From a ranch holiday to a raw food retreat and sky pods to sea planes, this latest news round-up from the ITC Luxury Travel Group focuses on itineraries introduced this summer and new and recent hotel openings and villas now available to book through our tour operators. ITC Luxury Travel Group includes tour operators ITC Luxury Travel, Western & Oriental, Rainbow Tours, Regent Holidays, Villa Select and ITC Sports Travel.

Contents:

• NEW TRIPS

1. Enjoy the Ultimate Peru Adventure with an overnight stay suspended above the Sacred Valley
2. Visit Barbados for a Raw Food and Yoga Retreat this October
3. New self-drive itinerary unveils the beauty of America's Pacific Northwest
4. New Kenya tour for 2017 focuses on the abundant bird and wildlife species of the Great Rift Valley

• NEW PROPERTIES

5. Pink Sands Club opens on Canouan Island, St Vincent and the Grenadines, in October
6. Western & Oriental expands its Ranch America programme with a new guest ranch in Idaho
7. Enjoy an introductory offer of up to 40% off accommodation rates at the new Waves Hotel & Spa in Barbados
8. Villa Select's new properties for 2016

• BROCHURE UPDATE

NEW TRIPS

1. Enjoy the Ultimate Peru Adventure with an overnight stay suspended above the Sacred Valley

Peru is a dream destination for adventurous travellers and now clients booking with Rainbow Tours can ramp up the adrenalin by clambering their way to an overnight stay clinging to a cliff face in the Sacred Valley. The Skylodge Adventure Suites are transparent pods suspended 400 metres up a cliff and to reach them, travellers must harness up and navigate a series of via ferrata trails and a hanging bridge. The reward is a night in comfortable surrounding with panoramic views before a rather speedier exit down into the valley along a network of zip lines. This experience is now available as part of Rainbow Tours' new 10-day Ultimate Peru Adventure which also offers opportunities to white water raft down the Urubamba River, trek a short Inca trail to Machu Picchu, explore the Sacred Valley or Cusco on a quad bike or horseback, and take a bike tour of Lima, stopping to sample delicious local food. The suggested route covers Lima, Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu with prices starting from £3,095 per person including flights, transfers and accommodation. To book, contact Rainbow Tours on 020 7666 1266 or see www.rainbowtours.co.uk for the full trip description. For more on the Skylodge Adventure Suites, click here to read a blog by Rainbow Tours' Latin America product manager Amanda Sweeney following her recent visit.

2. Visit Barbados for a Raw Food and Yoga Retreat this October

The Atlantis Hotel in Barbados will host an Island Wellness Retreat from 8th – 14th October 2016, just ahead of its official season opening. The six-night package will include an Introduction to Raw Food Workshop with Brazilian raw food chef Manuela Scalini; food foraging in the nearby hills with a local herbalist and all meals, centred around plant-based cuisine. Yoga will also be a key focus of the retreat with daily classes led by instructor Melodie Rodriguez; stand up paddleboarding (SUP) and SUP yoga on the west and south coasts and a hike to the top of Chalky Mount for sunrise yoga. Guests will also enjoy a sunset cruise and swimming in the tide pools at Bathsheba, close to the hotel on the east coast of Barbados. The six-night Island Wellness Retreat costs from £2,359 per person with ITC Luxury Travel, including six nights at The Atlantis Hotel in a Coastalview Room, all meals, return flights from London Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic and transfers. Book with ITC Luxury Travel (01244 355527, www.itcluxurytravel.co.uk)

3. New self-drive itinerary unveils the beauty of America's Pacific Northwest

Western & Oriental has launched a new self-drive itinerary around the Pacific Northwest region of the USA, taking in Seattle, the San Juan Island and three National Parks. Beginning in the cosmopolitan city of Seattle, travellers will have a CityPASS to visit the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass and the Experience Music Project amongst other attractions, before the great outdoors beckons them beyond the city limits. The itinerary includes a day exploring the San Juan islands with a ferry cruise, a whale watching tour by kayak and a scenic seaplane flight back to Seattle and then two days each in Olympic, Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks. Bound by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Rocky Mountains to the east, this self-drive tour of the Pacific Northwest offers up thousands of miles of walking trails and backdrops of active volcanoes, glacier-topped mountains and wild coastline. The 10-day trip – Seattle, Whales and National Parks of Washington State Self Drive - costs from £3,245 per person based on two adults travelling together. This price includes return flights, transfers, accommodation and selected excursions as outlined in the itinerary. To book, contact Western & Oriental (020 3588 6130, www.westernoriental.com)  

4. New Kenya tour for 2017 focuses on the abundant bird and wildlife species of the Great Rift Valley

Rainbow Tours is launching a new bird watching and wildlife trip to Kenya, with departures beginning in January 2017. Birding and wildlife in the Great Rift Valley is an eight-day trip, the route of which has been specifically designed to maximise the chances of spotting many of the country's 400 bird species. The first stops are Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru where flamingos, heron, storks and egrets can be spotted, possibly alongside rare wild rhino. A further three nights are spent at Governors' Camp in Kenya's most famous wildlife heartland, the Masai Mara National Reserve. Here, the big five are just a handful of the majestic species that can be spotted. Wildlife viewing on this trip will take the form of safari drives, boat trips, walking safaris and even an optional hot air balloon flight. Prices for this trip start from £2,850 per person based on two adults sharing, including international flights, domestic transfers by light aircraft, accommodation, professional driver/guides, safari activities as outlined in the itinerary, park fees and all meals whilst on safari. Book with Rainbow Tours (020 7666 1266, www.rainbowtours.co.uk).

