The Best Private Trips to Book for Your Religious Studies Class
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Looking to take your religious studies class on a field trip? Whether your focus is on Christianity, Judaism, Islam or Buddhism, we’ve got a trip that will help elevate your students’ understanding in the most immersive way imaginable.
There’s plenty of pros for going private. Obviously it means you can keep the guest-list locked down, but it also allows for far greater flexibility on travel dates, group sizes (minimum of 4) and even age requirements. Simply get in touch with our Travel Experts to organise your personalised Culture Trip adventure.
Magical Madrid to Marrakech by Train
If the intersection of religions and the interaction between holders of different beliefs is something you wish to explore, then you’d struggle to do better than this 12-day Rail Trip. Starting in the Spanish capital, we’ll move our way down through the heartland of Spain and eventually into Morocco, giving you the opportunity to trace in real time the similarities, differences and crossovers between Christianity and Islam, as well as the shared history both belief systems hold in Iberia and North Africa. In Cordoba you’ll find a city that has seen countless eras come and go, from Roman to Moorish and present-day Spain. You can see these influences all over the city, but most notable is the remarkable mosque-cathedral, which you’ll get a guided tour of. Having also explored Seville, we’ll hop over to Tangiers, the gateway to North Africa. In Casablanca you’ll get a guided visit to the largest mosque on the continent, Hassan II Mosque, while in Fes you’ll discover ancient libraries, mosques and places of education – a fascinating insight into how religion seeps into a population’s daily life. The trip ends in the most vibrant city of the itinerary, Marrakech, where you’ll also get a guided walking tour.
From US$2635
Next available from 5th Nov 2023
Secure your spot with a low deposit
Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Madrid, Spain
ENDS AT
Marrakech, Morocco
DURATION
12
GROUP SIZE
16
PHYSICAL RATING
Light
STYLE
Discovery
Soulful South Korea
South Korea is a fascinating case study when it comes to faith. This is very much a multi-religion state, with Christianity the most widely practiced (27%), but one belief system has embedded itself into the Korean way of life beyond direct religious practice. Only around 15% of the population regard themselves as Buddhist today, but the religion was brought here in the 4th century, and many of the principles of Buddhism align with that of Korean society, even the non-believing side. To get an understanding of Korean Buddhism is fairly easy, thanks to the tourist tradition of a Korean temple stay, which is included on day six of this itinerary. You’ll be staying the night at Golgulsa, an ancient cave temple dating back to the 6th century. You’ll tuck into two tasty vegetarian meals, take a class in the martial art of sunmudo, as well as archery, and work on your Buddhist chanting and meditation before bed. The trip also includes a visit to Bulguksa Temple and an optional trip to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple.
From US$2414
Next available from 8th Oct 2023
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Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Seoul, South Korea
ENDS AT
Seoul, South Korea
DURATION
10
GROUP SIZE
16
PHYSICAL RATING
Moderate
STYLE
Discovery
Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam
Much of Southeast Asia remains deeply religious to this day, with the entire region dotted with beautiful old temples and sacred sites. Islam and Hinduism are practiced in numbers throughout this region of Asia but our starting point in this trip, Thailand, is largely Buddhist. In Bangkok you’ll get to visit three of the city’s most incredible temples – Wat Traimit (Golden Buddha), Wat Pho and the Marble Temple – before crossing the border into Cambodia, where a huge majority of the population practice Theravada Buddhism. You’ll get up early on day four for one of the most spiritually profound experiences on Earth, as you watch the sunrise come up from behind the ancient Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious structure. Our final destination, Vietnam, stands in direct contrast to the first two as a nation that largely does not practice religion. That said, elements of Confucianism, Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism and Vietnamese folk religions do still come through in the general principles of Vietnamese society. Our focus will be on the fascinating Ho Chi Minh City, where you’ll get to learn all about French colonial rule and the Vietnam War, and how both may have had an influence on modern Vietnam’s relationship with faith.
From US$1874
Next available from 14th Jan 2024
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Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Bangkok, Thailand
ENDS AT
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
DURATION
11
GROUP SIZE
16
PHYSICAL RATING
Moderate
STYLE
Discovery
Berlin to Budapest: The Best of Central Europe by Train
A common subject for religious studies classes is the Holocaust, and the route of this 10-day Rail Trip takes in three of Europe’s most significant cities in relation to Jewish history. We start with a guided tour in the German capital, a city that not only saw huge Jewish populations suffer, but also where much of the political power stood to enforce it. You’ll visit Hitler’s Bunker, the Reichstag and the extremely profound Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe whilst here. Our next city, Prague, is also incredibly significant in European Jewish history. The Czech capital’s old Jewish Quarter offers a vivid historical insight, having been brilliantly preserved over the last century, and is home to the excellent Jewish Museum, which you’ll have plenty of time to visit. Having also stopped off in Vienna and Bratislava, the trip ends in Budapest, another city where huge Jewish populations where displaced and murdered. The city is home to its own Jewish Quarter, as well as the largest synagogue in Europe. Perhaps most profound is the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial, which is not to be missed on a visit to the Hungarian capital.
From US$2473
Next available from 13th Apr 2024
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Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Berlin, Germany
ENDS AT
Budapest, Hungary
DURATION
10
GROUP SIZE
18
PHYSICAL RATING
Light
STYLE
Discovery
Fairytale Ireland
The island of Ireland has a long and famously complex relationship with religion, with the Republic of Ireland remaining a majority Catholic nation to this day. This weeklong itinerary traces some of the country’s most amazing stretches of coastline, covering a large swathe of counties, towns and villages, including Kinsale in County Cork, Dingle in County Kerry and Galway in, well, County Galway. This vibrant array of communities, ranging from rural to urban, offer a fascinating insight into how religion influences Ireland in the 21st century. The trip starts and ends in Dublin, where you’ll get a guided tour of some of the city’s most significant sights, including St Patrick’s Cathedral and St Audoen’s, Ireland’s oldest medieval church.
From US$
Next available from 1st Jan 1970
Secure your spot with a low deposit
Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Dublin, Ireland
ENDS AT
Dublin, Ireland
DURATION
7
GROUP SIZE
16
PHYSICAL RATING
Light
STYLE
Discovery
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!
Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.
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Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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