Around the World Tour

Japan  · Singapore · Cambodia · Bhutan · Nepal · Egypt · Jordan · Spain

April 2–May 1, 2023

Our all-inclusive Around the World trip is the perfect way to visit the most iconic sites on the planet. This small-group tour is ideal for solo and single travelers, as well as friends, couples, and families. At the intersection of our expertise, experience, and personal touch is the perfect RTW journey for you!

JAPAN  Kyoto · Cherry Blossom Season

SINGAPORE  A City of Superlatives & Splendor

CAMBODIA   Angkor Wat · Siem Reap

BHUTAN   Paro · Thimpu · Tiger’s Nest

NEPAL  Cultural Heritage of the Kathmandu Valley

EGYPT   Pyramids & Sphinx ·  Saqqara ·  Grand Egyptian Museum

JORDAN   Petra · The Dead Sea · Wadi Rum

SPAIN   Madrid · World-class Food & Art

30-day journey around the globe

limited to 7 explorers

 

carbon offset toursOur Carbon Offset Commitment

We offset each of our journeys three times over, including your flights from and back to your home airport. We are committed to sequestering more carbon than these journeys produce, partnering with trustworthy companies and selecting high-quality, impactful, and community-building projects. Please click here to learn more about our Climate Positive commitment. 

Angkor Wat

Petra

Dead Sea

Kathmandu, Nepal

Kyoto

Bhutan

Madrid

Overnight in Bangkok

Singapore

Giza

Itinerary at a Glance

You can click on the location name to be taken to that part of the daily itinerary.

April 2   Your Around the World vacation officially starts this evening in Kyoto, Japan. We can help you arrange an earlier arrival, if you wish.

April 3-4    Kyoto is the cultural center of Japan & a city of 1,600 Buddhist temples. What’s more–it’s cherry blossom season! We’ll explore the gardens and temples & the iconic vermillion torii gates at Fushimi Inari. 

April 5-6  Singapore is truly a cosmopolitan city, rich with diverse culture and modern marvels. We’ll explore this city of superlatives and indulge in delicious cuisine!

April 7–10    Discover the ancient beauty of Siem Reap, Cambodia’s ruins as we explore Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm & more. Then, enjoy the modern side of downtown Siem Reap with a dazzling array of shops and cafes.

April 11   Be charmed by Bangkok in a brief layover; you can choose to relax in the hotel (did someone say Thai massage?) or venture into town for an evening of delicious food and sites.

April 12–15   Discover the Last Shangri-La, Bhutan, as we ascend to the iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Paro Taktsang), visit a local farm, and tour historic dzongs.

April 16-19   Relax in Nepal‘s Kathmandu valley as we explore sacred Buddhist and Hindu sites. Our home base around Boudhanath Stupa is the perfect place to rest, shop, and explore this fascinating culture. 

April 20–23   Trek back in time a few thousand years to Giza, Egypt, as we marvel at the ancient Pyramids, Sphinx, and the brilliant tombs in Saqqara. We’ll also be among the first to explore the new Grand Egyptian Museum.

April 24–27  We think you’ll enjoy every minute in Jordan! Lay your eyes on the rose-red ruins of the ancient city of Petra, carved directly into sandstone. We’ll spend a night in the red sands of the Wadi Rum desert and cap off our stay with a float in the Dead Sea.

April 28–May 1   Be dazzled by Madrid, Spain; revel in this cosmopolitan city’s impeccable museums and world-class cuisine, and don’t forget about flamenco! We’ll explore the countryside and visit biodynamic vineyards and artisanal cheesemakers. 

Around the World vacation

You can click on any of the topics below to be taken to that section.

Why should I take an Around the World tour?

A trip of this scope is a delightful & efficient way to see some of the most iconic spots on the planet.

  • The around-the-world route produces less carbon than taking individual plane trips to and from each of these sites on individual trips.
  • Our planning expertise and on-site guidance saves you untold hours (and hours and hours) of research to plan trips to these sites.
  • If you typically like to spend more time in one place abroad, this is a perfect way to scope out new areas you may wish to return to.
  • It saves money compared to separate trips to all of these destinations.
  • After being grounded for so long during the global shutdown, this is a perfect reintroduction to the beauty of the world around us!

Our April 2023 Around the World journey is completely in line with our mission: to maximize the greatest good for the greatest number, including our guests, our travel partners, and the local community. The international travel community was hit incredibly hard during the pandemic shutdowns and we want to help our local guides just as much as we want to help you explore this planet. It’s a win-win!

Why is this the best Around the World trip for me?

We wanted to take the concept of an Around the World trip and create one that is accessible to anyone keen on such a journey. Most Around the World vacations cost between https://www.tcsworldtravel.com/luxury-jet-expeditions/around-world-luxury-tour-private-jet-october-29-2023/2023/october and $165,000+ and usually take between 50 and 80+ guests. That’s a lot of money and a lot of people! These are lovely trips, no doubt, but we think they’re a little out of reach for most of us.

We have limited our small group to 7 guests for $24,500–

a much smaller group at a much lower price, imagine that!

Using creative planning, commercial flights (as opposed to private jets), and our huge mental Rolodex of resources, we create brilliant, fully escorted, all-inclusive Around the World trips for a fraction of the cost.

We lead our latest 28-day Around the World journey in October 2018, touring 11 fascinated (and fascinating!) guests through 9 beautiful countries.

We believe world travel can be incredibly beneficial for personal growth, empathy, and empowerment, and we’re dedicated to making it as financially accessible as possible.

