Curious about what it’s like to start traveling with NextTribe? Eleanor Hille recently signed up for a trip, first to Vietnam, and then, soon after, she decided to join our adventure in Cuba. Jetting around the globe is nothing new for her, though: When asked what she likes to do for fun outside of work and travel, she replies, “Well, what else is there?” 

Curious about NextTribe’s small group travel for women ages 45+? See where our fun, immersive journeys are going next right here.

Having lived in Japan, the UK, Dubai, San Diego, and now Luxembourg, Eleanor is a truly international woman. “I would be happy hanging out in a mud hut in Nicaragua. There’s just so much to learn and enjoy everywhere you go,” she says. Often, while traveling, she takes cooking classes, especially when in Asia. 

But how about the experience of traveling with a small group of women, age 45+? It was a hit. In fact, after joining NextTribe’s trip to Cuba, she says she plans on returning with several of the women she met on the trip, to continue to serve and uplift the communities they came to know and love. To her, the beauty of travel can be summed up with the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young lyrics, “A smile is the same in all languages.” Learn more about her travel-centric lifestyle and joining a solo travel group for the first time.

Where do you live?

Luxembourg, a very small Grand Duchy nestled between Germany, France and Belgium.

Marital status?

Divorced and living my best life!

Occupation and hobbies?

I’m now retired after working for the US Government and then NATO in Contracting and Compliance for 40+ years. My interests are travel, art, cooking, and learning about different cultures. 

How did you first learn about NextTribe trips? 

It popped up on my Instagram feed. I loved the vibe and decided to check it out more. The more I saw, the more I liked.

NextTribe popped up on my Instagram feed. I loved the vibe and decided to check it out.

What made you decide to take a trip with NextTribe?

I liked the idea of women traveling to support women. I also loved the locations that NextTribe travels to. There were places I always wanted to visit like Vietnam and Cuba. 

What motivated you to take your first NextTribe trip to Vietnam in 2024?

My father flew helicopters there during the war and always talked about how kind the people were, how beautiful the country was, and, in retrospect, his sadness over the war. He often talked about wanting to go back to visit but died before he was able to do it, so the trip was also a homage to him.

Had you ever traveled in a group of women before? What were you expecting?

Only with small groups of female friends, which I still love. In terms of what I was expecting, I’m pretty self sufficient and go-with-the-flow, and also a bit of an eternal optimist, so I was open to whatever happened. I hoped to meet interesting and fun women, and I was not disappointed!

If so, did you notice any difference when traveling with NextTribe, and what was the difference?

Most of my travel in the previous 20 years had been as a family, where I ended up being responsible for planning everything and picking family-friendly places which would be palatable to a not-very adventurous ex, so yes, there’s a big difference.

I love traveling with interesting women who have a sense of adventure; who want to meet new people and support other women.

I love traveling with women who are interesting and have a sense of adventure; who want to meet new people and support artists and entrepreneurs, especially supporting other women. I also have to admit that I appreciate handing over the “planning reins” once in a while.

What type of traveler do you think would enjoy a NextTribe trip the most?

I think there’s such a variety of trips on offer that there’s almost something for everyone, but I do think it helps to be someone who’s comfortable in their skin and who is curious about the world and other people, cultures, and ideas. I would definitely recommend NextTribe to friends!    

What is your favorite travel souvenir?

A piece of pink granite from an obelisk quarry in Egypt. I went on a Nile cruise with two dear friends, and one of them picked up pieces during a visit to the quarry and had them made into necklaces for all of us. It’s a great memory of a wonderful trip as well as a reminder of the lasting beauty of friendships.     

If you could design a dream trip, what would it look like?

Oh, that’s a tough one….It would probably be an extended trip to Japan with as many of my close friends as I could gather. I lived there for three years when I was much younger and have always loved the country, the people, and the culture.

I’d love to take an extended trip to Japan with close friends. I lived there for three years and have always loved the country, the people, and the culture.

I’d focus on Kyoto, Mishima, Nikko, Hakone, and some gorgeous mountain villages like Takayama. And of course Tokyo, because, well… it’s Tokyo. I also just signed up for the NextTribe trip to Japan. What I’m most excited about is the focus on women and the arts. For example,  I’ve always loved both the look of and the philosophy behind kintsugi [the Japanese art of visibly mending broken pottery with gold or other metals]; celebrating the beauty and strength of imperfection, flaws, and scars. Being able to experience that firsthand will be amazing. Also, sushi chefs are historically pretty much exclusively men, so I’m delighted to see women entering the field. Having an omakase meal prepared by a female chef will, I’m sure, be a great experience.