16+ Unique Tour Operators Traveling Differently in 2025

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Most travelers are aware of major guided group tour operators like Intrepid Travel, G Adventures, Contiki, Road Scholar, Exodus, Trafalgar, National Geographic Expeditions/Journeys, and Smithsonian Journeys. These companies are reputable for a reason – they run fantastic itineraries across the globe! But if you have a niche interest that draws you to travel, there may be other companies that are more specialized and dialed in to your preferences. Have you ever considered booking a trip with one of these unique tour operators?

Archaeology Tours: Far Horizons

Far Horizons Archaeological and Cultural Tours offers guided group trips specifically to archaeological wonders around the world; think Petra, Chaco Canyon, Machu Picchu, Stonehenge, Cahokia, and Newgrange. What makes these educational tours even more special is that they are led by scholars who can speak from a truly expert point of view. For instance, a professor of Anthropology at the University of Colorado accompanies the American Southwest tour, which visits UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Mesa Verde. Several of the Italy and Greece tours are led by a Great Courses lecturer who was a professor of Medieval and Roman History at the University of Notre Dame. Even a lot of the behind-the-scenes administrative and operations staff have degrees in Anthropology, Archaeology, and History.

Read Far Horizons reviews on Google Reviews

Unusual Tours: Atlas Obscura Adventures

You’re likely familiar with the Atlas Obscura website, which curates an ever-growing list of strange and unusual roadside attractions, oddities, curiosities, and historical points of interest in travel destinations around the world. I have personally contributed three locations to Atlas Obscura (Loughcrew Cairns, Ilulissat Icefjord Center, and the Birka Viking burial mounds), and before I embark on a new trip, I always check the local AO listings to help me plan my itinerary. They’ve also published fun books like Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders and Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer’s Guide. 

What you may not have known is that they plan guided trips around the world, too! Atlas Obscura Adventures partners with Intrepid Travel to offer trips that have a positive impact on local communities while weaving in AO’s signature twist of appealing to curious travelers. Some examples of their unique tours include “Mongolia’s Winter Camel Festival,” “Rhythms and Rituals: West Africa’s Spiritual Traditions,” “Festivals and Temples of Bhutan,” “Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell,” or “Discovering Ireland: Literature, Legend & Myth.”

Led by Tastemakers: Modern Adventure

Modern Adventure stands out from the crowd in that tours are led by star chefs, artists, designers, and winemakers. You’ll get to experience the local culture and try new things through the lens of an artisan at the top of their craft. Imagine traveling through France’s Burgundy region alongside legendary wine director and sommelier Mark Bright, or Provence with James Beard Award winner Nina Compton. How about visiting Peru with Michelin-starred chef Enrique Limardo? These tours are not cheap, but you’re paying for quite an exclusive experience and will come away with a deeper understanding of these topics than you would on a more generalized tour.

You might be able to find small local companies doing artisan-led trips. For instance, The Fungivore does expert-led mushroom foraging trips in Mexico, and Traveling Traders Bazaar is offering “A Hands-On Immersion in Oaxaca’s Culture & Embroidery Traditions with Master Artisan Miriam Campos & Professor Carolyn Kallenborn,” among other “Maker Trips” in 2025.

Foodie Tours: Roads & Kingdoms

Roads & Kingdoms started out with journalistic and literary intent, publishing deep dives about the intersection of food, culture, politics, and travel. Anthony Bourdain was their investor and became a creative partner on projects such as the Dispatched by Bourdain series on R&K and the Explore Parts Unknown project.

Now they have evolved into the tour operator space as well via their League of Travelers arm, utilizing “decades of journalistic exploration” to offer the “deepest culinary tours on earth.” Like Modern Adventure, many Roads & Kingdoms tours pair guests with world renowned chefs and food/travel journalists. It’s even fun to simply read the descriptions of how their itineraries plan to investigate regional cuisine; take a gander at tours such as “Ancient Towns of Erhai Lake: Yunnan Forever” in China, “The World’s Oldest Wine Culture: Tbilisi and the Georgian Winelands,” “Mighty Madeira: The World in One Island,” “Italy’s Best Kept Secret: Abruzzo the Bold,” “Luanda – Lubango – Namibe: Eternal Angola,” or “From Phuket to Songkhla: Sensational Southern Thailand.”

Off the Beaten Path: Against the Compass Expeditions

Every tour operator says they get “off the beaten track,” but Against the Compass Expeditions really means it. If you’re dying to visit rarely touristed and hard-to-reach countries but feel hesitant about planning a trip by yourself, joining a guided group tour can provide some peace of mind. Against the Compass organizes trips to Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Kazakhstan, Mali, or Mauritania. I found out about this company because they lead trips to ride the Iron Ore Train in Mauritania, which looks like an incredible, adventurous train-hopping experience! A blogger friend of mine A Blonde Abroad posted about riding the Iron Ore Train and I’ve been dreaming of it ever since.

