Photography Tours

The World’s Best Chance to Photograph Wild Tigers—Plus the Taj Mahal

*For Experienced Photographers

Arresting the gaze of a wild Bengal tiger is one of the most coveted images a nature photographer can pursue. And our India Photo Pro Safari offers the best possible odds for attaining this rare opportunity. In the renowned tiger enclave of Ranthambore National Park, when the Indian spring moves toward the hotter months, animals anticipate the monsoon that is still weeks away. During the heat of the day, tigers seek shelter from the often-oppressive heat, but they must feed and drink, moving from the dry underbrush into the open to water at least twice a day. While there are fewer visitors to India’s tiger reserves in late spring and early summer, it is typically the best time of year to see and photograph wild animals. Along with its famous tigers, Ranthambore is home to sloth bear, caracal, jackal, striped hyena, desert fox, mongoose, peacocks and much more—an extravaganza for wildlife photographers! Add cultural highlights including Jaipur and the Taj Mahal, and you've got an India photo expedition that's second to none.

11 Days. Limited to 6 Travelers. $15495 (+internal air)

Peerless Safari Photography in the Wilds of Botswana, Namibia & Zimbabwe

*For Experienced Photographers

Photograph Southern Africa’s wildest landscapes, abundant game and charismatic predators on an epic safari into the richest wildlife enclaves of Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Each subject is more arresting than the last, from Africa’s largest elephant herds to the world’s tallest sand dunes in the Namib Desert. Traverse the ancient homelands of the San and Himba people, immersed in an ecologically diverse wilderness that provides sanctuary for an extraordinary array of animals. Search for endangered rhino and rare wild dog, and photograph classic plains game including giraffe, buffalo, zebra and gazelle, plus the lion, leopard and cheetah that stalk them. Explore marshy channels in the Okavango Delta filled with hippo, crocodile and graceful birds. On game drives, bush walks and aerial safaris, you'll capture it all. At night, tuck into secluded luxury camps under some of the darkest, starriest skies on Earth.

18 Days. Limited to 8 Travelers. From $33995

The World’s Most Coveted Small-Group Polar Bear Expedition

When you're standing on the outdoor platform of our Polar Rover, the chill Arctic air feels invigorating. But not as much as the sight of the huge polar bear ambling toward us. Sometimes they are silhouetted against the horizon, slowly moving shadows on the vast expanse of tundra. Other times, one may wander up directly below. Safely elevated, you're nonetheless just feet away as you look down on his shaggy, cream-colored bulk. Noticing us, he stops, sniffs and turns his face our way, curious. We grin with delight. The big bear rises on his haunches to peer at us more deliberately. We watch in wonder. Minutes go by, perhaps an hour, who knows? Out here among the bears, time stands still. It's nearly impossible to describe the feeling, but your photos will capture one of nature's most wondrous wildlife encounters!

6 or 7 Days, Limited to 16 travelers. From $7295 (+air)

Stay on the Tundra Among the Bears in the World's Most Remarkable Hotel

This is simply the most extraordinary polar bear experience available! Stay at the Tundra Lodge, set seasonally on the tundra near the edge of Hudson Bay, with round-the-clock proximity to polar bears. For wildlife photographers, no place offers a better spot for coveted close-up shots. As dusk descends, remain in the domain of the polar bear while the sunset lingers on the landscape. Safe inside the warm confines of the lodge, enjoy surprising comfort in these austere environs. This custom "train" of connected lounge car, dining car and sleeping compartments is built on wheels, allowing us to station it for optimal polar bear viewing each fall. Daily Polar Rover excursions take us farther afield in search of bears and other northern wildlife. There’s no more immersive encounter with the King of the Arctic's realm!

