi – Agra (B, L, D) After breakfast, sit back and relax on a drive to Agra via the expressway. When you arrive at this world-famous city, view red sandstone Agra Fort and savor lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, enjoy an undoubted highlight of your Indian adventure with a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Taj Mahal. Built by the emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife, this spectacular building is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and will take your breath away with its ethereal beauty. Envision the painstaking work carried out by the 20,000 men who worked on this wondrous tomb for a full 20 years as you gaze at its marble-inlaid arches, walls and terraces. Complete your visit with a traditional Tonga Ride — a horse-drawn carriage ride — and enjoy dinner at your hotel in the evening.
7 Agra – Fatehpur Sikri - Jaipur (B, L, D) Seize the opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal during the early morning today: the time of day when many consider it to be at its most beautiful, with the rising sun casting its marble in stunning hues of mauve and pink. Then,
after breakfast, continue your travels to Jaipur, stopping to witness the abandoned sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri, built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 and deserted due to lack of waters just 15 years later. After lunch at a local restaurant, drive on to Jaipur, whose walled quarter is famously eulogized as the “Pink City.” Check in to your hotel to our hotel and enjoy dinner in its restaurant this evening.
8 Jaipur (B, L) Today, immerse yourself in this bustling city, whose origins extend back to the 18th century and the reign of Jai Singh. This morning, enjoy an Elephant Ride or Jeep Ride up to the majestic Amber Fort to explore this magnificent 16th-century hilltop palace and thrill to its views over Matoa Lake. On the way back, stop to snap photos of Hawa Mahal – the elaborately beautiful Palace of Winds – before sitting down to lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon, view the City Palace and Jantar Mantar Observatory*, a stone astrological and astronomical observatory dating back to the 18th century. Later in the evening, watch a fascinating Saari and Turban Tying Demonstration before enjoying time free for dinner on your own.
9 Jaipur (B) Today is yours to spend in any way you wish. Perhaps explore more of the alluring “Pink City”, picking up souvenirs at its colourful markets and admiring the rose-coloured buildings that were all first painted pink on the orders of the Maharajah in 1878. Alternatively, you may wish to join our optional tour to Sanganer, a small town famed for its textiles, crafts and handmade block-printed paper. Visit its makeshift workshops and watch captivated as its dexterous artisans create beautiful, intricate prints in a dazzling array of colours and designs, and furnish them with hints of gold and silver. Then, perhaps buy some of these unique works of art or some of Sanganer’s exquisitely printed silks and cottons as reminders of your holiday.
10 Jaipur -Delhi -UK (B, D) After breakfast, drive back to Delhi. Here, check into your hotel’s wash and change rooms for two hours to relax and freshen up. Later, enjoy dinner at the hotel and transfer to Delhi airport at midnight to board your early morning flight to the UK.
Delhi
Jaipur Dubai
Agra
For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
Dubai, India & Nepal Tour Code: LIN
13 Days 11 Nights Dubai 2nts navigateright Delhi 2nts navigateright Agra 1nt navigateright Jaipur 3nts navigateright Kathmandu 3nts
HotelsDubai: Grand Millennium Hotel star star star star star
Delhi: Trident Gurgaon star star star star star
Agra: Radisson Blu star star star star star
Jaipur: Radisson Blu star star star star star
Kathmandu: Hotel Shanker star star star star
Delhi: (Relax & Refresh Room) Holiday Inn star star star star
Highlights & Inclusions• Dubai: Burj Khalifa, Dubai Museum• Delhi: Jama Masjid, Humayun’s Tomb• Agra: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort,
Fatehpur Sikri, Red Fort• Jaipur: Amber Fort, City Palace,
Jantar Mantar Observatory• Kathmandu: Durbar Square,
Swayambhunath Temple, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath
• 11 hotel breakfasts, 5 restaurant lunches, including one gourmet lunch at the iconic Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, 4 Indian or Western dinners at hotels
1-2 UK– Dubai, UAE Fly to Dubai, the first stop on your exciting voyage to the UAE, India and Nepal. Meet your representative at the airport and enjoy a convenient transfer to your hotel in the city. Spend the rest of the day doing as little or as much as you please.
3 Dubai (B, L) Today, experience one of the world’s most glamorous cities in the world on a full-day tour covering both shores of Dubai Creek. Board a high-speed elevator to the top of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and absorb the bird’s-eye views over Dubai, before taking photos of the iconic Atlantis The Palm. Other highlights include the Dubai Museum, Dubai World Trade Center, and the bustling alleys of the city’s exotic spice and gold souks. During your tour, enjoy a delicious lunch at the fashionable Junsui Restaurant in the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab Hotel, and then head to glittering Dubai Mall.
Indochina, India, Dubai & Nepal Tours
All departures are guaranteed with a minimum of 6
Optional Excursions
· Agra - Taj Mahal at Sunrise
· Jaipur - Sanganer Excursion
with lunch.*
Depart UK (Mon)
26 Jan 16 Feb 16 Mar 13 Apr 11 May 14 Sep 19 Oct 16 Nov 14 Dec
Land + Air £2399 £2499 £2499 £2499 £2399 £2399 £2599 £2599 £2599Land only £1849 £1949 £1949 £1949 £1849 £1849 £2049 £2049 £1999Single Supp. £700 £700 £700 £550 £500 £550 £700 £700 £700
Burj Al Arab, Dubai
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4 Dubai – Delhi, India (B) Enjoy time free this morning to relax or explore further before transferring to Dubai airport for your flight to Delhi. On arrival the rest of the day is at leisure.
5 Delhi (B, L, D) After breakfast, enjoy a whole day dedicated to India’s effervescent and historic capital. Divided into two – 17th century, walled Old Delhi and the New Delhi of imperial buildings created by the British Raj – this diverse metropolis bursts with sights. In the morning, explore characterful Old Delhi, delving into its tangled, market-filled lanes to find an authentic silver bazaar, flower market and decorative Jain Temple. Then, climb aboard a traditional rickshaw to ride to Asia’s biggest mosque, Jama Masjid, and click your camera as you pass the spectacular Red Fort. After lunch, explore New Delhi, visiting the UNESCO-listed Humayun’s Tomb and driving the tree-lined avenues past the India Gate, Presidential Palace, Parliament House and Secretariat Buildings.
6 Delhi – Agra (B, L, D) After breakfast, drive to Agra using the expressway. On arrival, visit the sandstone Agra Fort, catching glimpses of the shining Taj Mahal through its arches. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and afterward, be blown away by a visit to the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This incomparable mausoleum was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan for his wife and ranks as the greatest ever architectural celebration of love. Behold its intricate marble-inlaid walls, terraces and columns and hear
about the 20,000 men who worked to create this treasure over 20 years.
7 Agra – Fatehpur Sikri - Jaipur (B, L, D) This morning, why not join our optional excursion to witness the Taj one more time? Our foray is timed to catch the monument at its most beautiful, in the pearlescent light of dawn. After breakfast, set off for Jaipur, the capital of Rajhastan. Along the way, stop at the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri, built in 1569 by the Emperor Akbar before being abandoned just 15 years later. After visiting a local restaurant for lunch, continue to Jaipur, whose medieval walled quarter is famed as the “Pink City.” Check in to your hotel and enjoy dinner here this evening.
