“Enjoyed the emphasis on photo ops under all conditions, and the group we were

with. Couldn’t ask for better pre-trip communications and planning. Great to get to

know you. Wonderful sense of humor and a very nice way of taking over ‘when

circumstances warrant.’ Your organization and flexibility are to be commended.”

Why go on a group tour with me? Because I put together and escort terrific trips! Since I believe that good preparation makes for a better travel experience, I supply a wealth of material on our destination in the weeks prior to departure. Special extras include a group T-shirt, group photo, celebrations for holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries on tour, and an annual reunion each September.

I also try very hard to give good value for your money. My tours are usually priced much lower than comparable offerings from the big-name companies since I don’t spend a lot on expensive advertising and glossy brochures, and I don’t sell through travel agents, thus no commission needs to be built into the tour price. Compare and you’ll see.

UPCOMING TOURS

Click titles below for detailed itineraries

Ultimate Kenya Safari. Always my absolute favorite, especially in early summer, after the long rains, when it’s cool and green. This is the only tour I do every year, staying several days in each of the best reserves for wildlife-viewing, which means less moving from place to place, thus more game drives — which is, after all, why you’re booking an African safari. The trip includes 21 game drives from three luxury tented camps. Excellent wildlife sightings guaranteed — with usually only three to a car! (June 10-26)  Only 9 spaces remaining 

Nepal Odyssey. Nepal is a land of mystery and tradition, mystics and mountains, rivers and jungles. We’ll explore the ancient towns and villages of the Kathmandu Valley and spend time in hilltop villages with magical mountain views. We’ll relax in Pokhara, nestled in a valley beneath the Annapurna Massif with its sacred Fishtail Peak. And we’ll explore the Terai wilderness of Chitwan National Park in search of Royal Bengal tigers and the greater one-horned Indian rhino. (October 29-November 14)  Just 5 spaces remaining

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2019

Colombia. Once again a valued destination, Colombia offers a wealth of indigenous cultures, a Spanish Colonial heritage, lush landscapes, coffee plantations, archaeological treasures, and Caribbean sun. We’ll visit the Gold Museum and see grand colonial mansions and magnificent cathedrals in Bogota, and explore the illuminated chambers of the subterranean salt cathedral in Zipaquira. We’ll explore cobblestone streets brimming with vibrant colonial architecture in historically rich Cartagena (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and travel to the lush plantations and whitewashed towns of the Coffee Triangle, the emerald green of the area’s terraced hillsides and valleys contrasting with the peaks of snowcapped Andes. An added attraction is the intriguing archaeological zone of San Agustin, where enigmatic pre-Columbian stone figures stand amid a spectacular landscape. (March)

Ultimate Kenya Safari. Always my absolute favorite, especially in early summer, after the long rains, when it’s cool and green. This is the only tour I do every year, staying several days in each of the best reserves for wildlife-viewing (Samburu and Masai Mara), which means less moving from place to place, thus more game drives — which is, after all, why you’re booking an African safari. The 2018 trip includes 21 game drives from three luxury tented camps, and we’ll do the same in 2019. Excellent wildlife sightings guaranteed — with usually only three to a car! (June)

The Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro. The Balkan Peninsula is bordered on three sides by the Adriatic, Mediterranean, and Black Seas. A remarkably complex region, it’s a mosaic of competing cultures, ethnicities, languages and ideologies, and contains several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is surrounded by the Dinaric Alps, while Mostar’s Stari Most (Old Bridge) dates back to Ottoman times. In Montenegro, Kotor’s fortress and Budva’s walled city both date back to Roman times. Little-known Albania has 225 miles of coastline, Greek and Roman ruins, and vestiges of an Ottoman heritage. Prizren, with its historic old town, hilltop castle, and an impressive array of mosques and churches, lies at the heart of southern Kosovo. Skopje, Macedonia’s capital, is the birthplace of Mother Teresa; its Ottoman influence can be seen best in the wonderful old Turkish quarter. We will again be accompanied by Turkish photographer Mehmet Ozbalci, whose itineraries are designed specifically for photographers to help them create iconic images. (October)

LOOKING EVEN FARTHER AHEAD

Ultimate Kenya Safari (June 2020)

Silk Road 'Stans: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan with Mehmet Ozbalci (September/October 2020)