AMPERSAND TRAVEL LAUNCHES SEVEN UNUSUAL ESCORTED JOURNEYS
Combining private access experiences to magnificent Indian palaces, family-run farmhouses in South Africa and medieval Irish castles, with a Little Black Book of exceptional contacts and interesting characters, Ampersand Travel is offering a series of unique small group tours, led by expert guides.
May 29thSRI LANKA - NORTH INDIA - SOUTH AFRICA - THAILAND - IRELAND
This summer, Ampersand Travel is launching a brand-new collection of ‘Seven Unusual Escorted Journeys’, a carefully curated selection of one-off small group tours, packed with extraordinary private access experiences in Sri Lanka, India, South Africa, Indochina and Ireland, led by Ampersand’s expert guides. Ampersand Travel’s Sri Lankan founder and managing director, James Jayasundera, will be leading two tours in Sri Lanka and South Africa’s Cape Winelands. In Sri Lanka guests will be introduced to a collection of fascinating local innovators, as the journey traces the Sri Lanka of James’ youth. The ravishing Cape Winelands is James’ second home, and guests will be able to enjoy a laid-back, bon vivant’s tour that brings together art, architecture and world-class food and wine.
As well as James, Shalmali Rao Paterson, Ampersand’s Indian Subcontinent and wildlife specialist, born and brought up in the Himalaya, will be hosting a spiritual and sophisticated journey to Ladakh in the summer. The journey will take guests to remote regions of the Indian Himalaya, with a chance to experience an unchanged rural way of life and to visit unspoilt Buddhist monasteries. Meanwhile, Cosmo Brockway, writer and South Asia specialist, will be leading two trips in India for Diwali and Holi festivals, and one in Ireland; he is half Irish and has lived and worked in India for 20 years. With a deep understanding of culture and the arts, and a circle of friends that include an assortment of the most interesting and talented movers and shakers, he brings a wealth of experiences, including exclusive access to some usually private locations. Lastly, Richard Saward, General Manager at Ampersand Travel, will lead a tour through Indochina, tracing the ancient discovery of Angkor Wat. Richard lived in Cambodia and Laos for nearly seven years, during which time he participated in archaeological projects across Northern Cambodia, documenting the lesser visited temples surrounding Angkor.
The guides will vividly bring each trip to life through their extensive experience and show a small group of guests the true character of each destination, taking them well beyond the normal tourist hotspots. Combined with Ampersand Travel’s exceptional contacts, these experiences will include extraordinary private access offering the conviviality of a group tour, with the independence and flexibility of a private trip, perfect for those who would not ordinarily consider travelling with others.
2 – 12 AUGUST 2018
SRI LANKA – A CHANGING ISLAND
Ampersand’s journey to Sri Lanka will offer clients the opportunity to see the country through the eyes of Sri Lankan founder and Managing Director, James Jayasundera. A one-off journey focusing on architecture, food, style and wildlife, James will introduce guests to the places, experiences and people he loves most – a special insight into the country he calls home.
29 AUGUST – 10 SEPTEMBER 2018
SPIRITUAL LADAKH IN THE SUMMER
This itinerary will showcase some of the most beautiful and spiritual landscapes of India, guided by Ampersand’s Indian Subcontinent specialist and wildlife expert, Shalmali Rao Paterson. Shalmali was brought up in the Himalayas, within a family of passionate wildlife lovers and conservationists. Together with Shalmali, guests will travel to India’s far north to an altitude of over 3,500 metres where snow-capped mountains, sweeping valleys and turquoise lakes dot the high-altitude desert.
4 – 15 NOVEMBER 2018
ROYAL RAJASTHAN FOR DIWALI
Ampersand’s tour of Rajasthan will take place during India’s most important and iconic festival – The Festival of Lights. This will offer guests a privileged and bespoke glimpse into what makes this royal state so special, taking them to popular destinations, along with exceptional one-off experiences.
16 – 26 MARCH 2019
AN UNUSUAL JOURNEY TO PUNJAB & KASHMIR FOR HOLI
An insight into India’s brightest and liveliest festival, Holi, will begin in the modernist and orderly city of Chandigarh, with its sweeping boulevards and grand civic buildings, lakes and gardens; it is like no other Indian city.
22 NOVEMBER – 2 DECEMBER 2018
A BON VIVANT’S TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA’S WINELANDS
James Jayasundera’s second home is South Africa’s enchanting Cape Winelands, and with the introduction of this Unusual Escorted Journey, James is offering guests an insight into all the reasons he first fell in love with this country. This tour will aim to show off South Africa’s incredible art, breath-taking architecture and design, and its vibrant foodie scene.
19 – 27 JANUARY 2019
ANGKOR & BEYOND, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FRENCH ARCHAEOLOGIST – HENRI MOUHOT
The re-discovery of the ancient Kingdom of Angkor is accredited to the French archaeologist Henri Mohout, whose expedition in 1860 first documented these magnificent temples to the rest of the world. Ampersand has introduced this Unusual Escorted Journey to Angkor & Beyond to offer guests the opportunity to explore Mohout’s journey, following in the archaeologist’s footsteps in the discovery of one of the world’s greatest series of monuments, amid the largest open archaeological site on earth.
SPRING 2019
IRELAND’S COUNTRY HOUSES, CASTLES & GARDENS
Ampersand’s journey to Ireland offers guests the chance to discover some of the country’s most stunning countryside and picturesque villages, delving into its fascinating history. The tour will be guided by Cosmo Samuel Brockway, whose half Irish origin and close family connections to the country allow him to access private and extremely exclusive locations.
For more information visit www.ampersandtravel.com