8 Jaipur (B, L) This morning, follow breakfast with a visit to the majestic Amber Fort, standing imperiously on a hilltop. Thrill at an elephant ride or jeep ride up to its gates, before exploring this atmospheric 17th century citadel and relishing its views over Lake Mantoa. Next, snap photos of the ornate Hawa Mahal – or “Palace of Winds” – before lunch at a local restaurant and time at the City Palace and Jantar Mantar Observatory, an 18th-century astronomical observatory, this afternoon. Your day finishes with a fascinating Saari and Turban Tying Demonstration and free time to enjoy dinner.
9 Jaipur (B) Spend today as you wish, perhaps relaxing at your hotel or experiencing more of rose-colored Jaipur, whose buildings were painted pink by Maharajah’s decree in 1859.
Alternatively, join our optional excursion to the handicrafts village of Sanganer, renowned for its elaborate block printing and homemade paper industries. View the artisans at work as they print a rich array of colors and designs, sometimes finished with gold and silver, on paper, cottons and silks. Afterward, perhaps purchase some exquisite printed fabrics or papers as mementos. 10 Jaipur - Delhi - Kathmandu, Nepal (B) After breakfast, drive back to Delhi to catch your flight to Kathmandu, the enthralling capital of the Royal Kingdom of Nepal. Meet your local guide at the airport and transfer to your hotel for check-in. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
11 Kathmandu – Patan – Kathmandu (B) Following breakfast, explore timeless Kathmandu, which lies in the Himalayan Mountains between India and Tibet and is fringed by snow-capped peaks. See the temple-lined Durbar Square, royal palace complex Hanuman Dhoka, and the Swayambhunath, a 2,000-year-old Buddhist stupa topped by a spire painted with the eyes of the Buddha. After time free for lunch, your tour continues this afternoon to the ancient Newar town of Patan. Overflowing with wood-carved balconies and windows, this entrancing place is famed for its beautiful, temple-packed Durbar Square, Royal Palace, Golden Gate, Telegu temple and countless curio shops and bazaars.
12 Kathmandu (B) This morning, visit Pashupatinath, Nepal’s revered Hindu Temple, on the banks of the holy Bagamati River. A center of annual pilgrimage for devotees of the god Shiva, this extravagant building is surrounded by stalls and shrines, and boasts a stunning, two-tier golden roof and silver doors. Next, visit Nepal’s largest stupa, Boudhnath, believed to date to the 14th century, and fascinating Bhaktapur, the third of the royal cities in the Kathmandu Valley along with Kathmandu and Patan.
13 Kathmandu - Delhi - UK(B, D) After breakfast, board your flight to Delhi at Kathmandu airport. On arrival, freshen up at your hotel’s wash and change rooms before dinner at the hotel. Later, transfer to Delhi for your return flight.
Delhi
Jaipur Dubai
Agra
Kathmandu
For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
City Packages& Extensions
Meal codes: B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner, DS = dinner & show
Extend or create your perfect holiday
Fancy visiting Hong Kong or another exciting city
at the start or end of your tour? Want to lounge
on the beach after your sightseeing? Or keen to
jet off on an amazing multi-centre holiday?
Whatever you have in mind, we make it easy to
create your ideal holiday with a range of fantastic
city packages that let you stretch out your tour
or build a dream itinerary from scratch.
Browse our affordable city packages here and add them
as a pre-tour or post-tour break to extend your time away.
Or why not combine them into one amazing multi-centre
holiday? Almost anything and everything is possible – just
speak to our travel specialists who will help put together
your perfect getaway.
City Package Features
• All our city breaks include hotel accommodation
and daily breakfast, plus sightseeing tours as
specified & round-trip airport-hotel transfers
• No airfares included – to add international or
domestic flights, call us on 0207 470 8852 or
email [email protected]
• Prices based on minimum requirement of 2 persons
• Additional nights available on per-room basis,
including daily breakfast for 2 people
• Sightseeing tours and transfers
on a shared coach basis
• Private sightseeing tours available
for extra charge on request
City Package Features• Price is per person, based
on twin occupancy and private sightseeing tour
• 3 nights’ hotel stay, including daily breakfast
• Roundtrip airport-hotel transfers
• Admission fees for sightseeing tours
Day 1 Arrive Beijing: Airport meet & transfer to hotel
Day 2 Full-day tour & lunch (B, L): Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace
Day 3 Tour & Lunch (B, L): Great Wall Badaling, Sacred Way
Day 4 Depart Beijing (B) Airport transfer
ShanghaiBeijing3 Days 2 Nights 4 Days 3 Nights
Depart UK 1 Jan - 15 Mar
16 Mar -29 Aug
30 Aug - 15 Nov
16 Nov - 13 Mar 16
14 Mar 16 - 29 Mar 16
Land only £210 £330 £350 £300 £320Single Supp. £100 £100 £120 £90 £100Extra Night £35 £35 £45 £30 £35
Depart UK 1 Jan 15 - 30 Mar 16
Land only £190Single Supp. £85Extra Night £45
1 Apr -29 Jun
30 Jun - 30 Nov
1 Dec - 27 Feb 16
28 Feb 16 - 30 Mar 16
£170 £180 £170 £180
£60 £70 £60 £70
£30 £45 £30 £45
1 Jan - 26 Feb
27 Feb - 13 Mar
14 Mar -29 Mar
30 Mar - 31 May
1 Jun - 29 Aug
30 Aug - 15 Nov
16 Nov - 26 Feb 16
£310 £400 £450 £500 £450 £500 £400
£200 £190 £230 £290 £230 £290 £190
£65 £65 £75 £95 £75 £95 £65
Grand Hyatt Beijing 5* InterContinental Puxi 5* Shanghai Renaissance Yangtze 5*
New Otani 5*
Tour Code: PEK Tour Code: SHA
City Package Features• Price is per person, based
on double occupancy and private sightseeing tour
• 2 nights’ hotel stay, including daily breakfast
• Roundtrip airport-hotel transfers
• Admission fees for sightseeing tours
• Please note: Audio guide is not included in Shanghai Museum
Day 1 Arrive Shanghai Airport meet & transfer to hotel
Day 2 Full-day Tour (B) Yu Garden, the Bund, Nanjing Road, Shanghai Museum
Day 3 Depart Shanghai (B) Airport transfer
Yu Garden, ShanghaiBadaling, Great Wall, Beijing
City Packages & Extensions
1 Apr -29 Jun
30 Jun - 30 Nov
1 Dec - 27 Feb 16
28 Feb 16 - 30 Mar 16
£170 £180 £170 £180
£60 £70 £60 £70
£30 £45 £30 £45
3 Days 2 Nights
Tour Code: HKG
Roundtrip airport-hotel transfers• Package prices include
flights and can be added on to the beginning or end of your China tour
• Package and extra night prices are per person based on 2 adults sharing a twin room
• Includes 2 nights’ hotel accommodation with daily breakfast
• Half-day sightseeing tour with an English-speaking guide on a shared-coach basis
• Round Trip Hong Kong airport transfers by shuttle bus
Day 1 Arrive Hong Kong Transfer to hotel
Day 2 Hong Kong Half-Day Sightseeing Tour (B) Victoria Peak, Stanley Market, Repulse Bay, Aberdeen Floating Community
Day 3 Depart Hong Kong (B) Transfer to airport
With a name that translates as ‘Fragrant Harbour’, Hong Kong overflows with sights and attractions. So why not add a stay in this captivating city at the start or end of your China tour? Our package spotlights the best of Hong Kong, from the sweeping views of Victoria Peak to the floating communities of Aberdeen. You’ll also have time to unwind and explore at leisure, perhaps admiring the junk-dotted harbour, scenic Kowloon and diving into the world-class shopping and food scene.
