USA

5.  Tasty treats

Whether your vice is hot stroopwafel (a crispy carmel filled flat cookie pressed to perfection) made fresh in front of you.  Or if it's a piece of delectable Belgian chocolate.  Here you are never more than a few minutes away from a tasty treat.  For me it's Belgian fries smothered with a green pepper sauce (And no, it's not the mayonnaise they put on their fries in Pulp Fiction, it's frite sauce which is so much better).  It's also a frosty Trappist bier, brewed to perfection at an abby by monks, these are in my opinion the best beers in the world.  These beers pack a punch, many are stronger than a glass of wine.  I haven't even mentioned the Belgian waffles, the Dutch pannenkoeken, the cheeses or the bitter-balls (creamy deep-fried meatballs), and the ice cream...Yum!  So many snacks to choose from, so little time!

4.  The Spring

Everything comes to life during the springtime in the Low Countries.  As the temperature starts to warm up, so do the people.  Excitement is in the air, the winter is over and new life begins.  The tulips, daffodils, and rhododendrons explode into action as if setting off a cue to the people to do the same.  The spring brings about the beginning of the festival season with a couple of my favorite holidays in the Netherlands.  Queen's day, or as it is soon to be known as King's day with the changing from Queen Beatrix to her son King Willem Alexander, is one of the biggest celebrations in the Netherlands.   The entire country dresses in the patriotic orange while partying the day away.  There's also Hemelvaartsdag, or Ascension day where the whole nation takes to their bicycles early in the morning and cycles around with their friends stopping at cyclist rest stops or pop up parties in the countryside.  Perhaps one of the only holidays in the world celebrated on a bike!

3.  The Cities

If you're not from Holland or Belgium, biking in the cities can take some getting used to.  Rush hour on a bike in the Low countries should be an extreme sport all on its own.  If you factor in all of the bikes, the trams, not to mention all of the car traffic it's quite a rush.  Many decisions are made only giving centimeters for error, but for some reason you don't see very many accidents (perhaps in Amsterdam, but those usually involve a tourist and perhaps their judgement has been slightly impaired...)  You also never know what you'll see when riding around one of these big cities.  From the quirky shops, quaint cafes, world class museums, city parks, to the fantastic people watching, there's always something to look at.

2.  The Landscape

The Dutch consider themselves a nation of artists.  With such masters as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gogh, and Escher its no wonder.  I often have the feeling while cycling through the countryside that I'm cycling through a great painting.  The Dutch are also masters of their landscape.  In fact, the word landscape comes to us from the Dutch 'Landschap'.  It's no wonder we use their word, almost the entire country has been created shaped and landscaped from scratch!  Still today people take a lot of pride in their landscaping.  You can see them hard at work in their wooden shoes planting their fantastic gardens, pruning their trees, and of course cleaning their windows so that they have a clear view of all of their work.

1.  A Cyclers Paradise

With bike paths that could stretch around the world there is never a shortage of options here while on your bike.  Cycle through sand dunes, farms and pastures, forests, parks, next to canals and windmills, along the Rhine river or the North sea or past famous battlefields.  There are ferries dedicated to transporting only cyclists.  There's a bike lane on almost every road and many more cycling only paths.  There are more bikes than people.  The Netherlands is also considering having heated bike paths to keep them clear of snow and ice in the winter!  All of these paths are well marked and tied together by the fietspad (bike-path) network.  I have lived in Holland for almost two years and I cycle nearly everyday.  There are still paths and routes nearby that I haven't yet explored.   I'm hoping that one day this cycler's mentality will spread across the pond to the USA.  I can always dream right?

The idea, why…..

