From mountain treks in Lebanon and Georgia to wildlife watching in Borneo and Sri Lanka, these are the tours Wanderlusters booked using Trip Finder in 2019. Perfect for 2020, too...
The Cedars of Lebanon (Shutterstock)
Wanderlust readers have always been ahead of the curve, so it’s no surprise that months before everyone else was waking up to the charms of Lebanon, you lot were booking this one-week walk along the Lebanon Mountain Trail with KE Adventure Travel.
The trip cherry-picks the best bits of the 470km trail, linking an intricate web of ancient, interconnected tracks and footpaths. It winds its way through a number of national reserves, (home to jackals, hyenas and wolves), past the early Maronite troglodyte monasteries in the Qadisha Valley and Roman ruins at Baalbek.
The food is excellent, too – a delicious mix of Turkish, Arab and Mediterranean cuisine.
Trip: Mountain Trails of Lebanon
Who: KE Adventure Travel
Type: Small group
When: May to Nov
How long: Nine days
How much: From £1,185 (exc. flights)
Reichenau Island in Lake Constance (Shutterstock)
This classic cycle tour around Lake Constance with BSpoke Tours has been a real hit on Trip finder. Passing through three countries – Germany, Austria and Switzerland – it combines breathtaking scenery, fascinating history and just the right amount of short break European cardio.
Surrounded by vineyards, orchards and beaches with views of the stunning alps, Lake Constance is the perfect short break destination for those who want to get active, but indulge in good food and great wine, as well.
Swim in the lake, visit medieval castles. Take a ride a traditional lake steamer. Where else can you enjoy apple strudel in Austria for lunch and tuck into fondue in Switzerland for dinner?
Trip: Lake Constance, Three Countries On Two Wheels Self-Guided Cycling Tour
Who: BSpoke Tours
Type: Self-guided
When: Mar to Oct
How long: Six nights
How much: £775 (exc. flights)
Persepolis in Iran (Shutterstock)
Wanderlust readers are more open-minded and adventurous than most. That’s probably why this classic tour of Iran with Evaneos is one of the most popular holidays on Trip Finder.
This tour is the perfect introduction to this fascinating and misunderstood country, visiting the most important cities of Iran as well as its most important UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
From the blue-domed mosques of Isfahan to the ancient ruins of Persepolis, you’ll experience Iran’s incredible history. But more importantly, you also meet the country’s greatest asset: its incredibly hospitable people.
Trip: Iran: Classic Tour
Who: Evaneos
Type: Tailor-made
When: Flexible departures throughout the year
How long: 10 days
How much: From £1,690 (exc. flights)
A brown bear in Finland (Shutterstock)
Wanderlusters love their wildlife. And untouched wildernesses. So this bird and bear watching tour in the timeless forests of Finland with Magnetic North is a real hit on Trip Finder.
Meeting brown bears in their natural environment is an unforgettable experience. Guests stay in a purpose built Bear Hide Cabin, waking up to the sound of bears cracking through the undergrowth outside. Floor-to-ceiling windows, stylish Nordic interior and views across lakes, fells, and forests – it doesn’t get any better than this.
There are plenty more activities on offer. Spend your days paddling across crystal clear lakes to hidden away beaches and enjoying gentle hikes through old pine forests. This is nature at its very best.
Trip: Bear & Bird Watching In Finland
Who: Magnetic North
Type: Tailor-made
When: Flexible departures throughout the year
How long: Seven days
How much: From £2,300 (exc. flights)
Highway crossing Patagonia leading towards Mount Fitzroy (Shutterstock)
Patagonia is always one of the most popular destinations on Trip Finder and this self-drive holiday with Journey Latin America the most popular trip.
It showcases three contrasting regions of Patagonia in Argentina and Chile while giving you the independence to stop at any time and simply soak up the jaw dropping scenery – what’s not to love?
It’s a route that takes in Argentina’s glorious lake district and Los Glaciares National Park as well as Torres del Paine National Park in Chile – incredible landscapes to explore at your leisure and preferred speed, but with the security of knowing your accommodation is booked for you at the end of a day on the road.
Trip: Self-Drive Patagonia: The Open Road To Torres Del Paine
Type: Self-guided
When: Flexible departures throughout the year
How long: 20 days
How much: From £5,230 (exc. flights)
A baby orangutan in Borneo (Shutterstock)
Every year, Borneo tops the list of most searched for destinations on Trip Finder. It’s wild and remote, with incredible wildlife and a few creature comforts thrown in as well well – just what Wanderlusters are looking for. Like this trip through Sarawak with Intrepid.
