Photo by Sally Guillaume.
These three travel companies offer sustainable opportunities to see — and even help save — the planet.
Aracari
Ahead of its time when it was originally founded in 1996, South American travel operator Aracari is highly regarded in the sustainable travel industry. Founder Marisol Mosquera defines sustainable travel simply as travel that does not destroy the
destination, which in today’s standards means low impact, low-volume tourism. These pillars of tourism have been part of Aracari’s mission since it began, in order to promote natural landscapes.
One of the most important ways Aracari maintains such high standards of sustainability is by educating guests throughout their trips, to “treat the local communities and sensitive environments with great respect,” Moquera states. To follow through, the company works tirelessly with the other businesses they work with to help ensure their self-imposed regulations are effective across the board. For example, Mosquera says the company seeks boutique hotels that are more stringent on standards like waste management, energy consumption, community involvement, et cetera. With these methods incorporated into their business model, Aracari is able to fulfill
clients’ travel needs while making a smaller impact on the surrounding environment.
“People travel to learn and experience new things, and our region is very rich with cultural and natural attractions,” Mosquera says, attractions that they strive to find new ways of highlighting through their bespoke travel tours. One upcoming tour in May 2020 is an eight-day excursion in Bolivia, hosted by National Geographic photographer Max Milligan, based in Kachi Lodge which is located on Sachar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. Nestled next to Tunupa Volcano, these transparent igloo tents afford wonderful views and a unique sense of isolation while guests enjoy delicious food, hot water and comfortable accommodations.
Another tour featuring Milligan is an adventure through the mountains of Peru at El Albergue Ollantaytambo, where guests can visit local communities, archaeological sites like Machu Picchu, and an organic garden that stretches from the glacial snowline to the tropical cloud forest.
Steppes Travel
Steppes Travel creates eco-luxury holiday trips that are tailor-made for people who are interested in wildlife. While it highlights giving a behind-the-scenes look into many different sensible wildlife environments and discovering different cultures, at the core, Steppes Travel focuses on giving back to the environment and communities their teams visit. An avid traveller himself, Rob Gardiner fit in perfectly at Steppes Travel as the Commercial Manager for the Africa sector with his overall knowledge and love for travel. “I love the people that you meet, I love the lessons that you learn from it, and I think it breaks down barriers, changing our perception of different places and alters our prejudices,” Gardiner says.
Gardiner says that the company’s focus on sustainable travel is driven by a need to look after the communities they visit and keep those wilderness areas as pristine as possible. Steppes Travel also works with community members and conservation groups to ensure proceeds are given back to those areas, noting that, as a whole, travel can be a force for good. “If you’re lucky enough to go to Zambia, Tanzania or Botswana on safari, for example, there should be money that goes back into the local economy so they too are incentivized to look after what they have.”
Regarding the tours, Gardiner says that the wildlife aspect is what helps keeps sustainability in mind for both guides and travellers. He notes that often these trips provide a unique educational experience, granting travellers a new, real perspective on conservation while taking part in projects like tracking rhinos in South Africa or working on a jaguar safari project in Brazil. Tourists can go further by becoming ambassadors for certain regions and work with communities around the world to be more conscious of endangered environments.
“As much as possible, we don’t believe in cocooning our clients away from the streetlife in Delhi or living with a nomadic family in Mongolia,” Gardiner affirms. “I think it’s about getting to know the people and about having that personal human connection.”
Undiscovered Mountains
According to Sally Guillaume, owner and founder of sustainable travel company Undiscovered Mountains, her reasons for starting the company were driven by a personal drive to create a better world, “to do things in a way that everyone benefits without exploiting people or environments.”
Focusing on trips located in and around the French Alps, Guillaume wanted to steer away from mass tourism and “build a sustainable approach to tourism both for the communities and the rich natural environments they live in.” In doing so, she built a business that not only focuses on preserving natural environments, but also helps clients to discover authentic Alpine communities, not usually found in mainstream Alpine travel.
