From the picturesque squares and elegant boulevards of Paris, we journey to Interlaken in Switzerland, Europe's adventure capital: bungee jumping, paragliding or white water rafting? Then it's onwards  and further south to the turquoise Mediterranean bordering sub -tropical Nice. Admire Pisa's gleaming marble leaning tower and hunt for souvenirs at the medieval shops stretching across Florence's bridges. Discover over 2,700 years of history in ancient Rome. If you are short of time then this is the perfect introduction to Europe!

Paris. Now that you are familiar with the city, and have decided what you would like to see, today is your free day to explore Paris. Perhaps you could visit the Eiffel Tower or see the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo at the world’s most famous art gallery - the Louvre or shop ‘til you drop, taste the local cuisine in the Latin Quarter, head up to the heights of Montmartre’s artist quarter, the list is endless!

Dinner is not included tonight so you can sit down to a traditional French meal or just grab a baguette on the go! This evening, if possible, your guide may be able to offer you the chance to see the energetic Can-Can at an ooh-la-la French Cabaret show!

Interlaken - Coach Free Day. Picturesque landscapes in the stunning Swiss mountains provide a backdrop to various adventure pursuits today. For a full day trip we recommend you enjoy an exciting ride aboard Europe’s oldest cog railway, the world’s highest, to the peak of the Jungfrau. Soaring to 3454 metres (11,333 feet) snow, ice and breathtaking scenery is guaranteed!  This inimitable train journey begins in Interlaken, and meanders upwards through small Swiss villages that are dotted along the train tracks, passing cows with giant bells and flower filled meadows.

The climax of this excursion is the journey through the inside of the Eiger mountain from Kleine Sheidig to the Jungfraujoch. Once you reach the purpose built visitor center perched on the top of the Swiss alps, you can ride the space age lift, blasting you up to the highest point of the visitor center. Take in the Sphinx observation terrace and later walk through the impressive Ice Palace (caves that run right through the center of a glacier). Throw a snowball and make snow angels on the open plateau of snow and ice.  Weather permitting, (seasonal and extra cost) you might be able to ski on a bunny hill ride or toboggan down the glacial slopes.

After a few hours of fun, we will board the train back down the valley.  On our return, we will stop off at the beautiful town of Lauterbrunnen or weather permitting, return to Interlaken and take part in a tandem paraglide/hang glide with an experienced pilot. You can even get the photos to prove you did it!  An exhilarating bungee jump is also available for the true adrenaline junkie.

Alternatively, you can spend your day hiking, biking or rafting. If it all sounds like too much hard work then simply relax in the scenic countryside around Interlaken and visit the crystal clear lakes.

Dinner is not included this evening.

Nice - Coach Free Day.  Nice has so much to offer. The old and new town are easily reached by walking or taking the new modern tram. Here you find a massive variety of shops, selling shoes, clothes, souvenirs, jewellery, lavender bags and brightly coloured kitchen linens. Patisseries are filled with dainty cakes and cream filled croissants; and everywhere you find sidewalk cafes serving hot coffee, pastas and pizza.

You may want to take in some of the cultural sites of Nice today. There is the Mattise museum, Roman Ruins, and a fine arts gallery. You can also chose to do practical things, like post some of those souvenirs home, do your washing, or get a haircut. Maybe shop for something nice to wear that evening. Make sure you've had some dinner before putting on your best togs.

Early evening, we will board the coach and drive 40 minutes to the Principality of Monaco. Our first stop will be le Rocher, the rock: where the Grimaldi Royal Palace sits in the main square. We pass the oceanographic museum, royal housing and the cathedral where Grace Kelly married Prince Ranier. You will have time to take photos of the guards, and the ports filled with mega yachts; with some time to explore the pedestrian streets. We reboard the coach to drive along part of the grand prix racetrack, and make our way up to the most famous casino in the world : The Grand Casino. If you want to stand under it's priceless chandeliers and oil paintings, while drinking a martini, shaken not stirred, admission is €10. Perhaps have a flutter at the roulette table. We've had lots of winners. Pose for photos beside the fancy cars parked outside in the main square. Ferrarris, Bentleys, Porches and Rolls Royce are common place in this country of million and billionaires.

We finish off with a night drive along the lit up cliffs on our way back to Nice.

Nice To Florence/Prato.  Depending on whether we are travelling during high or low season will determine our destination tonight. Your tour leader will confirm this when your tour commences. Some tours will be staying in the town of Prato, which is approximately 20km from Florence. Other tours will be staying on the outskirts of Florence.

We start the day by driving a short distance to the town of Eze, to visit the famous Fragonard factory where they make French perfume in the traditional manner.  Stock up on your travel perfumes, aftershaves, creams, shampoos, lotions and potions, all at warehouse prices. Following our visit here, we drive to the French/Italian border along the coast of the Italian Riviera and through seemingly endless tunnels.

We will arrive in Pisa in the mid-afternoon. Here you can visit the Campo dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) and get the perfect photo of you holding up the famous leaning tower. We will spend about an hour here and then continue to our hotel, which will be our base for two nights.

Dinner will either be included this evening or tomorrow evening depending on hotel location.

Florence to Rome. We start the day with a visit beautiful town of Orvieto, a charming medieval town perched on the hilltop.  The site of this town is among the most dramatic in Europe, rising above the almost-vertical faces of volcanic stone called "tuff" - cliffs that are completed by defensive walls built of the same stone. Famous for three things it's Cathedral, Classico wine, and ceramics, Orvieto is an intriguing place to explore. To visit the town you will need to take the funicular up from the coach park (cost approx 2 € return). 

Following our lunch we depart for Rome, where upon arriving at the hotel the tour finishes.

