Why choose us?
To travel with us is to dig below the surface, revealing the deeper destination. Of course, you will visit the great historical sites and experience the spectacular landscapes. You will also see the country as it is today, giving you privileged access that independent travel and other tour companies rarely get close to. We give you a variety of experiences, from the sublime to the humble, in the company of intelligent, curious, like-minded people. And while we can be worthy, we also make sure that you have a lot of fun.
Accommodation
Climate Care
Local Charity
Modes of Transport
Pastoral Care
Tour Leaders and Guides
Travelling with us
Variety
Accommodation
Where possible, we use interesting, independent hotels that reflect the culture and environment of the destination. You could stay at a ryokan in Japan, a jungle lodge in Venezuela, an 18th century town house in Aleppo, a nomad's yurt on the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, or a rice barge in India.
Climate care
Every time you fly, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere. These gases are the cause of climate change. In conjunction with Climate Care we can help you offset your carbon emissions through a range of renewable energy projects benefiting communities around the world, as well as combating climate change. To calculate your carbon emissions click on the Climate Care link on our web site where you will be given the option of paying to offset your emissions if you wish.
Local Charity
We support a specially chosen local charity or project in each of our destinations, and often organise a visit and presentation to the project during the tour.
Modes of transport
We even insist that variety extends to the mode of transport, so that you could find yourself in a Cessna light plane, a canoe, a rice barge, on a bullet train or toy train, on a camel, or in a desert jeep.
Pastoral care
Our itineraries are busy, but we work to make your experience as comfortable as possible. We do our best to book civilised flight times. Depending on the destination, we can arrange to use the airport lounge on long, late flights. We build in time for you to relax and adjust on your first day, and we know where the best restaurants are close to your hotel. We often take time out of a busy schedule to stop at a pleasant place for a cup of tea, to compare notes, chat and simply watch the world go by.
Tour Leaders and Guides
We place small groups with experienced tour leaders who are hand-picked for their enthusiasm, relevant experience or professional background, and direct knowledge of the countries we travel to. The tour leaders are accompanied at all times by a professional national guide. Your comfort and care is at the top of their priority list, closely followed by your enjoyment and engagement with the society you are visiting.
Travelling with us
On our tours, you could watch a snake being milked of its venom to make antidotes in southern India; hear the Lord's Prayer being recited in the language of Christ by Syrian villagers; wander through the colourful tumult of a local street market in Ethiopia; learn how the ancient healing system of Ayurveda is integrated into modern Indian life in Kerala; visit a village school in the jungles of the Orinoco Delta; or discuss the workings of contemporary Japanese society with a Social Services Professor in Tokyo.
Variety
We make sure that you experience variety at every level - accommodation, food and visits - so that you come away with a balanced, multi-faceted view. Our excellent network of local contacts will provide context, by introducing you to their culture and society and discussing relevant issues.
Whether your journey is for study or pleasure, we make sure that you travel, understand and enjoy