Powder Byrne launch 5 new inspiring destinations to complement their existing Air & Space family adventure programme

Powder Byrne have added New Zealand, Australia, India, Myanmar & Sri Lanka to their portfolio of Air & Space destinations.  They offer a completely bespoke service for families who crave more adventure, excitement and discovery from their holidays.  With Powder Byrne the focus is on crafting an itinerary around their clients' interests rather than following the crowd – a completely unique approach to intrepid travel.

Air & Space Programme

• Powder Byrne's Air & Space programme was born out of a demand from their clients, who trusted the service that this company is renowned for, and who were looking to take their families to more exciting destinations.
• Powder Byrne seek out the very best local specialists to work with, who know the destination intimately and who work with Powder Byrne to prepare an itinerary which is tailor-made for each individual family.  Combine this with luxury accommodation, hand-picked from the very best each destination has to offer, and you have the makings of a real family holiday of a lifetime.
• NEW destinations that have been added to the portfolio are:
  • • • New Zealand
      • Australia
      • India
      • Myanmar
      • Sri Lanka
• Existing destinations: Canada, Peru, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Oman, Japan & Italian Dolomites.

Australia

Home to a lot more than the famous icons of Sydney Opera House, SydneyHarbourBridge, BondiBeach and Ayers Rock.  Powder Byrne will allow you to get deep into the heart of Australia and its varied culture, be it visiting a remote outback station and learning to shear a sheep, travelling to a wine region and learning to blend your own wine with an oenologist at a hand-picked winery, discovering Aboriginal hunting skills in the remote Kakadu region of Northern Territories, or staying on a coral key island where families can learn more about the fragile natural environment of The Great Barrier Reef. A trip to Tasmania is highly recommended to explore its diverse wilderness area rich in wildlife.  A highlight here would be a Tasmanian game food experience, cooked and served by your own 'Bush Chef'.   Where to start when visiting this vast country is going to be the first question, but Powder Byrne can take you through all the possibilities and craft an exciting, adventurous and memorable itinerary which will leave families begging to return to see more of this vast and varied destination.

Price on application, as options are so varied.

New Zealand

A must for families who love the great outdoors.  New Zealand is home to some of the most dramatic scenery on the planet, filled with forests, mountains, lakes, rivers, beaches and fjords.  Powder Byrne will tailor a trip for their clients to explore it by whatever means of transport they would like – car, bike, foot, helicopter, boat or horseback are all possibilities.  This can include some extreme sports if on the bucket list – skydiving, bungee jumping, canyon swings, white water rafting, zip lines and paragliding, or more gentle activities such as kayaking, walking, cycling and enjoying remote picnics along the way. A visit to the movie sets for Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit can be arranged as well as a tour through some of the famous winegrowing regions.

Suggested itinerary:  Auckland to Queenstown (South Island) for some adrenalin creating adventure (tandem paragliding, jet boating through Shotover Canyon) and nature walks to see the flightless Kiwi birds. Travel to Nelson, (highlight being a boat trip in the Abel Tasman National Park including lunch in a remote sheltered cove, afternoon's kayaking and snorkelling from the boat and maybe see dolphins and seal colonies).  From Nelson fly to Napier (North Island) for onward transfer to Hawke's Bay (visit gannet colonies at Cape Kidnappers, meet a Maori elder), drive to Taupo & Rotorua in the centre of the island (mountain biking, white water rafting and relaxation at your hotel), Auckland & home.  Price from £8,980 per person based on 4 people travelling for 12 nights. 

India

An extraordinary country with diverse terrain, history, culture and religions.  Powder Byrne can guide you through the choices available, whether that's to visit the northern hills below the majestic snow-clad Himalayan Peaks, the colourful and cultural region of Rajasthan and The Golden Triangle or the tropical coastal region of Kerala in the south.   Families will be amazed by the rich culture of this ancient country when visiting the majestic Taj Mahal, Amber Fort, Red Fort and other historical sites.  Safaris are on offer to see India's varied wildlife, including tigers, leopards, rhinos, elephants, bears and numerous buck as well as its amazing birdlife.  Modes of transport are varied too – with anything from jeep, camel, elephant, horseback all possible options! Sample the delights of Indian cuisine and its history, and rest up in some fabulous hotels relaxing in the spa, doing yoga at a private lakeside retreat, or just sitting on a shaded verandah, imagining days gone by during the time of the Raj. Highlights of any trip to India have to be:  take a private guided walk around a Rajasthan village, meeting local people, seeing them at their daily work and even teaching children in the local school a few English songs; spend a day with elephants, riding them, washing them and finally painting their trunks!  spend a few nights in a tree house in Kerala, waking to the sounds of the jungle; ride a zipline from the famous Jodhpur Fort; go on a horseback safari on one of the famous Marwari horses, with royal tented lunch out in the bush.