It’s easy to see why it’s so popular. You’ll see orangutans swinging through the rainforest treetops in Semenggoh, weave through the vast Mulu cave systems and spend a night in an Iban homestay.
After following the Headhunters' Trail in Sarawak, and wandering along Kuching's riverside promenade, you’ll get time to wind down and relax the on golden-sand beaches in Labuan. Perfect.
Trip: Wild Sarawak
Who: Intrepid
Type: Small group
When: Regular departures throughout the year
How long: 10 days
How much: From £1,170 (exc. flights)
Ushguli village in Georgia (Shutterstock)
One of the first indications we had that Georgia was set to become one of the hot destinations of 2019 was the popularity of this trip through Georgia, with guide Dario Ghirlanda, on Trip Finder.
The combination of an incredible, relatively undiscovered destination, led by a Wanderlust World Guide Award winner, proved irresistible.
It helps, of course, that Georgia delivers. Known as the pearl of the Caucasus, it is a magical mix cultures and religion, history and nature, all served up with extraordinary hospitality and sumptuous food and wine. Book now.
Trip: Discover Georgia with Dario Ghirlanda
Who: Wanderlust Journeys
Type: Small group
When: July
How long: 11 days
How much: From £1,895 (exc. flights)
Traditional wooden canoe in Ghana (Shutterstock)
Here’s a trip hardcore Wanderlusters loved: an overland journey through West Africa with Dragoman. You won’t find an awful lot of wildlife or tourist infrastructure, but if it’s African music, culture and chaos you’re after, you’ll get it by the bucket load.
Travelling through Ghana, Togo and Benin, this is Africa at its rawest – and most exhilarating. You’ll enjoy great tribal homestays, cool hill hikes to see butterflies, wonderful palm-fringed beaches and boat trips to stilt villages.
There’s fascinating history, both indigenous tribal and unwanted in the form of the Slave Trade, plus a national park with lions and elephants.
Trip: Voodoo & Vibes Of West Africa
Who: Dragoman
Type: Overland
When: Jan & Dec
How long: 21 days
How much: From £1,280 + $US580 kitty (exc. flights)
Lake Baikal in summer (Shutterstock)
The legendary Trans Siberian rail journey across Russia is on most Wanderlusters' bucket lists, and it seems the majority of you think that if you’re going to do it, you may as well do it in style.
Regent Holidays' rail journey abroad the Tsar’s Gold Private Train is by far the most popular Trans Sib option on Trip Finder.
Travelling from Moscow to Beijing, this journey delivers three of the world’s largest countries directly to your stylish compartment. Lean back and enjoy the dramatic changes of scenery and savour some of Europe and Asia’s most dramatic and beautiful landscapes, experiencing Russia, Mongolia and China in pure style.
Go on. Spoil yourself.
Trip: Trans-Siberian Tour On The Tsar's Gold Private Train Moscow To Beijing
Who: Regent Holidays
Type: Tailor-made
When: May to Sep
How long: 16 days
How much: From £4,230 (exc. flights)
Leopard in the wild in Sri Lanka (Shutterstock)
Any doubts about Sri Lanka being back on the travel map is quickly dispelled by the popularity of this five-day leopard safari in Yala National Park with Wildlife Trails.
With a bargain beach holiday Bentota package tagged on the end, it remains Trip Finder’s most popular Sir Lankan trip. It includes five half-day jeep safaris and one full day drive inside Yala National Park, so your chances of multiple, breathtaking leopard encounters are truly maximised.
There's also a substantial elephant population along with spotted deer, sambar, wild buffalo, sloth bear, jackal, mongoose and crocodiles. Birdwatchers are in for a treat as well, with over 120 bird species calling the park home.
Trip: Sri Lankan Leopard Safari At Yala; Five Days
Who: Wildlife Trails
Type: Small group
When: Flexible departures throughout the year
How long: Five days
How much: From £840 (exc. flights)
Mount Fuji (Shutterstock)
If you’re going to visit Japan, you may as well go with the experts. Well, that’s what Wanderlusters think, judging by the popularity of this classic tour of the country with InsideJapan Tours.
All the big sites are included, including Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka, as well as a remarkable 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
There’s a real focus on cultural experiences, with plenty of opportunities to ride the famous Shinkansen bullet train, enjoy traditional Japanese hospitality at an authentic ryokan inn, watch a geisha tea ceremony in Kyoto, and wander through Tokyo's famous Tsukiji Fish Market.
Trip: Best of Japan: 14 Nights
Who: InsideJapan Tours
Type: Tailor-made/self-guided
When: Flexible departures throughout the year
How long: 15 days
How much: From £3,160 (exc. flights)
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