From Observation to Transformation: The New Era of Expedition Travel

Expedition travel has undergone a quiet revolution. Once defined by remote destinations and passive wildlife observation, today’s expeditions invite travelers into a richer narrative of active discovery, intellectual engagement, and personal transformation. As demand grows for journeys that are as meaningful as they are memorable, travel advisors are finding new ways to match clients with experiences that feed curiosity and leave a lasting impact.

We spoke with advisors who are successfully selling expedition travel to explore how this specialty is evolving, and how they are meeting the distinct needs of today’s discerning expedition travelers.

Sixty Years of Exploration
More than half a century ago, expedition travel looked very different. Journeys were largely about sightseeing, comfort, and moving efficiently from one place to another. Remote regions were reserved for scientists, explorers, and a small circle of adventurers. Then a new idea quietly reshaped the industry: travel could be immersive, educational, and deeply connected to the natural world.

Expedition travel emerged from the belief that meaningful exploration should bring people closer to the planet—its wildlife, cultures, and stories—rather than keeping them at a distance. Instead of viewing landscapes from afar, travelers were invited to step ashore, ask questions, and engage with experts who could interpret what they were seeing. This approach transformed travel from passive observation into active discovery.

What Expedition Travelers Want Today
Over the decades, expedition travel has evolved alongside growing awareness of environmental responsibility and cultural preservation. Travelers today seek experiences that align with their values. They want to understand the places they visit, support local communities, and travel in ways that minimize impact while maximizing insight. Expedition-style journeys answer that call by combining small-group access, expert guidance, and thoughtful operations.

Amanda Klimak, president & CEO, Largay Travel & Please Go Away, explains the shift she has seen as the pool of candidates for expedition travels expands: “People are tired of just checking things off a list. We’ve all seen the headlines about the planet changing, and it’s sparked this ‘now or never’ energy. My clients, even the ones who usually love a white-glove resort service, are asking, ‘How do I get deeper into the story?’ They want to see the wild parts of the world, but they’ve realized they don’t have to rough it to do that. I tell them, ‘You can spend the afternoon in a Zodiac looking at icebergs, and the evening enjoying a five-course dinner and a spa treatment.’ It’s not just sightseeing anymore; it’s about being a witness.”

With a similar perspective, Damian McCabe, CEO, McCabe World Travel, says: “We’ve been much more successful with our long-time clients in recommending expedition travel because there are so many ways to do this. You don’t have to give up great accommodation, excellent food, and service anymore to join an expedition trip. It used to just be Antarctica or Galápagos for these kinds of trips, but now you can include culinary and cultural expeditions in places like Europe and Papua New Guinea. Expedition ships are going places like Norway to see the Northern Lights or polar bears in Svalbard. They are sailing from French Polynesia to Easter Island. Many more, very interesting, itineraries are available today than in the past.”

She points out that she is also seeing “new clients coming into the agency who’ve never used a travel advisor before, because they know that expedition is unlike regular travel and they want the expertise of an advisor or agency office that knows expedition well.”

Olga Placeres, owner & CFO, Preferred Travel & Co, is finding that “clients are prioritizing connection over coverage. Instead of racing through multiple cities or attractions, travelers are seeking to truly experience the destinations. Seeking experiences that give insight into a destination beyond the touristic activities. They seek customization and flexibility.”

The Power of Transformative Experiences
The transformative aspect of expedition-style travel is an easy sell for the right client. This delves into how travelers return home changed forever by their expedition experience—perhaps through unexpected wildlife encounters, community immersion, or hands-on participation. 

Troy Haas, chairman and CEO, Brownell Travel, gives an example: “We took a small group to Alaska. All were taken by the history (it was part of Russia!) and we got so excited at the first bald eagle and our guide says, ‘Yeah, they are everywhere,’ and we eventually see a dozen young eagles in an airborne dogfight over a fish caught by one. Sea lions and otter were all around our Zodiac and we spotted bears on multiple trips. This was during the pandemic, and the healing tonic of seeing Alaska was wonderful for all and a great ‘reset’ from the stress of isolation during Covid.”

Klimak gives this illustration: “I always suggest the Galápagos for families who are new to the expedition space but want something more than [a theme park] or an all-inclusive. I sent a family of four there years ago and they came back completely changed. It wasn’t just the tortoises or the blue-footed boobies; it was the fact that their kids were literally following scientists around the ship, asking questions and getting real answers. It bonded them in a way a theme park never could.

“I didn’t truly realize the impact that suggestion had on them until years later, when I received a postcard that they had sent to me from Post Office Bay, when another traveler brought it to my doorstep. It brought tears to my eyes, as we had since booked them to Alaska and Baja, and they are now hooked on the real stuff.”

Klimak also describes a personal transformative moment on expedition that left an indelible impression: “I’ll never forget my trip this past summer to the Arctic, where I finally got to see a walrus (a massive, prehistoric scale, 4,000-pound animal) in the wild. Although that experience was amazing, the moment that stuck with me was when I stayed behind on the shore while everyone else went hiking and I just sat on the rocks by the water in silence. Suddenly, these white blobs appeared in the water and about 50 Beluga whales swimming along the shore went right past me. It was so quiet, I could hear them breathing. They looked like little shiny marshmallows in the water. Whenever I’m stressed out now, I just close my eyes and go back to that shoreline. That’s what an expedition gives you: a ‘happy place’ that’s actually real.”

