Learn more about the Instant Tour Customizer’s amazing benefits and features by watching this entertaining and instructional video. Rich Beekman, our Director of Product Development, walks teachers through how to use the Instant Tour Customizer to personalize their tour itinerary to create the ideal tour experience for participants.

We know that the thought of leading your first educational tour abroad (or at home) can seem daunting, which is why we go above and beyond to help teachers new to educational travel lead exceptional tours.

See how we give you the tools, and work with you every step of the way to create an educational tour that opens minds, fosters new ideas, and provides first-hand experiences of classroom lessons.

• Check out the video we made just for you:

Just reminding everyone (both students and teachers) to bring your cameras with you when you go on tour this summer, as we have new photo contests for you to enter!

Check them out here:

http://www.explorica.com/student-photo-contest

http://www.explorica.com/teacher-photo-contest

We are pleased to announce the winners for Explorica’s Student Photo Contest!

Thank you to all of those who submitted entries, as we had some fantastic images. All of the entries can be viewed on Flickr.

Check out which images were chosen and what they won!

From now until June 1st, students can submit their best photos of their recent tour and be entered to win a $300 Amazon.com gift card.

Teachers, this is a great chance to both encourage your students’ creativity, and to share the memories of your tour with everyone.

Check out all the details here. We look forward to seeing your students’ work!

Our aim with these My Favorite: posts is to give our well-traveled Explorica employees a chance to share some of their favorite travel experiences with all of you.

This week’s my favorite comes from Senior Program Consultant Aimee Chevalier.  Take it away, Aimee…

My absolute favorite hike (so far) is undoubtedly through the five villages known as the Cinque Terre in the Liguria region of Italy along the Italian Riviera.   I’ve had to opportunity to visit this area twice, and I know that I will return again.   The quaint towns of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore are connected by trains, boats, and gorgeous seaside walking trails.

You can hike the entire coast through all five villages – which takes about five hours – or you can simply travel from one town to the next.   Some sections are an easy stroll, while others are more challenging.  No matter which path you choose, you’ll come across glorious views of cliffsides which drop dramatically down to the turquoise sea lapping against the rocks.  You also walk through vineyards and olive orchards, and be prepared to make some new friends along the way.

When I was traveling and living in Italy as a volunteer on organic farms, my fellow travelers and  I had the opportunity to stay with a woman who had just built herself a house in Levanto, a town just north of the Cinque Terre, on the cliffs about 60 feet above the sea.  We were building terraced gardens which crawled down the side of the mountain toward the sea during the day, and we ate dinner every night outside on top of the cliffs while listening to the water breaking against shore below.  What a life!

Every week, Explorations will offer all you inveterate travelers a travel tip from one of our expert Program Consultants.

This week’s travel tip is from Program Consultant Aimee Chevalier, and it’s a good one for

One of the most exciting (well, sort of) aspects of travel is that you have to expect the unexpected….. in terms of weather.  You also do not have the luxury of your walk-in closet, your washer and dryer, and multiple wardrobe changes a day.  So, you have to pack smart and mix and match your clothing items.

When I travel I make sure that every single clothing item that I bring goes with everything else in my one suitcase, and I stick to solid colors.   That way there’s no outfit planning before you depart, and you can just go with the flow once you’re there.   Your clothing has to comfortable yet versatile.  You have to be prepared for possibly scorching hot days and chilly nights as well as being able to go from day to evening – because who wants to waste valuable sightseeing time worrying about what they’re wearing?

I absolutely love European style .  This past summer I found myself oohing and ahhing over many a Parisian girl’s outfit.  So, take some cues from the locals while you’re traveling, and maybe try something a bit different with your style!

One of our main goals with Explorations is to give everyone an opportunity to meet the fine folks who work at Explorica to help teachers take their students on educational tours across the globe.

This week’s featured Program Consultant is Aimee Chevalier.  Here’s some of our favorite excerpts from our recent interview with her:

Where did you grow up?

New Bedford, MA

Where did you go to college?

University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Where have you traveled?

Ireland, Scotland, England, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France.  Going to Costa Rica this year!

Which Explorica tours have you taken?

