JuanPa Journeys

Your friendly neighborhood travel advisor

Let's turn your next trip into a real adventure.

I've spent years traveling to places that take a little more effort to reach, from Antarctica and Borneo to the mountains of Colombia.

Now I help other people find and plan journeys worth taking, whether you already know where you want to go or just know the kind of experience you're looking for.

I started traveling solo in my teens, in places like Europe and Haiti. Lived in Africa for a stretch not long after. Work has taken me further since: deeper into Africa, across Asia and through Latin America.

I might be north of a hundred countries by now, though I stopped keeping exact count somewhere along the way. That was never really the point.

What I care about is the experience itself: connection with nature, local communities and history. I've trekked to Everest Base Camp and the summit of Nevado del Tolima, climbed Kilimanjaro, sailed to Antarctica, traveled through Borneo, followed the Nile and walked to Ciudad Perdida.

I've also spent years swapping recommendations with friends, travelers and people who actually live in the places I visit. JuanPa Journeys is a way to put all of that to use. Tell me where you're thinking about going, or just the kind of trip you want, and I'll help you figure out how to do it well.

A handful of journeys I particularly like. Some I know firsthand, others I've vetted through people and operators I trust. This is inspiration, not a catalog. Have another destination or kind of adventure in mind? Ask me.

For the examples below: “Been there” means firsthand experience. “Vetted” means I've researched this particular journey through travelers or local partners I trust.

64°S Antarctic Peninsula Been there · with G Adventures Sail among icebergs to the White Continent: penguins, whales, Zodiac landings and a silence you can feel. I traveled here with G Adventures and can help you navigate the different routes, ships and cabin options. Best: Nov–Mar
Galápagos Vetted · G Adventures Walk among giant tortoises and marine iguanas, snorkel with sea lions and explore one of the strangest ecosystems on Earth. Friends I trust have traveled here with G Adventures and highly recommend the experience. Best: Year-round
5°N Borneo Been there Cruise the Kinabatangan through ancient rainforest looking for wild orangutans, proboscis monkeys and hornbills. I've traveled Borneo myself and can help you find the right way into it. Best: Mar–Oct
3°S Kenya & Tanzania Been there The classic East African safari: Serengeti, Maasai Mara, Ngorongoro and, with the right timing, the Great Migration. I've traveled here myself and can help compare routes, styles and operators. Best: Jun–Oct & Dec–Feb
18°N Calakmul & Palenque Vetted Towering Maya cities rising from the jungle: Calakmul deep in the biosphere and Palenque wrapped in mist and howler monkeys. I can help build a route around the ruins, local guides and the places between them. Best: Nov–Apr & Jul–Aug
5°N Nevado del Tolima Been there A high-altitude trek through cloud forest and páramo toward a glaciated Andean summit, with hot springs along the way. I've done the trek and can connect you with people who know the mountain. Best: Dec–Mar & Jul–Aug
30°N Petra Been there Jordan's rose-red city carved into sandstone cliffs, easily paired with Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea. I've traveled here and can help turn Petra into part of a bigger Jordan journey. Best: Mar–May & Sep–Nov
11°N Ciudad Perdida Been there A multi-day jungle trek through the Sierra Nevada to ancient Tairona ruins older than Machu Picchu. I've done the trek and can connect you with experienced local operators. Best: Dec–Mar & Jul–Aug · Closed Sep
25°N The Nile Been there Sail between Luxor and Aswan, tracing thousands of years of history from Karnak and the Valley of the Kings to temples farther south. I've traveled this route and can help compare ways to experience it. Best: Oct–Apr
? Your stamp goes here None of these? Even better. Tell me a place you've been dreaming about, or just give me the ingredients: jungle, mountains, wildlife, history, food, beach, budget, dates... we'll start there.

I traveled to Antarctica with G Adventures and like their approach to small-group adventure travel. Friends I trust have traveled with them elsewhere — the Arctic, Galápagos, Patagonia — and come back saying much the same. They run hundreds of trips around the world, so they're a great place to explore if you'd rather browse first.

Browse G Adventures →

If you book through this link, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Beyond the tour catalog

Some of the experiences I'm most excited about aren't found in a big tour catalog at all.

I have relationships with local guides, farms and communities, particularly in Latin America, and I'm developing a small collection of more locally rooted journeys: coffee farms, archaeological sites, mountain treks, rural stays and places that are simply better experienced through someone who knows them.

These will stay small, personal and built around the place rather than a standard itinerary.

Curious? Ask me what I'm working on →