About us

What do we do?

We offer educational experiences in the real world. We curate high-standard itineraries for teachers and plan & monitor every detail of the adventure; the activities, accommodation, food, transportation, guides and health & safety standards, all according to your students’ specific needs. The Learning Adventure co-ordinate everything for you whilst considering your learning goals.

How we do it

We audit, research, and fully understand everything that goes into your adventure before we present it to you. Our staff are regularly in the field making sure what you see on paper is exactly what your students experience. Our people on the ground work very closely with the office staff members who you communicate with.

Where we do it

We cover a large number of destinations across China, Japan, Southeast Asia, the UK, France and Italy, and we are expanding our list of destinations each year.

Why is what we do important?

We believe that experiencing different places, cultures & societies broadens horizons and expands worldviews. During your students’ adventures with us, we will show them the beauty in places and people that are culturally different to them, how to communicate respectfully and on a deeper level with the people they encounter and, ultimately, to grow as global citizens who will, in turn, make the world we love and cherish into a better place for everybody.

What makes us special?

We follow internationally recognised Health & Safety standards and customise each adventure to meet your learning goals, trip requirements and your budget because we genuinely care about delivering high-quality itineraries that reflect our company ethos.

Who are we?

We are The Learning Adventure. Our global team of 20+ expert employees are passionate about – and dedicated to – crafting tailor-made travel and learning experiences. Our partner brands are The Dragon Trip who offer backpacking tours in Asia and The Coyote Trip who offer group tours in America.

The Team

Director

Alex Seigel

Alex is passionate about travel and education having worked in both sectors for the past decade. As an Assistant Head on the Teach First programme, he was inspired to improve educational outcomes for young people. This passion has remained a part of his work at The Dragon Trip. In his spare time, he enjoys sport, reading and visiting new places.

Director

Ramsay Kerr

Ramsay knows first hand the value of learning in an international environment, having himself studied at international school and universities in Asia. He has more than 10 years’ experience in running experiential learning programs, and believes that all of us can learn a lot from the open minded approach students have when seeing new cultures for the first time.

Education Experience Manager

Alex Bycroft

Alex has been living in China since 2017, working in education and education technology institutions in Shanghai. If not working, you’ll find Alex playing table tennis, eating Xiao Long Bao, or in the gym! Alex has travelled to over 30 countries and always does his best to learn the native language of any country he visits – he’s fluent in Mandarin and is still learning every day.
Operations Officer

An Hoang

An joins The Learning Adventure after leaving her job and travelling solo for two months. In her words: “The Learning Adventure encourages travellers to be bold, have courage to try new things and explore new places, but in a low risk environment. It makes working here is such an honor and I hope to help all of you, travelers all around the world, have the best experience in travel.”

Senior Operations Officer

Bao Tran

Hello to all! I am Bao Tran. I’m currently based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I personally love the quote saying, “Travel is the one thing you buy that makes you richer”. And for that reason, I have always been loving to travel, connect with people and learn new culture. I’m grateful to have had the chances to travel to various locations and see parts of different cultures as I grew up, which then enabling me to share all of my travel experiences and tips for making a trip special with all of my customers.

Adventure Leader for Singapore

Don Teo

With a passion for exploring the world, Don has experienced many things from cultural customs to exotic cuisine (and of course, the occasional embarrassing moments!). As a seasoned traveller, he knows how to make every trip unforgettable, and can connect you with the most authentic experiences that will leave you feeling like a true local. 

Head of Marketing

Elaine Westbury

With over a decade of travel marketing experience, Elaine is passionate about all things travel: exploring new places, meeting new people – and, of course, the food! When she’s not travelling or planning her next trip, you’ll find her seeking out the best cultural food experiences in London.

Marketing Business Analyst

Emma Russo

Emma has a passion for providing young people with amazing educational opportunities, having been an Assistant Head Teacher and chosen as one of the Top 50 teachers in the world for the Global Teacher Prize in 2019. She also loves to travel, exploring new cultures – and is trying to go to as many Olympic Games as she can!
Regional Expert

Fly Yu

Fly by name – Fly by nature… In between running marathons around the world, founding her own charity for the elderly in China, and playing top class badminton, Fly has been an indispensable member of the team from our very first days!

