KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES

 

HARRISON FORD'S BACK IN HIS FEDORA FOR A NEW INDIANA MOVIE, SO WHY NOT LET HIS ADVENTURES INSPIRE YOUR OWN EXOTIC ESCAPADE?

 

 

Harrison Ford brandishing his bullwhip in the long-awaited Indiana Jones flick The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull is bound to have you hankering after an Indy-style adventure of your own.

The fourth instalment, out next month, was mostly shot in US studios, so we’ve revisited the real-life locations of the first three movies.

PARAGLIDE IN PERU

Raiders Of The Lost Ark kicks off with Indy dodging booby traps to uncover a golden idol from a jungle temple in Peru. Most tourists hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, known as the Lost City of the Incas. But don’t miss Lima, the colonial-style capital, with its bustling markets and majestic churches. A designated World Heritage Site, the city is bordered by the Pacific and offers a cosmopolitan slice of Peruvian life. Paraglide off the city’s cliffs, watch surfers at Playa Costa Verde in Miraflores, and visit the Museo Larco and Museo de la Nacion for an insight into the country’s ancient history.

SOUK IT AND SEE

If you don’t have a head for heights, try locations closer to home for a short break. Using Hollywood special effects, Tunisia stood in for Egypt in Raiders. The capital, Tunis, has an exhilarating blend of European, Middle Eastern and African influences. Make for the souks in the medina to pick up leather sandals and jewellery, then head to the historic city of Carthage, where you can browse museums and be scrubbed to within an inch of your life at Villa Didon’s swanky hammam or Turkish spa.

KANDY’S SO SWEET

For a Temple Of Doom pilgrimage, fly to Sri Lanka where the fictional Pankot Palace is based. The location is north of the city of Kandy – and you’ll see why it was chosen if you stay at the movie set-like Amaya Hills Hotel. Set among tea plantations, you can indulge in the Ayurvedic spa or sip home-grown tea overlooking the unspoilt scenery. Don’t forget to take a trip to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth – so called because one of Buddha’s molars is housed there.

PLENTIFUL PETRA

For the Holy Grail of travel, though, book a trip to Jordan, home of the 2,000-year-old city of Petra, named as one of the New Seven Wonders Of The World last year. It’s here Indy discovers the Cup of Christ in Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade.
If you want to embrace the spirit of the films and get the best views of the city, don your combats and wide-brimmed hat for an amazing, dusty four-day trek. A trip support team drives ahead with rucksacks, food and tents so you’ll arrive each evening to delicious dinners before sleeping soundly beneath desert skies.

On your last day, nothing will prepare you for the moment Petra’s temples, carved thousands of years ago out of the red rock face, rise in front of you.

There’s plenty to see outside Petra, too. Take a hot air balloon over the Wadi Rum’s other-wordly Valley Of The Moon, see hyenas, red wolves and gazelles at the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve, or treat yourself to a pampering Arabian spa at the Mövenpick Resort beside the Dead Sea. The open-air hydropool will ease your post-trek muscles.

VENETIAN VISTAS

Finally, book a weekend in Venice where Indy hunted for his kidnapped father in The Last Crusade. Arrive in a water taxi from the airport and revel in the stunning views of the city across the famous lagoon.

Get a bird’s eye view of the canals from the top of the campanile tower in St Mark’s Square. And snap away in the Ca’ d’Oro palace – its balconies overlooking the Grand Canal guarantee souvenir photographs Indy would be proud of.

MAKING IT HAPPEN

Peru
Hike the Inca Trail with Pura Aventura (0845 225 5058 or Pura-aventura.com) – an eight-day Inca Trail costs from £1,650 per person, flights and accommodation included.

Tunisia
BA (Ba.com) flies from Gatwick to Tunis from £103 return. Double rooms at the Hotel Dare El Medina (Darelmedina.com) cost from £100, based on two sharing.

Sri Lanka
Ebookers (0871 223 5000; Ebookers.com) offers seven nights at the Amaya Hills Resort from £900 per person, (two sharing) including flights.

Jordan
Walks Worldwide (01524 242000; WalksWorldwide.com). The 10-night Gorges and Petra Trek trip is £1,395 per person, including flights, accommodation and meals.

Venice
Cox and Kings (020 7873 5000 or Coxandkings.co.uk) has four-night breaks from £375, per person (two sharing).

Photography: David Schmidst/Digital Railroad.net, Allstar, Moviestore collection, Rex. All prices correct at time of going to press.

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