I’ve been blessed to have traveled to over 30 countries, some destinations longer than others. What comes with that is knowing the lay of the land. This site was launched in February, which in the USA is the month that celebrates Black History. Below I am going to highlight 3 of my favorite travel destinations that represent the African diaspora, and 3 Tour Guides that I recommend from each location.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
One of the most popular questions that I received when I visited Rio, was did I see any black people? Did you know that ~400 thousand African slaves were transported to the USA during the period of slavery? During that time, Brazil received 8-10 times more African slaves than the USA. Currently, more than 50% of Brazilians identify as Afro- Brazilian.
To learn more about the history and culture of black people in Brazil I met my Tour Guide, Eddie Vander. Eddie hosted me on the Little Africa Tour that I scheduled through Airbnb Experiences. What I loved about Eddie was that he was passionate about his culture and provided a tremendous overview of black history in Rio. Eddie was great at putting me on game regarding where to go for traditional food and nightlife.
Cartagena, Colombia
In terms of populations of African Diaspora, Colombia is ranked #3 behind Brazil and USA. In the colonial period Cartagena was established as the main port to trade all goods, but its primary and most lucrative “commodity” was African Slaves. What made Cartagena so intriguing to me was the history and visiting the first free town of Africans in the Americas known as Palenque.
Palenque is a 1.5-hour drive away from the walled city of Cartagena, but when you arrive you will be greeted by the welcoming smiles of the locals. I had the opportunity to join a pre-arranged tour that a friend scheduled with Jermin Padilla Valdes. Jermin is a great guide through the Palenque community. He educated us on how the founders escaped from their captors and created a plan that freed hundreds of others from bondage. Jermin provided access to an experience far greater than a regular trip to Cartagena would have offered.
Havana, Cuba
Have you ever imagined taking a trip back in time? Well, look no further than La Habana. It’s a bustling city with great nightlife. Unfortunately due to politics and imposed sanctions by the USA, Cuba hasn’t been able to move ahead economically. Regardless, Cuba culturally has a rich influence on the African diaspora.
Hands down Cuba is an adventure that is worth taking as long as you have a plug. Meet Yadiel Sanchez aka “Your Cuban Plug” If you’ve been to Havana then you know how challenging it can be to find many of the basic needs whether it’s to get consistent Wi-fi, monetary exchange, or even lodging. Yadiel offers a full concierge service to help his client have a grand experience with satisfaction guaranteed.
All of the locations mentioned above were unbelievable experiences that Nomad Uncovered highly recommends. For more information about planning a trip to these destinations, as well as others, please contact Nomaduncovered@gmail.com. Also below are the IG pages for the 3 Travel Guides mentioned above.
Instagram Contacts for Eddie, Jermin, and Yadiel
Eddie Vander @eddievander
Jermin Padilla Valdes @jerminpadillavaldes
Yadiel Sanchez @your_cuban_plug
