ElderTreks
ElderTreks is a Toronto-based, privately held adventure travel company founded in 1987 that sells small-group exotic land tours and expedition cruises exclusively to travelers aged 50 and over, with a direct-to-consumer, phone-and-website booking model and a global destination portfolio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ElderTreks does
ElderTreks is a Toronto-based, privately held adventure travel company founded in 1987 by Gary Murtagh and operating under the legal entity Passages Exotic Expeditions Ltd. The company sells small-group exotic adventure tours exclusively to travelers aged 50 and over, with land-based departures capped at 16 travelers and a separate line of expedition cruises (Antarctica, Northwest Passage, Greenland, Svalbard, Atlantic Canada). The product portfolio spans destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, Polar regions, the Middle East, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean, with tour pricing ranging from approximately $5,295 USD (Cuba) to $18,495 USD (Classic Antarctica and Northwest Passage). All-inclusive packages cover accommodations, meals, local transportation, entrance fees, and tips; international airfare is generally excluded and handled by an in-house Air Specialist offering personalized flight itineraries.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer, sales-led model with no proprietary technology platform. Bookings are captured via website inquiry forms and toll-free phone lines in North America (1-800-741-7956), the UK (0808-234-1714), and worldwide (1-416-588-5000), supported by a small in-house team covering sales, country direction, product and contracting, operations, design, and account administration. Marketing relies on a content-rich Wix-hosted website, Facebook and Instagram channels, and an email newsletter. Customer retention is driven by ClubTrek, an auto-enrollment loyalty program offering a 5% discount on subsequent bookings. Travel insurance is offered as an add-on through partnerships with Manulife (Canadian guests) and John Hancock (US guests), and Arctic expedition capacity is sourced via a cross-marketing partnership with Adventure Canada aboard Ocean Victory, Ocean Nova, and Ocean Albatros vessels.
Revenue is generated primarily from one-time tour package sales, supplemented by single supplement charges ($1,295-$3,495 USD) for solo travelers, insurance referral commissions, and expedition cruise margin. The company is registered with TICO (Travel Industry Council of Ontario) under Reg #4116059 (retail) and #4161212 (wholesale). It is wholly founder-owned with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity, and operates with an 11-50 employee base from a single Toronto headquarters.
ElderTreks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ElderTreks
- Legal name
- Passages Exotic Expeditions Ltd.
- Website
- https://eldertreks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ElderTreks is a Toronto-based, privately held adventure travel company founded in 1987 that sells small-group exotic land tours and expedition cruises exclusively to travelers aged 50 and over, with a direct-to-consumer, phone-and-website booking model and a global destination portfolio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ElderTreks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Adventure Travel Services
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Small-Group Escorted Tour Operators (THAKADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (Under ~500 Guests) (THAEADAC), Luxury Cruise + Land Expedition Operators (Cruise-Tour Programs) (THAEABAH), Adventure Expedition Cruise Lines (Warm-Water & Remote Islands) (THAEABAE)
Keywords
Where ElderTreks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ElderTreks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Tour Package Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling all-inclusive land and sea adventure tour packages. Prices range from approximately $5,295 USD to $18,495 USD depending on destination, duration, and tour type. The company offers both land-based small group tours (max 16 travelers) and expedition ship voyages. Packages include accommodations, meals, local transportation, entrance fees, tips, and tour leadership.
- Travel Insurance: The company offers travel/medical insurance through partnerships with Manulife (for Canadian guests) and John Hancock (for US guests). Insurance is sold as an add-on to tour packages, providing medical coverage, trip cancellation, and emergency assistance services.
- Single Supplement Charges: Solo travelers who do not wish to share accommodations pay a single supplement fee ranging from $1,295 USD to $3,495 USD depending on the tour. This is in addition to the base tour price.