 

Why should I go Around the World with you?

We (Lauren & BJ) left our home in the U.S. nearly 10 years ago to focus full-time on creating the best small tour company humanly possible.

In those years we have explored the most interesting destinations, met the most talented local guides, and learned the most useful tips for a safe and comfortable journey, all to help curious, engaged people like you discover more about the planet they live on.

Because we live on the road, we know firsthand what it takes to make you comfortable while on tour. We design and manage every single aspect of the journey, from the initial itinerary planning to the farewell dinner, resulting in the seamless experiences that we’ve become known for.

 

Who is this Journey for?

This journey is perfect for solo adventurers, couples, or groups of friends wanting to experience the time of their lives together!

We find that many of our guests enjoy marking major life transitions with a trip of this nature: birthdays, retirements, or commemorating the life of a loved one that has passed.

For our jet-setting couples, this is a perfect way to celebrate an anniversary or a recently emptied nest!

This trip is perfect for those who have been interested in an Around the World journey but were put off by the prices and high guest maximums (50 to 80!) that other companies offer.

This itinerary is ideal for those that want to take advantage of our experience, expertise, and connections, who don’t have the time nor local resources to research and arrange the countless details that go into a trip of this magnitude.

You’ll quickly discover that your fellow travelers are as curious and enthusiastic as yourself; no matter if you arrive with a travel buddy or not, you’ll come away from this journey with some new friends and treasured lifelong memories.

Testimonials from our 2018 Around the World guests

Lauren and BJ are excellent tour guides, organizers, planners, and genuinely good people. Traveling with them is like being “held” in a safe space yet with plenty of opportunities to spread your wings. It’s the best of both worlds in that you are sure of seeing the sites but with cultural knowledge that makes each location memorable. Their pre-trip previewing and work to secure excellent local guides really makes their trips stand out from other group travel that I have experienced. You absolutely couldn’t travel with more thoughtful and caring people who want to offer you the best of everything. It’s more than a job for them and it shows in their kindness and willingness to go the extra mile.  ~C.M.

This trip far exceeded anything I could have imagined. The choices of where to stay, where to eat, and what to see, were the result of BJ and Lauren’s commitment to finding authentic, meaningful, experiences in every location. The trip was filled with small (and large) details that made the trip easy, fun, interesting, exciting and challenging. I LOVED this trip…and I LOVE RetreaTours!   ~N.S.

You start out curious, hoping to see iconic sights. You end up feeling more connected to and understanding of parts of the world you were barely aware of. You feel more nurtured and cared for by your trip organizers than you could have ever hoped for….you feel like you have a new family AND you laugh a lot! You will never regret having committed to this experience of a lifetime. ~A.B.

BJ and Lauren did an excellent job in hosting our tour, managing air flights, lodging, meals, guides and shepherding everyone through all situations. In addition, they were of great help in assisting with our extension to the Galapagos Islands. Would highly recommend them as a tour company. They specialize in small group tours which is the only way to travel. Very special people! It was our second trip with them and both were great. They made you feel as family. ~C.S.

This was a trip of a lifetime, filled with new experiences, stunning sights, delicious–and sometimes strange–food to taste, lovely people in every country with whom to interact. If you have a bucket list, this trip will check off many of those places–and you will want to return again to some of them to dig in deeper. BJ and Lauren are the consummate trip leaders, providing an almost seamless, and always enjoyable, educational, and really fun journey. In every country they curated the most wonderful hotels, sites to visit, restaurants to try out, and always brought in an expert guide from whatever place we were visiting to further explain the culture, the historical significance, the foods, and the customs. This trip opened my eyes to all that and so much more. I would HIGHLY recommend signing up for a trip with them–don’t hesitate–just do it! You won’t be sorry.  ~C.R.

Thank you for every thoughtful, researched, beta-tested detail that made it a unique and incredible ‘RetreaTour.’ You are an amazing team. I never felt like I had hired you to guide me. Rather, it often felt like I was along on your personal vacation just joining you for the great trip you were taking! ~M.C.

We invite you to click here and read more testimonials from our amazing guests!

 

Please watch our 2018 RTW journey testimonial video below!

Kyoto, Japan

April 2-4

Konnichiwa & welcome to Japan! We’ll begin our journey together in Kyoto. Kyoto, with its 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, is Japan’s cultural center. The city was the capital of Japan from 794 to 1868, and was spared in World War II due to the U.S. Secretary of War’s fond memories of Kyoto, which had been his honeymoon destination. Because of this, many priceless ancient temple structures and artifacts survived.

Our hotel is centrally located in the Kawaramachi Sanjo area of Kyoto, allowing for plenty of exploration. Kyoto is the heart of Japan’s geisha culture, and we’re just minutes from the historic Geisha district, Gion, as well as the famous fresh food market street at Nishiki Market. We’ll also experience a classic tea ceremony.

We’ll explore the iconic vermillion torii gates of Fushimi Inari. Established in its current spot in the year 816 C.E., this Shinto shrine is dedicated to the deity of rice, Inari. The site’s higher trails provide a beautiful overview of the city.

Buddhism has been practiced in Japan since the mid-6th century, when it was introduced by Korean monks. One gorgeous temple we can visit will be Sanjūsangen-dō temple with its breathtaking Thousand-Armed Kannon (also known as Avalokitesvara). Completed in 1164, this temple also houses one thousand life-size figures of the Thousand Armed Kannon, standing in rows on both sides of the main statue. 

