03 May 2022
Unleash Your Happy Hormone With Dopamine Travel

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Original Travel

Just as 'dopamine dressing' is about using bright coloured clothing to boost your wellbeing, dopamine travel can have the same effect. Choosing colourful destinations with vibrant sights, smells and sounds is a sure way of enhancing your happy hormones and increasing feelings of euphoria.

From the lush greens of Portugal's Douro Valley to the Pink City of Jaipur and Indonesia's colourful coral reefs, Original Travel has selected the best destinations for dopamine travel.

Tom Barber, Founder of Original Travel, says: 'Dopamine travel fits well with the new trend we have identified for “Gratifications” - guilt-free trips that clients are planning and booking as a treat to themselves post-pandemic. As travel picks up, more people are wanting the holiday of a lifetime, something to remember and an experience to share with others. Dopamine travel is a way of doing exactly that: finding a destination bursting with colour, visual aesthetics and feel-good vibes as a reward. Dopamine is known as a happy hormone and that's what we want our clients to experience when they go on a holiday with us.'

Here are Original Travel's top itineraries for ramping up your happiness factor:

Royal Rajasthan from Delhi to Udaipur

From Holi Festival - the Festival of Colours - to the Pink City of Jaipur and spice markets galore, India is the ultimate destination for dopamine travel. On this nine-day tour, you can enjoy the charming chaos of Delhi and all of its incredible sights, sounds and tastes; visit the artistic and bohemian Haus Khas village, with its boutique shops and rooftop terrace bars; see the white domes of the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort at Agra, and explore the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, now essentially an open-air red sandstone museum. In the brilliantly eye-catching city of Jaipur, you can browse the Bapu and Nehru Bazaar markets for saris and delicate embroidery and in Jodhpur, stroll the maze of small alleyways in every shade of blue from turquoise to indigo. Finish the trip in Udaipur, an elegant city sitting near five lakes. It's the perfect place to reflect on from the previous days' stimulation.

Original Travel's nine night itinerary starts from £4,100pp, based on two sharing. The price includes all flights, transfers, some meals, guided activities and accommodation. Original Travel, 020 3582 4990, www.originaltravel.co.uk.

Explore the Heart of Mexico: Oaxaca and the Pacific Coast

From clothes to pottery, food, art and even the buildings, Mexico is awash with colour. Take as much of it in as you can with this 12-day, four-part trip. First stop, Mexico City. Cycle the tree-lined avenues filled with Art Deco architecture and markets, take in the murals at National Palace and (for an entirely different sensory experience) a wrestling match at the Arena Mexico. Pick up a piece of Talevera pottery in Puebla, whose historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the bohemian El Barrio del Artista (artists' district) and the Capilla del Rosario of Santo Domingo Church, renowned for its 24-carat gold leaf interior. Next, visit the luscious valley of Oaxaca. Oaxaca is jam-packed with excellent examples of colonial architecture and the surrounding valleys are home to many villages famous for locally-produced crafts, from pottery to textiles, embroidery and Alebrijes, the carved and painted animal figurines that have become a form of symbolic art from Mexico. Finish the trip in the port town of Puerto Escondido; the hidden harbour is a famous surf spot, but also an excellent spot for bird-watching and glorious Pacific sunsets.

Original Travel's 11 night itinerary starts from £5,300pp, based on two sharing. The price includes all flights, transfers, some meals, guided activities and accommodation. Original Travel, 020 3582 4990, https://www.originaltravel.co.uk/.

Highlights of Portugal: Porto to Lisbon

Explore northern and central Portugal, happily wandering through the endless green hills and lush vineyards of the Douro Valley. Walk in the shade of redwoods and Himalayan fir trees in the Bucaco Forest and experience the magic of the lively picturesque alleys of Obidos and the vibrant palaces of the Sintra hills. Travel to Lisbon, a city spread across seven hills, and stroll through the bustling alleyways, filled with tall colourful houses, visiting trendy galleries and designer shops in Bairro Alto and heading to Belem to breathe in all the maritime adventure of Portugal from the docks. Make sure you visit Fronteira Palace, a homage to azulejos, the blue and white glazed tiles which are so emblematic of the country.

Original Travel's 8 night itinerary starts from £2,100pp, based on two sharing. The price includes all flights, transfers, guided activities and accommodation. Original Travel, 020 3582 4990, www.originaltravel.co.uk.

