About us
Our travel club hosts adventures locally in Houston and around the world for all things travel, culture, adventure, & photography with our friends at PhotoFly Travel Club! Join us on a local photo walk, or travel talk during happy hour, and then meet new travel buddies for future adventures! This is a the perfect group for those looking to make new friends in Houston and find compatible travel & photography partners for life!
Upcoming events
51
Wonders of Japan
Tokyo, Japan, 1 Chome-5-10 Shibakoen, Minato, JPMay 12 - May 21, 2026
Join here: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/japan-group-tours
Email us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!
Travel friends at PhotoFly Travel Club are bringing back their adventure to Japan! Our Japan group tours are chock full of diverse activities including unique cultural experiences, fantastic landscapes, and all the beautiful temples and architecture that make Japan so iconic. Highlights include the Meiji Shrine in downtown Tokyo inside a park with over 100,000 trees, an easygoing walk through Chubu-Sangaku National Park in the central mountain ranges, visit to Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park and accompanying museum, strolling through the Fushimi Inari temple complex in Kyoto filled with over 10,000 bright orange torii gates, an overnight stay on the peaceful Miyajima Island, and an optional activity to have a private photoshoot and cultural exchange with Japan's cultural treasure, a geisha! Thanks to the advanced bullet trains crisscrossing this country, covering distance is easy to do, and all the complex arrangements will be made on your behalf. Read on to see more of the highlights below.
- 9 nights/10 days
- Boutique hotels, ryokans, & highly rated accommodations
- Breakfast daily
- 1 Lunch, 3 Dinners
- All transfers, rail tickets, public transit tickets, entry fees, and activities as listed in the daily itinerary
- Private guides throughout
- All taxes, transfers, & fees included
Email us directly at joinus@photoflytravel.com to receive a detailed daily itinerary!
Tokyo: 2 Nights
- The Electric City - Experience Akihabara, an otherworldly place filled with bizarre "Japanime" oddities, neon signs, and streets & alleys lined with vendors selling every type of new and used electronics you can think of!
- Asakusa Kanon Temple (Sensoji) - Tokyo's oldest and most famous Buddhist Temple from the 17th century.
- Meiji Shrine - Dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken.
- Shinjuku - skyscraper district has great restaurants, shops, and neon lights everywhere you look. It's nicknamed the Times Square of Tokyo.
The Japanese Alps & Takayama: 2 Nights
- Hirayu Great Falls: This magnificent waterfall is over 200 ft tall and 20 ft across.
- Kamikochi Valley: Inside Chubu-Sangaku National Park, this highland area is home to an amazing walk through lightly forested areas with ponds, macaque monkeys, and a curving river with the mountains as a backdrop.
- Takayama Morning Market: On the bank of the Miyagawa River, the market is fun to observe stands selling local farm produce, flowers and crafts.
- Takayama’s Old Town: Visit and photograph Takayama Jinya, the old government house as well as old homes, shops, coffee houses, and sake breweries, some of which have been in business for centuries.
- Optional Hida Folk Village Tour: This open-air museum exhibits over 30 traditional houses from the Hida region, the mountainous district of Gifu Prefecture around Takayama.
Kyoto: 4 nights
- Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion): Covered with 18-carat gold leaf, this incredible building was originally built by the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1397.
- Okochi Mountain Villa: This famous villa consists of several beautiful gardens and buildings, including living quarters, tea houses, and a meditation hall.
- Monkey Park Iwatayama: We’ll meander up a small hill to reach the park with a nice overlook filled with macaques.
- Gion District & Optional Geisha Cultural Exchange: Walk through the sleepy district where geisha come from all over the country to train. For those interested (not included) we’ll get to have an incredible experience in a local house with a geisha for a cultural exchange and private photo shoot.
- Fushimi Inari Shrine: Filled with thousands of vermilion gates, this hillside complex and temple is enormous and beautiful.
Hiroshima & Charming Miyajima Island: 1 Night
- Memorial Peace Park, Museum, & A-Bomb Dome: Experience the poignant reminder that caused Hiroshima’s fame.
- Miyajima Island: is small sacred island located in the Inland Sea. It has been a holy place of Shintoism since the earliest times.
- Vermilion Torii Gate & Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima: a sacred island where we’ll visit the world famous Vermilion Torii gate at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Miyajima is one of Japan’s three most scenic places.
Email us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!
