Do you have a little time on your hands … say, a month or two, maybe even a year? Is your regular two-week sunshine vacation doomed before it begins by dark thoughts of the return to your desk?
Well, if you’ve got the time, we’ve got the inspiration. Each of these trips is at least 30 days long. Think an expedition cruise to remote Antarctic regions, a road 'n' rail trip around Scandinavia and even a full-year round-the-world “wellness trip.” Here are 11 ideas sure to fire up your wanderlust.
The Joy of Solitude (35 days)
If you crave an escape from civilization and don’t mind your vacation with a chill in the air, this is for you. Accessible for two months each year when the pack ice recedes, Antarctica’s Ross Sea region is one of the planet's most remote places. Just a handful of tourist expedition vessels make it this far each year, and you’ll share the iceberg-littered landscapes not with camera-toting crowds, but with seabirds, penguins, whales, and the occasional scientist. Accommodation and meals are on board the Spirit of Enderby expedition vessel, which carries up to 50 passengers. You'll cruise from New Zealand to the Ross Sea, where you'll follow in the footsteps of some of the world's most famous adventurers, who were locked in a race to the South Pole in the early 20th century. Visiting historical explorers’ huts, modern scientific stations, gigantic ice shelves, and vast penguin rookeries will remind you just how far away from the modern world you are.
In the wake of Ross, Amundsen & Scott, Chimu Adventures, from $25,080pp
Trading Places (34 days)
Let’s face it, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan probably aren't on too many bucket lists. But the words “Silk Road’—the ancient trade route from China to the Mediterranean—can still give goose bumps to the most seasoned explorer. Beginning in Beijing, the route traverses a third of the globe, including stops in Tibet, the statue-filled Mogao Caves on the edge of the Gobi Desert, and ancient Samarkand in Uzbekistan—one of Central Asia’s oldest cities, so pretty it’s often dubbed the "Rome of the East"—before winding up in Istanbul. Much of the journey will be undertaken by car with a private driver, but be prepared for some lengthy stretches on the road—the longest leg being 454 kilometers (282 miles). Six flights and two rail journeys cover the rest.
The Silk Road Tour, Pettitts Travel, from $10,000pp
An African Adventure (37 days)
The U.S. would fit snugly into Africa three times over, which makes it pretty much impossible to “do” the continent, unless you have a few years to spare. But this 37-day itinerary is a start, taking in Kenya, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Travelers will lay eyes on the epic terrain of the Masai Mara, visit Victoria Falls, get close to Rwanda’s mountain gorillas, and gain insights into Namibia’s hunter-gatherer San bushman culture. The agenda’s not quite as punishing as it sounds, as nine internal flights mean big savings on overland travel.
Classic African Explorer, Wildlife Worldwide, from $20,340pp
Where Few Have Gone Before (35 days)
The backpacking hordes have yet to infiltrate Bhutan, thanks to tough tourism regulations—all visits must be prearranged and prepaid. And of those who do make it to the last true Himalayan Kingdom, few venture as far as Lunana in the remote northwest. This 35-day trip (27 days’ trekking) will see you in the land of nomadic yak herders, thundering waterfalls, and rare tigers. You’ll hike up mountain passes that max out at 5,200 meters (17,200 feet), and you'll pass Bhutan’s highest peak, the 7,570-meter giant Gangkar Puensum—reputedly the world’s highest unclimbed peak, due to Bhutan’s mountaineering ban on spiritual grounds.
Complete Lunana Snowman Trek, Bhutan; Mountain Kingdoms, from $9,050pp