Hong Kong
Arrival in Hong Kong
25 Feb -24 Mar
25 Mar - 31 Apr
1 Apr - 8 Apr
9 Apr - 30 Apr
1 May - 8 Sep
9 Sep - 8 Oct
9 Oct - 14 Nov
15 Nov - 20 Dec
21 Dec - 26 Dec
27 Dec - 16 Jan 16
17 Jan 16 - 5 Feb 16
6 Feb 16 - 13 Feb 16
14 Feb 16 - 27 Feb 16
28 Feb 16 - 14 Mar 16
15 Mar 16 - 20 Mar 16
21 Mar 16 - 31 Mar 16
Land + Air £370 £420 £350 £450 £350 £380 £450 £350 £380 £450 £350 £450 £340 £380 £450 £380Single Supp. £220 £270 £200 £300 £200 £240 £300 £200 £240 £300 £200 £300 £200 £240 £300 £240Extra Night £110 £135 £100 £150 £100 £120 £150 £100 £120 £150 £100 £150 £100 £120 £150 £120
Arrival in Hong Kong
28 Feb -30 Mar
31 Mar - 7 Apr
8 Apr - 30 Apr
1 May - 8 Sep
9 Sep - 8 Oct
9 Oct - 31 Oct
1 Nov - 30 Nov
1 Dec - 15 Dec
16 Dec - 28 Dec
29 Dec - 2 Jan 16
3 Jan 16 - 16 Jan 16
17 Jan 16 - 4 Feb 16
5 Feb 16 - 13 Feb 16
14 Feb 16 - 3 Mar 16
4 Mar 16 - 31 Mar 16
Land + Air £310 £310 £310 £270 £310 £350 £310 £270 £310 £350 £310 £270 £350 £270 £310Single Supp. £170 £170 £170 £130 £170 £220 £170 £130 £170 £220 £170 £130 £220 £130 £170Extra Night £85 £85 £110 £65 £85 £110 £85 £65 £85 £110 £85 £65 £110 £65 £85
Intercontinental Grand Stanford
Kowloon Hotel
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Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong
For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
Taiwan Treasures Tour Code: LTW
City Packages & Extensions
8 Days 7 Nights Taipei 2nts navigateright Sun Moon Lake 1nt navigateright Kaohsiung 1nt navigateright Zhihben 1nt navigateright Taroko 1nt navigateright Taipei 1nt
Arrival on (Saturday)Palais de Chine or Regent Hotel
1 Jan 2015 - 31 Mar 2015
1 Apr 2015 - 28 Feb 2016
Land only £630 £650Single Supp. £430 £460
Arrival on (Saturday)Howard Plaza
1 Jan 2015 - 31 Mar 2015
1 Apr 2015 - 28 Feb 2016
Land only £550 £599Single Supp. £390 £400
Arrival on(Saturday)Gala Hotel
1 Jan 2015 - 31 Mar 2015
1 Apr 2015 - 28 Feb 2016
Land only £520 £550Single Supp. £340 £350
HotelsTaipei: Regent Taipei star star star star star
Palais de Chine star star star star star
Howard Plaza star star star star
Gala Hotel star star star
Sun Moon Lake: Fleur de Chine star star star star star
Kaohsiung: Grand Hi-Lai star star star star star
Zhihben: Royal Chihpen star star star star star
Taroko: Silks Place Taroko star star star star star
Highlights & Inclusions• Taipei: City Sightseeing• Sun Moon Lake: Scenic sightseeing• Kaohsiung: Fo Guang Shan
and city sightseeing• Kenting: National Park Scenic sightseeing• East Coast National Scenic
Area Scenic sightseeing• Taroko: National Park Scenic sightseeing
Your Holiday Includes• Overseas airport transfers on
arrival and departure• 7 hotel buffet breakfasts• Comprehensive sightseeing tours
including entrance fees• Services of English-speaking
guide throughout• Shared air-conditioned coach touring• Please note: international
flights are not included
Sun Moon Lake, Nantou, Taiwan
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1 UK – Taipei, Taiwan Arrive in Taipei, Taiwan’s vibrant capital. Meet your driver at the airport and transfer by private car to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day to relax or explore.
2 Taipei (B) Enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour of Taipei: a bustling, mountain-backed metropolis of colorful markets, elaborate temples and futuristic skyscrapers. Along with other must-sees, visit the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial; the Martyr’s Shrine, and National Palace Museum, home to stunning collections of Chinese antiquities. Spend the rest of the day as you please.
3 Taipei – Sun Moon Lake (B) Drive to Sun Moon Lake, a vast lake in Taiwan’s mountainous heart. Admire the emerald-green lake and its waterside pavilions before visiting spectacular Wenwu Temple. Pass the Chinese lions at its door to explore its three halls, dedicated to different gods. Continue to the Holy Monk Shrine and 9-storey Ci En Pagoda before enjoying free time to relax, walk or go boating on the lake.
4 Sun Moon Lake - Kaohsiung (B) Venture to Fo Guang Shan, Taiwan’s largest Buddhist monastery. Near Taiwan’s second-largest city, Kaohsiung, this sprawling retreat boasts a 90-foot golden Buddha and temples, colleges and gardens. Learn about Buddhism as you explore, talk to the monks, and perhaps enjoy a Buddhist vegetarian lunch (own expense). Afterward, travel
to Kaohsiung, visiting the Love River and Liuhe Night Market this evening.
5 Kaohsiung – Kenting – Zhihben, Taitung (B) Enjoy a morning tour of Kenting National Park, an area of glorious beaches, sheer cliffs and coral-hemmed shores on Taiwan’s southernmost peninsula. Discover its pristine landscapes and attractions, including enchanting Longpan Park, before staying overnight in Zhihben.
6 Taitung – East Coast – Taroko (B) Explore Taiwan’s beautiful East Coast National Scenic Area this morning, admiring lush rice paddies, steep cliffs and fishing villages. Experience its many beauty spots, including the ‘stone steps’ of Shitiping before continuing to Taroko.
7 Taroko – Taipei (B) Today enjoy Taiwan’s scenic showpiece, the Taroko Gorge. This narrow ravine slices through marble-stone mountains and boasts a cliffside road snaking between forested peaks and the Liwu River below. Trace this breathtaking, tunnel-dotted road and visit a grotto, temple and other sites before a scenic drive back to Taipei.
8 Taipei – UK (B) Transfer by private car to Taipei airport for your return flight.
Itinerary:
Taipei 2nts
Sun Moon Lake 1nt
Kaohsiung 1nt
Zhihben 1nt
Taroko 1nt
Taipei 1nts
Taipei
Taroko
Zhihben
Sun Moon Lake
Kaohsiung
Night Market, Taiwan
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Taipei
Taroko Gorge, Hualien, Taiwan
For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
These are the Terms and Conditions which
shall apply to your booking. Please read them
carefully as you will be bound by them.
