Special Travel International | Special Interest Tours | Customized Experiences
Special Travel International | Special Interest Tours | Customized Experiences
South Korea Battlefield Tour - April 18th - 27th, 2026
Join the PPCLI on this escorted commemoration battlefield tour in South Korea. Visit: Seoul, Imjinigak, Gapyeong, Busan.
$6900 CAD per person based on double occupancy.
May 13th - 26th, 2026
(14 Days / 13 Nights)
Join Dean Thorpe on this Canadian Military tour focused exclusively on the Canadian involvement in WWII.
Tom Leppard, our accredited Canadian Military Historian leads the tour taking you through the battle fields and historic sites where the Canadian Military fought and played a critical role liberating the Netherlands. This tour also includes a professional local tour guide.
This tour is a tribute to the courage and legacy of Canadian soldiers who served in Europe during WWI and WWII. Walk where they walked. Remember where they fell. Celebrate the freedom they helped secure.
🔖 Tour Highlights:
May 28 – June 10, 2026
History and hospitality. Honour and the 19th hole.
Fairways & Foxholes is a one-of-a-kind journey that pairs Canada’s most significant WWII and WWI battlefields with some of Northwest Europe’s most scenic and historic golf courses. Walk the sands of Juno Beach, stand in awe at Vimy Ridge, and soak in the stories of Dieppe, Ypres, and Passchendaele—then swap your walking shoes for spikes and tee off where rolling countryside meets unforgettable heritage.
Led by award-winning Canadian military historian Tom Leppard, this tour brings together moving commemorations, immersive storytelling, and spirited rounds of golf. With top-tier accommodations, great food, and a group of like-minded travellers, it’s a perfect blend of reflection, recreation, and camaraderie. Click HERE for the detailed itinerary.
80th Anniversary tour with the Regiment
April 24th - May 7th, 2025
Join the Royal Westminster Regiment as they commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of The Netherlands. This milestone anniversary will be one of the most incredible experiences, especially with the Regiment. Detailed Itinerary
Loyal Edmonton Regiment Northwest Europe Battlefield Tour
Paris - Arras - Mons - Ypres- Brussels - Arnhem - Amsterdam
Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry's Battlefield Tour
Rome - Landings in Sicily - Leonforte - Hitler Line - Villa Rogatti/Ortona - Gothic Line - Venice Detailed Itinerary
As a freelance Historian and Project Manager Karen works both as a volunteer and on contract for the Military Museums and the Directorate of History and Heritage (DHH).
In 2016, with her associate, Robert Curtin, turned their passion for Canadian Military history into a business and started Combined Forces Production Collaborative with a
As a freelance Historian and Project Manager Karen works both as a volunteer and on contract for the Military Museums and the Directorate of History and Heritage (DHH).
In 2016, with her associate, Robert Curtin, turned their passion for Canadian Military history into a business and started Combined Forces Production Collaborative with a focus on creating historical vignettes and films honouring the service and sacrifices of our armed forces.
Projects in progress:
Mission: Afghanistan; the national touring exhibit and documentary series
Independently produced film "Fallen Heroes; Their Journey Home"
Gino; A Child Of War; a compelling story about a little orphan boy in Italy during the Second World War
Karen is the Founder and Director of the Mural of Honour at the Military Museums and through the Mural she regularly teaches students about 150 years of Canadian Military History and the importance of Remembrance.
She also belongs to a group of historians, both Canadian and European, working toward the common goal of commemorating unmarked battlefields in Europe. As a volunteer, she coordinates plaque production, fundraising, and commemorative events. She has traveled with over 70 veterans and their families on these pilgrimages and lead annual battle tours.
Karen has conducted over 700 oral histories of World War II, Korean War, Peacekeeping and Afghanistan war veterans which will be donated to the Military Museums Library and Archives for research and continue to engage in veteran interviews at every opportunity.
2012: Awarded the Veteran's Affairs Commendation Medal for her work in the development of the Mural of Honour and the preservation of Canadian history in Italy.
2017: Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (Civil Division).
A native Calgarian, Tom has been passionate about Canadian history since childhood. He holds a graduate degree from the University of Calgary in Canadian military history, has published numerous articles and won several awards for history documentaries. A history teacher and school administrator until 2010, Tom has enjoyed a variety of
A native Calgarian, Tom has been passionate about Canadian history since childhood. He holds a graduate degree from the University of Calgary in Canadian military history, has published numerous articles and won several awards for history documentaries. A history teacher and school administrator until 2010, Tom has enjoyed a variety of opportunities since then as the executive director of two military history not-for-profits and most recently the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre. He has been leading battlefield tours with Special Travel International since 2018. Tom is currently enjoying golf, guitar and travel. He is married to Karen, is the proud father of a son and daughter and is a dedicated grandfather.
THE BATTLEFIELD TOUR EXPERIENCE: PROFOUND, UNIQUE AND UNFORGETTABLE:
Ascend the marble steps of the VIMY MONUMENT, leave footprints in the sand at JUNO BEACH, walk among our fallen at the DIEPPE CANADIAN CEMETERY: A battlefield tour is a profound and unforgettable experience. It is an excursion into our past; a living history adventure that is unmatched in its impact by movies, books, games, or CIG. You will witness first-hand the courage, triumph and sacrifice of our brave soldiers and the gratitude of those they liberated. A battlefield tour is a transformational personal journey into our past that will be forever etched in your memory and on your soul.
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