You’ve been saving money all year and planning a luxurious holiday is your chance to finally spend it on something, and somewhere, special. Certain holiday ideas come in and out of vogue, but here are some ideas for the best holidays of 2013.

Experience a classic all-inclusive holiday

Planning a trip can be stressful and there’s nothing wrong with having someone else do all the hard work. Travel agencies and tour operators have teams of experts who brainstorm and organise luxury holidays specifically and trusting well-established companies like Club Med means all you have to do is show up to your pre-planned holiday, whether a Mediterranean getaway or a mountain chalet. If you want your luxury holiday to be more than just a beach holiday however, there are other possibilities.

Get back to nature with an African Safari

If you’ve watched David Attenborough’s recent Africa series, you’ve probably felt a pang of wanderlust for the African Savannah, but a safari doesn’t have to be a roughing-it camping trip. Now you can get up close and personal with elephants while staying in luxury accommodation. Botswana is the African country best known for its luxury vacations. Its opulent five-star luxury safaris will help realise your dream of petting a baby rhino, without having to compromise your comfort.

Travel in old-school luxury by rail

Travelling on a train through the heart of remote mountains or barren tundra is an unforgettably romantic experience. Trains, like hotels and restaurants, will vary in quality, but luckily, there are luxurious trains that would be on the five-star end of the rating spectrum. The most luxurious and impressive trains in the world include the Venice-Simplon Orient Express, the Danube Express and the Eastern & Oriental Express. Their titles are misnomers, however—they are rather slow-moving when compared to air travel—but these luxurious trains provide undeniable comfort, beauty and style to their passengers.

Charter a boat

You can also take a different approach to travel and go by sea. You can charter yachts and luxury sailboats, complete with crews to navigate from island to island, providing a more personalised experience than that which a massive cruise ship would offer. With your own boat to go where you want, you can create an unforgettable itinerary, whether you want to island hop in Greece or the Caribbean, or simply follow Western Europe’s coastline and stop at historically important ports as you go. Your own boat also provides a level of privacy and relaxation that a luxury tour or group resort may not offer. At the same time, make sure that you’ve brought your own entertainment—it’s going to be a long trip if you don’t know how to keep yourself amused.