1. INTRODUCTION- YOUR HOLIDAY
CONTRACT Your contract is with Ritz Tours
Ltd. trading as RT Holidays (registered No.
05427487) whose registered address is 71-75
Shelton Street, London, WC2H 9JQ. Your
contract shall incorporate these terms and
conditions and by making a booking with
us you confirm your acceptance of these
terms and conditions to the exclusion of
any other terms and conditions which you
may seek to apply to the contract. In these
Terms & Conditions references to “you” and
“your” include the first named person on the
booking and all persons on whose behalf
a booking is made or any other person to
whom a booking is added or transferred.
By making a booking, the first named person
on the booking agrees on behalf of all
persons detailed on the booking that:-
A. He/she has read these terms and
conditions and has the authority to and
does agree to be bound by them;
B. He/she consents to our use of information
in accordance with our Privacy Policy;
C. He/she is over 18 years of age and a
resident in the United Kingdom and
where placing an order for services with
age restrictions declares that he/she
and all members of the party are of the
appropriate age to purchase those services.
A booking is made with us when a) you tell us
that you would like to accept our written or
verbal quotation; and b) you pay us a deposit (If
you are booking within 60 days of departure,
full payment is due at the time of booking); and
c) we issue you with a booking confirmation.
We reserve the right to return your deposit and
decline to issue a confirmation at our absolute
discretion. A binding contract will come into
existence between you and us as soon as we
have issued you with a booking confirmation
that will confirm the details of your booking
and will be sent to you or your travel agent.
If your confirmed arrangements include a
flight, we (or if you booked via an authorised
agent of ours, that agent) will issue you with an
ATOL Certificate and a confirmation invoice.
Upon receipt, if you believe that any details on
the ATOL Certificate or confirmation invoice
or any other document are wrong you must
advise us immediately as changes cannot be
made later or may result in additional costs.
Any money paid to an authorised agent of
ours in respect of a booking covered by our
ATOL is held by that agent on behalf of and
for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel
Trust at all times, but subject to the agent’s
obligation to pay it to us for so long as we
do not fail financially. If we do fail financially,
any money held at that time by the agent or
subsequently accepted from the consumer
by the agent, is and continues to be held by
that agent on behalf of and for the benefit of
the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust without
any obligation to pay that money to us.
2. LAW AND JURISDICTION These terms and
conditions and any agreement to which they
apply are governed in all respects by English
law. We both agree that any dispute, claim or
other matter which arises between us out of or
in connection with your contract will be dealt
with by the Courts of England and Wales only.
3. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY
A. Many airlines require the full name
of all passengers travelling. We will
therefore ask you at the time of booking
to provide us with the full name of each
passenger as it appears in the passport.
B. It is important for you to check
the details on the confirmation invoice
as soon as you receive it.
C. If your booking is made through a
Travel Agent, RT Holidays will address all
communications to your travel agent, who
acts as an agent for all communications from
us to you. All payments made to the travel
agent will be held by the travel agent until
the payment is forwarded to RT Holidays.
D. Before making a booking we advise you
to check advice on your preferred destination
issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office
by visiting their website: https://www.gov.uk/
foreign-travel-advice or calling the Foreign
Office Travel Advice Unit on 0845 850 2829.
4. FINANCIAL PROTECTION RT Holidays
is a member of the International Air Transport
Association (IATA no. 91-2-84362), ABTA (ABTA
no. Y1472) and we hold an ATOL Licence (ATOL
no. 9513) granted by the Civil Aviation Authority.
We provide financial security for flight inclusive
Packages and ATOL protected flights. We do
this by way of a bond held in favour of the
Civil Aviation Authority under ATOL number
9513. When you buy an ATOL protected flight
or flight inclusive holiday from us you will
receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists the flight,
accommodation, car hire and/or other services
that are financially protected, where you can
get information on what this means for you and
who to contact if things go wrong. For further
information, visit the ATOL website at www.
atol.org.uk. The price of our flight inclusive
arrangements includes the amount of £2.50
per person as part of the ATOL Protection
Contribution (APC) we pay to the CAA. This
charge is included in our advertised prices. Not
all holiday or travel services offered and sold
by us will be protected by the ATOL Scheme.
ATOL protection extends primarily to Customers
who book and pay in the United Kingdom.
We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL
Certificate, will provide you with the services
listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable
alternative). In some cases, where neither we
nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons
of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder
may provide you with the services you have
bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra
cost to you). You agree to accept that in those
circumstances the alternative ATOL holder
will perform those obligations and you agree
to pay any money outstanding to be paid by
you under your contract to that alternative
ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in
some cases it will not be possible to appoint
an alternative ATOL holder, in which case
you will be entitled to make a claim under
the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer
where applicable). If we, or the suppliers
identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable
to provide the services listed (or a suitable
alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder
or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the
Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a
payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under
the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for
such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely
to those Trustees any claims which you have
or may have arising out of or relating to the
non-provision of the services, including any
claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit
card issuer where applicable). You also agree
that any such claims may be re-assigned to
another body, if that other body has paid sums
you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.
We provide financial security for
package holidays not including flights
by way of a bond held with ABTA.
5. PAYMENT
A. Deposit Requirement: A deposit of £300 per
person is required at the time of booking
of the reservation, payable by credit card,
debit card, bank transfer, or cheque. The
reservation will automatically be cancelled
if the deposit is not received by RT Holidays
within 7 days after booking the reservation.
B. Final Payment: Final payment of the total
tour fare is due 60 days prior to your
departure date. If you book less than
60 days before your departure date,
final payment is due upon booking and
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will incur a £50 per person surcharge. If
your payment is not received by the due
date, the reservation will be subject to
cancellation and deposit will be forfeited.
C. Payments may be made by credit card,
debit card, bank transfer, or cheque
(please allow 5 working days from the time
we receive it for the cheque to clear).
D. No additional charges will be applied for
payments made by debit card. Payments
made by credit card will be charged an
additional 2% of the total payment due.
6. IF YOU CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY As
we incur costs from the time we confirm your
booking, the following cancellation charges
will be payable. Booking fees, insurance
premiums and amendment charges are not
refundable in the event of the person(s) to
whom they apply cancels their reservation.
The following fee will be assessed per person
accordingly when you cancel your reservation:
A. £50 120 or more days prior to departure
B. £100 60 - 119 days prior to departure
C. £150 30 - 59 days prior to departure
D. £250 15 - 29 days prior to departure
E. £500 3 - 14 days prior to departure
F. Full tour fare Within 48 hours prior to
departure & no shows on day of departure
• Written notice of cancellation must be
received by RT Holidays either by mail,
fax, or e-mail. Your notice of cancellation
will only be effective when it is received
in writing by us and acknowledged.
• In addition to the above stated cancellation
charges, if tickets for airlines, cruises, hotels
or trains have already been issued or final
confirmation has been received at the time
of cancellation (regardless of number of
days prior to departure), the traveller will
be wholly liable for any additional airline,
hotel, cruise line, or train cancellation
penalty/s and service charge/s pursuant
to the supplier’s rules and regulations.
