Top Instagram Posts of 2017

By Alysa Pakkidis | January 26, 2018

Travel has the ability to transform and inspire. With Instagram, it is easier than ever to share travel experiences and stories, while encouraging others to explore more. Taking a look back, we’ve rounded up our top posts and moments of 2017, showcasing pictures of places we love from staff, GeoEx travelers, and other photographers. Please enjoy our highlights below.

Follow @geoex, one of the top travel Instagram accounts, for more travel inspiration. We’re looking forward to another fantastic year of travel ahead!

One of our favorites from @andersoncooper’s adventures in Myanmar! Have you seen the ones of him washing & feeding the elephants at #GreenHillValleyElephantCamp? #Repost . . . Sunrise Mrauk U, Myanmar. #GeoEx.com

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Jan 3, 2017 at 3:50pm PST

Stunning Myanmar captured by Anderson Cooper on his trip there with GeoEx

A smile and a wave from His Holiness, The Dalai Lama?! Just another perk of the job for our esteemed trip leader @brentolson while out in the field in #India ・・・ #repost Was lucky to catch His Holiness, The Dalai Lama as his motorcade returned from sightseeing this afternoon. #bodhgaya #kalachakra #buddhism #geoex #dalailama #hhdalailama

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Jan 4, 2017 at 10:06am PST

A smile and a wave from His Holiness, The Dalai Lama

We loved watching @kellyripa and @andersoncooper talk about his travels to Myanmar on @livekelly! Thank you for the shoutout, Anderson!

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Jan 23, 2017 at 11:37am PST

Anderson Cooper tells Kelly Ripa about using GeoEx for his travels in Myanmar

Recently a few of our extremely lucky travelers witnessed a remarkable family reunion at Ranthambore National Park in India! The scene as they describe it: Mother Tiger (center) had been searching for food for some time and just returned to call her three cubs together for a most-touching family reunion. They seemed overjoyed to be reunited and played with one another for a while before she led them off into the bush.⠀ ⠀ Photo credit: George Archibald / International Crane Foundation

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Feb 10, 2017 at 2:37pm PST

Tiger family reunion at Ranthambore National Park in India

Ready to soak in natural hot springs in the mountains of Jigokudani with the Snow Monkeys?! ✨We are! ・・・📷 Russell Pearson

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Feb 16, 2017 at 5:28pm PST

Snow Monkeys in the mountains of Jigokudani, Japan

Looking for an epic adventure? We want to take you here 😄 Join us to Pakistan’s Hunza Valley this June ~ still 2 spaces remaining! www.geoex.com/trips/pakistan-hunza-valley⠀ ⠀ Our latest group of travelers came home raving about exceptional hospitality, snowcapped mountains covered with wildflowers, the thrill of crossing 15,000-foot Khunjerab Pass, and all the forts. “It was like entering another world,” said one. Another advised: “Be ready to challenge your preconceived ideas about Pakistan! I am proud to say that Pakistan is now a part of me.” ⠀ ⠀ We hope you’ll join us to this phenomenally interesting, little-visited destination with Silk Road history, enduring traditions, and Karakoram peaks! ✨

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Feb 23, 2017 at 5:19pm PST

What you will see on our Pakistan: Hunza Valley trip

Japanese legend says that if you fold one thousand paper cranes you will be granted a wish. What would you wish for?

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Mar 16, 2017 at 6:04pm PDT

According to Japanese legend, if you fold one thousand paper cranes you’ll be granted a wish

What is GeoEx’s secret to top-notch destination knowledge? Send members of the team to very places we send our travelers! Being there for the first hand experience is the best way to learn about a place 🌏 Scroll through to see some of their highlights!

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Mar 31, 2017 at 4:22pm PDT

Highlights from various staff travels – the secret to our top-notch destination knowledge

On our ‘Silk Road: A Journey Through Time’ trip, travelers are treated to a tai chi lesson atop the City Wall in Xi’an by a true master. The Silk Road was unquestionably humankind’s mightiest river of commerce, ideas, and culture. See what it’s like to travel through this mysterious land with us. There are just a few spaces left on our September departure, come join the fun! ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ www.geoex.com/trips/silk-road-journey-through-time

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Jun 9, 2017 at 3:37pm PDT

Taken atop the City Wall in Xi’an on our Silk Road: A Journey Through Time trip

Incredible up-close capture by @sophy_roberts #repost ・・・ Over on @cntraveler Stories now – travels in Rwanda.

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Jul 10, 2017 at 8:57am PDT

Sophy Roberts gets this incredible capture in Rwanda

We’re loving how #GeoEx travel specialist @katedotytravels is enjoying her mornings at Sirikoi Lodge! 🐘👋 * Make sure to follow her to see more of her adventures *

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Jul 20, 2017 at 1:01pm PDT

GeoEx travel specialist Kate Doty is enjoying her mornings at Sirikoi Lodge in Kenya

Celebrating #WorldLionDay to bring awareness to the plight of their decreasing numbers. Conservation efforts are more important than ever to save these majestic beasts #GeoEx proudly supports @wildaid @thewcs and more in this cause Photo @brittmumma

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Aug 10, 2017 at 10:55pm PDT

Celebrating World Lion Day

These stunning dunes are in #PERU ・・・ Visit our new Peru page for more inspiration www.geoex.com/destinations/peru Photo: Ezio Macchione