Oases of Morocco's North: Fez, Chefchaouen and Tangier

Morocco is another country where colour is celebrated in its food and culture. Drink it all in on this eight-day trip from Fez to Tangier, via Chefchaouen. Fez is the country's historical and cultural capital, full of old mansions awash with colourful tiles. The alleyways of the UNESCO-listed medina, Andalusian gardens, myriad palaces and minarets, mosques and caravanserais make for one of the most evocative of all destinations. It's a hard act to follow, but Chefchaouen doesn't disappoint – the bewitching bluewashed buildings of its old town are one of Morocco's best-known views. Dominated by the peaks of the Rif Mountains, the city blends Moroccan and Andalusian traditions, from the streets of the old medina to Uta el-Hammam Square, while the nearby Talassemtane National Park boasts every imaginable shade of green. The third and final chapter of this journey takes place in Tangier, one of the oldest cities in North Africa. At the crossroads of two seas and two continents, Tangier reflects the influence of several cultures, making it a fascinating place to visit.

Original Travel's 7 night itinerary starts from £1,800pp, based on two sharing. The price includes all flights, transfers, some meals, guided activities and accommodation. Original Travel, 020 3582 4990, https://www.originaltravel.co.uk/.

Colourful Corals and Wonderful Wall Diving in Lembeh, Tangkoko National Park and Siladen, Indonesia

From diving with turtles and hairy frogfish to climbing volcanoes and searching for tarsiers, this 15-day Indonesian diving adventure has all of the highlights of North Sulawesi, above and below the waves. Experience epic coral diving among the wonderful and vivid sea life in Bunaken National Park as well as some of the world's best muck diving in the Lembeh Strait, mixed with some spectacular topside adventures in the green highlands, seeking out endemic species, climbing active volcanoes and relaxing by beautiful sea blue lakes. Visit Tangkoko National Park and meet the local animals, including the world's smallest primate, the tarsier.

Original Travel's 13 night itinerary starts from £5,340pp, based on two sharing. The price includes all flights, transfers, some meals, guided activities and accommodation. Original Travel, 020 3582 4990, www.originaltravel.co.uk.

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For more information contact:   

press@originaltravel.co.uk  

020 3582 4990  

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Notes to Editors: 

Original Travel curates tailor-made itineraries, crafted by destination experts, to 77 countries worldwide from Anguilla to Zimbabwe. Since its launch in 2003, it has created 50,000 itineraries, each unique and adhering to the company ethos that “Life is in the Detail”. 

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Original Travel launched a flexibility pledge that allows clients to change their dates or destination up to 30 days prior to departure. For new bookings made before 31st May 2022 and for departures until 31st December 2022, we will offer you the full flexibility to change the trip up to 30 days prior to departure. You can, for any reason, change your destination to any other, and to any date up until the end of 2022, and there will be no charge. For all bookings where we cannot fulfil the trip due to changes in travel restrictions, we will postpone your trip - again at no charge - to any departure date until the end of 2022, or offer credit against any future departure, or refund all monies paid. 

Original Travel is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Campbell Irvine Ltd, who are authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and who offer a brand new travel insurance policy that includes cover for cancellation or curtailment of a trip due to contracting coronavirus, or through being quarantined or refused permission to travel due to infection or suspected infection. This insurance policy is only valid for travel to countries where there is no FCDO advice against all but essential travel. Full details can be found on a new section on Original Travel's website, entitled 'Coronavirus Confidence'. 

Original Travel also has its own specialist dive division. Original Diving is the world's only luxury dive travel outfit. 

Three of our consultants were recognised in Conde Nast Traveler's 2022 Travel Specialists list, including Co-founder Tom Barber as family specialist, Jacqui Brooks as Indonesia specialist and Oliver Rodwell as Mexico specialist, giving an excellent snapshot of our expertise. 

Original Travel clients enjoy a wealth of additional services they would not find with any other UK tour operator, including: 

  • Access to a network of 70-plus Concierges who live locally, know their destinations inside and out and are extremely well-connected. They lend fantastic ground support, offering insider recommendations, facilitating any last-minute changes and troubleshooting. 
  • A brace of additional services designed to make departure easier than ever. Every Original Travel client, regardless of whether they're off on a long weekend to Seville, or a multi-destination sabbatical, will enjoy UK airport meet and greet, fast track UK check-in, fast track UK security*, lounge access and pre-booked flight seats. There are also upgrade options to include: a luggage transfer service from your home to the airport; fast track check-in and security and lounge access on your flight home; fast track through immigration on your return to the UK. 
  • The knowledge that not only will Original Travel absorb the carbon footprint of their international flights, but also - in an industry-first - car-hire and transfers, and other flights (even if booked independently). 
  • The knowledge that they are contributing to Our Foundation, which supports nearly 100 humanitarian projects in 30 developing countries. To date, nearly £1.5 million has been invested to support five key areas: child protection, vocational training, economic development assistance, preservation of cultural and natural heritage and safeguarding the lifestyles of indigenous peoples.