The idea of an exchange visit was conceived in a unique open air “board room”, in Namibia’s great Kunene region, Omatendeka conservancy at Otjomumbonde. Otjomumbonde area is the Omatendeka conservancy’s wildlife sanctuary. The area is endowed with much needed natural springs and great vegetation making it well suited for farming; however the conservancy has set it aside for wildlife therefore its attractiveness for tourism development. In this arid area, land use and management plans involve making substantial sacrifices by the communities who are generally described as farmers and not conservationists despite their well-known successes in conservation. These sacrifices are sometimes rewarded with unique tourism developments such as the planned Otjomumbonde lodge. It is a beautiful site in a pristine environment. Serenity combined with sincerity to connect people divided by not only an ocean but also lifestyles and cultures. Despite these divides, their souls connected in a common purpose and similarities in their love, respect and appreciation of nature. More similarities came to the fore, their common fight and plight to conserve and preserve the environment; this is why it was decide to undertake an exchange visit for Namibians to the US for both nations to share in their common journey.
 

The mastermind behind the exchange visit is Dan Austin of Austin-Lehman Adventures; a passionate visionary, an energetic individual who love life and all in it, particularly the stories of people as it relates to their space and history. In Namibia he was inspired by the harmony and balance of people and wildlife and their love for the environment which manifests through their passion for sharing their story and their environment with visitors.

The composition of the invitees covered people from Namibian conservation hotspots and a combination of veteran eco-tourism practitioners both in communal conservancy areas as well as government concession areas. In its entirety the group included representatives of key stakeholders making it appropriately representative of the relationships required and in most cases responsible for the successful implementation of eco-tourism and conservation operations in Namibia.

These relationships are a web network involving the government, conservancies, non-governmental organizations, donor agencies, and private sector tourism investors, to mention but a few. Conservancies’ successes of conservation on their land are very well celebrated in Namibia over the years and continue to be the case. Amongst the selected representatives for the exchange visit is conservancy concessionaires, this is the latest government initiative to further extend natural resources management rights and benefits to conservancies neighboring protected areas. This allocation of concession rights to conservancies has not only increased the conservation foot print of the conservancies but also put at their disposal more resources from which to benefit. Unlike in the past where the concession rights were given to private sector operator, now the private sector operators are contracted only as operators and are only given rights to conduct their operations by entering into an agreement with the conservancies that hold the concession rights.   

The delegation also comprised a fair reflection of the Namibian peoples’ cultural diversity, with representation of people from the far northwest, the central north and far north east as well as people from the central heart land of Namibia giving both a rural and an urban reflection of the issues concerning sustainable utilization of natural resources.

The visit, what we saw…

Zoo Montana visit: A great welcome by the enthusiastic “Zoo Man” who has a voice that cuts through the mumblings of non-attentive visitors in the group, filled with passionate yet educational presentation of information of the various species in the collection of the zoo.

The tour through the zoo began at a well calculated significant stop for foreign visitors to see the Bald Eagle, America’s national bird appropriately welcoming visitors on a tour into the American wildlife kingdom, not only at Zoo Montana but for what was to follow during out tour of many wildlife sightings in the parks. To the delegation, a zoo is a new experience even though in Namibia there are various initiatives that operate with wildlife kept in captivity but in general parallels could be drawn especially regarding how the animals ended up in the zoo as well as their confined future in this captive environment. For majority of the group members, there was a general sense of mixed feelings regarding the freedom of the animals and their adopted constricted behavior. Nonetheless the essence and conclusions drawn are that these animals, despite their sad tales of what happened and what could have ended up in their death, have been offered a second chance at life at the zoo, maybe even a much better chance compared the their wilderness-dwelling families.

 Their new role of Zoo Montana is to serve as ambassadors of their world out there and spread the message of their plight directly to their biggest enemy, the human race. The evening was enjoyed mingling with a high profile team from Billings including the Mayor and several representatives of congress, people entrusted by the masses with championing their prosperity including that of the wildlife and the environment. They are key role players in decisions that should bring justice, equity and a harmonious co-existence of man and beast.

