VBT Bicycling Vacations and Country Walkers have launched the Discovery Collection, small group walking tours designed for travelers looking for a cultural experience at a relaxed pace.
The collection, comprised of five itineraries, will debut in Egypt, Australia, India, Patagonia and Colombia next year. Itineraries prioritize a slower pace and built-in free time for guests, as well as more local experiences and local tour leaders.
“Discovery tours are designed to go deeper,” said VBT travel designer Kevin Wilks. “The more relaxed pace and built-in free time allows guests to truly explore, connect and enjoy cultural experiences not possible on faster-moving bike tours or walking tours. True travel happens when you engage with everyday life. Interacting with the community allows guests to experience culture first-hand by truly living it, rather than from behind a bus window.”
The 11-day Egypt tour includes a three-day Nile cruise on a private Dahabiya boat, a private cooking lesson in Cairo, a sunrise visit to the Karnak Temple, and tea with the family along the Nile. Pricing starts at $7,595.
Tours of Australia start at $8,995 and combine Australia’s rainforests, reefs and outback in a 10-day itinerary. The operator advertises the trip as a “rare gem”, which includes an Aboriginal guide, snorkeling on the Outer Great Barrier Reef and wine tasting in the Blue Mountains.
The 14-day itinerary in India includes a cruise on Lake Pichola, a camel cart ride through the Thar Desert and a visit to Jaipur. Another highlight is exploring Moonlit Square, one of Delhi’s oldest markets. Visit to the Bhil tribe; Start your leopard safari. Pricing starts at $6,095.
In Colombia, an eight-day tour of Medellin and the Cocora Valley takes travelers into Colombia’s coffee country and coast. Itineraries start at $4,995 and include visits to Bogota and Cartagena. Highlights include planting palm trees in an endangered cloud forest, enjoying traditional foods like ajiaco (chicken and potato soup), and visiting Pescador de Letras, a non-profit organization that benefits children in fishing villages.
The Patagonia tour lasts 11 days through Argentina and Chile, starting in Buenos Aires and ending in Santiago. Travelers will take a boat through the Tigre Delta, ride horses next to gauchos, and see the Perito Moreno Glacier. Journeys start at $7,695.
