Offbeat Horizons creates transformative travel experiences that help professionals reset, reconnect, and regain their sense of adventure after life’s unexpected turns. Whether facing burnout, personal loss, or the feeling of being stuck in routine, our trips are designed to spark personal growth, well-being, and meaningful local impact.
A Tribute to Those We’ve Lost
Offbeat Horizons is more than just a travel company; it’s a tribute to the people we’ve loved and lost – those who would want us to embrace life fully.
HOW IT ALL STARTED
After nearly two decades in high-pressure security and law enforcement roles, Sabina Norman reached a tipping point. Years of relentless work had left their mark, and in 2020, burnout collided with an even greater challenge: the sudden loss of her father.
She knew it was time to step back, reset, and find a new direction.
Sabina left her corporate career behind and travelled across Latin America, a region she had explored before but now with a different purpose. This wasn’t just about adventure; it was about healing.
The trip helped her process grief, regain clarity, and reconnect with what truly mattered. Along the way, she saw the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the communities she visited. Local guides struggled to survive, conservation projects lost funding, and cultural traditions faced the risk of disappearing.
Through these experiences, Sabina realised the deep power of travel to create lasting change, not just for the traveller but for the communities they engage with. Travel has the ability to transform us, but it also has the potential to uplift the people and places that make it meaningful.
WHY TRAVEL? WHY NOW?
Life is full of moments that force us to pause, whether due to career burnout, personal loss, or the feeling that we’re meant for more.
History has shown that major crises, such as wars, pandemics, and economic downturns, leave deep emotional scars. COVID-19 wasn’t just a health crisis; it reshaped how we view work, purpose, and freedom. People everywhere found themselves rethinking their paths, priorities, and what truly makes them feel alive.
And that’s where travel comes in.
Scientific research confirms what many of us already know: travel isn’t just an escape; it’s a reset. It disrupts routine, rewires perspective, and reconnects us with the curiosity we often lose in the daily grind.
At Offbeat Horizons, we design trips that do just that. These aren’t merely adventures; they are catalysts for personal transformation.
LEAVING A POSITIVE FOOTPRINT
While Sabina’s travel was transformative, it also opened her eyes to the ripple effects of global disruption on local communities. Festivals were cancelled, artisan markets stood empty, devastating indigenous entrepreneurs, and conservation funding dried up, putting wildlife at risk. National parks became vulnerable to poaching and deforestation. Yet, these communities, just like the travellers seeking renewal, are rebuilding.
At Offbeat Horizons, we believe travel should be a force for good. By partnering with local guides, cultural initiatives, and conservation projects, we create experiences that not only change travellers’ lives but also sustain the places that make them possible.
CUE OFFBEAT HORIZONS
As Sabina’s travels came to an end, the experiences she had were more than just memories; they were life-changing lessons. What began as a personal journey of healing became a profound realisation: the power of travel to restore, transform, and create lasting change in both the traveller and the community.
This realisation was the catalyst for the creation of Offbeat Horizons. A company focused on curating unique travel experiences that are not only about exploring the world but about self-discovery, personal growth, and giving back to the communities that make these experiences possible.
Sabina’s broad professional experience has provided the foundation to design and execute trips to offbeat destinations with safety and security at the fore.
SABINA NORMAN – FOUNDER
“Born in London with Indian heritage, I’ve always had two great passions: travel and crime fiction. Ironically, these led me to a career in law enforcement.
“My international role took me to Colombia at 22, when the country had entered the millennium as one of the least developed economies in Latin America; violence, kidnappings and extortion were rife and it was supplying up to 90% of the world’s cocaine.
“My experience in Colombia was thrilling and intimidating, yet, whilst getting ready to return home, I found myself saying ‘Hasta Luego’ instead of ‘Adios’. I didn’t know it then but I had formed a deep connection with Latin America. Twelve years later, I backpacked solo across the continent. That year of travel changed me. I experienced an incomparable personal growth that took me back home to conquer my next set of goals, including a long coveted promotion.
“After nine years in law enforcement and another nine in Corporate Security, I was headhunted as a Managing Consultant and Subject Matter Expert in UK Government Security for a high-profile, multi-billion-pound global organisation. However, burnout and grief eventually took their toll, leading to the creation of Offbeat Horizons.
“I found myself again in Latin America, where I had experienced both the happiest and now the saddest time of my life. Unexpected moments of healing emerged along the way. One memorable example was visiting a remarkable project in the Honduran Valley focused on repopulating Scarlet Macaws. During my visit, the team discovered an egg of the endangered Military Green Macaw. The project manager, unaware of my father’s love for wildlife, offered to release the bird as a tribute to him. It was the first time I felt whole again after the deep emptiness left by his passing.
“Forming Offbeat Horizons has allowed me to combine my skills, passion for travel, and the lessons life has taught me, all of which I believe will elevate our trips. Here’s to another nine-year milestone and many more ahead, focused on creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences for our travellers and changing lives. And yes, the 999 reference in my timeline is a nod to my past life in law enforcement. Some habits die!”