Leave your smart phone at the hotel while visiting picturesque Nicaragua? Is this a sick joke? If I don’t post a picture of my fish tacos, did I even eat them?
El Camino–a travel service specializing in personalized, authentic experiences–understands the modern traveler’s desire (read: addiction!) for sharing ‘gramable vacation images. After traveling to Central America, frequent flyer and founder Katalina Mayorga stopped and asked herself, “Am I too busy taking pictures of moments instead of experiencing them?”
The solution: coordinate a small group of adventure seekers with an expertly researched, authentic itinerary (no Hard Rock Cafes here!) as well as a photographer to snap every memorable moment. Then wake up to edited, ready-to-post pictures from the day before, click share and hit the streets with your eyes on the culture, not on your smart phone. Katalina shared her pie-in-the-sky idea with co-founder and creative director Marianna Jamadi, and together, the duo set sail on bringing their #travelgoals to life.
CEO Katalina Mayorga and Creative Director Marianna Jamadi — Photo courtesy of El Camino Travel
10best What was your "light bulb" moment for El Camino Travel?
Katalina “I was an international development consultant and worked in Guatemala. I had a weekend off and traveled to Lake Atitlán on a water taxi and was surrounded by 12 breathtaking villages and two volcanoes. As I reached for my phone to take pictures of the breathtaking scenery, I noticed all the other tourists in the boat doing the same thing. Since travel has changed dramatically with mobile technology and the ability to share in real time, I realized something special was getting lost when trying to capture every. single. moment.”
Photo courtesy of El Camino Travel
10best So you send a photographer to do the capturing for you…
Marianna “Correct! Groups are accompanied by a photographer to snap pictures throughout the day. Every morning, the photographer sends around 20 edited images that travelers can immediately share on social media. So no need to be glued to your phone screen!"
Photo courtesy of El Camino Travel
10best How are El Camino’s organized trips different from traditional tour groups?
Katalina “We always think about what we want to experience when we travel. We identify locations with a strong cultural identity, cap the group size at 12 and work with local tastemakers to make the experience as authentic as possible.”
Photo courtesy of El Camino Travel
10best Why was it important to include a philanthropic component to the tours?
Katalina “When I visited Antiqua, I started chatting with my taxi driver. He said that in order to make a living, most people only have two industries to choose from: tourism or the drug industry. That was such an eye opener for me, and put the power of tourism in a great perspective. So we donate a percentage of the profits from each trip to a local social entrepreneur who is changing the face of their country. Travelers will be able to meet the maker and learn about their work and their country, gaining a unique and personal perspective of the city they’re visiting."
Photo courtesy of El Camino Travel
10best El Camino–where did the name come from?
Marianna "I was in the shower and had an 'A-ha!' moment. I had been bouncing around ideas with my husband, but then it just came to me. I already have a tattoo reading 'Camino' which means path of travel. I made a nostalgic connection with the name–then it just stuck!"
Photo courtesy of El Camino Travel
10best What’s one thing travelers shouldn’t forget to pack?
Katalina and Marianna "Bug spray and Dramamine–you just never know!"
Photo courtesy of El Camino Travel
10best OK, we're sold. When's the next trip (and how much is it going to cost us?)
Katalina and Marianna "We are going to Columbia and Nicaragua for nine days in 2016, and trips start at $2,050. Worth every penny!"
