What is a year-end group travel package? It is a holiday journey with set dates, a set route, and a small group of travelers, planned and hosted end to end so that families, friends, and teams can spend the last weeks of the year somewhere new without anyone in the group carrying the planning.
Overview
December has a way of filling up before anyone agrees on anything. Someone suggests snow, someone else wants the beach, and by the time the group chat settles on a place, the good rooms and the sensible flights are gone.
Our year-end journeys take that conversation off your hands. Each one has fixed holiday dates, a route our team has traveled and tested, and an Access Expert who handles the hotels, transfers, guides, and timing so your group only has to decide who is coming. Choose a small-group departure and travel alongside a handful of like-minded guests, or have any of these routes built as a private trip for your family, your barkada, or your company on dates that suit you.
If you are still deciding between destinations, our guide to Christmas and New Year travel destinations compares each option by trip style and holiday coverage.
Available Destinations
Four holiday departures anchor this season, each offering a very different way to spend it.
2026 departures are subject to availability. Message an Access Expert to check remaining space, or ask about building the same route privately for your group.
Christmas Market Journey: Paris to Prague
Fourteen days through Europe at its most festive. The route starts in Paris with the Tuileries market and the lights along the Champs-Élysées, then moves by high-speed train to Strasbourg, the city that calls itself the Capital of Christmas. From there it continues through Munich, Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt, Salzburg's fortress market above the Alps, Vienna, Budapest, and finally Prague's Old Town Square. Free afternoons are built in for a thermal bath in Budapest or a slice of Sachertorte in a Salzburg café.
Finland Journey: Christmas and New Year in the Arctic
This is the one departure that spans both holidays. Ten days move from Rovaniemi, with snowmobiling, a reindeer farm, a husky sled ride, and Santa Claus Village, north to Levi and then to the glass igloos of Kakslauttanen, where you can watch for the aurora from bed. Guided aurora hunts are scheduled on several nights, though sightings always depend on the weather.
Kenya Journey: Christmas on Safari
For groups who would rather spend the holidays in open country, this journey flies you from Nairobi into the Maasai Mara for four days of game drives, then returns for Lake Naivasha, Hell's Gate, and a Nairobi day that includes the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Centre. It wraps before New Year's Eve, so you are home in time to celebrate.
Discover Harbin: A Shorter Snow Escape
An Access Lite departure designed for travelers in their 20s, 30s, and 40s who want real winter without committing two weeks. Six days take you through Changchun and Jilin to China Snow Town, a horse-drawn sledge ride in Yabuli, and Harbin itself, from Saint Sophia Cathedral and Central Street to the illuminated sculptures of the Ice and Snow World. Roundtrip flights from Manila are already included. Browse the rest of the Access Lite calendar for 2027 departures.
Prefer your own dates?
Any of these routes, or a different destination entirely, can be designed as a private journey for your group. Families often use this for multigenerational trips, and companies use it for year-end incentive travel. Start with our Private Tours or tell us about your group.
Group Size & Pricing Notes
Small groups by design. Access Journeys are capped at 12 guests, which keeps the pace unhurried and the hotels intimate. Access Lite departures take up to 30 guests and are priced to include more of the logistics, such as flights and visas, in a single rate.
Starting rates per adult:
- Christmas Market Journey: from USD 6,199, excluding international airfare
- Finland Journey: from USD 7,999, excluding international airfare
- Kenya Journey: from USD 8,199, excluding international and domestic airfare, based on Christmas-season rates
- Discover Harbin: from USD 2,019, including roundtrip airfare from Manila
Traveling with family. Children aged 2 to 13 travel at 80% of the adult rate, and children under 2 travel free.
Your trip still goes ahead. Group departures proceed even if the minimum number of guests is not reached. In that case, we do our best to upgrade travelers to a private tour, though private rates may differ from the original group rate.
Booking and payment. Peak-season rates and hotel availability are only held once a booking is confirmed, so earlier is better for December. Access Lite trips are secured with a ₱20,000 deposit, with the balance due 45 days before departure. Access Journeys are confirmed with a deposit once your proposal is signed, with full payment 30 days before departure. BDO cardholders can pay in installments, and card payments carry a service fee.
What's Included
We fully plan every year-end departure, so we handle the essentials before you land.
On Access Journeys (Christmas Market, Finland, Kenya):
- An Access Expert leading the group throughout the trip
- Four-star to five-star hotel accommodations
- Private transportation for the entire trip
- A professional English-speaking local guide
- Entrance fees to all listed attractions
- Meals as specified in the itinerary
- Round-trip airport transfers on the Christmas Market and Kenya journeys
International airfare, travel insurance, visa fees, optional activities, taxes, and gratuities are quoted separately. We can arrange flights and process tourist visas for you when you book.
On Discover Harbin (Access Lite):
- Roundtrip airfare via China Southern Airlines, with 23 kg checked baggage and 5 kg hand carry
- Private coach for the full itinerary
- Four-star accommodation on twin, double, or triple sharing
- Daily breakfast and meals as specified
- An English-speaking guide
- Tipping, Philippine travel tax, and the China group visa
Only personal expenses are left for you to cover.
Every departure can also be extended if you want a few more days on your own once the group heads home. You can read what past travelers say about their trips on our Reviews page.
FAQs
Which year-end trip covers both Christmas and New Year? The Finland Journey, which runs from December 23, 2026 to January 1, 2027. The Christmas Market and Kenya journeys finish before New Year's Eve, and Discover Harbin begins on January 2, 2027.
Can we book a private group trip on our own holiday dates? Yes. Any of these routes can be designed privately for your family, friends, or company, and we also plan year-end incentive trips for teams. Private journeys are quoted for your group size and dates.
Can children and senior family members join? Yes. Every departure is suited to families and seniors, and we can coordinate wheelchair assistance through our local partners. For families with very young children, we usually recommend a private version so the days can follow their rhythm.
Can I join as a solo traveler? Absolutely. Solo travelers join every departure, and a single supplement applies for a private room.
Will Access Travel handle my visa? Yes. We process tourist visas for travelers who book a full experience with us, and the China group visa is already included on Discover Harbin. Requirements depend on your passport and destination, so your Access Expert will confirm what you need as soon as you book.
How early should we book a December trip? As early as your group can confirm. Rates and room availability are not held until a booking is confirmed, and the year-end period is the busiest of the year for flights and hotels.
Plan Your Year-End Journey
Tell us who is coming and how you want to spend the holidays, and we will take it from there.
- WhatsApp and Viber: +63 917 679 5338
- Email: inquiry@travelwithaccess.com
- Visit the Access Concierge: Level 2, The Travel Club, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati. Friday to Sunday, 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and Monday to Thursday by appointment.