Dear Fellow Adventurers,

As 2024 winds down to a close, all of us here at the YellowWood team wish you a relaxing and restful holiday period, with hopefully an adventurous 2025 ahead!

We have had a really fantastic year, with Oman & Northern Spain being our most popular destinations overall (although it was close). We also sent four groups to the World Nomad Games in Kazakhstan, returning with rave reviews, with the next Games due in 2026 in Kyrgyzstan which you can see HERE.

We also got our first tours to the Canary Islands off the ground, and the feedback has been fantastic—and your photos have been incredible to see. If you want to know more about what fellow adventurers are saying, you can take a look at our Trustpilot reviews here.


[Image: YellowWood clients on our Hiking the wondrous landscapes of the Canary Islands adventure]

A recent highlight for us is the reopening of Northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where YellowWood’s story began seven years ago.

With the UK’s FCDO lifting restrictions, we can’t wait to return to the stunning Gheralta Mountains and the Danakil Depression. Keep an eye out for our revised adventure itinerary—this one promises to be extraordinary.

You can explore more about Ethiopia by watching our popular webinar here.


[Image: Dancers in the Gheralta Mountains of Ethiopia]

New Adventures Await in 2025

We continue to expand rapidly into new and exciting destinations, and already have several new adventure itineraries in our production pipeline, including:

Sardinia - Iceland - Kazakhstan - Saudi Arabia - Madagascar - Zambia - Ghana, Togo & Benin - The Azores

To help us in our continued expansion we are also considering further investment opportunities next year – if this can be of interest to you or someone you know please do GET IN TOUCH to request a copy of our investor deck.


[Image: Putting the Ice into our Iceland adventure: Waterfalls, Hot Springs & Volcanic highland walks]

YellowWood Add-On adventures

Our add-on adventures are all about going a little further—exploring more, learning more, and experiencing the unique cultures, landscapes, and stories that make each destination special, on top of our group adventure itineraries.

Featured Add-On: Salalah, Oman

For those traveling to Oman, we’re thrilled to offer an add-on to Salalah, the exotic jewel of the Arabian Sea. This lush, tropical region offers something truly different. This add-on is perfect for those wanting to round out their Omani adventure with even more natural beauty and cultural depth:

  • The ancient tomb of Prophet Job.
  • Dramatic blowholes and pristine shores of Mughsail Beach
  • Mystical Frankincense trees in Salalah’s valleys
  • Explore the charming fishing village of Taqah


[Image: Quiet beach in Salalah, Oman]

Other Add-On Experiences include:

  • Japan: Extend your Lost Islands of Japan (Ryukyu Islands) adventure with time in Kyoto and Tokyo for a blend of tradition and modernity.



[Image: The Ryukyu Islands of Japan]

I have recently been reading…

The Kingdom (1981) by Robert Lacey: If you are interested to learn how the country of Saudi Arabia was formed by the irresistibly charismatic Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud, this is the book for you. 

Documenting the courage and sheer willpower of the man who forged a forgotten backwater into a cohesive country and eventual superpower, with unbelievable personal access and insight to the family by the author. Brilliant.

The Snow Leopard (1998) by Peter Matthiessen: Truth be told I have only read the first page of this after it was recommended by our marketing manager Claire, but I already know this is going to be good. This is the account of a 250 mile trek to the dazzling Tibetan plateau of Dolpo in the high Himalayas in 1973 by Matthiessen.

As part of an expedition to study wild blue sheep, he was also searching for a glimpse of the snow leopard; a creature so rarely spotted as to be almost mythical. 

As we expand to new destinations, continue to innovate with our itineraries and build upon the connections we’ve made this year, I want to thank you—our incredible community—for being part of what we're doing at YellowWood.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy & prosperous New Year.


Until next time,

Sam McManus, MD


[Image: Tajik man in Tajikistan]