France and Germany

Favorite band, movie, and/or book…

Classic movies from my childhood remain my favorites - like the Wizard of Oz.  My all-time favorite music is probably the Motown sounds of Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye.

If you could be any animal, which animal would you be?

I’ll have to say a cat.  Who wouldn’t want to nap in the sun all day long?

Favorite breakfast cereal?

Kashi with rice milk and blueberries.  Only the healthy stuff for me.

If you could live anywhere else in the entire world, where would that be and why?

Italia.  I’m enamored with the language and the land.

What do you like to do when you’re not helping teachers plan fantastic tours?

I go out dancing whenever I can.  I love to let loose!

Who was your favorite teacher growing up, and why?

I was absolutely in love with every one of my elementary school teachers - so much so that I would get nauseous when I had a substitute.

I was kind of a sensitive kid…

Is white chocolate really chocolate?

It IS made from cocoa butter.  The chips are a fabulous addition to a dark chocolate walnut brownie.

Your last name’s Chevalier.  What’s that all about?

It’s pretty French.  It means “knight”.  Isn’t that awesome!?  I think my future spouse should take MY last name.

I’ve noticed you’re quite the epicurean.  What’s the most exotic dish you’ve recently concocted?

I love to make sushi maki rolls, which most people find interesting.  They are so easy!  Fresh tuna, ripe avocado, plenty of wasabi.  Simple and delicious.

Fair to say that you really like scarves?

Haha.  I love wearing scarves…in all types of weather.  They are so cozy, and they make them for all seasons –even summer!

A new feature here at Explorations, every middle of the week we’ll provide you with quick hits of some of the most recent travel news, articles, anecdotes, tidbits and more that we think are blog-worthy.  So, without further ado, let’s get to the good stuff…

– Imagine, if you will, a world where airlines are aware of your previous flight experiences, and cater to your preferences.  For instance:

• An airline loses your bag or cancels your flight because of a mechanical problem. The next time you show up at the airport, an agent personally apologizes and offers a free pass to an airport lounge for your troubles.Don’t laugh. Someday it may happen at U.S. airlines.

Welcome to the exciting new world of airlines’ utilizing Customer Relationship Management.  Read more in this interesting article from The Wall Street Journal.

– MSNBC highlights how affordable trips to San Francisco have recently become.

• Shameless Plug Alert: We’ve got an awesome tour of San Francisco, and an even awesomer tour of San Fran and LA.

– The NY Times has a great article on the myriad travel adventure opportunities Costa Rica offers.  From adventure tourism, to eco- and bio- tourism, and the ubiquitous luxury tourism offered by the lush resorts and spas, Costa Rica has something for every traveler.

• Shameless Plug Alert, The Sequel: Recently, Costa Rica has become one of our most popular tour destinations.  Check out all of our Costa Rica tours here.

That’s it for this week.  But feel free to recommend anything you think we may have missed in the comments section… We love feedback!

My Favorite: is a little different.

It’s more about a general feeling than a specific experience.  It’s about that feeling you get when you begin to comprehend that just around the corner lies an incredible site you’ve only seen in pictures–and that you’re about to experience it yourself, live and in person.

I’ve been fortunate enough through my travels to have this experience many times.  I remember driving up to Sugarloaf, Maine when I was younger. As you drive up the winding access road, this 4,000 foot standalone mountain seems to appear out of nowhere once you make that final turn around the corner (appropriately named “Oh My Gosh” corner).  It’s truly incredible.

I had a similar “Wow” moment last year when I traveled to Italy with Explorica and visited Florence.  As we left our hotel, we made a left out of the hotel and walked about 5 minutes, then made another slight turn and all of a sudden, the beautiful Duomo appeared before us, standing tall and bright.  With all the buildings along the narrow streets, non of us were expecting the massive building to appear out of nowhere.

While both of these “just around the corner” moments were memorable, nothing will ever top the morning I first saw the Taj Mahal while I was on Semester at Sea program.  It was in the half-light of 6:00 a.m. that our bus dropped us off a little way from the main gates.  After the short walk, we continued through the main gates.  Having never been there before, I had no idea how far we were from the building.

We turned left and walked through this archway. And as the crowd began thinning out in front of me, the Taj Mahal appeared.  To this day, it is the most breathtaking moment I have ever experienced.