Journeys Director Dr. Will Weber attempts to answer the question… “What is your favorite country?”

 When people learn that I have spent 35 years at Journeys organizing and leading nature and culture travel the most frequent question is “What is your favorite country?” I tend to feel that the next destination on my schedule is my favorite, but if required to reflect on past experiences, I do have my favorites. I always enjoy returning to Nepal as my first really foreign destination which I reached in 1970 as a Peace Corps trainee. I spent three years as a volunteer and have been back on treks more than 20 times since. I would like to visit the Everest area again as it is the most scenic high mountain experience on earth. Nepal is my favorite of favorites.

I have been to Bhutan fewer times, but each visit makes me want to return for a longer stay. The richness of the natural environment, the spectacular monasteries and the Buddhist hospitality are unforgettable.

In Africa I have been privileged to visit the Mountain Gorillas a number of times and hope to do so again. Of all the wildlife encounters I have been privileged to experience, getting close to the gorillas is incomparably thrilling. Add in the spectacular bird life, chimpanzees and many other primates of Uganda and Rwanda and you enjoy a very complete and intimate experience with exotic species.

Not far away from the gorillas on the Serengeti plains and Rift Valley of Kenya and Tanzania the sheer numbers of large animals and birds in spacious and beautiful environments draws me back again and again. I am envious of our guides there who enjoy the experience of inhabiting these great ecosystems and following the the great migrations on a daily basis.

I have great memories of Sri Lanka and South India. The food, the tropical vegetation, elephants, birds, ancient temples and ruins make me want to return again, especially as the Michigan winter grows deeper.

I have been to Indonesia four times and each visit makes me aware of how much more I have to see on the next visit. Bali has compelling and magnetic charms, but the wildlife and cultures of Sulawesi, Sumatra and Kalimantan are all worth a visit in themselves. I am especially excited about a wildlife and volcano-themed trip I have planned for next summer.

Finally, I have enjoyed every trip I have made to the Amazon of Brazil, Peru, Ecuador or Guyana. Combine the Amazon with a visit to the Pantanal, Andean ruins or a week-long Galapagos wildlife excursion and you have a perfect tropical adventure.