Holbrook Expeditions | 2019 Travel Planner by Holbrook Travel

Holbrook Expeditions 2018â&#x20AC;&#x201D;2019 TRAVEL planner

Enriching lives through travel since 1974 800-451-7111 | holbrooktravel.com | travel@holbrooktravel.com

Dear friends and travel leaders, This fall has brought about exciting developments in travel and conservation. At a recent forum to recognize 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism, I listened to testimonials from communities that are seeing real change arising from local conservation initiatives. It was heartening to see tangible results from travelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impact on poverty reduction, environmental protection, and community education. More than ever, travel programs need to be low impact and directly beneficial to the areas in which they take place. Enjoying travel, learning, and giving back are not mutually exclusive. At Holbrook, all our programs are founded on in-depth experiential exploration, lifelong learning, and meaningful community interaction. Our passion is to bring your travel experience alive through education, immersion, and active engagement throughout the world. We are delighted to present you with our 2018-2019 Travel Planner. This planner provides a guide for organizing group travel and has a comprehensive collection of tried-and-true itineraries. In this edition, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve expanded programs further afield and added more unique activities to each program. Not seeing a destination for your interest? Visit our website for all our itineraries. This past year weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also expanded our in-country connections, the result of close working relationships with local academic and research institutions, industries, and community organizations. We can bring connections to the fore to enhance any program or organizational mission.

I look forward to welcoming you in the field this coming year and beyond. With every good wish,

A n dr e a H o lb ro o k Pre s i de n t, H o lbro o k Trave l 2

HOLBROOK EXPEDITIONS 2018-2019 Travel Planner A resource to help you select and plan the ideal group travel program for your organization's members or associates. In addition to our most popular itineraries featured on these pages, visit holbrooktravel.com for a complete selection from over 30 countries and 100 itineraries.

GROUP TRAVEL PLANNER FOR: ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS • NATURE ORGANIZATIONS • MUSEUMS AND ZOOS BIRDING GROUPS • GARDEN ASSOCIATIONS • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 3

Your Passion, our expertise With hand-crafted itineraries and a deep, personal knowledge gained in the field, we love helping travelers explore their passions.

Signature Itineraries Travel provides a unique opportunity to engage with another culture, to explore another ecosystem, to observe fascinating biodiversity, and to expand perspectives on the world. Our programs have been developed and refined from our many years of experience. We’ve selected the best destinations for maximizing the experience, paced the programs to be comfortable, and incorporated opportunities for authentic cultural exchange. Together, we’ll create a tailored program for you and any companions — suited to your dates, your pace, and your budget.

Unparalleled Field Experience Holbrook Travel has spent years building relationships with experienced local providers worldwide, including in-country guides, drivers, lodges, and hotels. On all of our expeditions you can expect carefully selected local experts (whether for birding, photography, public gardens, or other interests) who bring forth a lifetime of experience and research in locations across the globe. Each Holbrook guide offers site knowledge that allows you to personally identify species with ease, accessibility, and most importantly, within environmental and cultural contexts that bring the travel experience to life.

A Wide Range of Special Interests We invite you to explore our world, offering: • Natural History • Cultural Exploration • Birding • Adventure • Garden Tours • Photography • Professional Development To see all trips visit holbrooktravel.com 5

The Holbrook Travel Difference ENRICHMENT | COMMUNITY | CONSERVATION

Ascend the remains of ancient Maya pyramids in Belize or snorkel with sea lions in the Galápagos Islands. Meet with researchers and conservationists in Cuba to discuss their work or share a traditional meal with a family in Peru’s Sacred Valley. Track Bengal tigers on safari in India or relax in thermal hot springs in the shadow of a volcano. Learn about glaciers in Iceland, gardens in South Africa, or the Great Migration in Tanzania. Wherever you go, whatever your interests, the one thing you will always do with Holbrook is learn. We are dedicated to facilitating a genuine connection between our travelers and their destinations, and we do this by immersing you in the natural world, engaging you with hands-on activities, introducing you to local people, and supporting communities as they work to preserve 6

their cultural and natural heritage—always adhering to the best practices of ethical and sustainable tourism.

Since 1974, we’ve worked with experts around the world to bring you special insider access and behind-the-scenes experiences that ordinary tours cannot provide. And because we only hire residents of the region to guide you, you will gain a rich and authentic perspective that resonates long after the journey is over. DID YOU KNOW? Our company got its start in 1971, when founder Giovanna Holbrook pioneered a journey to the Galápagos Islands for a group of naturalists and science professors aboard a retired Navy vessel—at a time when tourism infrastructure was virtually nonexistent. Three years later, Holbrook Travel was born.

What sets US apart Travel with a purpose At Holbrook, we pride ourselves on programs

that offer in-depth experiential exploration, lifelong learning, and meaningful exchanges with local communities. We bring the travel experience alive through education, immersion, and active engagement in over 30 countries worldwide.

Our resources within the destinations we serve are vast. For over 40 years we’ve developed close working relationships with local organizations dedicated to education, research, industry, and

conservation. Our network of NGOs, scholars, and distinguished experts uncovers deeper understanding.

Our itineraries follow our principles of field-based

learning and often include custom visits within local schools and villages, home-hosted meals, talks with local leaders, community service projects, citizen science, authentic cultural exchange, and more. We are adept at tailoring our itineraries to a particular theme or organization, aligning them to your goals and interests as the guidelines for the program.

rich content

custom-tailored trips

expert Resident guides

Our itineraries are designed to facilitate a genuine connection between our travelers and their destinations.

At no additional cost, you can tailor any itinerary to better suit your needs or build a brand new trip from scratch.

Carefully selected for their knowledge, sensitivity, and skill in the field, our guides are all residents of the region who will share an insider’s perspective.

Inclusive Value

knowledgeable staff

Unlike other travel providers, our pricing includes most meals, activities, and entrance fees so your group won’t have to travel with extra cash to cover surprise expenses.

With an average tenure of 10+ years, our team is highly experienced at planning incredible travel experiences.

supporting local communities

sustainable travel

24/7/365 service

Flight Arrangements

We believe travel should have a positive impact on the world. We commit to maintaining responsible travel practices and partner with ClimateSafe to provide carbon offsetting.

Enjoy worry-free travel — our emergency line is monitored 24/7/365 and our safety protocols, $3 million liability policy, and group insurance options give you peace of mind.

We’re a full service travel provider and are happy to assist with arranging the flights for you and your group if desired.

We work with local guides and organizations so your trip includes authentic cultural experiences while supporting the economy of the region.

Organizations weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked with Holbrook provides enriching travel programs for a variety of leading educational, nature, alumni, museum, and conservation organizations and their members. Below is just a sampling of the partners weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had the pleasure of working with. Operation RubyThroat THE HUMMIN GBIRD PRO JECT

HOW WE SUPPORT OUR PLANNERS & LEADERS Travel programs are a wonderful way to foster relationships and even raise funds for your organization. Whether you’re an educator, curator, birder or organization leader, Holbrook helps you accomplish your goals by matching you with the best itinerary and providing superior service and expertise. As a full-service travel provider we can assist

you with every detail.

Helping you at every step Planning a travel program with Holbrook is easy. We offer a full menu of services to support you, from the initial planning stages to the return home. We handle all the field operations like clockwork; we provide liability coverage, easy enrollment, optional travel insurance, a dedicated travel specialist, and 24-hour emergency answering service. Holbrook’s 7-step process makes it easy: 1. CHOOSE YOUR ITINERARY Based on your specific interests,

dates, and goals, your Holbrook Group Travel Specialist will help you decide which itinerary and level of customization are right for you.

2. REVIEW OUR PROPOSAL Your specialist will provide a detailed proposal with the final itinerary and pricing. Once you accept, we handle all the logistics for you.

3. GET THE WORD OUT We provide you and your participants with DID YOU KNOW? Over the course of our extensive history, Holbrook has developed special relationships with in-country experts, scholars, communities, and organizations. These resources are called upon as we align your mission and goals to provide the most enriching experience, tailored to your participants' interests.

an initial information packet, plus a brochure and dedicated webpage. We can also supply posters, email copy, and presentations.

4. ENROLL YOUR PARTICIPANTS We make it easy for your travelers to register by offering online enrollment, payment plan options, and other resources, saving you the trouble of collecting paperwork or money.

5. SUBMIT FINAL PAYMENTS Final payments are usually due 95 days prior to departure, depending on your destination. Holbrook's "My Account" keeps track of your group’s payment status for you.

6. REVIEW YOUR FINAL PACKET You’ll receive your final

information packet 2-3 weeks before you leave. You may want to host a bon voyage meeting with your group.

7. SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE RIDE! Head to the airport and get ready to experience the trip of a lifetime!

MEET THE HOLBROOK TEAM

Headquartered in Gainesville, Florida, Holbrook

Travel was founded in 1974 and has over 35 employees on staff. The Holbrook team is composed of lifelong learners and global adventurers from around the world who all share a love of travel.

Our Specialty Travel Experts |

A significant portion of our team has a long tenure

at Holbrook, a unique trait that translates into smooth communication, extensive knowledge, and deep relationships with our travel partners around the globe.

Let us help you craft the perfect expedition

CHRIS BENSLEY | Vice President of Sales and Marketing Worked at Holbrook since: 2016

A newcomer by Holbrook standards, Chris has over 25 years of experience with leading companies including Overseas Adventure Travel, Vantage Travel, and Paul Gauguin Cruises. He has developed partnerships with numerous organizations, including Smithsonian, Harvard, and Audubon. Chris earned his BA from Dartmouth College and holds an MBA from UCLA. He caught the travel bug at an early age on a family sabbatical to Europe and now has ventured to over 40 countries on seven continents.

KRISTEN BUCKLEY | Educational Travel Consultant Worked at Holbrook since: 2017

Kristen received her BS at Wingate University as well as her master's in teaching. Kristen has worked as a classroom teacher for the past 10 years. Her teaching career took her to North Carolina, Virginia, and Massachusetts. As a former educator, she is very passionate about integrating STEM into the curriculum and making sure students receive a hands-on approach. She learned to love travel from her life as a military child. She went to three different high schools, and moved 14 times in her childhood! 10

Sandy Doss | Global Education Specialist Worked at Holbrook since: 1997

Sandy, a former classroom educator with a biology degree, has enjoyed a career working with both national and state associations, K-12 and higher education, and non-profit travel. Sandy specializes in partnership development, fostering organizationto-organization educational travel and faculty-led initiatives spanning the globe, with personal travels to all seven continents. Sandy returned to Holbrook in 2016 after a hiatus that included serving as Groups Regional Sales Manager for G-Adventures and Founder of The Eco-Infinity Group.

LISA PALMESE-GRAUBARD | Education & Eco-Expedition Specialist

Worked at Holbrook since: 1990

Lisa says she was drawn into the world of travel with Holbrook and there was no looking back. She has visited 17 countries, swum with sea lions, and been in the middle of a herd of wild elephants. She specializes in working with educators of all academic levels, as well as non-profit organizations. Not only does she love exposing students to authentic experiences, she also loves working with educators who have the passion to give their students learning opportunities they could not have in a traditional classroom. Her dedication to her clients is evident, with many of them returning year after year.

sandy schmidt | Specialty Travel Consultant & Garden Tours Director Worked at Holbrook since: 1992

Sandy’s first career was as a professional musician, from high school through her early 30s. She graduated in 1991 from the University of Florida with a BS in horticulture. A year later she met Giovanna Holbrook and began her career at Holbrook. She has worked with all types of client organizations and enjoys planning travel for groups of friends and families as well. In 2006, she developed the International Garden Tours program at Holbrook Travel.

DEBBIE STURDIVANT JORDAN | Specialty Travel Consultant

Worked at Holbrook since: 1986

Debbie was initiated into the world of travel at an early age, living aboard a 36-foot sailboat from ages 9 to 18 with her family. They sailed from California to Florida and spent a lot of time in Costa Rica, Panama, and the Galápagos. Since then, she has been all over Latin America and developed a passion for nature and birding. She has been to 49 U.S. states but has yet to visit Hawaii — a place she can’t wait to get to.

fran whitlock | Specialty Travel Consultant & Air Specialist Worked at Holbrook since: 1992

Fran came to work at Holbrook Travel with14 years of retail travel under her belt. In 2001 she joined the group travel planning team, and she specializes in individual travel as well as group travel for Central and South America, Cuba, parts of Africa, and Iceland. At Holbrook, Fran not only provides personalized travel experiences for individuals and groups but also fulfills the role of Air Specialist. She has traveled to Cuba, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Ecuador and the Galápagos, and on her bucket list are Chile and Iceland!

STEFANIE WOLF | Educational Travel Consultant

Worked at Holbrook since: 2017

Stefanie has a BS in Ecology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and an MS in Biology from Western Illinois University. Stefanie’s love of travel led her to spend a semester studying marine biology on the Great Barrier Reef at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia. During her master’s degree she conducted fieldwork on bottlenose dolphins in the Northeasten Adriatic Sea, Croatia. Stefanie also assisted her sister with an anthropology study in remote Ugandan villages. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, scuba diving, snorkeling, photography, exploring the world, and shelling.

our field staff & expert guides

At Holbrook, we understand that the caliber of your in-country guide can make a great trip truly extraordinary, which is why we carefully recruit and train only the best. Working as your partner in the field, all our resident guides have undergone intensive academic and field training. Knowledgeable, resourceful, passionate, and attentive, they are deeply committed to education and environmental stewardship. Allow us to introduce you to some of these dedicated professionals.

