The People Who Know Adventure Best
We know adventure because we live it. Guess what we do with our vacation time? That's right, we travel. And in preparing you for your ideal adventure, Adventure Center consultants draw upon personal experiences as well as videos, pre-departure booklets and recommended reading lists.
A wealth of experience
Together, we've been to over 115 countries. We encourage you to read a bit out us and reach out to us - tap our knowledge!
Adventure Center - Toronto Office
200-119 Spadina Ave.Toronto, ON Canada
M5A 2L1
TEL: +1(416) 922-7584
FAX: +1(416) 922-8136
Toll free: 1 (800) 267-3347
toronto@adventurecenter.com
Office opening hours: MON-FRI 900-1730 hrs
Registered under number 50014768 with the Travel Industry Council of Ontario
President & CEO
 |
Dallyce Macas - President & CEO, Adventure Distribution - North America - Dallyce joined the company in 2008 to continue the legacy of Canada's first adventure travel company. She brings years of industry experience including running her own travel concierge company and working with of a variety of global travel organizations. Dallyce has considerable travel experience and most importantly a passion for adventure. Travel is in her blood and some of the regions travelled to include the UAE, the Arctic, Iceland, Europe and the South Pacific. Her passions include hiking, heli-skiing and cycling. |
 |
Anne Fairlie - Manager - Over the last 25 years Anne been able to fulfill many of her travel dreams. Over 110 countries and she still finds it impossible to be anonymous. To counter-balance the awkwardness of being a "ferengi", she has learned to dive right in to the culture and soak up the atmosphere. "I venture into the market with my camera, chose a spot, sit and listen to the chatter, try to capture these ordinary moments between local shoppers. I have also been found surrounded by a horse, 2 dozen goats and 6 young boys trying to sell me their woolen hats". In her diary from Sudan she wrote "the very moment you touch down at the airport you set your clock back 30 years". She doesn't believe you have to suspend expectations. Accept the 'time' warp for 2 weeks and let all your senses absorb the strangeness. The rewards are immeasurable and, if you are lucky, you will experience true revealing moments and not just about others, possibly yourself as well. |
 |
Tom Gehrels - Adventure Travel Specialist - Tom's passions are adventure travel and photography, having visited over seventy countries. Tom loves wildlife and has travelled to Antarctica, the Arctic, several private game reserves in South Africa, Chobe and the Okavango in Botswana, the Ngorongoro, Samburu, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara in East Africa. Tom has observed lemurs in Madagascar, gorillas in Zaire, orang-utans in Indonesia. He has explored the rain forests of Costa Rica, Venezuela, the Galapagos Islands and snorkelled on the Great Barrier Reef, Belize, the Red Sea and South East Asia. Tom also enjoys active trips, having hiked the Annapurna Region in Nepal, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, the Tuscan hill country in Italy, the Alps in Austria and Switzerland, the Alpujarras in southern Spain, in Morocco, Ethiopia, South Africa and Patagonia, Greenland's west coast, Iceland, Tasmania and Queensland in Australia as well as New Zealand. At home he has hiked the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island and spent considerable time volunteering and hiking on the Bruce Trail. Tom has cycled extensively in Europe and tries to throw in a day or two of cycling on most of his trips. Besides adventure, Tom enjoys a good meal with a glass of wine and browsing through little towns. |
 |
Jill Fost - Adventure Travel Specialist - Jill started traveling when she was about 8 with her parents. They normally just went to vacation spots in the Caribbean. While there, her mother would tour around the country with her instead of spending time on the beach. This is where her love for travel began. At 18, Jill decided to pack her bags and head off to the Middle East for a 7 week camping trip, but first stopping in France to live with a family for 5 weeks living on the coast of Brittany. She left France and headed to Istanbul where her camping journey began. From there she traveled through the rest of Turkey, continuing on to Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt where she finished her trip in the wonderful city of Cairo. Since then Jill has travelled to Tanzania, Kenya, Thailand, Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands. Starting in the travel industry as a Cruise Specialist, Jill has discovered that Adventure Travel is her true passion. |
 |
Julie Ruston - Adventure Travel Specialist - Julie began working with us in March 2005. She started travelling in North America at a young age and has overlanded as far south as Mexico City. Julie has had the opportunity to travel to India with Imaginative Traveller, to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe with Dragoman, and most recently with Exodus to Syria and Jordan. She has travelled to Indonesia and Thailand independently taking some cooking courses along the way. Her future travel plans include the Inca Trail in Peru and most definitely Africa again. |
Adventure Center - Calgary Office
336-14 Street N.W.Calgary, AB Canada
T2N 1Z7
Tel: (403) 283-6115
Toll Free: 1-800-690-4859
Fax: (403) 283-4166
calgary@adventurecenter.com
Situated in the heart of the Kensington area, close to downtown but away from the fast pace of the core. Located in its own building with an adjoining parking lot, the office in Calgary offers a comfortable and convenient space for all your travel needs. Having a spacious office allows a cozy atmosphere to chat with our agents, browse through our brochures or flip through our numerous photos, atlases and postcards.
