)
Once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences: Make Parisian pastries, meet Japanese pearl divers, and more
From culinary excursions to educational experiences, check out some of the signature cultural moments worth booking on your next Go Ahead tour.
When you think of a great trip, it’s not just about the destination—it’s the experiences that you remember after you’re home. The best tours go beyond sightseeing; they immerse you in local traditions and create stories you’ll share for years. From an eye-opening sumo wrestling demo on a Japan tour to a delicious pastry-making workshop on a trip to Paris, the best travel experiences can teach you something new, which is one of the great joys of travel. Ready to take your next trip with us to new heights? Read on for our top bucket list travel experiences.
Cultural travel experiences to have on tour
Visit a Maori village in New Zealand
Our New Zealand tours showcase inspiring natural landscapes, from towering Alpine peaks to crystalline lakes, as well as cultural travel experiences that enhance your understanding of the people who live there. One moment of cultural immersion that makes our brand-new Highlights of New Zealand: Rotorua, Milford Sound & Queenstown tour special is the opportunity to visit a traditional Maori village. This included experience kicks off in Rotorua, a geothermal destination first settled by Maori in the 14th century. It starts with a whakatau, a welcome ceremony that celebrates manaakitanga (showing respect) and whakawhanaungatanga (establishing relationships). Then, you’ll get to share in a home-cooked meal and conversation about life in the village.
Experience a sumo wrestling demo in Japan
Our A Week in Tokyo: From Mt. Fuji to Nikko tour is the perfect example of cultural immersion travel. From an authentic Japanese tea ceremony and a Yamanashi wine tasting to a visit to the Great Buddha of Kamakura, this tour offers an immersive introduction to Japan. If you want to take that immersion even further, consider booking our optional Sumo Wrestling Dinner & Demonstration excursion during your stay in Tokyo. You’ll get an in-depth look at the centuries-old traditions and techniques that define Japan’s unique national sport.
Spend time with the Maasai tribe in Kenya
A trip to Kenya is a feast for the senses. Of course, the landscape will enthrall you, and the wildlife sightings will excite you. But on our 13-day Kenya Wildlife Safari: Mount Kenya, Maasai Mara & Amboseli tour, the chance to connect with the Maasai people in one of their villages is a meaningful travel experience you won’t ever forget. During an included visit to a local boma, or Maasai homestead, you’ll join male community members in their signature adamu, or jumping dance, and tour one of their homes to learn more about their history and traditional way of life.
Take it from traveler Bonnie, who said, “The Kenya Wildlife Safari is truly a remarkable journey. I went to see the wildlife, but there was so much more to experience. It was fascinating to meet the people and learn about the culture. The visit to the Maasai village was especially eye-opening.”
Dive into different cultures on these tours
Foodie travel experiences to dig in to on tour
Taste Turrialba chocolate in Costa Rica
Our 13-day Grand Tour of Costa Rica: From the Caribbean to the Pacific is full of unique travel experiences, from a tour and tasting at a coffee plantation, to a toucan rescue center visit, to an Afro-Caribbean drum and salsa lesson. Want to go beyond those bucket list inclusions? We also offer additional travel experiences worth booking during your free time, like our optional Turrialba Chocolate Workshop & Lunch excursion, a four-hour treat for those with a sweet tooth. It takes place in the fertile Turrialba region, where experts at a family-owned farm will teach you all about how they make their chocolates, from cacao bean to bar.
Learn how to make pasta in Italy
Can you imagine a more delectable foodie travel experience than our Food & Wine: Campania, Puglia & the Amalfi Coast tour? From the included food-themed walking tour in Naples to tastings of olive oil and wine throughout the itinerary, this foodie travel tour has it all. Plus, it gets even better once you reach the Itria Valley: You’ll settle in at an agriturismo, or farm stay, where a pasta cooking class awaits. Traveler Susan said, “The wine tastings were informative and fun, as were the olive oil tasting, pasta-making class, and food tours. We really got a thorough experience, getting to know and appreciate the food and wines of Puglia and Campania.”
Make the perfect pastry in Paris
No trip to Paris is complete without an immersive foodie travel experience. Our brand-new France for Women: Paris, Loire Valley & Champagne Region tour includes a sampling of biscuit roses de Reims, a sugary, pink confection famous in Champagne, as well as a Veuve Clicquot private cellar tour and tasting. Looking for more Parisian treats? Add our optional Paris Baking Class excursion, where you’ll learn the ins and outs of the city’s vast pastry scene, and perfect your French patisserie technique. And not to worry: You’ll have the chance to nibble on what you make.
Foodies, rejoice—these tours are for you
Educational experiences included on tour
Visit an elephant sanctuary in Thailand
An educational travel experience can help transform a trip into something truly meaningful. During our A Week in Thailand: Bangkok & Krabi tour, your stay in Krabi will be made more thrilling during an included visit to the Following Giants Elephant Sanctuary. This ethical elephant sanctuary is fully an observation-only operation, and your experience there is built around learning more about how the organization creates a safe space for these gentle giants. It’ll also include a hands-on replanting activity to populate a field of vegetation for the elephants to eat in the future.