Guillaume’s vision of a sustainable world includes less consumerism and a deeper appreciation for experiences. And while Undiscovered Mountains, Steppes Travel and Aracari are all model companies, there is a long way to go in sustainable tourism — from updating local infrastructure to promoting lower-impact travel methods such as train or “green” vehicles. She notes, however, the ethical standards of travel companies have become more and more important consumers in recent years, as well as the destination and activities involved.
From touring preserved natural environments with abundant wildlife and flora on the southern French Alps, to immersive tours in both Nepal and Norway that are launching soon, Undiscovered Mountains will continue to make its mission about serving the environment, which has always shaped the culture around them. “The type of food people eat, the architecture of old buildings, the choice of where villages are situated is all to do with how people have survived living off the land of the mountains for centuries.”
Imagine traveling to anywhere in the world for the most incredible, once-in-a-lifetime trip. Imagine experiencing the culture of the community that resides there, the thrill of seeing a new corner of the world, and the beauty of nature around you. Now imagine being able to give back in the process. Companies are sprouting up, giving individuals the opportunity to have an exceptional trip while giving back to the community they travel to.
Photos courtesy of Off Season Adventures
Off Season Adventures allows clients to travel to destinations such as Uganda, Tunisia, Ethiopia and more — all while being immersed in the communities they’re giving back to. Tanner C. Knorr, the owner and founder of Off Season Adventures, has always had a vision of giving back, saying that “if we all contribute just a little bit to the communities and environments while we’re traveling, the world would be a better place.”
Off Season Adventures is unwavering in its belief of making the communities its clients travel to a better place than before. Earlier this year, the company installed a solar panel water pump system in the village of Kakoi, located in Tanzania. Because of this work, 15,000 people now have access to clean drinking water.
Photo courtesy of Off Season Adventures
Photo courtesy of Elevate Destinations
Not only do these companies give back in considerable ways, but the extraordinary landscape of the destinations and the connections made with the communities that reside there are already reasons to book a trip. Dominique Callimanopulos, the founder and president of Elevate Destinations, believes the most rewarding aspect is simply the connections made between the travelers and the community members of the area. “It tends to be really an exchange, it’s not just one way,” she says. “I think the travelers get at least as much out of the exchange.”
She recommends Africa more so her clients than any other destination, as she describes it as “just like nowhere else. There are very few places you could see such amazing beauty of untouched landscape.” She emphasizes, however, that Elevate Destinations is not into “one-off” visits and investments — and that the company is deeply invested in long-term community development of the destinations clients travel to.
Photo courtesy of Elevate Destinations
For some companies, there is also a focus on the environmental impact of traveling to the provided destinations. andBeyond, a company dedicated to providing luxury travel with a deep focus on environmental sustainability, offers private tours of the stunning landscapes in Africa, South America and Asia.
Photos courtesy of andBeyond
Clients are finding these trips to be evermore fulfilling and meaningful. Not only are they giving back to the communities they travel to, but there’s an underlying consensus — they get back even more in return.
Bruce T. Martin uses photographs as words to create a vivid story about the culture and history of Mayan caves and cenotes of the Yucatan and more.
Photography by Bruce T. Martin
“In 1975, my father gave me a Pentad Spotomatic 35 mm camera, that I still have today,” says Bruce T. Martin, an American Fine Arts photographer. Even early on Martin didn’t pursue other careers or jobs outside of photography. Initially, his interest in cameras and capturing moments sparked when he was studying abroad in Europe 1976 and he’s been studying the art form ever since. Now, Martin explains that he takes a literary approach to his photography. “Images combine like words do in a sentence to tell a story,” he says. “My motivation is to use photography to document our world, explore our perceptions and question our viewpoints. ”
Martin grew up in Chautauqua County in western New York where he studied at Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. His connection to photography continued to grow even building a darkroom in his parent’s basement and later began apprenticing for Irving Penn in New York City. “That experience opened my thinking to a whole new world of possibilities,” says Martin. Although the young photographer already had an affinity to landscape photography, his job at the Chautauqua County Office of Planning and Development led to a deep appreciation for architectural structures. One responsibility of Martin’s new job was to “contact the owners of interesting and important architectural structures in the community to secure permission to photograph their homes and buildings.”
