Best luxury tours around the world
From rarefied dining experiences at Tokyo’s top, tiny eateries to high-octane opulence aboard Scotland’s finest train, these tours set the bar high for guided luxury travel.
There are whistle-stop, cookie-cutter tours, and then there are true journeys of discovery. Top-tier tour operators will not only lead but listen, their ultimate goal being to reward curious minds with experiences beyond what they could have imagined, to open doors that might otherwise have remained closed and unlock secrets that could easily have stayed buried. The very best tours subscribe to the idea that there is always more to discover, as long as you’re interested in the world. The following – from rarefied dining experiences at Tokyo’s top, tiny eateries to high-octane opulence aboard Scotland’s finest train – fall into this category.
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Discover next-level, design-focused destinations in the latest edition of Travel + Luxury magazine, available online and in print on Friday, 21 April.
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1. Seabourn: Holy Land, Egypt and Arabia Cruise
Seabourn Encore is your floating sanctuary on this November-December journey through some of the world’s most storied holy sites, taking in Greek mythology in Crete, the walled city of Jerusalem, and the magnificent ancient city of Petra along the way. This trip offers terrific excursions to broaden the lens through which you view these places. At the archaeological ruins of Crete’s Palace of Knossos, you can take a 3D tour using augmented-reality software, which brings it to life. Another expedition contemplates what life was like on the island of Spinalonga, home to one of the last leper colonies in Europe, the inhabitants of which forged their own community despite dire circumstances. While all the big-hitting holy sites in Jerusalem are on offer, wellness enthusiasts can also learn about (and try) camel milk in a settlement near the Dead Sea, before bobbing in its buoyant, mineral-saturated waters. Other highlights include a 12th-century crusader castle in Jordan, snorkelling at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, sailing down the Nile on a traditional felucca before exploring the Temple of Luxor, and the lost city of Ubar, believed to be a former frankincense trading centre in Oman.
2. Plan Japan: Tokyo to Takayama
Anyone who’s visited the neon-thronged, secret-strewn laneways of Tokyo will know there are certain doors that nothing short of a miracle will unlock, nor money, celebrity or Insta-fame. Under the expert guidance of Australian Rachel Lang, Plan Japan promises insider access to some of these exclusive haunts, plus all the benefits of travelling this endlessly enigmatic country with someone who harbours a deep love for – and connection with – all things Japanese. Lang nominates this small-group tour in October as one of her favourites. In Tokyo, you’ll gain access to some of the city’s most difficult-to-book restaurants (think eight-seat Higashiazabu Amamoto or Sugita). You’ll also meet with geishas in Kanazawa, traverse part of the historic Nakasendo trail, tour a wasabi farm, taste premium sakes, make soba noodles, visit a 400-year-old teahouse and enjoy a vineyard tour and tasting in the bountiful Yamanashi prefecture. Zen-inducing luxury ryokan and onsen provide rest and rejuvenation along the way, while Mount Fuji provides another scenic stop as you head back towards Tokyo for further élite-level immersion.
3. Prior: PRIOR x Cabana Caravan
Hot off the press come these design-worshipping deep-dives courtesy of a new collaboration between lush design magazine Cabana and the high-end travel gurus at Pior. The small-group journeys will transport travellers to some of the stunning private homes, palaces and other utterly unique design spaces that are “part of the Cabana family”, layered with genuine cultural connections and insider tips on all things food, culture and craft from Prior’s treasure trove of travel nous. What does this look like? One October trip to Salento, at Italy’s heel, will unveil private residences handed down through generations since the Renaissance, uncover the craftsmanship of traditional Apulian weaving and luminarie, and see guests dining on crudo di mare in charming seaside trattorie. An early 2024 trip to Yucatán, abutting the Gulf of Mexico, uses the Prior x Cabana Caravan key to unlock more doors in the capital, Mérida. Think beautiful, eclectic haciendas, ateliers and private homes, as well as creative hubs fuelled by a vibrant artistic community of expats and locals. Adventures in archaeology, history, traditional weaving and embroidery and, of course, Yucatán cuisine all round out the menu in this dazzling feast for the senses.
