“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles”, said renowned travel writer Tim Cahill, and we couldn’t agree more.
You could say the best thing to pack for your journey is a friend! Someone to share the excitement of arriving in a new country, to savour a delicious meal with, or to help solve the problems of the world on a long road trip. Good company goes a long way in foreign lands where there can be a language barrier, turning little glitches in proceedings into a source of amusement rather than annoyance. Travelling with company is about sharing the thrill of discovery and creating memories that can be shared for years to come.
But let’s take the rose-tinted sunglasses off for a moment and admit that travelling with a spouse can be the true test of a relationship – life on the road is very different to life at home! That’s where travelling in a small group comes in handy. There is time shared with your loved one, but there is also the chance to take time out to get to know other like-minded travellers. Every person brings something to the mix – there may be a keen photographer in the group who can give you some tips, or an epic shopper who masters haggling in the markets.
Strong friendships are often forged on our small group journeys, with these groups of new friends often going on to travel together again and again. It is not only couples who find this happens, many single people join a group tour to enjoy the good company and camaraderie, and again often form lifelong friendships as a result. Travelling in a small group with a host makes some of the world’s most exciting, challenging and exotic countries all the more achievable. With a maximum group size of 18, you can get to know everyone, you can stay in some of the more interesting small boutique hotels, and you don’t have to be herded around with a loud-speaker!
Travelling in a small group with a host makes some of the world’s most exciting, challenging and exotic countries all the more achievable.
Among our new destinations for 2017 is Madagascar, an emerging new travel hot spot with much to offer the traveller keen on wildlife and traditional cultures. You will be guaranteed a warm welcome from the friendly locals who are an eclectic mix of Indonesian, French, Arab and African descent. But of course the quirky and charming lemurs are the star of the show!
There is nowhere else like Cuba! And now is the time to go – we have three departures scheduled for 2017, visiting the historic cities of Havana and Santiago plus the colonial gems of Trinidad and Camaguey. A real treat is to dine in local paladares, enjoy a fun salsa lesson, taste the local rum and explore Havana in a classic 1950’s car.
Flights from New Zealand are included, as is tipping, which is handled by the host, but most of all, we find our travellers value the conviviality of group travel. Travel is all about exploring new horizons, but it’s also about sharing the experience, and that’s the beauty of travelling with a group.
