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Do you lust for adventure in exotic locales, yet balk at the idea of sacrificing luxury? Then plan your winter holiday escape with a high-end-tour company catering to those who simply want the best. It's as easy as picking up the phone (and shelling out the cash). Here are some leading operators.

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Patagonia: On a nine-day Chilean excursion with Bio Bio Expeditions, you decide how much time you want to spend fishing, swimming and horseback riding. Or just hang out at the Rio Azul valley base camp, with two riverside hot tubs, sauna and masseuse. Admire the view from Base Camp Sunset Bar after whitewater rafting and fly fishing. Bio Bio calls it "the perfect way to get away from the chills of winter and enjoy the warm Chilean sun." $2,600 per person. tel: (1-800) 246 7238; www.bbxrafting.com

Myanmar: If a nine-day Burmese biking tour (Dec. 19-27) tickles your fancy, then Butterfield & Robinson are the folks to call. Your cycling quest is complemented by walks through bamboo forests to isolated villages and temples, two nights on the Ayeyarwady River on a luxurious riverboat, and a hot-air balloon ride over the golden temples of Bagan. $5,595 per person, $850 supplement. tel: (1-800) 678 1147; www.butterfield.com

Southern India and Sri Lanka: Posh travel company Abercrombie & Kent would like the pleasure of your company on a visit to Cochin, Goa, Panjim, Malvan and Mumbai on a Hebridean Island Cruises boat for 16 nights (departs Dec. 18). A representative for A&K says that the vessel feels more like a "floating five-star country-house hotel" than a cruise ship. From $8,785 to $16,993 for a two-person cabin. tel: (44-0845) 0700 606; www.abercrombiekent.co.uk

Singapore to Bangkok: The Eastern & Oriental Express whisks you along for two nights and three days (departs Dec. 24), pausing at Kuala Lumpur and historic Georgetown in Penang. Enjoy the scenery while dining in an elegant Thai-inspired restaurant car. $1,590 to $3,220. tel: (44-0845) 077 2222; www.orientexpress.com

• David Foxley
• Going off the beaten track needn't mean roughing it. A mini-guide to winter jaunts