4. Abercrombie & Kent: Taj Mahal and the Treasures of India
India is impossible to get to grips with in one trip, but this journey pulls out all the stops when it comes to immersing you in the country’s sensory bombardment – its incredible wildlife, the moments of sublime peace and spirituality to be breathed in deeply, and the sheer romance of it all. Kicking off in Mumbai, you’ll visit the grand Gateway of India, reflect on the life of Mahatma Gandhi and marvel at the sprawling spectacle of the Dhobi Ghat open-air laundry. Next, you’ll fly to Udaipur and bed down in the Taj Lake Palace, the former royal residence within whose stunning marble walls you could happily pull up stumps were it not for what awaits. You couldn’t miss, for example, the chance to elevate your yoga practice in Rambagh Palace, or a sunset visit to the Taj Mahal, and another at sunrise, to see it in another light. You wouldn’t pass up the chance to meet a member of the nomadic Pardhi people, or to learn of the part they play in bolstering the Bengal tiger population in the Panna National Park, nor the chance to track these magnificent beasts the next day. And what of the sacred temples and shrines of Varanasi, with a holy drumbeat-and-chanting soundtrack? No, you really can’t miss any of this.
5. Four Seasons: Drive Experience, Geneva to Megève
Hotel group Four Seasons hits the road in June with this ultra-luxe, three-country odyssey of your alpine-driving dreams. Take your pick from a spread of luxury vehicles – think Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and vintage Mercedes – offered by Canossa Events. Your week-long tour starts in Geneva at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, where the regal Pierre-Yves Rochon-designed rooms, rooftop spa and Michelin-starred Il Lago restaurant set the tone for the elevated journey ahead. From here you’ll head north towards Gruyères for a day of wine and cheese tastings; the following day sees you make speed for your next pit stop, the Four Seasons Hotel Megève, learning some secrets of Swiss watchmaking along the way. The hotel takes alpine-lodge chic to impressive heights; its La Dame de Pic – Le 1920, another Michelin-starred diner, takes advantage of alpine-sharpened senses with surprising flavour combinations such as barbecued lobster served with cardamom and valerian bisque. From here you’ll shift into next gear with further road-tripping around the storybook lakeside town of Annecy, reach a mountain summit offering extraordinary views of Mont Blanc, then make for a charming secret destination in Italy.
6. Scenic Eclipse: Montego Bay to Panama City
Scenic’s ultra-luxe discovery vessel Scenic Eclipse takes to tropical climes on this dreamy nine-day Central American itinerary. The ship has all the bells and whistles including GPS dynamic positioning, enabling it to avoid dropping anchor into delicate marine life, plus two helicopters and a submarine to bring Bond-style explorations to life. A staff-to-passenger ratio of almost 1:1 ensures a tailor-made adventure, and this sailing also hosts chef Bryan Voltaggio of Top Chef fame. Once departed from Jamaica’s Montego Bay, Isla de Providencia off Colombia’s northern coast beckons, with reggae in the air at sandy-floored restaurants and local baseball games the evening’s big ticket (cerulean waters are a given). You might take a helicopter over gorgeous San Andrés island, or a submarine beneath its waters, explore the biodiverse archipelago of Bocas del Toro, and lose yourself in the sprawling San Blas islands, inhabited by Panama’s Indigenous Guna people (look for molas, their vibrant textiles). The Panama Canal crossing precedes the final act, where the rainforest of Isla San José offers abundant wildlife – iguanas, dwarf anteaters and tropical birds.
