World Expeditions has announced a new series of gourmet-themed trips to some of the world's most delectable destinations.

From savouring the opportunity to learn sushi-making in the heart of Tokyo to taking a behind-the-scenes tour of a Peruvian market with a local chef or cycling through a winery in South Africa's famous Garden Route, the new tours have been specifically crafted to showcase the iconic culinary experiences of each region.

Launching in 2018, World Expeditions' new 'Food Lover's Journeys' range comprises the following five itineraries:

PERU | Food Lover's Peru
Peruvian chefs have taken the world by storm and this comprehensive itinerary provides the opportunity to find out what the fuss is all about: unveil the secrets of Peruvian cuisine through cookery classes and chef-escorted tours of local food markets in Lima, Cusco and Arequipa; learn how to make the iconic 'pisco sour' at a hands-on cocktail session; prepare your very own chocolate using locally grown 'cacao' beans; sample the Andean corn beer at a traditional 'chicha' bar and find out more about the highlands' cane alcohol at a local distillery; and visit the glistening Maras salt pans, used since pre-Inca times, followed by a picnic lunch by the river at the Sacred Valley.
Food Lover's Peru with World Expeditions (13 days) launches 15 October 2018, from £2,690 per person

JAPAN | Food Lover's Japan
Beginning in Tokyo and finishing in Osaka, discover the essence of Japan's culinary scene: enjoy a welcome dinner at a local 'izakaya (Japanese-style pub); explore Kappabashi Dogugai, a street full of shops specialising in kitchen ware and plastic food models, frequented by Tokyo's chefs; take part in sushi and soba noodles workshops and learn how to make traditional sweets using native fruit like 'mikan' (Japanese oranges); relish the freshness of a 'sake' (rice wine) tasting; experience a traditional 'matcha tea' ceremony; and go fishing for your meal (literally!) – the fish you catch will be served as lunch just the way you want it!
Food Lover's Japan with World Expeditions (13 days) launches 8 October 2018, from £3,950 per person

SOUTH AFRICA | Food Lover's South Africa
South Africa's credentials as an adventure travel destination are well established – but its vibrant and diverse culinary and wine scene is often overlooked: learn how to make 'rootis', fold 'samoosas', cook chilli bites and prepare a traditional Cape Malay curry; explore Bree Street, Cape Town's latest food and artisan hub, and sample some of the city's finest produce at the Old Biscuit Mill market; tuck in a hearty farm-style dinner at Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world; sip port wine at the fertile valley of Calitzdorp and explore the famous vineyards of Stellenbosch on a bike-and-wine tour; and indulge in a 14-course, pan-African 'taste safari' as your farewell dinner.
Food Lover's South Africa with World Expeditions (15 days) launches 30 April 2018, from £3,590 per person

VIETNAM | Food Lover's Vietnam
Vietnam's complex history shines through in the country's many styles of cooking and flavour combinations: visit a 'wet' market and sample local delicacies on a walking food tour in Hanoi's Old Quarter; pick locally grown plants and herbs at an organic farm; enjoy dinner at the innovative STREET Restaurant, which offers hospitality training for disadvantaged youth; savour fresh seafood on a cruise through Halong Bay's towering limestone outcrops; explore 'all things cocoa' in Vietnam's most famous chocolatier; and quench your thirst with a fresh sugar cane juice, an invigorating Vietnamese coffee or a refreshing beverage at a pioneering brewing company.
Food Lover's Vietnam with World Expeditions (12 days) launches 8 September 2018, from £1,590 per person

MOROCCO | Food Lover's Morocco
From Casablanca to Marrakesh, enjoy a fascinating introduction to Morocco's Berber-influenced cuisine and culture: look for spices in the colourful souks and choose the ingredients you will need for your cooking classes; dine al fresco at traditional restaurants; stop at a traditional olive oil press and surprise yourself with a Moroccan wine tasting; visit a ceramic factory and create your own pottery; explore the Valley of the Roses and find out more about the versatility of the palm tree; get a taste of traditional snacks and delicacies, from dates and 'sfenj', the local version of doughnuts, to ginger tea and sweetened mint tea.
Food Lover's Morocco with World Expeditions (12 days) launches 1 October 2018, from £1,875 per person

The 'Food Lover's Journeys' will also feature four itineraries in Europe – in Catalonia, on Italy's Francigena Way, on the Camino in northern Spain as well as the French Way of St James – through UTracks, World Expeditions' European division.

For more information and bookings please visit www.worldexpeditions.co.uk or call 0800 0744 135. World Expeditions' policy ensures there are no local payments. Prices do not include international flights, however these can be arranged on request.

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Notes for editors:
- One of the very first operators in what is now becoming a very popular area in travel, since its inception in 1975 World Expeditions has earned itself an outstanding reputation as a world leader in small group adventure holidays and cultural journeys.
- The two factors that distinguish World Expeditions from its competitors, the number of inclusions and the exceptional value of its trips, can be found today in more than 500 stand-alone itineraries, escorted by expert leaders and meticulously designed for those travellers who want to take the 'paths less travelled'.
- Always innovative, it was, among others, the first operator to offer cycling holidays in India (1977) and China (1978) and trekking trips in Mongolia (1980) and Tibet (1981). In 2013 it launched a dedicated 'World Cycle Journeys' programme, while as of 2011 it is the only company to offer the newly mapped Great Himalaya Trail.
- World Expeditions is independently owned and a truly global company, with seven offices around the world, including the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

For high-res images and PR/media enquiries:
World Expeditions | UTracks | Sherpa Expeditions
020 8875 5060
Tom Panagos pr@worldexpeditions.co.uk
Gordon Steer gordon@worldexpeditions.co.uk