Jim Lutz

Founder/President

Jim is the founder and President of Vaya Adventures. Jim developed a passion for travel while living and working in South America after graduating from Harvard University, and has been an avid worldwide traveler ever since. A native of New Jersey, Jim now lives in Berkeley, California with his wife and 3 children. He is actively involved in sustainability initiatives and fundraising for community projects in our destinations, and also serves as the President of the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA), an organization of over 30 travel companies that work to promote sustainable tourism practices and conservation in the Galapagos Islands.

Jim Lutz

Get in touch with Jim

Journal Entries by Jim Lutz

20 Years of Vaya Adventures: Thanks from Vaya’s Founder Jim Lutz

By Jim Lutz
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Jan 25 2024

Dear Travelers and Friends, Wow… 20 years!! Back in 2004, we (OK, actually it was just [...]

Exploring South Africa With My Teenage Daughter

By Jim Lutz
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Nov 03 2023

Sometimes it seems almost impossible to get all five members of my family (me, my wife [...]

Galapagos tortoise_Photo by Max Aliaga

Is Land Tourism Threatening the Galapagos?

By Jim Lutz
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Jun 26 2018

On Sunday June 3, the NY Times ran an article entitled “Is Land Tourism Threatening the [...]

Lutz Go, Part II: A 5 Month South American Odyssey With My Wife and 3 Young Kids

By Jim Lutz
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May 19 2017

Recap of Part I: At the end of August 2016, I set out with my wife [...]

Lutz Go: Taking My Family to South America for the Next 10 Months

By Jim Lutz
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Jul 03 2016

It’s hard for me to believe, but on August 31 my wife Carly, my three kids [...]

IGTOA Spearheads Pioneering Approach to Guide Training in the Galapagos

By Jim Lutz
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Jan 08 2016

2015 had several highlights, but the pinnacle for me (and one of the most rewarding experiences [...]

Hiking the Cordillera Blanca

By Jim Lutz
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Jun 16 2015

On my most recent trip to Peru I had the chance to return to the Cordillera [...]

My Grandfather’s Travels Through Latin America with the National Symphony Orchestra in the 1950s and ’60s

By Jim Lutz
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Mar 27 2015

When I was young, before I or anyone in my immediate family had been to South [...]

Winetasting and James Turrell at the World’s Highest Vineyard in Argentina

By Jim Lutz
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Dec 11 2014

I recently took a trip to the northwest region of Argentina, a vast and less-visited section [...]

IGTOA: Looking to the Future of Galapagos Conservation

By Jim Lutz
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Jul 30 2014

I’ve been an active member of the Board of IGTOA, the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association, [...]

10th Anniversary Highlight Photos!

By Jim Lutz
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Jan 29 2014

In honor of our 10th Anniversary, we wanted to share a small collection of some our [...]

Recap of IGTOA’s 2013 Galapagos Guide Training Course

By Jim Lutz
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Dec 20 2013

During the week of November 18-22 I had the good fortune to attend the International Galapagos [...]

Conference Highlights Galapagos Conservation Efforts

By Jim Lutz
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Jul 15 2013

This past April I participated in the annual conference of the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association [...]

Two Werner Herzog Movies Set in South America

By Jim Lutz
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Apr 06 2013

Reading Nick’s article on his favorite Latin American movies, I just can’t help giving a shout [...]

Two New Peruvian Restaurants Near Our Office in Berkeley

By Jim Lutz
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Nov 02 2012

James Kinard and I from our North Berkeley office have been checking out the two new [...]

Uttermost Part of the Earth: The Classic Book on Tierra del Fuego

By Jim Lutz
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Sep 07 2012

This extraordinary book is on our “Suggested Reading” list for Argentina, and is particularly recommended for anyone [...]

Why There Should Be A Cap on Tourist Arrivals to the Galapagos

By Jim Lutz
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Aug 08 2012

As a Board Member of the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA), I recently attended a [...]

Cuenca, Ecuador: A Lot More Than Pretty Churches

By Jim Lutz
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Jun 27 2012

A comment I’ve now heard more than once about Cuenca, a city in southern Ecuador, is [...]

Antisana Reserve: Great 1 Day Galapagos Extension

By Jim Lutz
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Jun 05 2012

If you are doing a Galapagos cruise and would like to add an extra day to [...]

Galapagos Islands Video: A Tour of the Enchanted Isles

By Jim Lutz
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May 17 2012

For many of our travelers, a trip to the Galapagos Islands is one of the journeys [...]

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