Singapore

April 5-6

Hello & Nǐhǎo! Our next stop on our journey is Singapore! This island city-state is perhaps better known for its incredible wealth, its stunning skyline, and perhaps even its Changi airport–voted the world’s best airport every single year between 2013 and 2020. (This is still a sore spot for BJ, as he believes no airport could evert top Changi!)

We’ll visit nearby Maxwell Road Hawker Center fora least one of our meals, a uniquely & deliciously Singaporean dining experience. Maxwell Center is near our wonderful hotel, which makes for easy exploration of this charming Chinatown.

Depending on what the group wants, we can stay together or allow for independent exploration depending on your interests! Singapore has a world-class botanical garden and the largest bird park in the world, as well as some fantastic Buddhist sites, including a Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum.

Wandering around Marina Bay and the Gardens by the Bay is honestly well worth a day in itself!

Siem Reap, Cambodia

April 7–10

Choum reap suor!We’ll arrive in the beautiful Kingdom of Cambodia on April 7. Here in Siem Reap, the Khmer Empire created what was the world’s largest civilization in the 12th century. The most famous relic of this civilization–featured today on Cambodia’s flag–is Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world. During our time in Siem Reap, we’ll visit Angkor Wat as the sun rises behind its iconic peaks; afterward we’ll wander its mesmerizing bas-relief lined hallways.

However, Siem Reap is so much more than Angkor Wat. This area is home to loads of gorgeous temple ruins, many being slowly reclaimed by nature (including the picturesque Ta Prohm). We’ll explore Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer Kingdom, along with its many temples and terraces. Bayon temple is a favorite of ours, featuring 172 large-scale serenely smiling faces wherever you look.

Angkor…is one of the most important archaeological sites of Southeast Asia. [It] is a major site exemplifying cultural, religious and symbolic values, as well as containing high architectural, archaeological and artistic significance. —UNESCO

We’ll spend our mornings here exploring temples with our expert Khmer guide. We can even visit a functioning local wat (temple) to see how modern-day Khmer Buddhism is practiced.

In the evenings you can explore the festive nightlife of Siem Reap, a short walk (or even shorter tuk-tuk ride) from our hotel. You can sample local Khmer cuisine like fish amok or enjoy one of the many international restaurants along Pub Street. If you want to stay closer to home, our hotel has a stellar happy hour on its rooftop deck!

We’ll cap off our time in Angkor with a sunset boat ride & celebratory drinks on the moat of Angkor Thom.

Overnight in

Bangkok, Thailand

Sawasdee! Welcome to Thailand! We’ll use Bangkok as a stepping stone to Bhutan, arriving in Bangkok early afternoon on the 11th and leaving the next morning.  You can take this opportunity to rest, take advantage of the hotel spa & a Thai massage, catch-up on postcards or a nap, or perhaps we’ll take an evening food tour in the city! 

 

Paro & Thimpu, Bhutan

April 12-15

Kuzuzangpo la!Although it’s well-known and well-loved by travelers, the Kingdom of Bhutan still feels like a secret destination. Bhutan has never been colonized, and it retains a strong sense of identity and national pride to this day. In the 1970’s, this Buddhist nation developed a concept called “Gross National Happiness,” a way to chart development and progress in a more holistic way than the Gross Domestic Product.

We’ll arrive in Paro and enjoy a farm home visit and an outstanding home-cooked meal. The Bhutanese national dish, ema datsi, is a spicy chili and cheese concoction that you can sample if you dare!  

We’ll tour the sites in Paro and Thimphu–the only national capital city in the world without a single stoplight. We’ll visit the impressive dzong fortresses and the colorful Buddhist temples; Bhutan’s Vajrayana Buddhism looks much different than the Theravada Buddhism of Cambodia and Thailand. 

On our last morning, we’ll get an early start and lay eyes on the iconic Taksang monastery, or Tiger’s Nest, the holiest site in Bhutan. This picturesque complex hugs a cliff wall 3,000 feet above the valley floor (for a total altitude of 10,240 feet). It’s a ~2 hour ascent, but we’ll take it slow and steady as we hike up, enjoying the fresh forest air around us. If you like, you can even ride a pony part of the way to the top.

Visit Bhutan during an Around the World trip

Kathmandu, Nepal

April 16-19

Namaste! Welcome to Nepal, home to eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains, including Mount Everest. In fact, if we’re lucky, we’ll get to see Mount Everest during our flight from Bhutan to Kathmandu on the right side of the plane!

Although Nepal is famous for its Himalayan peaks and trekking, the Kathmandu Valley (4600 feet altitude) is incredibly rich in culture and history and is a destination unto itself. Nepal is very dear to both of our hearts and we can’t wait to share it with you.

Although the majority of Nepal is Hindu, there is a very visible Buddhist minority, and our guest house is just a few hundred meters from one of the largest and most revered stupas in Tibetan Buddhism: Boudhanath. Here you can witness and participate in kora, or the circling around the stupa as a meditative act. This Tibetan Buddhist enclave is a serene home base, perfect for exploration and reflection.

Over the next couple days, we can explore other Hindu and Buddhist temples around the Kathmandu Valley, including Pashupatinath. We can take a short drive (~45 minutes) to Bhaktapur, one of the three ancient kingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley. Here we’ll enjoy a traditional home-cooked Newari meal with a local family, always one of the highlights of our Nepal tours. 

For those interested, we can also visit a local street dog welfare center to see their operation and say hello to the pups! 

Option: Some guests may wish to take a sightseeing flight to see Mount Everest (if we didn’t get a clear view on our Bhutan to Nepal flight. These flights are around $220 USD and are not included in this trip package.

