Knowmad Founders Adventure Series: All Things Brazil

It’s been thirteen years since Jordan and I founded Knowmad Adventures. We’ve spent years in South America, built an office and a team in Minneapolis, had babies, moved to the ski town of Telluride, weathered a pandemic, and are, just finally, getting into a travel routine that not only melds with our work and kids’ schedules, but brings us to out-of-this-world destinations, creating lifelong family memories and phenomenal recon missions for Knowmad trip ideas. Discover how adventure travel company founders explore: this year, we travel to Brazil.

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Parting Shots: An Inside Look at an Epic Antarctica Expedition

In the vast Antarctica wilderness, Ron and Russel cross off a significant milestone and discover word-defying beauty. These two are no strangers to Knowmad, they took their first trip with us in 2014 to Peru and have done three other trips since (including Antarctica). They’re fantastic writers and their kind, adventurous spirits are apparent in all the stories they’ve sent us after their trips. We caught up with them from their home in Connecticut after 31 days of adventure. Read their story below.

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Simply the Best: Knowmad Photo Contest Winners

We’ve brought it back after a two year pandemic hiatus; a travelers all-time favorite, the Annual Knowmad Photo Contest. It’s not only the striking images from our favorite South American destinations that keep us inspired, it’s the stories that come with them. Submissions span categories from landscape to wildlife to portrait and capture moments unequaled; the quiet puma in Patagonia’s wild, the sheepish smile of a local child, a rainforest orchid blooming brilliantly. All category winners will receive Knowmad gear and the overall Knowmad Adventures Grand Prize Winner wins a 2-night/3-day stay at Hacienda Zuleta in Ecuador.  Keep scrolling for the results!

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Lifelong Friends Take the Trip of a Lifetime – Galapagos to Machu Picchu

south america custom travel

Having known each other for decades, this group of four already knew any adventure they planned together would be a ball. They came to Knowmad to handle the details and craft experiences that would invite a deeper connection with the landscapes, wildlife, and locals. Little could they have imagined sharing a glass of vino with Margarita, the charming owner of 17th-century Hacienda Zuleta nestled in the Ecuadorian Andes, or exchanging stories with their guide Miguel at Machu Picchu as they walked through mazes of dry-stone walls built over 500 years ago.

Join this lively group of friends as they travel throughout western South America and see why they said, “Our trip was absolutely amazing! An unforgettable experience full of adventure and unexpected beauty”

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Knowmad Wins Condé Nast’s Top Honor for Galapagos, Peru, Patagonia, Argentina, & Chile

Four Knowmad Adventures team members in Knowmad hats walking and laughing together with a Condé Nast Traveler 2022 seal on the lower left.

Knowmad is proud and humbled to once again be one of the few operator/agencies in the world to have not one but two of our specialists awarded with the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Experts accolade. Knowmad General Manager Renee Davies is recognized as the top expert of Galapagos, Ecuador & Peru; while Co–Founder Jordan Harvey for Patagonia, Argentina and Chile.

Travel + Leisure A-List Winner for the 10th Year in a Row!

This is a big one folks!! Knowmad Co-Founder Jordan Harvey won a spot on the Travel + Leisure A-list for the 10th year in a row. 

It doesn’t seem that long ago that Jordan “almost fainted right there in the Dallas / Ft. Worth customs,” after finding out he had won the T+L A-List award for the very first time in 2013. A lot has happened in the last 10 years, we’ve grown, expanded into new territories, helped more and more travelers and at the same time, not much has changed. Our commitment to unparalleled levels of knowledge and operating capabilities in our regions has only strengthened and we continue to work hard to build innovative and unique travel experiences for our travelers. 

We asked our past travelers to help us in congratulating Jordan by sharing some of their favorite travel moments, keep reading to take a trip down memory lane with us.

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Travel + Leisure Spotlights Knowmad’s Peru Epic 9-Day Active Adventure & Inca Trail

Photo of Machu Picchu in Peru with the Travel + Leisure logo overlayed in the lower left corner

Open for travel, sharply declining covid numbers, and a dearth of crowds has us pumped for Peru travel. We were honored when Travel + Leisure recently featured one of Knowmad Co-Founder Jordan’s favored Peru trips, which packs in big adventure in a short period of time. Are you ready to craft your own Peru experience?

Machu Picchu Day Hikes

View of Machu Picchu with Llama

 

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.

Start Planning Today

 

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Parting Shots: A Luxury Peru Trip to High-End Properties

Luxury Peru Trip

A Perfect Blend of Adventure, Culture and Luxury

Known for its stunning landscapes and the famous Machu Picchu citadel; its warm and welcoming people; and its rich, vibrant culture, Peru has long been a sought-after destination for travelers from all over the world. But what often can get overlooked is that it is also an incredible destination for luxury travel. A luxury Peru trip is host to some of the most dazzling, awe-inspiring, high-end properties throughout the country that are well-positioned to give travelers an adventure they’ll never forget. Knowmad travelers Keira & Mickey had their own tailored experience exploring the country’s regions while staying at some of Peru’s most coveted boutique properties.

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Knowmad Has Your Back: Bob and Linda’s Antarctica Expedition

Knowmad travelers snap photos during their Antarctica expedition cruise.

 

Bob and Linda, who had traveled with Knowmad to Ecuador and the Galapagos before, knew who to turn to when they decided they wanted to explore Antarctica and combine that visit with an adventure to Southern Patagonia. With such an extreme itinerary, they trusted Knowmad to plan for everything. Considering the weather-related delays they found themselves wrapped up in on their way home from their Antarctica expedition, they were ecstatic that they had booked their voyage through a travel provider and that Knowmad had their backs. “Even before our trip, Knowmad kept us on track pre-travel, so we were well prepared for a 3-week international trip. We were not just forgotten about once we had booked our travels. Twelve hours before one of our flights, Knowmad sent us an email letting us know the airlines had changed our flight and that [they] had rearranged our pick-up time and driver. All we had to do was show up in the lobby. No worries.”

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