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Hi Friend and welcome to the Summer edition of Secret Women's Business for 2023. Wow, what a year it's been!!!
What an incredible year it's been with travel both local and international back at full steam. We started the year with our Ultimate NZ South Island tour where we experienced the most amazingly beautiful weather, clear views of Mt Cook, wonderful food, exceptional hotels and the most comfortable coach ever. Our 2024 Ultimate North Island sold out very quickly with many of the South Island travellers booking straight away on the North Island!
Our next adventure was to Egypt in March and whether it's your first time there or if you're returning to Egypt like me, it's still an incredible destination with awe-inspiring monuments and the magic of the River Nile.
Our GOT Reunion @ Sea onboard Carnival Luminosa was a hoot and we hope to have another reunion either in 2024 or 2025.
The first ever GOT 'Silo Art Trail' tour of Northern NSW exceeded our expectations and was a wonderful experience. Photos do not do justice to the magnificent artwork and the scale of the silos. We are currently in the planning process for a Southern NSW Silo Art Trail so keep an eye out if that's of interest to you.
The Kimberley was at her finest after a good wet season and even with the changes that needed to be made to the program after the recent flooding, it was just incredible to be there with Thommo and Gools at the reins once again and I look forward to sharing this experience with ladies again in 2024.
Cape York was another great journey in 2023 with most of the ladies making it to the tip and a great adventure had by all.
In August we set off on our much anticipated "Wild Alaska & Yukon" tour and this was an absolutely amazing itinerary and one that I hope to repeat in the future.
Our Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Murray Princess trip was just a delight with Kangaroo Island a real surprise to us all. It's no wonder that it has been voted #7 in the "New York Times Best 100 places to visit in the world." Cruising down the mighty Murray onboard the magnificent paddle steamer was just beautiful and very relaxing.
The last tour for 2023 was our long awaited 'Charms of Croatia' tour. After being cancelled more than once by 'you know what' we finally got to visit and explore this beautiful country with its spectacular coastline, wonderful architecture and picturesque National Parks. An added bonus was the last minute inclusion of Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro. It was worth the wait and plans are under way for another trip in 2025.
I'm looking forward to some time at home with family and friends before we start the 2024 season with our 'Treasures of Tasmania' tour in February. We have some amazing tours next year and details are shown below or on our website.
Thanks for your continued support and for a wonderful year!!
Happy Travels!
Judy xx |
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Our 2023 'Kimberley Adventure' group at Purnululu National Park, The Bungle Bungle Range in the background. |
| | | Our Wild Alaska & The Yukon tour in August was only a small group but we an amazing time exploring these wild and remote areas of Canada and Alaska by road and sea. A great mix of history, wildlife and nature. We saw bears, whales AND the Northern Lights!! |
| | | Another great adventure to the top of Australia and Cape York. So much history up there that we're not taught about in school and so many beautiful and interesting places to visit. Here we are pictured on the beach on Horn Island. |
| | | | What a surprise package Kangaroo Island was. With wonderful wildlife, amazing produce and spectacular scenery. It's no wonder it has been voted #7 in the NY Times Top 100 Places to see in the world. We're pictured here on Kangaroo Island with the Remarkable Rocks in the background. |
| | | Photos do not do justice to the beautiful painted silos that are found all over Australia. You really do need to see them for yourself to feel the scale and beauty of them. Here we are at Grenfell in NSW with artwork that represents the contemporary farming industry and landscape of the Weddin Shire. We visited so many beautiful silos and water towers as part of our Silo Art Trail Tour in 2023. |
| | | "Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam" SOLD OUT! - departing 2nd May, 2024 for 25 days.
- Includes Siem Reap, Luang Prabang, Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City and more including The Golden Bridge in Vietnam.
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| | | | Treasures of Tasmania 2024 - "Sold Out" Explore Tasmania's natural beauty on our 18 day 'Treasures of Tasmania' tour departing 7th February, 2024.
Starting and finishing in Hobart with stays in Strahan, Queenstown, Stanley, Burnie, Devonport, St Helens and Launceston with many places and activities in between. Activities include The Tahune Airwalk, Cascades Female Factory, in-depth visit of Port Arthur historic site, a full day trip to Bruny Island and the Gordon River cruise, The Nut in Stanley, Rack and Gorge Wilderness Railway tour in Queenstown, Cradle Mountain, and so much more.
