2023 has been an incredible year for travel! After years of lockdowns, travel restrictions and unsatisfied wanderlust, 2023 saw a resurgence of travel that the industry had scarcely seen before. Everyone wanted to travel and it seemed like everyone was travelling! Expat Explore certainly noticed an increased desire to travel in recent years and this year was one of our busiest ever.
Over 18,000 travellers went on the road with us in 2023 and enjoyed countless life-enriching moments. Of course, none of this would have been possible without Expat Explore’s hard-working team of expert travellers. The people behind the scenes love travelling just as much as our passengers do, if not even more so! We asked our team to share their favourite destinations, memorable travel moments and bucket-list adventures of 2023.
Related: Discover the top travel trends for 2024!
Have a look at the Expat Explore team’s top travel moments of 2023:
Carl Cronje, Co-founder
I’m busy creating a certain potential favourite travel moment right now! In 2020 I had a family trip planned for Kenya and Tanzania that was obviously cancelled. But, here I am back three and a half years later and I’m writing this to you from the Masia Mara! As a product-focused entrepreneur, I always love to make travel possible where it normally seems impossible. For example, Japan can be very expensive but is now very affordable for our Expat Explore guests. Kenya and Tanzania are the same, most of the travelling in and to the game parks is with 4-6 seater Land Cruises with a driver guide. The rate per person is high, but I’m very motivated to find a way to crack this nut! Watch this space…
Related: Read all about when Carl and Jakes embarked on our very first Japan tour!
Jakes Martiz, Co-founder
There are two that stand out. The first was in Paris, France with Carl during the Rugby World Cup. Paris is entrenched in the history of our company and for us it was a celebration of the last nineteen years. It was also symbolic that we’ve not only survived the last four years, but thrived. The trip itself was great, visiting some of our old haunts, meeting up with old and new friends and experiencing Paris at its best, which is in the summer during a major event.
The second was touring some islands in Greece with my wife and kids. My wife and I are incredibly fond of the islands because of the variety, the people, the culture and most of all – the food. To us, it personifies summer and some of our happiest memories are associated with it. Luckily our boys fell in love with the islands like we did, even asking if we could live there!
Related: Paris will host another big sporting event in 2024… the Summer Olympics! Here’s how to enjoy the festivities and the city on a budget.
Ananda Heyl, Managing Director:
My favourite travel moment this year was travelling through Europe on the Mega Company Training (MCT) tour in March. It was unbelievably valuable to have tour leaders, drivers and office staff come together. This was also a first in the history of our company. The highlight for me was the fact that many of our employees from South Africa reported that they had never been on a plane before and some had never even left the Western Cape up to this point. I have been to many of the destinations that we visited on the training tour before, but to experience this through the eyes of people who were seeing these landmarks for the first time was a magical experience for me.
Tiaan Els, Head of Marketing:
Embarking on the company’s MCT to Europe became the highlight of my year, an unforgettable journey that unfolded in March. Having joined the company in January, this adventure not only offered me a chance to explore the beauty of Europe but also provided a unique opportunity to forge connections with my new colleagues. The camaraderie that blossomed during this trip was truly heartwarming, as I was embraced with open arms by my team. Discovering the wonders of Europe was undoubtedly incredible, but the warmth and acceptance from my colleagues made it an experience that will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Related: Tick these ultimate bucket-list items off your Europe travel list!
Geon Burden, Art Director:
I was in Budapest, Hungary on August 20th which just happens to be St. Stephen’s Day (a big celebration of the foundation of the Hungarian state). I expected fireworks as there was a lot of excitement around seeing them from a boat. However, in my wildest dreams, I could never have expected the breathtaking show that beautiful Budapest gave us that night. I could feel the explosions throughout my whole body! Not to mention the whole city was alive and buzzing with so many amazing attractions as well as live music and delicious local food. I cannot wait to visit Budapest on St. Stephen’s Day again!
Related: Don’t leave Budapest without trying these tasty Hungarian dishes.
Tim Sayer, Product Manager:
My highlight of the year has to be on the MCT at Jungfraujoch, the highest train station in Europe, in Switzerland. I’ve taken the trip up to the “Top of Europe” about thirty times before as it is one of our most popular optional excursions. However, this time I was lucky enough to be in the VIP Gondola and to drink bubbly all the way up to the top! While not my first ride up the mountain, it was my first on the new cable car and probably the only time I’ll go in the VIP gondola. It usually costs €10,000 per gondola, per ride (max 10 people)!
Victoria Messer, Head of Crew / Tour Leader:
This year I got to return to the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos for the first time since the pandemic. Mykonos is my happy place and where I spent my 40th birthday so it’s always nice to return. Another great travel experience was in May when I attended a boutique festival in Albania along the Albanian Riviera followed by a boat ride over to Corfu where I spent another few days working remotely and eating all the Greek salads!
I also loved the week I spent sailing in Turkey in October. It was a great way to unwind after the busy tour season! I loved having Giola Fransman, our On-tour Operations Support Specialist, on tour with me in July and taking the new trainees on my Europe Taster tour too. And, I loved being in London when all the visitors from the South Africa office were in town. So much to love!
Vereetia Jefthas, Customer Service Manager:
My favourite travel memory this year was getting to explore Egypt, land of the Pharaohs, on our Egypt Nile Jewel tour in October. To walk where Gods roamed and marvel at the beautiful temples that had been there long before I was even born was an unforgettable bucket-list experience. Snorkelling in the Red Sea was also a true highlight. Thanks to our amazing itinerary and tour leader, it’s safe to say I made countless memories that will last a lifetime. This in itself is priceless.
Related: Travelling to Egypt soon? Here are some tips to prepare for your Egyptian expedition.
From Europe to Africa and the Middle East, our team crossed the globe, discovered new destinations and revisited old favourites. All of these trips, travel moments and memories are going to be put to good use when designing new itineraries, improving existing on-tour experiences and ensuring that our passengers can share in these life-enriching moments!
Has our team’s travel moments ignited your desire to start or continue exploring? Have a look at our upcoming tours and get ready for an adventure of a lifetime.