Who are we?
After over 30 years’ combined experience within a larger tour operator looking after discerning clients travelling all over the world, we decided it was time to fly our own flag and set up by ourselves. Calico Private Travel was born…
Camilla Whitworth
I was born in the Philippines with parents who loved exploring. As a child I was taken sailing all over the world, to Kashmir trekking on shaggy ponies and learnt how to haggle in various Far Eastern markets! The thirst for adventure was instilled deeply from an early age. My first big adventure, on my own, was aged 18, where I lived in northern Tanzania teaching English in a secondary school. I spent a year travelling all around Africa. I picked up some Swahili and adored everything about Africa – the incredible people, the enormous landscapes, the mesmerising animals and the real spirit of adventure.
During my university years, I worked in many a kitchen to save money for the next plane trip to escape in the university holidays. I explored central America, Morocco, India and more. It was on a ski season in Verbier that a friend suggested my love of travel would fit perfectly within the travel industry. I had no idea a job existed! But after my first interview for a renowned tour operator, 17 years later I was still there!
I have taken great pride creating wonderful holidays all over the globe for all sorts of different people. What I love is that every holiday is different and every person is looking for something unique. Unsurprisingly perhaps, I specialised in holidays to Africa and the Indian Ocean for over 10 years. Africa will always have a huge space in my heart. However, I have had the great fortune to experience many other destinations and always looking for the next place to visit!
The last 10 years, with the addition of two children, I have seen travel in a very different light through the children’s eyes. It really makes you understand what makes a great family holiday and the essential things to consider for family travel. The joy you get from their big smiles and wide eyes experiencing so many of their ‘firsts’ is something you want to bottle up forever!
I feel incredibly lucky to have bought all my favourite passions into my career. My love for food, riding, skiing, people, animals and adventure. I am so excited to launch Calico Private Travel with my great friend and esteemed colleague Alice. Together, we have an enormous amount of experience under our belts, but most importantly, a great shared love of travel and an absolute eye for detail when it comes to planning trips.
Alice Adler
My passion for travel began at an early age when I lived in Hong Kong. The perfect landing point to explore so much of Asia on your doorstep. Visiting the rainforests of Borneo, walking parts of the Great Wall of China, campervanning and rafting in New Zealand and an Elephant Safari in Nepal were a few absolute highlights.
After school I jumped on a plane to India travelling around for a month, enjoyed the white sandy beaches of Thailand and returned back to Australia and New Zealand. I had well and truly caught the travel bug and was not going to stop here.
Similarly to Camilla, it was in the Alps that I decided university wasn’t for me. Perhaps the clear Alpine air helps the clarity of vision? I was desperate to do something I was passionate about and that’s when my career in travel began. I tested the water with two weeks’ work experience for a luxury tour operator and didn’t leave for 14 years!
I have loved exploring so much more of this fascinating globe and specialised in the Indian Ocean (I think I have now visited over 20 Maldivian islands!), Caribbean, Middle East as well as Europe (and ski!). I also lived and worked in Singapore to satisfy my original Asian love affair.
I truly believe the partnership with Camilla makes total sense. We have an enormous amount of worldwide knowledge, I don’t think we could ever count how many luxury hotels we have visited around the continents! It is this experience and genuine passion for travel and people which we can not wait to bring together with Calico Private Travel and create truly memorable holidays.
With a young family, I know the importance of a work/life balance and how much holidays mean to people. I am really keen to go that extra mile for our future guests.