Hiram González Cuba Hiram is a three-time recipient of the Felipe Poey Award and the National Order of Merit Carlos J. Finlay, the Cuban Council of State’s highest distinction for lifetime scientific achievement. He received his PhD in Biological Science in 1996 and has special expertise in ornithology, fauna conservation, monitoring, and zoological collections. Author of “Birds of Cuba” and the editor of numerous books such as “Biodiversity of Cuba,” he has also written more than 132 scientific papers. Hiram has 40 years of experience as a birdwatching guide in all provinces of Cuba, and was selected to lead President Jimmy Carter when he visited Cuba.

Edwin Ramírez Costa rica Edwin’s birding skills and leadership have earned him the title of “Master Guide.” He studied tropical biology at the Universidad de Costa Rica before graduating with a teaching degree in English, but soon found the classroom too confining and continued his career as an educator outdoors. For 18 years he has been a professional naturalist guide, fulfilling the calling that began in his childhood when his grandfather regaled him with an endless repertoire of stories about animals and birds. As one traveler said, “Edwin Ramirez was stupendous…. Pleasant, humorous, intelligent, easy-going, and an asset to the program. He is the program. Edwin knows, sees, hears, and finds all birds.” 12

Gilberth “Chito” Molina Costa rica Chito is a legend at Selva Verde Lodge and the Organization for Tropical Studies, where he worked his way up from gardener to resident naturalist. Over three years he received practical and theoretical training on the flora, fauna, and birds of Costa Rica, but his real education began many years prior, when his father would teach him about the rainforest as they walked the trails looking for telltale signs of poachers. Travel with this world-class birder (and plant expert and soccer enthusiast), and you will agree with one guest who said, “His expertise is responsible for the success of the program!”

lucas mhina tanzania Lucas was born and raised in Arusha, the safari gateway of Tanzania, and educated in Nairobi and London, where he received his BA in Hospitality and Tourism Management. While pursuing his post-secondary studies in 1999, he began working as a Ranger Guide and was quickly rated as one of the best in his field. He is fluent in English and Swahili, has completed additional certifications in South Africa, such as Advanced Field Guiding and First Aid, and has led groups through East Africa’s most important national parks. If you travel with Lucas you will gain a unique perspective on Tanzanian society. His parents are from two different tribes (Bondei from the coast of Tanzania and Chagga from the Mt. Kilimanjaro region), and he loves to share stories about local culture.

Victor Mendía Galápagos Victor was born in Puyo, Ecuador, where the Andes and the lowland forests of the Amazon meet. After high school he served eight years in the Ecuador Army Special Forces, where he learned skydiving and underwent rigorous Navy Seal commando training. Having served to protect his country, he decided it was time to “take care of nature,” so he became a certified Naturalist Guide and then a Marine Reserve Guide for the Galápagos Islands National Park. This entailed studies in the islands’ ecology, flora and fauna, geology, volcanology, conservation, and environmental education. Victor is a scuba instructor with almost 30 years of experience. He enjoys traveling and has visited the U.S., Japan, Colombia, Costa Rica, Malaysia, and Indonesia, among other destinations.

archie kirchman panama Archie received his engineering degree in Computer Programming and Software Development, but in 1987 switched his career to ecotourism, natural history, and environmental education. It was a formative high school experience with a nonprofit organization that revealed his true calling. Archie did research and field work in national parks to prevent erosion and assist in rainforest recovery, and at the end of this internship his group received funding from the World Wildlife Fund and the PA.NA.M.A. Foundation to build an interpretative viewpoint at Altos de Campana National Park. Today, this spot is still one of Archie’s favorite places and he loves to share it with family, friends, and guests. 13

commitment to conservation & sustainability Holbrook Travel is dedicated to fostering the best practices of ethical and eco-friendly travel, and we’ve spent decades developing partnerships with individuals and organizations that support our values.

Holbrook Travel + Selva Verde Lodge In 1984, Holbrook Travel became a pioneer in ecotourism when founder Giovanna Holbrook purchased the forest that would become Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve, one of Costa Rica’s first ecolodges. Since then, Holbrook Travel and Selva Verde have been committed to protecting these precious habitats and the rich biodiversity found here.

Holbrook Travel + ClimateSafe Since 2007, Holbrook Travel has partnered with ClimateSafe, the first federally recognized certification mark for greenhouse gas neutral products and services in the U.S., allowing our clients to offset the carbon produced during their travels with us. The initiative reduces greenhouse emissions through a variety of investments in renewables, energy efficiency, and forestry projects, both in the U.S. and abroad.

Holbrook Travel + local communities Holbrook Travel takes active steps to minimize any negative impacts travel might have on a host country. By seeking in-country partners such as tour operators, hotel providers, and guides that adhere to the best practices in sustainable travel, we aim to protect the environment and improve the well-being of local people.

Holbrook Travel + birding ethics Holbrook’s resident guides have been trained to follow the code of birding ethics put forth by the American Birding Association (ABA). Holbrook uses clear guidelines to ethically conduct our birding tours, including how to promote the welfare of birds and their habitats and to respect the interests and skills of fellow birders and nature enthusiasts.

• Flyway Expeditions Holbrook supports National Audubon Society and its partners in advancing

conservation and sustainable development in bird hot-spots. Our Flyway Expeditions tours developed from this initiative are designed to help protect key target areas along the flyways for migratory and local species, with initial sites in Belize, Colombia, Guatemala, Paraguay and the Bahamas.

• ABA Birders’ Exchange Holbrook Travel is an official partner in the ABA’s extremely successful and

vital Birders’ Exchange program. The program donates optics and field equipment to researchers, local guides, park rangers, and students in Latin America and the Caribbean who are working to protect birds and their habitats. 15

Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve In 1984, during the course of running an expedition in Costa Rica, Holbrook Travel’s founder, Giovanna Holbrook, came across a large, forested property in the Sarapiquí region that was in danger of being timbered. After buying the property, the once-endangered forest became a private, 500-acre rainforest reserve and one of the country’s first ecolodges, Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve. The lodge is recognized by Costa Rica’s Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program as a level three classification, a reflection of Selva Verde’s ongoing commitment to responsible practices and the preservation of natural resources for future generations. Selva Verde actively works with conservation partners, including the Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center, to promote conservation and environmental education throughout the local community.

Experience Holbrook’s Costa Rican Ecolodge, Our Home Away from Home Selva Verde is your gateway into a magical world of towering Almendro trees, mantled howler monkeys, and Keel-billed Toucans. Located just two hours from San José in the heart of Costa Rica’s Sarapiquí canton, the lodge provides easy access to the wonders of the rainforest. The abundant biodiversity, comfortable rainforest lodge, and exciting activities are ideal for adventure seekers, bird and wildlife watchers, students, and families. The lodge’s beautiful, simple, and comfortable rooms are incorporated into the rainforest on elevated wooden platforms and covered walkways that blend in with the natural surroundings. Immerse yourself in tropical nature as you hike through deep green forest or reflect quietly in a comfortable hammock. Selva Verde is also fully equipped for presentations and lectures. The air conditioned conference room seats up to 200 people and contains presentation equipment (two-screen projection), wireless internet, speaker and audience microphones, and drop down screens. Additional classrooms and meeting space are also available. 16

DID YOU KNOW? Biological corridors are stretches of forest that allow wildlife to migrate freely and safely between areas. Selva Verde is a part of the Mesoamerican Bio-Corridor, an international initiative to link forested land between Mexico and Panama in order to protect the abundant biodiversity of species and habitats in the region.

Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center The Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center (SCLC) was established in 1993 by Holbrook Travel and Selva Verde Lodge founder Giovanna Holbrook and her friend and fellow pioneer, Bertha Carter, to promote conservation and environmental education throughout the local community. Funded in part by its ecotourism activities, the SCLC is a nonprofit organization where visitors can meet local people for mutual exchange through cultural activities and service projects. The SCLC’s programs benefit local residents and include a semi-public library that is part of the National Library System, technology classes (as part of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Telecommunications), English classes, and many ad hoc programs. 17

WORLDWIDE Destinations At Holbrook, we do more than just plan travel; we help you truly engage with the places you’re visiting. We’re adept at combining your interests with cultural, natural, and adventure-based activities to suit your needs, and you’ll benefit from the long-standing relationships we’ve cultivated in over 30 countries around the world. Having trouble deciding where to go? Our travel specialists can suggest a destination for you based on your interests and goals.

COSTA RICA

CUBA

GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS

ICELAND

SOUTH AFRICA

Fiji

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA Alaska Alaska’s majestic mountain peaks, glaciers, tundra, temperate forests, and nearly 34,000 miles of protected coastal waters contain breathtaking scenery and wildlife such as grizzly bears, humpback whales, and Bald Eagles.

Mexico Visitors are intrigued by Mexico’s many charms, from the Baja Peninsula’s crystal-clear waters, to the Mayan sites of the Yucatán, to the annual migration of millions of monarch butterflies in southern Mexico — one of nature’s most amazing phenomena.

Belize Belize is home to many important and well-known pre-Columbian Maya ruins. Its remote cayes and barrier reef system (the second largest in the world) make it the perfect place to snorkel and study marine ecosystems.

guatemala With a landscape ranging from the volcano-ringed Lake Atitlán to northern jungles and Pacific coast beaches, Guatemala is the perfect setting to explore natural beauty and archaeological wonders. Ancient Maya villages grace the area while exquisite birds, like the once-sacred Resplendent Quetzal, beckon. Costa Rica Cloud forests, rainforests, valleys of coffee, and volcanic mountain peaks fill the land between Caribbean and Pacific beaches. Approximately 25 percent of Costa Rica’s land is protected, making it an ecological Eden of natural treasures.

Panama Nestled between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Panama is home to extraordinary biodiversity. In addition to its famous canal, the country’s pristine rainforests, fertile highlands, and beautiful beaches are a passageway for migrating birds.

Cuba Steeped in tradition and historic charm, Cuba’s culture is rivaled only by its natural beauty. With Havana’s bustling artistic scene, and the quiet escape of rural landscapes and beaches, Cuba offers a perfect balance of excitement and respite for all kinds of travel.

Ask us about our expeditions in: • Honduras

• Nicaragua

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

ALASKA

kayaking in alaska

Hidden Treasures of the Last Frontier 9 DAYS from $2,540 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: JUN - SEP adventure | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Discover the natural wonders and scenic beauty of the “Last Frontier” – Alaska! Perhaps no place fills the senses more than Cordova, Alaska’s hidden treasure. Cordova is a small, coastal town surrounded by glacier-carved mountains and nestled at the head of Orca Inlet in Eastern Prince William Sound. The area will dazzle you with wildlife, rich wetlands, lush forests, and countless waterways. Explore the natural grandeur with exciting activities such as hiking, kayaking, wildlife photography, boating, flightseeing, and more. Each day you’ll enjoy hearty meals – home-cooked with local ingredients and plenty of fresh seafood – and stay in a cozy ecolodge.

• DAYS 2-7 Cordova • DAY 8 Anchorage —

ANCHORAGE CORDOVA

Depart

Price based on 16 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

It was everything and more than we hoped for. This rated as one of the best trips that we have ever taken... it was the real Alaska experience! We would've gladly stayed longer!

• fly to explore Egg Island, a barrier island hosting a variety of bird species. • take a boat trip to the panoramic Orca Inlet to see the world’s largest population of sea otters.

• DAY 9 Arrive home

“

• hike through three complete ecosystems on the Heney Ridge Trail, where birds and wildlife can be spotted. • visit the massive Childs Glacier, the Copper River Delta, and the famous Million Dollar Bridge.

Itinerary • DAY 1 Anchorage

Highlights

STEVE AND SHERYL PEARSON

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/AKAF19

• Kayak the tranquil waters of Orca Inlet, surrounded by snowcapped mountains and home to sea otters and seals. • Participate in a discussion on global warming before heading to the Sheridan Glacier for an ice trekking excursion.

MEXICO

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

gray whale

Baja Peninsula: Gray Whales and Desert Landscapes 9 DAYS from $3,285 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: FEB - MAR NATURAL HISTORY | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: PHOTOGRAPHY

Each year, gray whales travel thousands of miles from the Arctic Ocean to the warm waters of Baja California’s lagoons to court, mate, give birth, and care for their young. Join us for the best of Baja! Take part in one of the most unique natural wonders of the world. Visit the peninsula’s three whale sanctuaries for arm’s-length encounters with these giant mammals. Plus, you can sample local foods in La Paz, look for birds among the mangroves, and explore the arid peninsula of Baja California, home to over 600 endemic plants including the unique Boojum tree, towering Cardon cactus, and the contorted Elephant tree. Itinerary • DAYS 1-2 La Paz

SAN DIEGO ENSENADA

• DAY 7 Cataviña • DAY 8 Ensenada • DAY 9 Depart

CATAVIÑA SAN IGNACIO MULEGÉ LORETO

• Seek out birds among the mangroves, shore, and prickly desert vegetation of the highlands.

LA PAZ

Price based on 15 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

“

• See gray whales up close and personal! Enjoy thrilling opportunities to encounter these gentle giants from a small boat. • Enjoy the crystal-clear waters, pristine beach, hidden coves, and tropical marine life of the protected island of Espíritu Santo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• DAYS 3-4 Loreto • DAYS 5-6 San Ignacio

Highlights

The whale watching was outstanding.

• Walk through the scenic desert garden landscapes of gigantic granite boulders, Boojum trees, Cardon cacti and Elephant trees.

