Many of you often talk about how fast things change when I see you. Well one year later, I am back in Egypt for my annual visit and you are all absolutely right. From new roads, to new discoveries, change is everywhere.
As I start with the first dispatch, let’s jump right in with the most anticipated museum opening in the word, the GEM. Is it open finally? In a word, yes. While still in soft opening, the entire second floor and the main halls are open to see, and the exhibits are jaw dropping. As of this writing, King Tut’s mask has not been moved, however the area in the GEM is closed, though it was open a year ago. This can only lead me to assume that the moving is imminent.
Shifting to the pyramids, the new chamber in the inside is worth a private visit at sunrise, though the normal visit is a must. However, the GEM should definitely be done on the same day as the pyramids, and nothing more. Fitting in anything else on this day would compromise what you see at the GEM and beyond. The one thing to remember above all else when it comes to Egypt, 6000 years of history deserve the slow approach because sensory overload is very real.
Flying to Luxor, the changes in town are noticeable, as is the newly refurbished Relais and Chateau property in Luxor, that most don’t even know about. The renovations and commitment to sustainability there under the new GM are noticeable and represent a direction Egypt must go in, to preserve it’s natural resources.
That brings me to the hot air balloon. While that experience remains magical, the new discoveries are everywhere and you can see where the work is done. It’s one of the reasons Big Five made the commitment it did to local archaeologists earlier in the year (you can read about it here). One recent discovery, from very recently in the hills around Luxor causes us to rethink the hierarchy of burials. It seems these newly found tombs, which were not royal tombs, were also found with jewels, something that was never believed to be the case.
Stay tuned for Part II of our dispatch, and in the mean time, better start rewriting the history books.
One of my favorite weeks in December has been epic, once again, in lovely Cannes France. That’s right, time for ILTM, a show we have been exhibiting at for years. With a combination of conversations with amazing partners that seem to build further into relationships each year, and the city’s beauty lit up for the holidays, what’s not to love? Even the weather is cooperating.
As is the case every year, there are some memorable moments. This year, there was a story of the “missing” salad restaurant I normally visit every year. The establishment was renamed, and we walked past it, at minimum, 3 times before realizing it was closed. While looking for a replacement, we stumbled upon an Indian restaurant offering home cooking with a French twist.
Then there is the moment that likely should have ended with me in the hospital. Have you ever called someone by name looking at the back of their head, only to realize it wasn’t that person? Well I bear-hugged someone thinking it was the infamous David Kolner, only to realize, it wasn’t. The look of death followed as my life flashed before my eyes. Thanks, David! Well despite that, the week has been amazing.
This year the order is a bit different. Normally, I have an adventure in one of my favorite places in Africa before coming to Cannes.
This time around we are doing it in reverse, so stay tuned for my dispatch coming next week.
For those of you who travel like I do know the airport boarding process all too well. It feels like zones 1 through 1500 board first, and by the time you finally get on, the overhead bins are already full, let us not forget about the person greeting you who always has a smile, but the only thing missing, I think, is the high five! Well after that, there is also the famous final boarding call, where your luggage will be removed in the next 5.6 milliseconds if you’re not at the gate yet. I’m never part of that final call, yet it still gives me anxiety.
Well, when it comes to holiday space, we’re at that final boarding call too. Now, you’re likely asking why we’re even mentioning this. Here’s a trend we’re seeing that’s worth sharing: we track buyer behavior monthly, with data dating back 16 years. Over a 12-month period, this behavior shifts 9 times, making projections part art, not all science. This year, something peculiar has been happening, which we anticipated as a possibility a year ago. While long-term bookings are up, last-minute requests for the festive season have started as expected. For obvious reasons, there was a slight pause in plans for this season, which is understandable. That pause now seems to be over, so we wanted to share a video showcasing where we’re finding 11th-hour availability. Destinations range from parts of Peru to Egypt to Kenya to Sri Lanka to Guatemala.
One of the many amazing things I’ve seen our team do is their ability not only to find availability when it seems impossible but to make even the most last-minute reservations come to life. They find the proverbial needle in the haystack while ensuring that quality and product integrity remain our primary focus, as always.
Enjoy the video, and remember—34 days left until the festive period. This is your final boarding call…
After a long wait, the moment is finally here! We’re thrilled to announce a major milestone in Egypt. The Grand Egyptian Museum’s main artifact galleries and exhibit halls finally opened to the public in a soft opening on Wednesday, October 16th. You may have seen the news on the main page of the Wall Street Journal, or across social media. Now, we all know that The GEM has been gradually opening over the last few years, with different sections becoming accessible one by one. Each year during my visit, I feel a sense of pride in seeing those new areas, in many cases, often being among the first to experience them and for the record, I’m currently up to three hours in tracking how much time it takes to fully explore the GEM.
Just as we did when the GEM first opened, Nour from our Egypt team visited the site for an “On-Site” to explore all the newly completed halls on the now-open second floor firsthand. The Tut exhibit is also open, though the artifacts from the Egyptian Museum have not been moved yet. We anticipate that happening soon. As we did last time, Nour provided a live commentary of her experience.
