Does it get any better than gravel/dirt touring? I don't think so. Two years ago, my perfect touring bike had 28-32mm tires. Now, I cannot imagine setting off for a tour with anything narrower than a 41mm tire, and I am most keen on bringing a straight-up mountain bike for whatever may happen.
Some of my favorite dirt touring tires right now:
Schwalbe Marathon Mondial
Maxxis Re-Fuse 40c w/ Puncture Protection, Tubeless
Teravail Sparwood 2.2 w/ Aramid Casing, Tubeless
Here's some pics of the terrain you find when you leave the Car network:
You just can't beat that!