6 or 7 Days. Limited to 29 travelers. From $10795 (+internal air)

In the same land that hosts the beluga whales of summer and polar bears in autumn comes an amazing phenomenon that illumines the dark winter skies. The northern lights—also called the aurora borealis, meaning “north wind of the dawn"—brighten the night in an ethereal display of color. Churchill has some of the most intense auroral activity on Earth, making it an ideal destination for a northern lights tour. Photograph the lights from varied heated vantage points, including a remote cabin in the boreal forest that we access via private snowcoach over a frozen creek, and from our custom-built Aurora Pod®, with 360-degree views on the night sky through its glass top and sides. On this exciting Arctic adventure, our days are filled with distinctly northern activities like dog sledding, while nights offer potential for the best aurora viewing on the planet.

7 Days. Limited to ~14 travelers. From $6295 (+internal air)

A Truly Exclusive Adventure into the Heart of Wildest Africa

In the wilds of Botswana, you'll find the wonders that drew adventurers to the African continent over a century ago. Vast elephant herds still roam the savanna. Hippo and crocodile crowd the Chobe River's marshy channels. Buffalo, giraffe, zebra and antelope thrive in the Okavango Delta and at watering holes that sustain life on the parched plains. Lions laze in the shade of mopane trees while leopards sprawl in the branches, icons of genuine wilderness that exists in Botswana. If you're a wildlife photographer, Botswana will exceed your wildest dreams! Our intimate tented bush camps are reminiscent of a nostalgic safari era, yet replete with contemporary luxuries, even in some of the most remote wild places on Earth. If you're searching for the classic romance of Africa, it's still here in secluded Botswana.

12 Days. Limited to ~7 travelers. From $13995 (+internal air)

On This Green Season Safari, Fresh Grass Draws Desert Wildlife & New Babies Abound

Botswana’s lush summer, its most productive and colorful time, offers natural spectacles most travelers miss. Sporadic light rains in the Kalahari mark a time of dramatic change, signaling a great influx of migrating wildlife and plains animal births—"bush babies" are everywhere! Photograph wildlife in the Kalahari, where high game concentrations and expansive open vistas make for some of the best cheetah viewing in southern Africa. Delta water levels are typically low, while green vegetation springs to life on the bleached plains of Deception Valley, attracting herds from all over the reserve. The drier region of the Okavango Delta bordering the Moremi Game Reserve also offers superb wildlife viewing, with stable populations of lion, leopard and wild dog. A special highlight is a private visit with a predator researcher at Gomoti Camp, plus exclusive private stays at intimate luxury camps.

12 Days. Limited to ~7 Travelers. From $12995 (+internal air)

Our Premier Primate Trip to Uganda & Rwanda for Gorillas, Chimpanzees & Golden Monkeys

To trek into the rain forest and sit with a family of mountain gorillas, catching the gaze of a huge silverback at close range, seeing them devour leaves stripped from branches, watching babies cling to their mothers, laughing at animated youngsters playing in the trees...it's a profound experience for a wildlife lover. And to capture these rare moments in photographs lets you relive the wonder in enduring images. Our extended time with endangered gorillas is the centerpiece of this primate-focused safari that also includes the chimpanzees of Uganda's Kibale Forest and golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park in neighboring Rwanda. Many of our guests say they are never the same after these encounters...and your visit may be a life-changing experience for these species as well, as ecotourism is the main hope for protecting their future.

13 days. Limited to 12 Travelers. From $14495 (+permits)

Photograph Namibia’s Unique Desert Wildlife & Stunning Landscapes in Remote Seclusion

Namibia is one of Africa’s best-kept secrets for photographers. Less well known and less visited than the game parks of East and South Africa, Namibia’s treasures remain more hidden, revealed to those in search of a truly distinctive safari adventure. Here amid one of the world’s greatest deserts, we find a surprising collection of hardy wildlife that has managed to adapt to its harsh environs. Yet this is also an arrestingly beautiful land. From soaring sand dunes to broad, dry rivers, from jumbled rocky mountains to lonely beaches, photographers will find Namibia profoundly alluring. A more civilized highlight is our luxury camps, replete with amenities and enveloped by silent wilderness.