 |
Rick Yearwood - General Manager for Western Canada - Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Rick started working as a Consultant in the Calgary office in 1990. He has traveled many times to Central & South America. He has also traveled extensively throughout Africa, Asia and the South Pacific, as well as across the Canadian Arctic. Ricks favorite destinations are the Galapagos Islands, Southern India, Machu Picchu and of course visiting the big five in Africa.' Rick has been the Manager of the Calgary office for 14 years. When he is not at the office, he enjoys spending time with his wife and 2 young daughters. |
 |
Heather Turner - Adventure Travel Specialist - Heather joined us in September 2004. She has over 20 years experience in the travel industry and has longed to travel ever since she can remember. Her adventures began with a 4 month backpacking trip through Europe, traveling extensively through the United Kingdom, Western Europe, Greece, Turkey, and Croatia. Next was Scandinavia. Never happy waiting too long in between trips, she traveled throughout the Caribbean and then to Brazil and Costa Rica. The South Pacific has always been one of Heathers favorite's she has been several times. In Asia she has visited Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan and Japan. Heathers favorite travel experiences include trekking to the Habinyanja group of Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi, experiencing a forest walk with the juvenile Chimpanzees on Ngamba Island, sea kayaking in Halong Bay Vietnam, holding a Koala Bear and snorkeling off Green Island in Australia, visiting a spice plantation on Zanzibar and seeing the Wildebeest cross the river during the migration in the Masai Mara. |
 |
Tracy Fiala - Adventure Travel Specialist - Tracy has worked for us in a number of capacities in our Edmonton, Vancouver, and Calgary offices since 1992. In the past, Tracy worked with some of our Operators in England. She worked with Encounter Overland in their offices as well as leading some of their tours. Tracy also worked with Dragoman Holidays in their workshop building their overland vehicles from the ground up. She's been with Imaginative Traveller in Greece, Karibu Safaris in Southern Africa, and Dragoman Holidays travelling overland from Kathmandu to London. Filing up her passport she has extensively ventured throughout Europe, Southern & Northern Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, SE Asia, India, Nepal, Australia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico & the Caribbean. Tracy loves ethnic cooking and discovering this amazing world! |
 |
Lauri Walters - Adventure Travel Specialist - Lauri's love of travel began with a trip to SE Asia in 1987, performing in a song and dance group which visited Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. In 1995, after completing her Travel and Tourism diploma, Lauri joined the Westcan Treks office in Calgary. Since joining the team, Lauri has had the opportunity to continue her travels, and the bucket list keeps growing! Some of her favourite destinations include East Africa, Ecuador and the Galapagos, Vietnam, and the countries in Central America to name a few. After a brief hiatus, Lauri has now re-joined the Adventure Center and is looking forward to her next adventure…possibly China! In the words of St. Augustine “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page”. |
Adventure Center - Edmonton Office
8412-109 Street, Suite 201 AEdmonton, AB Canada
T6G 1E2
Tel: (780) 439-0024
Toll Free: 1-800-387-3574
Fax: (780) 409-9137
edmonton@adventurecenter.com
Since 1972, our Edmonton location has been serving Northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the NWT. Centrally located in the capital city, near Whyte Avenue, and close to the University of Alberta. Our office hours are: Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:30pm and closed on Saturday and Sunday. We hope you enjoy our website and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
 |
Jim Connolly - Adventure Travel Specialist - Jim is an over 30 year veteran in the travel industry. He was born in Scotland and his love for travel began with a 6 week voyage from Britain to Australia with his family. After spending some time in Asia he went backpacking through Western and Eastern Europe, Morocco, North America and New Zealand. He also spent some time in a Kibbutz in Israel. He travelled to more exciting places as a ships photographer on cruise ships. His impressive list of destinations include the South Pacific Islands, Australia, Asia including Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand, Egypt, Turkey, Zimbabwe, United Arab Emerates, Oman, India, The Canadian and the Greenlandic Arctic. Most resently China and Cuba. Jim is an Australian Tourist Commission "Aussie Specialist" and a New Zealand Tourist Commission "Kiwi Specialist". |
 |