7. Butterfield & Robinson: Sicily, Volcanoes and the Aeolian Islands
Come for the dramatic scenery, soaring coastal splendour and the punchy caponata; stay for the only-in-Sicily elements of this exquisite tour. This limited-edition September journey cuts a path through some of the region’s cultural, natural and gastronomic treasures, with a wonderful balance of active exploration and indulgence. A day’s cycle on the stone-walled roads of Modica is offset by sampling its local chocolates; explorations of Noto Antica (ruined in the 1693 earthquake) and the Baroque splendour (and The White Lotus fame) of modern-day Noto are fuelled by a bountiful meal at a family-run agriturismo, and toasted with aperitivi in an 18th-century palazzo. A helicopter whizzes guests over Mount Etna, depositing them on Salina for three days of island hopping, marvelling at the active volcano of Stromboli and kayaking, wine tasting and wandering. Back on the mainland, more cycling leads to the lava-stone wineries of the Etna DOC appellation, and a luxe Belmond stay in Taormina. The tour’s toughest walk is worth it for the views of lava-carved landscapes reaching to the Strait of Messina. Say arrivederci with a dinner in Casa Cuseni, which has played host to Picasso and Hemingway.
8. Belmond: Highland Survival Adventure on the Royal Scotsman
This new Scottish Highlands escapade in June from Belmond is your ticket to the ultimate balance of hearty, heath-treading adventure with a generous dose of high-life indulgence. Billed as an expedition-style journey created with adventure specialists Wildnis, this three-night itinerary tracks west from Edinburgh through Falkirk towards Loch Lemond and past the Bridge of Orchy to Spean Bridge, the first night’s stop, aboard luxury train the Royal Scotsman where dinner, entertainment and no doubt a dram or two of whisky are served. Come day two, things get real. Guests undertake an assault course at Achnacarry Estate (where Churchill’s Commando Force trained during World War II) before navigating the rugged terrain in search of a distant campfire, where a “wild lunch” cooked by a chef who specialises in foraging fills ravenous bellies. An afternoon of pack-rafting and treasure-hunting on a remote island precedes your return to the Royal Scotsman, where handsome tartans, plush furnishings, and dining cars dishing up Scottish produce-turned-haute cuisine promise cosseting comfort. Day three brings abseiling down a waterfall, wild swimming and a lesson in survival techniques, before a festive final night on board.
9. Captain’s Choice: Namibia and South Africa by private plane and Rovos Rail
It may not happen until next May, but that leaves plenty of time to build your anticipation for this epic exploration of some of the most remarkable landscapes and lesser-visited landmarks of western South Africa and Namibia. Flying from Johannesburg to Namibia’s Etosha National Park, a stay at the Etosha King Nehale (each “chalet” with private plunge pool) allows access to a remote waterhole for unobtrusive game viewing – including, perhaps, the elusive endangered black rhino. A stunning step-back-in-time journey follows aboard Rovos Rail’s Pride of Africa, the polished wood panelling almost shiny enough to check one’s lipstick or adjust a collar en route to an elegant dinner in the dining car. Imagine watching the sun rise and set from the observation car, steaming coffee or glass of chilled South African wine in hand. This plush, rolling home base sees you through a cheetah conservancy in Otjiwarongo, dropping you in the Namibian capital Windhoek for a flight to Sossusvlei Lodge in the Namib desert, taking in ghostly thousand-year-old tree skeletons and majestic sand dunes. Stop-offs to explore a former German colonial town, the staggering vastness of the Fish River Canyon and historic South African villages fill the remainder of your path to Cape Town.
10. Metropolitan Museum of Art: Travel with the Met
Rather than picturing all the world as a stage, envision it as an enormous, fantastical gallery with these tours as your guide. The Met shares its expertise in this series of journeys, each infused with curatorial insights, deepened with exclusive access and sprinkled with spectacular sightseeing. In 2023, this means you could enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour (and private dinner) at The Met itself, getting to grips with the American artists whose works will appear on the itinerary as you visit the likes of Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, Connecticut’s Florence Griswold Museum – which fostered the talents of many late-19th-century American Impressionists – and Harvard University’s Fogg Museum. You could choose to sail the new Sea Cloud Spirit on both sides of the English Channel, crossing from Portsmouth to Caen and onward to view the immense, impressive Bayeux Tapestry, touring Victor Hugo’s Guernsey hideaway during his fruitful years of exile, and strolling the subtropical Abbey Garden amid a 10th-century monastery in Tresco, in the Isles of Scilly. Or combine contemporary art with natural splendour in Iceland, navigate Switzerland’s Art Basel under expert guidance, or explore Buddhism in the Himalayas.
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