Latest news with #ButterfieldRobinson
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
60-Days Of Adventure With World's Leading Luxury Active Travel Company
Cyclists on a Butterfield & Robinson trip through France's Burgundy, one of the world's top bike—and ... More wine—destinations. In 1966 George Butterfield had the idea to start leading escorted bicycle tours to Europe, and in doing so, he pioneered a new segment in the travel industry, luxury guided active travel vacations. Six decades later there are dozens of companies offering high-end hiking and biking vacations, but Butterfield & Robinson, or B&R as its many fans know it, remains the pinnacle of the industry, known for great guides, great service, great food, using the best hotels, and as such has one of the highest repeat customer rates in travel. Now Butterfield & Robinson is celebrating its upcoming 60th anniversary in a very special way, and you can join the fun and enjoy 60 days of great adventures with the world's leading luxury active travel tour operator. The first cycling vacation I ever went on was in Tuscany with B&R, and I loved the trip so much that it changed the entire focus of the way I travel and made my life much more active. Since then, I've been on many cycling, hiking and multi-sport trips around the globe, with many different companies, but B&R remains the gold standard and I have had the pleasure of experiencing them several times, from Italy and France to Morocco and Japan. The trips have been very different, but all had one thing in common, consistent excellence, and this quality can be found at every level of their operations, from the hotels they choose to the special meals they plan throughout, and the VIP experiences along the way, such as visits to wineries and galleries not otherwise open to the public, tours of museums and attractions during hours when they should be closed, adding the best local specialty tour guides to augment the highly trained guides leading trips, all the details. Even their bicycles are first rate, and unlike many companies that rent around the world, they own transport and manage their own huge fleet of custom-made, high-end bicycles, stored in accessible depots worldwide. Performance carbon fiber road bikes are light, with traditional dropped bars, versatile gearing, and hydraulic disc brakes. Upright touring bikes (hybrids) have straight handlebars for a more relaxed posture, but similar versatile gearing and disc brakes. Hybrid style e-bikes (electric motor assist) are available on almost all trips, and they even have high-performance carbon e-road bikes from leading manufacturer Wilier, something very few outfitters offer, on European trips. The world-famous hot air balloon trips over Turkiye's Cappadocia are as stunning as they look, but ... More just one of many highlights on this epic journey. On all of trips I've joined, I've had time to chat extensively with other guests, and the vast majority had traveled with B&R before, usually multiple times, often more than a dozen trips, and many simply would not think of using anyone else. As they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. All of this stems from the excellent trip planning and logistics, and a stunning 11 different full-time B&R in-house trip planners were named to Conde Nast Traveler's 2025 list of the world's Top Travel Specialists, which includes the finest travel agents around. These eleven specialize regionally in their areas of expertise, from emerging regions such as Slovenia, Georgia and Romania to specific highly popular spots, such as Italy's Lakes and Veneto regions. In every case, the high-quality trips begin with a deep local knowledge of food, sights, roads, towns and accommodations. While I typically do scheduled group or self-guided trips, B&R also does around half of its business for private, bespoke journeys, and these same expert trip planners are ready to assist travelers looking beyond the catalog. Food is a very important part of any Butterfield & Robinson trip, but this one is extra special, ... More with multiple cooking demos. They also just made the annual list of Travel + Leisure Magazine's World's Best Tour Operators list—again, they've done it many times—for 2024. On the list of 15, they took fourth, and this includes all sorts of tour operators, not just active travel (first and second place were a safari-style company and exploration cruise line). In the three decades or so since I discovered them, the company has grown immensely, pushing into new areas such as African safaris, snowy winter adventures and bike trips based on chartered boats, in addition to gold standards such as biking through Burgundy or Tuscany and hiking the Amalfi Coast. In these ultra-popular regions, because they have been at it longer than any of their competitors, they often have longstanding relationships, and sometimes exclusive relationships, with the best accommodations, wineries and other special spots. To celebrate the upcoming 2026 milestone, the company is offering an Around The World in 60 Days 60th birthday collection, six trips combined to span four continents, that can be done in its entirety or as any of the half dozen very special segments. They have basically