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Countdown to Christmas
24 experiences
FOR TRAVEL LOVERS
A celebration of travel returning -
24 local experts present a gift for their destination.
What are the Christmas gifts?
See your local experts announcing them
Christmas gifts from your local expert
your experience
Carefully selected, authentic experiences based on your itinerary and travel party.
No minimum booking
Confirm your booking with a small 30% deposit and no minimum booking value to receive your complimentary experience.
24 destinations
1 gift per day and per destination - from classic cars in Havana to cooking classes in Rome to safaris in Kenya.
How do the Christmas gifts work?
To celebrate travel returning, we're counting down to Christmas by announcing a gift each day, starting 1st December. Each gift is based on a country.
The gifts are not tied to a specific travel date. You're free to choose your own date to redeem your gift, but you'll need to settle your trip deposit by 31 January 2022.
Gifts cannot be redeemed for monetary value, but can be adjusted to your itinerary (for example, if the gift is a private guided foodie tour in a city but you're visiting a different city in your itinerary, the cities can be swapped).
Karina,
exploring Costa Rica, March 2021
“Flawlessly managed, all the activities were perfectly organised and on time.
Roberto took care of every detail in our 15 days adventure in Costa Rica. It is hard to choose a favourite moment. We had an amazing time throughout.
Thank you so much, Roberto!”
Here are some of the things you should know
There is no minimum booking value for your tailor-made trip to receive your gift.
To claim a gift, settle a deposit for a tailor-made trip to the country by January 31st 2022 and your local expert will arrange the inclusion of your gift in your booking and mark it accordingly.
As all of these trips are tailor-made and personalised to your choice, the gifts may have to be adjusted slightly - a change in city or even the specific activity can be arranged in discussion with your local expert.
The gifts cannot be exchanged for their monetary value or claimed for existing bookings.
What is tailor-made travel?
At Rough Guides we’ve been inspiring travellers for over 38 years and we believe that trips should be as individual as you are.
That is why we’ll match you with a local expert, with longstanding insider destination knowledge in the travel industry. Your local expert will plan and book a bespoke trip just the way you want it.
Save yourself the time researching and booking your holiday and instead rely on expert advice.
Here’s how it works
STEP 01
You submit your request by selecting your dream destination, dates, preferences and any other comments on your dream trip.
STEP 02
We match you with your personal local expert who will craft a bespoke itinerary for you. Our Rough Guides Travel Team will be by your side every step of the way.
STEP 03
Communicate with your local expert through emails or calls to tweak and refine the itinerary until you’re completely satisfied.
STEP 04
Book your trip online with ease. Pay by either Visa or MasterCard and be assured your money is safe with us. Simply pack your bags and enjoy your trip!
Meet your local expert
We have partnered up with local experts from around the globe, here to deliver your perfect holiday.
They live in your dream destination, working for a local tour operator and have the on-the-ground and travel-specific knowledge to make your trip truly special.
Meet some of them below.
Guadalupe
Cordoba, Argentina
Guadalupe is your expert for Argentina, Chile, Peru and Brazil. She works for a multiregional tour operator with over 10 years experience of creating unique tour packages. She loves introducing travellers to the gems of South America, from hiking Machu Picchu to tasting wines in Chile.
Florian
Ho-Chi-Minh City, Vietnam
Florian is your expert for Southeast Asia. He is a multilingual globetrotter coordinating the communication between their local offices to make sure your trip is curated with the most up-to-date information from on the ground.
Julia
Athens, Greece
Julia is the co-owner of a boutique local tour operator in Athens. She is specialized on cultural trips with many gems to explore such as staying in villas instead of mass hotels, private food & wine discovery trips, exploring Greece’s smaller islands, and many more.
Guadalupe
Cordoba, Argentina
Guadalupe is your expert for Argentina, Chile, Peru and Brazil. She works for a multiregional tour operator with over 10 years experience of creating unique tour packages. She loves introducing travellers to the gems of South America, from hiking Machu Picchu to tasting wines in Chile.
Florian
Ho-Chi-Minh City, Vietnam
Florian is your expert for Southeast Asia. He is a multilingual globetrotter coordinating the communication between their local offices to make sure your trip is curated with the most up-to-date information from on the ground.
Julia
Athens, Greece
Julia is the co-owner of a boutique local tour operator in Athens. She is specialized on cultural trips with many gems to explore such as staying in villas instead of mass hotels, private food & wine discovery trips, exploring Greece’s smaller islands, and many more.
Where can you go on a tailor-made trip
EUROPE
AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST
ASIA & PACIFIC
LATIN AMERICA
EUROPE
AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST
ASIA & PACIFIC
LATIN AMERICA
Curious about what you might get?
Check out our sample itineraries.
See for yourself
what
our travellers say
Archana,
exploring Belize, July 2021
“The trip was designed exactly as we had planned for. The communication was great through the portal. All the bookings and information provided was on the dot. The trip was tailored to our liking. We adjusted the trip over a weeks time and it turned out to be perfect for us. Thanks."
Jenny,
exploring Costa Rica August 2021
“It was a relief to not have to worry about the details. I had looked at doing that myself through the internet and was not having much success. It could have been sorted out once I was in Costa Rica but I prefer to have these sort of details lined up before I arrive. Rough Guides made the travel piece easy and stress free. From ziplining and rafting to amazing hikes, tours and hot springs soaks, the last 4 days in Costa Rica were everything I could have hoped for. There will definitely be a return trip in the years to come."
Sinclair
exploring Morocco, March 2020
“Rough Guides is the real deal. I'm so glad I found them! We had an absolutely amazing trip to Morocco thanks to Rough Guides who helped put together a great itinerary for an ideal and personalized experience exploring the country. Rough Guides is a great option for group travel and for a customized experience. I honestly have no complaints. Everyone we worked with was very kind and helpful. I would definitely recommend them and I hope to plan another trip with Rough Guides again!”
Archana,
exploring Belize, July 2021
“The trip was designed exactly as we had planned for. The communication was great through the portal. All the bookings and information provided was on the dot. The trip was tailored to our liking. We adjusted the trip over a weeks time and it turned out to be perfect for us. Thanks."
Jenny,
exploring Costa Rica August 2021
“It was a relief to not have to worry about the details. I had looked at doing that myself through the internet and was not having much success. It could have been sorted out once I was in Costa Rica but I prefer to have these sort of details lined up before I arrive. Rough Guides made the travel piece easy and stress free. From ziplining and rafting to amazing hikes, tours and hot springs soaks, the last 4 days in Costa Rica were everything I could have hoped for. There will definitely be a return trip in the years to come."
Sinclair
exploring Morocco, March 2020
“Rough Guides is the real deal. I'm so glad I found them! We had an absolutely amazing trip to Morocco thanks to Rough Guides who helped put together a great itinerary for an ideal and personalized experience exploring the country. Rough Guides is a great option for group travel and for a customized experience. I honestly have no complaints. Everyone we worked with was very kind and helpful. I would definitely recommend them and I hope to plan another trip with Rough Guides again!”
