“We saw so much on the tours. The reason is that the staff and the local tour guides were miles above our expectations. All of them were so knowledgeable and eager to share that information with us.” – Mary Lou and Ken I., TCS World Travel Guests
Educational Vacations With
TCS World Travel
At TCS World Travel, one of the things that sets our all-inclusive journeys apart is our emphasis on educational travel experiences. Our group jet expeditions are designed to be educational vacations that provide you with a deeper understanding of unique destinations around the globe. We believe that through the experiences of learning about each destination, our guests ultimately make deeper connections with the people, places and cultures they encounter on their trip.
Each of our itineraries has a unique enrichment program, which we develop and curate based on the destinations you will visit and the key experiences you will have in each one. Discover the ways that we work to make our group jet expeditions not only immersive but also enriching—before, during and even after your trip.
Knowledgeable Experts
One of the key elements of a TCS World travel jet expedition is the addition of knowledgeable experts to our expedition teams. We invite our experts from world-renowned academic and cultural organizations to join you on your educational trip and enrich your experience in each destination. Throughout the journey, they will offer real-time insights into history, culture, nature and daily life.
Our TCS experts come from a wide variety of backgrounds, ranging from history and science to art, architecture and diplomacy. As we develop the enrichment program for each expedition, we carefully select the experts based on their areas of expertise and the unique perspectives they can bring to the destinations in the itinerary. Get to know some of the renowned experts who have joined TCS World Travel’s educational trips:
David Keeling
David Keeling is the Distinguished Professor of Cultural Geography in the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences at Western Kentucky University. He has written many articles and books on Argentina, and on Latin America generally. His research interests include geopolitics, the geography of transportation, and environmental change.
Andrew Evans
Andrew Evans is an author, speaker and TV host. A renowned travel writer, Andrew has completed over 50 assignments for National Geographic, reporting from all seven continents and over 100 countries. Andrew holds degrees from BYU and Oxford University and is the author of five books.
Jan Nijman
Jan Nijman is the director of urban studies and professor at the University of Miami, where his specialties include geopolitics, economic and cultural globalization, and the history of world cities. He has supported research projects in India, the Caribbean, Europe and West Africa, and is the author of four books and over 100 publications.
Learn Before You Go
For those eager to start their educational travel adventures early, we provide learning opportunities before your trip to help you feel engaged and excited about what’s in store. In addition to the logistical information that we provide you before departure, we also put together a curated collection of articles and videos inspired by the destinations in the itinerary. This enriching content is intended to give you a taste of the history, cultures and landscapes you will experience on your trip. If you’re interested in learning even more, we also partner with a local bookstore to create a recommended reading list for your expedition. Here you’ll find book suggestions based on each destination that you can purchase and read before your trip.
Learn in the Air
Our expeditions are designed to help you make the most of every moment, and that includes the time in between destinations. For this reason, we provide opportunities for enrichment while you travel aboard the private jets. Our experts accompany you on the plane and give insightful presentations to enhance your in-flight experience. By providing rich historical and cultural context for your next destination before you arrive, our experts will help you to get more out of your educational travel adventures on the ground. Enjoy the use of an iPad and noise-cancelling headphones on board the jet, with access to a connected presentation system that makes it easy for you to follow along with the speaker’s presentation from the comfort of your seat.
The iPads we provide on the jets also come pre-loaded with in-flight entertainment, which include a variety of enriching options that you can peruse at your leisure. Choose from a selection of documentaries, movies and articles, where you can find additional information about the incredible places you’ll be visiting on your trip and why we have selected them to be part of your itinerary.
Learn in Each Destination
On the ground, our activity options always include a variety of educational tours to immerse you more fully in the places you are experiencing. For instance, on your expedition you might delve into ancient Peruvian weaving traditions during a demonstration from a master Andean weaver. You might head out on a walking safari through the Serengeti with an expert naturalist to learn about animal tracks and medicinal plant use. Or you might join a professional nature photographer for a sunrise photography class, honing your photo skills as you capture incredible images of Easter Island’s majestic moai. These are just a few examples, but we always curate our activity options to enrich and deepen your understanding of the wildlife, cultural treasures and natural wonders you will encounter.
Our 30 years of experience operating private jet expeditions has allowed us to develop an extensive global network. Our contacts in more than 150 countries help us to provide the best possible travel experiences in each destination. This includes working with exceptional local guides, who bring our educational tours to life with their unique insights. These local experts live in the community and can connect you more deeply to the culture. Most of our activities take place in an intimate, small-group setting with no more than 6 to 12 guests, ensuring that you’ll get plenty of opportunities to interact with your guides and ask any questions you might have along the way.
Learn When You Return Home
We believe that the power of learning through travel can continue long after you get back from a trip. In the spirit of ongoing learning and exploration, we have launched the TCS Discovery Series, where we invite TCS experts to share their rich knowledge and experiences during live virtual events. From the comfort of your couch, join our past guests, travel advisors and close friends for informative and engaging conversations on topics ranging from the mysteries of the world’s lost cities to the fascinating underwater world of the polar deep. You can also visit our Discovery Series page to watch recorded sessions and catch up on past events.
To find out more about the many opportunities for educational travel with TCS, please visit our Trip Finder page, an excellent resource for our upcoming journeys.