Review of Tibet Shambhala Adventure

Review for Shambhala Adventure

I recently organized a group to go to Tibet for a cultural tour, and managed to find the operator based in Tibet by the name of Shambhala Adventure, and their company website - www.shambhala-adventure.com

Email - info@shambhala-adventure.com 

My group of 5 including me went to Tibet from the 31st August to the 16th September, covering LINZHI (林芝) / Nyingchi / Nyingtri, Lhasa, Lake Namtso, one night camping in Lake Yamdrok, Gyantse, Shigatse and the Everest Base Camp. 

I started to do my planning last year in November, as I knew that I had to book my train ticket from Xining (Qinghai Province) to Lhasa on the Qinghai-Tibet railway at least six months ahead in order to be able to secure the seats (soft sleeper, 4 in a cabin). 

Initially, I contacted a few operators to send them my enquiry about my trip itinerary. I had heard a lot of LINZHI and wanted to go there on this trip. 

The reason why I ended up engaging the service of Shambhala is because, Dawa, the Managing Director, is very patient with me, and very prompt in his reply to all my emails. I had done trekking in Nepal, and thus understand the importance of acclimatization, in order for the body to adapt to the high altitude, as there is less oxygen. Moreover, I had requested to camp one night at Lake Yamdrok at an altitude of 4,400m. 

And from Singapore, we flew to Xining via Beijing, and stayed two nights. Xining is an excellent first pit stop as it is only about 2,200m, which allows the body to first get used to this altitude, which most people would have no issue of altitude sickness. In fact, we visited Qinghai Lake, which is said to be the most beautiful lake in China. We did not have the opportunity to see the beauty of Qinghai as it was a rainy day, so the sky was overcast and the lake appeared to be grey. 

I must say that the guide Phuntsok took great care of us, including the driver. The camping equipment - sleeping tents, dining tent, toilet tent, sleeping bag are all of excellent quality. It was a most memorable stay at Lake Yamdrok, which has the shape of a scorpion, as we experienced heavy thunder storm that night, with heavy down pour, lighting and thunder for almost an hour. 

Phuntsok speaks good English and I understand Dawa invests his money to send his staff for English lessons with foreign teachers. 

During the trip, when we made request , we were quickly attended to. And I could reach Dawa on the mobile number easily. 

On the whole, we are glad that we travelled with Shambhala Adventure. All of our travel arrangements were well taken care of, with excellent communication with the company before and during the trip. High quality camping equipment were provided. Any trip be it cultural or trekking/adventure, you could contact Shambhala with a peace of mind and be assured of the highest standard of professionalism. It is important to engage the service of Tibetans to run your tour, as they are the locals, rather than Chinese operators. 

Take note of the extreme high altitudes in Tibet. Lhasa is 3,650m, Lake Namtso is 4,718m, Lake Yamdrok is 4,400m, and Everest Base Camp is 5,200m. Do engage in more physical activities - swimming, running, walking, cycling to prepare yourself for the high altitude as with a stronger heart, you could adapt better than inactive people. Do consult a doctor if you have any health concern. Last of all, plan ahead especially if you intend to take the train from Xining to Lhasa, as tickets do get booked and sold out a few months before the start of the main travel season from May to September. 

Dawa, Managing Director

Mobile +86 139-0890-7271

Website - http://www.shambhala-adventure.com/

Let him know I refer you and quote - OCIJ8888 

for special tour fare. 

Okinawa

I brought my boy on a trip to Okinawa two years back during the November school holidays.

It was rainy towards the end of the year, and even the swimming pool was closed at that time. We enjoyed the beef burger and the Churaumi Aquarium, which is the best in the whole of Japan. The massive tank is also one of largest in the world.

We had some fun trying out the water sports like banana boat and going on the jet ski is the first time for him. Obviously, he had lots of fun. It was just a short trip and thus, we didn't have time to visit the nearby islands, and in any case, the weather was not the best to go for any island visit.

And I would like to add on some information which I had taken from another website, which lists the Top 50 Things To Do in Okinawa.

I will only mention a few of them -

The text below is taken from another website, and you will find the link after the end of the text.

