Iceland
Glacier walks on Sólheimajökull, ice caves in winter and hikes to waterfalls along the south coast.
Glaciers, trails, volcanoes and ice, with a comfortable bed at the end of the day and a guide who knows the ground
Adventure
Adventure, planned properly
Adventure here means active days in wild places, not roughing it. You might hike the W Trek in Torres del Paine, walk on a glacier in Iceland or kayak among icebergs in Antarctica, and still sleep well and eat well each night.
We match the level of effort to you. Some trips are a few good walks between long lunches. Others are full days on the trail. We will be honest about how fit you need to be, and where the weather can change the plan.
What this means with us
It means using experienced local guides for anything on ice, water or high ground, and choosing lodges that sit close to the trails so you are not spending hours in a vehicle. On expedition ships, it means choosing a small ship that lands guests often.
It also means building in slack. Mountain weather, sea conditions and ice all change, so we leave a spare day where it matters and keep the plan flexible.
Where it works best
Our shortlist, and the reason each one earns its place.
New Zealand
Great Walks such as the Milford Track, and jet boats, rafting and heli-hiking around Queenstown.
Chile
The W Trek in Torres del Paine, and high-altitude salt flats and geysers in the Atacama Desert.
Argentina
Trekking beneath Fitz Roy from El Chaltén, and walking on the Perito Moreno glacier near El Calafate.
Galapagos
Snorkelling with sea lions and marine iguanas from a small expedition yacht, island to island.
Antarctica
Zodiac landings at penguin colonies on the Antarctic Peninsula, with kayaking and camping on some ships.
Svalbard
Ship-based expeditions along the ice edge in search of polar bears and walrus under the midnight sun.
Costa Rica
Cloud forest walks in Monteverde, hanging bridges near Arenal volcano and whitewater on the Pacuare River.
Namibia
Climbing the red dunes of Sossusvlei at dawn, and tracking rhino on foot in Damaraland.
Adventure journeys
Sample routes to start from. Every one can be changed.
Antarctic Peninsula by small expedition ship: 13 nights
A night in Buenos Aires and one in Ushuaia, then 11 nights on a small expedition ship across the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula, with Zodiac landings among penguin colonies and cruises through the ice.
Around Spitsbergen: a nine-night Arctic voyage for polar bears
A night in Oslo and one in Longyearbyen, then nine nights on an expedition ship circling Spitsbergen in the midnight sun, looking for polar bears along the pack ice, walrus on the beaches and seabird cliffs in Hinlopen Strait.
Costa Rica with children: volcano, cloud forest and Pacific coast
Ten nights for active families: hot springs and hanging bridges below Arenal Volcano, night walks and ziplines in the Monteverde cloud forest, then four nights on a Pacific beach in Guanacaste with a private driver between each stop.
Places to stay that suit it
&Beyond Chobe Under Canvas
Five canvas tents at a semi-permanent site in northern Chobe, with no electricity, bucket showers, and the elephant herds of the Chobe River close by.
COMO Maalifushi
A calm, well-run island in the remote south with surf breaks, a strong COMO Shambhala spa and an all-inclusive plan that keeps the bill in check.
Denis Private Island
A flat island on the edge of the Seychelles plateau: 23 beach cottages, a farm, an airstrip, and no mobile signal or in-room internet.
Hondius
Oceanwide's 170-guest Polar Class 6 ship, an informal and well-run way to look for polar bears on the Svalbard sea ice.
Jabali Ridge
Eight suites among granite boulders above a baobab forest in Ruaha, with a private guide and vehicle for every booking.
Jack's Camp
A 1940s-style tented camp on the edge of the Makgadikgadi salt pans, for meerkats, zebra migration and nights out on the crust.
Questions about adventure
How fit do we need to be?
It depends on the trip, and we will be specific. Most of what we plan needs a reasonable level of fitness: comfortable walking for several hours on uneven ground. Multi-day treks such as the W Trek, or high-altitude days in the Andes, need more. If you are unsure, tell us what you do at home and we will suggest a trip that is challenging but enjoyable.
Is altitude a problem in the Andes?
It can be. Places such as Cusco and the Atacama sit high enough that many people feel the altitude for a day or two. We plan gentle first days and build up gradually, and stay lower where we can. Check the TravelHealthPro page for your destination and speak to your GP before you travel if you have any health concerns.
What happens if the weather changes the plan?
In the mountains, on the ice and at sea, it often does. Guides and expedition leaders make the call on safety, and they will switch to a different route, landing or activity when they need to. We build spare time into the itinerary where it matters most, so a lost day does not mean missing the thing you came for.
Plan your adventure
Tell us who is travelling and roughly when. A specialist will reply with places that fit and a price.