Cycle Bosnia's wine country
Experience one of the ultimate road-cycling adventures by taking a ride through the remote mountain regions of Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Starting in the old Ottoman trading centre of Trebinje, Bosnia & Herzegovina's wine capital, experience nine days of beautiful remote scenery and rich, cultural diversity.
Highlights include a circuit of the wine-growing region, past the villages and vineyards of Popovo Polje, cycling the back roads of the impressive Orijen mountain range and indulging in the pungent cheese and traditional smoked ham of Njegusi.
The tour includes all accommodation, local bike hire, all breakfasts, six picnic lunches and one dinner.
Save $406 on Exodus Travels' 'Cycling Bosnia & Montenegro' adventure when you depart on September 22. Prices start at $2649.
Phone 1300 131 564 or visit www.exodustravels.com.
New adventure package at El Questro
Hikes to Western Australia's Explosion Gorge, sunsets overlooking the vast landscape at Branco's Lookout and boat adventures cruising the Kimberley's towering Chamberlain Gorge are all included as part of El Questro Resort's new 'Adventure Package' at Emma Gorge.
In a first-time arrangement for the resort, the package returns a 10 per cent donation of rates to an Australian mental-health support service, Beyond Blue.
An escape to the Kimberley region offers visitors a chance to enjoy open horizons, explore dramatic landscapes complete with swimming in the Zebedee Thermal Springs, and a walk among the coastal forests or along crystal-clear creeks and a chance to relax under star-lit night skies.
The three-night package is available to September 25, with prices from $399 per person twin-share.
Included are three nights accommodation in one of Emma Gorge's tented cabins, select Kimberley adventures for two, and complimentary return transfers to Kununurra airport. A swag of optional extras includes early-morning fishing for barramundi, horse riding, scenic flights or heli tours to discover the most untouched reaches of the region.
Visit www.elquestro.com.au.
Organic food festival on Sunshine Coast
The Curated Plate, a new four-day destination food festival on the Sunshine Coast from August 8-11, has announced a complementary range of accommodation and event packages.
Celebrating the relationship between chef and producer, in the picturesque surrounds of a region famed for its vibrant produce, The Curated Plate encourages guests to immerse themselves in the flavours foraged from organic and sustainable practices and enjoy once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences.
Zaiyu Hasegawa, the chef behind the Best Restaurant in Japan, for instance, will join Daniel Jarrett in preparing five-course dinner with premium matching wines at The Tamarind in Maleny.
Visit www.thecuratedplate.com.au.
Christmas cruise to NZ
Celebrate Christmas in style on Ecruising's 15-night 'New Zealand Ruby' journey.
Experience both sides of the Tasman with a 14-night cruise aboard Princess Cruises' recently refurbished Ruby Princess, taking in some of Australia's and New Zealand's most stunning destinations, followed by a night uncovering the many charms and delights of cosmopolitan Auckland.
Australian ports of call include Melbourne and Hobart.
Then Ruby Princess sets course for the Land of the Long White Cloud, with calls at Fiordland National Park on the South Island's western coast, Dunedin, where guests can explore the lavish and historic estates of Larnach Castle and Olveston House, Akaroa on the east coast of the South Island and New Zealand's only French-founded community, Picton, Wellington, the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua's geothermal wonderland, before disembarking in Auckland and spending a night at the Hilton Auckland, before flying home to Australia.
And while you're in NZ, enjoy a special Christmas dinner featuring traditional favourites.
Prices are from $2339 per person twin-share including one-way economy airfares from Auckland to Sydney.
Phone 1300 369 848 or visit www.ecruising.travel.
Appreciate nature in Hokkaido
Autumn presents itself as an optimal time to see a different side of Japan on the northern island of Hokkaido, as nature and locals prepare for the winter ahead.
The beautiful red leaves known as momiji are a natural phenomenon that occur when temperatures drop after a hot summer, with Hokkaido's magnificent fall foliage seen as early as late August.
Beautiful trees in vibrant shades of yellow, orange, red and brown make for a stunning backdrop across the island.
Unkai is a sea of clouds that can be seen from places of high elevation - one of nature's greatest spectacles which emerges under certain temperature conditions in the early morning.
Visit www.hoshinoresorts.com.
Silky Oaks to close for refurbishment
New owner Baillie Lodges has announced a four-month closure for Tropical North Queensland's Silky Oaks Lodge for a significant refurbishment.
The project is designed to align both the features at Silky Oaks Lodge and the guest experience of the Daintree Rainforest with Baillie Lodges' existing portfolio of Australian luxury lodges.
Newly inclusive rates, premium suites and a more stylish experience of the World- Heritage-listed Daintree are all slated.
Silky Oaks Lodge will close for works from April 22 next year with the new-look lodge set to launch on September 7.
Enhanced inclusions will include gourmet breakfast, evening sunset drinks and a four- course daily-changing dinner menu with premium wines to match.
Visit www.baillielodges.com.au.