Eight trips of a lifetime
From celebrating Holi in India to a White Christmas in Switzerland and watching the Great Migration on safari, here are our top epic travel experiences.
“A pleasure delayed is a pleasure doubled”, my (preternaturally patient) father used to say. Those lost travel years of lockdowns enforced the lesson, willing us to savour the delicious, slow-build thrill of planning; the dreaming and map-scanning; the whispered secrets from those who’ve been before.
It’s also increasingly necessary to plan ahead. Whether it’s high demand, limited accommodation, restricted access, weather windows, migratory patterns, or hot-list status, some trips require greater commitment to the long haul if you want the experience to live up to – surpass, even – the hype.
While some trips lend themselves to doing it all yourself, others might benefit from working through your best-laid plans with an expert who can help weave them into logistically beautiful shape: taking some of the stress out of the equation, but leaving you firmly at the heart of it. The idea is to make the trip your own, and to pat yourself on the back for organising so well in advance.
Lose yourself in Bhutan
The mountainous dreamscapes of Bhutan beckon, with beautifully imagined hotel openings alongside the recent reduction in the Sustainable Development Fee for travellers – from $US200 down to $US100 per person, per night – which “could definitely lead to a higher demand for accommodation, among other things,” says Dorji Dhradhul, director general of Bhutan’s Department of Tourism.
The quietly luxurious andBeyond Punakha River Lodge opened last month; CEO Joss Kent was invited to meet with Bhutan’s King, who was impressed by the company’s sustainable model. It joins high-end, low-impact operators such as Six Senses and Aman.
Visitors still need a licensed tour guide in Bhutan, except in Thimphu, Paro and border towns (though they’re still “highly recommended”); and when visiting monuments, hiking or trekking anywhere in the country (many operators include guides in their travel packages).
AndBeyond offers considered, immersive itineraries, but they’ll also create individually tailored trips if you’re keen to witness a specific cultural event, like the Thimphu Tshechu festival, which sees colourful masked dancers in mesmerising performances. Ryan Powell, COO of sales and touring at andBeyond, recommends booking a “minimum of six to eight months in advance” around popular festivals, and allowing time to acclimatise (Punakha River Lodge is relatively low-altitude) before hiking to sites like the famed Tiger’s Nest monastery.
The ultimate festive Swiss alpine adventure
Dreaming of a White Christmas? Think Swiss bliss. Book ahead for a presidential suite at Zurich’s Dolder Grand, and your private butler can make things magical – from sourcing extravagant presents (think hard-to-find luxury timepieces) to transforming your suite into a festive wonderland.
The most stylish way to traverse the alps is aboard the Glacier Express, which runs between glitzy St Moritz and Matterhorn-shadowed Zermatt. The hot tickets are in Excellence Class – one of “the most sought-after seats in Switzerland” – including a five-course feast, fine wines and a rolling reel of cinematic alpine beauty outside your (guaranteed-window) seat. The Swiss Travel Pass covers all public transport in Switzerland; you’ll need to purchase a First-Class Swiss Travel Pass, plus a surcharge for Excellence Class aboard the Glacier Express, which opens for booking three months prior to travel.
In St Moritz, try nabbing the palatial Tower Penthouse at Badrutt’s Palace; or the storied Kulm Hotel will this winter unveil newly designed guestrooms, and is the original ground-zero for festive hijinks in this high-society enclave.
Buzzy Zermatt is the perfect place to watch New Year’s fireworks illuminate the jaggedly majestic mountains. Try for first dibs on Chalet McKinley, sleeping 10 over four decadent floors (including hammam, sauna and plunge pool, plus large balcony boasting fabulous views), to celebrate New Year’s Eve in sleek Swiss style.
Do the Galapagos differently
Travel adviser Clark Kotula has visited the Galapagos “around 25 times”, and the “primal” experience still blows his mind. This bastion of biodiversity off Ecuador’s coastline pulsates with life year round; but March, April and May tempt in terms of weather and activity.
Kotula favours May, a “big mating season” for species including blue-footed boobies performing their mesmerising dance; you’ll also avoid North American spring-breakers and summer-holidaymakers.
Kotula recommends an immersive, land-based circuit of Ecuador. Hacienda La Danesa, an hour’s drive through lush tropical lowlands from Guayaquil airport, is a beautifully styled, family-run farm offering seven plush suites amid verdant surrounds: perfect for recovering from long flights.
Galapagos Safari Camp is nestled into Santa Cruz island, allowing you to explore the islands of Seymour, Bartolome, Plazas and Santa Fe via boat – perhaps adding diving, surfing, or surprise picnics – before bedding down in safari-style tents, spotting giant tortoises and being greeted by “Galapagos finches singing on your balcony,” says Kotula. They can also assist with bookings and transfers at the other properties.
Finally, head to the Ecuadorian highlands for historic Hacienda Zuleta, where the walls hum with political and cultural history, and you’ll tap a direct vein into everything from neighbouring archaeological sites and Andean condor conservation to traditional embroidery lessons and, says Kotula, “the soul of Ecuador”.
Eat at New York’s hottest restaurants
Gourmand meccas like NYC and San Sebastian retain their foodie magnetism, while Mexico City (Contramar, Pujol, Quintonil) and Lima (Central, Maido, Kjolle) continue their meteoric rise. Reserving an in-demand table requires Michelin star levels of timing, precision and agility.
New York’s hottest tables right now include Tatiana by chef Kwame Onwuachi, Torrisi, Roscioli, and Atomix, says Kathryn Nathanson, resident foodie at Indagare, a members-only boutique travel company.
“Restaurants all have a system you can hack; they start accepting reservations one month out, 21 days out, three months out, one week out,” she says. Check the website, call or email to find out; set your alarms, and hit Resy, OpenTable or the relevant booking method.
