Hailing from different parts of the world, the founders of Naya Traveler bumped into each other in Buenos Aires, where documentary photographer Marta Tucci shared dinner one night with Sofia Mascotena and Sarah Casewit, friends who worked at a luxury travel agency. The trio bonded over a love of ancient cultures, sacred traditions, and the transformative power of travel. Without realizing, they had been laying the foundation for Naya Traveler, a travel company that crafts immersive journeys based on clients’ personal motivations—facilitating emotional engagement with people and communities who personify the destinations, as well as plugging into customs, heritage, and history.
Since the beginning in 2016, the trio has “adopted culturally sustainable practices in a very organic way, as our niche expertise is to bring travelers in contact with local and indigenous people, without the experience being detrimental to traditional lifestyles,” says Tucci.
On the ground, this means selecting efficient travel modes and routes to reduce time on the road and associated emissions. Clients are advised how to avoid plastic, how to use water, electricity, and other resources responsibly, and how to engage with locals in a respectful manner. The English-speaking hosts who accompany clients ensure that interactions with indigenous communities are positive for both parties. “Our guides help shape these positive experiences, which always boost empathy, altruism, and wellbeing,” Tucci notes.
An especially intriguing journey consists of a one-day trip to Antarctica, which seeks to give participants a heightened awareness of how global environmental practices are affecting the poles. As Tucci points out: “the plane we use is a cargo aircraft that routinely flies this route to bring in equipment and food to research bases on the white continent, plus we entirely offset the carbon footprint.”
