The Best Eight-Day Trips to Take Around the World
Content and CRM Executive
Just over a week is the perfect amount of time to explore a country. You’re not left on the plane home with a half-ticked bucket list, but you also don’t have to blow all your holiday days in one go. Book these eight-day adventures to discover faraway deserts, dense jungles and island paradises galore.
From driving through Jordan’s red rock desert to tucking into street food in Cartagena, or snorkelling around secret coves in Croatia, these Culture Trip adventures guarantee a longer getaway filled with unforgettable, immersive experiences.
Colombia, for coastal fun on unspoiled terrain
Colombia is not the first place that pops to mind when you think of waterside fun. Yet the country’s Caribbean coast is actually perfect for an action-packed escapade by the sea. Book this trip and get the chance to canoe through mangroves in the fishing village of La Boquilla, snorkel through rainbow-coloured coral reefs around the Rosario Islands (or simply unwind on their white-sand beaches) and sail down the Magdalena River on your way to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Street-food sampling in Cartagena and river tubing on Río Don Diego are also highlights of the itinerary.
From US$1711
Next available from 9th Dec 2023
Secure your spot with a low deposit
Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Cartagena, Colombia
ENDS AT
Santa Marta, Colombia
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
14
PHYSICAL RATING
Moderate
STYLE
Discovery
Jordan, for ancient wonders and cinematic landscapes
Spend eight days in this magical Middle Eastern land and you’ll leave with a suitcase full of once-in-a-lifetime memories, from nights spent under the stars to dipping your toes in the Dead Sea. We’ll start with wine tasting and a street food tour in Amman, before heading to the ancient city of Petra via a crowd-avoiding backdoor route. You’ll take a cooking class in a local family’s home and climb Petra’s mountaintop monastery before heading to the rusty desert expanse of Wadi Rum, made famous by countless films, from Lawrence of Arabia (1962) to Dune (2021). You’ll explore the desert by 4×4 and stargaze at an overnight stay in a Bedouin-style camp. Finally it’s a tale of two seas – go for a swim and a snorkel in the Red Sea, and a float in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea.
From US$2379
Next available from 6th Jan 2024
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Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Amman, Jordan
ENDS AT
Amman, Jordan
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
16
PHYSICAL RATING
Moderate
STYLE
Discovery
Greece, for a taste of Athens and island-hopping in the Cyclades
Why visit one Greek island when you can hop between a few? We’ll start on the mainland as we explore the old and new in Athens, from the ancient Acropolis to the city’s vibrant nightlife. Our first hop lands on the under-explored island of Milos, for cute cobblestone villages and untouched white-sand beaches. Then it’s on to Naxos, with its rolling hills dotted with olive groves and oak trees, where we’ll take a three-course cooking masterclass at a local family’s home. Last but definitely not least, we’ll arrive in Santorini, for some of the finest sunsets you will ever see, amid those iconic whitewashed houses and blue-domed churches.
From US$2056
Next available from 28th Apr 2024
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Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Athens, Greece
ENDS AT
Santorini Island, Greece
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
16
PHYSICAL RATING
Light
STYLE
Discovery
Ecuador, for hiking and white-water rafting in the jungle
Dense rainforests, active volcanoes and emerald lakes are only some of the natural wonders you can expect to find on this tour around Ecuador. You’ll be strolling through the colonial capital, Quito, hiking around the Limpiopungo glacial lagoon – the high, snow-capped Cotopaxi stratovolcano towering over you – swinging freely in the air from a mountaintop treehouse at the End of the World in Baños, and white-water rafting on the Jatunyacu river. A soothing soak in the hot springs of Papallacta village serves as the perfect ending to this equatorial escapade.
From US$1459
Next available from 9th Dec 2023
Secure your spot with a low deposit
Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Quito, Ecuador
ENDS AT
Quito, Ecuador
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
16
PHYSICAL RATING
Moderate
STYLE
Discovery
Croatia, for a sun-filled escape along the Dalmatian Coast
Eight days in Croatia are barely enough to get to know this beautiful country, yet this trip around the Dalmatian Coast is guaranteed to introduce you to all the highlights of the country’s island-speckled riviera. Marvel at baroque and medieval buildings in Split, wander through Venetian courtyards on Vis and swim in secluded bays on Korčula. If foodie delights are what you’re after, you will love sampling white wine in the coastal village of Lumbarda and gulping down fresh oysters in Ston – just before taking a walking tour around the fortified Old Town of Dubrovnik.
From US$1844
Next available from 29th Mar 2024
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Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Split, Croatia
ENDS AT
Dubrovnik, Croatia
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
16
PHYSICAL RATING
Moderate
STYLE
Discovery
Costa Rica, to spot sloths and soak in volcanic hot springs
This Central American paradise will turn eight days into a lifetime of adventure if you join our immersive tour. We’ll start by exploring the volcanic region surrounding fiery Arenal, where we’ll soak in geothermal hot springs and taste volcanic coffee, as well as go splashing in waterfalls and sloth-spotting in the area’s luscious jungle. Then it’s up into the mountains to explore the cloud forests – we’ll spot pumas and howler monkeys on a nighttime hike, learn to cook Costa Rican style and go white water rafting on Tenorio River. Finally, you’ll hit the beach and chill in the Pacific surf town of Tamarindo, where yoga classes and surf lessons are on the cards.
From US$2099
Next available from 9th Dec 2023
Secure your spot with a low deposit
Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
San Jose, Costa Rica
ENDS AT
Tamarindo, Provincia De Guanacaste
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
17
PHYSICAL RATING
Moderate
STYLE
Discovery
Sicily, for street food in Palermo and a Mount Etna adventure
The fiery island at the toe-end of Italy’s boot needs a good week to explore properly, and our Spectacular Sicily trip takes in everything, from Palermo to the Aeolian Islands, Etna and the beautiful baroque towns of Noto, Ragusa and Modica. We start with a street food tour and cooking class in Palermo, before hiking in the Madonie Mountains and visiting the coastal city of Cefalu. Then it’s off to the islands of Lipari and Vulcano – the aptly named latter is full of soothing volcanic hot springs. Next is Taormina, as seen in season two of The White Lotus, and the fertile slopes of Mount Etna, which you’ll hike and dine on at a local farm. Finally it’s onto the ancient city of Syracuse and the Unesco World Heritage Val di Noto region, dotted with storied old baroque towns, before ending the trip with an Aperol Spritz or two in Catania.
From US$
Next available from 1st Jan 1970
Secure your spot with a low deposit
Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Palermo, Italy
ENDS AT
Siracusa, Sicily
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
14
PHYSICAL RATING
Light
STYLE
Discovery
This is an updated version of an article originally written by Konstantina Pyrnokoki.
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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!
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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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