DESTINATIONS ESCORTED TOURS | SPECIAL INTEREST
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Stand-up paddleboarding yoga in Costa Rica; kayaking off the Isle of Skye; Dresden opera house, Germany; volunteering in Ecuador PICTURES: Shutterstock; G Adventures
for yoga in national parks and mantras on black-sand beaches; and Costa Rica, where travellers can try stand- up paddleboard yoga on Lake Arenal and volcanic mud
treatments in the Rincón de la Vieja National Park. Book it: G Adventures’ eight-day Wellness Costa Rica tour starts at £1,124 including accommodation, activities and some meals.
gadventures.co.uk
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Kirker is an established player in the cultural touring market, but also specialises in itineraries with a classical music focus. Alongside its own music festival, it creates itineraries around other events, including Glyndebourne, Lucca’s Puccini Opera Festival and Germany’s Schubertiade. There are also trips that combine cultural sightseeing with musical performances, such as Kirker’s Opera & Art in Dresden itinerary, which includes performances of La Boheme and Il Barbieri di Siviglia in the city’s imposing opera house, plus guided walking tours, museum visits
and wine tasting at a Saxon castle. Book it: Kirker’s five-night Opera & Art in Dresden, departing April 22, 2020, starts at £2,272, including flights, accommodation, some meals, opera tickets, sightseeing and guiding.
kirkerholidays.com
48 8 AUGUST 2019
ACTIVE TOURING
Hiking and cycling tours are fairly standard stuff these days, but there are more-niche activities out there. For those who want to improve their map reading, Ramblers Walking Holidays has three and four-night Navigation and Hill Skills breaks in the Lake District, packed with practical instruction. KE Adventure Travel offers climbing itineraries in the Alps and farther afield, with options for beginner mountaineers right up to experts. Wilderness Scotland runs trips exploring the coastline by kayak and rivers by open canoe, again with trips for all experience levels. For horse enthusiasts, try Equestrian Escapes and In The Saddle – the latter has options ranging from trail riding and ranch holidays to horse riding safaris and learn-to-play polo experiences.
VOLUNTEERING Voluntourism was once the province of the gap year, but now clients don’t need six months to spare to lend a helping hand while on their holiday. Contiki’s Me to We trips include working with a charity on sustainable development projects, as well as enjoying more traditional touring activities.
In Ecuador, guests venture into the Amazon not just to explore the rainforest and spot wildlife, but also to spend a day working with the local community on whatever project is most pressing – perhaps building a new classroom. Boat trips, nature walks and a shamanic ceremony
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travelweekly.co.uk
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