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Dartmoor Safaris Travel Services

Tours Just For You

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We also offer private tours to all parts of Devon & Cornwall. We would be very pleased to help you to enjoy your stay so please ask for a quote for your holiday .                                                            Dartmoor Safaris offer a meet and greet service from all airports in the U.K..Your uniformed driver will meet you at the arrivals and help with your luggage to your luxury vehicle.We will then take you to your destination usually stopping for refreshments on the way. At your destination your driver will take your luggage to your accommodation .We offer stress free travel.We are very proud of our customer service.

The Best Of England Tour

Day One  Sunday(Optional)

 The West Country Tour

We start our tour from London leaving your hotel of your choice after breakfast 08.00am.Flying into Heathrow or Gatwick Airports? We will meet you at arrivals where your  Dartmoor Safaris driver/guide will greet you to start you on one of the finest tours available in the U.K.  After leaving the hotel we drive to Stonehenge  in  Wiltshire.We stop to visit the World famous Stonehenge.  This unique monument which is about 5,000 years old and has drawn people to the area for thousands of years lasts about one hour. Not to be missed. The Druids hold a ceremony here 21st June the longest day every year.Our next place to visit after a short drive is the beautiful gardens and house at Stourhead. Now owned by the National Trust once owned by the Stourton family for 700yrs.The house a manor house re- built in the 1700s as one of the first Palladian houses in England. The visit just to see the water garden is a sight to behold. I must say its probably the best in the U.K. Well worth stopping to see. Stourhead also a rather nice place for refreshments.l  We then wind our way to Plymouth passing beautiful open countryside. At Plymouth we will take you around the Barbican  the oldest part of Plymouth giving us a glimpse of what Old Plymouth looked like before being destroyed by the blitz in WW2  in 1941.On the Hoe we are able to see where Drake famously played bowls as the Spanish Armada was sited on the horizon (1588).We show you our beautiful city before retiring to our hotel in time for dinner.

We recommend the following guest house  SQUIRES GUEST  HOUSE PLYMOUTH .. This is a great place to stay  We will be pleased to  make all the arrangements for your stay,

See link below.

P.S.

If you prefer start your tour on day two starting at Plymouth.

Day Two Monday

09.00am Today our driver/ guide will take you on a great Safari Tour of Dartmoor National Park.During your tour we will show and tell you about Dartmoor's history,the bronze age settlements, wildlife,flora and fauna as well as show you the fabulous scenery, perhaps the best in England. Using our knowledge and experience we will take you to places other tourist seldom see.You will see the real England away from the maddening crowd. We stop  for morning coffee at Princetown England's highest village at the Old Police Station   .  Princetown is world famous for the prison known as the 'Moor' The prison is still in use today and houses some 600 convicts.The prison was originally  built to hold prisoners  of war during the Napoleonic  War  around about 1806.Shortly after our stop we are able to visit a well preserved Bronze Age site where hut circles can be seen showing where people lived over two thousand years ago.We wind our way across Dartmoor where your driver will point out and tell you about things of interest as we pass them.We stop at Chagford for lunch. Chagford  dates back over 300 years and has some unique shops which i am sure one will find of interest.Lunch is served at The Three Crowns Hotel which offers a full menu to suit all tastes.You may even be joined by the hotels resident guests.Sidney and the Blue Lady are often seen by staff and guests alike.Sidney was  killed during the civil war,   shot dead in the main doorway of the hotel.Anne the lady in blue was also shot dead by a jealous lover after her wedding in the church opposite the hotel.After lunch everyone  will get   the chance to walk up one of Dartmoor's Famous Tors.  By this time I am sure you will be more than ready for one of Devon,s famous 'Devonshire Cream Teas.' Dartmoor is a large area and has lots to see and we think you really do need a complete day. We return in time for dinner.Sir Arthur Connen Doyle wrote about Dartmoor in his novel 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' and we are able to show you some of the places mentioned.

