In the glass · SAFARI
Good safari tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 10 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Ride from Albufeira into the Algarve countryside with a local guide such as Miguel, Fred, Joao, or Hugo. Visit cork forests, villages, orange groves, and sometimes a small farm before touring a winery and tasting several wines with cheese, bread, meat, and jams.
“Wine tour too long, need more time for the actual wine tasting.”
Spend six hours exploring Crete’s mountain roads in a small group of up to eight. Your guide, who may be Kosta, Chris, George, Mike, or Yiannis, leads village visits, local tastings, a prosecco-and-fruit sunset stop, and a traditional taverna dinner with unlimited wine.
“The knowledge and tour from our guide was excellent. The off road safari was amazing. It went beyond expectations. The little visit for oil tasting at the local village was beautiful and the people were extremely lovely. Drinking prosecco and eating fruit while watching a sunset and dining in a cultural Greek dining experience was amazing and enjoying unlimited wine a little shot of ouzo and then dancing with everyone on the tour was a great way to end the night. Would definitely do this again when visiting with family.”
Leave Albufeira by 4x4 for a four-hour trip through Paderne and the Algarve countryside. Guides such as Miguel, Marco, Bruno, and Tiago share local stories before a cork stop and wine tasting at Quinta do Canhoto, with four wines, cheese, bread, smoked ham, chorizo, and jams.
“We had a fantastic afternoon touring the Algarve area and visiting the winery. Being picked up and dropped off at our hotel was a huge bonus. Wouldn't hesitate to book again.”
Join Branko and Ana for a four-hour buggy tour from Žrnovska Banja across Korcula’s back roads, olive groves, vineyards, and viewpoints. You’ll stop for photos, history, and a swim at a sandy Lumbarda beach, then taste homemade food, wine, and liqueurs at their home.
“Branko and Ana are great hosts. Fun way to see some of the island!”
You’ll leave Albufeira in a safari jeep with a guide such as Cody, Artur, or Diaz, stopping at Salgados Lake and coastal viewpoints before champagne at sunset in Galé. The evening ends with traditional chicken piri piri, sides, and Portuguese cakes in Guia.
“It was a really nice experience, Cody the driver had a lot of fun facts and memorable story’s about the history. At the dinner, the chicken was really amazing. Thank Cody the driver for us please.”
Spend seven hours exploring Thassos with a small group and an English-speaking guide such as Dimitris or Yannis. Ride through pine forests to Ipsarion, visit Theologos and Maries, taste local fruit, drink spring water, and enjoy a mountain picnic with wine.
“Our trip was excellent! We were lucky enough to have Dimitris for our guide who, from pick-up and throughout the trip made us feel really welcome and well taken care of. His knowledge of the island and passion for sharing this was very apparent and he went out of his way to show us places and things of interest, making the trip unique. The village and waterfalls were lovely and Included a visit to the church and a charming taverna for coffee and sweet treats. The rest of the trip into the mountains was breathtaking, with stunning scenery and awesome views from the top. Dimitris made sure everyone was well…”
Meet the Adler VI at Hörnum harbor for a 90-minute German-language boat trip to Sylt’s mussel farms. You’ll taste fresh mussels with one glass of wine while an expert explains how the farms work, why mussels matter to the ecosystem, and how the North Sea is managed.
Spend four hours driving a buggy across Korčula’s rural roads, vineyards, olive groves, and coastal viewpoints. Stop to swim at Vela Pržina and La’Banya, then finish at Adria winery with wine, liqueur, olive oil, honey, jams, and local sweets.
“Overall it was good. Unfortunately it was not a nice day, the guide couldn't help that. My only critique is they should have a contigency in place in case of inclimate weather. It was very windy, cold and a little rainy. At the stop with the lighthouse, the guide said no use in walking around the point to see the lighthouse but I wish he would have given us that opportunity as it was something to see and do rather than sit at the restaurant. The buggys were fun to drive and the wine tasting at the end was great. One other reviewer said it was dissapointing and in someone's…”
Ride into Crete’s mountains on a small-group Land Rover safari with a guide such as Vangelis, Sami, Leon, or Georges. Visit Kastamonitsa, taste raki and olive oil, watch sunset over Lassithi Plateau with Prosecco and fruit, then share a Cretan dinner at a local taverna.
“Our guide Vangelis was absolutely amazing. He was funny, knowledgeable and just a fantastic person to have as a driver. The tour was fantastic, the Raki and olive oil tasing was great, and the food at the Taverna in the evening was lovely. Cannot recommend this tour enough, if you get a chance to do it, do it!!!”
Leave your Mara lodge at 4:30 am for a 70-minute balloon flight over the Maasai Mara. Watch sunrise, scan for wildlife, then land for a cooked bush breakfast with champagne before an open-jeep return.
“What an experience. Floating over the Masai Mara watching the sun rise. Didn’t see too many animals but that really didn’t spoil the experience. Loved every minute.”
Cellar doors, tasting rooms and the long lunches in between.