Gruata Milenio, Yucatán 2012
In terms of style, the photographer has “tried to combine the excellence of many photographers such as the technical mastery of Ansel Adams, the unique viewpoints of Andres Kertesz and the eloquence of Irving Penn, to name a few,” says Martin. However, from a technical point of view, Martin describes his approach as direct. “Positioning my camera in a place where I believe will reveal what I feel is most important to the image … then waiting for or creating the lighting that best reveals the detail and color to express the emotion and purpose of the image.”
As an artist, Martin is always working on a number of projects such as a larger portfolio of Boston cityscape and architecture. A series called “Fragment Landscape” is also in the works and involves overlapping images gathered in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. However, there has been one persisting project that Martin has been expanding on since 1987.
“I have been working on a project on the Maya of Central America, using historical documents, academic research, and current events in conjunction with my photography and recordings from the field,” according to Martin. The first phase of the project resulted in the book and exhibit, “Look Close See Far, A Cultural Portrait of Maya”, and has now progressed into the next component. “Seeking Sacred Landscapes, Maya Caves and Cenotes of the Yucatan”. Martin describes the project as, “beautiful, mysterious, and compelling.”
The series “Seeking Sacred Landscapes” is a combination of images of the Yucatan’s caves and cenotes with archeological, historical, and environmental essays by established authorities, according to the experienced photographer. Martin’s images compel you to look closer at the detail that has formed over the years within nature.
It’s hard to imagine what being in those types of caves would be like, but Martin describes it as a time full of anticipation. “Knowing that I will experience and learn something new each time fills my mind as I begin the descent into these underground chambers.” This experience has been building over the years. When the project first began Martin became interested in many of the Mayan’s core mythology concepts, which later led to his deeper understanding of the culture. “Harmony in life is a daily struggle. With the rapid development of recent years, many contrasting and violent viewpoints have been introduced, so that the Maya and their environment are being overwhelmed,” says Martin. “Surviving these disruptive influences and maintaining their cultural dignity is the challenge for an uncertain future that the Maya now face.”
The series “Seeking Sacred Landscapes” is a combination of images of the Yucatan’s caves and cenotes with archeological, historical, and environmental essays by established authorities, according to the experienced photographer. Martin’s images compel you to look closer at the detail that has formed over the years within nature.
It’s hard to imagine what being in those types of caves would be like, but Martin describes it as a time full of anticipation. “Knowing that I will experience and learn something new each time fills my mind as I begin the descent into these underground chambers.” This experience has been building over the years. When the project first began Martin became interested in many of the Mayan’s core mythology concepts, which later led to his deeper understanding of the culture. “Harmony in life is a daily struggle. With the rapid development of recent years, many contrasting and violent viewpoints have been introduced, so that the Maya and their environment are being overwhelmed,” says Martin. “Surviving these disruptive influences and maintaining their cultural dignity is the challenge for an uncertain future that the Maya now face.”
Through images that help to shape and tell a story, Martin is hoping that the series “Seeking Sacred Landscapes” will attract some attention to these struggles. “With a greater awareness of their issues, a more productive dialogue on the Maya and their land can begin, which will promote cultural diversity, protect their environment and respect for their fading traditions.”
Each part of Martin’s experience pushes him further and enhances his ability as an artist. A journey from architectural to landscape photography has proved there is more than what originally meets the eye, which can be seen in the details of his photos. According to Martin, “Each of these naturally-occurring, organic caverns and cenotes are unique yet similar architectural spaces that overwhelm your perceptions and preconceived notions of the world we live in.”
Cenote Ik kil, Yucatán, 2016.
For similiar content, try these articles, Embrace the Charm of Mexico City, Aman Resorts International to Debut First Destination in Mexico in 2020, Adventure Photographer seeking Ultimate Storytellers, Travel Designers.
This editorial originally appeared in The High End Spring 2019.
TV Producer Rachael Jerahian plans to visit all 50 U.S. states along with every sovereign nation, and that is just the beginning.
Regardless of sex or financial status, Rachael Jerahian wants everyone to overcome their inhibitions and, “embrace exploration:” desire to tour the world and expand horizons without fear of being alone. Being alone is what initially gave Jerahian the strength to begin her travels, and she hasn’t looked back since. “Overcoming tragedy is something everyone faces,” said Jerahian. “Perhaps, it’s because to experience great highs, we have to know how to conquer terrifying lows.”
