London - From joining a voodoo ritual in Benin to kayaking the canals and barrier islands of Venice to following the cheese trail in Vermont, this year’s tours are chosen by five of the travel magazine’s editors.
They have been picked to “open the mind to new possibilities, new connections, new ways of thinking” and “are sure to leave participants smarter, wiser and refreshed”.
Executive editor Norie Quintos said: “The selection process was competitive and our editorial team worked hard to find the most authentic, most innovative, most immersive, best-guided, and most sustainable tours. The tours go beyond destination to add meaning and context.”
The Wilderness Scotland guides help walkers to spot wildlife, including golden eagles, basking sharks, whales and dolphins, as well as to identify the rich flora of the islands.
National Geographic Traveler writes: “What better way to celebrate Scotland’s Year of Homecoming – when the diaspora are invited to explore their heritage – than to wander its coastal machairs (fields), peaks, and glens on the islands of Skye, Harris, and Lewis.” – Daily Mail
AFRICA
1 Mystical West Africa: GeoEx
2 Ultimate Botswana Adventure: Audley Travel
3 Hyenas to Humpbacks, Kenya: Oceanic Society
4 Namibia: Secrets Revealed – Africa Adventure Consultants
5 Untouched Africa: Gorillas of the Congo Basin – Extraordinary Journeys
6 Mandela Landscapes – Red Savannah
7 Beyond the Big Five: Uganda, Tanzania & the Spice Island – Global Basecamps
8 Voyage to Madagascar: Madagascar, Tanzania, Comoros, Réunion, Mauritius – Zegrahm Expeditions
9 South Morocco Discovery – Dragoman
10 Heart of African Civilization, Ethiopia – Rothschild Safaris
ASIA
1 Discovery of the Caucasus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia – Exeter International
2 Expedition to Tibet’s Far West, China – WildChina
3 High Road to Kashmir, India – Wild Frontiers
4 Kerala: Kayaking, Culture, and Cuisine – Hidden Places Travel
5 Highlights of Iraqi Kurdistan – Explore!
6 Jordan Insider – Engaging Cultures Travel
7 Discovering the Chindwin River Aboard the Orcaella, Myanmar – Belmond
8 The Philippines: Trekking the Terraces and Beyond – Remote Lands
9 Vietnam Volunteer Programme – Global Volunteers
EUROPE
1 Iceland Winter Adventure – REI Adventures
2 Kayaking Italy: The Venice Lagoon – Tofino Expeditions
3 Transylvania Traverse, Romania – BikeHike Adventures
4 A Chronicle of Russian Cuisine and Culture – MIR Corporation
5 Wilderness Walking: The Outer Hebrides and Skye – Wilderness Scotland
6 Green Charms of Slovenia, Slovenia – Kensington Tours
7 Reindeer Spring Migration, Norway – Turgleder AS
8 Wildlife in the Changing French Pyrenees – Earthwatch Institute
9 World-Class Classical Music, Lucerne and Berlin – R Crusoe & Son
10 Turkish Delights – Whole Journeys
NORTH AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
1 The Waitukubuli National Trail, Dominica – World Expeditions
2 Dig Into Vermont’s Edible Landscape – Cultural Crossroads
3 Northwest Passage Cruise From Greenland to Russia – Compagnie du Ponant
4 Montana Family: Great Western Adventure – Austin Adventures
5 Quebec: Magdalen Islands Multisport – Freewheeling Adventures
6 Empire Builder Epic, Washington, Idaho, Montana – Bicycle Adventures
7 Mexico Bike & Surf Adventure – Access Trips
8 Olympic Adventure, Washington – EverGreen Escapes
9 A Sunny Multisport Sampler, Hawaii – Sierra Club Outings
10 Great Smoky Mountains and Blackberry Farm, Tennessee – Trek Travel
11 Alaska, Alaska – Field Guides
CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA
1 The Last Frontier, Chile – Chile Nativo
2 Travesías From Uyuni, Bolivia, Chile – Explora
3 Jaguar’s Trail: Pantanal to Amazon, Brazil – Wild Planet Adventures
4 Amazonian Immersion, Ecuador – Pachamama Journeys
5 Mindfully Engaging Guatemala – Journeys International
6 From the Pacific to the Caribbean, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras – KE Adventure Travel
7 Cusco to the Amazon, Peru – Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Holidays
PACIFIC ISLANDS & OCEANIA
1 Australia: Family Planet – Elevate Destinations
2 The Naghol, Vanuatu – Aspiring Adventures
3 Cycle, Kayak, and Walk Tasmania – Tasmanian Expeditions