• In the event of cancellation by your
travel companion or roommate, you
will be responsible for the additional
resultant single supplement
Note: Certain arrangements may not be
amended after they have been confirmed
and any alteration or cancellation could
incur a cancellation charge of up to 100%
of that part of the arrangements.
7. IF WE CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY It is
unlikely that we will have to make any changes
to your travel arrangements, but we do plan
the arrangements many months in advance.
Occasionally, we may have to make changes
and we reserve the right to do so at any time.
Most of these changes will be minor and we
will advise you or your travel agent of them
at the earliest possible date. We also reserve
the right in any circumstances to cancel
your travel arrangements. For example, if
the minimum number of clients required
for a particular travel arrangement is not
reached, we may have to cancel it. However,
we will not cancel your travel arrangements
less than 60 days before your departure
date, except for reasons of force majeure
or failure by you to pay the final balance.
Most alterations will be minor and while
we will do our best to notify you or your
travel agent of any changes as soon as
reasonably possible if there is time before
your departure, we will have no other liability
to you. Examples of “minor changes” include
the following when made before departure:
A. Any change in the advertised identity of the
carrier(s), flight timings, and/or aircraft type.
B. A change of outward departure
time or overall length of your
holiday of twelve hours or less.
C. A change of accommodation to another
of the same standard or classification.
Occasionally we may have to make a major
change to your confirmed arrangements.
”Examples of “major changes” include the
following, when made before departure;
A. A change of accommodation area for the
whole or a significant part of your time away.
B. A change of accommodation (including
cruise ships) to that of a lower standard
or classification for the whole or a
significant part of your time away.
C. A significant change to your itinerary,
missing out one or more destination entirely.
If we have to make a major change or cancel,
we will tell you as soon as possible and
if there is time to do so before departure,
we will offer you the choice of:
I. (for major changes) accepting
the changed arrangements,
II. having a refund of all monies paid; or
III. accepting an offer of alternative
travel arrangements of comparable
standard from us, if available (we
will refund any price difference if the
alternative is of a lower value).
You must notify us of your choice within 7
days of our offer. If you fail to do so we will
assume that you have chosen to accept the
change or alternative booking arrangements.
Very rarely, we may be forced by “force
majeure” (see clause 32) to change or terminate
your arrangements after departure. If this
situation does occur, we regret we will be unable
to make any refunds (unless we obtain any from
our suppliers), pay you compensation or meet
any costs or expenses you incur as a result.
If we become unable to provide a
significant proportion of the services
that you have booked with us after you
have departed, we will make alternative
arrangements for you at no extra charge.
8. PRICE POLICY All prices quoted in this
brochure are in UK Pounds Sterling and are
based on tariffs and rates of currency exchange
in effect on 20 October 2014. These prices
are subject to change as deemed necessary
and fair by RT Holidays before you book.
The price of your confirmed holiday is subject
at all times to changes in transportation costs
such as the cost of fuel, and any other airline
cost changes which are part of our contracts
with airlines (and their agents), cruise ship
operators and any other transport provider; and
to changes in the currency exchange used to
calculate your arrangements; and to rates, dues,
taxes or fees chargeable for services such as
landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation
fees at ports and airports any or all of which may
result in a variation of your holiday price. We
will absorb and you will not be charged for any
increase equivalent to 2% of the price of your
travel arrangements, which excludes insurance
premiums and any amendment charges and/
or additional services or travel arrangements.
You will be charged for the amount over and
above that, plus an administration charge of
£1.00 per person together with an amount to
cover agents’ commission. If this means that you
have to pay an increase of more than 10% of the
price of your confirmed travel arrangements
(excluding any insurance premiums, amendment
charges and/or additional services or travel
arrangements), you will have the option of
accepting a change to another holiday if we
are able to offer one (if this is of equivalent or
higher price you will not have to pay more but
if it is of lower quality you will be refunded the
difference in price), or cancelling and receiving
a full refund of all monies paid to us, except for
any insurance premiums and any amendment
charges and/or additional services or travel
arrangements. Should you decide to cancel for
this reason, you must exercise your right to do
so within 14 days from the issue date printed
on your final invoice. There will be no change
made to the price of your confirmed holiday
within 30 days of your departure nor will refunds
be paid during this period. Should the price
of your holiday go down due to the changes
mentioned above, by more than 2% of your
confirmed holiday cost, then any refund due
will be paid to you. However, please note that
travel arrangements are not always purchased
For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
in local currency and some apparent changes
have no impact on the price of your travel due
to contractual and other protection in place.
9. DEPARTURE GUARANTEE If the total
number of tour members should fall below ten
persons, then RT Holidays reserves the right
operate as a locally hosted tour and clients
may join other tour members arriving from
the United States on the same tour itinerary.
(LPH, LPE, LDX, LDZ, LDV, LDR, LDU, LDT,
LAA, LIB, LID, LGB require a minimum of 6
passengers to depart. LAM, LAF, LAY, LGD
require a minimum of 2 passengers to depart.)
Many tours with departure dates that are not
guaranteed may be operated as private tours
for an additional surcharge; please check with
your agent at time of booking if this is possible.
10. AIR TRANSPORTATION All tours
include international airfare based on London
departures. All clients are responsible for
purchasing their own airfare from their
hometown city to London. Clients may choose
to use the services of RT Holidays to purchase
domestic add-on flights from gateways outside
of London or any other additional flights.
A. Please consult your travel agent or
RT Holidays regarding a quote for UK
domestic add-on airfare if you are departing
from any city other than London.
B. Clients purchasing their own UK domestic
air add-ons do so at their own risk. RT
Holidays reserves the right to change
the airline(s) used at any time.
C. Airline selection and air routing is at the
sole discretion of RT Holidays for all
tour packages and may be subject to
change at any point up until airline tickets
have been issued by RT Holidays
D. Domestic China, Southeast Asia,
Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), India
and Egypt airfare is included for all
tours unless otherwise stated
E. All fuel surcharges and government taxes/
fees associated with airline tickets are
included in the tour package price and
are subject to change at any time during
the year at the discretion of the airlines
and/or relevant government authority.
Clients are responsible for any such extra
charges should they occur (see clause 8).
F. Air fare is subject to availability
at time of booking.
G. City packages do not include any
international or domestic air fare
unless otherwise specified.
11. HOTEL ACCOMMODATION
A. Hotel accommodation is based on two
adults sharing one twin bedded room.
B. A customer who travels alone is
required to pay a single supplement
rate. A single room is subject to
availability based on prior request.
C. When the hotel listed in the brochure
is not available, a similar category hotel
will be substituted without prior notice.
D. Check-in-time is 14:00 at the hotel
on the first day of the tour and
may vary for each hotel.
E. Check-out-time is 12:00 at the
hotel on the last day of the tour
and may vary for each hotel.
12. MEALS Meals will be provided in
hotels, local restaurants, on board cruise
ships or on board domestic or international
flights as specified in the itinerary.
13. SIGHTSEEING While the sightseeing
programme is specified in the itinerary, its
final arrangements will be determined by
the tour manager or local tour escort based
on local circumstances which are beyond
the control of RT Holidays, such as weather,
acts of God, dangers, incidents at sea, fire,
breakdown in machinery or equipment, acts of
government or authorities and wars under local
conditions. However, we will try to adhere to
the original itinerary as accurately as possible.