Giza, Egypt

April 20-23

Assalam Alaikum and welcome to the land of the Pharaohs! Everyone feels the pull to Egypt; we seem to recognize the iconography as though it’s in our DNA. As kids we learn about the pyramids and treasures of the Pharaohs; as adults we pine to see them in person. Now it’s your time to make that dream a reality!

We’ll be met by our expert team that will guide us through immigration and customs, and we’ll head to our home base for the next three nights–a hotel with a pyramid view! The pyramids on the Giza Plateau are an unbelievable 4,500 years old; the Great Pyramid is by far the oldest of the ancient Wonders and is the only one still in existence. 

From the heights of these pyramids, forty centuries look down on us. —Napolean Bonaparte

Our first day will be spent with an expert guide and Egyptologist, exploring the important site of Saqqara, the “sandbox” where the construction of pyramids was perfected. We’ll visit the Step Pyramid, the first freestanding stone building in history and the first pyramid ever built. Around Saqqara, we’ll explore the tombs as our guide explains their significance and deciphers the stories told in the beautiful hieroglyphics lining its walls.

We’ll head back to our neck of the woods and explore the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Valley Temple of Khafre. Fancy a climb into the center of the Great Pyramid? Let’s go!

We’ll enjoy the long-awaited (!) Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza, having recently been relocated from its old location in Cairo. The pieces in this museum are jaw-droppingly mesmerizing and at times downright otherworldly. Cast your eyes upon the funerary mask of Tutankhamun, behold the mesmerizing wooden statue of Ka-Aper.

In the evenings we can relax poolside and gaze at the pyramids, reflecting on the 5,000 years of history and culture that unfolded in the land around us. 

Petra, Wadi Rum & The Dead Sea, Jordan

April 24-27

Marḥaba —welcome to Jordan! We’ll arrive in Amman, Jordan mid-afternoon and drive immediately to the stunning archaeological site of Jerash (~1 hour away). Jerash’s first settlement was in 7500 BCE, but it’s the Greco-Roman ruins that put this city on the map. 

We’ll continue on to Petra late this afternoon and settle into our guesthouse, mere steps away from Petra’s main entrance and the only one on the grounds of the site. In fact, we’re so close to Petra that our accommodation boasts a “cave bar” built of stonework from Nabatean times. Who were the Nabateans? Glad you asked!

The Nabateans were a nomadic Arabic tribe that eventually settled in pockets around the Middle East, including Jordan. They established Petra as their capital as early as the 5th century BCE. The Nabateans carved the features of Petra into the rose-colored sandstone mountains. Petra became a flourishing trade hub and a site that UNESCO has described as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage.”

This site is so much more than the famous facade of the “Treasury” you may have seen in Indiana Jones–the entirety of Petra spans 102 square miles! You’ll appreciate the efforts of the Nabateans even more when you learn that everything that has been excavated so far accounts for less than 15% of the actual site.

A rose-red city half as old as time — John William Burgon, from his poem Petra

We’ll explore Petra with an expert guide, entering through a picturesque canyon (the Siq) and into the carved city that once housed between 20,000 and 30,000 people. You can continue to explore on your own in the afternoon, perhaps taking the scenic hike up to the “Monastery,” one of the most impressive structures in all of Petra. A few more minutes of walking beyond the Monastery brings you to an overlook that reveals the expanse of the Wadi Arabah desert. You’ll also have the opportunity, if you wish, to experience “Petra by Night,” where the facade of the Treasury is lit up by hundreds of candles.

Our next stop is the Wadi Rum desert, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This red desert has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with many cultures–including the Nabataeans–leaving their mark in the form of petroglyphs. Wadi Rum may be best known for its connection with British officer T. E. Lawrence (that is, “Lawrence of Arabia”).

In fact, it was the filming of Lawrence of Arabia in 1962 that kick-started Jordan’s tourism industry. The desert’s arresting landscape has been used in many films as an alien backdrop, from The Martian and Prometheus to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and even the 2021 film Dune. You’ll get a front-row seat (well, bed) tonight to the star show from your very own bubble tent—and don’t worry, it’s almost a new moon so the stars will be in their glory!

On the 27th we’ll drive directly to our home base on the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is a world wonder in its own right, the lowest point on Earth at -1412 feet / -430.5 m below sea level. This is the world’s deepest hypersaline lake at 1,000 feet deep. It has long been used as a “health resort,” dating back to Biblical times.

You can experience the otherworldly sensation of floating high on top of these salty waters for yourself if you wish! We’ll relax seaside and watch the sun set over this endangered treasure; the Dead Sea’s surface level is dropping 3 feet a year due to increased water demand and dams being built upstream by neighboring countries.

You can choose to relax by the seaside or take a tour of surrounding Biblical sites, including Mt. Nebo (said to be Moses’ last stop on the Exodus from Egypt) or Jesus’ baptism site along the Jordan River.

Madrid, Spain

April 28-May 1

Buenas días! Welcome to Spain’s capital, home to rich delights for all the senses!

Madrid will unfold before you our first night with a tapas walk through the historic city center. Get acquainted with the “greatest hits” of Madrid’s world-class cuisine as our local guide walks us through five centuries of local history. 

We’ll unleash a feast for your eyes in the Prado Museum, considered to be among the greatest museums of art, with the best collection of artworks by Goya, Velázquez, El Greco, Rubens, Titian & Hieronymus Bosch. After a traditional lunch of Spanish fare paired with traditional wines, you’ll have the afternoon to rest or explore independently with tips from our guide. 

