Culture Holidays in the Middle East

I’ve wanted to visit Japan for many years, and this more than lived up to expectations. There were times that I felt overwhelmed (Tokyo), and times that I was walking in the woods. A nice mix of free time and structured tours.

Mary MacGregor Ancient & Modern Japan

This action-packed cultural trip ticked every box imaginable for me. We saw incredible wildlife including leopards, water buffaloes and caimans on game drives in Yala National Park. We got the chance to taste the famous tea in lush tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya and find out more about the process from leaf to cup. The group also got to see fire-dancing performances in Kandy one evening, which gave us a real insight into the country’s fascinating customs and traditions. The hotels on this trip are also incredible – we were lucky enough to have unobstructed views of Sigiriya Rock from Hotel Sigiriya and breathtaking sunset views overlooking the lush islands in Giritale. The last hotel, Hotel Cinnamon Red, also had a brilliant affinity pool – taking in the skyscrappers of Colombo! For the adventurous, this itinerary doesn’t disappoint either as you can go on whitewater rafting excursions, rural cycling trips and whale watching (in season). Visits to colourful temples, fresh fruit markets and the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home were other cultural pitstops that gave you a real flavour of what the country was like. Once I arrived home, I wanted to do it all over again. It was an incredible trip with a great group of people that I’ll treasure forever.

Kristen Whitla Discover Sri Lanka

A tour that covers a lot of the south of Tirana. Lovely, mountain scenery, some delightful towns, (some not so pretty). The days were full and varied, we learnt about Albania’s history, met welcoming locals and swam in the warm Ionian sea. And we ate Very well! Great food for veggies.

Catherine D Highlights of Albania