Okinawa, one of the most popular beach resorts in the whole of Japan. Its emerald blue seas and white sand beaches attract people from all over the country. Once the Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawa has a unique culture and history that differs from the mainland. Here in this article we are going to introduce 50 great things to do in Okinawa.

Okinawa can be largely divided up into for regions: the southern region (with Naha City, etc.) the central region, the northern region and the isolated islands. Each of the titles of the items in the list contains the region, so you can refer to these when planning your sightseeing route.

Shuri Castle

Cherry Blossom in early February

Ishigaki island

Cape Manza

Churaumi Aquarium

ISHIGAKI ISLAND

In Michelin’s “Green Guide Japan,” Ishigaki Island has been awarded to stars, and Kabira Bay in Ishigaki Island has been awarded 3 stars, the top rank. As well as the beautiful clear seas, on the beaches you can see star-shaped sand, known as “hoshizuna.” The beef from Ishigaki Island is also famous. 

CAPE MANZA

A spectacular example of Okinawa’s beautiful scenery. The sight of the sea and blue skies from the cape is breathtaking. If it is your first time in Okinawa, this is one place we recommend you visit. If you look carefully into the waters, you can see the beautiful coral reefs. The rock shaped like an elephant’s trunk is also famous.

https://www.tsunagujapan.com/50-things-to-do-in-okinawa/

Please refer to the website above for more attractions on Okinawa.

I help to plan private tours for clients, and if you need help with the itinerary and all the travel arrangement, do contact me.

Olevia CHEONG
inspiritjourneys@gmail.com

Iceland

Iceland, a Nordic island nation, is defined by its dramatic landscape with volcanoes, geysers, hot springs and lava fields. It is actually a land of ice and fire.Massive glaciers are protected in Vatnajökull and Snæfellsjökull national parks. Most of the population lives in the capital, Reykjavik, which runs on geothermal power and is home to the National and Saga museums, tracing Iceland’s Viking history.

One of the best way to see this beautiful country is by going on a Super Jeep tour. The super jeep is capable of navigating the steepest and rockiest of terrains, deserts or beaches.

I had been to Iceland in March and April earlier this year, and had even flown up north to Akureyri, the skiing capital . This place is worth visiting if you can afford the time, as most people cover the standard Golden Circle Tour and South Coast, visiting the black sand beaches and various waterfalls including Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which is rare as you can walk behind the falls to enjoy the view from another perspective.

For just a short one week in Iceland, this is what I recommend. Since, I am based in Singapore, I will provide the flight details from Singapore on British Airways as my preferred choice.

And at the moment, I have two other ladies confirmed joining me to this trip in December 2017.

Looking for another 8 others to join us. 

HIGHLIGHTS -
Aurora (dependent and weather and clear sky conditions)
Golden Circle Tour (Gullfoss, Geysir, Thingvillir National Park)
Black Sand Beaches & Vik
Ice Cave exploration (safety and equipment provided)
Glacier Hike (safety and equipment provided)
Jorkusalon Glacier Lagoon
Seljalandsfoss waterfall
Snaefellsne Peninsula & Aurora



08Dec SINLHR 2315/0515
             LHRKEF 1055/1415 (+1)

16Dec KEFLHR 1515/1825
            LHRSIN.  2145/1830 (+1)

Return flight on BA, all taxes
Guesthouse / hotel with breakfast
2 Dinners
Guide
Super jeep for the 5D with guide
Equipment for hiking
Cave Exploration
Glacier Hike

Day 1 Check in 08Dec (BA flight 23.15)
Day 2 Arrive Reykavik, Dinner

Day 3 Super Jeep - Golden Circle Tour - Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir, Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, black Sand Beach - Vik, Basalt columns

Day 4 Ice cave visit, Hiking (good walking shoes)

Day 5 Famous Jorkusalon Lagoon, look out for seals. Skaftafell Glacier Hike - equipment provided.  Go for Northern Lights.

Day 6 Head to Snaefellsnes Peninsula, cave exploration Vatnshellir. Enjoy the time as we explore the Valley of Skorradalur

Day 7 Drive around the Peninsula, and short hikes. Chance to observe Northern Lights

Day 8 Free day in Reykavik.
Dinner

Day 9 Departure
Day 10 Arrive Singapore (or London extension)

Please contact me soonest possible to get the best rate on this trip to Iceland, the magnificent land with diverse landscape as well as the opportunity to see the Aurora .

