How It All Began

Connect with Heather!
A woman standing next to two large elephants in a lush, green outdoor setting with hills and forest in the background.

Meet Heather

Her Backstory

Heather Kasey is the founder and director of Ellie Travel, an Elephant Education Initiative. Her journey began through years of travel and volunteer work across Southeast Asia and Africa. Friends and family, inspired by her passion and experiences, began asking to join her on her adventures to explore the world and encounter elephants in their natural environments. From these early requests, Heather started curating eco-tourism trips, which led to the official founding of Elephant Education Initiative in 2017.

Academic Background & Research

Heather’s deep commitment to elephants goes beyond travel. In 2021, she earned her master’s degree with a focus on human–elephant conflict in Kenya’s Amboseli and Maasai Mara regions. She conducted extensive self-funded research, working closely with the Maasai community to better understand the challenges faced by people living near national parks. Her study, which included interviews with 150 Maasai individuals, revealed that every single participant believed in the transformative power of education. This belief continues to guide Ellie Travel & Elephant Education Initiative’s mission today.

The Evolution: Ellie Travel

In 2024, Heather expanded her vision by creating Ellie Travel, a premier luxury travel company dedicated to meaningful, conservation-centered journeys. Ellie Travel offers meticulously designed itineraries across Asia and Africa, giving discerning travelers the chance to experience elephants in the wild while directly supporting conservation efforts.

A large adult elephant walking on a dirt trail in a dry, bushy landscape with trees, viewed from behind and slightly to the side.

Ellie Travel

Rooted in sustainability, Ellie Travel partners with local communities and organizations to ensure each trip leaves a positive and lasting impact, not only on the environment but also on the people who call these regions home.

With Ellie Travel, every journey is more than an escape. It’s a chance to experience the beauty of elephants, immerse yourself in vibrant cultures, and be part of a greater purpose: protecting the world’s most majestic creatures and their habitats.

A woman in black clothing and a baseball cap smiling and touching the trunk of an elephant, outdoors on a grassy area with trees and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
A woman petting an elephant while smiling, with another woman crouching next to the elephant's trunk, in a setting with more elephants and a mountain in the background.
Group of people standing under a green archway that reads 'Welcome to Gunung Leuser National Park' in a lush forest setting.
Five people smiling outdoors in a field with dry grass and a tree with bare branches, holding drinks.
Two tour guides, one woman and one man, standing outdoors in a dry, grassy area, smiling and holding cans of Coke. Behind them is a safari vehicle with a top and other people on a safari, with rolling hills and a distant cloudy sky in the background.
Six people standing outdoors in front of a golf cart, smiling and posing for the photo.
A person sitting on top of a 4x4 vehicle in a desert at sunset.
A woman in a hat, black tank top, and shorts standing on a dirt path in a lush green jungle, facing an elephant among trees and foliage.
A woman standing next to a large elephant outdoors on a partially cloudy day.
A woman doing a handstand on the desert ground next to a warning sign of an elephant, with her head close to the ground and feet in the air.

It all starts with a simple hello

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