DESTINATIONS - France(Haut Jura)

Located in eastern France and separated from the Alps by Lake Geneva, the Jura mountain region is still unspoiled by the onslaught of tourism. Endowed with pine forests, rolling fields, towering peaks and majestic gorges, the Juras offer challenging activities to the adventure seeking travelers. Elder Expeditions welcomes its clientele to joys of a non--traditional winter holiday.

Minimum participants: 6 | Maximum participants: 12 | Smaller groups of 4 or 5 can be arranged. See the Pricing section below*

Languages: French, English

Day 1: (Arrival Day)
The group will be met by Elder Expeditions’ appointed representative at the Geneva (Switzerland) airport at a time to be determined based on participants’ times of arrival. Participants arriving by train may arrange for pick-up service at the Bellegarde Train station (in France). Transfer to Base Lodging.
Evening: Dinner at Base Lodging

Day 2: (Area visits and Snow Shoeing)
Morning: Breakfast at Base Lodging. Leisurely morning to get acclimated to the surrounding area. This will include visits to a llama breeding farm and a local cheese plant where we will enjoy a "tasting" opportunity.
Noon: Lunch at Base Lodging.
Afternoon: Strapping on snow shoes, we'll set out with our experienced guide for our first winter adventure: a trek across the wide expanses of crisp untouched snow, passing the massive snow laden pines, beeches and oaks and savoring the natural beauty and tranquility that surrounds us. Instruction will be provided for those new to this ancient form of traversing snow covered regions.
Evening: Dinner at Base Lodging.

Day 3: (Cross country skiing)
Morning: Breakfast at Base Lodging. Depart for a day of cross country skiing. With our experienced guide, even those new to cross country skiing will soon be gliding effortlessly through the surrounding winter wonderland. Instruction will be provided for participants new to cross country skiing.
Noon: Picnic lunch, outside, weather permitting, or in a farm house.
Afternoon: Cross country skiing.
Evening: Dinner at Base Lodging.

Day 4: (Horseback riding in the snow)
Morning: Breakfast at Base Lodging. Depart for a brisk day of horseback riding across snow covered fields and forested trails. Saddle bags will be provided in which we will carry our lunch and personal effects.
Noon: Picnic lunch outside, weather permitting, or in a farm house.
Afternoon: Continue horse back ride, returning to base lodging at approximately 4p.m.
Evening: Dinner at Base Lodging.

Day 5: (Options Day)
Option 1- Downhill skiing and / or ice skating.
(Option 2 - Visit a bison and a reindeer breeding farm or a gem cutting plant. (The region is known for diamond cutting.) (Option 3) leisure half or full day. The costs of selected activities and associated transportation are outside of the overall trip cost and to be paid on site.
Morning: Breakfast at base lodging. Depart for chosen activity.
Noon: Lunch ordered from the menu at or near the selected activity, to be paid outside of the trip cost.
Afternoon: Continue chosen options.
Evening: Nocturnal snow shoeing, accompanied by an expert astronomist. Dinner at Base Lodging.

Day 6: (Mushing [Dog Sledding])
Morning: Breakfast at Base Lodging. Following basic mushing instruction we'll each be assigned a sled and our own three or four dog team. Once each participant is comfortable with his / her sled and dogs, we'll set out for an invigorating morning across the deep crisp snows blanketing the region.
Noon: Picnic lunch outside, weather permitting, or in an area farm house.
Afternoon: After lunch, we will rejoin our sled and dog team for the trip to the comfortable, heated and beautifully decorated Mongolian style yurt that will serve as our second base lodging.
Evening: Dinner, prepared by our accompanying cook, will be served in the yurt.

Day 7: (Mushing and Cross Country Skiing)
Morning: Breakfast at the yurt. Rejoin our dogs and sleds and proceed to a local ski area where we will "park" our sleds and bid our loyal team of dogs "adieu."
Noon: Lunch at the ski area.
Afternoon: Now that we are all experienced cross country skiers, we'll spend the afternoon zipping across the pristine snow. In the late afternoon we'll travel across the border into Switzerland.
Evening: A well deserved relaxed dinner and overnight at our hotel in the center of Geneva.

Day 8: (Guided tour of Geneva)
Morning: Breakfast at hotel. Guided tour of the City of Geneva.
Noon: Lunch in Geneva
Afternoon: Continue tour of the City of Geneva.
Evening: Dinner and night in a Geneva hotel.

Day 9: (Free day in Geneva for exploring and shopping at the many fine boutiques that dot the city)
Morning: Breakfast at hotel.
Noon: Lunch at your choice or restaurants in Geneva, to be ordered from the menu and paid outside of the trip cost.
Afternoon: Free time in Geneva continued.
Evening: Farewell dinner at hotel.

Day 10: (Departure Day)
Morning: Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the Geneva airport. (For participants traveling by train, arrangements can be made for transfers to the Bellegarde train station.) Bid farewell to French hosts.

2010 DATES
To be added

PRICING $4,500

**As the tours planned in February and March, 2010, will be shared with our French partners, there may be some participants outside of the Elder Expeditions’ age parameters.

The stated prices include all transportation from the meeting point at the Geneva (Switzerland) airport on Day 1 to the return to the Geneva Airport on Day 10, all lodging, all meals (except lunch on Days 5, 7, 8 and 9 and dinner on Day 9), horses, snow shoes, cross country skis, dog and sled rental and associated safety equipment, and guides.

The stated price does not include alcoholic beverages, gratuities or items of a purely personal nature.

A fifty percent deposit is due at the time of booking. The remaining balance is payable four weeks prior to Day 1 of this expedition.

A single supplement of $575 applies to solo participants unless they are willing to share accommodations and we are able to place them with another solo participant. Note: Single accommodation is not possible the night in the yurt.

*Smaller groups of 4 or 5 participants can be arranged at a cost of $5000 per person, double occupancy.

LODGING

Base Lodging on Days 1 through 5 will be in unique and richly decorated, cozy caravans, cabins or in deluxe “super tents.” Situated in a tranquil winter wonderland setting, surrounded by the thick pine, oak and beech forests of the High Juras, the caravans / cabins and “super tents” are all well heated and can be described as five star rustic.

On Day 6 we will transfer by dog sled to traditional, nomadic style heated yurts, each sleeping 6 to 8 people. The yurts, common to parts of the world where dog sleds are still used for basic transportation, offer an authentic aura to the mushing experience.

The activities on this trip do not require any particular experience or skill level. As our hosts can accommodate different equestrian abilities, an experienced rider as well as a beginner will be wholly at ease. There is a weight limit of 205 pounds ( 95 kilo) for the equestrian activity.

Sufficient instruction will be provided for participants who are beginners or who have limited snow shoeing and cross country ski experience.

All that is required is a spirit of fun and adventure as well as an open mind and a willingness to try something new.

Participants should be generally in good health with the stamina to withstand up to three hours in the cold.

Elder Expeditions recommends that all participants engage in a physical conditioning and fitness program as part of trip preparation. Our fitness partner, Fit for Trips®, provides custom designed fitness programs designed especially for the activities of each of our ELDER EXPEDITIONS vacations.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

Participants who are nationals of countries other than France are advised to check with the French embassy (or a French consular office) in their home countries to determine the applicable passport / visa requirements.

No inoculations/vaccinations are required to enter France, unless you are coming from a country where Yellow Fever is present; in this case you may be required to show a current vaccination. All participants are advised to have a current tetanus shot. We recommend that you consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/travel/ or your personal physician to consider whether you wish to get shots for typhoid, hepatitis, and other diseases..