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Sojourn Bicycling Vacations

September 30, 2016 By gbd-admin 23 comments

As a smaller, more boutique-style company, Sojourn has been designing and operating deluxe tours in the US and Canada since 2005. Founded by a group who was previously with one of the large tour companies, Sojourn is a highly experienced outfit that will win your confidence and repeat business. Sojourn focuses on exceptional cycling routes paired with top accommodations and equipment. Their guides are seasoned professionals, and provide top-notch support both on and off the bike. Tours operate in Oregon, California, Arizona (warm winter tour), Texas, Canada (Niagra's Wine Country, Ontario, and Quebec), Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont - where their Lake Champlain tour was tabbed by Frommer's as one of the "Top 10 Bike Tours in the World." Sojourn also offers custom and private tours.

• Operator Type : Full-Service Operator, Regional Operator
• Website : http://gosojourn.com/
• Price Tier : $$$
• Avg Price Per Day : $365
• Services : Bike Provided, Guided
• Country : Canada, United States

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The worst. Booked a trip, largely on the recommendation of travel companions that have used them before. Sojourn contracted with an international tour operator that they had apparently not vetted, as they knew nothing about what had been included. Or should I say what had NOT been included. In addition, we were charged substantially more than others that contracted directly with this foreign operator. Food lowest grade possible, Accomodations, just as unsatisfactory. No group evening in-town walk around events as specified. No alternate route options, no grab bag and go fuel snacks, no sweep rider or SAG support. NO value added whatsoever. Waiting to hear back about request/demand refund of overcharge.

Really bad. Booked a trip with Sojourn, then a few months later they moved the trip by one week. The person at Sojourn was annoyed that we could not simply move our prescheduled vacation days. We lost money on the flights of course. Sojourn did refund our deposit, but only by paper check in the mail. What a huge waste of money.

Company has gone downhill since new ownership. We just finished a Canada tour with the owners, who joined as apparently, they were short one guide. Their primary concerns are marketing and profit, not customer experience. We had an inexperienced and indifferent guide, bike mirrors that were cheap and barely worked, little communication about the routes, poorly planned routes, some lousy accommodations, to name a few. We’ve been on other Sojourn trips and this was clearly not up to previous standards. The grumbling among the bikers grew louder as the week went on. We won’t be back.

Lake Champlain Fall Foliage, late September early October. Twenty riders from all over the USA, all had excellent riding skills, no complaining, winning, just ride your bike and enjoy the fantastic sights and vistas our guides provided us. Pete the lead guide is patient, friendly, caring and a great person. Adam has great technical knowledge, strong rider and has a wealth of history of the whole area. We also had Josh, a trainee who is funny, good rider, and very patient. These three were the glue, that provided us with a superb biking vacation in Vermont and New York, two friendly and challenging states to ride in. We stayed in three hotels, all provided us with great food and comfort. The riding averaged 35-40 miles per day and was both challenging and scenic, with extra add-ons after lunch just in case some wanted to burn more calories. The mornings were on the cool side, so layering was a must, but shedding garments as the hours passed. As mentioned earlier, the food at every Hotel was terrific, the picnic lunch in a national park was a gourmets delight The van was never too far up the road and snacks were plentiful. From my viewpoint all guests bonded with each other and lively conversations were had on and off the bikes. A terrific bike trip

My husband and I booked a trip over a year ago with Sojourn for one specific reason, we were able to drive there and not have to take a plane. We have a doctors note stating my husband is unable to fly due to medical reasons. Now due to covid we cannot cross the boarder to get there so we have to cancel. I spoke with the owner of the company approximately late July and he suggested we wait to see what the U.S Government would decide on August 23 2021. I called him once it was confirmed that the boarder would be closed until September 29 2021 and wanted to cancel as it was getting to close. We paid over $6000 Canadian. The company has a waiting list for this particular time and trip and our place has already been filled, however, the owner will only refund us $2025. He refuses to refund the rest. We are so angry and disappointed as this was a lot of money and nothing to him. Now we are unable to plan a trip in Canada that we could actually get to. We thought we could trust this company as we had travelled with them before, sadly the owners greed wins and we are out a significant amount of money. I do not recommend booking with this company and will not ever again.

By providing a full refund when a vacation has to be cancelled due to covid travel restrictions. How can you tell people you have a waiting list but then refuse to give a full refund in these times. It is disgusting and greedy.