14. ADMISSIONS/ENTRANCE FEES
All necessary main entrance fees for
the programmes or places specified
in the itinerary will be included.
15 AIRPORT TRANSFERS Roundtrip
airport-hotel transfers are included with all
escorted tour packages. For clients who elect
to purchase land only packages which do not
include return international airfare, overseas
airport arrival and departure transfers will
not be included in the tour package and
may be purchased at an additional cost.
16. TOUR FARE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
Airfare from your hometown to London; tips;
meals not mentioned in the brochure; insurance
premiums; charges arising from deviation; any
expenses due to delay or changes of schedule,
overbooking of accommodation, default of any
third parties, sickness, weather, strike, acts of
God, acts of terrorism, force majeure, acts of
governments, civil disturbances, war, quarantine,
customs regulations, epidemics, criminal activity
or for any other cause beyond RT Holidays’
control; any personal charges such as passport
and visa fees, excess baggage charges,
phone bills, postage, laundry, drinks, etc.
17. TRAVEL INSURANCE We strongly
recommend that you have appropriate
travel insurance for events such as medical
emergencies, personal injury, repatriation
expenses, medical expenses, travel and
baggage delay and to cover loss of personal
belongings. The cost of the tour fare does
not include insurance. We are an Introducer
Appointed Representative of ABTASure
(Citybond Suretravel) for the purchase of travel
insurance and have negotiated a special 10%
discount on the Single Trip and Annual Multi-Trip
policies when purchased online. For a quotation
please visit www.abtasure.co.uk or, alternatively,
please call 0845 6180380 to receive a 5%
discount on all policies. You will need to quote
reference RTH01 in all communications. See
details of coverage in this brochure or at www.
abtasure.co.uk. It is your responsibility to
ensure that the insurance cover you purchase
is suitable and adequate for your particular
needs. RT Holidays accepts no responsibility
for cost, which may occur as a result of a
client failing to secure adequate insurance
coverage. Generally, your health insurance
does not cover expenses outside the UK.
18. UNUSED SERVICES Any unused
services or tour features either on air
transportation or for land arrangements
are not refundable or exchangeable.
19. SPECIAL REQUESTS & MEDICAL
CONDITIONS If you have any special
request, you must advise us at the time of
booking. Although we will endeavour to pass
any reasonable requests on to the relevant
supplier, we regret we cannot guarantee any
request will be met. Failure to meet any special
request will not be a breach of contract on
our part. Confirmation that a special request
has been noted or passed on to the supplier
or the inclusion of the special request on your
confirmation invoice or any other documentation
is not confirmation that the request will be
met. Unless and until specifically confirmed,
all special requests are subject to availability.
We regret we cannot accept any conditional
bookings, i.e. any booking which is specified
to be conditional on the fulfilment of a
particular request. All such bookings will be
treated as “standard” bookings subject to
the above provisions on special requests.
If you or any member of your party is pregnant
or has any medical condition or disability
which may affect your holiday, please tell us
before you confirm your booking so that we
can advise as to the suitability of the chosen
arrangements. In any event, you must give us
full details in writing at the time of booking.
If we reasonably feel unable to properly
accommodate the particular needs of the
person concerned, we must reserve the right
to decline their reservation or, if full details
are not given at the time of booking, cancel
when we become aware of these details.
Clients may bring a fully collapsible wheelchair
or walker on tour. Non-collapsible wheelchairs
and walkers cannot be carried on tour buses,
due to space limitations. We regret that we
cannot provide individual assistance to a tour
member for walking, dining, getting on/off
tour buses and other transportation vehicles,
or other personal needs. A qualified travel
companion must accompany travellers who
need assistance. Motor coaches and other
transfer vehicles are not equipped with
wheelchair ramps. RT Holidays reserves
the right to exclude passengers who are
physically or mentally unfit to undertake long
trips, in the interest of the whole tour group.
20. BAGGAGE Baggage is at owner’s
risk throughout and baggage insurance is
recommended. RT Holidays is not responsible
for loss, theft, damage or delay to passenger’s
luggage. For up-to-date baggage allowance
restrictions, always check with the appropriate
airline for the latest regulations. Baggage
allowance varies by airline and is subject
to change at any time. Some airlines may
impose additional charges if you choose to
check in any baggage. Please contact your
airline or refer to its website for detailed
information regarding your airline’s checked
baggage policies prior to departure. Baggage
allowance on China or overseas internal
flights may vary from baggage allowance on
international flights. Excess baggage charge
and insurance is at the owner’s responsibility.
Please ask RT Holidays if you would like a
list of your confirmed carriers for China or
overseas internal flights prior to departure
in order to check baggage restrictions.
21. TOUR MANAGER When the group size
is more than 10 persons, a tour manager
throughout the tour (from arrival in the
first city until departure in the last city on
the tour programme) will be included for
China, Southeast Asia, India and Egypt
tours. Hong Kong programmes are locally
guided and will not include services of a
throughout guide. When the tour size should
fall below 10 persons, the tour will be locally
hosted with a local guide in each city.
22. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS/TICKETS In
general, all travel documents will be sent to you
approximately 21 days prior to departure via first
class post. Overnight delivery can be arranged
at additional cost. If we obtained the entry visa
for you, the passport will be sent with the travel
documents by special or recorded delivery. The
issuance of tickets and vouchers to you shall
be deemed to be consent to the Terms and
Conditions. If you would like your documents
shipped to an additional address a fee of £10
will be charged per additional address. RT
Holidays is not responsible for any lost or mis-
delivered packages or packages for which the
incorrect shipping address has been provided.
23. DEVIATION CHARGE One change is
allowed free of charge after your reservation
is confirmed, based on availability. £50
will be charged for each of the subsequent
changes. Once documents / tickets have
been issued, no change is permitted.
24. PASSPORT & VISAS All clients must be
in possession of a valid passport required
for entry, departure and travel through each
destination along the itinerary of the tour. All
passports must be valid for at least 6 months
past the return date of your trip. Please consult
with your travel agent or RT Holidays if you
have a non-UK passport. Entry visa is required
for UK passport holders going to China,
Cambodia, India, Nepal and Vietnam. The
client accepts full responsibility for obtaining
all necessary documents, visas and permits
prior to the tour departure, and is solely
responsible for any adverse consequences
resulting from missing proper documentation.
Other requirements and fees may be
applicable for non-UK passport holders.
CHINA: Visa and processing fees of £95
for a single entry China visa with validity of
3 months from the issuance date and valid
for a stay of up to 30 days from the date of
entry. Mail original passport along with one
passport size colour photo and completed
China visa application form to RT Holidays
at least 45 days prior to departure.
CAMBODIA: You can obtain a visa on arrival
at most ports of entry (payment in USD
only). Visitors must bring 2 colour passport
photos. Alternatively you may apply for an
“e-visa” online at http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/.
INDIA: Passengers must apply for their India
visa themselves by completing the online
application at http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk and
submitting all necessary documents. After
procuring your India entry visa, please scan
and email us a copy of your entry visa.
NEPAL: Visa and processing fees of £49 for a
multiple entry visa with a validity of 6 months
from the date of issue and valid for a stay of up
to 15 days from the date of entry. Alternatively
you can obtain a visa on arrival at most airports
and visa fees are: 15 days=$25, 30 days=$40,
90 days=$100. To obtain a visa on arrival, you
must present two passport-sized photographs.
