Nice to Meet You!
We’re Lori and Amanda
The problem with typical tourist tours is that they’re designed to repeat again and again and make the most money possible for your hosts while you dine on continental breakfasts and buffet lunches.
You’re nickel and dimed until the trip ends up costing you just as much as it would have if you’d have booked a private tour. And you’re rushed from sight to sight in a crammed bus with 30-50 strangers with barely enough time to snap a photo… always left waiting for the slowest person in the group to put the others behind schedule.
Meanwhile, travel, done right, can change you.
It can challenge the things you believe, introduce you to new and wonderful people, restore your faith in humanity, open your eyes to this beautiful planet, teach you new skills, and leave you craving more.
These are the kinds of trips we craft by hand for just 10-12 travelers at a time to destinations that are truly unforgettable.
Lori Allen
After 20 years designing specialty tours, we’ve learned the best trips include a mix of good times with good people.
Everyone wants unique experiences. We want to see beautiful sites made famous on Instagram. And we want time to experience fun opportunities that pop up when we get there. We don't want to be herded around like cattle.
Amanda Ponzio-Mouttaki
Creating immersive opportunities for travelers to fully engage with a destination is a critical part of designing a meaningful trip.
“I love that your trips have a ‘purpose’ for the travel that isn't just about seeing the main sights. I like the limited number of participants and the unique locations.”
— Lyla Berg
Focused Escapes are special.
They’re not meant for thousands to experience in succession. They’re experience-based… something you might plan for yourself if you had hours and hours to pour into research and the right connections on the ground.
They feature smaller groups (usually less than 12). Better, more authentic accommodations. And they’re one-of-a-kind. They also typically include photography guides and travelers interested in getting good pictures so you’ll learn a lot, too.
Meet other Escapees here.
If you believe:
The most beautiful things in life are not things.
Experiences are best shared with good people.
Travel is more than “seeing the sights.”
Meeting new people from other cultures is a great reminder that we’re all the same (we want love, health, safety and a better life for our kids) and yet we’re also different and that’s beautiful.
… then Focused Escapes is for you!
Please invite only your coolest friends.
"I like that even before the trip, we are a group, and become close-knit, from the beginning to the end. The photographer or staff person is very attentive to everyone, very inclusive. I like your small groups, too. And you pick hotels that are small/local/boutique-y, I don't want to feel like I'm in an American hotel if I'm in another country." — Jan Corradini