The Crow Tribe dance: To cap the evening, a journey down the historical footsteps of the Crow Nation/Tribe was undertaken. They passionately shared their heritage and history and brought to life their increasingly threatened rituals and infected everyone with rhythm to join in song and dance.  We witnessed how music transcend boundaries of any kind be it tribe, race or nations from far across the oceans. The motion of dance to melody is a universal language and we full well connected and melted into the Crow’s cultural pot for the evening.  

              
Meeting the Crow Tribe/Apsaalooke Nation who have a reservation “conservancy” in the rural areas of Montana State, a state fully branded by their ancestors through their connection to the land, the names of the main natural  features such as rivers and mountains and grass plains bears names with meanings and cultural significance of the Crow nation. This is a story many a people can relate to and people in the delegation can relate fully. The challenges they face are similar to the challenges many Namibians face.

Yellowstone National Park can only be described as a “Must see”, seeing is believing in the truest sense of the statement. It was a visit in History, not only seeing what can arguably be the oldest park in the world but also getting the best chance or the closest chance to hear, feel, see and experience some of the most fascinating goings into grandmother earth’s belly. The park is a geological living museum, a living laboratory for academia that pursues the challenge of getting to understand the workings beneath the earth’s surface. It is a mind-blowing experience for the ordinary and it will not fail to ignite a curios debate in one’s mind about the forces of nature and the spiritual believe of divine powers of some sort. We experienced the soul healing powers of nature, the realization of how small and insignificantly young we are as humans on planet earth and how at times the forces of nature swallows our self-imposed egos over other species and our selfish dominance and exploitation of the resources of the earth all in the interest of the human species, the most destructive and harmful species to the planet.  

It is encouraging to note that this Park was set aside for conservation more than 100 years ago. Several success stories of game reintroduction in this park are visible such as the Bison and the Wolves, what is also visible is the ever unpredictable bio-diversity-balance/imbalance that in most cases is best left to nature.  The successful reintroduction of the wolves in the park seems to trigger some form of discontent with cattle ranchers neighboring the park, it appears that the wolves’ territories are spilling over on ranches and that the ranchers are experiencing losses of cattle and a reducing population of Elk that migrates seasonally from the park onto neighboring ranches. This migrating Elk onto ranches provides for a popular lucrative hunting season that provides a much needed alternative source of income during the winter period. The phenomenons above serve both as a sign of conservation success as well as in this case maybe a reminder of the possible reasons why the wolves were fiercely hunted to depletion in the first place.  At the moment, around the wolves issue in the Yellowstone Park, there is an urgent need for conservationists, government to engage ranchers more pro-actively and holistically if lessons can be drawn from our Cheetah Conservation Fund model on the fate of the cheetahs in Namibia. Meanwhile it appears that two even bigger threats to both the ranchers and the parks management and maybe to an extend to Montana and neighbouring states these are wild fires and as was explained a volcanic eruption. These are larger than life threats and therefore beyond anyone’s comprehension, hence left to grandmother nature to decide if not to divine power.

Rural Montana is “cowboy/girl” (gender equality) country; it is a culture, a heritage and a way of life of a people but more importantly an industry and its players who brave it out to rear cattle and hay fields to add their bit to feeding the nation. They are a people with character, a sense of profound pride and hospitality on their ranches and small towns. They are a community and a family, they all have “cow” blood in their veins. Yeah right they will defend their cows. Conservation in their vocabulary is grass lands management, rotational grazing methods and grass species restoration on their ranges as well as rooting out any threats to the cattle be it deceases or otherwise; that is conservation in their language. These guys represent everything tough and rough, big trucks, tough terrains, hectic chores and manual operations in stark contrast of the urban jungle life in this developed nation. They follow a history of their forbearers and continue to cherish a heritage for future generations to come. We did horse riding at a ranch and got a window into the reasons why they probably choose to remain rural, one trail “highway” single file procession, one traffic rule “follow the leader, stop when he stops”, simple “controls” to operate, speed limit is controlled by the cowboy in front. Now why would you trade this for the hustle and bustle of city life if you can eke out a living  in this serene space. After all city dwellers work very hard to earn a holiday the ranchers call their office and the activities such as horseback riding their daily chores.   