Price from £1,800 per person based on 5 people travelling for a 9 night adventure.

Myanmar

This region, situated on the most westerly point of South East Asia, is one of the most physically diverse and beautiful countries of the world.   Now is the time to discover this country while it's still just opening up to western tourism.  With sublime landscapes, rich history, and a serene and deeply Buddhist culture, Myanmar is a destination like no other.  You will have a treat in store on arrival at Yangon, the capital of Myanmar.  Immediately you will see the Shwedagon Pagoda, the most revered Buddhist temple in Myanmar, rising above the treeline, and be charmed by this busy city known as The Garden City of the East. Visit Mandalay, made famous by Rudyard Kipling, to see the RoyalPalace and take a trip to TaungthamanLake to walk along the curved U Bein Bridge.  From here you might travel to Bagan, 11th century capital of the country, to see the remains of 2,000 pagodas, temples and stupas, visit MountPopa, stopping en route at a small, family-run palm sugar workshop.  You can then take a short flight to Heho, where you will travel to InleLake, board a private motorboat to see the villages built on stilts inhabited by the local Intha people.  Finally, spend a few more days back at Yangon relaxing in your hotel and exploring a bit more of this enchanting city.

Price from £2,156 per person based on 4 people travelling for a 10 night adventure.

Sri Lanka

Due to its small size, Sri Lanka is easy to explore and has one of the largest concentrations of UNESCO world Heritage Sites in the world.  From Hindu and Buddhist temples, stunning scenery, tea plantations and tropical coastline, added to which an abundance of national parks with much wildlife, there is a huge variety of attractions to visit.  Its tourism is more developed than neighbouring India, and there is a wide choice of luxury accommodation from boutique hotels, larger resorts and charming tea plantation bungalows to stay in. Whether clients wish to spend their time immersing themselves in the island's culture, discovering its varied wildlife, participating in more energetic activities, or just relaxing in a boutique hotel on its tropical coastline, Powder Byrne will tailor each individual trip to suit their clients' exact wishes. Wildlife spotting can include leopards, elephants, bears, crocodiles, turtles and whales, all possibilities depending on the time of the trip.  Active sports on offer could be golf, cycling, surfing, SCUBA, whitewater rafting, and hiking in the cooler hill country to name but a few. At all times, Powder Byrne's local experts will arrange a door-to-door transfer service in a luxury air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking guides and drivers.

Suggested itinerary:  Upon arrival at Colombo Airport, you will be taken a short distance north to Negombo to rest up and visit local fishing village on this sparkling tropical sea.  Drive to Habarana, (visiting en route coconut and pineapple farm and a traditional Manor in Pinnawela with their 8 resident elephants, followed by a day to experience Sri Lankan Buddhist traditions, visiting village house, cooking traditional meal with family members, visiting village temple and offering meal to the monks as local tradition dictates), Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Dambulla (cave temples and frescoes), Kandy UNESCO World Heritage site (Royal Botanical Gardens, Temple of the Tooth Relic,), Nuwara Eliya (tea experience), Yala game reserve (to see leopards, elephants, bears and crocodiles), Galle (Dutch Fort, cinnamon plantations, stilt fishermen, whale watching, tropical beaches,) Colombo (day's sightseeing) & home.

Price from £2,618 per person based on 5 people travelling for a 13 night adventure.

The prices for all our Air & Space programmes are guide prices only as every holiday will be unique for each client.  The examples used include a full itinerary including accommodation, luxury transfers between destinations, entrance fees and English speaking guides.  They exclude flights.   For more information call 020 8246 5300 or visit www.powderbyrne.com

Powder Byrne Media Contact:  Jenny Trevor                                         

Tel: 020 8246 5300

Email:  jenny@powderbyrne.com

Website:  www.powderbyrne.com

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Notes to editors:

Powder Byrne was founded in 1985 by Rory Byrne. In 1988 Powder Byrne became the first operator to specialise in corporate ski weekends, offering companies complete flexibility of travel dates and event arrangements.  In 1989 Rory Byrne won The Independent's Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. In 1994 the decision was made to specialise exclusively in high service hotel-based holidays and Powder Byrne now offer a range of exclusive ski destinations across the Alps and Dolomites. In 1995 a Summer Resorts programme was added and in 2009 Air and Space was created providing soft adventure experiences for families.