Insighftul, Inspiring: How We Bring You the Full Story Behind Each Destination

Are you looking for a richer travel experience, one that gets under the skin of your destination? We understand that for travelers like you, a vacation is more than just hitting pause on the everyday. It’s about being immersed in new cultures, taking a step back in time at historical sites, and broadening your perspective and palate with new dining experiences. All while treating yourself with the flourishes you deserve, of course.

If you love learning new things, you’ll love meeting our Travel Directors, Local Experts and welcoming locals, who bring warmth and unique insights to every itinerary. In this article, you’ll get to meet some of the people that make our tours so special, and get a taste of what you’ll experience – while traveling in ‘Business Class’ style – on an Insight Vacations small-group tour.

Travel curiously, broaden your horizons

“It’s the only way to travel,” says Maritza Lopez, Insight Vacations’ Senior Manager of Travel Experiences in the Americas. “If you don’t travel curiously, you’re not learning anything from the destination you’re visiting – and the only way to broaden our horizons is by learning. That’s what an Insight Vacations tour is all about.

“I love my job because I get to seek out authentic encounters, immersive local experiences and opportunities for our guests to learn from experts in various fields. Together this provides a complete picture of a destination we’re visiting.”

See what you can learn on an Insight tour: Discovering Porto’s Best-Kept Secrets with Travel Director Kristy

Insightful Encounters: informed, inspiring

“For our Insightful Encounters, we look for people and experiences with a story, a connection to a destination who are passionate about what they do,” explains Maritza. “This often includes educators and researchers who study within a specific field.

“For example, on Yellowstone Discovery, guests will see Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – but they’ll also meet Adam Brubaker. It’s Adam that really brings the destination to life.” A Certified Naturalist Guide amongst many other qualifications, Adam grew up with Yellowstone, searching for wolves and grizzlies with his brothers. “He knows every piece of flora and fauna within the park, and his love, knowledge and passion are infectious.”

“We also develop relationships with partners to allow our guests access to locations a typical traveler wouldn’t normally have access to. On Wonders of the American West, guests have the opportunity to visit Mystery Valley an area full of Anasazi Ruins and rock art. Relatively unknown, to this day, Mystery Valley belongs to the Diné and is under their tribal law and is accessible to visitors only when accompanied by a Diné guide. So, you get to see this intriguing stretch of desert featuring petroglyphs, scattered artefacts like broken pottery shards, and breathtaking views that you wouldn’t otherwise see, giving a new lens on this area.”

Read more from Adam Brubacker: Why Yellowstone National Park is North America’s Greatest

Always led by destination experts

At the helm of every Insight tour, at your side 24/7 taking care of all the details, is your Travel Director. So much more than a guide, they are destination experts who bring everything to life, both the iconic sights, and the secret gems you’d never discover on your own.

One of the world’s most fascinating and fact-filled destinations, Egypt tops many a bucket list. And when traveling on our Egypt, tours, the knowledge of your Travel Directors is invaluable. Each a fully qualified Egyptologist, there’s no one better to help you unpick the layers of history to be found everywhere you look.

“This kind of insightful travel enables individuals to immerse themselves in new cultures, and gain a deeper understanding of the world,” says Insight Vacations’ Travel Director and Egyptologist Assem. “As well as an amazing way to see a destination, this curiosity leads to personal growth and a greater appreciation for diversity.

“As we welcome travelers to Egypt, we want them to absorb the thousand years of history with iconic landmarks such as the Pyramids, Sphinx and temples. We also love to show off the diverse culture and traditional cuisine. In Luxor, guests join a local family, sharing stories of everyday life and make traditional Sun Bread. Everyone loves it and learns so much – it’s these once-in-a-lifetime experiences that expand your knowledge exponentially.” 

Read more from Assem: The Thrill of Uncovering Egyptian Artifacts

More meaningful travel with MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences

If its knowledge you’re looking for then sustainable travel with Insight offers it in spades. More than protecting people, our planet and its wildlife; it’s about giving something back and learning and understanding as you go. That’s why every one of our premium tours features at least one MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. From foraging for seaweed in Ireland to supporting acid attack survivors in India, dining with Sami and their reindeer in Norway to learning to dance in Spain, these experiences are enlightening, empowering and lots of fun.

“Having the opportunity to understand, and support, the heartbeat of your destination is a powerful and important experience,” says Alexandra Hoffer, Director of the Christina Heeren Foundation, one of Spain’s leading Flamenco schools and a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience on our Spanish tours.

“For us in Seville that heartbeat is Flamenco. It’s such a pleasure to welcome Insight guests. They meet the dancers (some of the best in the world), learn some steps and enjoy an intimate, passionate show. This means truly learn what Flamenco is and why it means so much, and in doing so they also help preserve this traditional art form for future generations.”

Read more from Alexandra: Discover the Art of Flamenco With the Cristina Heeren Foundation

‘Business Class’ tours

In your quest for knowledge you do not need to forego any comfort. With Insight, every day is premium, starting with dining. As any seasoned traveler knows, food is so much more than sustenance when exploring new cultures and destinations, it’s a treasure trove of knowledge just waiting to be eaten! From top-rated restaurants to hands on cooking classes, dining in the home of locals to sampling the best Farm to Table fare, on each of our small group journeys dining is a premium experience in itself.

Whatever your desired destination and pace of discovery, stylish 4- and 5-star hotels in great locations round off off each day. And, with point-to-point transport on our fleet of ‘Business Class’ coaches, with extra leg room and increased window span, and your Travel Director taking care of all the details, including check-ins and porterage at every hotel, all you have to do is relax and enjoy.

Discover more about dining with Insight: 7 Farm-To-Table dining experiences you can enjoy with Insight

Keen to take your travel knowledge one step further and discover the world’s most fascinating destinations? Take a look at our full collection of premium tours