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Planes, Trains and Snowmobiles: The World’s Best Tours with Unique Transport
Written by Finn
The Rockies by rail, the Swiss Alps by supercar, Luxor by luxury river cruise – pick the right tour with unique transport and the journey will be as thrilling as the destination.
One of the (many) benefits of booking a guided tour is the assurance of quality transfers, and with a little extra digging you can find tours with unique transport that turn travel days into unique experiences, from luxury rail journeys that follow the Silk Road to exhilarating e-bike tours across Japan’s Seto Inland Sea and more. We’ve rounded up our top picks of tours with unique transport, from the unconventional to the unparalleled.
Discover the world
By plane
Safari is already synonymous with adventure travel, but choosing a scenic flight to get you to your wildlife lodge can really bump up the wow factor. On a fly-in safari, not only do you cut down on time (helping to reserve energy for long days of wildlife watching), you’ll also get an unforgettable bird’s-eye view of the rivers, grasslands, forests and hills before seeing them up close. Sure, you can admire the wetlands of Botswana’s Okavango Delta by land, but there’s no beating the chance to soar over its glittering waters, packed with roaming elephants, colourful birds and myriad other fauna.
By train
From Old World charms to futuristic speeds, travelling by train is a spectacular way to soak up a country’s landscapes. Whisk through the rugged Canadian Rockies on an historic railway, zip between Japan’s sprawling megalopolises on the shinkansen or ‘bullet train’ or sweep across Central Asia’s ancient Silk Road in lavish luxury – wherever you travel, booking a well-appointed cabin can transform your idle in-between hours into a surefire highlight of your trip.
By snowmobile
While winter may mean seasonal closures and indoor itineraries, it also brings opportunity. Some of the animal kingdom’s most exciting ambassadors appear on the snowfields, so a snowmobile or sledding expedition across the wild Canadian north is a great way to see majestic moose, sleek foxes and plentiful birdlife. For those eager to glimpse the greens, blues and purples of the aurora borealis, a snowmobile adventure under starry Scandi skies is an unforgettable way to see the Northern Lights.
By bike
Seeing a destination by e-bike offers a uniquely personal, authentic and intimate way to become acquainted with your destination, and the travel trend has risen to prominence in countries across Europe, Asia and beyond. Roll by verdant rice paddies, weave through lush valleys and swing by ancient shrines aboard your bicycle, then make the most of electronic pedal assistance for those coastal mountain climbs. Whether you’re rolling through Vietnam’s lush (and legendary) Hai Van Pass or following Shikoku, Japan’s famous pilgrimage route, an e-bike tour means there’s nothing between you and the sights, smells and sounds of the great outdoors.
By boat
From the islands of Greece to the gentle waters of the River Danube, some sights are better seen away from the shore. There’s nothing like seeing the spectacular islands of Greece’s Ionian Sea by luxury catamaran; similarly, discovering the colourful and curious wildlife of the Galapagos is much easier (and more comfortable) by boat, giving you more time to appreciate the volcanic grandeur and sandy shores of each island. For the true Egyptian experience, explorers can cruise the river Nile in style, pairing history and hospitality as you glide between sprawling Luxor and ancient Aswan, touring the many temples of the valley as you go.
By supercar
Everyone loves a road trip, but there’s nothing as exhilarating as a scenic tour behind the wheel of a supercar. Sweeping through the soaring peaks of the Swiss Alps in a powerful Porsche GT3 992 is guaranteed to get the heart racing, while a journey through idyllic Provence in an electrifying McLaren 720S is an unbeatable way to announce your arrival to the glitterati of the exclusive Monaco Grand Prix.
By foot
Sometimes the most satisfying tours begin with a single step. Aside from having more time to stop and smell the roses, nature’s small wonders come to life when you leave the transportation at the trailhead. Hikers and wildlife enthusiasts have no trouble finding spectacular routes around the world, whether you’re voyaging across the diverse landscapes of Tasmania’s Bay of Fires or seeking out humanity’s distant cousins on a guided gorilla trek into the dense mountain forests of Uganda.
Feature image: The Rocky Mountaineer.
