Upcoming Destinations

NEPAL

Situated in the central Himalaya, Nepal encompasses some of the most spectacular scenery on earth. Adventurers have long been enticed by the lure of the world’s highest mountains, but the country offers much more to the curious visitor. Discover a complex tapestry of natural landscapes, including deep gorges laced by rushing rivers, lush forests of bamboo, rhododendron, pine, and juniper, and neatly terraced fields of barley, millet, and rice. Nepal is also a land of hospitable, welcoming people, whose enchanting villages set among verdant hillsides exhibit the disparate nature of the many ethnic clans found here. You cannot fail to be moved by Nepal’s magnificent diversity and rich heritage.

Please join us for Mustang Trek & Cultural Adventure

September 9 – 27, 2024

Nepal: The Annapurna Sanctuary

Nepal: Tsum Valley – Manaslu Trek

Everest: Three Passes

BHUTAN

The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is known as Druk Yul, the “Land of the Thunder Dragon.” Isolated for centuries by its geography, Bhutan has gradually opened its frontiers to visitors over the last three decades. Because of its seclusion amid snow-clad mountains, Bhutan’s old legends have been preserved and continue to exercise a marked influence in the traditions of the population. From the heights of the Eastern Himalaya to historic dzongs scattered throughout the countryside, from magical dance dramas played out in the great monasteries to colorful villages and farming communities, observe Bhutan’s many scenic and cultural landscapes, a little world quite unlike your own.

Please join us for The Laya Gasa Trek

October 24 – November 11, 2023

TIBET

Isolated by great natural barriers, Tibet has evoked a certain magic and mystery and tantalized the imagination of the western world. Dominated by an intensely blue sky and vast open spaces of clear light and pure color, the high and desolate Tibetan plateau is extraordinary in its pristine beauty and austerity—a timeless setting where the old ways truly thrive. A trip to this region showcases a unique and highly developed culture, with religion at its very core. Travel in this part of the world is not always easy, but the rewards are great, with glimpses of a land and people unlike any other.

Heart of Tibet.

Tibet: The Kangshung Face

JAPAN

Japan is a study in contrasts, from the busy streets and bright lights of modern Tokyo and the cultural treasures of old Kyoto to the rocky trails of Japan’s North Alps and the symmetrical snowy cone of venerated Fuji-san. Nature is highly revered in Japan, and you’ll discover just how much the local people enjoy exploring the serene countryside as you experience an in-depth and authentic revelation of this complex country and people.

LADAKH

Ladakh, a remote region of India, lies north of the Great Himalaya on the Tibetan Plateau, and is often referred to as “Little Tibet.” In this starkly beautiful lunar landscape, ancient monasteries perch atop hilltops under a cerulean sky, while soaring snow-clad mountains rise in the distance. Our 10-day trek brings us from the green fertile fields of the Indus River Valley to incredible moonscapes that seem part of another world. Along the way we have a chance to meet the local people in their remote villages, admire striking Buddhist artifacts in magnificent monasteries, and visit the base camp of Tsomothang (19,872’), where we enjoy views of the Greater Himalaya, including K2 and the Karakoram.

Please join us for Ladakh: A Journey to “Little Tibet”

June 26 – July 12, 2024

SIKKIM

Sikkim, an enchanting Himalayan enclave of snowcapped mountains, lush green valleys, Buddhist monasteries, and old charming hill stations from the days of the Raj. Our 13-day trek right along the borders of Sikkim and Nepal brings us along an unfrequented ridge top trail past beautiful high altitude lakes and across several passes, with continuous views of Kanchenjunga and other mighty Himalayan giants (Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu). Along the way we have a chance to meet yak herders who graze their animals in high alpine meadows, admire striking Buddhist artifacts in magnificent monasteries, and enjoy in-your-face views of Kanchenjunga (28,230’), third highest mountain in the world, from the Goecha La, where the mountains—just three miles away—seem close enough to touch.

Sikkim: The Ultimate Kanchenjunga Ridge Trek

GARHWAL HIMALAYA UTTARAKHAND
Nanda Devi and the Milam Glacier Trek

Join us for a challenging trek in the Kumaon, a little-known mountainous region of northern India. This lovely realm of snowcapped Himalayan giants includes sacred Nanda Devi (“Goddess of Joy”), at 25,645 feet the highest peak in India, and an ocean of other soaring ice-clad peaks. Our trek follows an ancient trade route to Tibet, and brings us through the spectacular gorges of the Gori Ganga River and past welcoming villages and summer settlements to the alpine meadows of Nanda Devi East base camp. Here we savor glorious views of the glaciers tumbling down from the flanks of Nanda Devi before heading to the massive Milam Glacier, the source of the Gori Ganga, encircled by towering Himalayan peaks. Throughout our journey, we’ll enjoy the comforts of our full-service camps as we gaze at some of the most splendid mountain panoramas in the world.