- ClubTrek Loyalty Program: The company operates a loyalty rewards program where past travelers earn 5% off subsequent bookings. While the discount reduces revenue per booking, it drives customer retention and repeat purchases. ClubTrek enrollment is automatic after first trip.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Kenya & Tanzania - 20 days, wildlife safari |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Papua New Guinea Goroka - 22 days, cultural expedition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Japan - 20 days, cultural discovery |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Sumatra - 20 days, wildlife adventure |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Java & Bali - 20 days, island exploration |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Adriatic Adventure - 20 days, multi-country Europe |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Madagascar - 18 days, wildlife expedition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Polar/Arctic Expeditions - expedition cruises |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Cuba - cultural discovery |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
ElderTreks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ElderTreks designs and sells small-group (maximum 16 travelers) all-inclusive adventure tour packages and expedition ship cruises to exotic and off-the-beaten-path destinations worldwide, exclusively for travelers aged 50 and over. Tour pricing bundles accommodations, meals, local transportation, entrance fees, tips, and tour leadership, and ranges from approximately $5,295 USD to $18,495 USD per person depending on destination and duration. Add-on services include travel/medical insurance resold through Manulife and John Hancock partnerships and the ClubTrek loyalty program offering 5% off repeat bookings.
Product overview
ElderTreks is a specialized adventure travel company targeting travelers aged 50 and over, offering small-group exotic adventure tours worldwide. The core product portfolio consists of land-based regional tours (maximum 16 travelers) and expedition cruises to polar regions. Key offerings include wildlife safaris (Kenya & Tanzania, Madagascar), cultural expeditions (Japan, Papua New Guinea, Southeast Asia), adventure tours (Sumatra, Adriatic, Arctic Expeditions), and polar journeys (Antarctica, Northwest Passage, Greenland). The company provides add-on services including travel insurance (via Manulife and John Hancock partnerships) and a loyalty program (ClubTrek). Tours include all accommodations, meals, internal transportation, and entrance fees in the published pricing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kenya & Tanzania Wildlife Safari A 20-day small-group wildlife safari through Kenya and Tanzania covering Serengeti, Maasai Mara, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire, with the great wildebeest migration and Maasai/Bushman cultural encounters; priced from $10,995 USD (Oct 2026) and $11,495 USD (Oct 2027) with $1,995 USD single supplement.
- Papua New Guinea Goroka Cultural Expedition A 22-day tribal and cultural expedition featuring the Goroka Singsing festival, Huli Wigmen, Asaro Mudmen, Sepik River canoe journey, Baining Fire Dance, and encounters with Birds of Paradise; priced from $15,495 USD (Sep 2026) and $15,995 USD (Sep 2027) with $3,495 USD single supplement.
- Japan Cultural Discovery A 20-day cultural journey from Tokyo to Osaka covering Mt. Fuji, snow monkeys at Yudanaka Onsen, the Nakasendo Trail, Takayama, Shirakawago, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, and an overnight stay in a traditional Buddhist temple lodging; priced from $12,995 USD with $2,595 USD single supplement.
- Sumatra Wildlife Adventure A 20-day Indonesian adventure through Sumatra visiting orangutan reserves at Bukit Lawang, Lake Toba, Krakatoa volcano, and Way Kambas National Park for Sumatran elephants, rhinos, and tigers; priced from $7,195 USD (Oct 2026) and $7,895 USD (Oct 2027) with $1,295-$1,495 USD single supplement.
- Java & Bali Island Exploration A 20-day Indonesian journey covering Borobudur Temple, Mount Bromo, Bali's cultural sites, Komodo Islands for Komodo dragons, and snorkeling on coral reefs; priced from $7,295 USD (Oct 2026) and $7,995 USD (Oct 2027) with $1,295-$1,595 USD single supplement.
- Adriatic Adventure Multi-Country Europe Tour A 20-day journey through Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, and Italy featuring 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Plitvice Lakes, Postojna Cave, the Slovenian Alps, and finishing in Ljubljana; priced from $8,495 USD (Sep 2026) and $8,995 USD (Oct 2027) with $1,795-$2,495 USD single supplement.
