Ace Camps Travel offers immersive trips that blend creativity, culture, and hands-on learning.
*When doing a browser search for Ace Camps Travel: they are not to be confused with Ace Travel – a company that does not enjoy the consistently high traveler ratings that Ace Camps Travel gets.
No locale is too far flung for Ace Camps Travel, a company that runs immersive, experiential learning trips focused on handcrafts and cooking explorations. One look at previous trips will make that clear: silk weaving in Luang Prabang, Laos; wood block printing in Jaipur, India; culinary explorations in Emilia-Romagna, Italy; batik painting in Eswatini, South Africa; food styling and photography in Sweden; travel journaling in Marrakech, Morocco; and ceramics in Karatsu, Japan.
Part of the Ace Camps Travel magic is that they don’t go to these fabulous locations to merely craft or cook. They search out unique opportunities for cultural immersion and pursuits indigenous to a particular area. Ace Camps Travel – short for Adventure, Culture, Education – is a small, women-owned business with a curated network of artisans, on-the-ground guides, boutique hotels and local restaurants that goes wide and deep.
Participants explore printmaking techniques in Spain.
Company in Transition
Ace Camps Travel was founded by Angela Ritchie in 2009. A beloved pioneer in experiential travel tours, Angela’s vision was to inspire creativity through hands-on workshops, to learn deeply about other cultures, and perhaps most of all, to connect people. She wrote in a 2020 blog post,
“The tiniest occurrences that happen when traveling can reveal the most valuable memories and emotional connections.”
Sadly, in 2024, Angela lost her brave and determined fight with cancer. Just prior to her passing, she sold Ace Camps Travel to Tanya Staples and Vida Forrest y Salazar with the hope of carrying on the legacy she created. Tanya and Vida were willing and able to do just that.
The pair met while working together for many years in the tech industry at lynda.com, an online learning platform now called LinkedIn Learning. By 2023, both had left the corporate world and were at turning points in their careers. They often talked about working together on their own business, and the time seemed right to give it a try. Creativity, they agreed, needed to be front and center in whatever endeavor they pursued.
Tanya was a huge fan of Ace Camps Travel and had befriended Angela after going on trips to Laos, Nova Scotia and France. Tanya reached out to Angela to see if she was open to selling the business, and in June 2024, Tanya and Vida officially took over as the new owners. If there’s a silver lining, it may be that Angela’s wish to have Ace Camps Travel continue in a similar fashion has come to fruition under Tanya and Vida’s leadership. Tanya summed up her thoughts on the new endeavor, “We feel so lucky that we can use our skills, passion, and experience to honour Angela’s legacy and take this business into the future.”
Beautiful work came out of the embroidery workshop lead by fiber artist Han Cao.
As the new owners mark their one-year anniversary, the company’s upcoming trips span six countries across three continents – a line-up that Angela would certainly approve of. On the docket are trips including Italy for pattern design and contemporary woven beadwork, Japan for food and ceramics and Mexico for Dia de los Muertos art and traditions.
The three-person team at Ace Camps Travel also includes Jessica Stuart Crump, Director of Trip Design. Jessica worked closely with Angela for many years and has been indispensable during the ownership transition. Jessica has envisioned and developed many of the amazing trips on the Ace Camps Travel line-up and has a special knack for creating one-of-a-kind experiences focused around art, culture and food.
Learning batik techniques at the Baobab Batik center in Eswatini.
The Trips
Groups vary in size from 8 to 12 guests with accommodations that include various levels of shared or private rooms. Current offerings are roughly $4,000 to $8,000 for trips ranging from 5 to 12 days. Because guests come from all parts of the globe, airfare is not included in the price of the trip. Although a majority of trip guests are female, all genders are welcome.
Ace Camps Travel trips rarely go unfilled, and waiting lists are not uncommon. Some trips even sell out within minutes, like the recent trip to Lisbon, Portugal to study patterns, tiles and food. When a second session was added, that too sold out.
Each trip is led by a host – often Tanya, Vida, or Jessica – who leads the group through the itinerary. They realize that there are dozens of trip planners for people to choose from, but they’re betting that their curated experiences are one-of-a-kind.
The Artisans
Artisans and culinary experts play a key role at Ace Camps Travel, and Tanya and Vida continually search out new and exciting artists to build a trip around. Many of their artisans are indigenous to an area, like the team of women in Eswatini, South Africa who run the Baobab Batik center. Others are guest artisans from elsewhere, like Han Cao, a fiber artist based in Dallas, TX who has been the artist-in-residence for several Ace Camps Travel trips. Most recently she ran an embroidery workshop in Vietnam, and she’ll be off to Évora, Portugal for another workshop in October.
When asked what brings her back to Ace Camps Travel again and again, Han says,
“It’s the deep sense of connection that forms during each trip. As a teacher, it’s incredibly meaningful to be part of that — to not just share what I know, but to grow alongside others in such a thoughtful, inspiring environment.”
She adds, “One thing I deeply appreciate about Ace Camps Travel is the way they curate experiences you wouldn’t find on your own easily. There’s so much thought put into creating moments that feel both intimate and special— whether it’s a unique meal in a local’s home, a visit to a tucked-away studio, or a guided walk through a place layered with history and culture. It’s those kinds of moments that truly enrich the trip and stay with you long after it ends.”
Discovering the art of Japanese ceramics in Karatsu, Japan.
Something Special
Group travel often gets a bad rap but these small, curated trips seem to have a special ingredient. Quite often travelers have commented that Ace Camps Travel trips are life-changing and lead to life-long friendships. And because all the travel details are taken care of, participants can immerse themselves, be creative and literally enjoy the journey.
In Vida’s words, “a beautiful alchemy happens when 12 people from all walks of life come together to experience a shared interest.”
What better way to experience the world than to go somewhere new, learn, and explore, all while meeting people from around the globe. Ace Camps Travel has perfected this formula and lays the groundwork for discovery, creativity and enrichment.
Paula Wilson
contributor
Paula is a freelance writer and editor with a background in marketing and communications. She is a lifelong maker who especially loves to crochet and quilt. Her latest craft endeavor is learning how to weave on a floor loom. Paula has been published in the New York Times and has written 10 children’s nonfiction books. She lives in Glastonbury, Connecticut.