American football match: Dan Austin’s all time love appears to be football, in the short-time we spend together the word football kept popping up in conversations like some out of control pop up on a computer screen.  He sold the game to the Namibians in record time and worked tirelessly to plant enthusiasm in the group as he knew that making this group understand the game will take the same time it took Namibians to achieve conservation success. Nonetheless he put to good use every second at his disposal and within less than 15 minutes had total strangers at least memorize Andy’s number (his son who plays for the Bobcats) and the color of the Bobcats’ outfits which was necessary for the Namibians for their own safety at the stadium. Needless to say, on top of the above the game was lectured to the group in a typical Dan’s-Lewis-and-Clark version time, which simply means a story of any magnitude compressed to one breath. Determined, excited and motivated the group marched on the stadium with turbo-charged confidence to join the Bobcats’ die hard supporters in cheering the team to victory. The two distinct differences were the Made-in-Namibia chanting which was new on the scene as well as the dancing when the group took to the stage when a band played live music before the match, the Namibians’ rhythmic moves made others seem rhythm-handicapped, the Namibians shook the “stage” and attracted much admiration while at the same time doing their magic to ensure a win for the Bobcats.  As they say the rest is history Bobcats emerged victorious. Something that was must to rescue Dan from a deteriorating change in mood. An elevated Dan expressed as sigh of relieve which was echoed by the group in a typical father-to-children rubbing off energy.

TIES summit: Eco-tourism, sustainable tourism, pro-poor tourism, community based tourism are but some of the main themes and phrases coined over the years in an attempt to define an environmental friendly sustainable tourism concept that serve as the reason for yet another TIES gathering in Monterey, California. The group joined other delegations from all over the world and participated in sessions at the same level as their counterparts while in some cases it was obvious that many nations can learn a thing or two from Namibia’s conservation success as well as Namibia’s successful unique joint venture eco-tourism concept. The various presentations made where not strange to the Namibian delegation, especially the case studies that involved rural/communal/parks conservation and rural based tourism ventures. What was also evident is that Namibia has a long way to go in its application of environmental friendly practices in urban areas. Lessons on recycling and carbon emission reduction can be drawn from the developed world and maybe Namibia is best placed to do it right first time to be pro-active in order to avoid detrimental development planning. The lessons learnt by developing countries is that we must guard against developing only to end up redeveloping when it comes to making environmentally-friendly decisions, we are best placed in many ways to do it right the first time around and also to learn from the overwhelming examples and adopt systems and technologies of the developed countries proving to be good examples. Namibia has an advantage of having vast tracts of land available as well as an enabling legislation. The challenge we face is inclusive broad consultation on land use plans and prioritization of key sectors with a view to sustainability. Development of the Eco-tourism sector can lead to significant spin-offs that can stimulate a domino effect that will address socio-economic needs in rural areas where it is needed most. In our approach of development in this sector we should adopt a “Design for positive impact and sustainability approach”

Lessons and Recommendations….
•    In comparison to other countries Namibia has a conservation success story to tell of notable magnitude.
•    The importance of stakeholders’ relationships and the role that each play cannot be overemphasized.
•    It is vital for Namibia to be involved and affiliate at international level in conservation and eco-tourism sector
•    There is a need for more involvement and engagement of private sector in policy formation especially regarding tourism concessions
•    There is a need to actively engage academic institutions for both a refined documentation and thorough scrutiny of the conservation success stories and tourism operations in conservancies.
•    Donor’s continue to play a major role in the promotion and creation of needed synergies between key stakeholders for the benefit of sustainable conservation activities
•    There is a need to establish at ground level international mutually beneficial relationships with communities (conservancies), conservancy associations, local councils and regional government; such as signing twinning agreements at this level. E.g {game guard exchanges, committee exchanges and leadership mentorship etc}
    