Price: $4,195
Single Supplement: $1,095Deposit: $600
12 attendees
$$ Whitewater School | Essentials of River Kayaking, San Marcos, TX
City Park, San Marcos, TX, USSWIFT OR SMOOTH, MOVING WATER IS FASCINATING!
TWO-FUN FILLED RIVER DAYS WITH CAMPING/MOTEL OPTION
$399 per person tuition includes instruction and all kayaking gear.
$299 for kids ages 12 or under; (minimum age 8 y old).
Family and teenagers friendly.Whether by yourself or with the whole family, white water river kayaking is a wonderful way to explore and enjoy the water! Open the door to explore the awesome Texas's rivers including San Marcos, Guadalupe River, Texas Colorado River, Brazos River, Buffalo Bayou and other bonnier, rain dependent rivers and creeks!
Gain the skills and confidence to safely enjoy River Kayaking!
Catch the Eddy - Enroll Now!!
Essentials of River Kayaking Skills Development Course for creek boats, playboats, and whitewater kayaks with skirts. Involves - optional - practicing wet exits and attempting to perform combat rolling.
This course is designed as a 2-day program emphasizing safety, enjoyment, and skill acquisition for controlling and maneuvering a whitewater kayak in river conditions up to Class II-rapids.
This class is for beginners who have never paddled before a whitewater kayak in moving water/whitewater conditions, or for intermediate skills kayakers who need a paddling refresher skills class because they last paddled a long time ago, fewer than 10 times, or have experience paddling only in calm water conditions.
In this river/whitewater kayaking class paddlers can master kayaking on the moving waters. There will be dry-land discussions followed by river paddling each day. We are teaching proper techniques for launching, landing, paddle strokes, and kayak maneuvers on the go.
No previous experience required! No equipment necessary! We bring all the gear needed for the successful completion of this course.
CLASS OUTCOME:
This is a super fun hand-on class. By the end of this class, you will be more skillful, confident, and safer paddler and have increased specific knowledge and appreciation for whitewater/river kayaking. We help plant the seeds for a lifelong hobby, environmental consciousness, and an active lifestyle.
CURRICULUM:
Unseen danger/reading the river and your concerns | Introduction to basic equipment | Launching and landing from a bank | Introduction to how body, boat and blade work together | Basic body mechanics and efficiency of stroke | Forward and reverse paddling | Sweep strokes | Draw strokes | Turning on the move | Communication & Leadership |
CLASS TEACHING STYLE: all hands-on deck, "challenged by choice" philosophy.
Duration: 2 days (9am to 5pm first day, 9am to 1pm second day).
Paddling Time: 3 - 5 hours each day.
Paddling Distance: 4 – 5 miles.Tent camping & meals sharing, or motel option exists.
San Marcos River near San Marcos, TXREGISTRATION: Minimum 4 students are needed to run this class, and capacity is limited to 5:1 student to instructor ratio. This is a rain or shine event. A waiver must be signed. This class requires a moderate fitness level and the capacity to bend (body flexibility/touch your toes test). Our whitewater kayaks can accommodate paddlers up to 250 lbs. and 40-inch hip/pants size.
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NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT CLASS FOR YOU?
Check our photos to get an idea...Essentials of River Kayaking, San Marcos, TX
CREDENTIALS: This course is taught Constantin Platon, an experienced outdoor educator, geology professor, and happy camper with 25+ years of experience, and the following current certifications:
ACA Level-3 Coastal/Sea Kayak Instructor
ACA Level-3 River/Whitewater Kayak Instructor
ACA Level-3 River/Lake Canoe Instructor (Solo & Tandem)
ACA Trip Leader & Eskimo Roll Endorsements
NOLS and Sierra International Wilderness First AidAdditional information (class syllabus) will be emailed once you enroll.
TO REGISSTER, PLEASE REPLY WITH YOUR PHONE NUMBER!
We must have a phone call before the actual class to go over logistics, payment, your goals and expectations, and to answer all your questions.
I am excited to share with you from my expertise, and I look forward to paddling together!
Constantin
Call/Text: 832-686-3231Do you have in mind a different drill, date, or destination?
Want to hire us for a corporate team building, birthday party or family engagement, or a Scouting event? Let’s get in touch!
Born to Paddle!
