Experts in socially responsible luxury travel. We design travel experiences that support conservation and local communities without skimping on comfort.
My first safari experience was supposed to help me unplug, but in fact it plugged me into what is most important. Being immersed in the wild was life-changing, awe-inspiring, funny, beautiful, touching and scary all at once. I felt entirely at one with the animals and the elements and connected as I never had been before.
— Virena Hermann, Kenya
Our trip was amazing and the process before and after we superb. From the time I emailed Elevate Destinations to after I got home it was a pleasure to be working with your company and especially Lana. She was able read my family and plan the trip exactly around what we wanted without us really knowing ourselves! We volunteered, went on safari, then visited the beaches for some relaxation. It was like we had 3 trips in 1 and complete different experiences. I especially enjoyed the volunteer work through Make a Difference, a fantastic organization that put in a lot of attention to detail to make sure that we really experienced the country and got to really know the people and the culture through authentic experiences. We've made lifelong Tanzanian friends and feel we really understand their country. The whole experience overall with your company was smooth and the trip was fantastic. I cannot say enough about my great experience!!!!
— Liza Mandeville and Family, Tanzania
This was our second trip to Africa with Elevate in a year's time. And once again, it did not disappoint. Working with Lana was a dream. She seemed to know exactly what we would want and expect from our conservation safari. Everyone on the ground in Tanzania was knowledgeable and kind. Not a single snafu - which is unbelievable considering we were so far from home. Ruaha National Park is a treasure. I recommend it to anyone who would like a safari experience without the crowds of the Serengeti or Masai Mara.
— Jennifer Whalen, Tanzania
It was satisfying to know that the money we were spending was directly fostering conservancy and the Samburu people. Each place we stayed was both lovely and utterly dedicated to the animals and the community. One highlight was how playful and funnel of the guides were with our kids and us. (Gabriel hid in long grass, roaring softly, with me whispering, "does anyone else hear that?" and then jumped out at me as I walked by. I screamed so loud that they did the same EXACT thing to me two more times that day. Another wonderful thing is how excited the guides were (almost as much as we were!) each and every time we saw a lion or an elephant or a cheetah . . . I guess it never gets old! Thanks Dominique, for pointing us to Kenya and devising our fantastic trip.
— Laura Solinger and Family, Kenya
My daughter graduated from college this year, and I thought we should do something grand before she started her first job and would be limited with her vacation time. I started researching companies that build in volunteer activities into family vacations and found Elevate. Dominique Callimanopulos worked patiently with me as I had a lot of questions and did feel nervous about going on my own, not with a tour group. I am so glad I went this way as we got to do everything we wanted to at the pace we wanted to do it in. Dominique had some great suggestions and together we put together what I think is the perfect trip to Africa (S. Africa, Botswana and Victoria Falls/Zambia side). Every step of the way we were met and I never had to lift my luggage the entire trip - now that's a vacation!
I can't recommend Dominique and Elevate Destinations enough. Her passion and compassion is what stands out the most about her. If you tell her you want to book my exact trip, I promise you a trip of a life time.
— Nancy Symonds, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia
Dominique was a pleasure to work with, I felt like she truly listened and GOT who I was and how I like to travel in the world. The trip was perfect and effortless. Our guide in Namibia was not only incredibly knowledgeable, intelligent but also had keen emotional intelligence. He knew when to give us space and when to interact. He made our trip a dream come true. I was sad to at our departure after 5 days.
— Amy Zuckerman, Namibia
We just came back from our 30th anniversary dinner at Sirikoi. We are completely speechless. We are not sure what exactly you knew, but it was a once in a lifetime experience. The evening drive did not return ‘home’ but brought us to a special remote location where a private campsite had been prepared for ‘dinner for ‘two’. During dinner (very romantic indeed, under the stars with a campfire at our feet), a group of Masai warriors and females served as a second surprise. We were treated with a private hour long dance and singing performance. Incredible. THANK YOU SO MUCH for this very special arrangement. We will treasure it for years to come.
— Arty and Max Coppes, Kenya
I was so pleased with the planning and execution of this trip for fourteen women. We were treated with courtesy and respect by everyone we met. Our guides added immensely to our understanding of the culture of the country.
— Susan Downs, South Africa
Every aspect of my trip was incredible.
Riding horses in Kenya was a dream come true. I galloped through herds of animals and saw every species.
Crossed rivers teaming with hippos, filmed lions and rhinos.
— Billy Snodgrass, Kenya
Every place we visited was absolutely worthwhile.
And our excellent guide was critical to helping us to understand the country and the customs.
— Wendy Wheeler and Ian Reid, Morocco
The itinerary was perfect--great combination of places and all were different enough that we felt we got fabulous experiences. All were different in the way they approached conservation but all were excellent and focused on it. All managers, guides, trackers were wonderful.
Our trip exceeded above and beyond our expectations.
It was a truly life changing experience.
I will never make another trip to Africa without talking to Dominique first.
— George Daskalopoulos, Kenya
