What do you most want in a travel operator?
“Two things: complete knowledge and absolute discretion. That Blue Parallel has the first is beyond question. All the Blue Parallel employees, guides and escorts that I met were marvelously clever, resourceful and flexible. ‘Discretion’ is a rarer attribute and, perhaps, Blue Parallel’s chief strength. Meaning, if you want attention and hand-holding you will get it. But in those moments or hours where you want to be left alone, the folks from Blue Parallel know to disappear. This is elegance. This is taste. This is the way to be shown a new place. I have never been taken care of in a foreign country in such a sophisticated way. Bravo, Blue Parallel!”
Stephen Henderson, Food & Wine Magazine
What do you most want in a travel operator?
“Two things: complete knowledge and absolute discretion. That Blue Parallel has the first is beyond question. All the Blue Parallel employees, guides and escorts that I met were marvelously clever, resourceful and flexible. ‘Discretion’ is a rarer attribute and, perhaps, Blue Parallel’s chief strength. Meaning, if you want attention and hand-holding you will get it. But in those moments or hours where you want to be left alone, the folks from Blue Parallel know to disappear. This is elegance. This is taste. This is the way to be shown a new place. I have never been taken care of in a foreign country in such a sophisticated way. Bravo, Blue Parallel!”
Stephen Henderson, Food & Wine Magazine
Burgio takes a thoughtful approach to designing purposeful trips. That might include a vacation at the tranquil Sol y Luna lodge, in Peru’s Sacred Valley, which funds educational projects for children, or an expedition-style stay at the Napo Wildlife Center eco-lodge in the Amazon rainforest.
When it comes to redefining the boundaries of bespoke luxury travel, Blue Parallel takes center stage, recently selected as Best Luxury Bespoke Travel Boutique in Latin America by the Luxury Lifestyle Awards in 2024. With a legacy spanning over two decades since its establishment in 2003 by Emmanuel Burgio, Blue Parallel has become synonymous with crafting unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that seamlessly weave together cultural wonders, outdoor adventures, and the ultimate white-glove service.
Blue Parallel, the preeminent bespoke luxury travel boutique, proudly accepts the esteemed accolade of Best Luxury Bespoke Travel Boutique in Latin America at the 2024 Luxury Lifestyle Awards. With an illustrious 20-year history, Blue Parallel delivers premier travel experiences for the most discerning clientele.
I wanted to give you all a glimpse of some of the incredible sights, sounds, and tastes of this spectacular region in Argentina… The colors of Bariloche are spectacular; I’ve never seen bluer skies or bluer water. We were taken care of by a company called Blue Parallel (how appropriate!) and I must say, they know how to make sure you travel in style.
After Katie shared the highlights of the trip to Patagonia that she just took with Molner, we got lots of requests to see their entire itinerary. Get a look at Katie and John’s day-by-day agenda in this jaw-dropping region. (And if you’d like to design your visit with the same folks who planned Katie’s vacation, check out Blue Parallel Luxury Travel.)
There may be no better place to enjoy some time in nature’s bliss than La Fortuna. Unsurprisingly, this has made it one of the most visited places in the region and it has something to offer everyone. “La Fortuna’s spectacular landscapes make it a haven for nature lovers and thrill seekers alike, boasting unique flora and fauna, a variety of lively wildlife, and exciting outdoor adventures,” said Emmanuel Burgio, one of Travel + Leisure’s A-List advisors and founder of Blue Parallel.
Motola’s recommendations include indulging in a memorable hiking expedition along ancient Minoan trails, which traverse a picturesque gorge that culminates in a stunning beach. She also suggests spending a day renting a boat to meander through the turquoise waters of Elounda or venturing out to the uninhabited islet of Spinalonga, both promising unforgettable experiences for visitors.
On this episode of From Persona to Personal, Roger Hurni sits down with Emmanuel Burgio, Principal and Founder of Blue Parallel, for a conversation about growing a luxury travel business organically. Emmanuel shares the type of traveler Blue Parallel attracts, how it gains repeat and new clients, and his vision for the brand over the next five years. He also discusses his passion for travel and the benefits of allowing employees to work remotely while living in their chosen location.
Emmanuel Burgio, a member of Travel + Leisure’s A-List and the founder of Blue Parallel, a luxury travel boutique, recently scouted the region [Panama’s Pacific Coast] for a new luxury tour. Focusing on epic outdoor adventures, exclusive insider experiences, white-glove service, and experiential lodging, this new itinerary includes stays at two private-island paradises on the warm, crystalline coast. Burgio shares the details.
Creating private, exclusive, carefully crafted journeys to big cities and World Heritage Sites alike, offering all kinds of outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, and fascinating guided tours, Blue Parallel gives you behind the scenes access to some of the world’s most amazing destinations.
The Cyclades — a group of Greek islands in the Aegean Sea — may be most famous for its hot spots like Santorini and Mykonos, but Alessandra Motola, a luxury travel expert with Blue Parallel, prefers sending clients to more off-the-beaten-path options like Sifnos. Motola is also a fan of Crete for its mountainous natural landscape and fascinating history.
Avoid the chaotic scene and go southeast of the capital to Cape Sounion to see the Temple of Poseidon, said Emmanuel Burgio, founder of travel company Blue Parallel. Dedicated to the god of the sea, Burgio says the ancient marble temple perched on a cliff’s edge is one of the most important historical sites from Athens’s Golden Age.
Exclusive experiences—helicopter rides around Christ the Redeemer in Rio, a chartered floatplane in the Amazon—keep Burgio’s clients coming back. Emmanuel Burgio, T+L Top Travel Advisor in Central and South America, works with esteemed resorts, as well as local tour operators, to offer interactive programs.
