The collection:
EXPERIENCE THE WORLD
MAKE TRAVEL COUNT
Fill your holidays with mind-opening, immersive experiences that will change the way you view the world.
After the year we’ve had, start planning the trips that are important to you. Make every second of your holiday count by filling it with extraordinary experiences that will stay with you long after you leave.
Don’t just sit and stare – make the most of your time in another country to jump in, feel, taste and experience firsthand. Meaningful interactions mean we feel alive and connected with the world.
GORILLA CLOSE UP
One & Only - Rwanda
We share 96 per cent of our DNA with gorillas so it’s hardly surprising that many of us crave to come face-to-face with one in the wild, especially as only an estimated 1,000 gorillas still exist. For an expedition such as this, you’ll need to head to the heart of Rwanda’s mist-drenched forests, and we’d suggest following a One&Only journey – staying in their remote but uber slick lodges and experiencing truly once-in-a-lifetime encounters with wild animals.
Start in vibrant Kigale, Rwanda’s capital city before a domestic flight to One&Only Nyungwe House – perched in pristine, untouched rainforest where a canopy walk takes you into the heart of it all – watch chimpanzees crash in the jungle, spot golden monkeys and listen to the hoots and calls of exotic birdlife. Your next stop is One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, clasped in eucalyptus forest and overlooking a jagged panorama of volcanoes. It’s here in Volcanoes National Park that you’ll trek to visit a gorilla family in their natural habitat. Watch and learn about the pecking order between the older ‘silverback’ males who lead the group and maintain order, and the younger males, juvenile females and infants. Staying utterly still and quiet, these will be some of the most thrilling moments of your life.
Both One&Only Nyungwe and Gorilla's Nest offer a high level of luxury. Expect post-trek spa treatments using local ingredients and African techniques and spacious suites come with chic tribal designs, some with alfresco bathrooms or plunge pools.
NEED TO KNOW
Watching these endangered creatures is truly humbling – we always recommend making time for two treks to see these fascinating creatures during your stay – we know one isn’t enough.
HAVE IT ALL
Sri Lanka
If anything can propel you out of your lockdown lethargy, a trip to Sri Lanka will give you back that thirst for life. The perfectly formed teardrop-shaped island just has so much going for it. Firstly, its tropical climate puts you immediately into holiday mode and the sights and smells will give you a blast of the exotic – something many of us have sorely missed.
If you’re craving experience, then Sri Lanka can provide in spades. Whether you want to learn the art of Sri Lankan cuisine with an early market tour and a cookery class in a local homestead, try your hand at surfing on the south-west coast’s beach breaks, or discover kingdoms past on top of Sri Lanka’s rock fortress Sigiriya, you’ll easily be able to get under the skin of this easy-to-love country. It’s the perfect place for families too, with direct flights plus experiences like elephant and leopard spotting, camping, train rides and temples hidden away in caves.
We'd recommend taking a few weeks to really explore Sri Lanka's diversity. Talk to us about arranging the perfect trip for you - we'll organise a recommended driver then we will work out the best route for you - perhaps taking in tea plantations, discovering ancient temples then winding up on the beach.
WHERE TO STAY
There are a range of high-quality of hotels here – speak to us about your needs. We’d recommend Santani or Tri Lanka for wellness, Ceylon Tea Trails up in the tea plantations for hilly scenery and KK Beach and Cape Weligama on the south west coast for tropical beach time.
WILD & REMOTE
El Chaltén - Argentina
There’s something about being confined to our immediate locale that has had many of us opening up the map to find remote, wide-open spaces for us to explore. If this sounds like you, then you might be interested to hear that a brand-new lodge has opened in Patagonia, one of the earth’s most far flung and isolated regions.
