The Ties Program Reviews

Bodhi S 2026.03.06

     

Only one word can describe the ties program - Transformative. It is planned with such intention, care, and support. I couldn’t imagine visiting your home as an adoptee for the first time back any other way. This isn’t a typical travel group that goes sightseeing and takes photos like a disneyland spectacle. Yes you do sightsee, but its enriched in a culture you slowly learn to call your own. As an adoptee, I am forever changed and owe it to this program and the thoughtful director Tanya who is also an adoptee. Adoption can leave a lot of questions but navigating with a group of those who walk side by side in the journey is something so special. The pricing. “I can go for cheaper and book it all myself”. I will encourage you to rethink that. This program provides all in country accommodations so you do not have to think about what plane, train, or automobile you have to catch. It removes any stressors of travel so you can fully immerse. In India, our guides Nitin and Sudip were special. They also deeply care and understand how to navigate the unique adoptee experience. If you are on the fence, please I urge you to take a leap of faith. This is single handedly been the most important decision of my life to take this trip. And I am proud to have a new family of adoptees to help continue exploring and immersing into my culture. I left with a sense of pride to be Indian. That feeling, that experience, is priceless.

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Reply from The Ties Program 2026.03.06

💜 thank you, Bodhi. Your experience, this is why we do this "work."

Michelle Grannis 2026.03.01

     

If you’re an adoptee searching for deeper meaning, shared identity, and a true sense of belonging, the Ties Program is the journey to take. Of course, returning to India—my birth country—was powerful in itself. Walking the streets, hearing the sounds, feeling the energy of a place that is part of my story… that alone is something I will carry with me forever. But what truly made this experience transformative was not just where we went. It was who we went with. Traveling with a group of fellow adoptees changes everything. There is an unspoken understanding. A shared lived experience. No need to over-explain your feelings. No need to justify the complexity of loving two worlds at once. We may each experience adoption differently, but there is a thread that connects us—and on this trip, that thread becomes visible, tangible, and deeply grounding. In this group, people just get it. The joy. The grief. The curiosity. The questions. The moments of pride and the moments of ache. All of it. And in that shared space, something powerful happens: you feel less alone in your own story. For me, this wasn’t just a trip back to India. It was a journey into community, identity, and belonging. It reminded me that while our paths may be unique, we are not walking them alone. If you’re considering it—go. Your story deserves that space. And you deserve to experience it alongside people who understand it without needing explanation.

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Reply from The Ties Program 2026.03.02

Thank you for this review, Michelle. As a fellow adoptee, this resonates so deeply. Thank you!!

Julie Henry 2026.02.25

     

My experience of traveling to Kolkata with the Ties program was incredible. I felt safe and secure with every aspect of this trip. Emotionally and logistically, the team supported the adoptees and their loved ones. I highly recommend the Ties program. I never would have done this alone. Thank you for the life long friendships you have helped me establish.

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Reply from The Ties Program 2026.02.25

Thank you for trusting us, Julie. It was an incredible experience for us as well.

Emily B 2026.01.12

     

This has beaten any expectation I had in a trip like this. Beyond efficiency, knowledge, understanding what we as a group and individually needed. Tanya and Ben Kaanta understood what we needed, even before we knew. Adjusting constantly with nothing but grace, humor and empathy. Lemon12: Mr. Kim, and his team, Mr. Jin (so funny and affable) and Mr. Ian, so patient and all so welcoming. Nothing we asked was 'odd'. All custom requests were promptly scheduled. I cannot recommend this TIES program enough. ❤️❤️💜💜

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.10.29

Thank you soon much!!!! It was amazing having you on the trip and being able to share on this experience with you.

Liz Sevigny 2025.11.12

     

I went on the 2025 Fall China Ties 21yr+ Flagship tour as an adoptee, and it was fantastic! The staff from beginning to end made the trip easy to navigate, the activities were fun, traveling alongside the group was wonderful, and the entire trip expanding my mindset and worldview. I come away with a better connection to self and to my birth country.

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.11.13

So glad to hear this, especially your connection to self and birth country 💜

Cindee Martin-Tellis 2025.10.29

     

My husband found this Korean Adoptee tour program and suggested I should do this as my first trip back to Korea. I was adopted when I was 5 years old and not been back till now. Tanya and Ben were great. They made sure for us to see different areas of Korea. It was so nice to have everything planned even having someone pick and take us to the airport. They made this trip very memorable. I made lifetime friends and truly grateful for this trip and having my husband join me. Thank you Tanya and Ben for everything! Cindee and Michael!

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.10.29

Thank you so much for trusting us with your first trip back and such an honor for us.