Tonight we’ll go behind the scenes and learn about the iconic flamenco dance! A local expert will fill us in on the history of this tradition before we experience the show.  

We’ll also head out of the city and into the verdant foothills of the Gredos mountains. We’ll spend the day behind the scenes at local biodynamic vineyards, meeting the winemakers and tasting their organic wines. You can’t have wine without cheese, though! We’ll visit a small, family-run cheese shop and see (and taste) how the magic is made. 

Visit Madrid on an Around the World trip

The Nitty Gritty

Please click on the red icon to expand the information

Price, Inclusions & Payment

The trip cost is $24,500 USD (double-occupancy price).

If you prefer to have your own room, the single supplement is $1999 and will be added to your last payment. (Click here to understand why this single supplement is necessary). Please note that we cannot guarantee you a roommate for this trip, and if you room alone, you may be responsible for the single supplement.

Payment Plan & Dates

  • A $4000 deposit holds your space
  • The second installment of $7000 is due August 1, 2022
  • The third installment of $7000 is due October 1, 2022
  • The balance is due December 31, 2022
    • Note: If you would like to make smaller, more frequent payments, we can accommodate that!

Payment types

Payments are accepted by credit or debit card (processed via PayPal, but you do not need a PayPal account), check, bank wire, or TransferWise for our guests that reside outside the U.S.  We will send invoices by email at least 2 weeks before each due date by email (via PayPal).

 

Price Includes

  • All breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, starting with dinner on April 2 through the morning of May 1.  Meals at airports are provided if there are lounges open.
  • Beverages at mealtimes (water, tea, coffee, soda)
  • All accommodation
  • All transportation within each country (except airport transfer from Osaka to Kyoto)
  • All flights between countries on the tour (except your flight to Japan and home from Spain)
  • Airport lounge access, when available
  • All sites entrance fees
  • All local guide fees and tips
  • Triple carbon offsetting for trip
  • Jordan visa
  • Bhutan visa
  • Souvenir photo book of journey and online to access to all of our trip photos

Price does not include

  • International airfare to Kyoto, Japan or from Madrid, Spain (although we can and will be more than happy to help you decide on arrangements)
  • Airport transportation to Kyoto
  • Alcohol, specialty drinks (specialty coffee drinks, mocktails, etc)
  • Travel medical insurance (required)
  • Cambodian visa (~$36 USD)
  • Nepal visa (~$30)
  • Egypt visa (~$25)

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations prior to 150 days to departure, money will be refunded minus the non-refundable deposit.

Cancellations received 76 to 149 days prior to departure are subject to a penalty of 50% of the total cost of the trip.

Cancellations received 75 days or less prior to trip departure will forfeit the entire cost of the trip.

NOTE: 

  • A minimum of 2 guests must register in order for this trip to take place. We will hold your deposit & payments until the minimum number of guests have signed up. Please do not purchase any airfare until you get the go-ahead from us that we’ve reached our minimum number of participants.
  • If the minimum number of guests have not signed up 90 days prior to the departure date, we’ll give you the option to transfer your reservation to another tour or fully refund your money, including the deposit.
Our Carbon Offset Commitment

carbon offset tours

We are committed to carbon offsetting your entire journey—not only while you’re on tour with us, but the flights from and to your home. What’s more, we provide a TRIPLE carbon offset, effectively sequestering three times the carbon that this trip would produce.

We have a lot to say about this subject and we’d love for you to learn more over at RetreaTours.com/ClimatePositive.

Passport & Visa Requirements

Passport

Your passport will need to be valid until at least October 31, 2023 (6 months from the end of the scheduled trip). In addition, you’ll need at least 9 blank pages in your passport to accommodate your visas and stamps and still allow for the 2 blank pages required upon arrival in Spain.

Visas

This information is for U.S. citizens only; please check your country’s own official government website for details or ask us and we can help!

Your visas for Bhutan and Jordan are included in the price of the trip.

The only visa you will need to apply for beforehand is your Cambodia visa, (~$36 USD). You can get your visas for Nepal (~$30) and Egypt (~$25) upon arrival, and we will help with that process.

About Travel Insurance

We require that each guest carries travel insurance that covers emergency medical treatment and emergency evacuation and repatriation.

You may wish to consider trip cancellation insurance, as well, as you never know what obstacles life can toss at you leading up to a trip. However, we do not require this coverage, as we understand it can increase premiums dramatically. Please familiarize yourself with our Around the World journey guest cancellation policy (below).

We ask that you carefully consider your choice of travel insurance. What works for some people may not work for others, particularly if you have any pre-existing conditions. Please do take the time to consider the best policy for your individual needs. If you are considering a ‘Cancel for any Reason’ policy, be aware of the percentage of the trip that is covered (as it is never 100%).

Please see RetreaTours.com/travel-insurance for some ideas of where to start your search!

 

Cancellation Policy

  1. Cancellations prior to 150 days to departure, money will be refunded minus the non-refundable deposit. 
  2. Cancellations received 76 to 149 days prior to departure are subject to a penalty of 50% of the total cost of the trip.  
  3. Cancellations received 75 days or less prior to trip departure will forfeit the entire cost of the trip. 
About the Flights

Information about flight lengths & upgrading to Business Class, plus flights to Japan and from Spain.

Air travel has made Around the World adventures much more pleasant & efficient than the infamous 80-day trip posited by Jules Verne.

We will be taking commercial flights for each leg of this trip. They have been very specifically chosen to be the most comfortable way of getting from one location to the next at the most reasonable times of day.

