Departure Lounge: Five deals to book this week, from a stargazing safari to Twixmas escapes
We like the sound of The Untamed Edition, an 11-day adventure in southern Tanzania.
If East Africa has always captivated you, then one of Asilia Africa’s new small-group trips might be the holiday you’ve been dreaming of. The award-winning safari operator’s group trips are capped at 16 guests, and operate on set departure dates throughout 2026. We like the sound of The Untamed Edition, an 11-day adventure in southern Tanzania.
From the remote Usangu Wetlands to Kokoko Camp in Ruaha National Park you’ll enjoy bush walks, game drives, and boating safaris, followed by open-fire dinners beneath the stars. Highlights include stargazing from bed and a stay in Nyerere National Park, an area teeming with incredible wildlife and birds. From £6,900 (approx €7,858) all-inclusive, excluding international flights.
Find your adventurous side in 2026 with a 20-day trip to Colombia and Panama. Reflecting the final stretch of TV’s Celebrity Race Across the World route, this trip combines their final destination of Colombia’s dramatic Andes with Panama’s tropical beaches.
From Bogotá and Medellín to hiking in the coffee-growing area of Salento and trekking through the jungles of Tayrona National Park, you’ll cross the border into Panama City. After marvelling at the engineering feat that is the Panama Canal, you’ll head to beautiful Bocas del Toro to snorkel and chill. 19 nights from £2,698 (approx €3,072) per person, excluding flights.
A little Twixmas escape to Faithlegg offers cosiness and relaxation at a keen price.
Enjoy bubbly on arrival, open fires, woodland walks, the pool and thermal suite, and some spa time. Two nights B&B with dinner in the Roseville Rooms restaurant one evening, the choice of a mini facial or back massage, and a chauffeured shopping trip into Waterford City with discount vouchers are all part of the fun for €349.
A four-star winter break in medieval Kraków, Poland’s former royal capital, is a guaranteed treat for €219.
Having survived relatively unscathed by the Second World War, the handsome city is anchored by its charming Unesco-listed Old Town and fairytale castle. Staying at INX Design Hotel, a short tram ride away from the labyrinthine centre, you’ll find history and culture side-by-side with cool bars and restaurants. Fly from Shannon on November 24, with three nights room-only accommodation, €219.
Shopping rewards that take you on holidays! Where do we sign up? Aer Lingus and Tesco have just begun an inspired partnership that will allow AerClub members turn their Tesco Clubcard vouchers into Avios. Every €2.50 earned in Tesco Clubcard vouchers can be converted into 600 Avios. Book a flight to Paris with just €17.50 Tesco Clubcard vouchers that amount to 4,000 Avios points. To begin collecting Avios with your Tesco Clubcard, all you need to do is make sure you have your AerClub membership number handy when exchanging your Tesco Clubcard vouchers for Avios in the Tesco app or at tesco.ie. If you’re not a member of either Tesco Clubcard or Aer Lingus’s AerClub, you can join both for free.
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