(37 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Gabrielle Estel

Cedar Rapids, IA

International Travel Leisure Specialist

I live to travel. I’ve invested over 4 years of my life living abroad.

I lived in Taiwan and explored Asia. Then, I moved to Egypt and explore the Mediterranean and the Sahara. From living with a host family in Spain as you...
Learn more about me.

I live to travel. I’ve invested over 4 years of my life living abroad.

I lived in Taiwan and explored Asia. Then, I moved to Egypt and explore the Mediterranean and the Sahara. From living with a host family in Spain as young teenager to honeymooning in Italy, travel has always marked my life milestones. Now I’m back in my Iowan home state to help others plan their own dream experiences across the globe. Travel is my life.

Let me share my life with you. 

ARTS & CULTURE

My husband is my main travel buddy. He’s a history guy; I’m a literature girl. Between the both of us, we have to see every museum, temple, cathedral, statue --- you name it!

Over my years of travel, I’ve learned art and culture is more than the highlight real. It’s also exploring a local Greek market, listening to a Korean grandmother describe her love of fan-painting, trying homemade Italian dishes at a rooftop dinner party, having a quiet moment in a café watching uniformed King’s College students rush through Canterbury to their morning classes, bargaining for a brick of tea in China.

These little moments of life are art and culture. 

FOOD & WINE

Food is the heart of a country. Food tours are journeys to the heart of a place---and the locals. Local food tour guides know every alley, and cooking instructors always welcome travelers into their family. They’re the best to ask for any last minute recommendations and to have a better understanding of culture through the kitchen. Sometimes the kitchen is the desert, like roasting chicken in Egyptian with a side of koshari. My personal favorite are moon cakes to celebrate Mid-Autumn festival and Scottish eggs in Bath.

Nothing is as engrained in a place as food. It an easy way to experience a place’s every day.

EXPLORATION & ADVENTURE

Let’s take the path less traveled.

That path might be a horse ride through the mountains, a dune buggy through the dunes, a hike up an along the spine of a mountain, a gondola ride above the jungle outside Hong Kong, or a peak at North Korea at the DMZ.

Whatever type of heart racing you’re looking for, I can find.

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Gabrielle Estel

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Japan Travel Expert

Follow the Torii Gates!

This spring I was invited to tour Japan with the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). I was one of eight advisors chosen from hundreds of applicants.

On our trip, I was accompanied by a JNTO leader, logistics head, and professional guide to see the absolute best of Japan and learn all the details of traveling throughout the islands. We got into all the nitty-gritty details, such as visiting each train ticket office in the Tokyo Rail Station.

History and Art: Mountainous Shrines and Islands of Art

I knew to expect colorful shrines and towering temples, and I wasn’t disappointed. Fushimi Inarti Shrine in Kyoto, with its long tunnel of bright orange torii gates, is an absolute must-see. The gates form a 2.5 hour walk to the top of the mountain! I also loved exploring the Asakusa district around Sensoji Temple. There are so many great little shops, and I pulled “The Best Fortune” omikuji!

I didn’t know to expect Japan’s strong contemporary art scene. I explored the contemporary art museums of Naoshima Island. Yayoi Kusama’s famous pumpkins greeted us at the pier. Then we delved into the Benesse House Museum and Chichu Art Museum. Both museums focus on the relationship between the natural outdoors and museum indoors. The Chichu Art Museum was unlike anything I’ve experienced. Most of the museum is underground, and exhibits play with light to make you think open corridors are walls.

Food and Culture: Continuous Dishes and Rich Traditions

Wow. Wow. Wow. Talk about melt in your mouth delicacies. I grilled my own Hida Wagyu beef, savored sushi right next to the Tsukiji Outer Market, and boiled tofu in the hot pot while a geisha performed. And then the geisha beat me at Konpira. Japanese style means many little dishes that go on FOREVER! I tried so many amazing combos with a glass of sake or plum wine.

The restaurants reflected the unique charm of their location. After a snowy morning exploring the adorable silkworm houses of Shirakawa-go in the mountains, a warm seat around a grill fire was perfect. A delicate meal focusing on local vegetables was lovely before walking through Kenrokuen Garden. We also toured Yachiya Sake Brewery, a 250 year old brewery, and tasted their different sakes.

Planning Your Own Japanese Adventure

Never been to Asia before?

Japan is the perfect place to start. If reading about my Japanese journey has ignited your wanderlust, I'd love to chat with you about it!

Feel free to reach out to me, and we can discuss all the exciting possibilities and practical tips to make your adventure truly unforgettable. Whether you're interested in exploring shrines, getting out into the mountains, walking the alleys of Shinjuku, trying street food, or relaxing in an artistic island escape, I'm here to help.

My Travel Albums

Japan

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