combined a cherry picked 'Best Of' collection from their massive global inventory and pieced them together so you can have a once-in-a-lifetime two month long active luxury vacation. The chateaus, villages and vineyards of Burgundy are a big stop on this adventure. Each of the six itineraries is an experiential deep dive of immersive cultural moments, unforgettable active excursions, the most stunning sights and indulgent cuisine. Here is where you can go: The adventure begins in the culinary epicenter of Mexico, Oaxaca, with an exploration of Zapotec culture and a stay in the exclusive Casa Silencio, a first of its kind property that combines a luxury boutique resort with ultra-premium mezcal distillery and focus on spirt education and tastings. There's hiking, cycling, visits to caves and exploring the ancient hilltop ruins of Monte Alban and its many pyramid structures. There's a guided market visit to famed Tlacolula Market, and of course, the moles and gourmet foods Oaxaca is world famous for, in the finest local restaurants, private dinners and cooking demos. Hike to the hilltop ruins of Monte Alban, outside Oaxaca. The next stop is Cambodia and Vietnam, where guests stay on one of the world's most acclaimed river cruise ships, the Aqua Mekong, a moving base that sails the Mekong River, while participants cycle alongside peaceful canals, and visit temples, local farms, floating markets and local communities. Then guests return to dry land for one of the world's most visually stunning resorts, the Four Seasons Nam Hai Hoi An, at a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is of course a cooking class, and one highlight that illustrates the B&R approach is experiencing local cuisine through a private dinner at the home of a chef who runs one of Hoi An's most renowned restaurants. Other travelers make reservations to eat at his place months in advance, but you are a guest in his home. Cruising the Mekong River on ultra-luxury ship the Aqua Mekong. India is already a stop on many travelers' 'Bucket List,' and this focus on the Rajasthan region includes a stay in a restored Royal Palace turned luxury hotel, a visit to the Suján Jawai leopard sanctuary to see what most safari-goers consider the most beautiful of the great cats, and outings to local crafts workshops. Visit the Blue City of Jodhpur and the stunning Lake City of Udaipur, all with expert guides. In B&R fashion there is a nighttime candle lit visit to the dramatic and iconic Mehrangarth Fort—off-limits to other tourists—in Jodphur. I recently wrote about why now is the time to visit India and all its many splendors here at Forbes, so read more here. The iconic City Palace in India's "Lake City" of Udaipur Morocco is another red-hot destination of the moment, and the first 'exotic' destination B&R expanded to after Western Europe, making them the longest running active travel company covering this destination, with tons of experience. I was lucky enough to recently travel to Morocco on a cycling and hiking trip with B&R and wrote about why they are so uniquely advantageous for this particular destination in detail here at Forbes. The sights, colors and landscapes of Morocco have to be seen in person to be appreciated For example, in terms of local connections, on their trips to Marrakech they use the city's most famous guide, who has led royalty, celebrities, astronauts and U.S Presidents, but is otherwise retried and guides for no one else. Guests will get a great mix of landscape between the must-see desert, where they use a camp far superior to the ones most tour operators send guests to, and hike the Atlas Mountains with another of the nation's top local guides. Lodging includes Sir Richard Branson's stunning Kasbah Tamadot, and the jaw dropping Royal Mansour Casablanca, owned by Morocco's King, who pulls no punches. istanbul is one of the world's great tourism cities. Turkiye comprises the next leg, starting in Turkiye's exotic capital of Istanbul, one of the world's most interesting cities. After touring the city with experts, highlights include one of the most photographed tourist activities on earth, a hot air balloon ride over the other-worldly landscape and stunning rock formations Cappadocia (I've been and it is as awesome as it looks) Then, depart from the beach resort of Dalaman on the Turquoise Coast on a luxury ship to cruise the Turkish and Greek Coasts, swimming in crustal clear grottoes, visiting ruins, archeological sites and pristine islands. Some of these are ancient Greek Hellenic sites now in Turkiye, for a mix of cultures. When not on the boat, lodging is in top spots like the Peninsula Istanbul and one of the most luxurious of the famous and unique 'cave hotels' in Cappadocia. The 60-day itinerary goes to Mexico, Cambodia and Vietnam, India, Morocco and Turkiye, but fittingly, the epic journey concludes in Burgundy, where founder George Butterfield has a home. Burgundy has long been the base of its European operations and the company's home away from its Toronto headquarters. Wherever you go with B&R you feel like a VIP insider. but this is taken to the next level in Burgundy, where they have been living and operating for more than half a century, with exclusive visits to