 

Educational Tour Specialist

Hannah Galbraith

Hannah joined The Learning Adventure in 2023, following roles in languages teaching and fine art auction. Hannah lived in Hong Kong for fourteen years and Beijing for one, and holds a deep affection for Chinese film and literature. She is often spotted reading non-fiction on the tube, usually on her way to a museum!

Classics Trip Specialist

Hannah Watkins

Hannah joins the TLA team after 3 years as a teacher of Humanities and Classics in London. Her passion for Classics began with travels to Italy, Turkey, and Greece, and led to 4 years studying Classical Archaeology and Ancient History at Oxford University. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys visiting museums and galleries, watching rugby, weekly ballet classes, and travelling whenever she gets the chance!

Educational Tour Specialist

James McGeown

James has worked within the educational travel sector for around 15 years. Having been on the ground for much of that time, he truly understands the pressures and joys of travelling with a group of young minds! With 35 countries visited and still counting, you will find James over in Asia, based in our Ho Chi Minh City office.
Finance Manager

Jamie Tran Rico Pisa

Jamie comes from the land-down under (Australia) and is the Finance Manager for The Dragon Trip.

With a wealth of Financial and Accounting experience from a range of industries, he’ll be sure to help you with all your financial needs.

In a globalized world, travelling is the best investment you can have on yourself. Learning about new cultures, languages and stories, will help develop new skills and abilities to help you grow.

When not working, Jamie is usually keeping tabs on the latest sports or watching movies.

Marketing Manager

Jess Ennis

When she’s not working in marketing at The Learning Adventure, Jess loves to travel the world herself. She’s a self-confessed foodie, and roams around whenever she can in search of the elusive ‘best dinner ever’. But if she’s not on a plane, train, or automobile, you’ll find Jess with her head in a book or her eyes on a cinema screen.
Regional Expert

Jiyoon Eom

I am Jiyoon from South Korea, and this is where I have spent most of my life, brought up and educated. Quite recently I’ve joined Learning Adventure as Regional specialist. My first time here was almost like when I started my first job right after my colleage as learning dos and don’ts as a newbie. I am still learning a lot of new things and people that I might meet through my guide job and regional specialist activities. As I mentioned, I am as a licensed guide and event organizer which I think it might have attracted Learning Adventure to find me eligible for covering Korea as regional specialist. I’m always thinking of things that I should do right and keep my dignity that would value me and my country that I am representing as a guide.
Regional Representative (Middle East)

Junaid Ahmed

Junaid has been in the education management industry since 2011. He loves travel and has been to 65 countries, and shares a passion for the Arctic, long-distance running, and ultra-marathons. Junaid spent close to a decade in China, primarily in Shanghai, but travelled all over the region. He is now based in Dubai, and covers the GCC/Middle East region for The Learning Adventure.

Regional Expert

Katsumi Hachiya

Pre-Covid, Katsumi was one of the top Adventure Leaders in Japan providing the best service for family and school trips. Now he is as a Japan Regional Expert and ensures high quality for trips. However, he still sometimes plays the Adventure Leader role on the field.  Why does he wear an outfit like this with a sword?  Search “IAIDO” – something he enjoys!

Booking Officer

Maria De Pascale

Originally from Italy, Maria studied in Belgium, then moved to Portugal for few months before settling in England. She has been working in the educational travel industry for the past 6 years, building a wealth of experience in organising school trips. Away from the office, Maria loves baking all sort of cakes and burning the calories at yoga!

Japan Regional Specialist

Nanami Chinatsu

Nanami is Regional Specialist for Japan and is based in Tokyo, but travels all over the world representing Japan in international cultural events and pageants. It’s her pleasure to welcome you to Japan, so that you can witness the wonders the country has to offer!