Olevia CHEONG
olevia@gmail.com
inspiritjourneys@gmail.com

Peloponnesus

Peloponnesus, Greece

Credit:Wikipedia

The Peloponnese (/ˈpɛləpəˌniːz/) or Peloponnesus (/ˌpɛləpəˈniːsəs/; Greek: Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos, is a peninsulaand geographic region in southern Greece. It is separated from the central part of the country by the Gulf of Corinth. During the late Middle Ages and the Ottoman era, the peninsula was known as the Morea (Greek: Μωρέας), a name still in colloquial use in its demotic form (Μωριάς).

The peninsula is divided among three administrative regions: most belongs to the Peloponnese region, with smaller parts belonging to the West Greece and Attica regions. 

It was here that the Greek War of Independencebegan in 1821. The Peloponnesians have almost totally dominated politics and government in Greece since then.

In 2016, Lonely Planet voted the Peloponnese the top spot of their Best in Europe list.

The Peloponnese is a peninsula that covers an area of some 21,549.6 square kilometres (8,320.3 sq mi) and constitutes the southernmost part of mainland Greece. While technically it may be considered an island since the construction of the Corinth Canal in 1893, like other peninsulas that have been separated from their mainland by man-made bodies of waters, it is rarely, if ever, referred to as an "island". It has two land connections with the rest of Greece, a natural one at the Isthmus of Corinth, and an artificial one by the Rio-Antirio bridge (completed 2004).

The peninsula has a mountainous interior and deeply indented coasts. Mount Taygetus is its highest point, at 2,407 metres (7,897 ft). It possesses four south-pointing peninsulas, the Messenian, the Mani, the Cape Malea (also known as Epidaurus Limera), and the Argolid in the far northeast of the Peloponnese.

Two groups of islands lie off the Peloponnesian coast: the Argo-Saronic Islands to the east, and the Ionian to the west. The island of Kythera, off the Epidaurus Limera peninsula to the south of the Peloponnese, is considered to be part of the Ionian Islands.

Olympia

Olympia is an ancient site on Greece's Peloponnese peninsula that hosted the original Olympic Games, founded in the 8th century B.C. Its extensive ruins include athletic training areas, a stadium and temples dedicated to the gods Hera and Zeus. The Archaeological Museum of Olympia exhibits finds from the site, including a statue of Hermes attributed to the sculptor Praxiteles.

Mycaene

Mycenae (Greek: Μυκῆναι Mykēnai or ΜυκήνηMykēnē) is an archaeological site in Greece, located about 90 kilometres (56 miles) southwest of Athens, in the north-eastern Peloponnese. Argos is 11 kilometres (7 miles) to the south; Corinth, 48 kilometres (30 miles) to the north. From the hill on which the palace was located, one can see across the Argolid to the Saronic Gulf.

In the second millennium BC, Mycenae was one of the major centres of Greek civilization, a military stronghold which dominated much of southern Greece. The period of Greek historyfrom about 1600 BC to about 1100 BC is called Mycenaean in reference to Mycenae. At its peak in 1350 BC, the citadel and lower town had a population of 30,000 and an area of 32 hectares.

The first correct identification of Mycenae in modern literature was during a survey conducted by Francesco Grimani, commissioned by the Provveditore Generale of the Kingdom of the Morea in 1700, who used Pausanias's description of the Lion Gate to identify the ruins of Mycenae.

Corinth Canal

The Corinth Canal (Greek: Διώρυγα της Κορίνθου, Dhioryga tis Korinthou) is a canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, thus effectively making the former peninsula an island. The builders dug the canal through the Isthmus at sea level; no locks are employed. It is 6.4 kilometres (4 mi) in length and only 21.4 metres (70 ft) wide at its base, making it impassable for most modern ships. It now has little economic importance.

The canal was proposed in classical times and an abortive effort was made to build it in the 1st century CE. Construction finally got under way in 1881 but was hampered by geological and financial problems that bankrupted the original builders. It was completed in 1893 but, due to the canal's narrowness, navigational problems and periodic closures to repair landslides from its steep walls, it failed to attract the level of traffic expected by its operators. It is now used mainly for tourist traffic.

