This post is part of a series in which we draw on the in-house knowledge of the travel experts here at Odysseys Unlimited. For more posts like this, click here.
As travel experts, Odysseys employees naturally do quite a lot of globetrotting. So, when we asked some of them to share their favorite travel photo, they were stumped – how could they possibly pick just one?!
After some time to mull their choices over, seven employees shared their all-time favorite travel pics, ranging from images of mountainous vistas in Patagonia (above) to snapshots of cool cats in Istanbul, Türkiye. Scroll below to see their selections and to read about what each photo means to its photographer.
Steven C., Vice President, Information Technology & Operations | Chobe National Park, Botswana
“This photo was taken during the Africa’s Wildlife tour that I shared with my Mum in June 2017. We were cruising through Chobe National Park when we came upon a family of Kalahari elephants crossing the river to feed on a small island midstream. As they emerged from the water, their skin darkened to a rich, glossy shade, resembling melted chocolate in the afternoon sun. It was a simple but unforgettable moment that captured the beauty and tranquility of the African wilderness.”
Delaney G., Lead Marketing Coordinator | Istanbul, Türkiye
“My first Odysseys tour was Legendary Türkiye and I was so pleased to see how the people treated stray cats and dogs in Türkiye. They have machines in Istanbul where you put in a euro, and it dispenses food for them. If you look closely, you can see this cat is named Sülo, which is a nickname for the word ‘buddy.’ He was definitely the coolest cat in all of Istanbul.”
David S., Director, Product Development | Patagonia
“My wife and I traveled to Patagonia in December of 2023 for two weeks of hiking in El Chalten, Argentina, and Torres del Paine, Chile. On our first day in El Chalten, we took a short hike up for a viewpoint of the Fitz Roy mountain. As we reached the viewpoint, we saw our first Andean condor soaring overhead towards the mountain. As it flew away from us, I quickly took out my phone and snapped this photo of a boy in silhouette watching the bird soar.”
Elyse R., Senior Manager, Guest Communications | Petra, Jordan
“My friend and I traveled with Odysseys to Jordan in 2016. We had so many fun memories from that trip and this photo at Petra captures the essence of it. It brings me so much joy every time I look at it!”
Nadine Y., Worldwide Services Communications Specialist | Mont-Saint-Michel, France
“This photo was captured on our Provincial French Countryside tour at Le Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is truly beyond anything I have ever seen. As for the photo, beyond highlighting the awe-inspiring beauty and intricate design of the abbey itself, I love how the seagull just happened to glide through the frame at the exact right moment, adding a depth to the photo that makes it feel alive. While I can’t recapture the feeling of standing right in front of it, the seagull just brings the photo to life for me. Visiting Le Mont-Saint-Michel in real life was genuinely an extraordinary experience and I was utterly awestruck that a place this extraordinary exists and I was looking at it with my own two eyes!”
Caitlyn H., Supervisor, Guest Communications | Karnak Temple, Luxor, Egypt
“I took this photo on my Egypt & the Eternal Nile tour in December 2024. The Great Hypostyle Hall within the Karnak Temple Complex near Luxor is awe-inspiring and we were some of the first visitors that day, so we had it nearly all to ourselves!”
Noël J., Training Manager | Venice, Italy
“Taken at the edge of Piazza San Marco in Venice on my Portrait of Italy training trip in March 2026, this is the view across the Venetian lagoon toward San Giorgio Maggiore. A few seagulls happened to glide into frame – a completely unplanned moment that somehow captured exactly how the city made me feel. Venice has a way of stopping you in your tracks – that surreal moment when a place you've only ever seen in films is suddenly, breathtakingly real – and this photo brings that feeling right back.”
If you wish to create your own lifelong travel memories, check out our entire collection of 45+ tours to destinations all over the world by clicking here. And, if you have any of your own favorite on-tour photos you’d like to share, send them to [email protected].
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