Distant Horizons

Rebecca Sprecher

Edited 11 months ago

We just returned from another extraordinary Distant Horizons adventure, this time a curated itinerary for four to Türkiye. As usual, we experienced an interesting mix of hotels and restaurants, the upscale and contemporary alongside the traditional and charming. After seeing the major sites in Istanbul, we left the crowds behind and stopped by the Sabanci Family Villa museum to view Mr. Sabanci’s exquisite collection of Islamic calligraphy and hand-painted Korans. Then we went next door to the MSA Restaurant, which showcases dishes created by students at Istanbul’s Culinary Arts Academy. Sitting out on a sunlit terrace overlooking the Bosphorus enjoying wonderful food and wine was an unforgettable experience that simply wouldn’t have been possible with a large tour group. We fell hard for the windswept lands of eastern Turkey, inspecting a 10th century church on an island in the middle of Lake Van, and running our fingers across a tablet of Cuneiform inscriptions dating from 3200BC at the ruins of a hilltop fort outside of town. As we gazed out at the snow-capped mountains separating Turkey from Armenia, Iran and Georgia, the wind howling, we marveled at the patchwork of irrigation ditches in the agricultural lands below that are thousands of years old. And there was nobody was around but our guide and us at either of these places, which made them even more special. We could have used another day in the simple but comfortable Kazigman Room at the delightfully eccentric Kars Hotel, once the home of a prominent Russian, and walking around the corner to sip coffee at the Pushkin Cafe. Another off-the-beaten track experience we enjoyed was taking a funicular up to see the hilltop ruins at Pergamon, and stopping by what remains of the Sanctuary of Asclepius, where Galen trained before going down to Rome to become the personal physician of Marcus Aurelius. The handsome mosque in Bursa is a must, as is staying at the intimate Turkish-style Kitapevi Hotel there. There are j

Dick Mader

a year ago

Distant Horizons led our 4-generation Mader family of 21 on an amazing tour of the American South, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee. The focus was on the history, music and foods of the South in the 1960s. We visited the monuments and places that were pivotable to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. We marched across the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma, we visited Medgar Evers’ Home in Jackson, we sat in the Sumner Court House where the murderers of Emmitt Till were acquitted in 1955. More amazing is that we met several people from the headlines in those days, Elizabeth Eckford one of the Little Rock 8 who integrated the High School in 1957, Rev Carolyn McKinstry, who at age 8 survived the Birmingham 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in 1963, and Hezekiah Watkins, a Greyhound Bus Freedom rider in 1961. We heard their stories firsthand. Prior to starting the journey, Janet Moore and Emily Whitson made sure we understood the history by suggested reading and movies from that era. We had several sessions to process and share our feelings about what we saw and what we heard. Janet and Emily could not have been more accommodating to our group, ages 13 to 82. Distant Horizons is not just a travel agency, they guide and lead every travel group to pretty amazing discoveries. Several of our family members previously traveled with Distant Horizons to Iran, Eclipse 2024 in Texas, Washington DC, Morocco and Saudi Arabia, all memorable journeys in their own way! Rp Mader

Burga Santiago

3 months ago

My tour to Saudi Arabia was long in becoming a reality. However as soon as the opportunity presented itself I signed up with Distant Horizons via the Commonwealth Club of Northern California. This was my sixth tour with Distant Horizons and I was not disappointed. The tour was well organized giving the traveler a broad perspective of the Kingdom, meeting with different segments of society: the public, private and religious. Also meeting professors and students at universities, What came across is that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA} has a young, enthusiastic population, the women are being more and more integrated into everyday public life and they have a Tthe museums present the latest in technology when showing their exhibitions. the cities are modern and the traffic can revile LA's, New York's or any other metropolitan region. The KSA has a lot to show to the traveler depending on their interest: natural wonders, ancient architecture, resorts and scuba diving in the Red Sea, hundreds of years of history and friendly, hospitable people who make their guests welcome and they are eager and proud to show of their country.

Alice Kubler

11 months ago

My SO and I joined an 11 day Peters Valley School of Craft Artisan Tour in Japan (Tokyo, Kanazawa, and Kyoto), and we added an additional week to visit the Seto Inland Sea area (Takamatsu, Teshima, and Naoshima). Distant Horizons organized the tour and helped us find lodging and guides for our extension. From the start, Emily (and Janet) were helpful, thorough, and timely advisors for the trip. The actual trip exceeded our expectations again and again as we visited craftsmen/women in their studios, enjoyed local cuisine and lodging, visited select gardens and museums, and had an outstanding local guide along the way. Many of our traveling companions were artisans themselves, had traveled on Peters Valley and Distant Horizons tours previously, and provided insights that contributed to our enjoyment.

