Adventure Travel Podcast - Big World Made Small

Area/Topic New Zealand, Maori, Spirituality Jean-Michel Jefferson Owner Ahipara Travel Jean-Michel Jefferson is the founder and CEO of Ahipara Luxury Travel.  Educated at various schools in North Africa and the Middle East (son of a diplomat), then Rugby School, and the universities of Exeter and Sheffield, Jean-Michel spent 9 years with Price Waterhouse as a Management Consultant and Aviation Str...

Area/Topic Worldwide, Fly Fishing, Photography, Travel Writing Jess McGlothlin Freelance Photographer and Writer Jess McGlothlin Media Jess McGlothlin sees her mission as a simple one: tell stories. Working as a freelance photographer and writer in the outdoor industry, while on assignment in the past few years she’s learned how to throw spears at coconuts in French Polynesia, dodge saltwater croc...

Area/Topic Africa Julia Nesbitt Director African Safari Company Julia’s summers as a child were spent exploring her grandparent’s farm in Zimbabwe, game parks throughout the region and visiting family in South Africa. These experiences shaped her more than she could have imagined, and in her early 20s she packed her bags and headed to Zambia to manage a camp in the South Luangwa Valley. After runn...

Area/Topic South America, Destination Management, Career Dalia Gibu Regional Sales and Marketing Director Abercrombie & Kent Latin America Born and raised in Lima, with grandparents from Peru and from Okinawa. Dalia always had a love for geography and arts. She studied Tourism management in Lima's San Martin University and afterwards two Master Degrees -one from the University of Alicante...

Area/Topic Sweden, Fishing, Tourism Business Development Helen Lundgren Founder & Administrator Catch & Relax I am married to my husband Bo, 2 daughters 22 and 17 and our dog Minnie. Running Catch & Relax since 2005 and Business Improvement Consultants since 2002 and have my coaching Program Life On Your Terms for 1 year. I live on an island in the Stockholm Archipelago and this life i...

Area/Topic Adventure Tourism, Family Business, Challenges & Rewards Kasey Austin Morrissey Head of Global Product & President USA Austin Adventures & Active Adventures Kasey was born in Alaska and raised in Montana. She graduated from the University of Montana, Missoula with a degree in Education. A member of the Austin family (Dan Austin’s daughter), Kasey grew up in the industry and...

Area/Topic Worldwide, Fly Fishing, Adventure Travel Jeremy Kehrein Manager - Travel Sales Orvis Adventures Originally from the Driftless area of Wisconsin, Jeremy spent a lot of time trout fishing from an early age.  Once he became an experienced fly fisherman,  he made his way to South America for work so he could explore the opportunities in Patagonia.  Once back stateside, Jeremy eventually mad...

Area/Topic Greece, Diving, Sailing, Adventures Stavros Makris Co-founder Bearing True South Based in Athens, Greece, and with a background in Biology, Stavros has worked as a documentary photographer for newspapers, NGOs and media organisations across five continents. Combining a passion for adventure with the curiosity his parents instilled in him from a very young age, it was almost impossible t...

Area/Topic Ecuador, Galapagos, Andes, Amazon, Ecotourism Paul Peralvo Co-Founder Amazing Ecuador DMC From a young age, I embarked on explorations across Ecuador, reveling in exciting vacations at my grandparents' rural haven south of Quito. Fond memories linger of long hours spent wandering fields at the foothills of the snow-capped Carihuairazo volcano, picking blackberries, and harvesting p...

Area/Topic Sweden, Fishing Micke Nyberg Owner & Head Guide Anglerman Fishing Adventures Micke hails from the genuine countryside and wilderness of Sweden, region Dalarna, in the community of Älvdalen. Operating as a professional guide since 2006, he's lead Anglerman fishing adventures since 2013. Micke's committed to delivering fishing experiences to customers from all over the world...

Area/Topic Montenegro, Western Balkans, Adventure Travel Guide Training Hayley Wright Owner/Operator Black Mountain Montenegro Inspired by adventurous parents and after journeying to and living in some of the world's colder places (including the North Pole and Siberia) Hayley turned a passion for adventure travel into a full time job as co-owner/ operator of an adventure travel business toget...

Area/Topic Western United States, Tourism Business, Career Melissa Chiella Director of Operations Bindlestiff Tours Melissa hails from the great state of New York. Growing up in Long Island & NYC she quickly developed an edge & pursued a Corporate Legal Career – thinking this was the path for her. However, in 2010 after an 8-year stint in law, she left the big apple in search of different...