“José Ignacio in Uruguay has one of my favorite under-the-radar food scenes in South America. One of the region’s most acclaimed chefs, Francis Mallmann, has a small yet elegant restaurant called Garzon in the area, which uses fresh, local products from the countryside and the nearby sea. Marismo also seats its guests on the beach but offers a more quaint candlelit setting to enjoy its famous slow-braised lamb as a bonfire crackles nearby.” — Emmanuel Burgio, Blue Parallel
Earlier this year, the high-end travel company Blue Parallel—which began life nearly 20 years ago as the premier experts on South American luxury travel—broadened its horizons. In a very big way: Their new Polar initiatives include the wide-open spaces above or below the 66th parallel.
“The vast majority of people who go to Iceland see the Golden Circle, stay in Reykjavik and then go home, but I think some of the most beautiful highlights of Iceland are quite far from Reykjavik,” said Emmanuel Burgio, the founder of Blue Parallel, a tour company that recently began offering custom trips in Iceland. He described North Iceland as “dramatic, with steep mountains that fall into the ocean,” noting that the trouble is getting there, requiring a domestic flight or a long drive.”
[Burgio] provides his clients with itineraries that are meticulous and innovative; he’s always ahead of the curve. Once travelers reach their destination, [he] works overtime to ensure that the trip will go without hiccups.
Blue Parallel recently announced the addition of Blue Parallel Polar, offering an exciting array of unmatched experiences far from the crowds in Iceland, Norway, Swedish Lapland and Antarctica. Now, there are four stunning new videos to further illustrate just how wildly magical these new offerings are in these extremely remote regions of the world
“After all of the pandemic-related closures and restrictions over the last two years, there is clearly a pent-up demand for travel to the Mediterranean, and we have been using this extended ‘off-season’ to further nurture and develop relationships in these destinations, allowing us to open doors more exclusively than ever for our customers,” says Blue Parallel Founder Emmanuel Burgio.
“After all of the pandemic-related closures and restrictions over the last two years, there is clearly a pent-up demand for travel to the Mediterranean, and we have been using this extended ‘off-season’ to further nurture and develop relationships in these destinations, allowing us to open doors more exclusively than ever for our customers,” says Blue Parallel Founder Emmanuel Burgio.
Having spent the last two decades orchestrating life-changing trips for the world’s most discerning travelers to the natural and cultural wonders of the world, Blue Parallel is pleased to announce the relaunch of its Mediterranean product with breathtaking new experiences, such as a private early morning hot air balloon ride over the fairy towers in Cappadocia followed by a private whirling dervishes ceremony in the evening, an exquisite new private camp in the Sahara Desert, as well as an exclusive private yacht in Croatia and a private gulet in Turkey.
Indeed, guests want more private, customized experiences, said Emmanuel Burgio, founder of Blue Parallel, who is providing even more over-the-top experiences for clients. “We had a client who had to postpone a trip four times. As a way to say, ‘thank you,’ we surprised the client with extras, a spa treatment, a meeting with a scholar in an area they have a special interest, and a hotel upgrade.”
Emmanuel Burgio, T+L Top Travel Advisor in Central and South America, has access to memorable experiences (including private yacht charters) in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama—and much of South America and the Mediterranean, too.
Blue Parallel has announced the launch of Blue Parallel Polar, offering a range of experiences in Iceland, Norway, Swedish Lapland and Antarctica. Given the extreme privacy and luxurious nature of activities and accommodations, availability is limited, so reservations are recommended in advance and can be made now for the 2022-2023 season.
For those hoping to take that one trip of a lifetime this year, bespoke travel operator Blue Parallel recently launched journeys in the Polar regions. They offer a new romantic journey in Lapland in the north of Sweden featuring a combination of remote wilderness lodges, charming private log cabins, and impressively designed tree houses deep in the Swedish woods. It is easy to understand how these unforgettable experiential lodges are not only incredible to stay at, but naturally provide ideal privacy for couples as they are located in one of the most remote and pristine regions in the world.
In [Tulum] along the Riviera Maya, honeymooners can combine the relaxation of a beach vacation with the discovery and adventure, says Emmanuel Burgio, President of Blue Parallel. The town is also easy to access from Cancun International Airport (CUN), which is the nearest airport to Tulum. Since many US carriers offer daily direct flights to and from the US, most couples will fly into Cancun and enjoy the 90-minute drive to Tulum….Newlyweds should visit the Yucatan Peninsula during November through April, Burgio suggests. – Dina Cheney, The Knot
Luxurious travel can mean knowing that all your needs and wants are taken care of. Or going beyond the standard, simply for pleasure. For others, it means doing something that no one you know has experienced. When we travel we all want to leave the mundane far behind, travelling in style allows us to do just that. Add a slice of adventure to the mix, and you are definitely escaping the norm. For travel expert Emmanuel Burgio, Founder and President of Blue Parallel, luxurious travel is the fine balance between style and adventure. He shares his thoughts on why luxurious travel should have many meanings. – Sheryl Hickey, Bea Monde Traveler
“The coffee region in Colombia has so many offerings to stimulate all of the senses. Here, Blue Parallel has access to a private villa deep in the jungle, which you can use as a base to discover the different coffee and fruit plantations in the region. From horseback riding, mountain biking, coffee tasting, and visits to quaint colonial towns, the coffee region is romantic and great for the young at heart. The real highlight is the Valle de Cocora National Park, home to the tallest palm trees in the world.” – Liz Cantrell, Travel + Leisure
“The good news is that we see a gradual re-opening of many countries in Latin America to international tourism, including Peru, where baby steps are being taken. There is a more cautious approach being taken in comparison to some European countries which opened up too fast and too early in late Spring. Hopefully this will lead to a sustainable “new normality” in the next months, when tourists will be able to return to universal sites such as Machu Picchu in a safe manner, following a protocol.”