Nanda Devi and the Milam Glacier Trek

SOUTH INDIA

Join trip leader Cathy Ann Taylor to discover some of South India’s sparkling jewels: the lush tea plantations of the Munnar Hills, trekking through the Western Ghat Mountains, the astounding temples of Madurai, exotic spice plantations, Periyar Tiger Reserve, and the palm-fringed beaches and emerald backwaters of Kerala. We’ll enjoy all these and more as we trek for four days through tropical montane forests, take a day cruise through the backwaters of Kerala (with great birdwatching opportunities), feast our eyes on Madurai’s lavishly decorated Meenakshi temple, learn to “taste” tea, and relax along the shores of the Arabian Sea. Along the way we’ll take in performances of traditional dance and drama, relax your senses with Kerala’s ancient ‘Ayurveda’ a holistic system of healing which evolved over 5000 years ago, and indulge in superb South Indian cuisine.

A South Indian Odyssey

Indochine

With Trip Leader Cathy Ann Taylor you’ll gain tremendous insights on this fascinating, insider’s perspective of the wondrous lands of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos—the sparkling gems of Southeast Asia. Cultural encounters abound as we hike to mountain – and riverside ethnic villages, cycle the winding back roads of the serene countryside, and paddle kayaks across a tranquil lake dotted with lovely islets. We’ll also participate in a Baci ceremony that marks important events and occasions, watch locals “make merit” with orange-robed monks in an alms-giving ceremony, and take in the ancient cultural monuments of these distant lands—their temples, pagodas, and architectural masterpieces, including the otherworldly temples of Angkor in Cambodia. A highlight (actually, many!) is sampling the delicious food of this region—signature dishes including Hanoi’s Cha Ca La Vong and Hoi An’s Cao Lau. Our accommodations are in lovely hotels, including three nights at Avana Retreat, a luxury resort nestled in the forests and surrounded by verdant rice paddies, hills, valleys, and waterfalls.

Best of Indochine

November 7 – 21, 2024

EUROPE

Europe is a favorite destination for mountain hikers, with the astounding beauty of the majestic Alps, charming villages tucked away in quiet valleys, wide-ranging tasty cuisines, and a host of diverse cultures. Discover the backcountry of Europe, from the classic “Tour du Mont Blanc” to the little known trails of the Georgian Caucasus, where you’ll find stunning mountain ranges more remote and higher than the Alps, verdant valleys edged by ancient stone towers, and hospitable people who are ready to share a feast with you—and all without the crowds!

Please join us for the Tour of Monte Rosa

Tour du Mont Blanc

Gran Paradiso National Park

Italy: Hiking the best of the Dolomites

SPAIN

Northern Spain’s stunning Picos de Europa, a rugged mountain massif forming part of the Cantabrian Mountains just 20 miles from the Atlantic coast, provides an incredible hiking experience you’ll never forget. You’ll discover amazing landscapes—valleys surrounded by craggy limestone towers that attract climbers from all over the world, old shepherds’ settlements, tiny mountain villages—all the while gaining insights and appreciation into a land filled with history and legends, not to mention wonderful culinary treats like sidra, the local fermented apple cider, and the very blue and powerful Cabrales cheese. Most of our hikes start right from our hotel, allowing you to make the most of your time in this incredible place, and bring you across the central heart of the Picos along ancient Roman paths that connect you with the history of a land involved with the birth of Spain as a nation (this is where the Moors were turned back in the early 700s).

Hiking the Picos de Europa

SCOTLAND

Join Cathy Ann Taylor for an exhilarating inn-to-inn hike along Scotland’s West Highland Way, one of the country’s most famous long-distance paths. Some 95 miles of rugged trails bring us through a spectacular highland landscape of sparkling lochs, velvety moors, and craggy mountains with views of Scotland’s highest peaks. Iconic Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor, and Glencoe, a dramatic glen of history, myth, and legend—they’re all on this journey. After completing our trek, we head to the beautiful Isle of Skye for hikes among the rocky peaks of the Red and Black Cuillins. Along the way we overnight in cozy inns and hotels (many of them family-run), visit historic Eilean Donan Castle, and tour the Talisker whisky distillery for a taste of Scotland’s most famous beverage. Our trip begins in Glasgow and ends in Edinburgh.

