The Holbrook Explorer
Holbrook in the Field
Back from the Field: On the Jaguar's Trail in the Pantanal
Guest Post by Debbie Jordan “There he is, there he is!” This was our excited guide’s voice seeing the jaguar in the open. Many times you could only see the grass moving or no indication, but as the jaguars move down the river bank looking for caimans, they can be somewhat predictable. The boat...
Back from the Field: Experiencing the Cinematic Landscapes of the Pantanal
Pelin Karaca, our Vice President of Product Development, is a longtime member of the Holbrook Travel staff who has visited numerous remarkable destinations across the world but only recently ventured into the Pantanal, Brazil’s sprawling and biodiverse wetlands, for the first time. She relayed...
Back From The Field: Discovering And Rediscovering The Magic Of Ecuador
In early 2023, two seasoned members of our staff traveled to Ecuador as part of an exciting familiarization (“FAM”) trip organized and hosted by Holbrook for selected trip leaders to get acquainted with the destination. They have both visited countless destinations during their tenure, but Ecuador...
Back from the Field: Jennifer Leigh Warner's Namibia Photo Tour
Guest Post by Jennifer Leigh Warner After postponing our Namibia Photo Tour for two years due to the global pandemic 2022 was finally the year to make it happen and it couldn’t have been more perfect. Our group arrived in Namibia after their long journey half way across the world eager to get...
Reflections on the "Enchanted Islands"
With curious, unafraid wildlife, remarkable volcanic landscapes, and colorful endemic flora, the Galápagos Islands delight and surprise visitors at every turn. Here, three Holbrook staff members reflect on their own experiences and favorite memories from the aptly dubbed “Enchanted Islands.” A...
Back from the Field: Andrea Holbrook Returns from Cuba with an Eye Toward Future Travel
Andrea Holbrook recently returned from Cuba from a reconnaissance trip, or “Reccy,” to assess the readiness of Cuba to accept U.S. travelers again. She found it surprisingly accessible and the people extremely receptive. While impacted by the COVID slowdown and sanctions from the U.S., the country...
Back from the Field: Debbie Jordan’s Corcovado Adventure
Debbie Jordan, Holbrook birding specialist and “ambassador,” recently returned from a 9-day adventure to the Osa Peninsula on the southwest of Costa Rica. She shared her story and vivid photos, and she vows to go back soon! Punta Marenco Beach Q: Can you describe this region of Costa Rica? Debbie...
Discovering a "Patch of Heaven" Here on Earth
Guest Post by Debbie Jordan Recently, Holbrook hosted a small group of travelers from the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin. It’s always great to be with our clients in the field, and this time even more special to be showing them some of the wonders of our home state of Florida. ...
Back from the Field: Debbie Jordan Recounts Her “Florida Wilds” Experience
We caught up with Debbie Jordan, Specialty Travel Consultant, just back from a week in southwest Florida accompanying a group on “Florida Wilds: From Gulf to Glades.” The 8-day program offered travelers a view into organizations serving as stewards of wildlife rehabilitation and marine research,...
Giovanna Holbrook's First Trip to the Galapagos Islands
2021 marks 50 years since our company's founder, Giovanna Holbrook, first led a group of travelers to the Galápagos Islands, a life-changing experience that became the impetus for the creation of Holbrook Travel. In this video, she shares the story of that first expedition and how she organized her...
From the Field: Back from Iceland with the Skaggs Family
We sat down with Janet Skaggs not long after her family returned from an adventure to Iceland. The timing was right, and with an eye toward travel as educational experience, off they went on an eight-day trip. Janet currently works as an occupational therapist at a collaborative school in...
Travel Flowing Again for Tennessee Aquarium
Back from the Field: Q&A with Melanie King, Director of Development Situated on the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga, the Tennessee Aquarium sits in a biodiversity hotspot. That’s in part why the aquarium decided to sponsor a member travel program to Costa Rica, a “sister hotspot,” to...