Visitors need to plan well in advance, he says, so the necessary tickets and permits can be secured. And waiting a few months and then following the protocols will be rewarding. “It will be a privilege to be able to enjoy UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Machu Picchu as it was pre-pandemic but without the crowds,” he says. Exactly as UNESCO prefers.” – Laurie Werner for Forbes Magazine
“The coolest town of them all is, arguably, José Ignacio — a sleepy fishing enclave reborn as the epicenter of Uruguay’s beach scene. My cousin’s tour of the place was decidedly personal. She pointed to houses she’d rented over the years, “some with boyfriends, some without boyfriends”; to the lighthouse on the rocky point that divides the town; and to a pebbly beach “where you can come in the morning and buy fish from the fishermen.” Sure, she shrugged, with the arrival of pop stars, soccer players, and supermodels, some smaller houses have been replaced by bigger ones. The town has become busier, the shabby outweighed by the chic.” – John Bowe for Travel + Leisure
“Fes…holds a major festival every June but there are also individual groups that sing for their own enlightenment and will allow outsiders to listen. One such group is named the Sufi Brotherhood and a private performance can be arranged by the upscale travel company Blue Parallel which arranges custom trips to Morocco and arranged my tours in Fes and Chefchaouen.”
This summer, tackle two big bucket-list items on one vacation. On July 2 a total solar eclipse will dazzle northern Chile—whose clear skies and lack of urban light make it one of the world’s best stargazing regions. View the show from the Elqui Valley (…). From there it’s just a 90-minute flight to the otherworldly Atacama Desert. Whom to call: Emmanuel Burgio of Blue Parallel
“Every year we have more clients and more travelers who are willing to stay away from resorts and who want to be active and enjoy the outdoors,” said Emmanuel Burgio, president of Blue Parallel, a luxury boutique travel agency in Potomac, Maryland, founded in 2003.
Emmanuel Burgio, president of Blue Parallel luxury tours, is currently designing a 2020 tour that will include high-end camping and a journey through Argentine Patagonia. He’s received lots of interest from customers about eclipse viewings, he says.
“Reaching the Mayan ruins of El Mirador in Guatemala typically requires a challenging five-day hike through lush vegetation. Tour operator, Blue Parallel, however, transports travelers there via helicopter. Upon landing, guests will have the chance to explore the largest pyramid in the Americas with the site’s lead archaeologist, who is still working to excavate the ruins.”
A-list Advice: How do you maintain balance on the road? Emmanuel Burgio, Central & South America Specialist at Blue Parallel: ” I like to start by running or swimming early in the morning, I have four children, so if I return before the rest of the family wakes up, I read a book. Sports and reading are the perfect combination.”
“I recently spent an unforgettable week with my family in Chile’s Atacama Desert, a region of lunar-like landscapes. We biked and rode horses across valleys and ran barefoot down giant sand dunes. It was educational, too — my children became fascinated by astronomy (the Atacama is the best place in the world to observe the stars) and learned geology lessons by visiting geysers, salt flats, and ancient rock formations.” Emmanuel Burgio
“Discover the exotic Kingdom of Morocco by wandering in medieval Fes, exploring the fragrant spice markets in Marrakech, or stargazing from a luxury tented camp in the Sahara Desert. Stroll through Panama City’s UNESCO-designated Old Quarter before a VIP tour of the Panama Canal, taste some of Central America’s best coffee at a plantation in Boquete, and cruise around the paradisiacal San Blas Islands on a catamaran.”
“A recent private trip by Blue Parallel included kayaking in Patagonia to a remote beach where guests had a famous chef cook for them. Another trip included biking through Croatia’s wine country before dinner in a villa. Your change of clothes was of course transported and waiting for you so you could shower and freshen up first.”
“Burgio’s knowledge of the industry is vast — he’s planned trips like hydroplane flights to private-estate stays in Peru’s Sacred Valley and meetings with Easter Island’s Rapa Nui communities. Currently on his radar are adventure-packed destinations like Bolivia and the Azores.”
“Buenos Aires is one of Blue Parallel’s premier destinations, with the firm designing custom itineraries that provide one-of-a-kind experiences for clients. (Private polo lesson with a world-renowned player, anyone?) On a recent visit to Buenos Aires, Blue Parallel hand-selected three excursions for Nonstop.”
“Same story at Blue Parallel, a tour operator member of Virtuoso that gives in ultra-luxury (its custom-made expeditions run around US $ 2000 per person per day): “Luxury, today, no is more the material, it is rather to have access to the experiences that it is not given to the common people to live “, explains the president, Emmanuel Burgio.”
“Blue Parallel has swiftly established itself as one of the leading names in the world of bespoke luxury travel to Latin America and the Mediterranean. Creating private, exclusive, carefully crafted journeys to big cities and World Heritage Sites alike, offering all kinds of outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, and fascinating guided tours, Blue Parallel gives you behind the scenes access to some of the world’s most amazing destinations.”
“A trip to these islands ‘known for their crystal blue waters and flour-white sand,’ says Emmanuel Burgio, president of travel boutique Blue Parallel, ‘is an off-the-grid experience unparalleled by any Caribbean destination.’ Home to the Gunas, a Panamanian indigenous people, Burgio notes that this remote archipelago has an ‘abundance of coral reefs and healthy waters make that make San Blas an excellent and unknown area for snorkeling.’