Flight lengths, including layovers:

  • These times will be posted when they are official. Stay tuned!

What about upgrading flights to Business Class?

If you would like the option to upgrade any of your flights to Business Class, we can help arrange that and you would pay only the exact amount over the budgeted economy flight option. We’ll let you know about those prices a bit closer to the journey. 

Flights to Japan / home from Spain

As we get a bit closer to the trip we will post some popular options here, but we are always available for any specific flight itinerary questions.

Suggested Fitness Requirements

A journey of this scope takes some stamina, but we’ve designed this trip specifically so that you can opt to have a rest day in each city (and of course, ALL activities are optional).

It will be a rare case that you will have to stand on your feet for extended periods of time. However, as a guideline, you’ll want to feel comfortable walking for 1-2 miles unassisted at a time. It will most likely not happen that we will ever walk a straight 2 miles, but that is a safe guideline to follow if you are wondering about your fitness levels.

Many of these sites include stairs; as a guideline, please feel comfortable climbing 4 flights of stairs at a time (but at your own pace).

Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Bhutan is an exception to the above recommendations. Please see the notes about those sites below.

If you intend on attending all offerings on the itinerary, you will be participating in 5-8 hours of activity each day (although activity does not mean difficult physical activity, just that we are out of our hotel and exploring).

The key here is to feel comfortable going at your own pace and knowing your limits.

Here are some location-specific notes for you. These photos and descriptions are of the most difficult areas and are presented to inform you, not scare you! Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any specific concerns.

Kyoto

Steps at Fushimi Inari

If you wish to fully explore the trails at Fushimi Inari, they include series of steps (intermixed with flat areas). There are plenty of gorgeous flat areas near the entrance if you don’t wish to climb up the hill.

 

Siem Reap

Wooden stairs over worn stone steps at Angkor Wat

The worn stone steps inside Angkor Wat (and other temples) have new wooden steps placed over them, although the shorter sets do not feature handrails. Some temples still have worn stone steps if you wish to explore further, but all main sites have more modern wooden steps. The stairs into and out of the central portion of Angkor Wat (pictured here, on the right) are steep but have a handrail. That portion is completely optional, as well.

 

Bhutan

Different terrain on the hike to Tiger's Nest

The most physically challenging portion of this trip (which is totally optional) is making the hike up to Tiger’s Nest. The walk itself is a ~4-mile round trip in total, with an elevation gain of 1,700 feet (518 m), although you can get lovely views of the cliffside monastery without going all the way there.

The path is, for the most part, wide and sandy, with some parts being a bit more rocky. You are able to take a pony almost halfway up if you choose, and there is a delightful tea house halfway up if you choose to stay there to soak in the scenery. The final push to the actual monastery includes ~700 stone steps–first down and then back up (photo in the upper-righthand corner). Many of our guests choose not to go all the way to the actual structure and instead enjoy the iconic view from the beginning of the stairs.

It may sound intimidating, but Bhutanese elders in sandals and toddlers in Crocs regularly pass me by on the trail, so most likely it is totally within your reach! In addition, it’s the same way up and down (as opposed to a circuit), so you can gauge for far you want to go up.

 

Jordan

Terrain through the Siq and a sample of the stairs up to the Monastery

The walk into Petra is through a lovely canyon (the Siq) and is a 1.2-mile (2 km) walk to reach the Treasury (the most iconic spot). It is possible to take a horse cart, but the walk itself is actually quite interesting and you can take it slowly.

Petra extends beyond the Treasury and you can see as much or as little as you like. There is a hike to a more remote part of Petra called “The Monastery,” which is a 40-60 minute walk each way (photo on the right). When you read about it online it sounds like a grueling trek, but it’s honestly pretty straightforward!

If you wish to return to the Treasury for “Petra by Night,” the only option is to walk from the entrance.

 

Madrid

We will be taking food and art tours which will require walking and standing for an extended period, broken up occasionally during the eating portion of the tour.

 

Still wondering if this is the trip for you? We welcome any questions you have!

 

About Vaccinations & Malaria

RetreaTours requires a full COVID-19 vaccination series plus booster for this journey. 

There are no other required general vaccines on this trip. However, the CDC recommends that all travelers be up to date on their routine vaccinations.

Please consult the CDC’s recommendations (or your nation’s equivalent) and confer with your physician or local travel doctor to make the best decision for yourself.

Here are links to CDC recommendations for:

We are also big fans of the Scottish NHS site’s recommendations (click here).

About Malaria

Here are links to the Scottish NHS’s malaria maps of each country (note that Japan, Singapore, Egypt, Jordan, and Spain don’t even warrant malaria maps per the NHS). We find them to be an excellent visual resource.

You’ll find that our trip locations are all in the “low to no risk” sections”:

There is no vaccine for malaria, zika, or other mosquito-borne diseases, like dengue. We encourage the prevention of mosquito bites as the best solution, through the use of insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and pants at dusk and dawn.

We are traveling during every country’s relatively dry season, so we do not expect mosquitos to be a problem. However, you must consult with your physician or local travel doctor to do what feels best for you.

About the Weather

Why April?

We thought seeing the cherry blossoms in Kyoto would be a great way to kick-off this journey! While one never knows about today’s ever-changing weather patterns, this was the most likely time to see them in bloom. In addition, it’s the “shoulder season” in all of our other destinations, meaning we avoid the crowds and still have pleasant weather.

