#LifeInTheTropics
Finca Gualiva, the story behind WhereNext Travel’s first owned and operated property.
One year ago, my wife, Anita Cottini Bleakney, and I bought nearly 20 acres of mid-altitude rainforest in Colombia.
It's called Finca Gualiva.
The vision? Create a refuge for our family and a place where WhereNext Travel guests can breathe deeply and reset. Something that protects the land and supports the people who care for it.
No road signs. No cell signal. Just a gut feeling and a jungle property with rotted deck planks, rusted-out electrical gear, two rivers, and enough snakes, bats, lizards, and crazy cool bugs to keep things exciting.
We had no idea what we were doing.
We spent eight months remodeling in this remote jungle location. We sourced contractors. Changed those contractors. Waited entire weekends (sometimes weeks) for them to show up, and when they never did, changed them again. I learned how to rewire an ancient electrical grid, installed backup power, and witnessed firsthand how jungle storms don’t ask for permission before sweeping away lawn furniture.
We befriended the neighbors. Hired a new full-time team to live on-site and manage the property. Built trust. Replaced informal, underpaid jobs with lawful, meaningful employment. Legal contracts, fair wages, and dignity.
After five months of operation, Finca Gualiva is a Airbnb Guest Favorite and Superhost.
Guests from around the world have discovered our spot. And they've shown their love through 100% 5-star reviews.
For the past decade, my creative agency, WhereNext, has been involved in tourism storytelling. We sold travel dreams. Too often, I watched the execution fall short. I've frequently felt powerless to do something real.
This is just a small rural property in Colombia. Still, it feels so freakin' good to build the thing, make the promises, and be responsible for delivering on those promises.
We're still in the early days, but now I’m asking:
What can I learn from this?
Can the hard-won lessons learned from my hacienda become a model for other projects within our travel business, WhereNext Travel?
Perhaps our jungle agroturismo isn’t the end of the story. It might just be the beginning.
Contact our team in Colombia to book Finca Gualiva HERE.
