Nineteen freelance Tour Leaders travel with Kallpa groups this season, alongside the guides of each region. This is how we prepared for it together, and what one of the companies we work with had to say about the result.
A special recognition for work in the field
On 6 November, at its Agents Day in Farnborough, Explore gave Kallpa its award in the tour leader company category, which recognises the partner with the best Tour Leaders among all those it works with around the world. We received it on behalf of our Tour Leaders and our operations team.
Explore's team put the award down to the Tour Leaders' scores, to the whole team's work in making their job on the ground achievable, and to Tour Leaders who bring Argentina and Chile to life “through their knowledge, experience and passion”. We are grateful for it, and proud of the people behind it.
A season that starts together
On 25 September, the nineteen Tour Leaders met the rest of the team for the 2026/27 kick-off: operations, the Tour Leader department, the concierge team, the regional teams and administration. The agenda was the practical one of every new season, with a few things that are new this year: an updated Tour Leader Manual, a crisis and emergency protocol shared by guides, Tour Leaders and suppliers, QR credentials for every Tour Leader and a dedicated concierge team for groups travelling with one. Two of the subjects had nothing to do with logistics: our path towards Travelife certification, and what a Tour Leader does under our Child Protection Policy.
What travellers hear, and from whom
On 15 October, 48 people joined a training session on responsible tourism and child protection: 13 guides, 8 Tour Leaders, 6 local suppliers and 21 people from our own team. It covered what travellers hear from us in the field, about waste, protected areas, wildlife, local communities and what to wear, and who tells them when. Our team does it a few days before departure, with the welcome package and a short sustainability video. The Tour Leader does it in the first 24 hours of the trip, in the opening briefing. The guide does it on every transfer and excursion, with the rules of each place.
New backpacks for the road
In early November, our guides in Salta and Buenos Aires received new Kallpa backpacks, for the days they spend on the road with your clients.
All of this preparation is the same for every group that travels with Kallpa, whichever company sends it.