  List of Delegates:
Ms Aisha Nakibuule (Acting Director), Namibia Development Trust
Ms Hilda Namwnyo (Manager), Sheya shUushona Conservancy
Ms Selma Nangolo (Grants Manager-Tourism), Millenium Challenge Account-Namibia
Mr Usiel Ndjavera (Tourism Business Advisor), WWF
Ms Martha Mulokoshi (Project Officer), WWF
Mr Dusty Rodgers (Investor-Tourism Ventures)
Ms Fabiola Katamila (Chief Warden, Concession Unit), Ministry of Environment and Tourism
Mr Pepe Giampietro Olivetto (Entrepreneur-Eco Lodges building and investments)    
Mr Gustaph Tjiundukamba (Chairman), Omatendeka Conservancy
Mr Rector Mbeha Kawana (Assistant Director) Namibian Association of Community Based CBNRM Support Organisations
Mr Jermain Ketji (Community Liaison Manager) Wilderness Safaris Namibia
Mr Cebens Munanzi (Manager-Tourism and Conservancy Support) Wuparo Conservancy
Mr Alex Ndango (Chairman) Muduva Nyangana Conservancy
Mr Bennet Kahuure (Manager-Tourism and Conservancy Support) Millennium Challenge Account Namibia

Itinerary
Day 1, Sept 6: Montana, Billings: Visit Montana Zoo
Day 2, Sept 7: Billings: Visit Crow Agency
Day 3, Sept 8: Red Lodge, Cooke City
Day 4, Sept 9: Cooke City, Yellowstone National Park
Day 5, Sept 10: The Tetons/ Jackson Lake
Day 6, Sept 11: Jackson Lake/ Grassy Island
Day 7, Sept 12: Yellowstone/ Upper Geyser Basin
Day 8, Sept 13: Lower Geyser Basin/ West Yellowstone/320 Guests Ranch
Day 9, Sept 14: Gallatin Canyon/ Ouzel Falls /Big Sky
Day 10, Sept 15: Bozeman/ MSU Campus
Day 11-16, Sept 16-20: Monterey, TIES Conference
Day 17-18, Sept 21-23 Traveling Back

Acknowledgements and thank you’s
•    Millennium Challenge Account Namibia
•     WWF Namibia
•    Austin-Lehman Adventures
•    NACSO
Ministry of Environment and Tourism

The summer season is upon us, and what better way to pass the time then to embark on a trek though the wonderland provided by beautiful Mother Nature. While you could venture out to hike Patagonia in Chile, or retrace the ancient path of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you don’t even have to venture out of the United States to experience breathtaking beauty. The United States is a hiker’s playground from the sheer massive beauty of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, to the ancient forests of Sequoias at Yosemite National Park in California, or even travel back in time to the great Wild West to the Black Hills of South Dakota. For your summer travels why not take an adventure vacation in your own back yard and experience the awe inspiring sights that United States has to offer. 

Journey to the Rocky Mountain Range in Montana

To explore the world of hiking, one must venture out to the Rocky Mountains of Montana. The beautiful state of Montana is a perfect representation of untamed, natural beauty, and is simply stunning in its vast mountain ranges. Experience wildlife from grizzlies and wolves to bison and bears. Explore nature from their point of view and experience the geological wonders that bring amazing life and color to its National Parks. Experience unique adventures from roping and saddling a horse, to watching good Old Faithful erupt on cue. Hike with the family, roast s’mores, and retell old campfire stories that you grew up on. Explore Yellowstone’s countless geothermal features including Fountain Paint Pots and the Morning Glory Pool, and take a dip in the Boling River.

