Our guiding principles

Our goal is to share incredible experiences in spectacular wild areas with you.

We believe we have a responsibility for how we care for these places.

We seek to meet wildlife on their terms. We strive to minimize invasiveness and value quality over quantity.

We believe this thoughtful approach creates extraordinary, life changing moments that you can be proud of.

What makes a Thoughtful trip different

You will experience something truly incredible
We curate incredible experiences both above and below the water. You will get to do something very few others have ever had the chance to. We strive to create “wow” moments.

You will be proud of how we did it
We meet wildlife and wild places on their terms. We do not force something that is not there. If an animal says “not today,” we listen.

You will learn every day
We connect sightings to science and place with talks and excursions. We take you farther and deeper so that you will leave with a greater understanding of this wild world.

We will make it worth it
We know these expeditions are a major investment of your time, money, and energy. We strive to make every day worthwhile for you.

We will be good partners
We strive to be good partners to you, our local partners on the ground, and to the incredible wildlife and wild places that host us.

A man sitting on an inflatable boat in the ocean, smiling, wearing snorkeling gear and holding a professional camera with a large lens.

Why I started Thoughtful

My name is Alex Pham.

I started Thoughtful to help people experience incredible, perspective-changing moments and find more of what makes the world such a joyful place.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had incredible wildlife experiences from Argentina to Zimbabwe. I have a particular love for whales and the ocean.

Before Thoughtful, I advised government policymakers, led investments at large investment funds, invested in social impact businesses in Africa and Asia, and lived in 10 countries. I studied at Harvard, INSEAD, and UCLA.

And now I get to meet incredible, inspiring people (like you) and help you experience things you never thought were possible.

Experience

  • Humpback Whales in Tonga, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Niue, Comoros

  • Sperm Whales in Dominica, Timor Leste, Sri Lanka

  • Blue Whales in Sri Lanka, Timor Leste

  • Southern Right Whales in Argentina and Brazil

  • Orcas in Norway and Baja

  • Amazonian River Dolphins in Brazil

  • Gray Whales in Baja

  • Minke Whales in Australia

  • Bryde’s Whales in Sri Lanka

  • Mountain Gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda