Polar cruise operator, One Ocean Expeditions is keen to encourage more travellers to explore the extreme wilderness areas of the Canadian Arctic and Greenland.

For their August 2010 voyage, the charter flights needed to access the remote Arctic ports of Resolute and Kangerlussuaq (usually an additional cost) will be included in the cruise price of the 13-day expedition cruise sailing from the Northwest Passage to Greenland onboard the 122-passenger ice-strengthened Clipper Adventurer – a saving of US$1600 per person.

One of the drawbacks of travelling to the remote High Arctic regions are the charter flights that are often involved to reach the ports of embarkation and disembarkation. The cost of the charter flights – in this instance US$1600 per person for flights Edmonton/Resolute and Kangerlussuaq/Toronto – can be a deterrent, especially for travellers from the UK and the rest of Europe, as this fairly substantial amount has to be added to their international flights.

Andrew Prossin who founded the fast-growing polar operator, One Ocean Expeditions just three years ago says, “We are keen to motivate travellers from the UK to choose the High Arctic for their summer holidays. As an expedition leader this area of the Arctic happens to be one of my personal favourites, overflowing with history, fascinating cultures and renowned for its rare and spectacular wildlife.”

The Clipper Adventurer sails from Resolute Bay, Nunavut on 2 August 2010 arriving in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland on 14 August 2010. On 2 August there is a charter flight from Edmonton to the embarkation port of Resolute and when passengers disembark on 14 August there will be a charter flight from Kangerlussuaq to Toronto. The cost of the two charter flights is usually US$1600 per person.

The price for the voyage starts at US$5590 per person sharing a twin cabin with private facilities including the charter flights, hotel/airport/ship transfers, and accommodation, food and excursions during the voyage. Hotel accommodation in Edmonton and Toronto will be required pre- and post-voyage. International flights UK/Edmonton and Toronto/UK are not included in the price.

Two professional photographers will be on board for the passengers: David Schultz and Rob Stimpson.


About the voyage

The voyage starts at the western end of Lancaster Sound, a wildlife super-highway connecting the waters of the North Atlantic and Baffin Bay to the Arctic Ocean and the Canadian High Arctic Archipelago. From the majestic fjords of Northeast Baffin Island the Clipper Adventurer will cross Baffin Bay to the icecap and dramatic mountains of Greenland.

As well as lengthy hikes on the tundra for wildflowers and lichens, and wildlife zodiac cruises along the base of bird cliffs with many thousands of nesting guillemots, murres and kittiwakes, there is an important cultural aspect to this voyage. Visits to some of the world’s most remote communities will introduce both the modern and ancient aspects of the Inuit culture. The Inuit of Nunavut are linked to the land in a way that very few cultures can claim. Captured in their art, songs and dance, the heritage of their people tells a story of hardship and hardiness, of connectedness to the Arctic ecosystem and an understanding of it that is unrivalled elsewhere. In contrast, the Greenlandic people of West Greenland have lived with less connection to the land in recent centuries showcasing a different culture. Regardless of this, the art and oral culture of the Greenlandic still illustrates a strong connection to the land and ice.

The Clipper Adventurer

The Clipper Adventurer is a superb 122-passenger expedition vessel, reminiscent of the days of the great ocean liners, with lots of varnished wood and brass. Equipped with state-of-the-art sonar, stabilizers and classified A-1 ice-class, she navigates the Arctic waters with ease. All cabins have an outside view, lower beds and private bathrooms. The window-lined dining room serves delicious international cuisine; presentations are held in the lounge which seats all 122-passengers and there is a more intimate bar in the club room for up to 45.

For more information and bookings, visit: Active Travel

ACTIVE TRAVEL, Australian GSA for the Assam-Bengal Navigation Company (ABN) has reported a significant increase in demand for its India river cruise programme on the Ganges, Hooghly and Brahmaputra rivers.

ABN operates two identical vessels, RV Chairadew and RV Sukapha. Each accommodates 24 passengers in 12 comfortable airconditioned cabins. Onboard facilities include a spacious saloon with French windows opening onto a front balcony deck and the dining-room offers a delicious variety of local and western dishes

Richard Cunningham, Marketing Manager for Active Travel, said “the Ganges has had a lot of publicity in the past 12 months with another well-known operator starting a new India programme. That company has now publicly withdrawn from India. I believe this is a strong endorsement of the our product, which is well-planned, well-executed and delivers great customer satisfaction.”

For the 2010/2011 cruising season ABN is offer several programmes in the region. An eight day Hooghly Explorer begins in Kolkata and explores the many remnants of Portuguese, Danish and French colonial history on a cruise to Jangipur (or vice versa). Prices start at $1595 per person, twin share.

Alternatively, a nine day Holy Ganges cruises along the eastern section of the Ganges, from the Farraka Barrage to Patna – where there are easy onward connections to Varanasi, Agra or Delhi. Prices from $2455 per person, twin share. It is also possible to combine the two trips, cruising all the way from Kolkata to Patna on a two-week trip priced from $5315 per person twin share.

In addition the company offers several cruises in Assam, on the Brahmaputra River.

For further details contact Active Travel, in Sydney, on 02 9264 1231.

ACTIVE TRAVEL, Australian GSA for the Assam-Bengal Navigation Company (ABN) has reported a significant increase in demand for its India river cruise programme on the Ganges, Hooghly and Brahmaputra rivers.

