Understanding Escorted Tour Itineraries

Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2012

Thinking about taking an escorted tour?  Here is a glossary of some common terms used in our itineraries:

Visit - Your coach will stop and you'll get to visit a specific site.
View - A brief stop and an opportunity to take photos.
See - Your Insight coach will drive by the site so that you can see it.
Sightseeing tour - A local city guide will accompany you on a tour of a city or site.
Orientation tour - Places of interest are pointed out, allowing you to go and explore them on your own.
'Why not see' or 'perhaps enjoy' - These phrases refer to optional excursions not included in the tour package, but are available for an additional fee.
Time to explore and discover - Free time on your own.
A day to relax - No planned activities; time for optional excursions or other independent activities.

Our tour specialists are always available to help you understand what is included on a tour vacation, so that you can plan how much money to budget on your European vacation.

South and Central America Tours 2012

Posted on Wednesday, February 29, 2012

South & Central American destinations are becoming hot spots for American travelers. Central America attracts seasoned travelers looking to escape the high prices in Europe, while South America is the new South of France. Wealthy and celebrity travelers are flocking to Brazil, with everybody else close behind!

Why South & Central America?

• Walk among the remains of ancient civilizations.
• Cruise Patagonia and the Chilean Fjords.
• Visit the Amazon jungle for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
• Explore endless beaches where travelers can swim, surf, dive, or just lounge in the sun while reading their favorite book.
• Travel to “The End of the World.”
• Witness old celebrations, dances, and rituals in Peru.
• Taste an unbelievable variety of foods and wines.
• Shop around Buenos Aires' Recoleta for a truly European feeling with South American flair.
• Visit the Galápagos Islands to see unique fauna that can be found nowhere else in the world.

Why is South & Central America a smart travel choice?

• No jet lag due to time zones being the same or similar to the U.S.
• Value of the dollar! Your money will go farther in South America.
• Airfare is relatively reasonable for an international destination.
• Buy beautiful souvenirs at a fraction of their cost in the U.S.
• Great (and affordable) for family travel.
• Variety – from the unique cultures of each country, to the varied landscapes, to the choices in travel styles – South America delivers a wide array of vacation experiences.

Browse South America Tours and Central America Tours 2012 & 2013

Globus 2012 Deals: Africa, Asia and Australia

Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2011

Globus Exotic Tours now available. Book your Globus Africa, China and Australia tours for 2012. Book early and save!

* VIEW TERMS & CONDITIONS FOR SPECIAL OFFERS: $400 off per couple on South & Central America, $400 off per couple on Africa, $400 off per couple on Asia, Up to $700 off per couple onselect South Pacific Certain government-imposed taxes and fees of up to $375, including a September 11th Security fee of up to $10, are additional and must be paid by each traveler. Not combinable with other offers, including child discounts EXCEPT Journeys Club coupon. Applies to new 2012 bookings only, and offer will not be applied to pre-existing bookings. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.

Mexico: Beyond the Beaches

Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2011

There is a lot more to do in Mexico than hanging out at the gordgeous beaches. 

Copper Canyon – Larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon, this collection of six canyons is sensational. Situated in the north of the country in the Sierra Tarahumara, the scenic railway journey through the Canyon is the best way to see it. You can also hike, bike, drive and horseback ride here. A new aerial tram and a network of ziplines have recently opened to attract tourists. Cruise ships calling at the port of Topolobampo on the Sea of Cortez offer day trips into the Canyon if you're up for an early start to your day.

Sea of Cortez – This peaceful marine area between the Baja Peninsula and Mexico is teeming with sea life. It's an ideal area for a variety of eco-adventures at sea and ashore from bird watching to observing whales. During Baja Mexico cruises, expedition ships offers Zodiac excursions into the Gray Whale breeding lagoons of the Bahia Magdalena. Or how about naturalist-guided walks on uninhabited desert islands, swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking? All are possible when visiting the region by land or cruise ship.

Taxco, Silver Capital of Mexico – Situated between Acapulco and Mexico City, this charming colonial town is known as the centre of silver production, one of Mexico's leading industries. Many artisans reside here and create original hand-made pieces as well as mass produced items. Learn about the production process and shop up a storm!

Mayan Ruins – On the Yucatan Peninsula you can visit many fascinating sites of Mayan civilization. See the temples and pyramids of Chichén Itzá and the once flourishing, walled city of Tulum. You'll come across smaller sites as well like the one on Cozumel. Take a tour to the ruins from your hotel or cruise ship when you visit Cancun, Cozumel, Costa Maya, Playa del Carmen and other spots along the Riviera Maya.

Monarch Butterfly Migration – Thousands of butterflies migrate to Mexico each year. See them at sanctuaries outside Mexico City. Follow the Monarch Butterfly trail with Gap Adventures on a special adventure that includes places of natural and historic interest in the area.

Sport Fishing – Mexico is a world leader in fishing destinations. Deep sea fishing, fly fishing and surf fishing are just three of Mexico's top fishing attractions. Sailfish, marlin, red snapper, bonito, shark, grouper and tuna can be caught on the Mexican Riviera. Striped marlin, pompano, bonito, red snapper and tuna are the main catches off Acapulco. Sailfish, blue fin tuna and white marlin are found off Cancun, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen. There's certainly an abundance of sea life. You might want to arrange your vacation around the best time to catch a particular fish.

South American Music

Posted on Saturday, April 23, 2011

South & Central America's musical inheritance is a passionate blend of the sounds of European, African and indigenous peoples. In fact, today South America alone boasts about as many musical styles as it has countries, regions and ethnic groups. 

In Argentina, it's their long heritage of tango music that gets the locals (and non-locals) dancing, while in Brazil, it's the seductive samba that permeates the dance clubs along with more modern sounds like the Música Popular Brasileira. Metizo, is the music of Ecuador. String instruments create the hypnotic melodies and its many different rhythms were born from the blending of Spanish and Indian music. The Indian music in Ecuador enjoys a strong influence from the Inca Quechua culture and the rhythms are distinctly different from Metizo's. In Peru, the most popular sounds are marked by Indian, Spanish and black African influences while native Peruvian music is dominated by the national instrument, the charango, a type of mandolin. The Peruvian coast boasts its own distinct sound called Música Criolla. Rooted in a fusion, it's a seductive mix of Spanish, Gypsy and African sounds. 

Whether it's cool Latin jazz, the bossa nova, creole, forro, choro, zamba or samba, the infectious rhythms of South & Central America portray the enthusiasm and passion of its people.