Maria Eugenia is a proud Colombian coffee farmer, locally known as “chapolera”, who picks coffee at Finca del Café in the Colombia’s Coffee Triangle and shows visitors how to make some of the greatest coffee in the world using generations-old methods. She discusses her passions, struggles, and what pushes her to accomplish her everyday work. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? My name is Maria Eugenia and I’ve been working at Finca del Café for the past nine years. We’re around three miles outside of Santa Rosa de Cabal, Risaralda, Colombia. During harvest time, I pick coffee cherries in the plantation, and I look after the workers by providing them with food, all year round, I am the one who welcomes tourists with a great cup of coffee! Where does the name ‘chapolera’ originate? In Colombia, “chapoleras” are all the women who, for generations, have harvested coffee from…
Edwin Arce is a long-serving tour guide who has worked across Costa Rica’s many alternating terrains. He talks to us about his love of good coffee and his experiences witnessing whale calves, glowing lava flows, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica—all while guiding tourists and photographers around this fantastic destination. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? My name is Edwin Gerardo Arce Salazar. Most of my experiences are related to guiding group trips, tours, and events programs for the last twenty years in and out of Costa Rica. How does a typical day start for you? A day in paradise starts with a cup of good hot coffee, a cold shower and a panoramic view of the sky and the surroundings just to have an idea about what to expect of the day, about the weather to take advantage of the already programmed activities to acheive my…
A native of Chile, Pamela Gomez felt the call of the wild in Patagonia, leaving the capital to follow her dream of guiding tourists on horseback through the stunning landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park. Horse riding through Las Torres in Patagonia is a popular and scenic activity, offering a unique way to explore a region known for its dramatic mountains, azure lakes, and diverse wildlife. Our team enjoyed a fantastic visit to the park, staying in Hotel Las Torres and embarking on a stunning horse ride with Pamela leading the group. We spoke with her about what life is like in this epic part of the South American continent. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this role? I’m from Santiago and I am a tour guide working in Torres del Paine National Park. I love nature, the flora and…
Hailing from the lush lands of northern Costa Rica, Isaac Méndez Valerio is a professional tour guide for Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in Golfo Dulce, near the Osa Peninsula. We found out what inspired him to be a guide and what he loves most about living out his passion in a remote part of this Central American wildlife wonderland. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this role? I have always been a curious person and always wanted to see more of the world around me, to understand more. I grew up near Juan Castro National Park surrounded by nature: from endless woods to rivers and waterfalls, and having family at the beach alongside friends who are farmers, provided me with a lot to learn, observe, and explore. There was not much of a surprise when at 19 years old I heard…
A native of Cusco in Peru, Marco Serrano is a professional tour guide with several years of experience leading different groups throughout Peru. Growing up in a tourist city, he was amazed by the stories he read and heard about the adventures of explorers and local people. Here he discusses his love for different cultures and the great outdoors. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this role? I have had a lifelong passion for travel and exploration, plus an interest in archaeology, history, nature, and the living culture of the Andean people. At the age of 11, my interest in learning about other cultures began and grew, so I began to study the English language at ICPNA Cusco. Later I graduated from university in Cusco with a Bachelor of Tourism having learned that this activity encompasses many things, which is why…
Colombian Chocolate aficionado José Luis Pérez is a host at Casa Rivera del Cacao. Here he discusses the child-like magic of his small natural paradise in the foothills of the Andes, Córdoba, Quindío – the perfect place to explore the gastronomic applications of Colombian biodiversity and where several of the best cocoas in the world are grown and produced. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this role? I fell passionately in love with cacao and chocolate. Its history, biology, and all the agricultural process around it. Cacao is something that is very dear to our hearts as humans, but most of us don’t know much about it. When I started to discover all that surrounds chocolate I didn’t want to be anywhere else. How does a typical day start for you? A lot of the experience in our property revolves around…
Torres del Paine National Park is an incredible stretch of wilderness in Chile, where our remote ranches offer guests the opportunity to experience rural life in Chile, enjoying horseback riding, hiking, and many other outdoor activities. We recently spoke to Gabriel Mazuelos who works as a tour guide to find out what life is like for him. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this part of the world/this role? My name is Gabriel and I am a hiking/horseback riding guide at Torres del Paine National Park. I am a very big outdoor enthusiast, I love being in the mountains, climbing, skiing and almost whatever you can do out there. At first, I didn’t know anything about Torres del Paine, which is what attracted me. I just knew that everybody wanted to go there, so I had to figure out for myself why…
Estancia Los Potreros in Cordoba, Argentina is a beautiful, remote ranch offering guests the opportunity to experience rural life in Argentina, enjoying horseback riding, fabulous home cooking and amazing local wine. We recently spoke to Georgia Beech who works at the Estancia to find out what life is like for her… How does a typical day at the estancia start for you? My mornings vary depending on the time of year but usually, in the summer months, my days start when the sun rises. I take the dogs out for a stroll in the early morning – usually along one of the tracks. We often pass the burrowing owls, who are beginning their days sitting on the posts watching over the estancias herd of Aberdeen Angus. The dawn or ‘madrugada’ is really the best and most beautiful time of the day; it is warm but not too hot and the…