friends and family the team has known for decades, including boutique winemakers, plus spectacular farm to table cuisine. Or as B&R puts it, 'For our 60th party, we're pulling out all the stops: from scenic rides over our favorite vine-covered hills to exclusive sips of rare vintages and meals befitting Burgundian royalty. Pedal through picture-perfect villages, picnic among vineyards, and barrel-taste at exclusive domaines. With château stays, cellar secrets, and plenty of surprises (no spoilers, but you may want to practice pronouncing 'Sacre Bleu!'), this isn't just Burgundy. It's our pièce de résistance.' A luxury safari-style visit to India's top leopard sanctuary is one of the many surprises awaiting ... More participants on this trip. Any luxury active travel trip with Butterfield & Robinson is a special vacation, but this 60-day epic is once-in-a-lifetime, and runs March 21st to May 21st, 2026, with pricing starting from $85,170 per person. The individual legs are typically 7-9 days and run about $8,000 to $21,000 per person with India and Morocco being the priciest.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Around The World In Luxury For 60 Days, $85,000 Plus Airfare
Bespoke travel group Butterfield & Robinson is launching a 60-day world trip in March 2026, with ... More destinations including Mexico, Morocco, India, Turkey, Cambodia, Vietnam and Burgundy, France. Pricing starts at $85,000. The bespoke travel group Butterfield & Robinson just announced a 60-Day Around the World trip. The Around the World in 60 Days trip will take luxury travelers to 6 significant world destinations. Kicking off in Oaxaca, Mexico, the trips, created by Butterfield & Robinson's 'experience designers,' then takes travelers to Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Morocco and Turkey. The trip ends in the Burgundy region of France, which Butterfield & Robinson calls its "soul' and is the location of its European office. The company calls it a 'trip collection' because the sixty-day trip is broken into six separate journeys, allowing guests to take the whole trip or any individual segment. Trip itineraries are designed to let travelers experience different cultures, outdoor excursions and delicious dining from street carts to fine restaurants. The trip's sixty-day span was chosen to mark the Butterfield & Robinson brand's 60th Anniversary. The full trip experience takes place from March 21st to May 21st, 2026, with pricing starting from $85,170 per person. Most flight costs are not included in the pricing but the B&R team can help travelers book their flights. Picture of a field of espadin agave (Agave angustifolia) taken at the mezcal factory Tres Colibries ... More (Three Hummingbirds) in Oaxaca, Mexico The Butterfied & Robinson tour of Oaxaca will feature mescal tastings and showcase the artisanal process behind the liquor. (Photo by PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images) The old joke goes 'I don't want a trip around the world; I'd rather go somewhere else.' But it sounds like Butterfield & Robinson's 'experience designers' have created some compelling journeys. In Mexico, travelers will get to immerse themselves in Zapotec culture and Oaxacan landscapes. Guests will stay in the exclusive Casa Silencio , a luxury property offering curated mezcal tastings. Other stops include a visit to El Árbol del Tule, a 2,000-year-old cypress said to have the largest diameter of any tree in the world, and a visit to one of the oldest markets in Mesoamerica, Tlacolula Market. 'Cycling Cambodia & Vietnam' takes guests from the Mekong to Hoi An, Vietnam. In Cambodia and Vietnam, the journey will begin aboard the Aqua, a high-end vessel sailing the Mekong. Guests will also stay at Four Seasons in Hoi An. On the journey, travelers will visit temples and local farms and get a glimpse at Vietnam's daily life as they bike alongside canals, floating markets and local communities. Then there's feasting on street food from vintage Vespa scooters, a roadside cooking class, and dinner with Duc, the chef who runs one of Hoi An's most renowned restaurants, at his home. The next stop is India, for 'Blue City & Beyond: A Journey Through Rajasthan.' The view from Mehrangarh fort of the blue rooftops, Rajasthan, Jodhpur, India on July 20, 2019 in ... More Jodhpur, India. This is one of the destinations on the Butterfield & Robinson 60 day world tour. (Photo by Eric Lafforgue/Art in All of Us/Corbis via Getty Images) Part of the tour takes place in historic Jodhpur, sometimes called the 'Blue City' because of the blue buildings in the old walled town. Guests can zipline through Jodhpur's blue skies, cycle hidden Rajasthan roads, and track leopards through Jawai's hills by jeep tour, led by experienced guides. The journey takes guests from candlelit forts and spice-scented kitchens to sunrise safaris and secret dinners,. Visitors will tour Udaipur's City Palace to go behind the scenes of royal history. The travelers will get to stay in a restored 300-year-old palace, privately reserved for the India it's on to Morocco, for 'Atlas to Atlantic: A Grand Moroccan Adventure' Travelers will get to hike in the foothills of the Atlas mountains with a trusted mountain guide, lunch