Acclaimed producer, Jerahian recently announced her intention to complete the first all-inclusive world travel expedition in history. She began her quest in June, and now plans to stop in all 50 U.S. states, travel to each of the 195 sovereign countries of the world, climb each of the seven continents’ highest peaks, and ski the last degree in both the North and South Poles, all while giving back to the many lives she encounters along her way.
Jerahian, though no stranger to traveling, is embarking on this trip knowing it is to be the most significant one of her life thus far. After suffering the loss of both her parents to cancer by age 30, Jerahian now embraces the cliche to, “live life to the fullest,” and vows not to let life pass her by. Her path across the globe is her way of doing so. Yearning to be a reporter, Jerahian’s story begins in New York City, where she tried her hand in broadcast, until she finally fell in love with production behind the scenes. She now works as a prominent TV producer for multiple networks, including CNN, Food Network, Travel, Discovery, Viceland, PBS, Spike and A&E. After losing her mother to cancer in 2014, Jerahian and her sister planned a trip to clear their minds to Mexico. Jerahian caught the travel bug, returning to the states just to plan out a list of where to go next.
Her global expedition begins in the U.S., in which she plans to drive to all 50 U.S. states, and admits on her blog that this was easier planned than executed. “So… as I began the (daunting) process of mapping out the driving route of the lower 48 states, it quickly became apparent just how difficult this trip was going to be. I knew this would be A LOT of driving for one thing!” She will first head to Alaska, then to her hometown of Los Angeles, then the rest of the states starting in July 2018 and ending tentatively in February 2019. Traveling outside the country comes next, with the first stops being the Middle East and Africa for Jerahian. This leg of the journey is to start in early 2019, according to her blog. When Jerahian will tackle the seven summits and the North and South Pole are still to be decided.
Architectural Adventures, the official travel program of the American Institute of Architects, is home to several immersive tours and travel excursions to many extraordinary architectural structures across the globe. These are a few off of Architectural Adventures’ upcoming lineup, with fascinating tours in Europe, Asia and the United States.
Along the Rhine River
7/4/18 – 7/12/18, starting at $3,195
This cruise sails through the heart of Europe to Germany, France and the Netherlands on an eight-day journey with Architectural Adventures. This tour combines old and new architectural movements by traveling through historical towns, like Breisach and Speyer, to lively cities, like Strasbourg and Amsterdam.
Highlights of this tour include ageless illustrations of European architecture, such as the Freiburg’s Münster (a Gothic cathedral), historical Römerberg in Frankfurt, Germany, and the Notre Dame Cathedral in France, alongside modernities such as the urban design of Amsterdam, also known as the, “Venice of the North.”
Photo courtesy of Sergey Ashmarin / Wiki Commons
Scandinavia
7/27/18- 8/6/18, starting at $3,995
On this 11-day intensive tour, discover the astounding architecture of three Nordic countries: Sweden, Denmark and Norway. This journey tours the streets of Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo to explore how past architecture meets the present and uncover the rich history of Scandinavia. The tour includes behind-the-scenes access to award-winning opera houses, cultural centers and public spaces to truly delve into the region’s architectural innovations.
Highlights of the tour include the Turning Torso, the tallest building in Scandinavia, National Aquarium Denmark, Northern Europe’s largest aquarium, the Oslo Opera House, and Snøhetta, one of Norway’s largest architectural firms.
Photo courtesy of Benoit Derrier / Wiki Commons
Detroit
9/25/18- 9/29/18, starting at $2,995
Detroit, Michigan, is a major player in architectural innovation for the United States, and has been since the 20th century. History is captured in the architecture of the cityscape, with beautiful 20th-century mansions, Art-Deco skyscrapers, alongside some mid-century modern innovations. This tour follows the Motor City’s architectural revival as well as discuss the works of famous architects like Eliel Saarinen, Daniel Burnham, and Cass Gilbert.
