The Best Trips For Using Unique Methods Of Transport

Getting from A to B can be a bit boring, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Riding some vehicles can become an experience on its own, while unique regional methods of transport help immerse you in local culture. These are the best trips you can take to experience the weirdest, wackiest and coolest methods of transport around.

Snowmobiling across glaciers – Volcanic Iceland

Getting around Iceland isn’t exactly easy. Those epic volcanic landscapes, usually covered in snow and ice, aren’t exactly made for Ford Fiestas. Any time spent traversing this otherworldly land is bound to feature some pretty hardy vehicles, from 4x4s to ATVs, but none are as cool as the snowmobile. They’re fast, sleek and perfect for crossing vast tundras. Most importantly, they make you feel like James Bond or Lara Croft. Our Volcanic Iceland trip is full of unforgettable adventures but the highlight is without doubt our afternoon spent snowmobiling across an icy glacier. Whizzing across cinematic landscapes, cold winds flying past and a trail of icy dust being left in your wake – it’s an experience you’ll be talking about forever. Just don’t forget to get at least one decent picture of you looking cool as hell in the Land of Fire and Ice.

From US$2889

Next available from 17th Feb 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Reykjavik, Iceland

ENDS AT

Reykjavik, Iceland

DURATION

5

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

Winter Sale

Tuk Tuk food tour – Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam

Cynics will say it’s a cliche – you do you – but you can’t really come to Thailand without hopping onboard one of these cosy carriages and being swept around the chaotic streets of Bangkok. It’s an adorable form of traditional transport but it’s actually really handy for getting around quickly, thanks to its uncanny ability to squeeze down the narrowest of side streets. Our Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam trip starts in the Thai capital and, on our first night, we’ll take a Tuk Tuk tour with a difference. We’ll use them to whiz around the city’s finest foodie establishments, from street vendors to markets and authentic local restaurants, our nifty little vehicles will get you from A to B without ever allowing its passengers to get hangry. It’s a really special way of taking in the sensory overload of this crazy, crazy city.

From US$2499

Next available from 25th Mar 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Bangkok, Thailand

ENDS AT

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

DURATION

11

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

Colorful bus packed with people in Nairobi, Kenya

Ride around Nairobi in souped-up matatu vans – Immersive Kenya

The people of Nairobi decided that the buses and vans taking them around were far too dull for this vibrant, colourful country. That’s how matatu vans came about. These souped-up vehicles are adorned with the boldest, brashest and often most ridiculous designs imaginable. They’re as bright and joyous as the modern culture from which they spawned from. We’ll start our Immersive Kenya trip in the capital, and what better way of going from giraffe sanctuaries to tribal culture centres than from the kind of statement-piece vehicle you won’t find in any other country on Earth.

From US$2959

Next available from 10th Mar 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Nairobi, Kenya

ENDS AT

Nairobi, Kenya

DURATION

8

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

turkey-cappadocia-hot-air-balloon-ridwan-meah-_wtP2TIJLuA-unsplash

Hot air balloons across Cappadocia – Majestic Turkey

A classic image of Cappadocia, the surreal semi-arid region in central Turkey, will almost always include a flurry of colourful hot-air balloons floating above the region’s otherworldly rock formations. Having already explored Istanbul and Ankara, our Majestic Turkey trip rolls up to Cappadocia on day five. You’ll spend three nights here, during which you’ll explore unique cave dwellings, take a pottery workshop and discover an ancient underground city. However, Cappadocia is best seen with a bird’s eye view, so you’ll also get the chance to hop into a basket and fire your way high into the sky on an utterly mesmerising hot-air balloon ride. It’s the manifestation of your childhood dreams and an experience quite literally like no other. We understand if fear of heights prevents you, but can you really come to Cappadocia and not go for a ride?

From US$2699

Next available from 1st Mar 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Istanbul, Turkey

ENDS AT

Antalya, Turkey

DURATION

12

GROUP SIZE

18

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

trips_SAFRICA_ Franschhoek_AdobeStock_110782236 (1)-min

Hop-on, hop-off wine tram – Splendid South Africa

I mean, do we really need to expand further than “hop-on, hop-off wine tram”. That’s the stuff of dreams, isn’t it? Some genius in South Africa once turned disused industrial train tracks into a tramline that connects the finest vineyards in the Cape Winelands, famous the world-over for its quality of grape. We’ve dedicated an entire day of our Splendid South Africa trip to this boozy phenomenon, setting off from Franschhoek and spending an afternoon hopping on and off this charming old locomotive, strolling through wineries, having tasting sessions and snacking on locally grown farm foods. If that isn’t the good life, we don’t know what is. Don’t worry if all that wine makes you sleepy, as the country guest lodge that awaits us below the majestic Stellenbosch mountains is delightfully cosy.

From US$2899

Next available from 3rd Feb 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Cape Town, South Africa

ENDS AT

Cape Town, South Africa

DURATION

11

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.