“Blue Parallel’s customizable six-day eclipse journey visits Argentina’s Lake District and includes luxe camping on a private estate staffed with an astronomy concierge, along the line of eclipse totality.”
“Blue Parallel specializes in private adventures throughout Latin America, including a five-night luxury tour of Iguazú that kicks off in Rio de Janeiro and culminates with an enthralling visit to the falls. Expect lavish hotels and adrenaline-fueled activities like mountain biking through sub-tropical jungles and an exhilarating helicopter tour replete with aerial views of the rushing waterfalls.”
“Tour operator Blue Parallel can customize a catamaran trip to the San Blas, with three days in Panama City and four days sailing around the islands. The getaway promises deserted beaches, lobster dinners, and time with the Kuna people.”
“These islands are stunning with their coconut trees (…) and turquoise water. But visiting them is like being on a different planet — there are no supermarkets, no restaurants, no internet, so you can completely disconnect and reconnect with Mother Nature,” says Emmanuel Burgio, Blue Parallel’s president.
“Blue Parallel can fly its guests to see the world’s largest pyramid in El Mirador alongside Dr. Richard D. Hansen, director of the Mirador Basin Project. Typically, you’ll need to trek through the jungle for several days to reach the site, but with the heli, it’ll take just minutes.”
“Five of the world’s seven sea turtle species (including two endangered ones) swim here, and spinner dolphins are so plentiful that researchers might sound bored when they tell you they’ve counted 48 that morning. Luxury outfitter Blue Parallel can craft itineraries to the remote islands that will leave you wanting for nothing.”
“Blue Parallel offers private, tailor-made journeys throughout Latin America and the Mediterranean that cater to a very discerning clientele. Their custom journeys provide unprecedented insider access thanks to a carefully curated network of relationships, as well as exceptional service from dedicated client teams.”
“Think beyond Machu Picchu to the Incan salt pans of Maras, the uncharted, snow-capped mountains of Veronica and Sawasiray, and the endless horizon of Lake Titicaca. (…) Whom to call: Emmanuel Burgio of Blue Parallel”.
“Before creating his travel company, Blue Parallel, Burgio worked in finance, and he has an intimate understanding of the needs and demands of time-constrained travelers. His bespoke adventures have included guided biking tours of Buenos Aires’s Palermo neighborhood and meetings with Easter Island’s Rapa Nui communities.”
“Née au Maroc, où elle a vécu jusqu’à ses 18 ans, Sarah Casewit vit de ses passions : le voyage et la photographie. Désormais directrice marketing chez Blue Parallel, agence de voyages haut de gamme, c’est à Buenos Aires que la jeune femme a élu domicile. Elle nous livre ses meilleures adresses.”
Emmanuel Burgio, president and founder of boutique tour operator Blue Parallel […] “I’ll always return to Jose Ignacio, a small village on the Uruguayan Coast. I used to criticize people who go back to the same place for their holidays, but now that I have children of my own, I totally get it.”
“In this more traditional coffee country, known as the Coffee Triangle for the enormous quantities of beans it produces, a tour operator called Blue Parallel offers custom stays. And if ever I have a chance of meeting a real-life Juan Valdez, it’s here.”
“Hallie Neumann spent a couple years living in Rio as a director at Blue Parallel, a tour company that offers customized itineraries (…) ‘Rio has been perceived as a place where you go hang out on the beach and where people don’t take things too seriously,’ she explains. ‘That is the initial appeal. But it has more to offer.’”
“A finance background lends Burgio an intimate understanding of the needs and demands of wealthy, time-strapped travelers, who come to him for bespoke trips that offer indulgent thrills like hydroplane flights to eco-lodges and private-estate stays in Peru’s Sacred Valley.”
“There are several perfectly lovely places to stay, but Noronha isn’t about hotels. To get access to the best guides, marine researchers and dive masters—and to get beach picnics complete with Veuve Cliquot—book with bespoke South American luxury-adventure outfitter Blue Parallel.”
“A former New York investment banker, Burgio founded Blue Parallel in 2002 to offer travel expertise to clients similar to his demanding ex-bosses. Born in Holland, raised in France, and based in Buenos Aires, Burgio specializes in Latin America and recently branched into the Mediterranean.”
“In many ways the capital of Carnival in Brazil, Rio knows how to throw a huge party (…) South America travel specialist Blue Parallel can arrange to have you view the parade from above the fray, in the privacy of your own festively decorated, air-conditioned VIP box, with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails at the ready.”
“Hundreds of thousands of devotees descend on Cusco as actors re-enact ancient rituals and the Sun King is carried on a massive throne in a royal procession to the ancient site Sacsayhuaman. Blue Parallel can get guests into VIP boxes, arrange expert scholars as hosts and organize private access to a traditional workshop where festival costumes are made.”
“It’s all very personal,” Burgio said. “I grew up in the south of France, my father is from Sicily, and I have friends and family in the Mediterranean Basin. This is a region I belong to (…) After focusing and expanding our reach in Latin America for 12 years or so, we decided to expand into the Mediterranean.”
“Blue Parallel, a bespoke travel boutique, plans private, custom journeys along the Adriatic Coast, taking honeymooners from Split, Croatia, through Hvar and Dubrovnik to Montenegro, with special access to private boats, artisan vineyards, historic villages, and more.”
