Duke. We travel smart.

Interest in making trip reservations can be requested via the Trip Reservation Interest form linked from each trip. Completing this form does not constitute a trip commitment or require a deposit. Once you fill out this form, a member of the Duke Travels team will contact you to answer any questions you may have and walk you through the next steps. 
 
You can also contact the Duke Travels team directly at DukeTravels@duke.edu or (919) 684-2988.

Duke Alumni, Duke parents, family and friends are all welcome to book and travel our educational trips.

We travel by land, ship and rail. Connecting air travel to other destinations on the itinerary is sometimes needed and included in the price. Our small group land programs are immersive and exclusive to Duke. When traveling by ship or on trains, we often share the vessel or train with other groups to keep our groups small. These programs offer immersive off-board experiences complemented by sophisticated rooms with fine accommodations and dining.

You can expect to discover the world with Duke Travels, where every journey is thoughtfully planned for you and designed to foster a transformative cultural experience. You’ll engage in authentic tours that reflect our dedication to excellence and educational enrichment. You'll join world-renowned faculty and build connections with other members of the Duke community who share a love for travel and lifelong learning. Our vetted tour operators and partnership with Duke University ensure your safety and security, while our small groups cultivate an immersive journey. 

Duke Travels works with several vetted educational travel operators. Each operator clearly states tour inclusions in their program descriptions and pricing. They also detail their policies in their individual Terms & Conditions. Inclusions vary, and we are happy to answer your questions.

Duke Travels strives to send Duke faculty on each program to share their expertise as it relates to the destination. On occasion, this is not possible due to schedules, teaching, or group size. 

When traveling globally, Duke University and Duke Travels has your back. In case of medical emergency or need of evacuation, all Duke Travelers traveling internationally are covered by Duke University’s blanket emergency assistance plan and can be served by Duke University’s partner for global health safety and security, International SOS. This is a service provided by Duke University for Duke Travels participants as well as faculty, staff and students. 

Duke Travels leverages the resources of Duke University and its partnering operator to monitor the world situation daily. Through this, we have comprehensive input and access to up-to-date information provided by the US Department of State, International SOS, health outlets, in-country operators and experts at Duke, such as Duke’s Global Travel Advisory Council and other institutional resources. Duke Travels works closely with all of its operators and their partners on the ground in the destination to inform its decisions about travel. All international Duke Travelers are entered in the Duke Travel Registry and covered by Duke abroad. Before your international trip, we recommend you register your travel with the US Department of State Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). For information on vaccinations and health advisories in your destination visit the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

Our partner operators have changed their health protocols to adapt to the evolution of how we are living with COVID 19. Testing and vaccination are recommended but no longer required. Please review the protocols provided.

Each program varies but to fully enjoy your travel experience, participants should be in good physical and mental health and able to keep up with the group’s pace. Please be aware that all tours involve some walking, and activity levels will vary based on individual tour itineraries. Most programs describe the level of activity in the brochure, but if you have questions, we are happy to answer them and/or connect you the travel operator who can contact you to answer any further questions.

Cancellation penalties generally apply once a deposit has been received. These terms vary based on the tour operator, the specific trip, and the date of cancellation, and increase incrementally as the departure date approaches. Please review the Terms & Conditions and Cancellation Policy from the tour operator for your tour available in your trip.  

Yes! Duke Travels provides information to each of our travelers regarding trip cancellation insurance through Meyer & Associates. Whether you choose coverage through them or from another vendor, we strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance the protection of your travel investment.

In case of medical emergency or need of evacuation, all Duke Travelers traveling internationally are covered by Duke University’s blanket emergency assistance plan and can be served by Duke University’s partner for global health safety and security, International SOS. This is a service provided by Duke University for Duke Travels participants as well as faculty, staff and students. This coverage is not intended nor recommended to be replacement for the purchase of individual trip cancellation insurance, as the medical coverage is minimal and no reimbursement for cancellation or interruption is included. This is purely in case of emergency and serves as a safety net and service for our Duke Travelers. 

“Pre-registration” means that a travel program is actively taking deposits, however the final itinerary and price are still subject to change by the tour operator. By paying your deposit and pre-registering for a travel program, you hold your space(s) until the brochure and final pricing becomes available. When available, you may review and then choose to either receive a full refund of your deposit or re-confirm your booking. If you reconfirm, the cancellation policy outlined in the brochure will take effect at that point. 

No, to join the waitlist, you simply need to call us at (919) 684-2988 or email DukeTravels@duke.edu. After you have joined the waitlist, you will be contacted if space becomes available on the travel program. 

Duke University educates and empowers its community to create a more sustainable future through environmental, economic and social change on campus and beyond. In line with Duke’s Climate Commitment, Duke Travels has joined this movement by engaging the travel industry to help develop approaches and metrics to monitor and improve environmental impact and to journey sustainably. All tour operators working with Duke Travels are expected to meet and exceed a standard for responsible travel. Please see the information provided by each operator on the ways that they minimize and offset their carbon footprint and strive to have a positive impact on the destinations visited. 

Duke Travels works with Duke campus partners to organize custom curated programming for their targeted constituencies. For more information, please contact the Duke Travels team at DukeTravels@duke.edu.  

Groups of 20 or more paying participants may request private departure through one of our partnering operators. These groups may consist of Duke friends connected by location, Duke parents or even family reunions. Occasionally, depending on operator and destination, we can arrange it with fewer. Groups on National Geographic-Lindblad Expedition cruises must be 10 or more to qualify for the concessions. 18-24 months of lead time is required for these trips to leverage our longstanding partnerships and secure space and exclusivity. If you are interested in getting more information, contact us at DukeTravels.@duke.edu.