Why travel?
I know why we travel at ICON Adventures. But what about you?
Is it standing in front of a view you’ve only ever seen in photographs and getting all the feels? Meeting people whose lives are completely different from yours? Making new friends and coming home with stories you’ll be telling for years?
For us, it’s all the above.
And a leisurely lunch somewhere beautiful. That absolutely counts.
We love (love, love) designing a new adventure, whether it’s one of our tours or a bespoke trip for clients. On any given day in the office, we might be in Morocco, Norway, Peru or Western Australia. In our heads, at least. Usually with a cup of tea and far too many tabs open.
Did I mention we really LOVE what we do?
But beneath the wildlife encounters, wonderful walks, and long lunches, something else matters to us: who we travel with, where our money goes, and what our visit means for the people welcoming us.
But our ‘why’ goes a little deeper. When I was trying to succinctly put into words our ‘why,’ I went down a bit of a rabbit hole; come down the warren with me, and see if our values align.
A good trip should do a little good, too
We believe travel brings people together, broadens perspectives and enriches lives. We also believe the people and places welcoming us should benefit from our visit.
That’s been part of ICON Adventures from the beginning. If you haven’t heard me bang on about how it all began, you can read that story too. But come straight back. We’re going somewhere with this.
For us, travelling well means paying it forward.
Now, that might make you think of donating money. And yes, that can be part of it. But it’s also about the everyday choices we make along the way.
Choosing locally owned businesses. Supporting community organisations. Respecting cultural traditions. Considering animal welfare. Looking after the natural environments we’re so bloody lucky to explore.
If you’d like to know more, we’ve got a whole section on our website about paying it forward.
Mostly, it comes down to remembering that someone else calls our holiday destination home.
Where we stay, who guides us and how we spend our money can make a difference. Those choices are part of putting a trip together, just as much as finding a lovely lodge or a walk with a spectacular view.
Two upcoming African adventures are great examples.
South Africa: the people behind the projects
Our South Africa and Victoria Falls adventure offers plenty to look forward to: Cape Town’s spectacular scenery, cycling through the winelands, wildlife viewing from a private game lodge, and the extraordinary Victoria Falls.
We’ll hardly be short on things to talk about over dinner.
But there’s one afternoon in Cape Town I’m particularly excited about. It’s only a couple of lines in the itinerary, so you could easily skim past it. For us, though, it’s a big deal.
We’ll be spending time with Uthando South Africa.
Never heard of it? Lean in, I’ll tell you more.
Uthando is a Cape Town-based non-profit organisation that just oozes positivity in a world where negativity often shouts louder. They partner with local community projects, supporting people with opportunities and skills to tackle the challenges they face. There’s a lot of energy, determination and heart behind their work to help local people to help themselves away from poverty.
Our visit is a chance to meet some of the people involved, hear their stories, and learn about what they’re building in their own communities.
I love that we’ll have the chance to listen, ask questions and get to know a little more of Cape Town beyond its famous sights.
There’s no doubt we’ll come home talking about the wildlife and the scenery. I suspect the people we meet through Uthando will stay with us, too.
Uganda: gorillas, chimps and a connection to education
Then there’s our Uganda Gorillas, Chimps & Wetland Safari.
We’ll track chimpanzees, search for tree-climbing lions, take to the water to look for hippos and buffalo, and trek through the forest to see mountain gorillas.
Honestly, I could stop there, and it would be a pretty convincing argument for packing your bags.
But this adventure also connects beyond Uganda, to the School of St Jude in Tanzania.
Do you know about the School of St Jude and its connection to great Aussie gal Gemma Sisia?
To make a long story short, Gemma, a country girl from near Guyra in NSW, went to Tanzania as a freshly qualified teacher. Falling in love with a Tanzanian, getting married, staying and starting a school weren’t exactly in the plan. But that’s what happened.
Pretty cool story – although I’m not sure her mum thought so at the time. Gemma is the only girl in a family with seven brothers. Yes, seven. Her mum probably thought at least her daughter might stay close to home!
What began as one woman’s determination to help tackle poverty through education has grown into a school that provides free, quality education to Tanzanian students who couldn’t otherwise afford it.
ICON has supported the school for many years, right back to the days when we used to climb Kilimanjaro for fun.
Yes, fun. We all have our little quirks.
For our Uganda adventure, we’re working with Gemma’s husband, Richard Sisia, as our safari provider. And a share of the profits goes directly to the school, continuing a connection that’s been close to our hearts for years.
So, while having an extraordinary adventure, your holiday also helps us support the school. We reckon that’s a pretty good combination.
You can learn more about the School of St Jude <<here>>
Travel that stays with you
Of course, a holiday means different things to different people.
Sometimes you want to challenge yourself and discover what those legs can do. Sometimes you need a proper break, a change of scenery and a glass of wine with friends.
Personally, I’m always happy with an encounter with the world’s snootiest animal: a giraffe. My spirit animal, really; you can just feel that built-in condescension as they lope past the safari vehicle. I always thought kangaroos were one of the most bizarre animals, until I got up close to a wild giraffe on safari. Don’t agree? <<Watch this>>
And sometimes, while you’re out there enjoying yourself, you meet someone or hear a story that changes the way you see things.
That’s the kind of travel we love creating at ICON Adventures. A bit of adventure, good company, plenty of laughter and thoughtful choices about the people and places that make it all possible.
The best adventures give us wonderful stories to bring home . . . and, wherever we can, pay it forward.
So, why do you travel? I’d love to compare notes.
Upcoming Tours for 2027
Written by Suzanne Holden, owner, tour host and enthusiastic tea drinker at ICON Adventures.
If this sounds like your kind of travel, come with me!
In February 2027, I’m heading to South Africa for wildlife, wine and meaningful local connections, followed by Uganda to meet the gorillas and explore its wild places. Join me for either adventure – or make a proper occasion of it and come along for both.