2012 Photo Contest Results

Of thousands of great images from Knowmad travelers, check out the winning shots in the categories of Action & Adventure, Landscape & Scenery, Culture, Wildlife, and Portrait. Thanks so much to you all for your keen photography and for a fantastic year!
 

ACTION & ADVENTURE

1st Prize: Big Views in a Big World by Brianna Bromstad
Brianna snapped this photo while summiting Huayna Picchu Mountain. Climbing this peak sacred to the Inca allows for incredible views over the Machu Picchu Citadel and isn’t for the faint of heart!
 

Tierra Patagonia in Travel + Leisure

Travel and Leisure recently named Tierra Patagonia, a lodge located on the edge of Chile’s Torres Del Paine National Park, Best Resort in the T + L 2013 Design Awards. Being a design junkie myself, I wholeheartedly agree with T + L’s perspective that good design makes better travel (and better everything really). Knowmad, upon its creation, has been sending happy travelers to Tierra Patagonia’s sister lodge in the northern Chilean Desert, Tierra Atacama, and was thrilled to hear of plans to build a lodge that would no doubt just as seamlessly live and blend into its natural surroundings.

We were so excited, in fact, that we’ve decided to hop a flight down to Chile in a couple weeks to check it out. Stay tuned for the next issue of the Knowmad Travel Journal for our thoughts on this and other lodges in both Patagonia and the Atacama Desert.

Un Beso, Tara

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Parting Shots: Family Visits their Daughter Studying Abroad in South America

Lisa Kellenberger, both Tara’s sister and Knowmad’s Social Media Guru, spent a semester studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina last spring. Without a moment’s hesitation (not that anybody needs any real valid excuse in this family to go exploring) parents Greg and Dana started dreaming up a trip with Knowmad to get down there. Greg had been to Machu Picchu before when Tara spent her summer after college backpacking around South America and couldn’t wait to see it again, this time with his wife and third daughter. So after a couple of days exploring Argentina’s capital, they flew from  Buenos Aires to Lima and then to Puerto Maldonado in the Amazon for a stay at Inkaterra’s Reserva Amazonica. Next they flew to Cuzco to embark on a custom version of the Classic Machu Picchu itinerary. Thanks for sharing these wonderful shots Kellenbergers!

 
 
 

About.com Features Knowmad Adventures

Knowmad is thrilled to be spotlighted in the article Custom Adventure Travel in South America with Knowmad Adventures on About.com.

The author Louis Friedland, a big adventurer herself, outlines that Knowmad is a “U.S. based (company) and owned by an American husband and wife team who believe ‘Travel brings us closer to Earth’s natural wonders and diverse cultures, as well as to ourselves.'” She says that their “approach to creating trips reflects that philosophy.”

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How to Make the Most Out of Your Miles

Alright, I’ll admit it. I’m a hoarder. But, no, I don’t have some weird collection of dolls or cats. I hoard miles and I’m here to give you a couple tips on how to do the same.

First off, don’t let one single flight go by without collecting your miles for it. You earned them! I keep track of my miles with a simple spreadsheet that you can download here. This sheet helps me keep track of my usernames, passwords, and mileage for each airline.  

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Last Call for Photos!

The closing date for our annual photo contest is quickly approaching! We’ve been pulling our hair out trying to decide on winners for the categories of Action Adventure, Culture, Wildlife and Landscape or Scenery. If you’ve traveled with us in 2012 and have been holding onto a shot, please send it our way to [email protected]

ALL ENTRIES DUE BY JANUARY 31ST – WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN NEXT NEWSLETTER

Give the Gift of Travel

There’s nothing you can give your family and friends that is more valuable than life experiences, and no better way to start the year than with adventure in your sights. To encourage this Knowmad is offering a $100 per person discount on trips booked between now and December 31, 2012. 

*Deposit and registration packet must be received prior to December 31, 2012. May not be combined with any other available traveler discounts. Exclusions may apply. Discount code disc_holiday/2012 must be mentioned prior to the time of booking.

(Pictured above: fox in Patagonia, Chile)

Knowmad & The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Present “Lost Lands of the Inca”

Arboretum Peru Trip

Knowmad Adventures in conjunction with the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is proud to announce an incredible group trip “Lost Lands of the Inca: An Exploration of Peru, Machu Picchu, and the Amazon.” The trip is our seventh with the Arboretum and comes in the wake of an extremely successful trip to Costa Rica last year. It is open to Arboretum members as well as non-members – this includes you!

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Knowmad News: “Tis the Season to Lend

Tidings from all at Knowmad Adventures! There’s just something about the holiday season that makes us feel lucky. Maybe it’s that we’re warm and toasty inside as it grows frosty outside, but I think it’s the fact that we just are plain lucky. We find ourselves thriving in a downturned economy, living our dream, and helping to build unique travel experiences everyday in the far-flung corners of Chile, Argentina, Peru & Ecuador.
 
It’s when one’s traveling and gaining different perspectives on the world that one often times realizes how good you’ve got it (and that there are people out there that aren’t nearly as fortunate as you are). Through Kiva, an organization that strives to empower people around the world with their micro-loan programs, Knowmad is able to help in a little way.

Culture: La Prisa Mata

As the holidays descend upon us, with shoppers forming lines at insane twilight hours to get into their favorite retail stores and buy, with Santa Claus is Coming to Town playing in malls before Thanksgiving even, and lists being checked and rechecked – I’d like to share this image by a graffiti artist in Valparaiso, Chile. It translates to “Rushing Kills” and makes me smile, because somedays in South America you feel like no one has to be anywhere. If you give your waiter any sort of look after waiting for your bill for forty-five minutes, he’s really the one thinking you’re crazy!

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Argentina + Chile Group Trip Adventure with St. Olaf Alumni & Family Travel + Knowmad

Best Argentina And Chile Group Trip For Scenery

St. Olaf Alumni & Family Travel, in conjunction with Knowmad Adventures, is proud to announce an incredible Argentina and Chile group trip to South America. This 15-day trip, from August 5th to August 19th, 2018, is available to anyone who wishes to register and will highlight the breathtaking landscapes and fascinating culture & history of Argentina and Chile.

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Top 6 Ecuador Destinations To Visit Before Or After Your Trip To The Galapagos

Ecuador Mainland Destinations

The Galapagos Islands is one of the most incredible places to visit: to behold wildlife unafraid of human interaction and the rare and wonderful flora that abound the islands is truly spectacular. But en route to the Galapagos Islands are some equally special places that often get overlooked: the wonderful and varied mainland Ecuador destinations. One of Knowmad’s favorite things to do when planning trips to the Galapagos Islands is to supplement the trip with a few days or more in Ecuador’s mainland, which is sure to capture every traveler’s heart.

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Parting Shots: Anniversary Adventure to The Inca Trail & Sacred Valley, Peru

Sacred Valley Peru To Inca Trail

Explorers through and through, Deb and William decided to spend their anniversary trekking the Inca Trail. Spending their first few days in the Sacred Valley, Peru, they got to behold some of the incredible local culture, explore Inca sites, visit with community members, and learn about the history and traditions that make Peru such a uniquely beautiful country.

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