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A selection of new escorted tours has been added to the Cox & Kings travel programme to expand the company’s range of options for groups.

Escorted touring is a growing area for Cox & Kings – the tour operator has reported an increase of bookings up 10% in 2017 compared to last year, with advanced bookings for 2018 also showing an increase of 10%.

Across the range of Cox & Kings’ escorted tours, 29 new group trips are being introduced for 2018. Group travel organisers will find most tours can cater for up to 26 people. All prices include international flights, transfers, excursions, accommodation with breakfast daily, and some other meals.

A selection of the new tours are as follows:

Passage Through Rajasthan: Travel through the heart of Rajasthan exploring its forts and ornate palaces as well as Ranthambore National Park and the Taj Mahal. A highlight of the tour is a dinner in a 16th century baori (stepwell), illuminated by oil lamps.

Taj, Tigers & Trains: Crossing the Ganges plain from Delhi to Kolkata, this tour takes in the Taj Mahal, the wildlife of Ranthambore, colonial Lucknow and Kolkata, and spiritual Varanasi.

Sri Lanka Summer Explorer: This itinerary includes a scenic train journey through the tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya, sacred Buddhist sites in Kandy and Sigirya, and Minneriya, a sanctuary for elephants, deer and a variety of birdlife.

Journey Through The Andes: The group will travel through Chile, Bolivia and Peru discovering altiplanic scenery and traditional cultures in the Atacama desert and Uyuni salt flats; Lake Titicaca, legendary birthplace of the Incas; and the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

Grand Tour of Portugal: Travelling from Lisbon to Porto, this tour explores stylish seaside resorts; historic regional cities including Coimbra, Cascais and Obidos; and the picturesque hillsides of the Douro valley.

Grand Tour Of The Balkans: Exploring three of the countries of former Yugoslavia, each with distinctive cultures and scenery, this tour visits the region’s highlights including Dubrovnik, Mostar, Sarajevo, Ljubljana and Lake Bled.

For further information visit www.CoxandKings.co.uk.