Visit Zion National Park in Utah

If the Wild West is not quite your style, maybe you would like to explore Zion National Park in Utah. Ranked one of America’s best adventures by National Geographic, these views will take your breath away as you hike past waterfalls, natural springs and hanging gardens. Zion has one of the most diverse groupings of plants in Utah, with over 900 species for you to experience. You can soak up the colorful hues of red, orange and amber during the daylight hours, and at night be surprised by the amazing clarity in the night sky. Kick back and relax as you enjoy the bright star formations in the skies, as you have probably never observed them before.

Visiting The Grand Canyon in Arizona

Looking for a hiking location with a little piece of paradise awaiting you at the finish line? Havasupai is a hidden gem amongst the vast ranges of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Accessible only by foot this is a beautiful place to explore and bask in the natural rich pools at the base of a thundering 100-ft falls. After a fairly difficult hike to the falls you will feel like you are imagining this oasis as its beauty in the arid space of Arizona doesn’t seem fit for such crystal clear waters. This Grand Canyon Vacation is also equipped with a visit to an old galena mine, hunt for fossils, a visit to a natural mineral rich whirl pool, and a stunning trek en route to Beaver falls.

  
Trekking Wyoming’s Yellowstone and Teton National Parks

You cannot possibly discuss the amazing hiking in the United States without mentioning Yellowstone and Teton National Parks. Yellowstone was declared the world’s first national park in 1872, proving that even then, people realized this beautiful gem needed to be preserved.  Take in the neon blue, 300-foot wide Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest of hot springs in the entire U.S. and the third largest in the world.  You can also experience an adventure packed whitewater-rafting excursion down the scenic Snake Water Canyon.  From hiking, to biking, to kayaking, rafting, and rodeos, Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park Vacation and Teton National Park are fantastic locations to explore some of nature’s finest views of the great outdoors.  

5 Great Items to Pack

There is no better time than now to explore the wonders of the world located in our own National Parks. Take your family to see how beautiful and diverse this country is, and how many different adventures are just waiting to be experienced. The possibilities are endless from the Rocky Mountains of Montana and Wyoming to the red rocks of Utah, New Mexico and Arizona in the Southwest to the Coastal breezes of Alaska, California and Washington. Contact Austin Lehman Adventures as your trusted Adventure Travel Company to book a hiking tour for your next vacation.

Check out some other great photos of Domestic hiking adventures on our Pinterest

Your Friendly Travel Experts,

Austin-Lehman Adventures

Visiting Peru fulfilled a lifelong dream, and our trip with Austin Lehman was truly extraordinary. The mysterious beauty of the country was a feast for the eyes and a thorough education on many levels. The guides were outstanding in their knowledge and really made the trip special. Thank you for an incredible adventure vacation!

Name: Nathan Fredericks
City: Raleigh
State: North Carolina
Country: USA

We just loved our trip to Greece with Austin Lehman. For those considering this adventure trip, I highly recommend the Athens vacation. We were truly immersed in Greek culture and thoroughly enjoyed this great historical and archaeological experience. The outdoor activities of biking, hiking and kayaking really made the time away fun, and our guides were also truly concerned about maximizing the experience. The food was to die for, and I could have laid on the beach in Paros FOREVER. If anyone out there is considering a trip with Austin Lehman, just go for it. You won’t be disappointed!

Name: Jeannie Cabrera
City: Hyde Park
State: NY
Country: USA

My hubby and I couldn’t be more pleased with our Moab Utah Adventure. We had the most amazing experience, and our guides, Matty and Katie, went way beyond any expectations. They were very positive and offered stellar service throughout the adventure vacation. Every day was something new and exciting, and we literally did not want to leave when it was time to go home. I especially love how the trip showcased the local and went way beyond the beaten path typically seen by most tourists. We stayed at the beautiful Red Cliffs Lodge for the entire duration of the trip, and they had such great offerings – winery, horse riding and ranch style atmosphere. Even the meals were well thought out and tastefully prepared. You’ve thought of everything to make our stay complete and we’ll be back for another Austin Lehman trip next year!

