Jason w elephants

Jason Hedrick

Travel Expert

Having grown up in Egypt and lived in a few areas abroad, I have a passion for travel. I have been fortunate to travel to many areas around the globe. I love going to areas that are different than what I am used to. I love to explore and discover the difference. One of my absolute favorite areas is Africa. I have traveled extensively through East and Southern Africa and it never gets old.

Other areas that I have a passion for include Europe, especially France where I spent many of my college years.

I have also travelled extensively through Southeast Asia. One of my favorite experiences was on a river cruise down the Mekong in Vietnam and was able to visit the villages along and see first-hand the way of life of the people.

Travel is a way of life for me and it is a part of who I am. It is not just a process of organizing a flight or a hotel. It is about the experience.

Accreditations: 

Certified Travel Industry Executive, CTIE

Certified Travel Consultant, CTC

Certified Travel Associate, CTA

South African Tourism Board Expert

Master Kenya Travel Specialist, Kenya Tourism Board

France Destination Specialist, France Tourism

Fiji Matai Specialist

Dubai Specialist

✉[email protected]
✆ 503 721 8703

Heather - Traveler Travel Agent Jason Hedrick
12.11.2024

The trip was amazing! Everything I had wanted. The drivers and guides were all wonderful and so helpful. Pompeii was my favorite part and we...

The trip was amazing! Everything I had wanted. The drivers and guides were all wonderful and so helpful. Pompeii was my favorite part and we really enjoyed the Sorrento area. Rome was nice but honestly too busy and big for us. The birthday cake for my husband’s birthday was a very nice touch.
Thank you for all your help.

Michael and Mindy - Travelers Travel Agent Jason Hedrick
11.18.2024

Hi Swain Team! Now that we’re back home, we would like to thank you all for planning and coordinating what was an incredible trip for...

Hi Swain Team! Now that we’re back home, we would like to thank you all for planning and coordinating what was an incredible trip for us! Amazingly, this all started over five years ago when we started planning the trip with Jason which ended up being extensively delayed by the pandemic.

As we had hoped, this was a truly amazing and special trip for us and our daughter. The logistics (of which there were many) were seamless and well executed, the accommodations were fabulous (One & Only, Palm River, Dulini and Jabulani were each wonderful), and excursions were wonderful and meaningful experiences.

While we thought this might be a “one and done” trip (aka “bucket list”), the three of us were just talking about how we’d love to go back to Africa someday again. To the extent we do, we wouldn’t hesitate coordinating the trip with you and Swain (and we will be happy to refer our friends to Swain when we have the chance).

Thank you all again so much for your involvement and assistance in planning and effecting a truly lifetime experience!

Sara and Don - Travelers Travel Agent Jason Hedrick
11.18.2024

Hello! We are great. The trek today was, in our opinion, probably one of the best things we have ever experienced in our lives. We...

Hello! We are great. The trek today was, in our opinion, probably one of the best things we have ever experienced in our lives. We were worried about our physical conditioning and ability to keep up, but everything was fine. We weren’t the slowest, and we weren’t the fastest. It all worked out. We got back with time to really enjoy The Bishop House and do some exploring around the hotel. The staff here are just lovely! We are sad to leave early tomorrow, but we made some great memories, that’s for sure. Tonight will be a quiet night as we get ready to leave very early for Kigali to fly to Kenya. Thanks for checking in with us! We really appreciate it!

Elaine - Traveler Travel Agent Jason Hedrick
11.17.2024

The trip was fantastic! Non-stop for 18 days, and I was exhausted! Ha! VBT Bicycling Vacations was outstanding! Our guides and barge crew were top-notch!...

The trip was fantastic! Non-stop for 18 days, and I was exhausted! Ha! VBT Bicycling Vacations was outstanding! Our guides and barge crew were top-notch! The food was great! Our fellow passengers were all very nice people and we felt compatible with all of them. Your hotel recommendations were great!

Iceland was a treat, and one of our best meals was at an Italian restaurant.
Overall, nothing but praise. Thank you for all your assistance!

Jody and Rick - Travelers Travel Agent Jason Hedrick
11.17.2024

Rick and I had an amazing trip to Norway. Your expertise was spot on from helping us find the perfect fjord cruise to the hotel...

Rick and I had an amazing trip to Norway. Your expertise was spot on from helping us find the perfect fjord cruise to the hotel locations to the suggestion of staying in Oslo. We loved every moment.

We recently attended the AmaWaterways presentation. We definitely would love to take a cruise in ’26.

For 2025, we are thinking of Italy and we’d love to work with you again. I expect it’s a bit early to make plans, but I thought I’d share the basics and then we can connect on the specifics when you think it’s best.

Looking forward to the next adventure.

Peter - Traveler Travel Agent Jason Hedrick
11.16.2024

Jason….Morgan…..our Egyptian trip was EXCEPTIONAL in every way…..the selection of sites/activities was great, our driver was amazing, Heny (airport coordinator) was fabulous, both guides (Hala...

Jason….Morgan…..our Egyptian trip was EXCEPTIONAL in every way…..the selection of sites/activities was great, our driver was amazing, Heny (airport coordinator) was fabulous, both guides (Hala in Cairo and Huisein in Luxor) were absolutely the best one could ask for, the river cruise (Sonesta St. George) was unbelievable and the hotel accommodations (Mena House and Ritz Carlton) were definitely top shelf that left nothing unattended….last but not least was our ground coordinator (Muhammed) who could not have done a better job of addressing our every need and question.

Our fears/concerns about safety were COMPLETELY WITHOUT MERIT……we felt more safe in Egypt than on the streets of Chicago. The people we met (and there were a lot of them) were EXTREMELY warm and welcoming.

Kensington definitely “hit it out of the park” and we would highly recommend you and Kensington to any of our friends considering travel.

Thank you for a once-in-a-lifetime grand experience.

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