M O D E S O F T R A V E L / G U I D E D H O L I D AY S
Five fabulous food-filled days in Tokyo.
What’s your travel style?
The perfect guided gastro tour.
Forget everything you thought you knew about guided holidays because tours have transformed. A revolution of sorts, modern touring offers something to suit everyone. With so many great reasons to choose a guided holiday, here are six we go nuts for.
Incredible access, unique opportunities These sorts of offerings you can’t find without a guide.
Cosmos. Witness the 5km face of Alaska’s Mears Glacier. Trafalgar. Get on the guest list for a private dinner at the Vatican. Globus. VIP access to the Vatican Museums and the Eiffel Tower so you needn’t wait in long lines. Back-Roads. Maximum 14-18 guests, savour lunch at Rick Stein’s signature ‘The Seafood Restaurant’ in the UK. Contiki. For 18 to 35-year-olds, party on an island-hopping yacht in Turkey. Topdeck. For 18 to 39-year olds, visit a wacky abandoned jail in Estonia.
1 | I want a totally unique travel experience. TA K E O N E LO O K at the extensive itineraries offered by tour companies and the list of activities reads like a Lonely Planet best-seller. There’s always a strong emphasis on making your holiday both varied and memorable. You could go exploring abandoned jails in Estonia, or come face-to-face with the threemile stretch of Alaska’s Mears Glacier. On another route, you might stay the night in a French château, or camp out in the Thai jungle, cruise Halong Bay or take a Mafia themed walking tour around Palermo. For those who tire of the well-trampled tourist haunts, guided holidays go above and beyond to ensure you have experiences that few others can achieve, such as skip the line privileges at the Vatican’s papal conclave, VIP entry to the Eiffel Tower and visits to the very estate where The Sound of Music was filmed. You’ll have a holiday which focuses on local insight, whether that’s dining in a small Italian trattoria or sipping at bouillabaisse made by the descendants of French nobility — in their 17th-century farmhouse no less. Your experience can be as luxe or as lowkey as you wish, from wine tasting in the bellows of a French cave, to lunch at Rick Stein’s ‘The Seafood Restaurant’. Basically, if you can imagine it, then you can probably do it.
Pantheon, Rome, Italy.
Brought to you by two Kiwi women (and the former owners of Astoria Café in Wellington), eat your way around Tokyo with a five-day foodie tour across the buzzing metropolis. Here are the highlights: ➛ Absorb the commotion at old Tsukiji food market.
2 | I like to get off-the-beaten-path.
3 | I prefer small-sized groups.
4 | I travel for the foodie experiences.
5 | I like to explore one country in depth.
6 | I want memories with my family.
Regardless of size, almost every tour company can get you off-the-beatentrack. Whether that’s staying in remote Irish castles, or riding the bamboo train in Cambodia, it’s easy to have a refreshingly different experience.
For a personalised holiday experience, consider travelling with a smaller tour group which limits its numbers. Some have a max of 14 guests, others are 18. Either way, you get to enjoy tailor-made tours with an intimate group.
You might have to forgo the belt and give into culinary pleasantries. On a guided holiday you could visit a local agritourism farm in Dubrovnik, dine in the home of a Thai family, or learn the traditional techniques behind Scottish whisky. The foodie experiences are extensive.
One country, done in depth, is a popular option for Kiwis, and while there are multiple tours covering several countries, it’s just as easy to find one which really delves into a single culture, its cuisine and history.
Just imagine the kids’ smiles while water rafting in Croatia, or gelato tasting in Rome! Certain itineraries are created solely for families with choices broken down into categories such as active, wildlife and teenager. You will join forces with 3-5 likeminded families. ■
Let’s find the perfect holiday for you! Come in-store, call 0800 713 715 or visit houseoftravel.co.nz.
➛ Dine at a top sushi restaurant in Ginza. ➛ Peruse the fascinating food hall at Isetan department store. ➛ Gorge on the city’s best tempura in Shinjuku. ➛ Learn about the preparation of Japanese tea. Add this tasty tour to your Japanese agenda.