Lisa T 2025.09.18

     

This was our family's first trip to Korea and we could not have done it without the help of The Ties Program. My daughter is a Korean adoptee. We talked about going as a family for years and for many years other things got in the way. This summer my husband and I took her as a college graduation gift and the timing of this type of journey was absolutely perfect for all of us. The Ties Program staff - Sarah K, Matt, Jackie, Tara, Sarah M, Soo, Lucy, Jenny, Kim - provided a white glove, concierge service on every level of this trip. All logistical details were taken care of before, during, and after the trip. It should be noted that the level of service and assistance with all adoption related matters that were taken care of for my daughter before the trip is something no one could ever take on themselves. Sarah is in a league of her own when it comes to this! Being with other families on this heritage journey was priceless. More than the beautiful hotels we stayed at, amazing food we ate, incredible sites and excursions, being with other adoptees and their families was an experience you would never get if you tried to piece this trip together on your own. We made friends immediately, and for life. Despite a rich and full itinerary provided for the whole group, Sarah was able to dedicate a guide, Jackie to take our family alone to my daughter's birth city of Daejeon one afternoon. It was a surprise to us to have this level of care and kindness, and it ended up being one of my daughter's most meaningful days thanks to the planning of Sarah, Jackie, and Tara. Leaving the country and the families and staff we bonded with during our time together was impossible. Each and every day since we have been back, we recall a memory, a laugh, a quote and wish we were back with everyone again. We have new friends for life and a one of a kind experience that no amount of words or pictures could even begin to depict our journey. We are eternally grateful to the Ties Program for providing us with the opportunity of a lifetime!

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.09.20

Thank you so much for sharing and so awesome to hear about the experience in daejeon, especially for your daughter. 💜

Donna Kidwell 2025.08.06

     

The Korea 2025 experience exceeded my expectations! I traveled with my daughter and my two adult adopted grandchildren. The 14 day trip was our first introduction to South Korea. I had been fortunate to have hosted Korean guests for my church’s partnership so I was looking forward to sharing this experience my family. I strongly recommend the Flagship trip if you have the time. We were fortunate to travel with 40 members of our group who were absolutely agreeable and always considerate of others. We had a wide range of ages and adult adoptees as well as their children. The preparation and details before the trip really helped us to navigate on the days when we were on our own as well as the Kako Connection with others on the trip. We were so fortunate that everything went smoothly from the flights to all the excursions, the amazing staff, guides and Sarah‘s pre-travel information and preparation. This was an experience with many enlightening memories to last a lifetime. My heart is full with gratitude for the details and scheduling that was carefully structured by the thoughtful and caring staff who provided not only cultural experiences but also chat time as well as offering personal counseling for those emotional moments that one can experience on meeting with the past.

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.08.07

Thank you so much for sharing, Donna, and so happy the trip was meaningful for you and your family.

Gail Rusnak 2025.08.05

     

I can’t imagine doing this trip without the expertise of the China Ties Program. Their years of experience and unique approach to adoptee travel made a daunting journey into a treasured life experience. Autumn was communicative throughout the planning process, and her knowledge in country made all the difference in having a well organized, fun and meaningful experience. She was born to do this!

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.08.06

Hi Gail,
Thank you so much for sharing and we agree, Autumn was born to do this! Glad she was able to make this experience so wonderful for you and your family.

Juli-Anne 2025.08.03

     

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Amelia Fox 2025.07.23

     

If you're even remotely considering this program, take the leap—you won’t regret it. Experiencing the country firsthand, without the stress of planning every detail, lets you fully immerse yourself in the culture and savor meaningful time with your adoptee and loved ones. It’s a rare opportunity to connect deeply, reflect intentionally, and grow alongside others on the same journey. And yes—you’ll gain lifelong friendships along the way.

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.07.23

So glad you took the leap with us!!

Debra Brown 2025.07.22

     

It’s hard to put in words exactly how grateful I am for Ties, and the role the program played in making our family’s journey to China truly remarkable. Starting with the amazing people on the Ties team - from the Program Director to every single local bus driver and tour guide, you can feel and see that everyone involved in the operation cares deeply about their role in helping adoptees explore their roots and process their unique experience! Then there is the incredible thought and care Ties put into developing the itinerary. I was impressed by how they manage so many logistics for the whole group and blown away that the same attention to detail was provided to every family on our trip as we each headed to separate provinces to spend time in the places of origin for our adoptees! The structure of the program also supports connectivity and community building among the adoptees and within the group of supportive adults such as “talk times” that create a safe place for people to process together the joys, challenges, and everything else, with the guidance of a highly knowledgeable staff person who has their own adoption story. I could go on and on but instead I will simply say that if you are readying this review because you are considering participating in a trip to help your adoptee experience their home country I highly recommend you go with Ties as I can’t imagine how any organization could do it better, and the value of experiencing this journey as part of a group is truly invaluable!