That transcript is below:
11:04am – About to Enter
11:09am – Welcome to this amazing world wonder
11:16am – About to start the tour. GEM, not just a museum but also a cultural hub divided into two sections.
11:25am – Division of the Museum – Cultural and educational hub. Celebrates Egyptian culture in all its form. Even the commercial area is 100% Egyptian. Gonna send you more the tour is super detailed
11:30am – Those black pillars have the word Egypt on it in every single language in the world
11:35am – One of the kings that had many stories about Egypt. This 11m statues was all about symbolizing eternity in perfection. Showing the perfect shape. Using granite shows that economy during his period Was great.
11:43am – Where the sun hits, on his birthday and date of him having the throne, Leads to the main galleries and King Tut area
11:56am – 12 halls shows development in society, kingship and beliefs
12:00pm – Best part of this museum, you see the actual tools
12:04pm – Beginning of hierarchy on the society. Pre dynastic so no king.
12:26pm – Realism symbol of art in the Middle Kingdom. Wanted to project realism not idealism. To ensure proper identification
12:27pm – Fun fact, no chickens in Middle Kingdom, only geese and ducks.
12:31pm – The most powerful evolution that happened in the Middle Kingdom in writing
12:35pm – All natural colors. This is why they don’t dissolve or change easily. Now I’m entering the oldest beauty salon in the world!
12:42pm – This is all on the second floor after you finish the staircase the left. It’s incredible! 12 halls!
12:45pm – The museum is complete, there is construction outside in a separate building behind the museum.
12:52pm – This phase is a soft opening. This and the grand opening is for the 12 halls in the main building. The king tut artifacts are being planned to be moved over in time for the grand opening which is not formally scheduled yet.
12:54pm – The Children’s Museum is also open
1:08pm – The period showing the main cachets are not from the old museum. They are from an area called Abu Sir… one of the most magnificent pieces in the museum. As important as the Rosetta Stone!
1:18pm – There will be another building for the solar boats. A completely separate building inside the museum. By the way the museum is super busy
1:20pm – The Children’s Museum is for kids aged 6 – 12. It takes 45 mins and is very interactive. It is half way inside the staircase
All I can say is wow! Nour took photos and video of her visit so we could document all the new areas of the GEM that are opening.
Enjoy her video and see you at the GEM!
Each year when we share our Peru dispatches, the sequel always focuses on the more remote parts of Peru. However, there is a certain order to this, and when done right, it tells the perfect story. After all, these dispatches are not as much trip reports as much as they are well-articulated stories. They are told from areas of a country few have explored or are bypassed when driving from one point to another. The thing about storytelling is it is an art, and it doesn’t have to go in order, and this dispatch is no different. We start with the last and end with the first.
Red mangroves release 10 times as much oxygen as trees, yet they are the most overlooked. We get so caught up in planting trees, which is a great thing, that we forget about mangroves, not planting but replanting. You see whenever the tide changes or there is an imbalance in water levels or conditions, mangrove seedlings, also known as propagules, usually get washed away as their roots are not yet mature enough to withstand the current. Propagules usually wash up along the water’s edge, in what is usually brackish water. Replanting these seedlings is a huge first step towards carbon neutrality.
Now in the very north of Peru, lies an unknown nature reserve, managed by the local communities, right near the border with Ecuador, Manglares de Tumbes Mangroves. The location of this untouched nature, and the involvement of the local community, represents a best practice example. This is only topped by the population of flamingo species bright pink in nature, that are unique only to this region. Anyone wanting to see the Peru most locals don’t know and have access to the mouth of the Pacific Ocean while looking at the Ecuadorian border crossing should take the three-hour drive from Mancora to Tumbes.
Before the visit to the mangroves was Mancora itself. While at Machu Picchu, the second day of our adventure, I told everyone that Mancora would feel like a different country and boy was that an understatement. From the coastal communities to the culinary experience, it was clear that this was no longer about the traditional history. This was living history, told through food, and passed down through the generations. The highlight of a stay here, aside from the amazing accommodations, were the fishing communities, their methods of raft building, and, of course, the humpback whales. If you time your visit, whale sharks make an appearance too.
As you watch this week’s video and see the whale elevating out of the water, or the dolphin skimming the surface, just imagine for a second, what it was like in the early days when Mancora was established in 1908. The tourists you see are more local than foreign, yet their smiles greet you, eager for you to love Mancora, and tell your friends about it.
This is Peru, the real Peru. Enjoy the video.
I’m back in Peru leading another amazing group of partners on an educational. As we do every year, we focus on showcasing Peru beyond Machu Picchu, away from the tourist track. Peru has so much to offer, yet 95% of the visitors to this amazing country don’t see very far beyond the famous sights. Well, as the saying goes, if you’re not immersing, you’re not #bigfivin (ok I made that up, humor me).
