Vacations That Matter

18/10/2024

So many stories to share about the incredible hospitality, history, gastronomy and wellness . 😍 Thank you

07/10/2024

While we continually celebrate the privilege of travel — luxurious resorts, cultural immersions, and nature’s stirring landscapes — there is ample opportunity to further elevate travel’s transformative nature. We are all agents of change. Let’s together support and celebrate travel that matters. Here’s to making a difference!

Read Here → Magazine

16/09/2024

Welcome to the BRAND NEW EXPLORA II . We just boarded the ship in Civitavecchia (Rome) and excited for this maiden voyage along the coast of Italy and Sicily. Stay tuned throughout this week as I share our experiences onboard this beautiful ship.
What do you do when you first get onboard ….. explore all the spaces and a beautiful sunset.

02/01/2024

2023 was a year of hopes and challenges, new adventures in Namibia and missed adventures in The Republic of Congo. Weddings in Turkey, Canada and Texas, and a Celebration of life for family members who were loved from Zambia to the USA.

Consciously making space and quality time to connect with the people in my life that matter the most is the mantra I’m carrying into 2024.

I will wake up each day feeling blessed and grateful to be able to fulfill my passions and purpose, to remind myself that life is a gift and without my health, I can’t be there for anyone else, to tell my family how much I love them, to embrace change and letting go, and to keep planning and taking the most meaningful trips around the world.

Kicking off 2024 with a pilgrimage/wellness trip to India to spend quality time with family.

Thank you to all of you for your support throughout the year and let 2024 be filled with happiness, health, travels, and quality time with those who matter most to you!

Happy New Year!! 🎊

09/11/2023

I’m so incredibly humbled, honored and grateful for everyone who nominated and voted for me to win 2023 Travel Elevates Spirit Award.

This award means so much to me as I embarked on this journey of becoming a meaningful travel specialist in 2011 with the support and encouragement of industry colleagues when I launched Vacations That Matter and it has been an extremely fulfilling journey. I have made lots of friends and supported charitable organizations worldwide and I’m so so grateful to be able to continue this journey and share my inspiration with all my travel colleagues, clients, friends, and family who are passionate about making a difference and owning their impact.

Travel Elevates is changing communities worldwide through education and empowerment initiatives and I couldn’t be prouder to be a member of this amazing network with a leader like who leads by example.

-matters

09/11/2023

I’m so incredibly humbled, honored and grateful for everyone who nominated and voted for me to win 2023 Travel Elevates Spirit Award.

This award means so much to me as I embarked on this journey of becoming a meaningful travel specialist in 2011 with the support and encouragement of industry colleagues when I launched Vacations That Matter and it has been an extremely fulfilling journey. I have made lots of friends and supported charitable organizations worldwide and I’m so so grateful to be able to continue this journey and share my inspiration with all my travel colleagues, clients, friends, and family who are passionate about making a difference and owning their impact.

Travel Elevates is changing communities worldwide through education and empowerment initiatives and I couldn’t be prouder to be a member of this amazing network with a leader like who leads by example.

26/09/2023

I’m so excited to join ’s 2023 IMPACT MegaFam & Workshop!
 
With a jam-packed itinerary, I’m looking forward to exploring new camps, lodges and phenomenal guest experiences!
 
Stay tuned for more updates and insights.
 

18/06/2023

The little ones are the cutest and most entertaining 😍🦍

17/06/2023

Love the inspiration and hope from Dr. Jane Goodall

05/06/2023

So excited to be supporting Project Luangwa and working with Natural Building Collective on this new sustainable building.

02/01/2023

Happy New Year!! One of my favorite photos from my travels in 2022 is the perfect reminder to begin 2023 filled with contemplation, wonder, curiosity, compassion, and more consciousness.

12/08/2022

Happy World Elephant day!! Also taken on my recent trip to Uganda in May 2020. Pay special attention to the 2 disguising as one😍

11/08/2022

Happy World Lion Day!!🦁 These were taken on my most recent safari to Uganda in May 2022 where you can find tree climbing lions in the Queen Elizabeth National Park

16/06/2022

This is what a safari specialist does!! Not only have I personally travelled to Southern and Eastern Africa 3 times since October’21, I have been booking some amazing itineraries for my clients. These are just the ones currently traveling. I’m so excited for them!!
Europe has also been very popular this summer. 😉

28/05/2022

Our final early morning breakfast on the Nile.

