Two hallmarks of Trafalgar Tours are authentic meals and unstructured conversations in the homes of locals as part of the company’s “Be My Guest” experience. Breaking bread with people from around the world is a true privilege and a big reason why I personally continue to gravitate toward Trafalgar when selecting tours.
Another factor is that Trafalgar has been taking travelers around the world for nearly 80 years. Today, the company has nearly 300 itineraries across 72 countries, and its this variety that means there’s always something to excite, including safaris in Africa, food tours through Japan, and castle-focused tours in Ireland. Still, if I were to narrow it down to only my most recommended trips, these are what I consider Trafalgar’s most exciting itineraries for 2026.
Editor’s note: Prices listed below are for 2026 tours. You may find even lower prices if you book early for 2027 tours.
1. Alaska Northern Lights
With all the talk of the Northern Lights showing off in the lower continental United States, we’re betting that more and more people are going to travel to Alaska to see the Auroa Borealis. With Trafalgar’s new Alaska Northern Lights tour you can spend seven days in the state searching and following the night sky’s dancing light show.
The adventure starts in Fairbanks, where you’ll have two nights to try to spot the Northern Lights, plus make a stop during the day at the Museum of the North. Then you’ll move to Talkeetna, where you may be about to spot Mount Denali and you’ll get a lesson on photographing the Northern Lights from a local photographer. The trip ends in Anchorage where you’ll learn about the Indigenous peoples of Alaska and visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
- Length: 7 days
- Starting price: $3,975
- Average group size: can be up to 52 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
2. Highlights of Germany
If you’ve ever wanted to explore the history of Germany or see the castle that inspired Walt Disney’s Disneyland Park castle, then you’ll love Trafalgar’s Highlights of Germany tour. The eight-day tour takes travelers to eight cities, so even though you’re always on the move you’ll see a lot of the country. The tour starts in Berlin, where you’ll spend the first two days of the tour exploring and seeing everything from the Brandenburg Gate to the Berlin TV Tower.
The tour then continues to Mödlareuth, where you’ll come face-to-face with an original section of the Berlin Wall. Day five brings you to Heidelberg, where you’ll go to the edge of the Black Forest and see how cuckoo clocks are made. Continue the tour with a visit to Neuschwanstein Castle before ending in Munich to explore with the group or on your own.
- Length: 8 days
- Starting price: $2,675
- Average group size: about 40 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
3. Best of India
One of Trafalgar’s newly updated tours is the sweeping 11-day Best of India tour. The tour begins in Delhi, where you’ll have three days to see sights like the Red Fort and the Chandni Chowk market. Day four is the big day on this trip, since it’s when the group heads to the awe-inspiring Taj Mahal.
The tour continues in Ranthambore, where you’ll have two game drives around the Ranthambore National Park to spot tigers and other wildlife. In Jaipur, you’ll have dinner with a local family for regional cuisine and visit the City Palace. You’ll spend the final three days of the trip in the sacred city of Varanasi. Here, you’ll take a cruise down the Ganges River, learn about silk weaving, and see the Kashi Vishwanath Temple before departing for home.
- Length: 11 days
- Starting price: $2,450
- Average group size: about 40 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
4. Impressions of South America
Trafalgar’s Impressions of South America visits Brazil and Argentina. It starts in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the glittering waters of Copacabana beach lure you in for a trip of a lifetime. In the city, you’ll also have the chance to summit Sugarloaf Mountain and get up close to Christ the Redeemer, the latter of which is one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. A quick flight brings you to the thundering roar of majestic Iguazu Falls before crossing into Argentina.
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From the natural wonder of the Falls, the group will venture to Buenos Aires. You’ll have the chance to visit the Pink Palace, learn the art of tango, take part in a wine tasting, and watch a gaucho demonstration all before flying home.
- Length: 9 days
- Starting price: $4,395
- Average group size: 40 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
5. Best of Italy with Trafalgar
Live la dolce vita on Trafalgar’s Best of Italy tour. Marvel at Rome’s iconic Colosseum, see the Sistine Chapel, visit Pompeii with an expert guide, and soak in the breathtaking scenery of the Amalfi Coast (including celebrity-studded Capri). Landlocked Assisi is a perfect complement to canal-laden Venice, where you’ll watch master craftsmen blow glass just as they have for centuries in the latter.
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Visit fashionable Milan and serene Lake Como. In Tuscany, admire Pisa’s Leaning Tower and watch a leather-making demonstration in magnificent Florence. A stop in the Instagram-worthy hill town of San Gimignano is icing on the cake before you depart home from Rome.
- Length: 13 days
- Starting price: $3,875
- Average group size: 40 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
6. Wild West, Cowboys, and Buffalos
History and nature are in the spotlight on the Wild West, Cowboys and Buffalos tour, a fine choice for guided family tours. From Salt Lake City, Utah to Rapid City, South Dakota, you’ll be surrounded by grandeur at national parks including Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Badlands, and Mount Rushmore. Your family won’t soon forget tasting potato-flavored ice cream in Idaho, watching Old Faithful erupt, seeing a herd of bison, and exploring the Oglala Lakota Living History Museum.
For a truly incredible experience, stay up late on night seven for the lighting ceremony at Mount Rushmore, then the following day enjoy a meal and educational experience with a Lakota Sioux Tribe Member.
