Ditch the Tour Bus with These Three New Adventurous Tour Options
Why drive when you can float, pedal, or just wander? The latest offerings from several veteran tour operators let you go beyond the well-trod sightseeing circuit for a more active, immersive experience.
By Boat
With its just-launched Mallorca Flotilla, charter company Sunsail allows experienced sailors to steer themselves along the Spanish island’s striking, sun-dappled coastline, led by a flagship manned by guides. The itinerary starts in Palma de Mallorca, the largest city of the Balearic Islands, sailing from harbor to harbor up to the seaside village of Port de Sóller, before turning back and visiting the national park in the nearby Cabrera Archipelago. Expect plenty of stops for swimming, hiking, and drinking sangria on the beach. Seven days from $1,962.
By Bike
Luxury cycling company DuVine kicks off its first Asia tour this fall, spinning through some of Japan’s most stunning landscapes. From Kyoto, follow the Uji River into tea fields and the mountainous Kii Peninsula beyond. Along the way, riders will stay in traditional ryokan inns, visit historic Buddhist temples, tour Nara's trail of saké producers, and soak in the onsens of Mount Yoshino. The post-ride izakaya meals might be the most rewarding part. Seven days from $8,595.
By Yourself
The new self-guided tours from Exodus Travels let you see Europe on your own terms. Reservations and routes are set, but no chipper guides or packed schedules here. Whether you're tasting truffles and Barolo on a walk through Piedmont in northern Italy, canoeing through France's Périgord region on the Dordogne River, or cycling along the Danube from Vienna to Budapest, you’ll set your own pace and choose what to see (with guidance just a phone-call away). Six days from $770.
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