Sojourn has cancelled our group tour to Canada this year and want us to go in Sept. that is not a viable option I have asked for them to return my $1000 deposit for the cancelled trip, I have tried both phone calls and email. NO response To either the phone calls or emails. We have been on multiple trips with other bike companies. They are much more organized, responsive and professional.

Very disappointed with my first interaction with this company. You cannot book on the website and have to call. I called, gave them all my information and credit card and and it appeared my reservation was confirmed. Several days later I noticed they had called me several times so I called them back and was informed that they were cancelling my trip as I was the only one booked. “They hadn’t run my credit card”. Even though the sales person knew all this at the time of my original call, none of this was communicated. Well unfortunately, I had already booked a hotel in europe for the days prior to the trip and that was non-refundable. The customer service rep took no responsibility. Stated that “terms and conditions were on website”; “trips aren’t confirmed until 90 days ahead of time”. None of this was explained when I called. Asked to have call from manager or owner. None has been forthcoming. The sales rep called me back in response to an email requesting a call from the manager/owner. In fact, the sales rep would not even give me the name of his manager owner. Never will use this company again. No transparency. No integrity. Poor customer service and communication. I’m in the hole for $400 hotel (unless I find another trip the same dates/location) and all could have been avoided with transparency and good communication at the time of reservation. The sales rep asked me if I could go on the trip in June instead of September… then they asked me if I had friends I could invite to go with me (?!!!) Extremely unprofessional and immature. He acted as if he thought I was lying when I explained to him I had spent $400 on a hotel booking that was non-refundable prior to the trip. (I was planning on getting trip insurance for the entire vacation once I got my plane tickets. Thank goodness I didn’t get plane tickets!!). Beware of tours that have “sales prices” because I suspect that those are the ones they aren’t filling and probably are likely to be cancelled. Would not describe this as a “boutique” company as the customer service is not at “boutique” level. I will be making a report to the better business bureau about the poor communication. If a company has a terms and conditions that is critical to trip planning, and its on the web – then you should either be referred to web when you call to review this info or you should be able to book on the web and be directed to make note of it there. “one star”.

Like every travel company, we send a reservation confirmation email once it is confirmed. The customers are expected to wait till they get the confirmation email. This reviewer sent us an online reservation request on 6th of May 2019 for a trip starting on September 15, 2019. Before 9th of May, 2019, we responded to the customer that the trip will be cancelled and that is why our team did not process any charges on the reviewer’s credit card. The reviewer, without waiting for the reservation confirmation, went ahead and booked other arrangements which were non-refundable. Unfortunately we cannot take responsibility of a customer booking something outside of our control before booking a confirmed reservation with us, hence we cannot be responsible for this. We have been in business for a long time and we have never ever heard a complaint like that before.

We have journeyed with BackRoads many times and places. Sojourn is better. We recommend Sojourn because thir leaders are energetic and wise(due to their age?)- equally comfortable with people, bikes and life. We wonder when the leaders slept- they were working when we retired for the night, and they were up before breakfast, prepping the bikes, food and drinks for the day. As expected for this level of touring company, food, accommodations, extra activities were superb. But their bikes (Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105)were a step above the usual rentals- a joy to ride and perfectly maintained! Also, the office staff is as good as the Leaders, endlessly patient and helpful. What sets Sojourn apart? their older, wiser leaders!

Bob and Cynthia

Thanks for such a great review. Looking forward to traveling with you again on one of our tours.

Take care, Raja

Absolutely incredible in every respect: bikes, inns, food, and most importantly TOUR LEADERS! They were knowledgeable about the routes, enjoyed the guests, and could fix anything on the bikes. Attention to details was excellent. I highly recommend Sojourn to anyone who wants to have memorable vacation.

Just completed my 7th tour with Sojourn. As always, the guides were full of information about the area, and super encouraging along the way. The accommodations and food were great and the routes were well planned out. I have traveled with several other bike tour companies over the years and Sojourn is, in my opinion, the best. I will continue touring with them as long as I am able.

Our Sonoma County Wine Tour was truly magnificent. The route was comfortable and gave us an unforgettable experience. No stone was left unturned in developing this itinerary. Our Tour Leaders made sure our comfort and pleasure were met and every request accommodated. We could not have had better leaders who welcomed us as friends and treated us so warmly. We can’t wait to travel with Sojourn again soon.