Prepare to be truly blown away by explora El Chaltén, located between Electric Valley and the Marconi Glacier in Argentinian Patagonia. This lodge might be hard to reach but the effort is paid off many times over as you get up close to amazing natural phenomena including mountains, ice fields, rivers, lagoons and glaciers. Spend your days delving deep into wild pockets of nature without another soul in sight – perhaps spotting huemul deer, torrent ducks and Patagonian woodpeckers. Once you’ve had your fill of astonishing scenery, come home to El Chaltén, a lodge based on the architecture of an ancient estancia, where you can invigorate in the spa before a delicious dinner of Patagonian specialties
Did you know Explora have six other lodges in remote regions of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru? Talk to us about arranging the ultimate nomadic sabbatical around South America - taking in the Atacama Desert, Sacred Valley, Andes Mountains and more.
NEED TO KNOW
Expect your daily excursions to be varied. There’s a lot of ground to cover from the Los Glaciares National Park to the Southern Patagonia Mountain Range, Mount Fitz-Roy and Los Huemules Natural Reserve and you may explore via hiking, overland trips, ice trekking, and rock climbing.
AMERICA'S NATIONAL PARKS
Private Jet Tour - USA
We’ve noticed a rise in demand for travelling by private jet and we can see why. Firstly, you won’t have to share your space with anyone apart from a few crew members, and secondly, you can use your private jet to go exactly where you’d like to go. For example, imagine being able to hop between America’s national parks – stopping where and when you’d like? We’ve devised an itinerary based around the concept, but of course as you’re the only passengers, you can tweak the route according to your desire.
A trip like this is not short on experience. Highlights could include learning horsemanship from a real cowboy in Grand Teton National Park, spot bison and moose on safari in Yellowstone, admire red sandstone rock formations in Arches National Park or run the rapids of Colorado River in Canyonlands. Every night, you’ll lay your head at some of America’s top resorts and lodges, and you’ll have drivers and guides at your disposal. Experience the best of America on this luxe tour where you’re in charge.
Take in six of America's famous national parks on this 10-night adventure where a private jet awaits to take you from one place to the next, with a flotilla of drivers and guides ready to transfer to you smoothly to each experience.
WHERE TO STAY
As well as cutting down on journey time by flying via private jet, you’ll also have time to experience America’s high standard of accommodation, like Amangiri – the desert hotel that seamlessly merges into its environment, or uber-comfortable Zion Mountain Lodge for extras like campfires, astronomy lessons and buffalo spotting.
THE LUXURY OF SPACE
Tassia - Kenya
For some of us, true luxury isn’t about the trappings of a hotel with mod-cons, buzzy beach clubs and Michelin-starred restaurants. It’s about space and time, far from human habitation. When the constructs of our lives fall away, this is where real luxury can be found. We can help you find the experience that is perfectly right for you.
Tassia Lodge in Kenya, set on a rocky outcrop that overlooks 60,000 acres of plains and hills dotted with acacia trees is one such place which takes you well away from the ordinary. The view itself will make you catch your breath and that’s before you meet the Mukogodo Masai, visit a hunter-gatherer cave or go on a game drive to spot leopard, elephant and hyena. Rooms are carved into the rock and simply furnished, with viewing decks and al fresco dining spots to make the most of the breathtaking vista. Here simplicity reigns – there is no Wi-Fi, TV, phone reception or other tourists, but you’ll find the vast sky and endless panorama more than enough.
Tassia is run in conjunction with the local tribe and is very much part of the community. This is a lodge that genuinely makes a difference to its environment from supporting women's groups to grass planting and tree protection.
NEED TO KNOW
We’d recommend adding on another lodge after Tassia. Sirikoi is a more polished gem, with high-octane experiences such as diving into blue glacial pools, helicopter excursions to Mount Kenya for fly-fishing, or overnight quad bike safaris. You can also enjoy a massage or play croquet when you’re not out spotting wildlife.
Insight
The Best Private Guides of Africa
A Man For All Seasons: Our Recommendations For The Best Private Guides In Africa
Booking with Bailey Robinson means access to the finest travel experiences. When planning your holiday we do all the hard work – in-depth research and meticulous organisation. You can be confident in the individual care for your holiday from your dedicated and experienced Personal Travel Designer and Concierge.
Trip idea
Western American Wonders
The review
Amangiri, Utah
