Vayama Travel Blog

How long have you longed for the African bush?, just to say the inmortal words : “Dr Livingstone I presume?” next to Lake Victoria, wearing a pith helmet and khaki shorts,  but were afraid to ask for the price of the airfare?   How long have you dreamed of standing at the foot of Angel Falls while exploring “The Lost World” of Arthur Conan Doyle,  but were scared to ask the price of the the international airfare?  Fear no more, we will show you how to get to the tropical waterfall of your dreams for less.  Be it Victoria Falls or Angel Falls, once you learn the secrets of air travel,  you will know how to save a bundle on your next International Adventure Trip.

How do I fly there for less?

We searched for airfares originating in New York, all the way into Livingston, the base camp for Victoria Falls, and we found many combinations, but most of them will be over $2000. Ouch! Not the cheapest way to go. What would a do savvy travelers do?  A savvy travelers would save by booking  a cheap flight to Johannesburg instead. Vayama.com has Airfares from New York to Johannesburg from only $580 plus tax ($999 total). To complete the trip, all you need to do is use the vayama booking engine to book a separate puddle jumper flight from Johannesburg to Livingstone, from $99 plus tax each way.

How do you call this discounted airfare trick?

This is called “breaking the fare”; in this case we broke the fare in Johannesburg and saved a bundle by booking the Johannesburg to Livingstone flight separately. The cheap and short side trip from Johannesburg to Livingstone is called a “Puddle Jump” flight.

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

What other adventure destinations can I ‘break the fare’ to?

Another favorite adventure destination is Kenya. A lot of travelers like to fly right into Kilimanjaro airport, but since only a couple of airlines fly there from Europe, the airfare hovers over $1700- $2000. (Not Cheap!) So what dos a savvy traveler do? He “breaks the fare” again, but this time in Nairobi. Vayama.com has airfares from New York to Nairobi from $580 plus tax ($1099 including tax), and also puddle jumps from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro for $199 each way on Kenya Airlines. To save money you can also take the shuttle Bus from Nairobi to Moshi (Killimanjaro’s base town) from only $30 USD.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

What other travel adventures do you recommend in Kenya?

Breaking the airfare in Nairobi also works very well when you want to explore Kenya’s fabulous Indian Ocean isles: The Lamu Archipelago, it string like a set of pearls from Mombasa up to Lamu Island. Vayama has puddle jumps from Nairobi to Mombasa from $150 each way on Kenya Airways, or you can take the overnight train; The Deluxe Sleeper First class train starts from $35 USD per person. Once in Mombasa, you can explore it by foot or travel along the entire island chain by hopping on local sailboats called dhow. Lamu island is one of the last undiscovered island paradises on earth, only reachable by boat and no cars are allowed: Savor its centuries old medinas, modern luxury villas and miles of white sandy beaches.

Lamu Island, Kenya.
Any Adventure Travel Destinations that are closer to home?

Two of my favorite ‘Break the Airfare, Off the Beaten Path’ Adventure Destination are right in our hemisphere: The Lost World of Angel Falls & Los Roques.  The first stop is to book a discounted airfare to Caracas, vayama has Los Angeles to Caracas from $585 ($707 w tax) on Lacsa. Then book a $49 each way puddle jump flight to Margarita Island (Caracas to Porlamar Airport roundtrip). Use this tropical party island as a base to discover both the Lost World of Angel falls and the diving paradise of Los Roques Archipelago. Both destinations are only reachable by airplane or boat. All inclusive daytrips are sold in Margarita Island by LTA (Line Turistica Aerotuy) and others.
Los Roques, Venezuela.

What will I see in The Lost World of Angel Falls & Los Roques trips?

Diving in Los Roques has been compared to the South Pacific, and Angel Falls is one of the most incredible natural formations on earth: The highest waterfall on the planet nestled in a tropical rain forest, dropping from a wall of granite of arresting beauty. You can also reach Margarita Island from Port of Spain Trinidad. Vayama has airfares from Miami to Port of Spain Trinidad from $300 roundtrip and from Port of Spain to Porlamar (Margarita Island) from only $99 plus tax each way. Compare these “Broken Airfares” with a simple roundtrip from the USA to Porlamar and you will be shocked at the huge savings. This is how you use the vayama booking engine to make the previously unaffordable, affordable.

Angel Falls, Venezuela.

Now you try it, how many airfares can you break?

Your posts are welcome and I will reply to all the questions that are not already answered here.

Enjoy your trips.

Florin R. Ferrs International Discounted Airfares Specialist.

“Bottom line for consumers this year: You will probably have a shot at getting the cheapest-priced tickets for summer European travel in decades” – Says Fare Compare.

“If you know when to book” – Says Vayama.com
When is the best time to book Cheap Airfare to Europe?

Summer has traditionally been the most expensive time of the year to fly to Europe.  It’s the time when the airlines charge the big bucks to hop across the pond and make most of their profits.

Are Summer Fares to Europe Cheaper this Year?

A perfect storm is brewing: The economic slowdown has joined the glut of new  trans-Atlantic point to point flights created as a result of the Open Skies agreement.   Travel insiders know that there are too many competing flights over the Atlantic and that the slowing demand will be faster than the airline’s capability to cut flights. So this is the year to fly to Europe in the mid-summer on airfares starting as low as $90 USD plus taxes and fees  for a New York to London flight on airlines like Virgin Atlantic or British Airways (Aprox $449 total price roundtrip).

That is great news for everyone right?

Not so fast. Not everyone is a savvy traveler and there is no such thing as a cheap last minute international ticket.   Fares will only be that low if you book right. It’s when you book that counts. This means that with the right advance notice, you will grab all the best deals, but you have to be careful not to give too much notice or you will pay dearly for it. For Trans Atlantic flights to Europe, the sweet spot is from 14 to 60 days of advance notice. If you book your flight too late (within 7 days), it will be very expensive, same if you book too early (4-6 months before departure).

What is the “Goldilocks Zone”?

It is that battleground time in the future when the airlines compete for your business and where fare wars occur, therefore generating more bang for your buck.

How can I be “in the zone”?

In order to maximize exposure to the “Goldilocks Zone” and get the lowest possible fare war fares, I  use vayama.com, it searches all the fares available for my travel dates, be it a fare war airfare or a secret  negotiated fares that is not available on regular travel websites. I always make sure that when I book trans-Atlantic flights I give a maximum of 60 days notice and no less than 14 days.  I also make sure to book trips of 30 days or less, because all airfare wars fares are only valid for one month.

What if I need a longer stay?

If you need a longer stay, get a negotiated airfare (also available trough vayama.com). Negotiated airfares come in stays of two, tree and up to six months and are cheaper than a published fare for the same length of stay. The vayama booking engine will automatically search for negotiated airfares based on your travel dates.

Now you try:

Let me know how much you saved on Airfare by Staying ‘in the zone’. Feel free to E mail me your best fare war stories, that’s what the comment’s section is for.

Stay Tuned for more Deals on International Airfares.

By Florin R. Ferrs.  Discount Airfares Specialist.