Top Trips for Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

How many people do you know who have hiked, camped and snorkelled through the Jordanian desert? Our eight-day adventure reveals a lesser-known side of this welcoming country, promising an itinerary full of surprises. Delve into the street food scene in Amman, dine on Jordanian wine, hike through red-tipped mountains, then cool off in the salt-saturated Red Sea before falling asleep under the stars. Lace-up those boots again to enter rose-coloured, Unesco-listed Petra, a heritage beauty everyone will love.

Eight days in Ecuador is all you need to explore the Andes, the Amazon and more. Our trip warms you up nicely with a comforting chocolate tasting session in Quito before the adventure begins with a hike around Limpiopungo glacial lagoon and a horseback ride in Cotopaxi National Park. Then it’s into the jungles of Banos, where you’ll get to go on the Swing at the End of the World and cycle the stunning Banos waterfall route. As we wind down to the Amazon, you’ll white-water raft down one of the river’s main tributaries and spot wild animals on a nocturnal rainforest trek. Don’t worry, you can soothe those well-worn muscles at the end of our trip in the hot springs of Kuyana Amazon Lodge.