Seychelles
Astrid Breuer, Island Splendor Vacations, Seychelles
Seychelles native Breuer speaks all three local languages (English, French, and Creole), which helps in negotiating discounted hotel rates for her clients, whom she occasionally meets up with on the islands, since she lives on Praslin. She knows the best times to visit—whether for scuba diving, fishing, or even whale shark tagging—and can guide you beyond the hottest Mahe hangouts and La Digue beaches to less-touristed out islands. What we love most? She works to accommodate all budgets in this notoriously expensive destination (818-889-2246; astrid@gotoseychelles.com).

Tunisia
Rita Zawaideh, Caravan-Serai, Seattle
Arabic-speaking Zawaideh spends two weeks a year in Tunisia, exploring everything from its archaeological digs to its souks, and can plan trips that marry past and present—in case dining in a Berber tent before retiring to a luxury hotel suits your style (800-451-8097; rita@caravan-serai.com).

Safaris: East Africa
Linda Friedman, Custom Safaris, Bethesda, Maryland
Friedman, who speaks Swahili and has multiple offices in Kenya, spends eight weeks a year in Africa. She can send you to the bottom of northern Tanzania's Olduvai Gorge (a.k.a. the Cradle of Civilization) with one of the site's curators or weave meaningful cultural exchanges—such as volunteering at a school or health clinic—into her itineraries, but her latest passion is gorilla tracking in Rwanda, which she's done seven times in the last four years. She contributes money from each trip to local educational programs (866-530-1982; linda@customsafaris.com).

Nina Wennersten and Daniel Saperstein, Hippo Creek Safaris, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
We receive more rave reviews about Wennersten—30 thank-you letters from readers annually—than any other travel specialist on this list, thanks to her no-holds-barred candidness, attention to the minutest of details, skill at choosing warm and welcoming intimate camps and lodges, 24/7 accessibility, and eagerness to make sure everyone has the most rewarding experience of Africa that their budget will allow; readers rave about her arrangements in southern Africa, too (866-930-9124; info@hippocreeksafaris.com).

Safaris: Southern Africa
Julian Harrison, Premier Tours, Philadelphia
Harrison, who co-authored Fodor's African Safari, is fluent in both Afrikaans and Zulu. Born and raised in South Africa, where he worked part-time for six years as a ranger (with an emphasis on conservation) before moving to the United States, he can acquaint you with the region's lesser-known highlights, such as Bushman culture and their legacy of rock art. Harrison's strong ties with South African Airways give him access to very competitive airfares (800-545-1910; julianh@premiertours.com; South Africa, $350; other countries).