The state of emergency has been lifted in the Maldives
Fairmont invests in Montreal
World Journeys report that an impressive CAD$140 million renovation is planned for Montreal’s pre-eminent down-town hotel, Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, famous for its royal visits and John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s ‘bed-in for peace’ in 1969. The renovated hotel will offer an array of restaurants and bars, as well as an urban market that will be unique in down-town Montreal. Its new open spaces will host varied cultural events and activities, and the hotel will continue to be the epicentre of Montreal’s underground city, shared by more than 19 million people a year. The hotel will close in mid-June 2016 and will reopen in June 2017, ready for the celebrations marking the 375th anniversary of Montreal and the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. World Journeys have a 3-day “Discover the Flavours of Montreal” package priced from $544 per person share twin including 2 nights at the 5-star Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, a private history and tasting walking tour of Old Montreal, and a sightseeing cruise onboard Le Bateau Mouche.
Maldives emergency lifted
The state of emergency declared in the Maldives last week has been lifted by the Government. World Journeys suppliers in the Maldives have reported that there has been no disruption to tourism services over this period, and all related businesses are operating as normal.
The Incan ruins of Moray
World Journeys have added the unique Inca ruins of Moray to their range of sightseeing options out of Cusco, Peru. Just 50km northwest of Cusco, Moray features three vast terraced pits carved out of the earth, thought by some to be an agricultural experiment by the Inca to understand how the varying temperatures from top to bottom affected the growth of crops. World Journeys Director Chris Lyons says “This is a fascinating addition to a day trip which also includes the traditional village of Chinchero, famous for their textiles, the monumental Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo, site of a major battle with the Spanish Conquistadors, and the town of Ollantaytambo which has been continuously inhabited since the 13th century”.
Exciting developments at the Pyramids
World Journeys say that heat spots have been found by infrared thermography on three specific stones in the Great Pyramid of Giza, leading experts to speculate that there may be an as yet undiscovered chamber behind the stones. The Great Pyramid, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu, was built around 2613 – 2494 BC and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A project to investigate the thermo anomalies is underway, and expected to be completed mid-2016. World Journeys’ 9-day Egyptian Sampler itinerary is the perfect introduction to Egypt, taking in the Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza, a Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor via the temples of Philae, Kom Ombo, Horus and the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, plus time in Luxor to explore the mighty temple of Karnak or Luxor Temple, and time in Cairo to visit the famous Cairo Museum with its treasures of Tutankhamun, and Old Cairo with the colourful Khan el Kahlili Bazaar. Priced from $2,760 per person share twin (2016) this includes transfers, all transport including flights Cairo > Aswan and Luxor > Caro and a 3-night 5-star cruise, 5 nights 4-star hotels with breakfast (plus 4 lunches and 3 dinners), sightseeing with English speaking local guides, and entrance fees. Prices vary seasonally and are subject to change due to currency fluctuations.