with 'amazing' Amazigh locals, and trade stories in remote villages, perhaps over mint tea. The group will cruise the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, watch a Sahara sunset by camel, and toast it all with a private charter off to Casablanca. The group will stay in unique properties from a private Sahara camp to the Royal Mansour Casablanca, enjoying fresh, locally sourced cuisine at each stop. From Morocco the road takes the travelers to 'Ancient Türkiye: Cappadocia to Coast,' where Butterfield & Robinson says history, adventure, and indulgence collide. Travelers will wander Istanbul's famed bazaars, fly in hot air balloons over Cappadocia's fairy chimneys, and pedal past Lycian ruins along the Aegean coast. Cappadocia, which attracts the attention of local and foreign tourists with its fairy chimneys hot ... More air balloons as well as rock-carved historical sites, hosts millions of visitors every year in Nevsehir, Turkiye on April 22, 2025. (Photo by Behcet Alkan/Anadolu via Getty Images) Travelers will explore ancient sites like the Hagia Sophia and Kaymakli Underground City. The group will sail the Mediterranean by private yacht. There will be stops to swim, snorkel, and cycle along the coast, with feasts at sunset. The journey will give visitors a rare insight into Turkish culture through visiting its vibrant markets and villages, as well as dining on local cuisine. Finally, the trip concludes in Burgundy, in what B&R calls 'A Grand Cru Soirée.' The company considers Burgundy its second home. Travelers will experience scenic rides over vine-covered hills and get to savor rare vintages and meals that might have befitted French royalty. Guests will cycle through picture-perfect villages, tour Beaune with local hosts, picnic among vineyards, and barrel-taste at exclusive domaines. One of the wine tastings will let guests taste wines with a rising-star winemaker pioneering sustainable winemaking techniques. With château stays, cellar secrets, and plenty of surprises, the company says 'This isn't just Burgundy. It's our pièce de résistance'. 'To celebrate Butterfield & Robinson's 60th anniversary, we wanted to do something truly special—something that captures the spirit of adventure we've been championing since day one,' says Mike Scarola, CEO of Butterfield & Robinson. Cycling on the wine route among the vineyards in autumn colors in France. 'Our team of Experience Designers looked at everything, from flight paths to seasonality and local holidays, to craft an itinerary that flows seamlessly and highlights both iconic destinations and emerging gems,' Scarola added. 'This journey is the ultimate expression of what we do best: immersive, meaningful travel to the world's most extraordinary places.'
Travel Weekly
4 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Butterfield & Robinson is celebrating 60 years with a 60-day world tour
Luxury travel specialist Butterfield & Robinson is doing a 60-day adventure around the world to celebrate the company's 60th anniversary. The operator is billing the one-time departure as a once-in-a-lifetime journey that will take travelers to six destinations across four continents. The two-month trip costs $85,000 per person, but travelers are able to book individual legs of the itinerary. Travelers will visit Mexico, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Morocco, Turkiye and France. Travelers will begin their journey in March by spending seven days in Oaxaca, where they will indulge in the Mexico region's cuisine, hike through Zapotec mountain villages and explore the ruins of Monte Alban. From there, travelers will fly to Phnom Penh in Cambodia for a seven-day cycling tour of Cambodia and Vietnam, which includes a Mekong River cruise on the Aqua Mekong. Highlights of this segment of the trip include exploring silk-weaving villages, enjoying street food and exploring the country by river. Butterfield & Robinson's 60-day world tour includes Cambodia. Photo Credit: Butterfield & Robinson Passengers will then head to India, where they will spend nine days exploring the state of Rajasthan. Adventure is at the heart of this part of the trip, where passengers will zipline over the Blue City, embark on a leopard safari and hike through the desert. The next leg of the trip is Morocco. Guests will start with a hike through the Ouirgane Valley. Over the course of eight days, travelers will explore mountain villages; journey through the Plateau du Kik to the High Atlas Mountains; and watch the sun rise over the Sahara dunes. Eleven days in Turkiye is up next, where travelers will arrive in Istanbul. The capital's culinary scene is the focus of the first day in the country. Travelers will tour Turkiye, including its coast. Highlights include watching the sunrise from a hot air balloon in Cappadocia; visiting the Kaymakli Underground City; and swimming alongside the ruins of Cleopatra's Bath. To end the trip, guests will head to Burgundy, France, where Butterfield & Robinson began. The operator promises that it will "pull out all the stops" to end the 60-day world adventure. The last leg of the trip begins with a bike ride through Burgundy's countryside and ends with a special celebration for the brand's anniversary.