“Blue Parallel made its regional debut this year with an “Adriatic Coast Journey,” visiting familiar locales in Croatia and Montenegro… In Split, tour the exalted art museum Ivan Mestrovic Gallery with the museum curator. In Dubrovnik, anticipate afternoons of kayaking and a visit to a private vineyard and estate on the Peljesac Peninsula for a Croatian wine-tasting and fresh oyster sampling.”
“Visiting Colombia with outfitter Blue Parallel (one week starts at $11,500, blueparallel.com) comes with a major advantage: access. The new itinerary includes salsa dancing in a private 16th-century home and lounging on islets that are rarely seen by anyone but local fishermen. Coffee obsessives can sip joe at the source during a bean-to-roast tour of a plantation in the Andean foothills.”
“Blue Parallel se preocupa por ofrecer viajes hechos a la medida del cliente, así como de sugerir las mejores opciones para los viajeros. Por ejemplo en este caso la recepción en el aeropuerto correría por cuenta de un anfitrión personal que lo llevaría hasta un lujoso bungalow con vista al mar.”
“Guests can also hike one of the most active volcanoes in the world on the island of Stromboli, take a private boat to hidden beaches on the island of Panarea and take a cooking class with a chef on a private estate in Sicily. Additionally, Blue Parallel will offer VIP visits to UNESCO sites like the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento.”
“Plush adventure travel outfitter Blue Parallel (…) will take guests on an 11-day journey through Sicily and the Aeolian Islands to hike a volcano on Stromboli island, boat to Panarea’s secluded beaches, and learn cooking techniques at a private estate in Sicily, all while staying at castles, estates, and villas across the region.”
“The company’s newest destination offering in Sicily and the Aeolian Islands includes a wide variety of possible inclusions in custom-made packages, such as hiking around an active volcano on the island of Stromboli, (…) private boat trips to secluded beaches near the island of Panarea, a cooking class by a popular chef at a private estate in Sicily, and VIP visits to UNESCO sites.”
“Plenty of chefs offer courses in Sicilian cooking, but Blue Parallel sends you to exclusive classes with revered chef Fabrizia Lanza at her country estate outside Palermo. In her cucina, converted from the villa’s horse stable, Lanza will teach you how to create traditional recipes, like sardines in pasta.”
“Burgio’s travel company, Blue Parallel, specializes in top of-the-line bespoke getaways that combine luxury and adventure. All the itineraries—from solo ice treks through Argentina’s Perito Moreno glacier to family-friendly polo lessons on a private estancia—come with 24/7 concierge service that keeps VIP needs and time constraints in mind.”
“As you walk along the platforms, the roar of the water is a constant, rainbows are everywhere, butterflies crisscross your path, exotic birds sing in the trees, monkeys swing from the branches, and coatis walk alongside you hoping you will drop a tasty morsel. Blue Parallel tour company is unparalleled in their Iguazu tour experiences.”
“Planning a wedding can be all-encompassing, so it can be a relief to have the legwork and organization of the honeymoon taken out of your hands. Blue Parallel has been producing breathtaking itineraries for travelers throughout Latin America for more than a decade, and the company introduced the Mediterranean a few years back.”
“Better yet, take a private tango class from a local instructor to feel the magical force of the dance. I met Villamil, who introduced me to the tango moves, through experts at Blue Parallel”
“Blue Parallel’s itinerary in the Mediterranean Basin and Latin America are designed around World Heritage destinations and outdoor adventures. During eight days in the World Cup year, fly into Rio, stay at the sleek Fasano hotel in Ipanema, and explore this soccer-mad city. Next, head north to Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago of 21 islands and a UNESCO World Heritage site…”
“A three-day stay in Morocco with outfitter Blue Parallel starts with a night at Kasbah Tamadot(kasbahtamadot.virgin.com), Richard Branson’s retreat (located about an hour outside Marrakech) overlooking the Asni valley. Prep in the hotel’s hammam, indoor heated pool and spa and spend the next day hiking and mountain climbing through oak and juniper forests in the Atlas Mountains.”
“Have you ever imagined mountain biking through Mount Toubkal National Park in the Atlas Mountains, dining under ancient olive trees, exploring of lush valleys of Berber farmlands or flying in a private helicopter over golden dunes to your own private, luxury tented camp in the Sahara Desert? The bespoke travel company, Blue Parallel, is now offering those experiences and more.”
“Una agencia-boutique de viajes a la carta, que “abre puertas” en América Latina y ofrece solo lo mejor es Blue Parallel, cuyos contactos te permiten visitar lujosas casas y haciendas que no están abiertas al público, conocer artesanos en sus talleres, tener acceso a colecciones de arte en grandes mansiones privadas, jugar polo en un famoso club, etc.”
“Latin American luxury-adventure specialist Blue Parallel prides itself on moving mountains for clients and getting them access no one else can. Case in point: the company’s VIP Polo Experience, in which guests are helicoptered from Buenos Aires to the primo polo grounds in the northern suburbs.”
“Since 2002, Blue Parallel has guided discerning travelers on private, tailor-made journeys to Latin America. Now adding trips to the Mediterranean Basin, the bespoke travel service is offering new and exciting experiences in Andalucía, Corsica, Greece, Morocco and Turkey.”
“When I created Blue Parallel, I made sure our journeys included insider-access experiences, not available to the public, that I had personally tried,” Burgio says. “Whether it’s meeting a renowned artist in his private atelier or kayaking the Beagle Channel with an Olympic athlete, each of our journeys is tailor-made.”
“Blue Parallel’s tours, focused on culture, the outdoors and World Heritage sites, have won it a slot as one of Condé Nast Traveler’s “top travel specialists” for four consecutive years. Its Amazon tour traverses Peru, Ecuador and Brazil, taking in the unique ecology and wildlife of the region and immersing guests in experiences from piranha fishing to hunting with bows and arrows.”
