Crafted Journeys Through South America's Wildest, Most Extraordinary Places
We are explorers, adventure designers, and builders of bridges between cultures. We believe in small-group travel, a light footprint, and deep, authentic connection with the places and people we visit. To us, travel is life-giving — and helping our clients experience South America's most extraordinary landscapes, in comfort and style, is our passion.
Our home office is in the Charlotte area of North Carolina, USA, but you'll usually find us exploring the Galapagos Islands, the trails of Patagonia, the salt flats of Bolivia, or the ruins of Machu Picchu. As travel designers, we don't own hotels or lodges — instead, we've spent years hand-selecting the finest in-country partners and operators across Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, so every detail of your journey meets our standard, not just theirs.
Why Travel With Us
Deep Regional Expertise
Jeff has traveled to Colombia 70+ times since 2004 and to Peru more than 30 times, and has lived in Colombia, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. He's logged over 2.5 million American Airlines miles in the region and has personally led groups across 8 countries over the last 20 years.
Private, Tailor-Made Journeys
Every trip we design is custom-built around you: your interests, your pace, your comfort level, and your budget. Most of our travelers move in intimate groups of six or fewer, though we also craft trips for larger families or groups of up to 16. Even within a group, no two itineraries have to look the same — we build in flexibility at every turn.
White-Glove Service
As a boutique firm, we offer a level of attentiveness and flexibility that larger agencies simply can't match. We're available to our clients around the clock, before, during, and after the journey, to ensure every detail lands exactly right.
Best-in-Class Local Partners
Over 18+ years in business, we've cultivated relationships with the region's most exceptional lodges, guides, and operators — the kind of partners who treat our clients like family, because in many cases, they are.
Meet Jeff
Jeff Boyd
Owner & Lead Travel Designer
With a business background across several industries, Jeff brings two decades of experience negotiating and operating throughout Latin America — expertise that translates directly into the value and quality of every trip he designs.
But beneath the business acumen is the heart of an explorer. Captivated by South America since college, Jeff has built a life around the region — living there, working there, and returning again and again. Long before he took ownership of Untamed Path, he was already leading friends and volunteer groups on journeys through the continent; his 40th birthday trip to Colombia with 12 friends remains one of our signature itineraries today.
Before Untamed Path, Jeff spent seven years leading a family foundation focused on housing for vulnerable children in Latin America and Africa. He has lived in Quito and Bogotá and has been to Colombia more than 80 times since 2004 while working in business development for U.S.-based companies. Jeff loves introducing others to the extraordinary - and often untamed - corners of South America he's come to know so well.
Our Story
Untamed Path was founded in 1999 by Jen and Mike, two seasoned wilderness guides with deep roots in South America. They saw an opportunity to build a travel company defined by active adventure and genuine respect for local ecosystems and cultures — Jen bringing a background in outdoor education as an Outward Bound instructor, and Mike bringing his own outdoor education experience and years as a Class V rafting guide.
In 2015, Jen and Mike passed the reins to Jeff Boyd — a former client and fellow South America expert — who has continued to elevate the brand, curating an even more refined collection of destinations and experiences across the continent.
Why "Untamed Path"
We'll help you discover South America in a way that goes far beyond the ordinary. Every journey we design is authentic, immersive, and deliberately far from the well-worn tourist trail.
Whether it's a luxury eco-lodge tucked into the Amazon canopy, a private yacht gliding through the Galapagos, or a boutique camp beneath Patagonia's snow-capped peaks, our trips take you to places the mass-market tours never reach. You'll experience the wild, untamed beauty of South America — without ever sacrificing comfort.
Ours is an artisanal approach. In a travel industry that's become increasingly assembly-line, we take pride in being craftsmen — designing each journey by hand, one client at a time.
