Distant Horizons

Distant-Horizons (D-H) was the tour operator for the trip to Morocco that I took in September 2023 hosted by The Nation magazine. I had never been on a tour, but I took a risk because the itinerary was so incredibly interesting and diverse. I was not disappointed! D-H had found an extraordinarily knowledgeable Moroccan tour guide who, along with D-H and Nation staff, shepherded us through cities, medinas, fabulous lodgings, great food and fascinating speakers and artists. Our trip came only a few days after the earthquake and D-H made sure to reach out to all of us to answer any questions and quell any concerns. They really are top-flight and I recommend them whole heartedly.

Janet Moore is absolutely the best organizer and leader of the Nation tour called Native American Voices. Every aspect of this experience was above and beyond our expectations! The places, restaurants, hotels and especially the speakers and each activity were superb! We will definitely travel with Distant Horizons again.

The Nation South Africa Tour oranized by Distant Horizons was a gem. Many thanks to the outstanding, unbeatable, super South African guide, Wayne Milner, who kept us on track on the Nation/DH tour and added so many extras - like suggestions for local music venues, restaurants, where to get things fixed, deep historical and cultural knowledge, retrieving lost items, and fixing glitches so we never even knew about them. The Nation itinerary included several meetings with South African journalists, activists, and even Albie Sachs - they made the trip unique and outstanding.

We have taken many group trips; The Nation Magazine’s trip “Native American Voices,” managed by Janet Moore, founder of Distant Horizons, was outstanding in every regard. The tour announcement promised encounters with leaders and members of Native American communities to whom we otherwise would not have access. We were privileged to have two tribal members accompany us throughout the trip, and had the opportunity to visit four reservations to meet with and ask questions of world-renowned thought leaders, non-profit directors and advocates, artists, musicians, tribal council members, tribal court justices, and members of the communities we visited. We came away with a much more profound appreciation for hardships, challenges, and victories that these vibrant communities have achieved. Accommodations were excellent, food choices allowed for a range of dietary needs and restrictions, the bus was large enough for our group of 20 to spread out comfortably, and included all sorts of snacks and plenty of water. But one doesn’t take this trip for the food or the bus. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to have Janet’s wise and adept leadership on this exceptional trip.
Mark and Peggy Curchack

I have now been on three Distant Horizons trips customized for Peters Valley School of Craft in Layton NJ. .

The first, in 2019, was to Morocco, and it was absolutely perfect. The hotels were lovely, intimate and interesting, and the food was outstanding. I had been to Morocco many years ago, but this trip was remarkable. It was a truly joyous journey! We covered a lot of ground and learned a great deal, visiting craft workshops and actually got to participate in some, which was interesting, fun and engendered a lot of laughter.

The second trip was to Japan and focused on craft workshops and meeting the artisans. That too was wonderful. I had been in Japan on a three-week trip several years ago and it was unforgettable, but this visit was a different experience entirely.

This year’s visit to Mexico was amazing. I have been to Mexico many times as I have friends who live there, and have traveled extensively in the country, but I had not been to Mexico City or Oaxaca in at least twenty-five years. Getting to see the workshops and meet the craftspeople – and shop! - was exciting. The museums were spectacular! Many of the places we visited were not there two-plus decades years ago.

In all of the trips our guides were excellent. Having traveled extensively, I know what good guides are, and these were outstanding. They were extremely knowledgeable, interesting, friendly, considerate, kind, patient and helpful.

I loved all my experiences on these trips and returned home re-energized and inspired. I look forward to more!

Debora Meltz

In November 2023, I had the privilege of going on a week-long trip entitled "US Civil Rights: On the Road to Freedom," led by Janet Moore of Distant Horizons. The tour was meticulously organized and offered unparalleled access to knowledgeable guide, tours, museums, restaurants, etc. Janet's strong connections with individuals who lived through the Civil Rights era and those still navigating their ongoing struggles today, enriched our journey with firsthand accounts and deep understanding.

Before our journey commenced, we received a detailed itinerary along with excellent reading resources and other essential travel information. Her thoughtful preparation significantly eased our travels from Jackson to Little Rock, Memphis, Birmingham, and Montgomery. Any obstacles we encountered along the way, though few, were deftly handled by Janet. Despite the challenges of spending long hours on the bus and frequent hotel check-ins (we stayed at five different hotels in the span of a week), Janet's mastery made the journey manageable and enjoyable and fun!

