Norway’s Ryten Mountain. -Getty Images
Wild experiences come in many forms, on all seven continents. Start dreaming of your next journey.
Extreme Experience: Tanzania’s Rooftop
Ever since German geologist Hans Meyer’s first recorded summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in 1889, thrill seekers have dreamed of scaling the “roof of Africa.” The continent’s highest peak, in Tanzania, seduces climbers from across the globe, who willingly endure weeks of training and the risk of altitude sickness for bragging rights at 19,341 feet. On the ascent, they get to experience four different climate zones: rain forest, low alpine, high alpine, and glacial.Rise to the Occasion: The mountain has seven official routes that cater to different fitness levels; ask your Virtuoso travel advisor about a more leisurely yet still invigorating pace. Teams of professional guides set up comfortable camps each night, while a logistics team at the base monitors every step of the journey.
Urban Renewal: Reykjavik, Iceland
Iceland is hot right now, and for good reason. Along with the country’s fjords, ice fields, geysers, and geothermal pools, the capital of Reykjavik is a hip little city with a thriving culinary scene, funky shopping along Laugavegur Street, and year-round festivals, including Yoko Ono’s annual lighting of the Imagine Peace Tower. You’ll find craft shops and museums, cutting-edge street art, and music ranging from symphonies in the honeycombed-glass Harpa concert hall to unplugged folk at Café Rosenberg. With near 24-hour sunlight during the summer, the nightlife (or “jammith,” as the locals call it) never seems to end.Hit the City: Work with your travel advisor to create a customized trip featuring glacier treks, visits to Gullfoss waterfall, and centrally located stays in the capital.
Vineyards on New Zealand’s Waiheke Island. -Getty Images
Culinary Quest – New Zealand
Sauvignon blanc, which propelled New Zealand onto the international wine scene in the 1980s, now accounts for 85 percent of the country’s wine exports. Yet New Zealand wine is about so much more than its fruity flagship. There are smallbatch merlots on tiny Waiheke Island across from Auckland, multilayered pinot noirs in Martinborough, and bold, spicy pinot gris from Hawke’s Bay.Say Cheers: Foodies can travel through top terroirs on both the North and South islands, discovering the country’s wines, eclectic dining scene, and epic sights along the way. Your Virtuoso travel advisor can juggle the details: You might, say, head east of Wellington for lunch in the Victorian village of Greytown, home to film director James Cameron’s organic store and café.
Longest World Cruise Ever! Regent Seven Seas Cruises, one of the leading luxury ocean cruise lines, has unveiled its longest World Cruise to date, sailing Jan. 10, 2026, on board Seven Seas Mariner. Regent’s 2026 World Cruise, “The Sense of Adventure” is a round-trip journey embarking from Miami where guests will cruise three oceans over 154 nights, discovering destinations in the Americas, South Pacific, Australia & New Zealand, Asia, Africa and Europe.
Sailing 39,722 nautical miles, guests will explore 77 ports of call in 41 countries across six continents. The cruise visits three new ports of call to Regent—Lifou Island, Maré of the Loyalty Islands in the New Caledonia archipelago, and Waingapu (Sumba), Indonesia.
Regent has curated experiences on land with 431 free shore excursions and 16 in-port overnight stays for extended exploration such places as Bora Bora, French Polynesia; Darwin, Australia; and Walvis Bay, Namibia. In addition, it will offer three new shoreside excursions—A Taste of History at the Battleship Missouri in Honolulu; Across the Archipelago Dinner at Garuda Wisnu Kencana in Bali; and Passport to Portuguese Flavor at Convento do Beato in Lisbon.
The itinerary also provides access to 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Monastery of Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve from Praslin, Seychelles; Robben Island from Cape Town, South Africa; and the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns, Australia. Before boarding Seven Seas Mariner, guests will kick off their round the world adventure with a one-night pre-cruise stay in a luxury hotel in Miami and an exclusive pre-cruise gala event.
Regent’s exclusive World Cruises come complete with a range of bespoke amenities, including first-class air, door-to-door luggage service, unlimited valet laundry including dry cleaning and pressing, phone time per suite, a commemorative gift and more. Additional amenities include onboard medical services and a comprehensive visa package. Personalized service, exquisite cuisine in elegant restaurants, premium beverages in bars and lounges, and top-notch entertainment complete the experience.