My husband and I were first timers with Sojourn and signed up for two consecutive trips this year. We have used many other tour companies and found Sojourn to be the best we have toured with. The accommodations, food, routes and guides exceeded our expectations. The guides were professional, knowledgeable, flexible and hard working. We can’t wait until our next tour with Sojourn!!!

We’ve done several trips with Sojourn–Sonoma, Burlington VT to Quebec, and Arizona. Each trip has been a great experience; the guides, the food (both lunches served by the guides and dinners included), the accommodations and the tours themselves. We’ve met new friends along the way and plan to use them again. Highly recommend Sojourn.

First Class Five Star Experience in the Texas Hill Country. Can’t wait for the next adventure.

Why don’t you have Sojourn listed? They are one of the top companies we’ve traveled with in a ist that includes Backroads and Butterfield. We’ve done their Arizona, Oregon, and Burlington, VT to Quebec City trips. Each very different trips but each well though out, extremely organized, and with outstanding guides. This is a top flight tour company and highy recommended. We’re joining them again this summer.

We just took a trip with this operator. They do US and Canada tours and appear to be largely staffed by former VBT people. These guys did a great job. In spite of some challenging weather and unforseen events (a ferry broke down in route to us), they were great at improvsing when needed and giving everyone alot of personal attention. They need to be included on the review site.

Had an amazing time on the Martha’s Vineyard tour. The tour leaders were great and loads of fun. Met some very interesting people from around the country. Service from booking to departure was efficient and friendly. Lodging was first-rate and the food superb. I highly recommend Sojourn.

Attention to detail, comfort and fun places to visit. The guides went over and beyond, helping the slower rider up the hill, making delicious lunches, giving local history and supporting all of us on our ride. A wonderful way to spend a week with them and fellow riders. Absolutely complaint-free.

We have had 3 good experiences with another tour operator in Maine, Vermont and Sonoma, but found the quality of service by our leaders, the accommodations, the diversity of locations for tours and the quality of food by Sojourn was a cut above the other company. Not stopping every 10 miles or so like the made it easier to get into a rhythm. More biking and less “break”-ing was what we were looking for. We will encourage our friends to join us with Sojourn in the future.

Top notch experience; beautiful routes, food and properties. Friendly, easy going, yet professional guides who are clearly invested members of a small company rather than contracted lead tours for a larger outfit. As a single traveler, I felt welcome and part of the group immediately.

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Sojourn Bicycling & Active Vacations

15 Trips match your criteria (1 - 15 shown)

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

• Experience one of New England’s most beloved seacoast vacation destinations on our Cape Cod bike trip
• Ride the Province Lands Bike Paths and visit the Old Harbor Lifesaving Museum
• Cycle the beautiful Cape Cod Rail Trail to Eastham
• Explore Provincetown’s galleries and shops
• Enjoy a beautiful walk along the picturesque salt marsh

18 - 30's, Cultural, Cycling & Biking, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

Vermont Lakeside Escape Weekend

• Enjoy a cruise across Lake Champlain while learning about osprey, eagles, and local history.
• Visit charming town of Essex - one of the most intact ensembles of pre-Civil War architecture in America.
• View the impressive waterfalls above what was an important maritime site during the Revolutionary War.
• Visit the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum to learn about watercraft and battles that shaped our history.
• Enjoy an espresso or gougère in a nearby French café, or a sublime piece of the best chocolate ever.

Cultural, Cycling & Biking, Transformative

Oregon: Columbia Gorge

• Ride with a scenic backdrop along the spectacular historic Columbia River Highway
• Hike a route with stunning views and blooming wildflowers
• Explore the informative Columbia Gorge Discovery Center
• Visit Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood
• Visit a remote Alpine lake fed by glaciers with imposing views of Mt. Hood

Cultural, Cycling & Biking, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

Southern Vermont Bike Tour

• Picnic on the town green in Vergennes, an important maritime site during the Revolutionary War.
• Explore the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and learn how Lake Champlain factored in the War of 1812.
• Spend an evening in New England's quintessential college town of Middlebury.
• Enjoy two nights at the historic Waybury Inn, featured in the Bob Newhart Show.

