VBT Bicycling Vacations and Country Walkers have launched a Discovery collection, small-group walking tours designed for travelers looking for cultural experiences at a relaxed pace.
The collection of five itineraries will debut in 2027 in Egypt, Australia, India, Patagonia and Colombia. The itineraries prioritize a slower pace and built-in free time for guests, also featuring more local experiences and local tour leaders.
"Discovery tours are designed to go deeper," said VBT trip designer Kevin Wilks. "With a more relaxed pace and built-in free time, guests can truly explore, connect and enjoy cultural experiences that simply aren't possible on faster-moving biking or walking tours. Authentic travel happens when you step into daily life. Interacting with local communities allows guests to experience a culture firsthand -- not from behind a bus window, but by truly living it."
The 11-day Egypt tour includes a three-night Nile river cruise on a private dahabiya boat, a private cooking class in Cairo, a sunrise visit to the Karnak Temples and having tea with a family along the Nile. Prices start at $7,595.
The Australia tour starts at $8,995 and combines the country's rainforests, reef and outback in one 10-day itinerary. The operator advertises the trip as "a rare gem," featuring indigenous guides, snorkeling in the Outer Great Barrier Reef and wine tasting in the Blue Mountains.
In India, a 14-day itinerary includes a cruise on Lake Pichola, riding a camel cart through the Thar Desert and visiting Jaipur. Other highlights are touring Moonlit Square, one of Delhi's oldest markets; visiting the Bhil tribe; and embarking on a leopard safari. Prices start at $6,095.
In Colombia, an eight-day tour of Medellin and the Cocora Valley brings travelers to the country's coffee country and coast. The itinerary starts at $4,995 and includes visits to Bogotá and Cartagena. Highlights include planting palm trees in the country's endangered cloud forest, enjoying traditional foods like ajiaco (chicken and potato soup) and visiting nonprofit Pescador de Letras, which benefits children in a fishing village.
The Patagonia tour spends 11 days in Argentina and Chile, starting in Buenos Aires and ending in Santiago. Travelers will take a boat through the Tigre Delta, ride horses alongside a gaucho and see the Perito Moreno Glacier. The itinerary starts at $7,695.