These types of first-person stories paint a clear picture to any client a travel advisor deems to be a good candidate for an expedition cruise. Who wouldn’t be awed by such retellings, and want to experience it for themselves?

Education is Key, Learning By Doing
Education is also central to modern expedition travel. Travelers are no longer content with surface-level experiences. They want context, science, history, and storytelling woven into every day. Guided by naturalists, historians, photographers, and local experts, expedition travelers gain a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of ecosystems and cultures.

McCabe advises her clients that the educational component of their trip is a very important part of the journey, and encourages them to take full advantage of the daily lectures. She talks about the talent they will see on an expedition: world-class photographers, historians, ornithologists, geologists, etc. She also mentions that she met two professional, female cold water divers on a recent expedition to Svalbard—they were diving under ice for a living!

Haas recalls the educational component on expedition trips as hearing “fun information and getting face to face with nature! Having naturalists get excited about undersea life and sharing that over a drink in a warm lounge at the end of the day, with good ‘nerdy naturalist’ humor is so fun.”

Itinerary Flexibility Brings the Magic
Another defining characteristic of expedition travel is flexibility. Unlike rigid itineraries, expeditions are shaped by nature itself—weather, wildlife activity, and local conditions. This adaptability allows for spontaneous moments: a pod of whales appearing offshore, an unexpected landing on a remote island, or an unplanned cultural encounter. These moments often become the most memorable parts of a journey.

“Itinerary flexibility is the best part,” says Klimak. “I tell my clients, ‘Throw the printed schedule away.’ You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a captain turn a massive ship around on a dime because someone spotted a pod of whales. That’s the magic. A few years ago in Antarctica, the weather was a mess where we were supposed to go, so our Captain and Expedition Leader just said, ‘Let’s go South.’ We ended up crossing the Antarctic Circle, somewhere most ships never go, and found the most beautiful, clear weather, which allowed us to sail into the fast ice. You can’t plan that kind of luck; you have to be on a ship that’s willing to chase it.”

Making the Right Fit
Now that we have a good sense of what today’s expedition travel is all about, the next step is for travel advisors to consider which of their clients might be a fit for this remarkable adventure.

“From our experience, clients value the intellectual aspects of [expedition] travel,” relays Placeres. “They look for expeditions or opportunities led by subject matter experts, such as historians, biologists, geologists, etc. They seek to come away with a deeper understanding and insight of the area they are visiting. They are seeking authenticity and places that are not the typical tourist destination.”

Similarly, Klimak reports that her expedition clients “have this ‘never-ending curiosity.’ They aren’t looking for a Broadway show on a ship; they’re looking for a lecture on plate tectonics or marine biology that actually keeps them awake—and our best partners are delivering. It’s less about saying, ‘I was there,’ and more about saying, ‘I learned this.” They want to come home with stories of their adventures and a fresh perspective on the world.”

She also notes that her “older clients are staying active way longer than they used to; they aren’t ready for the rocking chair just yet! But the real ‘wow’ factor is the multigenerational side. I’m seeing grandparents who want to be the ones to show their grandkids a polar bear for the first time. There are these fantastic programs now where the kids are learning from real scientists, so it’s not just a vacation, it’s the best biology lesson they’ll ever have.”

Haas says he is booking expedition travel for all demographics. “I have been on Galápagos Zodiac trips with 80-year-olds walking past sea lions and blue-footed boobies, and sailing the Drake Passage to Antarctica with a multigenerational family.”

Best Advice for Advisors
For travel advisors looking to break into the growing and lucrative niche of expedition-style travel, Haas suggests: “Get on a ship or excursion with a great operator with a reputation for great guides and ships and equipment. To sell it best, you need to have experienced the power of the destination and the value of knowledgeable guides, great equipment suited to the wild environment, and the joy you see in others as they experience the world this way.”

And Klimak recommends: “Do the training, sure, but you have to go. You can’t explain the feeling of an expedition from a brochure. You need to know the difference between the ships that are cruising and the ones that are ‘true explorers.’ Once you feel that ice crack under the hull for yourself or get up close and personal with minke whale, you’ll never sell travel the same way again.”

Cast Off!
As expedition travel enters its seventh decade, its relevance has never been stronger. In a world where information is instant and destinations are increasingly crowded, travelers are craving depth over speed and meaning over quantity. Expedition travel offers exactly that: a way to explore the world with curiosity, humility, and purpose.

The next chapter of exploration will continue to be defined by innovation, responsibility, and a commitment to helping travelers see the world not just as tourists, but as engaged global citizens.

FROM THE SPONSOR:
In 1966, Lars-Eric Lindblad redefined travel when he brought the first tourists to Antarctica, pioneering expedition cruising. Six decades later, that same spirit of discovery guides every voyage with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions—designed to bring curious travelers closer to the wildest, most awe-inspiring places on Earth.

To celebrate the expedition that started it all 60 years ago and this significant milestone in expedition travel, your clients can enjoy an offer as extraordinary as our explorations, with up to 20% savings and a 50% reduced deposit on select 2026 and 2027 voyages when booked by February 9, 2026.

Don’t wait— and invite your clients to embark on one of our 70+ itineraries across all seven continents, sailing aboard small ships with and enjoying expert-led experiences that open the doors to once-in-a-lifetime adventures, from navigating polar ice to discovering ancient cultures through meaningful, responsible travel.Learn more and share the offer: https://lindbladexp.com/TMR and sign up to receive our weekly emails and stay informed on our latest news: https://lindbladexp.com/TRM.