Upstate New York: Finger Lakes

Geneva, Lake Erie

• See the Bluffs between the north-south running lakes feature expansive farmland and fabulous cycling
• Explore Geneva and the town showcases some of the region’s most historic and beautiful lakeside homes
• Visit the original estate of MacKenzie-Childs, the whimsical home decor manufacturer
• Experience fabulous ride through picturesque Mennonite communities whose transportation is by bicycle or horse and buggy on this archetypal upstate New York bike tour

Cycling & Biking

Vermont Stowe Fall Foliage

• Experience ride through several of Vermont’s timeless covered bridges
• Visit the Old Round Church. Sample homemade cider and donuts at a local orchard.
• Enjoy an exclusive stay at the majestic Inn at Shelburne Farms
• Visit a talented glassblower or the Vermont Ski Museum before a picnic lunch along the river

Cultural, Cycling & Biking, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Transformative

Canada: Niagara Wine Country

Niagara Falls

• Enjoy a private tour and tasting at Ontario’s only certified organic winery
• Ride through lovely and historic sections of Niagara-on-the-Lake before a private tour and tasting with an engaging winemaker
• Visit farm stands, galleries, and historic points of interest dating to the War of 1812
• Ride through country landscapes leads to a bike path paralleling the Welland Canal
• Spin through beautiful fields of sprawling vineyards and past lovely old farms featuring mature orchards

Culinary & Wine, Cycling & Biking, Transformative

Canada Ottawa to Montreal

Lake Ontario, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec

• Discover Ottawa
• Enjoy a fascinating blend of history, culture, and cycling on this Ottawa to Montreal bike trip
• Enjoy a scenic ride within the city before visiting Parc de la Cité du Havre with stunning views back over the St. Lawrence to downtown Montreal
• Visit the National Gallery, or explore lively Byward Market

Cultural, Cycling & Biking, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

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Sojourn bicycling & active vacations reviews & ratings.

Angry Canadians

My husband and I booked a trip over a year ago with Sojourn for one specific reason, we were able to drive there and not have to take a plane. We have a doctors note...

exceeded our expectations

The trip and our guides exceeded our expectations. We'll do several more trips with Sojourn.

fabulous bicycling trip!

This was a fabulous bicycling trip! So much away from traffic, got to ride on Sunday vs. just being fitted and riding around the block, and a small group. Tuesday l...

The Burlington to Quebec trip is wonderful

The Burlington to Quebec trip is wonderful. A lot of miles, and a variety of scenery over the course of the trip. The trip leaders are very supportive, and the on-t...

I totally enjoyed myself

The Burlington to Quebec City tour was the best ever! Amazing guides, and spectacular properties. The walking tour of QC was worth all the money in the world. I t...

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Travel is complicated.  And you need an experienced travel planning partner.  We are not only expert planners, we’re experienced travelers ourselves so we can plan your trips using personal knowledge & experience.

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About Sojourn

Sojourn Travel was founded in 1984 and has been providing travel services to clients from around the world for over 3 decades. You can learn a bit more about us here .

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As a result of our expertise in the art of travel, our clients trust us to assist them with their travel plans…. over and over and over !  Because let’s face it.  Travel is complicated!  Especially post-pandemic.  What if there is another one? It’s easy to buy a simple airline ticket online.  But for anything more complicated what you really need is someone with experience in  your  corner.  Someone that you can have an  actual discussion  with versus only being able to type out your questions or problems inside an online chatbox on some random website.

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Explore Diverse Cultures Within The Rich Haven of the Indian Subcontinent

Eastern Sojourns is a platform that lets you accomplish your Luxury Travel dreams, promises to give you the utmost, premium, and magnificent service throughout your journey.

A commitment to providing you with a customized itinerary that is comfortable, safe, extravagant, and exhilarating all at the same time.

We are a Luxury Travel Company in New Delhi , with representative offices across 21 cities in India 3 offices in the Indian subcontinent.

Quintessential Luxury Travel Agency

After spending over 36 years in the field of tourism and travel, we bring to you a unique opportunity to witness the Indian subcontinent through our lens of experience.

We specialize in customized bespoke programs for managing Incentive Travel Groups, Luxury FITs / Groups, cultural / adventure groups / FIT’s, MICE, students and sports groups.

As everyone has their own idea of a perfect holiday, we take the time to listen and create tailor-made travel experiences just for you.

Join us and relish the experience of a unique, rewarding amazing voyage.

