INDONESIA 45 SOUTH EAST ASIA Legends of Komodo Imaginative Facts Tour code: SALK • Activities: Hiking, walking, snorkelling • Accommodation: 9 nights basic hotels, 1 night on board boat, 1 night Catholic mission • Transport: Minivan, overnight boat, local transport, internal flights • Flights: Denpasar ( Bali) to Maumere, Bima to Denpasar ( Bali) • Fully Escorted: By Imaginative Traveller tour leader, services of local guides, representatives and boat crew DAY 1: SEMINYAK BEACH ( BALI)- Arrive and make your way to your hotel. The rest of the day is free and tonight you will meet for a tour briefing. DAY 2: MAUMERE- We begin our adventure by transferring to Denpasar airport for a flight to Maumere on the northern coast of Flores Island. ( B) Day 3: DETUSOKO- Journey through beautiful scenery on route to the remote hilltop Catholic Mission outpost of Detusoko. We spend the night with a community of Franciscan nuns, enjoying the warm hospitality of the sisters and meeting the orphans in their care. ( B) DAY 4: KELI MUTU - RIUNG- Before dawn we travel to the Keli Mutu volcano to enjoy a very impressive sunrise. The colours of the three lakes here change continually through the varying mineral content of the water, and it is no wonder that this spot was previously an important site for rituals. We then walk down to Moni through small villages and travel to Riung. ( B) DAY 5: RIUNG- A chance to relax on the tranquil beaches of the Pulau Tujuhbelas National Park or snorkel at the coral reef with its amazingly colourful fish. Depending on the tide we can visit the coast of the island Ontoloe where we may see ' flying dogs' or kalongs ( huge bats). ( B) DAY 6: BAJAWA- Today we travel from Ruing to Bajawa, an interesting journey full of villages, smiles and waves. ( B) DAY 7: BAJAWA- Today we start to hike through traditional villages at the foot of the Inerie Volcano with our local guide, who will explain the traditions and culture of this place where the lifestyle has remained relatively unchanged for hundreds of years. We visit Bena with its megalithic stones, still used by the head of the village to make decisions that affect the relationship between his people and the supernatural forces. Admire the traditional houses, with their steep, high grass roofs, or climb to a nearby hill top, with great views of the town, the volcano and the blue Sawu Sea. ( B) DAY 8: RUTENG- The barren landscape of Western Flores becomes greener as we approach Ruteng, a small Catholic city with a lively market district and centre of the Manggarai minority group. Because of its location, Ruteng has an extremely cool and pleasant climate. ( B) DAY 9: LABUHANBAJO- We arrive in Labuhanbajo, the ' Harbour of the Bajaus', the minority Muslim fishermen who ply their trade in colourful trimarans with multi- coloured sails. 16th century Portuguese traders named this island ' the cape of flowers', and it is easy to see why as you wander this city full of Join us for an expedition to one of the most remote places on earth• Cruise through the Komodo Archipelago in search of the Komodo dragon! • Trek ' back in time'passing through ancient villages near the Inerie volcano • Relax on white sandy beachesand snorkel at pristine coral reefs • Stay overnight at a remote hilltop Catholic mission • Visit lively Ruteng and colourful Labuhanbajo, ' the cape of flowers' houses covered in bougainvillaea, where lilies and sunflowers grow from the cracks in the dusty streets. ( B) DAY 10: KOMODO DRAGON BOAT TRIP-Today is perhaps the high point of our tour as we begin our boat trip to the islands of the Komodo Archipelago, sleeping and eating on board. Our first stop will be Rinca Island, where we will trek for two to three hours, trying to spot one of the dragons, or ' ora' as they are known locally. These monsters can reach 12 feet long and weigh up to 330 pounds. ( BLD) DAY 11: KOMODO DRAGON BOAT TRIP - BIMA- Our second day on board begins with a two to three hour hike on Komodo Island, hoping to see more of these magnificent creatures. Then we continue to Sape, a harbour village on east Sumbawa and transfer to Bima, the capital city of this area. Later you can visit the Sultan of Bima's palace, or the Pasar Malam, a pleasant evening market. ( BL) DAY 12: SEMINYAK BEACH- We take a flight back to Bali and transfer to Seminyak Beach. Tour ends on arrival. ( B) Single Supplement £ 155 ( optional) Voluntary Carbon Offset £ 31.50 * Price includes tour price of £ 699 and local payment of € 220All prices are subject to currency fluctuations £ 865pp Land Only * adventurer Tour duration 12 days Starts SatEnds Wed SeminyakSeminyak BeachBeach 2009 14- Mar- 0925- Mar- 09 18- Apr- 0929- Apr- 09 23- May- 0903- Jun- 09 04- Jul- 0915- Jul- 09 15- Aug- 0926- Aug- 09 26- Sep- 0907- Oct- 09 Starts SatEnds Wed SeminyakSeminyak BeachBeach 2010 13- Mar- 1024- Mar- 10 24- Apr- 1005- May- 10 05- Jun- 1016- Jun- 10 17- Jul- 1028- Jul- 10 28- Aug- 1008- Sep- 10 09- Oct- 1020- Oct- 10 Save up to 15% on your tour - see page 243

MIDDLEEAST 46 middle east The Middle East is the perfect destination for the discerning traveller. Nowhere else on earth is there such a remarkable profusion of ancient monuments so fabulously preserved; the Pyramids are just the tip of the iceberg…. delve deeper and you will be delighted by the temple of Abu Simbel where Ramses II stares majestically out over the waters of Lake Nasser, the inspirational rock- hewn architecture of Petra and the cities of Palmyra and Ephesus, two of the world's greatest historical sites, and much, much more.