ABN operates two identical vessels, RV Chairadew and RV Sukapha. Each accommodates 24 passengers in 12 comfortable airconditioned cabins. Onboard facilities include a spacious saloon with French windows opening onto a front balcony deck and the dining-room offers a delicious variety of local and western dishes

Richard Cunningham, Marketing Manager for Active Travel, said “the Ganges has had a lot of publicity in the past 12 months with another well-known operator starting a new India programme. That company has now publicly withdrawn from India. I believe this is a strong endorsement of the our product, which is well-planned, well-executed and delivers great customer satisfaction.”

For the 2010/2011 cruising season ABN is offer several programmes in the region. An eight day Hooghly Explorer begins in Kolkata and explores the many remnants of Portuguese, Danish and French colonial history on a cruise to Jangipur (or vice versa). Prices start at $1595 per person, twin share.

Alternatively, a nine day Holy Ganges cruises along the eastern section of the Ganges, from the Farraka Barrage to Patna – where there are easy onward connections to Varanasi, Agra or Delhi. Prices from $2455 per person, twin share. It is also possible to combine the two trips, cruising all the way from Kolkata to Patna on a two-week trip priced from $5315 per person twin share.

In addition the company offers several cruises in Assam, on the Brahmaputra River.

For further details contact Active Travel, in Sydney, on 02 9264 1231.

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ACTIVE TRAVEL, the Asia riverboat specialist, has announced a 20% discount across the board, effective immediately, on all its brochured cruises.

The company offers 20 different riverboat journeys along the Mekong, Kwai, Ganges, Hooghly, Brahmaputra and Irawaddy rivers. Vessels are small, ranging from 11 to 46 cabins, and each offers an intimate on-board experience and a close-up view of life along the river.

A 7-day trip along the Lao section of the Mekong River, starting and ending in Pakse, is reduced from $1710 to $1370. A luxurious journey aboard the newly launched La Marguerite, from Saigon to Siem Reap now starts at $2285 (reduced from $2855). An 8-day cruise along the Hooghly River, in Bengal, is now offered at $1775 (reduced from $2215) and an 8-day journey along Assam’s Lower Brahmaputra River is now available for $3140 (reduced from $3925). All prices are per person, twin share, based on the lowest cabin category.

“Interest in riverboat cruising has surged in the last 12 months”, according to director Robert Fletcher. “However the market is still a little quiet so, with a surging Australian dollar, we’ve decided to offer our own little stimulus package to kick things along.”

Call Sydney 9264 1231, or Canberra 6249 6122 for details or visit www.activetravel.com.au.

Position: 26 deg 19′ N, 92 deg 08′ E Brahmaputra River, Assam, India

Tea and Tigers on the Brahmaputra

“Ship stuck in sand, foreigners taste the Orient” - The Telegraph (India)

It wasn’t an auspicious start. We were on the front page of one of the national Indian dailies even before we’d boarded the vessel. The famous Brahmaputra River (it’s okay, I had to look it up too) runs from Tibet, through Assam and Calcutta into the Bay of Bengal. Late monsoonal rain had artificially swollen the river and as the level rapidly fell our vessel, the charming MV Charaidew, began to settle on the sandy bottom while waiting for us to arrive. All through the night, two burly little river tugs strained to free us from our plight and by breakfast we were away. Apart from some lost sleep and a few red faces, their was little interruption to our journey.

The Assam-Bengal Navigation Company (ABN) was formed in 2002 as an Indo-British joint venture company by long time UK travel operator, Andrew Brock, and local tea magnate, Ashish Phookan. The company now operates two vessels, the restored MV Charaidew (38m, 24 pax) and the new build, Sukapha, on Indian Rivers including the Brahmaputra and Hugli – the latter a ‘distributary’ of the massive Ganges. Two river lodges adjacent the national parks are also owned by ABN.

If you’ve been following this column, you’ll recall my growing fascination with ‘inland cruising’ and the massive growth in this market segment. As the ranks of committed river cruisers grow and they’ve ticked off Danube, Rhine and Amazon, the search for more enriching waterways continues. India is poised to snare a fair slice of this market as operators like ABN, the pre-eminent Indian river cruise operator and newcomer, the SE Asian company Pandaw, work to grow this market.

At time of writing ABN were offering products ranging from three to seven nights incorporating lodge stays and visits to UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Kaziranga NP in the remote Golaghat District of Assam. While tiger and sloth bear sightings are recorded, it’s the equally rare Asian rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) that offers the best chance. Our group made five contacts, including a mother and calf. Elephants, of course, are also high on the list and rides atop these mighty pachyderms are a highlight of your visit. Those in search of birdlife, native culture, religious and colonial history will also be in their respective elements. Assam, as tea-drinkers will quickly attest, produces some of the world’s finest brew. The sight of dozens of brightly coloured saris moving slowly among the vast plantation is a scene long-remembered.

Before you pick up the phone to book your Brahmaputra River cruise, please understand that the departure port of Guwahati, the Assam state capital, is a remote town even by Indian standards. There is no mobile roaming in place, ATMs are uncooperative and many traders will only accept Rupees. Your ABN bar tab, for example, can be settled in USD, but not credit card. Any travel in India can be a bit of a chore, especially by road.

Having said that, the cruise component of the ABN product is perfectly charming, wonderfully relaxing and a glorious throwback to the days of the British Raj, when the way of England was the way of the world!

Further Information: Active Travel 02 9264 1231 www.activetravel.com.au or www.assambengalnavigation.com