Temperature

There are some significant differences between the highest average highs and the lowest averages lows, so packing layers for this trip will make it easy to enjoy any weather we encounter. The lowest average temperature at night is in Bhutan (31°F/0°C). The average lows for the rest of the trip fall between 40 and 80°F.  The average highs run between 60 and 90°F.

Here are the average historic high and lows for each destination for the day we will be there: 

  • Kyoto: 45-60°F
  • Singapore: 80-90°F
  • Siem Reap: 80-95°F   Note: we will visit temples in the morning and rest during the hottest part of the day.
  • Bangkok: 80-95°F  Note: we’re only here for 1 afternoon/evening
  • Bhutan: 39-60°F 
  • Kathmandu, Nepal: 55-85°F
  • Giza, Egypt: 65-90°F
  • Petra & The Dead Sea, Jordan: 65-88°F 
  • Wadi Rum, Jordan: 55-80°F 
  • Madrid: 45-65°F

Rainfall

We know Longfellow said, “Into each life some rain must fall,” but we try to minimize that prospect. We don’t expect any serious rain, but it is possible to catch a shower or two. Nothing a handy travel umbrella or light shell jacket can’t handle!

About Airport Lounges

For this trip we hope to provide airport lounge access (when available) to all of our guests.

These lounges allow for a much more relaxed and enjoyable time at the airport and there is usually free food and drinks (including alcohol).

We will be able to get 4 guests into the lounges with our Priority Pass cards.

If no one else on the trip has Priority Pass, we’ll work to place someone else on our account so that everyone else is covered!

 

About the Hotels

We will be staying at 4 to 5-star hotels throughout this trip. All hotels have hot water, wifi, and attached bathrooms with western-style toilets. All hotels will have air-conditioning/heating, with the exception of Rokpa in Nepal. We work tirelessly to find hotels in the absolute BEST location in each destination.

Here is a list of the hotels (or similar) we are scheduled to stay in on our journey.

 

About Money Matters

How much money should I bring?

Started at dinner on April 2nd, all of your meals (except in airports without lounges) are covered, as well as all transportation after you arrive in Kyoto. You just have to gauge how much you want to spend on extras (alcohol, souvenirs, spa treatments). Before the trip begins we’ll let you know how much some of the optional activities costs.

ALL tips are also included in your trip price. ALL tips!

How do I get the local currency?

When we land in a new country, we’ll give you some local pocket money to have for snack and water–that way you don’t have to worry about exchange a tiny bit of money or finding at ATM!

For any bigger purchases you make (meals out, larger souvenirs, spa treatments, etc) a credit card will be just fine. Please do set a travel notice with your bank so they know not to put a hold on your card when they see it being used abroad.

You can use an ATM to get local currency for any reason, but that typically comes with a higher fee unless you have a debit card through Charles Schwab (or a bank with similar No ATM Fee policies).

You can also exchange U.S. dollars for local currency at Currency Exchange counters or at some hotels. Depending on how much you want to exchange, we can also help with that.

About the Food

What if I don’t like the local food?

Do I have to eat ‘weird’ things?

What about my food allergies?

Let’s face it–you gotta eat. However, culinary experiences while traveling are more than just a necessity; they’re another avenue to learn and appreciate your environment. 

Now to answer your questions:

If you are interested in this trip, we’ll have a conversation that will include any food allergies or sensitivities that you list in your registration. Generally speaking, all but the most severe allergies or austere preferences will not pose any problem.

And the biggie: do you have to eat weird things? There are two answers to this question:  1)  Of course not!  and 2) What do you consider weird? One of the things you’ll learn on this Around the World adventure is that cultural “norms” vary widely, especially in the kitchen. And besides, I know several people who would make a strong case that lima beans are weird (and they are, of course, wrong ;) ). 

We don’t seek out bizarre foods “Fear Factor” style, but if an ingredient is a part of the actual local diet, we’ll often give it a try. If you are feeling adventurous, there are plenty of unique local specialties to try, from interesting fruits (mangosteen, rambutan, and the infamous durian) to insects and critters (tarantulas and grasshoppers).

If you’re not a big fan of a certain region’s cuisine, you’ll always be able to find more familiar substitutes (usually in the form of Italian food/pasta, sandwiches, pizza, and ubiquitous french fries). Even if you love the food in an area, you might still crave familiar comfort food and that is A-OK. We’ve had some of the best Italian food in the world in Southeast Asia! 

Food on this tour is designed to be FUN and you’ll never feel pressured or judged for anything you choose to eat or not eat. But we’re happy to be providing an opportunity to try the best cuisine of each region! 

Preventing Altitude Sickness

Almost all of our locations are at or around sea level (or well below sea level, in the case of the Dead Sea at 1,412 feet / 430 meters below sea level). 

Our one destination with a high altitude is Bhutan.

Paro and Thimpu, Bhutan stand at 7,218′ and 7,656 respectively (2200m and 2333m). This is below the typical threshold of altitude sickness (8,000 ft). However, if you choose to walk up to Tiger’s Nest Monastery, you’ll reach 10,240 ft (3120m) for the brief time you’ll be there. 

Some pre-existing medical conditions are known to worsen at high altitudes, so it is imperative that you discuss your pre-existing medical condition/s with your physician. Certain medications are reported to aid acclimatization to high altitude; please discuss these options with your doctor or a local travel physician.

Please read more about preventing altitude sickness over on our blog.

About the Time Differences & Jet Lag

We’re traveling around the whole world–am I going to feel jet lag every time we move to a new location?

The most challenging portion of this trip in regards to jet lag will be your initial flight to Japan (which is why, if you are able, you may choose to arrive early). 