“Exclusive tour operator Blue Parallel offers a decadent driving experience in Andalucia worth the trip down from Madrid. The itinerary starts in Granada and Cordoba with tapas tours and luxe hotel stays before unleashing you and your luxury sports car in Seville for a roar through the topographically exuberant landscape, the famed white villages around Ronda and wild Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.”
“Emmanuel Burgio, founder and CEO of Blue Parallel, a travel company that creates private tailor-made journeys to Peru for people in the United States, believes tourism will continue to grow because of luxury properties such as Palacio del Inka opening in Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley area.”
“Morocco’s hardly an off-the-grid travel destination, but recently its popularity has soared among families looking for a new and different vacation destination, says Emmanuel Burgio. He’s CEO and founder of Blue Parallel (www.blueparallel.com), a bespoke travel boutique with a diverse portfolio of destinations, including several spectacular Moroccan family excursions that include helicopter rides across the Sahara.”
“[…] And Blue Parallel was the perfect tour company to indulge us. We set the pace. The guide spoke flawless English. Water and snacks were ever-present. And the driver could stop on a dime when we simply needed to snap a shot.”
“Bespoke travel company Blue Parallel gives travelers in-depth, private tours of the most sacred areas of the Andean culture in the Cusco region, such as the Moray ruins and the salt flats in Maras. Blue Parallel also can arrange a private meditation ceremony with an Andean shaman that allows visitors to personally experience the region’s native spiritual practices.”
“The best way to dig into BA’s overwhelming food scene is with an insider: you can book a food tour with Lazar through Latin America specialists Blue Parallel…”
“Journeys on the Hiram Bingham train, guided tours of Machu Picchu, alfresco lunches in the Sacred Valley – Blue Parallel brings you the best of Peru during an eight-day tailor-made tour that travels round-trip from Lima.”
“‘The fincas of Pereira and Armenia are like the estancias of Mendoza, Argentina, ten years ago,’ says Emmanuel Burgio of luxury outfitter Blue Parallel. His itineraries include the Cocora Valley, home to half a dozen heirloom cultivars—and the world’s tallest palm trees. “It’s full of natural spectacles and hospitable locals,” he says.”
“A Unesco World Heritage Site, the falls combine 275 streams into a confluence that is reportedly 18 metres higher than Niagara, and vastly wider. Blue Parallel (www.blueparallel.com) organises trips with three nights in Rio de Janeiro and two nights at the falls.”
“This Buenos Aires-based outfit has 20 villas and penthouses in Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Guatemala, and the Galapagos. Prior to guests’ arrival, properties are stocked with food, champagne, and fresh flowers. In José Ignacio, Uruguay, the El Bosque estate has handcrafted wood furnishings and a pool that faces seven manicured acres (…)”
“Latin America-based Blue Parallel specializes in bespoke itineraries to the region, including Machu Picchu, and will tailor activities based on how much or how little your family would like to trek at the site.”
“Want a private tour of the Alhambra palace? How about a visit to Spain’s most revered Ibérico ham arm, or heli-hopping through the Greek islands? Those are just a few of the bespoke experiences created by Blue Parallel through their new reach into the Medierranean Basin, the latest addition to its destination offerings.”
“Los Glaciares National Park is home to the Perito Moreno glacier, one of the only still-growing ice formations in the world. And Ushuaia (the closest city to Antarctica) is a great base for tours along the Beagle Canal or Cape Horn. Hotels in Patagonia include everything from rustic eco-resorts and remote hideaways to luxury, art-themed spots; companies like Blue Parallel can arrange everything.”
“Emmanuel Burgio, founder of Blue Parallel, a company that provides customized tour itineraries and experiences in Latin America, agreed. “As a new niche, we are seeing a rise in interest in Buenos Aires in Jewish heritage sights,” he said. “We have been able to offer private access to the main temple in Buenos Aires and the holocaust museum on a national holiday”
“The Pataxó people got it right when they named their Bahian village Corumbay—”far from everything”(…) Yet the same venturesome Brazilians who turned nearby Trancoso from sleepy to chic are calling Corumbau and neighboring Caraiva the country’s next hot spots. And the helicopter takes just 20 minutes. (…) Book with Blue Parallel (blueparallel.com).”
“On Saturdays, I like to visit MALBA and have a bite on the terrace of Café des Arts, the tour art galleries like Galería Zurbarán or auction houses such as Arroyo Remates—both in the same neighborhood in Centro” –Emmanuel Burgio.”
“Your Blue Parallel guide will meet you at the hotel to escort you to Atamisque Winery in the Uco Valley area, where you’ll enjoy a horseback ride followed by a private tour and tasting. The Property’s chef will prepare a gourmet picnic lunch before you set out for the Piattelli Vineyards for yet another tasting.”
“For the client who wanted a four-day party in Argentina, Emmanuel Burgio transformed the only hotel on a remote island, flying in an interior designer, a chef, a patissier, and a sommelier, who poured wines from the cave that Burgio had restocked with requested favorites.”
“Emmanuel Burgio. Years as agent: 10. Other Specialty: Serviced villas. Fee: Varies”
“Blue Parallel is a bespoke travel boutique ‘whose mission is to take discerning travelers who are time-constrained to the most spectacular natural and cultural wonders of Latin America.'”
“I turned to Blue Parallel, an unusual tour company based in South America that caters a trip specifically to a traveler’s personal interests. Any whim, they organise pronto.”
