8 trips with the world's best guides

A guide can make or break a trip – but usually there’s no telling how good they will be. That is, unless you travel with one of the eight shortlisted Wanderlust World Guide Awards 2014 nominees...

6 mins

1. Stroll through mountains and icebergs, Greenland

Explore the icy isle on foot on Discover The World’s Hiking in East Greenland. Regional expert Cathy Harlow (pictured above) will guide treks past magnificent icebergs, into indigo fjords, through colourful valleys and beneath snowcapped granite mountains. You will also learn how the local people survive in such an isolated place. When your legs tire, hop into a helicopter and take a boat cruise for a different view.
Who: Discover The World 
When: 3 Jul 2015 (TBC)
How long: 6 or 9 nights
How much: from £1,635 (excl flights)

2. Go local, Cambodia



Admire the splendour of Angkor Wat, float down the Mekong River to spot Irrawaddy dolphins and stroll through the streets of colonial Phnom Penh and Battambang on G Adventures’ Ultimate Cambodian Adventure. Bunyong ‘Bun’ Roeurn can’t wait to show you around his homeland and teach you about its history. See for yourself the difference travel can make to small communities when eating a traditional Cambodian meal.

Who: G Adventures 
When: 14 Feb 2015
How long: 14 days
How much: from £899 (excl flights)

3. Cross the highest driveable pass, India



Great guide Suryaveer Singh Chundawat heads up Wild Frontiers’ India: High Road to Kashmir trip. Immerse yourself in rich Buddhist culture in Ladakh and explore ancient monasteries, palaces and forts. Cross into Kashmir by taking an unforgettable mountain journey along the world’s highest driveable pass, through the Himalaya.

Who: Wild Frontiers 
When: 23 May 2015
How long: 15 days
How much: from £2,395 (excl flights)

4. Take a sip in wine country, France



Raise a glass with guide Charlie Jaques. Back-Roads Touring’s Champagne, Burgundy & the Rhone Valley trip journeys through France’s greatest grape-growing regions, indulging in its rich history and wines. Visit Chablis for white wine tasting, admire the charming Rhone Valley and explore the picturesque Beaune vineyards on foot. Also take a behind-the-scenes vineyard tour. Salut!

Who: Back-Roads Touring
When: 10 & 31 May, 21 Jun, 12 Jul, 2 & 23 Aug, 13 & 27 Sept 2015 (call on booking to confirm dates led by Charlie)
How long: 7 days

How much: from £1,735 (incl flights)

5. Travel high and low, Central America

Tramp through rainforests, across volatile volcanoes and into Mayan ruins on Journey Latin America’s Alción: Central America Discovery.



Led by Daniele Binaghi, you’ll venture through six countries in 22 days, heading off the beaten track in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Discover the historic Panama Canal, look for capuchin monkeys in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, walk the cobbled streets of Suchitoto, and more.

Who: Journey Latin America 
When: 24 Jan 2015
How long: 22 days
How much: from £2,788 (incl flights)

6. See the subcontinent (stomach first), India

Dheeraj ‘Monty’ Bhatt leads you through India’s greatest cities on a journey of foodie discovery for Intrepid’s Real Food Adventure: India trip.



Travel through Delhi, Jodhpur and Udaipur tasting local dishes and having a go at cooking them yourself. There’s also time to visit Jaipur’s Palace of the Wind, relax on Goa’s beaches and enjoy rural Rajasthan.

Who: Intrepid
When: Frequent, Nov 2014-Apr 2015 (call to confirm which tours Monty is leading)
How long: 14 days
How much: from £1,260 (excl flights)

7. Camp in the Serengeti, Tanzania



Have an unforgettable trip at Namiri Plains Camp in the company of Asilia Africa guide, Lewis Mangaba. It is a remote, flourishing, unspoilt corner of the Serengeti; designated a Wilderness Zone 20 years ago to preserve its wildlife, and only opened in July 2014. The game here is thriving – especially cheetahs – and from early November to April, the wildebeest migration appears.

Who: Asilia Africa 
When: Year round, excl Apr-May (Lewis moves camps; call to check availability)
How long: Book by the night
How much: from £406 pppn (excl flights)

8. Explore Inca ruins, Peru



Amazonas Explorer offers The Ultimate Inca Trail. It includes a series of acclimatisation hikes in Cusco and the Sacred Valley before guide Efrain Valles leads a five-day trek along the Inca Trail. The longer-than-usual hike allows more time to catch your breath, fully explore all the ruins and appreciate the enchanting views. The trip is tailored to arrive at Machu Picchu after the crowds have dispersed and includes a full guided tour.

Who: Amazonas Explorer 
When: Every Sat, late Mar-Nov (Efrain does alternate weeks; confirm on booking)
How long: 9 days
How much: from £1,160 (excl flights)


Want to see your favourite guide celebrated in next year's World Guide Awards? Nominate them here!

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