Coming in April 2023

Our 2020 Around the World journey was canceled due to COVID-19, but you sign up below if you want to know when we release details of our 2023 Journey.

April 2023 Around the World tour line up

Kyoto, Japan (think cherry blossoms!) · Angkor Wat · Bhutan · Jordan (Petra & the Dead Sea) · Madrid, Spain · Machu Picchu · optional Easter Island extension

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About the Hotels

About Jet Lag

About Altitude

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Why is this the right trip for you?

For more than six years, we (BJ Graf and Lauren Rathvon, the founders of RetreaTours) have traveled non-stop, exploring the most interesting destinations, meeting the most amazing local guides, learning the most useful local tips, and helping curious, engaged people like you discover more about the planet they live on. 

Developing an Around the World itinerary has always loomed large in the back of BJ’s mind since his 1995 adventure around the globe. 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 on the market cost between $86,000 and $129,000+ and usually take between 50 and 80+ guests. That didn’t sit right with us; we think world travel is beneficial and necessary for growth, empowerment, and connection and should be made as accessible as possible, with a small, like-minded crew and personal attention from your trip leaders. 

Instead, we have limited our group to just 12 guests for $19,999–a much smaller group at a lower price, imagine that!

Using creative planning, commercial flights (as opposed to private jets) and our huge virtual Rolodex of resources, we create brilliant, fully escorted, all-inclusive Around the World itineraries for a fraction of the cost of other options on the market. We lead our first 28-day Around the World journey in October 2018, touring 11 fascinated (and fascinating!) guests through 9 beautiful countries.

For 2020, we wanted to create a “World Wonders” edition of our globe-trotting expedition. Read more about the Wonders we have chosen and why just below in the yellow button!

This journey is very much in line with our mission, to maximize the greatest good for the greatest number, including our guests, our travel partners, and the local community. We hope to travel Around the World with you!

Ni hao & welcome to China! Our tour will officially begin at dinner on October 19, but if you’d like to arrive early and get a jump on jet lag, we can help you arrange that.

Our home base in Beijing is nestled in a traditional neighborhood, the Sanyanjing Hutong, directly next to gorgeous Jingshan Park. This neighborhood allows for self-exploration if you arrive early, and is a short walk from one of the most popular walking streets. In addition, a short uphill walk in Jingshan Park allows a 360° view of Beijing, including a dramatic panorama of the entire Forbidden City.

[The Great Wall’s] historic and strategic importance is matched only by its architectural significance. —UNESCO

The Great Wall of China, one of the “New 7 Wonders,” is anything but new. Rather, the Great Wall is actually a collection of fortification walls, with the earliest being built in the 7th century BCE. These early defensive walls were joined together and improved upon around 200 BCE by the first Emperor of China, and the most well-known walls were constructed by the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Today, the Great Wall is recognized as the largest man-made structure ever built and one of the most impressive architectural feats in history. Although not one continuous wall, the surviving elements of the stretch an impressive 13,171 miles (21,197 km).  We’ll explore the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall on our first full day in China (~90-minute drive), taking a cable car up in order to enjoy the aerial mountain views!

The next day we’ll get an early start for our exploration of Beijing’s Forbidden City and Palace Museum, which houses some of the most important treasures of China. Built to represent a heavenly palace, the Forbidden City served as the home of emperors and their households as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government for almost 500 years (1420 to 1912). Constructed from 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

We’ll visit Tiananmen Square, one of the largest squares in the world (110 acres), a place of great cultural significance and the site of numerous important events in Chinese history. We’ll also pay a visit to the Temple of Heaven. Completed in 1420, this complex of temples held annual ceremonies to pray for a good harvest. Next to the Great Wall, it might be the most iconic structure in China.

Choum reap suor! We’ll depart Beijing on the morning of the 22nd to fly (via Hong Kong) to Siem Reap in the beautiful Kingdom of Cambodia. Here, 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 and 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 temples, 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 two of our three full days here exploring temples with our expert Khmer guide who was a Buddhist monk for 16 years. 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 their rooftop deck!

We’ll reserve one full day as a free day for rest, shopping, self-exploration, a local village tour, or even going back out to the temples to explore more. Siem Reap has a wonderful Angkor Museum you may wish to visit, as well. We’ll cap off our time in Angkor with a sunset boat ride & drinks on the moat of Angkor Thom.

