ABOUT WT

Wilderness Travel Awards

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Travel + Leisure

WT Selected as One of the Top 15 “World’s Best“ Tour Operators for 2022

For the second year in a row (and 11th overall!), we are proud to be recognized in Travel + Leisure's "World's Best" Tour Operators. This award would not be possible without our passionate staff, outfitters and partners, and loyal travelers who voted for us, and we are grateful to our adventure community for seeing the value in our style of travel.

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Conde Nast Traveller

Best Travel Specialists in the World 2022

We have been named one of the Top 10 Best Travel Specialists in the World by Condé Nast Traveller. We've received this recognition three years in a row, and are thrilled to be back operating exceptional journeys on all continents.

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Travel + Leisure

WT Selected as One of the Top 15 “World’s Best“ Tour Operators for 2021

Readers of Travel + Leisure have voted Wilderness Travel as one of the best tour operators in the world for 2021. This marks our 10th year of being awarded this prestigious honor! The survey allowed readers to weigh in on their travel experiences over a three-year period, and we continue to take pride in creating itineraries that reflect our travelers’ interests.

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Conde Nast Traveller

Best Travel Specialists in the World 2021

We are thrilled to be listed in Condé Nast Traveller magazine’s Reader Choice Awards as one of the “Best Travel Specialists in the World.” More than 20,000 readers responded, giving a fascinating glimpse at past, present, and future travel habits. We are grateful for our loyal travelers’ support and trust in us over the past year.

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AFAR Magazine

Best Hiking and Walking Trips of 2020

It is an honor to be recognized with this award by AFAR Magazine two years in a row! We believe the best way to experience a new place is on foot, and we are thrilled to share our passion for unique hiking and walking adventures around the world.

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AFAR Magazine

Best Wildlife Trips of 2020

We are so excited to be named #1 for Best Wildlife Trips in AFAR Magazine’s Travelers Choice Awards. This is a tremendous award that highlights our commitment to protecting vulnerable wildlife habitats and using travel as a force for good. To our loyal travelers, thank you for your shared desire to explore the world in meaningful ways, we wouldn’t be here without your support.

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Conde Nast Traveller

Best Travel Specialists In The World 2020

We are honored to be listed in the top 3 for “Best Travel Specialists In The World” by Condé Nast Traveller Magazine. Condé Nast combined votes from more than 600,000 readers in the US and UK to recognize the absolute best travel companies, destinations, hotels, and airlines worldwide. We thank every person who voted for us and are truly grateful to be included in this prestigious list.

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USA Today

Top 10 Best Adventure Travel Tour Companies in 2020

Wilderness Travel has been named one of Top 10 Best Adventure Travel Tour Companies by USA Today’s “10Best” Awards. A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the winners were voted on by USA Today readers. We are honored to be recognized as a leader in the Adventure Travel industry and are grateful for our loyal travelers for this award.

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AFAR Magazine

WT Voted Best Hiking and Walking Trips in 2019

Each year AFAR Magazine holds the Travelers’ Choice Awards, letting readers vote on the top travel experiences around the globe. We’re thrilled to announce that this year Wilderness Travel was named #1 for Best Hiking & Walking Trips! It’s an honor to be chosen and we couldn’t have done it without your passionate support for our off-the-beaten-path hiking adventures.

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Outside Magazine

The 25 Best Trips of 2018

Our thrilling special event, Patagonia! Epic Climbers and Conservationists held in the splendor of Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park, brings together world-renowned climbers who have accomplished extraordinary feats here and the environmental visionaries who are preserving this incredible land. Promising extraordinary access to guest speakers like Kris Tomkins, Conrad Anker and Alex Honnold, the symposium is followed by five magnificent hiking and natural history journeys that bring you deeper into the wonders of Argentina and Chile.

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AFAR Magazine

WT Voted #1 Tour Operator in 2017

Wilderness Travel was voted “Best Tour Operator” in AFAR Magazine’s first-ever Travelers’ Choice Awards. We’re tremendously honored to have been selected in this prestigious competition, with over 10,000 people casting their votes. AFAR Magazine gave WT a special mention as “The Best Company to Take You off the Grid”—that’s what we love to do!