- Length: 9 days
- Starting price: $3,725
- Average group size: 45 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
7. European Traveller from London to Rome with Trafalgar
If you want an overview of Europe and don’t have a lot of time, the 2026 iteration of Trafalgar’s European Traveller will satiate your wanderlust. You’ll experience the pageantry of London then cross the English Channel by ferry to savor the elegance of Paris as you see everything from the Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame Cathedral. Then enjoy the Alpine scenery in the lakeside Swiss city Lucerne where fondue is on the menu for dinner.
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In Italy, you’ll visit the trifecta of Venice, Florence, and Rome. While in Venice, take a gondola ride to snap some iconic photosa. In Florence, enjoy the rolling hills of the Italian countryside and take advantage of the chance to see Michaelangelo’s ‘David.’ The tour ends in Rome, but not before you go inside the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.
- Length: 10 days
- Starting price: $3,275
- Average group size: 40 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
8. Best of Portugal with Trafalgar
Portugal will continue to be a hot spot thanks to its beauty and fabulous culinary scene. The Best of Portugal itinerary from Trafalgar starts in Lisbon, a sea of pastel-colored buildings perched on seven hills. It then ventures to the Algarve Region, where you can indulge in a home-cooked lunch at a stud ranch. Traverse the Douro Valley’s cute towns with terraced vineyards punctuated by castles before settling in gracious Porto for a few nights, with the chance to taste the city’s namesake fortified wine.
The tour ends with a visit to the historic and charming towns of Coimbra and Tomar to explore with local experts. The trip ends back in Lisbon, but your last meal will take place at an award-winning vineyard as you sip on organic wine and reminisce with new friends.
- Length: 11 days
- Starting price: $2,595
- Average group size: 40 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
9. Best of Scotland
Scotland’s scenery is spellbinding. Heather-covered hills, rugged coastlines, and wide-open skies, plus castles dropped in for good measure, add to the general splendor. And Trafalgar’s Best of Scotland tour traverses this bonnie country.
Start in Edinburgh, where you’ll visit the namesake castle before venturing off to the Highlands to see St. Andrews and learn about farming and ranching with border collies. Of course, no trip to Scotland is complete without a visit to Loch Ness to see if Nessie is actually real. Continue on to Glasgow for a whisky tasting and a tour of Stirling Castle.
- Length: 7 days
- Starting price: $2,150
- Average group size: 40 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
10. Wonders of Kenya with Trafalgar
With its pioneering conservation efforts, Kenya is one of the best countries to view Africa’s Big Five: lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and African buffalo. Wonders of Kenya is a safari adventure that starts and ends in bustling Nairobi. Visit Aberdare National Park and Samburu National Reserve, the latter of which is home to species of giraffes and zebras only found in this region. You’ll also stay in unique accommodations, The Ark Lodge, which was designed to resemble Noah’s Arc from the Bible and offers great views of the park.
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A stop at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, East Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary, sheds light on efforts to fight poaching. At Sweetwaters Sanctuary you’ll get acquainted with orphaned chimpanzees, then watch colorful birds fly at Lake Nakuru National Park. Spend two nights at Maasai Mara National Reserve, where pods of hippos can be seen at the lodge’s watering hole. A full day of safari and time spent with the Maasai community are highlights. The final activity of this incredible trip is a bush banquet with the local Maasai tribe entertaining guests with traditional dances.
- Length: 9 days
- Starting price: $5,350
- Average group size: 20 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
11. German Christmas Markets
Mulled wine, oompah bands, and holiday merriment await when you book the German Christmas Markets tour from Trafalgar. While you may be familiar with river cruising to Germany’s Christmas markets, this land-based tour gives you access to more markets with fewer tourists. In addition to touring the markets, you’ll visit Frankfurt and enjoy Hansel-and-Gretel-style country landscapes.
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The guided tour starts in Frankfurt, where the evening markets are abuzz. Then in Nuremberg, you’ll be able to shop for the iconic gingerbread hearts that hang from stalls. One of the most memorable market stops is in Weimar, where you’ll get to visit the Eisenach Christmas market held in the UNESCO World Heritage Wartburg Castle.
In Dresden you’ll learn all about Germany’s oldest Christmas market before walking down the stall-lined streets yourself. Your trip ends in Berlin, where a sightseeing tour shows off top sights such as the Brandenburg Gate. Dinner with a local family offers a glimpse of what it’s like to live in this thriving metropolis.
- Length: 8 days
- Starting price: $2,725
- Average group size: 40 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
12. Treasures of Thailand with Trafalgar
From golden temples to sizzling street food, Treasures of Thailand is a deep dive into this country’s heart. The itinerary is rich in experiences from the very beginning. On your first full day in Bangkok, you’ll learn the art of T’ai Chi before seeing the city’s oldest temple. You’ll also visit a local market then take a cooking class with the ingredients you picked up.
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Visit a floating market in Damnoen Saduak, where merchants paddle along canals in their sturdy canoes laden with fresh fruit and vegetable. Ride a train near the waters of the Kwai River in Kanchanaburi. Then, explore Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Old Siam, and Sukhothai, a city that helped to shaped modern Thailand. The final few days of the tour are spent in Chiang Mai. Here, you can enjoy the colorful Sunday market, join a family in their stilt house for a Thai-style lunch, visit a sacred temple, and spend time with a local monk.
- Length: 11 days
- Starting price: $4,309
- Average group size: 25 people
- How to book: Book directly through Trafalgar
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Editor’s Note: This story includes contributions from Allison Tibaldi.