Namaskar! We’ll say our goodbyes to Cambodia and fly (via Bangkok) to New Delhi, India. We’ll rest overnight in a comfortable hotel convenient to the airport and depart tomorrow morning after breakfast for the city of Agra (~4-hour drive in our private vehicle). 

Our home base in Agra is a 5-star hotel (with a great spa!) that is convenient to the crown jewel of India: the Taj Mahal. We’ll depart for the Taj Mahal early the next the morning and you’ll be among the first people to behold the beautiful white marble at sunrise. We’ll have an expertly guided tour of the Taj Mahal, and then you’ll have time to explore independently. Take your time to really inspect the semi-precious stone inlay in this hardy Makrana white marble; rest your eyes on the geometric patterns and the soft calligraphy that decorates the facade. It took over 20,000 workers and artisans over 20 years to create this masterpiece, a mausoleum dedicated to a beloved wife, a timeless testament to love. What’s more, the Taj Mahal will have recently finished a years-long cleaning, a painstaking process of applying a special mud mask to remove the impurities from the pores of the marble. The rest of the afternoon can be spent in rest or shopping for some souvenirs to remind you of your time in incredible India.

There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who have seen the Taj Mahal and love it, and those who have not seen the Taj Mahal and love it.  —President Bill Clinton

On the morning of the 29th, we’ll visit Agra Fort in the early hours, a perfect time of day to see this expansive 16th-century fort. It was here that the man who commissioned the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan, lived his last days under house arrest, imprisoned by a power-hungry son. You’ll discover a completely different perspective of the Taj Mahal than you enjoyed yesterday morning, as you gaze at the marble domes along the Yamuna River from afar. 

After our time at Agra Fort, we’ll begin our drive back to Delhi and stay at a very comfortable hotel near the airport again. If we have time tonight, we can take a trip to Dilli Haat, an open-air handicraft market that represents artisans from all over the entire country!

Marḥaba! and welcome to Jordan! We’ll arrive in Amman, Jordan mid-afternoon and drive immediately to Petra (~3 hours on the Desert Highway). We’ll settle into our guesthouse, mere steps away from Petra’s main entrance and the only one on the grounds of Petra. In fact, we’re so close the 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.” And this site is so much more than the famous facade of the “Treasury”–the entirety of Petra spans for 102 square miles!  You’ll appreciate the efforts of the Nabateans even more when you learn that everything that has been excavated 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 have all day on October 31st to explore Petra, starting with an expertly guided tour through the picturesque 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 brings you to an overlook that that reveals the expanse of the Wadi Arabah desert.

The next day we’ll drive along the King’s Highway (~3 hours) to our resting place directly on the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is a wonder in its own right, as it is the lowest point on Earth at -1412 feet / -430.5 m below sea level. This hypersaline lake, the deepest in the world at around ~1000 feet, has long been used as a “health resort,” dating back to Biblical times.

You’ll get to experience the otherworldly sensation of floating high on top of these salty waters for yourself this afternoon 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.

On the morning of November 2nd, we’ll drive to the airport (~1 hour) for a short flight to Jordan’s neighbor to the west–Egypt!

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 sites of Giza, including Saqqara, Memphis, and Dahshur. These were all very important ancient sites in Egypt, 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.

Then 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!

The next day we’ll enjoy the new Egyptian Museum at Giza, having recently been relocated from its old location in Cairo (slated to open in 2020). 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, and venture into the mummy room if you wish.

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. 

Buongiorno! Welcome to Rome, The Eternal City! We’ll settle into our hotel in the historic center of Rome this afternoon, looking out on to the Pantheon itself. Completed in 126 CE, the Pantheon still stands today as the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world—a record that has stood for nearly 2000 years! It also held the record as the largest dome in the world until 1436 CE (1308 years). It is one of the best preserved Roman buildings and should rank highly on most lists as a Wonder of the World.

“From its foundation, Rome has continually been linked with the history of humanity.” –UNESCO

The history, the culture, the art, the food…it’s truly hard to even know where to begin when talking about Rome, founded in 753 BCE. You can still witness ancient Roman influences in modern society, from law to literature, art to engineering. We’ll dive into our Roman experience tonight with the most accessible & delicious of all facets, though: the food!

Our first night we’ll head out for a wine & food experience. Typically we’re big fans of neighborhood-based walking food tours, but since we have plenty of walking in our immediate future, let’s have the food and wine come to us tonight, shall we? We’ll enjoy expert pairings of delicious regional Italian cuisine and wine and hear the stories of the local producers that crafted them.