Choose Your Destination

The Indian Subcontinent – Snuggled between East Asia and the Middle East is packed with natural, beautiful wonders and is a land full of surprises. You will witness the world’s highest peaks, majestic lush forests, magnificent deserts, mesmerizing hill stations, artifacts, ruins, relaxing beaches, or anything else you want! With diverse cultures and breathtaking scenic views, the Indian subcontinent has a rich ancient history that has various cultural legacies leaving you with a powerful aura.

Experience a transcendental journey with Eastern Sojourns, which connects you with the destination through its people, history, cuisine, wellness , cultures, and spirituality .

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With almost 4 decades of experience in the travel & tourism industry, we use our first-hand expertise to create a bespoke holiday.

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We’ve spent years researching destinations, which help us plan the perfect holiday. Our team uses its in-depth knowledge of all destinations to give you a unique experience.

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We are proud of the lifelong relations we have established with our clients over the years. We make your travel dream a reality, from charter flights to Bollywood, you name it and we’ll make it happen.

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24/7 assistance throughout your holiday. Our travel experts will take care of you at every step of your journey.

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Testimonials.

“We had an amazing trip to India organised for us by Eastern Sojourns. Everything ran like clockwork and we were extremely well looked after by the team. All the local guides were very knowledgeable and ensured we always got the best out of our visits to the palaces and the famous landmarks along the way. We stayed in some fabulous hotels in iconic locations. A trip of a lifetime which we will always remember!”

Ian and Anne Goode,

Exceptional experience, unparalleled attention to detail, seamless organization and hyper personalization Eastern Sojourns exceeded all expectations. From the moment we started planning our trip to the final farewell, every detail was meticulously planned and flawlessly executed. Their expertise in curating bespoke experiences ensured that we immersed ourselves in the richness of India's culture.

David Martin,

Appreciate all of the personal touch and assistance. Felt very safe and secured through out the tour. The tour was right pace and covered all the highlights in a easy way. The guides were excellent with varying prospective. Appreciate diversity of guides. Also all drives were very professional and excellent in crazy traffic.

Caroline & Natallie Schreder,

I recently had one of the most professional and well-planned itineraries organised by Eastern sojourns in India. I could not recommend the tour enough especially as I was travelling with my daughter and it was our first major trip post covid. The holiday was amazing. All guides were knowledgeable and attentive. The driver was super. All staff were punctual and professional and went out of their way to make our holiday amazing.

Catriona Edwards,

Excellent service and a very well organised tour par excellence. Will certainly like to use their services again in future. Congratulations to the entire team !

Gurdeep Suri,

Our family and some close friends traveled earlier this month to the tea gardens in Darjeeling. It was a unique experience for all of us as it was the first time we set out on something like this. We stayed at an old colonial heritage bungalow located in the midst of the tea garden. The itinerary was planned very well and it was a perfect holiday. The arrangements were organized by Eastern Sojourns. Besides the flawless planning and remarkable service, we found the ES staff very polite and courteous. It has been a pleasure dealing with them. Keep up the good work team Eastern Sojourns!

Ravijit Chaudhuri,

Excellent service provided by the ES team. I recently booked a stay with them for a palace resort near Jaipur. The package provided along with guidance at every step was remarkable. The hospitality and personal attention we got at the resort was great. Absolutely recommend Eastern Sojourns! The best part being everything was hassle free

Ms Albha Oberoi,

I planned a surprise weekend getaway for my wife with Eastern Sojourns. Their team is really good with all arrangements and understood my requirements easily. Arranged everything, despite me getting in touch with them almost last minute. They also got me a better rate at a Palace hotel than any other online portal. Kudos ! Was able to plan a beautiful Hot air balloon ride with their help. Great experience.

Mr. Agam Talwar,

ecently we booked an all ladies trip to the northeast with my friends. Thank you ES team, the trip was very comfortable and carefully planned. Team ES made sure we all enjoyed our vacation and were also safe. The highlight was the tea tasting experience in Darjeeling. The arrangement was great. The one thing I would like to mention here is that Eastern Sojourns understood that we were all elderly ladies and made sure the itinerary matched our pace.

Ms Anuradha Oberoi,

As a travel expert and blogger I have travelled to various locations in India with the help of many travel and tour companies. But I had to take the time out to write this special review. Eastern Sojourns is one such exceptional company. They did such a great job in helping me travel to the south of India for an ayurvedic retreat. The service was impeccable, every minute detail was taken care of. Their team was very sweet and always available for my questions. They got me a great rate and also managed some of my last minute requests with ease. Will surely travel with them again

Ms Simran Shah,

What an outstanding experience! Recently booked a three day trip to Rajasthan with Eastern Sojourn. Their team was very easy to communicate with and was always available even at odd hours which is rare. I requested for a few special arrangements and they did a better job than my expectations. Me and my family enjoyed the trip immensly. I am happy to recommend them to anybody looking for great and reliable service.