Name: Judy Bergeron
City: Aurora
State: IL
Country: USA

Having already experienced a few Austin Lehman adventures in the states, we thought we would try one of the adventure tours to Europe. We chose Denmark for our destination, and I couldn’t have been happier with such hassle free foreign travel. We definitely had access to sites and places that as tourists unfamiliar with the country, we would never have found on our own. Cycling tours are definitely on our top 10 list of vacations, and we are looking forward to planning our next biking adventure with Austin Lehman of course!

Name: Karen Sanderson
City: Redondo Beach
State: California
Country: USA

Austin Lehman’s Montana vacations are the best! Our whole family loved the sights, food and guides. Everything was outstanding. The guides were very professional and informative. Katie, in particular, had such a high energy level that my boys just went crazy for her! It was so much fun that my sons did not want to leave at all. Thank you for giving us such a perfect family vacation. We can’t wait to journey with you again!

Name: Tina Dykes
City: Cliffside Park
State: New Jersey
Country: USA

Our adventure trip to Washington’s San Juan Islands was everything we hoped for. The location, our guides and that special Austin-Lehman touch made the vacation one that we will long remember and share with our friends. Our guides, Laurie and Michael, were very knowledgeable and worked to make sure that everyone had a good vacation. The food they prepared was especially yummy! Thanks for such an awesome time. We absolutely loved it!

Name: Conner Kohn
City: Frisco
State: Texas
Country: USA

Our family vacation to Montana and Yellowstone Park was our first experience with Austin-Lehman, and we definitely plan to be back! The guides were great. The itinerary was perfect. We ate very well. As a matter of fact, we were treated like VIPs and loved every minute of it. I noticed from the very beginning that you guys treat your customers like family, and it shows throughout the entire trip. And talk about great food! It was diverse and tasty. The Chico Hot Springs Resort was our favorite, and I think our dinner with them was the best! The guides were very friendly and professional. Keep doing what you are doing. Don’t ever change a thing – it was perfect!

Name: Sam Shaw
City: Hillsdale
State: New Jersey
Country: USA

Camping under the stars at Havasupai was simply amazing! I can’t say enough great things about the whole adventure. Couldn’t wait to wake up each morning for a new day of activities, and the entire environment felt surreal! I absolutely never wanted to go home. Our guide, Joy, was the best; she really made this trip for us. She is very talented with a lot of spirit and energy, and the food she made was exceptional. I’ll never forget the waterfalls or this trip – it’s a memory that will stay with me always.

Name: Kelly Turner
City: Asheville
State: North Carolina
Country: USA

Our trip to South Africa with Austin Lehman was fantastic! We travel a lot – usually with our four kids. Our entire family thoroughly enjoyed our African adventure vacation. We will have great memories for years to come. We had no idea what to expect from Austin Lehman or Africa, but we were thoroughly impressed with both! There is no way to pick our favorite place to stay as both Ant’s Hill and Pitse Lodge were excellent choices. They were both unbelievable. As a matter of fact, our mouths dropped when we say Ant’s Hill. It truly was like paradise on earth. Outside there was so much to explore, and we had plenty of time to relax as well. The guides were the best, and the accommodations heavenly! These two lodges were by far the best traveling experiences we have ever had….and we travel quite a lot! We left feeling more knowledgeable and understanding of this fascinating country. I would highly recommend both the trip and Austin Lehman to anyone.

Name: The Cook Family
City: Baton Rouge
State: Louisiana
Country: USA

We are so happy with our journey to Alberta, Canada with Austin Lehman. Our entire family really, really loved it! The guides were particularly great with our kids, and I appreciate how accommodating they were to our every need. Overall, the whole trip was well organized with a great balance of activities. The rock climbing experience was awesome, and we had great fun glacier walking! After a full day, the journey back to our nice and cozy cabins at the Baker Creek Chalets allowed us to relax and feast on great meals. Thank you for providing an amazing experience for our family!

