Dan Austin - dan@austinlehman.com

The choice provider of active vacations, ALA specializes in multi-sport, hiking, biking and family travel experiences that are immersed in history, wildlife, culture and geography’s natural beauty. The company has built a reputation for exclusive, small-group active travel (limited to 12 guests, 18 for family trips), with a distinguished roster of trips to over 30 countries in the Americas, Europe, Africa, South Pacific and the Middle East. It has been ranked in the top five for the world’s best tour operator by the readers of Travel & Leisure magazine from 2009-2012 and holds top accolades as one of the finest adventure tour specialists in the industry.

• All ALA vacations feature exceptional dining, access to distinctive accommodations and insider's knowledge of every location.

• A team of passionate, enthusiastic guides facilitate memorable and authentic excursions, at one’s own pace, off the usual tourist track. Guests enjoy “insider’s knowledge” and a local, close-up perspective that cannot be replicated independently.

• In addition to scheduled group departures, ALA offers customized, trip for families, solo travelers and adults-only.

• ALA offers all travelers a money-back guarantee, a rarity among adventure travel companies, to reflect its commitment to the highest levels of guest service.

With a legacy going back nearly 40 years, the company evolved into Austin-Lehman Adventures under the helm of entrepreneurs Paul Lehman and Dan Austin.

• 1994 -- Dan Austin purchased Montana-based Backcountry Tours, a well–recognized purveyor of small group, multisport tours throughout the western US. This was his second major foray in adventure travel since 1976, when he was a partner in a rafting company in the Pacific Northwest.

• 1997 -- Dan Austin sold his interest in Backcountry and created Adventures Plus, a provider of adventure tours with a commitment to exceptional client service.

• 2000 -- Dan joined forces with Paul Lehman, a fellow entrepreneur and adventurer. These two passionate travelers merged their philosophy on company vision, goals and direction to form Austin-Lehman Adventures. Their shared vision created a company that provided unparalleled service and an active, experiential travel experience.

• 2001 – Dan Austin and Paul Lehman acquired Backcountry Tours further expanding their operations and loyal client base.

• 2008 -- The company acquired Euro-Bike Tours. Originally founded in 1974 in DeKalb, Illinois, by Dutch natives Dr. Hendrik and Ellen Hoeve and Wim van Dijk, Euro-Bike was the first U.S. bike tour company to establish operations in Europe. Wim’s son, Ron van Dijk, joined the operations, and based in Amsterdam, Holland; he became an owner/partner in Austin-Lehman Adventurers.

• 2010 -- Paul Lehman announces his departure from ALA to pursue new personal adventures in his life.

•2011-- For the third year in a row ALA was ranked as one of the top adventure tour operators in the world by Travel + Leisure Magazine

Specializing in small-group, high-end adventure travel, ALA immerses its guests in one-of-a-kind, enriching experiences that capture each destination’s unique sense of place. By integrating activities like hiking, biking and rafting, each traveler experiences a destination in a highly memorable, fun and engaging way, to go beyond just “seeing” a destination.

ALA is the tour company for those who “don’t like tours”.

• Maximum of 12 guests per adult trip, 18 per family trip,
• Each trip features “off-the-beaten path” experiences, comprised of exclusive channels to a destination’s most interesting, unique sites.
• ALA hand selects excellent restaurants and premium hotels that provide a strong connection to a destination’s local culture and provide the utmost comfort.
• Private custom trips designed for individuals and private group travel including family reunions, corporate retreats, big birthdays, etc.

For a full list of our 2013 departures, please click here.

2012

Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards #1 Top Tour Operator and Safari Outfitter for Families

Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards #2 Tour Operator in the World

Austin-Lehman's Cuba tour makes National Geographic Traveler's 50 Tours of a Lifetime

Outside Magazine Hall of Fame Travel Awards Recipient

Travel + Leisure recognizes Austin-Lehman as a 2012 World's Best Value for "Tour Operator and Safari Outfitters"

Austin-Lehman's South America and Latin America specialist, Troy Glennon, is recocgnized by Condé Naste Traveler as a Top Travel Specialist for Peru

2011

Travel + Leisure Top 5 Best Tour and Safari Operators in the World

2010  

Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards #2 Tour Operator in the World

Travel + Leisure World's Top Adventure Trips

2009  

Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards #1 Tour Operator in the World

National Geographic Adventure Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth

About.com Top 20 Adventure Travel Companies

2008  

National Geographic Adventure Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth

National Geographic Adventure World's Best New Trips for Panama Boquete To Bocas Adventure

Concierge.com's Best Adventure Trips of 2008 for our Panama adventure

Bicycling Magazine 15 Best Bike Trips

Dan Austin honored with an invitation to join Forbes Traveler's panel of distinguished travel experts

International Academy of the Visual Arts Communicator Award of Distinction for company website

2007   

National Geographic Adventure World's Best New Trips for Okanagan Wine Country Adventure

National Geographic Traveler 50 Tours of a Lifetime

2006    

National Geographic Adventure World's Best New Trips for Oaxaca Adventure

2005     

Travel + Leisure 50 Greatest American Adventures

2004     

Diversion Magazine Top 10 Adventure Companies

2003     

Catalog Age Annual Catalog Awards - Silver Medal in Travel Category

Dan Austin
phone 800.575.1540
dan@austinlehman.com

Widness & Wiggins PR

Dave Wiggins / Phone 303.554.8821 / dave@travelnewssource.com

Sara Widness / Phone 802 234 6704 / sara@widnesspr.com