Who Is Mindful Travel?
Custom journeys thoughtfully designed around your interests and travel style.
Our Story
Great travel gives back as much as it gives you.
That belief is where Mindful Travel started — and it goes back about 25 years, to when I was studying sustainable tourism at Colorado State University. There I learned firsthand how travel affects local communities, economies, and the environment, and what a trip designer can do to tip that balance toward good.
In the years after, I traveled and worked my way through South Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and South America, where I spent a year and a half on the ground. I eventually landed with a company running South American trips, and kept feeling the same nagging thing: there wasn’t a real, mutual benefit between the traveler and the people and places hosting them. That’s why I started Mindful Travel.
— Max
Our Philosophy
“Life is short and the world is wide.”
— Percy Fawcett
Over the past fifty years, traveling abroad has become increasingly accessible, allowing people from all over the world to explore even the most remote corners of the planet. The world remains vast, yet it feels smaller than ever. This simple but powerful idea, expressed by Percy Fawcett, one of the great South American explorers, has long shaped my outlook on travel.
At Mindful Travel, we’re not just a travel company. We design private, customized journeys that immerse travelers in meaningful experiences, connecting with people, cultures, and landscapes in a way that goes beyond the surface and the familiar.
With this approach comes responsibility. We’re deeply aware of the impact travel can have on local communities, both positive and negative. Visitors contribute financially to hotels, restaurants, and local guides, supporting livelihoods and strengthening local economies. In many countries, tourism is also a major contributor to the broader economic landscape.
But travel can have unintended consequences, too. Increased development in small communities can redirect resources that might otherwise have supported local priorities, such as new schools or community projects.
And sometimes, the pursuit of convenience comes at a cost. A new road cut through the jungle to make the journey to an Amazon lodge more efficient can also disrupt wildlife habitat and fragile ecosystems.
What Does Mindful Travel Mean?
So the question, “What is mindful travel?” is multifaceted. It can be a yoga retreat, restorative time away for busy professionals, or an unhurried journey that leaves room for presence and reflection. It can also mean understanding how tourism affects overlooked communities and their environments, and choosing to travel in a way that gives back.
This is also why how a trip is run matters as much as how it’s planned. I design every Mindful Travel journey personally, and on the ground you’re looked after by trusted local operators and guides I’ve worked with for years in these regions. Experienced people, in the places you’re going, who I know and trust. It means someone capable is always close by, from your first transfer to your last.
My goal is to make my travelers’ dreams come true without sacrificing the dignity of the people or the places they visit. That’s why a portion of our profits goes directly to local charities and institutions, supporting communities and improving lives in the destinations we love.
Ready to Plan Something Remarkable?
Tell us where you’d like to go and we’ll design a personalized itinerary and quote.
Phone
212-589-8003
hello@mindful-travel.net