"Increasingly, the high-end market is
looking for more value-added features during
their travel," says Hajar Ali, a partner of
Urbane Nomads, a high-luxury bespoke travel
management company that handles destination
planning from Thailand to South Africa.
"It's no longer about staying at the best
hotels or flying first class but about a
memorable, spectacular once-in-a-lifetime
experience, except that for these people the
spectacular becomes ordinary.
Ali would know. Her company specializes in
catering for more eclectic itineraries and
accommodation options. "I crafted an
itinerary for a traveler to Syria that
combined stays in the top suites of the best
(and most atmospheric) boutique hotels in
the region with a practicing monastery in
the Syrian hills. I also arranged for a
guide in Palmyra (famous for the legend of
Queen Zenobia), who was conversant in
Aramaic, the ancient language spoken by
Jesus Christ."~
Jessie Kok,, Amica Singapore
Tours with a cultural bent might revolve around
festivals- the tsechus of Bhutan, the sacred
music festival of Fez, or the Pushkar Camel
fair of Rajasthan, take on a more academic bent in
tracing the route of Thesiger in Oman, the landmarks
of Marguerite Duras in Saigon or the romanticized
safaris of Livingstone in Africa. Or it could take
on a more mystical bent, exploring the myths and
legends of a place- legends of sea goddesses in
Indonesia, mountain princesses in Malaysia or the
paths of astrologers and fairy princesses in
Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Some destinations, intrinsically, are cultural
destinations unto themselves- try falling under the
spell of snake charmers in Djemaa el Fnaa market of
Marrakech, travelling through the untouched
Himalayas of Bhutan or the surprisingly pristine,
anthropologically interesting practices of remote
islands in Indonesia or a cultural immersion with
the Samburu warriors in Kenya.
Take a look at a few of the suggestions here and,
depending on your interests, we could combine
several elements in tailoring a holiday for you. A
culturally-rich tour of Bhutan, exploring its dzongs
and attending its colorful tsechus can be
capped off with a traditional Bhutanese hot stone
bath overlooking pristine pine forests in the
Himalayan kingdom.
Your time spent with a Samburu or Masai warrior in
the remote reaches of Kenya can be combined with an
adventurous safari on horseback (that's the only way
we'd recommend viewing game up close for experienced
riders!) through the Serengeti in Tanzania.
Camping in the remote
temples of Cambodia-
waking up to virtually
find the whole temple
grounds to yourself.
Ending in ultra-luxury
tents across the Thai
border, this trip is
subject to favourable
political conditions and
can be substituted with
camping on other treks.
A trip that covers
a visit to the ruins of what was once the seat of a legendary/charismatic group
of alleged assassins and pre-Islamic sites.
An initiation itinerary for first timers to
Bhutan. Itinerary can be tweaked to suit
photographers, with trip being led by the
photographer behind the first coffee table book
on Bhutan.
An ultra-luxury
introduction to the
cultural highlights of
Indonesia with a Komodo
expedition on the
Amanikan.
Hunting with the San
Bushmen in the remote
farwestern Kalahari. An
itinerary that combines
luxury-in-remoteness,
authenticity and
style,bearing all the
hallmarks of a luxury
adventure trip with
Urbane Nomads.
