For us, festivals are the smell of incense, the fizz of fireworks and the twinkling lights of a Christmas market.
They arrive with the thunder of bespeckled dancers and wind down like a Munich beer hall hangover. They’re the lantern-lit, confetti-filled, mud-slinging reminder that life is there to be enjoyed to the max, and that there’s no such thing as too much fun in the name of pomp and ceremony.
From the embers of a fire pit in Papua New Guinea and the graveyards of Mexico to the tulip fields and orange groves of Europe, festival season never truly dies – and we’ve got your private pass all ready to go. It’s time to strap on your sandals, pick up some maracas and dive right in.
Our festival trips
Festival highlights
You haven’t partied properly if you haven’t done it in Rio during Carnival – and that’s a promise. Whether you want to watch a parade of elaborate floats featuring costumed dancers showing off their best moves, join a conga line of colourfully clad locals snaking their way through the surging streets or perfect your samba steps so you can blend in with the Carioca crowds, prepare your mind, body, and soul for the biggest party on earth.
As if your 9-day trek through the steamy rainforests of Rwanda in search of wildlife you’re used to seeing in books wasn’t good enough, you’ll also get the opportunity to participate in the Kwita Izina ceremony; a naming ceremony for the baby gorillas born in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park during the year. Celebrate this park’s protection efforts and revel in the festivities that encompass this special and unique conservation event.
There are few experiences that could make an unforgettable trip to the tropical island of Vanuatu any better but witnessing the incredible naghol festival – where local, indigenous men jump from high platforms as part of a coming-of-age ritual - is definitely one of them. Paving the way for present-day bungee jumping, this land-diving ceremony will undoubtedly take your breath away and give you an insight into the Melanesian culture that few visitors ever get to see.
Discover a different side of Mexico on one of two trips that’ll lead you straight into the heart of this haunting celebration. From visiting local cemeteries to see how families decorate the graves of their ancestors and creating a traditional altar in TIahuac to watching the colourful and incredible Day of the Dead parade as it spills through the streets of Mexico City, your trip will be filled with all of the cultural experiences that make this ceremonial festival one to remember.
Where you can go
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Papua New Guinea Expedition: Firedance Festival
Papua New Guinea Expedition: Firedance Festival
Mongolia's Naadam Festival
Mongolia's Naadam Festival
Mongolia's Naadam Festival