Skift Take
The term "experiential travel" is so overused these days that it's almost become cliche. But 45 years ago, Richard Bangs did experiential travel before experiential travel was cool. When he inaugurated Sobek to specialize in worldwide adventure and cultural travel, the concept was pioneering.
Mountain Travel Sobek has been specializing in exclusive experiential travel for nearly half a century, rushing in to new frontiers and introducing travelers to novel experiences before doing so was considered attractive to high-end travelers.
In 1969, Mountain Travel opened up shop, specializing in peak adventures. Then, in 1973, Richard Bangs, a one-time river rafting guide, started Sobek. Given that the two companies were running along parallel tracks, a merger was enacted in 1991, creating Mountain Travel Sobek.
During the course of its decades in business, according to Bangs, "Sobek (and later MTS) has specialized in being on the front edge of new travel opportunities, opening up areas and activities that are now considered standard." The company organized the first group trips for Americans to places like China, Easter Island, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia, among other places, and introduced mountain trekking trips in Nepal and river
