Whilst many travellers crave bucket-list travel experiences, from gazing upon the Eiffel Tower to snorkelling over the Great Barrier Reef, others are seeking the unknown. Here, the Meaningful Travel experts at Rickshaw Travel share their top trips guaranteed to offer travellers a different perspective when visiting a destination, from Vietnam to Peru and beyond.
See Surprising Wildlife in Vietnam
Vietnam is known for its famous Pho dishes and tasty Bánh bao buns, but its cuisine is not all it has to offer. The destination – with its natural parks and tropical habitats – is home to a diverse range of wildlife just waiting to be discovered.
Where: Cat Tien National Park is the perfect place to spot wild gibbons before exploring the Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre and the Bear and Wild Cat Rescue Station. After learning all about these specialist centres, there is the opportunity to trek deeper into the tropical rainforest for a glimpse of a croc-infested lagoon.
How: Rickshaw Travel offers a bite-sized trip Esc-ape to Cat Tien National Park, for two nights and three days. This trip must be combined with at least two other bite-sized trips to create a full itinerary.
*Priced from £458 per person and includes accommodation (based on two people sharing), lunch and dinner on day one and two, breakfast on day three, visit to Visit to Monkey Island/Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre on Day 1; 5km trek to Crocodile Lake and visit to the Bear and Wild Cat Rescue Station on Day 2, Return, private road transfer from Ho Chi Minh City (transfers to/from other destinations are available on request)
Swap The Inca Trail For The Salkantay Trek in Peru
One of the top bucket-list experiences in the world, the Inca Trail is arguably the most famous trek there is. However, those seeking a more challenging walk should opt for Salkantay route (also known as the “other” Inca Trail).
Where: Starting in Soraypampa, travellers will pass small villages and striking scenery by bus, before hiking past mountain settlements to a vantage point with panoramic views over Tucarway Lake to the glacier and beyond. With fewer crowds to contend with, more impressive scenery to behold, and offering a greater physical challenge, the Salkantay trek is a surprising and alternative way to reach Machu Picchu.
How: Rickshaw Travel offers a bite-sized trip Salkantay Trek, for three nights four days, starting and ending in Cusco. This trip must be combined with at least two other bite-sized trips to create a full itinerary.
*Priced from £725 per person and includes accommodation (based on two people sharing), full board, all transport, camping equipment (excluding sleeping bag) and entrance fees for Maccu Pichu and Huanya Picchu.
Lesser-visited Wine Regions in Argentina
Most wine-lovers heading to South America will be aware of Argentina’s Mendoza wine region. Famous for its Malbecs, Mendoza regularly draws in large numbers of tourists keen to sample this much loved vino and wander among the vineyards. But, drawing fewer crowds and arguably offering a more authentic experience, the vineyards surrounding Salta offer an equally good opportunity to sample the local grapes, and oenophiles will not be disappointed.
Where: Embark on a road trip through the spectacular scenery of Argentina’s high plains, with remote canyons and tiny communities scattered throughout. When in the Cafayate wine region, there’s the chance to visit vineyard after vineyard for a taste of the local grape.
How: Rickshaw travel offers a bite-sized trip iSalud! On the Wine route, for two nights three days. This trip must be combined with at least two other bite-sized trips to create a full itinerary.
*Priced from £258 per person and includes accommodation (based on two people sharing), breakfast and hire car incl. unlimited mileage per day.
Swap Hectic Cities For Country Retreats in Japan
Robot cafés, street-side vending machines, illuminated sky-scrapers and late-night karaoke bars; Japan is a feast for travellers craving bright lights and city nights. But what does it have to offer to those in search of some rest and relaxation?
Where: Cue Takayama, the perfect rural spot to escape from the bustling cities and take in the picturesque mountain and river views. For travellers looking to make their stay even more relaxing, Takayama also has a wealth of traditional Ryokans with welcoming hosts, and a dose of Japanese charm, making this accommodation type perfect for those seeking a relaxing upgrade.
How: Rickshaw Travel offers a bite-sized trip Markets & Mountains of Takayama, for two nights three days. This trip must be combined with at least two other bite-sized trips to create a full itinerary.
*Priced from £515 per person and includes accommodation (based on two people sharing) and Small group tour to morning market and cooking class
For more information on Rickshaw Travel and the holidays they offer, please visit https://www.rickshawtravel.co.uk/
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About Rickshaw Travel
Rickshaw Travel is an independent tour operator based in Brighton. They are committed to providing enriching, immersive travel experiences that take holidaymakers off the beaten path and into the heart of local communities.
Meaningful travel – or travelling in a way that everybody benefits from – is the core ethos of Rickshaw: the traveller benefits from enriching experiences where they learn something new (about the destination, culture, a skill or about themselves) and at the same time the local people, animals and/or environment benefit too.
Rickshaw Travel’s individual approach to independent exploration enables adventurous holidaymakers to visit the heart of a destination and experience the real spirit of a local culture. Rickshaw specialises in offering small-scale, authentic accommodation that truly reflects the character of each destination.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Rickshaw Travel is proud to have built up a team of passionate Travel Specialists who each have extensive travel experience in their own dedicated destinations. They pride themselves on being open and honest about the places they have visited and are on hand to inspire and support travellers. The company’s style of travel is unique – Rickshaw’s dedicated Product Team has worked alongside the company’s in-destination partners to create a choice of carefully selected bite-size trips, typically 2-4 days long, which can be combined to create the perfect itinerary. Rickshaw’s bite-size trips include a range of local excursions, charming authentic accommodation and some transfers to ensure a hassle-free holiday. A minimum of three bite-sized trips must be combined to create a full itinerary.
Protecting nature and wildlife – and encouraging travellers to do the same – is also key for the Rickshaw team. They have recently partnered with Brighton-based organisation, ANIMONDIAL, to develop an animal welfare policy, as well as providing a ‘toolkit’ to help other small travel companies become more responsible. Rickshaw Travel has also committed to supporting the end of elephant riding by signing World Animal Protection’s elephant-friendly pledge and is in the process of auditing trips involving any type of wild animal interaction.
Rickshaw Travel now offers trips in 25 destinations across Asia, Central, South and North America, including Cuba, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, India, Costa Rica, Peru, Borneo, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Chile, Brazil and Japan.
For more information, visit https://www.rickshawtravel.co.uk/, https://www.facebook.com/rickshawtravel/, https://twitter.com/Rickshaw_Travel or https://www.instagram.com/rickshaw_travel/ or call 01273 934 823.