Similar companies that include more destinations like Sudan, Iran, North Korea, Chernobyl, and “unrecognized countries” are Rocky Road Travel, CultureRoad, and Young Pioneer Tours.

Read Against the Compass reviews on Google Reviews

Personal Development: Walking Mentorship

All hikers and outdoor enthusiasts know that going for a walk in nature helps to clear your mind; many thru-hikers even set out on a long trail hoping it will serve as a life reset. Walking Mentorship has designed programs meant to help you hone your goals during such outings. You can join a group tour, or individuals or couples can be paired with a mentor who will help to “regroup your ideas, align them with your purpose, and clarify the road ahead…[it’s] a journey of self-discovery where you will explore your needs, desires, and obstacles that keep you from reaching your full potential. You will revise your current moment in life, your career or business, clarify your ideal future, align your purpose with your vision, and create an action plan to get there.” Walks are typically 5-7 days. They also offer corporate programs if your office is in need of a team-building experience or retreat.

Common Ground Pilgrimages has a similar approach that involves combining reading, writing, and walking “so participants have the space to deeply explore themselves through a particular text with a small group of fellow meaning makers.” Some of their past walks were titled Emily Dickinson, Virginia Woolf, Little Women, Mary Shelley, Harry Potter, and Pride and Prejudice.

Other companies that offer professional development travel retreats include Bookbag Tours, Holbrook Travel, WorldStrides, and Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO).

Scientific Research: Earthwatch

When you join an Earthwatch expedition, you are volunteering your time to help a scientist on a research project – pretty cool, don’t you think? If you are jonesing to contribute something meaningful when you travel, or if you’re interested in learning from an expert in a field like climate change, wildlife and ecosystems, ocean health, or archaeology, Earthwatch could be a great fit. Some current examples of upcoming trips include “Amazon Riverboat Exploration,” “Climate Change at the Arctic’s Edge,” “Conserving Wild Bees and Other Pollinators of Costa Rica,” “Costa Rican Sea Turtles,” “Discovering Ancient Societies in Portugal,” “Endangered Whooping Cranes on the Texas Coast,” and “Restoring Coral Reefs in Bali,” just to name a few. There are even Teen Expeditions for younger crowds who want to get hands-on field research experience. If you’re worried about affording the trip, Earthwatch has a platform to help you crowdfund.

Similar opportunities can be found via the Conservation Volunteers International Program, Ecology Project International, or Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers. Rustic Pathways offers animal conservation-related trips for young students, and Go Abroad has an aggregator search function to help you find volunteer abroad opportunities amongst several operators.

Read Earthwatch reviews on GoOverseas

Wildlife Tours: Natural Habitat Adventures

Natural Habitat Adventures partners with the World Wildlife Fund and says that “together, we’ve pioneered conservation travel – sustainable travel that supports the protection of nature and wildlife… Natural Habitat Adventures and our travelers have given more than $10 million to WWF’s global efforts to protect some of the most precious and imperiled places on the planet.”

Their small group tours facilitate intimate encounters with the natural world; think polar bear or penguin tours in the Arctic, African safaris, or diving with seals in the Galapagos Islands. They also have national parks tours, photo expeditions, adventure cruises, and special “Women in the Wild” trips meant to empower female travelers.

Read Natural Habitat Adventures reviews on TrustPilot

Hiking Tours: Wildland Trekking

The basic concept of guided backcountry hiking trips may not strike you as particularly unique, but in my opinion most adventure travel outfitters try to incorporate too many different activity styles (biking, kayaking, rafting, climbing, ziplining) and end up muddying their brand. Backpacking/trekking means putting one foot in front of the other for multiple days in the wilderness, toughing it out until you reach the end of a trail completely self-propelled and able to say “I did it!” I’m a dirtbag purist, if you couldn’t tell. Wildland offers a majority of pure hiking trips. There are basecamp and lodge-based trip styles as well as backpacking options, but hiking is always at the heart.

Wildland Trekking started out in the United States and has been expanding internationally. They design trekking itineraries that bring folks into remote wilderness areas where few other companies tread. Of course they do popular hiking routes too, like the Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon or Half Dome in Yosemite, but how many other tour companies do you know who are trekking the Flat Tops in Colorado, the Absaroka-Beartooths in Montana and Wyoming, or the Trinity Alps Wilderness in California? They even offer a whopping 23-day thru-hike of the John Muir Trail! If you’re an experienced hiker who isn’t interested in already-oversaturated routes, they may have something that appeals to you. If you’re a beginner prioritizing safety and marking some famous trails off your bucket list, they’ll have something for you too.