However, the rest of your trip will include much more gentle time changes that will not be difficult. 

For the most part, jet lag actually works in our favor for some of our early mornings on this trip, such as sunrise at Fushimi Inari, Angkor Wat, and Petra. We’ll embrace our inner early birds!

Time differences between our destinations

GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time, the solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London (0° longitude).

  • Kyoto (GMT+9)
  • Singapore (GMT +8) (1 hour earlier than Kyoto)
  • Siem Reap (GMT+7)  (1 hour earlier than Singapore)
  • Bangkok (GMT+7)  (Same as Siem Reap)
  • Bhutan (GMT +6) (1 hour earlier than Bangkok and Siem Reap)
  • Nepal (GMT + 5:45) (15 minutes earlier than Bhutan)
  • Egypt (GMT +2) (3 hours and 45 minutes earlier than Nepal)
  • Jordan (GMT+2)  (Same time as Egypt)
  • Madrid   (GMT+1)  (1 hour earlier than Jordan)

We will advise you on some methods to lessen jet lag as much as possible before the journey!

Packing List & Luggage Suggestion

Coming soon!

How to Stay Healthy While Traveling...Naturally!

We invite you to check out Lauren’s article about how best to stay healthy on the road and prevent common travel ailments such as traveler’s diarrhea, motion sickness, altitude sickness & more.

Lauren is a Board-certified Acupuncture Physician with an extensive background in Western herbs and natural supplements, along with a passion for teaching!  

Click here or the photo below to scope it out!

 

About BJ & Lauren

BJ Graf and Lauren Rathvon at Torres del Paine. We love our tours to Patagonia!

Hi! We’re BJ & Lauren!

We have the good fortune to know all of you registered for this journey!! But, for the rest of you we haven’t met yet…

We formally founded RetreaTours in 2012 and moved out of the U.S. in January 2013 to focus full-time on designing amazing itineraries. Living on the road has given us invaluable insight into what keeps our guests happy on tour. Have you ever found travel a bit stressful? That’s where we come in—you’re leaving all the details to us so you can fully enjoy yourself! In fact, it’s not uncommon for our guests to compare us to doting parents or admit that they feel comfortable “turning their brain off” while on tour us! 

From the moment you’re interested in a trip and reach out to us, we’re in direct personal contact with you to answer any questions you have. We can prep you as much as you want with deeply detailed orientations and FAQs, or you can show up and go along for the ride—whichever method is more your style!

While we are supported in every destination by a hand-selected team of awesome locals, we are the ones who put our heart and soul into making these experiences come alive for you. If you’d like to get to know us personally a bit better, please take a click over here. If you’re more interested in the origins and the “abouts” of the company, click over here.

Our Mission: We create itineraries that are authentic, accessible, and affecting. We craft each trip to maximize the greatest good for the greatest number, including our guests, our partners, and the local community.

Testimonials from our 2018 Around the World Guests

Listen to what some of our 2018 Around the World guests want to tell you!

Lauren and BJ are excellent tour guides, organizers, planners, and genuinely good people. Traveling with them is like being “held” in a safe space yet with plenty of opportunities to spread your wings. It’s the best of both worlds in that you are sure of seeing the sites but with cultural knowledge that makes each location memorable. Their pre-trip previewing and work to secure excellent local guides really makes their trips stand out from other group travel that I have experienced. You absolutely couldn’t travel with more thoughtful and caring people who want to offer you the best of everything. It’s more than a job for them and it shows in their kindness and willingness to go the extra mile.  ~C.M.

This trip far exceeded anything I could have imagined. The choices of where to stay, where to eat, and what to see, were the result of BJ and Lauren’s commitment to finding authentic, meaningful, experiences in every location. The trip was filled with small (and large) details that made the trip easy, fun, interesting, exciting and challenging. I LOVED this trip…and I LOVE RetreaTours!   ~N.S.

You start out curious, hoping to see iconic sights. You end up feeling more connected to and understanding of parts of the world you were barely aware of. You feel more nurtured and cared for by your trip organizers than you could have ever hoped for….you feel like you have a new family AND you laugh a lot! You will never regret having committed to this experience of a lifetime. ~A.B.

BJ and Lauren did an excellent job in hosting our tour, managing air flights, lodging, meals, guides and shepherding everyone through all situations. In addition, they were of great help in assisting with our extension to the Galapagos Islands. Would highly recommend them as a tour company. They specialize in small group tours which is the only way to travel. Very special people! It was our second trip with them and both were great. They made you feel as family. ~C.S.

This was a trip of a lifetime, filled with new experiences, stunning sights, delicious–and sometimes strange–food to taste, lovely people in every country with whom to interact. If you have a bucket list, this trip will check off many of those places–and you will want to return again to some of them to dig in deeper. BJ and Lauren are the consummate trip leaders, providing an almost seamless, and always enjoyable, educational, and really fun journey. In every country they curated the most wonderful hotels, sites to visit, restaurants to try out, and always brought in an expert guide from whatever place we were visiting to further explain the culture, the historical significance, the foods, and the customs. This trip opened my eyes to all that and so much more. I would HIGHLY recommend signing up for a trip with them–don’t hesitate–just do it! You won’t be sorry.  ~C.R.

Thank you for every thoughtful, researched, beta-tested detail that made it a unique and incredible ‘RetreaTour.’ You are an amazing team. I never felt like I had hired you to guide me. Rather, it often felt like I was along on your personal vacation just joining you for the great trip you were taking! ~M.C.

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