VIETNAM: Visa and processing fees of
£85 for a single entry visa with validity of 30
days from the date of entry. Mail the original
passport along with 1 passport size colour photo
and completed visa application form to RT
Holidays at least 45 days prior to departure.
No visa is required for the following countries:
Hong Kong (6 months), Taiwan (90 days),
Thailand (30 days), Singapore (length of
stay determined at the discretion of the
immigration officer; typically 30 days), UAE/
Dubai (30 days), Malaysia (3 months).
Visa and processing fees are subject to
change at any time and will be quoted at time
of booking. RT Holidays is not responsible
for the client’s visa or passport requirements,
nor will a refund of unused services be
made, nor reimbursement of any additional
expenditure, if a client is denied entry to a
country for this or any other reason. For more
information please visit our website www.
rtholidays.co.uk and www.fco.gov.uk.
25. CHARGE FOR CHILDREN For children
11 years old and under, if they share a room
with parents or two (2) adults and do not ask
for an extra bed, the cost is 75% of the regular
adult price; if they need a bed in the same
room with parent(s) or adult(s), the cost will
be 90% of the regular adult price. Children
12 and older will be charged at the regular
adult price. Some of the tours operated
by us do not include a child discount.
26. SHOPPING To meet your shopping
needs, certain shopping stops during the tour
have been arranged by the local handling
agency. Although RT Holidays’ tour directors
will be happy to assist you with any shopping
requirements, we do not take any responsibility
for any items purchased at shops on the
tour. Any after sales correspondence must
be between the customer and the shops.
RT Holidays accepts no responsibility for
value, reliability, quality or authenticity of any
goods purchased while on tour or for any
mailing, freight or shipping arrangements.
27. COMPLAINTS If a client has a complaint
against RT Holidays during the tour
concerning any part of the services provided
by RT Holidays, the client must inform the
tour manager or local guide at the earliest
opportunity to allow the grievance to be
resolved. If satisfaction cannot be reached
through these means on tour, then further
complaints must be put in writing to our office,
quoting your booking number, at the earliest
opportunity and no later than 30 days after your
return. All complaints must be sent to info@
rtholidays.co.uk or RT Holidays, 71-75 Shelton
Street, London, WC2H 9JQ. In the unlikely
event that a complaint cannot be settled by us
you may refer to ABTA’s arbitration scheme.
Full details about this scheme are available
from ABTA, 30 Park Street, London SE1 9EQ,
Tel: 020 3117 0581 or www.abta.com.
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For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk
28. BROCHURE VALIDITY The prices in this
brochure and website are based on rates and
costs in effect at time of printing the brochure.
This brochure was printed in October, 2014.
29. ERRORS AND OMISSIONS Although
RT Holidays makes a concerted attempt
to verify the accuracy of statements made
herein, RT Holidays is not responsible for
typographical or printing errors, omissions
or unintentional misrepresentations made
in this brochure or on the website.
30. LIABILITY
(1) We will accept responsibility for the
arrangements we agree to provide or arrange
for you as an “organiser” under the Package
Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours
Regulations 1992 as set out below. Subject
to these Terms & Conditions, if we or our
suppliers perform or arrange your contracted
holiday arrangements negligently, taking into
consideration all relevant factors (for example
following the complaints procedure as described
in these conditions and the extent to which
ours or our employees’ or suppliers’ negligence
affected the overall enjoyment of your holiday),
we will pay you reasonable compensation.
Please note that it is your responsibility to show
that we or our supplier(s) have been negligent
if you wish to make a claim against us.
(2) We will not be responsible or pay you
compensation for any injury, illness, death,
loss, damage, expense, cost or other claim
of any description if it results from:-
A. the act(s) and/or omission(s) of
the person(s) affected;
B. the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third
party unconnected with the provision of
the services contracted for and which
were unforeseeable or unavoidable; or
C. unusual or unforeseeable circumstances
beyond ours or our supplier(s) control,
the consequences of which could
not have been avoided even if all
due care had been exercised; or
D. an event which either ourselves or
suppliers could not, even with all due
care, have foreseen or forestalled.
(3) We limit the amount of compensation
we may have to pay you if we are
found liable under this clause:
A. loss of and/or damage to any luggage or
personal possessions and money,
The maximum amount we will have
to pay you in respect of these claims
is £25 per person in total as you are
assumed to have adequate insurance in
place to cover any losses of this kind.
B. Claims not falling under (a) above and
which don’t involve injury, illness or death
The maximum amount we will have to pay you
in respect of these claims is twice the price
paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected
in total. This maximum amount will only be
payable where everything has gone wrong and
you or your party has not received any benefit
at all from your booking. Where this relates to
destruction, delay, loss of and/or damage to
luggage and/or other personal possessions then
the Company’s liability will not exceed £600.
The Company will not at any time be liable
for any loss of or damage to valuables of any
nature. The Client is precluded from making a
double recovery by making the same claims
and seeking recovery against the Company and
its suppliers, contractors or other third parties.
C. Claims in respect of international travel
by air, sea and rail, or any stay in a hotel
I) The extent of our liability will in all cases
be limited as if we were carriers under the
appropriate Conventions, which include The
Warsaw/Montreal Convention (international
travel by air); The Athens Convention (with
respect to sea travel); The Berne/Cotif
Convention (with respect to rail travel) and
The Paris Convention (with respect to hotel
arrangements). You can ask for copies of
these Conventions from our offices. Please
contact us. In addition, you agree that the
operating carrier or transport company’s own
‘Conditions of Carriage’ will apply to you on
that journey. When arranging transportation
for you, we rely on the terms and conditions
contained within these international conventions
and those ‘Conditions of Carriage’. You
acknowledge that all of the terms and conditions
contained in those ‘Conditions of Carriage’
form part of your contract with us, as well as
with the transport company and that those
‘Conditions of Carriage’ shall be deemed to
be included by reference into this contract.
II) In any circumstances in which a carrier
is liable to you by virtue of the Denied
Boarding Regulation 2004, any liability we
may have to you under our contract with you,
arising out of the same facts, is limited to the
remedies provided under the Regulation as
if (for this purpose only) we were a carrier.
III) When making any payment, we are
entitled to deduct any money which you
have received or are entitled to receive
from the transport provider or hotelier for
the complaint or claim in question.
(4) It is a condition of our acceptance of
liability under this clause that you notify
any claim to ourselves and our supplier(s)
strictly in accordance with the complaints
procedure set out in these conditions.
(5) Where any payment is made, the
person(s) receiving it (and their parent or
guardian if under 18 years) must also assign
to ourselves or our insurers any rights they
may have to pursue any third party and must
provide ourselves and our insurers with all
assistance we may reasonably require.
(6) Please note, we cannot accept any
liability for any damage, loss or expense or
other sum(s) of any description which on
the basis of the information given to us by
you concerning your booking prior to our
accepting it, we could not have foreseen
you would suffer or incur if we breached our
contract with you; or (b) any business losses.
(7) We will not accept responsibility for
services or facilities which do not form part
of our agreement or where they are not
advertised in our brochure. For example
any excursion you book whilst away, or any
service or facility which your hotel or any
other supplier agrees to provide for you.
