As the Travel Program Manager, Ben Sander helps NPCA members experience the national parks through unique educational small group tours.

Ben Sander manages NPCA’s travel program to offer the best in educational travel to the National Parks through our small group tours. Ben has experienced and worked in ecotourism ventures in Costa Rica, Kenya, Tanzania, Peru and Pohnpei, Micronesia which have guided his vision for the travel program. Furthermore, he conducted his master’s research in Costa Rica at one of the first eco-lodges in the world, Rara Avis, which has since been published and Ben has spoken at a number of ecotourism focused conferences on his research. His passion for ecotourism also led him to be a tour guide in Washington DC offering bike tours of the national memorials as well as being a nature guide in Costa Rica.

He is also a bike advocate and commutes 15 miles round-trip a day as often as possible from his home in Brentwood, MD to work in downtown DC. He has gone beyond this bike commute to take part in Climate Ride five times to help raise awareness around climate change, bike advocacy, and national park protection. Ben is an avid hiker and has visited nearly 140 national park units since he began working for NPCA as well as many national parks around the world.

www.npca.org/travel; 202.454.3305

Articles by Ben Sander