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.07.23

Thank you so much for sharing, this means so much to us.

Mark Gusho 2025.07.20

     

We looked into MANY different heritage tours and sooo happy we chose The Ties. Unconditional recommendation! The connections and bonds fostered by Autumn and her team truly made this an unforgettable family journey.

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.07.21

Hi Mark,

Thanks so much for trusting us with your family journey. Glad you made so many connections and bonds.

Beth Fleming 2025.07.20

     

Fantastic organization! Wonderful itinerary, incredible staff and lots of memories! The adoptees as well as the families connect and chat is a must have!

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.07.21

Thank you so much, Beth!

Timothy Grogan 2025.07.20

     

Excellent trip. Great job by Ties setting up the various events

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.07.21

Hi Timothy,
Glad to hear the trip was excellent!

Tim Collrin 2025.07.19

     

This a well planned trip ! SARAH KURTZAHN works her hardest to provide a trip to remember! This is a trip of a lifetime! I went alone without family and all the staff made sure I was included and my needs were met! I would do this trip a thousand times over!

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.07.21

Hi Tim,

We are so happy to hear you felt supported with this trip. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.

Brent Brown 2025.07.19

     

We traveled as a 4 person family to Korea as my wife is an adoptee. The trip exceeded all our expectations, including our 12 and 14 year old boys. The TIES staff create an amazing community that is difficult to communicate in words - my wife and family were supported throughout the trip, including very emotional times when my wife learned of her adoption history. The TIES staff also created unique experiences for participants - for example staff with personal connections to other areas of the country where an adoptee also had a family connection arranged travel and provided personal excursions with them. This customization was very impressive and appreciated. As the vacation planner in my family, I could not have created an experience like this. The trip was expensive, but the value was worth well more than the dollars we paid. The hotels, buses, etc. were all VERY nice and we felt safe the entire trip....safe enough that we let our 14 year old go out late at night with other teenagers to walk through markets. I could not recommend TIES enough, they are an amazing organization. We will absolutely look for another travel opportunity with them for a return heritage trip to Korea. Thank you TIES!!

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.07.19

Hi Brent,

We are so thrilled you were able to have this experience with your family. Thank you so much for placing your trust in us.

Jane Gandy 2025.07.19

     

Our trip to Kazakhstan with the Ties Adoption travel program was the best travel program I have ever done. Tanya and her team were amazing and meticulous in their planning of our trip and we couldn’t be more pleased. I would love to go back again with them and would recommend Ties Adoption Travel to anyone considering traveling to their birth country. ❤️

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.07.19

Hi Jane,
Thank you so much for trusting us with this important journey for you and your family. It was so awesome being able to experience this with you.

Jen Decker 2025.07.16

     

Adoption heritage travel is an investment and I did my research before I landed on TIES. This experience was so much more than I had even hoped for. The TIES staff is extremely professional and specializes in adoptee heritage travel. I am so impressed with their program and after spending 2 weeks in country with them I am even more convinced that this is the best. Their attention to detail, their focus on the adoptee experience and ability to navigate multiple families and their individual needs. When you look at heritage travel you want trips lead by adoptees and professionals who travel with you not just a tour guide! You will not be disappointed.

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.07.17

Hi Jen,
Thank you so much for sharing and we are so happy you had this experience. Being adoptees and loved ones ourselves, it's so important this program is supportive to the adoptee and their loved ones. Thank you again for trusting us.

Steve Rutkowski 2025.07.16

     

China Ties has exceeded all my expectations. When I started looking in to this adventure, I was weary of all the Heritage Travel websites, all promising the world, but would they deliver? I liked China Ties since they were the only organization that I found that offered “in province” trips with sourced and validated guides. This was appealing to me since this was the point of our trip, experience the “where am I from” question. Talking and working with Autumn was fantastic. She had details for every single question I had and if she didn’t have it off the cuff, she would let me know and have an answer within 24 hours. There were suggestions for airfare agents, travel insurance, Visa application, etc… Autumn had the entire process from applying to the program to returning home bullet pointed to exact detail. (I mean, she can’t really know what Mother Nature is going to do) But, like a pro, she was able to massage the schedule so the weather was more conducive to the experience instead of “just come what may”. This trip far exceeded my highest expectations. From the moment we arrived until the moment we were on our way from Beijing, Autumn and her support staff was there for whatever reason(and I mean whatever) I needed. For Autumn, TK, James, Eric, Kai, Wally, Jeff, Lisa, all the drivers and those behind the scenes I don’t even know about: you all are Rock Stars in my eyes!

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Reply from The Ties Program 2025.07.17

Hi Steve,

Thank you so much for sharing. We agree that Autumn is amazing. She and the China Ties Team are amazing and I'm so glad you all were able to experience China with them, and an honor to share this experience with you all.