Spurred by recent successes with trips to off-the-radar destinations such as Angola and rural Japan, GeoEx introduces a three-country adventure along the Horn of Africa.
San Francisco, CA
The pent-up desire to visit far-flung destinations has many travelers pushing the boundaries for their next trip, according to adventure travel specialists Geographic Expeditions (GeoEx). Spurred by recent successes with 2021 and 2022 departures to relatively undiscovered destinations such as Angola and rural Japan, the company has just launched a three-country adventure along the Horn of Africa, exploring Eritrea, Djibouti, and the self-declared nation of Somaliland.
As GeoEx staffers discussed long-range plans with travelers during the early months of the stay-at-home orders, they saw a trend: Grounded travelers were especially interested in rarely visited and difficult-to-access destinations. Just a few months into the lockdown, GeoEx responded to this trend, launching a 16-day trip to Algeria. Two days after its launch, both 2021 departures were completely sold out—a clear indicator that travelers were keen on these more adventurous destinations, and ready to commit to travel in the next year.
“We were surprised and delighted when the Algeria trips filled almost immediately,” says GeoEx CEO Scott Montgomery. “We happily scrambled to add more departures, and these also filled quickly, confirming that our loyal guests were not only dreaming of traveling again, but ready to plan something daring after many months at home.”
The idea to create a journey to Eritrea was enthusiastically supported by Montgomery himself, who had traveled there on an investigative trip in early 2020. At that time, Montgomery had been impressed by the country’s little-known riches, ranging from coffee culture and art deco architecture to cattle markets and tribal villages, but had noted a lack of infrastructure to support travelers. This was an opportunity for GeoEx. Drawing on their deep experience and connections, GeoEx’s Africa experts created a trailblazing itinerary, adding Djibouti and Somaliland, and choreographing complicated transportation and touring arrangements so that guests could admire the region’s best sights and experiences in relative comfort.
The just-launched itinerary begins in Eritrea, where guests meet diverse ethnic groups, visit an excavation of Kingdom of Axum ruins, hop aboard a restored Eritrean Railway steam train, and enjoy a private camping experience on the sandy shores of the Red Sea in the Dahlak Archipelago.
Moving next to Somaliland, which has yet to be recognized as an independent country, travelers are guided through the country’s long history, from prehistoric cave paintings to modern-day street scenes.
The journey finishes with a look at the international influences within small but strategically located Djibouti, and a visit to the lowest point in Africa, the Technicolor saltwater crater at Lake Assal.
This trip will be limited to eight guests per departure, and will be led by veteran guide Graeme Lemon, who has lived in neighboring Ethiopia for the past decade and has taken travelers throughout Africa.
For more information on this trip, click here. visit https://www.geoex.com/trips/eritrea-somaliland-djibouti/. For more information on the full range of GeoEx journeys, visit www.geoex.com.
To arrange an interview with GeoEx CEO Scott Montgomery, contact Don George, editor in chief of GeoEx’s Wanderlust blog, at don@geoex.com.
About Geographic Expeditions (GeoEx)
A pioneer of travel to remote and challenging destinations since 1982, Geographic Expeditions is a U.S.-based travel company specializing in designing custom journeys and small group trips—cultural tours, treks, safaris, cruises, and journeys by train—to the world’s most astonishing places. Based in San Francisco, GeoEx’s team of travel specialists work with partners in every corner of the globe to create personalized, memorable, and immersive travel experiences for their clients. GeoEx experts have been honored as “Top Travel Specialists” by Condé Nast Traveler, and GeoEx has been cited for its exceptional tours by National Geographic Traveler, AFAR, and Travel + Leisure.