LOU HORTON

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/MXNB19

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

MEXICO

scarlet macaws

Birding the Ruins of the Yucatán 10 DAYS from $2,055 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: NOV - APR birding | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY, CULTURE & HISTORY

Pack your binoculars and embark on an intense birding adventure to the environmentally diverse Yucatán Peninsula. Witness native birds soar above the stunning ruins of San Gervasio, Becán, Chacchoben, and other archaeological sites on this journey through the Maya world. Heads will turn at every point of this expedition as you look for magnificent bird species such as Ocellated Turkey, Rose-throated Tanager, and many more. From trail hikes to boat rides, birding enthusiasts will have an opportunity to participate in a variety of outdoor activities while learning about the history of the Maya and the birds that call the Yucatán Peninsula home.

Itinerary • DAYs 1-2 Cozumel • DAYS 3-4 Chetumal • DAYs 5-6 Xpujil • DAY 7 Uxmal • DAYS 8-9 Celestun

UXMAL CELESTUN XPUJIL

COZUMEL CHETUMAL

• DAY 10 Depart

Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. DID YOU KNOW? Found throughout the entire Yucatán Peninsula, the sought-after Yucatán Woodpecker cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/MXBY19

Highlights • ENJOY exceptional birding while visiting the walled city of Becán, once a Maya political, economic, and religious center. • Watch for target species like the Hook-billed and Gray-headed Kites, Hawk Eagle, and the magnificent King Vulture. • Embark on a boat ride on Bacalar lagoon, nicknamed the "Lake of Seven Colors," for birding in the Chacchoben site. • search for avifauna in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, home to approximately 350 bird species. • Hear lectures about a multitude of fascinating birding subjects including “Birding Yucatán,” a flamingo conservation project, and the birds and extinct species of Cozumel.

BELIZE

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

xunantunich

Best of Belize: Caves, Corals, and Mayan Wonders 8 DAYS from $2,675 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - JUL NATURAL HISTORY | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: PHOTOGRAPHY, CULTURE & hISTORY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Lush rainforests teeming with fauna, ancient and mysterious Maya ruins, and coral reefs rich with vibrant marine life — the tiny country of Belize has it all. Discover the natural and archaeological highlights of this Central American jewel with visits to mountains, forest reserves, caves, Maya sites, and the Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest reef system in the world. Have the opportunity to meet with local residents, including conservationists and artisans. Experience the best of Belize during this 8-day expedition.

Highlights • OBSERVE tapirs, jaguars, and Harpy Eagles at the world-renowned Belize Zoo.

Itinerary • DAY 1 Belize City • DAYS 2-4 Roaring River

AMBERGRIS CAYE

• DAYS 5-6 Ambergris Caye • DAY 7 Belize City • DAY 8 Depart

BELIZE CITY

Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

ROARING RIVER

DID YOU KNOW? The Belize Barrier Reef, part of the world’s second-largest coral reef system, is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/BZNB19

• DELVE INTO the Maya underworld as you descend into Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, a Maya ceremonial burial ground and site of the “Crystal Maiden” skeletal remains. • VISIt the Community Baboon Sanctuary (CBS), a small grassroots project committed to saving the habitat of the black howler monkey. • CLIMB to the top of El Castillo pyramid, the second tallest man-made structure in Belize, at Xunantunich, Belize’s most accessible Maya site of significance. • look for colorful fish, sea sponges, stingrays and other marine life during snorkeling excursions at Ambergris Caye. 25

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

BELIZE

BELIZE BARRIER REEF

Exploring Belize: Rainforests, Reefs, and Ruins 8 DAYS from $3,450 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - JUN adventure | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, BIRDING, PHOTOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The eco-paradise of Belize offers something to arouse the imagination of every curious traveler: incredible biodiversity, the world’s second largest barrier reef, lush rainforests, and ruin-rich jungles and caves where the heritage of the Maya is ever-present. This 8-day learning expedition introduces you to it all, and makes the discovery even more memorable with exhilarating adventure activities. At the end of each rewarding day you’ll enjoy the comfort and hospitality of some of Belize’s best ecolodges. Itinerary • DAY 1 Belize City

• DAYS 5-7 Hopkins

• DAYS 2-4 Roaring River

• DAY 8 Depart

BELIZE CITY

ROARING RIVER HOPKINS Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. DID YOU KNOW? At approximately 130 feet tall, Xunantunich’s El Castillo (“The Castle”) pyramid is the second tallest manmade structure in Belize.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/BZAR19

Highlights • Explore the Mayan underworld at Actun Tunichil Muknal, a cave with ceremonial artifacts, stunning natural formations and mysterious tombs. • SWIM AND SNORKEL amidst the technicolor marine life of South Water Caye reserve on Belize’s Barrier Reef. • RAPPEL THROUGH the rainforest canopy down into the “Mother of all Caves,” Actun Loch Tunich, set at the bottom of a 300-foot sinkhole. • LEARN ABOUT the Tropical Education Center at the Belize Zoo, where exotic rescued wildlife live in a natural environment that’s often “visited” by creatures from the neighboring forest. • Discover the pre-Columbian ruins of Xunantunich, and take in 360° views from atop its El Castillo shrine. • Seek out iguanas, crocodiles, toucans and other wildlife as you kayak the Sittee River. • EXPERIENCE local life at Sittee River Village, one of Belize’s oldest communities.

BELIZE

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

aplomado falcon

Birding and Nature in the Tropics of Belize | A Flyway Expedition 8 DAYS from $2,800 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - APR birding | in partnership with national audubon society

On this exciting 8-day expedition to Belize, set your sights on hundreds of neotropical species with the help of our expert guides. Enjoy birding in the pine savannas and wetland habitats of Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, in the primary and secondary tropical moist broadleaf forest at Cockscomb Basin and Pook’s Hill, and in private reserves, a botanical garden, and along the Macal River Valley. This trip is a prime reflection of the birds the National Audubon Society hopes to protect through its ongoing conservation efforts. Participate in several talks with members of the local community about these efforts, the training programs, and other activities to promote birding as a viable economic alternative. Itinerary • DAYS 1-2 Crooked Tree • DAYS 3-5 Stann Creek

CROOKED TREE

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

• DAYS 6-7 Roaring River • DAY 8 Depart

ROARING RIVER STANN CREEK

Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/BZBF19

Highlights • Explore the waterways of Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary to see ibis, Northern Jacanas, Boat-billed Herons and more. • Enjoy a talk by a Belize Audubon Society representative about local efforts to promote bird-based tourism as a conservation and development tool. • Have dinner and discussion with members of the communitybased project on Scarlet Macaw conservation. • Set your sights on over 330 bird species in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, exploring open and forested habitats. • Watch for forest species like Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Northern Royal Flycatcher, and tanagers in the reserve around Pook’s Hill. • Learn about ancient Maya civilization at the Xunantunich archaeological site in Belize’s Cayo region. 27

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

BELIZE & GUATEMALA

ocellated turkey

Neotropical Birds and Mayan Ruins 8 DAYS from $2,335 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - JUL Birding | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY, ADVENTURE

Within the Mayan ruins, fertile lagoons, and mountainous terrain throughout Belize and Guatemala, a combined number of more than 1,300 birds can be found in protected areas of these two neotropical countries. The ancient civilizations that once thrived here may no longer be present throughout this territory today, but an abundance of vibrant wildlife still remains. Besides being a haven for all kinds of flora and fauna, the forests and reserves of these historically and culturally rich nations are ideal for new and experienced birding enthusiasts alike.

Itinerary • DAYS 1-2 Crooked Tree

CROOKED TREE

• DAYS 3-4 Roaring River

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

• DAYS 5-6 Tikal • DAY 7 Belize City • DAY 8 Depart

BELIZE CITY

TIKAL

ROARING RIVER

Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

“

My goals were to have an awesome time and see tons of birds and those goals were definitely met! I absolutely felt like I got my money's worth on this trip, and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in birding.

JENNIFER COMSTOCK

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/BGBN19

Highlights • Discover both concentrated flocks and rare sightings of avifauna in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, such as the Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Black-collared Hawk, Neotropic Cormorant, and more. • Look for highlight species, such as the Orange-breasted Falcon, Stygian Owl, Ocellated Turkey, and King Vulture. • Observe the present wildlife that live within the ancient structures of temples, altars, ball courts and residential buildings of the Cahal Pech Mayan ruins. • Visit the Belize Zoo for up-close encounters with some of the country’s native fauna, including a pair of Harpy Eagles.

GUATEMALA

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

tikal

Exploring Maya Biosphere Reserve through Birding | A Flyway Expedition 8 DAYS from $2,695 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - APR birding | in partnership with national audubon society

This 8-day program combines some of Guatemala’s best birding sites with visits to archaeological ruins to examine how human history and natural resources have intersected throughout the centuries. Enjoy birding in famous and important Mayan archaeological sites, largely in the Petén and Tikal regions of the north. Under the leadership of expert local guides, you’ll have the chance to explore lowland tropical forest, savanna, a Ramsar wetland, river systems, and more, seeking out rare and endemic species while meeting with residents along the way. Birders who choose to take this tour will enjoy the Petén region’s vast, natural riches while supporting local communities and protecting diverse ecosystems. Visit indigenous markets and experience the wonderful and colorful living culture of the Maya.

Itinerary

PASO CABALLOS

• DAY 1 Guatemala City • DAYS 2-3 Laguna Yaxhá

FLORES

TIKAL YAXHA

• DAY 4 Tikal • DAYs 5-6 Paso Caballos • DAY 7 Guatemala City • DAY 8 Depart

GUATEMALA

Highlights • CLIMB pyramids and bird the jungle trails around Tikal, where possible species include the Orange-breasted Falcon, Ocellated Turkey, and Montezuma Oropendola. • UNCOVER ancient Maya culture at the lesser-known Yaxhá archaeological site. • bird the lowland tropical forest in Laguna del Tigre National Park, where migratory warblers, tropical flycatchers, trogons, motmots, and the Scarlet Macaw are target species. • LEARN ABOUT the work the Wildlife Conservation Society Guatemala is doing with local communities to balance the needs of conservation and local economies. • VISIT Paso Caballos, a Maya Q’eqchí community that is working to promote ecotourism and responsible land management in the region in exchange for assistance from the government and WCS.

Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/GUBM19

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

COSTA RICA

keel-billed toucan

An Introduction to Neotropical Birding 7 DAYS from $1,655 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - JUL birding | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

If you’ve always wanted to go birding in Costa Rica — or never taken a birding trip abroad at all — this program is a great introduction to the Neotropical birds of Central America. Holbrook’s local birding guides are experts at identification by both sight and sound, and they’ll help ensure your group spots as many species as possible. Despite its small size, more than 900 types of birds have been recorded in the country. Combine that with its accessibility and its friendly people, and Costa Rica is a perfect destination for beginners and more advanced birders alike. Plus, you’ll discover fascinating wildlife like frogs, monkeys, bats, and sloths.

Itinerary • DAY 1 San José • DAYS 2-4 Sarapiquí • DAYS 5-6 San Gerardo

de Dota • DAY 7 Depart

SARAPIQUÍ SAN JOSÉ

SAN GERARDO DE DOTA

Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

“

We spent the right amount of time at each location. The small group size worked very well.

SANFORD M. SORKIN

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/CRBI19

Highlights • TAKe GUIDED HIKES in the 500acre rainforest reserve at Selva Verde Lodge, which provides habitat to more than 350 bird species, including the endangered Great Green Macaw. • get a different perspective of the rainforest from atop the 100-meter suspended walkway at Tirimbina Biological Reserve for the chance to see species that spend their time within the forest canopy. • watch FOR species like the Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Crested Guan, and Spectacled Owl at the world-renowned La Selva Biological Station. • search for the highly soughtafter Resplendent Quetzal in the cloud forests of San Gerardo de Dota.

COSTA RICA

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

resplendent quetzal

Birder’s Paradise: Savegre, Sarapiquí, Arenal, and Carara 11 DAYS from $2,485 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - JUL birding | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Embark on an excursion through vibrant forests, mountainous terrain and along rivers to spot some of the hundreds of bird species that call Costa Rica home. Accompanied by one of our expert birding guides, you’ll discover a variety of habitats with the aim of seeing as many species as possible. Begin in the Caribbean lowlands of the Sarapiquí Valley, then travel to the picturesque Arenal Volcano, continuing on to Carara National Park near the Pacific coast and ending up in the cloud forests of the Talamanca Mountain Range, a birder’s paradise and one of the best spots in the country for observing the elusive Resplendent Quetzal.

Itinerary • DAY 1 San José

ARENAL

• DAYS 2-4 Sarapiquí • DAYS 5-6 Arenal • DAYs 7-8 Carara • DAYs 9-10 San Gerardo

de Dota

CARARA

SARAPIQUÍ SAN JOSÉ SAN GERARDO DE DOTA

• DAY 11 Depart Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

“

I'd hoped to see lots of new birds at close distances, perhaps managing a few photos, while learning about Costa Rica, its history, its culture and its environment. The program exceeded my expectations in every way.

