iExplore England Experience

Tour Description

Welcome to England! Experience the best of England on this 7-day program. Begin in London, which will feature privately guided visits to the major sites of the city, including the Tower of London, St. Paul's' Cathedral, Trafalgar Square and the houses of Parliament. An expert local guide will whisk you on a private tour of the Bloomsbury area of London where you will visit the British Museum which houses a world-renowned collection of historic artifacts, including the Rosetta Stone. Then, off to Salisbury, stopping to admire the magnificent 13th century cathedral, before visiting the famous prehistoric site at Stonehenge. Then, explore perhaps the loveliest city in England- Bath. Journey into the English countryside and visit Oxford, where you will walk through the impressive buildings. And tour the largest inhabited castle in the world- and the Queen's favorite- Windsor Castle.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive London

Upon arrival at London Heathrow airport (flight not included in tour cost) you will be met by your driver and privately transferred to your hotel. Your Akorn DMC representative will meet you upon arrival, welcome you to England and assist you with check-in procedures.

Your Akorn DMC local representative is part of a unique network of one of over 75 on the ground representatives throughout Europe to ensure your vacation operates smoothly and to your absolute satisfaction. Your local representative is there on the ground to ensure that your travel arrangements run perfectly. He/she is on the end of the phone for you should you have any queries and is there to assist you.

The remainder of the day will be at your leisure.

You will be confirmed for three nights at the Rubens in Standard room accommodation, inclusive of buffet breakfast. Please note that official check-in time is 2.00pm. If your arrival is before this time we will request early check-in on your behalf however this cannot be guaranteed.

The Rubens

Day 2: London

An expert local guide and your chauffeur will be waiting to meet you for a full day sightseeing tour (8 hours) of the City of London and Westminster. You will visit the Tower of London, where the Beefeaters guard the dazzling Crown Jewels, and where you will gain excellent views of Tower Bridge from the Medieval Palace. Proceed afterwards to St. Paul’s Cathedral, rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666. Continue on to Trafalgar Square, where the National Gallery of Art is overshadowed by Nelson’s Column. You will then head down Whitehall and past Downing Street, to the Houses of Parliament. You will also visit Westminster Abbey, the National Church of England that has been the scene of many state occasions including the Coronation. Finally return to your hotel past Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s official residence in London.

The Rubens (B)

Day 3: London

Today, an expert local guide and your chauffeur will be waiting to meet you for a half day sightseeing tour (4 hours) to Bloomsbury area of London. You will visit the British Museum that houses a world-renowned collection of historic artifacts, including the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles and the Sutton Hoo treasures. You will also see the excellent collection of Egyptian antiquities. Time permitting, you may also travel to the British Library building, where many priceless documents including a Gutenberg Bible and the First Folio edition of Shakespeare are on display.

The Rubens (B)

Day 4: London – Salisbury – Stonehenge – Bath

Your driver-guide leads you today on a full day excursion (8 hours) across the English countryside. You will head first to Salisbury, stopping to admire the thirteenth-century cathedral that boasts the highest medieval spire in England and also to visit the Chapter House, to see the best preserved of the four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta. Continuing afterwards past the hill of Old Sarum on your way up to the Salisbury Plain. Here you will visit Stonehenge, arguably the most famous prehistoric site in Europe, it inspires wonder at the effort it must have taken to drag the enormous stones over the land and erect them in circles. Finally drive to your hotel in Bath.

You will be confirmed for two nights at the Royal Crescent in classic room accommodation, inclusive of English breakfast.

 

Royal Crescent (B)

Day 5: Bath

Your driver-guide and private vehicle will be at your disposal for a full day (8 hours) for you to explore the beautiful Georgian city of Bath, often regarded as one of the loveliest cities in all of England. From its beginnings as a Roman camp in the first century AD, Bath developed through troubled centuries to emerge in the 1700’s as a fashionable “spa” resort. Some of England’s best-preserved Georgian architecture is housed here, together with fascinating relics of earlier eras. You will tour the Roman Baths that were discovered in an excellent state of preservation near to Bath Abbey church and also see the magnificent Palladian architecture for which the city is renowned (seen at its best in the Circus and the Royal Crescent). You may also visit Number One Royal Crescent that has been authentically restored to its Georgian appearance. Time permitting you might wish to venture out to visit Glastonbury Abbey.

