Since the borders have reopened in South America, over 230 Knowmad travelers have returned with incredible memories to last a lifetime and stories to share, giving us a window into what it’s like to travel right now. See what they have to say about their trips here.
hear from recently returning travelers
“We took the pics in the early hours on our first morning sunrise in Patagonia, when the sun was rising and the rain was stopping…hence the red sunrise and the rainbow…we were out with our wonderful guide Gonzolo at Awasi and we were overtaken by the sunrise, so Gonzalo kindly stopped the vehicle so we could take pics. He took pics too; you know it’s a spectacular sunrise/event when your guide also takes a pic 😊. – Cindy, Knowmad Traveler | Custom Chile Trip | March 2022
“Knowmad Adventures was awesome and everything you said you would do you did. We’re very grateful for all your help and making it the easiest travel trip I have ever been on. I will recommend you to all those who want to listen” – Kit, Knowmad Traveler | Custom Ecuador Trip | March 2022
Our Galapagos trip went way beyond our expectations. Thank you Knowmad for helping set this up” – Jane, Knowmad Traveler | Custom Ecuador Trip | February 2022
“Thank you so much for making this beautiful trip possible!” Suzanne, Lino Lakes, MN | Custom Peru Trip – October 2021
“We got back from our once in a lifetime trip on Sunday and I wanted to let you know that we had a fantastic time! The schedule you put together was very well executed by all the staff and guides on the ground. We had everything we wanted or needed, the guides were amazing, especially Miguel in the Sacred Valley. The activities were amazing (exhausting at times with the Peru elevation) but we couldn’t have asked for more. We loved the people we met, the sights we saw, the places we stayed, the history we learned, and learning about the different lifestyles of those living in varying parts of Peru. The Galapagos were amazing as well. The yacht was outstanding, the wildlife spectacular, and we enjoyed Santa Cruz Island. – Lisa & Chuck, Knowmad Travelers | Custom Peru & Ecuador Trip | March 2022
“Thank you for planning such a fabulous trip for us! We couldn’t be more pleased with how smoothly everything went. You chose the perfect Galapagos adventures for us (West and East) and we saw all the animals we anticipated including penguins, orcas, and manta ray that can’t necessarily be promised. Even the guides were impressed with all that we saw, especially the orcas. We had a similar experience in the jungle with the birds we saw. We were so pleased with our trip and have memories to last a lifetime. I think about Ecuador every day. I can’t get it out of my mind. I cannot say enough good things about this trip. I know I sound effusive, but I assure you I am sincere in my gratitude for this experience and for your expertise.” – Heidi | Custom Galapagos Trip | February 2022
“Thank you for going beyond the call of duty to make our trip one we’ll never forget – probably the best ever.” – Les & Becky, Whiteville, NC | Custom Chile & Argentina Trip – January 2021
“We had such a great trip!! And amazingly, every single leg of travel was flawless the entire trip, we didn’t have a single delay and really never had to wait for anything the entire trip!! I was so impressed… Overwhelmingly an incredible experience…we saw amazing wildlife and the scenery was unreal! Everything was scheduled perfectly and I was super impressed with our hotels, service providers, etc! Ecuador was super efficient and everything ran so well.” – Jill, Knowmad Traveler | Custom Ecuador Trip | March 2022
“We had a wonderful honeymoon to Chile made even better by knowing that Jena and the Knowmad team were here for us and had taken out all the stress of travel. Horseback riding across a ranch in Patagonia was one of many experiences we will never forget. We are already thinking about where our next trip to South America should be!” – Mara, Knowmad Traveler | Custom Chile Trip | January 2022
“The trip was amazing!!!! We loved doing a combination hacienda, yacht, and luxury safari camp. Everything was just fantastic.” – Laura, 3rd time Knowmad Traveler | Custom Ecuador Trip | February 2022
“We had to reschedule the trip once due to Covid and then reconfigure the trip due to border closings. [Renee] always did a great job of consulting with us and accommodating our requests without complaint. She made us feel supported while traveling in Chile. We had a “Covid” scare at the end of the trip. Renee was quick to return our emergency call and talked us through a “Plan B” if necessary. We wouldn’t have wanted to take the trip without Knowmad and Renee. Together you made our “Bucket List” trip to Patagonia a wonderful memory!!” Anne & Scott, Knowmad Travelers | Custom Chile Trip | February 2022
“We loved [our Peru trip] and everything was perfect!“
– Jane, Minneapolis, MN | Custom Peru Trip – June 2021
“Best trip ever!” – Mary, Atlanta, GA | Custom Chile Trip – November 2021
“We had the most incredible time on our adventure! It has taken a few days to really process how many wonderful experiences we had, amazing animals we encountered and how many memories we made…
…The La Pinta and the Galapagos were just phenomenal! from the boat size, the staff, the rooms, the excursions, the food, the guides, excellent on all levels for our family.