NEW PROPERTIES

5. Pink Sands Club opens on Canouan Island, St Vincent and the Grenadines, in October

The long-anticipated Pink Sands Club will open on Canouan Island in St Vincent and the Grenadines on 10th October 2016 and as part of Leading Hotels of the World, will be one of the hottest resort openings in the Caribbean this winter. Canouan Island is just two miles by one mile and Pink Sands Club will have just 26 suites and six hotel villas, however guests will be well catered for with four restaurants, a golf course, spa and great diving and snorkelling at the nearby Coral Reef. Prices for travel this winter start from £4,705 per person based on two adults sharing a One Bedroom Beachfront Suite for seven nights including return economy class flights with British Airways for London Gatwick to Barbados and inter-island flights and transfers. Book with ITC Luxury Travel (01244 355527, www.itcluxurytravel.co.uk) 

6. Western & Oriental expands its Ranch America programme with a new guest ranch in Idaho

Western & Oriental has added a new ranch in northern Idaho to its USA and Ranch America programme, bringing the total number of working, guest and resort ranches sold through the tour operator to 40. The Western Pleasure Guest Ranch, family owned and run since 1940, is situated just 60 miles south of the Canadian border and is open year-round offering daily horse rides for riders of all levels. The ranch has more than 50 horses available and each guest will be allocated their own horse on the first day of riding. During the warmer months, hiking, mountain biking, archery and clay pigeon shooting can also be enjoyed at the ranch whilst fishing, kayaking and white water rafting are also available nearby. In July and August, families are welcome and special activity programmes are run for youngsters aged eight to 16. For summer 2017, the price for a family trip starts from £2,945 per adult and from £1,845 per child, based on two adults and two children aged 8-16 sharing. This price includes six nights' accommodation on a full board basis, two rides per day and one full day ride to Grouse Creek Falls, one dinner cruise on Lake Pend Orielle, guided hiking, mountain biking and nature walks, plus the kids' programme activities. Accommodation is in a two-bedroom cabin and the price also includes return flights with Delta Airlines and transfers from Spokane to Western Pleasure Ranch. To book, contact Western & Oriental (www.westernoriental.com, 020 3588 6130).

7. Enjoy an introductory offer of up to 40% off accommodation rates at the new Waves Hotel & Spa in Barbados

Elegant Hotels will open its fifth hotel in Barbados, Waves Hotel & Spa, in mid-August 2016 and as an introductory offer, ITC Luxury Travel is offering up to 40% off accommodation rates on stays for the rest of this year. Set on the west coast of Barbados, Waves offers a holiday for mind and body, with spa treatments included, yoga mats in the bedrooms and healthy menu options. Guests here are offered a 'Dine Around' programme so they can enjoy meals at other Elegant Hotels properties in Barbados which they can reach via a complimentary water taxi. The hotel will also offer cooking workshops, wine pairings and rum tastings for guests. Seven nights at Waves Hotel & Spa start from £1,579 per person based on two adults sharing a Standard Room on an all-inclusive basis, including return economy class flights and private transfers. This price includes 40% off the cost of accommodation, an offer which is valid for bookings made before 30th September 2016, saving up to £630 per person. Travel must be completed by 6th January 2017. Book with ITC Luxury Travel (01244 355527, www.itcluxurytravel.co.uk).

8. Villa Select's new properties for 2016

Villa specialist Villa Select has introduced two new properties for 2016. Villa Heaven is a three-bedroom property in western Cyprus – one of the few destinations where Villa Select offers properties over the autumn and winter months. The villa currently has availability from 14th September until the end of the year. It sleeps six across one double and two twin rooms, with pool heating available for late season rentals. Autumn prices start from £1,357 per week excluding flights – under £230 per person per week based on maximum occupancy. Rentals over Christmas (beginning 21st December) and New Year (beginning 28th December) cost £1,613 per week – approximately £270 per person. The luxurious Villa Panorama in Pollensa, Mallorca, was another new addition for 2016 with rental weeks available from August until 22nd October 2016. This recently-built, stylish property sleeps 10 guests and as the name suggests, offers incredible views across the Pollensa Bay from its inland hillside location. The villa will appeal to lovers of modern design as well as wine aficionados who will enjoy its feature glass wine cellar. Prices for Villa Panorama start from £9,736 per week – just under £975 per person – excluding flights. To book either property, contact Villa Select (01789 595435, www.villaselect.com)

BROCHURE UPDATE

• The new issue of Other Shores, the customer publication for the ITC Luxury Travel Group, was published in July 2016. This issue includes features on St Lucia by Nick Boulos, Sri Lanka by Ben Lerwill and Costa Rica by Joe Minihane, as well as an interview with travel writer Annabelle Thorpe and destination articles and tips from the group's travel experts. To read the magazine, see http://bit.ly/OtherShores

• Rainbow Tours and Regent Holidays released a mini guide to Top 10 Alternative Train Journeys in spring 2016. The brochure recommends journeys in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe that can be incorporated into wider land based itineraries. Recommendations include Tren Crucero in Ecuador; the Silk Road by train through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan; and South Africa's Rovos Rail from Pretoria to Cape Town. To view the guide, see http://bit.ly/RegRaiTrains

• The Definitive Book of Europe and North Africa was released in May 2016, bringing together short-haul holiday inspiration and luxury resorts from ITC Luxury Travel, Western & Oriental and Villa Select. Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Italy are amongst the destinations featured, with five- and four-star resorts sitting alongside self-catering rental villas. The brochure also includes a small portfolio of hand-picked ski hotels and chalets and specialist spa hotels. To view the brochure online, see http://bit.ly/ITCEurope

- Ends -

For further information or to request images, please contact Kate Popham, Group Head of PR, ITC Luxury Travel Group on 020 7666 1259 or email kate@westernoriental.com