Can't travel with your own dog? No problem.

Truffle hunting with dogs in Italy with Contiki

Combining his passions for nature, animals and cooking, Matteo has been a professional truffle hunter for twelve years and he welcomes  Contiki travelers to the beautiful Villa Clodia in Bracciano, just 30kms north of Rome, for a two-night stay on this NEW truffle hunting short breakin Italy. With his trusty pups leading the charge sniffing out truffles, Matteo and his guests will enjoy a forage in the woods, two organic cookery classes and meals (with wine) using the spoils from the forest, and plenty of free time to potter in the town or relax in the expansive grounds and pool at the villa. 

Rescue dog walking in LA

On Contiki’s Best of USA trip (a 13-day trip that takes in four of the USA’s must-see cities – LA, Las Vegas, Miami and New York), travelers get to take foster dogs out for a walk in the trendy Venice beach area of Los Angeles. Walking with one of the co-founders of Free Animal Doctor—a non-profit animal welfare organization – the aim is to give the rescue dogs the daily exercise they need while improving their socialization and chances of being seen and adopted. There are plenty of photo spots along the way, starting with a leisurely stroll along the canals, then along the boardwalk to see the famous Venice Beach sign, the "Touch of Venice" mural, the skate park on the beach and more. It’s a fun day out for both dogs and walkers, who get to see the city in a different way – and dog treats, leads, water bowls etc. are all provided of course. A picture below as an illustration but I am sure more ‘professional’ ones can be tracked down

Meeting champion husky dog racers in Norway

On Insight Vacations Grand Scandinavia trip (which takes in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland over 20 days) guests visit a working husky dog farm in the town of Alta within the Arctic circle in Norway. There they meet Trine Lyrek, a champion dog sledder, and her Alaskan huskies, learning about the dogs and what it takes to compete in Arctic dog sled races. Guests can spend some time playing with these adorable pups, that may grow to be the best racing dogs in the country. This is part of a wider trip that also takes in the best of Scandinavia, for example the fjords and a stop at mainland Europe's most northern point, where the sun never sets. Stand near the fence of the towering cliffs, dramatically rising out of the sea and it feels as if you are on the edge of the world – and to make the moment even more special you’ll be served a glass of champagne. Here’s some pictures of husky dogs (disclaimer, these aren’t official pics from our brand, I’ll need to track some down more for you if you’re keen)

Irish wolfhounds at Ashford Castle

And finally, for a spot of luxury, the glorious Ashford Castle in County Mayo in the west of Ireland has a pair of wolfhounds – Garvan and Cronan - that guests can meet and walk. Every day for an hour or so in the morning they come to the castle’s Oak Hall to say hello to the guests, and then guests are also able to take them for a walk in the 350-acre estate, which has a huge lake and plenty of woodland and paths to explore. Not just about dogs of course, the castle has an award-winning spa, an indoor cinema, underground wine cellars for private dining, three restaurants, a museum (the castle was once home to the Guinness family and has welcomed royalty, stars of stage and screen, sporting legends and more) and some stunning bedrooms. Outdoors it offers falconry, watersports, tree climbing, zip wiring, horseriding, cycling and more…). Check out the dogs’ Instagram account in the link above and also some pictures of the castle below.

The Future Of Travel - What Does It Look Like, And How Can We Contribute To A Better World Moving Forward?

Cypress, Calif.-- Dec. 7, 2020: As part of its ongoing series of monthly Travel Talks, Contiki will host a free live event with leading experts in the travel industry to discuss the Future of Travel - what this means in today’s context, and how we can contribute to more sustainable travel in our future. 

The future of travel - and our planet - has never felt more poignant than now. In a year that’s forced everyone to sit still and adapt to new ways of living, it’s equally presented an opportunity to reflect on the positive changes we can make as we move forward. 

Social listening shows a 178% increase in activism over the past 12 months among young people, with inequality, sustainability and identity as the biggest topics of focus. There’s also recognition amongst digital-native Gen Zs that online is best served as a supplement for social connection, not the sole source.* This desire to come together, unite over shared issues, and reconnect IRL represents a shift in the mindset of young people, and a nod to potentially different attitudes in the future. 

One thing’s for sure - life won’t go back to the way that it was, and as the panel will discuss, that’s no bad thing. 

The talk, hosted by Adam Armstrong, CEO of Contiki, invites Hege V. Barnes, Director of Innovation Norway, Elena Rodriguez Blanco, CEO & Co-Founder of Authenticitys, and Carmen Huter, Travel Photographer & Sustainable Influencer, to delve deep and share their thoughts on some of the most important topics affecting the future of travel. 

The panel will explore everything from sustainable travel tips and trends, how to make travel count in 2021, and ways to support rebuilding local communities hit hardest by the pandemic. Its focus will be on more mindful travel that aims to give back.

As leaders in travel experiences for 18-35s, Contiki’s talk will frame conversations around the positive ways young people can contribute to this. The event will push out questions to its audience on social media in real time to gage their perceptions and thoughts about the topics of discussion. 

In 2019, the youth travel segment generated around $330 billion dollars for tourism*. Now, that hunger to explore and adventure has never been higher.

This year in particular highlights the activism and energy of young people when it comes to fighting for meaningful change; it’s expected they’ll be spearheads for tackling a more sustainable, eco-conscious future in travel too. The Contiki values that center on connection and shared experience with a like-minded tribe position its audience perfectly to be those innovators for change. 

Adam Armstrong says, “It’s been an incredibly tough year for the travel industry but we’re super confident of the ways we’ll bounce back. The youth travel audience will be one of the most significant contributors to this. Their resilience and optimism in the face of adversity is something we can all harness more of as we adapt to a new world going forward. 

The future of travel will be as exciting as it will be different; as a brand, Contiki continues to innovate with trips and experiences that reflect our ever-evolving climate, championing conscious, sustainable and thoughtful travel.”

The event will take place on 10 December 6-7pm. Register for free here. 

You’ll need to download the free GoTo webinar to take part. Attendees can send any questions they have for the panel in advance who will aim to answer these on the night. They’ll also be able to direct questions to the panel during the event via the Chat function.