Name: Stephanie Jacobs
City: Burlington
State: Massachusetts
Country: USA

Our trip to the San Juan Islands was so much more than I ever thought it could be. Our guides were very knowledgeable and professional. Their attention to detail made the entire trip truly “mistake proof.” I especially loved that we could kayak and see whales and seals all around us in the water. Being so close to the serenity of nature created such a breathtaking setting for our adventure vacation. All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you!

Name: Margaret Marshall
City: Detroit
State: Michigan
Country: USA

My family and I dreamed about visiting Yellowstone Park so I was thrilled when my husband surprised us by booking our trip last summer. We had never been on a guided tour before, and I have to say everything about the trip was excellent. The travel plans were executed perfectly from start to finish including the yummy snacks. Thanks again to the professional folks at Austin Lehman for a wonderful Montana adventure!

Name: Bridget
City: Cincinnati
State: Ohio
Country: USA

When it comes to adventure vacations for couples, my wife and I will always choose Austin Lehman. We’ve been on 8 bike trips, and I have to say that our European vacation to La Loire in France was by far the best of them all. The timing of the trip and all activities was perfect, and the food, ah, it was superb! Without exception, our guide, Ron, was the most informed and nicest guide we’ve ever had in any of our groups, and having been on 8 guided cycling tours, that says a lot! Thanks for such a wonderful time, and we definitely plan on joining Austin Lehman again next year.

Name: Will & Davina Percy
City: Austin
State: Texas
Country: USA

Having already experienced a few Austin Lehman adventures in the states, we thought we would try one of the adventure tours to Europe. We chose Denmark for our destination, and I couldn’t have been happier with such hassle free foreign travel. We definitely had access to sites and places that as tourists unfamiliar with the country, we would never have found on our own. Cycling tours are definitely on our top 10 list of vacations, but the only drawback was that many times we arrived at restaurants in our bike clothes. I would have appreciated being able to change prior to attending some of the venues. Other than that, looking forward to planning our next adventure trip to Scotland and Ireland….with Austin Lehman of course!

Name: Karen Sanderson
City: Redondo Beach
State: California
Country: USA

Our Yellowstone Park Adventure was the best vacation we’ve ever taken. We loved the “red carpet” and surprise snacks. I don’t think we have laughed so much or really enjoyed each other’s company while on the road. What a great group of people! I can’t say enough kind things about our guides, Michael and Blair. Our group was small so there was a lot of one on one time. Our two guides were the nicest people I think I’ve ever met. It really felt like we had known them forever. They were very knowledgeable and caring. We sang and shared experiences together so this trip will stay forever in our memories and hearts. Thank you so much for giving us such a wonderful vacation!

Name: Donna Evans
City: Harrisburg
State: PA
Country: USA

Austin Lehman is a class act from start to finish. I was a last minute booking on the Utah Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park trip, and they bent over backwards to make our adventure vacation work. From the office staff to guides, everyone went the extra mile to create a great experience. Everything about the vacation was perfect, and the guides were awesome! Our activities were nicely balanced with day to day biking and hiking so that we really felt like that it was a wonderful experience overall. I will definitely book our next vacation with Austin Lehman!

Name: Elena Applegate
City: New Rochelle
State: New York
Country: USA

Lifelong Austin Lehman traveler here – you guys are 5 for 5 on another outstanding adventure trip! We had such a great time at Montana’s Glacier National Park, and I can confidently say we have another set of lifetime experiences all created in just one week away! I loved the view at the hotel, and the Lake McDonald Lodge had great cabins with unbelievable views. And as with every other adventure vacation, your guides made great connections with the guests. I think it is the personalization of services that make them so great. They truly make everyone feel as if they are the only guest on the trip, and that means a lot these days! I will definitely only use Austin Lehman for all my vacation planning and highly recommend their services.

Name: Henry Lacosta
City: Maui
State: Hawaii
Country: USA