Highlights of this adventure include a private tour of Eero Saarinen’s General Motors Technical Center, the recently restored Fox Theatre and Detroit Opera House, and discusses community renewal with Stephen Vogel, FAIA, distinguished professor of architecture at the University of Detroit Mercy.
Photo courtesy of Corbis
Japan
10/27/18 – 11/8/18, starting at $5,995
Discover the wide range of tradition and modernity within Japanese architecture on this incredible 13-day tour. Move effortlessly from the contemporary innovations of Tokyo to the fascinating traditional culture of Kyoto throughout this tour in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Highlights of this tour include the incredible Nomura Family Residence, a 16th-century castle in Takayama, the famous Meiji Jingu Shrine, the Tokyo National Museum, and Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, the prime place to capture beautiful shots of Mt. Fuji.
Photo courtesy of Franciso Diez / Wiki Commons
Photographers, writers and videographers can enter with the chance to win money, mentorship and an “adventure mobile.”
By Brielle Bryan
Travis Burke, the widely followed adventure photographer, is on a quest to find some of the most talented individuals who are looking to tell a story through their art. Burke started the Ultimate Storyteller contest to encourage others to follow their dreams and embrace their creativity, which he decided to do four years ago when he took a huge leap of faith. With just $81 to his name, Burke decided to trust his instincts and set out to follow his passion. This calling has taken him around the country in a van or “adventure mobile,” which Burke affectionately refers to as “Betty the Grey Wolf.”
Through the Ultimate Storyteller contest, Burke is seeking entries from photographers, writers and videographers, and will be choosing winners based on their works’ creativity and authenticity. The contest is accepting admissions during the entire month of May, and winners will enter with the chance to receive “Betty the Grey Wolf,” $6,000 worth of gear and a one-on-one mentorship with Burke himself.
Burke hopes to share his personal experiences with aspiring artists seeking adventure. Burke has visited the backroads of Vermont during Fall to photograph a covered bridge under the star-filled night sky. He’s captured the dangerous, yet stunningly beautiful ice caves in Washington and spent months in Utah exploring some of the longest and deepest slot canyons in the world in search for the perfect light. Burke is following his dreams, wherever they take him — chasing inspiring images and capturing them for everyone to see.
Burke’s breathtaking pictures feature the unending beauty of the natural world. A trademark of his images is the human touch — a man on a cliff admiring the beauty before him, a trio trekking through rock formations, a couple kissing under a waterfall. Burke said that his photographs help people experience the emotion and grandeur of a location so that they can imagine themselves being there.
Along his journey, the avid athlete can be found walking slacklines over canyons, freediving through caves in the ocean and just pushing himself and the boundaries of his craft. Burke has enjoyed the insight and experiences that he has gained from his travels. It’s a life that has fed his soul. Now Burke wants to pay it forward!
Photos courtesy of Travis Burke Photography
Summer is the season for camping! Or, if you’d rather not sacrifice comfort and luxury during your scenic outdoor expedition, then ‘glamping’ may be the perfect fit. From tiny homes bordering national forests to island excursions for young campers and expansive tents with endless views of Hollywood Hills, here are three ways to glamp all season long.
Beverly Wilshire
Beverly Hills, California
Bringing a touch of the great outdoors with the first urban glamping experience available in Los Angeles, the Veranda Suite is a one-of-a-kind, studio-style suite suite featuring a 2,140-square-food terrace with unparalleled 270-degree views of the Hollywood Hills and Rodeo Drive.
The expansive tent, which is 16 feet in diameter and over 10 feet tall in the center, offers the coveted Four Seasons sleep experience with a queen-size bed and Four Seasons linens, and lavish furnishings including a crystal chandelier, marble lamps, fur rug and antique nightstands. Outdoors on the terrace, oversized lounge furniture surrounding a fireplace and a dining area for eight completes the glamping experience.
Guests can also enjoy an exclusive glamping menu during their stay, prepared on the veranda by the executive chef. Urban glamping in the Veranda Suite is available for a limited time, with rates starting at $3,500 per night.
Snake River Sporting Club
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Situated on 800 acres with nearly seven miles of private access to Snake River, this private club recently began offering luxury overnight lodging to the public.
