Our Nat Hab Expedition Leaders really do all of it. They’re consultants at logistics, expert at navigating group dynamics, and well-versed within the nature, wildlife, tradition and historical past of the areas the place they information. Although they make it look easy, each information was as soon as confronted with the daunting activity of main their first journey.
In this weblog submit, certainly one of our latest Expedition Leaders, Daniel Blankenheim, recounts what it was like to guide his first Nat Hab journey in Portugal final season.
From Farm Animals to Elephants: A Guide within the Making
I’m completely happy to have the chance to share my story as a first-time Expedition Leader with Natural Habitat Adventures final fall. It was an exhilarating—but difficult—expertise! First, a fast historical past of what lead me to turn out to be an journey journey information.
You’ve in all probability heard it one million instances: “I just love animals.” That’s definitely true for me, although I come from a densely populated, industrial area in Germany. Luckily, rising up, I used to be in a position to make frequent visits to a small farm, the place I bonded with the resident sheep, chickens and rabbits. These experiences led me to review panorama ecology at college. A couple of years later, I earned a grasp’s diploma in wildlife ecology and administration.
I received the possibility to work as a tour information for the primary time in Thailand. It was at an ecolodge with a couple of domesticated elephants that had retired from forestry work. No one rode the elephants right here—we simply watched them take mud baths and helped wash and feed them.
I cherished the job. I may see the glint in our visitors’ eyes after they interacted with these good and delicate animals. Scrubbing mud off the again of an enormous elephant and hand-feeding it fruits was a once-in-a-lifetime expertise for many of them.
The visitors have been additionally wanting to study in regards to the elephants and their pure habitat. We went on excursions into the wild forests of Khao Sok National Park to discover the complexity of the animals’ ecosystem. And once we mentioned conservation points, I may see how these talks touched folks after having established an emotional bond with the elephants.
Later, I labored for an out of doors training firm that organized summer time camps for youngsters. Most of the youngsters got here from city areas (like me!) and needed to be prompted to play within the grime. I inspired them to unlearn their domestication and reconnect to their wild spirits. To reclaim their playfulness in nature. By the top of the week, children who had been terribly shy on day one didn’t wish to go away camp. Instead of crying of their dad and mom arms, they have been now clinging to our legs (and hearts)!
Finding Nat Hab: Love at First Sight
One day, on my limitless quest to discover a function that was each significant and that will permit me to spend time in nature, I got here throughout a job posting for Natural Habitat Adventures. The firm’s mission assertion resonated with me instantly.
“Conservation through exploration: protecting our planet by inspiring travelers, supporting local communities and boldly influencing the entire travel industry.”
“Wow—that’s it!” I believed to myself. Nat Hab’s mission is actually my life philosophy in a nutshell. My motivation to journey the world in quest of a sense of belonging and connectedness. It was what led me to Thailand for my first tour information expertise and what impressed me to turn out to be a frontrunner at our wilderness children’ camps.
The extra I examine Natural Habitat Adventures, the extra I fell in love with it. I used to be so excited on the prospect of becoming a member of the corporate’s efforts to maintain wild locations on the planet by taking passionate vacationers into nature and supporting native communities.
It took me days to put in writing my cowl letter, though the phrases flowed out of me naturally, pushed by pleasure, ardour and anticipation. Then, the tough ready interval. Finally, in February 2022, the ready and biting of fingernails got here to an finish. I used to be requested to interview for an Expedition Leader place. Hurray!
Long story quick, simply two months later, I used to be scheduled for my first journey. I’d be guiding our Paddling Portugal’s River of Wine journey.
Preparing to Guide: A Crash Course
In some ways, this isn’t your “typical” Nat Hab journey. Portugal doesn‘t have the vast swaths of wilderness or the diversity of wild animals that you’ll see on another journeys. But it’s a really energetic journey, with numerous kayaking by stunning wine nation, which attracted me. I hadn’t been to Portugal earlier than, however I had needed to journey there for a very long time. This was my likelihood!
So, the place do you begin when making ready to information a visit? There are so many features to each location: pure and cultural historical past, geology, geography and, after all, the guiding itself. And, for Portugal, I’d additionally have to take a crash course in viticulture: the science cultivating, rising and harvesting grapes!
The deeper I dove into the fabric, the extra rabbit holes I went down, and the extra questions I had. What may the visitors ask? What could be attention-grabbing for them to know? How may I mix information about nature with insights about their cultural significance? I learn and skim and skim some extra.
Nancy, Pedro, Vitor and Daniel in Portugal
Talking with Nancy Moore, who has guided in Portugal for round twenty years, and with Vitor and Pedro, two of our native Portugal guides, additionally helped enormously. They supplied helpful recommendation, and it was fantastic to really feel encouragement and assist not solely from them, however from each staffer I interacted with at Nat Hab.
Watch Nancy’s webinar, What to Know About Your Portugal Paddling Adventure.
Shadow Guide: Learning within the Field
After months of studying, learning and getting licensed, I flew into Porto. Vitor met me together with his large smile and Portuguese heat. He grew to become my “Tio,” or “uncle,” shortly. I used to be lastly right here! On my first shadow journey (on which I skilled with Nancy), a visitor requested me: “How long have you been waiting for this?“ I hesitated and answered, “All my life!” Maybe it was a tacky reply, but it surely was how I really felt.
Porto, Portugal on the banks of the Douro River
I watched Nancy intently, studying the ins and outs of the itinerary, absorbing every part I encountered like a sponge, observing and studying. At the identical time, I used to be additionally attending to know our visitors and join with them.