Booking a hotel with an excellent concierge can help (with advance notice). Nathanson rates New York’s The Carlyle, Crosby Street Hotel and The Mark; and cites D’Angleterre in Copenhagen and established luxury hotels in Paris – think Four Seasons Hotel George V, Le Bristol, The Ritz – as keys to the city’s top tables.
Don’t underestimate the power of calling or emailing directly (again, well in advance) to plead your case, says Nathanson. Or look for offshoots: think Massimo Bottura’s Casa Maria Luigia, his stylish farmhouse hotel boasting a restaurant serving some of his Modena restaurant’s iconic dishes. “Now the hack for eating Massimo’s Osteria Francescana food is staying at his hotel!” says Nathanson.
Witness the Great Migration with your nearest and dearest
“It feels as though the world is travelling to Africa and camps are filling up faster than ever before,” says Lanne Tucker, of high-end safari specialist &Three Collective. She has already booked guests for 2024’s Great Migration, which sees thundering masses of wildebeest on the move in Kenya between late July and October (“August in the Masai Mara will give you your best chance”), before heading back towards the Serengeti. “I would say (booking) 18 months in advance is best.”
Travelling with family or friends allows you to create a circuit of small camp takeovers: “You want to feel as if you are the only ones watching the incredible spectacle”, and smaller camps near a river crossing are your best bet. “The timing of the migration is never guaranteed,” she cautions.
Tucker suggests starting with a more rustic, immersive experience, then “building luxury/ thread count levels” before ending with a beach sojourn. For a magical perspective, a hot-air balloon “is silent and you can drift quite close to the animals”.
Her recent high-end women’s trip in Kenya included a private mobile tented camp in the Mara; stunning private home, Arijiju; the “exquisitely special” Kalepo Camp in Samburu; and finished at Sirai Beach House.
Live the life aquatic on a Raja Ampat sailing odyssey
The mind boggles at the paradise-like promise of Raja Ampat, the dizzyingly biodiverse, hypercolour-hued archipelago at the heart of the “Coral Triangle” within Indonesia’s West Papua province. Boarding your sleek, privately chartered traditional Indonesian phinisi yacht will help allay any overwhelm.
High-end adventure specialists Pelorus can organise a bespoke “treasure hunt” island adventure, where hand-drawn maps and carefully crafted clues can unveil everything from a treasure chest brimming with champagne (preceding a private dinner on a castaway beach) to a surprise engagement ring.
While hunts can be pulled together “quite quickly” (ideal lead time of around three months) says Gayle Patterson, Pelorus’s director of yachting, “the most popular yachts, including LAMIMA” – a luxury vessel carrying 14 guests, boasting spa, two dive masters and a range of “water toys” – “book up well in advance”.
November to April is peak season for snorkelling and diving to gawp at whale sharks, pygmy seahorses and manta rays; Patterson recommends planning for November 2024 onwards “soon”. Guided hikes, visits to limestone islands and rarely accessed traditional Papuan villages round out this dreamy life aquatic.
Soak up the colours of India at Holi
It’s hard to think of a more vibrant, joyful way to welcome spring than Holi. While celebrations in India’s south “tend to focus on religion and temple rituals”, in the north “it is more of a party where revellers sing, dance and throw colours,” says Sarah Hoyland, director at the Classic Safari Company, which also offers Journeys for Women (including in India). If you plan on joining the party anywhere in Rajasthan’s “Golden Triangle”, you should book well in advance to secure accommodation.
Hoyland likes to celebrate Holi in Jaipur at Narain Niwas Palace, where staff provide white pyjama-like kurtas ready for colour-splashing, with a “cracking” DJ to boot. Rajmahal Palace RAAS, a musk-pink 19th century royal dwelling in Jaipur, is an opulent accommodation option for post-party wind-downs.
After the “deep cultural immersion” of Holi, options abound: from wildlife spotting in Ranthambore, to Agra and the Taj Mahal, or riding camels in the Thar Desert outside Pushkar. Fly or drive (about 3½ from Jaipur) to the intimate Sujan Sher Bagh white-tented camp and go exploring among Mughal ruins and ancient forts while tracking tigers, before soothing spa treatments and lamp-lit, star-ceilinged dinners. Packing-wise? “You must travel with a sense of adventure and openness,” advises Hoyland. “India is colourful but chaotic!”
Delve into Egypt’s bountiful riches
Egypt’s mythical pull grows stronger, with visitor numbers soaring – and, “of course, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is on everyone’s bucket list!”, says Classic Safari Company travel designer Iman Muldoon. The antiquities behemoth is tantalisingly close to completion, and visitors can now get a glimpse, thanks to a limited trial visits program. You’ll need a paid advance reservation, bringing your QR-coded trial visit ticket, in order to access the GEM’s premises, says Muldoon. While access is currently limited to the Grand Hall, commercial area and exterior gardens; “we’re watching and waiting… the whole world is!”.
With so many bucket-list sights in one destination, planning is essential; and guides and drivers recommended. “The staple stops are Cairo, Aswan and Luxor with Alexandria, Abu Simbel and Siwa [a lush, isolated oasis near the Libyan border] all absolutely worthwhile if you have the time,” says Muldoon. A 40-minute morning flight to Abu Simbel from Aswan will have you marvelling at the soaring statues of Rameses II and back for an afternoon aboard a felucca or shopping the bazaar, suggests Muldoon, rather than the full-day road-trip.
Sailing-wise, an intimate (six-suite) dahabiya like the soul-soothing Sanctuary Zein Nile Chateau can access areas of the Nile the larger vessels cannot, offering exclusivity and a la carte itineraries; consider booking “up to twelve months in advance,” Muldoon suggests.
