FESTIVALS

SPORTING EVENTS

Abu Simbel Festival, Egypt
22 February and 22 October

Ramses II built the wonderful temple of Abu Simbel in such a way that the inner sanctum would light up twice a year; once on the anniversary of his rise to the throne and once on his birthday. This combination of human endeavour and natural phenomena provides what must be one of the most spectacular sights in the world. On 22 October and 22 February each year crowds arrive at the temple before sunrise to watch the shafts of light slowly creeping through the stone. Eventually statues of Ramses, Ra and Amun are illuminated in the inner sanctum (the statue of Ptah - the god of darkness - remains in the shadows).

The Ashes
November 2006 - January 2007

The battle for the Ashes is the most eagerly awaited of all England's overseas tours. Australia has so much to offer, from some of the best cricket stadiums in the world to its wounderful summer weather, diverse scenery and fantastic food and wine, all of which combine to make the ideal holiday experiance. Dates and venues are not yet known, but tradition suggests that the Boxing Day Test will be in Melbourne and the New Year Test in Sydney.

Christmas markets, East Europe
November and December

In November and December Christmas markets emerge throughout Eastern Europe in a colourful array of booths offering ornaments, unique gifts, sweets, sausages and hot spiced wine. Estonia's best known market is located in the medieval town square of Tallinn and takes place from 30 November to 4 January each year. Typical Estonian handicrafts on sale include pottery, woollen handknitted sweaters and leather goods. Winter is also a delightful time to visit, with a strong possibility of snow.

The Hermanus Festival, South Africa
September

Hermanus on the southernmost tip of Africa offers some of the best shore-based whale watching opportunities in the world. The Hermanus Festival takes place every September when the Southern Right Whales arrive in the Cape region, having travelled thousands of miles to mate and calve in the bays. As well as shore-side whale watching celebrations, the festival also includes the best of theatre and music from around South Africa and a host of environmental activities.
Click here for information on the Cape Town-Oudtshoorn-Garden Route itinerary.

Holika Dahan (Holi), India
21 March 2008

The Festival of colour is a Hindu celebration of the Earth's fertility. Huge bonfires are made on the eve of the festival, whilst the day is marked by loud processions, singing and dancing. The exuberant festival also involves revellers throwing brightly coloured powder and water over each other. Each area celebrates Holi differently, although Rajasthan is one of the best places to enjoy the festival, where loud music and clouds of pink, green and turquoise powder fill the air.
Click here for information on the Indian Experience Itinerary
Click here for information on the Forts and Palaces of Rajputana Itinerary

Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun), Peru
24th June

Peru's most important festival was celebrated annually by the Incas on the day of the winter solstice, which they believed to be 24th June. The festival died out when the Spanish supressed the Inca religion, but the festival was revived in the 1940's. Today the festival takes place at the spectacular archaelogical site of Sacsayhuaman, just outside the ancient Incan capital of Cuzco. In Cuzco's main square there are various events including live music performances during the evening.
Click here for information on the Train to Machu Picchu Itinerary

Kyoto's Aoi Festival, Japan
15 May

Kyoto's Aoi Festival is considered by some to be the world's oldest festival. It dates back over 1,000 years and involves a procession of over 500 people dressed in full Heian Period court dress. In the middle of the procession sits Saioudai, the princess of the festival, who wears a twelve layer kimono weighing over 44 pounds. The festival also features archery on horseback, ancient martial arts and horse races.

Mardi Gras, New Orleans
20 February 2007

Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo
26-27 May 2007

Click here for information on the Monaco Grand Prix Itinerary

The Naadam Festival, Mongolia
09-16 July 2007

The Naadam Festival is the most important event in Mongolia's calendar. It features the greatest athletes in the country in the traditional nomadic pursuits of horse racing, archery and wrestling. The highlight of the game is the horse race which takes place on the open grasslands around the city, with no set track or course, and with some of the riders being as young as five. There is also a great deal of singing, story-telling and drinking of airag, the Mongolian national drink made from mare's milk.

Pushkar Camel Fair, India
21-24 November 2007

During the three days of November's full moon, the peaceful town of Pushkar is a vibrant, colourful and absorbing example of everything that India can offer as it hosts the annual Pushkar Camel Fair. The highlight of the fair is undoubtedly the camel racing, which takes place amidst singing and folkdancing in the amphitheatre. In addition, camels, supporting ornamental saddles and headresses and adorned with ribbons are bought and sold, and all manner of delicious foods are available from countless vendors.

Ramadan
12 September - 11 October 2007

Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during each day of Ramadan. You may find many shops are closed earlier.

Rio Carnival, Brazil
17-20 February 2007

Rio's Carnival is the largest, best and most famous celebration in the world and takes place in February. The event is the result of months of preparation involving all the neighbourhoods of Rio. Foreign visitors alone number around 300,000 every year, and the parading samba schools are continuous streams of colour, motion and rhythm. Of the 13 or 14 samba schools, some have members running into thousands, with as many as 30 floats each and hundreds of drummers. The synchronised steps, swirls and rhythms are faultless.

Semana Santa (Easter), Antigua, Guatemala
06 April 2007 Good Friday

The Semana Santa celebrations in Antigua, Guatemala are the second largest in the world after Seville in Spain. The most important processions take place on Good Friday when life-size statues of Christ are carried through the streets on huge litters through clouds of incense. Antigua is also famous for its colourful carpets, painstakingly made of pine needles, flower petals, sand and sawdust, which line the route of the procession and are destroyed as it passes through.

Volvo Masters, Sotogrande, Spain
23-29 October 2007