Julie Somlyody

I have been a traveler for my entire life. All for the love of science, my family started a nomadic lifestyle when I was 10 and from there I learned that life on the road can be pretty exciting. When I wasn’t riding in cars powered by celery juice or bag gas, I was visiting National Parks and hiking, camping and exploring. My motto has always been “Carpe Diem”, or seize the day and that is how I continue to live my life.

After traveling through Europe, I ended up in India where I lived for a year and graduated high school. The draw for me was to return to Central America where I sailed to as a teenager and visit it on land. I set off in a car and drove all the way to Panama, shipped my car to Ecuador and continued my adventure all the way to Chile via the Pan-American Highway. I had some amazing experiences, braving barricades and hurricanes, camping in the remote Andes and along the coastal desert, and soaking up the culture. I learned Spanish as I traveled and became fluent by the time I arrived three months later in southern Chile. I was hooked! Life in South America was poignant and rich.

After spending four years extensively travelling throughout Chile, I returned to the States to start another chapter of my life. Life is constantly evolving, a journey rich in discovery. Now that I have a life in the “real world”, I travel for the love of it and it and share my passion for the culture and landscapes of South America. It is all about new ground personally & professionally. Since joining Andean Treks in 1999 after years in public relations, I have traveled all over Peru & Ecuador. As a mom of two children, it is my zest for travel that is inspiring me to share the world with them. Already well traveled, they share my love for all things South American!