Royal Crescent (B)

Day 6: Bath –Oxford –Windsor –London

This morning, you will meet your driver-guide, who will be waiting with your private vehicle to take you on a full day journey (8 hours) into the English countryside. You will head first to Oxford, home to England’s oldest university, where you may take a walk through the impressive buildings that are still home to the university’s main ceremonial and educational functions. You will enjoy a Behind the scenes tour of Christchurch College (subject to confirmation) where you are allowed access into the College’s history and architecture as well as scenes associated with the world of Lewis Carol and the Harry Potter films. You will then proceed to Windsor Castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world, and the Queen’s favorite residence. Subject to opening restrictions, you may see the State Apartments, St. George’s Chapel and Queen Mary’s Doll’s House. You will also gain excellent views of Eton College from the castle ramparts, followed by a visit to the charming old town to peruse some of the boutiques and cafes. Continue to your airport hotel from here.

You will be confirmed for one night at the London Heathrow / Gatwick Airport Hotel in standard room accommodation, inclusive of buffet breakfast.

London Heathrow / Gatwick Airport Hotel (B)

Day 7: Depart London

Make your own way to your departure flight today.

The Hilton Heathrow Airport Hotel is located near Terminal 4 with a covered walkway connecting the hotel with Terminal 4 (approximately 5 minutes walk). The hotel also provides a free shuttle service departing every 30 minutes for guests (arriving at Terminal 5). You can reach the other terminals from here by regular connecting free airport transits.

The Hilton Gatwick Airport Hotel has direct access to the South terminal via a covered walkway (5 minutes walk). To get to the North Terminal from there, complimentary airport transits depart every 5 minutes.

(B)

Departures

Depart any day! Contact an iExplore Adventure Consultant for details.

Pricing Information

London – Bath       7 DAYS

 

USD PRICING

	Per Person Prices - 2012
One person traveling alone	11221.00
Two persons traveling together sharing one double/twin room	6299.00
Three persons traveling together sharing one triple room	5499.00
Four persons traveling together sharing two double/twin rooms	4299.00

INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS TOUR

 

 

 

Inclusions:

 

·          Buffet / English breakfast

·          Accommodation in Standard Room(s) at the Rubens, London

·          Accommodation in Classic Room(s) at the Royal Crescent, Bath

·          Accommodation in Standard Room(s) at the London Heathrow / Gatwick Hilton Hotel, London area

·          Private transport where stated by Mercedes E Class (or similar) for 1-2 persons and VW Caravelle (or similar) for 3-4 persons.  Please note that the vehicle provided allows for two pieces of luggage per person.  For additional luggage, larger vehicles can be provided for a supplementary cost

·          Qualified local guide for stated tours on days two and three

·          Driver-guide for services on days four, five and six

·          Entrance fees to all statedsights and museums in the itinerary

·          The services of a local representative to meet the clients at the London Heathrow airport upon arrival, telephone monitoring at each hotel and reconfirmation of all services in advance of the guests’ arrival

·          Welcome pack (one per room)

·          All taxes

·          24 hour emergency contact service

 

 

ExExclusions:

 

·          All air travel and associated costs

·          All meals EXCEPT breakfast

·          Any visas and related costs

·          Entrance fees not stated in the itinerary

·          Porterage

·          Gratuities

·          All items of a personal nature (e.g. beverages, telephone calls, laundry, personal insurance)

·          Anything not specifically mentioned in the “Inclusions”list above.

All prices are in US dollars and do not include international airfare, unless otherwise noted.

Prices displayed are based on the lowest season base price and assume double occupancy. Prices are shown in U.S. dollars and may or may not include administrative fees, taxes, meals, airfare (where applicable) and Single Supplements. Cancellation penalties, blackout dates and other restrictions may apply.

Options and Extras

Tour Notes