Ms. Angel Verma,

"Our trip to India was a dream, thanks to Mr. Bedi. The hotels were great and we were met and guided everywhere with punctuality, skill and kindness. What a wonderful trip. We hope it will be the first of several. "

Aaron Neckowitz,

“Bharat & the team, thank you for all you did for us. This trip was incredibly well organised and I would be very happy to work with you again. There is nothing to fault. Thank you very much!!”

Ms. Theresa Barnes,

“Student and staff found the trip to be fun, enlightening and informative. It has been an absolute joy and privilege to have toured with Mr. Bedi. I am sure we will be joining you for another tour in the very near future! ”

Kunali Patel,

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A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: Professor Michael Drout Begins: Robin Hood’s Bay, England Concludes: Oxford, England Upcoming Departures: Oct 13 – 20, 2024

The Great Castles of Britain

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: Paul Remfry Begins: Rochester, England Concludes: Conwy, Wales

Upcoming Departures: Oct 13 – 20, 2024 Oct 12 – 19, 2025

The Great Castles of Ireland

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: Paul Remfry Begins: Swords, Ireland Concludes: Belfast, Northern Ireland

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Britain’s Fifth Nation

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: Michael Bunney Begins: Plymouth, England Concludes: Plymouth, England

Upcoming Departures: October 20 – 27, 2024 October 19 – 26, 2025

Scotch Whisky Connoisseur

An Epicurean Sojourn Led By: Ronnie Berri Begins: Edinburgh, Scotland Concludes: Glasgow, Scotland

Upcoming Departures: Oct 29 – Nov 6, 2024 See more dates.

La Splendida Tavola

An Epicurean Sojourn Begins: Milan, Italy Concludes: Milan, Italy

Upcoming Departures: Nov 10 – 17, 2024 Nov 9 – 16, 2025

Christmas Markets and Classical Music

A Cultural Sojourn Led By: TBA Begins: Vienna, Austria Concludes: Munich, Germany

Upcoming Departures: December 1 – 8, 2024 JUST ADDED (get details)

Southern Vines: The Wines and Wonders of South Africa

An Epicurean Sojourn Led By: Catherine Dillard Begins: Johannesburg, South Africa Concludes: Cape Town, South Africa Upcoming Departures: Feb 12 – Mar 2, 2025 JUST ADDED (get details)

The Lost Castles of Wales

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: Paul Remfry Begins: Swansea, Wales Concludes: Chester, England

Upcoming Departures: April 26 – May 3, 2025 April 25 – May 2, 2026

Great Castles of Scotland

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: Paul Remfry Begins: Edinburgh, Scotland Concludes: Stirling, Scotland

Upcoming Departures: May 4 – 11, 2025 May 3 – 10, 2026

Castles at the Crossroads

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: Paul Remfry Begins: Palermo, Italy Concludes: Catania, Italy

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Castles in the Clouds

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: Paul Remfry Begins: Toulouse, France Concludes: Toulouse, France

Upcoming Departures: June 1 – 8, 2025 May 31 – June 7, 2026

Dreaming in La Mancha

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: TBA Begins: Madrid, Spain Concludes: Barcelona, Spain

Upcoming Departures: June 8 – 15, 2025 June 7 – 14, 2026

The Canterbury Tales Pilgrimage

An Active Scholar Sojourn Led by: David Raybin Begins: London, England Concludes: Canterbury, England

Upcoming Departures: June 29 – July 6, 2025 June 28 – July 5, 2026

In the Footsteps of the Plantagenets

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: Aurzelle da Silva Begins: Poitiers, France Concludes: Lincoln, England

Upcoming Departures: July 6 – 13, 2025 July 5 – 12, 2026

Roman Britain

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: William Hanson Begins: Chichester, England Concludes: Newcastle, England

Upcoming Departures: July 13 – 20, 2025 July 12 – 19, 2026

Fell Walking With The Romantic Poets

An Active Scholar Sojourn Led By: Professor Adam Potkay Begins: Grasmere, England Concludes: Grasmere, England

