The best trip you've never had

• Cape Town

A good one for friends, family clans or honeymooners alike, this two-week itinerary allows you to explore or relax with enough options at your fingertips to keep you thoroughly entertained. Enjoy a three-night sojourn in bucket-list Cape Town and experience slow safari, spotting wildlife at an easy-going pace in a private reserve in Greater Kruger. Then castaway on Mozambique’s white-sand beaches for a Robinson-Crusoe-style escape.

• Bora Bora

This holiday is all about building momentum. You ease in with a few lively days in Los Angeles, then fly on to French Polynesia, where the colours get brighter and the pace gentler. The days here are unhurried and luminous, with warm water at your doorstep, adventure whenever you want it, and a sense of calm that sneaks up on you the longer you stay. A final night on Tahiti keeps the journey home simple and seamless, and we can bolt on a sneaky few nights in Seattle to squeeze in another blockbuster US city on your way home.

• Barbados

With its sprawling sandy stretches, crystal-clear waters and lush, verdant landscapes, it’s no wonder why the Caribbean is such a popular vacation spot. The culture here varies from island to island, making every resort unique, and thanks to a neverending melting pot of things to see and do, dull moments simply don’t exist. For the ultimate escape from reality, we recommend a twin-island trip to Barbados & St Vincent and the Grenadines. Barbados’ vibrant atmosphere will sing to your soul, while the sleepy old-worldliness of St Vincent and the Grenadines will lend a paradisal breather from life’s hustle and bustle.

• Siem Reap

Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Bangkok vie to be your favourite city on this wide-ranging itinerary, with urban adventures blended with a cruise through Halong Bay, temple discoveries in Siem Reap, and downtime on the beach in Phuket.

• Negombo

If you're wondering what to do and where to go in Sri Lanka, ponder no longer. This much-requested journey covers every facet of the island and brings together the country’s most iconic landscapes and cultural landmarks. You'll go from ancient royal capitals and wildlife‑rich national parks to rolling tea plantations and the charm of the south coast. And it ends with time by the ocean to reflect, relax and enjoy the slow coastal rhythm.

• Auckland

Peek into the glowworm caves and marvel at the geothermic activity on North Island before flying to South Island for mountainous escapades, glacier hikes, scenic drives, and an epic train journey through the magnificent landscape.

• California's Central Coast

Drive south from San Francisco to Los Angeles on a coast-hugging trip that scores all the big sights. Take your time on the Slow Coast, then pause for a few nights in Monterey. Feel the sunshine on your face and the wind in your hair as you head south via the incredible Big Sur to stay in Santa Barbara before the final leg of your road trip brings you to the incomparable Los Angeles.

• Cape Town

Take a road trip via South Africa’s irresistible Garden Route framed by seaside towns, thick emerald forest and a splendid stretch of coastline. Enjoy whale spotting in Hermanus and freshly-shucked oysters in Knysna while travelling at a pace that allows you to pause as you please. Round off with a Big Five experience in the wild Eastern Cape.

• Banff, Lake Louise & Jasper

Touch down in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, spending a night in Calgary. You’ll transfer to Banff, a sensationally beautiful wonderland, where you have two days to explore the delightful town and the wilderness beyond. From Banff, you’ll board the famous Rocky Mountaineer on a journey to Vancouver that’ll take two days through remarkable landscapes, disembarking overnight to stay at a hotel in Kamloops. A city break in Vancouver finishes your trip in style.

• Toronto

Sit back and relax as you make your way to the best of Canada’s glittering cities the old-fashioned way, travelling in daylight to see the best of the scenery and disembarking to stay in beautiful hotels. Take in Toronto’s cosmopolitan neighbourhoods, Ottawa's charms, Montreal’s multitude of museums, and Quebec City’s World Heritage-listed old town. None of the railway journeys exceed five hours, giving you ample time to explore the cities. Upgrade to our Capitals of Canada by Rail Deluxe Itinerary, staying at Fairmont hotels and travelling business class service on VIA Rail.

• Siem Reap

Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Bangkok vie to be your favourite city on this wide-ranging itinerary, with urban adventures blended with a cruise through Halong Bay, temple discoveries in Siem Reap, and downtime on the beach in Phuket.

• Hiroshima

You'll visit the country’s big-hitters with remote, rarely visited spots. Witness the neon lights of Tokyo, see geishas in Kyoto and learn more about Hiroshima’s moving past, then top it off with off-the-beaten-track explorations in Shizuoka, Takayama, Kanazawa and beyond.

• Delhi

Start in Amritsar where all roads lead to the spellbinding Golden Temple with a striking gold-leaf roof and a kitchen that feeds over 35,000 people a day. Head for the Himalayan foothills to Shimla, an old-world hill station where the British Raj holidayed among the pine. After a dose of invigorating mountain air, you’ll be ready to take on the Golden Triangle ticking off the iconic Taj Mahal, Jaipur’s surreal architecture and Delhi, India’s charismatic capital flooded by rickshaws, markets and monuments.

• Maasai Mara

Explore two of the Great Rift Valley lakes, a haven for colourful birdlife and endangered black rhino. Then fly across rolling plains to a luxury tented camp in the unparalleled Maasai Mara in the realm of the world’s most spectacular wildlife.

• Chobe National Park

There’s a distinct feel of exclusivity throughout, with intimate lodges, small planes and fantastic game-viewing experiences. Then visit the thundering Victoria Falls.

• Maasai Mara

Covering a wide area you’ll experience spectacular and diverse scenery, from bushy grasslands and shimmering lakes to acacia trees and endless savannahs. The wildlife itself is equally varied with the opportunity for rich birdlife sightings on Lake Nakuru, as well as Samburu’s lesser-known ‘Special Five’. You can end your adventure on a high, quite literally, viewing wildlife from a hot-air balloon at sunrise across the Maasai Mara – home to The Great Wildebeest Migration.