Prices and availability are subject to change at any time.
Taking in the view, on a journey designed around you.Photo: KensingtonA Note from Elisa
Hi there!
Thank you for your interest in a Kensington journey! I’ve gathered the most important details in one easy place, so you can see exactly what’s included, what to expect, and how to prepare before, during, and after your journey.
Since 2006, Kensington has designed private, tailor-made journeys in more than 120 destinations, with English-speaking private guides and drivers and 24/7 support. Take a look through the sections below, and whenever you’re ready, I’d love to help you shape the journey, pace, and season that fit you best.
Elisa RzymskiLand Journey Specialist
The Guide
The Experience
What’s included, where you’ll stay, and how you’ll spend your days.
What’s Included
Your Private Journey
Every Kensington journey is private and designed around you, with no fixed dates and no set itinerary. Your quote lists exactly what’s included, and on a typical land journey it covers the hotels, guides, drivers, and experiences that make up your days.
Here’s what Kensington’s sample land journeys include.
Imagine the Vatican Museums with a guide of your own, a pasta-making class in Trastevere, and a driver waiting when you’re ready.
The Vatican Museums, on a private tour in Rome.Photo: Kensington
Included on Kensington Land Journeys
A fully customized itinerary
Designed with your Destination Expert around your interests, your dates, and your pace.
Private guides
English-speaking local guides on your tours, or a shared tour where noted, as your final itinerary confirms.
A private driver
For your tours and transfers; in some countries, your private guide also drives.
Handpicked hotels
All accommodation stays on your itinerary, chosen with you.
Breakfast daily
Breakfast each morning at your hotel, plus any meals listed in your itinerary.
Tours & transfers
Every scheduled tour and transfer, with a greeting at the airport or your hotel when you arrive.
Regional flights
Flights between the stops on your itinerary, unless otherwise indicated.
Support around the clock
24/7 in-destination support from Kensington’s local office.
Not included: international airfare (Kensington can add flights), travel insurance, visas, tips, meals and drinks not listed, excess baggage, early check-in or late check-out, and personal expenses. Your luggage allowance for transfers is one suitcase and one carry-on per person. Details: a sample Kensington itinerary
Elisa’s Tip
A private journey makes it easy to compare like with like. Tell me what matters most, whether it’s the hotels, the pace, or time with a guide, and I’ll make sure your Kensington quote reflects it.
Designed Around You
How a Kensington Journey Comes Together
Kensington works differently from a group tour. Each journey is designed privately, so the planning is part of the experience. Here’s how it comes together.
1. Share Your Ideas
Tell me where you’d like to go, when, and what you love. Kensington’s sample itineraries are a helpful starting point.
2. Meet Your Destination Expert
Kensington assigns a Destination Expert who has lived, studied, or traveled extensively in your region, and I stay involved from start to finish.
3. Shape Your Itinerary
Hotels, guides, experiences, pace, and the balance of guided and free time are all tailored, and specific hotels or experiences can be requested.
4. Book & Prepare
Once you confirm, Kensington arranges every reservation and sends your final itinerary and travel documents.
5. Travel with Support
Kensington’s local team, guides, and drivers support you 24/7, and your guide can adapt each day’s plans along the way.
Kensington recommends booking 6 to 12 months ahead, because every journey is custom-tailored. Changes after booking may involve fees or price adjustments and are subject to availability.
This guide covers Kensington’s private land journeys. Kensington also offers cruises, villas, yacht charters, and expeditions, and its cruises and villas carry their own terms. I’m happy to help with those too.
Your Own Guides
Private Guides & Drivers
Private guiding is the heart of a Kensington journey. In each destination, you’re accompanied by an English-speaking private guide, chosen for deep regional knowledge, subject matter expertise, and exceptional service.
Guides & Drivers
You have both: vetted private guides for your tours, and private drivers for tours and transfers.
Subject Matter Experts
Journeys can include specialists, from the chef leading a cooking class to the genealogist on a Heritage Journey.
Your Time, Your Choice
Journeys are fully guided, but how much time you spend with your guides is up to you. Some travelers prefer a guide only for certain days.
Small-Group Excursions
Where private guiding isn’t possible, Kensington provides an intimate small-group excursion instead. On the sample Italy journey, for example, the day in Chianti is a small-group tour.
Private guiding lets you set the pace. If you’d like long, unhurried mornings or a free afternoon in every city, I’ll build that into your itinerary from the start.
Where You’ll Stay
Handpicked Hotels
Kensington says every hotel it uses is fully vetted and selected for its standards, location, and character. You choose the style, from five-star hotels to equally outstanding boutique ones, and from city palaces to safari camps.
On a Sample Italy Journey
Hotel L’Orologio Roma, a Neo-Renaissance palace near Piazza Navona, with a rooftop terrace and views of the Pantheon
Hotel L’Orologio Florence
Hotel L’Orologio Venezia
The rooftop terrace at Hotel L’Orologio Roma.Photo: Kensington
Your Preferences
Have a hotel in mind, or a favorite style? Kensington can include specific hotels on request, subject to availability.
