The Best Trips for Embracing Indigenous Cultures and Communities

Berber people lived in North Africa long before it become an Arab region, with this diverse range of ethnic groups thought to have descended from Stone Age tribes in the region. There are still many Berber communities across the Maghreb, with the largest population residing in Morocco. The most concentrated examples of well-preserved Berber villages can be found across the Atlas Mountain range, which we’ll explore on day three and four of our short tour of Marrakech and its surrounding countryside. We’ll be staying at a traditional riad in the gorgeous old Berber village of Imlil, perched high on a valley slope, surrounded by rocky cliff-faces and luscious greenery. You’ll have time to meet locals as you peruse small shops and eateries, strolling past donkeys on walking trails and hiking through olive groves. You’ll also get to enjoy a delicious Berber lunch, made with love by local residents, as authentic a dining experience as you can have.

Vietnam is an incredibly diverse place, with over 50 recognised ethnic minority groups. This includes the White Thai people, or Tai Dón, who largely reside in the northern region of Mai Chau. This luscious valley southwest of Hanoi is home to a number of minority communities, but we’ll be visiting the Tai Dón on our extensive Vietnam tour. Having transferred from Hanoi in the morning, we’ll have a lunch of local delicacies and cycle through seemingly endless rice fields before reaching a White Thai village. You’ll then spend the day embracing the slower pace of life enjoyed here, helping farmers to collect food for buffalos, as well as feeding them. You’ll sit down for fresh fruit and honey tea with the villagers, who can offer some insight into White Thai culture. You’ll even spend the night at a local homestay, which specialises in sustainable products and renewable energy, while also benefitting from the serene beauty of surrounding rice paddies and tropical forests.

Most people think of the Maya as an ancient civilisation no longer among us, but Mesoamerican pyramids aren’t the only things which remain of Mayan culture, since there is still around 8m people descended from pre-Columbian Central America today. A huge majority of this population is in Guatemala. In fact it’s estimated that around 51 percent of the population here come from 21 different Mayan communities, making Guatemala the only Central American country with a majority indigenous population. Our short trip in Guatemala embraces this rich heritage with a trip to the ancient Mayan city of Iximche, where you’ll get a guided tour with a local expert, before witnessing a traditional ceremony, which is held to set important dates, offer thanks and ask for health, work and wisdom.