As much as we love seeing Machu Picchu, we get it out of the way on day two, simply because there is a whole other side to Peru that pre-dates the Incas. Additionally, there is a level of nature around that history that is often overlooked. In Peru’s case, the Cusco region’s economy is over 90% derived from tourism, while the remote parts of Peru hardly exceed 5%. Our goal is to help even that playing field by incorporating the Community Conscious Travel Guidelines the WTTC adopted as Big Five is a proud regional member of the World Travel Tourism Council.
Part One of our dispatch focuses on the Cusco and Sacred Valley some don’t see, including a hike to see condors at 12,000 feet; glamping in fully energy-independent eco domes; testing our adrenalin scaling a via ferrata; and an authentic food tour in markets-only frequented by the locals.
Enjoy this dispatch video and wait until you see what part two has in store… I’ll give you a hint, we are less than 700 miles away from the Galapagos archipelago.
I remember being at a luxury summit, the same one where I met Nelson Mandela’s chef. On day 3 of that summit, I was like a child in a candy store. I spent the morning learning about supersonic aviation with members who later started a company called Boom Aviation. While that was exciting, the afternoon instilled beliefs in me that remain unshakable. I met the chief marketing officer for one of my favorite auto manufacturers. Talking about their legendary record at LeMans (if you don’t know what that is, stop reading and go watch Ford vs Ferrari with Matt Damon and Christian Bale right now), the topic turned to the saying, “what would you be willing to do.”
What would you be willing to do for their supercar? What would you give to be a test driver for their brand? That is what they asked and the most common answer – “my left arm,” not quite sure I would go that far, however if you know what I know about this car, you would perhaps contemplate it. While the room was fawning over the brand, I started paying attention to the original thought. What would I give?
What do I believe in beyond a moral compass, that I would give my left arm for, my right arm for? Beyond the strong commitment to social responsibility, there is something else unshakable in me that I would be willing to fight for to my last breath. Two hours later, it dawned on me that our product advancement leads by 2 years, at a minimum, over where the market is. Leaning forward when everyone else is hanging back, pushing for new product, even in a place where the word ingenuity is unwelcomed. That is what I would be willing to give my left arm for, and my right arm.
We were all forced to reinvent ourselves several times over the last decade, especially during the pandemic. Would it be strange to say that I enjoyed it? If you don’t believe me, you should ask the amazing people I work with. This is the primary reason my colleague Gisela is in Chile right now, before the start of a conference. It’s the reason I am on my way to the north of Peru again; why my colleagues in Egypt were in the GEM today for the soft opening; why Susie was in the interior of Colombia; why Tatiana was in Jordan; and why I was in the southern part of Bwindi Forest earlier in the year.
This week, we share a video on Gisela’s visit to a relatively unknown ecological refuge in northern Patagonia. It is the gateway for Big Five, and where we begin to lean forward in Chile. Yes there is much to be done, however the excitement of leaning forward starts here.
Enjoy the video
Ordinarily, the travel season over the year-end holidays starts on a Friday or Saturday, occurring around the 3rd week of December. This year is no different and it seems the last-minute planners are on the rise. I was always taught to quantify any statement you make using numbers. So here goes… we have 77 days left before the festive travel season starts, and it’s going by quickly.
Since quantifying is like a hobby for me, let me go further. We track the behavior of our travelers’ buying habits looking for a trend in last-minute travel vs planning further out. Now you likely already see a trend with your clients, however when you track this the way we do, what jumps out is how many times the buying habits change. Approximately 9 times in 12 months. Even more so in a year when there is an event such as an election. That means the team at Big Five has gotten good at adapting to your travelers who want to leave next year vs right now. From planning an excursion to Guatemala with only a few weeks’ notice to planning a safari 14 months from now, our specialists know how to move mountains.
This year we are gearing up to move many more due to the last-minute festive requests which have started to increase; and in many cases, though not all, we are finding space. Right around this time, space booked earlier in the year becomes available again. Due to Big Five’s excellent relationships, we usually get first access. Whether that means Tanzania, Egypt, Peru, or Uruguay, we are finding those pockets of space. From private villas in Jose Ignacio, to the boutique hotels in the Sacred Valley, to lesser-known safari camps in the Serengeti, to private dahabiyas in Egypt, the impossible is possible at times.
Enjoy the video, and speaking to the procrastinator in all of us… 77 days and counting.
Not all tourism is overtourism. I remember saying this to my friend David back in August during a board meeting, and it clearly resonated, as he repeated it during a general session speech that was right on point. The conversation was born from countless articles I read about protests due to overtourism and non-stop coverage that positioned all foreign visitors as villains due to bad actors who don’t respect the privilege and responsibility that is part of international exploration.
I began to wonder if early red flags could be possible; warning signs that the tourism balance was about to tilt out of equilibrium if adjustments were not made. These triggers exist in the private sector including many in our businesses. These are numbers that jump off the page to you when they don’t look right and tell you exactly which lever to pull to bring things back in order. This data all existed; it just wasn’t tracked consistently by every country. That is what I had always believed, and now I am convinced.