ERIC MAATTA

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/CRBP19

Highlights • journey through the renowned La Selva Biological Station to spot some of the 400-plus bird species found here. • venture through a private ecological reserve to view some of the 150 types of birds that live in the area. • visit the birding hotspot of Carara National Park in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region, which is one of the most ecologically diverse areas of the country. • SEEK OUT the highly coveted Resplendent Quetzal, plus other species like the Redfronted Parrotlet and Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl that inhabit the temperate forest and páramo habitats of Cerro de la Muerte. 31

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

COSTA RICA

Green and black poison dart frog

Photographing the Jewels of Nature 11 DAYS from $2,850 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: FEB - OCT * photography | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, ADVENTURE, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Whether a master photographer or enthusiastic amateur, the incredible biodiversity and natural beauty of Costa Rica is certain to inspire a portfolio full of treasures. Accompanied by both a photography guide and naturalist guide, receive personal instruction while capturing the wonder of tropical plants, insects, amphibians, birds, and mammals. Costa Rica’s lush environment is the perfect backdrop to practice macro photography with colorful poison dart frogs and discover how shutter speed impacts shots of fast moving objects at the hummingbird feeders. Enjoy the vibrant flora and fauna of Costa Rica while bringing your photography to the next level!

• DAYS 2-4 Tortuguero • DAYS 5-7 Sarapiquí • DAYs 8-9 Savegre

SARAPIQUÍ SAN JOSÉ

TORTUGUERO SAVEGRE

• PRACTICE photographing fastmoving objects and using flash set-ups at the hummingbird feeder.

• DAY 11 Depart

• DISCOVER macro and light management techniques while photographing tropical flowers, insects, poison dart frogs, and other wildlife.

Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

• TAKe nocturnal excursions and practice shooting in low light.

*FEB - JUN: LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE NESTING SEASON jul - OCT: green sea turtle nesting season

• LEARN ABOUT local wildlife, traditions, and history from your naturalist guide to provide a story behind every photo.

• DAY 10 San José

• ENJOY the opportunity to capture a variety of subjects, including wildlife, flora, and landscapes. • VISIT the beaches of Tortuguero and search for nesting sea turtles.

Itinerary • DAY 1 San José

Highlights

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/CRPJ19

COSTA RICA

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

Manuel Antonio National Park

Preserving Paradise: Parks and Reserves of Costa Rica 10 DAYS from $2,240 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: NOV - JUL NATURAL HISTORY | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: birding, PHOTOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Costa Rica has more than 5 percent of the world’s biodiversity, 801 miles of coastline, and the world’s highest percentage of protected areas. At the same time, it consistently ranks high in prestigious international quality of life studies. How does Costa Rica maintain its fragile balance, and what can we learn from it? Find out as we explore glorious national parks and private reserves, and learn from the naturalists and conservationists who are stewards of this remarkable realm. With rainforest hikes, horseback riding, birdwatching, river cruising, canopy walks and a relaxing spa stay, your 10-day learning expedition will be as exhilarating as it is enlightening. Experience abundant wildlife and stunning panoramic views unlike any other as you discover the natural gems that Costa Rica has to offer.

Highlights • marvel at some of Costa Rica’s most awe-inspiring national parks and reserves, including Manuel Antonio National Park, Carara Biological Reserve, and Villa Lapas private reserve. • HIT THE TRAILS in search of rare tropical birds such as the beautiful Resplendent Quetzal.

Itinerary • DAY 1 San José • DAYS 2-3 Sarapiquí • DAYS 4-5 Carara • DAY 6 Manuel Antonio • DAYs 7-8 San Gerardo

de Dota • DAY 9 San José

SARAPIQUÍ CARARA MANUEL ANTONIO

SAN JOSÉ SAN GERARDO DE DOTA

• DAY 10 Depart

Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/CRNP19

• WITNESS the intersection of indigenous traditions and modern livelihoods during a hands-on experience at a chocolate farm. • SEEK OUT caimans, a variety of water birds, and other wildlife on a Sarapiquí River cruise, and learn about important land use issues. • go horseback riding along the Savegre River and discuss rainforest conservation and the history of settlement in this region.

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

COSTA RICA

GREEN IGUANA

Riches of the Rainforest, Arenal Volcano, and the Pacific Coast 9 DAYS from $2,170 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - JUN natural history | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: BIRDING, ADVENTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Discover the treasures of Central America’s “rich coast” during this comprehensive introduction to Costa Rica. From the primary and secondary rainforest of the country’s lush Caribbean lowlands, to the volcanic landscapes and nearby hot springs of Arenal Volcano, to mangroves, beaches, and lagoons on the Pacific coast, you’ll have the opportunity to explore a variety of its ecosystems and habitats, its high density of biodiversity, and the “pura vida” attitude for which the country is famous.

• LEARN ABOUT the history of chocolate in the tropics and experience a gourmet chocolate tasting.

Itinerary • DAY 1 San José

ARENAL

• DAYS 2-4 Sarapiquí

SARAPIQUÍ SAN JOSÉ

• DAY 5 Arenal • DAYs 6-7 Manuel Antonio • DAY 8 San José

MANUEL ANTONIO

Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

I love the passion every team member had for the environment, the animals and for learning. Everyone was so kind, insightful, and helpful.

• discover unique flora and fauna during guided interpretive hikes through primary and secondary rainforest. • EXPERIENCE a thrilling whitewater rafting adventure on the Sarapiquí River.

• DAY 9 Depart

“

Highlights

AMANDA RAMIREZ

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/CRNR19

• take a dip in a system of hot springs naturally heated by Arenal Volcano. • Explore the trail system, beaches, and coves of Manuel Antonio National Park. • EAT DINNER inside a 1954 model Fairchild C-123 cargo plane that once played a role in the IranContra affair.

COSTA RICA

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

hiking in arenal national park

Costa Rica Eco-Adventure: Tortuguero, La Selva, and Arenal 9 DAYS from $2,265 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: NOV - APR adventure | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

On this adventure, explore the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, including remote Tortuguero National Park, then journey inland to discover the primary rainforests of Selva Verde, our private eco-reserve set on 500 protected acres within the San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor. These distinct locations offer the perfect introduction to Costa Rica’s biodiversity, which you’ll also encounter at La Paz Waterfall Reserve, on a Río Sarapiquí whitewater rafting excursion, and during a highland interlude near Arenal Volcano. Conclude with an overnight stay in the capital, San José, to add a cultural dimension to your Costa Rica experience. Overall, this active exploration of Costa Rica’s rich habitats will enliven all your senses with a wide variety of excursions.

Itinerary • DAY 1 San José • DAYS 2-3 Tortuguero • DAYS 4-6 Sarapiquí

ARENAL SAN JOSÉ

SARAPIQUÍ TORTUGUERO

• DAY 7 Arenal • DAY 8 San José • DAY 9 Depart Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

“

The trip offered an excellent balance between adventure and education.

MARK NUSBAUM

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/CRAE19

Highlights • GO ON a canal safari in Tortuguero National Park in search of reptiles, monkeys, butterflies, and birds. • RIDE a boat to Tortuguero Village and visit the museum of the Sea Turtle Conservancy. • GET AN OVERVIEW of Costa Rica’s biodiversity in Selva Verde Lodge’s private reserve. • REVEL IN the beauty of La Paz Waterfall Reserve and its aviary, serpentarium, hummingbird exhibit, ranarium (frog exhibit), orchid park and monkey rehabilitation center. • Go whitewater rafting on the Río Sarapiquí’s Class I, II, and III rapids. • Relax in thermal hot springs in the shadow of Arenal Volcano. 35

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

PANAMA

silver-throated tanager

Between Two Continents: Birding in Panama 8 DAYS from $2,195 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - JUL BIRDING | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, CULTURE & HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY

When it comes to birds, Panama boasts the highest diversity of species in Central America. The country’s distinctive geographic location makes it the prime respite for migratory birds from both North and South America. Whether you’re a novice birder or an expert, this program will provide astounding surveys of many beautiful bird species, along with other magnificent animals. Hike through a national park, visit noteworthy birding trails, and spend eight days immersed in Panama’s inviting culture and natural landscapes.

Itinerary • DAY 1 Panama City • DAYS 2-3 Gamboa • DAYS 4-6 Chiriquí

GAMBOA CHIRIQUÍ PANAMA CITY

• DAY 7 Panama City • DAY 8 Depart

Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. DID YOU KNOW? Now famous among birders, Pipeline Road (and the accompanying pipeline) was built by US soldiers during World War II to transport oil between coasts in case of an attack on the Panama Canal.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/PABB19

Highlights • Explore Plantation Road, a historic four-mile dirt road, in search of interior forest birds like Gray-headed Tanager, Bicolored Antbird, and possibly Ruddy Woodcreeper. • TRAVEL 6,300 feet above sea level to the highlands of Volcán in search of the exceedingly rare and majestic Resplendent Quetzal. • vISIT the world-famous Miraflores Locks and museum of the Panama Canal. • Discover Soberanía National Park, a 55,000-acre forest home to over 400 species of birds, and hike the distinguished Pipeline Road.

CUBA

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

rooftop view in trinidad

Connecting with People and Culture in Central Cuba 9 DAYS from $3,165 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: NOV - SEP culture & HISTORY | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: natural history, PHOTOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Over the course of centuries, Cuba has been shaped by a blend of indigenous, European, and African influences. This program examines different aspects of the country’s cultural heritage, from the 19th century sugar trade and its lasting impact, to the incorporation of various religious identities, to more recent history, like the 1959 revolution and Bay of Pigs invasion. Interact with Cuban people as you meet with modern day artists, converse with taxi drivers in their classic American cars, hear live traditional music, and visit with students of an urban rehabilitation project. Plus, explore natural areas like Zapata National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ramsar wetland — and go snorkeling to experience Cuba’s marine biodiversity.

HAVANA

• DAYS 4-5 Zapata Peninsula • DAYS 6-8 Cienfuegos • DAY 9 Depart

ZAPATA PENINSULA

CIENFUEGOS

TRINIDAD

Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

“

• DISCOVER the many historical influences that have impacted Cuba during a tour of Old Havana’s colonial architecture. • LEARN ABOUT the country’s native inhabitants during a visit to a traditional Taína Village, where the indigenous way of life is depicted through life-sized statues.

Itinerary • DAYS 1-3 Havana

Highlights

The overall experience of the program were excellent and unforgettable. Our guide was very knowledgeable and interesting.

FRANCINE NARDONE

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/CUCC19

• VISIt the mountains of El Nicho, where you can hike through caves, swim under a waterfall, and look for native flora and fauna. • VISIT the Castillo de Jagua fortress, restored main square, and the Malecón promenade in Cienfuegos, the “Pearl of the South.” • Stroll the cobbled streets and view the colorful houses of Trinidad, a colonial town. 37

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

CUBA

cuban emerald

Cuba’s Birding Hotspots 8 DAYS from $2,965 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - MAY BIRDING | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, CULTURE & HISTORY, GARDEN TOURS, PHOTOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Get to know the birds of Cuba during this introductory Caribbean birding program. Cuba’s geography makes it the perfect classroom to study island endemism and biodiversity while meeting with local residents for authentic cultural exchange. Together with your ornithologist guide, you’ll have the opportunity to seek out and identify highlights like the Cuban Trogon—Cuba’s national bird, known locally as the Tocororo—and the world’s smallest bird, the Bee Hummingbird. Itinerary • DAYS 1-2 Havana • DAYS 3-4 San Diego

de los Baños • DAYS 5-7 Zapata Peninsula • DAY 8 Depart

HAVANA SAN DIEGO DE LOS BAÑOS

ZAPATA PENINSULA

This trip can be customized with the addition of 3 nights in Cayo Coco. Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

“

This was the best birding trip I’ve ever been a part of.

SHARON STITELER

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/CUBH19

Highlights • Discover La Güira National Park, 54,000 acres of mountain wilderness, picturesque valleys, and hidden caves, and home to species such as Cuban Solitaire, Cuban Tody, and Cuban Pewee. • Watch for target species like the Cuban Grassquit and Olivecapped Warbler and meet with residents at Las Terrazas, a community and reserve that is a model of sustainability and ecotourism. • Go birding at several sites in Zapata Swamp, a Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar wetland, and meet with area conservationists. • Visit the limestone cave that was Che Guevara’s headquarters during the Cuban Missile Crisis and an excellent place to spot Cuban Solitaire and Scaly-naped Pigeon.

CUBA

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

baracoa

Exploring the Natural Wonders and Historical Treasures of Eastern Cuba 10 DAYS from $4,055 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - JUL NATURAL HISTORY | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: ADVENTURE, CULTURE & HISTORY, GARDEN TOURS, PHOTOGRAPHY

Study a cross-section of Cuba’s fascinating history, vibrant culture, and natural wonders during this in-depth journey across the eastern end of the island. See the ecosystems of Alejandro de Humboldt National Park and Pinares de Mayarí before continuing to Santiago de Cuba, the country’s first capital and the birthplace of the Revolution. In Santiago, explore the city’s rich history and culture, including what is considered Cuba’s oldest building. You’ll also have the chance to explore the region’s forests, beaches, waterfalls, and breathtaking landscapes.

Itinerary • DAY 1 Gibara • DAYS 2-3 Pinares de Mayarí • DAYS 4-5 Maguana • DAYs 6-7 Baracoa • DAYs 8-9 Santiago

GIBARA PINARES DE MAYARÍ

SANTIAGO

MAGUANA BARACOA

• DAY 10 Depart

Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. DID YOU KNOW? Cuban music is a combination of forceful African rhythms and Spanish poetic melody that ethnomusicologist Fernando Ortiz termed “a love affair between the African drum and the Spanish guitar.”

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/CUNE19

Highlights • LOOK FOR some of the many endemic species at Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, such as the brightly colored Cuban land snails known as polymitas or painted snails. • LEARN ABOUT the process of making chocolate in the tropics, beginning with an interpretive walk to see cacao trees and ending with a cup of some of the best hot cocoa in the Americas. • EXPLORE the Toa River, first by paddling on wooden boats with a local guide, then walking along the picturesque beaches. • Visit the historical sites of Santiago, Cuba’s original capital and birthplace of the Revolution.

