Greetings from Denver & Happy 4th of July and 250th America!
It’s been a while since my last newsletter, and I have so much to share with you.
Ex·pe·di·tion: A journey or voyage undertaken by a group of people with a particular purpose, especially that of exploration.
A New Advisor joins the team!
First, I’d like to take a moment and proudly welcome Jonathan Schwartz to the Expeditionist. As a former Backroads guide, I welcome his knowledge, insight, and thoughtful approach to designing custom itineraries through a guide's lens. We work well together, and you’ll appreciate that Jonathan has a more modern take for the savvy luxury traveler. With all the advantages AI has given us in the travel industry, AI can’t provide the perspective that new advisors like Jonathan can. After 36 years in this business, I’m excited to be mentoring new, talented advisors and growing the team with more over the next couple of years.
New Podcast uploads, episodes 7 & 8. Sharing Relationships
The Expeditionist podcast is a series of conversations with longtime friends and colleagues, discussing interesting points of view and great topics that offer a different perspective.
Episode 7 with Catherine Heald, founder of Remote Lands, an award-winning tour operator on the Condé Nast top travel specialist list, Travel & Leisure A-list, as well as Forbes. Ultra-Luxe meets Intrepid! Catherine will share her passion and years of experience, as well as her role in creating the AMAN private jet program.
Episode 8 with Rachel Woodward, Vice President of Sales for Lindblad National Geographic Expeditions. Rachel shares her perspective on the modern expedition cruise. New advisor Jonathan Schwartz has joined us on the podcast to ask about younger families' take on expedition cruising.
Enhancements on our website: Check out our updated website. Click on specialties, and we now have a “live” availability page with National Geographic Expeditions. 2028 & 2029 trips will be published on 07 July 2026.
Recent Travels to Africa
This year, I’ve reinvested in new experiences in Africa like never before. Traveling with new suppliers, visiting new safari lodges, camps, as well as investing in new river cruises in Peru and global yachts.
I recently attended “We are Africa,” a travel show held in Cape Town, South Africa. Prior to the show, I visited a new property in the world's second-oldest mountain range, the Waterberg, at the Lapalala Wilderness Reserve. I encourage you to watch Kulu’s journey on Netflix. I had the privilege of meeting the filmmaker. His documentary is a great share with kids and grandkids. I also had the privilege of participating in an anti-poaching rhino ear-notching operation, during which the Rhino was darted. We witnessed a medical team fitting the beautiful animal with a GPS tag and notching his ears for tracking purposes. Noka Camp offers incredible views and four 1-bedroom villas, plus a 2-bedroom villa, all of which are great for families. Melote House is set up for exclusive use up to 16 guests. I loved their huge accommodations, and the property was unlike anything I’ve experienced on safari- definitely for those who love luxury!
Following the show in Cape Town, I flew to Entebbe, Uganda, where I met up with Michael, and we stayed at the rebuilt and newly opened Gorilla Forest Lodge, where we went on a gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. As excited as I was to see the lodge (as I had not been since 2004, when it was tented, not a lodge), I could not be more excited about something a bit more unique and beautiful, which opens August 1st. EREBERO HILLS by Asilia. This new lodge is going to change the scene entirely with luxury accommodations in Uganda. Following our gorilla trek (we visited a family of 19 gorillas with 2 silverbacks!), we drove through the volcanoes to Rwanda, where we met the students from our charity, the Conservation Corner. Not only was that drive one of the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen, but we also had the privilege of taking the students we sponsor in Rwanda on a gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda (where we saw many newborns!) while also enjoying our stay at the luxurious Singita Kwitonda lodge, which I had not visited since 2019, when it opened.
Following our time in Rwanda, we went on another adventure to northern Kenya with our partner,Bush and Beyond. We flew via Nairobi and went to the National Geographic Lodge of the world, Sarara. We enjoyed exploring the local Samburu culture; we went fly camping in a riverbed for amazing stargazing, hiked, and visited Reteti Elephant Sanctuary.
Experience matters
I want to share my recent experience with the Ebola outbreak in the DRC, which also had cases appear in Uganda. As of 22 June, there was only 1 active case in Uganda. I do not, and have not, sent clients to the DRC, nor have I been. When the outbreak happened, I appreciated Rwanda's decision to close its borders immediately with the neighboring country, the DRC. I appreciate that the airlines reacted swiftly, that Uganda's health ministry was on the ball with up-to-date information, and that they took precautions to prevent it from spreading further. I also want to proudly say that our suppliers did a great job postponing and rebooking our clients who had to make changes due to the unknown and unfortunate circumstances. We had left Uganda right after the news of the outbreak broke, and were nowhere near the outbreak area. It is so important for me to share: as your safari expert, I’ve been to over 120 safari camps and lodges in Africa. Africa is a very big continent. I understand logistics and seasonality, and I also know which experience is right for each traveler. I have had many families travel to Africa and always promote this incredible continent, and I always will. I always say, “You can leave Africa, but Africa will never leave you.” This was a reminder that investing in the right relationships is vital to running a successful agency, ensuring clients have a successful safari.
Where’s the next trip? We’re enjoying our summer in Denver, and our next adventure away will be traveling October 11-18 to PERU with a new experience called Dr. Jones (Remember Indiana Jones?) Then, October 20-27 with Natural Habitat Adventures to see the Polar Bears in Churchill, Manitoba. November 15-22, I will experience A&K’s Pure Amazon, the most luxurious river ship ever built, traveling in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon.
New Yachts!
In addition to the African Safari, Amazon, and Polar Bears, I want to share more details about all of the new ultra-luxury yachts that are getting a lot of attention. You may have heard about AMANGATI, Four Seasons Yachts, Orient Express, and Scenic.
I have invested heavily in SCENIC, which is introducing a new yacht, SCENIC IKON, in 2028. This is an Australian-owned and operated company that is not publicly traded. I feel the value Scenic offers is incredible, thanks to their innovation. Scenic offers river cruises as well as its discovery yachts. The Scenic Ikon will offer its 270 guests incredible luxury accommodations, active programs, the largest spa at sea, 15 dining venues, 8 bars and lounges, 2 helicopters, a submarine, a water sports platform, and some incredible itineraries.
Sailings starting in April 2028. My last trip with Scenic Eclipse to Antarctica in 2024 was amazing. I loved the scenic helicopter flight over the ice; it was stunning. The expeditionist is an affiliate of The Travel Society, whose owner, Randy Yaroch, is on the Scenic advisory board. Scenic has recently been invited to join the Virtuoso network as a proud supplier. I believe Silversea has some really big competition today. There are many cruises to pick from on this new ship. Let’s set up a time to discuss which is right for you. Plan early, get the lowest rate, the best suite location, and block your calendar.
Here are 2 great Scenic trips that may work for you:
Check out July 7, 2028: Idyllic Islands of the Mediterranean, Barcelona to Rome- perfect for those who want to enjoy the sun and the beautiful ports of call.
Check out Antarctica in Depth on January 26, 2029. The 12-Night Antarctica in Depth itinerary on the Scenic Ikon departs January 26, 2029. This luxury expedition voyage sails round-trip from Buenos Aires, Argentina, cruising through the Drake Passage to explore the remote shores, glaciers, and wildlife of the Antarctic Peninsula.
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Happy 4th of July. Thank you for your past and future business.
Sincerely,
Ralph Iantosca