Porto is a captivating metropolis, however a metropolis, nonetheless. And then, once we lastly hit the Douro River: Silence. Just the wind, some chook calls and the mild strokes of our paddles. I discovered myself smiling, basking within the serenity of the place. This is what I had been making ready for therefore intensively. I really feel very grateful that I received to be Nancy’s shadow earlier than guiding a visit alone. It helped me develop in each data and confidence.
After an incredible, eye-opening first journey with Nancy, I used to be prepared to guide a visit alone. She left, and solely Pedro, Vitor and I remained. I knew I may depend on them, and I trusted their experience in each approach. Both Vitor and Pedro made it clear that they needed me to succeed, and I can’t thank them sufficient for giving me that feeling. It made my expertise as a first-time Expedition Leader that a lot simpler.
Nancy shepherds the primary group of kayakers into the Douro
Guiding My First Group (Finally!)
The day had come. It was time to choose up our visitors—the primary visitors who would name me their “Expedition Leader.” It didn‘t take lengthy for them to appreciate how enthusiastic I felt about assembly them. During our “Welcome to Portugal” discuss, as folks sat on snug sofas with glasses of wine and delightful views over Porto, I shortly gained confidence, going over our plan for the upcoming journey. I knew it so nicely by now. I’ve to say, our vacationers made it simple for me to calm down and really feel excited, as a substitute of nervous. So many completely happy faces, and a lot laughter and willingness to get to know one another and expertise Portugal.
Being with Vitor and Pedro at all times gave me an additional feeling of assurance. However, I knew I’d be alone on the river. Luckily, the water was so form to us on our first day: robust headwinds and no present for our longest stretch of paddling on the journey. Perfect situations, proper? Wrong! We in all probability may have sailed in the other way, upstream!
It was a tough begin, however with the hearts of lions and the promise of a glass of wine, a delicious dinner, and cozy lodging, we received by it as a crew. In reality, the hardships served as a bonding expertise: We had confronted challenges and are available out on the opposite aspect! This is the “Adventure” in “Natural Habitat Adventures.” This is the sensation of being alive and reworked by difficult oneself.
After this expertise, I used to be certain that the remainder of the journey was going to be simpler—a minimum of when it got here to kayaking.
As we made our approach downstream over the subsequent few days, we gazed on the terraced mountainsides, which stretched so far as the attention may see. It is humbling to witness these feats of human ingenuity—to appreciate the folks of the previous reworked a whole panorama to outlive. The socalcos—the outdated stone-walled terraces—are an emblem of our adaptability and perseverance.
With this sense of awe and surprise, we paddled alongside the banks of the Douro. I interpreted alongside the way in which and helped to maintain the group collectively. But, most frequently, I simply tried to assist our vacationers perceive how particular and distinctive this land is. It wasn’t a tough activity. There was the identical sparkle of their eyes that I had seen within the eyes of my visitors in Thailand so a few years in the past.
Getting to Know You
After an extended day on the river, we at all times appeared ahead to a calming—and infrequently enchanting—night. Restored farmsteads, luxurious guesthouses, stone retreats, historic manor properties: the locations we stayed in have been merely gorgeous. More essential, nonetheless, have been the connections with the native employees, who made them actually really feel like properties away from residence. These relationships typically return years and years, and you may really feel that in each interplay. They actually care about their Nat Hab visitors!
The engaging infinity pool at Casa do Rio, overlooking terraces and the Douro
Along with paddling the river and admiring the fantastic thing about the wine terraces, there was one other side of my first guiding expertise that I cherished: attending to know our vacationers. Sitting at dinner, sipping a glass of wine, looking on the beautiful views, I discovered a lot about—and from—our visitors. I cherished the laughter and the nice and cozy, pleasant environment. It is immensely rewarding to observe a bunch of strangers begin to take care of and about one another—a dynamic that we at all times hope to assist foster as Expedition Leaders.
Of course, throughout our excursions and our night discussions, questions got here up that I couldn’t reply. I needed to be sincere with our visitors— and with myself—that I don‘t know everything. Not yet, and probably not ever! At the same time, I hope I showed them that I’m at all times keen to study extra. I’ve to confess, although: It can really feel like a failure or disappointment to not know the reply. To overcome that feeling, I attempted my finest to return again to them as quickly as doable with the reply and a smile.
Reflections on My First Trip—And More to Come
Perhaps most vacationers would like a information with years of expertise and tons of accomplished journeys below their belt. Someone who is aware of every part and who has carried out all of it. And little question: Nat Hab has a large number of remarkable and super-experienced Expedition Leaders. But it’s essential to do not forget that all of these fantastic guides needed to begin someplace! One journey and one group at all times must be the primary—hopefully with many extra to return.
So, do you have to encounter a brand new Expedition Leader on certainly one of your journeys, I hope you’ll welcome them to Nat Hab the way in which Nat Hab has welcomed me, with open arms. I’m definitely grateful for the way in which my group of vacationers responded, after they discovered on the last celebration dinner that this was my first journey: with heat, a number of shock, and a spherical of applause.
I’m certain I’ll come again to Vitor and Pedro and their heat and hospitality, which encapsulates the Portuguese soul so completely. I do know the Douro Valley will see my smile once more, as I kayak on the river of wine and gold. And I hope I get to see my first group of vacationers once more, whether or not in Portugal or on one other journey!
All photographs © Daniel Blankenheim