Travel Spotlight: Scott Dunn Private Journeys

If you missed the window on an epic summer vacation this year or merely prefer to travel in the off-season to avoid peak crowds, we’re here to offer a few ideas for an epic pre-fall excursion. Our friends at the luxury travel company Scott Dunn helped us pinpoint a few truly exceptional spots for a trip. And the best part about Scott Dunn is you pick the destination, and they plan the trip. Whether you’re traveling solo, as a family, or with your significant other, you just tell them where you want to go, and they will work with you to craft the experience of a lifetime. Even if you don’t have a particular destination in mind, you can tell them your preference (beach, mountain, city, safari), and they’ll find an adventure for you. (In the winter, they have a number of full-service ski chalets in the Alps that we have our eye on once the weather turns). Check out a few bucket-list worthy trips below.

SRI LANKA

For a tropical destination, Sri Lanka has it all. Yes, it’s an island (located at the southern tip of India, just north of the equator), but beyond the stunning beaches there are mountains, jungles, diverse wildlife, and ancient ruins to explore. Bonus: Sri Lanka’s monsoon season wraps up at the end of September, making it the perfect time to visit. Scott Dunn offers preplanned itineraries ranging between seven and 14 nights that take you through the entire country—from the beach to the capital city of Colombo to the rainforests or mountains—but if you have a specific kind of trip in mind, they’ve got you covered. You can work with the Scott Dunn team to plan experiences like a whale safari, a trip to the Dambulla Buddhist cave temple, or a food-focused trip to the city of Galle to experience the vibrant local cuisine.

MOROCCO

Morocco is the place to go if you’re in search of a rich cultural experience. With a unique mix of African, Arabic, and European heritages, Morocco feels like another world entirely. You can immerse yourself in the cities of Marrakesh and Fez with historical tours of the cities and their souks, or take cooking workshops to learn about cooking with authentic Moroccan spices. If you want to go off the beaten path, Scott Dunn offers a variety of ways to explore the legendary Atlas Mountains—by horseback, hot-air balloon, or on your own two feet on guided treks that can last a few hours or a few days. On our bucket list? Surfing in Essaouira, a beach city on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. If you’re lucky, you’ll see camels along the shore as you’re surfing.

SCOTLAND

Scotland is one of Europe’s small hidden gems. In the cosmopolitan locales of Glasgow and Edinburgh, you’ll find cities rife with both contemporary culture and stunning history and architecture, like the famed Edinburgh Castle or the more modern Museum of Scotland. And if you’re looking for more adventure (or peace and quiet), head to the Scottish Highlands or the remote islands off Scotland’s west coast. The experience gives a new definition to the term island hopping: You’ll find ancient whiskey distilleries on Islay, colorful waterfront towns on Mull, and stunning hiking on the Isle of Skye, to name only a few of the options.

CHILEAN PATAGONIA

If you’re craving an all-around adventure, Patagonia is the trip for you. With virtually endless natural wonders: mountain peaks, glaciers, islands, and icebergs among them, you will never run out of new sights to explore. Scott Dunn offers a variety of trips that take you through all the highlights of the region—from seeing Chile’s capital city of Santiago to stargazing in the Atacama Desert to wine tasting at a vineyard in the Colchagua Valley to enjoying Easter Island, and everything in between. But if you have more specific things on your list of must-sees, Scott Dunn will help you plan hiking, horseback riding, boating, or guided walking excursions throughout the region’s myriad mountains and glaciers.