Our Story

 

The Essence of Venus

Adventures  - Holidays for Women

​Basically we want to take you to great places to see and experience wonderful things. We want your experience to be comfortable and affordable. Come by yourself or bring some friends. But traveling with us is not just about seeing great places - women in a group tend to have some great conversations, new friends are made, and a lot of laughs are had - often at ourselves!

We are sure once you have been on a trip just for women, you will be returning for more!

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We believe there are three important ingredients to a Venus Adventure trip - culture, adventure and fun!

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Culture: we value mixing with the locals, and try to do this wherever possible. We don't want to just look in from the outside and take photos of them, we want to really visit them - drink tea with them and chat! This is important to get a real insight into other people's lives and cultures - otherwise you may make untrue assumptions from the outside about what you are seeing. The idea is not to "protect" you from the country you are in, but to make you feel more comfortable being part of it, giving you a more authentic experience.

 

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Adventure: by adventure we mean if there is a great little adventure to be had which will enrich the trip, we do it (not all trips include adventures though). These adventures are specially selected, and are generally manageable by anyone. They include things like:
-riding camels into the Sahara and sleeping under the stars
-hiking in the mountains in Morocco and staying with a local family

We only do activities that are fun and worthwhile. Trying new things will increase your confidence and give you some fantastic memories, maybe of things you didn't think you were capable of.

 

Fun: This goes without saying . . . pretty much everything we do is fun! . . . but it could be swilling a gin and tonic whilst watching the African sun set, or haggling for handicrafts in an Arab souq (market), or it could be shoulder-dancing with the Ethiopians!

 

What to expect

Our itineraries contain lots of variety - as well as some time-out to shop, relax or meet the locals for yourself.

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Accommodation: We stay in clean, comfortable, mid-range hotels, on a twin-share basis (single supplement also available, please ask!). Or sometimes we stay at places that offer an interesting or memorable experience, eg an old castle or a perhaps a boat. On the odd night we take overnight train rides in comfortable sleeper trains and get rocked to sleep by the rhythm of the train. On a more adventurous trip, you might find yourself "roughing it" in a tent or mud hut - however these nights are bound to be the highlight of your trip, whether it be sleeping in the basic house of a Berber family in the Atlas mountains, or dozing off under a million stars in the Sahara desert. Sweet dreams are sure to be had!

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Food: We eat a good breakfast at our hotel, and then lunch is either a picnic or a restaurant depending on where we are during the day. For dinner we either eat at our hotel or a good local restaurant. Part of the fun of travel is trying local dishes, so we usually eat a mix of local and "western" food on the trips. On some trips we even learn to cook the local food. We dine as a group - however you are always free to do your own thing. Our itineraries include "free days", where you can eat where you like, at your own cost.

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Fitness: our womens' trips are designed for women of average fitness. If you can walk at a reasonable pace for a couple of hours, then you will enjoy the trip more. Not all of our trips include hiking or adventures that you need to be very fit for, but walking and sight-seeing can be tiring, so set yourself a goal and arrive with a good base fitness. The fitter you are the more energy you will have to enjoy the experiences and the people you are with.

Pre Departure Information: this invaluable information is sent to you two months before the trip starts. It includes a packing list, how much money you need, insurance, health, climate, emergency telephone numbers and other pre-trip tips.

Group size: for most trips the minimum group size is 5, for all trips the maximum group size is 12. Small groups mean we are not intrusive and you will feel like you have really been there. A single supplement is available on request

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Transport: we travel in comfortable vehicles, usually mini buses or land cruisers. On some trips we take night trains, or indulgent cruise ships. Sometimes we jump on local transport to get somewhere, because it is more fun - like a tuk tuk, rickshaw or horse-drawn carriage to get to the market. When in Rome . . . !

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Giving back: in developing countries we have specially selected organizations or schools, where we donate clothes, money or resources. This could be books for a Berber school in the Atlas mountains, or soap and wool for the Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia. In your pre-trip information you will be given a list of things you may like to donate.