Who is the founder of Orca Expeditions?

Hello, I am Carole Gobeil, president of Orca Expeditions. For 33 years I have been part of the travel and tourism industry, having traveled to all seven continents of the globe. What a privilege it has been for me to have met the most interesting and eclectic group of people: Canadians who want to explore the world, local people who welcomed me into their homes and shared their traditions and ways, and visitors from around the world who dream one day they would visit my prosperous and beautiful country. And now, through Orca Expeditions, I want to provide you with opportunities to share and experience these wonderful adventures. My secret: what makes the world go round, are the people and all living forms who live on it!!

The meaning of Orca Expeditions?

Like the orca, a world traveler and found in all our oceans, Orca Expeditions specializes in planning and assembling customized and small group adventures around the world, for the student, the family, couples, singles, whom all have different needs and specific budgets.

The excitement of seeing with our own eyes this amazing whale roaming in front of us is such an honor; and what an unforgettable experience we bring back home with us.  These precious moments change our way of thinking, and appreciating what is really important.

I would like to give a special thank you to Guy Champoux from Air Tahiti Nui, for suggesting Orca as our trade mark.

Carole Gobeil and friends

A veteran in the travel industry, Carole has travelled the world. Presently, one of her favorite destinations is the Canadian North and the Arctic. She had the opportunity to visit Nunavik, Nunavut and Greenland in the past three years. Her lust for adventure travel developed from a desire to see new places and learn about people that are culturally very different. Sitting in a classroom was not her forte. She does have to give credit to her English teacher in grade 11, Mister Pereira, for her travel industry career direction. His story of the culinary delice of chocolate coated ants from his native country India initiated her curiosity to travel not only to India one day, but the world!

Carole is also an avid outdoor enthusiast and canoeist and can be found exploring the great outdoors!

Louise Tanguay

Louise accompanied Carole to the Arctic in September 2007, taking on the role as resident photographer on the Akademic Ioffe. During the trip, she gave some inspiring seminars on how to improve your photography skills. Look out for our future photography voyages with Louise, coming up in our featured destinations chapter.

For more than 30 years, Louise has been photographing the world around her with the keen eye of an artist. Her photographs have been published in magazines and newspapers in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia. Her slideshows and lectures have travelled extensively, and her photography workshops have drawn participants from the four corners of Ontario, Quebec and France. Her teaching experience has led her to Université Laval's École internationale de Percé where she teaches intensive digital photography courses during the summer. She has published two coffee-table books, NATURA and FLORA, and she was the photographer for many books on the gardens of Québec, including three on Reford Gardens. Her work has been exhibited in galleries in both Ontario and Quebec. Originally from Hearst, in northern Ontario, she now resides and works in the Ottawa area.

Louise's photos can be purchased directly from her website: www.louisetanguay.com.

Top sales in Canada for Trek Holidays Adventure Products!

Trek HolidaysCarole has been working with Trek Holidays products since 1990 and knows the differences and strenghts of each tour operator.

There is a different style and budget for every traveller, and it is important to know what every adventure company offers that makes them different from one and other.

Products:

  • Peregrine
  • Explore
  • Imaginative Traveller
  • Gecko
  • Exodus
  • Quark Expeditions
  • Budget Expeditions
  • Drifters
  • Africa in Style, Kiboko
  • Dragoman Overland
  • Tucan
  • Sundowners
  • OzXposure

 

Other Adventure Travel Companies:

Orca Expeditions works closely with other adventure operators like Gap Adventures, Intrepid, Sherpa, World Expeditions and many more.

Other Orca secrets

Over the years, Orca Expeditions has created many direct reliable partnerships with small local adventure and exotic tour companies around the world.