Detours Gay Travel Blog
The Making of a Trip Leader: Beau's Story
- Jul 16, 2026
Every Detours trip has one thing in common: a trip leader who knows the destination inside and out and is just as invested in the experience as the guests themselves. It's part of why we never advertise which trip leader will be on what trips ahead of time. We trust you’ll love every member of our team, not just one familiar name on the itinerary.
This past March, we added three new trip leaders: Jay, Andy, and Beau. All three have been busy training and they’re getting ready to lead their first trips on their own.
Beau just wrapped up his final training trip with Brandon, on a 12 Days in Peru trip. Now he’s already leading his first Galapagos departure solo. We sat down with him to talk about what the training process has looked like, and what he's most looking forward to.
Get to Know Beau Kimber
You just finished your final training trip in Peru. What did the process actually involve, and what's one thing you learned that surprised you?
A lot of my training was about seeing how Brandon operates, from managing the logistics behind the scenes to making sure everything feels seamless for the guests. It's amazing how much work goes into creating an experience that looks effortless.
Even if I've been to a destination before, I am constantly learning something new. What surprised me most was how much the social connections within the group shape the trip. The destinations are incredible, but watching strangers become friends has an even bigger impact on the overall experience than I expected.
What has training on the ground, rather than just visiting a place on your own, taught you about how you want to lead trips?
When I travel on my own, I'm pretty spontaneous and I make things up as I go. Leading a group is completely different.
I want guests to feel like they're in good hands. I hope I'm someone who stays calm, keeps things running smoothly, and helps people notice experiences they might otherwise miss. If guests left saying I genuinely cared about them and making their trip special, I'd be really happy with that.
You're heading to Galapagos next, on your own for the first time. What are you most looking forward to?
The Galápagos has a connection to nature that I've never really felt anywhere else. It doesn't feel like you're just observing wildlife. It feels like you're part of the environment.
I'm really looking forward to the wildlife, getting back into the water to snorkel (being Australian, that's always a highlight), and especially seeing the guests' reactions when they experience it all for the first time.
Guests are meeting you as strangers on day one. How do you build that kind of trust and connection so quickly?
The first meeting is really important because it sets the tone for the whole trip. I like to welcome everyone, introduce them to where they are, and help them feel immersed in the destination from the very beginning.
I try to stay relaxed, explain my role, use a bit of humor to break the ice, and help people feel comfortable introducing themselves. Meeting a group of strangers can be intimidating, but it doesn't take long before those strangers start feeling like friends. Having worked in hospitality for years, I'm used to connecting with new people quickly, and I always try to understand what each guest is hoping to get out of the trip.
What do you hope guests remember most from a trip you lead, beyond the destination itself?
Of course, moments like seeing Machu Picchu for the first time are unforgettable. But I hope people also remember the smaller moments. The conversations on the bus, the unexpected laughs, and the friendships that develop along the way.
Those are the experiences you can't recreate traveling on your own. More than anything, I want guests to feel supported and leave feeling like they got exactly what they wanted from their trip.
Rapid Fire Questions
And before we let him get back to his guests on the 8 Days in Ecuador and the Galapagos trip, we asked a few rapid-fire questions:
Music: Whatever I'm into at the time, but lately it's been a lot of 70s funk and disco.
Last book you read: The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown.
Coffee order: A latte from a Melbourne laneway café.
Dream destination: I'd love to go back to Karijini National Park in Western Australia.
One item you never travel without: A journal, even if I don't always write in it.
One item guests should leave at home: Expectations... and one pair of pants. Everyone overpacks!