1 attendee
$$ Explore Trinity River Delta | Lake Charlotte Guided Sea Kayak Wilderness Tour
Lake Charlotte, Texas, TX, US$199 per person | 3-4 hour guided sea kayak wilderness tour to explore a world-class quality bottomland hardwood forest and spectacular rookery wetland: Trinity River Delta | Visit Lake Charlotte to witness a natural wonderland abundant in wildlife | Paddle in a maze of flooded channels covered by bald cypress trees | Small group size: minimum 4 | Includes lecture on geology, geography and biology, specialized sea kayaking equipment to efficiently and stealthy cover distances, certified instruction and pictures.
Activity Duration: 4-5 hours
Paddling Time: 3-4 hours
Paddling Distance: 4-8 milesTHIS TOUR CAN BE RE-SCHEDULED AT A DATE CONVINIENT TO YOU.
PRIVATE EVENT, PREPAID REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
WE TAKE APPOINTMENTS.= = =
LOCATION SIGNIFICANCE:
Lake Charlotte is the one of largest bald cypress tree swamps in Texas, part of a complex of at least four lakes that lie to the east of the Trinity River Delta. Hundreds of shorebirds are feeding on the shallow lake bottom. White ibises, blue herons, anhinga, white egrets, eagles, red tail hawks, beavers, wild hogs, deer, snakes, bass, aligator gar and a large contingent of American alligators call Lake Charlotte a breeding ground and home.
Join us! Relaxed pace. Outstanding Earth Sciences field learning opportunity. Small group size. Experienced trip leader. Awesome destination.
EQUIPMENT: We use premium-quality, professional-grade, field tested, kayaks designed for touring the sea. They have sit-inside cockpit seat, with long and narrow hull. We do not use sit-on-top kayaks.
REQUIREMENTS: Good balance skills and reasonable fitness level is advisable. Our sit-inside cockpit touring kayaks can accommodate paddlers only up to approximately 250 lbs. or less. Best for outdoor enthusiasts without motion or sea sickness, comfortable with vigorous exercise. No previous paddling or swimming experience required - instruction provided!
ITINERARY: Tailored to guests' desire, fitness level, group dynamics, weather conditions, etc.
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SIGN UP EARLY!!
A RSVP “Yes” on Meetup merely states your interest.
Seats fill up quickly - the tour is cross posted on several platforms.***TO SIGN UP & CONFIRM LOGISTICS CALL 832-686-3231 ***
Call Constantin Platon to confirm logistics, gear size, set up expectations, fill out waiver and to process payment.= = =
WHAT TO BRING/HOW TO DRESS:
Bring two 33 oz. water bottles and pack a snack/lunch to take with you in the kayak. Bring with you a towel and a set of dry clothing to change at the end for a comfortable ride home.
Dress only with synthetic clothing. Wear outdoor, fast drying, non-cotton/synthetic clothing like hiking pants and shirts. Long sleeve shirts and long pants prevent sunburn and insect bites.
Bring water shoes/closed toed sandals; old sneakers work great. No crocs, no flip-flops, no rain boots. Wear a large brim hat with under chin strap and sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm. Wear paddling gloves or cycling/ workout gloves to prevent blisters and sunburn on hands.
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TOUR OUTCOME:
Despite being relatively close to a major metropolitan area, exploring Lake Charlotte by kayak is a unique experience for most people: you will be amazed by its natural beauty! It's a really cool experience!
By the end of this trip, you will be a more confident kayaker and have increased knowledge and appreciation for the value of wetland coastal ecosystems.
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UNDECIDED? Check out our recent photo album:
Kayaking Joy | Autumn on Lake Charlotte
Lake Charlotte Spring Wonderland
Lake Charlotte Autumn Wonderland
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CREDENTIALS: This tour is organized by Constantin Platon, an experienced outdoor educator, geology professor, and happy camper with 25+ years of experience, and the following current certifications:
ACA Level-3 Coastal/Sea Kayak Instructor
ACA Level-3 River/Whitewater Kayak Instructor
ACA Level-2 River Canoe Instructor (Solo & Tandem)
Sierra International Wilderness First Aid= = =
PLEASE REPLY WITH YOUR PHONE NUMBER!
I am excited to share with you from my expertise, and I look forward to paddling together!
Constantin
[Call/Text: 832-686-3231]= = =
Do you have in mind a Different Drill, Date or Destination?
We also run team building events, birthday parties, church functions, historical and geological field trips and eco tours; overnight camping excursions down the river and weekend long adventures at sea along the Gulf Coast; and advanced paddling skills courses.
Born to Paddle!
1 attendee
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