¡viva México! ¡viva Costa Rica!
Imagine being beamed from your bustling, urbanite life to a place so wild, so remote that you sleep beneath the stars and English is far from a given. Zach Rabinor, the founder and CEO of Journey Mexico and Costa Rica, experienced just that. And it turned his world on its head.
He first visited Latin America when he was in university back in the late ‘80s. “I was invited (read: I invited myself) by a newly made friend from college down to Costa Rica to his family’s remote ranch. We camped out, and the whole experience changed my mindset,” Rabinor reminisces. This was a watershed moment for him. Life needn’t be lived in the hustle of a city; he didn’t have to follow a prescriptive path. He could set out on his own.
After graduating, Rabinor ping-ponged around Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile, initially teaching English but eventually (and fatefully) stumbling into life as an adventure guide. He became more entrenched in these rich, beautiful, fascinating communities and further removed from the image most Americans have of Mexico: nothing but sun, sand and spring break. “The light bulb went off. I had a mission to share Mexico’s incredible cultural, natural and active travel experiences with anyone who would listen,” he notes.
2003 saw Journey Mexico fully operational. Rabinor’s years spent hiking, cruising and paddling through Mexico formed the perfect basis for his company, and his insatiable curiosity kept it relevant (and very, very interesting!). “We are constantly exploring the country, talking to local guides and listening to what our clients need. Sometimes, hidden gems are created, not found. For example, we wanted our clients to have access to private hot springs. So, we explored until we found a gentleman who had thermal waters on his land in the volcano region. Now, we’re working with him and his family to create a perfect hot spring, right next to the river.”
This is what we admire most about Rabinor and his team. Their dedication to clients, their commitment to creating meaningful, memorable experiences, their devotion to honouring and respecting local communities. It’s perfectly aligned with what we do here at gloobles, and it’s what makes Journey Mexico and Journey Costa Rica stand out.
“We are committed to using our businesses as a force for good to protect, preserve and support pristine places, local communities, our team and host communities,” Rabinor affirms. Travel is about the traveller, of course. But it’s also about the people and places and communities they visit. Everyone’s worlds are opened, everyone’s horizons broadened.
Rabinor and his team are able to curate experiences that no one else can. They’ve got the insider access that only real locals have. They privatise archaeological sites, organise visits with appointment-only galleries, arrange meetings with hard-to-reach political figures and get their clients access to places that aren’t open to the public. Think biological research stations in Costa Rica or remote islands. They even organised a 4x4 expedition through Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica where private jets took guests from one mobile glamping site to another and supplies were air-dropped down.
But it’s not just about making the impossible possible. They also plan unique activities like market-to-table cooking classes and Tico (the cowboys of Costa Rica) celebrations to give guests a real sense of place.
As time marches on and tastes change, the Journey Mexico and Journey Costa Rica teams adapt and grow. They anticipate what clients will want (trips to Bacalar, Costalegre, the Osa Peninsula and the Caribbean Coast, a move toward “curated independence,” according to Rabinor) and find a way to make them happen in a special way. With a robust product development team, nimble, knowledgeable guides and a strong partner, Javier Echecopar, on the ground in Costa Rica, there’s no stopping Zach Rabinor.
Keen to explore these beautiful places? Get in touch with our Bespoke Travel Team on [email protected].
Hayley Daen
South Carolina bred, UK educated and Netherlands enthused, Hayley has an insatiable hunger for travel and, of course, all things delicious. A traveller as seasoned as her cast iron skillet, Hayley always knows the best spots for a tasty bite or a cheeky glass. When she's not digging up killer hole-in-the-wall falafel spots in Beirut or trying (sometimes vainly!) to find inspiring exhibitions across the globe, she's busy writing & reading.
