Rockhopper Holidays

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Specialist holidays for curious travellers
Personal service | Independent advice 🌏
Thoughtful travel without the overwhelm

09/10/2026

November is one of the best times to travel through Japan.

The autumn colour moves gradually through the country. Higher-altitude areas tend to turn earlier, with Tokyo and Kyoto coming into their own later in the month.

For a first November trip, I’d look at a route such as Tokyo → Kanazawa → Takayama → Kyoto, adjusting it around your dates, pace and priorities.

You could also swap Takayama for Hakone or Lake Kawaguchiko if Mount Fuji and an onsen stay matter more to you.

Save this if Japan in autumn is on your list.

02/10/2026

Kyoto in cherry blossom season is busy. There’s no point pretending otherwise.

But I still think it belongs on a first Japan itinerary.

These are the things I’d think about when planning it.

I’ve written a fuller guide here:
https://rockhopperholidays.com/blog/kyoto-cherry-blossom-crowds

If Kyoto is on your Japan list, save this for when you start planning your days there.

09/09/2026

Why book with Rockhopper Holidays? 🌍🐧

There is no shortage of holidays available online. The difficult part is knowing which flights, hotels, itinerary and travel partner will genuinely suit you.

That’s where I come in.

I take the time to understand what matters to you, how you like to travel, your budget and anything you definitely want to include. I then compare the options and bring every element together, from flights and carefully selected hotels to transfers, guides and memorable experiences.

You’ll have one personal point of contact throughout. I manage the arrangements, keep track of the details and remain here if you have questions, plans change or something unexpected happens.

Rockhopper Holidays works with established travel partners and provides the appropriate financial protection for your booking, alongside personal service from beginning to end.

Ready to start planning your next holiday? Visit https://rockhopperholidays.com

Extraordinary travel, made personal. 🌍🐧

13/08/2026

🏰 Fairytale Castles, Chocolate and a Bear Who Knew Nothing About B**r 🍫

The final part of our European family road trip is now live!

We reluctantly left the Austrian Alps and travelled onwards to Neuschwanstein, the fairy-tale castle that helped inspire Disney. It was apparently worth visiting for the Minecraft ice cream alone.

The journey then took us through the medieval streets of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, into Heidelberg Castle through a secret quiet back entrance and onwards to a former monastery offering an impressive supply of complimentary cake and ice cream.

Finally, we reached Bruges for a full day of unashamed touristing, including a long-awaited canal trip, the B**r Experience, waffles and a chocolate-making workshop.

Along the way, we encountered a hairy tap, a bear who knew nothing about b**r and a chocolate Gengar.

Read the final instalment here: https://rockhopperholidays.com/blog/europeanroadtrip2026part3

10/08/2026

Planning a holiday to Japan?

Japan is an extraordinary destination, but piecing together the right itinerary can be complicated.

How many places should you include? How long do you need in Tokyo and Kyoto? Which hotels and transport options will work best? And how do you balance the famous sights with the experiences that matter most to you?

Rockhopper Holidays offers several ways to help:

• A complete tailor-made holiday, including flights, carefully selected hotels, transport, guides and experiences

• A personalised itinerary-planning service if you prefer to make your own bookings

• An itinerary-checking service if you already have a plan and would like a knowledgeable second opinion

The right itinerary should balance Japan’s extraordinary cities, cultural experiences and carefully chosen hotels with realistic travel days. Most importantly, it should reflect your interests, priorities and preferred pace.

Ready to start planning? Visit https://rockhopperholidays.com

Extraordinary travel, made personal. 🌍🐧

05/08/2026

Welcome to Rockhopper Holidays. 🌍🐧

I’m Katie, and I created Rockhopper Holidays to offer a more thoughtful and personal approach to tailor-made travel.

I work personally with each client, supported by an extensive network of established tour operators and specialist travel partners.

Every holiday begins with understanding what matters to you: where you would love to go, how you like to travel, your preferred pace and the experiences that would make your journey particularly memorable.

From there, I bring together carefully selected hotels, thoughtful flight choices, transport, private guides and experiences to create one complete, carefully considered holiday.

