How We Choose Our Travel Destinations

There’s a moment that happens on nearly every trip we plan (it could be right before we finalize our travel destinations, accommodations, or an experience) where we pause and ask ourselves: Would we actually want to do this?

Not in a detached, professional way. But genuinely. Would we wake up excited for this? Would we tell our friends about it months later? Would it feel like a memory worth keeping?

If the answer isn’t an immediate yes, we keep looking.

It Started With a Question

When we first started curating trips for The Faraway Co., we realized that most travel content falls into two camps: either it’s overly polished (think influencer perfection that feels unattainable), or it’s so generic that it could apply to anywhere (top 10 lists that don’t actually tell you anything).

What we wanted, and what we kept hearing from friends and travelers, was something in between. Real recommendations of travel destinations. The kind you’d get from someone who’s actually been there, tested it, and can tell you what’s worth your time and what isn’t.

So that became the standard for us. We only recommend places we’ve experienced ourselves, or that come highly recommended from people whose taste we trust.

What We Look For In Our Travel Destinations

When we’re researching or visiting a potential destination for The Faraway Co., there are a few non-negotiables that guide our decisions:

Authenticity over aesthetics

Yes, beautiful spaces matter. But we’re more interested in places that feel real. Places where the story behind the property or experience is as compelling as the visuals. That lakeside cottage may have the most amazing maximalist décor, sauna, or fireplace. But that’s not all that there is. We also consider the things that make it feel special. Does the cottage feel lived-in, warm, designed for actual relaxation, not just Instagram?

Local connections and knowledge

The best trips are shaped by people who know a place intimately, and that’s why we work with the best local tour guides. For example, our boat driver on Lake Naivasha won’t just point out hippos, he’ll also explain why water levels have been rising and how it’s affecting communities. That context transforms a boat ride from a checklist tourist activity into something you’ll remember and think about long after.

The balance between structure and spontaneity

We’re not interested in rigid itineraries that don’t leave room to breathe. But we also know that too much freedom can feel overwhelming. The sweet spot is having a loose plan with enough flexibility to skip something if it doesn’t feel right, or to lean into an unplanned moment that ends up being the highlight of your entire trip.

Honest recommendations, even when it’s inconvenient

If the rice and fish at a place is terrible, we’ll tell you. If the strawberry lemonade is KES 700 and feels overpriced, but you’ll want it anyway after a hot walk, we’ll mention that too. Trust matters more than appearing flawless.

How It Actually Works

Let us walk you through how a trip comes together, using our recent Naivasha girls’ trip as an example.

Step 1: We visit (or revisit) the travel destination

As you may have already heard, we’re adding Zambia to our group trips this year. But before we did, we first had to visit in November last year to experience it firsthand. We explored Livingstone, spent time at Victoria Falls, and tested accommodations that could work for different travel styles. We asked questions, noted timing for activities, and paid attention to what would make the experience seamless for our travelers.

Step 2: We test the logistics

Timing matters, but so does choosing the right route. During our Zambia trip, we initially traveled by road from Lusaka to Livingstone. It was an 8-hour journey on sometimes uneven roads that left us exhausted before we even arrived. It was tedious, and honestly, not the way we’d want to start a holiday. 

Now we know that flying from Lusaka to Livingstone is more prudent. It’s a short, scenic flight that saves energy and time, letting you actually enjoy your first day instead of recovering from the journey. These aren’t details you’d find in a typical travel guide, but they’re the difference between a smooth trip and a stressful one.

Step 3: We pay attention to the small things

The view from a lodge terrace at sunrise. The quality of a guide’s storytelling during a walking safari. Whether a property has reliable Wi-Fi (or if the lack of it actually enhances the experience). These aren’t things you’d necessarily notice in photos or think about managing, but they shape the entire vibe of a trip. When we’re curating, we’re thinking about how a space and experience feel, not just how they look.

Step 4: We build in flexibility

During our Zambia research trip, we had a plan. We fixed a helicopter tour ride of the Victoria Falls and a sunset dinner cruise on the Zambezi River for one day. But we also left room to pivot. Good thing that we did because for the entire time we were there, the weather was overcast and the helicopter couldn’t fly.

We had to take a microlight tour instead, and honestly, that ended up being better because each person got a better viewing experience and individual attention from their pilot. That flexibility is intentional, and it’s built into every trip we design. Because sometimes the unplanned moments become the most memorable.

What We Avoid

Just as important as what we look for is what we actively avoid:

Tourist traps that feel manufactured

If a place exists purely for tourists and has no connection to the local community or environment, we’re skeptical. We want experiences that would exist whether or not travelers showed up.

Cookie-cutter itineraries

The “arrive, check in, game drive, sundowner, repeat” formula can work, but it’s not interesting. We’re more drawn to trips that mix expected highlights with unexpected moments, like stopping at the Farmers’ Market on a whim and eating our way through half the vendors.

Overpromising

We won’t tell you a place is life-changing if it’s just nice. We won’t say a hike is easy if it’s actually steep. Managing expectations honestly means people enjoy the trip for what it is, not what they thought it would be.

Why This Matters

At the end of the day, curating trips isn’t about knowing every hidden gem in Africa or having access to exclusive properties (though those help). It’s about paying attention to all the details that actually make a trip feel good.

It’s also about trust. When we recommend a place or experience, we’re putting our name behind it. And because we’ve tested it ourselves, we can tell you not just what to do, but why it’s worth your time, when to go, and what to expect when you get there.

So when you see a trip from The Faraway Co., know that it’s been lived first. The wins, the missteps, the moments that surprised us, all of it informs what we share with you.

Now we want to hear from you.

What’s one place in Africa you’ve been dreaming about visiting? Or if you’ve traveled recently, what made that trip feel special to you?

Share your answer on Instagram using #MyFarawayDream and tag us @thefaraway__, we read every post, and your answers often inspire where we go next. Or simply send a reply to thefarawayagency@gmail.com if you’d rather keep the conversation here.