11 Days. Limited to 8 Travelers/ From $14695 (+internal air)

Escape the Crowds! Explore Private Reserves on an Exclusive Safari for Just Six Guests

To many, South Africa’s wealth is synonymous with its diamonds and gold. But we think its greatest riches lie in another of its natural treasures: its wildlife. Sabi Sand, Marataba, Madikwe and other vast bushveld reserves protect an astounding diversity of big game. From massive-tusked African elephants to the sleek leopards, from squat rhinos to regal lions and Cape Buffalo, the Big Five are all here to provide one of Africa’s greatest safari experiences—and with our focus on secluded private reserves in the Kruger region and remote realms beyond, the only crowds you'll encounter are crowds of animals. At every turn, our Expedition Leader reveals the intricate wonders of the bush ecosystem, sharing interpretive insights and conservation success stories. When your safari is over, one thing is certain: you’ll go home far richer than when you arrived.

10 Days. Limited to 6 Travelers. From $11995 (+internal air)

An Exclusive Encounter with the World's Most Unique Biodiversity Hotspot

Madagascar is indeed a world apart. Its rain forests are home to diademed sifakas, indris, fossas and tenrecs, while baobabs and pachypodia dot its sandstone deserts. Curious about these exotic-sounding names? For even the best-traveled nature lover, Madagascar offers a kaleidoscope of discoveries. It's no wonder World Wildlife Fund calls it a priority place—more than 80% of the island nation's rare and intriguing plants and animals, including more than 100 different varieties of lemur, exist nowhere else. There's no better way to experience this living time capsule that broke away from the super-continent some 100 million years ago than on our exclusive small-group journey, with private chartered flights to maximize your time. Discover an "eighth continent" you never knew existed as we enjoy close encounters with some of the planet’s most unusual species.

13 Days. Limited to 12 Travelers. From $11895 (+internal air)

Follow All the Action Across the Maasai Mara from Luxury Mobile Camps

No wildlife event on Earth rivals East Africa’s Great Migration for sheer drama. Every year, enormous herds of wildebeest and zebra, 2 million strong, make a grand circuit across the plains from the Serengeti into Kenya's famed Maasai Mara and back, following the new grass that sprouts with the seasonal rains. A host of predators, including the Mara’s abundant lions, follows in pursuit, ensuring their own survival by targeting weaker members of the herds. Along with the wonder of the migration, Kenya offers photographers iconic images of Africa: giraffes browsing in lacy acacia trees, elephants trundling over the savanna, proud Maasai bedecked in traditional beadwork, and much more. Concentrating on private reserves, we avoid the most heavily visited areas, guaranteeing an authentic safari experience reminiscent of Kenya in days gone by.

8 Days. Limited to ~12 Travelers. From $9995 (+internal air)

Encounter Wildest Africa on This Coveted Safari Across the Serengeti & Beyond

On Africa’s Great Plains, the pulse beat of the planet reverberates. Our Land Cruiser is a tiny island in a vast, grassy sea, its idle drowned out by waves of pounding hooves. Wildebeest and zebra flow in a living current across the Serengeti as lion and cheetah follow in their wake, finely tuned hunting machines ready to stalk and take down the weakest members of the herds. From our private mobile camp stationed in the center of the world’s greatest ancient migration route, we are subsumed in a primal spectacle as the drama of predator and prey unfolds. Witness it in rare seclusion, immersed in the wonder of one of the world's truly epic wildlife events. And of course, no Tanzania safari is complete without a descent into the famed Ngorongoro Crater. The largest unbroken caldera on Earth, the crater is home to nearly 30,000 animals sustained within its walls.

10 Days. Limited to ~12 Travelers. From $12995 (+internal air)

Meet the Mighty Brown Bears of Katmai Up Close from a Private Small Ship

Nature puts on few displays as arresting as Alaskan brown bears feeding on summer’s bounty. These bears—the largest coastal grizzlies in the world—gorge on clams, mussels, sedges and spawning salmon as the fish swim up the glacial-fed rivers that pour onto wild beaches. Our private chartered ship, the Natural Habitat Ursus, designed for exploring the Alaskan marine wilderness, offers an exclusive opportunity for just eight guests to follow and photograph bears as they fish, forage and amble along the shoreline. Ashore, we watch safely on foot with our Expedition Leader, an expert bear naturalist who knows these magnificent animals intimately. The grizzlies could not be more nonchalant about our presence! Here in Katmai National Park, experience this rarest of encounters with Ursus arctos in all its untamed majesty.

