WELCOME TRAVELERS!
Whether you’re an Ole, parent of a current, former, or graduated student, friend of the college, or just stumbled upon us, we welcome you on St. Olaf Alumni & Family Travel.
If you agree that studying abroad is fundamental to understanding other cultures and perspectives and to being an educated citizen in our contemporary world, then we have the program for you. Yep, you – an alum, parent, or friend of St. Olaf.
On many of our programs you’ll enjoy a custom-designed itinerary and faculty discussions. On others you’ll connect with local guides and scholars recruited by our tour operator for educational components. Either way, you’ll have an enriching experience and return home a better informed citizen of the world.
We invite you to join us.
Scroll down to see all our destinations (listed chronologically) or use the menu to the right to view by location or time of year. We also invite you to take a look at a variety of resources (like travel insurance, a safety overview, and a bunch of travel tips). Peruse Look Who’s Coming to see if any of your classmates are already on board. And use the Bucket List feature to see how St. Olaf can help you check off your list.
Take a look at a bunch of fun participant photos from this year’s Sicily & Malta and Baja California programs!
switzerland: the bernese oberland
July 25–august 2, 2018
Registrations is now closed. Please scroll down for more destinations!
Switzerland is a gem nestled in the heart of Europe. Based in Interlaken with day trips to the surrounding area, you’ll discover picture-perfect towns, alpine meadows, and majestic mountains during excursions via cable cars, lifts, and alpine railways. Read more
chile, easter island, and argentina
August 5–19, 2018
Registrations is now closed. Please scroll down for more destinations!
Come along to explore Chile’s cosmopolitan capital of Santiago and the labyrinthine streets of Valparaíso, and one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world, Easter Island. We’ll finish by savoring Argentina’s world-famous Malbec wine in the idyllic vineyards of Mendoza. Read more
Dancing in the isles of Greece
September 6–22, 2018
Sold out! Add your name to the wait list.
This is a repeat of our June program, combining the legendary sites of Ancient Greece, with an exploration of the traditional music and dances of Greece still popular today at many celebrations. We’ll attend performances, participate in sing-alongs, and actually learn some dance steps. Read more
Theater in london
September 7–16, 2018
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This has been one of our most popular programs! We’ll attend a variety of performances by The Royal Shakespeare Company and at the National Theatre, and in venues such as the Globe, Royal Court, and Old Vic. Tour backstage at the Globe, and meet with one of London’s premier theater critics. Read more
Bordeaux and the Dordogne
September 24–October 5, 2018
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Do you love history, wine, great cuisine, beautiful castles, and quaint villages? Join us to explore Bordeaux, the world capital of wine, and then savor the Dordogne, a region of rivers, forested hills, chateaux-studded countrysides, and beautiful medieval towns and villages. Read more
New zealand
december 27, 2018–january 13, 2019
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We’ll journey across both the North and South Islands and experience cities, a volcanic plateau, rainforests, glaciers, forests, waterfalls, geysers, fjords, mountains, and miles of sandy and jagged shoreline. In addition, we will learn about the Maori culture, sheep farms, breweries, and more. Read more
hawaii
january 5–15, 2019
Escape the polar vortex and say Aloha to Hawaii! Enjoy the beauty, culture, and history of the Hawaiian Islands, starting with Honolulu and then moving to the Big Island. We’ll learn about early Hawaiian culture, today’s sovereignty movement, education, sites of historical importance, and be active with hiking and snorkeling. Read more
thailand and laos
February 6–22, 2019
At a time when Europe was struggling through the Dark Ages and America was yet to be visited by Columbus, the cultures of Southeast Asia were thriving. We’ll explore Chiang Mai, Ayutthaya, and chaotic Bangkok in Thailand, and quiet Luang Prabang and Vientiane in Laos. Read more
Prague, vienna, and budapest
March 22–April 2, 2019
These three cities, which have vibrated with music for centuries, provide the backdrop for a musical discovery tour. We intend to visit both more formal spaces such as opera houses, concert halls, and palaces, as well as experience more casual environments, such as home salons, street music, gypsy dance, and ethnic music venues. Read more
new york
march 23–30, 2019
New York City has been the center of the art world since the mid-Twentieth Century and offers a diverse range of artistic, religious, political, and cultural ideas. We invite you to join us for an intensive exposure to the complex world of visual art including studio, gallery and museum visits, and presentations by arts professionals. Read more
active croatia
April 24–May 4, 2019
We invite you to hike and bike your way through Croatia, a stunningly beautiful country, packed with history. Supported by respected multi-sport tour operator Backroads, there will be plenty of guide and van support, and you’ll have a choice of ride lengths and e-bike or regular bike. Read more
scotland
may 13–25, 2019
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Combine hiking in spectacular locations with a wealth of fascinating history and archaeology. We’ll start and end in Glasgow. In between our hiking takes us along Scotland’s west coast to the Inner and Outer Hebrides, visiting the islands of Mull, Iona, Staffa, Eigg, and Skye, and then to Harris and Lewis. Read more
borobudur and bali
May 27–June 8, 2019
Borobudur and Bali — their names alone conjure up images of lush tropical scenery, seaside relaxation, and imposing ancient monuments. We’ll explore breathtaking landscapes and historic temples, stopping to delve into the fascinating day-to-day culture of this less-travelled area of Asia. Read more
Paris and monaco
june 9–23, 2019
Experience Paris past and present! We’ll immerse ourselves in the sights and sounds of Roaring Twenties Paris – when the ballet company Ballets Russes transformed music, dance, and the visual arts through their innovative productions – and venture by train to Monaco as many of the early 20th century patrons did. Read more
baltic states
july 15–30, 2019
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We invite you to join us to explore the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, and visit Helsinki, Finland. The Baltic countries’ colorful histories include czars and presidents, empire building and occupation, socialism and capitalism, Medieval and Art Nouveau styles, and membership in NATO and the EU. Read more
alaska
august 2019
Details are in the works. Led by Ted and Michelle Johnson on the National Geographic Sea Lion. We should have details by the end of June 2018. Please check back!
amazon
September 14–21, 2019
This week-long culinary journey begins with two nights in the metropolitan city of Lima. From there, we’ll fly north into Jaen and begin working our way towards Tarapoto, overnighting for three nights in Lamud, before spending our final night in Moyobamaba where we’ll learn to make the famous Amazonian dish Juanes Avispa. Read more
italy cruise
October 27–November 4, 2019
Explore ancient cities and alluring architecture as we set sail across the Ionian Sea. We’ll embark Marina in Venice, and sail to Dubrovnik, Kotor, Valletta, Messina, Naples/Pompeii, and Rome. Experience Oceania Cruises, known for their elegant atmosphere, exceptional cuisine, and award-winning on-board spas. Read more
Germany, Including the passion play
September 1–14, 2020
Come along to explore Berlin, Leipzig, Nuremberg, and Munich, searching out the distinctive aspects of Germany’s history and culture, and experiencing the once-every-10-years Oberammergau Passion Play. Read more
These programs are in the works:
Spain, June 2020 [moved from 2019], Gwen Barnes-Karol (Spanish)
India, January 2020, Dana Gross (Psychology)
Morocco, January 2020, Bob McClure (Education)
Ireland, April 2020