Remember that time you went on a trip and came back with no good photos? Well I have a solution for you.
Meet El Camino Travel — a tour company changing the way you will experience a destination. Think tastemakers curating the best trip of your life, all the while having a professional photographer documenting the whole trip. Leave your cameras at home, your phone at the hotel, and immerse yourself into the trip of a lifetime.
El Camino Travel takes small group travel to another level unlike any other company. You get to fully experience your vacation without having to worry about taking the photos, transportation, and much more.
This past month I embarked on a nine day trip through Nicaragua with 11 other passengers. We started in San Juan Del Sur, made our way to Granada, and ended the trip at a jungle treehouse wellness-resort on the beach — it was pretty cool to say the least. Take a peak at the details….
The trip: Each day was planned to be balanced between chill time and enough adventure to get your heart rate up. There was no need to think about how you were going to get between locations, this is all included in your trip! This took away the stress of the planning and just being able to truly enjoy your trip. You travel with the photographer and a guide, so there is always someone there leading you through the day. The hotels chosen were on point when it came to the atmosphere, cleanliness, and good location. We stayed in bungalows, a colonial hotel, and a jungle tree-houses — trust me, they have the accommodations dialed in. Food was easy going, and not a hassle when it came to having to decide during free meals. Not every meal was included and the times it wasn’t, the El Camino girls pointed you in the right direction. The highlights of the trip had to be the experiences chosen for the trip. El Camino Travel took us on once in a lifetime adventures. I won’t go into them all but give you a sampling: surf lessons, swimming in a volcanic crater lake, catamaran to a private beach, cigar classes, and so much more.
Photographer included: Now the photography you ask? Well the proof is in the pudding, so I’ve included many images all shot by the talented team at El Camino travel but first let’s talk about the daily surprise in your email each day. After doing ridiculously cool things like swimming in a volcano lake, exploring the Masaya Markets, surfing the break at San Juan del Sur, and learning how to make cigars — how could you not want photos? At the end of each day, Marianna (our photographer/cofounder) sends you 20 images straight to your email, edited, and ready to go. As a travel blogger, I always have my camera out and I can honestly say I didn’t take it out except for one day.
Group travel: I showed up not knowing one person in a group of 12 travelers, and I was not one bit disappointed. I was surprised by how many of the people in the group were actually traveling on their own and just looking to have a killer time and make new friends. There were a few couples on the trip who just wanted to get away on an adventure as well. It was great mixture people and everyone just wanted to have a fun time — besides, it’s vacation, how can you not? Hesitant to group travel before, now I can see why one would want to. Nine days was the best amount of time to get to know everyone in the group, become friends, yet not be overwhelmed. The trip is created in a way where there is ample time for solo time, so if you wanted to break away from the group you totally can, however I stayed with the group the whole time as they were all a blast.
El Camino Travel is shaping the world of travel and gives you an opportunity to be truly a traveler. There’s this peace of mind when you travel as everything is done before you go. This peace of mind allowed myself and eleven other passengers to let loose and experience the wonderful country of Nicaragua.
+Join in on an El Camino trip, seriously, do it. They’re headed to some cool places, of which I wish I could join. The next trips are headed back to Nicaragua for a similar trip I just did for 7 days starting July 13th and July 27th. Have a look here.
*Bon Traveler was welcome as a guest of El Camino Travel. As always, all opinions are own.
PS — Are You Booking a Trip Soon? Use My Booking Checklist!
These are the sites I use most to book my own trips. Using the links below is a great way to support Bon Traveler’s travel journalism at no extra cost to you. If you need help organizing your itinerary, get my free travel itinerary template here.
1. Book Your Flights
Use Skyscanner to find the best flights. It searches 100s of airlines and websites across the globe to ensure you’re not missing out on any route options or deals.
2. Book Your Accommodations
Use Booking.com for hotels and guest houses. They have the biggest inventory and consistently offer the best rates.
3. Book Your Tours & Experiences
Use Viator or Get Your Guide to find the best tours and experiences. They are my favorite tour search engines. I always check both as their inventory varies depending on the destination.
4. Book Your Car
Use Discover Cars to find the best car rental deals. I recommend comparing rental agency reviews on Google to ensure you are booking with the best company in that destination, as the reviews are often more accurate than the car rental search engines.
5. Don’t Forget Airport Lounge Access
Get a Priority Pass membership to gain access to 1,400+ VIP lounges and airport experiences worldwide. The Priority Pass app is the first thing I check when I have a layover. I’ve been a member for over a decade, and having a comfortable place to relax before and between flights makes air travel so much more enjoyable.
6. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
I never leave the country without travel insurance. It provides comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong (ie. illness, injury, theft, and cancelations, etc.). I use it frequently for my travels to stay protected.
My favorite companies that offer the best coverage and rates are:
- World Nomads (best for all-around)
- Safety Wing (best for frequent travelers)
Xx,Jessica
