Adventure vacations

At Responsible Travel, we have so many extraordinary adventure vacations on offer it is hard to know where to start. But let us tell you a few of our lesser-known secrets: in-depth tours of Japan that follow the footsteps of the Shogun, overland adventure along the Silk Road, husky safaris in the north of Finland, kayaking around Canada’s Vancouver Island, and exploring the heartland of Turkey in Central Anatolia. All our adventures endeavour to bring you closer to the nature and communities you visit – whether through local guides, family-run hotels, or fuelling your expedition with picnics sourced from tiny town markets.

Our wilderness adventure vacations get you closer to nature. By definition these trips are in places with very little tourism infrastructure, so don’t expect to sleep in a boutique hotel. Wilderness vacations take you to the likes of the Yunnan Province in China, the Khangai Mountains of Mongolia, or the Maliau Basin of Borneo. In Africa, there’s the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco and in northern Europe, the Wild Taiga in Finland. It’s a damaging myth that wilderness is untouched. Many have been shaped by Indigenous and nomadic peoples into the landscapes you see today. Our trips don’t just travel in a way that is mindful of the environment, but seek out ways to actively provide benefit to these communities, too.

Sea kayaking travelers will always remember the first time they sat on the shore, tucked themselves into their boat and shimmied their way into the surf. It is like no other feeling. There’s a freedom that comes with being on the water that brings people back time and time again. These adventures show you countries like Croatia and Canada, Indonesia or Ireland from a whole new perspective. Kayaks rock and roll, and our kayaking vacations also rock for their commitment to protecting nature, whether that’s litter picking as you paddle, or investing in local conservation projects. Our sailing vacations, meanwhile, are a great way to connect with a country’s coastal culture, providing the perfect alternative to giant cruise liners that now dominate many precious seascapes.

Just like their myriad marine life, scuba diving vacations come in all shapes and sizes. Sardinia is limestone littoral loveliness, with caves and cliffs galore. Thailand and Belize have brilliant diving all year round, and both are top destinations to go on our marine conservation vacations. The Red Sea is particularly good for families, and Greece is always gorgeous. Our vacations don’t just show you the reefs, but show you how you can protect them too – by participating in research projects, uploading your sightings, clearing the ocean of plastic as you dive, and visiting and supporting coral restoration projects.

First things first: you do not have to be an expert in all things equestrian to go on a horse riding vacation. Most cater for beginners, people who haven’t been in the saddle for years, as well as regular devotees. Trekking across landscapes such as Chianti, Catalonia or Cuba is a thing of dreams. Mongolia, Morocco and Montenegro are otherworldly. Just check with us what experience is required first and then we’ll let you take the reins. Our equine adventures are often a great, low-impact way to see wildlife, which is more habituated to horses than people on foot. Our vacations also endeavour to use local businesses where possible – whether for sourcing stables and steeds, or food for impromptu paddock picnics.