“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

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 7-26)  Sorry, tour closed

The Balkans & Adriatic: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North 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 Adriatic 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, North 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 4-20)  8 spaces remaining

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2020

Ultimate Kenya Safari. Always my absolute favorite, especially in early summer, after the long rains, when it’s cool and green. We spend a couple days in Nairobi (Sheldrick elephant orphanage, Rothschild giraffes, Karen Blixen Museum), visit a primary school in Karatina, and stay several days in each of the best reserves for wildlife-viewing (Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Samburu, and Masai Mara), which means less moving from place to place, thus more game drives (21!) — which is, after all, why you’re booking an African safari. Three luxurious permanent tented camps and only three people per car. Excellent wildlife sightings guaranteed! (June 8-24, 2020)  Pricing not available until August 2019

Best of Namibia. Namibia is a dream safari destination, a photographer’s delight, and so much more! Visit the old German towns of Windhoek and Keetmanshoop. See stunning quivertree forests, a superb collection of San rock art at Twyfelfontein, and the abandoned diamond mining town of Kolmanskop, gradually being engulfed by the relentlessly shifting desert sands. Explore the Welwitschia Plains and moon landscape near Swakopmund. Photograph the epic dunes at Sossusvlei, and drive along the Skeleton Coast with its seal colonies and shipwrecks. Visit Himba people who still live and dress according to ancient traditions, rubbing their bodies with red ochre and fat, the women’s sculptural beauty enhanced by intricate hairstyles and traditional adornments. At Etosha National Park, photograph abundant wildlife drinking at waterholes along a salt pan covering nearly 2,000 square miles. (July 21-August 9, 2020)

Silk Road ’Stans: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan. Uzbekistan is home to an incredible number of photogenic mosques, mausoleums, and madrasas in every shade of blue. Its centuries-long history under Persian rule and as a key stop on the Silk Road left a rich cultural and architectural legacy, made all the more fascinating by the country’s time as an enclave of the Soviet Union. Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, and Tashkent never fail to impress. Hospitality remains an essential element of daily life and you'll be made to feel genuinely welcome by the people you meet. Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city and the country’s capital during Soviet times, is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Here we photograph local people in colorful traditional dress, Kazakh men on horses, elderly ladies spinning wool, and enjoy lunch in a yurt. On the scenic Assy Plateau, we drive through breathtaking views and see nomads herding their animals and living in yurts. Kyrgyzstan is a nation defined by its natural beauty. Joyously unspoiled mountainscapes, stark craggy ridges, and rolling summer pastures are brought to life by semi-nomadic, yurt-dwelling shepherds. We will again be accompanied by Turkish photographer Mehmet Ozbalci, whose itineraries are designed specifically for photographers to help them create iconic images. (September 2020)