Shimon Peres, President of Israel, welcomes each traveler prior to an intimate discussion on Middle East affairs. Photo credit: Quique Kierszenbaum©

San Francisco-based World Leaders Travel specializes in creating extraordinary educational travel events that combine globally significant leaders, a menu of customized daily excursions that go way beyond superlative, and an array of special events, behind-the-scenes access, and one-of-a-kind experiences that you simply cannot find anywhere else. Added to that is the highest level of luxurious accommodations and attention to detail and personal attention at every turn.

World Leaders Travel boasts an impressive list of accomplishments and innovation in travel, and has operated unique travel events on every continent, with a special focus on the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe.

Past special travel events have included China & East Asia with George H.W. Bush; Israel and the Palestinian Territories with Aaron David Miller and Sam Donaldson; South Korea with former Secretary of Defense William Perry; and an exploration of climate change in the Arctic Ocean with Tom Brokaw and a team of leading scientists aboard an icebreaker.

A highlight of each event is also the important contribution made by in-country leaders and special guests, many of whom are high-ranking officials with unique insight into current events. In May of 2010, travelers got a first-hand account of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process during intimate visits with leaders on both sides of the conflict, including Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayad, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Israeli President Shimon Peres.

Explore all upcoming travel events
Learn about featured speakers and featured experts
View a photo gallery of past events

Explore the World with the People Who Shape It

World Leaders Travel offers the opportunity for travelers to experience some of the world’s most interesting people and places with those who know them best. Among the portfolio of upcoming events are:

Literary Chile
Features the Bay Area’s own Michael Krasny, host of the award-winning Forum on KQED public radio. Following the pen strokes of Isabel Allende and Pablo Neruda, travelers will experience the artistic heritage of “the land of poets,” and discover the fascinating history and culture of Santiago, Valparaiso, and the fertile Casablanca Valley.

Russia and the Black Sea
Features Condoleezza Rice, Mikhail Gorbachev, and a team of notable experts in fields ranging from foreign affairs and history to science and technology. Travelers will enjoy time in Moscow and Istanbul, as well as a circumnavigation of the Black Sea aboard the luxurious Silver Wind that includes visits to Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine.

The Changing Face of South Africa
Features Nobel Peace Prize winners Archbishop Desmond Tutu and F.W. de Klerk, the last state president of “the old” South Africa. This ultimate African experience also includes the natural wonders of this fascinating country, from the Cape Peninsula to the Cradle of Humankind; an opportunity to see the continent’s “Big Five” during a safari in Kruger National Park; and the thunderous wonder of Victoria Falls in Zambia.

An Extraordinary Blend of Travel and Education

Custom-crafted travel programs are much more than conventional learning experiences. Beyond lectures and discussions, travelers will explore the very sites where history was, and continues to be, made. Whether it’s the Western Wall in Jerusalem; the former nuclear silo site in Pervomaysk, Ukraine; Al Jazeera headquarters in Qatar; or a cosmonaut training facility outside of Moscow, both history and future possibilities will come alive.

Traveler Quotes

Traveling with World Leaders Travel, our travelers can’t say enough about these exceptional opportunities.

“I can’t imagine a better way to get the most out of a travel experience.”
“Every country we visited was a highlight. The program in each locale so fit the importance of that country in the larger puzzle. Excellent!”
“An amazing array of speakers. It was a pinnacle trip—the best of the best!”
“The finest and most educational trip we have taken in our well-traveled lives.”
“Our high expectations were all exceeded. This was in a class by itself. Superb!”
“This was the best learning opportunity we have ever experienced. As world events are unfolding, it could not have been timelier.”

Learn more at www.worldleaderstravel.com