Price $8,950pp* twin share land only. Single supplement $2,105. |
| | | | Outback Queensland Explorer 2024 Get onboard and explore Queensland on this 20 day road trip from Brisbane in the south to Mount Isa in the north, Eromanga out west and Carnarvon Gorge to the east. Starting and finishing in Brisbane we will head first to Roma and then on to Carnarvon Gorge where we'll spend 2 nights and explore this ancient gorge with its towering white sandstone cliffs and lush side-gorges. Next we travel to Emerald and then on to Longreach where we'll visit the Stockman's Hall of Fame, Qantas Founders Museum and enjoy a dinner cruise on the Thomson River. Next we head off through Muttaburra, Hughenden and then to Richmond overnight before heading towards the mining town of Mount Isa where we'll explore the town and surrounds for 3 nights including the 'Hard Times Mining Tour', Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre and the Underground Hospital. Leaving Mount Isa we'll visit the once thriving abandoned mining township of Mary Kathleen where by 1961 approximately 1,000 people lived in the township. Now only remnants of the town survive. Our next stop is Winton where we'll visit 'Age of Dinosaurs', 'Lark Quarry' and 'The Matilda Centre'. Travelling west, our next stop is the tiny town of Eromanga with it's giant dinosaur, Cooper and the Eromanga Natural History Museum. So much more as we continue on to Eulo, Cunnamulla, St George and Goondiwindi before returning to Brisbane via Warwick.
Click the button below to request details or visit our website to download the brochure including pricing, daily itinerary, inclusions and exclusions. Now open for bookings. Maximum of 18 travellers on a full size touring coach with onboard bathroom. All meals included.
Departure date Sunday, 2nd June, 2024 - Duration 20 days/19 nights. Bookings open and places limited. |
| | | | | The Kimberley 2024 Bookings are open for our always popular, Kimberley Adventure departing 9th July, 2024. Join us for an adventure you’ll never forget in one of the most rugged and remote landscapes of the world where Girls On Tour and Adventure Wild will take you on a journey through this beautiful land in comfort and style. This 16 day tour includes a 12 day camping safari and 1 day pre and 3 days post safari accommodation in Broome. The days at the end will allow travellers to witness the famous ‘Staircase to the Moon’ if they wish. Price includes all accommodation camping in swags and tents, camping equipment, park entry fees and all meals on safari. Maximum 16 travellers including your Girls On Tour Escort. Previous tours have sold out quickly so book soon to avoid disappointment. Don’t miss out on this wonderful Aussie outback adventure!
Price $6,167pp twin share ex Brisbane*— excluding airfares – Single supp Broome $500. Please note there is no additional cost to have your own tent during the 12 day safari, only in Broome.
Click the button below to request the brochure including daily itinerary, inclusions and exclusions.
Flights will be organised once we achieve minimum numbers.
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| | | | | Gulf Savannah Tour 2024 - "Sold Out" Another great Aussie tour as we head north once again, this time for adventure and discovery in the 'Gulf Frontier'. 'The Gulf Savannah Tour' utilises the comfort of air conditioned accommodation at some of the overnight locations, where you will enjoy true Australian hospitality and sample the various styles of cuisine as rich and colourful as the fascinating outback Savannah landscapes and lifestyles you will encounter.
The train journeys are as unique and special as the area itself, these fascinating modes of transport allow you to be a part of a long gone history, a journey on The Gulflander is a tour back in time, to an era when a padded seat was a luxury and roads were bullock tracks. The Savannahlander is a train journey which returns you back to Cairns. It is one of the great rail experiences of the world as it rattles its way from the outback region back to the coast, via the scenic Kuranda Range including stops at Barron Falls and Stoney Creek, through the World Heritage Listed rainforests to Cairns.
Departing 2 September, 2024 for 12 days:
Highlights include: Undara Lava Tubes, Croydon, Karumba Sunset Dinner Cruise, Burketown, Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park, Riversleigh Fossil Field, Normanton, Gulflander Train Journey, Cobbold Gorge, Chillagoe Limestone Caves, Savannahlander Train Journey, 2 nights pre in Cairns and 1 night post in Cairns and more.
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| | | | East Africa - Kenya & Tanzania 2024 There's something special about seeing wild animals roam free in their natural habitat. An Africa safari is like no other holiday. You're up before dawn for that early morning game drive and back at the lodge in the heat of the day and then out again in the evening as the sun goes down looking for the beautiful creatures that roam the plains.
Our 18 day East Africa Safari departing 31 July, 2024 will start and finish in Nairobi, Kenya and will take you through the National Parks of both Kenya and Tanzania including The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Amboseli National Park, Masai Mara Game Reserve, Lake Nakuru Game Reserve and Serengeti National Park.