8 or 10 Days. Limited to 8 Travelers. From $9495 (+internal air)

See More of the Last Frontier on a Small-Group Wilderness Immersion

While superlatives strive to convey the grandeur of Alaska, they never quite manage to capture the reality. Our Ultimate Alaska Wildlife Safari does, though. In the company of top naturalist guides, we take you farther afield from standard routes for a genuine Alaskan wilderness adventure. Experience the vast expanse of Denali, where grizzlies and caribou roam the tundra. Ride the historic Alaska Railroad over the Alaska Range and through the Great Interior, and float the Placer River beneath the icy peaks of the Chugach Range. Cruise to the face of a calving glacier, look for whales, otters and puffins on a chartered boat cruise in Kenai Fjords, and overnight on a private island. At Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, capture iconic photos of giant brown bears fishing for salmon. This is the real Alaska: bigger, wilder and more enthralling than you ever imagined!

13 Days. Limited to 14 Travelers. From $13395 (+internal air)

A Total Immersion with the Bears of Katmai National Park on a Chartered Small-Ship Adventure

*For Experienced Photographers

We're not exaggerating when we say this is the ultimate bear photography safari! Nature puts on few displays as arresting as Alaskan brown bears feeding on summer’s bounty. These bears—the world's largest coastal grizzlies—feast on clams, mussels, sedges and spawning salmon as the fish swim up the streams that pour onto these wild beaches. With seven nights aboard our private chartered ship, the Natural Habitat Ursus, serious photographers have an exclusive opportunity to capture countless images of grizzlies as they fish, forage and lope along the shore. Go ashore with our experienced guide to photograph the bears on foot from a careful distance—your photo Expedition Leader, who is one of Alaska's top bear experts, coaches you on how to safely get incredible shots at close range. We may view lone males, mothers with playful cubs, or even a wolf interacting with bears along the river. Here in Katmai National Park, experience this rarest of encounters with Ursus arctos in all its untamed majesty!

10 Days. Limited to 8 Travelers. From $13995 (+internal air)

A Photography Extravaganza with Alaska's Biggest Bears...& No Crowds!

*For Experienced Photographers

Photograph Alaska's giant coastal grizzlies in Katmai National Park after Brooks Camp closes for the season and tourist crowds have disappeared. But dozens of bears still congregate, indulging in a final round of gluttony before settling in for a long winter’s sleep. Get extraordinary close-ups of tawny bears against a rich autumn palette as we fly each day by private floatplane from our luxury wilderness lodge to the Brooks Falls area. Along the Naknek and Brooks rivers, capture exhilarating images as bears devour the remaining bounty from summer salmon runs. Earthy fall tones and a low-slung sun cast a golden light upon the scene—a late-season mingling of cubs, healthy females, giant males and subadults. The bears are sated and relaxed, creating thrilling subjects for an epic photo expedition you won’t find anywhere else.

6 - 7 Days. Limited to 8 Travelers. From $9995 (+internal air)

Explore Arctic Wilderness from a Luxury Camp in View of the Greenland Ice Sheet

As technology shrinks our planet and its farthest reaches become more accessible, novel adventures are ever rarer. But that's what you'll find at Base Camp Greenland, our deluxe safari-style camp near the edge of the Greenland ice sheet. In East Greenland, one of the most isolated places on Earth, we are immersed in raw Arctic beauty while staying in surprising comfort. Summer here is glorious! Miniature wildflowers dot the tundra, and by early autumn, lowbush blueberries and crowberries ripen as dwarf birch turns gold. Whales frequent the fjord, while icebergs, spawned from massive glaciers, glitter in the late sunset light. Beneath granite peaks that tower over deep inlets, we find stunning hiking and kayaking. Nothing compares to East Greenland for an epic Arctic adventure on the front lines of a rapidly changing climate—and there’s no better way to experience it than from our wilderness base camp!