Catherine Broadhead

4 months ago

I went to Saudi Arabia with Distant Horizons via National Trust Tours. I highly recommend this trip and traveling with Distant Horizons. Our American guide and our local guide were both fabulous - very educated, well informed, and had a sense of humor. We met with very important people and businesses involved in the exciting changes taking place in Saudi Arabia. We saw cities, deserts, cultural sites, etc. The food was amazing, too, and everyone's particular needs were met. It was a privilege to travel with Distant Horizons.

Jen Brown

6 months ago

My husband and I recently returned from an unforgettable West Africa tour (Senegal, Benin, Togo, and Ghana) organized by "The Nation" magazine and operated by Distant Horizons. Our guides, Janet Moore and Robin Perry, were exceptional — organized, attentive, and deeply knowledgeable. Excellent accommodations and meals made it easy to focus fully on the experience. The tour traced the origins of the Transatlantic Slave Trade through lenses of religion, history, art, and music. Through conversations with local journalists and "thinkers" we also tapped into the contemporary dialogue of reconciliation between members of the Diaspora and our West African family. As an African-American woman, I found this tour to be profoundly moving and spiritually meaningful. It was both educational and transformative, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in West African history and culture—especially to members of the African diaspora seeking a deeper connection to their ancestors. - Deirdra J Brown

Jennifer Engel

a year ago

I recently travelled to New Mexico with Cornell University and Distant Horizons. The experience was so memorable that I am still processing all we were exposed to. DH was so well organized and suited to the group. We got to experience insider tours of museums and work shops … dining with and learning from locals with expertise in many interesting subject areas. Not one minute was wasted . I cannot wait to try them again for my next big adventure !!

Sharon Broadhead

2 months ago

My son, daughter, and I recently returned from an excellent trip to Saudi Arabia which covered several cities. Since the owner of Distant Horizons, Janet Moore, had been leading trips to Saudi for twenty years, we were introduced to leaders of museums, Mosques, administrators heading up Vision 2030, and the US Embassy. Ms. Moore works with the designated #1 tour guide in Saudi who is a knowledgeable educator. The schedule was full which was an advantage as navigating on one's own would have been difficult. My advice--go now before there are too many changes. All of us considered the tour well organized and the trip of a lifetime. SB--Florida

Spider Lady

8 months ago

We’ve just returned from a fantastic Madagascar wildlife-oriented tour sponsored by Cornell Adult University but arranged and managed by Distant Horizons. My husband and I were the faculty leaders and scientist educators. This was the third trip we’ve taken with Distant Horizons, the 2 previous spectacular tours being to Sabah, Borneo. All the trips were outstanding with so many unusual and creative side trips, wonderful guides, and opportunities to see local crafts and industries. Along the way, we enjoyed lovely boutique hotels and delightful restaurants evidently chosen to reflect and support local communities. In Madagascar we saw diverse lemur species, incredible numbers of chameleons and leaf-tailed geckos everywhere there was forest, plus rich marine life (sea turtles and rich coral reef fish) on several snorkeling trips. We went out into the ocean in local pirogue boats and dugout canoes. Our local guides and trackers were excellent throughout. The road conditions were challenging but our drivers were skilled. Working with Distant Horizons has been a joy – adaptable, responsive, and creative. For example, the local guides mentioned that predators like fossa are common in a certain park during their breeding season, and next year’s Madagascar trip will have a night excursion to that park! A guide turns out to be a wonderful birder, and extra bird walks or night walks were set up to take advantage of their expertise and our interests. Everything about Isalo was stunning, so next year’s trip (which we are leading) will have an extra day there. We strongly recommend Distant Horizons and look forward to more experiences with them!

Jen Parker

a year ago

I have just returned from a Nation Magazine trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, organized by Distant Horizons. I went to celebrate a significant birthday for my husband. The Vietnam War had played an important role in his life. He prepared for the trip by reading several historical accounts and novels from the reading list, while I prepared myself mentally for traveling. The tour was carefully crafted to visit many different cities, archaeological sites, museums and non-profits. There were several lectures and background talks. Because the internal flights, buses, hotels et cetera et cetera were all arranged by Distant Horizons, I was free to engage with the speakers, sites and my fellow travelers. I felt like I was immersed in the cultures, history, people and food. While all of this would have made for a powerful trip, our guides were the key. I was fortunate to have owner Janet Moore traveling alongside for much of the trip, as well as Professor Lorraine Paterson and Tuan Huy--each with 30 years experience doing this work. Their familiarity with the countries, history, practices as well as their guidance with practical concerns was invaluable.