Elite Traveler Summer 2024

Clockwise Cazenove+Loyd’s Indigenous Immersions: Uncharted Papua New Guinea Adventure o ff ers travelers the chance to experience the Paci fi cnation’s least accessible regions

FLUENZ Nothing turbocharges your ability to pick up a new language like immersing yourself in a destination and its culture. And US fi rm Fluenz allows you to do just that — all in a manageable weeklong chunk. The online Spanish language school founded by entrepreneurs Sonia Gil and Carlos Lizarralde branched out into luxe immersive in-person language courses in 2017. Since then, Fluenz has been credited with transforming the Spanish language skills of countless participants. O ff ering English-speaking adults the chance to hone their conversational skills in aboutique fi ve-star setting, Fluenz’s Spanish Immersion Program takes place in culturally rich and cosmopolitan cities spanning the Spanish-speaking world, from Bogota to Barcelona — learning never felt so chic. The program is tailor-made to each individual’s needs, making it suited to absolute beginners through to almost a fi cionados and everyone in between. Over six days, participants are part of a small group of learners, each with their own highly accredited tutor. Daytime learning combines intensive one-on-one sessions and group work, while evenings are spent enjoying Michelin-worthy dining, museum lock-ins and illuminating talks from visiting guest speakers. THE ONE TO BOOK Fluenz’s one-week Spanish Immersion program in Mexico City is set in a beautifully restored Spanish Colonial mansion among the upscale boutiques and world-class restaurants of the capital’s historic Polanco district. Arriving on a Sunday, guests will be chau ff eur-driven from the airport and check in to their suite ahead of lessons beginning on Monday. Instead of being locked in a stu ff y classroom, sessions take place in locations around the district. Progress is closely monitored and sessions are adapted to participant’s ever-changing needs, while learning is interspersed with cultural activities like market and gallery visits. The evening program is just as engaging, with mezcal tastings, an exclusive nighttime tour of the breathtaking National Museum of Anthropology and a seven-course dinner at Enrique Olvera’s world-famous Pujol, where you’ll be seated at the chef’s table. From $6,535 per person. Contact Erica Heidepriem, head of client relations, guestcare@ fl uenz.com, fl uenz.com

CAZENOVE+LOYD Female-founded destination expert Cazenove+Loyd started life in 1993 as a safari operator and has since grown exponentially to o ff er bespoke getaways across every continent. The fi rm’s team of destination specialists have an intimate knowledge of their locale, making them uniquely placed to create o ff -the-tourist-trail experiences that open guests up to a richer understanding of the world around them. Recent requests include a client who had studied archaeology in college and wanted to experience the thrill of discovering an ancient site for himself. “Certain Mayan ruins in Guatemala are completely inaccessible due to the thick forest,” says Christopher Wilmot Sitwell, the fi rm’s co-owner and director. “It was the one destination where we knew that by chartering a helicopter, we could get him to an incredible site that was also o ff -radar and to an extent ‘undiscovered’.” For an outlook-altering experience, Cazenove+Loyd o ff ers cultural immersions on another level. Working in partnership with First Nations and indigenous communities, the company prides itself in o ff ering “non-voyeuristic, sensitive and ethical” opportunities for guests to spend an extended period with a tribe, village or family learning about their way of life. THE ONE TO BOOK Indigenous Immersions: Uncharted Papua New Guinea Adventure o ff ers travelers the chance to experience the Paci fi c nation’s least accessible regions, spending time with the rarely visited tribes that call it home. The 13-day journey begins in the lively capital of Port Moresby, before meeting with the Asaro tribe known for their striking mud clay masks. Next stop is the Gorkora Festival to witness VIP performances from more than 100 tribal cultures, before taking a chopper to Mount Bosavi in the southern highlands. Staying in a remote village, three days will be spent exploring spectacular waterfalls and scouring the rain forest for birds of paradise, before heading to meet the Huli Wigmen in Tari, where a traditional banquet will be served. The journey continues along the fl ora and fauna-lined Sepik River, home to the sacred ‘spirit houses.’ Here, you’ll gain greater understanding of tribal spiritual beliefs and rituals. From $38,750 per person. Contact info@cazloyd.com, +1 800 409 4233, cazloyd.com

Fluenz specializes in immersive in-person language courses

Learning is interspersed with cultural activities

Photos Cazenove+Loyd, Ryan Forbes, Black Tomato