Cox & Kings, the London tour operator that traces its roots back to 1758, has launched its most ambitious product expansion since joining the Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group in 2019. The new Small Group Tours brochure for 2027-28 adds 18 itineraries across Europe, Africa, Central Asia, Asia and North America — and the theme is depth over speed.

The headline acts are four new "Grand Tours" designed to cover whole regions in one trip. The Grand Tour of Central Europe runs 16 days from Berlin to Prague via Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria (from £5,595 including flights), with sidesteps to Potsdam and Hungary's Győr. The Balkans version crosses seven countries in 17 days, from Ljubljana to Istanbul, at £6,395. The standout for mileage-lovers is the Grand Tour of Central Asia: 22 days linking all five "-stans" along Silk Road routes — the operator's longest small-group tour ever — from £6,095. A 13-day Britain & Ireland Grand Tour, including Lake Windermere, Snowdonia, Edinburgh Castle and Newgrange, is aimed at the non-UK market, priced from $9,295 AUD.

North America gets a major push with five new trips, timed neatly with the US turning 250. The American History and Culture Trail (12 days, £6,595) links Washington, Philadelphia, Gettysburg, Monticello and Colonial Williamsburg. Canada features in a 16-day eastern rail-and-rivers itinerary through Toronto, Montréal and Québec City, and a 14-day Rockies-to-Pacific trip that includes two days aboard the Rocky Mountaineer — though at £11,345 it's the priciest of the batch. A Pacific Northwest route through Oregon and Washington covers Crater Lake, the Columbia River Gorge and Olympic National Park for £7,295.

For travellers after less-visited corners, there's a 14-day Algeria trip from £3,945, taking in Roman ruins, the Atlas Mountains and the Grand Erg Occidental, plus a 19-day Coastal Kingdoms of West Africa journey through Ghana, Benin and Togo (£6,995). Nepal and Bhutan both get new itineraries, from £4,245 and £4,695 respectively — the Bhutan trip includes Tiger's Nest and the Dochula Pass.

Two expert-led cultural tours round out the launch: a 14-day Moorish Spain itinerary guided by Islamic civilisation specialist Diana Driscoll (£5,495), and a five-day Rome deep-dive on late antiquity led by art historians including Dr Sally Dormer (£2,645), built around sites most visitors never see.

Practical changes matter here too. Maximum group size drops from 20 to 18, with the current average sitting at 14, and 90% of tours have at least one guaranteed departure. All bookings include 24/7 assistance and can be extended with tailormade add-ons. The company is also expanding beyond the UK, relaunching in Australia in June 2026 and the USA in January 2027.

Who's this for? Travellers with time and curiosity — the research behind the brochure found people want longer trips, expert context and places off the main track, and the pricing reflects a premium, fully-inclusive-with-flights product rather than a budget buy. If you like the idea of a historian explaining the Alhambra or a single sweep across Central Asia without planning logistics yourself, this collection is worth a look ahead of 2027. — Breaking Travel News