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

CUBA

Finca San Vicente in viÑales VALLEy

Ecological Riches and Cultural Exploration of Western Cuba 9 DAYS from $3,195 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - JUN natural history | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: BIRDING, CULTURE & HISTORY, photography, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Cuba is home to diverse ecosystems, fascinating wildlife, and a rich cultural heritage. On this 9 day expedition to Havana and Western Cuba, you’ll learn about ongoing conservation efforts from local experts as you explore beaches, reefs, waterfalls, and limestone caves. Visit Guanahacabibes Biosphere Reserve for an in-depth look at marine conservation programs. Experience Cuba’s many cultural offerings, including a musical performance and a walking tour of historical Old Havana, and meals in paladares (restaurants run in private homes).

• Discover the unique wildlife of Cabo de San Antonio National Park.

Itinerary

HAVANA

• DAYS 1-2 Havana • DAYS 3-4 Viñales • DAYS 5-7 Guanahacabibes

VIÑALES

Peninsula

• DAY 8 Havana • DAY 9 Depart

GUANAHACABIBES PENINSULA

Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

“

Great mix of history, culture and nature. Excellent guide and local guides. Better than expected.

Highlights

PETER AND KAREN HIELSBERG

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/CUNW19

• Take guided hikes in Viñales, home to the distinctive limestone formations known as mogotes. • Enjoy a snorkeling expedition by boat to reefs around the tip of the Guanahacabibes Peninsula. • Visit the Soroa Waterfall & Orchidarium and Sierra del Rosario, home of Las Terrazas, a self-sustained community named after the reforestation project initiated in 1967. • Explore Cuba’s unique culture and history on the streets of Old Havana, and visit an urban organic farm, or “organopónico.”

CUBA

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

Viñales

Gardens, Culture, Discovery, and the Caribbean Sea 9 DAYS from $3,895 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: NOV - JUN gardens | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, CULTURE & HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY

Explore Cuba’s unique indigenous species of flora and fauna on this 9-day itinerary. Discover the history and culture of Havana, with its many museums, churches, fortresses, and other buildings under restoration. Despite the revolution and economic hardships endured by the people of Cuba, its botanical gardens, organic farms, private gardens, and agriculture have thrived. Travel to Viñales Valley, one of the most beautiful regions of Cuba, and to Soroa, home to a stunning orchid garden. Evidence of the Cuban population’s passion is apparent at every turn, from their music, dance, love of life, and appreciation of the natural beauty found on this small Caribbean island.

Itinerary • DAYS 1-3 Havana • DAY 4 Soroa • DAYS 5-6 Viñales • DAYs 7-8 Havana

VIÑALES

HAVANA SOROA

• DAY 9 Depart

Price based on 18 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. Program and pricing are subject to change. DID YOU KNOW? 90 percent of Havana’s fresh produce comes from gardens and urban farms. By 2002, 35,000 acres of urban gardens produced 3.4 million tons of food.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/CUGW19

Highlights • Visit a selection of Cuba’s public and private gardens, including the National Botanical Garden of Cuba (home to hundreds of palm species), a family-owned garden in Viñales, and an urban cooperative garden in Havana, among others. • Meet with a staff member and tour the Soroa Orchid Garden, which has more than 20,000 plants representing 700 orchid species. • Take guided hikes in Viñales National Park, the valley of the limestone formations known as mogotes. • Explore Old Havana on a walking tour and enjoy a private dance performance. • Stroll through the butterfly house of Quinta de Los Molinos Garden, Cuba’s oldest botanical garden and also a breeding nursery of Polymita spp., a terrestrial and eastern endemic genus of a very colorful mollusk. 41

SOUTH AMERICA & ANTARCTICA Colombia Rainforest-covered mountains, marshes, plains, cliffs, jungles, Caribbean and Pacific coastline, and other ecosystems make Colombia one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. In fact, the country is home to 10 percent of the world’s biodiversity, including an astonishing 1,900-plus bird species.

ECUADOR Man, animal, and plant share Ecuador’s mountains, rainforests, and shores in great harmony. The country has everything from indigenous communities to metropolitan cities, and boasts diverse ecosystems that can take you from the Andean highlands to the Amazon rainforest.

GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS The unique flora and fauna of Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands inspired Charles Darwin’s revolutionary studies on evolution during his visit to the archipelago in 1835 and continue to inspire travelers who visit these enchanting islands today.

peru From the world’s highest lake to its driest desert, Peru encompasses a range of climates and habitats. The remnants of the powerful Incan Empire still stand today in sites like Machu Picchu as a testimony to the country’s rich culture. Meanwhile, the Amazon rainforest shelters incredible biodiversity. Argentina & Chile At the southernmost tip of South America lies Patagonia, a region shared by Argentina and Chile. Patagonia inspires the imagination of adventurous travelers with its “end of the Earth” mystique. Beyond Patagonia, both countries boast metropolitan capital cities, impressive wine-growing regions, exquisite gardens, and varied landscapes ranging from deserts to the snow-capped Andes Mountains.

ANTARCTICA Known as the “White Continent,” Antarctica is unlike anywhere else on the planet. Buried under a mile of ice and snow, this frozen land offers magnificent scenery, including mountain ranges, ice-filled channels, glaciers and active volcanoes. One of the last remaining untouched areas of earth, Antarctica provides rare and exquisite travel experiences for the adventurous soul.

Ask us about our expeditions in: • BRAZIL

• GUYANA

SOUTH AMERICA & ANTARCTICA

COLOMBIA

Valle de Cocora

Exploring Colombia: Culture, Coffee, and the Caribbean 10 DAYS from $3,980 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: JAN - DEC CULTURE & HISTORY | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, BIRDING, ADVENTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Acquaint yourself with the many facets of Colombia, a biologically diverse and culturally rich gem at the gateway to South America, during this comprehensive 10-day exploration. Begin your journey in the bustling capital of Bogotá, high in the Andes Mountains, where you’ll immerse yourself in history, museums, and architecture. Next, head to the coffeegrowing region to learn about agriculture, the rural way of life, and the famed crop amid beautiful mountain scenery. Finally, experience the Caribbean flavor of the coastal city of Cartagena, whose colorful, jacaranda-draped buildings evoke another time in history.

• Discover Bogotá on a walking tour, including the historical neighborhood of La Candelaria and the Botero Museum.

Itinerary • DAYS 1-3 Bogotá • DAYS 4-6 Pereira • DAYS 7-9 Cartagena • DAY 10 Depart

CARTAGENA PEREIRA

BOGOTÁ

Price based on 10 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

“

I have made referrals to others because the trips I have taken through Holbrook (4 to date) have been remarkable. Loved all the locations and variety.

Highlights

NANCY EDMONDSON

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/COCC19

• DescenD underground to the subterranean Salt Cathedral, a church carved from a stillfunctioning salt mine. • LEARN ABOUT Colombian coffee production, hear about the challenges facing farmers, and experience some fun “latte art.” • HEAR ABOUT the myths and legends of Cartagena on Colombia’s coast while exploring architecture, churches, and shady plazas. • Paddle through a mangrove swamp and meet with residents of a fishing community.

COLOMBIA

SOUTH AMERICA & ANTARCTICA

burrowing owl

Northern Colombia Birding Trail: A Birder’s Paradise | A Flyway Expedition 12 DAYS from $5,250 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: JAN - DEC birding | in partnership with national audubon society

With over 1,900 avian species — more than any other country in the world — Colombia is a birder’s paradise waiting to be discovered. This 12-day program focuses on the country’s northern highlights, including the Caribbean region and the Santa Marta Mountains, famed for their high level of endemic species. Explore high elevation mountains, dry forest, páramo, and coastal habitats in search of an array of tropical avifauna, including flycatchers, hummingbirds, tanagers, toucans, and more. Throughout your journey, meet members of the local community and learn about conservation efforts to use birding as a sustainable development resource.

Itinerary • DAY 1 Bogotá • DAY 2 Valledupar • DAYS 3-5 Serranía Del Perijá • DAYS 6-7 Riohacha • DAYs 8-10 Santa Marta

Mountains • DAY 11 Bogotá

SANTA MARTA MOUNTAINS

RIOHACHA VALLEDUPAR

SERRANÍA DEL PERIJÁ

BOGOTÁ

• DAY 12 Depart Price based on 7 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. Program and pricing are subject to change.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/COBF19

Highlights • Be one of the few outsiders to explore bird-rich, remote regions of Northern Colombia led by expert local guides. • Discover the Perijá Mountains, the Holy Grail for birders, and one of the least explored areas in Colombia. • Meet the indigenous Wayúu people in Riohacha and learn about their culture, represented in their weavings, ceramics, and gastronomy. • Go owling in the dry forests of Los Besotes Reserve. • Enjoy a presentation about conservation and training initiatives at El Dorado Reserve in the Santa Marta Mountains. • Explore the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, home to more than a quarter of the country’s 73 endemic species. • Seek out the rare Blue-billed Curassow and other tropical moist forest birds in Tayrona National Park. 45

SOUTH AMERICA & ANTARCTICA

ECUADOR

ANDEAN COCK-OF-THE-ROCK

Birding the Chocó-Andes Region: Western and Eastern Slopes of Ecuador 10 DAYS from $2,485 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - JUL birding | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, culture & history, PHOTOGRAPHY

Per square mile, Ecuador has the highest biodiversity in the world, including some 1,640 species of birds, many of which are rare and endemic. Discover the amazing contrasts of cloud forest, the Amazon, and Andean landscapes on this 10-day birding adventure. With assistance from an expert guide, encounter a variety of birds, plants, and other wildlife while traversing a selection of Ecuador’s 50 different ecosystems. The program begins with a journey to Mindo Loma Private Reserve and its 17 acres of primary and secondary recovering cloud forest. Also experience the Milpe Bird Sanctuary in the Chocó Andean foothills, considered one of the finest sites in all of Ecuador. Along the way, meet a famous Ecuadorian ornithologist, view the snow-capped Antisana Volcano, and straddle the equator at the Middle of the World Monument.

Itinerary • DAY 1 Quito • DAYS 2-5 Mindo • DAY 6 Sangolquí • DAYs 7-8 Cosanga • DAY 9 Quito • DAY 10 Depart

3,300 FT - 7,200 FT

MINDO

SANGOLQUÍ

QUITO COSANGA 6,000 FT - 7,800 FT

Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/ECBC19

Highlights • Explore diverse habitats at varying elevations at national and private reserves, including Alambi Cloud Forest Reserve, the subtropical rainforest at Milpe Bird Sanctuary, páramo ecosystem at Antisana Ecological Reserve, and more. • Seek out some of Ecuador’s approximately 130 hummingbird species, including the Giant Hummingbird, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Tourmaline Sunangel, and Glowing Puffleg. • IDENTIFY other target species like the Andean Condor, Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Toucan Barbet, Chocó Trogon, and dozens of tanagers.

GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS

SOUTH AMERICA & ANTARCTICA

marine iguanas

Adventure Galápagos: Active Exploration of the Islands by Land 11 DAYS from $4,095 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - AUG ADVENTURE | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY, professional development

The Galápagos Islands were Charles Darwin’s “Living Laboratory of Evolution,” named for the tortoises that roam the lush landscapes of the small archipelago. This active learning adventure is an opportunity to experience the islands’ unique environments in a way that most visitors to the Galápagos seldom do – through fun activities like snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, biking and stand-up paddleboarding. The Galápagos have become world-renowned for vast wildlife, which includes sea lions, turtles, marine iguanas, and more. You’ll learn about the natural history of the Islands during visits to Tortuga Bay, El Chato Tortoise Reserve, Tintoreras Islets, the Wall of Tears, the Charles Darwin Research Station, and a host of other highlights of the Enchanted Islands.

Itinerary • DAYs 8-9 Santa Cruz Island

• DAYS 3-4 Floreana Island

• DAY 10 Quito

• DAYs 5-7 Isabela Island

• DAY 11 Depart

ISLA ISABELA SANTA CRUZ ISLA FLOREANA

MAP NOT TO SCALE

• DAYS 1-2 Quito

QUITO

SABELA Price based on 15 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

SANTA CRUZ

ISLA FLOREANA

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/GPAL19

Highlights • Snorkel the archipelago’s turquoise waters for the chance to view sea lions, Galápagos Penguins, marine iguanas, sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, and more. • Hike, kayak, bike, and stand-up paddleboard your way through the islands.

QUITO

• Discover the human history of the islands, from 17th century whalers and pirates to Charles Darwin’s 1835 voyage, 20th century settlers, and today’s inhabitants. • Hike up to the edge of Sierra Negra, one of the Galápagos’ largest and most active volcanoes. • see the iconic Galápagos giant tortoises in their natural habitat, the densely forested areas of Santa Cruz.

SOUTH AMERICA & ANTARCTICA

GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS

KICKER ROCK

Investigating Endemic Wildlife and Geological Formations Aboard M/C Tip Top II or M/Y Tip Top III 11 DAYS from $5,195 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - AUG natural history | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: birding, PHOTOGRAPHY, professional development

Visitors to the Galápagos Islands’ are intrigued by the endemic flora and fauna, geological activity, volcanic terrain, and unique human history. Accompanied by an onboard naturalist-guide, this 11-day small group cruise expedition offers a front-row seat for exploring the archipelago. Stunning formations likesaw-toothed Kicker Rock, sandy beaches, teeming lagoons and volcanic craters play host to unique wildlife such as the Blue-footed Booby, white-tipped sharks, marine iguanas and turtles, yellow cow-nosed rays, and more. With no fear of human predation, many creatures can be approached up-close; you can even swim with the sea lions. You’ll also learn about the islands’ sparse but dramatic human history, a tale of buccaneers, penal colonists, and hardy settlers.