No accommodation is included on Day 10

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavour to ensure all sites are visited and that your tour runs smoothly.As you will have read there are coach free days written into the itinerary. The reason for this is that EU law dictates that coach drivers are restricted to the number of hours they can drive in any one day and that they must have at least one day off in seven. Due to this and also for your convenience we try to get hotels that are close to public transport and centrally located. Public transport in Europe is of a good standard.

All optional excursions, visas and meals unless otherwise stated in the itinerary.

Your passport is a valuable document and you should exercise extreme care in keeping it safe. We recommend that you keep your passport on you at all times, preferably in a money belt that is worn under your clothing. We advise that you take copies of relevant pages in your passport and any visas that you may purchase in case of loss or damage. Your tour leader will require your passport details at the pre-departure meeting. Again, we recommend that you have a photocopy of all passport details, kept separate. Your passport must be valid for six months after the END of your tour, and must have one blank page for each country to be visited.

Vaccinations:

No vaccinations are compulsory in Europe however you may need additional inoculations so please contact your G.P or a travel medical centre for further information.

We also recommend:

• A dental check-up prior to travelling.
• That you know your blood group in case of emergency.
• That if you have any pre-existing medical conditions which might affect you on tour, you make these known to your tour leader and your agent/Kumuka at the time of your booking.          

You can also visit www.kumuka.com for further details.

Medical Supplies:

Your tour leader has a well-equipped medical kit that by law must remain sealed and can only be used in an emergency. We advise that all passengers bring along their own personal first aid kit. Below is a list of some recommended items:

Band Aids/Bandages, Laxatives, Upset stomach remedy, Anti-diarrhoea remedy, Panadol/Aspirin, Rehydration remedy, Antiseptic cream/powder, Sterile dressing, any relevant course of medication such as contraceptive pills.

A complete Travellers Medical Pack can be purchased for approximately US$25 at most Vaccination Centres, Chemists and outdoor travel shops.

We recommend an average of €40-50 per day. This of course depends on your own spending habits, the number of optional excursions you wish to take and the amount of additional snacks, souvenirs and drinks you wish to buy along the way. Be aware that some countries are more expensive than others and that if you are travelling through several your expenses will vary enormously. Similarly there will be some days when you spend nothing at all and others when you exceed your budget.

• We advise that you carry a mixture of cash mainly Euros and credit/debit cards with you on your trip. 
• Credit cards are accepted virtually everywhere in Europe. They can also be used to obtain money from ATMs. You should make sure you know your PIN number.
• ATM cards can be used widely in Europe. Again, you will need your PIN. Your bank will provide you with more details.
• Euro cheques are now valid for all EU countries except the UK, Switzerland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. The Euro has come into effect as a cash currency from 2002
• Travellers cheques are difficult to cash and always have a transaction fee applied..

How much should I take?

• Because of limited luggage space on coaches and Eurostar, we must limit each passenger to ONE main suitcase or frameless backpack the size should be no more than 75cm x 45cm x 25cm and one day bag.
• Your main bag must not weigh more than 20 kg’s.
• A frameless or internally framed backpack is the best way to carry your belongings since it is easy to lift on and off vehicles.
• A small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) at hand when your main pack is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions. We also recommend that you keep your passport, credit cards Travellers Cheques etc. on you at all times, preferably in a money belt worn under your clothes.

TRAVEL TIP: You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!

We suggest that you take into account the time of year you will be travelling, and pack accordingly to the season. Quick drying clothes are recommended, and at many hotels there are laundry facilities. Your tour leader will advise where this is possible.

Personal Effects:

Camera, Spare passport photos, Water bottle, Money belt, Sewing kit, Sunhat/ Sunglasses, Music CDs/Ipod, Books, Wet Ones, Soap to wash clothes, Writing materials, Swiss Army knife, Calculator, Personal toiletries, including tampons, contraceptives, Insect Repellent, Sunscreen.

Please use your discretion and be sensitive to cultural differences in the countries that you visit, in particular visits to religious buildings and when taking photographs. Your Tour Leader will advise you of any specific customs to observe.

Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission.

It is absolutely forbidden by law to take photos at any borders, as they are all active military installations.

In Europe tipping is a way of life and very much expected. For many tipping is a means of supplementing their wage and is a normal part of payment for goods and services. Be sure to keep small denomination notes or coins on you to avoid embarrassment. Sales and service taxes are imposed in some restaurants and bars.

Kumuka endeavours to offer optional activities available locally during tours with selected ground handlers to make your tour more enjoyable. These ground handlers and activity partners are selected for their standards in quality, professional ability and reputation. Whereas, Kumuka has developed a travel insurance policy to cover all activities offered during your journey, Kumuka cannot be held responsible for injuries or claims arising from adventurous activities by third parties.

On our website www.kumuka.com you will see a list of  excursions, museums and monuments available at your expense on all European tours. Please note that these are intended as a guide only and prices and availability cannot be guaranteed. Prices are in Euros.

Your tour leader will assist you in planning and organising any optional excursions. The list on our website is by no means complete.  There will be many other optional activities available. We strongly advise if you are entitled to a student card that you obtain one prior to departure - many museums and galleries in Europe offer substantial student discounts.

KUMUKA WORLDWIDE

UK OFFICE

Hillswood Business Park 3000
Hillswood Drive Chertsey KT16 0RS
Tel: +4420 7937 8855 Fax: +442075043782

Email: sales@kumuka.com
www.kumuka.com

AUSTRALIAN OFFICE

Level 5, 387 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: 02 9279 0491 Fax: 02 9279 0492
Email: sales@kumuka.com.au
www.kumuka.com.au