Craft beautiful ceramics in Peru
Our Ecuador & Peru: The Galapagos, Cuzco & Machu Picchu tour is jam-packed with bucket list travel experiences. On this 15-day adventure, you’ll get to experience two of the world’s most exciting destinations—Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands—and we’ve layered on educational experiences to make it a truly comprehensive tour. In the Sacred Valley, for example, you’ll head to an Urubamba tile workshop called Cerámicas Seminario to learn about traditional ceramic techniques during an included visit. You’ll meet artists Pablo Seminario and Marilú Behar, learn how to create and paint your own ceramics, and break bread with the duo over wine and cheese.
Learn about Belize’s diverse wildlife from a marine biologist
Every trip to Belize offers a unique opportunity to discover the country’s incredible natural beauty and history. On our A Week in Belize: Ruins, Reefs & Rainforests tour, that means relaxing on pristine beaches, visiting fragrant orange groves, and touring the Mayan ruins of Lamanai. But one of our favorite stops on this itinerary is Ambergris Caye, where you’ll join a marine biologist to understand the unique biodiversity of the 700-mile-long Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. Aboard a boat, you’ll learn about the conservation efforts required to preserve its ecosystem. Then, it’s off to snorkel at the Coral Gardens and Hol Chan Marine Reserve, where you’ll get to swim alongside more than 160 species of fish.
Embrace lifelong learning on these trips
Bonus once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences
Create a pearl and sea glass necklace with Japanese Ama pearl divers
On our Japan for Women: Tokyo, Ise-Shima Peninsula & Kyoto tour, you’ll spend 11 days connecting with some of the country’s most magnificent women. Whether you’re taking part in an indigo dyeing workshop or enjoying a traditional tea ceremony, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from these wonderful figures. One of the most unique travel experiences we include on this tour is meeting the Ise Region’s Ama pearl divers. Ama means “sea women” in Japanese, and they are famous for diving for and harvesting oysters in a single breath, a skill passed down through generations. You’ll get to know these extraordinary women as you visit an ama hut, explore the Osatsu Ama Culture Museum, and craft necklaces from sea glass and pearls.
Soar over the Nile River in a hot-air balloon in Egypt
How do you top our Egypt & Nile River Cruise tour, which already includes seeing some of history’s most treasured attractions? By taking a hot-air balloon ride over the Nile and the Valley of the Kings on our optional Nile River Hot-Air Balloon Ride excursion! A trip to Egypt to see the pyramids and the Sphinx is already such a special thrill, but this bird’s-eye view of this storied land is unlike anything you’ll ever experience. It’s one of our most highly recommended, must-have experiences in the Land of the Pharaohs.
“If you’re on the fence with the hot-air balloon, I HIGHLY recommend doing it,” said traveler Brittany. “It’s such a once-in-a-lifetime experience. My mom was afraid and she did it, and admits she would’ve regretted not going. It truly was the trip of a lifetime.”
Soak in the thermal waters of Iceland’s Blue Lagoon
There are so many bucket list travel experiences on a trip to Iceland. You get to see thundering waterfalls, marvel at sprawling glaciers, and, if you’re lucky, catch the northern lights. Round out those memorable experiences on our Iceland: Reykjavik & the Northern Lights tour by adding our optional Blue Lagoon Spa Visit excursion. One of Iceland’s most unique travel experiences, a visit to the Blue Lagoon can be a transformative excursion. Its mineral-rich, geothermal waters will soothe and relax you in the middle of a lava field. How cool is that?
“My seventh EF Tour to Iceland was great,” said traveler Karen. “I loved the beautiful terrain, waterfalls, food, and shopping. I also enjoyed the Blue Lagoon; it was a relaxing way to spend a day.”
Awe-inspiring moments await on these trips
How do I choose between these experiences?
Every Go Ahead tour is designed to deliver cultural immersion, educational insights, unforgettable moments, and plenty of delicious meals along the way. Picking between these unique travel experiences might be tricky (so many fantastic options!), so prioritize your personal travel style. Whether you’re a foodie looking to eat your way through a tour or a curious explorer looking to bring a new skill home as a souvenir, every tour and excursion you pick is sure to provide an immersive look at the destinations you’re visiting. After all, our tours are created so that you can learn, connect, and savor the best a destination has to offer.
Erin grew up in New York’s winding woods, where she discovered a love for a lot of adventure, a little danger, and plenty of bug spray. Since then, she’s backpacked across Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano in a white out snowstorm, gone waterfall jumping in Costa Rica, and escaped the Patagonian wilderness just before COVID slammed the borders shut. Erin’s never met a food she won’t try once (lookin’ at you, fermented shark) or a wallet she can’t lose at least twice on any trip. Luckily, just like every trip's memories, it always comes right back.
)