We usually plan our own family vacations and Knowmad really knocked it out of the park! Thank you so much…
…You were so thoughtful with every detail and that really allowed us to relax.”
– Kari, Marietta, GA | Custom Galapagos Trip – June 2021
See Norma & Jim’s full trip here…
“10/10 would recommend. Thank you for a trip beyond my expectations. …I already sent me itinerary to 4 people that wanted to do my trip!” – Jessica & Luis, Denver, CO | Custom Patagonia & Atacama Chile Trip – December 2020
“We had an amazing trip, everything worked out as well as possible and mostly everyone on Knowmad’s side was great, professional and helpful when we had a flight cancellation. Argentina is a gorgeous country and one trip probably doesn’t do it justice. It seduces and offers such a variety of landscapes, we only had amazing meals whether fancy or simple, and the tour guides were very good and engaging. I am unsure what photo to send you as you probably already have many. Here is a couple. While at Perito Merino a huge chunk of the glacier fell off and we had to ride a few waves in our kayaks. That might have been one of the highlights!” – Annick, Des Moines, Iowa | Custom Argentina Trip | December 2021
“We feel extremely blessed to lead the charge in getting international travel going again with our trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos! Our trip was truly epic, filled with unique and exciting animal encounters surrounded by the welcoming and friendly people of Ecuador.
The country of Ecuador is well-prepared to handle safety measures and their thoughtful intentionality is evident everywhere you visit. In comparison to the inconsistent response in the United States, we felt more protected and safe in Ecuador in response to the consistent protocols in place everywhere we went. We never felt unsafe or at risk at any point on our travels. While in Ecuador, our local guide Carolina, used photos from our visit to promote local travel as well – we were thrilled to endorse travel to help the amazing people of Ecuador welcome visitors back to their country. Renee and Carmen were thorough and responsive in all of our trip planning, the quality of accommodations was second to none and our itinerary was executed with the utmost precision, that even our fellow travelers were attempting to rearrange the second half of their travels to mirror what we had experienced.”
– Gina and Scott, Coral Springs, FL | Custom Galapagos Trip – June 2021
“This was a perfect opportunity to travel. Things are just beginning to open up and the local providers are full of energy and ready to go – they clearly are so happy to be working again and are most grateful for the business. Additionally, there are some great deals to be had as businesses get running and are competing for clients.” – Linda & Bob | Custom Galapagos Trip, August 2021
“I loved this quote by Charles Darwin which I read while aboard La Pinta, ‘It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.’ Covid has changed the world we have to adjust.
…I love living in Hawaii but after months of lockdown I was getting what we call ‘rock fever’ which is the desire to get off of it! 😄. I have always dreamed of traveling to the Galapagos and after researching online it seemed quite safe and doable. Airfares were very reasonable and I was able to travel as a single without paying a supplement.
I chose this picture to encourage all to ‘Shoot for the stars’ and keep on traveling!”
– Ian, Honolulu, HI | Custom Galapagos Trip – June 2021
“You really had to work hard and creatively for our trip. You were always responsive and developed solutions for the changing situations due to Covid. Bravo!” – Roger, Wayzata, MN | Custom Southern Patagonia Adventure – December 2021
“The trip of a lifetime with the family to the Galapagos. Thanks to Knowmad adventures for making it happen”
– Cindy, Tampa, FL | Custom Galapagos Trip – May 2021
These words from recently returning travelers say it all! Take it from the many Knowmad travelers that just got back from trips to South America; it’s a great time for all of us adventurous souls to get back out there and start traveling again.
If you’re inspired to plan a trip of your own, reach out to one of our trip specialists at 612-315-2894 or by email at [email protected] today. Or learn more about each destination and browse through customizable inspirational itineraries.
Nos Vemos, Lisa
Lisa is the Media Manager at Knowmad Adventures, a company dedicated to creating unique, private and custom trips in South America. She studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2012 and is continually planning her next adventure. Read Lisa’s biography and more about the Knowmad team.
