|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions
CONTACT: Casey Marker
TEL: 800-628-8747
E-MAIL: caseym@zeco.com
WEBSITE: www.zeco.com
Click here for Media Kit.
Zegrahm Expeditions Plans First-Ever Ship Visit to Algeria,
as Tourism Grows in North Africa
SEATTLE, Washington (June 19, 2008) — Once a part of the vast Roman Empire, modern-day Algeria has been “rediscovered” as the next new, alluring destination in North Africa for adventure travelers. Zegrahm Expeditions will make their inaugural ship visits to the country as part of their “North Africa’s Roman Legacy” voyages, operating in April 2008.
With access to Libya still severely limited, Algeria has emerged as an excellent substitute, that will “surprise many world travelers,” according to Zegrahm President Scott Fitzsimmons, who has scouted the country. “Algeria is not well known by western travelers, but that will be temporary – there are some fantastic sites,” Fitzsimmons said.
From the glistening white Casbah of Algiers to spectacular Roman ruins, from green-carpeted mountains to the golden sands of the Mediterranean, Algeria has much to offer international visitors. “Now is the perfect time to explore this land, just as tourism is beginning to blossom and before it becomes ‘discovered.’ Few places in the Mediterranean region can still satisfy the ‘inner explorer.’ Algeria is certainly one of them,” Fitzsimmons said.
Visiting this area by ship, in the company of a small group of like-minded travelers, is ideal for exploring this multi-faceted land. As Algeria emerges as a tourist destination, traveling on one’s own will become easier. Today, however, arriving with a small group aboard an expedition ship allows for the perfect introduction to the country and the rare opportunity to witness Algeria’s lovely coastline unfold—much as earlier sailing civilizations did. Aboard the elegant, four-masted sailing vessel Wind Spirit, travelers will explore the legacies of antiquity at Tipasa and Djémila, along with the city of Algiers with the beautiful juxtaposition of its ancient maze-like casbah and the influence of French urban planning.
This voyage to North Africa includes a stay in magical Marbella, Spain, and an exploration of Granada’s icon, the Alhambra. Across the sea, Tunisia greets guests with its stunning coastline, Roman and Islamic architecture, and the monumental World Heritage sites of Carthage, Kairouan, and El-Jem. Malta, as a Mediterranean crossroads, creates a perfect ending to this cultural banquet. Highlights of the trip include a comprehensive tour of Alhambra, its palaces, courtyards, and garden; in Tunisia, a choice of visits to either Kairouan or to the ancient Roman site of El-Jem; a visit to Valletta, Malta’s fortress built by the Knights of St. John; and an optional extension to Libya’s Greco-Roman sites. In Algeria, the Roman Empire established 25 communities—from port cities to inland and mountain villages; three distinct sites remain in a remarkable state of preservation. Rarely visited by outside travelers, this is a unique experience in itself. The Roman ruins of Algeria are among the best preserved in North Africa.
Two 13-day expeditions are offered, beginning April 3 and April 14, 2008. Prices start at $8,480, which include accommodations, meals, all shore activities and gratuities. Airfare is additional.
Seattle-based Zegrahm Expeditions Inc., founded in 1990, is a leading adventure travel company specializing in small-ship cruises, tours, and safaris to remote and intriguing destinations around the world. Lead by expert guides and lecturers, Zegrahm itineraries are carefully crafted and all-inclusive, feature deluxe accommodations, and operate in all seven continents. For more information, please access www.zeco.com.
### |