The Discovery Village, perfect for couples, is an intimate collection of four designer-furnished, 1-bedroom tiny homes, each with their own fire pit and patio surrounding a communal open space. The tiny homes range from $225 to $625 per night, and guests can enhance their stay with outdoor activities such as world-class golf, fly fishing, hiking and biking, or the restored hot springs.
Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina
Kapolei, Hawaii
Located at the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina, the glamping excursion allows young campers to gather under the night sky surrounded by the comfort of a luxurious tent with Four Seasons bedding.
The well-appointed outdoor accommodations are matched by traditional camping experiences for an evening of Hawaiian stargazing and story-telling, games, movies and a “Great Outdoors” inspired dinner.
Overnight glamping is $150 per camper, which includes supervision, dinner, camping materials and breakfast. Glamping without camping is $100 per camper, including supervision, dinner and games until 10 p.m.
While Clear Creek Tahoe is known for its breathtaking golf course, it also offers a range of winter activities.
During the winter, when residents are unable to take advantage of the Coore & Crenshaw golf course, members and guests can snowshoe or cross country ski around Clear Creek’s private, untouched land in the luxurious mountains above Lake Tahoe.
Photos courtesy of Clear Creek Tahoe
An increased appetite in healthy living and the age-old desire to explore are satiated by companies crafting custom journeys for active travelers.
By Sarah Binder
In his autobiographical book Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness, American writer Edward Abbey wrote, “A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.”
With an increased focus on health and wellness, a need to unplug from daily life, and a desire to go off the beaten path, more and more travelers are booking active luxury vacations. Once centralized around destinations where physical activity is inherent, such as Machu Picchu or Alaska, active journeys today combine fitness and culture in unexpected locales such as Spain’s Mallorca Island and Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast.
Through their worldwide luxury tours that engage all five senses, award-winning travel providers such as Gray & Co. and Trek Travel live by Abbey’s timeless observation and help their adventure-seeking guests do the same.
To Cari Gray, founder and director of Gray & Co., active journeys surprise and delight, causing guests to wonder what they will see just around the corner.
“When you’re biking and kayaking, you’re actually watching a living museum. You’re listening to the birds, looking at the constellations, looking at the people in all of their glory. You’re wondering what fruit it is that is hanging off of the trees,” Gray says. “The world is unfolding in front of you and you see it in a very flowing and beautiful way.”
Gray, who spent 14 years with Butterfield & Robinson, noticed a developing niche — an opportunity to serve a clientele seeking higher-end active trips than what was available on the market. Gray & Co. hosted its first trip in 2009 and has focused since its inception on luxury-level service and a higher ratio of drivers, vehicles, and guides to guests.
All of Gray & Co.’s trips are private and designed from scratch — from the drinks guests want in their cooler to the type of hotel room they prefer. Throughout their itinerary, guests dictate the pace that works best for them.
“Whether that means only riding in the morning or the afternoon, or only having bistro-style meals, we get to know our travelers very well to anticipate the needs they don’t even know they have,” she explains. “We don’t design a trip for anyone thinking that it will be the only trip they will take with us.”
Gray & Co. regularly visits new destinations so the team is posed to craft well-rounded itineraries. A trip to South Africa in early January featured a visit to Timanfaya National Park to explore the lava fields and an optional round of golf at Arabella Golf Club. Numerous bike rides highlighted South Africa’s picturesque villages, coasts, valleys, and vineyards, with accommodations in Lanzarote, Canary Islands; Hermanus; Franschhoek; and Cape Town.
“South Africa is not highly popular from a biking perspective; however, from our perspective, it has good pavement, amazing hotels, and super-high-quality food,” Gray says. “When we were in Cape Town we managed to go on a behind-the-scenes tour of the new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. It was a big highlight to see this mega project that is not going to open until September.”
Even with its heavily researched itineraries, the Gray & Co. team occasionally has to improvise to take its customer service to the next level. “We were touring with a family all around Sydney. To get them out of traffic, we chartered a jet boat to pick them up close to Bondi Beach and drop them off right at the Park Hyatt Sydney. It was a neat opportunity for them to see the harbor and have a jet boat all to themselves, making the transfer a bit of an adventure itself.”