Shortly after, I had conversations with ProColombia, the Colombia Tourism Board, as they had one of the best market Intelligence departments. It was a chance to help them collate the data correctly and create triggers that every country could learn from. Countless meetings and discussions later, we had our information, and clear metrics, that can help a country truly judge how the tourism machine is performing, with key indicators at the ready other than the number of visitors entering the country.
This week’s video is my presentation to the World Travel Tourism Council, showcasing the notion that better data does exist, that overtourism can be prevented with warning signs evident long before it becomes a problem. I must admit, Colombia was misspelled in the first slide, so we weren’t off to the best start… however it gave us the opportunity to enforce something special about Colombia.
The only U in Colombia is YOU. Enjoy the video!
I recently read a trends report talking about trending destinations for 2025 calling them viable alternatives, and it seems that Guatemala is trending in 2025 as a destination garnering a lot of positive attention. Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting for this kind of recognition for Guatemala?
For all the Star Wars fans, go to the end of Empire Strikes Back movie, you’ll notice the closing scene is where Tikal was front and center. I’ll never forgot what that looked like, even posting a poorly edited photo of me with the officer helmet on directing the Empire ship in. Actually, come to think about it, I would say it wasn’t too poorly done, it was much worse. And yet there I stood proudly on that terrace and before you ask, you should know that I have definitely indoctrinated my children in the ways of “The Force”.
It’s not just the ruins or Tikal. Nor is it just about the hidden ruins of El Mirador. Nor is it the various Mayan ruins in Guatemala, it is so much more. Let’s start with the active volcanoes. So, have you ever roasted smores on the side of a crater on of an active opening volcano? Or have you ever eaten pizza cooked on a grill built over flowing lava? Or better yet, have you ever felt like Indiana Jones in the middle of the jungle exploring a newly discovered Mayan ruin that remains an active dig? Guess what, I have.
And you can too. Guatemala is the adventure destination with some of the best kept secrets. Where “The Force” is always with you!
A few years back, I presented the notion that not all family travel is family-focused. Some of it is family-tolerant. The topic took us in many different directions, from empowering kids to the influence their generation has, like no other, on the prior generation. One of the ideas that ended up in the parking lot that seemed to evoke the most emotion with the audience was the number of vacation days we have with our children.
Child Psychologists I spoke to when putting together ideas for our Precious Journeys® family travel collection shared results of countless studies they did on the truly influential years in a child’s years that affect decision-making and problem-solving solving, among other traits later in life. It was 5 to 16, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone with a teenager in the house. I then asked the same professionals about travel since we were at a travel conference and the role travel plays in those influential events. While the answers here varied, I could see a common theme, which was the correlation between travel and enhanced education. When it comes to adventure travel, while there is no set age at which to start a child’s travel life, our clients seem to start that journey when their children are around 6 years old. They seem to treat the age of 18 as the culmination of that travel path before their child’s next chapter starts. With a 12-year-old and a 17-year-old in my house, I follow a similar timeline, including taking my son paragliding for his 16th birthday.
Think about that for a second. 6 to 18, that’s 12 years. Twelve years is all you get to impart the wisdom needed to raise a global citizen, truly. Think about summer vacations, spring breaks, and the various holidays. Now take those periods, and think about the time you are able to take to travel with your family, and count those days. Then multiply it by 12 years. You will end up with a number close to 252 days. Don’t believe me? Please do the math yourself and be honest about two things: The amount of time you spend with your children during their break where they are fully engaged with you. The amount of time your children spend with you where they, in the age of social media and electronics, are fully engaged with you. Those holidays are a lot shorter than you think.
The first week of September signifies many things, such as the end of summer, the change of seasons (my birthday), and, yes, back-to-school month. For us in Florida, back to school happened in early August, so we already have our routines back. However, September still feels like when the curriculum really gets into gear. In honor of all the parents sending their kids back to school this week or entering a new school this week, this video should put a smile on your face. When thinking of “back-to-school,” we often get caught up framing school in the traditional sense, yet as all of you know, the world is our school, and yes, you can learn the ABCs through travel. In fact, I will restate what I shared in a recent speech.
“We in this travel industry are part mentors, part consultants, part teachers, and yes, part students. Put shortly; we are custodians of dreams, vessels to broaden horizons”.
This classroom is devoid of politics about what to teach and standardized testing. It feeds curiosity; in fact, it embraces it. There is no varnish on these lectures, only interpretation. Most importantly, you get to be a socially responsible global citizen, as that is at the center of this classroom and the center of this lesson plan.
The commonality here, is that this classroom still starts with the alphabet in any language you choose. So we thought we would celebrate back-to-school with the first letter in that alphabet and built a video around a destination that has schools of fish, it has ancient rock art that deserves to be shared in our classroom blackboards, it has nature that is untouched in a manner we could all learn from, and it has a culture that still schools us today on the meaning of life. Here, you don’t have to raise your hand to ask the teacher a question, and you are encouraged to ask millions of questions. Not only will you get millions of answers, but some of those answers just might be from a million years ago.
Of course, I am talking about the letter A for Australia, which is one of our favorite destinations and a unique classroom for learning. It’s where the World Travel Tourism Council Global Summit will proudly be held in 2024.