10 Days. Limited to 13 Travelers. From $12995 (+internal air)

Come Eye to Eye with Friendly Belugas on a Northern Canada Adventure

Few of nature’s marvels match the intense aliveness of an Arctic summer. In a region that's frozen, still and dark for much of the year, the Northland awakens with a burst of energy during these long days when the tundra turns green, wildflowers appear, animals come forth in great flocks and herds, and belugas return for their summer feasting. More than 3,000 of these amiable white whales congregate at the mouth of the Churchill River, and our motorized rafts and kayaks put us at eye level with these often-curious cetaceans. On the surrounding tundra, look for terrestrial wildlife—we may even spot polar bears, their creamy coats contrasting with the rocky shoreline and dark boreal forest. With the remote yet accessible town of Churchill as our base on Hudson Bay, we are surrounded by the flurry of natural wonders a northern summer provides.

7 Days. Limited to 14 Travelers. From $7395 (+internal air)

A Full Loop Around a Nordic Realm of Waterfalls, Glaciers, Geysers & Volcanoes

Iceland is a small island nation on the edge of the Arctic Circle, but few countries are bigger on natural wonders. Glaciers and geysers, hot springs and waterfalls, basalt pillars and black sand beaches, frigid fjords and fields of lava…Iceland has all these and more, and our expedition showcases the full array of its arresting contrasts. Uninhabited until the island was settled by Norse Vikings in the 9th century, Iceland today is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Europe. Along its shores, we’re outnumbered by whales, seals and puffins, which we scout out on private boat excursions. Inland, walk atop raw terrain born of fiery volcanoes and sculpted by glaciers. Here where the North American and Eurasian plates collide, geothermal forces create a dynamic and dramatic landscape—an experience of pure nature at its most powerful.

11 Days. Limited to 11 Travelers. From $13995 (+internal air)

The Very Best Opportunity to Watch Wolves & Winter Wildlife in Their Natural Habitat

You'll find no better chance to observe and photograph wolves in the wild than on this rare immersion in their native realm. Our carefully crafted wolf and wildlife photography intensive spends four full days in the famed Lamar Valley of Yellowstone's Northern Range, the best spot on Earth for viewing wolf packs living freely in their natural environment. Though wolves are elusive and typically seen at a distance, the wide-open expanse of this remote valley offers the best prospects for sighting them. Through the relationships we've cultivated with local scientists, wolf researchers and renowned wildlife photographers, we are able to offer this exclusive safari for a few privileged guests keen for an encounter with Canis lupus. Other Yellowstone wildlife, which we're sure to come across as well, is a bonus!

7 Days. Limited to ~12 Travelers. From $6795

A Rare Winter Wildlife Expedition Deep into Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks

In the pale light of sunrise, we survey the open expanse of Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley, searching for wolves. Alongside expert naturalist guides, with spotting scopes and cameras poised, we hope to see a pack emerge from the forest, energized by the awakening day. In the distance, a large male halts and sniffs the frozen air. Elegant predators, wolves are an important part of the Yellowstone ecosystem, where great herds of elk, snow-crusted bison and other prey provide sustenance. Winter’s white mantle offers a pristine backdrop against which to search for these elusive icons of wilderness. The landscape holds magic, too, with steaming geysers, bubbling mud pots and trees covered in glittering ice crystals beneath an immaculate blue sky. Discover Yellowstone and the Tetons on a rare winter wildlife safari—your spirit will never be the same.

