New Zealand
Lakes, fjords, lodges and wine country
Alpine lakes, fjords, vineyards and Māori culture, in a country of great variety for its size.
Discover New Zealand
Extraordinary Travel,
Thoughtfully Planned
Considered advice and carefully paced itineraries for New Zealand, Australia, Asia and beyond, planned around the way you like to travel.
Destination Inspiration
Six countries covered in depth, from the fjords of New Zealand’s South Island to the temple towns of Japan. Each guide sets out the regions, the seasons, a realistic trip length and the practical details worth knowing before you go.
Australia
Harbor cities, reef and red desert
Harbor cities, reef and rainforest, the Red Centre and Tasmania's wild coast, on a continental scale.
Discover Australia
Japan
Timeless beauty, modern luxury
Temple towns, mountain hot springs and the energy of Tokyo, connected by some of the world's finest trains.
Discover Japan
Vietnam
Culture, cuisine and coastal escapes
Limestone bays, imperial history, lantern-lit towns and some of Asia's most celebrated food.
Discover Vietnam
Thailand
Temples, street food and island coasts
Bangkok's energy, the temples and mountains of the north, and two very different island coasts.
Discover Thailand
South Korea
Tradition meets innovation
Palaces and design-forward cities, temple stays, volcanic islands and one of Asia's great food cultures.
Discover South Korea
About The Itinerary Room
A personal travel advisory, not a booking engine
The Itinerary Room is the independent travel advisory of Steven Knight, a Fora-certified travel advisor who works with travelers in the United States and around the world.
Good trips rarely begin with a search box. They begin with a conversation about how you like to travel: the pace that suits you, the places you are curious about, and the details that make a long journey feel easy. The itinerary is shaped from there, with the same person looking after it from the first idea to the flight home.
Read Steven’s storySample Journeys
Illustrative routes showing how a well-paced trip can unfold. They have no set dates or prices, and each one can be reshaped around your interests, season and budget.
Sample journey · 14 days
Japan in 14 Days: Tradition and Modernity
Tokyo – Hakone – Kyoto – Hiroshima – Osaka
Tokyo's neighborhoods, a ryokan night in Hakone, unhurried days in Kyoto, Hiroshima and Miyajima, and Osaka's food scene.
View the itinerary
Sample journey · 14 days
Vietnam in 14 Days: Culture, Cuisine and Coast
Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Ha Long Bay – Hue – Hoi An – Ho Chi Minh City
Hanoi's Old Quarter, karst landscapes and a bay cruise, imperial Hue, lantern-lit Hoi An, and Saigon with the Mekong Delta.
View the itinerary
Sample journey · 12 days
New Zealand in 12 Days: Lakes, Fjords and Lodges
Auckland – Rotorua – Queenstown – Fiordland
Harbor city and island vineyards, geothermal Rotorua and Māori culture, then lakes, mountains and the fjords of the south.
View the itinerary
Sample journey · 14 days
Australia in 14 Days: Harbor, Reef and Laneways
Sydney – Port Douglas – Melbourne – Great Ocean Road
Sydney's harbor, the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, Melbourne's food culture and the Great Ocean Road.
View the itineraryWhy plan with us
Independent advice, established infrastructure
-
Fora-certified advisor
Steven is trained and certified through Fora’s advisor program, and every booking is made through Fora, a US-based host travel agency.
-
Guides you can read first
Detailed guides to all six destinations and a library of planning articles show how seasons, routes and pacing are approached, before you commit to anything.
-
Fora’s supplier network
Bookings draw on Fora’s established supplier relationships. At participating hotels, Fora’s programs can add amenities, confirmed at the time of booking.
-
Straight answers
If a plan is too ambitious, the season is wrong or another destination would suit you better, you will hear it plainly.
How Planning Works
Four steps, from your first message to final confirmations.
- 01
Share your plans
Use the short inquiry form to say where, when and who. A rough idea is enough, and nothing is booked at this stage.
- 02
A planning call
A video or phone call, scheduled for your time zone, to talk through priorities, pace, budget and anything you would rather avoid.
- 03
A written proposal
A day-by-day route with recommended stays and experiences, and the reasoning behind each choice, for you to review and question.
- 04
Refine, then book
Once the plan feels right, bookings are made through Fora, and confirmations and final details are gathered before you leave.
Travel Insights
Planning guides worth reading first
New Zealand · When to go
When Is the Best Time to Visit New Zealand?
The best time to visit New Zealand depends on what you want to do. A season-by-season and month-by-month guide for planning, with regional differences explained.
Read the guide
Australia · When to go
When Is the Best Time to Visit Australia?
Australia's climate varies hugely by region. Learn the best time to visit Sydney, Melbourne, the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru and Tasmania, and how to combine them.
Read the guide
Japan · Planning guide
How Much Time Do You Need in Japan?
How many days to spend in Japan on a first trip, with sample splits for one week, ten days, two weeks and three weeks, and advice on planning your itinerary.
Read the guide
Start with an idea.
You don’t need a finished plan or even a firm destination. Share roughly where and when, or simply how you would like the trip to feel, and the planning starts from there.
Good to know
- Replies come by email, with call times suggested for your time zone
- Nothing is booked until you have approved the plan
- Bookings are made through Fora, a US-based host travel agency