As for new adventures, the team recently took journeys to Bergen, Norway; Sri Lanka; and will visit Australia’s Sunshine Coast Hinterlands this spring. “We’re eagerly awaiting the new lodges that will open in Bhutan; Six Senses is opening up amazing new lodges there later this year. And the Galápagos Islands is definitely on our list as well; we want to check out Pikaia Lodge,” Gray notes.
Photos courtesy of Gray & Co
Suitable for travelers of all riding abilities, from beginners to experienced cyclists, Trek Travel, born of Trek bikes, offers luxury biking vacations around the world. Each guest is provided with an award-winning Trek bicycle, such as the all-new Trek Domane SL 7 carbon fiber road bike with electronic Di2 shifting, the Trek FX hybrid, and the electric-assist XM700+.
Trek Travel’s expertly guided trips can be booked privately and modified to suit guests’ preferences. Alternatively, the company’s trip design team can work with travelers to create completely customized tours. For example, the team recently designed a 22-person trip to Switzerland, intended to celebrate the family’s heritage and introduce everyone, from ages 6 to 80, to the town their matriarch and grandmother hailed from.
“When you slow down and get on a bike you are able to immerse yourself in a region more than if you’re on a bus from point A to point B. You can feel the terrain, stop on the side of the road and take pictures, and smell the lavender fields you’re riding by,” explains Meagan Coates, Trek Travel’s trip design manager. “How you’re welcomed by locals when you arrive in a tiny town in Italy on a bike is a different experience. You’re able to connect more easily.”
While some destinations, such as Yellowstone or California wine country, sound ideal for a cycling vacation, others may surprise. “Time is of the essence to get to Cuba,” Coates explains.
Launched early this year, Trek Travel’s eight-day, seven-night Cuba itinerary welcomes all abilities for a trip that starts in Santa Clara and ends in Havana. One day’s ride, for example, covers approximately 40 miles with 1,200 feet of climbing, pedaling through the Valle de los Ingenios, the lush green valley once the center of the island’s sugar industry. The trip’s wide variety of non-cycling activities includes visits to the Bay of Pigs museum and Manaca Iznaga Sugar Plantation, people-to-people exchanges such as meeting a local author in Trinidad, and savoring traditional homemade dinners at paladars — private, family owned restaurants.
All tours allow guests to set their own pace — it’s encouraged to skip a ride in favor of a spa treatment, if desired. Last May, the company launched a new collection of trips designed to maximize the relaxation portion of one’s vacation. A partnership with Scenic luxury river cruises allows Trek Travel to offer tours on the Danube and Rhine rivers.
“The ships are like floating luxury hotels, and at every port there is a spot where you can get off and ride,” Coates says. Day three of the Rhine River Cruise, for example, features an afternoon ride through Germany’s romantic Neckar Valley to the foothills of the Odenwald Forest, followed by a classical concert in the Baroque Mannheim Palace.
“With the support that we offer, you don’t have to worry about anything,” says Coates. “The biggest thing I tell beginner or non-riders is ‘Just go.’ More often than not, when you want to start doing anything new, the hardest part is just getting started.”
Photos courtesy of Clockwise: Norway ©Tony Ferlisi; Ojai courtesy of Trek Travel; Yellowstone ©Zack Jones Photography; Cuba ©Leanne Welbourne
Inspired by the tale of three Englishmen who had undertaken the longest cab ride around the world in 2011, Christopher James Jolly designed a customized trip where he personally chauffeurs travelers around Europe — Million-Dollar Cab. With exclusive, personal service, this trip takes travelers on an exploration of Europe’s cultures, countries, food, wine and more.
“The variety of Europe is so much greater than some continents and it is clearer and clearer when driving, as opposed to other forms of transport,” says Jolly.
This 90-day, $1 million experience is “for people whose horizons have not been fully satisfied and want to open new channels and have unforgettable experiences,” says Jolly. “Boredom can lead to depression and this European trip would stimulate the soul, offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience and opportunity, distinguishing itself from other vacations/trips.”
For more information visit www.milliondollarcab.com.
