April 1, 2009

A night in the Moroccan desert

One of the most-requested activities we arrange in Morocco is an overnight stay in the Sahara desert. We bring our travelers to the most scenic part of the Moroccan desert—near the most spectacular dunes—for an overnight stay in a private tented camp. The experience is authentic Bedouin-style camping (above), with carpets on the ground of […]

Destinations: Africa, Morocco

Tags: adventure, adventure tours, adventure travel, Bedouin, Bedouin camp, Berber, Berber carpets, camel ride, camping, desert, desert excursions, desert safari, family tours, family travel, fossils, luxury tented camps, luxury tours, luxury travel, Merzouga dunes, Moroccan, Moroccan food, Moroccan fossils, Morocco tours, music, Ouarzazate, private, private luxury travel, private tours, safari, Sahara, tagine, tented camp, tribal

March 31, 2009

Our favorite day trips from Prague

Most travelers fall in love with Prague and never want to leave its fairytale architecture and enchanting backstreets. Prague’s beauty and charm is obvious, but it’s the experience with our guides–who bring the history, traditions, art, architecture, music and cuisine to life–that is what our clients rave about the most. Travelers also appreciate that our […]

Destinations: Central Europe, Czech Republic, Europe

Tags: architecture, art, Cesky Krumlov, concentration camp, cuisine, European, excursions, guides, history, international tours, Jewish touring, Jews, Kutna Hora, luxury tours, luxury travel, museum, music, Prague, Prague tours, private day tours, private tours, silver, Terezin, Theresienstadt, tour companies, tours, traditions, Trebic, UNESCO, World Heritage Site

March 31, 2009

A conversation with the Amanbagh’s Robyn Bickford

We recently met up with Robyn Bickford at the Amanbagh, one of our preferred luxury resorts in Rajasthan, India. She and her husband, Manav, are the renowned general managers of this exquisite property. Q: We love the Amanbagh and always try to include it in the tours we design for our clients visiting India. What […]

Destinations: Asia, India

Tags: Adrian Zecha, Amanbagh, Amanjunkies, Amanresorts, architecture, art, artisans, Artisans of Leisure, Bhangarh, books, Brigitte Singh, cooking classes, crafts, culture, Delhi, embroidery, excursions, festivals, Gallivanter's Guide, general manager, golf, holistic, hospitality, hotel, India tours, Indian clothes, Indian food, Jaipur, jewelry, luxury hotels, luxury travel, palaces, private, Rajasthan, resort, restaurants, Robyn Bickford, ruins, shops, silver, spa treatments, temples, vegetarian, villages

March 26, 2009

Notes from our travelers: the best way to experience the Australian Outback

This post is by travelers of ours (a husband and wife) from Maryland. They are currently on an around-the-world tour with Artisans of Leisure. Along the way, they have been sending updates about their journey to friends and family back home. They have generously allowed us to share their stories and images with our blog […]

Destinations: Australia, South Pacific

Tags: Aboriginal, around-the-world, Artisans of Leisure, Australian, Ayers Rock, blog, culture, dinner under the stars, guide, history, Kata Tjuta, Longitude 131, luxury hotels, luxury resorts, luxury tours, luxury travel, Ned, Olgas, Outback, private, private tours, Red Centre, rock art, safari tours, shore excursions, tours, Uluru

March 25, 2009

Consider Visiting Nepal When in Nearby India or Bhutan

We highly recommend spending several days touring Nepal, in the Himalayas, when visiting nearby countries such as India or Bhutan. Many of the flights from India to Bhutan make stops in Nepal, making it an ideal time to spend a few days en route. We love the relaxed feel of Kathmandu and the beautiful valleys […]

Destinations: Asia, Bhutan, India, Nepal

Tags: adventure travel, architecture, art, Asia tours, Bhaktapur, Buddhism, Chitwan National Park, crafts, culture, Dwarika's, elephants, hiking, hotels, jewelry, Kathmandu, Kathmandu Valley, luxury tours, luxury travel, metalwork, Mt. Everest, Patan, Pokhara, pottery, private, private tours, safaris, scenic flights, shopping, special interest travel, tiger safari, tours, travel, villages, wilderness lodges, wildlife, woodcarving

March 24, 2009

Must Stay: Hyatt Regency in Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto is one of our favorite destinations in Japan, and the relatively new Hyatt Regency Kyoto is the hotel that best captures the city’s refined aesthetic, perfected hospitality and service, and incredible cuisine. The hotel is truly a work of art. Designed by Takashi Sugimoto of Asia’s renowned Super Potato design firm, the hotel features several Japanese […]

Destinations: Asia, Japan

Tags: acupuncture, architect, architecture, art, Artisans of Leisure, Asian, baths, crafts, culture, culture blog, design, design blog, designer, Eastern healing, gardens, Hiiragiya, history, Hyatt Regency Kyoto, interior design, Japan tours, Japan travel, Japanese, Japanese gardens, Japanese ryokans, Kyoto, luxury, luxury travel blog, private, private luxury travel, restaurants, ryokans, shiatsu, spa, Super Potato, Takashi Sugimoto, Tawaraya, textiles, tour operator, tours, traditions, traditions of Japan, travel

March 24, 2009

Private Jewish Heritage Tours

Many travelers ask us to incorporate people, places and activities of Jewish significance when they are traveling internationally with us. We can incorporate Jewish touring into any of our tours around the world, from Sydney to Shanghai and most places in between. Many travelers simply want us to incorporate some Jewish-related sightseeing in Europe, Asia, […]

Tags: ancestral tours, Artisans of Leisure, Berlin, Budapest, family travel, guides, heritage, history, international, Istanbul, Jewish, Jewish heritage, Jewish history, Jewish sightseeing, Jewish touring, Jewish tours, Jewish travel, Jewish travel experts, Judaism, Lithuania, Mediterranean, Prague, private, synagogues, tours, travel

March 23, 2009

The Indonesian Island of Lombok: Culture, Beauty, Luxury

Lombok has been one of our favorite cultural travel destinations for quite some time. Easily accessed by hydrofoil or plane from the neighboring island of Bali, Lombok offers deeply traditional culture and pristine beauty: a volcano, beautiful beaches, excellent diving and snorkeling, waterfalls, and lush terraced rice fields. Our private tours of Lombok include a […]

Destinations: Asia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia

Tags: cultural travel, culture, excursions, honeymoons, Indonesia, Indonesian, islands, Lombok, luxury, luxury resorts, luxury tours, luxury travel, Oberoi Lombok, private tours, romantic, tours, villages