Itinerary • • • • •

DAYS 1-2 Quito DAY 3 Santa Cruz DAY 4 Santa Fe — South Plaza DAY 5 Santiago — Rabida DAY 6 Santa Cruz

• • • • •

DAY 7 Floreana DAY 8 Española DAY 9 San Cristóbal DAY 10 North Seymour — Quito DAY 11 Depart QUITO

RABIDA

CHINESE HAT

SOUTH PLAZA ISLANDS

ISLA SAN CRISTÓBAL

SANTA CRUZ ISLA SANTIAGOISLA SANTA FE ISLA FLOREANA SOUTH RABIDA ISLA ESPAÑOLA PLAZA CHINESE HAT

ISLANDS

MAP NOT TO SCALE

ISLA SANTIAGO

QUITO

ISLA SAN CRISTÓBAL

Price based onCRUZ 15 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. SANTA ISLA SANTA FE ISLA FLOREANA ISLAonline ESPAÑOLA see more at holbrooktravel.com/GPNT19

Highlights • Come face-to-face with iconic wildlife including Blue-footed Boobies, flamingos, sea lions, and Galápagos Penguins. • Explore diverse islands by boat and small panga craft, making wet and dry landings and stopping to hike, swim and snorkel. • Learn about important conservation efforts at the Darwin Research Station. • Walk through the incredible cactus forest on Santa Fe Island and observe colonies of land iguanas. • Snorkel around a submerged volcano called the Devil’s Crown, one of the best snorkeling sites on the islands. • Sail around Kicker Rock, a massive tuff-rock that abruptly juts almost 500 feet straight out of the sea and is a nesting place for many species of sea birds.

GALÁPAGOS & PERU

SOUTH AMERICA & ANTARCTICA

machu picchu

Mysteries of Machu Picchu and the Galápagos 13 DAYS from $5,445 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - JUL culture & history | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: natural history, PHOTOGRAPHY, professional development

Get ready for the trip of a lifetime! This exciting itinerary combines two destinations at the top of every traveler’s “must-see” list: Machu Picchu and the Galápagos Islands. Begin your 13-day adventure exploring the highlights of Peru, including the archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman, the salt mines of Maras, the agricultural terraces at Moray, the colonial buildings of Cusco and Lima, and of course, Machu Picchu. Continue your journey with a 4-night stay on the Galápagos archipelago's largest island, Isabela, which is teeming with a variety of wildlife and stunning lagoons. Plus, you’ll have time to explore Quito, Ecuador’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

QUITO

• DAYS 3-5 Cusco • DAYS 6-7 Quito

ISLA ISABELA

ECUADOR

MAP NOT TO SCALE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS

• DAYs 8-11 Galápagos

PERU

• DAY 12 Quito • DAY 13 Depart Price based on 10 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

ISLA ISABELA GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS

QUITO ECUADOR

LIMA MACHU PICCHU

CUSCO

PERU see more online at holbrooktravel.com/PGCM19

• Visit the Sacred Valley of the Incas and explore the mysterious ruins of Machu Picchu. • Have a traditional lunch with members of a local family in the Sacred Valley, learn how to weave baskets from corn husks in Maras, and visit the community of Chincheros, famous for its colorful woven textiles.

Itinerary • DAYS 1-2 Lima

Highlights

• View the iconic wildlife of the Galápagos, like sea lions, turtles, marine iguanas, and Galápagos Penguins. • Explore the fascinating geological features of Isabela Island by land and by sea, including natural pools and estuaries, lava flows, caves, Sierra Negra, and Chico Volcano. 49

SOUTH AMERICA & ANTARCTICA

PERU

on the amazon

Ultimate Peru: The Amazon and Machu Picchu 14 DAYS from $7,475 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: SEP - JUL natural history | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: birding, ADVENTURE, CULTURE & HISTORY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Achieve two travel milestones on a single adventure that includes Peru’s Amazon rainforest and Machu Picchu, the most famous Incan archaeological site. You’ll experience the vast biodiversity sheltered among the Amazon’s tributaries, lagoons, and forests, exploring by boat and foot. Then, discover the “Lost City of the Incas,” Machu Picchu, set in the Andean highlands atop a cluster of humped emerald peaks. Along the way you’ll meet the inheritors of Peru’s natural and cultural legacy: the native Amazonian and Quechua people who welcome you into their homes. From colorful rubber baron mansions to the mysterious Sacred Valley to the canopy of the world’s largest rainforest, this is the total Peru experience. Equator

Itinerary IQUITOS

• DAYS 1-2 Lima • DAYS 3-7 Iquitos — Amazon Cruise • DAY 10 Aguas Calientes • DAY 13 Depart • DAY 14 Arrive USA

LIMA MACHU PICCHU

AGUAS CALIENTES

CUSCO

Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. DID YOU KNOW? The Amazon River, which starts in Peru, is the largest river in the world by volume. It flows 150,000 cubic meters per second.

• Experience two of South America’s most iconic destinations: the Amazon rainforest and Machu Picchu. • Discover colonial Cusco and Lima, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. • cruise the Amazon and its oxbow lakes, lagoons and tributaries as you search for monkeys, birds, sloths, river dolphins, and other wildlife.

• DAYs 8-9 Sacred Valley • DAYs 11-12 Cusco

Highlights

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/PENU19

• Embark on a thrilling whitewater rafting adventure in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. • Experience the many facets of native Peruvian life when you explore an Amazonian village and the Quechua towns of the Sacred Valley, visiting family homes and meeting shamans, farmers, and craftsmen where they live and work.

PERU

SOUTH AMERICA & ANTARCTICA

hiking in peru

Pathways to Machu Picchu: Traversing the Inca Trail 12 DAYS from $3,145 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: SEP - JUL adventure | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: culture & history

Walk the road less traveled to Machu Picchu through a breathtaking tableau of Andean peaks, rushing streams, glacial valleys, and villages where Incan ways find vivid expression in today’s Quechua cultures. The intimacy of your small group makes the grandeur even more stirring as you hike and camp along the famed Inca Trail. At every stop of the trail, enjoy refreshments as needed while you visit different historical and archaeological sites, ruins and valleys. Your adventure is complemented by exploration in the colonial gems of Cusco and Lima, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS PROGRAM HAS A STRENUOUS ACTIVITY LEVEL

Equator

Itinerary

• DAYS 6-8 Inca Trail • DAY 9 Aguas Calientes • DAY 10 Cusco

• Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu through massive valleys, historical ruins and landmarks, archaeological sites, soaring elevations, and breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. • Spend a full day within the Machu Picchu archaeological site, with the option to hike to Huayna Picchu for commanding views.

• DAYS 1-2 Lima • DAYS 3-5 Sacred Valley

Highlights

LIMA MACHU PICCHU

AGUAS CALIENTES SACRED VALLEY

CUSCO

• DAY 11 Depart • DAY 12 Arrive USA Price based on 15 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. DID YOU KNOW? The Inca Trail is just one section of the extensive road system built by the Incas and earlier civilizations to connect villages, cities, and administrative centers; all told, the system comprised more than 24,000 miles of trails.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/PEAS19

• Behold the massive stone walls of Sacsayhuaman. • Explore the Inca-Quechua heritage of towns like Cusco, Ollantaytambo, and Chincheros. • visit the Andean community of Misminay, where you can interact with the locals and take part in a toast to honor the earth in a Pachamama ceremony. • SEE the world-renowned collection of pre-Columbian ceramics and jewels at Lima’s Larco Museum.

SOUTH AMERICA & ANTARCTICA

CHILE & ARGENTINA

torres del paine

Frontiers of Patagonia: Cape Horn, Tierra del Fuego and Beyond 13 DAYS from $6,585 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - MAR adventure | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY

Knife-edged Andean peaks, electric blue fjords, teeming rookeries and vast steppes: Patagonia promises adventure on a grand scale, and you will experience it, by land and sea. Aboard the new, state-of-the-art M/V Ventus Australis, your small group will hug the coast at the bottom of the world, served by a multidisciplinary team who will explain the science and history behind the beauty. Discover the skyscraping splendor of Torres del Paine National Park, the roiling seas of Drake Passage and Cape Horn National Park, sparkling glacial lakes and old ports where whalers and adventurers sailed in the wake of Magellan and Darwin. A Chilean winery tour and time in sophisticated Buenos Aires and Santiago add color and contrast to your wilderness adventure.

• DAY 1 Depart USA

SANTIAGO

BUENOS AIRES

• DAY 3 Ushuaia • DAY 4 Tierra del Fuego • DAYS 5-7 Cruising • DAYs 8-10 Torres del Paine • DAY 11 Santiago • DAY 12 Depart • DAY 13 Arrive USA Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

• Explore early history and architecture at the vintage lighthouse and museum at the Torres del Paine National Park. • Hike through Tierra del Fuego National Park in search of rare wildlife.

Itinerary • DAY 2 Buenos Aires

Highlights

• Cruise in comfort aboard M/V Ventus Australis through the fjords, bays and open seas from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas. • Sample the sophisticated pleasures of Buenos Aires, Santiago and the Chilean wine country.

TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK

USHUAIA TIERRA DEL FUEGO NATIONAL PARK

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/ACAF19

• Learn about the native Yámana people and their interactions over the centuries with international missionaries, explorers and scientists. • Visit Magdalena Island to view a colony of more than 120,000 Magellanic Penguins.

ANTARCTICA

SOUTH AMERICA & ANTARCTICA

ANTARCTIC EXCURSION

Expedition Antarctica: Natural Wonders of the White Continent 15 DAYS from $7,875 | Nov 20 - Dec 4, 2018 or Choose your dates | Best season to travel: OCT - MAR nATURAL HISTORY | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: PHOTOGRAPHY, BIRDING

For over two centuries, the “White Continent” has attracted scientists and adventurers with its unmatched natural beauty. Roughly the size of the United States and Mexico combined, Antarctica is the highest, brightest, coldest, and windiest of the continents, and covered in a sheet of ice that averages more than a mile thick. Despite such frigid conditions, busy penguin colonies, a spectacular variety of seabirds, an abundance of seals and magnificent whales await, all set in breathtaking scenery of imposing mountain ranges, ice-filled channels, icebergs, and glaciers. Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the ends of the Earth aboard the comfortable M/V Ushuaia, an icestrengthened, former NOAA research vessel.

Itinerary • DAY 1 Depart USA • DAYS 2-3 Ushuaia • DAYS 4-6 Drake Passage • DAYs 7-8 South Shetland Islands • DAYs 9-11 Antarctic Peninsula • DAYs 12-13 Drake Passage

IC A

SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS

USHUAIA DRAKE PASSAGE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA

R CT I C C I R C L E NTA

TA R

• DAY 14 Ushuaia — Depart • DAY 15 Arrive USA Price based on 15 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

IC A

Highlights • nAVIGATE picturesque waterways including the Gerlache Strait, the Neumayer Channel, and the Lemaire Channel, nicknamed the “Kodak Gap.” • learn ABOUT topics of geology, biodiversity, oceanography, and climatology during shipboard lectures and conversations with the ship’s naturalists. • ENJOY up-close experiences with Chinstrap, Macaroni, and Gentoo Penguins, whales, and seabirds on the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. • EXPLORE the unique Tierra del Fuego National Park near Ushuaia, Argentina, the world’s southernmost city. AUSTRALIA

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/ANNC19

AFRICA, ASIA & BEYOND ICELAND

Known as the “Land of Fire and Ice” for its active volcanoes and massive glaciers, Iceland’s fascinating cultural heritage is also worth noting. Plus, bringing warm ocean currents from the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Stream creates a mild climate and a safe habitat for migrating birds.

NAMIBIA

One of the world’s youngest countries boasts some of its oldest and most exquisite treasures: desert, red dunes and bush countries, plus wildlife ranging from elephants and giraffes to bird and reptile species. Experience shipwreck sites, a fur seal colony, mystical rock etchings, and a legendary game park to fully immerse yourself in unique Namibia.

SOUTH AFRICA

Africa’s Big Five wildlife thrives in South Africa, as well as over 22,000 species of plants, making it a hub for ecological diversity and enriching adventure. Traverse the savannas, skim the coastline for whales, immerse yourself in Cape Town, and learn about the complex history of apartheid.

TANZANIA

Tanzania is the inspiring setting for both the Great Migration and the origins of humanity: experience the annual 1,800-mile journey taken by millions of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, and impala and descend into Olduvai Gorge, where the earliest known specimens of the human genus were discovered.

MADAGASCAR

With an estimated 80 to 90 percent of the country’s flora and fauna unique to the island, Madagascar’s forests, deserts, savannas, beaches and coral reefs are perfect for tracking playful lemurs, colorful chameleons, endemic birds, and the cat-like fossa.

INDIA

Witness religious traditions on the banks of the River Ganges, enjoy the bustle of India’s metropolitan areas, or simply wander the impressive grounds of the Taj Mahal. Natural wealth also abounds in India, from beautiful botanical gardens to wild tigers, marsh crocodiles, river dolphins, and over 1,300 bird species.

