Shared Adventures Travel

10/02/2025

Visiting French Polynesia should always include a visit to the pearl farm and vanilla plantation in Taha’a.

Taha’a is just southeast of Bora Bora and an easy addition to your French Polynesian Adventure. A peaceful and authentic island with the sweet scent of vanilla in the air.

Here you can learn the secrets of Tahitian pearl & vanilla culture. At the pearl farm, you’ll discover the entire life of a Tahitian pearl from production to classification. You’ll be able to observe the divers and the daily work of the pearl farm, giving you a better understanding of the work involved in the formation and care of these fantastic jewels.

You’ll learn exactly how the pearls are classified once they are harvested and have the opportunity to evaluate the price of a pearl for yourself. At the end, you can even purchase some of the high-quality jewelry made on-site.

At the vanilla plantation, you’ll be given a warm welcome as you’re guided through the grounds. Your expert guide will explain how these long woody vines produce one of the world’s most precious spices. You’ll learn about the whole process of tending, pollinating, and growing these fragrant plants.

The experience of visiting Taha’a will give you an appreciation of these precious things and a great understanding of the work and people behind them. It’s well worth adding the experience to your trip!

06/02/2025

If there’s one thing Liz is always grateful for on her adventures it’s her adventurous taste buds and iron stomach. She has become an expert at looking at local menus in other languages, pointing and hoping for the best. Usually, it’s delicious! Though it is rarely exactly what she thought it would be. Like the pork knee in Prague or the “ice cream” in Singapore…

05/02/2025

Flash Sale from Icelandair on spring flights to/from Reykjavik! Jump on this and get your flights booked, and then we'll craft an amazing experience for you in Iceland.

04/02/2025

Don’t try to lug a big heavy suitcase around all by yourself! While we encourage all our travelers to pack light - this is especially true for our solo travelers. The lighter you pack - the better you’ll feel.

27/01/2025

Have you heard about this new UK “Visa”? Here’s what you need to know! 👇

-It isn’t quite a visa - it’s an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) which attaches electronically to your passport

-You can apply by downloading the “UK ETA” app or going to the website. When you apply, you’ll need to take a photo of your passport, scan your face (if 10 or older), take a photo of yourself, fill out your address, job, and criminal history, and then pay a £10 application fee.

-You’ll receive an answer within 3 business days and then you can delete the app.

-All travelers need to apply even children and babies. But you can fill out the application for more than one traveler.

-The confirmation will arrive via email and automatically connect to your passport

-You can use the ETA for multiple entries and stays up to 6 months

-The authorization is valid for 2 years or until your passport expires.

Do you have any questions about the ETA? We’re here to help!

12/01/2025

We are working on a very cool trip this week. Clients who have never left the country are going to be attending their son's wedding in Rome in March.

We're going to make sure they get into the Vatican, the Colosseum, the Catacombs, etc. and hit all the Rome highlights.

But they also want to extend the trip by a few days and see "something else" that's close to Rome (no more than an hour or so away) and offers a more relaxed, scenic atmosphere and a more local vibe. Time to get creative!

We are looking at:

* Lake Bracciano - for medieval towns, a castle, and lakefront walks
* Orvieto - for a quintessential hill town, and Umbrian cuisine
* Sperlonga and Santa Marinella - for an off-season coastal vibe

Which would you choose?

08/01/2025

We're doing our end-of-year look at last year's trips, and it's no surprise to anyone that Italy was by far the biggest destination for our clients. We helped a LOT of people get their first taste of "la dolce vita". For others, where it was their second/third/fourth visit to Italy, we showed them where to dig deeper and spend more time, uncover hidden gems, and discover even more things to love about the country.

Looking ahead to 2025, Italy is still trending very strong for our clients, despite all the warnings about "Jubilee Year" crowds. We are helping them plan ahead to avoid the most congested dates in Rome, and suggesting visits to quieter parts of the country, like Sicily, Sardinia and Puglia.

If Italy is in your plans, please let us help!