Melissa McCuaig - Adventure Travel Specialist - At the age of 23 and in need of change Melissa moved Australia for a year, living in Sydney and backpacking up the East Coast of Australia. Upon returning the travel bug had certainly bit and she moved to London, England working and travelling around the UK and Europe. Adventure Travel is definitely one of her passions and working for Trek Escapes gets to share her love of travel with everyone that comes through the door! She's a firm believer that planning your trip should be just as much fun as the trip itself. Some of her favorite trip highlights would be going to the Arctic sailing around the archipelago of Svalbard on the Vavillov and getting to see polar bears in their natural environment, visiting the infamous Cape Town wine lands and getting lost in the maze of alleyways in Damascus' souq. She has also travelled to Malaysia, Netherlands, Egypt, Cuba, Mexico, India, South Africa and most recently came back from Syria and Jordan. |
 |
Maureen Johnson - Adventure Travel Specialist - Maureen has spent the last 20 years working in several aspects of the Travel Industry including retail sales, wholesale operators, tour operators and college instructor. However, without a doubt Adventure Travel remains the most interesting and rewarding. To date Maureen has thoroughly enjoyed her travel experiences to over 30 countries. India with all its chaos and excitement and East Africa with its contrasting peace and serenity probably sit atop her list to date. Like many of us her travels began years ago with backpacking for extended periods of time. Where to next? Anywhere will be great! John Steinbeck said it well, "People don't take trips…trips take people." |
Adventure Center - Vancouver Office
2227 Granville StreetVancouver, BC Canada
V6H 3G1
Tel: (604) 734-1066
Toll Free: 1-800-663-5132
Fax: (604) 737-8854
vancouver@adventurecenter.com
The Vancouver office has been in the Kitsalano area since 1981. We pride ourselves on our knowledge of world travel destinations and how to get there. Our expertise comes form our combined experience in the adventure travel business and our desire to share that knowledge with our customers.
 |
Jody Corothers - Adventure Travel Specialist - Jody has been in the travel industry for 10 years. She started her passion for travel after moving to Australia at 18. After her travels through Australia and Fiji she decided to backpack around Europe for 3 months. She first joined us back in 2003 when she worked in the Edmonton office. She had the opportunity to travel to Peru and South East Asia. Itchy feet got her again and she moved to the UK for 2 years to continue in travel working for an African tour operator. From the UK she found herself moving to Cape Town for a couple of years where she has just recently moved back from. She has travelled throughout Egypt, Tunisia, Eastern and Southern Africa. |
 |
Philip Beck - Adventure Travel Specialist - Philip Beck has been a traveller since he was 9. School teachers and family inspired Philip to learn about the world. His interest in culture and the peoples of the world led him to a degree in Cultural Geography before he entered the travel business in 1985. His personal interests are spiritual journeys, cycling, hiking, and cooking. A good party is always welcome. |
 |
Amie Smith - Adventure Travel Specialist - After spending 5 weeks in Costa Rica on a volunteer wildlife & rainforest project that included teaching English, Amie knew she wanted to see more! In the last few years Amie has been to Egypt, Jordan, South Pacific, Galapagos Islands & most recently India. She loves traveling to countries that have rich culture & diversity. She looks forward to the day she goes to Africa to see the Gorillas. Besides travelling, Amie loves photography and discovering new places in & around her home town of Vancouver. |
 |
Charlene Huskins - Adventure Travel Specialist - Charlene’s love of travel began with family trips and a school trip to England, Turkey, Egypt, Israel and Greece. Open to the world of possibilities, Charlene pursued her education in travel and tourism, and later International Development. Over her career Charlene has experienced great opportunities to promote and travel to interesting, exotic and remote destinations. It’s hard to get her to name her favorite destination—the excitement of Rio, exotic Morocco, colorful Asia, European hidden splendors, the experience of being on safari. Charlene is excited to focus on small group adventure trips; helping you find the right style, budget, experience and activities with a focus on responsible tourism and sustainability. |
Adventure Center - Wholesale
8412-109 Street, Suite 201 AEdmonton, AB Canada
T6G 1E2
Tel: (780) 439-0024
Toll Free: 1-800-387-3574
Fax: (780) 409-9137
 |
Karen Bouchard - Manager - Karen started with the company right out of Travel College in 1983. Through the years, she has had the opportunity to travel to many destinations with quite a few of our tour operators. Most recently, she has returned from Portugal on a walking tour with Explore Worldwide. Her many travels have brought her to Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Kenya, Morocco, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, throughout Europe, the Windward islands in the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand and their remote South Pacific islands. Next on her list is Greece, Southern India and Chile. |
 |
Pat Rochon - National Wholesale Manager - Pat brings a considerable amount of expertise to the sales team with travel experience to 117 countries on all seven continents and personal experience with a number of Adventure Center's operators. Pat has presented hundreds of slideshows on a variety of different destinations to well over 20,000 consumers, opening up the possibilities of small group adventure travel to a broad range of people. He works from Ottawa and acts as national manager for our Canadian CATS (Certified Adventure Travel Specialist) Agents. |