Enjoy the video and discover the countless learning opportunities this beautiful country offers. You’ll definitely learn something.
I am often asked, “When is the best time to go on safari in East Africa?” The common answer is Always! Actually, that is because there is something every month so you don’t have to choose but remember to focus on the rain, when game-watching or sightseeing when that is what you want to do.
As a second-generation native of East Africa, I have my personal favorite times to visit, and I make it a point to return every February. However, I have been on safari since the age of 4, pretty much every time of year, and yes, this also includes the rainy months. I even remember a time when we got stuck in the mud near Mt Kenya after a long rain. That was fun!
So, each time we see the season change to a different movement, we will get in touch with guides to have them send a video of what they are seeing from the bush. Countless amateur camera videos and photos allow us to know exactly where the best action is, which camp we should use, whether to use a mobile or stationary camp and in which order to plan the safari. This also allows us to see whether it makes sense to go to Kigali, Entebbe, Victoria Falls, or Ruaha National Park after the safari experience in the vast plains of the Serengeti and Mara ecosystem. By knowing what is happening using first-hand accounts. Over the years, from frontline guides and our own returns to the safari plains, we have seen specific trends and cycles, such as what a heavy rain in November may mean for the movements in June. Or what a dry May may mean for the early part of October.
In this week’s video, we share one such video, taken from the front lines by our guide friends at Bushtops Camps. These are not professional videos, they are raw footage captured at the river, as the herds started crossing in masses across the high water levels of the Mara River. Wildebeest are often underestimated when it comes to intelligence, but the truth is that their inner sense and instincts are among the best in the safari world, whether it’s about crossing rivers or being the first to signal the presence of a predator.
Since the herds have started crossing, we will say what we say every year around this time…
Back In 2014, I was in shock when Big Five won the first of what would later be three of the Virtuoso sustainable tourism awards. At the time I was recovering in my hotel room after being under the weather when the phone rang over and over again. When I noticed the missed calls and heard the voicemails, each one started with the same message. “Where are you? you won!” honestly, I was stunned and overcome with emotion as I really didn’t expect to win, considering the great work others were doing. It was an affirmation that the journey we had embarked on 10 years before was indeed the right one, moving all in on sustainable tourism, a bold move that many years ago. We knew we were ahead of the curve and that the travel world was heading this way, and we would not waiver no matter what. It was in 2004 when we made this shift and knew this would define us as a company going forward as it was the foundation of Big Five. The notion of social responsibility was the entire reason I left a Fortune 500 financial firm to come back to the family business in 2002.
Once I made my way to the room, fashionably late of course, and received my award, I walked over to my mentor, who was sitting in the audience and asked him the same question I ask after receiving any award. “Did we earn this?” I was fully prepared to surrender the award, our first Virtuoso Sustainable Tourism Leadership award, if we didn’t earn it. I felt that strongly about the belief in giving a voice to the voiceless. Once I was comfortable receiving the award, I left the room quietly and called my parents, waking my father back in Florida. I exclaimed. We won with whatever voice I had left before crumbling into tears of joy. I heard my mother cry, and I heard my father clearly say, “We are not supposed to be here, but we dared to believe. Your mother and I are so proud of you.” He was emotional, too, though he was half asleep, so it was hard to hear a discernible difference. That moment was etched into my memory.
Fast forward to 2016, our second nomination. This time, my mother was home, recovering from a health scare earlier in the year while visiting family in India. My father was with me. He sat at a cheery table with friends from Direct Travel, and I sat at a table with friends from different adventure companies. I didn’t realize it but the last time we were both together like this was my college graduation! Big Five is called as the winner again, and I go racing up to the stage excited to meet my father up there, again overcome with emotion, this time because the images of my mother entered my thoughts immediately. You see, I watched my parents struggle from nothing when we arrived in America. They watched me struggle. At 17, I was told by many that I would never amount to what I believed I could be and that I should lower my expectations. It was the same when my father started hearing that about his future. It made our presence on that stage even more of a special occurrence. I didn’t know it yet; that would be the last time my father and I were ever in the same place again to receive an earned accolade.
In March of 2024, as many of you know, I lost my father to a head injury. This year’s VTW was my first without him, and we were nominated again for the Sustainable Tourism Leadership Award. To this day, I have to share all the drawers of trophies I have, academic and sports, which meant nothing because my father wasn’t there to watch them being received. The only award I cared about, and still care about, is this one. As our name was called for a rare third-time winner, all I could think about was my father. A jolt of energy like I had never felt before ran through me, and I just knew! my father was in the room. Overcome by emotions, all I could see was my father’s eyes, filled with pride. You may see a photo of me accepting, and yes, I was ugly crying. Those of you who have lost a parent know that they are always with you and likely know this energy I am talking about. I had never felt it to this degree like I did on this day. As I walked back to the table, award in hand, I looked up and said one thing… “What ya think Dad.” It was a day I will never forget.
