Travel for the endlessly curious
Specialist Journeys exists for people who choose a holiday by subject rather than by beach. We bring together two long-established names in expert-led travel, Andante Travels and Brightwater Holidays, and between them we cover archaeology and ancient history, gardens and horticulture, art and architecture, wildlife, railways and a good deal more.
What makes us different
Travelling with someone who genuinely knows a subject changes what you take home from it. Our Guide Lecturers are archaeologists, Egyptologists, historians, horticulturalists and specialists in their fields, and many of them research, excavate or work in the very places you are visiting. They travel with the group throughout rather than appearing at each site and leaving, building up a picture across the holiday and answering the questions that occur to you halfway through the afternoon.
That is what gives our tours their depth: context, debate and insight you would not get from a standard sightseeing holiday, alongside access to places and perspectives that only come from working within the field.
Who our tours are for
Everyone from the merely curious to scholars and academics, and everyone in between. Some of our guests have studied a subject for decades, and others simply want to understand what they are looking at. Both get on well, and questions are always welcome.
How we travel
Every tour carries an activity level of light, moderate or active, so you know what a holiday asks of you before you book. Tour styles let you choose the shape of the journey as well as the subject, from our most immersive itineraries to gentler ones with later starts and a single hotel base. A good number of our guests travel on their own, and shared interest naturally leads to easy conversation.
Alongside our escorted tours, we arrange private group journeys for clubs, societies and groups of friends, and run study days for anyone who would rather spend a single day going deep on one topic.
Where to find us
Our reservations team is here to help before, during and after your holiday.