Hi, I’m Katia.

I started dreaming about traveling to Australia when I was still at school, but I had to wait until I was 23 before I finally made that dream come true.

I spent 18 months in Australia on a Working Holiday Visa, working, living with locals, and traveling across the country. During those 18 months, I discovered just how incredibly diverse Australia is. I saw kangaroos and koalas in the wild, road-tripped across the country, experienced everyday life in a remote part of Western Australia far beyond the typical tourist trail, and learned about Aboriginal history and culture through conversations and experiences with locals.

But Australia gave me much more than unforgettable memories.

It changed the way I saw myself.

I realized I was capable of so much more than I had ever believed, and I discovered that nothing makes me feel more alive than hiking through breathtaking landscapes, getting close to wildlife in its natural habitat, and experiencing a place beyond what you find in a guidebook.

That’s when I understood that travel wasn’t simply a passion.

It had become a way of life.

The adventures that shaped me

Since Australia, my curiosity has taken me to some truly extraordinary places.

In New Zealand, I hiked the spectacular Tongariro Alpine Crossing and swam with wild dolphins. In Fiji, I traveled and lived on local islands. In Bali, I hiked Mount Batur at sunrise and snorkeled with manta rays around Nusa Penida. And in South Africa, I went on my first safari.

In Lesotho, I shared a traditional meal with a local community. In Thailand, I completed my Discover Scuba Diving experience, taking my first steps into the underwater world. In the Maldives, I earned my Advanced Open Water Diver certification and dived with sharks around a local island.

In Egypt, I snorkeled among the vibrant coral reefs of the Red Sea, while in the Bahamas I snorkeled among colorful tropical fish.

In Tanzania, I snorkeled with whale sharks and hiked Mount Kilimanjaro. In Kenya, I searched for the Big Five.

In South America, I hiked the spectacular Rainbow Mountain and the iconic Inca Trail in Peru, walked across the surreal Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, visited the breathtaking Iguazu Falls and the towering Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, completed the W Trek and searched for pumas in Chilean Patagonia, and hiked in Tierra del Fuego National Park and to the Vinciguerra Glacier in Argentine Patagonia.

In Costa Rica, I climbed Cerro Chirripó and looked for sloths.

In Hawaii, I explored Diamond Head, admired the rainbow eucalyptus trees, and discovered both the red sand beach and the black sand beach.

And in Florida, I spotted both alligators and crocodiles in Everglades National Park.

Every one of these experiences has added something to the way I travel and the way I see the world.

Yet, despite how different these places are, the destinations I’m drawn to almost always have two things in common:

stunning landscapes and incredible wildlife.

And there is one more thing that makes a journey truly unforgettable for me: connecting with local people and experiencing a destination beyond the typical tourist trail.

That’s how I decide where to go next.