Ngorongoro Crater is home to the highest concentration of wildlife in Africa and one of the world’s best destinations to spot Africa’s Big Five. If we're lucky we might witness the Great Migration which occurs each year, where more than one million wildebeest travel in a circular migration, following seasonal rains, across the Serengeti Plains and they are often accompanied by Zebra in droves.
If this incredible destination is on your 'bucket list' don't wait any longer as there are now only 5 places left! Click the button below to request the brochure including daily itinerary, pricing, inclusions and exclusions. Departing 1 August, 2024 - 19 Days ***Please note that due to increases in National Park entrance fees effective 1 January, 2024, the cost will increase by USD450 over the brochure price as advised 16/11/2023. |
| | | | | Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia 2025 - In Shackleton's Footsteps Expedition. Follow in the footsteps of 'the Boss' on this quintessential polar voyage, from the serene ice of the deep south to the subantarctic wildlife paradise of South Georgia. Experience the Antarctic Peninsula and set foot on the continent before making your way north to the spectacular Antarctic Sound, gateway to the Weddell Sea. Embrace the adventure as you voyage further east, navigating as far as possible into the Weddell Sea, where Shackleton's 'Endurance' met its fate. From here set a course to Elephant Island, the desolate outpost where Shackleton and his men finally made landfall after 497 days at sea. On the final leg of your voyage, follow the course of the 'James Caird' across the Scotia Sea to South Georgia, where Shackleton's voyage reached its remarkable conclusion. As you retrace the steps of this historic voyage, your expert expedition team will be by your side to enrich your journey with insights, wildlife spotting tips and stories of Shackleton's epic adventure all in the comfort of the incredible purpose built "Greg Mortimer".
As we cruise through the Antarctic Peninsula and also explore by zodiac, you will be mesmerised by grounded icebergs while watching for humpback, minke or orca whales. Here we'll also find cheeky chinstrap and gentoo penguins near bustling penguin colonies.
Click the button below to send your expression of interest and to request the brochure including pricing, daily itinerary, inclusions and exclusions once available.
Departing 11 March, 2025 - 25 Days
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| | | | RAMSES AND THE GOLD OF THE PHAROAHS Some very exciting news for anyone who's interested in Egypt or ancient history with a special exhibition about to open in Sydney at the Australian Museum. It runs from 18th November until 19th May and at this stage is exclusive to the Australian Museum in Sydney. Discover over 180 priceless ancient Egyptian treasures. Transport yourself back 3,300 years, across the sands of the Sahara Desert where you reach the heartbeat of Ancient Egypt ruled by the most celebrated pharaoh in the country's storied history. Experience one of the greatest collections of its kind in this Australian-first exhibition, Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs.
https://australian.museum/exhibition/ramses/
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| | Tell me where to go!! Now that you've read all of the places that we are planning to go, I'd really like to know what's on your 'bucket list'?
This is your chance to tell me your 'Top 2 - Bucket List Destinations'.
So far here are the top contenders so far: - Spain, Portugal and Morocco
- UK & Republic of Ireland
- Italy
- Greece & Malta
- Japan
Click on the button below and tell me the two places that you really, really want to go to and don't want to go alone but would love to go with a group of 'like-minded' fun fellow travellers so you can share your long awaited experience. I will collate all the destinations and look at adding the most popular places to my touring calendar if possible where there is demand. I can't wait to see where you tell me to go :-) |
| | | | Kindness Always - Blessing Bag This is a great idea that I came across recently on Facebook.
Keep a "Blessing bag" in your car in case you see someone in need. You can make these up with items from the Dollar Tree such as gloves, thermal socks, beef sticks, crackers, candy bars, toothpaste, toothbrush, wipes, deodorant, snacks and other items that may help someone who is homeless or in a bad way. It is just a thoughtful, inspiring thing to do. Random acts of kindness .
CREDIT: Annette Fuller
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| | | Book review:
The Hidden Book by Kirsty Manning.
A huge thank you to Josie for passing on this book for me to read. Having just travelled throughout Mostar and other countries of the former Yugoslavia, I loved it!!
Based on a true story of clandestine courage in World War II as prisoners of war risk their lives to secure evidence of Nazi atrocities—and how one man concealed it for decades before passing it on to his family who struggle to understand their inherited legacy of trauma.
Set in Europe 1940’s in the midst of WWII and Australia present day, it is the story of courage, survival and family and was a book that I found hard to put down. A wonderful historical fiction read that travels through Austria, the former Yugoslavia and Australia.
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| | | I don't know about you, but my 'to do' list doesn't seem to get any smaller but I love this quote that I saw recently.
Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter and for your continued support of Girls On Tour.
Have a great day!! |
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