ADVENTURE WITH A ‘SOFTER LANDING’: G Adventures to launch new premium tour style

With the goal of showing that community and adventure do not have to be sacrificed for comfort, G Adventures’ new Geluxe Collection will feature 28 trips that focus on being physically active, with one-of-a-kind accommodation, elevated dining, and a heavy focus on community and culture in destination.

Set to launch next May, the new travel style is unlike any other program of trips it offers, says the Toronto-based tour operator.

G says the tours will be handcrafted to provide “the ultimate experience for travellers” while also ensuring that as much money as possible stays in the hands of local people, every step of the way.

Yves Marceau, VP of product for G Adventures, says the collection will epitomize “adventure at its finest” and fill a gap in the market for people looking for a premium active experience with the G Adventures touch.

“These (premium active) trips have been carefully curated for travellers who enjoy adventure with a softer landing, yet still appreciate meaningful interactions with local people as part of their travel experience,” explains Marceau.

“Each day has been meticulously crafted to get travellers deeper into the destination, while still being physically active throughout their trip. Every meal tells the story of the people and place it came from. Accommodation is unique to the location, and all trips have community tourism at their core, so travellers form a richer connection with local people and their culture, while also giving back as they travel,” says Marceau.

Highlights include at least one “Your OMG Stay” and one “Your OMG Day” on every trip.

The former style of accommodation is selected for its impressive history, design, or surrounding experiences and include such venues as the Cardamom Tented Camp in the Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia, Refugio Amazonas ecolodge in the Peruvian Amazon, glamping at Changa Safari Camp in Zimbabwe, and Mr. and Mrs. White Tinos, a stunning boutique hotel in the Greek Islands.

Meanwhile “Your OMG Day” gives travellers the opportunity to personalize one of their days by picking between two different travel experiences on each trip. Examples include a food walking tour in Tokyo, Japan, a Cape Malay cooking class in South Africa, a rowboat ride and yoga session in Nepal with the Himalayas as a backdrop, and a Jeep safari focused on the cultural heritage of the Sahara that meets with nomads and villagers in southern Morocco.

The 16 Geluxe Collection countries featured at launch are Botswana, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The maximum group size is 16, with an average of 10-12 people per departure.

For tours and information, visit www.gadventures.com/geluxe.