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Japan is graced with the beauty of its iconic Sakura trees, widely known as cherry blossom trees. But when exactly does this breathtaking event take place? Usually, the blooming of the Japanese cherry blossom begins on Okinawa Island in late January. From there, it gradually moves up the country until late April or early May. When Is Cherry Blossom Season in Japan in 2024 This year Japan’s cherry..

We are delighted to share with you an exclusive preview of our brand-new TV advert set to air on Sky and Virgin from next week. In this 60 second advert, we strive to capture the essence of what you can experience on a Distant Journeys escorted tour – showcasing our award-winning holidays to many beloved destinations. Your Time. It's now…..

Sudima Kaikoura is a brand-new hotel occupying a prime position on the town’s Esplanade, with sweeping views of sea and mountain directly ahead. This central location, only a short walk from the town centre, makes it an ideal base for whale watching expeditions, Kaikoura’s main attraction. Your Stay The Superior guest rooms are bright and spacious, with either a king size bed or two double beds, a..

The grandeur of Skippers Canyon is one of New Zealand's best kept secrets. Located in Queenstown's backcountry, this spectacular canyon, carved out by the mighty Shotover River, winds sinuously alongside this breath-taking gorge. View the dramatic landscapes and learn about the region’s history and famous gold rush on this exciting ½ day tour. Once known as ‘the richest river in the world’ due to..

Posted 01 April 09.00hrs BST We’re delighted to say that the final 22 customers boarded their flight from Auckland to Doha in the early hours of the morning (UK time). After their 9-hour transit in Doha, they will board their flight from Doha to London Heathrow tomorrow morning, and are scheduled to arrive into Heathrow at 14.20 on the 2nd April. Here is a reminder of their flight arrangements: Qa..

Posted 29 March at 09.30 Last night (UK time), Singapore Airlines ran a single flight which had been arranged by the New Zealand High Commission with the assistance of the Singaporean government. The flight was given special permission to stop in Singapore for refuelling, without passengers disembarking the aircraft, before moving on to London Heathrow. Singapore Airlines worked in conjunction wit..

Posted 27 March at 14.00 As you have no doubt heard, we found seats available on flights with Qatar, leaving Auckland, New Zealand on the 1st April, with a scheduled arrival into London Heathrow of 14:20 on the 2nd April. The flights booked are as follows.   1st April Flight number:  QR921 Route:   Auckland to Doha Times:    1545 – 2335 2nd April Flight number:  QR7 Route:   Doha to London He..

Posted 25 March at 14.30 Like the UK, New Zealand has entered a period of self-isolation. Over recent days there have been several newspaper articles and social media posts with creative ideas for keeping yourself fit, healthy and entertained during this period. Distant Journeys team has been pulling our ideas together, which we have sent to all our customers in New Zealand. Family and friends can..

Posted 25 March at 14.00 Ways in which you can help Distant Journeys Our number one priority is to arrange the safe return of all passengers currently in New Zealand as quickly as possible. As you may have seen, travel from Australasia using normal flights carriers and routings has become impossible, as governments close their borders to passengers in transit and airlines ground their aircraft. Al..

Posted 25 March at 13.30 As of 23.59 on the 25th March, New Zealand will enter Alter Level 4 of their coronavirus plan, and all our customers currently in New Zealand have been advised of the added restrictions on movement and the need to follow government guidelines to remain safe. The official government update can be found in this link https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-s..