Operations Officer

Ngoc Vu

Ngoc has a passion for exploring new places and cultures, and dreams of travelling extensively throughout the world. Ngoc is always eager to learn about new languages and customs, and is fluent in French, English, and Vietnamese. He’s a self-confessed perfectionist, and pays close attention to every detail to ensure that all of our clients have the best possible experience. With his love for travel and dedication to delivering exceptional service, Ngoc is committed to helping our clients create unforgettable experiences that will last a lifetime. 

Regional Specialist

Paul Ronan

If you ever need someone to tie a strong knot for you, Paul’s your guy. After college, Paul found himself work a wide range of jobs from leading horseback trips in Colorado, leading month long canoe expeditions in northern Minnesota, to sea kayaking trips in Vietnam. He recently went for a two year walking expedition across the Silk Road covering 9,000 km by way of China to Turkey. Now Paul is based in Yangshuo China and is over seeing the operations of the East Asia trips at TLA.

European Operations Manager

Rory O’Keeffe

Before working for The Learning Adventure Rory lived in Rome, where he learned the correct and only acceptable way to cook a carbonara. He is now the resident Italophile at TLA but doesn’t let his Italy-bias get in the way of organising trips all over Europe! In his spare time he enjoys learning languages, playing football, and writing about himself in the third person.

Educational Tours Specialist

Samuel Axon

Sam joined The Learning Adventure in 2022 after almost a decade working on school trips to Germany, France and Spain. He has travelled to over 25 countries, but his heart is split between Germany and Japan after a year living in each. When not working in the London Office, he spends his time out on the football pitch, cooking up Japanese food or planning his next adventure.

Product Development Manager

Sasha James

Sasha joined TLA after a decade working in a school in Hong Kong, planning and organising the local and international experiential trips for the 1,200 students in the school. Sasha has extensive knowledge and experience of the importance of student trips to the development, wellbeing and personal growth of young people, and is a firm believer in the TLA ethos of expanding minds through transformative travel experiences.

Head of TLA Operations

Scott Heptonstall

The English man living in Ho Chi Minh City, Scott is never too far away from a bánh mì. He loves playing rugby (even in Vietnam) and is known as “Odd Job Scott” by his friends. Indeed working a variety of quirky jobs; from Tour Director and Presenter to TV Gameshow Questions Writer and Producer. After building on his experience in educational travel, Scott now manages all The Learning Adventure tours across Asia.

 

Marketing Executive

Steph Holmes

When the cogs aren’t spinning with all things marketing, you’ll find Steph outdoors. Whether hiking mountains, surfing, mountain biking, skiing, or, open water swimming, she’s happiest when she’s outside with her heart racing (usually in a different country too). If she’s not doing any of the above, you’ll find her singing in pubs or at weddings with her acoustic duo band!

Operations Officer

Thu Pham

Thu is an Operations Officer and specialises in Japan, having studied there for three years. Thu loves to travel as she believes visiting new places helps expand her horizons. Through to her work with TLA, Thu has the opportunity to use her travel experience to design tours that will help travellers not only have an enjoyable time in Japan, but also understand more about the local culture. 

Central Services Manager

Tunu Evans

Though Tunu is based in our Ho Chi Minh City office, she is originally from Tanzania – the land of Mount Kilimanjara, the Serengeti, and Zanzibari beaches! When she isn’t managing different projects, she enjoys watching movies, eating good food, listening to music, and above all, travelling to new places to meet people from different cultural backgrounds. As a team member here at TLA, Tunu is able to be part of our clients’ adventures by supporting the team in organizing truly memorable tours.

Chat to one of these friendly faces!

Consent

London

The Learning Adventure
133 Whitechapel High Street London, E1 7QA

+44 (0)20 3817 5974

ABTA

Boston

The Learning Adventure 51 Melcher St
Boston, MA 02210

+1 617 372 4583

Shanghai

The Learning Adventure
Rm. 202, Building 4, 689 Xinhu Rd Baoshan District, Shanghai, PR, China

+86 021 61 50 32 00