Take a Tour to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula is a dreamer’s destination, with its stunning beaches, mysterious jungle landscapes, and remnants of Mayan history. A trip to the Yucatán blends together nature and history: explore ruins of the Mayan civilization, walking along ancient pyramids and imposing temples of one of the most powerful early civilizations.
Cities like Madrid and Barcelona get all the attention from tourists in Spain, but visitors who ignore the Andalusian region of the country are missing out on an exceptional opportunity to explore new dimensions of Spanish beauty and culture. If you’re unsure what Andalusia has to offer, let us convince you why it should be next on your bucket list!
Portugal has so much to offer visitors, but in-between sightseeing and sunbathing, make time to enjoy the variety of authentic Portuguese food available to you. From markets to restaurants to small cafes, there’s never a shortage of things to eat! Portugal is world-renown for its seafood and spices, but truly excels in all the culinary arenas: be it soup, dessert, or drinks, you’ll have your pick of delicious meals!
When you think of a trip to Europe, what countries come to mind? If you forgot that countries like Bosnia, Macedonia, and Montenegro existed for a minute, then you need to join us on our trip through the Balkans this summer! From Croatia to Greece, the Balkans are an incredible blend of Central, Southern, and Eastern European cultures. Though the nations may be small, they’re all culturally rich and distinct in their beauty. Break out from the Western Europe mold and experience life from the Eastern side of the continent-- you won’t be disappointed!
If you didn't know already - Acanela has been traveling around the Middle East the past 3 weeks! We've been to Egypt, Jordan and now we are in Israel. Our founder Kylie Chenn, has been documenting her travels through her blog post - Wokingtheworld.com! Here's a little excerpt of our time in Jordan, seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the World!
We all know that where you stay on your travels can make or break a trip. Booking unique accommodations is a great way to make your experience memorable, giving you lots of amazing photo ops and stories to tell. We’ve gathered 10 of the most unusual spots to live while abroad, to inspire you to plan your next adventure!
We can't even explain how much our love for animals have been broadened throughout our travel experiences. From sea turtles in Costa Rica to llamas in Peru to elephants in Sri Lanka - We can't get enough of these cute creatures when we are traveling. We've rallied up our top 10 favorite animal encounters from our expeditions so you can add them to your travel bucket list!
Whether you know it or not - Mozambique has a lot to offer. Unspoiled, undeveloped, and untamed, Mozambique is fast-emerging on the international tourism circuit with its wild beauty and exotic influences. With its long, dune-fringe beaches, Art Deco-inspired capital, well-preserved corals, and pounding surf in the south - you can never go wrong with a holiday visit to Mozambique.
One of our favorite kind of trips are relaxation and wellness. To be specific, our favorite countries that are famous for their yoga retreats, wellness activities and overall good health are: India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, and even Peru. Experience for yourself one of these retreats to India & Sri Lanka, as you read the journal of our dear friend Susan who has has traveled with us to many locations around the globe, writing about her experiences...
In 2016, a lot of changes were made to travel to Cuba. President Obama's historic trip to Cuba opened the doors to many Americans who never realized they could ever travel to that small Caribbean Island of 11 million people. We want to talk about the top 10 travel myths about Cuba - so you are well informed when you travel to this amazing country! (Maybe with us?)
This past Saturday on January 14th, 2017 we hosted our first Influencer brunch called "Taste the World with Acanela Expeditions!" We started planning this event in November not knowing what would come out of this.
We wanted to make this event intimate and unique that the influencers really wouldn't know what to expect. We left details very vague and surprisingly we had a group of 7 influencers from the Los Angeles area attend our event! We invited a variety of influencers from fitness, lifestyle, and fashion/style - but they had one goal: to travel more in 2017.
Once the influencers started trickling in, we got them seated and ready for their 7-course meal they were about to dine on. Kylie created the menu months in advance and perfected it to be the best dishes from the countries that she picked. See the menu below!
Not to brag, but do the dishes sound delicious or what?! They were plated so perfect and petite that everyone (including me) was wanting more. Our goal for this event was to have multiple discussions around travel. We had everyone introduce each other, what they did for work / their blog, and where they wanted to travel to in 2017. Some influencers said Greece and Italy, or to their homeland to the Philippines, Australia, and Peru. The options were endless! Check out our recipes for our African peanut sweet potato stew and Moroccan Shakshuka!
We had several guest speakers who we invited to talk to the influencers about their travel experiences with Acanela. We had Megan talk about her time in Southeast Asia while the Pomelo Salad was being served. She also talked about how traveling can produce a happy lifestyle. Then we had Kendra speak about her time in Peru and she showed us amazing textiles she brought from Peru. Hannah traveled to Finland with our guide, Tate Drucker and raved about her experience traveling with one of her greatest role models. Thank you Megan, Kendra and Hannah for coming!
We later had a discussion on how stepping outside our culture affects us in a positive way. I loved this discussion because it showed me how where ever you travel, you will learn something new no matter what. Whether it's going to the different markets to buy local produce or new styles / fashion you can learn in a city across the world!
To conclude the event, Kylie talked about how travel can grow your business whether you are in the fitness, lifestyle/travel, or fashion/style world. We talked about how Acanela can help them make their 2017 travel dreams a reality! I keep replaying this event over and over in my head because it was such a great experience for everyone. This event was probably different from other events that the influencers have attended in the past but we wanted to make this special and unique in the Acanela way. Check out the photos below and what the influencers had to say about the event! Also, give them a follow! If you are interested in attending our future events - email me at liz@acanela.com!
