A story told an infinite amount of times, crossing centuries, cultures and borders. Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. Love. Marriage. Kids. And, if you’re especially blessed, growing old together. And yet, there is always a sense of awe, gratitude, and sheer luck when one’s found it. Love, actual love.
Unless stated otherwise, the images or videos used in this blog post belong to Explora
The Sacred Valley is often overlooked; sometimes folded into itineraries as a region to traverse on your way to the infamous Machu Picchu or merely a place to acclimatize before a trek on the Inca Trail. Truly the cultural and natural heart of Andean Peru, the valley has so much more to offer. Discover why a stay at Explora’s newest luxury lodge may be just the reason you needed to jump start planning your trip.
Starting a business takes courage and leadership, tireless dedication and a steady vision even when faced with challenges, and a team devoted to the same values and ideals. Receiving the Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist We Trust award gives us the opportunity and reminder to slow down and congratulate each other on all of the goals – big and small – that we accomplish each day. We are so grateful Jordan has been recognized on this list for the 5th year in a row, thank you!
Photo by Jan Veen
Getting to the southernmost continent in the world is not easy but that’s not to say it must be a combination of tiring and long travel days. Below we share a Knowmad traveler’s trip to Antarctica by way of Argentina, with adventurous, relaxing, and fun days spent in Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, and Tierra del Fuego National Park, all before they embarked on their once-in-a-lifetime Antarctica expedition.
There are two ways to get to Machu Picchu: hiking the Inca Trail or taking a train and bus combo. At Knowmad Adventures, a travel company that creates innovative and custom trips to South America, we find when travelers hear ‘The Inca Trail’ it often summons images of tent camping and multiple days of difficult hiking. But did you know you can hike just a part of the Inca Trail to get to Machu Picchu? An alternate option to the full Inca Trail, this fantastic single-day hike culminates at the Intipunku Sun Gate overlooking the mysterious citadel of Machu Picchu just as the Incas did centuries ago.
Discover how to incorporate the one-day Inca Trail into a full-length, custom Peru itinerary by connecting with a Knowmad Trip Specialist today at 612-315-2894. Please note that Knowmad Adventures does not offer this as a single day excursion, only as part of a complete trip.
Mix an adventurous, enthusiastic go-getter with a cool and collected travel expert and you’ll get Jena Davison, our newest Knowmad Adventures Trip Specialist. Find out how she landed in the travel industry, why she thinks Colombia travel should be on your radar, and more here:
Find out how an active Peru trip – including time exploring the Sacred Valley combined with a 4-day Inca Trail tour – enabled this mother-daughter duo to push themselves, to reflect, and, ultimately, to create a memory that has forever stamped their lives.
Most people conjure up images of gliding across the ocean in a small ship cruise when they hear the words “Galapagos Islands.” What they don’t know is that, to compliment all of the incredible expeditions boats, the Galapagos Islands are also home to some of the most innovative, watch-your-jaw-hit-the-floor, unique, and sustainable properties in the world. Join Tara as she explores Galapagos Safari Camp with the owners, Stephanie and Michael.
Here at Knowmad Adventures, a company dedicated to creating custom travel experiences in South America, one of our greatest joys is hearing stories and seeing photos from our travelers upon their return. Although breathtaking on their own, what makes a photo of Machu Picchu, Torres del Paine or any of the spectacular sight in South America unforgettable is the unique journey each traveler takes to get there. Whether it be a bucket list goal that you’ve finally realized, a trip to celebrate a special occasion, or an intentional way to be with family and friends – each adventure has its own unique story.
Having been to Chile and Argentina previously, Rick and Carol came to Knowmad looking to dive deeper into these countries. Working together with their Knowmad Trip Specialist, Rick and Carol landed on an off-the-beaten path itinerary that combined active travel and incredible landscapes, all while staying at some of the regions’ top luxury hotels.
The Knowmad 2024 Photo Contest Winners are in! This past year was full of incredible stories and images from our Knowmad travelers. The pictures and comments that were sent in inspire us to keep exploring. Thanks to all who shared their impressive pictures throughout the last year.
