How to Plan Your Trip
Contact Our Travel Experts
We are excited to learn more about your travel preferences, answer initial questions, and understand what the perfect trip means to you. Once you choose us to be your Travel Advisors we will conduct a comprehensive search to find the perfect match for your travel style and budget. Expedition Trips has the most comprehensive portfolio of small expedition-style ships and trips visiting the world’s most remote and wild destinations.
Choose Your Adventure
Once we get to know you and understand your travel preferences, and you decide to move forward with our trip planning services, we conduct a comprehensive search to find the perfect expedition for you. A detailed email with personalized travel options will be created for you, including information on pricing, availability, cabin selections, and our personalized recommendations and perspectives based on our firsthand experience plus reviews from thousands of happy travelers. We are happy to compare options further on another call or by email, whatever is most convenient for you.
Prepare for Your Trip
Once you have confirmed your epic adventure, our team will guide you through the planning journey until you depart for your trip. Expedition Trips is a full-service travel agency, and we can assist with insurance, flights, custom trip extensions, and hotel reservations. We pride ourselves in offering you personalized service and our team will be on hand to make sure you have all of the required information, answer any questions you have about the unique destinations we travel to, and share tips about what gear and clothing to pack so you are ready for your great adventure.
Travel Tips
Join President and Founder Ashton Palmer in Alaska to celebrate an important milestone
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A recap of a memorable Galapagos trip by Expedition Trips' very own Ashley and Gloria
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Exploring with Quark: an interview with Gretchen on her recent Greenland expedition.
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Where do you plan to be on August 12, 2026?
Read moreBooking FAQ
We are the world’s leading advisors in expedition style travel – your one-stop resource for expert advice, trip planning, and outstanding service. Since 1999, we have been helping our travelers plan the most incredible journeys worldwide and look forward to helping you plan your trip of a lifetime!
Like stepping through the cover of a National Geographic Magazine, expedition travel is all about experience and participation—connect with nature, discover new cultures, and along the way learn to better understand our planet. Accessible to all ages and abilities, each trip is accompanied by expert naturalists, lecturers, and guides who interpret and share their passions and intimate knowledge about each unique destination. Itineraries are flexible and vary according to weather conditions and the wildlife encountered.
Expedition Trips represents trip operators and offers personalized travel planning services to help you make the most educated decision. Our travel experts have traveled to all seven continents and our connections and insider knowledge allow you to have peace of mind when navigating the trip planning process.
We are experts who have been assisting travelers just like you for more than two decades. We are the industry’s leading experts, have an extensive network of connections, and know the right questions to ask. We are your advocates, and our goal is to establish a relationship with you so we can help you, your family, and your friends travel for years to come. Simply put, we have your best interests at heart when evaluating trip options that suit your preferences.
No, and often our travelers pay less due to our knowledge of trip promotions and understanding of where the best value is in departure and cabin selection. Please note that we do charge a $300 planning fee to engage our services, which enables us to dedicate our resources to those valued clients who value our services and expertise.
Trip operators require a deposit to confirm your reservation, with final payment due on average four months before departure. Major credit cards are widely accepted by most trip operators.
Expedition Trips is a full-service travel agency, and we can assist with insurance, flights, custom trip extensions, and hotel reservations. We pride ourselves in offering you personalized service and our team will be on hand to make sure you have all of the required information, answer any questions you have about the unique destinations we travel to, and share tips about what gear and clothing to pack so you are ready for your great adventure.
Health & Safety
What health and safety protocols are in place on your trips?
Policies vary by vendor and we work with dozens of companies around the world. We have worked with many of our vendor partners since our company started in 1999 and we continue to review our operator’s health and safety protocols to ensure the very best experience for our clients and their families. We will provide specific details for your trip during the booking process and are happy to answer any additional questions you have.
Cancellation Policy
What if I must cancel my trip? What are the terms and conditions?
Terms and conditions vary by trip operator. If unforeseen circumstances arise and you need to cancel your trip, Expedition Trips will act as your advocate, and we strive to provide the very best outcome for our clients in the unfortunate case of a cancellation. However, terms for most of our trips are strict, so we always recommend a full cancellation travel insurance policy to cover your investment.
Travel Protection
Travel insurance helps ensure your trip investment is covered in the event you need to cancel your trip due to a covered reason. While it cannot prevent travel mishaps it can provide you with assistance toward unexpected changes in travel plans or emergency medical care including evacuation (if needed).
Who needs Travel Protection and why?
We recommend you purchase travel insurance. Also, please note that some trip operators traveling to remote locations and select itineraries require you to purchase coverage for emergency medical and evacuation coverage.
What are my plan options?
Expedition Trips recommends Travelex Insurance Services to help protect your trip investment. Once you confirm your trip we provide a courtesy travel insurance quote which includes comprehensive coverage with generous levels of protection for domestic and international travel featuring trip cancellation and interruption protection, emergency medical and evacuation benefits along with 24-hour live assistance. Please note that travel insurance is a specialized product and our team is not qualified to answer specific questions related to the benefits, exclusions, or terms and conditions of these travel plans or the suitability of any existing insurance coverage.
While travel insurance cannot cover everything related to trip cancellation, below are the top areas of coverage:
- Trip Cancellation or Interruption – You could be eligible for reimbursement if you cancel your trip for a covered reason including illness or death of a traveling companion or close family member. Additionally, you could be eligible for reimbursement for trip interruption if your trip is cut short due to a covered reason.
- Trip Delay or Missed Connection – Coverage for additional costs such as accommodations, meals, transportation expenses, and unused arrangements if your trip is delayed or a connection is missed, subject to the terms of coverage.
- Emergency Medical & Dental – Most US-based health insurance providers have limitations on overseas coverage when you are out of the country. A travel insurance policy can provide coverage for emergency medical benefits should you become sick or injured and need to seek medical attention while traveling.
Emergency Medical Evacuation - Baggage and Personal Effects – Provides reimbursement of personal effects if your bags are damaged, lost, or stolen or the need for emergency purchase if delayed.
The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. If you have questions about coverage available under our plans, please review the policy or contact Travelex Insurance Services via email at customersolutions@travelexinsurance.com or phone 800.228.9792. Travelex Insurance Services, Inc. CA Agency License #0D10209. Travel Insurance is underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company; NAIC #22276.