Upcoming Departures: July 14 – 21, 2024 July 13 – 20, 2025

Anglo-Saxon Britain

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: Professor Michael Drout Begins: Newcastle, England Concludes: Winchester, England

Upcoming Departures: July 20 – 27, 2025 July 19 – 26, 2026

Vikings & Sagas: An Iceland Odyssey

A Scholarly Sojourn Led By: Professor Michael Drout Begins: Reykjavik, Iceland Concludes: Keflavik, Iceland

Upcoming Departures: July 27 – Aug 3, 2025 July 26 – Aug 2, 2026

The Masters of Italian Opera

A Cultural Sojourn Led By: Professor David Drummond Begins: Pisa, Italy Concludes: Verona, Italy

Upcoming Departures: August 10 – 17, 2025 August 19 – 16, 2026

Travel is a journey, not a destination.

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6 Reasons to Travel with a Tour Operator like Scholarly Sojourns

As a seasoned solo traveler and avid trip planner, it never occurred to me to travel with a tour operator. So when Scholarly Sojourns reached out about partnering together on a whisky-focused trip to Scotland , I was skeptical. But after going on the life-changing trip, I’m convinced that traveling with a tour operator has lots of benefits.

First, some background. Scholarly Sojourns is a tour operator focused on incredible experiences combined with a scholarly aspect, like castles, literary or historical periods, wine and whisky, and so on . The small group tours are led by an expert in the field, like a professor or certified professional. (A tour operator creates packages and sells them, while a travel agency just sells pre-packaged tours.)

Scholarly Sojourns invited me to partner with them on a custom trip through Scotland focusing on whisky . I designed the itinerary and gathered the attendees. They dealt with all the planning and logistics. (Our Whisky & Wonders of Scotland tour was custom, but Scholarly Sojourns offers similar whisky tours .)

Tour operators are often more expensive than figuring out travel plans yourself. So here’s why it’s worth it to travel with a tour operators.

Editor’s Note: This post and others about the trip are not sponsored by Scholarly Sojourns. Our partnership was strictly for the trip itself, and all the articles written about the trip are my own personal opinions inspired by the experience.

6 Reasons to Travel With a Tour Operator like Scholarly Sojourns

1. All the hard work is done for you.

Anyone who’s planned an extensive trip in a foreign country can tell you how much work it is to figure out hotels, restaurants, and things to do. But when you travel with a tour operator, all that work is done for you.

And not only does the tour operator figure out — and book — all the nitty gritty details, everything has been vouched by someone with a lot of experience . Let’s be honest: when you book a hotel you’ve never stayed in, in a city you’ve never been to, the hotel and its neighborhood is a risk. But with Scholarly Sojourns, they knew the best hotels in each area and booked us accordingly.

And it’s not just hotels. Our tour director knew which areas of Scotland to stay overnight in as we criss-crossed the country. He knew which restaurants were the best in each place, not because of reviews, but because he’d personally been to most of them. He knew which distilleries offered the best experiences. His expertise gave us the best possible experience at every turn.

2. You get access to experiences no one else does.

Because Scholarly Sojourns has built relationships with many places, we were able to have experiences that would have been impossible without them .

For example, the first night of our tour ended with a whisky pairing dinner at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Vaults, an exclusive members-only bar and restaurant. We’re not members, but Scholarly Sojourns has a relationship with them.

Even at distilleries on Islay , where our Scholarly Sojourns director has traveled more than 70 times, we were able to get special experiences. All of the whiskies we tasted were upgrades from the usual offerings, and one distillery even stayed open late so our group could stop by.

3. When something goes wrong, there’s an expert there to handle it.

As any seasoned traveler knows, traveling is not without its hiccups . But when you travel with a tour operator, someone is there to handle the issues with expertise and experience.

For us, it happened on our way to Islay. The island of Islay is notoriously difficult to get to, with weather regularly delaying or canceling the ferries and flights. And sure enough, the ferry was delayed when we arrived at the Kennacraig Ferry Terminal. After two hours, the delay turned into a cancellation.

When we heard the news, everyone started to get tense — we had the next two days packed with plans on Islay! But our Scholarly Sojourns tour director jumped at the issue, making dozens of phone calls to figure out how to get us there. Because he was handling all the issues, we were able to relax without stressing.

