Where Global Travel Experts Are Going in 2022

By GeoEx Staff | January 4, 2022

Global travel is back, and GeoEx’s expert staffers have big plans. We’re jumping in with both feet to expand our knowledge, experience new regulations firsthand, and open ourselves to new perspectives. We share the same unslakable thirst that has put you, dear travelers, on the road as soon as borders were open, and we’re ramping up for some major making-up-for-lost-time trips in 2022.

We’re out to explore exciting new destinations and revisit old favorites to find out what changed while we were away, but most of all we’re delighting in the unfettered freedom to do what we do best. We can’t wait to share what we discover—the historian who blew our minds, the tacos that should be Michelin-starred, or the contact who can open doors to magical experiences.

Here’s where we’re headed next. Ask us how it went next time you call.

NEPAL
Brady Binstadt, CEO

I am particularly excited about my late 2022 visit to Nepal as it is a perfect confluence of so many aspects of GeoEx that are meaningful to me and our travelers. First, it’s a celebration of 40 years in business and a nod to our deep Himalayan roots. Second, we’re venturing into the rugged and rarely-explored area of Mustang, a place that has intrigued me immensely for a long time. Third, I’m thrilled to be traveling for the first time with one of our best leaders the world over—Vassi Koutsaftis. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I’m grateful that this trip includes a significant “Giving Back” component with special visits to and donations for various projects created by our dear friends at the American Himalayan Foundation.

AROUND THE WORLD
Natalie Crow, Trip Designer

I’m getting married this year, so my fiancé and I want to plan an around-the-world trip. We both love food, culture, hiking, and music. I’ve never been to Japan, he’s never been on safari—can we do both of these things as well as find a wonderful hike to do and fabulous street tacos to eat all in one trip? We’ll find out!

ECUADOR
Linda De La Torre, Trip Designer

I want to return to the Galápagos for all its iconic riches—the wildlife, the natural landscape, the exhilarating sense of connection with a new and largely untouched world. Then beyond the Galápagos, I’m excited to explore the wonders of mainland Ecuador. My goal is to acquaint myself with the Ecuadorian Amazon, stay at a mega-biodiverse private lodge in the Choco Biosphere to learn about the amazingly diverse flora and fauna endemic to this region (a new species of orchid was recently discovered there—how cool is that?), visit haciendas, do a working stay on a farm in the highlands, hike in the avenue of the volcanoes, sink into the hot springs at Baños, explore the historic cities such as Quito and Cuenca, and spend time with indigenous communities to learn more about their way of life.

MOROCCO
Gayle Lehmann, Trip Designer

Morocco is calling my name! I picture myself wandering with no real plans through the streets of the vibrant Blue City and Red City and soaking up the grand and varied architecture of the old imperial cities. How wonderful to explore the narrow alleyways of the ancient city of Fès, listening to the traders call out for customers in the medina! How exhilarating to visit ancient tombs and palaces, beautiful gardens, and thriving souks, absorbing the country’s rich history and culture! I want to take a sunrise camel ride in the Sahara and camp out in the desert under an endless blanket of stars; I want to hike in the Atlas Mountains visiting Berber villages and learning more about their traditions. I can just smell the orange blossom-scented breeze and feel the warm sun on my skin as I zoot around Marrakech in a sidecar. I’m ready to go!

JAPAN
Tina Liadis, Trip Designer

I’m looking forward to traveling to Japan in May. I’ve been to Japan twice before: Once I went to Kyoto and Shikoku island with our Ancient Japan group trip led by the illustrious Don George; the other time I traveled privately to explore iconic places such as Hakone, Kanazawa, and Tokyo. On my 2022 trip I will experience a Japanese temple festival in Tokyo, then travel to the Inland Sea to visit the islands of Naoshima and Teshima, centers for contemporary art. I will also spend time in the Japanese Alps, where I will walk the Nakasendo Trail, one of several Edo-era highways which connected Kyoto to Tokyo in ancient times. I’ll cap off the trip with a couple of days soaking in the hot springs of one of the onsen in the Alps area.

ALGERIA
Scott Montgomery, COO

I am chomping at the bit to go to Algeria. The initial reports from our advance team make it sound absolutely fascinating. I am intrigued not only by all the history and UNESCO World Heritage sites, but also by the incredible blend of cultures. The people sound warm and kind, and I hear the food isn’t bad either! Algeria has been mostly off-limits to travelers for a while, so I am eager to visit before it becomes more discovered and is overrun with travelers.

