Luxury tour company Ariodante has launched sabbatical tours with an arts and culture focus.
This offers the chance to be 'immersed in and learn about culture, historical periods and the work of the greatest artists while travelling in luxury to any parts of the world they desire'.
The sabbatical will appeal to those wanting 'meaningful' extended time out from their business or careers, retirees, and families wanting to spend quality time together.
It can be a trip of a month, six months or more than a year with examples including :
Along the Silk Road
Marco Polo's 'Book of Wonder', is the most renowned travel story of the Middle Ages and depicts his voyages through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295.
Guests will explore Danxia Landform, the Great Wall of China, Buddha's birthplace, Yolyn Am in Mongolia, the Phewa Lake, Bali, the Yangon in Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
Colombus and the Conquistaros
Guests will follow in the footsteps of Christopher Columbus and the Spanish Conquistadors and retrace one
This will take in Genova, Seville, Lisbon, Cartagena de Indias, Teotihuacan, The Angel Falls, Palenque, The Rainbow Mountains and Machu Pichu.
Sustainability is key to Ariodante's ethos and the carbon footprint of each tour is offset by 200%.
In addition, a percentage of each tour's fee is put towards supporting cultural, artistic and conservation projects including the:
- restoration of Catherine de Medici's golden ballroom at Fontainebleau Palace in France
- restoration of the library at the Nice Observatory, and
- the protection of endangered animals at the Mercantour National Park.