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Outside Magazine

The 28 Best Trips of 2016

Our Special Event, Legendary Explorers: A Voyage to Antarctica and South Georgia Island on the Centennial of Shackleton's Epic Journey, was included in Outside Magazine’s top 28 Places to go in 2016. This epic journey celebrates the 100th anniversary of Shackleton’s legendary do-or-die open-boat voyage across the Southern Ocean and features renowned Guest Speakers including Conrad Anker, Tim Jarvis, Dr. Carl Safina, and Frans Lanting.

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Travel + Leisure

WT Selected as One of the Top Five “World’s Best” Tour Operators for 2015

Wilderness Travel was been voted one of the World’s Best Tour Operators by the readers of Travel + Leisure —our 9th year being awarded this tremendous honor. This prestigious commendation is based on itineraries, destinations, guides, activities, accommodations, food, and value. Thank you to our wonderful clients for this exceptional honor—we’ll keep working hard to deserve it!

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National Geographic Traveler Magazine

WT Trip Selected for “50 Tours of a Lifetime” in 2015

Our Komodo Snorkeling Expedition has been selected as one of National Geographic Traveler magazine’s “50 Tours of a Lifetime”. In the editors’ words: “Our team worked long and hard to find 2015’s most authentic, most innovative, most immersive, best-guided, and most sustainable tours.” Set aboard a 98-ft schooner, this adventure explores the wildly diverse marine life and unique islands of Komodo National Park, including up-close encounters with the primordial Komodo dragon. This is the ninth year one of our trips has been included in this respected list. We’re very honored!

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Outside Magazine

WT selected as Best Outfitted Trips in “Best of Travel 2015”

We are one of Outside magazine’s honorees in its annual Best of Travel awards—Best Outfitted Trips: Anywhere with Wilderness Travel (scroll down to #16)! This prestigious award, “The 30 Most Incredible Trips to Take in 2015,” celebrates the destinations and travel providers that inspire people to participate in an active lifestyle—from the best mountains to climb and rivers to float to the coolest places to stay—and we are immensely proud to be included in this select list.

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Travel + Leisure

WT selected as one of the Top Five “World’s Best” Tour Operators for 2014

Wilderness Travel has been voted as one of the World’s Best Tour Operators by the readers of Travel + Leisure —the 5th time in recent years we have received this recognition! This prestigious award is based on itineraries, destinations, guides, activities, accommodations, food, and value. Thank you to our wonderful clients for this exceptional honor, and please know we’ll do our best to continue offering the “World”s Best” trips!

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Outside Magazine

WT Trip Selected for “50 Trips of a Lifetime” in 2015

Outside Magazine has honored Wilderness Travel in its 2014 Travel Awards, naming our Across the Grand St. Bernard Pass hike as Best Family Trip! The Outside Magazine Travel Awards celebrate the absolute best travel experiences in the world; we’re thrilled to be included. The hiking on our enchanting journey brings you through Switzerland’s sunny Valais and across the border into Italy’s spectacular Val d’Aosta and you’ll even get to hike with the famed mountain dogs atop St. Bernard Pass!

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National Geographic Traveler Magazine

WT Trip Selected for “50 Tours of a Lifetime” in 2013

Our In the Wake of the Bounty has been selected as one of National Geographic Traveler’s “50 Tours of a Lifetime”. Our fascinating expedition cruise traces a historical route from Easter Island to the Pitcairn Islands, where the mutinous crew of the Bounty settled, and the Marquesas, beloved home of the artist Paul Gauguin, with fantastic snorkeling all along the way, including at the exquisite Tuamotu Archipelago. We’re tremendously honored—our 8th year in a row to be chosen for this prestigious award!

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National Geographic Traveler Magazine

WT Trip Selected for “50 Tours of a Lifetime” in 2012

Our spirited new Namibia Expedition has been chosen one of National Geographic Traveler’s “2012 Best Tours in Africa.” We’re delighted to be included in NGT’s annual compilation of the world’s best guided expeditions. Our adventure—with cheetah tracking, desert-adapted elephants, Himba tribes, sea kayaking, and sleeping under the starry desert sky—is a traveler’s dream!

