There’s no escaping reality—even on vacation. Burton Roberts, a 33-year-old contestant on Survivor: Pearl Islands, recently cofounded the adventure travel company Reality Trips with 28-year-old Survivor: Borneo alum Jenna Lewis. By offering adventures in far-flung destinations with “guides” who are bona fide reality stars from shows like The Apprentice, Big Brother, and The Amazing Race, Reality Trips hopes to offer clients a pop-culture spin on exotic experiences. You’ll be able to whitewater-raft Costa Rica with Survivor’s Ethan Zohn or tour Angkor Wat with Mike “the Miz” Mizanin from The Real World 10—but no matter what the mission, qualified local guides will be on hand to ensure that all activities are safe.
Guiding lights: Burton Roberts and Jenna Lewis near Malibu, California. Photo by Patrick Fraser“I’ve been fortunate enough to see a lot of different parts of the world,” Roberts says, “and I love to encourage people to get outside. Maybe someone is a big fan of Survivor and this will get him off the couch.”
In the works for 2006 are expeditions to Kenya, Vietnam, and Peru. Departure dates and costs for the one-to-two-week customized trips vary, but expect to fork over $3,000 to $6,000 for your own brush with reality.