Travel experiences – experiential trips around the world

Last Updated 22 July 2023

To experience destinations more profoundly when you travel, you'll want to immerse yourself in local life and culture. Gain cultural understanding through the incredible range of travel experiences on our experiential trips – all ready and waiting for when we can travel again. You can take a gourmet cookery class with a French chef in Bordeaux and a limoncello workshop on the Italian island of Capri. Help to teach local children in a school in Guatemala or meet a family of indigenous people in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Local travel experiences

Connecting with a local who has a thorough knowledge of a destination is the ideal way to find the direction required to experience the places you visit in a deeper and more fulfilling way.

At Insight Guides, we specialize in connecting travelers with carefully chosen local travel experts. Making connections with local people adds extra meaning to your trip. By meeting them, you can gain insight into their lives, their country, and their culture. By supporting local experts, you are often supporting local outfits and local communities, too. 

Unforgettable trips

We have now released a number of trips on which travelers can embrace creative and cultural activities. These trips, of course, also feature the chance to savor other fantastic travel experiences. You can book these pre-planned itineraries exactly as they are, or tailor them to your specific requirements. 

Prepare zesty limoncello in Capri

Savor la dolce vita on Insight Guides’ An Italian Dream trip. Learn how to prepare a delicious three-course menu in a fabulous Rome apartment and discover the secrets to preparing the zesty lemon liqueur limoncello on the glamorous island of Capri. Other highlights on the tour include discovering iconic Mount Etna on the island of Sicily, and exploring the dramatic scenery along the stunning Amalfi Coast. 

Dramatic Capri coastline Photo: S-F/Shutterstock

Learn creative French cookery in Bordeaux

Take culinary tips from the top during a cooking class with a creative French chef as part of Insight Guides’ The Romance, Food and Wine of Bordeaux tour. The trip also features two nights in the romantic French capital, a guided walk of historic Bordeaux, and wine tasting in vineyards surrounding the city. In addition, you will have the opportunity to relish exquisite regional dishes during dinner in an elegant castle setting.

Sauternes vineyards to the south of Bordeaux, France. Photo: FreeProd33/Shutterstock

Meet indigenous Kichwa people in Ecuador

Meet a family of the indigenous Kichwa people in Yasuni National Park as part of Insight Guides’ Wild Ecuador trip. The tour also features a guided walk through the capital Quito’s stunning colonial quarter, as well as canoe trips and wildlife hikes in the Amazonian rainforest. In addition, you will enjoy a luxury cruise in the Galapagos and tour a cocoa plantation.

Indigenous tribesman at Yasuni National Park, Ecuador. Photo: Ammit Jack/Shutterstock

Discover ancient weaving techniques in Guatemala

Help teach local children in a school in Antigua, learn to prepare dishes using ancient Mayan methods in Chichicastenango, and discover traditional weaving techniques in San Juan Atitlan, all as part of Insight Guides’ Highlights of Guatemala and Belize tour. The trip also features a visit to the breathtaking Mayan citadel of Tikal and snorkeling in the marine life-rich waters of the Caribbean off Belize.

Tikal National Park, Guatemala. Photo: WitR/Shutterstock

Dig for amethysts in Finland

Learn to gather edible forest berries and mushrooms for a Lapland barbecue and dig for amethysts in a hilltop mine as part of Insight Guides’ Magical Finland tour. This incredible trip also encompasses a day in the sparkling capital Helsinki. Memorable Arctic experiences featured include a moose safari, a midnight sun sauna cruise, and an overnight bear safari. Immersing yourself in the wilderness is a great way to experience this beautiful area.

Moose in the forest, Finland. Photo: Martin Mecnarowski/Shutterstock

Dreaming of your next travel experience?

Insight Guides can help organize and book tailor-made trips to destinations around the world for you. Simply get in touch with us to share your ideas for the trip and to let us know when you would like to travel. Local experts will then create a personalized itinerary especially, which you can amend until you are happy with every detail before booking.