Let tonight serve as inspiration, as the next two nights you’ll be able to explore Rome’s stellar culinary scene on your own for dinner, with lots of suggestions from us! Your evenings are yours to discover or re-explore the sites that appeal to you the most–perhaps the Trevi fountain, the Spanish steps, or just soaking up the ambiance (and perhaps some wine?) in one of Rome’s stunning piazzas.

Tomorrow morning we’ll start our exploration of historic Rome with a tour that includes the Colosseum and the Pantheon. The Flavian Amphitheatre, more commonly known as the Colosseum, is the largest amphitheater ever built and could accommodate up to 87,000 people in its heyday. Construction was completed in 80 CE, and its design still influences the construction of modern-day amphitheaters.

We’ll start out early on the morning of November 7th to visit Vatican City, the only country (albeit only 100 acres!) designated as a UNESCO site. We’ll get a head start to visit the Sistine Chapel before the crowds; the beauty of Michelangelo’s ceiling and The Last Judgement are truly a wonder in their own right.

Without having seen the Sistine Chapel, one can form no appreciable idea of what one man is capable of achieving.  — Johann Wolfgang Goethe

We’ll explore the Vatican Museums and the abundant art collected by popes over the centuries. We’ll then make our way to what is considered the largest church in Christendom, St. Peter’s Basilica and the priceless art inside, including Michelangelo’s Pietà. Did you know that the Pietà was the only one of his works that Michelangelo ever signed?

It is said that Ralph Waldo Emerson described St. Peter’s as “an ornament of the earth … the sublime of the beautiful” in 1883. There’s little we can say to prepare you for the scale and majesty of St. Peter’s, and truly, historic Rome as a whole.

Bienvenidos a Peru! The morning of November 8, we’ll take a daytime flight to Lima, Peru (via Madrid). The transatlantic portion of the flight is 11.5 hours (although, timezone-wise, Lima is 6 hours earlier than Rome). We’ll arrive in Lima in the evening and go straight to our comfortable hotel convenient to the airport to rest. Tomorrow morning we’ll start our journey to Machu Picchu!

We’ll take a morning flight to Cusco (1.25 hours), enjoy a scenic drive through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, and board a train to Machu Picchu Pueblo (the town formerly known as Aguas Calientes). Our two-hour train ride is a scenic introduction to the Andes mountains, and we ride along the beautiful Urubamba river for much of the time. Tonight we stay in the quaint town of Machu Picchu Pueblo, readying ourselves for our sunrise trip to Machu Picchu.

After seeing the ruins at Machu Picchu, the fabulous cultures of antiquity seemed to be made of cardboard, papier-mâché…— Pablo Neruda

Peru has been inhabited since 9,000 BC and has had complex societies since 3000 BC. The Incas were an immensely powerful state in the 15th century; the crown in the Incan empire was, of course, Machu Picchu. On the morning of November 10, we’ll have a special private guided tour of Machu Picchu, along with independent exploration time. Sunrise is a palpably special time at these ruins, as the morning fog parts to reveal what had been hidden for hundreds of years. The structures themselves are impressive, but they are closely rivaled by the stunning Andean mountain landscape that kept them a secret for centuries. 

In the afternoon we’ll take the train back to Cusco. There is a certain charm to Cusco that we just can’t get enough of! This UNESCO World Heritage city was the stunning capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th until the 16th century, and it is South America’s oldest continuously inhabited city. The blend of the ancient Incan foundations, topped with the ornate relics of the Spanish invasion and colonization, make this city a marvel at every turn. It’s no wonder that the Constitution of Peru designated Cusco as the country’s Historical Capital! We’ll take a tour of Cusco and the surrounding area on November 11. 

Tonight we’ll share one final dinner together and reflect on our epic Around the World: Wonder Wonders journey together! We may have started in Beijing as strangers, but we close in Cusco as a family, brought together in our shared wonderment at this amazing world we live in.

Your Around the World journey officially finishes after breakfast on November 12th.  But, wait, there is so much more to see! You can stay on in Peru to visit the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest at Puerto Maldonado (a direct flight from Cusco). You can even head to the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador, as that is a lovely time of year to visit. A trip to Easter Island is also a possibility! We can help you with any of these trip extensions & more.

Photo Album

Please click a photo to see an enlarged version; you can use your arrow keys or mouse to navigate within the album. All photos here have been taken by BJ or Lauren during their travels, unless noted otherwise.