A new trend shows that many people are tired of the traditional beach holidays. With lots of other tourists, sparse locals and fighting for a sunbed on the beach, many holidaymakers are looking for an alternative experience. Cox and Kings, a renowned luxury tour operator, has released their top-selling unusual tours that include; Uzbekistan, Iran, Romania, Ethiopia and Russia. These destinations may not scream summer holiday but they have a rich and incredible culture with unforgettable scenery, must-see sights and they offer unique experiences that you may not find on a traditional holiday. We looked into the best reasons to go to these unusual destinations:
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is a patchwork of Middle Eastern heritage combined with Eastern influences including Soviet Russian architecture and Chinese food influences. It is also unsettling to find greenery and foliage amongst the rolling sand dunes and desert. This merely makes the oases more magical. Uzbekistan is also home to rare wildlife, including white-clawed bears, golden eagles, lynx, and snow leopards. You can travel along the famous Silk Road that runs through several countries, across land and sea, that was built for trade. There are beautiful mosques, mausoleums and fortresses with traditional architecture and minarets; a refreshing change from European influences. As Uzbekistan is still an unusual tourist destination for the UK, most other tourists will be domestic. Uzbekistan has removed the need for visas for UK residents over the age of 55 to visit the country. This will undoubtedly raise interests in the unusual place so book now!
To enquire about a tour to Uzbekistan, give us a call for extra savings on top of Cox & Kings prices.
Romania
Romania is often overlooked when it comes to European summer holidays. This fairytale country, however, has a collection of folkoric castles, picturesque mountains and medieval towns. Discover Saxon churches, painted monasteries and even thatch huts. Explore Bran Castle, one of the castles that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and wonder at the medieval villages frozen in time, with Gothic architecture and preserved interiors. There is also an ice hotel made purely from ice with stunning interiors and cosy animal throws. In the summer, the bear sanctuary is a popular place to see the black and brown bears as you have never seen them before.
The natural beauty of Romania lies in its stunning mountain ranges such as the Carpathian Mountains, the Danube Delta, the Black Sea and its lakes and forests such as Lake Balea, a mirror-like lake reflecting the green valleys that surround it, and Lacul Albastru (the Blue Lake), which is blue-green but turns an azure colour when several people swim in it due to sulphides in the water.
To enquire about a tour to Romania, give us a call for extra savings on top of Cox & Kings prices.
Iran
A kaleidoscope of colours and cultures, Iran is a patchwork of cultures and gorgeous Arabian architecture. Each mosque is unique and carefully created, from the grand and imposing optical illusion of the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque to the shadow play of the Nasir Ol Molk Mosque, with its rainbow stained glass windows casting pink lights into the intricate carvings of the mosque, and the Goharshard Mosque, with classical gold and blue mosaic carvings. Iran is a destination for art and architect lovers, with beautiful palaces and mausoleums and colourful cities. The locals are friendly as long as you abide by the strict dress code. Discover a new type of opulence with Isfahan, the city that’s decorated with azure blue mosaic and pays homage to its commercial past by selling world famous Persian rugs and handcrafted trinkets.
To enquire about a tour to Iran, give us a call for extra savings on top of Cox & Kings prices.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia offers so much to travellers, it’s a wonder that it is even on this list. The monumental Blue Nile falls offer a unique sight of huge gushing falls through a rainforest. Simien Mountains are lush pointed mountain peaks ruled by the Gelada Baboons and the semi-excavated and magnificent Lalibela churches. Meet the locals – the ibex and gelada monkeys – and tour the ancient stone castles of Emperor Fasilides and then get a flavour of the culture with a shopping trip to the Mercato.
To enquire about a tour to Ethiopia, give us a call for extra savings on top of Cox & Kings prices.
Russia
From the opulence of Catherine’s Palace, adorned with golden detailing and an ostentatious golden great hall, to the stunning, fractured frozen blue of Lake Baikal in winter, Russia has a rich and cultural history for tourists to experience as well as untouched, natural beauty in the thick Serbian forests and frozen lakes. Moscow is quintessentially the trademark for Russia, standing as a beacon for its imperial and opulent past. Red Square and the Kremlin are must-sees for any traveller. The light sprinkling of snow in winter turns Moscow into a fairy-tale scene, with snow-dusted colourful minarets making it look like the most extravagant gingerbread house ever.
To enquire about a tour to Russia, give us a call for extra savings on top of Cox & Kings prices.
