People who seek out volunteering experiences when they travel usually do so with the intention of making a positive impact. We want to help people. We want to help animals. We want to save the environment, improve living conditions, and build futures. In essence, we’re devoting our time and energy to something much greater than ourselves: The idea … Continued
According to a recent story by NPR, volunteer tourism (a.k.a. voluntourism) currently ranks among the travel industry’s fastest growing trends. Rather than taking traditional sun-and-sand vacations, an average of more than 1.6 million people are spending about $2 billion annually on voluntourism. Instead of hanging out on a cruise ship or sunning themselves on some gorgeous tropical beach, … Continued
With the recent warming of relations between the United States and Cuba, interest in traveling to the Caribbean’s island nation has never been higher. According to Paste Magazine, search traffic on flights to Cuba is up 500% from last year. Airlines such as American and JetBlue are pushing to ad more daily flights to the … Continued
Born and raised in Chicago to parents who immigrated from India and Peru, Andrew Motiwalla had many immersive cultural travel experiences long before he became a Peace Corps volunteer. But it was his time serving in northeastern Honduras (1996 to 1998), in a small town of 500 people called Jano, that would ultimately inspire him to create Discover … Continued
Tanzania is one of those magical places I’d dreamed of visiting for so long, it almost didn’t feel real once I finally got there. From the bustling cities of Arusha and Moshi to remote villages of Chaga and Maasai people, the country is teeming with energy, with a constant stream of smiles and waves from people we … Continued
It’s not hyperbole to suggest that my first encounter with endangered elephants in the wild changed my life. It was about two hours into my first-ever safari drive on my first afternoon in Kruger National Park, South Africa. We spotted a majestic bull elephant feeding on leaves about 75 feet to our left. Our driver turned the vehicle … Continued
From colonial cities such as Cusco and Lima to the ancient ruins of the Sacred Valley, from the rainforest wilderness of the Amazon to the majestic Andean peaks along the Inca Trail, there are a million things to do in Peru. In addition to history (see: Machu Picchu) and nature (see: Manú National Park), Peru … Continued
There’s a battle going on in South Africa. And though it may not have the human body count of, say, Syria, this struggle is just as bloody. At the center of the fight is wildlife, as a rapid rise in Elephant and Rhino Poaching finds these animals being killed for their tusks and horns at increasingly alarming rates. According to … Continued
As any new parent will tell you, the simple concept of family travel can be a bit terrifying. All of the traditional travel fears seem to become heightened tenfold when there are kids or grandkids involved. Yet traveling with kids can also be one of the most rewarding experiences of our lifetimes, taking us away … Continued