Our tour director was able to get us on the next ferry as foot passengers, but without our bus we’d have no way to get around Islay. So he continued to make more calls to find us transportation, exhausting every resource he knew on the island. Luckily, our bus was able to squeeze on the ferry (the last vehicle on!) so the crisis was averted. But I knew we were in good hands even if we hadn’t gotten so lucky.

4. It’s less stressful. Like a lot less!

Obviously had we not been traveling with Scholarly Sojourns, the issues with the Islay ferry could have been disastrous. But my confidence in our tour director meant that instead of stressing for three hours, I was able to just be bored waiting for the ferry. (Which is by far a better scenario!)

But it’s not just the travel hiccups that are stressful . On Islay, we stayed in the tiny town of Port Ellen. Because so many closures happened during Covid, only two restaurants currently serve food there. So our tour director called each spot, found out how many tables they had available, and divided up our group accordingly so that we could all have a nice meal.

We also ran a pretty tight schedule on Islay, visiting 7 distilleries in just two days . It’s easy to linger at a distillery, taking pictures, enjoying whisky, and shopping. But our tour director constantly had his eye on the time, and would gently nudge us to move on so we wouldn’t miss our next reservation . We didn’t have to stress about the time, because traveling with a tour operator meant someone was there to do it for us.

5. Scholarly Sojourns thought of everything before we even needed to.

Not only did our tour director think ahead about dinner on Islay, he would check us in at the hotels on the phone before we arrived at each place. So we could walk straight into our rooms when we got there. That’s when I realized all the little things that Scholarly Sojourns was doing for us before we even recognized it .

Like all the snacks and drinks that they stocked our bus with. We spent a lot of time in our bus driving around Scotland on our trip , and often needed drinks and snacks because we were hungry or bored. (You know how road trips are!) Our tour director packed our bus with water, whisky, and snacks — even introducing us to local favorites.

There are dozens of other little examples of things Scholarly Sojourns thought of before we needed to. And I’m sure there are two dozen more things I didn’t even realize! The point is, when you travel with a tour operator their expertise and experience comes into play in ways you probably will never think about .

6. You get WAY more bang for your buck.

When I first started recruiting friends and family to join me on my Whisky & Wonders of Scotland tour , many people balked at the cost. And I admit, it wasn’t cheap. But having been to Scotland four previous times , I knew how difficult it was to get around the country and how expensive it was to hire a driver. Not to mention how much planning and work the logistics required. So I knew it was a good deal.

Now, having gone on the trip with Scholarly Sojourns, I understand everything included in the cost. And it’s more than meets the eye at first glance. We ended up getting more than we paid for , and our group agreed.

Yes, the price included hotels, all distillery tours and tastings, entrance to castles, a driver every day, all breakfasts, and multiple whisky-pairing dinners. And of course the legwork in arranging all that for 16 people. But it also included inside information about Scotland throughout the drives, roadside whiskies, expert advice at every turn, snacks and waters on the bus, someone to handle any issues, several bar tabs, and more. There were so many little things, it’s hard to list them all out.

I love planning trips and figuring out the details of a new destination. It’s literally one of my favorite hobbies! But even I have to admit how much more convenient and less stressful it was to travel with Scholarly Sojourns . And while I can’t vouch for all tour operators, I will definitely travel with Scholarly Sojourns again!

Obviously if you’re planning to travel with a tour operator, make sure you vet them. Do your research online and elsewhere to make sure they are legit. And it never hurts to double check your hotels or itinerary. As with all travel, be cautious and aware. But also trust and have fun. That’s what makes traveling such an amazing experience.

Related :: 10 Days in Scotland , A Guide to Whisky in Edinburgh , What to Know Before Going to Islay

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We are Sergey and Simon, a Russian and a Frenchman, both  passionate about Moscow, Saint-Petersburg and classic cars. Together, we have created Put-in tours. Our goal is to help you experience Russian culture off the beaten path. Join us onboard our classic Soviet van and let’s get rolling!

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At Put-in tours, we put you in our classic Soviet vans to go explore Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Russian culture off the beaten path. Discover our Moscow city guided tour, visit Moscow by night, join our banya & Sergiyev Posad excursion, visit and dine in one of Moscow's oldest monastery or even Luzhniki stadium, before you party on our famous pubcrawl! Original and atypical tours : Shoot AK47 and a bazooka after riding on a tank with our tank & bazooka excursion ! Extreme tours: Fly a fighter jet in Moscow onboard a L-29 or L-39 aircraft!

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