About Us
Responsible TravelAwarded travel Agency based in Latin America
Responsible to you.
We named the company Responsible Travel a long time ago, and people usually hear it as a stance on tourism — regeneration, local communities, leaving the places we love better than we found them. All of that is true and we work at it every day. But our name means something else first. When you book a once-in-a-lifetime trip across South America, you are handing strangers in a country you have never been to your time, your money, your family, and the dream you have been holding for a long time. That is not a small thing. The least an agency can do is act like it is a big thing. So, we work to a simple standard: be responsible to you, first. That means a named person who answers when you write, and who keeps a hand on your trip from the first message to the last goodbye. It means moving first when something shifts — a cancelled flight, a closed road, a change of heart — instead of waiting for you to chase us. It means a trip shaped around who you are, not the version of you who fits an itinerary we already had on the shelf. Most of all, it means that when something goes wrong — and on a real trip across real countries, occasionally it will — you are not alone in it for a single minute. Bespoke Tours, designed with Latin Passion
How it all began
By FrankIn 2005, I had already worked for many years in tourism, especially as a tour leader for adventure tours, hiking through the Andes, climbing active volcanoes, and crisscrossing Ecuador on any possible (and sometimes seemingly impossible) route. That year, I went exploring a relatively unknown mountain range, la Cordillera de las Sabanillas in Loja, Ecuador’s southernmost province, looking for some Inca treasure. Nevertheless, as it turned out, I went there during the local dry season and spent my days mostly looking for water instead of treasures. Still, I found a small, ancient path that led me to a small village called San Antonio de las Aradas, where a friendly coffee farmer, Don José, provided me with accommodation and meals and a hot shower! After spending the afternoon with him, his nice wife Doña María, and their son Alci, their daughter Flor showed up in the late evening for a surprise visit (she had moved to the city of Loja to study there), and I fell immediately in love. It was literally love at first sight… from my side. It took me about a year to conquer her heart, and yes, we ended up married, and in 2016 our daughter completed our family: I indeed had found my treasure after all! Since then, many years have passed by, but I still remember every detail of that one special trip into the mountains, that one adventure that changed my life forever. Later, together with Flor, I have founded Responsible Travel with the goal to provide globetrotters from all over the world with a trip that special that they still remember it many years later, with their eyes beaming when telling their loved ones about that one travel. It is not an easy task, and I cannot guarantee you will find your treasure, but I can guarantee that everybody in Responsible Travel will do his/her very best to make your personal trip unique and unforgettable, all the way from planning your travel together, organizing any detail, and making sure you feel the support of your local friend throughout the whole adventure. Come, and explore South America on your dream trip with us! P.S. Remember that little path I followed? Well, it turned out it was part of the Qhapaq Ñan, the ancient road network of the Inca Empire, and now is about to become part of the respective UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Responsible to you.
We named the company Responsible Travel a long time ago, and people usually hear it as a stance on tourism — regeneration, local communities, leaving the places we love better than we found them. All of that is true and we work at it every day. But our name means something else first. When you book a once-in-a-lifetime trip across South America, you are handing strangers in a country you have never been to your time, your money, your family, and the dream you have been holding for a long time. That is not a small thing. The least an agency can do is act like it is a big thing. So, we work to a simple standard: be responsible to you, first. That means a named person who answers when you write, and who keeps a hand on your trip from the first message to the last goodbye. It means moving first when something shifts — a cancelled flight, a closed road, a change of heart — instead of waiting for you to chase us. It means a trip shaped around who you are, not the version of you who fits an itinerary we already had on the shelf. Most of all, it means that when something goes wrong — and on a real trip across real countries, occasionally it will — you are not alone in it for a single minute. Bespoke Tours, designed with Latin Passion
How it all began
By FrankIn 2005, I had already worked for many years in tourism, especially as a tour leader for adventure tours, hiking through the Andes, climbing active volcanoes, and crisscrossing Ecuador on any possible (and sometimes seemingly impossible) route. That year, I went exploring a relatively unknown mountain range, la Cordillera de las Sabanillas in Loja, Ecuador’s southernmost province, looking for some Inca treasure. Nevertheless, as it turned out, I went there during the local dry season and spent my days mostly looking for water instead of treasures. Still, I found a small, ancient path that led me to a small village called San Antonio de las Aradas, where a friendly coffee farmer, Don José, provided me with accommodation and meals and a hot shower! After spending the afternoon with him, his nice wife Doña María, and their son Alci, their daughter Flor showed up in the late evening for a surprise visit (she had moved to the city of Loja to study there), and I fell immediately in love. It was literally love at first sight… from my side. It took me about a year to conquer her heart, and yes, we ended up married, and in 2016 our daughter completed our family: I indeed had found my treasure after all! Since then, many years have passed by, but I still remember every detail of that one special trip into the mountains, that one adventure that changed my life forever. Later, together with Flor, I have founded Responsible Travel with the goal to provide globetrotters from all over the world with a trip that special that they still remember it many years later, with their eyes beaming when telling their loved ones about that one travel. It is not an easy task, and I cannot guarantee you will find your treasure, but I can guarantee that everybody in Responsible Travel will do his/her very best to make your personal trip unique and unforgettable, all the way from planning your travel together, organizing any detail, and making sure you feel the support of your local friend throughout the whole adventure. Come, and explore South America on your dream trip with us! P.S. Remember that little path I followed? Well, it turned out it was part of the Qhapaq Ñan, the ancient road network of the Inca Empire, and now is about to become part of the respective UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our Values
Cultural authenticity and environmental responsibilityWe work directly with hosts, accommodations, and custodians in each country to present traditions with respect and ensure that benefits are distributed according to local priorities. Our activity is guided by low-impact logistics, support for conservation initiatives, and measurable carbon reduction practices.
