Our Expertise
Expedition cruise planning grounded in direct operator relationships.
Our Specializations
Expedition Cruises
Our core specialty — polar and island expedition voyages on small, expert-led vessels.
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Polar Destinations
Antarctica, Arctic Norway, and Svalbard specialists with first-hand exploration experience.
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Galápagos and beyond — unique wildlife encounters in the world's most pristine ecosystems.
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Safari Expeditions
Luxury African safaris across Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, and South Africa — Big Five encounters in world-class camps.
Learn MoreAreas of Expertise
The kinds of travel we plan, and the relationships behind them.
Expedition Cruises
Antarctica, the Arctic, and the Galapagos aboard small expedition vessels, matched to the ship and itinerary that fits how you travel.
River Cruises
European and worldwide river itineraries, chosen ship by ship for cabin layout, pacing, and the shore experiences included.
Ocean Cruises
Luxury ocean voyages planned around the right ship, suite category, and route rather than whatever is easiest to sell.
Private Villas
Private villa stays arranged through direct relationships with owners, chefs, guides, and drivers on the ground.
Safaris
African safari planning built around camps, seasons, and wildlife movement, with logistics handled end to end.
Corporate & Group Travel
Corporate events, incentive trips, and group travel, with direct contracts and accountability for how each piece performs.
Clients Worldwide
Travel GHR works from Edwardsville, Illinois with clients worldwide, primarily U.S. residents.
Travel Leaders Network
Nicci Grotefendt is a member of Travel Leaders Network, a travel advisor network with supplier relationships and booking support.
The Travel GHR Experience
This is not a booking process — it's a designed journey. Every step is intentionally crafted to ensure your trip is genuinely rare and personally assembled.
Intake & Personality Profiling
Every relationship begins with a comprehensive intake capturing your travel history, goals, style, and communication preferences — creating a personalized profile that informs how Nicci works with you.
Communication Strategy
Before a single itinerary is drafted, Nicci develops a personalized communication approach — your preferred contact method, update frequency, and correspondence style.
Discovery & Research
Deep discovery through your preferred channel — calls, email, or text. Nicci captures the nuances and personal vision that no intake form can fully express.
Personalized Itinerary Website
You receive a personalized interactive website — not a PDF — with your complete day-by-day itinerary, destination information, cultural context, and space for feedback.
Booking & Launch
Once approved, your itinerary website launches with confirmed details. You also receive a personalized destination video and a custom song created specifically for your journey.
24/7 In-Destination Support
Nicci is available around the clock during your travel. Thorough pre-departure documentation means most clients never need to reach out — but always know they can.
Post-Trip Reconnect
Upon return, Nicci proactively reconnects to debrief your experience, capture feedback, and begin the conversation about your next journey.
About the Founder
To read about Nicci's story and the origin of Travel GHR, see About Travel GHR.
Read About Nicci