Please join us for Scotland: The Highlands, Isle of Skye & the Cairngorms

TURKEY

Pack your bags for a journey of discovery as we explore the ancient lands and cultures of Anatolia (modern Turkey). Join Cathy Ann Taylor for an extraordinary adventure through this beautiful country. As we travel, we will bear witness to more than 5,000 years of human history, including the great civilizations of the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. Throughout our adventure, we’ll walk in the footsteps of Alexander, Homer, Cleopatra, and innumerable scribes, traders, and explorers who traveled the globe to discover this exotic and timeless land. In Turkey, East meets west in a dazzling display of culture, cuisine, and architecture. We’ll hike the beautiful valleys of Cappadocia and along the Coast on the Lycian Way.

Please join us for Adventures in the Turkish Mediterranean

GEORGIA
Hiking Georgia’s Caucasus Mountains

The Caucasus Mountains of the former Soviet republic of Georgia are still an off the beaten path trekking destination, but those that venture into this deep wilderness will be richly rewarded. Discover stunning mountains more remote and higher than the Alps, verdant valleys edged by ancient stone towers that speak of the historical past, a place where shepherds recite poetry, children race horses bareback, men sing toasts to you, and friendly locals are ready and eager to share a feast with you. And best of all—you’ll have it all to yourself!

Please join us for Trekking the Georgian Caucasus

September 30 – October 11, 2024

PERU

Peru is one of the world’s best trekking destinations. How could it not be, given the ice-fluted splendor of the Andes forming a glistening backdrop to nearly every trek here? Add in fascinating indigenous cultures and the historical legacy of the Incas, including incomparable Machu Picchu, the stone city lost in time, and you’ll soon see why Peru is high on everyone’s list of “must-see” places. Come experience it for yourself!

Please join us for Peru: Trekking in the Cordillera Blanca

Please join us for Machu Picchu: The Salcantay Trek

May 27 – June 6, 2024

Trekking in the Cordillera Huayhuash

PATAGONIA

We invite you to join expert trip leader Cathy Ann Taylor for a wondrous exploration of Patagonia, the magnificent land at the “uttermost ends of the earth.” Its extraordinary beauty has been captured in two very special national parks-Chile’s Torres del Paine and Argentina’s Los Glaciares. On exhilarating day hikes, you’ll see the best that Patagonia has to offer, from the soaring, near-vertical Torres del Paine to the jagged shark fin of the Fitz Roy massif and the snow-clad spire of Cerro Torre. You’ll also take in views of iceberg-dotted turquoise lakes and mighty glaciers that calve blocks of ice with a thunderous roar. Wildlife abounds, and you may even have the chance to see guanacos, huemuls (a type of deer), and an avian parade of condors, Austral parakeets, and Magellanic woodpeckers. This is sure to be the adventure of a lifetime!

Please join us for Sacred Treks: Hiking in Patagonia

Please join us on Hiker’s Patagonia

February 18 – March 1, 2023

Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands

Ecuador has a stunning biodiversity and variety of biomes, and on this adventure you’ll explore several of them in depth. In the company of expert trip leader Cathy Ann Taylor, you’ll first head to the Ecuadorean highlands where you’ll visit the famous Otavalo Indian market (great handicrafts), enjoy cooking classes with local families, and explore the trails around Hacienda Zuleta, our historic accommodation for two nights. You’ll then head to the Andean Highlands for day hikes in Cotopaxi National Park, with its luminous mountain landscapes. You’ll then head to Quilotoa Lake and embark on a three-day trek among charming villages, friendly locals, and panoramic views of the mountains. Our grand finale is a splendid sojourn in the Galapagos Islands, visiting Santa Cruz and Isabela islands (including a wonderful day hike on Sierra Negra volcano) and staying at welcoming local hotels. Daily nature walks and snorkeling excursions bring you close to some of the most fascinating creatures on earth—most of which have no fear of humans! Extend your adventure to yet another fascinating area of Ecuador—the Amazon rainforest, where you’ll paddle canoes on blackwater rivers, see four kinds of parrots at a clay lick, and search for the fascinating creatures that make the Amazon their home.

Please join us for Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands

June 10 – 23, 2023

ANTARCTICA

From the moment we are born, we are born to explore – devouring this incredible world around us, seeing, touching, feeling…looking for every way to indulge our boundless curiosity. Adulthood and the distractions of modern life sometimes have a way of making us forget that. Antarctica has a way of making us remember. Celebrate the best that the Antarctic Peninsula has to offer – from towering icebergs and impressive glaciers to unreal wildlife encounters and fascinating historical sites. Get ready to spend your days blissfully exploring the hidden beauty of the white continent.

