The memories you make on a trip will last a lifetime and travel is a great way to get people together that don’t otherwise see each other often. Sharing new experiences with your family is one of the best ways to spend time together. Take a look at our top five best family vacations in South America below. We share South America trip ideas for all types of budgets, travel styles and interests.
Last September Irit and Josh embarked on what they claim was, “the BEST holiday ever.” Their trip started in Peru, where they crisscrossed the country exploring Cusco, the Sacred Valley, the Pisac ruins, Kenko, Machu Picchu and more. Highlights included mountain biking through the Andes, meeting people from the Amaru community, and experiencing the famed Machu Picchu ruins. After some down time in Cusco they hopped on a flight and began their journey to southern Patagonia. Here they stayed at Tierra Patagonia, a one of a kind lodge in the Torres del Paine National Park area.
They call us The Experience Makers; a compilation of travel experts from all across the world organized into four glossy pages of Condé Nast Traveler’s December issue. We help you immerse yourself in the local culture, escape the crowds and create smooth, worry-free itineraries.
Being awarded this accolade is an honor for our entire team. Saying we were “excited” when we found out would be an understatement – we’ve worked really hard to create unforgettable trips for our travelers and it feels phenomenal to be recognized by one of the biggest names in the travel industry.
This year Knowmad Adventures grew from the passion project of a few, to something altogether larger than ourselves – a movement of independent-minded explorers, a sum much greater than its parts. It’s been an absolute whirlwind full of joys and, at times, seemingly unconquerable challenges.
Song by Sam Cooke
The holiday season encourages us to pause and think about those we are grateful for. Giving a gift can be a great way to say thank you or share in a friend’s passion and interests.
We have started our own holiday tradition here at Knowmad, every year we participate in a microlending program to help small business owners in South America. Each December we work with Kiva, an organization that works with micro finance institutions to provide loans to people without access to traditional banking systems.
Kristen, Eirik and Lillian embarked on a 20-day trip of a lifetime last July. They explored a multitude of regions while traveling to Ecuador last summer, starting out at a phenomenal ecolodge in the Amazon Jungle, visiting Cotopaxi National Park, and enjoying time in the Galapagos Islands.
Tara talks with Fashionable about using the versatile Mamuye Tote and Eyerusalem Passport Wallet during her travels in Patagonia. Click the link to read the full Knowmad Adventures + The Mamuye Tote Travels to South America article on the Fashionable blog.
Mind-blowing, historical, challenging – these hikes will get your heart pumping and the scenery will take your breath away.
Wondering what to get the kids and grandkids for Christmas? There’s no better gift than the gift of travel and shared adventures. Here at Knowmad Adventures, a company dedicated to creating custom travel experiences in South America, we believe that travel makes better people, and better people make a better and more compassionate world. We also know that travel and shared experiences bond people together and make better relationships; and authentic, close relationships are the key to a full and happy life. Helping people bond with their loved ones is one of the greatest joys of my job, and why I love putting together custom, multigenerational trips to South America.
Pictured above, upper left photo: Krista Erdahl, Carmen Mancino, Renee Davies, Tara Harvey, Jordan Harvey, Amanda Bjorge, Kayli Kirkegaard, Jena Davison, Lisa Kellenberger (not pictured: Colin Bennett, Dan Luedke, Elizabeth O’Brien, Nikki Fox)
As summer fades to fall and fall to winter, we’re reminded to take a step back and reflect on our past year.
Well-heeled and adventurous travelers have long favored shoulder seasons when the amount of travelers in a destination dips (often times along with prices) and weather is still good (and in some locations it could be argued better than high season). Fall shoulder season for Peru / Machu Picchu and Chile / Argentina / Patagonia is in March and April and the best spots and some hikes, such as the Inca Trail, are booking up fast. The time to plan for these seasons is now!
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.
Quite simply the best trip we’ve ever taken. Destinations astounded, logistics and planning flawless, and your intimate knowledge and relationships made for a trip that was personal every inch of the way.
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.