AUSTRALIA

Explore the habitats of species including koalas, kangaroos, and platypuses, snorkel the famous Great Barrier Reef, and trek through forests with 135-million-year-old vegetation as you learn more about wildlife populations and conservation. A strong aboriginal culture that revolves around tradition complements the experience.

NEW ZEALAND

Owing to its remote location, New Zealand remained unsettled by humans for thousands of years, allowing distinct plant and animal life to flourish. Unique geological features, beautiful landscapes, high numbers of endemic plant species, and native Maori culture also set the country apart.

Ask us about our expeditions in: • CHINA

• KENYA

• FIJI

• RWANDA

• UGANDA 55

POLAR REGIONS

ICELAND

atlantic puffins

Birding in the Land of Fire and Ice 9 DAYS from $6,800 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: MAY - JUN birding | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Explore the birds of Iceland on a journey to the land of fire and ice. This 9 day birding adventure offers both expert and novice birding enthusiasts a comprehensive introduction to Icelandic breeding and non-breeding bird populations. From the waterfowl of Lake Myvátn to the iconic Atlantic Puffins, the program provides opportunities to observe a wide variety of species including auks, petrels, cormorants, gannets, gulls, terns, waders, stilts, and birds of prey. The program includes visits to some of the country’s unique geological features, plus hikes and boating adventures designed to enrich your understanding of the natural history and diverse birds of Iceland.

Itinerary • DAY 1 Reykjavík • DAYS 2-3 Lake Myvátn • DAY 4 Húsavík

• DAY 5 Gauksmýri • DAY 6 Látrabjarg • DAY 7 Flatey

HÚSAVÍK LÁTRABJARG

FLATEY

GAUKSMÝRI

LAKE MYVÁTN

GRUNDARFJÖRĐUR

REYKJAVIK

• DAY 8 Grundarfjörđur • DAY 9 Depart Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. Rates are subject to change, dependent on changes to Iceland's tourism taxes DID YOU KNOW? There are an estimated 8-10 million puffins in Iceland and over half the world’s population of Atlantic Puffin breed there.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/ICBL19

Highlights • VISIT the home of half of the world’s population of Atlantic Puffin. • Discover how Iceland’s avifauna has adapted to environments including volcanic systems, freshwater systems, and marine environments. • Follow the fjords of northwest Iceland and see the majestic cliffs iconic to Iceland’s rich seabird population. • Observe Black-legged Kittiwake, Thick-billed Murre, Arctic Tern, and Red-throated Loons. • Get up close and personal with migrating whales, Great Cormorants, European Shags, and Atlantic Puffins. • Marvel at Dettifoss Waterfall, the most powerful waterfall in Europe.

ICELAND

POLAR REGIONS

Goðafoss

Panoramic Iceland: Volcanoes, Geysers and Glaciers 9 DAYS from $5,385 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: JUN - SEP Natural history | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: adventure, CULTURE & HISTORY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Born of fire and ice, Iceland is unlike any place you’ve ever seen, and this learning expedition introduces you to its rugged landscape, rich cultural history, and dynamic earth forces. You’ll behold spectacular geologic formations in national parks on this complete island circuit. Seek out diverse avian and marine life along black sand beaches, glacial lakes and towering cliffs. Discover the trendy capital, Reykjavik, and fishing villages whose quirky and charming people will inspire you with their creativity. Gaze upon blue-white glaciers and undulating lava fields, float past glittering icebergs, and experience an authentic Icelandic horse show. Explore the country's cultural heritage as revealed through Saga Storytelling and tales of the hidden huldufólk, whose tiny gnome houses dot the countryside. All the while you’ll enjoy maximum exploring time during the long, leisurely days of the Midnight Sun.

• DAY 1 Reykjavík

SIGLUFJÖRÐUR

AKUREYRI

• DAY 3 Höfn

• DAY 4 Egilsstaðir • DAY 5 Akureyri • DAY 6 Siglufjörður • DAY 7 Borgarfjörður • DAY 8 Reykjavík

EGILSSTAÐIR

BORGARFJÖRÐUR

REYKJAVÍK

HÖFN

VÍK

• DAY 9 Depart Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. Rates are subject to change, dependent on changes to Iceland's tourism taxes

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/ICNP19

• Circumnavigate Iceland by land for an in-depth discovery of its nature, geology, and culture. • Explore Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site set on the juncture between the American and Eurasian tectonic plates, where the ancient Icelandic AlÞingi parliament meets.

Itinerary • DAY 2 Vík

Highlights

• SAIL among icebergs at the Jokulsárlón Glacial Lagoon. • Sample traditional Icelandic cuisine, including a farm-totable experience at an organic greenhouse. • Witness Goðafoss waterfall, the spouting hot springs and bubbling mudpools of Geysir, VÍk’s black sand beaches, and the jagged coastline of the East Fjords.

AFRICA

NAMIBIA

Twyfelfontein petroglYPh

The Wild Namibia: Exploring the Natural Wonders 15 DAYS from $5,550 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: MAY - OCT natural history | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: ADVENTURE, CULTURE & HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHY

Namibia, one of the world’s youngest countries, tucked between the Atlantic Ocean and the Kalahari Desert, is packed with potential. The oldest desert in the world, the Namib, dominates Namibia’s landscape. Take time to visit surrounding safari areas with exquisite flora, towering red dunes, bush country, and fascinating geological formations. Game drives in Etosha National Park include the “Big Five” — elephants, rhinos, buffalos, lions and leopards — plus giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, antelopes, and more. Help with radio tracking leopards and spotted hyenas that have been rehabilitated and released by the AFRICAT refuge. You’ll also have the chance to learn about Namibia’s cultural history as you visit Twyfelfontein, home to one of the largest concentrations of petroglyphs in Africa, and learn about the San people who have inhabited the area for tens of thousands of years.

Itinerary • DAY 1 Depart USA • DAY 2 Windhoek • DAYs 3-4 Sossusvlei • DAYs 5-6 Swakopmund • DAY 7 Damaraland • DAYs 8-10 Etosha National Park

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK OKONJIMA NATURE RESERVE DAMARALAND WINDHOEK

SWAKOPMUND

SOSSUSVLEI

• DAYs 11-12 Okonjima Nature Reserve • DAY 13 Windhoek • DAY 14 Depart • DAY 15 Arrive USA Price based on 14 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/NANW19

Highlights • WATCH FOR flocks of bird life at Walvis Lagoon and the salt pans of Walvis Bay, including flamingos, the Chestnut-banded Plover, Damara Terns, and more. • Discover the Skeleton Coast and the largest colony of Cape fur seals at Cape Cross Seal Reserve. • Immerse yourself in the San culture as you gather around the fire and listen to traditional stories about the stars, animals, galaxies, and the universe. • Descend 100 feet into Sesrium Canyon for a visual history of Namibian geology. • EXPLORE the 1,000-foot-high red dunes of Sossusvlei and hike amid the dramatic landscapes of the Dead Vlei’s white chalk plains and 900-year-old Acacia trees.

SOUTH AFRICA & BOTSWANA

AFRICA

lion in south africa

The Jewels of Southern Africa 13 DAYS from $6,285 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: MAY - FEB NATURAL HISTORY | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: birding, PHOTOGRAPHY, professional development

Southern Africa is rich with culture, history, vast landscapes, and a host of diverse animals to match, and this 13-day itinerary embraces it all. Begin your exploration in South Africa, where you’ll visit national parks, nature reserves, botanical gardens, and the metropolitan cities of Cape Town and Johannesburg. At Sabi Sands Reserve you’ll have several days of game drives for encounters with big predators and other savanna wildlife. Continue to the famed Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River, considered the world’s largest waterfall, before heading to Chobe National Park in Botswana, home to one of the largest game concentrations in Africa and famous for its elephant and lion populations.

Itinerary

VICTORIA FALLS

• DAY 1 Depart USA

ZIMBABWE BOTSWANA

• DAYS 2-4 Cape Town • DAY 5 Stellenbosch

SABI SAND

• DAY 6 Hermanus

JOHANNESBURG

• DAYs 7-8 Sabi Sand

SOUTH AFRICA

• DAY 9 Johannesburg • DAYs 10-11 Victoria Falls

CAPE TOWN

• DAY 12 Depart

STELLENBOSCH HERMANUS

• DAY 13 Arrive USA Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/SANJ19

Highlights • Tour Cape Town to see the Company Gardens, Greenmarket Square, the SA Museum, the Bo-Kaap area, and the V&A Waterfront in the heart of Cape Town’s harbor. • enjoy up-close views of the African Penguin colony at the Cape Point Nature Reserve. • Taste some of South Africa’s renowned wines and learn about the wine-making process at a vineyard near Stellenbosch. • Go on game drives for a chance to see elephants, giraffes, hippos, buffalos, zebras, wildebeests, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and more. • Take a sunset cruise at magnificent Victoria Falls, considered the world’s largest waterfall. 59

AFRICA

SOUTH AFRICA

KIRSTENBOSCH NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

Public and Private Gardens, Wine, Culture, History, and Nature 11 DAYS from $4,750 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: JAN - MAR, OCT - NOV gardens | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY, culture & history

Experience the spectacular Cape Floral Region, a biodiversity hotspot and the only floral kingdom contained within one country. South Africa’s botanic diversity exceeds that of even the Amazon, and 70 percent of it grows nowhere else on earth. Come admire a variety of botanical gardens such as legendary Kirstenbosch. Enjoy a thrilling wildlife safari. Taste exquisite vintages in the Cape Winelands. Trace apartheid’s rise and fall in historic Johannesburg and beyond. And see for yourself why South Africa is described as “a world in one country.”

Itinerary KAPAMA

• DAY 1 Johannesburg

GAME RESERVE

• DAYS 2-4 Cape Town

JOHANNESBURG

• DAYS 5-6 Stellenbosch • DAYs 7-8 Johannesburg

SOUTH AFRICA

• DAYs 9-10 Kapama Private

Game Reserve • DAY 11 Johannesburg —

CAPE TOWN

STELLENBOSCH

Depart Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. Program and pricing are subject to change. DID YOU KNOW? South Africa’s fynbos vegetation is characterized by high levels of species diversity and endemism—of the 9,000 plant species found in this small area, 70 percent are found nowhere else in the world.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/SAGP19

Highlights • Explore four National Botanical Gardens including worldrenowned Kirstenbosch. • SEEK OUT the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo) and other wildlife during a safari at Kapama Reserve. • SEe jaw-dropping scenery as you ride through the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. • TAKE IN spectacular Cape Town and ocean views while surveying the rich habitats of Table Mountain. • VISIT Stellenberg, a stunning private garden, and enjoy wine tasting in the Cape Winelands. • Walk through Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, the oldest university botanic garden in South Africa and home to rare plants imported from all over the world.

AFRICA

TANZANIA

MAASAI MAN

Tanzania Up Close: Culture, Safari and the Great Migration 14 DAYS from $5,690 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: MAY - OCT adventure | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: natural history, birding, PHOTOGRAPHY, professional development

This comprehensive adventure visits Tanzania’s most famous parks for unforgettable wildlife viewing, and also celebrates Africa’s humanity with authentic cultural encounters in Maasai and Hadzabe Bushmen communities. The culmination will be the legendary Serengeti, where you will see the vast migrating herds and many predators who follow them. Our camps are positioned right where the seasonal migrations are most prolific. You’ll also witness the near-perfect balance of predator and prey in the stunning Ngorongoro Crater. Of special note is the fact that your game viewing takes place on foot as well as safari vehicles, a rare approach that provides the most up-close and thrilling safari experience ever.

Highlights • Follow the Serengeti herds during the Great Migration, the world’s largest terrestrial mammal movement. • Celebrate African culture as you explore local communities, browse markets and visit a local school.

Itinerary • DAY 1 Depart USA • DAYS 2-3 Arusha • DAYS 4-5 Tarangire • DAY 6 Lake Eyasi

• DAY 7 Ngorongoro

SERENGETI

ARUSHA

NGORONGORO LAKE EYASI

KARATU TARANGIRE

• DAYs 8-10 Central Serengeti

GAME RESERVES

• DAYs 11-12 Karatu

NATIONAL PARKS

• DAY 13 Arusha — Depart

CONSERVATION AREAS

• DAY 14 Arrive USA Price based on 10 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/TZAS19

• Seek out the Big Five in Ngorongoro Crater, a natural amphitheater with a rich concentration of wildlife. • Walk trails on Mt. Meru in search of buffalo, colobus monkeys, and warthogs. • Learn clues to the origins of mankind at Olduvai Gorge, where important fossil remains were discovered. • Embark on a walking safari in the Serengeti. • Stand in the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro at Arusha National Park.

AFRICA

MADAGASCAR

RING-TAILED LEMUR

Exotic Madagascar: Wildlife and Culture of the Red Island 17 DAYS from $5,495 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: MAR - OCT natural history | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: adventure, garden tours, PHOTOGRAPHY

Madagascar inspires the imagination with its dancing lemurs, strange-looking baobab trees, and colorful reptiles and insects. On this exploration of the “eighth continent,” you’ll have the chance to observe the island’s endemic flora and fauna up-close, especially its many lemur species, from the giant Indri to the diminutive mouse lemurs. Along the way, you’ll delve into the spiny forests, canyons, red hills, and beaches that make Madagascar’s landscapes so distinct. Take guided hikes in national parks, learn about the Malagasy way of life, and explore an uninhabited island off the coast of the “Great Red Island.”

