Launched in 2015, Equity Estates Expeditions is a unique service offering investors the opportunity to enjoy unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences, above and beyond their investment vacation homes. These bucket-list adventures — in amazing destinations such as Iceland, South Africa, Tuscany, and Galapagos — are highly curated, luxurious, and hassle-free; everything you’d expect from the experienced Equity Estates team.
“I can’t express enough how much thought and detail Marie Raymond, EVP, Member Services and Expeditions, puts into these expeditions,” say Fund V investors Ian and Jackie Hunt. “She takes the utmost care when selecting tours, tour guides, activities, and restaurants. Her itineraries are packed with exciting and unforgettable experiences. There is nothing better than arriving on a trip without having to do any research and knowing that everything in your schedule is going to be taken care of.”
Attention to Detail
That attention to detail and thoughtful planning are key elements of the Expeditions. Knowing everything is taken care of by people that the investors trust and get to know directly sets the trips apart from typical group travel vacations.
“Our strongest impression was the overall attention to detail,” says Fund V investors Keddy and Linda Bostic of their recent Dolomites Ski Expedition. “Everything from restaurant selection, to skiing guide and group planning, to the logistics of transportation and lodging was just done perfectly.”
“I’ve often told folks that after a client’s initial investment, Equity Estates essentially becomes a customer service focused business model,” Keddy adds. “I think Equity Estates embraces this, and it shows in all aspects, including the expeditions.”
Thomas and Kathy Sweet, Fund II investors, say that the people and the quality of the experiences are two of the reasons they’ve gone on four Expeditions so far. “Also, Marie does a great job of reaching out and discussing the itinerary and trip and is incredibly organized and patient.”
“We do offer a highly curated special itinerary just for our group in every destination,” says Marie. “We take care of all gratuities and planning. Our investors just need to book their own flights and get to the location, we handle everything else.”
Making Connections
Appealing to both new and long-time members who appreciate the community, the Expedition trips also foster camaraderie among investor travelers. Each adventure provides networking opportunities and encourages them to meet and get to know their fellow investors. This has led to lasting relationships and even shared vacations and business connections.
“We have found folks that have met on expeditions who are now even booking and using their nights together for men’s ski trips and other things,” says Marie. “Often investors will ask who is coming [on a particular Expedition], and they get FOMO if they aren’t able to make a trip.”
Keddy and Linda knew their recent ski expedition would be well-planned with a high level of luxury. “That’s to be expected with Equity Estates,” Keddy says. “What was surprising to me was how enjoyable it was getting to know other investors and the friendships made. There is a lot of common interest amongst the group, and it made the trip a great experience for us. We had very high expectations for the Dolomite expedition, and Equity Estates exceeded those expectations.”
Ian and Jackie agree. “One thing that stands out is how quickly you get to know all the other investors on the trip, and by the end of the expedition, you feel like you have made a group of new friends. It was great to see many of the couples we’d met on the Rhone River Cruise again on the Dolomites Ski Trip, and we know that we will be meeting some of them again on our next cruise.”
“There is a great camaraderie born almost immediately on each trip,” Marie confirms. “We all have nametags for the first few days and develop a WhatsApp group chat to update and remind people of start times and dress.”
She shares that the group chats sometimes continue once a trip is over. “We have investors who post vacation photos to the group chat as well as our shared Google drive. Recently, we even had a lot of back and forth on the Dolomite group chat about the U.S. versus Canada hockey matches.”
The Custom Itineraries
Whether you’re skiing the Dolomites or cruising the Rhine River, exploring Tuscany or enjoying the thrill of a photo safari in Botswana, each Equity Estates Expedition comes with thoroughly planned custom itineraries that provide one-of-a-kind experiences.
“The planning is superb,” says Diane and Denise Zvara, Fund III investors. “We don’t have to do anything but show up. And the activities are top-notch.”
“One thing we always think about,” Diane continues, “is keeping up. [These trips] are non-stop go and fun. When we travel, we usually like to be lazy, so this is a little faster pace for us. But we wouldn’t trade it for anything because everything is so much fun.”
“I would highly recommend an expedition to other investors,” Jackie says. “Transfers, accommodations, tours, activities, reservations, tips — everything is taken care of for you. Your only job is to enjoy yourself. The Equity Estates team will do all they can to make sure that all of your needs are met.”
Our Investors’ Experiences
Marie says that the Expeditions have a core group of raving fans. The trips sell quickly, though they can usually offer additional spots.
“We currently have one spot open for our river cruise on the Rhine in May and a handful for our June trip to Galapagos,” she says. “We always have at least one-third of the participants that are new to Expeditions.”
One of the best ways for new participants to make the decision to sign up for an Expedition is to hear directly from fellow investors who have been on the trips.
