Have you ever found yourself feeling envious of the National Geographic experts you see featured in fascinating television documentaries, who are out in the field, witnessing the astonishing aspects of Mother Nature’s many wonders firsthand?
Maybe you missed your calling to train as an ecologist, or you’re just generally fascinated by wildlife, or you have a soft spot for the environment and its animal inhabitants, so many of whom are endangered by human interference. You might simply be someone who appreciates any opportunity to acquire new knowledge and gain an in-depth understanding of the unique places you visit.
If you fall into any of the above categories, you need to look into National Geographic Expeditions, a group tour company that operates in partnership with Disney Signature Experiences. These trips benefit from all of the vacation-planning capability, customer service acumen, and overall integrity that its affiliations with both the National Geographic Society and the Disney name imply.
Vacation company Adventures by Disney likewise falls under the Disney Signature Experiences umbrella, but—whereas Adventures by Disney’s primary focus is on offering family-friendly trips and activities—National Geographic Expeditions' purpose is to provide up-close, in-depth experiences that offer an “education come to life”, catering to guests who want to expand their knowledge and tap into their inner explorer.
White-faced Capuchin monkey, photographed during a National Geographic Expeditions "Costa Rica: Conservation and Ecology" trip. (Photo Credit: Steven Diaz)
Discovering the Wonders of Costa Rica
I was recently fortunate enough to experience a brand-new National Geographic Expeditions itinerary that is right up my alley. Just introduced this year, ‘Costa Rica: Wildlife and Conservation’ is an immersive 12-day trek that starts in the capital city of San José on the Caribbean side of the country’s central mountains and wends gradually westward, all the way to the mangrove forests and sandy beaches of the country’s Pacific coast.
Even though the itinerary is considered a soft adventure tour, involving light to moderate activity levels, I was surprised how much this immersive NatGeo Expeditions trip really feels like you’re stepping right into a nature documentary featuring some of the world’s most fascinating, rare and exotic wild species. Not only are you seeing strange, almost unbelievable natural wonders with your own eyes, you also get insider access to the locations you’re visiting along the way, often going behind the scenes for special demonstrations or hands-on experiences.
The trip feels less like a sporadic series of “must-see” spots and more like a shared deep-dive investigation into the details of your destination, one in which group members all participate in putting together the pieces of what they learn and observe at each successive stop along the way until a complete picture emerges.
Arenal Volcano, photographed during a National Geographic Expeditions "Costa Rica: Conservation and Ecology" trip. (Photo Credit: Steven Diaz)
What Is a NatGeo Expeditions Trip Like?
Facilitating your collective discoveries is a seasoned Expedition Leader, who travels alongside your group and participates in your activities throughout the entire journey. On top of that, each individual expedition is also joined by a National Geographic Expert (in our case, a celebrated NatGeo Explorer and wildlife conservation photographer), who is assigned to your group, illuminating various detailed aspects of your experience along the way.
Our Expedition Leader’s profound depth of knowledge and field experience practically defied belief. Being both a native Costa Rican and skilled naturalist, he possessed a thorough and intimate understanding of every single creature we encountered along the way—from ants to bats, lizards to sloths, birds to crocodiles and beyond—including their habitats, lifecycles and behavioral nuances.
Not only could he accurately identify hundreds of species of native birds solely by ear (bear in mind, every avian species has a whole repertoire of calls and songs), but he could also spot even intensely camouflaged animals at unbelievable distances, and would swiftly set up a tripod telescope so that everyone could get a glimpse.
A Central American spider monkey, photographed during a National Geographic Expeditions "Costa Rica: Conservation and Ecology" trip. (Photo Credit: Steven Diaz)
On any National Geographic Expeditions itinerary, there are also local subject matter experts on hand at each scheduled location to provide insight into the specifics of the site. These might be scientists, researchers, conservation workers, park rangers, tour guides, farmers or local business owners.
Essentially, you have a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips the entire time, and inquiring minds are both encouraged and appreciated. The particular focus of your trip is also these experts’ passion, so you never get the sense that you’re bothering anyone with your barrage of questions.
While our days held plenty of outdoor exploration, luckily for me, National Geographic Expeditions guests don’t need to sacrifice the creature comforts you look forward to on vacation. Travelers enjoy overnight stays at a sequence of high-end hotels and luxury lodges, all meals are planned and provided (and the food is incredible), with plenty of opportunities to stop at local cafés as you make your way to featured sites in a top-of-the-line motorcoach.
Honestly, they’ve thought of everything, since itineraries are created by a dedicated set of location scouts whose job it is to explore the destination and incorporate the best elements of what they find there.
Beach clean-up at Tamarindo Wildlife Preserve during a National Geographic Expeditions "Costa Rica: Conservation and Ecology" trip. (Photo Credit: Steven Diaz)
Are You the NatGeo Expeditions Type?
Anyone can live out their National Geographic-style dreams. All it takes is a desire to discover your own inner explorer, satisfy you thirst for knowledge and a desire to give something back to your chosen destination.
If you’re the type of traveler whose idea of an amazing vacation revolves solely around the prospect of sunning yourself at a beach resort with a margarita in hand, you may wish to keep shopping around for inspiration for your next trip.
But, if you’re more interested in pursuing your passion for experiential learning, enriching your understanding of the world around you and satiating your innate curiosity, National Geographic Expeditions trips are just your style. Itineraries are available in destinations all around the world that cater to a wide range of interests, and vary in terms of duration and physical activity levels.
Plus, with every National Geographic Expeditions adventure, guests are giving back and making a difference in the destination they’ve just discovered. A portion of your trip’s price is donated to the National Geographic Society or to local groups to further fund their admirable endeavors on behalf of humanity.
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