4 Epic Experiences We've Planned
One of the questions we get asked most often is: What is your favorite experience that you've ever planned?
Of course, while almost impossible to answer — they’re all thoughtfully designed and beloved — we wanted to share a handful of our travelers’ best moments and favorite experiences. Moreover, Explorer X ethos is built on the idea that travel can help us see ourselves and the new from new perspectives and, as a result, inspire us to create change in our lives and in the world around us. Discover some of the impacts that these experiences had on our travelers.
We hope you enjoy reading it as much as our travelers enjoyed experiencing it.
Esther & Constantin in Mongolia on their Destination: Unknown.
Returning to Basics in Mongolia
The Experience
Only the most adventurous of wanderers will find themselves on horseback surrounded by Mongolia’s nomadic tribes, and that was Esther and Constantine. Spending their days hunting with eagles in the vast wilderness and their nights sleeping under the stars in their yurt, this had long been a dream for this French couple. Dressed up in the local garb and traveling with only what they could carry on a horse’s back, they came away with some beautiful memories and powerful realizations.
The Impact
After returning home, Esther and Constantine made a conscious decision to downsize and declutter. They moved from a three-bedroom apartment to a much smaller one. But it wasn’t just the physical baggage they felt compelled to release; through conversations, they identified long-held emotional baggage that they committed to finally letting go of so that they could move forward powerfully together.
“Our possessions don’t belong to us; we belong to them.”
Christine celebrating her 60th with a Destination: Unknown experience in Slovenia.
Flying High in Slovenia
The Experience
Most hikes end with a great view, but we had other plans for Christine and Paul on their Slovenia trek. After a 4-hour hike up a mountain, they stayed with a shepherd in a little chalet at the top of the mountain. He welcomed them with true Slovenian hospitality and a home-cooked meal, and they stayed the night. The next morning, they started back down the mountain. About an hour in, we arranged for them to meet two paragliders – but they had no idea this was about to happen. They strapped Christina and Paul to their backs and jumped off the mountain, over a lake, and landed in a big green pasture!
The Impact
Christine was celebrating her big 6-0. And, as many of us experience as we approach 0 birthdays, we are flooded with existential thoughts. Having an experience like this gave Christine and Paul a youthful exuberance and a feeling of aliveness. No, we’re not dead yet, we have a lot of life to give! Look at what we just did! This is a feeling we don’t get to experience every day, and it serves as a powerful reminder that age is just a number.
Exploring spirituality in the Himalaya on a Destination: Unknown.
Finding Purpose in the Himalayas
The Experience
When one of our travelers came to us on her 30th birthday, she was going through a spiritual awakening and career transition. Her Destination: Unknown adventure led her to Nepal for a 6-week spiritual journey. She began in Kathmandu, where she spent a week at a Buddhist monastery learning spiritual traditions and meditation practices. Then, she went on a three-week trek through the mountains of Nepal, guided by someone we knew would be the perfect guide: a woman who was a licensed therapist, coach, and spiritual practitioner. As they hiked through the Himalayas, they meditated every morning and did yoga every day. Finally, her trip ended with a week-long stay with a shaman in the foothills of the Himalayas.
The Impact
After returning home, she started her own wellness and spiritual mentoring practice. We often say that transformational travel isn’t about going to an ashram and becoming a Buddhist monk, but sometimes this is exactly someone’s destiny.
Following in the Footsteps of Idols in Florence
The Experience
It’s not every day we get to see how our role models grew up. But when one of our families had a free day in their itinerary, we had a few surprises up our sleeve. We knew their son’s favorite basketball player was Kobe Bryant, who had passed away a few years prior. So we arranged for them to spend the entire day where Kobe grew up, meeting his former coaches, having lunch with some of the guys that Kobe played with, shooting hoops, and having an incredible time. This experience was entirely made up by our collaborative efforts with the local tourism board, the first time anyone had ever participated in something like this.
The Impact
Having a chance to experience this day gave our young explorer a much better understanding of how hard Kobe had worked and all that he had done to become one of the best players of all-time. Kobe’s commitment to being the best player and person he could be inspired AJ to step up his game and his dedication to his craft the way Kobe had. Now, AJ is receiving D-1 college basketball scholarship offers.
As you can see, some surprise encounters are often the greatest moments for our travelers. Whether it’s because they have no idea what’s coming (thanks to Destination: Unknown) or our tour guides and hosts building in a little serendipity themselves, this is always how we approach our trips. Come see for yourself on your next Explorer X adventure!