The stunning landscapes of both northern and southern Patagonia were the perfect backdrop for this group of 7 family members and friends. On this trip, they were able to see all of the highlights of the region, including trekking in Torres del Paine, glacier ice hiking, bike riding on Chiloé Island, whitewater rafting, and more!
For the past couple of weeks I have had the pleasure of living vicariously through our travelers while sifting through hundreds of photos taken in every nook and cranny of South America. What I love most about this process is seeing the world through another’s perspective, learning travelers’ stories through each image and in a little way, sharing in their joy. Throughout the selection process Krista and I commented several times just how difficult it was to pick only three top photos for each category, but, albeit challenging, we managed to pick this year’s Knowmad Adventures Annual Travel Photography Contest winners!
From the white sand beaches and wildlife of the Galapagos Islands, to the ancient Incan ruins of Peru, stunning mountain peaks of Patagonia, and the vibrant culture of Buenos Aires, Knowmad Travelers experienced a lot in 2016.
They snorkeled with sea lions and kayaked next glaciers. They hiked the Inca Trail, and camped under the stars at nearly unknown ruins. They shared stories with gauchos and savored a meal with indigenous leaders. They connected with different cultures, communities and people throughout South America.
Dear Fellow Traveler: Admittedly, we’ve been very focused on the day-to-day here at Knowmad Adventures. Yet, this time of year always reminds us to take a step back and remember the bigger picture.
We’re excited to share Amy Tara Koch’s Wall Street Journal article, “Holiday Getaways for Picky Procrastinators,” with you! Koch cites Knowmad’s expertise about Patagonia and suggests that travelers looking, “for better deals and last-minute finagling, book through a travel [company], such as Knowmad Adventures.”
Click the link above for the full article and give one of our Trip Specialists a call at 612-315-2894 to start planning your trip to South America today!
Left photo via WikiHow.
This New Year’s Eve, citizens across the United States will be watching the ball drop in Times Square, singing a round of Auld Lang Syne, and ooh-ing and ahh-ing as fireworks light up the sky. Meanwhile, New Year traditions around South America will also take place, some very similar to our own and some unique to each region or country.
At the southernmost and northernmost boundaries of Chile lie two vastly different regions: Patagonia and the Atacama Desert. On their Custom Atacama Desert + Patagonia Chile Trip, Patrick and Becca explored the jagged peaks and turquoise lakes of Torres del Paine National Park before venturing north to the seemingly infinite and otherworldly vistas of the Atacama Desert.
I’ve been the Media Manager for Knowmad Adventures for over three years and I have been tasked with writing about our accolades and press several times. It has always been challenging, because it is really difficult to accurately describe what an accolade like the Condé Nast Traveler Experience Makers + Top Travel Specialist Award means to our company.
Imagine yourself in an idyllic setting, enjoying fresh air and a new sense of wonderment. Now, pair that with renowned cuisine that combines flavors rich in cultural influences, local ingredients, and trend-setting techniques. This experience is what the Relais & Châteaux fellowship calls the “Art of Living.”
As we come closer to the end of the year and the holiday season appears on the horizon, we at Knowmad are excited to continue our annual holiday tradition of supporting small, local businesses in South America. Through Kiva, anyone can lend money to low-income entrepreneurs throughout the world, and “connect people through lending to alleviate poverty.”
“The ability to more fully understand one’s own culture and place in the world by experiencing other cultures” – Stephan, Knowmad Traveler
“It means soaring into new adventures while grounding me within my roots” – Joy, Knowmad Traveler
I asked our Knowmad Adventures past traveler community what travel means to them and a common thread emerged in their answers.
The era of covid has been brutal for the travel industry and many others. It can be hard, but even for us adventure lovers there are silver linings. Check out these incredible deals for future travel that allow you to get a trip on the calendar with unbeatable values and flexible conditions while supporting some of these Knowmad favorite unique, locally-owned property partners. These are unprecedented Knowmad exclusive promotions and they won’t last!
We’re extremely proud to announce that Knowmad and Co-Founder Jordan Harvey have earned the Travel + Leisure A-list honor for being the top Patagonia, Chile, and Argentina specialist. Our 7th year running taking home the hardware, you may think as time goes on our excitement would begin to fade but rather it builds, striking a different chord each year. This year it feels especially significant. It’s a simple, yet profound symbol of Knowmad’s bright future.
We are proud to be one of the only companies in the world to receive both the Condé Nast Top Specialists and Travel + Leisure A-List awards, and also have two award-winning Specialists (Renee Davies is Condé Nast’s top Ecuador & Galapagos Specialist).
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.
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.
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.