RT Holidays reserves the right to decline to
accept, or retain any person as a tour participant,
should such a person’s health, mental condition,
physical infirmity or general deportment impede
the operation of the tour or the rights, welfare
or enjoyment of any other tour participant.
RT Holidays reserves the right to substitute
hotels, and alter the itinerary, withdraw any
tour and make any desirable alteration for
the convenience of the operation of tours.
The general conditions under which you agree
to utilize the services of RT Holidays may not
be amended in any way, except in writing,
by an authorized officer of RT Holidays.
31. FORCE MAJEURE Except where otherwise
expressly stated in these Terms & Conditions
we will not be liable or pay you compensation if
our contractual obligations to you are affected
by any event which we or the supplier(s) of the
service(s) in question could not, even with all
due care, foresee or avoid. These events can
include, but are not limited to war, threat of war,
civil strife terrorist activity and its consequences
or the threat of such activity, riot, the act of
any government or other national or local
authority including port or river authorities,
industrial dispute, lock closure, natural or
nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological
disaster and adverse weather, sea, ice and river
conditions and all similar events outside our
or the supplier(s) concerned’s control. Advice
from the Foreign Office to avoid or leave a
particular country may constitute Force Majeure.
32. CONDITIONS OF SUPPLIERS Many
of the services which make up your holiday
are provided by independent suppliers.
Those suppliers provide these services
in accordance with their own terms and
conditions which will form part of your
contract with us. Some of these terms and
conditions may limit or exclude the supplier’s
liability to you, usually in accordance with
applicable International Conventions. Copies
of the relevant parts of these terms and
conditions are available on request from
ourselves or the supplier concerned.
33. DELAYS, MISSED TRANSPORT
ARRANGEMENTS AND OTHER TRAVEL
INFORMATION If you or any member of your
party misses your flight or other transport
arrangement, it is cancelled or you are subject
to a delay of over 3 hours for any reason,
you must contact us and the airline or other
transport supplier concerned immediately.
The Package Travel etc Regulations 1992
provide that in the event that you experience
difficulty on the occurrence of circumstances
described in clauses 30 (2) (a) (b) (c) or (d) of
these booking conditions, we will provide you
with prompt assistance. Where you experience
a delay which is not owing to any failure by us,
our employees or sub-contractors, this prompt
assistance is likely to extend to providing help
in locating refreshments, accommodation
and communications but not paying for them.
Any airline or other transport supplier may
however pay for or provide refreshments
and/or appropriate accommodation and you
should make a claim directly to them. Subject
to the other terms of these conditions, we will
not be liable for any costs, fees or charges
you incur in the above circumstances, if you
fail to obtain our prior authorisation before
making your own travel arrangements.
We cannot accept liability for any delay which is
due to any of the reasons set out in clause 32
of these booking conditions (which includes the
behaviour of any passenger(s) on any flight who,
for example, fails to check in or board on time).
The carrier(s), flight timings and types of aircraft
shown in this brochure or on our website and
detailed on your confirmation invoice are for
guidance only and are subject to alteration
and confirmation. We shall inform you of
the identity of the actual carrier(s) as soon
as we become aware of it. The latest flight
timings will be shown on your tickets which
will be despatched to you approximately
two weeks before departure. You should
check your tickets very carefully immediately
on receipt to ensure you have the correct
flight times. If flight times change after
tickets have been dispatched we will contact
you as soon as we can to let you know.
Please note the existence of a “Community
list” (available for inspection at http://
ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/list_en.htm)
detailing air carriers that are subject to an
operating ban with the EU Community.
Under EU Law, you have rights in some
circumstances to refunds and/or compensation
from the airline in cases of denied boarding,
cancellation or delay to flights. Full details of
these rights will be publicised at EU airports and
will also be available from airlines. If the airline
does not comply with these rules you should
complain to the Civil Aviation Authority at www.
caa.co.uk/passengers. Reimbursement in such
cases is the responsibility of the airline and will
not automatically entitle you to a refund of your
holiday price from us. If, for any reason, you do
not claim against the airline and make a claim
for compensation from us, you must, at the time
of payment of any compensation to you, make
a complete assignment to us of the rights you
have against the airline in relation to the claim
that gives rise to that compensation payment.
A delay or cancellation to your flight does not
automatically entitle you to cancel any other
arrangements even where those arrangements
have been made in conjunction with your flight.
This brochure is our responsibility, as your
tour operator. It is not issued on behalf of,
and does not commit the airlines mentioned
herein or any airline whose services are used
in the course of your travel arrangements.
34. ABTA We are a Member of ABTA,
membership number Y1472. We are obliged
to maintain a high standard of service to you
by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer
you an arbitration scheme for the resolution of
disputes arising out of, or in connection with this
contract. The arbitration scheme is arranged
by ABTA and administered independently.
It provides for a simple and inexpensive
method of arbitration on documents alone
with restricted liability on you in respect of
costs. The scheme does not apply to claims
for an amount greater than £5,000 per person.
There is also a limit of £25,000 per booking
form. Neither does it apply to claims which are
solely in respect of physical injury or illness
or their consequences. The scheme can
however deal with compensation claims which
include an element of minor injury or illness
subject to a limit of £1,500 on the amount the
arbitrator can award per person in respect of
this element. Your request for arbitration must
be received by ABTA within eighteen months
of the date of return from holiday. Outside this
time limit arbitration under the Scheme may still
be available if we agree, but the ABTA Code
does not require such agreement. For injury
and illness claims, you can request the ABTA
Mediation Procedure and we have the option
to agree to mediation. Further information on
the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving
disputes can be found on www.abta.com.
35. DATA PROTECTION In order to process
your booking and to ensure that your travel
arrangements run smoothly and meet your
requirements we, Ritz Tours Ltd. (trading as
RT Holidays) need to use the information you
provide such as name, address, any special
needs/dietary requirements etc. We take
full responsibility for ensuring that proper
security measures are in place to protect your
information. We must pass the information
on to the relevant suppliers of your travel
arrangements such as airlines, hotels, transport
companies etc. The information may also be
provided to security or public authorities such as
customs/immigration if required by them, or as
required by law. Additionally, where your holiday
is outside the European Economic Area (EEA),
controls on data protection in your destination
may not be as strong as the legal requirements
in this country. We will not however, pass any
information onto any person not responsible for
part of your travel arrangements. This applies
to any sensitive information that you give to us
such as details of any disabilities, or dietary/
religious requirements. (If we cannot pass this
information to the relevant suppliers, whether in
the EEA or not, we cannot provide your booking.
In making this booking, you consent to this
information being passed on to the relevant
persons.) Please note that where information
is also held by your travel agent, this is subject
to your agent’s own data protection policy.
RT Holidays may wish to contact you by post,
email, and or telephone with ne ws or special
offers on our holidays and for market research
purposes. If you prefer not to be contacted for
the purposes set out above please contact us
at: RT Holidays, 71-75 Shelton Street, London,
WC2H 9JQ. You are entitled to a copy of your
information held by us. If you would like to see
this please contact us at the address listed
above. RT Holidays may make a small charge for
supplying this information as permitted by law.
Availability of tour packages at listed
prices in this brochure is limited.
For the most up to date prices, please
check our website www.rtholidays.co.uk.
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For bookings call 0207 470 8852 or visit rtholidays.co.uk