Take the hassle out of travelling, arranging accommodation or sightseeing and instead take advantage of expert knowledge and support in order to immerse yourself in local colour, customs and culture. These are just a few of the holidays where an escorted tour can make all the difference.
Northern Lights holidays
With their famous impermanence, you’ll certainly benefit from the knowledge of experienced guides when chasing the world’s most impressive lights display. Caused by solar activity affecting particles in the earth’s atmosphere, the Northern Lights are an incredibly display, and experts are able to bring you to remote destinations, unclouded by light pollution. Iceland – as well as being one of the best places to spot the lights – is home to dramatic scenery as tours combine the aurorae with trips to the island’s sights. Alternatively, head to Canada’s Manitoba province, whose vast skyscapes are regularly illuminated with the famed dancing illuminations. You’ll even get photography tips at the planetarium on how best to capture the lights along with dogsled safaris and presentations on Inuit culture.
Iceland tours
Thanks to its cleft and cracked topography and rich range of ecosystems, Iceland is one of the most unusual Scandinavian countries to visit. A trip like our Volcanoes & Glaciers escorted tour allows you to call into the famous hot springs at Geysir and the spectacular Gullfoss waterfall as you hike to geothermal vents or discover a green oasis at Gjáin in an otherwise barren landscape. You can also visit volcanoes and the glacial lakes in the south filled with bright blue icebergs or head north for fjord scenery, lava formations and idyllic fishing villages. And, populating all this is the country’s incredible wildlife. We specialise in tailor-made travel, so with the help of your dedicated consultant, perhaps take a bird watching cruise of the Breiðarfjörður Bay islands to spot doleful puffins or keep your eyes peeled for whales off the coast from Reykjavik and reindeer in the east.
Unusual and unique
Climb aboard the Golden Eagle for a rail journey can take you from the storied palaces and churches of St. Petersburg through medieval Russian cities and wintry countryside to Moscow’s renowned sights. Along the way, you’ll dip into the Arctic Circle for a stay in Norwegian ice hotel as you sip on champagne in the train’s luxurious dining carriage. To travel under your own steam, skirt the Russian border with an ambling hike through the Finnish countryside. You can stay in cosy cabins, huddle around a fire on a one night’s camp and take to lakes and rivers in an Indian canoe. To recuperate, you’ll be treated to hearty local cuisine and traditional saunas.