A must for Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts. Join the party at Baskerville  Hall  . Start your evening with a lantern lit carriage drive to the manor house in darkest Devon away from the rest of civilisation.Let your mind run wild and imagine you are back in the 1900s not a sound of modern life but the clip clop of the horses hoofs. Not a light in sight.Winding our way through the open countryside till eventually Baskerville Hall comes into view. Be met at the Manor House door by the butler  who will help you from your carriage, taking your hats and coats before showing you into the  dinning room for  a evening of food and entertainment. The menu offered is out of this world and all home freshly baked  from local ingredients. Prices start from just £85 per  person for your  evening experience. (Not included with your tour price)

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Day Three Tuesday

The ancient town and deep water port of Dartmouth has to be one of Devon's main tourist attractions.

Dartmouth is set in a picture book location, on the picturesque River Dart, with steep wooded hillsides on either side. Dartmouth's main Embankment runs along the length of the town, from the New Quay - built on reclaimed land towards the historic Bayard's Cove.

The Embankment provides visitors with a pleasant and relaxing promenade to stroll down - admiring the sights of the busy estuary or to select from the many boat trips that depart from the waters edge.There is also a nice park where on a nice day you may decide to sit to relax and just admire the view along the river.

The main road never reached down into Dartmouth, protecting the character of the town and helping to retain the historic atmosphere of Dartmouth's narrow streets and buildings.

Dartmouth's oldest building, The Cherub Pub ( c1380), in Higher Street, and Agincourt House at Lower Ferry, are both examples of 14th century buildings that have survived in the town.

Dartmouth offers the visitor a stunning array of bistros, restaurants, boutiques and specialist shops. All lining Dartmouth's narrow streets with their long flights of winding steps and intriguing medieval buildings.Looking down the river one can see the castles of Kingswear and Totnes built to protect the river entrance during the 14th century.( Dartmouth castle is the best and easy to visit) and well worth a visit.

After several hours visiting this great town your boat to take us up the river Dart to Totnes awaits.This is a great trip which the boat crew tell you all about the river,pointing out wildlife, places of interest .  See where Daphne du Maurier lived.  Your driver will be waiting at Totnes to take you back to your hotel in time for dinner. I recommend Fish & Chips a traditional meal today.

For those of you  who do not like boats I can meet you at Dartmouth and take you to Totnes by road in time to meet the boat at the end of its journey

Totnes

The ancient borough of Totnes enjoys a prominent position above the River dart. The town is one of Devon's gems; full of both colour and character, that stems from a rich cultural, historical and archaeological heritage. It is the second oldest borough in England, and is full of interesting diversions for the visitor — museums, a riverside with steamer quay, an ancient Guildhall and Church, a Norman Castle and the North and East Gates. The town is an architectural feast to those interested in historic buildings - with fine examples of properties dating back to Norman, Medieval and Tudor times. The name Totnes derives from the Saxon for a fort or lookout on a ridge. The town is known to have been a fortified Saxon settlement, built to protect the upper reaches of the river from Viking raiding parties.Tuesdays is Market day and the locals dress in medieval clothing.

Some times the trip  will run the other way around to suit the tides as the river is tidal.

