Cordova, Alaska was full of adventure for three generations exploring Alaska for the first time. We hiked under massive Douglas fir and heard Bald Eagles, Pacific Wrens and Varied Thrush calling through the misty forest. The views show the picture-perfect mountains in the Chugach Wilderness, and...
I traveled to Madagascar in May of 2022 with Holbrook, and our group was led by the great photographer and filmmaker Todd Gustafson. Early in our trip, we traveled to Morondava on the West Coast of Madagascar and then traveled by four-wheel-drive vehicle to the famous Avenue of the Baobabs. These...
Rare, unique and extraordinary are words that you will use repeatedly during a visit to the Galápagos Islands. With every hike, panga ride or swim, you will observe amazing wildlife in spectacular habitats. Upon first encountering the tortoises on San Cristóbal Island, Charles Darwin referred to...
The beach photo is from Water Cay. We took a 40-minute boat ride from Utila to this small cay and spent the day snorkeling, fishing and hanging out. No one lives on the island so we had the entire island to ourselves. During the snorkel tour around the entire cay we saw yellow-spotted rays,...
Night hikes on the grounds of the Selva Verde Lodge reveal a variety of interesting insects seen and photographed with bright headlamps. This harvestmen (above) is an arachnid and a close relative of spiders. These species of Opiliones are very diverse and abundant in the tropics. They are harmless...
Our small group left the hotel in the dark and arrived at Sossusvlei in the pre-dawn light; the landscape washed in muted shades of gray. In hushed excited tones, we began our ascent across the soft fluid sand, stopping along the way to catch our breath. At the crest of the final dune, we caught...
The imposing Galápagos Hawk (above) is always ready to attack its prey without any fear; he only focuses on his goal. I was inspired to take this picture because of the deep and imposing gaze of the hawk on Chinese Hat Island. The Road Scholar participants (below) are receiving the energies of...
The photo above is a female baboon holding her infant. We were at a clearing in Lake Nakuru having lunch when we spotted her sitting at the edge of a wooded area holding her baby. The photo below is a female leopard in Samburu. When we first came upon her, she was relaxing on a dead, fallen tree....
Our trip to Iceland was phenomenal, especially since it was our first international trip since the pandemic. We fell in love with the island nation—its beauty, its people, its food. The trip offered a taste of everything Iceland has to offer, from volcanoes and geysers, to fjords and lava fields,...
On safari at the Maasai Mara Preserve, we came upon a male and female lion. The lions were displaying their breeding behavior with little awareness of our presence. What a show!!! They sure did express themselves. Couples may have a “spat” now and then. Kenya, and this safari trip, was and is...
In 10 years of travel through the deserts of Namibia, I have never been fortunate enough to see a Namaqua chameleon. They are a dramatic resident of Namibia’s desert regions. Although not endangered, they are becoming less common in accessible areas simply because those areas are so accessible....
Each year, we ask our travelers to submit their favorite photos from their journeys with us for a chance to be featured in our annual calendar. This year, we had many great submissions, and it was a challenge to narrow it down. We're excited to share the finished result! Thank you to everyone who...