Time is so precious. Each news bulletin brings more horror stories. Lives cut short, lives destroyed. Our time on this miraculous planet is fleeting – here today, gone tomorrow. Meanwhile, if we’re fortunate, and determined, we may get to walk in wonder and experience much of Mother Earth’s greatness. Don’t let your bucket list be a list of unattainable dreams. Make that list your reality.
RWANDA / UGANDA: WALK WITH THE APES OF EAST AFRICA
What will it feel like to look back 10 million years? To traverse dense jungle in search of our closest ancestors. How will you feel once sitting within feet of the great apes as they peer back at you? Many say it is life changing.
Touchdown in the Rwandan capital of Kigali and explore the bustling city before embarking on a trek in search of Virunga’s gorilla families. The next day is spent finding the ever-elusive golden monkeys before a short flight into Uganda to trek the mountain gorillas of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
A well-deserved massage is on the itinerary at your luxurious lodgings after your jungle journey. But this incredible adventure continues when travelling north to find the Inshasha tree-climbing lions before completing your quota of apes with a day spent chimpanzee trekking through the Kyambura Gorge.
Nine nights but more wildlife than you can count. Lace up your hiking boots and come face to face with our roots.
From £9,000 per person (nine nights)
GOING WILD IN WEST TEXAS: A PRIVATE RANCH ROAD TRIP
With unprecedented access to private ranches and encounters with biologists, archaeologists, and astronomers, this West Texas road trip offers a chance to unplug, and experience the solitude of this beguiling region
Embark on a Lone Star State adventure behind the wheel of a luxury car, shattering Texas stereotypes beyond BBQ, music, and rugged landscapes. Begin in El Paso, journey to Marfa's contemporary art and enigmatic Marfa Lights, and race to the Chinati Mountains' foothills. At the expansive Cibolo Creek Ranch, founded by cattle baron Milton Faver, you'll explore 12,000 hectares on horseback, mountain bike, or ATV.
Sleep beneath the starry Big Bend National Park sky during a canyons of the Rio Grande river trip, unwind at the upscale Chalk Draw Ranch in the Santiago Mountains, and discover Bee Cave Canyon, the region's largest prehistoric rock shelter.
With plenty of hiking, swimming and animal-sighting opportunities afoot, this is the kind of journey that satisfies mind, body... and that insatiable need for speed.
From £4,800 per person (Nine nights)
GIVE IN TO ROMANCE ON A PRIVATE SAIL YACHT
Treat your loved one to the most romantic voyage onboard the intimate ALEXA, an Indonesian sailing yacht, a unique vessel that preserves the Phinisi boat tradition. Once a cargo ship, it's been transformed into a luxurious intimate one-cabin sailboat, perfect for couples.
Embark on a voyage to Indonesia's undiscovered archipelago, where marine life thrives, coral reefs remain untouched, and countless islands and beaches await. Witness centuries-old tribal cultures, explore land and sea, seek antiques, encounter whales, and observe Komodo dragons. Be the first to step onto remote pink-sand beaches and join ancient ceremonies aboard your private Indonesian yacht.
From £5,345 per night
www.alexaprivatecruises.com
LIVE WITH THE BÜRTKITSHI OF WESTERN MONGOLIA
In the remote corners of the Bayan-Olgii region, the Kazakh nomads follow in the footsteps of their ancestors on the plateau. Goats roam freely, gers (a Mongolian yurt) are assembled and disassembled, milk is shared, eagles take flight, and communities migrate to fresh pastures. This community remains one of the most secluded in the world.
According to local legend, as a man trains the eagle, the eagle, in turn, trains the man. During this journey, you'll immerse yourself in this legend, discovering both the challenges and the joys of this way of life. The pinnacle of your experience awaits when you embark on the ascent of the Altai Mountains themselves. Here, your knowledgeable Great Eagle Hunter host, who also serves as your guide, will reveal how the community sustains itself. You'll truly become deeply integrated into this unique way of life.
Open your eyes and your heart to step into an ancient tradition that is not only surviving but also thriving and soaring, just as the eagles do.
From £5,450 per person (Seven nights)