Janet’s strong personal connections were, for me, a highlight of the trip. Sylvester Hoover, our driver and extraordinary guide, made the history come alive. The expertise, organizational prowess, responsiveness, and clear communication fostered a comfortable, transparent, and engaging experience. We were exposed to the bleak history of the slave and civil rights eras and also culturally through music, art, and food.

I just came back from a trip to the Dakotas and Colorado, organized by the Nation magazine listening and interacting with Lakota and Ute people. It was a discovery for me. The tour director, Janet Moore was gracious and efficient, and our guide Dakota was engaging and informative.

I gained a true respect for Janet Moore and Distant Horizons when I participated in their group tour to Saudi Arabia last year. When it was time to take our long-awaited, first-time trip to Morocco, I knew just who to call.

Janet is a true artist in the design of the itinerary. And, the amount of in-person research she devotes to her recommendations is evident.

Of course, we toured all of the normal tourist places: Rick's Cafe in Casablanca, the medinas in Tangiers, Fez and Marrakech. But, how many first-time visitors to Morocco get to have a nomadic tribe bake bread for them in their clay oven, tour through their home and get served tea. We had a private tour of a charitable veterinary clinic in Fez, founded in 1929, which treats donkeys and mules for free. We climbed the lighthouse on the promontory where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean and learned dances with tribesmen.

Firsthand knowledge, creativity and attention to detail are the hallmarks of Distant Horizons. If you want the best guides and the sites most other folks don't see, talk to Janet. You'll be amazed.

A big "thank you" to Janet and her colleagues for the remarkable ten-day visit to Cuba they arranged for the two of us this February 2024, the fourth trip they have masterminded for us, following Myanmar, Morocco, and Egypt. We had several days in each of Havana, Vinales, and Trinidad (the Cuban city) with many stops along the way. Guide Aramis Padrino was brilliant, full of rich information about Cuban culture, environment, history, and current-day life, and delightful to be with. Distant Horizons really knows how to help inquisitive travelers gain a deeper understanding of fascinating and complex societies.

Tony Moulton and Monica Eischen, Minneapolis

I was lucky enough to go on a Distant Horizons February 2023 civil rights tour organized in conjunction with the Nation magazine. The trip was a week long journey that started in Jackson Miss, and moved on to Little Rock, Memphis, Birmingham, Selma and Montgomery. I really cannot say enough good things about this trip. It was extremely well planned, well organized and educational. Janet Moore from Distant Horizons accompanied us on the trip and she could not have been more helpful. The trip was jampacked with excellent and memorable visits. It is a trip I will always remember. I offer the highest possible recommendation.

In February 2023 Robert Douglas and I were fortunate to participate in a week-long journey offered by The Nation, Travels - US Civil Rights: On the road to Freedom. The Tour was curated by Janet Moore of Distant Horizons, a master travel facilitator who invited us into the rich depths of human resilience, through her warm rapport with site guides, individuals who experienced the Civil Rights events of the 60s and those living the ongoing struggle today. We benefited from her familiarity with individuals and settings that honour those who made significant contributions through music, provision of safe havens, legacy memorials, and perseverance in support of the right to vote in the past, as well as those who through generations have challenged the legacy of inequality. Janet's knowledge, organizational skills, responsiveness and clear communication created a comfortable, transparent, engaged atmosphere throughout the journey from Jackson to Little Rock, Memphis, Selma, Birmingham and Montgomery. By every conceivable metric this trip was outstanding!

Distant Horizons led by Janet Moore organized the Nations Civil Rights tour that I took this month. The entire experience exceeded my expectations. I know I have high standards (one might say am picky) but everything was wonderful.

Problems were taken care of before they were out of hand and changes made so they wouldn't happen again (slow breakfast service one morning, the next morning the hotel's leadership was supporting the understaffed dining room).

We met the icons of the Civil Rights movement who knew Janet personally, we ate at fun, yummy and funky places one would never find on their own.

Thanks Janet, her team at Distant Horizons and the Nation Travels for an absolutely incredible experience.

We cannot say enough about the bespoke itinerary Distant Horizons put together for six of us when we traveled to India recently. We particularly appreciated their ability to understand when you need a good hotel for comfort to recover from jet lag or how important it is to stay in smaller, interesting places to absorb the feel of the country. The guides they use are top notch, full of personality and knowledgeable. While they schedule visits to the important sites, they also throw in some edgy things, like visits to an artist’s studio or a jeep safari to tiny craft villages outside Jodphur. They know their food, too, recommending charming restaurants that were safe for travelers. The shops they recommend are first quality. Their tours never seem “canned.” You come home enriched and ready for the next one. They are smart, savvy and fun to work with. As a former Pan Am’er who has traveled the world, I’m so glad we have found Distant Horizons!

