ESCORTED TOURS HOMESTAYS DESTINATIONS


get off the tourist trail and discovering how the locals live without the crowds. “Homestays are a great way


to experience rural parts of a country and learn about local life away from the cities,” says Pawlyn at Intrepid Travel. Two of the operator’s most popular homestays are in fittingly remote locations: Zululand in South Africa and the Kerala Backwaters in India. “Staying in villages reduces


travel time to and from more traditional tourist towns, allowing clients to experience how the locals live in the destination they are visiting,” says Chris Ellis, product manager for Asia at Explore. “The villagers will speak basic English but are keen to learn and practise. And with tour leaders on hand, clients will be able to exchange stories and learn about their way of life.” Trafalgar offers a similarly


Guests spend a night on a farm in Rotorua with semi-retired sheepshearer Norm and his wife Judi


off-the-beaten-track experience as part of its 18-day Best of New Zealand itinerary, during which guests spend a night on a farm in Rotorua with Norm and Judi Fleming, a semi-retired sheepshearer and his wife, who now manage 50 acres and some cattle and sheep. Eating together and getting to know each other is also integral to the experience: Norm and Judi will prepare guests a home-cooked feast, before inviting them to gather around the log-burner in the


ABOVE: Intrepid homestay, Malaysia


10 November 2016 travelweekly.co.uk 45


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