Itinerary • DAYs 1-2 Depart; in transit • DAY 3 Antananarivo • DAYS 4-5 Andasibe

ANDASIBE ANTANANARIVO

• DAY 6 Antsirabe

ANTSIRABE

• DAYs 7-8 Ranomafana

National Park

ISALO

• DAYs 9-10 Isalo National Park

NATIONAL PARK

• DAY 11 Toliara

TOLIARA ANAKAO

• DAYs 12-14 Anakao • DAYs 15-16 Antananarivo

RANOMAFANA

NATIONAL PARK

• DAY 17 Depart

Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/MGNE19

Highlights • Come face-to-face with Madagascar’s unique and unusual wildlife, including geckos, chameleons, rare birds, and butterflies. • HIKE in the 102,000-acre Ranomafana National Park and learn about flora, fauna, and research efforts at Centre ValBio, a leading field research facility run by renowned primatologist Dr. Patricia Wright. • Seek out the world’s largest lemur, the Indri, in AndasibeMantadia National Park. • Discover natural and cultural history while taking in panoramic views on a trek over rice fields, incised rocks, gorges, the Canyon of the Makis and Canyon of the Rats, and the huge Ihorombe plateau in Isalo National Park.

INDIA

ASIA

taj mahal

Tigers, Taj Mahal, Culture, and History 15 DAYS from $5,400 | Choose your dates | Travel dates: OCT 1 - MAY 15 culture & history | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: natural history, adventure, PHOTOGRAPHY, professional development

India delights the imagination with layers of civilization that date back 7,000 years. Its deep spirituality finds expression in a riot of temples, palaces, bazaars and everyday devotion. It is saturated with colors, entrancing music, rich cuisine, and wild habitats of amazing biodiversity. Discover it all on our carefully curated itinerary that blends the iconic cities of the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra and Jaipur), visits to rural villages, and an unforgettable safari in search of the elusive Bengal tiger. From its dynastic origins to the Mughal era to the British Raj, come experience India’s never-ending transformation on this diverse introduction to the subcontinent.

Itinerary • DAY 1 Depart USA • DAYS 2-3 Delhi • DAYS 4-5 Jaipur • DAY 6 Agra

• DAY 7 Khajuraho • DAYs 8-10 Bandhavgarh

DELHI AGRA KHAJURAHO BANDHAVGARH JAIPUR

KANHA

• DAYs 11-13 Kanha • DAY 14 Delhi — Depart • DAY 15 Arrive USA

Price based on 12 participants and 1 leader traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/INCT19

Highlights • Achieve a travel milestone when you see the Taj Mahal. • Ride an elephant to Jaipur’s Amber Fort, then explore the Palace of the Winds, Johari Bazaar and other marvels of the “Pink City.” • Go on safari in Bandhavgarh and Kanha National Parks in search of Bengal tigers, and learn the challenges of protecting this species. • Experience rural life during a school visit and cooking demonstration. • Admire the UNESCO monuments of Delhi, including Jama Masjid. • Behold the 10th-century friezes of Khajuraho, which depict the intersection of eroticism and spirituality.

PACIFIC

AUSTRALIA

MT. TOMAH BOTANICAL GARDENS

Public and Private Gardens, Rainforests, Cloudforests, Ancient Culture, and The Great Barrier Reef 12 DAYS from $5,950 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: MAR - MAY, SEP - NOV GARDENS | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: NATURAL HISTORY culture & history, ADVENTURE

Discover true splendor Down Under as you explore some of Australia’s best public and private gardens. The island’s biodiversity unfolds as you travel from Melbourne to Sydney to Tropical North Queensland, including an excursion to the spectacular Great Barrier Reef. You’ll appreciate the variety of habitats and garden styles showcased in this itinerary, which presents endemic species plus plants from around the world in 19th-century colonial farm gardens, formal European-style gardens, eco-conscious contemporary parklands, and along the rainforest trails of the aboriginal Kuku Yalanji people.

Itinerary • DAYS 1-3 Melbourne

PALM COVE

• DAYS 4-7 Sydney • DAYS 8-11 Palm Cove

SYDNEY MELBOURNE

DID YOU KNOW? Sydney’s Blue Mountains get their name from the blue haze that emanates from the oil of eucalyptus plants.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/AUGP19

• EXPLORE three of Australia’s acclaimed Royal Botanical Gardens at Victoria, Cranbourne, and Sydney. • SPEND A DAY on the Great Barrier Reef cruising, swimming, snorkeling, and admiring marine life from an underwater observatory. • DINE on an unusual, rainforest-totable lunch at the Botanical Ark.

• DAY 12 Sydney — Depart Price based on 18 participants and 1 complimentary traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare. Program and pricing are subject to change.

Highlights

• DISCOVER the diverse species and landscape styles of private gardens like Cruden Farm, Vaucluse House, Cloudehill, Blue Mountains Mount Tomah, Tabu, and more. • EXAMINE the spiritual connections between Australia’s aboriginal people and the natural world on a Dreamtime Gorge Walk.

NEW ZEALAND

PACIFIC

detail of maori carving

Exploring Treasures of the North and South Islands 16 DAYS from $5,295 | Choose your dates | Best season to travel: SEP - MAY adventure | ALSO CUSTOMIZABLE FOR: natural history, garden tours, PHOTOGRAPHY, professional development

This comprehensive, 16-day adventure celebrates the cultural, geologic, and biological diversity of New Zealand, visiting both the North and South islands. The range of terrain and microclimates will astound you, from the volcanic peaks and geothermal springs of the north to the southern rainforests, alpine mountains and glacier fields. It’s all bounded by a stunning coastline where you’ll seek dolphins, seals, penguins, and other marine species. You’ll have the opportunity to hike, kayak, bungee jump, go on an ATV tour, and more in Queenstown, the “Adventure Capital of the World,” and everywhere, you’ll encounter the rich culture of the Maori, New Zealand’s original inhabitants.

Itinerary • DAYs 1-2 Depart; in transit

AUCKLAND

• DAY 3 Auckland • DAYS 4-5 Rotorua

ROTORUA TAUPO

• DAY 6 Taupo

• DAYS 7-8 Wellington • DAY 9 Nelson

• DAY 10 Punakaiki • DAYS 11-12 Franz Josef • DAYs 13-14 Queenstown

NELSON

WELLINGTON

FRANZ JOSEF PUNAKAIKI MILFORD SOUND QUEENSTOWN

• DAY 15 Milford Sound • DAY 16 Depart Price based on 20 participants and 2 leaders traveling for free. Price does not include participant airfare.

see more online at holbrooktravel.com/NZAT19

Highlights • Admire Rotorua’s Te Puia Geothermal Valley, with its steaming geysers, redwood forest, and a village buried beneath volcanic ash. • Cruise on scenic Milford Sound in Fjordland National Park. • Experience Maori culture at Mitai village, where you’ll enjoy a traditional hangi feast. • Hike to the face of Fox Glacier and relax in the Franz Josef Glacier hot pools. • Board a catamaran for an informative nature cruise while looking out for towering cliffs, beech trees, and interesting marine life. • Ride a gondola to the top of Bob’s Peak for lunch and spectacular views of Queensland below.

2018-2019 Calendar of Expeditions by Interest Birding

holbrooktravel.com/birding

Program/Name

Destination

Days

Price*

Page

Neotropical Birds and Mayan Ruins

Belize & Guatemala

$2,335

Birding and Nature in the Tropics of Belize | A Flyway Expedition Northern Colombia Birding Trail | A Flyway Expedition

Belize

$2,800

Colombia

$5,250

An Introduction to Neotropical Birding

Costa Rica

$1,655

Birder’s Paradise: Savegre, Sarapiquí, Arenal, and Carara

Costa Rica

$2,485

Cuba’s Birding Hotspots

Cuba

$2,965

Birding the Chocó-Andes Region: Western & Eastern Slopes of Ecuador

Ecuador

$2,485

Exploring Maya Biosphere Reserve | A Flyway Expedition

Guatemala

$2,695

Birding in the Land of Fire and Ice

Iceland

$6,800

Birding the Ruins of the Yucatán

Mexico

$2,055

Between Two Continents: Birding in Panama

Panama

$2,195

Natural History Destination

Days

Price*

Page

Expedition Antarctica: Natural Wonders of the White Continent

Antarctica

$7,875

Best of Belize: Caves, Corals, and Mayan Wonders

Belize

$2,675

Preserving Paradise: National Parks and Private Reserves

Costa Rica

$2,240

Riches of the Rainforest, Arenal Volcano, and the Pacific Coast

Costa Rica

$2,170

Natural Wonders and Historical Treasures of Eastern Cuba

Cuba

$4,055

Ecological Riches and Cultural Exploration of Western Cuba

Cuba

$3,195

Investigating Endemic Wildlife and Geological Formations

Galápagos Islands

$5,195

Panoramic Iceland: Volcanoes, Geysers and Glaciers

Iceland

$5,385

Exotic Madagascar: Wildlife and Culture of the Red Island

Madagascar

$5,495

Baja Peninsula: Gray Whales and Desert Landscapes

Mexico

$3,285

The Wild Namibia: Exploring the Natural Wonders

Namibia

$5,550

Ultimate Peru: The Amazon and Machu Picchu

Peru

$7,475

The Jewels of Southern Africa

S. Africa & Botswana

$6,285

Days

Price*

Page

CULTURE & history Destination

Exploring Colombia: Culture, Coffee, and the Caribbean

Colombia

$3,980

Connecting with People and Culture in Central Cuba

Cuba

$3,165

Mysteries of Machu Picchu and the Galápagos

Galápagos & Peru

$5,445

Tigers, Taj Mahal, Culture, and History

India

$5,400

Days

Price*

Page

$5,950

Cuba

$3,895

South Africa

$4,750

Garden Tours

Public and Private Gardens, Wine, Culture, History, and Nature

holbrooktravel.com/culture

Program/Name

Public and Private Gardens, Rainforests, Cloudforests, Ancient Culture, and The Great Barrier Reef Gardens, Culture, Discovery, and the Caribbean Sea

holbrooktravel.com/naturalhistory

Program/Name

holbrooktravel.com/gardentours Destination

Australia

Photography

holbrooktravel.com/photography

Program/Name

Destination

Photographing the Jewels of Nature

Costa Rica

Days

Price*

Page

$2,850

ADVENTURE

holbrooktravel.com/adventure-tours

Program/Name

Destination

Hidden Treasures of the Last Frontier

Alaska

Days

Price*

Page

$2,540

Exploring Belize: Rainforests, Reefs, and Ruins Frontiers of Patagonia: Cape Horn, Tierra del Fuego, and Beyond

Belize

$3,450

Chile & Argentina

$6,585

Costa Rica Eco-Adventure: Tortuguero, La Selva, and Arenal Adventure Galápagos: Active Exploration of the Islands by Land

Costa Rica

$2,265

Galápagos Islands

$4,095

Exploring Treasures of the North and South Islands

New Zealand

$5,295

Pathways to Machu Picchu: Traversing the Inca Trail

Peru

$3,145

Tanzania Up Close: Culture, Safari, and the Great Migration

Tanzania

$5,690

*Note: starting price for land only

BEST MONTHS TO TRAVEL

WHAT OUR TRAVELERS ARE SAYING

“

This program was the experience of a lifetime and exceeded my expectations. In particular, the guides were exemplary - their knowledge, patience, and personalities were outstanding.

“ “ “ “

DOUGLAS BECKMANN

Overall, the experience was amazing. Even though my background isn't geology, I really enjoyed the interactions with the geologists and our trip into the Andes. SHARON L. SMITH

It was the most stress-free traveling I have ever done. SUE DUFFY

I am impressed with the relationship Holbrook has with the local communities we visited. SUZANNE DAMRICH

This is the first birding trip I have done, and I’m afraid it may have spoiled me for trips to come. I really did not know what to expect, but it was more than I could ever have imagined…Holbrook, you haven’t seen the last of me! PAMELA HAEHN

PHOTO CREDITS: Todd Gustafson | Gustafson Photo Safari, Lily Wilde, Sandy Doss, Eric Lindberg, Michelle Korczynski, Joanna Livingstone, Laura Hare, Stephanie Kowacz, Greg Basco, Pelin Karaca, Deb Savarese, Joaquin Garcia, Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center, Dain Van Schoyck, Sarh an Jason, Vicente Villamón, Olaf Oliviero Riemer, Tim Lenz, Jason and Kris Carter, Debbie Sturdivant Jordan, Sandra Yon, Alexander Dzib, Maurizio Costanzo, Ian MacKenzie, Dave Johnson, Steffi Lopez, Jon Nelson, Karen Straus, Rosalind Nicklin, Brian Ralphs, Jerry Goffe | NaturePhotoWorks.com, Dominic Sherony, Kate Perez, Guillaume Baviere, Laura Gooch, Andrea Holbrook, Piviso, Julio Larramendi, M Van Ree, Reinier Munguia, Lee Coursey, Eli Duke, Robert & Pat Rogers, Ian Segebarth, Ayacop, Alton Biggs, Cathy Turgeon, Martin Lang, Bruce Goodwin, Helgi Gudmundsson, Laurie McLaughlin, Hans Hillewaert, Graeme Churchard, William Warby, Lara Walsh, Corey Leopold, Ulrich Lange

We offer you the world

Since 1974, Holbrook Travel has taken thousands of travelers on expeditions across Latin America, Africa, and destinations beyond. Our mission is to facilitate a true connection between our travelers and our destinations.

800-451-7111 | holbrooktravel.com | travel@holbrooktravel.com