Country Walkers

Highlights

• Wander the majestic grounds of 18th-century Villa del Balbianello, a mixture of luxurious palms, classical statues, and dramatic arches covered in ivy.
• On Lake Maggiore—the setting for Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms—stop by a local shop on Isola dei Pescatori (“Fishermen’s Island”) to chat about the catch of the day.
• Sample the delicate and robust vintages of the region during a wine tasting in a 16th-century wine bar located in Orta San Giulio.

Highlights

• Climb thickly forested hills to discover rare mountain gorillas in their native habitat
• Scan the forest canopy for monkeys and birds as you sip sundowners on your panoramic deck
• Stride through the rainforest on a guided walk, surrounded by birds, butterflies, and exuberant tropical vegetation
• Learn about local health care, sustainable development, or Batwa Pygmy traditions during a visit to a nearby village

Highlights

• Stroll through a bucolic landscape of plowed fields, pastureland, forests, and grassy paths straight out of a fairytale.
• Stay in quaint country inns and converted manors brimming with English charm and surrounded by beautiful gardens.
• Connect with locals and soak up the ambiance in historic pubs.
• Visit the beautifully preserved Sudeley Castle and gardens, where King Henry VIII’s sixth wife, Queen Katherine Parr, is buried.

Highlights

• Near the basalt sea columns of Vík, enjoy a memorable walk along the headlands above Reynisfjall cliffs, spotting puffins and kittiwakes.
• Discover many of Iceland’s traditions on your visit to a folk museum in Skogar complete with old turf farmhouses and antique fishing boats.
• Learn about the fascinating and distinctive Icelandic horse when you visit a farming family near Hella, who takes you through their stables to show you the unique gaits of these pony-sized creatures.

Highlights

• In Velika Planina—a massive mountainside pastureland favored by shepherds for centuries—stop by a local herder’s pine-shingle hut to sample cheeses made from her flock’s milk.
• Board a traditional pletna boat, and glide across beautiful Lake Bled to the iconic island at its heart, where a 10th-century church is rumored to contain a steeple bell that grants wishes.
• Walk the otherworldly landscape of Secôvlje Salina Nature Park, home to some of the last traditional salt flats in the Mediterranean region, where workers still use centuries-old techniques to harvest the mineral.

Highlights

• With your knowledgeable guides, explore the royal city of Angkor Thom, a complex of towering temples and intricately carved terraces created by the “god-king” Jayavarman around AD 800.
• Delight in the humorous, musical, and magical performance of the Thang Long Water Puppets, an art whose origins date back to the 11th century.
• Participate in a joyful Lao Baci ceremony, a transcendent ritual meant to “call the soul” and used to mark important occasions in a person’s life.

Highlights

• With a knowledgeable guide, follow trails along the rim of Victoria Falls.
• Get closer than you ever imagined possible to wild elephants inside a lodge’s innovative underground “look-up” blind.
• Walk through conserved farmland into a remote village, where you’ll stop by a school, assist locals with work in the fields, and visit the home of the headman for some compelling conversation.
• Discover the fascinating history of Africa’s Cape-to-Cairo rail line as you ride along a stretch of it through Hwange’s backcountry.

Highlights

• Enjoy daily wine tastings, including an indulgent sampling of Benziger Family Winery’s vintages paired with a tour of their vineyards.
• Stay in the charming Gaige House, a boutique hotel in the heart of Sonoma, which boasts fireside public rooms, tranquil gardens, and easy access to wineries and hiking trails.
• Savor a picnic basket of local specialties at Buena Vista Winery, the oldest vineyard in the entire region.
• Explore Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, a beautiful landscape of oak and redwood chaparral laced by burbling creeks.