“The stay was part of a tailor-made itinerary from Blue Parallel, a US-based travel boutique company that creates private,customized journeys for discerning travelers. The Blue Parallel folks certainly knew what this discerning, spa-going traveler likes as they made sure to include a hiking and canoeing trip in Tierra del Fuego National Park, complete with a picnic lunch.”
“Guests of Blue Parallel Villas (www.bpvillas.com), a new portfolio of Central and South American vacation rentals, can expect the same quality of service, insider access, and personal attention offered by the rental provider’s namesake travel outfitter, Blue Parallel.”
“After leaving a career in finance, Emmanuel Burgio founded Blue Parallel, a luxury travel company, to plan trips for the busy people he’d once worked alongside…One of Blue Parallel’s most memorable trips takes travelers to Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago of 21 tiny islands off the coast of northeastern Brazil.”
“The inspiration for Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, the Galapagos Islands are an ecological wonder. Blue Parallel, a bespoke travel company specialising in World Heritage destinations, will get you there in comfort and style. Enjoy a customised trip that guarantees an unforgettable experience, and also helps conserve one of the planet’s most fragile ecosystems.”
“In northwest Patagonia, Blue Parallel coordinates custom trips that both highlight the Lake District’s natural bounty and bring its culture to life.”
“For many, exclusivity is key. Blue Parallel, a bespoke travel boutique company, offers private, customized escapes to the spectacular natural and cultural wonders of Latin America. Providing insider access is what the company does best.”
“South American tour experts from Blue Parallel will greet you at the airport and chauffeur you to your Duhau Suite at the Palacio Duhau… Before dinner, Blue Parallel host Marcos Ferrazza will escort you to the Zubarán Art Gallery to meet the owner, Ignacio Gutierrez Zaldivar, and learn about his art.”
“Top beaches include Baia do Sancho, Baia dos Porcos, Praia do Leão and Praia da Conceição. Book through South American travel specialists Blue Parallel.”
“I booked my trip through Blue Parallel, a bespoke South American travel consultancy founded by former investment banker Emmanuel Burgio with his demanding ex-bosses in mind. I went from buggy to diving boat without standing in line to pick up gear, found umbrellas and snacks (and Veuve Clicquot) waiting on deserted beaches, and was always in the right place at the right time.”
“Emmanuel Burgio. Insider clout: Arranged for clients to explore South America’s Beagle Channel via kayak with Norbert Mendez, an Olympian on Argentina’s kayak team.”
“Bespoke luxury travel company Blue Parallel is known for its customized Latin American itineraries – as glamorous or as rustic as you like. This month, it launches a villa division, renting extravagant, private vacation homes (ranging from intimate apartments to lavish estates) in compelling destinations.”
“Blue Parallel villas – an offshoot of the excellent luxury-adventure travel outfitter – offers a selection of new-to-the-market properties in Argentina, Guatemala, Uruguay and the Galapagos Islands (…) and all have Blue Parallel staff on-site or nearby to meet every need.”
“The Operator: Blue Parallel. The Highlights: Expert guides and special access help tame Patagonia’s rugged landscape. On Península Valdés, watch sea lions and whales from your cliffside villa, which is stocked with limited-production Malbecs. Meet with a glaciologist before an icetrekking excursion on Perito Moreno.”
“South American outfitter Blue Parallel offer plenty of creature comforts while you enjoy the jungles of the Amazon basin (one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots), Lake Titicaca and the spectacular salt flats of the Altiplano, where even the hotels are made of salt.”
“Add Argentinian sizzle to your wardrobe on a shopping trip with the country’s leading stylist, Damasia Lemos. She’ll whisk you to Buenos Aires’ top shops, such as Lucila Iotti for seductive shoes. See blueparallel.com for info.”
“Blue Parallel organizes itineraries that combine the mainland and the Galapagos as well as private tours of sights usually closed to the public.”
“Join Blue Parallel reps in Cusco for a Machu Picchu visit and mountain biking from the Andes to the Maras salt pools and Moray Incan ruins.”
“He chose a Maryland-based tour operator called Blue Parallel because its website emphasizes quick trips. The company’s motto: ‘We take individuals who are short on time, and high on life.'”
“The company began in 2002 based out of the US, arranging weekend escapes to Machu Picchu and is now a full-service bespoke travel company, arranging trips throughout Latin America that are tailores to the tastes of each individual guest.”
“Angra dos Reis…is a 2-hour drive south of Rio, but for those who don’t want to tackle the logistics of reaching the archipelago, the outfitter Blue Parallel – whose owner, Emmanuel Burgio, is among Condé Nast’s Top Travel Specialists (August 2008)- can arrange airport pick-ups, cars and drivers, and guided tours of the islands in a high-speed boat.”
“The best way to soak up the beachy Carioca culture is at a good botequim such as Bar Bracarense. You’ll find bikini-clad Brazilians sipping beer and eating shrimp pastries with creamy catupiri cheese. After the beach, locals love to gather with friends for a feijoada at Academia da Cachaça.” Emmanuel Burgio, founder/CEO of Blue Parallel.
“Half a day touring the city with Blue Parallel, one of the best travel specialists in Argentina today. The company has just gotten access to the private holdings at the home of Ignacio Librandi, a high-profile local art collector…”
“Blue Parallel is a recommended pro when traveling to Latin America. They know what’s hot and create unique, exclusive itineraries that include helicopter rides, VIP soccer events and VIP box seating for Carnival.”
“Emmanuel Burgio: included in T+L’s A-list collection of travel agents, specialising in culture and education. “
“If you want a once-in-a-lifetime-experience (and money is no object), book with Blue Parallel, a bespoke tour operator specialized in Latin America. Whatever your wildest dreams (…), Blue Parallel can make it happen.”
