Learning Vacations

Authentic luxury travelers are often interested in learning a new skill or refreshing an old one while traveling.

In fact, consumer research shows that one out of every three affluent travelers wants to learn a new skill or activity during a vacation - thus turning a good trip into a great – truly memorable – one. The popularity of this trend has motivated resorts, hotels, villa rental companies, and tour operators to develop a wide range of learning vacations.

Here is a quick round-up of a few that are currently being offered:

Hosted Villas, formerly a division of the upscale biking company Butterfield & Robinson, specializes in helping guests truly live the regions they are visiting, not only by staying in luxurious private residences, but by creating itineraries that allow them to step into the local rhythm of life.

Learning examples include - searching for prehistoric artifacts in the 10,000 caves in the Dordogne region; having Michelin-star chefs provide cooking lessons in your villa; and hearing the history of Impressionism and taking painting lessons in Giverney (Monet's village, northwest of Paris). Hosted Villas also provides experiences for children, such as pizza and pasta making, chocolate making, and ceramics. They’ve even had families get up at 5am to make baguettes with the local baker in small French villages.

Rather learn a language? Pascale Heuzé in Paris will help you speak French if you contact her company Paris Version a la Francaise. She offers French conversation programs to travelers “looking for refreshment.”

You can also learn French at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Quebec City. With the hotel’s “Parlez-vous français?” French Immersion Package, you will have an opportunity to learn or refine your French language skills while exploring one of North America’s most dynamic locales. The hotel's package includes seven nights accommodation, five private French courses with a local linguist (3 hours/day), a guided city tour in French, a tour of the historic Chateau in French, and a souvenir French book.

For those who’ve always dreamed of mastering the waves, Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa, on the tiny island of Dhigufinolhu in the Maldives, is home to some glorious beaches – and a location of the Tropic Surf school. The instructors love sharing that “Yes!” moment when a student “experiences the thrill of standing and gliding across a wave.”

Prefer to stalk big game? Exceptional African Safaris offers affluent travelers the opportunity to take part in wildlife research projects as volunteers and/or take a game rangers course in Southern Africa.

Also in Africa at Botswana’s Sanctuary Baines’ Camp, you can learn from “elephant whisperers” Doug and Sandi Groves about how elephants use their innate knowledge and bush-sense to live and interact with their environment. Three orphaned and semi-habituated elephants, Jabu, Thembi and Morula take guests on long walks in safety, showing how they look for food, strip leaves from branches with their long trunks and take showers in the lagoons of the delta.

If you have enjoyed a wonderful learning vacation, will you share your experience by posting a comment below?

Your fellow travelers thank you.