Unforgettable Photography Tours 2009

Best Worldwide Photo Vacations in Every Price Range

Jan 19, 2009

For tourists who want to focus on their own travel photography in Africa, the Arctic, North America, South America, Europe or Asia, 10 companies are ranked highest.

Boomers and seniors seeking a photography tour can undoubtedly find one within their price range among the companies that hit the top of the charts for “the best adventure travel companies on earth. A total of130 outfitters are covered the February 2009 issue of National Geographic Adventure.

Here are the top 10 that have photography trips among their specialties. The magazine noted that many outfitters are offering special rates, so “be sure to ask about them.”

Mark Thornton Safaris

Specializing in Tanzania, Thornton personally leads every walking tour. “Space is limited, so book early trekking with Thornton among elephants, buffaloes, and leopards is worth the wait,” the magazine declares. $601 and up average cost per person, per day.

Wildland Adventures

Company that” literally helped define the term "ecotourism" in 1991” runs trips to 28 countries from Austria to Zambia. $401-$600 average cost per person per day.

Africa Adventure Consultants

Company offers everything from cross-continent extravaganzas to “weeklong getaways like gorilla viewing in Uganda.” $401-$600 average cost per person per day.

Nomadic Expeditions

It operates in countries on the adventure frontier, including Russia, Bhutan, China, Mongolia and has a strong cultural component to its trips in places like the Gobi Desert. $601and up average cost per person, per day.

Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions

Company features “far-flung biodiversity hot spots like the South Pacific's Rangiroa atoll (red-footed booby central) and the penguin-filled South Georgia Islands.” Birding is among its spotlighted activities. $401-$600 average cost per person per day.

Lindblad Expeditions

It would have been unusual for this venerable luxury adventure travel company, which has a fleet of small cruise ships, not to make the list. It has been in business for over 50 years. $401-$600 average cost per person per day.

Wilderness Scotland

Concentrating on Scotland alone, offers self-guided as well as small-group trips. One of the moderately priced outfitters, with $101 to $200 average cost per person per day.

Natural Habitat Adventures

Its “wildlife adventures have brought travelers to the planet's most amazing natural environments from the Arctic to Antarctica, South America to Africa and everywhere in between,” says its Website. Includes a special Polar Bear photo tour in arctic Canada. $401-$600 average cost per person per day.

Alaska Alpine Adventures

The focus is on Alaska’s national parks, and each adventure is assigned a difficulty rating from 1 (easy—for anyone) to 4 (mountaineering). $401-$600 average cost per person per day.

Serendipity Adventures Costa Rica

This single-country company offers trips lasting 2 to 21 days including nature “Immersion” trips. For most, you put together your own private group. The least expensive overall of the top ten, with $100 and under average cost per person per day.

The companies were ranked based on ratings in 5 categories -- education, sustainability, quality of service, and spirit of adventure

The copyright of the article Unforgettable Photography Tours 2009 in Senior Travel Tours is owned by Grace Lichtenstein. Permission to republish Unforgettable Photography Tours 2009 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.