Day Four Wednesday

09.00am Today's tour takes us into Cornwall Britain's most westerly county.We pass over the river Tamar which makes a natural boundary  between Devon  and Cornwall by way of a toll bridge. From the toll bridge we are able to see spectacular views' of the river Tamar estuary.We visit Cotehele House which is a well preserved Elizabethan Mansion with well set out gardens.Whilst there one is able to visit a mill within the grounds.Our stay will be about three hours.Lunch today is  at the village  of St Annes Chapel at a local English pub from which there are spectaculars views of the Tamar valley where chimney stacks from the old tin mines can still be seen. The history of The Rifle Volunteer Inn our lunch stop.(The mid 19th century was a boom time for Cornwall with the discovery of rich veins of Copper, Arsenic, Tin and Silver. The Rifle Volunteer was built as a mine captain's house circa 1800 and has been a traditional coaching inn since the mid nineteenth century. Originally called the Rifle Corps Inn, its name was taken from the volunteer corps of soldiers formed between 1859 - 1881 to defend Great Britain from the threat of invasion by the French under Napoleon III. The main lounge bar with its hardwood floor, open fireplace and candlelit tables, creates the unique atmosphere only available in a traditional inn. The Chapel bar with its distinctive stone fireplace forms an additional area to relax in. Both bars have been furnished using the contents of a former Cornish Methodist Chapel including a decorative set of organ pipes. The secluded beer garden offers outstanding views down the Tamar Valley. The conservatory restaurant has magnificent panoramic views over open countryside down the Tamar valley to its estuary. The menu include curries, pasta and sauces with a Mediterranean influence; traditional Sunday lunch is always available. Meals are served either in the restaurant or bar areas.) After lunch we visit which are probably Cornwall,s  prettiest fishing villages, Looe and Polperro.

Day Five Thursday

Drive back  to London today. on our way we will be calling at Glastonbury Abbey. Now just ruins but was the site Englands largest abbey. This is also the site of the oldest church.This is also where King Arthur lies. The gardens are well kept and one can easily forget the modern day pace because this spot is so tranquil.We drive to the village of Cheddar once famous for Cheddar cheese. The cheeses are still made here but the cheddar cheese is now made throughout the world.Cheddar Gorge is the largest Gorge in the U.K which we will have great pleasure driving through on our way to the M5 and M4 Motorways to London

• We can meet you  at your hotel or airport.
• Your tour includes:
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• Maximum Eight Persons
  
• All your luggage managed for you.
• Luxury Vehicle. The comfortable Volkswagen. Transporter Mini bus.We can go the same places a car can, visiting places the larger coaches find impossible to reach.
• Leisurely paced. No early  starts.The tour is set at a pace to suit you.
• Local driver/guide.
• Driver Available at your request for local  theatre, shows
  
• Maximum Eight Seats.
• Tour Starts from Your Hotel
  
• Book  for the best tour available in the West Country.
• NO HIDDEN COSTS. Unlike  some other companies  which advertise a low initial price to attract you .What you see is what you get.
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• EXTRAS
• Accommodation
•   Refreshments ( We stop at fabulous venues)
  
•  Entrance Fees and Rail/Boat   Tickets
  
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History of Dartmoor Safaris

A holiday in Cyprus gave me the idea of a Safari of Dartmoor.Whilst at Cyprus the wife and I did a jeep safari of Troodos Mountains and we enjoyed it. Well I thought I could do this at home but better. We on the edge of Dartmoor the perfect setting, what more do we need? Dartmoor National Park is one of the most beautiful areas in the United Kingdom.

I have spent all my working life as a Driver/Guide on tours as a coach driver for about 33 years and over the years I have have built up quite a knowledge of the area, so you can be rest assured you will have a really good time.

Cyril (thats me) has passed National Vocational Qualification test in Bus and Coach Driving and Customer Care at level 2 units U1012387,U1012388,U1012389 and U1012391.

I initially contacted the Ministry of Transport to find out the legal and business aspects. I then planned the route we operate and with the help and advice from the Forestry Commission and Dartmoor Parks Authority  and came up with this marvellous route we operate on our advertised safaris. I would like to think we operate one of the best routes on Dartmoor which covers most aspects of the moor. We also operate private hire trips which can be to where ever you would like to go.We will work out the route you would like to take, distance no object.

We operate all our safaris with luxury vehicles for your safety and comfort. One of the most important things on your day out with us is nice places to eat ,well we stop at all the best places where they really do look after us. We stop for morning coffee ,lunch and tea. No trip on Dartmoor could be complete without stopping for a cream tea at picturesque village of Widdicombe -in -the -Moor you must try it there is nowhere better.

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Princetown Webcam

A live webcam situated in Princetown, with distant moorland views.

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Powdermills Webcam

Another Dartmoor webcam situated at Powdermills near Postbridge and looking out on to the high moorland.