Wildland donates to several conservation causes and were recently acquired by Intrepid Travel, who are a B-Corp.

Read Wildland Trekking reviews on TripAdvisor (different TA pages for each location), TourRadar, and TrustPilot.

There are plenty of other hiking, trekking, and active adventure holiday tour operators to choose from with different strengths, destinations, and focuses: Country Walkers, Backroads, Good Trip Adventures, Much Better Adventures, Mt Sobek, Macs Adventure (self-guided), Pure Adventures, Wilderness Travel, World Expeditions, Sierra Club Outings, Walks Worldwide, UTracks, Another World Adventures, Hut to Hut Trekking Tours, Trek Travel, Explore-Share, Root Adventures, Wild Women Expeditions, Alpinistas Adventures, WHOA Travel, etc. States/countries have small local operators too, like Four Season Guides in the Southwest USA.

Horsepacking Tours: In the Saddle

Ever envy historic cowboys and knights who got to explore the land on horseback? Imagine riding far past civilization, sleeping under the stars, cooking over a campfire, and bonding with your animal companion. Horsepacking, horse trekking, or “long rider” trips are multi-day guided horseback riding tours that offer this unique experience.

There are several tour operators that organize horsepacking trips worldwide, such as In the Saddle, Globetrotting, Active Riding Trips, Equus Journeys, Ride World Wide, Equescapes, and Equitours. Or, you can always search out local operators that only do trips in one region, such as Yellowstone Horse and Mule.

Read In the Saddle reviews on Facebook

Phone-Free Tours: For the Love of Travel

For the Love of Travel trips are for people within the age group of 25-39 years old and most participants are solo travelers, so it’s a great way to connect with a like-minded demographic. Guests who praise these trips on forums tend to point to their preference to stay away from hostels and party atmospheres in favor of a “slow travel” experience. 

There are other companies that cater to certain age groups too, but one thing that makes FTLO Travel extra unique is their “Phone-Free Trips” category. The idea is that everyone makes a dedicated effort to put their phones away for the whole duration of the trip, relying only on the guide and the printed itineraries and maps provided in order to “embrace the richness of genuine, in-person experiences.” For those who lament the end of the era when traveling involved less automation, or who love those signs in restaurant windows that say “No Wi-Fi here, you’ll have to actually talk to each other,” this could be a fun experiment.

Other tour operators that appeal to solo travelers or particular age groups include Flashpack, Other Way Around, and Go Ahead Tours. The major travel operators like G Adventures and Intrepid have also started offering select tours for solo travelers or certain age demographics. Overseas Adventure Travel markets to active adults over 50 years old.

Read FTLO Travel reviews on Google Reviews or TrustPilot

Custom Coaches: Green Tortoise Adventure Travel

Green Tortoise owns brick-and-mortar hostels in San Francisco and Seattle but also runs guided “traveling hostel” bus trips to national parks throughout North America. I actually stayed at the Seattle location just before traveling to Alaska to begin my work/housing exchange at Basecamp Anchorage hostel. Upon arrival at Basecamp, the Green Tortoise tour bus coincidentally pulled in with a group of travelers; I learned they had an arrangement with my Alaska hostel for some of their trips. It was serendipitous!

Their clientele is the backpacker type; some of the Green Tortoise itineraries are over a month long! Their coach buses have been converted for comfortable long-term travel so you can “play cards at the tables, curl up with a book, or chat with your fellow adventurers on our custom coaches.” The itineraries are geared towards active adventures rather than simply peering out the window – the bus stops frequently for trekking and camping excursions.

Read Green Tortoise reviews on TripAdvisor

For Digital Nomads: Noma Collective

Plenty of companies have tried to appeal to the digital nomad demographic over the last ten years; you may remember Remote Year, which announced in December 2024 that they will be shutting down. You are probably also familiar with Selina Hostels, which I unfortunately did not have a good experience with. I don’t think most of these companies have a handle on who their demographic really is and what our needs are.

One of the more recent operators in this space is Noma Collective, which so far seems to be headed in the right direction. They pre-arrange two-, three-, or four-week stays in destinations around the world such as Buenos Aires, Lisbon, Lima, Cape Town, Ibiza, London, Barcelona, Tallin, Himalaya, Budapest, or Kyoto. You choose a trip length and destination that works for you and sign up before it sells out. Upon arrival, you’ll be joined by other nomads who also plan to live and work from that location and explore the sights on their days off. The trip will include “luxury remote friendly accommodation, wellness programmes, experiences, community nights, cultural immersion, give-back programmes and more.” It’s a way to put yourself in a social atmosphere, because meeting new friends and finding community can be difficult when you have an isolating work-from-home job.

