Detours Gay Travel Blog
Our Biggest Trip Announcement Yet!
- Jan 14, 2026
Hi everyone,
Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year! As a belated Christmas present, we have some exciting news to share for the year ahead: three new trips and one special cruise. These journeys are particularly meaningful to me, as they reflect some of my favorite places I’ve traveled to.
11 Days in Ireland & Scotland
This 11-day trip begins with the lively hustle and bustle of Dublin and winds north to Belfast, where you’ll experience the Giant’s Causeway and the stunning scenery of Northern Ireland. From there, we fly to Inverness to stay in a 19th-century manor and explore the Scottish Highlands, including Loch Ness, Eilean Donan Castle, and the Isle of Skye. The journey concludes in Edinburgh, a regal and somewhat underrated European city. That said, my grandfather was from there, so I may be a bit biased.
Explore the itinerary, departure dates, and full trip details → 11 Days in Ireland & Scotland
11 Days in France
This 11-day trip will begin in gay Paris, which to me is one of those cities that you can visit tens of times and still barely scratch the surface. We’ll enjoy iconic experiences like a dinner cruise along the Seine, along with time exploring the highlights of the Marais. From there, we continue to Dijon — yes, like the mustard — a beautifully preserved Burgundian city where I spent my middle-school years. After a wine tasting in Beaune, it’s onward to Lyon, France’s gastronomic capital. The trip concludes in Avignon with a tour of Provence, the Papal Palace, and one memorable farewell dinner cruise.
Explore the itinerary, departure dates, and full trip details → 11 Days in France
11 Days in Japan: Secrets of Japan
This 11 Days in Japan: Secrets of Japan itinerary marks the first time in Detours’ history that we’re offering two distinct trips in the same country. While our 10 Days in Japan: Classics of Japan tour highlights the icons, this new journey focuses more on Japan’s countryside - revealing breathtaking regions many North American travelers never see. We leave Tokyo for the preserved mountain villages of Takayama and Shirakawa-go, then continue to historic Kanazawa, home to one of Japan’s most celebrated gardens. Kanazawa kicked off my decades-long love affair with Japan; I did a homestay there when I was 20 and have been back seven times since then. From there, we fly to Kyushu for exceptional ramen (obviously), semi-tropical hot springs, and the volcanic beauty of Mount Aso.
Explore the itinerary, departure dates, and full trip details → 11 Days in Japan: Secrets of Japan
River Cruise: Frankfurt to Basel
Our cruise partner, Transcend, has offered us an exclusive autumn voyage along the Rhine. The journey begins in Frankfurt, with the option to start things off in style by adding a festive pre-trip to Munich for Oktoberfest. From there, we sail through storybook towns and legendary wine regions, stopping in Mainz, Heidelberg, Baden-Baden, Strasbourg, and Breisach, before concluding in the charming Swiss city of Basel. This vessel promises to be even more luxurious than in prior years, featuring multiple dining venues and lounges, a theater/forum, outdoor decks, and a fitness center and spa. As in past years, the trip will be all-inclusive, including an open bar.
Explore the itinerary, departure dates, and full trip details → River Cruise: Frankfurt to Basel
What Else is New
When we introduced the Detours Loyalty & Referral Program, we also took the opportunity to improve the overall booking experience. That included automated payment plans with reminders before charges, a couples registration form, and self cancel options to give you more flexibility and control.
You will now see even more improvements. As you explore these trips and others, you can add yourself to any waitlist directly through the website with no emails required. It puts you in control, allowing you to join a waitlist, see where you stand, and be notified as soon as a spot opens.
We have also introduced a new option to include flight bookings when reserving your trip. For a $50 booking fee, we'll take care of looking for a convenient flight for you.
Beyond the website updates, we are also scheduling more trips than ever. We are adding an additional departure to 10 Days in Croatia from August 26 to September 4 to help accommodate demand from our growing waitlists. And for the super planners among you, we are actively building out our trip calendar through mid 2027.
Thanks so much for reading. I cannot wait to share my favorite places with you and to get to know many of you over the months and years ahead.
Warmly,
Daniel Naughton