Ready to skip the family dinner drama this Thanksgiving? We hear you. Consider swapping your usual turkey basting duties for an exciting holiday with an unexpected twist: a turkey feast served atop Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Offered by award-winning tour operator Thomson Safaris, the experience includes a roasted turkey served 10,000 feet above sea level as a dinner stop on an expedition to the summit, guided by an exemplary team of professionals. Unlike many companies, Thomson Safari guides are certified by the Wilderness Medical Association as Wilderness First Responders, adding a level of safety and psychological comfort to the journey. The nine-day, eight-night adventure begins at $3,890 per person.

Thanksgiving Banquet © The Merrion Hotel

Elsewhere, The Merrion Hotel in Dublin, Ireland, invites guests to enjoy an Irish-American repast in the new Garden Room Restaurant on Thanksgiving Day. Executive chef Ed Cooney plans a menu that includes New England clam chowder, Friendly Farmer Irish Roast Turkey, New Orleans gumbo, macaroni and cheese and pecan pie for dessert. Offered Nov. 19–23, the special getaway begins at €630 (approximately $729) per night, based on double occupancy.

Prefer a rural Irish setting? The Lodge at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, set within the gorgeous grounds of the Ashford Castle Estate, treats guests to a welcome reception by the crackling fire with the lodge’s own Fall Cider Cocktail or Spiced Pumpkin Eggnog. Afterwards, a three-course dinner created by chef Jonathan Keane will be served, with a menu that includes pumpkin soup, roasted turkey and pecan pie. Carmel Dempsey, Mike Stewart and Brenda Curtin Diviney, who acts as the lead fiddle player with Lord of the Dance, will perform live music. Prices for a one-night stay with breakfast the next morning and access to activities on the estate begin at €249 (approximately $288) per night, based on double occupancy.

Copyright Richard Moran © The Lodge at Ashford Castle

Meanwhile, in Japan, you can celebrate birds instead of roasting them at the annual Tori no Ichi festival (Day of the Bird). Events will play out in 30 Otori shrines throughout Japan, Nov. 13 and 25. Created to honor farmers, the festival’s origins date to the Edo era. Today, visitors can enjoy traditional street food and performances specific to location, or shop for bamboo rakes, believed to deliver happiness and prosperity.

Tori no Ichi © OOTORIJINJA