Area/Topic Kosovo, Trekking Virtyt Gacaferri CEO Balkan Natural Adventure Virtyt Gacaferri is the driving force behind Balkan Natural Adventure, an exhilarating hiking and trekking company that calls Kosovo home while serving the entire region. But this isn't just your typical adventure outfit. Virtyt's journey from being an ex-journalist, who once reported on the conflicts in the very r...

Area/Topic Asia, Japan, Languages, Adventure Travel with Kids Laura Hagler Senior Travel Specialist Global Basecamps Laura grew up in Missouri counting the days till she could set off and see the world. After jumping at the chance to study abroad in the UK and travel through Europe and Africa, she returned to Florida Atlantic University to complete her Sculpture degree. Following her interest in A...

Area/Topic Worldwide, Fly Fishing Pat Pendergast Director of International Travel The Fly Shop For close to 30 years I have been guiding fly anglers to the finest international fly fishing destinations in the world. From Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, Kamchatka Russia to Chile, Patagonia, freshwater or saltwater, I have been fortunate to have traveled the world with a fly rod in hand. I have been a f...

Area/Topic Worldwide, Career, Culture, Group Travel Yves Marceau VP Product G Adventures Yves Marceau joined G Adventures in 2014, taking on the role of Vice President of Product in late-2017, after running the small group adventure company’s buying division for three years. Both roles place a heaving emphasis on sustainability, as G Adventures prefers to work with locally-owned suppliers in the m...

Area/Topic Romania, Bicycling Ionut Maftei Guide and Owner Bike In Time Romania Born during the Communist era and raised amidst the challenges of the '90s, I've had a unique journey that reflects the profound changes Romania has undergone. My life has been a tale of two worlds - from those dark times to embracing the promising economic growth that followed the year 2000. While I always h...

Episode Topics: Worldwide, Exotic Destinations, Career Jon Nicholson Founder & Director of Planning and Product Miru Adventures Jon has been planning trips professionally for over 45 years and is still passionate about finding new destinations that are just opening or returning to a place to have new and different experiences.  Believing strongly that the investment in travel to enrich your li...

Adventure Travel, India, Himalayas, Trekking, Rafting Vaibhav Kala Founder Aquaterra Adventures Guiding since the beginning of organised and serious adventure travel in the early 90s, he has been at the forefront of conceiving, planning and executing trips that were considered too audacious to run. Those were the days of the telex, fax and shell accounts were barely getting through. We are differe...

Adventure Travel, Worldwide, Travel Writing Angie Orth Author of Flirting with Disaster Angie Away Media Angie Orth is a writer and speaker best known for her travel and lifestyle website, Angie Away, and travel series The Jet Sisters. She’s a recovering PR agency publicist, former New Yorker, current Floridian, hesitant risk-taker, and allegedly, a grown-up. She’s the host of the Traveling with A...

Adventure Travel, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Central Asia Douglas Grimes MIR Corporation President Douglas was inspired to grow the company after traveling to the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s on a goodwill exchange between members of the Soviet Olympic volleyball team and players of the sport from 11 U.S. states. He has made over 120 trips to our destinations and is a member of the Explorers Club...

 Adventure Travel, Worldwide, Paleontology-centric Tourism Zach Vanasse Founder & Director Dinosaur Trips Zach Vanasse has spent the past decade plus working across a variety of roles in the travel and tourism sector, including travel journalist, marketing and PR consultant, not-for-profit program manager, and guest services and operations director to create unrivalled travel experiences 66 mi...

Area/Topic Travel Industry Trends, Traveling with Kids Dan Christian Podcast Host, Travel Trends Travel Trends Podcast with Dan Christian Dan Christian is a highly respected travel industry executive & entrepreneur. Following the pandemic he wanted to create a new travel podcast that told the stories of travel’s return through the experiences of his outstanding travel colleagues, our clients,...

Adventure Travel, Worldwide, Family, Culture, Tourism Business Robin Pollak Owner & Chief Adventure Officer Journeys International Robin is a creative strategist, experienced facilitator, and the second-generation owner of Journeys International. Founded by her parents in 1978 based on a commitment to cross-cultural connection and environmental preservation, Journeys has long been a pioneer in...

Adventure Travel, Chile, Tourism Business, Sustainability & Resiliency Gonzalo Fuenzalida Ceo/founder Chile Nativo Travel As founder, Gonzalo is responsible for maintaining and developing the characteristics that Chile Nativo is famous for: top notch service, excellent outdoor programs and a continued commitment to sustainability. Eternally optimistic Gonzalo is an eternal fan of Chile’s great...