Scroll down to see inspiring Knowmad traveler stories, from connecting with locals to jaw-dropping wildlife encounters, and find inspiration for your next South American adventure below.
If you’ve traveled with Knowmad, you’re eligible to participate in our annual photo contest. Below are the contest guidelines:
All category winners will receive Knowmad gear, and the overall Knowmad Adventures Grand Prize Winner earns a 3-day stay at Hacienda Zuleta in Ecuador.
Huge congratulations to our Founder, Jordan Harvey, on earning a spot on Travel + Leisure’s A-List of Top Travel Advisors for the 13th year in a row!
Perfecting travel in South America takes passion, expertise, and an incredible team. This honor reflects the hard work of our knowledgeable Travel Specialists and the inspiring travelers we collaborate with every day to design exceptional journeys.
Check out Jordan’s Travel + Leisure feature here, and connect with one of our Trip Specialists to start planning your own South American adventure!
Machu Picchu has rightfully earned its spot as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. The archeological site is a journey to the past and a lesson in the rich history of the Inca; every Peru traveler should visit this jaw-dropping place. Adding a day hike to your visit to the archeological site is recommended, as it will allow you to reach the most stunning and lesser-achieved viewpoints for a more in-depth exploration of this ancient city. Below, we will explore the best way to organize your Machu Picchu trip as well as the details of these three Machu Picchu day hikes: Huchuy Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain and Huayna Picchu. Learn why you should add a day hike to your adventure and decide which day hike is the right fit for you.
Journey through the rugged and otherworldly terrain of Southern Bolivia, exploring lagoons, volcanoes and Uyuni salt flats before ending in the capital of La Paz, perched atop the Andes Mountains, stopping at the historical rich communities of Potosi and Sucre along the way. Ideal connection with Chile’s Atacama Desert or start and finish in La Paz.
I have organized travel groups for over 25 years and Knowmad Adventures is one of the best trip operators I have worked with. They recently put together a trip to Chile and Argentina for me and the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum that was exciting, fun, and one that was appreciated by all of our 19 participants. I will be using them for all future trips to South America.
By traveling alongside Knowmad you will be taking part in culturally and environmentally sustainable travel. You will be spreading the love, and the wealth. You will be doing Good Works. Learn more about Knowmad’s eco-travel efforts.
The Knowmad team put together the trip of a life time for us. Everything was perfect, from the guides to the accommodations to the activities, and your extensive knowledge of the area and personal relationships with the people we met in Chile were invaluable. We can’t recommend Knowmad highly enough.
After traveling to Chile two years ago with Knowmad Adventures there was no question as to who was going to help plan my trip to Peru! Thank you so much to Knowmad Adventures. The places they recommended, connections, and knowledge of these regions were impeccable. I highly recommend using Knowmad Adventures to plan your next trip to Peru or Chile!
Our trip was everything we dreamed it would be and more. Your group did a great job everywhere we went. We especially loved our guide Paula, and Explora was top notch too. All perfect.
Please don’t ever change the way you operate. You fulfill lifelong dreams and provide people with the chance to live what they thought could only be read about.
You put together a one-of-a-kind vacation for my group that I’ll long remember and enthusiastically recommend. I thank you and look forward, with much anticipation, to my next adventure with you.
We got back last night and I must say that the organization of the entire trip was AMAZING. We all loved Peru and thanks to Knowmad we even enjoyed it a lot more. Thanks a lot Jordan for everything as we had sooooo much fun. I’ll definitely recommend you to anybody that wants to experience Peru.
Journey through the rugged and otherworldly terrain of Southern Bolivia, exploring lagoons, volcanoes and Uyuni salt flats before ending in the capital of La Paz, perched atop the Andes Mountains, stopping at the historical rich communities of Potosi and Sucre along the way. Ideal connection with Chile’s Atacama Desert or start and finish in La Paz.
