Beyond the flavours lie landscapes almost too dramatic to believe. The Urubamba Valley softens your climb into altitude with ruins, rivers and salt terraces glowing pink. Nights at Sol y Luna come with garden views and the warmest Andean hospitality, plus the feel-good factor of supporting local schools. And then: Machu Picchu. Take the Vistadome train (think Glacier Express with llamas), then a bus zigzags you up. You might have seen pictures. Even the crowd. But nothing prepares you for stepping through the Sun Gate on a misty sunrise. The lost city greets you not as a ruin, but as something alive. 

“Shakti” means divine feminine power in Sanskrit – a name that suits journeys designed to restore. Here, paths older than memory lead to cliffside temples and forgotten trade routes. Peaks are not just stone, they are guardians and storytellers. Walk them slowly, and you begin to feel the Himalaya not just high, but holy.

Nowhere else feels quite so alive. Lemurs leap through emerald forests, their golden eyes full of curiosity. Tiny chameleons balance on the edge of a leaf, shifting colours like thoughts. In hidden coves, turtles nest beneath moonlight, while in the open sea, whale sharks drift slowly past the reef. Every sound reminds you this island breathes on its own rhythm.

Eighteen ethnic groups, one island spirit. In Madagascar, people celebrate life through dance, song, and flavours steeped in spice. The cuisine blends French touches with tropical freshness – coconut, ginger, and a hint of pepper. Locals switch easily between Malagasy, French, and regional dialects, a sign of connection rather than difference. Fly in via Addis Ababa or head for Nosy Be – your gateway to this world apart.

Before penguins, there’s Patagonia. Your journey begins in Chile’s far south, Punta Arenas. At the Explorers House, a warm briefing sets the scene before boarding a private flight across the Drake Passage – that swaps three days of rocking seas for two hours in the sky. Land on King George Island in the South Shetlands, and find yourself surrounded by international research stations. Waiting offshore is your ride – part ship, part basecamp, built for slipping between ice and adventure. The Magellan Explorer or Ocean Nova, with fewer than 80 guests, they feel more like private yachts than cruise liners.

Penguins run the show, their colonies tens of thousands strong, like cities in black and white. Adélie and Chinstrap penguins carry more attitude than feathers, while Gentoos hit 36 km/h underwater. On the ice, leopard seals prowl like bouncers, and crabeater seals – misnamed, since they feed on krill – sprawl in the snow. Out at sea, humpbacks breach for attention while orcas glide like ghosts. Above it all, albatrosses ride the wind with wingspans wider than your car. Down here, we’re the visitors, moving carefully through their world.

Just one valley over from Zermatt, it feels like Switzerland’s best-kept secret: less crowded, more serene. Adventure is optional, yet impossible to resist: a hike to hidden lakes, a gondola ride into July snow, or a mountain lunch of cheese, herbs, and warm bread. This is summer at altitude: cool, fresh, alive. 

To sit quietly as a marmot lets you stroke its back is a once-in-a-lifetime moment: simple, pure, unforgettable. It’s a reminder that in these mountains, wonder comes not only from the glaciers above, but from the smallest encounters right at your feet.

At the heart of Raja Ampat lies the Dampier Strait, renowned as home to some of the most iconic dive sites in the world. Here, reefs burst with colour and movement: tiny fish flash like sparks, corals glow in vivid shades of pink, purple and orange, and the shadows of larger creatures drift in and out of view. At Cape Kri, scientists once recorded more species in a single dive than anywhere else on the planet, a record that still feels believable the moment you descend.

Beyond its reefs and islands, Papuan traditions pulse with the tides. Villages such as Arborek, Sawinggrai, Yenbuba, and Saporkren reveal the warmth of daily island life. Children run to greet, shared smiles with fishermen mending nets or families weaving baskets from pandan leaves. Legend says Raja Ampat means Four Kings, after the mythical rulers of its four main islands: Waigeo, Salawati, Batanta and Misool. These names are more than points on a map – they are living parts of a story that still shapes community and culture today.

Wedged between two mountains, the walled city of Kotor’s warren-like streets are full of cafes, courtyards and churches begging to be explored. Let us be your guide.

The Tara River canyon, a deep inverted triangle in the mountains, is Europe’s largest. Get your adrenaline pumping by going white-water rafting on the turquoise river.

The nation is one of Europe’s smallest countries i, less than one third the size of Switzerland. That means you can easily discover everything the Balkan nation has to offer, whether you’re based along the coast or in the capital, Podgorica. What’s more, getting around isn’t difficult. Public transport is reliable, and a great way to meet locals, while a car allows you to reach more remote places: we can arrange for a driver to chauffeur you around the country.