- Madagascar Wildlife Expedition An 18-day expedition to Madagascar featuring lemur encounters, Ranomafana rainforest, Isalo sandstone formations, Berenty Reserve, and national park visits; priced from $8,995 USD (Sep-Oct 2026) and $9,295 USD (Oct 2027) with $1,495-$2,295 USD single supplement.
- Polar and Arctic Expedition Cruises Expedition cruises to Svalbard, Greenland, the Northwest Passage, Atlantic Canada, and Antarctica aboard small expedition ships; Classic Antarctica from $18,495 USD, Greenland & Wild Labrador from $11,995 USD, Svalbard from $9,295 USD, Northwest Passage from $18,495 USD, Canada polar bear tours from $11,034 CAD.
- Sea Journeys Small-Ship Expeditions Yacht and sailing-based adventure tours including French Polynesia and Galápagos & Ecuador expeditions aboard small ships.
- Africa Regional Tour Portfolio Bundle of ElderTreks Africa destinations including Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya & Tanzania, Morocco, Namibia/Botswana/Zimbabwe, Tunisia & Algeria, Uganda & Rwanda, Madagascar, and Kingdoms of Southern Africa.
- Europe Regional Tour Portfolio Bundle of ElderTreks European destinations including Adriatic Adventure, Albania/Macedonia/Bulgaria, Ancient Greece, the Baltics, Iceland, Malta & Sicily, Medieval Treasures of Eastern Europe, Transylvania, Turkey, and Svalbard.
- Asia & Central Asia Regional Tour Portfolio Bundle of ElderTreks Asian destinations including Japan, Java & Bali, Sumatra, Bhutan, the Caucasus, Southeast Asia, South Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and the Central Asian Stans.
- India Regional Tour Portfolio Bundle of Indian subcontinent destinations including Classic India, Grand Gujarat & Rajasthan, Lions & Tigers of India, Southern India, and the Taj Mahal extension.
- Travel Insurance (Manulife / John Hancock) Travel and medical insurance offered as an add-on to tour packages, with Manulife policies for Canadian guests and John Hancock policies for US guests, providing trip cancellation, emergency medical, and travel accident coverage with 24/7 multilingual emergency assistance.
- ClubTrek Loyalty Program Repeat-traveler loyalty rewards program offering 5% off subsequent ElderTreks bookings, with automatic enrollment after the first trip and reciprocal benefits on select Arctic expedition sailings in partnership with Adventure Canada's League of Adventurers.
Companies that use ElderTreks
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
ElderTreks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ElderTreks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ManulifecoreManulife provides travel insurance/medical protection plans for Canadian guests. ElderTreks offers Manulife policies as the recommended insurance option for Canadian travelers, with 24/7 multilingual support for emergencies. This partnership ensures travel medical coverage for international adventures.
- John HancockcoreJohn Hancock provides travel insurance/medical protection plans for US guests. ElderTreks offers John Hancock policies as the recommended insurance option for American travelers, with professional multilingual representatives available 24/7 for emergency assistance.
- Adventure CanadaminorPartnership allows ElderTreks to offer ClubTrek loyalty rewards in combination with Adventure Canada's League of Adventurers loyalty program on select Arctic expedition sailings aboard Ocean Victory, Ocean Nova, or Ocean Albatros vessels.
- TICO (Travel Industry Council of Ontario)coreRegulatory registration with TICO (Reg #4116059 for retail, Reg #4161212 for wholesale). TICO is Ontario's travel regulator that protects consumers purchasing travel services. This registration is mandatory for Canadian travel retailers and wholesalers operating in Ontario.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ElderTreks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- G Adventures: G Adventures is a Toronto-based small-group adventure tour operator with global itineraries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and polar regions. While it targets a broader age range, its small-group escorted model, exotic-destination portfolio, and Toronto home base make it a close operational peer, and it competes for some overlap in the active 50+ segment.
- Saga Holidays: Saga is a UK-based travel and financial services brand focused exclusively on the over-50s market. Its escorted tours and cruise offerings directly overlap with ElderTreks' mature-traveler positioning, particularly for UK-sourced customers calling ElderTreks' UK toll-free line.
