Returning to Where It All Began
Brazil was where it all began: a life-changing journey and the moment that sparked the idea for Jacada. Returning this year brought it all rushing back, a reminder of the power of travel to go beyond the surface and connect us to something deeper.
I recently returned to Brazil, the country that, in many ways, started it all for me. Years ago, I landed in Rio de Janeiro with nothing more than a vague sense of curiosity. I had always been fascinated by different cultures and was eager to see the world through another lens, maybe even liberate myself, just for a while, from the predictability of life at home.
At the time, Brazil was having a moment; it was in the zeitgeist and I was drawn in. I already had a deep love of Brazilian music, so when a friend suggested we travel there for a couple of weeks, I didn’t hesitate.
I had no idea that trip would plant the seed for what would eventually become Jacada. I was wide-eyed and inexperienced, stumbling through language barriers and cultural nuances. But despite all of that, Brazil welcomed me with open arms.
By the time I boarded the plane home, I had already decided I wanted to live there. Eighteen months later, after wandering through parts of Latin America, I returned to settle in Rio. I spent my first year teaching English, then began working for a small boutique travel company.
Living in Rio was extraordinary. There’s something undeniably magical about the city. What struck me most was how different life felt, not just in setting, but in pace, perspective and priorities. My response in my early twenties was to immerse myself as fully as possible. I watched, listened and learned. I tried, in my own way, to be as Brazilian as I could.
Brazil was the perfect teacher. The people I met there embodied this spirit of connection. And it made me realise that perhaps the most meaningful travel experiences aren’t necessarily the most opulent, but the most personal.
So when I eventually returned to the UK, I found myself asking: what now? What do I know that’s truly worth building something around?
The answer came quickly: I knew what it felt like to be welcomed somewhere, to be shown a place not as a visitor, but as a friend. I knew that the right guide could transform a journey not just in what you see, but in how you feel. And I knew I wanted to help others experience that same depth of connection.
That was the beginning of Jacada.
This year, returning to Brazil was very different. I wasn’t alone and I wasn’t improvising. I was guided by the very experts we work with at Jacada, people who don’t just know Brazil, but live it. And that made all the difference.
Being shown a destination by someone who holds it close is transformative. You hear the stories that don’t make it into guidebooks. You walk a little slower, listen a little closer. That’s the kind of experience we strive to create at Jacada: travel that connects.
Why travel with us
Personal is how we began and that’s how we continue to be
For us, life’s greatest pleasures come from exceptional experiences. Travelling with Jacada is as much about the people you meet as it is about the remarkable places you go and stay.
Too often, luxury is equated with insulation – perfectly polished but ultimately distant. For us, luxury is a bridge: it’s what enables you to access meaningful experiences without friction, without stress. It’s the quiet, careful curation that allows you to be fully present, to witness a ritual not because it’s been staged for you, but because you’ve been invited to witness something real. That’s why our philosophy has always been about crafting experiences that aren’t just enjoyed in the moment, but relived for years.
Luxury, when done right, should also carry a sense of responsibility. It should support the people and places we visit, not extract from them. I’m proud that our partners in Brazil and across the world share this belief. We’ve seen firsthand that positive impact doesn’t have to come at the expense of comfort or quality. In fact, the most enriching journeys are those where both traveller and host benefit.
Our approach to Positive Impact travel
When managed responsibly, tourism can be an incredibly powerful catalyst for change.
Being back in Brazil reminded me why Jacada exists. It reminded me that travel, at its best, liberates us from the familiar. It opens our eyes. And it binds us, even briefly, to people we might never have crossed paths with otherwise.
In the end, what we take home isn’t the hotel room or the itinerary. It’s the stories. The laughter over dinner. The quiet moments with people whose lives are different from ours, yet somehow, not so different after all.
That, to me, is the truest luxury of all.
Brazil, our way
Get inspired with our Brazil example trips and then get in touch to plan your own adventure.