Sparta (Sparti)

Sparta (Greek: Σπάρτη, Spártī), is a city in Laconia, Greece. It lies at the site of ancient Sparta. The municipality population in 2011 was 35,259, of whom 17,408 lived in the city itself.

Until modern times, the site of ancient Sparta was occupied by a small town of a few thousand people who lived among the ruins, in the shadow of Mystras, a more important medieval Greek settlement nearby. The Palaiologos family (the last Byzantine Greek imperial dynasty) also lived in Mystras. In 1834, after the Greek War of Independence, King Otto of Greece decreed that the town should be expanded into a city.

In the center of the city there is the Archaeological Museum and in the North West end is the Tomb of Leonidas, also known as Leonidaion and there is a tavern in front of the temple named Leonidas. The city's Cathedral is at the South West end. North of the modern city start the ruins of the ancient Sparta. Entering by the South Gate of the Acropolis, known as Lakedaemonia, there is the Rotunda, the Theatre and the Temple of Athena Chalkioikos to the West and to the North is the 10th Century AC Monastic Church of Osios Nikonas. Exiting the Acropolis by the North Gate there are the remains of the earliest ancient walls, the Heroon and the Altar of Lycourgos, whereas to the East there is the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia.

The Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil in the South West end highlights the culture of the olive and the technology of olive production.

(Credit - Wikipedia)

Join us on a trip to Central Greece in April or May 2017

Group departure

17Apr - 29Apr
Athens,
Olympia
Mycaene
Corith Canal
Sparta (Sparti)
Zakinthos
Santorini

Contact Olevia CHEONG

inspiritjourneys@gmail.com 

Peloponnesus & Santorini

Welcome back.

I am excited to announce that we are having a very unique itinerary for our trip to Greece next year.



Dates - 13Apr - 26Apr 2017

Fly by Turkish Airways

Day 1 13Apr (check in at airport)
Day 2 14Apr - Arrival in Istanbul. Walking tour of Istanbul.
Day 3 15Apr - Bosphorus Cruise
Day 4 16Apr - Departure to Athens
Day 5-Day Day 12
Day 13 Departure from Athens
Day 14 Arrive back in Singapore.

We will be covering the Peloponnesus region, or Central Greece with many lovely ancient towns to visit.

Athens

Mycaene

Olympia

Corith Canal

Cave visit

Filming location of Korean drama Descendants of the Sun

Santorini - 2 nights stay

Will update soon as we get the prices.

Special price for the first 6 to sign up.

Min: 10
Max: 18

Olevia CHEONG

Follow my group on Facebook
Women Travels

Cape Town and Cape Peninsula

I was fortunate as I get to organize my own trip and travel with the group.

Two years ago, we have a total of 10 people travelling to South Africa, and we went to Cape Town, and the Cape Peninsula. We actually stayed at Hout Bay, which was lovely and it was easy for us to proceed for the cruise to see the seal colony. Thereafter, we flew to Johannesburg, and stayed at three different National Parks and game reserve.

Kruger is the largest and most popular of the South Africa, and needless to say, it was included in our itinerary. We went to Imfolozi-Hluluwe National Park, which is the oldest in South Africa and last of all, we went to Pakamisa Private Game Reserve.

We all had wonderful times at the three parks, driven in the open top vehicle for our game drive- trying to spot the different wildlife - rhinoceros, cheetah, lions, Buffaloes, zebra, impala, elephants, and many other birds, as our ranger guides went around hunting for them. As it was winter, it gets dark early. We went for both the sunrise and sunset safari, and the sunset in the African bush was mesmerizing, when the whole horizon was painted in fiery red or orange.

The stay at Pakamisa was memorable as the lodge is located right on a hill top. At night, I could see millions of stars right above me, just outside my room, which is named zebra. The Milky Way and the Southern Cross were both so distinct to me, with easy identification. 

We missed out on one of the main highlights - Shark Cage diving at Gansbai, as there was heavy rain for that week when we arrived in Hermanus, and thus all shark cage diving activity was cancelled for the entire week. 

