Journeys International: Experienced Travel Guides Plan Dynamic Custom Adventures for Couples & Families

The Short Version: We all need to get away every now and then, but sometimes trying to plan a trip can add more stress to your life. If you’ve never been to a particular destination abroad, you may not know where to go or what to do to get the best experience. That’s where Journeys International comes in. This travel agency gives adventurous travelers the chance to see the world without having to do much more than say where and when they want to go. A hands-on team of travel specialists will take your needs into consideration when planning a vacation in your dream destination. Journeys International works with local guides to arrange unique travel experiences in over 60 countries. Since 1978, this full-service travel company has sent thousands of singles, couples, and families on cross-cultural adventures around the world.

Joan was a junior in college in 1970 when she traveled across the country to spend her spring semester at the University of Wisconsin. She wanted to take part in as many student activities as she could while she was there and get the most out of her experience. That’s how she ended up on the University of Wisconsin’s organizing committee for the first ever Earth Day event.

She was particularly impressed with the leader of the committee, a boy named Will, and she approached him after the meeting to say so. They both felt a spark and agreed to go on a date to see “The Yellow Submarine” in theaters. Of course, their young romance came to an abrupt and unsatisfying end when Joan had to move back home to Massachusetts at the end of the semester. Will later wrote to her saying he was joining the Peace Corps for two years, and Joan realized she didn’t want to lose him.

Drs. Will and Joan Weber fell in love while living together in Nepal and later founded Journeys International to help others see the world.

About a year later, Joan traveled to meet Will in Nepal and decided she never wanted to leave his side. She took a leave of absence from her job back in the States and began teaching English in Nepal while Will finished his time in the Peace Corps.

Once they returned to the US to earn their graduate degrees at the University of Michigan, the couple realized they missed the splendor of the Himalayas and their friends in the local village, so they created a one-page flyer inviting “curious, hearty souls” to join them on a journey to Nepal. They planned a trip for a small group of students, and the idea to start a travel business evolved naturally from there.

Drs. Will and Joan Weber founded Journeys International, a global travel agency, after falling in love with Nepal. They wanted to share their love for the people, the culture, and the landscape with others, so they organized trip after trip, relying on the relationships they built with local guides to give travelers an authentic and unforgettable experience.

Now their daughter is at the helm of the company, which organizes customized trips to over 60 countries. “We form a lasting relationship with our clients,” said Robin Weber Pollak, President of Journeys International. “We get to know our travelers as friends. When they call us, they know we understand what kind of experience they’re looking for.”

Will and Joan pioneered ecotourism before the term ecotourism even existed. Journeys International offers small trips that benefit and highlight the local area rather than disturbing it. According to the website, “We wanted to interact directly and respectfully with local people and natural environments.”

Journeys International has expanded slowly but surely as the team has built connections with local guides in countries around the world. Today, they take people to visit 60 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. They even arrange travel to Antarctica. If you’re looking to get away, you can rely on this well-traveled team to create a journey suited to your schedule, budget, and goals.

Journeys International arranges personalized trips to beautiful destinations in 60 countries.

“We achieve whatever ‘adventure’ means to the traveler. It could be physical. It could be cultural,” Robin said. “One thing our clients have in common is the desire to get beyond the superficial to find some way of digging deeper into the essence of the place they’re visiting.”

Whether you’re hiking to the top of Mount Fuji at sunrise or watching lemurs leap through the trees in Madagascar, you can enjoy a special experience with your special someone thanks to Journeys International.

Journeys International sends people on trips around the world, and many couples ask these travel agents to plan their ideal romantic escape. Robin said their most popular romantic destinations include Costa Rica, Bali, and Tanzania. You can choose your destination based on your desired comfort level, activity level, cost, and duration.

The Journeys International team puts a lot of effort into planning the perfect trip for their clients.

Some couples are drawn to the rainforests of Costa Rica because they want to see exotic wildlife and go on a river-rafting adventure. Other couples are more interested in taking a safari through the plains of the Serengeti where lions and elephants roam.

Robin said the Bali island in Indonesia is fascinating to many travelers because of its unique blend of Hindu and Muslim cultures. “The colors and sounds are so stimulating to the senses,” she said. “It’s such a wonderful combination of new experiences for couples.”

When you travel with Journeys International, you can take advantage of romantic experiences in natural hot springs, wild jungles, arctic peninsulas, and other unique destinations.

“Travelers can trust us,” Robin said. “They know we’re on their team. We want them to have a fantastic experience that will impact them remarkably.”

Over the decades, Journeys International has transported people on awesome adventures and given them a new perspective on the world. “We had a great trip to Thailand,” said Julia in a five-star review on Facebook. “Looking forward to new adventures.”

You can cross unbelievably fun experiences — like petting an elephant — off your bucket list thanks to Journeys International.

These travel destinations offer a chance to get away. It’s no wonder that so many people have asked Journeys International to plan their honeymoon or destination wedding. Couples of all ages can find romance while backpacking through lush valleys or zip lining through the rainforest. Some adult couples have gone on these trips to help their children bond and form a new family. It’s a great opportunity to create inside jokes, share an incredible experience, and come away feeling more like a unit.

Some singles have even met during an excursion or at a hotel bar and ended up staying in contact and even getting married down the road. The Journeys International team has seen countless relationships blossom during trips abroad, and it’s heartwarming to know they’ve helped people come out of their shells and enjoy a unique experience with their loved ones.

“To me, it’s a testament to the power of travel,” Robin said. “I find it really moving that we could have an impact that deep. It’s a privilege to participate in people’s lives that way.”

In 1970, Joan and Will started a journey that would change their lives. They fell in love, and that love inspired them to cross oceans and upend their lives for one another. While living together in Nepal, the couple learned to appreciate the wonder of traveling with someone special, and they wanted to share that with their friends once they returned to the States. Over time, their passion for international travel became a full-blown business that invites people on extraordinary excursions.

Today, Journeys International tempts adventurous romantics to see what’s out there and share a unique experience in exotic destinations worldwide. You can explore a world of possibilities with your significant other on a trip customized to your needs and desires. The Journeys International team can help you have that dream vacation according to the principles of ecotourism.

“People travel because they want to open their hearts to the world,” Robin said. “They want to find something greater in their lives and build connections by experiencing a new place or culture.”