Unusual vacations overview
By their very nature, all vacations are meant to be unusual, prompted by a desire to seek out ‘the other’. We get that. We also get that staying in a cave in Andalucia might be a dream come true for one person, but hell on earth for another, for whom a week in the Arctic watching polar bears is breaking the humdrum with a bang. With a collection of vacations that can make the impossible possible, we aim to tap into the ‘other’ that you, not the trendsetters, have been seeking. Learn more in our unusual vacations travel guide.
Our top Unusual vacations
Western Mongolia tour, the Altai mountains & eagles
From
US $2475 to US $3215
13 days
ex flights
Culture and adventure in the landscapes of western Mongolia
Small group2021: 11 Sep, 25 Sep, 2022: 10 Sep, 24 Sep
Amsterdam to Bruges bike and barge vacation
From
US $1549 to US $1679
8 days
ex flights
Bike and barge from Amsterdam to beautiful Bruges
Small group
Kayaking vacation in Indonesia, Komodo Dragon tour
From
£2295
10 days
ex flights
Sea kayaking to some of the most remote beaches on earth
Small group2021: 7 Aug, 16 Aug, 11 Sep, 20 Sep, 2 Oct, 11 Oct, 20 Oct, 31 Oct, 10 Nov
Why go on an unusual vacation?
In France, they use the word ‘insolite’ to describe an unusual vacation, which sounds a bit like insolent: rebelling against the norm. We think unusual vacations should be about venturing outside your comfort zone (even if it’s just a small step to begin with) and learning what’s possible beyond the all-inclusive resorts and beach or skiing vacations you may be used to. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that ‘unusual’ also means extreme. Many of the unusual vacations you’ll find on our website are perfectly family-friendly – but they do all come with a generous helping of adventure.
Unusual destinations
Our unusual vacation destinations create out-of-the-ordinary experiences in places you might not normally consider visiting – the wilderness of Mongolia, for instance, where you can stay in a yurt and learn to fight like one of Genghis Khan’s warriors. Or tiny but beautiful Montenegro, which is still relatively unknown as a European vacation destination but has mountains to hike, lakes to swim in, and rivers to raft. We help you find the needles in the haystack by tracking down unusual vacation destinations that aren’t just off the regular tourist trail, but also have their responsible travel credentials in place.
More vacation ideas
Desert island survival adventure, Panama
From
US $2450
10 days
ex flights
Learn survival skills castaway on a tropical desert island.
Small group2022: 12 Jan, 10 Feb, 23 Feb
Kerala homestay tour, India
From
£2125
16 days
inc UK flights
Stay in homestays in various destinations in Kerala
Tailor made
Cuba salsa dance vacation
From
£1560
15 days
ex flights
Learn to salsa with the pros in Santiago de Cuba, tuition, day trips and nights out
Small group2021: 1 Nov, 20 Dec
Thailand adventure vacation, self drive Tuk Tuk
From
£1395 to £1595
11 days
ex flights
A Tuk Tuk Adventure in the stunning mountains of Thailand
Small group2021: 29 Sep, 25 Oct, 13 Dec, 2022: 10 Jan, 24 Jan, 21 Feb, 14 Mar, 25 Mar, 6 Apr, 25 Apr, 9 May, 23 May, 6 Jun, 20 Jun, 4 Jul, 18 Jul, 1 Aug, 15 Aug, 29 Aug, 12 Sep, 26 Sep, 10 Oct, 24 Oct, 7 Nov, 21 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec, 2023: 2 Jan, 9 Jan, 23 Jan, 28 Jan, 9 Feb, 13 Feb, 23 Feb, 2 Mar, 9 Mar, 20 Mar, 27 Mar, 3 Apr, 18 Apr, 23 Apr, 6 May, 11 May, 22 May, 29 May
Sao Tome & Principe vacation
From
£2995
12 days
inc UK flights
A wonderful break on the tropical isles, Sao Tome & Principe
Tailor made
East Sussex cabin B&B, South Downs, England
From
£65 to £90
per couple per night
Unusual B&B near Lewes, South Downs for plant-based diets
Accommodation
More about Unusual vacations
Unusual family-friendly vacations
Unusual family-friendly vacations begin at home, when you gather the brood around the computer to see whose eyes light up at where, and what, and start making notes. Whatever you end up doing – watersports, walking or winter wilderness – we recommend going with a travel company that really gets family requirements, and will bend over backwards to ensure everyone from big to little has the time of their life. Our unusual family vacation experts are happy to share their knowledge about traveling in China, kayaking in Croatia, or hiking with a mule in the French Alps.
Unusual places to stay
We love showing off unusual places to stay. That’s not only because they spark the imagination, but because they’re run by people with deep connections to their local environment and culture, and who are keen to protect both. There are treehouses and yurts, houseboats and ice hotels, and welcoming homestays from Kerala to Costa Rica. As more people take an interest in finding unusual places to stay on vacation, growing numbers of accommodations rise up to meet them. The places we work with emphasise sustainability throughout your stay – not as a ‘greenwash’, but because they believe in it.
[Why go on an unusual vacation?: Mario Micklisch]
[Unusual destinations: Pioneer Expeditions]
[Unusual family-friendly vacations: Jerome Bon]
[Unusual places to stay: Greenland Travel]
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