The Benefits

Read the policy and discuss with your manager the duration, when you want to depart and how you see your return to work

Start planning your sabbatical. (We're here to help...) Share a copy of our sabbatical guide with the powers that be...

Explain sabbatical reasoning and share the company benefits (see page 12) and your ideal position (e.g. sabbatical duration and starting date) and how you feel your role can be covered while you're away

Offer to help develop a sabbatical policy (and share this guide)

Request sabbatical

Does your company have a sabbatical policy?

Would you be willing to resign?

Decide on the duration, when you want to depart and how you see your return to work

Spell out your sabbatical reasoning, share the company benefits (see page 12) and explain your ideal situation, from duration to start date. Give careful consideration to how you feel your role can be covered while you’re away and ask to discuss these ideas with your manager. Then ask if they can see a way in which this could work

Meet your manager to share plans, explain rationale and ask if they'd consider implementing a sabbatical policy

Re-share sabbatical rationale and personal importance - highlighting that if required, you will resign Wait a reasonable amount of time (1-2 weeks)

What would you do if you could take a break from day-to-day life for a while? See as much of the world as possible? Reconnect with family? Yourself? Nature? Maybe there's a certain country, region or city you want to explore, or maybe it’s all about what you’ll do and learn, wherever you are. Either way, think about what you want to achieve with the statement ‘I want to…’ and let our ideas and insights in the following few pages inspire you.

You can get a flavour of a place on a traditional holiday, but a sabbatical offers a unique opportunity for immersion. Spending extended time with people from a totally different culture provides not only unparalleled insight into their values and history, but also encourages you to reflect on your own. With our unparalleled contacts and network of Concierges, who can open otherwise inaccessible doors and introduce you to local communities, we can ensure you have the most eye-opening experience imaginable.

TRIBAL TRADITIONS WITH THE ETHIOPIAN OMO For a truly authentic experience away from Western civilisation, travel to Ethiopia’s remote Omo Valley and meet with the local tribespeople as an honoured guest. Regarded as one of the world’s final frontiers, this valley is home to various tribes co-existing in a diverse landscape of grassland, riverine forests and delta marshes. Stay in a remote lodge for a fortnight or so and venture out by 4x4 to meet the likes of the lip plate-wearing Mursi and the body painted Karo. You may also get the opportunity to witness the extraordinary bull jumping ceremony with the Hamer people, the culmination of a three-day long rite of passage for young men within the tribe.

MULTI-LAYERED LIFE IN MEXICO With so many layers of history (including Aztec, Zapotec, Mayan and Spanish Colonial) Mexico is something of a cultural onion just waiting to be peeled. Although visiting the country’s numerous ancient archaeological sites offers important context, immersing oneself here is really about getting to know the culture through everyday activities. Take time to perfect cooking traditional dishes with a local Zapotec family in Oaxaca, or wander through lesser-visited neighbourhoods in San Angel or Coyoacan in Mexico City with a knowledgeable guide; just two ways to get a real feel for Mexico.

ACCESS ALL AREAS IN ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIA Visit Australia’s remote Arnhem Land, where sacred lands and ancient rock art dominate the rich, red landscape. This vast wilderness is still owned by the indigenous Yolngu people, and permits are required to visit. When travelling with one of our experienced guides, you have unprecedented access to areas such as the Injalak Hill rock art gallery and can spend several days exploring on foot and by 4x4 from luxury tented camps. RURAL COMMUNITIES IN THE INDIAN HIMALAYAS Join expert local guides to hike between the traditional rural communities which are dotted around the stunning Himalayan landscape in Sikkim. Between hikes you’ll stay in beautifully refurbished village houses and spend a week learning about local mountain life. When not exploring the lush surroundings on foot, cultural highlights include participating in early morning prayers at Rinchenpong Monastery, taking tea with a retired school teacher in Khandu village and visiting a typical mountain village market to shop for locally-grown groceries to rustle up delicious dishes.

MAINTAINING IDENTITY WITH SWEDISH SAMI Despite the pressures of modernisation, Lapland’s indigenous Sami people enjoy a quiet continuation of their traditional lifestyle. We can arrange for you to spend several days with a local Sami man who embraces the opportunity to invite visitors into his home and teach them about the threats and challenges his people face in maintaining their identity. During your stay you will sleep in a traditional lavvu (teepee) tent, admire the Northern Lights (hopefully) and learn the dying art of reindeer-herding from your guide's brother.

KAZAKH EAGLE HUNTERS IN MONGOLIA Every autumn Mongolia’s nomadic ethnic Kazakh population hold Eagle Festivals deep in the dramatic Altai Mountains. These ancient festivals are a celebration of the extraordinary partnership formed between the eagles and their master handlers. To better understand this centuries-old, hunter-gatherer lifestyle and its importance for these communities’ survival, we can arrange for you to live in a traditional ger felt tent and work as a respected member of a Kazakh family during the lead up to the festival.