Melina Nasab - @melnasab
Veronica Prince - @veronica.prince
Remi Ishizuka - @RRAYME
Meagan Kong - @meagankong
Melissa Eckman - @melisfit_
JNEL - @jnelv
Michelle Carigma - @_modernfit
Photo Credit: Remi Ishizuka
Photo Credit: Remi Ishizuka
Kylie Chenn, a senior in the BYU business strategy program, has yet to graduate and is already a business owner. She’s the founder of Acanela, a social enterprise start-up aimed at connecting cultures through healthy eating.
For Chenn, it was a semester abroad that sparked a potential business idea. Within a semester of returning home, Chen wrote out a business model, developed a marketing strategy and looked to outsource for manufacturing. She started her website, networked within the Marriott school and by the end of the semester was pitching to venture capitalists on the top floor of a high rise in downtown Salt Lake.
From our Founder's Family - Kylie and Andrew Chenn to yours! Happy Holidays!
As the temperature drops, it signals that the holidays are right around the corner. Leaving people questioning: what is the ideal time to start planning for holiday, or even summer, vacations? If you’re already set on where you’re traveling (international or domestic), definitely opt for advanced booking. In the 2-3 month range, prices for flights may fluctuate but will stay on the lower side of the spectrum. Waiting for the one month range will leave you out of luck and emptying your pockets.
Packing for Europe (or any trip) is often a love/hate relationship. We love it because it signals a new adventure, but loathe it because the stress of forgetting something haunts us. The balance between packing too little and too much is a fine one. To ease the tension, our Founder & CEO, Kylie Chenn, has a few tips on how to pack for your trip to Europe. Watch as she walks us through packing for her trip to Europe - including Iceland, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece.
Meet Tate Drucker and Haley Littleton - 2 amazing women who have traveled to more countries than I can think of! I asked them to share what they are excited most about being a guide for Acanela in 2017 and the inside scoop on their next trip!
Photo website: http://www.tatedruckerphoto.com/
Travel blog: http://www.theupwardbound.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tatedrucker/
Tate has been an avid traveler since she first studied abroad at 15 years old and began selling photos to keep herself sustained and constantly moving on the road. Since then, her photos have been featured in 20+ various publications and online networks, including Thought Catalog and National Geographic. She is also active with writing; and is the author of a novel and in the process of finishing her second book.
Her path has taken her to 65+ countries around the globe, on an unwavering pursuit of stories, backcountry guiding and adventure, and a constantly changing horizon. She currently lives in San Francisco in the field of environmental and conflict photojournalism, with the ultimate goal to produce something significant with her camera in hand.
I asked her to talk about her experience on being an Acanela Guide and one of her favorite trips she's excited for in 2017 -
"There is nothing more extraordinary and exciting that witnessing a group of photographers see a herd of elephants at sunset for the first time, or hearing lion calls from outside their tent at night, or watching the sunrise from atop one of the tallest sand dunes in the world. It’s moments like that, that make me so passionate about being an Acanela guide.
In 2017, I’m excited to explore and revisit my personal favorite location in the entire world - Tanzania. There is a reason why Tanzania has been the subject of novels of Hemingway and the poems of Churchill; from the sloping foothills of Kilimanjaro, to the sparkling seas of Zanzibar, to the spectacular safaris of the north, Tanzania earns its reputation as one of the most beautiful places in all of Africa for a reason. It was my first country I ever visited on the continent, and every opportunity I’ve had since my return has reminded me why I fell in love with Tanzania in the first place. I’m overjoyed to see it again, and to watch others fall head-over-heels with Tanzania, just like I did."
Mixed in with this obsession to explore has always been a deep love and reverence for words, people, and stories, which led Haley to study English Literature and Creative Writing. After undergraduate, Haley spent time living in Amsterdam before entering graduate school at the University of Denver and receiving her Master's in English. Haley has been published in various journalistic and creative writing publications but, most recently, writes for Alpine Modern Magazine.
Website: https://museumstomountains.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haley_kit/
Haley has spent the last six years writing, editing, and working as an editorial assistant on publications ranging from the outdoors to politics and literature. Haley's interests hover around environmental impact, outdoor adventure, non-fiction narratives, and ethical traveling. Whatever interesting and strange foods she gets to eat along the way the better. With an interest in environmentalism, climbing, backcountry skiing, and craft beer, Haley plans to always keep Colorado as a home base.
"As a dedicated traveler and lifelong learner, I'm excited to come onto to the Acanela team for our 2017 expeditions. My favorite part of traveling is the ability to distance yourself from what is familiar and discover incredible stories of diversity along the way. Because of this, I'm excited that my 2017 trips will focus on travel writing and the ability to help tell the narratives of the people and places we come into contact with and the ways that they transform us.
I'm especially excited for my expedition to Bhutan - a country that is quite difficult to get into but is known for their rich culture of food, Buddhism, and hospitality. This will certainly be an "out-of-your-comfort-zone" trip but travelers will reap the reward of discovering a completely different method of living! I'm also looking forward to Siberia - the Trans Siberian railroad in literary history has an almost mythical notion and beautiful, hidden things are waiting to be explored as we travel through the vast tundra."
We are excited for their 2017 trips! Check out our website for all of the trips we have to offer!
