As the pace of life quickens with increasing connectivity, so is the demand for long trips rising. “People are wanting to slow down and unwind,†says Alex Malcolm, founder of luxury travel outfit Jacada Travel. The company, which has offi ces in Hong Kong, London, Capetown and Santiago, expects requests for “achievement trips†involving trekking or hiking to remote destinations to double next year. Retreats that last more than two weeks or “slow travel†are also expected to see a similar increase. And we are not talking about cruising. Here are some trips of a lifetime – until you reach the next milestone, that is.
02 TOUR DE NAPOLEON
Says Dylan Reynolds, director of cycling tour agency Ride and Seek, which organises month-long odysseys around Asia and Europe: “People want to get off-grid, but they also see this as a once- in-a-lifetime experience.†The outfit offers two-week cycling trips, but he notes that more people are game to do the 43-day Napoleon route, following its namesake’s campaigns from Paris to Moscow. Modern comforts – from evenings at luxury hotels to local food and wine tours – will help relieve the buttock pain.
TRAVEL IN VOGUE
What are the hottest places to explore next year? Jacada Travel weighs in.
ENTERTAINMENT ON ICE
More travellers are looking for icy experiences, such as those in Iceland and Norway that offer adrenalin-pumping activities such as race-car driving over frozen lakes, or horse-sledging.
Victoria Falls
IN TUNE WITH THE LAND
Luxury properties and destinations are upping the green stakes, whether it’s running vineyards using biodynamic means or using natural and recycled materials. Think using elephant dung and cans in the building of luxury hotel Baines Camp in Botswana.
REMOTE SAFARIS
South Africa may be the hot spot for safaris, but travellers are choosing traditionally add-on countries such as Zimbabwe and Zambia as their primary destinations. These nations have placed increased focus on animal conservation, and better infrastructure such as airports and hotels. Most importantly, they offer crowd-free safaris.