08/01/2025

Ann loves to travel, and it's almost always international. She thinks nothing of jumping on an 8, 10, or 12 hour flight to some faraway destination. But there is a time and a place for a classic, simple, beach vacation with your family. This year she planned a one-week beach rental in Virginia Beach with her entire extended family (22 people) to celebrate her mother's 80th birthday. There were kids, grandkids, boyfriends, girlfriends, and even a family dog. They cooked big meals, drank lots of cold beverages, kayaked, swam, played board games, and re-connected in ways they haven't done in years. This photo of the sunset from their deck reminds her that it's the simplest pleasures in life that mean the most.

06/01/2025

You need more than a destination in mind when you start planning your dream vacation. Knowing what your travel goals are or what kind of trip you want to take will help you narrow down the destination and consider some hidden-gem destinations you may not have thought of before!

02/01/2025

We like a bargain as much as the next person! And can personally vouch for many of these hidden gems. What are you waiting for?

Europe can be expensive to visit, but these are seven of the most budget-friendly destinations in 2025, according to Chase Travel.

27/12/2024

Liz only had one day on the Thai Island of Koh Samui in 2018, and she made the most of it with a private tour that included snorkeling, a traditional Long-Tail boat, and a private beach picnic!

Island Gem Tours offer several different packages but what really caught her eye was the flexible times. Perfect for those with a tighter schedule, or particular timing needs! The whole experience was delightful and she can’t wait to send clients on this incredible adventure.

23/12/2024

Don’t let a little rain stop you from enjoying your vacation! We’ve all experienced those rainy days when exploring a new destination. Whether you’re in the beautiful Welsh countryside like Ann, or wandering the streets of Venice like Liz - packing the right gear will make sure you enjoy your time no matter what!

22/12/2024

Experience the magic and beauty of the Irish countryside with local guides, panoramic drives, vibrant music, drinks, feasts, and an expert travel agent!
Our own Nikki has created a fabulous and fun girls' trip style tour of southern Ireland. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in let us know! DM, comment or email for more details.

16/12/2024

As we wind down a fun and busy 2024 and get ready to turn the page to 2025, here are some thoughts (and predictions)

What a year we have had! 2024 has been one for the record books! The Shared Adventures team has arranged more than 200 trips this year...

11/12/2024

Who doesn’t love a sundowner? If you travel to South Africa for a safari you may get to enjoy this classic South African version of the Italian aperitivo!

Just as the sun is starting to set, you’ll head to a beautiful viewpoint to watch the sun go down….sun-down-er…

You’ll enjoy drinks like wine, hard cider, or a crisp and classic gin and tonic. And might have small snacks like chips or biltong (South African beef jerkey). You’ll bask in the beauty of the sunset while chatting with your friends. And once the sun has set you’ll head back to home base for dinner! The perfect ending to any day in South Africa.

04/12/2024

Most people think about making it a special night and going to those famous restaurants for dinner - but if you can’t get a dinner reservation, a lunch reservation will be just as delicious!

03/12/2024

We rarely post "travel deals", but this one is worth spreading the word about on this busy :

If you've sailed with AmaWaterways before, and are considering a 2025 or 2026 river cruise, let us know ASAP. Not only can you take advantage of this promotion from AmaWaterways (which gets you a free pre/post cruise land package on select itineraries), but we also have a limited number of future cruise discounts (5% off) that we can add to your booking.

Message/call/email us if you are interested!

23/11/2024

There are many benefits to joining a small-group trip to Italy – especially when we’re hosting!

On our Small-Group Italy Adventures, you get to enjoy:

✔️Private guides with incredible expertise

✔️Experiences that you wouldn’t always find on your own. Like a fabulous meal with detailed explanation from the chef herself, or truffle hunting with a passionate farmer and his dog.

✔️Stunning hotels and villas to stay in

✔️Mouth-watering local meals all planned out so you don’t have to worry about finding the “right” restaurant for dinner.

✔️Time to explore the towns on your own.

✔️Hidden Gem locations with authentic, local connections

Plus, we take care of all the nitty-gritty arrangements like transportation, opening hours, and luggage so you can really enjoy your time in an incredible destination.