The prices seem rather reasonable! This is a significant plus, because exorbitant prices held me back from ever booking with other similar companies. I knew I could plan trips myself for half the price since AirBnBs offer generous long-stay discounts, allowing me to stretch my dollar farther and extend the duration of my travels. The whole point of being a nomad for me, besides curiosity and exploration, has been that it actually saves me money as opposed to settling down in one location and paying rent. So any company that expects me to overpay for my lifestyle is not going to get my business. 

Another issue I’ve had with other companies that market to nomads is that they don’t understand we need amenities for long-term living, including boring things like the ability to do laundry, cook at “home,” and use a gym. Noma Collective appears to understand these necessities. Their accommodations even have private studio options, which gives the impression that they recognize most nomads are working adults who need a real apartment and not a hostel-like party atmosphere.

Read Noma Collective reviews on Facebook

Skill Learning: Responsible Travel

There are a lot of reasons to like Responsible Travel, particularly their mission of supporting local communities, protecting nature, and reducing the harmful impacts of tourism. Thankfully many travel companies these days are making sustainability commitments, so what sets Responsible Travel even further apart from the crowd is their unique “special interest” trip offerings.

Sign up for trips that will help you learn a new skill! Consider a “Spanish Course and Hiking Vacation” in Spain or Peru, the “Watercolor Painting Vacation in France,” “Mosaic Making Vacation in Turkey,” “Learn to Scuba Dive in the Red Sea,” “Short Break Pasta Making and Italian Food Vacation,” “Cuba Music Vacations,” or “Faroe Islands Photography Holiday.” 

Other companies that offer skill learning or special interest trips include Action Photo Tours, Photo Workshop Adventures, Finisterra’s Art Retreats and Photography Tours, Kirker Holidays’ music/culture tours, Rockjumper Worldwide Birding Adventures, and of course National Geographic’s photography and birdwatching trips.

Read Responsible Travel reviews on TrustPilot

Sailing Expeditions: The Laid-Back Company

I found out about the Laid-Back Company from an Instagram contest they held giving away a “pirate ship” sailing expedition to Greenland. I was interested because I love Greenland (read about my thru-hike of the Arctic Circle Trail) and have never done this type of sailing expedition before, but what really caught my attention was their general “no BS” attitude. Participants in Laid-Back trips are vetted to make sure it will be a good culture fit; guests need to have an adventurous spirit, be prepared for a remote wilderness situation with no cell service, and not be complainers. Their website says, “Joining a Laid-Back Expedition isn’t like shopping for a package deal at some woke travel agency. With us, you apply to be part of our group of deviants. Yes, you heard that right—apply. We don’t sell spots off the shelf like mass-produced junk. We handpick our guests, ensuring that everyone onboard shares the same mindset: relaxed, adventurous, and ready for some good old-fashioned fun without tiptoeing around every social taboo. It’s all about the vibe.”

They seem to have a unique crop of characters as employees and trip leaders, including one guy who was on Naked and Afraid 8 times, is the celebrity host of Dual Survival on Discovery Channel, and whose employee profile photo is a naked shot of him swimming in a river with a machete in his mouth.

In addition to Greenland, they also sail to Svalbard. Another company that does similar sailing expeditions is the Great Expedition Company, which goes to Greenland, Svalbard, Iceland, Norway, the Faroe Islands, and the Shetlands. There are also companies that do small ship wilderness cruises in warmer climes, such as AdventureSmith Explorations and Uncruise.

Motorcycle Tours: Compass Expeditions

There are so many awesome motorcycle tour companies out there that are going to really remote, interesting places, so it’s hard to choose. Check out some of the cool routes offered by Wilderness Collective (who also do UTV and snowmobile adventures), Motoquest, or Ride Expeditions, for instance. One thing that sets Compass Expeditions apart, though, is their Celebrity Tours. One of their upcoming trips to Tasmania will be led by TV personality Charley Boorman – “Charley along with his good mate Ewan McGregor is widely regarded as launching adventure riding to the masses with the release of The Long Way Round documentary series.” They also have an upcoming motorcycle skills training course followed by a 5-day riding event led by Dakar Rally racer Simon Pavey.

Read Compass Expeditions reviews on TripAdvisor

🔎 If you’re having trouble choosing between multiple operators, TourRadar, TripAdvisor, and TrustPilot are all solid places to check for customer reviews. If you’re interested in guided day trips instead of multi-day tours, check out GetYourGuide and TripAdvisor Experiences/Viator!
✈️ I recommend using an Airalo eSIM for affordable international cell data, and don’t forget to protect your investment with travel insurance.

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