Families & Solo Travelers
Family-friendly hotels and pacing for multigenerational journeys, and every detail handled for solo travelers.
Check-In Times
Early check-in and late check-out are not included unless your itinerary says so, and I’ll help you plan around your flights.
Your Days
Private Experiences
Kensington’s sample itineraries show the kind of days you can expect, all private unless noted. On the Best of Rome, Florence, and Venice, for example:
A private walking tour of Ancient Rome, including the Colosseum
An evening pasta-making class in Trastevere
A private tour of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel
Business Class train travel from Rome to Florence
A private Florence walking tour, including the Accademia
A small-group day in Chianti, with lunch and a wine tasting
Dining recommendations for the evenings on your own
Sample itineraries are meant to inspire, and every day can be changed. Each one shows a starting price per person, in U.S. dollars, based on two people sharing; your quote reflects your own choices.
On Safari
Private African Safaris
Elephants in Amboseli National Park, Kenya.Photo: Kensington
A private safari runs on your own schedule, with expert guides along the way. On Kensington’s Big Five Safari & Zanzibar Escape, a 12-day sample journey, you track the Big Five across the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti before a few days on Zanzibar.
Along the Way
Game drives with expert guides, and a private vehicle with an experienced tracker-guide in Ngorongoro
The Maasai Mara, the Serengeti, and Ngorongoro
A visit to Olduvai Gorge
A private spice and Stone Town tour on Zanzibar
Camps and lodges such as Mara West, Lemala Ewanjan, and Kitela Lodge
A balloon over a herd of zebras in Kenya.Photo: Kensington
Regional flights between stops are included unless otherwise indicated. A few meals aren’t included, and Zanzibar’s departure and infrastructure tax is paid locally, as the itinerary notes. Details: Big Five Safari & Zanzibar Escape
Journeys with Meaning
Heritage Journeys & Oberammergau
Kensington’s Heritage Journeys bring a family’s story to life. The Heritage Journey across the Emerald North, a 12-day sample journey created with AncestryProGenealogists, begins long before you leave home.
Research Before You Go
An expert genealogist spends 30 hours researching your family’s origins and prepares a written report with images of the records found.
A Genealogist by Your Side
On the road, an on-site genealogist guide uses your report to explore the places your family called home.
Ireland’s Story
Dublin’s National Library and EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum, and the Ulster American Folk Park.
Memorable Hotels
Stays such as Lough Eske Castle in Donegal and Glenlo Abbey in Galway.
Oberammergau 2030
The Passion Play in Oberammergau, a nearly 400-year-old tradition in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, returns in 2030. Kensington pairs it with privately guided journeys through Germany. Oberammergau with Kensington
Ways to get the most from a private journey, and how Kensington gives back.
Value & Giving Back
Getting the Most from Your Journey
A private journey is priced around your own choices, so the best value comes from planning well and early.
Plan Ahead
Kensington recommends booking 6 to 12 months before you travel, for the widest choice of guides and hotels.
Special Journeys
From time to time, Kensington features special journeys and offers, such as Oberammergau 2030. I’ll check what’s available for your dates.
Flights Together
Kensington’s air team can add flights to your journey, and regional flights between stops are often included.
Kensington Cares
Kensington donates 1% of all trip sales to social impact initiatives in healthcare, education, and research, and travelers can choose to match it.
Elisa’s Note
Tell me who’s traveling, your target dates, and the experiences that matter most, and I’ll work with Kensington to design a journey that delivers real value.
The Guide
Booking & Preparation
Deposits, cancellation, required insurance, gratuities and the paperwork to have in order.
Booking with Confidence
Deposits, Cancellation & Insurance
Deposit & Final Payment
Kensington asks for a deposit of 30% of your total trip price when you book, and the balance 90 days before departure. Bookings made within 90 days are paid in full at confirmation.
Some parts of a journey may require a larger deposit, and your quote will say so
Credit card, certified check, wire transfer, or money order are accepted
Changes after booking may involve fees and are subject to availability
If Your Plans Change
For land journeys, Kensington’s cancellation fees depend on how far ahead you cancel:
Kensington cancellation fees for land journeys
90 or more days before
$350 per person
89 to 60 days
Deposit (30%)
59 to 30 days
50%
29 days or less
100%
Cancel 90 or more days out and Kensington refunds everything except a $350 per person administrative fee. Fees from hotels, airlines, and other suppliers may also apply, and cruises and villas carry their own terms.
Travel insurance is required for every Kensington journey, with at least $200,000 in medical, evacuation, and repatriation coverage.
What to Know
Trip cancellation coverage is strongly recommended, and buying it when you book is best
Kensington’s own policies come with a free 21-day review period
Kensington sells insurance only to U.S. passport holders with a U.S. home address
I’m happy to quote options, so you can compare coverage side by side
Quoted Prices
Unless otherwise listed, all pricing is per person in U.S. dollars, based on two people sharing, specific to the itinerary, travel dates, and hotels quoted, and subject to availability at the time of booking.