7 or 8 Days. Limited to 13 Travelers. From $6695

Exclusive Photography in Yellowstone & Grand Teton in the Solitude of Winter

*For Experienced Photographers

For serious photographers, there’s no better season than winter to capture the wonders of Yellowstone and the Tetons. Silence reigns, crowds are non-existent, and wildlife abounds. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem contains the largest concentration of free-roaming wildlife in the Lower 48—a nature photographer’s grail—and winter offers striking images against a frozen white tableau. This immersive adventure in two of America’s most iconic national parks gets you deeper into wild terrain, for more extended time, than any other photo safari you’ll find. Rise before dawn to be in the field at sunrise and stay through twilight, when wolves are most likely to be hunting in the open expanse of the Lamar Valley. Get close-ups of bison along the Madison River, their coats crusted with ice and nostrils blowing steam in the frigid air. Photograph vast herds of elk on the floor of Jackson Hole. Geothermal features make entrancing subjects, too, as geysers erupt in a crystalline spray.

11 Days. Limited to 10 Travelers. From $12295

An Intimate, Expertly Guided Encounter with Iconic Western Wildlife

When President Theodore Roosevelt encountered Yellowstone's wondrous geology and abundant animals during a visit to America's first national park in 1903, he proclaimed it “absolutely unique in the world.” Embracing natural beauty as a shared asset, he championed the idea of national parks, building a priceless legacy for generations to follow. In the northwest corner of Wyoming, two of America's most treasured parks offer scenic grandeur and prolific wildlife unparalleled in the Lower 48, with outstanding opportunities for nature photography. This classic small-group safari through Yellowstone and the Tetons takes us into the domain of elk and bison, moose, bighorn sheep, coyotes, foxes, bald eagles and, of course, black bears, grizzlies and wolves. From plains to peaks, Yellowstone Country still works strong magic.

7 Days. Limited to 13 Travelers. From $6395

Iconic Vistas & Wondrous Light—A Journey into Bryce, Zion & Grand Canyon

Standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon, searching the shadowy depths for the silver ribbon of the Colorado River thousands of feet below, we are overcome by wonder at our own tiny instant in geological history. The canyon's sedimentary layers, stacked more than a mile thick, are a calendar for the millennia, formed by the erosive power of water and wind over eons. While this region is known as Red Rock Country, the canyon walls glow gold, rose, rust and violet, ever-changing as the high desert light works its magic for photographers seeking coveted shots. No less moving are neighboring Bryce and Zion, whose pink pinnacles and soaring sandstone ramparts round out this trio of famed Southwest national parks. Explore highlights and hidden corners of all three on this classic Western nature adventure, with stays at historic national park lodges.

8 Days. Limited to 10-13 Travelers. From $5995

Meet Pandas Up Close & Search for Rare Wildlife on Remote Nature Reserves

Deep in the Minshan Mountains of Sichuan province, great rivers and gorges dissect lush forests that shelter some of the world’s most endangered wildlife. This is the last wild habitat of the giant panda, which subsists on the bamboo protected within a network of remote nature reserves. Supported by WWF, these little-visited wilderness enclaves also harbor rare moon bears, golden snub-nosed monkeys, shaggy takin, Chinese goral, blue sheep and exquisite birds, including the golden pheasant. Discover a side of China most travelers never experience on our unique itinerary, carefully crafted to reveal rarely seen panda habitat, up-close encounters with pandas, and Chinese nature at its most entrancing. We also visit the ancient Silk Road city of Xi'an, where the Terracotta Army has guarded the tomb of China's first emperor for more than 2,200 years.

12 Days. Limited to ~12 Travelers. From $12495

A Quest in Search of Rare & Threatened Wildlife in the World's Oldest Rain Forests

Borneo, the world's third-largest island, harbors the tallest and most ancient rain forests on Earth. Sheltered beneath their dense canopies are jungle rivers, waterfalls and a host of wildlife that leaps, darts and crawls in the emerald depths. Endangered orangutans thrive in the lush vegetation, sharing branches and vines with leaf monkeys, wild gibbons, flying lemurs and more than 300 vibrant bird species. Rare proboscis monkeys are at home in coastal mangroves where hornbills and sea eagles soar above. Tiny turtle hatchlings find their way to the sea on Selingan Island. In the forest beneath Mount Kinabalu’s prominent peaks, pygmy elephants lumber through the underbrush while monitor lizards sunbathe on the banks of the Kinabatangan River. Wildlife flourishes in Borneo, and we safari in search of it on a matchless tropical nature adventure.