Rockhopper Holidays has particular expertise in Japan, Asia and Indian Ocean destinations, alongside extraordinary tailor-made holidays across the world.

Follow Rockhopper Holidays for destination inspiration, expert travel advice and an insight into the decisions behind exceptional holidays.

If you are considering your next journey, you can find out more at rockhopperholidays.com

Extraordinary travel, made personal.

03/08/2026

🎢 Rollercoasters, the Austrian Alps and the Search for Black Forest Gateau 🍰

Part Two of our European family road trip is now live!

This time, we found ourselves at Europa-Park, a theme park with more than 100 rides, surprisingly short queues and, in our humble opinion, more than a little edge over another very famous theme park…

From there, we travelled through the disappointingly green Black Forest, discovered the German equivalent of our favourite Spanish car-park restaurants and finally arrived at Alpenrose in the Austrian Alps.

There were water slides, cable cars, an unexpected suite upgrade and, eventually, the slice of Black Forest gateau I had been promised.

Read the full story on our website -
https://rockhopperholidays.com/blog/europeanroadtrip2026part2

Next time: more medieval villages, the real Disney castle and the BBC: Bruges, B**r and Chocolate!

30/07/2026

What happens when you combine a family road trip through Europe with Ch*****ne, algebra, a questionable overnight stay and a missing fluffy hen?

Part One of our European road trip is now on the blog.

We travelled through the Channel Tunnel to Épernay, where the adults sampled Ch*****ne and my son inexplicably did maths, before continuing to Riquewihr in Alsace. With its colourful buildings, cobbled streets and Beauty and the Beast connections, it looked as though we had driven straight into a fairytale.

It wasn’t all picture-perfect, of course. There was the hotel overlooking a rusty lorry container, the missed train and the disappearance of Fluffy Hen (aka Hen II)

Next stop: Europa-Park and the Austrian Alps.

Read Part One here:
https://rockhopperholidays.com/blog/europeanroadtrip2026part1/

29/06/2026

Rockhopper Holidays helps thoughtful travellers access the right kind of specialist travel without getting lost in the market.✈🐧

Call us on 01625 708484 or visit us at www.rockhopperholidays.com

26/06/2026

Taste Your Way Across Sri Lanka!
A 10-night private tour for food lovers! 🥥🍽️🥘

This new 10-night private tour from Not in the Guidebooks caught my eye, especially for anyone who loves food, culture and a more experience-led way to travel.

The route takes you from Negombo to Habarana, Gammaduwa, Riverstone, Nuwara Eliya and Ella, with a lovely mix of local food, landscapes, culture and guided experiences along the way.

Highlights include:

🥥 A farm-to-table lunch in Dambulla
☕ Tea with a retired planter in Nuwara Eliya
🥘 Authentic local cuisine throughout the journey
🐘 A safari in Minneriya National Park
🚂 The scenic train journey to Ella
🌿 Cultural tours, hikes and time in Sri Lanka’s hill country

**Departing 6 October 2026**
**10-night private tour**
**Heathrow from £2,075pp**

Included:
✔ Return direct flights to Colombo with SriLankan Airlines
✔ 10 nights’ unique accommodation
✔ All transfers with driver/guide
✔ Farm-to-table lunch experience
✔ Tea with a retired planter
✔ Guided cultural tours and hikes
✔ Safari at Minneriya National Park
✔ Scenic train ride to Ella

I think this is a really appealing option for thoughtful travellers who want Sri Lanka to be about more than simply choosing a hotel. It has food, scenery, wildlife, culture and proper local experiences built into the journey.

To enquire or ask whether this Sri Lanka itinerary would suit your style of travel, call or whatsapp us on 01625 708484 or email [email protected]

ℹ️This offer is supplied by Not in the Guidebooks, with flights packaged via Aviate, ATOL 10232.
Prices are based on 2 adults sharing, correct at the time of publication and subject to availability. No mandatory taxes payable in resort.

https://rockhopperholidays.com

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https://rockhopperholidays.com/

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