| Bob Ruttan - National Inside Sales Coordinator - Bob has been working in the travel industry for over 14 years, travelled to 35 countries and still counting. Some trips have been with a back pack, some with Adventure Center. Bob has worked as a travel agent, got to know the travel industry across Canada working with Gap Adventures and learned everything he knows about marketing from Tourism Australia. His favourite experience has to be the Galapagos. Active day trips across various island learning about the unique flora and fauna, snorkelling or diving on perhaps the most active sea beds in the world and relaxing onboard during sailings meant the Galapagos suited him to a "T". Other favourites include hiking in Nepal and a two week overland safari in East Africa. Next on his agenda with be the Middle East, perhaps Jordan or Turkey, hmmmmmm... Turkey. | |
 |
Lisa Olsen - Adventure Travel Specialist - Lisa has worked for 20 years in the travel industry mainly in a retail environment. She brings a great understanding of the travel trade. Most of her time over the years was spent travelling to destinations around the world and has brought this experience to Adventure Center! |
 |
Laura Derksen - Adventure Travel Specialist - Laura's world perspective was first broadened at the age of 8 when her family moved to Lahore, Pakistan for ten months. A few years later her family moved to Tamale Ghana for two years. Living in such foreign cultures at a young age undoubtably made an impression on her, as the discovery of new places is one of the things she now most enjoys! Laura also spent three months improving her German in Hamburg on an exchange program, and in the spring of 2007 saw her return to Europe for a 4 month backpacking trip; visiting family in Germany, skiing the Austrian Alps, exploring Italy, Poland and Czech Republic, hiking the Norwegian fjords, canyoning and parasailing in the Julian Alps of Slovenia and relaxing on the Adriatic coast of Croatia! Laura has experienced life at high altitude in Peru & Bolivia, spending the night with Quechua speaking locals on Amantani Island on Lake Titicaca, hiked the challenging Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, tasted guinea pig in Cuzco, went sand boarding on the dunes at Huacachina and visited many fascinating sites and places in between! |
 |
Julianna Guy - Adventure Travel Specialist (bilingual english/french) - Growing up as a self-described "army brat" allowed Juliana to visit Europe during the five years her family was stationed in Germany. Returning to Canada, the travelling continued to Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, Europe and Africa. Julianna managed a Bed & Breakfast on the Mayan Riviera – learning Spanish along the way - before taking the plunge and becoming a retail travel agent in 2004. Julianna also worked as a training coordinator, translator and consultant in the industry and completed her certificate in Hospitality Management at Concordia University in 2009. Over the years she's been privileged to visit over 30 countries on 5 continents experiencing everything from camping in Africa to backpacking through Central & South America and cruising the Caribbean. Already scheduled are a return visit to the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador and a first time journey to the Galapagos Islands. |
Administration
 |
Andy Trache - Marketing Manager for Canada - Andy's background with the company spans nearly 10 years and he has worked for 8 of those years as one of our top producing sales agents. He has travelled extensively throughout the world, visiting more than 25 countries in the process. Andy has taken over the Marketing for Canada in June of 2007 and his current responsibilities include looking after all marketing efforts for all offices throughout Canada. |
| Steve Heike - Head Of Finance - TBA | |
 |
Fei Zhou - Corporate Accountant - Fei was born and raised in Shanghai and moved to the United States at age 24. She lived there for 7 years before moving to Toronto in 2008. Fei has been an accountant since 2004 and miraculouly, she is still loving it. Here dream is to retire at age 50, which means that she will be with us for quite a few years. Fei loves chocolate, Garfield, and being a couch potato (occasionally). |
 |
Ada Arslan - Accountant - Originally from Mongolia, Ada has backpacked throughout Mongolia as well as Russia, China and Hong Kong at least once a year. My desire in travelling is probably because some nomadic gene that run in my blood. Ada enjoys traveling and has travelled to 15 countries in Europe, South America, Asia and North America. With an MBA from the University of Victoria specializing in Service Management, Ada has been working in the service industry for more than 10 years. "I have a passion to support my colleagues, clients and team with my service, knowledge and experience". Ada's work experience includes United Nations Mongolia as a management consultant, Millennium Challenge Corporation of America as a Grants Coordinator, and Endeavour Marketing as a Financial Analyst. |