The foundation project that allowed us this honor and put us in rare company funds the delivery of robots named mini Kipi to remote, underserved communities in Peru, providing education and preserving Indigenous languages in danger of being lost. Mini Kipi speaks 13 of the over 40 dialects in Peru and is growing. We brought her to Las Vegas to demonstrate a fraction of her capabilities for our advisor partners. This week’s video shares that experience.
In my last letter, we showcased part one of my colleague Tatiana’s dispatch from Jordan, where she started her adventure with her son, a recent graduate. Part two of Tatiana’s dispatch finds her and Carstenz in Egypt. Follow her journey as she ventures from a private tomb in Saqqara to hiking with the Bedouins. Our dispatch series offers a front-row seat into the narrative that makes up a Big Five journey.
Egypt is a destination that offers all the ingredients for a wonderful experience: great hotels, knowledgeable guides, and awe-inspiring sites.
My son recently graduated from high school, and visiting Egypt was one of his dreams. We meticulously prepared for this trip a year in advance, even encouraging him to learn Arabic through Duolingo. Our research included reading about Egypt, such as Agatha Christie’s book “Murder on the Nile,” and watching several documentaries related to the country, including “The Secret of Saqqara.” I aimed to build excitement for our journey.
Beyond the iconic pyramids and the temples of Luxor, Karnak Abu Simbel, etc, we had two extraordinary experiences that went beyond the usual tourist visits. Let me share them with you. Saqqara is an incredibly rich archaeological site, and it continually reveals new discoveries each year. One such discovery is the Whatye Tomb, prominently featured in a Netflix documentary (mentioned above). I recommend watching it, as it beautifully explains the story of Isis, Osiris, Hathor, and Horus—a foundational understanding when exploring Luxor.
To my son’s surprise, we visited the Whatye Tomb. He had no idea we were going there, but his enthusiasm from the documentary led him to want a photo of the site from outside. Upon arrival, he immediately recognized Egyptologist Mohammad Yousef, who had been featured in the same documentary. Meeting him in person was already a highlight for him. And then, the magic unfolded. Mohammad Yousef shared artifacts found within the tomb, allowing us to hold and closely examine them—an extraordinary privilege you don’t get very often. Among the treasures were mummified cats, a preserved hand, and even a mummified foot. But the real surprise came when we stepped inside the tomb itself.
Normally closed to the public, the tomb is exclusively opened for Big Five’s clients. My son recognized the hieroglyphics he’d seen in the documentary. We stood where Egyptologists were deciphering the inscriptions, and we couldn’t resist taking many photos. My son explored every nook and every detail, soaking in the ancient history. Leaving was the hardest part—he wanted to stay in that moment forever.
The second remarkable experience on this journey was ascending Mt. Sinai. To reach it, we flew to Sharm El Sheikh, a coastal city known for its excellent snorkeling and diving spots—a perfect place to unwind before the climb. From Sharm, it’s about a 3-hour drive to the base of Mt. Sinai.
Our first stop was St. Catherine’s Monastery, nestled at the foot of the mountain. Inside the monastery, we learned about Moses and the burning bush (where God appeared to Moses) and explored relics related to St. Catherine, a defender of Christianity whose relics are in the Monastery. We also visited an interesting art collection and the “Well of Moses,” which added to the historical richness.
As midnight approached, we began our ascent. The trail, illuminated by our headlamps, led us upward. Along the way, Bedouins offered camel rides, but we chose to climb on foot. The weather was ideal—cool and breezy.
The initial part of the climb is deceptively flat, gradually revealing its steepness but manageable. The trail is well-maintained, and en route, you can find Bedouin tents where you can rest, sip hot tea or coffee, and chat with them.
The final stretch involves 750 steps—a test of endurance. But the anticipation of witnessing the sunrise from the summit kept us going. At the top, the wind was brisk, but the panoramic views were mesmerizing. We lingered, watching the sun emerge against the mountainous backdrop with orange and pink colors. The peacefulness of this moment was amplified by the stillness of the mountains.
This journey felt like an immersive history lesson—one that transcended Egypt’s ancient past.
I love our Dispatch Series, as it is a firsthand account from the ground. So far, in 2024, we have done dispatch reports from Kenya, Uganda, Ecuador, and Colombia, with more to come. Our latest is a dispatch from Jordan and Egypt. My colleague Tatiana Johnston recently traveled to Jordan and Egypt with her son Carstenz, Big Five’s intern and proud recent graduate. Below is the first part of Tatiana’s trip report, capturing her experience in a capsule.
When my teenage son and I arrived in Jordan, we had no idea just how profoundly this adventure would touch our hearts. This journey not only gifted us with incredible memories but also strengthened our bond in ways we never imagined. Every day was epic, and each adventure was as amazing as the previous one.
Our journey began in Amman, where, after our long flight, we were delighted to see our names on a sign as we approached immigration. The Big Five airport agent greeted us warmly and efficiently and assisted us through the process, making our arrival seamless and stress-free. As we transferred to our hotel, we marveled at the city’s charm, passing by numerous white limestone houses that give Amman its nickname, the White City.
