Seek adventure by taking the road less travelled

Travel Deals Look for lemurs in Madagascar or walk with eagle hunters in the mountains of Central Asia.

Madagascar

"Secrets of Madagascar" is a 16-day tour of the island's little-visited west. The trip, organised by Undiscovered Destinations, takes visitors to the Tsingy de Bemaraha Reserve, a Unesco World Heritage Site, the rainforests of Ranomafana, home to several species of lemurs, including the rare golden bamboo lemur (only discovered by scientists only in 1986). The trip ends in Andasibe, one of the best places to see the indri, the largest species of lemur. Visitors will also visit Antananarivo, the capital, and the coastal town of Morondava. From £1,849 (Dh11,000) per person, including accommodation, some meals, airport transfers, domestic flights and local transport, the services of an English-speaking guide and entrance fees. International airfare is not included. For more information, visit www.undiscovered-destinations.com.

India

Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala are the destinations for this epic 22-day "India southern explorer" tour by Travel Indochina. Explore the ancient temples of Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu; tour Pondicherry; spend a couple of days in the old port town of Mahabalipuram, also a centre of arts and culture; visit Bangalore and Mysore; trek in Nagarhole National Park; drive up to Ooty, an old British Raj hill station with a quirky colonial vibe; enjoy a boat cruise around the backwaters of Cochin and go elephant spotting in the plantations. In Tanjore and Thekkady, the accommodation provided is a traditional village-style homestay. The trip ends with an evening ceremony at the 500-year-old Sri Meenakshi temple in Madurai. The land-only trip costs from £3,295 (Dh19,604), per person and includes all accommodation, most meals, sightseeing, entrance fees and airport transfers. For details, visit www.travelindochina.com.

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

The highlight of Wild Frontiers's 15-day action-filled trip to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is a helicopter ride over the Tien Shan Mountains of Central Asia. Other activities include overnight stays in yurt camps with eagle hunters, walking on Mt Khan Tengri, a trek to hot springs and trekking on Pirivial Pass, and biking and riding in the mountains of Narin. For the more intrepid, there's also white-water rafting on the fast-flowing Chui River. Wild Frontiers 15-day "celestial mountain action adventure" costs from £2,750 (Dh16,360) per person, including accommodation, some meals, government passes and permits and all local transport. International airfare is not included. For more information, visit www.wildfrontiers.co.uk or call 00 44 20 7736 3968.

Italy

This family holiday in Italy's Vicenza province combines fun outdoor activities during the day in the countryside of Asiago and evenings of pampering at Hotel Gaarten, a four-star spa resort in Gallio surrounded by meadows, forests and rivers. The eight-day trip costs from £770 (Dh4,581) per adult and £575 (Dh3,421) per child, excluding flights. Included in the price are accommodation, most meals, outdoor activities from picnic treks to cycling, riding in the hills and mini-rafting, all equipment, the services of a qualified instructor and airport transfers. Departures in July and August. Visit www.responsibletravel.com.