27/05/2022

27/05/2022

Murchison Falls, Uganda is an amazing site. We were able to see it from a boat at sunrise and later drove to the top of the falls with safari in between. some of the biggest crocs, hippos, elephants, giraffe, kobs, worth hogs and birds.

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19/05/2022

What an incredible experience today!! 🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍. They played, cuddled, groomed, napped & allowed us to visit😍😍😍😍

19/05/2022

Can’t wait to start our trek!! Checking in at the briefing center at Volcanos National Park

16/05/2022

Got my safari hat, hiking boots & laptop and I’m off to Rwanda and Uganda for another Gorilla 🦍 Trekking adventure.
Safaris worldwide are my specialty hence my 3rd visit to Africa within 8 months. I’m trying to help with post pandemic recovery 😃
But it’s not a vacation. I’ll be visiting 10 lodges/camps, learning about all their offerings including wildlife experiences, community engagement and sustainability practices. Experiencing first hand the logistics of getting around, quality of services and food. I’ll be meeting with ground operators, guides and conservation managers. Trying to take pictures, videos, and sharing as often as I can.
I do the hard work so my clients can enjoy their vacations. 😅
I’m grateful that I get to do such fulfilling work with the support of my family, colleagues and partners. 🙏

02/04/2022

The April issue of Condé Nast Traveler has named the best of the best in the travel industry and I’m so honored and grateful to be in the company of all these esteemed Top Travel Specialists once again for 2022. https://www.cntraveler.com/contributor/nina-patel

17/01/2022

So incredibly heart warming to read this comment on one of my posts from our recent Uganda trip. It was from our guide, Davis and a true testament of why .

“Thank you the Patel family for all you did to these organisations , especially the batwa empowerment village...Yo such an amazing family ,U taught me that giving back is an amazing thing.. Travelling with you ,made me feel loved ...God bless you and cheers to all the kids.....!!!!!”

Davis was incredibly knowledgeable, a birding champion, a retired rugby pro who played for the National team, an accountant, a father of triplets, the son of a Tutsi tribe mom from Rwanda who shared stories of the genocide, trauma, and resilience and a genuinely gentle soul who spoke 7 languages and entertained us with his great sense of humor and unique laughter.

One of the amazing things about inviting a guide to join you for meals and engaging in conversations is how much you get to learn about them, their culture, their dreams and aspirations and connecting through stories.

Travel is so much more than just visiting a beautiful destination. It’s about the transformation you feel from the experience and the people you touch along the way which leaves a mark on you. ❤️

31/12/2021

Good Morning and Happy New Year from Brussels airport😍✈️

We were disappointed that our flight to Dubai where we had planned to spend New Years Eve and visit Dubai Expo was cancelled 2 days ago forcing us to reroute, but we are grateful to be able to get home safely with the help of travel advisors from and who were available 24/7 to assist with all the changes and COVID testing requirements.

Traveling during these times can be challenging but definitely possible and very rewarding if booked through experienced and reputable travel advisors.

Also, remember to pack a lot of patience, expect the unexpected and a lot of paperwork,be flexible and smile. You will have a great time and plenty of memorable experiences and stories to share.

Letting go of what could have been, and embracing what’s to come in 2022🙏

Thank you for capturing this beautiful photo. We will always cherish our time together ❤️

29/12/2021

“Do your little bit of good where you are; “it’s those little bits put together that overwhelm the world” - Archbishop Desmond Tutu

His words resonated so deeply as he is placed to rest.🙏

It wouldn’t be a Patel family trip or a Vacations That Matter trip without supporting the local community in Uganda. We were introduced to 2 amazing organizations in Bwindi this week. https://www.ride4awoman.org/ and the Batwa Empowerment Village. So grateful we were able to visit both of them and do our little bit.