Our first adventure was north of Amman, where we visited the ancient city of Jerash, one of the best-preserved Roman towns in the world. We walked through the grand streets, surrounded by giant columns. We were amazed at the impressive ruins of temples, theaters, and plazas, but I was more impressed by how much my son was interested in ancient history, asking all kinds of questions.
We continued to Wadi Rum, known as the Valley of the Moon. Here, we knew it was time for some adrenaline-pumping action with a desert safari. Riding in the back of a 4×4 truck, we drove the rugged terrain of Wadi Rum, exploring hidden canyons, ancient rock inscriptions, and dramatic rock formations. Here is where we learned about the life of the Bedouins, the desert’s indigenous people, and their rich cultural heritage. We finished our adventure by making a fire and drinking tea while watching the sun setting on the horizon. We spent that night in Martian domes, which are tents with huge windows that offer breathtaking views of the starry sky and the silhouettes of rock formations in the dark.
Early the next morning, we were transferred to the hot air balloon launch site, where we watched as the crew prepared the balloon for the flight. Once everything was ready, we gently ascended into the sky and floated. The panoramic views of the vast desert, with its towering sandstone mountains and endless stretches of red sand, were just magical.
We then continued to the Rose City of Petra and began our hike to see the famous Treasury. The one-mile trail to the Treasury is flat, making it an easy and enjoyable walk. You pass through a natural sandstone gorge, and at the end, you are surprised by the stunning facade of this Nabatean tomb known as the Treasury. But Petra has much more to offer beyond the Treasury, we hiked everywhere, climbing up to the ancient caves, exploring the Roman area of Petra and taking the 850 steps to the Monastery, another monumental structure. The journey to the Monastery was challenging but rewarding, with panoramic views that made every step worth it. One of the best parts of this hike, besides the views of the course, was making different stops along the way for water or for resting and conversing with the Bedouins. We bonded, talking about politics, about family, and about the future. They wanted to keep my son so he could become a Bedouin guide and work for them (spoiler alert: my son didn’t accept the offer).
So many Jordanians are waiting for more people to come and see their beautiful country, as many of them are related to the tourist industry, and the industry is suffering. They wanted me to convey a message to all of you that it is safe to visit Jordan and you will not regret it. Their hospitality added a unique and memorable dimension to our adventure.
We concluded the adventure with a visit to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, where you can effortlessly float in the mineral-rich waters. You can just lay there and read a newspaper. The mud has many therapeutic properties, enhancing the whole experience, and seeing the sunset by the Dead Sea was one of my favorite moments.
We have countless pictures documenting our journey, but what truly stayed in our hearts was the kindness and hospitality of the Jordanians. We traveled during the low season, so this meant fewer tourists, highlighting the need for tourism in this region despite their geographical challenges, which are unrelated to the current situation in the country. They genuinely miss their visitors, and their stories and smiles left a lasting impression on us. We are already planning our return to Jordan.
From time to time, I check on the level of borrowing among the tourism- focused countries just to see how much of their GDP is committed to interest payments due to organizations such as the IMF. You may wonder why I’ve chosen to allocate time for this among all the things I could be doing in a day. Don’t worry; many of you have asked me the same thing. First, would be to see how economic initiatives and tourism revenue can help repay this mounting debt, some of which are still lingering effects of the pandemic. The second reason is a bit more selfish, so I can call out these agencies for their predatory lending practices on our podcast, The Sustainable Voice®.
You can imagine, then, how big a deal the news from Argentina is for me. Argentina, the largest borrower to the IMF, with over $30 billion in outstanding loans, which equals around 5% of their GDP, announced on July 10 that they are expanding the initiative to open their skies to foreign carriers to operate unlimited routes and frequencies in Argentina. To this point, the state-run airline Aerolineas Argentinas holds the largest market share, making it essentially the only game in town. Anyone who has been to Argentina can see the magic, however, the one glaring weakness is the infrequency of flights to the more remote parts of Argentina.
This new announcement will add more choices and better fares for visitors to Argentina and is a path to economic growth. The largest part of this deregulation is that airline prices are now set by the open market as they are here in the US and in many other countries. The government will no longer set a price floor, and the increased competition should lead to better levels of service and more flexibility in fares. Open skies agreements were signed last week with regional partners; however, this broadens the reach and has the potential to change the landscape of how Argentina is connected to other countries in Latin America.
Now, I do understand that local unions are not necessarily delighted with the news. To them, I saw this. Tourism and the new ways Argentina would be included in custom itineraries featuring new destinations still represent the best way to repay the mounting debt to the IMF. Tourism revenue reached just over $8 billion in 2023 and is slated to grow by 10% a year. The importance of sustainable tourism, finding a balance, and avoiding over-tourism is crucial in this matter. This new deregulation has the potential to create access to more remote sections of the country, engaging the local culture where tourism doesn’t normally reach. It is the best path forward.
Stay tuned for new products as more routes and as this agreement comes to fruition.