Please join us for Celebrating Antarctica

February 6 – 18 , 2025

CALIFORNIA & IDAHO

Our adventures in North America include exciting river rafting trips to the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho—ideal for family and groups of friends! Our expert river runners, magnificent cooks, great storytellers, and knowledgeable, helpful outdoorsmen make for a magical wilderness river vacation. And, for women only: escape with your favorite group of female friends! Our unique getaways for women include spectacular hikes in Northern California along scenic coastal hills, through dense mystical forests, and past flowering hillsides. Our other offerings include hikes to the rugged and beautiful California Sierras and climbs of Mount Shasta, all in a truly supportive and nurturing atmosphere. Soothing yoga sessions, delightful culinary evenings, cooking classes, and much more are in the offing to cap a wonderful getaway.

UGANDA & RWANDA

Join us for one of the most extraordinary wildlife adventures in the world! The dense forests of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the verdant mountain slopes of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park are the stronghold of the endangered mountain gorilla. Seeing these magnificent creatures in the wild may be one of the most moving experiences of your life. On this trip you’ll have three opportunities to track them on foot, and once found, spend time observing them as they feed, play, and care for their young. Besides gorilla tracking, you’ll follow chimpanzees and other primates as they scamper in the treetops of Kibale National Park, and enjoy a big game safari in the beautiful landscapes of Queen Elizabeth National Park in the Great Rift Valley, with its herds of elephants, hippos, lions, baboons, and fantastic birdlife (more than 600 species!). Cultural interactions are also a part of this trip—the people are some of the most beautiful, friendly, and hospitable you will ever encounter—and you’ll spend a special day with the Batwa people, the “Keepers of the Forest,” who maintain their age-old traditions despite being displaced from their ancient homeland in Bwindi. Our accommodations are in cozy, unique lodges with lots of character.

Please join us for Mountain Gorilla Encounters in Uganda & Rwanda

February 1 – 12, 2024

February 15 – 26, 2024

February 2 – 13, 2026

KENYA
The Great Walk of Africa

The Great Walk is 100 miles in length and we take eleven days to do it. It crosses Tsavo National Park, one of the most remote and wild places in East Africa. It is a chance to view a vast variety of wildlife in their natural habitat, and learn about them. This safari is more than just about seeing animals. It involves many different aspects of Africa, including wilderness, landscape, history, wildlife, with a physical challenge to make the ultimate experience a rewarding one. The Great Walk does not offer wild animals “behind every bush”, as they would be seen from a conventional safari vehicle in tourist parks such as the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, and Ngorongoro Crater. The Great Walk is all about seeing the wildlife on its own terms in a region where they are unused to human contact. One of the main reasons for doing this safari is to experience the world of the elephant, one of the most intelligent, interesting, and threatened forms of life on our planet. Latest census shows that there are nearly 15,000 remaining in Tsavo. We will enter country roamed by one of Kenya’s largest lion populations, and stand a good chance of seeing other predators such as leopard and cheetah. It is a safari for active people who love wildlife. There is enough walking and exercise to stay fit, but not exhausting (about six to ten miles per day). There will be downtime most afternoons for a nap, to write a journal, or to read a book; occasional quiet time during the walks when one can think, or tune out; some amazing and at times exhilarating wildlife encounters on foot; evening game drives to get close up photos of animals; fantastic birding; a remote wild setting and quiet starry nights punctuated with wild animal calls; spectacular campsites; simple comfortable camps (not over-the-top boutique chic); healthy campfire cooking; a cold Tusker beer or a glass of wine around the fire.

Please join us for The Great Walk: The Longest Walk in Africa

July 13 – 26, 2023 &
July 27 – Aug 9, 2023
July 2025

Morocco

With its surreal landscapes of red-rock canyons, the endless golden dunes of the Sahara, ancient casbahs sprawled among green oases, the exquisite Roman ruins at Volubilis, and the delights of the imperial cities of Fes, Meknes, Rabat, and Marrakech, Morocco is an enchanting feast for the senses. On this fascinating journey with trip leader Cathy Ann Taylor, you’ll get an authentic insider’s perspective and gain true insights of this intriguing realm, with overnights in atmospheric riads (traditional Moroccan guesthouses), concerts by local musicians, lunch in a family home (be prepared to savor genuine Moroccan home cooking!), and a camel trek to a special luxury desert camp in the Sahara for a night under the stars, complete with festive singing and dancing. Come join us!

Please join us on Insider’s Morocco

April 26 – May 11, 2024