independent travel and group trips
Travel that does
good.
We started with food tours in New York City. Now we take curious, compassionate travelers to the most vibrant plant-based destinations on the planet — without compromising on experience, flavor, or fun.
Born in New York.
Built for the world.
Vegan Tours International grew out of Vegan Tours NY, founded in 2019 to showcase New York City’s extraordinary plant-based food scene. What started as neighborhood food tours — bowls of mapu tofu in the East Village, pastries in Brooklyn, momos in Queens — became something much bigger.
Travelers kept asking: can we do this somewhere else? Can you take us to Berlin? To Vietnam? To Uzbekistan? The answer turned out to be yes — and the trips turned out to be extraordinary.
Immersive journeys for
conscious travelers.
We curate group trips and independent travel experiences for people who want the real thing — authentic cultural immersion, exceptional plant-based cuisine, and the kind of moments that don’t make it into the brochure.
Every itinerary is built around three things: food that surprises you, places that move you, and people — local guides, small family restaurants, sanctuary owners — who remind you why travel matters.
We keep groups small (maximum 16 people), partner with local businesses everywhere we go, and choose experiences that leave places better than we found them.
New York City
size — always
and growing
every meal
Plant-Based Adventures
Every meal on every trip is vegan or vegan-friendly — not as a restriction, but as a lens. We’ve found that building a trip around plant-based food leads you to the most interesting corners of every culture: the Buddhist vegetarian restaurants, the family farms, the chefs who are doing something genuinely new.
Local Connections
We don’t work with big hotel chains or multinational tour operators (unless it is absolutely necessary or the only viable option). Every guide, every restaurant, every experience is locally owned and personally vetted. The money you spend travels with you — it stays in the communities you visit, supporting the people who make those places what they are.
Mindful Travel
We think carefully about where we go, how we get there, and what impact we leave behind. That means visiting wildlife sanctuaries rather than attractions that exploit animals, choosing experiences that educate rather than just entertain, and being honest when something doesn’t align with our values.
Food-Focused Experiences
Food is how cultures tell their stories. A bowl of pho in Hanoi, a sausage in Vienna, a plate of banchan in Seoul — these aren’t just meals, they’re windows into local culture, history, geography, and the daily lives of real people. We structure our trips so that food is always part of the journey, never an afterthought.
Vegan Values
Cruelty-free and eco-conscious throughout — not just in what we eat but in where we stay, what we visit, and who we support. We believe it’s possible to travel beautifully while causing as little harm as possible, and we’ve built our entire business around proving that point.
Unique Itineraries
We go where the food is extraordinary and the experience is genuine — from the silk road cities of Uzbekistan and the limestone karsts of Halong Bay to the floating markets of the Mekong Delta and the imperial tombs of Huế. Cultural highlights, must-sees, and off-the-beaten-path surprises, woven into every trip.
A note from
our founder.
“Having travelled to over 80 countries myself, I started this because I was tired of traveling as a vegan and feeling like an afterthought – or being in a place where everyone admires animals, just to later have them on their plate. Now I want every traveler in our groups to feel like the trip was built exactly for them — because it was.”
Vegan Tours NY began as a personal passion project — a way to share the neighborhoods and restaurants I loved in New York with people who cared about the same things I did. I never expected it to become what it is today.
What surprised me most was how much the world had to offer conscious travelers. The Buddhist vegetarian traditions in Vietnam, the incredible produce markets of Uzbekistan, the plant-based creativity exploding in cities around Europe — there is so much out there, and much of it is completely undiscovered by vegan travelers.
Every trip we design is a trip I’d want to take myself. That’s the only standard I know how to hold it to.
Small Groups, Always
A maximum of 16 travelers on every trip. This isn’t a policy — it’s a philosophy. Small groups mean better restaurant access, more flexible itineraries, deeper conversations with local guides, and the kind of spontaneous moments that larger tours simply can’t accommodate.
Local Guides, Not Scripts
Every trip is led by guides who live in the places we visit. They know which market stall has been run by the same family for three generations, which temple is only open on certain days, and where to find the best vegan bowl in the city. That knowledge can’t be replicated.
Vegan or Vegan-Friendly Restaurants Only
We research every restaurant personally before adding it to an itinerary. If we’re not confident you’ll eat well — really well — it doesn’t make the cut. This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between.
Experiences with Meaning
Wildlife sanctuaries over zoos. Family farms over factory visits. Cooking classes with local chefs over tourist demonstrations. We choose experiences that create genuine connection — with the place, the people, and the food — rather than just ticking boxes.
Flexible by Design
We build free time into every itinerary because the best travel moments are often unplanned. Want to wander Hội An’s Ancient Town on your own? Sleep in after three nights on a junk boat? Stay for another coffee at that bakery in Thimphu? That’s all part of it.
Honest About What’s Included
We’re transparent about what’s in the price and what isn’t — no hidden costs, no surprise upgrades. Every itinerary lists inclusions and exclusions clearly so you can plan and pack with confidence. No small print surprises.
Ready to travel
the way you actually want to?
Vietnam, Bhutan, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Antarctica and more — see all upcoming trips and find the one that’s calling your name.
Get in touch.
We’d love to hear from you.
Questions about a trip, dietary requirements, solo travel, or anything else — we’re a small team and we read every message. Reach out and we’ll get back to you within one business day.