Wanderlust Travel Magazine (UK)
The best way to really understand a destination? Absorb its unique colour, customs and cuisines…
NEW ZEALAND Explore the East Cape
Discover the World’s East Cape Explorer adventure doesn’t so much go-off-grid but more ignores it entirely. Hop in a car and spend a week exploring this seldom-scratched slice of New Zealand, beginning among the footprint-free beaches and jungle-clad gorges of the Coromandel Peninsula. Drive via the geysers, bubbling pools and Maori culture in Rotorua, spy the white plume of volcanic White Island and trace Captain Cook’s footsteps in historic Gisborne. Your final stretch will take in Napier’s Art Deco architecture, the vibrant capital Wellington and the sun-drenched wine valleys, where you can toast your time in New Zealand.
Who? Discover the World (01737 886131; discover-the-world.com)
When? Year round
How long? 13 nights
How much? From £2,231 (excluding int’l flights)
PERU See Inca heritage in solitude
£50 Forget the idea of packed OFF paths clogging the route to Machu Picchu – join Exodus on The Moonstone Trek, a little-known trail which winds through tiny Andean villages and Inca (plus pre-inca) ruins. Tackle the Accoccosa Pass for views of snowy peaks, trace a carved Inca aqueduct and soak up the view from a ridge-perched shrine, before ending the trek among the Inca remains of Ollantaytambo. Latch onto a portion of the Inca Trail, passing the ruins of Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna, before rising early to beat the swell and take in Machu Picchu for yourself.
Who? Exodus (020 3131 2785; exodus.co.uk)
When? 15 May, 26 June, 18 September & 16 October 2020
How long? 11 days
How much? From £2,149 (including int’l flights)
PORTUGAL Explore medieval Europe
Located in the Ribatejo region of central Portugal, the riverside town of Tomar boasts a rich history, beautiful architecture and lush green countryside. One of the most important towns in 13thcentury Portugal, it’s also home to the UNESCO World Heritagelisted Convent of Christ, the former seat to the Knights Templar. Follow in the footsteps of the military order of monks made famous by The Da Vinci Code by joining Adagio’s Medieval Portugal walking tour. After exploring Tomar and its monuments, take in the natural beauty of the Serra de Aires Natural Park. Visit the Gothic Batalha Abbey and the enigmatic castle of Almourol before sampling the region’s wine.
Who? Adagio (01707 386700; adagio.co.uk)
When? 11 April, 23 May, 2 October and 11 November 2020
How long? 7 nights
How much? From £1,669 (including int’l flights)
JAPAN Revels in Ryukyu
Venture where no western tour group has gone before on Yellowwood Adventures’ Lost Islands of Japan – a truly off-theradar encounter. Dangling off its main islands, the half-moonshaped Ryukyu archipelago is a unique glimpse at the Japan of yesteryear. It’s the first western trip to break ground in Tokunshima and Okinoerabu islands; the former harbouring eye-popping snorkelling and the latter boasting cerulean-tiered pools within its Ginsuido Caves. Throw in the ancient cedar forests of Yakushima and the unique cultural heritage of Okinawa, and you’ll be glad hardly a soul knows these Japanese jewels exist.
Who? Yellowwood Adventures (020 7846 0197; yellowwoodadventures.com)
When? 15 April 2020
How long? 10 nights
How much? From £3,299 (excluding int’l flights)
USA Blaze an ancestral trail
The USA’S south-west boasts some of the country’s most larger-thanlife landscapes: the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and Arches National Park, to name a few. But the captivating culture of the Native Americans who once thrived here is often forgotten about. Trafalgar’s South-west Native Trails tour puts that right, visiting places that were important to the Navajo and Pueblo peoples. Among them, Chaco Canyon is home to the ruins of a once-major hub for the latter, while a Navajo guide will help you see the sandstone monoliths and petroglyphs of Canyon de Chelly through a Native American’s eyes.
Who? Trafalgar (0808 301 2077; trafalgar.com)
When? Selected dates: April, June, September and October 2020
How long? 10 nights
How much? From £2,995 (excluding int’l flights)
UZBEKISTAN Hit the Silk Road
First stop Georgia, next Uzbekistan. On Wanderlust Journeys’ Discover Uzbekistan trip, you’ll not only find everything you would expect from the Silk Road – bustling bazaars, ancient Islamic architecture, the incredible cities of Khiva and Samarkand – but also head to the mountains to explore Nuratau
Natural Reserve. And Wanderlust editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes will be right there with you, taking on this Silk Road favourite for the first time and entertaining you with endless stories from her travels.
Who? Wanderlust Journeys (020 3553 7827; wanderlust.co.uk/uzbekjourney)
When? 26 August 2020
How long? 9 nights
How much? From £1,895 (excluding int’l flights)
INDONESIA Java overland
£50 Indonesia has over 13,000 OFF islands to choose from including Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi and Sumatra, but if you can only visit one of them this year, it has to be Java. All Points East’s Java Overland tour will take you on a journey travelling by road, rail, and boat passing through the verdant forests, paddy fields and coffee plantations of Central and East Java. You’ll visit the charming towns of Yogyakarta, Solo and Malang where you’ll get to admire the ancient Dutch-colonial architecture, go shopping at the local markets and get your hands on tasty street food. Stare into the caldera of an active volcano at Mount Bromo, then watch the sun rise and set over two UNESCO World Heritage listed temples: the 9th-century Buddhist temple of Borobudur and the Hindu temple of
Prambanan. Round off your trip with a relaxing stay at a charming eco-lodge off the beaten track on the island of Bali.
Who? All Points East (02392 258859; allpointseast.com)
When? Selected dates
How long? 13 nights
How much? £1,895 (excluding int’l flights)