Kensington Tours

This buttoned-up, award-winning adventure travel company is the brainchild of Royal Geographic Society Fellow Jeff Willner: His team of destination experts and private guides exhibit almost obsessive attention to detail when mapping out the truly unique small group itineraries. The six-day Polar Bear Safari, for example, includes two full days of traversing the tundra via a tricked-out wildlife viewing bus. You’ll probably spot the native arctic fox, snowy owl, and of course, polar bears, plus they arrange dreamy coastline hikes, and a visit to the Cape Merry polar bear jail (where bears who come too close to human settlements are kept safe until they can be airlifted north). The Explorer-in-Residence series provides a rare opportunity to shadow real-life explorers and researchers on exotic journeys. Past examples include a George Kourounis-inspired trek through Turkmenistan—home to the “Door to Hell” gas reserve field—or a Tea Horse Road odyssey through China with renowned author Jeff Fuchs.