The idea rose out of conversations with Anthony Bourdain and José Andrés. We eventually learned how to do this quite well. Here’s what goes into creating what we lovingly call “group travel for people who hate group travel.”
As you might expect, our original partner Anthony Bourdain, with whom we first conceived the idea of the League of Travelers, was at first deeply and hilariously skeptical about the idea of group travel. But we reminded him that at its best, it could share DNA with the production travel we did with him in Spain, LA, and elsewhere: small groups traveling with a common interest and a central mission for a week or so, looking for big characters and strong narratives in cinematic locations.
The result is something we lovingly call “group travel for people who hate group travel,” and we have learned a lot about how to deliver it well. So let’s see how the sausage is made with a step-by-step rundown of how we build a journey.
Step 1: Ideation
One thing that makes us different from other travel organizations is our background in journalism and productions. When we build a trip, we are building a story—with timeliness, relevance, and a compelling arc—using food, drink, and above all, characters. Without exception, our trips start with one big character who has deep connections, cultural knowledge, and understanding of local foodways. This is usually someone we’ve known for years, often from the Bourdain era—a chef, a writer, a producer. Working together with League founder Nathan Thornburgh, this person—the trip guide and designer—pins down the overarching story, locations within the destination, and big moments.
Step 2: Recon
Once the big picture is clear, we set up a recon trip for the guide and a photographer. Sometimes Nathan joins. The brilliant food writer Eugenio Signoroni has reconned nearly all of our trips in Italy. In Spain, it’s League OG (and former Bourdain fixer) Alejo Sabugo. Andy Ricker, our guide in Thailand and host in many other places (more on that distinction below), has proven himself a recon savant, so he’s often at hand (see him above with Nathan and Jane Yang, reconning Yunnan). This is when the trip really takes shape, including core locations (no more than three), accommodations (stylish but unconventional, ideally as few chains as possible), special meals, and the overarching narrative that brings travelers from arrival to departure.
Step 3: Confirming the Itinerary
This is when the rest of the team comes in, sorting out logistics and budgets and fleshing out the narrative. Working with the guide and photographer, we build the trip page and determine who the journey is best suited for. How vegetarian-friendly is it? How active? Are there disqualifying allergies? In the meantime, the guide is in continuous conversation with all of our local hosts, many of whom are their close friends and collaborators, working out the nuances of our visit. It’s these relationships that leave our guests feeling, in the words of a recent Peru traveler, “like we were visiting old friends.”
Step 4: Assigning the Host
Every League journey is led by two people: a guide and a host. While the guide has the deep local knowledge and connections, the host is well-versed in R&K journeys and oversees the guests’ experience at all times. The guide and host should play well off each other. One or both should be comfortable standing on chairs, giving toasts, refilling glasses, pausing an activity to give some narrative context, and generally keeping everyone happy and engaged. For the Tony fans among us, we’d be remiss not to mention that most of our trips are led by at least one member of Bourdain’s circle.
Step 5: The Trip Goes Live
We announce a trip first through the newsletter and shortly thereafter on social media. We reach out personally to past travelers who we think would be a particularly good fit. After that, if there are still seats left, we are ready to set up interviews with anyone interested in joining.
Step 6: The Interview Process
We promise, it’s more chill than it sounds: a simple phone call with Mike Jauregui, our master of guest relations (that’s him above, un-intimidatingly smelling a truffle in Piedmont). The main purpose of the call is to answer your questions and make sure that our style of travel—and this trip in particular—is something you will actually enjoy. This way of seeing the world is not for everyone. But we have learned that this is a highly self-selective crowd. If you like what you see and want to join us, odds are the feeling will be mutual.
Step 7: The Group Comes Together
First things first: we don’t do large groups ever. Our trips cap at 10-12 travelers, usually a mix of couples and solo travelers. The average age is Gen X but generally ranges mid-30s to early-70s on any given trip. Asia and Africa skew younger, Europe a bit older. Latin America somewhere in between. One of the most unexpectedly wonderful things about the League is the lasting friendships that form on these trips.
Step 8: The Journey
Leading up to the trip, we’re in touch with packing suggestions, visa help as needed, and to answer questions. We set up a Whatsapp group about a week out. You’ll book your flights, but we handle everything else from the moment you touch down. Each night in your hotel room, you’ll find a gift from us and a daily card explaining its significance and teasing the day ahead together with a playlist, usually curated by Bourdain’s songwriter Mike Ruffino.
As for the journey itself, we want to leave some things to mystery, but we can tell you that you will depart with incredible memories, a deep understanding for the place and its people, and a handful of new friends. More often than not, a shift has taken place that we’ll leave to the words of our late, great partner: “As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life—and travel—leaves marks on you.”
Visit the League of Travelers page to see our entire lineup of trips and learn how to join.
