Iran Journey, New European Hiking Routes & “Seven Years in Tibet” Trek Fill Wilderness Travel’s New Trip Line-Up for 2015

If there’s an unusual passage, uncharted route or less-traveled destination, Wilderness Travel will find a way to get there. The 36-year-old adventure travel company, known for its unusual itineraries that delve deep into cultures and landscapes, has added 40 new trips and more than 30 new small ship cruises for every type of traveler in 2015 that explore the most interesting and remote destinations around the world.

For cultural and ancient history aficionados:

Iran: The Land of Cyrus the Great – On this 14-day guided exploration of the rich heritage of Iran, expert Trip Leader Roger Williams leads guests to Persepolis, site of the temples and palaces of Persia’s great Achaemenid kings; the Zoroastrian fire temples of Yazd; Isfahan, a charming city of blue-tiled architecture and ancient bridges; tombs of renowned Persian poets; World Heritage Site Pasargadae; Tehran’s many museums and the remote Zagros Mountains. Pricing starts at $6695 with one departure September 15, 2015.

For avid hikers:

Bergamo to Innsbruck – Wilderness Travel has developed a completely new hiking route offered by no other adventure travel company that allows travelers to hike across the borders of four alpine countries on foot. The adventure begins in the foothills of the Alps in enchanting Bergamo, Italy, and travels through a remote national park across the border into Switzerland. Hikers then cross into Liechtenstein and finish in Innsbruck, Austria in just 12 days. The trip, designed by an experienced hiker and chef, also features mountain cuisine with perfectly-paired wines. Pricing starts at $5995/person with two departures July 14 & September 9, 2015.

Adventures in Wales – Wales, which has more castles than all of England, is a hot spot for those who have already explored much of England. This 12-day hiking expedition takes hikers along the trails of Pembrokeshire Coast Path, as well as the legendary mountains of Snowdonia where Sir Edmund Hillary trained for his Everest expedition. Hikers dine on locally-produced Welsh cuisine and spend overnights in historic coaching inns and a royal country home. Pricing starts at $5995/person with two departures June 1 & August 24, 2015.

In the Footsteps of Heinrich Harrer – Serious adventurers can spend 23 days following the path of mountain climber Heinrich Harrer, whose escape from a British internment camp in India was chronicled in the famous movie “Seven Years in Tibet,” starring Brad Pitt. The journey retraces his trek through the final mountain crossing in the highest range of Himalayan peaks near Lhasa and along the way visits remote heritages, holy lakes and monasteries. Pricing starts at $8495/person with one departure September 6, 2015.

For foodies:

Hiking in Cornwall – This new trek along both the rocky northern and sandy southern coasts of Cornwall will appeal to foodies, who can sample gourmet meals at the many restaurants where several legendary chefs, including Jamie Oliver and Rick Stein, have set up shop. Cornwall, the land of smugglers and pirates, offers some of the best coastal hiking in all of Europe and is known for its picture-perfect seaside villages unchanged for centuries along with lovely hotels. Pricing starts at $5895/person with two departures: June 20 & September 7, 2015.

For bird watchers and wildlife lovers:

Rivers of West Africa – On this 8-day small ship cruise, Wilderness Travel navigates the waterways of the Gambia and Saloum rivers, visiting a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which is an important bird and wildlife habitat; Kunta Kinteh Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site named after Alex Haley’s book “Roots;” small African villages; Baboon Island, home of the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project; and Kiang West National Park with more than 250 species of birds. Pricing starts at $1990/person with 11 departures January-March 2015.

For water lovers and serious snorkelers:

Snorkeling Expedition to Wakatobi – Marine Biologist and Trip Leader Ethan Daniels leads this snorkeling expedition to the Asia-Pacific Coral Triangle. Snorkelers discover the remote Wakatobi National Marine Park, noted for having the highest coral reef biodiversity in the world and described as “underwater Nirvana” by Jacques Cousteau. The award-winning Wakatobi Resort serves as base with evening presentations on marine biology and conservation. Pricing starts at $5495/person with one departure May 25, 2015.

“It’s a great big world out there and there’s no limit to where Wilderness Travel is willing to chart a course for our customers,” says Barbara Banks, director of marketing and new trip development for Wilderness Travel. “We’re excited to announce first-time destinations like Cuba and Iran, as well as wonderful new itineraries to some of the most remote, fascinating and gorgeous locations around the globe.”