- Intrepid Travel: Intrepid Travel is a global small-group adventure tour operator with a portfolio spanning all continents and strong coverage of wildlife, cultural, and polar experiences. Its small-group format, exotic destinations, and escorted style closely mirror ElderTreks, though Intrepid targets a broader demographic including active 50+ travelers.
- Adventures Abroad: Adventures Abroad is a Canada-based small-group tour operator that focuses on cultural and adventure itineraries, with a significant portion of its customer base aged 50+. Same home geography and direct overlap with ElderTreks' escorted-tour product positioning.
- Road Scholar: Road Scholar is the leading nonprofit educational travel organization in the US, primarily serving travelers aged 50+ with small-group learning adventures worldwide. It directly competes with ElderTreks in the mature-traveler adventure niche, offering similarly priced small-group escorted tours to exotic destinations.
- Grand Circle Travel: Grand Circle Travel specializes in escorted small-group tours for travelers 50+, with a strong footprint in exotic international destinations including Africa, Asia, and South America. Its branded Cruise Lines division (Grand Circle Cruise Line) also overlaps with ElderTreks' expedition offering. Business model, customer demographic, and small-group escorted tour structure are closely aligned.
- Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT): OAT, part of the Grand Circle family, offers small-group adventure travel priced for the 50+ traveler with off-the-beaten-path itineraries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and polar regions. Like ElderTreks, it emphasizes cultural immersion, small group sizes, and exotic destinations, making it a directly comparable peer in the same customer segment.
Emerging players
- Adventure Canada: Adventure Canada is an existing ElderTreks partner that operates expedition cruises aboard Ocean Victory, Ocean Nova, and Ocean Albatros. While it currently serves as a supplier for ElderTreks' polar product, it also directly sells small-ship expedition cruises to a similar demographic, making it both a partner and partial competitor.
- Quark Expeditions: Quark Expeditions is a polar-specialist cruise operator offering Antarctic and Arctic expeditions aboard small ships. It overlaps with ElderTreks' Arctic/Antarctic offering (currently via Adventure Canada vessels) and competes for the same affluent mature adventure traveler.
- Lindblad Expeditions: Lindblad Expeditions (in partnership with National Geographic) operates small-ship expedition cruises to Antarctica, the Arctic, and other remote destinations. It directly overlaps with ElderTreks' polar cruise product and represents a potential partnership or competitive threat in the expedition segment.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ElderTreks social profiles
Digital presenceElderTreks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ElderTreks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ElderTreks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ElderTreks M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ElderTreks
What does ElderTreks do?
ElderTreks designs and sells small-group (maximum 16 travelers) all-inclusive adventure tour packages and expedition ship cruises to exotic and off-the-beaten-path destinations worldwide, exclusively for travelers aged 50 and over. Tour pricing bundles accommodations, meals, local transportation, entrance fees, tips, and tour leadership, and ranges from approximately $5,295 USD to $18,495 USD per person depending on destination and duration. Add-on services include travel/medical insurance resold through Manulife and John Hancock partnerships and the ClubTrek loyalty program offering 5% off repeat bookings.
Is ElderTreks a public or private company?
ElderTreks is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ElderTreks founded?
ElderTreks was founded in 1987. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ElderTreks based?
ElderTreks is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does ElderTreks make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tour Package Sales are the primary driver. The others are travel Insurance, single Supplement Charges and clubTrek Loyalty Program.
Who are ElderTreks's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are G Adventures, Saga Holidays, Intrepid Travel, Adventures Abroad, Road Scholar, Grand Circle Travel and Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). Emerging players are Adventure Canada, Quark Expeditions and Lindblad Expeditions.
Does ElderTreks have an API?
No public API is recorded for ElderTreks.
What industry is ElderTreks in?
ElderTreks's product category is Adventure Travel Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAKADAB, Small-Group Escorted Tour Operators, with a secondary code of THAEADAC, Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (Under ~500 Guests). Its NAICS code is 561520 and its SIC code is 7900.