Pricing Terms
Because every Kensington journey is custom designed, prices and availability depend on your dates and choices and can change until you book. By booking, you agree to the supplier’s terms, available on its website.
Supplemental Charges
Some costs, such as local departure taxes, may be payable locally, as your itinerary notes. Additional fees may apply from Avoya Travel or Kensington if a cancellation occurs.
Cancellation Policy
Please review Kensington’s full cancellation policy before final payment, available in its Terms & Conditions.
Travel Protection
I recommend travel protection for every trip, and I’m happy to provide quotes so you can compare coverage before final payment.
If you ever need help with payments, or would like me to walk you through your options, I’m always here.
Thanking Your Guides
Gratuities on a Private Journey
On safari in Kenya, where trackers and guides are customarily thanked.Photo: Kensington
Tips for services and experiences are not included in Kensington’s prices, so gratuities are given in person, usually at the end of each guide’s or driver’s time with you.
Gratuities at a Glance
Your ChoicePrivate guides · Drivers · Trackers
Local CustomHotel staff · Restaurants · Porters
Guides & Drivers
Your private guides and drivers are the people you’ll most want to thank, and customs vary by country.
On Safari
Safari guides, trackers, and camp staff are customarily tipped, and I’ll share typical amounts as we plan.
Local Guidance
I’ll share what’s customary for each destination before you go, so there are no surprises.
Gratuity practices vary by destination and may change. I’ll confirm what’s customary for every part of your journey.
Before You Go
Preparing for Your Journey
Before You Go
In the weeks before departure, a few simple steps get you ready:
Review your final itinerary, which confirms private and shared tours
Share your flight details so every transfer is arranged
Make sure your required travel insurance is in place
Pack one suitcase and one carry-on per person, the allowance for trip transfers
Regional flights and small aircraft, especially on safari, may have stricter luggage limits, and I’ll confirm them for your journey.
Helpful to Have Ready
A little preparation makes your first day effortless. Keep these details handy:
Passport details that match your reservation exactly
Flight and arrival information
Any dietary or accessibility needs
Emergency contact information
Save Kensington’s 24/7 support numbers, listed below, in your phone before you leave.
Passports & Paperwork
Travel Documents & Entry Requirements
It is each traveler’s responsibility to carry proper documentation. Here’s what to have in order before you go.
Proof of Citizenship
A valid passport, valid at least 6 months beyond your return date
Visas where required
Green cards or other immigration documents, as applicable
Authorization documentation when traveling with minors
Names on reservations must match your passport exactly.
REAL ID
Since May 2025, U.S. travelers need a REAL ID-compliant license or other accepted ID, such as a passport, for domestic flights and certain federal facilities.
Travel Visas
Entry rules vary by country and can change, and some destinations, including several in Africa and Asia, require a visa in advance. Your Kensington Destination Expert advises on documents and can refer you to a trusted visa service. Verify requirements through CIBTvisas, and I’ll confirm exactly what your itinerary needs.
ETIAS (Europe)
Europe’s new travel authorization for U.S. visitors is not yet in effect, and no launch date has been announced. I’ll let you know if it applies to your trip.
UK ETA
An Electronic Travel Authorisation is required for entry to the United Kingdom.
EU Entry/Exit System
Europe’s border system now registers non-EU visitors with fingerprints and a photo, so allow a little extra time at passport control on your first entry.
Travel Advisories & Health Guidance
I strongly recommend reviewing travel advisories and health guidance before your trip so you’re fully prepared.
A few things that are helpful to know before you go.
Flexibility on the Road
Good to Know on the Road
A private journey can bend around you, and a little flexibility goes a long way. Here are a few things Kensington travelers find helpful to know.
Help Around the Clock
Kensington’s support line is open 24/7 at 1-888-903-2001 from the U.S. and Canada, or +1-647-776-1003 from elsewhere.
Changing the Day
Your private guide can adapt each day’s schedule, whether for weather, energy, or a discovery worth lingering over.
Private or Shared
Where private guiding isn’t possible, a small-group excursion takes its place, and your final itinerary shows which is which.
Wildlife & Weather
On safari, wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, and seasons shape what you’ll see.
Travel Subject to Change
All travel is subject to schedule adjustments, itinerary changes, weather disruptions, and operational delays.
The journey is yours. All you have to do is enjoy the view.
Your Next Step
Let’s plan your journey.
Whether you already have a destination in mind or are just beginning to dream, I’d love to help you find the Kensington journey that fits you best. I’ll compare itineraries, hotels, and experiences, find every bit of value, and take care of the details from your first question to your welcome home.
Prices and availability are subject to change at any time. Amenities, offers, and policies are set by Kensington and may change without notice. Photography courtesy of Kensington.
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