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Aug 24, 2017 at 8:27pm PDT

Stunning dunes in Peru

Starting the weekend with a relaxing bath @gangteylodge, staring at the beautiful Phobjikha Valley below, hoping to glimpse a black-necked crane or two flying by, is just what we needed. This lodge, in the ancient Kingdom of #Bhutan, is an experience in itself. We love staying here and arranging for our guests to be able to spend time here after hiking through the valley. See for yourself why no one ever wants to leave! #GeoEx Photo: Ken Spence

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Aug 25, 2017 at 12:01pm PDT

A relaxing bath at Gangtey lodge, overlooking the Phobjikha Valley in Bhutan

Baby rhino alert! #Repost @amivitale ・・・ Video by @amivitale. Happy World Rhino Day from Reteti Elephant Sanctuary (@r.e.s.c.u.e)! Baby black rhino Lojipu was abandoned when he was only day old. Now 6 months old, expert wildlife keeper Mary and her colleagues will feed and care for him until he is old enough to be released back into the wild. You can help the animals being saved here in Northern Kenya by supporting Reteti and other organizations working directly with the local communities. . . .

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Sep 22, 2017 at 12:45pm PDT

Celebrating World Rhino Day at Reteti Elephant Sanctuary

7 Special Places for End-of-the-Year Adventures⠀ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⠀ There’s still time to book an end-of-the-year adventure with #GeoEx! Our travel specialists highly recommend these 7 destinations to celebrate the holidays, ring in the new, or just treat yourself.⠀ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⠀ VIETNAM (7 of 7)⠀ Experience Vietnam from various vantage points, with opportunities to appreciate its diverse landscapes, learn about its complex history and culture, and partake of its sophisticated and delectable cuisine. This family-friendly country features fabulous hotels and a spectrum of opportunities from casual bike rides and drifting on rivers to Vespa tours of Saigon and Hanoi, curated street food walking tours, and much more.⠀ geoex.com/destinations/vietnam/all-trips⠀ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⠀ 📷: @merveceranphoto

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Oct 10, 2017 at 10:16pm PDT

Vietnam is one of our 7 Special Places for End-of-the-Year Adventures picks

10 Remarkable Places to Visit Before Year’s End ~Fulfill Your Dreams for 2017~ Myanmar (7 of 10) *********************************** Guided hikes through peaceful hill tribe hamlets o Irrawaddy River cruise o Awe-inspiring pagodas . *********************************** www.geoex.com/destinations/myanmar/all-trips 📷 @andersoncooper #GeoEx

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Oct 23, 2017 at 11:06am PDT

Anderson Cooper’s view from his hot air balloon ride on a GeoEx trip in Myanmar

Places We Love: Expert Travel Picks for 2018⠀ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⠀ ⠀ We asked 10 of our destination specialists what places and experiences they’re most excited about sharing with travelers.⠀ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⠀ ⠀ MADAGASCAR (1/10)⠀ “Madagascar has a huge WOW factor. The world’s fourth-largest island, it’s where Africa meets Asia meets the Galápagos, where 80 percent of the plant and animal species are found nowhere else on earth, and where cultures have collided and combined in palpable ways-the African, Asian, and European influences are still noticeable in the language, traditions, and delicious fusion cuisine. A new luxury eco-lodge has just opened, giving travelers a wonderfully comfortable way to explore the island’s endemic critters, including 100-plus species of lemur, some 600 types of orchid, and the smallest known kind of chameleon. . . .

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Nov 15, 2017 at 4:40pm PST

Madagascar is one of our Places We Love: Expert Travel Picks for 2018

While in India, GeoEx Destination Expert, Starla Estrada, has her first ever tiger sighting! #Repost @starbase ・・・ Tiger protocol! My first ever tiger sightings – we saw three, includng four month old cubs. Those cubs seem nearly the size of a grown female lion! 🐅🐅 🐅 🐅🐅🐅🐅 Tyger Tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night … When the stars threw down their spears And water’d heaven with their tears: Did he smile his work to see? #GeoEx

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Dec 2, 2017 at 5:53pm PST

While in India, GeoEx Destination Expert, Starla Estrada, has her first ever tiger sighting

On day 5 I woke at 6 am on the perch above Pana and a family was walking uphill with the typical large wicker basket worn like a backpack. At 7:45 as we started uphill, the family was coming down, the baskets stuffed with leaves that would be used for insulation. . . .

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Dec 14, 2017 at 6:36pm PST

Staffer, Alice Howell, recounts her time on a GeoEx trek in India with a #geoextakeover

**Meet the GeoEx Team** JESSICA SILBER @jcsilber | Director for Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~· Jessica did not have a terribly exotic childhood, but family vacations taught some critical travel lessons from an early age: Good guides make a difference, bring snacks, and be sure everyone gets a window seat. Those years of minivans filled with siblings, cousins, and parents also imparted a joy of family travel, and she loves to incorporate that joy into planning trips for multiple generations of GeoEx guests. . Jessica’s first meeting with Africa was as a college student in Tunisia, where she drank the tap water freely (learning another valuable travel lesson). . . . /a>

A post shared by GeoEx (@geoex) on Dec 19, 2017 at 6:53pm PST

Part of our Meet the GeoEx Team series, we introduce you to Jessica Silber

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Alysa Pakkidis is the Social Media and Digital Marketing Manager for GeoEx. She curates the various GeoEx social channels, sharing moments from guests and staff, travel inspirations, and travel-related news.

Her relentless passion for travel and discovery has brought her to many stretches of the world, including: Namibia, Nepal, Iceland, Patagonia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, the Galápagos, and her father’s homeland, Greece.

Alysa Pakkidis, Social Media & Digital Marketing Manager, for GeoEx