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Travel Weekly

Magellan Gold Medal Awards for Website and Catalog, 2011

Travel Weekly, the premier magazine for travel professionals, awarded Wilderness Travel two “2011 Magellan Gold Awards”: one for excellence in the Consumer Website category, and one for our catalog, “Journeys for the Year 2012,” in the Consumer Direct Mail category. These awards honor the best in travel and salute the outstanding travel professionals behind it all!

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National Geographic Traveler Magazine

WT Trip Selected for “50 Tours of a Lifetime” in 2011

One of our journeys has been chosen for National Geographic Traveler’s prestigious “2011 Tours of a Lifetime.” Great Hikes & Chefs of Northern Italy’s Gourmet Trail , with veteran Trip Leader Gianluca Canalicchio, is profiled in the May-June 2011 issue. This is NGT’s sixth annual compilation of 50 of the world’s best guided expeditions—we’re delighted to be included once again!

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Travel + Leisure

World’s Best Safari & Tour Operators in 2010

WT was ranked as one of the Top Five Tour Operators in the prestigious “World’s Best” Awards! Travel & Leisure’s readers voted in this annual poll, based on itineraries, destinations, guides, activities, accommodations, food, and value. Thank you to our wonderful clients for this exceptional honor, and please know that we’ll do our best to continue offering the “World’s Best” trips!

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National Geographic Traveler Magazine

WT Trip Selected for “50 Tours of a Lifetime”

One of our WT Expeditions has been included in National Geographic Traveler’s prestigious “50 Tours of a Lifetime!” The Great Game: The Silk Road Through the Pamirs & Karakorum Mountains, with veteran Asia explorer and WT Trip Leader Roger Williams, is profiled in the May-June 2010 issue. This is NGT’s fifth annual compilation of 50 of the world’s best guided expeditions.

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National Geographic Adventure Magazine

25 Best New Trips for 2010

National Geographic Adventure magazine named Wilderness Travel’s snorkeling and sea kayaking trip Swimming with the Humpbacks of Ha’apai as one of the “25 best new trips in 2010” in their November 2009 issue. Joining the list was WT Expedition The Philippines: From Banaue to Cabilau.

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Outside Magazine

Trips of the Year Award for 2009

Outside Magazine featured our Larapinta Trek, a unique journey across central Australia with our Aussie Trip Leader James Fuss, as one of its “Best Trips” in the magazine’s annual Travel Awards. This is one of our WT Expeditions—the dream journeys we create each year with our long-time Trip Leaders.

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National Geographic Adventure Magazine

Wilderness Travel Named National Geographic Adventure’s “Best Outfitters on Earth!”

Wilderness Travel has been selected by National Geographic Adventure Magazine as one of the top 5 “Best Outfitters on Earth” among those that “Do It All”! Over 250 travel companies were judged by a panel of experts in the field, and in addition to making the highest level of the list, Wilderness Travel was ranked the absolute best for quality of service.

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Travel + Leisure

World’s Best Safari & Tour Operators in 2009

In 2009, Travel+Leisure listed Wilderness Travel among the “Top 20 Tour Operators and Safari Outfitters” in the World’s Best Awards! Travel+Leisure’s readers vote each year based on itineraries, destinations, guides, activities, accommodations, food, and value. Thanks to our wonderful clients for this honor!

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National Geographic Adventure Magazine

Best Adventure Travel Company on Earth and 25 Best New Trips for 2008

National Geographic Adventure magazine named Wilderness Travel one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth” in their November 2007 Adventure Travel issue. A panel of editors, travel writers, and experts judged more than 150 travel companies and WT was ranked number two in the world among outfitters who ‘Do-It-All’! In addition, our Shikoku Island Expedition in Japan won the honor of being one of the 25 Best New Trips for 2008!

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Outside Magazine

Trips of the Year Award for 2008!

Outside Magazine picked our Armenia & Karabagh adventure as one of its “Top Ten Trips of 2008!” in the annual Travel Issue (April, 2008). The trip explores the mountains and monasteries of an ancient and fascinating land where Christianity arrived in the 3rd century. We’re honored to once again be on this prestigious list. Last year, Outside’s editors named our Tibet: Trek to the Source of the Tsangpo as the Trip of the Year.

