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.