PHOTO: Sri Lanka's Perahera Festival. (Courtesy of General Tours World Traveler)

Responding to continued interest from guests for ever-more innovative itineraries, General Tours World Traveler has introduced three Singular Events for 2014.

“Travelers repeatedly tell us that they choose General Tours because of our unique itineraries and how we immerse them more deeply in the history and culture of the places we go,” said company president Bob Drumm, “and our new Singular Events do just that… They’re one-of-a-kind journeys designed for the adventurous, spirited and intellectually curious traveler.”

Singular journeys to France, Belgium & Germany, Sri Lanka, and Peru Taking advantage of its worldwide network and extensive experience developing unusual itineraries to destinations both exotic and well-traveled, General Tours’ new Singular Events can provide a fresh perspective on the well-known and reveal the unfamiliar. In 2014, travelers can delve into WWII history in Europe, explore the enduring legacy of the Inca Empire in Peru and participate in one of Asia’s most ancient and evocative festivals:

Echoes of D-Day is a 14-day trip with three departures in June, July and October that traces the road to liberation from Normandy to Berlin. In addition to visiting the landing beaches, D-Day museums and American Military Cemetery, the journey provides a more comprehensive historical overview, exploring the waning days of the war, its aftermath and other significant events of the 20th century:

• The Mercedes-Benz Museum reveals Germany’s most iconic automobile and the company’s history during the war years.
• Ulm, the birthplace of Albert Einstein, is a handsome Danube town filled with traces of the pioneering physicist’s life and work.
• The Berchtesgaden Document Center and Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest reveal the area’s importance to German leaders before and during the war.
• Nuremberg’s Nazi Party Rally Grounds and Room 600 in the Palace of Justice, site of the Nuremberg Trials, trace the rise and fall of the Nazis.
• Extensive sightseeing in Berlin and a tour of the Cecilienhof Palace, site of the Potsdam Conference, give a firsthand look at the end of the war and its Cold War aftermath.

Hewing to its roots as a pioneer of innovative itineraries to exotic lesser-visited places, company president Bob Drumm will lead an 11-day trip this August to Sri Lanka. Coinciding with Asia’s most splendid visual feast, The Spectacular Perahera Festival is highlighted by a two-night stay in the ancient city of Kandy during the final epic days of this 10-day festival. From its specially arranged vantage point, guests will witness hundreds of dancers, drummers and elephants in a nighttime lakeside procession honoring the sacred tooth relic of Buddha. Also visiting historic Galle, Tea Country, and four UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the ancient Rock Fortress of Sigiriya, the trip features outstanding historic boutique hotels such as Tea Trails and native-born experts that reveal little-known facets across the island.

Departing October 31, Legends of the Inca is a specially-hosted journey designed to plumb historical sites and enduring traditions often missed by travelers:

• Specially arranged dining experiences at Casa Aliaga, one of the oldest residences in the Americas; overlooking Huaca Pucllana, a recently excavated 4th-century pyramid; and on a genuine ranch in the heart of the Sacred Valley
• The lesser-visited terraces at Moray, one of Peru’s most fascinating and enigmatic Inca sites
• A deluxe overnight in a cloud forest at the base of Machu Picchu and the luxury of a second visit to the Lost City in the early morning before the day visitors arrive
• Cuzco’s San Pedro Market and the weaving center at Awanacancha reveal ancient ways which still endure high in the Andes