I recently returned from Saudi Arabia on a trip that Distant Horizons organized. It was an incredible experience from beginning to end. The hotels and the restaurants were wonderful choices but what made the trip so special was the itinerary Distant Horizons designed and the access to community and small business leaders, historians, Saudi & American government officials, independent journalists, and others. We experienced the astounding beauty of Al-Ula, the dramatic landscape of Asir province, the urban centers of Jeddah and Riyadh and ended with an incredible private visit at ARAMCO in Dammam.  My preconceived beliefs about this country were swept away by this trip. I have unequivocally never felt so welcomed by people and I am grateful to Distant Horizons for providing such a comfortable, well designed and well managed program. This is the 4th trip I have taken with Distant Horizons, and I highly recommend them to other travelers.

This company has planned two trips for us—one to India and one to Morocco. Their guides are excellent. The unique aspect of this company is how they find the most interesting hotels—the hidden gems in any city, never a bland location.

Distant Horizons guided the most amazing Civil Rights Tour ever. A carefully curated trip through Mississippi, Little Rock, Memphis, and Alabama provided thoughtful, in-depth, and compelling review of the history and experience of the people of this area and beyond. A definite must experience for anyone who is interested in and cares about the full fabric of the United States.

The crew at Distant Horizons set up a 2 week trip taking us through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and it was wonderful. We had local guides that were so knowledgeable and friendly, excellent drivers to ferry us around, amazing food and some of the most beautiful architecture I have ever seen. From the new capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, with its gleaming new towers, wide lanes and undulating river to the old capital of Almaty with its apple trees and museums. We visited local bazaars, a gorgeous ski resort, a fascinating museum of musical instruments, the world’s highest open air ice skating rink (Almaty is vying for a Winter Olympics!) and big, beautiful mosques. Then we flew to Uzbekistan to visit more silk road cities, one was just more amazing than the last. We visited the bustling big city of Tashkent (one of the oldest cities on the Great Silk Road between China and Europe!). Then on to Samarkand to admire the ancient architecture of the Registan with its beautiful mosaics and tile work, local bazaar for arts and crafts, an ancient observatory and the amazing Shah-i-Zinda tomb complex that houses some of the most amazing tile work I have ever seen! Next was Bukhara with its lovely minarets and old mosques, madrassas, bazaars and caravanserais. We even took advantage of a local sauna for a little down time.Then on to what I think is my favorite - Khiva. Far out in the desert, you really fell like you are on the ancient silk road and the old town is wo well preserved/renovated! It's stunning, A big wall and gates surround the old town, there are mosques and madrassas and minarets and mausoleums and museums are in a compact, easily walkable area dotted with craft stalls and restaurants and cafes. Such a wonderful trip - Thank you Distant Horizons!

The Civil Rghts Tour in february 2023 was astounding for several reasons: the quality of the relationships with survivors that Janet, our tour leader, had built over decades such that our group was welcomed with a hug at almost every stop. Next, her leadership style = servant leadership = albeit with a firm grip of our dynamics and resilient response when circumstances changed in ways she couldn't have foreseen: at one museum where we had been booked to eat in the cafeteria, the lines were long, and Janet moved 26 of us to a new lunch spot so quickly that we were surprised. She and her partner for this trip, Robin Perry, are deeply informed but humble in seeking input from the group. I was also delighted that we supported minority-owned businesses whenever possible. Distant Horizons support staff were competent and responsive. Whenever Possible I will travel with them and advise my friends to do likewise

The folks at Distant Horizons set up an epic two week trip for my family and I through Malta and Sicily. Everything was perfect! the drivers, the guides, the hotels, the sights / itinerary, all top notch! We so thoroughly enjoyed our trip I will most definitely book through them again!

Just returned from a customized trip to Cuba for 2 couples. We had a wonderful time. My husband and I have travelled all over the world and we expect a lot. Distant Horizons did a superb job. I had travelled twice with them before with a larger group and both time I was impressed. When I was put in charge by my husband to plan a trip to Cuba I reached to Janet Moore. Everything went as plan with no bad surprises. The guides were excellent. The choice of sites and events perfect. Lodging in a house a real treat. I could not have made a better choice than Distant Horizons. Thank you all. Catherine de Saint Aignan