San Francisco, CA - Geographic Expeditions has been named Best Travel Company by Outside Magazine in its April issue.
"For starters, GeoEx has consistently taken travelers to remote regions of the world," Outside writes, "from Everest's north side to Patagonia's glaciers to the far reaches of Papua New Guinea." The magazine also singles out the company's emphasis on safety and its pioneering relationships with nonprofits and NGOs. "But the primary reason more than half the company's clients come back for more," Outside says, is "its outstanding guides" - from 20-year veteran Vassi Koutsaftis, who is heading a trailblazing trek to the north face of K2 this year, to famed Buddhist scholar Robert Thurman, who leads meditation trips in Bhutan, to mountaineer Dave Hahn, who guides the company's expeditions to South Georgia Island.
To choose the Best Travel Company, Outside asked a global network of correspondents to evaluate adventure travel companies based on "the quality of a company's guides, the authenticity and diversity of its trips, its level of service, philanthropic credibility, safety record, and, most important, clients' reviews and experiences." The result? "Geographic Expeditions stood above the rest."
"We are extraordinarily pleased and honored to be selected as Best Travel Company in Outside's first Active Travel awards," says GeoEx President Jim Sano. "We can't think of a better way to celebrate our 30th anniversary than with this recognition of the passion, expertise, and care we put into every journey we craft, whether in Asia, Africa, South America, the Middle East, or the Poles." Adds Chairman George Doubleday, "For three decades we have been committed to creating transformational experiences for our travelers - and forging connections that nourish and preserve the places and peoples we cherish around the globe. We are exhilarated and humbled that Outside's seasoned experts and our own travelers have recognized these efforts in naming us the Best Travel Company."
In addition to the adventure travel destinations mentioned by Outside - Bhutan, South Georgia, Patagonia, and Papua New Guinea - GeoEx has pioneered travel to Myanmar, named Best New Frontier by Outside. GeoEx also featuresOutside's Best Eco-Lodge - Ecuador's Mashpi Lodge - on the Mashpi Rainforest tour in its Galápagos journeys, and creates private, custom journeys to the Seychelles, named Best Islands.
For more information about GeoEx, to learn about its destinations, or to receive a free 2012 catalog, call 800-777-8183, email [email protected], or visit www.GeoEx.com. Outside's Active Travel Awards are featured onwww.outsideonline.com and in the April issue of the magazine, on newsstands now.