12 Days. Limited to ~12 From $10895 (+internal air)

Witness Mexico's Amazing Migration of Millions of Butterflies!

One of the world's most astounding wildlife events occurs each year in Mexico's Central Highlands, featuring the most delicate of creatures. As we enter a grove of fir trees on a remote mountaintop, the trunks and branches appear to be blanketed with rusty autumn leaves. A closer look reveals they’re quivering. Then, as the sun emerges from behind a cloud to warm them, hundreds of thousands of monarch butterflies take to the sky—so many that we actually hear the beating of their wings, which glow translucent orange against the blue sky. Sometimes, the monarchs float down to alight on our hats and shoulders. On special photography departures, learn to capture inspiring butterfly images, from intricate close-ups to great clouds of airborne monarchs. Experience this moving phenomenon with expert interpretation from Mexico’s premier naturalist guides.

6 Days. Limited to ~16 Travelers. From $4395

Exclusive Small-Group Nature Immersion Led by the Islands' Most Experienced Guides

Six hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador, surrounded by open ocean, a volcanic archipelago straddles the Equator. The Galapagos Islands, forged of black lava and named for the giant tortoises that are among their most noted inhabitants, are like no other place on Earth. Home to a profuse array of unique wildlife, the islands offer an immersion in nature that feels primeval. Iguanas and blue-footed boobies share the beaches with us, unfazed by our presence. Friendly sea lions—and sometimes inquisitive porpoises—play with us in the clear turquoise water, as Galapagos penguins dart by and sea turtles glide past. Author Herman Melville, who visited the islands in 1841, shortly after Darwin's momentous visit, called them the "Enchanted Isles"—an apt moniker for a realm that remains otherworldly, even today.

8 or 10 Days. Limited to 16 Travelers. From $5495 (+internal air)

From Quetzals to Capuchins, Discover a Wilder Side of Costa Rica

The natural marvels of Costa Rica are in a class all their own. And so is this trip, which reveals less-discovered realms of this globally acclaimed nature travel hotspot. From a remote rain forest lodge on Costa Rica's southern Pacific coast near the Panama border to the misty slopes of the Talamanca Mountains, explore incredible biodiversity in varied habitats. Keep watch for mammals, reptiles and tropical birds as we wander through jungle and cloud forest, and float a tropical river through a vast mangrove estuary. Learn about the land and its people, too: tour a fruit orchard, enjoy a home-cooked lunch on a family farm, and find inspiration in local conservation efforts that are restoring landscapes to their original native beauty. Costa Rica is full of wonders—discover them on a rare ecotourism adventure off the standard tourist track.

8 Days. Limited to ~10 Travelers. From $5995 (+internal air)

Peaks, Lakes, Glaciers & Pumas on a Grand Andean Adventure

The southernmost Andes rise in spires to the sky, their sheer granite heights drawing the eye and spirit upward. Sunrise bathes the peaks in rosy alpenglow. Glaciers wind down in frozen rivers from the ice-crowned massifs, choking turquoise lakes with floating blue bergs. Patagonia has no peer on Earth when it comes to dramatic mountain landscapes. On our cross-border expedition into Chile and Argentina, look for condors, guanacos and elusive pumas on guided hikes. Puma sightings are on the increase, and we hope to get a glimpse of this stealthy hunter in Torres del Paine National Park. Patagonia’s seascapes are likewise enchanting, a maze of fjords and islands that are a playground for whales, dolphins, penguins and elephant seals. Explore and photograph diverse facets of this legendary adventure realm on an all-encompassing odyssey to the bottom of South America.

10 Days. Limited to ~12 Travelers. From $10495 (+internal air)