In celebration of the company’s 40th anniversary, Backroads today announced new trips and destinations for 2019. Reaching new corners of the globe from Antarctica to Africa and adding exciting destinations, new routes and luxury as well as casual accommodations, more adventures that have departures for families with kids who are both younger and older, new active ocean cruises and even more trips in best-selling regions.
Travel in Asia is growing, as the company rolls out a new Trekking & Safari Tour in Nepal and a Biking Tour in Sri Lanka. Safari tourism in Africa is also on the rise, with Multi-Adventure Tours in Tanzania as well as Zambia, Zimbabwe & Botswana. Europe continues to be a best-selling region, with new trips in even more exciting areas, including a Biking Tour in Ireland’s Connemara, Multi-Adventure Tours in Santorini & Crete, and Walking & Hiking in Norway’s Lofotens, Poland & Slovakia, Sicily, and Wales. North American travel is also hot, with new itineraries in Banff & Yoho, Columbia River Gorge & Willamette Valley, the Blue Ridge & Great Smoky Mountains, Kentucky Bourbon Trail and – just south of the border – in Mexico’s Yucatán.
Starting in 2019, for the first time ever, Backroads is offering daily yoga as a supplemental activity on 14 of the company’s itineraries – including Bali, India, Tuscany, Mallorca, Costa Rica, Maui and Santa Barbara – and other select departures on trips around the world.
A pioneer in active and adventure travel, Backroads’ celebrates 40 years in business in 2019. Tom Hale, Founder and President, started the active travel company in 1979 during a 5,000-mile bike ride when he mapped out the foundation of the company while also actively exploring the Western United States. Backroads launched its first trips in Death Valley, California’s Wine Country, California Coast, New Mexico, Yellowstone/Tetons, Glacier National Park, the San Juan Islands and the Canadian Rockies and continues to this day to run hiking, biking, multi-adventure and family trips in these destinations. Backroads was founded on the principles of creating extraordinary experiences for its guests, being the most guest-focused travel company on the planet and incorporating the highest quality possible into the philosophy and fabric of the company.
“When I first started Backroads 40 years ago, I never envisioned the active travel industry would grow to what it is today,” said Tom Hale, Founder and President of Backroads. “The fact that we’re launching new trips in Sri Lanka, Sardinia & Corsica, along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and other unique locations across the globe is truly amazing. Leading people on active adventures to explore new destinations while being immersed in local cultures and customs is what Backroads is all about and has been for 40 years.”