The Holbrook Explorer
Where we travel
Photo of the Month: December 2024
Above: We were in the second week of a Holbrook photography trip to Costa Rica with Emily Carter when we arrived in the Talamanca Mountains along the spine of the country. In someone’s back yard setup near Savegre, we saw beautiful hummingbirds attracted to flowers set out for us. The bees were...
Photo of the Month: November 2024
The range of the proboscis monkey has been severely restricted in Borneo, as a result of the widespread deforestation of their natural jungle habitat, for the plantation of oil palms. Thanks to a unique safari led by Todd Gustafson, we were able to visit Bako Island Preserve off the north Bornean...
Photo of the Month: October 2024
It all started with an email about an optional trip extension to my Brazil jaguar trip. The extension…maned wolves. “What’s a maned wolf?”, I asked myself. Before I even had the answer, I knew I was going to sign up. Maned wolves are the largest canid in South America and the tallest of all wild...
Photo of the Month: September 2024
I heard them before I saw them. The distant roar in the background hinted at their impending splendor. With each step, anticipation heightened until the curtain of foliage opened up, and before me were the majestic Iguazú Falls — a breathtaking expanse echoing the local Guaraní people’s essence of...
Photo of the Month: August 2024
Tanzania abounds with nonstop natural wonders such as powerful lions, lightning-fast cheetahs, and endless lines of migrating wildebeest. These incredible sights may overwhelm first-time visitors but return visitors to the Serengeti often begin to notice the intimate world beyond the “Big Five.”...
Photo of the Month: July 2024
Above: A Galápagos sea lion swims close to the camera in the shallows at Concha de Perla on Isabela Island. Below: A group of leaders from Holbrook's January 2023 FAM trip onboard the Galápagos Legend departs the ship on a Zodiac for an excursion on Santa Cruz Island. Photos and story by Jay...
Photo of the Month: June 2024
After several trips to Africa, I had still never seen a leopard. Being the hardest of the big cats to find, it was not very surprising but was still a goal for this trip to Kenya. My group I was leading told our guide that we wanted to see all of the big cats on this trip, and as we arrived in the...
Photo of the Month: May 2024
Above: A fantastic hike up and behind the waterfalls at Seljalandsfoss, Iceland. Below: Walking atop the cliffs at Dyrhólaey, Iceland, we were lucky to see puffins preparing for their migration back out over the Atlantic. Photos and story by Kathy Sylvester Iceland | Dramatic Landscapes and...
Photo of the Month: April 2024
This female motmot was waiting to access her nest, which was in the earthen wall of the trail at Místico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park, as visitors passed by. Our guide spotted her and we made a few images before we realized that she was waiting to feed her young. We then moved along to clear the...
Photo of the Month: March 2024
While on our first game drive in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya searching for elephants, we spotted a troop of giraffes. They were not bothered by our presence, and we enjoyed watching them munch on their acacia dinner. We were struck by their height and amazed by how they still managed to blend...
Photo of the Month: February 2024
Nothing in nature is guaranteed. I was prepared to be disappointed. But, suddenly, swirlingly surrounded by the magical magnitude of the massing monarchs, the emotion welled up inside and burst forth with a flood of tears. As the flapping wings of the delicate, determined butterflies caressed and...
Photo of the Month: January 2024
Above: I like to add two or three new-to-me places on each of my Holbrook tours. These gems are often small, mom-and-pop family operations that have recently opened, and depending on location, have certain species of birds that show up regularly to their feeders. Some of the star attractions at...