11 Jan 2022
10th January 2022
MAKE THOSE BANK HOLIDAYS WORK
With an extra bank holiday in 2022 for the Queen's platinum jubilee and other national holidays falling most conveniently, Original Travel shows you how to turn 10 days' annual leave into 30 days off work
January is traditionally the time to start holiday planning for the year ahead and this year it's more important than ever. After two disappointing years for travel – and despite an uncertain start, thanks to Omicron - it's time to make up for it in 2022.
Happily, the bank holidays – including the extra one for the Queen's platinum jubilee, which creates a four-day weekend in June – can be combined with just 10 days of annual leave to create 30 days' worth of holidays. Original Travel shows you how to maximise the time:
Easter 2022 - 15-24 April
Enjoy a 10-day Easter Break next year, using just 4 days' annual leave. By booking the 19-22 April off, you can jet off somewhere on 15 April (Good Friday) until Sunday, 24 April – and where better to visit than Easter Island, so-called because it was discovered on Easter Day, April 5, 1722? 2022 marks 300 years since that discovery by Dutch Explorer, Jacob Roggeveen making it a particularly special time to visit. Original Travel works with one of the top guides in Chile, who is of mixed US/Rapa Nui heritage and is the granddaughter of the archaeologist responsible for much of the restoration of the island. Her private tours are not to be missed.
Original Travel offers a 10-day break to Chile and Easter Island, which includes two nights B&B in Santiago, four nights full-board on Easter Island and two nights full-board at a wine lodge in the Rosario Valley. Prices from £4,950 per person, based on two sharing and including return overnight flights, all transfers and excursions. Original Travel, 020 3582 4990, www.originaltravel.co.uk.
Platinum Jubilee weekend – 2-5 June
A four-day bank holiday weekend is not to be sniffed at, but it's also a great opportunity to tag three days annual leave at the beginning to create a whole week to get away somewhere. By booking off Monday 30th- Wednesday, 1st June, you can have 7 days to play with – plenty of time to enjoy a luxury road trip around the wonderful Basque Country, combining two of the best cultural cities with time inland exploring the vineyards. Amble the streets of Bilbao with an expert guide and discover how Bilbao became a thriving art and cultural hotspot. Tour the vineyards of Rioja with an expert oenophile guide and take a private cookery class in the coastal city of San Sebastian.
Original Travel's 7-day Northern Spain Road Trip itinerary costs from £2,640pp, based on two sharing. The price includes flights, all transfers, hire car, guided tours, and accommodation. Original Travel, 020 3582 4990, www.originaltravel.co.uk.
Christmas 2022
Because Christmas Day falls on a Sunday next year and New Year's Day on a Saturday, all you need to do is book off 28, 29, and 30 December to get a 10-day break over the festive period. Our top pick would be a Nile cruise, in the year which marks the 100th anniversary of the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb, the 200th anniversary of the decipherment of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, the long-awaited opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the delayed release of Kenneth Brannagh's Death on the Nile. Push the boat out (pun intended) with a private charter of La Flaneuse du Nil, a perfect replica of the dahabiehs which date from the time of the pharaohs. The slender, flat-bottomed boat will have recently moved from Lake Nasser on to the Nile, where it will not only visit the popular sights, but also takes in small villages and islands which other vessels are too big to access. These visits give a fascinating and exclusive insight into life on the Nile which very few visitors have the privilege to see. The boat has just seven cabins, including a suite with a private balcony at the stern.
Prices from £4,800 per person. This includes all flights (inc. international from the UK) and all transfers and nine nights' accommodation, including a five-night all-inclusive cruise on La Flaneuse, one night's B&B in Luxor at the Winter Palace and three nights' B&B in Aswan at the Old Cataract. Original Travel, 020 3582 4990, www.originaltravel.co.uk.
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For more information contact:
020 3582 4990
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Notes to Editors:
Original Travel curates customised itineraries, crafted by destination experts to 77 countries worldwide from Anguilla to Zimbabwe. Since its launch in 2003, it has created 50,000 itineraries, each unique and adhering to the company ethos that “Life is in the Detail”.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Original Travel launched a flexible pledge that allows clients to change their dates or destination up to 30 days prior to departure. For new bookings made by 31st March 2022 for departures until 31st December 2022, while you still need to pay a 20% deposit at the time of booking, your final balance is now not due until 30 days before travel (this is usually 60 days). We will also offer you the full flexibility to change the trip up to 30 days prior to departure. You can, for any reason, change your destination to any other, and to any date up until the end of 2022, and there will be no charge. For all bookings where we cannot fulfil the trip due to changes in travel restrictions, we will postpone your trip - again at no charge - to any departure date until the end of 2022, or offer credit against any future departure, or refund all monies paid.
Original Travel is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Campbell Irvine Ltd, who are authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and who offer a brand new travel insurance policy that includes cover for cancellation or curtailment of a trip due to contracting coronavirus, or through being quarantined or refused permission to travel due to infection or suspected infection. This insurance policy is only valid for travel to countries where there is no FCDO advice against all but essential travel. Full details can be found on a new section on Original Travel's website, entitled 'Coronavirus Confidence'.
Original Travel also has its own specialist dive division. Original Diving is the world's only luxury dive travel outfit.
Five of our consultants were recognised in Conde Nast Traveler's 2021 Travel Specialists list, including Founder, Tom Barber as family specialist, Jacqui Brooks as Indonesia specialist and Oliver Rodwell as Mexico specialist, giving an excellent snapshot of our expertise.
Original Travel clients enjoy a wealth of additional services they would not find with any other UK tour operator, including:
- Access to a network of 70-plus Concierges who live locally, know their destinations inside and out and are extremely well-connected. They lend fantastic ground support, offering insider recommendations, facilitating any last-minute changes and troubleshooting.
- A brace of additional services designed to make departure easier than ever. Every Original Travel client, regardless of whether they're off on a long weekend to Seville, or a multi-destination sabbatical, will enjoy UK airport meet and greet, fast track UK check-in, fast track UK security*, lounge access and pre-booked flight seats. There are also upgrade options to include: a luggage transfer service from your home to the airport; fast track check-in and security and lounge access on your flight home; fast track through immigration on your return to the UK.
- The knowledge that not only will Original Travel offset the carbon footprint of their international flights, but also - in an industry-first - car-hire and other flights (even if booked independently).
- The knowledge that they are contributing to Our Foundation, which supports nearly 100 humanitarian projects in 30 developing countries. To date, nearly £800,000 has been invested to support five key areas: child protection, vocational training, economic development assistance, preservation of cultural and natural heritage and safeguarding the lifestyles of indigenous peoples.
