Have you always wanted to visit Japan but felt it was beyond your budget? This super-affordable nine-day introduction to the Land of the Rising Sun is the solution.
The key is travelling by train which, to be honest, is the best way to get around the country anyway. With your rail pass in hand, you're within easy reach of Tokyo's nightlife, the famous geisha district of Kyoto, and the gorgeous mountainous region of Hakone.
Each new destination includes an orientation walk with your guide, and plenty of free time to discover the side of Japan that interests you. Whether it is the country’s fabulous cuisine, manga art or traditional tea ceremonies, you’ll be pointed in the right direction – with hot tips on the most affordable options, of course.
Trip: Japan on a Shoestring
Who: G Adventures
When: Regular departures throughout the year
How long: 11 days
How much: From £1,439 (exc. flights)
Explore some of the most stunning countryside in Europe on board a beautifully restored barge on this cruise through Burgundy with KE Adventure Travel.
Starting in Dijon, you’ll spend a relaxing week cruising the region’s picturesque rivers and canals. Each day you'll have the option to go ashore and visit small villages, world class wineries and bike through vineyards and forests. And in the early evening the chance to relax on deck with a glass of wine in hand, taking in the unmistakable atmosphere of this unforgettable part of France.
Trip: Burgundy Riverboat Cruise
Who: KE Adventure Travel
When: Departures Apr–Oct
How long: 8 days
How much: From £1,979 (exc. flights)
Discover some of the most fabled sites in the Middle East on this cycling tour of the Kingdom of Jordan with Exodus.
Cycling is the by far the best way to soak up the sites of this extraordinary country. You’ll amble through olive groves and hill top villages in the north, while further south you’ll ride along desert roads where the communities are sparse and nomadic and the landscape vast and spectacular. Peddle through Petra, spend a night under the stars in the Wadi Rum desert and float in the Dead Sea – what a way to experience this fascinating country.
Trip: Petra & Wadi Rum By Bike
Who: Exodus
When: Departures Mar-Jun, Sep-Oct
How long: 9 days
How much: From £1,099 (exc. flights)
Discover one of the world’s last great frontiers on this walking holiday through western Greenland with KE Adventure Travel.
Starting at Disko Bay, the Iceberg Capital of the World, you’ll immerse yourself in Inuit culture before setting out through wild backcountry to Greenland’s Ice Cap, Kangerlussuaq. Here the solitude of the Arctic tundra is broken only by occasional herds of reindeer and Greenlandic Musk Ox. After conquering Russell Glacier, you’ll sail amidst gigantic icebergs at sunset, 350km north of the Arctic circle. A truly unforgettable journey.
Trip: The Frozen Coast and Ice Caps of Arctic Greenland
Who: KE Adventure Travel
When: Jul and Aug
How long: 8 days
How much: From £3,145 (exc. flights)
Stretching from Turkey to China, the Silk Road makes for an incredible overlanding trip – indeed, some people class the traders' journeys as the first forays into long-distance touring. You can't get a more immersive – or memorable – Silk Road experience than Dragoman's whopping 120-day Istanbul to Ulaanbaatar trip: it ticks off more ancient ruins, wild frontiers and lush oases than any other itinerary.
You'll make tracks in a purpose-built overlanding truck, sleeping in homestays, family-run hotels and wild camps along the way. The highlights are too plentiful to list (trust us, it goes practically everywhere) – and you'll gather incredible souvenirs, fantastic photos and unforgettable tales wherever you venture.
Trip: Silk Road Between Istanbul and Ulaanbaatar
Who: Dragoman
When: Departures Mar, Jun and Jul
How long: 120 days
How much: From £8,365 (exc. flights and kitty)
Discover Fiji’s unspoilt beaches, remote reefs and abundant marine life on this bespoke South Pacific sailing trip with Exsus.
Gliding atop turquoise waters on your luxury vessel, you’ll visit corners of the country very few tourists reach and enjoy a level of comfort that is hard to beat. The sunsets are spectacular, the drinks perfectly chilled, and the memories guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Trip: Luxury Fiji Beach and Sailing holiday
Who: Exsus Travel
When: Flexible dates throughout the year
How long: 13 nights
How much: From £8,300 (inc. flights)
Explore surreal landscapes and immerse yourself in traditional village life on this tour through Argentina’s enigmatic north with TravelLocal.
This journey will take you into the heart of the Humahuaca Gorge, a UNESCO-listed region renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and cultural artefacts. From multi-coloured mountains to giant salt-flats to village fiestas and traditional concerts, this is a trip that will introduce you to a side of Argentina very few visitors get to see.
Trip: Explore Salta & Jujuy
Who: TravelLocal
When: Flexible dates throughout the year
How long: 12 days
How much: £2,030 (exc. flights)
Discover Central America’s most recently unearthed Mayan ruins, spot wildlife on river trips deep into untouched jungle and snorkel coral reefs in azure Caribbean waters on this 14-day adventure in Belize with Rainbow Tours.
Starting in the Cayo District, you’ll explore cave systems and Mayan ruins before heading deeper into the jungle to Lamanai, an ancient ruin that looks like it came straight out of an Indiana Jones movie. You’ll enjoy a series of guided nature walks before ‘retiring’ to your beachfront hotel in Placencia where you can swim and snorkel, or trek in the nearby Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve.
Trip: Belize Mayan Discovery & Beach
Who: Rainbow Tours
When: Flexible dates throughout the year
How long: 14 days
How much: £4,495 (inc. flights)
There are few places left in Europe that can be truly labelled 'undiscovered' but Georgia remains one of them. Set at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, lying across a key section of the fabled Silk Road route, it is a fascinating country – both culturally and visually. You’ll discover the best of this ‘Middle Eastern Europe’ on a small group tour, led by Wanderlust’s own, Lyn Hughes.
Lyn will introduce you to Georgia's cosmopolitan capital, Tbilisi, as well as the UNESCO-listed former capital, Mtskheta, the ancient cave town of Vardzia, Gori (the birthplace of Stalin), and the vineyards of Kakheti, one of the oldest wine-producing areas in the world. You will have the rare chance to travel to the beautiful mountainous region of Tusheti and to explore some of Georgia's breathtaking monasteries and fortresses.
Trip: Discover Georgia with Lyn Hughes
Who: Wanderlust Journeys
When: 24 July 2019
How long: 11 days
How much: £1,825 (exc. flights)