Be inspired by this curated list of immersive experiences and journeys that are designed for genuine connection.
Tasmanian wilderness adventure
Designed by renowned Tasmanian architect John Latham, Picnic Island is a copper-clad retreat near Wineglass Bay. For thousands of years, the Oyster Bay Aboriginal tribe visited the island — their shell middens can still be seen. Hire it exclusively, for up to 10 guests, and the owner Clem Newton can tailor your stay and arrange several experiences such as fishing off the jetties, diving for abalone, crayfish and sea urchins; or taking an overnight trip to view penguins and shearwaters returning to their burrows at night.
An authentic Māori welcome
Be moved and authentically connect with the land and Māori people of Aotearoa with New Zealand tour company, Ahipara Luxury Travel. For 15 years, the group has arranged ‘Powhiri — A Maori Welcome’ sessions for clients in several locations. You’ll experience a traditional Māori welcome as the correct, customary physical and spiritual welcome to the country by its original inhabitants, Tangata Whenua, the People of the Land. Expect a traditional warrior greeting, hongi, where you share the breath of life with tribe members, and a modern-day Māori picnic with your hosts.
Cuba in vivid detail
Go beyond Cuba’s main tourist attractions with the small group tour operator, Simply Cuba Tours. Run by an Australia-based Director, Orsolya Bartalis, the company works with Cuban guides to lead authentic and immersive discoveries of the country. Special interest tours span the areas of photography, snorkelling and scuba diving. Stay in carefully selected casas (local homes), directly supporting Cuban people on your visit. The signature offering is the 13-day Simply Cuba Tour, beginning in Havana and moving on to Santa Clara, Trinidad, Cienfuegos (the Paris of the Caribbean) and more. Be exposed to local flavours, music, and culture; roll a cigar in a rural village; and take a ride in a vintage car through Havana.
Everest for Breakfast
Imagine feasting on a champagne breakfast overlooking views that few get to see of Mt Everest. The Everest for Breakfast half-day experience is available to all guests of Mountain Lodges of Nepal. Up to five people will be transported by helicopter from Kathmandu airport for a stop in Lukla, a flyover and on to Kongde Lodge, one of the world’s highest altitude lodges at 4,250m, for a champagne breakfast from a vantage point that takes in the Khumbu Valley and the dramatic peak of Mt Everest.
Finding True North
Australian luxury adventure specialist company True North Adventure Cruises will be adding to its fleet in 2023 with the introduction of True North II. Hosting up to 22 guests and with a capacity for five adventure boats and a helicopter, guests on True North II can access wilderness experiences in remote locations and take part in multiple-day activities such as fishing, snorkelling, diving, cultural events, and scenic helicopter flights. Cruises commence in March 2023 and will include new itineraries such as snorkelling and fishing in WA’s Montebello Islands; viewing the solar eclipse at Ningaloo Reef; 4- and 10-night adventures through the Kimberley; and a 14-day Great Barrier Reef journey.
Visit a remote Aboriginal arts centre
From your stay in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park at Longitude 131º, take a full-day, memorable tour via a scenic air charter to the remote Pukatja homelands to visit the Indigenous, creative hub of Ernabella Arts. The oldest, continuously running Indigenous arts centre in Australia, Ernabella was founded in 1948 and is an Aboriginal community in the Anangu, Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara Lands in South Australia. You can visit the closed community and meet with artists to gain an understanding of the ancient techniques, stories and motifs that form the basis of their artworks. Discover the colourful ceramics, canvas paintings, tiles and spears created here and return with your own ceramic tile you create with the help of the artists.
