This article focuses on International Programs offered by Exploritas.  The name is new, but the definition has been in the making since their first Elderhostel programs back in 1975.  Exploritas: Explore your mind and discover the world through authentic and thought-provoking adventures in learning.

Each month top programs are listed on the website.  You may choose from Africa & Middle East, Asia, Australia & South Pacific, Europe, Europe, and the Americas & Antarctica.  Sixteen countries in Africa have an Exploritas experience for you to explore, nineteen in Asia, etc.  Take your passion around the world! If you have a favorite pastime or area of study, Exploritas can help you explore it more fully.  I cannot emphasis enough the great care these programs offer each participant.  As a former group leader I always felt the presence of any form of aid I needed.  Not only are tour group leaders part of each trip, but expert guides lead the way.  You will be well cared for.

Programs Abroad by Interest:

You may choose among many countries to explore including such interesting sites as Costa Rica, South Africa, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Mexico, Honduras, Peru, Denmark and Morocco.  Great detail is provided for each experience.  For instance the Exploring Natural Wonders: The Real Costa Rica is described as: Unhurried. Active. Environmentally aware. Lush. Protected. Biodiverse. Pura Vida — the Pure Life.  Costa Rica’s pervading cultural ideology unites with its natural delights to create a unique national character, in which 25 percent of the land is preserved by law and there is no standing military.  The starting price is $2186 per person for 12 nights with visits to San Jose and Sarapiqui.  Highlights include on-site lectures with a local naturalist introduce the unique components of the rainforest, cloud forest and wetlands, participating in cultural interaction activities in rural communities and witnessing the manifestation of earth’s fiery volcanic energy during hikes near the Arenal and Poas Volcanoes.

International Programs with Exploritas venture to nearly every corner of the globe to examine almost every conceivable subject. World-class instructors and local experts illuminate the world’s diverse natural environments and connect you to the daily lives of local people and their cultures. Their mission is to empower adults to explore the world’s places, peoples, cultures and ideas, and in so doing to discover more about themselves. A fellowship of learning and the joy of discovery are the hallmarks of the Exploritas experience.

Most of the International Programs last two weeks.   Another program in France is called The Impressionists: A Retrospective.  Prices for this program start at $3977 per person.  Walk in the footsteps of Impressionists along the Seine, through Paris, Normandy, Provence and the beautiful Côte d’Azur.  Discover the origins of these 19th-century painters and their groundbreaking brushstrokes as you study masterpieces in museums and explore the places, gardens and streetscapes that inspired them. Expert lectures and local experiences enhance your appreciation of classical Impressionism.  Each day is carefully planned and you will know specifically the dates, what you will be seeing and how you will be traveling (coach, train, etc.)  From wildlife of the Serengeti, walking the Great Wall of China, studying the ancient city of Machu Picchu or seeing the Great Barrier Reef,  Exploritas has a program to fit your personal interests.

In my next blog I will focus on the Smithsonian Associates travel programs that cater to seniors.  Meanwhile, enjoy your exploring, searching and dreaming of your next trip.  The expression “Know Before You Go” is very fitting and is a must for every traveler