Big Five Launches New Commitment in Costa Rica to Combat Overtourism
Company launches new programs and aligns with WTTC’s Community Conscious Travel Campaign
Big Five Tours & Expeditions (Big Five), a distinguished member of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is pleased to announce new Costa Rica Programs and its latest initiative in Costa Rica aimed at combating overtourism through the adoption of the WTTC’s Community Conscious Travel global campaign. With decades of experience in sustainable tourism, Big Five is renowned for its innovative approach to preserving cultural heritage and supporting local economies, and this new focus in Costa Rica builds on Big Five’s successes in Kenya, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Peru, and many other places.
Through its newly launched programs in Costa Rica, such as those featured in their signature “Pura Vida Family Touring” experience, Big Five is committed to promoting responsible tourism practices. These initiatives are designed not only to alleviate the pressures of overcrowding in popular tourist destinations but also to introduce travelers to the lesser-known, authentic charms of Costa Rica.
The WTTC’s Community Conscious Travel campaign serves as a guiding principle for Big Five’s efforts, emphasizing three pillars:
“I am always inspired by industry leaders who commit to preserving the cultural heritage of a country through responsible tourism,” said Ashish Sanghrajka, President of Big Five Tours & Expeditions. “I am so proud, as a regional WTTC member, to see the new Community Conscious Travel campaign started by someone I admire, Andrea Grisdale of IC Bellagio. Her initiative in Italy, combined with the WTTC global campaign, offers a roadmap to changing the narrative in Costa Rica. Fair Market prices are a must to allow livelihoods to not only be protected but to thrive through socially responsible tourism. Overtourism and commoditization only make the current challenging economy in Costa Rica worse. The indigenous communities in Costa Rica must have a seat at the table. Travel and tourism globally make up 1 in 10 jobs and, in some countries, 1 in 6. Those jobs must reach the communities who rightfully belong in the conversation, so tourism done right may protect their cultural heritage.”
Amid Costa Rica’s economic challenges exacerbated by fluctuating currencies and tourism-related job losses, initiatives like Big Five’s are pivotal in fostering sustainable tourism practices that benefit both travelers and locals alike.
I often joke with advisors and their clients that we have a tracking device on the head wildebeest and the lead zebra of the migratory herds in East Africa, and it always gets a good chuckle. We notify them by Morse code when to start converging and where to start crossing. It may be a joke; however, think about what we will witness in the coming months: the greatest show on Earth. In what part of the world do this many living beings, not of the same species, behave in such a routine over and over, and in such concert? Where else can you find a symbiotic relationship such as that between the birds, the zebra, and the wildebeest with one common goal – preservation.
Knowing the movements of these herds is not a story of simply following a cycle, it is a science. For example, wildebeest travel 6 miles a day, every day, and can hit strides of up to 50 miles per hour in a burst. They are the true drivers of the herd movement; the others follow the wildebeest, relying on their scent and those annoying grunts and groans we hear as a form of communication regarding the path or dangers ahead. Step back and think about what we hear and what purpose those sounds serve. With the position of their eyes, Zebra has some of the best peripheral vision one would want. Their ears can turn in directions and hear at octaves humans simply can’t comprehend. Imagine being able to see and hear better than anyone, and every footprint, every heartbeat, every sound. This truly is the Greatest Show on Earth, for all the reasons we see and so many we don’t.
The best part is that the communication lines with guides on the front line in the bush have never been better, so when we see their reports, it is like you have a tracking device on the head wildebeest. We can pinpoint the exact spot the herds have reached with good proximity. In fact, I loved that just this morning, I was able to talk to one of my friends, who runs an amazing camp in Northern Serengeti. I told her the herds are due south of you, passing through the western corridor and approaching fast. “Are you ready ?” I asked. I started laughing when she told me that I may have been a zebra in my past life! We talked about all the rain in the Masai Mara and how a full river would impact the crossing. We even noticed that the herds were a few weeks behind their normal schedule, startled at how far they were from the crossing in the north, these amazing animals sensed what was happening and adjusted their pace.
So, get ready the show is about to begin!
This is a special week as I’m writing this from Washington D.C., just 5 blocks from Capitol Hill. I remember visiting our nation’s capital with my family. We toured the White House, stood where Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech, and where I read Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address. It wasn’t until I got to Capitol Hill that I started thinking back to all those American history classes and all the lectures in college about the U.S. government. I would wonder what it was like to go to the hill after hearing it countless times on shows like “The West Wing”.
Fast forward to today, and I had the honor to participate in the USTOA Congressional Caucus on Capitol Hill to discuss specific bills pertaining to our industry, from DOT legislation to sustainable aviation fuel and everything in between. Much of the conversation focused on the unintended consequences of some of the legislation. While great work is being done to accurately measure the true contribution of tourism to GDP, so much more is needed. This close to election day, I have to say, I was shocked at the flurry of activity. The halls were as crowded as a high school hallway between classes.
What isn’t lost on me is writing this just a few days before Father’s Day in the U.S., my first without my father. I felt his presence today, and I am sure he was wondering the same thing I was as he watched me walk through the halls of that building….
How many stairs does this place have?!
Enjoy this week’s video, which is a personal message just as I was leaving Capitol Hill.
