Volunteer Vacation and Group Travel Specialist

It is my deepest desire to help you see the world and spread kindness in whatever way speaks most to your heart. I have exclusive properties and will put together a package tailored specifically to you and anyone that you may be traveling with.

Joyous Journeys was born through my dream of swimming with whale sharks. I found an organization who offers whale shark research volunteer opportunities in the Maldives (a volunteer vacation -you pay for the opportunity to work with them to support the program). Of course I immediately applied! Within a couple of weeks, I was accepted and then was confronted with the realities of planning for a "volunteer vacation" halfway around the world - visa requirements, planes, hotels before and after... and, if I am going that far, what else can I see while I'm on that side of the globe?One of the things that I found during my research is that there are websites and places that will connect you with volunteer opportunities, but there isn't a travel agency that specializes in completely planning these types of adventures.

During that same time, I met a couple while I was volunteering with Tampa Bay Watch building oyster reef balls. This couple was from Ohio, but while in Florida on vacation they were volunteering their time to something important to them.

Although my travel agency is relatively new, I have been booking travel for many years, so you can be confident that your next vacation will be one to remember!

Custom-designed itineraries

Snorkeling in the Mayan Riviera, Mexico

There are as many ways to take a volunteer vacation as there are people on the planet!

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Visiting one of our wonderful national parks - during your stay you participate in a trail-upkeep event.
• You add an additional four weeks to your Alaska trip to stay on a working, off-grid husky ranch and assist with care of the dogs.
• You go to Chicago to spend a week connecting with nature and learning how to create a nature space in your own community.
• You travel to South Africa and visit a wildlife rehabilitation center or delve into elephant conservation at a local sanctuary.