Below - I am providing some information on Cape Town and Cape Peninsula, and the text was taken from the Wikipedia site. 

Cape Town (Afrikaans: Kaapstad [ˈkɑːpstɐt]; Xhosa: Ikapa) is a coastal city in South Africa. It is the second most populous urban area in South Africa, after Johannesburg.^[7] It is also the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape.

As the seat of the National Parliament it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. The city is famous for its harbour, for its natural setting in the Cape Floristic Region, as well as for such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. As of 2014, it is the 10th most populous city in Africa and home to 64% of the Western Cape's population. It is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, reflecting its role as a major destination for immigrants and expatriates^[9] to South Africa. The city was named the World Design Capital for 2014 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design. In 2014, Cape Town was named the best place in the world to visit by both the American New York Times and the British Daily Telegraph.^[12]

Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was first developed by the Dutch East India Company as a victualling (supply) station for Dutch ships sailing to East Africa, India, and the Far East. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, becoming the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony. Until the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the development of Johannesburg, Cape Town was the largest city in South Africa.

Cape Peninsula

The Cape Peninsula (Afrikaans: Kaapse Skiereiland) is a generally rocky peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean at the south-western extremity of the African continent. At the southern end of the peninsula are Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. On the northern end is Table Mountain, overlooking Cape Town, South Africa. The peninsula is 52 km long from Mouille point in the north to Cape Point in the south.

The Peninsula has been an island on and off for the past 5 million years, as sea levels fell and rose with the ice age and interglacial global warming cycles of, particularly, the Pleistocene. The last time that the Peninsula was an island was about 6000 years ago. Soon afterwards it was joined to the mainland by the emergence from the sea of the sandy area now known as the Cape Flats. The towns and villages of the Cape Peninsula and Cape Flats now form part of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality.

The Cape of Good Hope is sometimes given as the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Thus the west coast of the Peninsula is invariably referred to as the "Atlantic Coast", but the eastern side is known as the "False Bay Coast". It is at Cape Point (or the Cape of Good Hope) that the ocean to the south is often said to be divided into the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Indian Ocean to the east. However, according to the International Hydrographic Organization agreement that defines the ocean boundaries, the meeting point is at Cape Agulhas, about 200 km (120 mi) to the southeast.

Similarly, Cape Point is not the fixed "meeting point" of the cold Benguela Current, running northwards along the west coast of Africa, and the warm Agulhas Current, running south from the equator along the east coast of Africa. In fact the south flowing Agulhas Current swings away from the African coastline between about East London and Port Elizabeth, from where it follows the edge of the Continental shelfroughly as far as the southern tip of the Agulhas Bank, 250 km (155 miles) south of Cape Agulhas. From there it is retroflexed (turned sharply round) in an easterly direction by the South Atlantic, South Indian and Southern Ocean currents, known as the "West Wind Drift", which flow eastwards round Antarctica. The Benguela Current, on the other hand, is an upwelling current which brings cold, mineral-rich water from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean to the surface along the west coast of Southern Africa. Having reached the surface it flows northwards as a result of the prevailing wind and Coriolis forces. The Benguela Current, therefore, effectively starts at Cape Point, and flows northwards from there, although further out to sea it is joined by surface water that has crossed the South Atlantic from South America as part of the South Atlantic Gyre. Thus the Benguela and Agulhas currents do not strictly "meet" anywhere, although eddies from the Agulhas current do from time to time round the Cape to join the Benguela Current.

Credit - Wikipedia (Cape Town & Cape Peninsula)

November will still be a lovely time to visit South Africa but December will be busy with the local tourists.

January to March is the summer time but it is enjoying 23degree on average, thus a very good time to be spent in South Africa. 

We have the following trips for 2017

26May - 09Jun 2017 Botswana Camping Safari (Okavango Delta, Chobe, Victoria Falls)

05Jul-21Jul Kilimanjaro Trek & Migration Safari

11Jul-21Jul Migration Safari

To go for your next game safari, contact me - inspiritjourneys@gmail.com

Anyone keen to learn to make money from Social Media, watch this webinar online
https://goo.gl/XxONyV
Contact me should you need more information.