BOLIVIA
Sara Barbieri, Product Development Team

I’d like to step onto Bolivia‘s Andean Plateau, to be mesmerized by the complex threads of the Tarabuco weavings, to gaze at the fantastic shapes and colors of Freddy Mamani Silvestre’s architecture, to absorb the ancient teachings and forbearance of the indigenous cultures. I’d like Lake Titicaca to be more than two enticing words I’ve heard so many times, but rather a vivid image I can retrieve from my memory. I’ve read that any history buff worth her salt should visit Tiwanaku, the once thriving megacity that boasts 1,200 years of continuous habitation. And I want to understand the complex history of colonialism, to see Potosí and learn about the richest source of silver in the history of humankind, the origin of the first global currency, and also, yes, the source of much despair. I want to stay at the Hacienda Cayara and spend some quiet time in the library. And of course, I want to fall under the salty spell of the Salar de Uyuni too.

SOUTHERN AFRICA
Glenn Ringer, Partnerships & Purchasing Team

I’m heading back to one of my favorite places on earth, Southern Africa. I’m going with friends who will be traveling to Africa for the first time. It gives me so much joy to go on safari with first-timers, because the experience always overdelivers. We’ll be lucky enough to visit two very different ecosystems, both in fabulous safari locations: Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa and Sapi Reserve / Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. We’ll be augmenting wildlife time with four fun-filled days in Cape Town and a couple of days at the incomparable Victoria Falls.

VIETNAM
Scott Montgomery, COO

I am very eager to get back to Vietnam. I haven’t been in 25 years, and I know so much has changed. Reading surveys from our clients who have visited in the past few years has rekindled my eagerness to return. The folks we now work with in Vietnam have access to some amazing experts on everything from Vietnamese art to local cuisine, and I look forward to learning from these unique individuals. I will definitely do a cooking class! On my last visit, I fell in love with the beauty of the country and was struck by the kindness of the people. I hear those things haven’t changed at all! I’m also excited to get back to the beautiful city of Hanoi.

GUATEMALA
Alex Yalch, Communications Team

I’m excited to visit Guatemala with my family. It’s a multi-generational trip and it will be my son’s first adventure outside of the United States. Despite being so accessible, Guatemala doesn’t seem to be on too many people’s radars. I can’t wait to explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of Antigua, taste local coffee and chocolate, swim in Lake Atitlan, and drink just under an irresponsible amount of rum.

ALASKA
Ashley Pacelli, Guest Services Team

I’m planning an Alaska adventure with seaplanes, grizzly bears, and remote wilderness lodges. The rugged beauty and accessibility to nature is just what I need after years of quarantine! I’m also excited to visit Katmai National Park and the Kenai Peninsula, especially Homer. One big bonus is that it’s all so close!

COLOMBIA
Jessica Silber, Marketing Team

I am totally captivated by Colombia. I want to ride across the llano from Corocora camp, snorkel in the Rosarios islands, wake up and listen to the birds in the Sierra Nevada, hike to the Lost City, and bike in Barichara. . . . I think I’ll need to dedicate all of 2022 to Colombia!

BOTSWANA
Sara Barbieri, Product Development Team

Ever since watching the documentary Into the Okavango, which follows a determined group of scientists and explorers as they travel by canoe from the highlands in Angola to the Botswana Delta, I’ve been wanting to see, for myself, the delta waterways chock full of glorious burbling water and teeming life, arriving just in time to sustain communities of people and animals. After an arduous 1,500-mile descent, fulfilling its mission to replenish the waterways, the water (we really should have more than one word for water) eventually, silently, seeps into the Kalahari. Whether you can actually see this happen or not, I’m not sure, but I’ll find out! And either way, it’s compelling to me that these waters do just that, year after year. I hesitate to mention that the waters are in peril, but they are, for various reasons, and so all the linked ecosystems are also at risk. In some small way, by taking time to visit, learn, support, and connect, we can do good while also reveling in one of the most abundant and stunningly resplendent corners of the world.

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What’s on your travel destination list for 2022? Will you return to old favorites or explore new territory? Let us know in the comments section below!

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To start planning a 2022 adventure to these destinations or any of GeoEx’s other far-flung locales, give us a call at 888-570-7108.