GeoCultura, a premier travel company specializing in guided small group tours, is thrilled to announce a new selection of captivating all-inclusive tours for the curious adventurer. These exciting journeys take travelers to some of the most iconic landscapes in the UK, Europe, and North America, all while being guided by experts in local geology, history, and culture.   The small group vacations offered by GeoCultura enable travelers to immerse themselves in the beauty and wonder of our world's geological and historical marvels. From dinosaur tracks in Alberta to the red desert of Utah, from delicately balanced rocks in Arizona to colorful salt mountains in the Spanish Pyrenees, from fossils along the Jurassic Coast to a GeoPark in the Scottish Highlands, island-hopping across the Isles of Scilly and journeying to the storied Isle of Skye, these tours offer a unique blend of adventure, education, and exploration. Travelers can expect a variety of exciting experiences on these tours, including:  

• Enjoying guided tours that explore iconic locations in Britain, Europe, and North America.
• Visiting destinations selected for their exceptional geology, historical significance, and captivating local culture.
• Listening to engaging stories from hand-picked experts, offering insights into the landscape and the people.
• Discovering the hidden mysteries of the Earth’s formation, from mountains and rivers to sea-level changes.

  GeoCultura is also proud to introduce its newest addition to the lineup, the “Journey to the Misty Isle”. This seven-day, six-night tour takes guests on a journey through the breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural traditions of the Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Skye.   Highlights on this journey include visits to historic castles, deep explorations of local landscapes, and immersing in the unique culture and traditions of Skye.   Features of the Isle of Skye Tour:  

• Kick off the tour with a scenic train journey from Edinburgh to Inverness, discover Scottish history at the Culloden battlefield then travel onwards to the Isle of Skye.
• Hear dramatic stories of Skye and Scotland while standing in the landscapes where they unfolded.
• Learn from local experts and guides during visits to whisky distilleries, slow-motion landslips, and dramatic lochs.
• Enjoy relaxing stays at two four-star hotels, including a Georgian mansion outside Inverness and a former hunting lodge on Skye.
• Savor the finest Scottish cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients.

  The Journey to Misty Isle: Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Skye Tour promises to bring Scotland's legends, landscapes, and history to life in a way that’s both educational and unforgettable.   GeoCultura offers the following dates for the “Journey to the Misty Isle” tour:  

• April 29 to May 5, 2024, with prices starting from USD $5,625 per person, with a single supplement of $1,045
• August 8 to August 14, 2024, with prices starting from $5,625 per person with a single supplement of $1,045

  https://www.geoculturaworld.com/tours/33-journey-to-the-misty-isle-scottish-highlands-and-the-isle-of-skye-tour   For travelers looking to capture their experiences on camera, GeoCultura is also offering a September tour of the Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Skye, led by award-winning landscape photographer Alex Hare. Travelers in this small group (8-12), whatever their photography skill level, can enjoy Alex’s special tuition to help them photograph the incredible landscapes of Scotland. Stays are at top hotels serving quality meals made with locally sourced ingredients. Dates for GeoCultura’s Isle of Skye Photography Tour are:  

• September 17 to September 23, 2024, with prices to be announced very soon.

  New tour company offers scientists and scholars as guides to key destinations with spectacular cultural and geologic histories   If 2022 was the year of returning to travel, 2023 is the year of making those travel plans count.   To that point, London-based GeoCultura LTD is launching some 19 tour departures in 2023 that will take curious and enquiring travelers through the deserts, prairies and forests of North America, to the rocky crags of Scotland, and to the hidden highlights of Southern England, in small groups led by scholastic leaders in the fields of geology and history. Travel that counts is travel that adds wisdom and experience to those who venture, and brings that much more understanding about the world we inhabit.   Consider a tour that moves beyond the bounds of Outlander to revisit the amazing history and conflicts that shaped the DNA of the North West Scottish Highlands. The Highlands scenery provides a dramatic background for groups of 12 to 14 people to visit seminal sights in Scottish history and learn how geology influenced battles, castles and wars.   Or it may be travel that is focused on the influences at play in the shaping of what is now the United States. For instance, a GeoCultura tour that runs from Philadelphia, PA to western Massachusetts looks at American Revolutionary War locales where geology played a role in the outcome of events. Places such as Independence Hall, Valley Forge, the two Washington Crossings, the Dey Mansion, the Great Falls at Paterson, the Hamilton/Burr dueling grounds and the route of Cornwallis’s pursuit of Washington up the Palisades are in focus with stories and context offered by respected authors and experts in Revolutionary War history.   But the tides of history are also the stuff of art and culture. The geological and historical elements that played upon the land also influenced artists, especially the Hudson River School’s Thomas Cole and Frederic Church, and later Edward Hopper – all covered with visits to homes and museums on this tour.   A particularly poignant and timely journey for 2023 happens in May as the world witnesses the first coronation of a British sovereign in more than 70 years. “London, Stonehenge, Bath, and the Jurassic Coast: A geo-culture tour of Southern England begins just after King Charles III is crowned, travels to amazing English locations and returns to London. The tour links Victorian and Georgian history with the pre-history and landscapes of Southern England: Stonehenge, the Georgian splendor of Bath and the delights of such Jurassic Coast sites as Lulworth Cove and Chesil Beach. Guests immerse themselves in the rolling landscapes of Thomas Hardy’s novels while going on fossil hunts, visiting cathedrals and castles, and taking in the magical waters of Bath.   Then, there is the rich geology, culture and gastronomy of the Catalan Pyrenees that is explored through the presence of salt throughout and under the rolling terrain. Salt became a commodity of trade and prosperity and influenced culture throughout this eastern Spanish enclave – all expressed in the arts, architecture, cuisines, migrations and conflicts that shaped these ancient lands. It’s all wrapped into stunning stories told by connoisseurs of the culture in tours that run from Barcelona to Girona in Spain.   GeoCultura tours range from three nights and four days to eight nights and nine days, and every tour is steeped in eye-opening tales that show how the earth, the land, the people and the pervading influences of various eras connected to bring us to where we are today.   "The first germ of an idea for GeoCultura started when a group of friends got together to plan a trip. We wanted something that allowed us to visit spectacular landscapes and rocks while also enjoying the best the region had to offer. And GeoCultura was born,” said Rob Knipe, Chairperson at GeoCultura.   Tour managers work hand in hand with regional focus experts to assure that while groups and individuals are being looked after with care, no topic goes unexplained, no question goes unanswered. Thus, illuminating and often sea-changing experiences offer guests wisdom and understanding that lingers well beyond the bounds of the tour. GeoCultura tours bring a robust roster of science experts to the planning and execution of each tour, maintaining an “earth-first” focus for every itinerary to reveal how landscapes and “deep time” geology continue to shape the history and culture of our planet.   Tours start at around $2,000 per person (double), including meals, fees and transportation. A modicum of fitness is required, although walking distances are reasonable and terrains are clear and well maintained. A reading list for each tour is available for those whose interests extend beyond a surface glint. Accommodations are chosen for their historic significance or qualities that complement tour themes.   More information can be found at www.geoculturaworld.com, +44 2081 451011.