Our Impact
Conservation associations and initiativesWe measure our impact through long-term partnerships with communities and conservation initiatives. Each program is designed with local stewards to generate social, cultural, and environmental benefits, from training and employing guides to supporting habitat protection. By tracking results and sharing them with our partners, we ensure that our efforts contribute to meaningful and sustainable change, rather than symbolic gestures. This approach reflects our commitment to responsible tourism in South America and authentic, community-based tourism. From preserving local traditions to reducing our environmental footprint, our impact is both practical and measurable. By combining cultural authenticity, community collaboration, and environmental responsibility, we create experiences that enrich travelers and strengthen the communities they visit, fostering positive cycles of benefits and responsible stewardship.
Our Team
Regional experience with international perspectivesOur team combines regional expertise with international perspectives. Planners, conservation managers, and local guides work closely with communities to ensure experiences are safe, authentic, and respectful of local culture. With 15 years of experience in the industry, each trip reflects careful attention to local seasons, rituals, and governance, providing meaningful and responsible travel opportunities.
Read MoreOur Team
Regional experience with international perspectivesOur team combines regional expertise with international perspectives. Planners, conservation managers, and local guides work closely with communities to ensure experiences are safe, authentic, and respectful of local culture. With 15 years of experience in the industry, each trip reflects careful attention to local seasons, rituals, and governance, providing meaningful and responsible travel opportunities.
Read MoreExperience It
expertise in action
For Businesses
We help organizations create travel programs with purpose, built on more than 15 years of regional expertise. From logistics to measurable outcomes, every partnership is designed to deliver authentic connections and environmental responsibility. Working side by side with our leadership team, businesses gain trusted access to local networks and communities, ensuring results that are both strategic and sustainable.
For Businesses
We help organizations create travel programs with purpose, built on more than 15 years of regional expertise. From logistics to measurable outcomes, every partnership is designed to deliver authentic connections and environmental responsibility. Working side by side with our leadership team, businesses gain trusted access to local networks and communities, ensuring results that are both strategic and sustainable.
For People
Behind every journey are people who connect ideas with reality. Our leaders work directly with foundations, NGOs and local stewards, turning commitments into projects that protect fragile ecosystems and strengthen livelihoods. They build bridges between global travelers and local custodians, ensuring that every initiative reflects cultural authenticity, shared responsibility and a genuine respect for the people who make it possible.
For People
Behind every journey are people who connect ideas with reality. Our leaders work directly with foundations, NGOs and local stewards, turning commitments into projects that protect fragile ecosystems and strengthen livelihoods. They build bridges between global travelers and local custodians, ensuring that every initiative reflects cultural authenticity, shared responsibility and a genuine respect for the people who make it possible.
For Community
Communities are key partners in everything we do. Together, we create itineraries, training opportunities, and revenue-sharing models that have a lasting impact. These collaborations foster cultural pride, strengthen resilience, and ensure that benefits remain in the places we visit. Each trip is designed with communities and for communities, making responsible tourism an everyday practice.
For Community
Communities are key partners in everything we do. Together, we create itineraries, training opportunities, and revenue-sharing models that have a lasting impact. These collaborations foster cultural pride, strengthen resilience, and ensure that benefits remain in the places we visit. Each trip is designed with communities and for communities, making responsible tourism an everyday practice.