“Our first expedition was the Rhone River Cruise in 2023 with an add-on tour of Monaco,” Jackie and Ian share. “We have never been interested in large cruise ships, but when Equity Estates Expeditions offered a river cruise, it piqued our interest. We thought it would be a great way to see areas of Europe without changing hotels every couple of days. The additional tour of Monaco and the visit to the Monte Carlo Casino sealed the deal.”
Though they had never traveled with groups before, Diane and Denise made the Expeditions leap after hearing about them from friends. “They sounded like fun,” says Denise. “We had friends who had been on previous excursions and were signed up for the Danube River Cruise, so we joined. We had such a good time that we signed up for the Rhone River Cruise with some of the same people.”
David and Deborah Calvaresi, Fund IV and V investors, have been on multiple Expeditions, including the two-week South African safari that took them from Johannesburg and Zimbabwe to luxury tented accommodations in two private game reserves and then on to Cape Town.
During that trip, they spent two nights at Victoria Falls, enjoyed private game drives and guided nature walks, and explored the Cape Winelands, Boulders Beach, and scenic coastline.
“The safari expedition was an incredible experience,” recalls David. “It was our first time taking a trip like that. We saw the Big Five game all on day one, the game reserve camps were just amazing, and the entire vacation was the perfect balance of activity and relaxation.”
Following their safari experience, Deb and David were excited to sign up for their second expedition — the 11-day Rhone River Cruise that included a private tour of cities along the French Riviera and stops in Monte Carlo, Arles, and Avignon.
“It was fantastic,” Deb says. “Truly one of my favorite trips we’ve ever taken.”
A Few Favorite Activities
During the vacation expeditions, members get to experience a variety of unforgettable activities that they’d previously only dreamed of. All of the investors say they have favorite moments that they’ll remember forever.
“Experiencing the thrill of gambling in the Monte Carlo Casino was amazing,” Ian and Jackie say. “And dining with the Duke at his castle was a very grandiose event. Although we all grumbled about having to bring a ball gown and a tuxedo, dressing up was actually part of the fun, and everyone looked very elegant. The Duke was a great host, and we all had a fabulous evening.”
Thomas and Kathy say that the itinerary on the Danube River Cruise was their favorite, with stops in Vienna and Salzburg, an electric bike tour, private cooking class, dinner in a palace and more. And from an experience perspective, “skiing in the Dolomites was incredible.”
Past Expeditions
Equity Estates’ first Expedition was to the Galapagos Islands in 2015. Since then, they’ve taken investors on amazing safaris, unique city tours, and luxurious river cruises. Marie has personally escorted almost every one of the trips, including the recent group of 31 investors on the Dolomites getaway.
“I really enjoyed our Dolomites Ski Trip,” Marie shares. “I also enjoyed our safari last summer where we did a luxury mobile safari for the first time with dynamic guides.”
The Zvaras also name the Dolomites trip as one of their favorites. “All of the Expeditions are amazing, but Dolomites stands out because our adult children went too and it was fantastic. Our kids said it was the best vacation they’ve been on, and they’ve traveled a lot.”
A private fishing expedition to Ena Lake Lodge in Canada and a stay at the Rosewood Hotel in San Miguel are two of the other Expeditions the Equity Estates team have put together over the last few years.
Upcoming Travel Adventures
Equity Estates will be offering their second Expedition to Galapagos this June. “We have 30 investors so far,” Marie says, “a perfect mix of families and couples.”
The week-long sea-safari adventure is best for travelers ages 8 and up, and a few spaces are still available for investors who want to join in.
Prior to that, there will a week-long Rhine River Cruise in May, from Switzerland to Amsterdam — with an option to add two days in Amsterdam — at the height of tulip season. The Zvara family and Ian and Jackie Hunt are looking forward to being part of that trip.
“We’re excited about the cruise and exploring the tulip festival in Amsterdam,” says Jackie.
Other incredible Expeditions in the works for 2026 and beyond include a return to the Dolomites, an exploration of Lisbon and Porto in Portugal, African safaris, and a ski trip to Japan with a Tokyo add-on.
Diane and Denise have already planned to sign up for the Japan Expedition. “It’s a bucket-list trip for us to ski in Japan. The kids are not going to let us miss that one,” they say.
Thomas says that he and Kathy are also looking forward to enjoying more group adventures with Equity Estates in the near future. “I think if you are interested in seeing and experiencing parts of the world that perhaps you would not have thought of and doing it with a great group of people with first-class accommodations and itineraries, then you would be well served to sign up for an expedition.”
Travel with Equity Estates for a unique and memorable experience. If you would like more information about investing with Equity Estates, please reach out to our Investor Relations team at 404.445.8501 or click to schedule a call. Your personalized getaways await!