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Travel + Leisure

World’s Best Safari & Tour Operators in 2007

Wilderness Travel was recognized as one of the World’s Best Safari & Tour Operators in the highly prestigious Travel+Leisure Awards. Travel+Leisure’s readers vote based on itineraries, destinations, guides, activities, accommodations, food, and value. Wilderness Travel advanced from our Number 6 ranking last year to Number 2 in the world, and the continued top ranking for adventure travel companies.

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National Geographic Traveler

50 Tours of a Lifetime 2008

Our Mauritania: Sahara Desert Expedition: Journey into the Land of the Moors expedition with Trip Leader Annie Hawkins was recognized as one of 50 “Tours of a Lifetime” in National Geographic Traveler Magazine! The magazine selected trips that offered “the most transformative, sustainable, and authentic experiences” for this article.

Additional Awards

Islands Magazine (December 2007)

The Blue List: 100 Ways to Go Authentic

Wilderness Travel’s hiking journey on the Mediterranean isles of Corsica & Sardinia made the “100 of the Best of the Best” list in the December 2007 issue of Islands Magazine.

National Geographic Adventure (April 2007)

Ultimate Escapes: 20 Adventures of Your Life

The magazine’s “Ultimate Escapes: 20 Adventures of Your Life” (April 2007) featured Palau Sea Kayaking & Snorkeling, our popular Pacific journey with marine biologist Ron Leidich.

National Geographic Adventure (November 2006)

The World’s 25 Best New Trips

Our Bhutan: The Merak & Sakten Expedition was featured among “The World's 25 Best New Trips” in the November 2006 issue, and we continue to offer it every few years or so.

National Geographic Adventure (November 2005)

The 25 Best New Adventure Trips

Our unique Whale Sharks of Ningaloo journey with marine biologist Ron Leidich was featured as one of the “25 Best New Adventure Trips” (November 2005).

National Geographic Adventure (February 2003)

Wild Horizons: The 25 Greatest Trips

In National Geographic’s February 2003 issue, our Morocco: The High Atlas Trek was included among the “25 Greatest Trips.”

Travel+Leisure

The World’s Best Awards 2006

Wilderness Travel was ranked among the world’s “Top 15 Tour Operators & Safari Outfitters” in Travel+Leisure’s annual reader survey in 2006. Thank you, Travel+Leisure readers! Wilderness Travel was #6 for Top 15 Tour Operators & Safari Outfitters

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Awards for Creative Excellence 2007

The International Academy of the Visual Arts awards the “Davey” for creative excellence. Our 2007 catalog earned a Gold Award and our Private Journeys catalog won a Silver Award.

Outside Magazine (March 2007)

2007 Trip of the Year: Trek to the Source of the Tsangpo

We were very excited that Outside’s March 2007 issue named our epic Tibet: Trek to the Source of the Tsangpo as “2007 Trip of the Year!” This is the second time one of our journeys has been named Trip of the Year. Our Annapurna Circuit also won mention as one of “The World’s 30 Greatest Trips.”

Outside Magazine (March 2006)

The New Trips of a Lifetime: Best 40 Trips of 2006

In Outside’s “Best 40 Trips of 2006” issue (March 2006), both our Exploring the Mergui Archipelago and Arctic Odyssey expedition cruise were included.

Outside Magazine (February 2005)

Best Trips of 2005

Among the “Best Trips of 2005” in Outside’s February 2005 issue was our expedition cruise to Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands as well as Hiking Hadrian’s Wall in England.

Outside Magazine (March 2004)

2004 Trip of the Year

We were very pleased to win Outside’s “Trip of the Year” with our adventurous Three Ranges of Peru trek.

Outside Magazine (November 2003)

25 Best Trips of 2004

Featured as one of the “Best Trips of 2004” in the March issue of Outside was our Bhutan: the Haa Valley Trek.

Outside Magazine (January 2001)

The 50 Most Amazing Trips in the World

Our East of Bali sailing adventure in Indonesia was included in the “50 Most Amazing Trips in the World” article in the January 2001 issue.

The Communicator Awards

2008 Print Media Awards

The Award of Excellence in the 14th annual Communicator Awards was given to the 2008 Wilderness Travel catalog in a competition judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts. Our 2008 Private Journeys catalog won an Award of Distinction.