“New York art tourism company Pinacoteca and Latin American travel specialists Blue Parallel are launching a high-end, week-long tour that starts in Manhattan and continues to Buenos Aires…”
“Blue Parallel is dedicated to tempting you to experiencing the natural and cultural wonders of Latin America. Fancy the Galapagos Islands? Fly to Quito, stay seven nights on a private yacht, and jump in the shadow of an expert guide who’ll show you the incredible flora and fauna, from giant tortoises and iguanas to penguins and sea lions (…) Accessing the inaccessible is Blue Parallel’s forte.”
“For road warriors seeking the ultimate time-saver when it comes to planning business trips abroad, consider lap-of-luxury services from companies such as the South American-based Blue Parallel. The firm will expedite you through airports, provide cell phones the moment you get into the limo, set you up with personal assistants, arrange stays at top-notch hotels – and even arrange off-site corporate meetings.”
“A Frenchman and former investment banker, Burgio began Blue Parallel after finding himself organizing long weekends for colleagues at Machu Picchu and other World Heritage sites. His company specializes in accessing the inaccessible in Central and Latin America, whether from the air or on the ground. Vantage points include the sundeck of a remote private home in the Quebrada de Humahuaca in Argentina.”
“Blue Parallel Inc. was founded in 2002 by Emmanuel Burgio, a former member of Credit Suisse First Boston’s investment banking group. Burgio one day decided to leave Wall Street and travel the world. While doing so, he realized there was a gap in the marketplace that he could fill: serving luxury adventures to highly discriminating, time-constrained travelers. So he created Blue Parallel, Inc.”
“Brazil and Ecuador have beaches, jungles and mountains, but seeing them all requires some serious strategizing. Burgio is a master of routing complicated trips in South America, especially if your time frame is constrained, and at planning thrilling excursions that highlight the best of the landscape, whether by speedboat or helicopter.”
“The nice thing about Blue Parallel (…) is that while they flirt with the traditional interpretations of luxury as exclusivity (the company has arranged for clients to chill out with the Brazilian football team), physical comfort (…), and the impenetrable art of trying to work out what people want before they do (…), they understand that the most meaningful luxury for most people nowadays is freedom and time.”
“On my first night in Patagonia, the team at Blue Parallel, the luxury outfitter that planned my trip, left a plate of butter cookies and a bottle of Champagne with one glass in my room at the Correntoso (the honeymoon suite, by the way, with a tub for two right in the bedroom).”
“Blue Parallel offers a 13-day package visiting Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile, San Pedro de Atacama and the Argentine north-west, which costs from US$11,000 per person, based on two sharing, including internal flights, accommodation, transfers, all activities, spa treatments and most meals.”
“Blue Parallel offers the most personalized tours throughout Latin America. Access to private art collections, shamanic ceremonies, private transportation charters and aerial sightseeing are all on offer.”
“Emmanuel Burgio, a 30 year old former investment banker, is behind Blue Parallel. His US and Buenos Aires-based team can organise rentals from waterside fiefdoms in Angra in Brazil to a 6,000-hectare estate within Argentina’s Quebrada de Humahuaca, a UNESCO World Heritage site located at 3000m sea level amid dazzling peaks.”
“The new hotshot operator in this area, Blue Parallel (blueparallel.com), offers short, week-long taster excursions to these more daring South American destinations.”
“Blue Parallel, a guide service specializing in luxury travel, offers custom trips throughout Peru (and, indeed, all of South America), organizing daily outdoor adventures, hiring private plane travel, guiding you to the best restaurants and finding the most deluxe accommodations.”
“Felix Millns was a guest of Blue Paralel, which runs two-week all-inclusive custom-made trips from £6995, including four nights in the Galapagos (excluding international flights).”
“Blue Parallel uses private planes, guides, and estancias (blueparallel.com).”
“Burgio’s company, which designs bespoke journeys throughout Latin America from its offices in Maryland and Buenos Aires, conducts pretrip interviews with its clients to determine appropriate itineraries. There are no pre-set dates for Blue Parallel expeditions, and plans can undergo radical changes at a moment’s notice.”
“Getting there requires a specialist, and Emmanuel Burgio, of Blue Parallel, organises everything from helicopter transfers to the Angra dos Reis islands to setting up your hotel and guide in Parati.”
“South America’s Blue Parallel has arranged for clients to chill with members of the Brazilian soccer team.”
“Haas’s support team, Buenos Aires-based travel company Blue Parallel would draw up a plan to invade France – and a good one at that – if he asked them to. They bird-dog every facet of his expeditions, which includes booking the helicopters and airplanes, hiring the pilots and helping to compile a database of the exact location of every single shot he takes.”
“Former New York investment banker Emmanuel Burgio founded Blue Parallel in 2002 to guide seamless and time-efficient trips for executives and their families. Specializing in Peru and Machu Picchu, the company has expanded to South America’s UNESCO including the Patagonian glaciers, Chile’s Atacama Desert, Argentina’s Lake District, Iguazu Falls and the Galapagos Islands.”
“South America, from Emmanuel Burgio, Blue Parallel: A private concert in a Buenos Aires hotel from the musicians of Teatro Colón. A hike on the Perito Moreno glacier in southern Patagonia and a kayak trip on the rivers of Tierra del Fuego with former Olympian Norberto Mendez as a guide. (…) A private helicopter tour over Iguazu Falls.”
“Blue Parallel: This South America specialist arranges private, tailor-made itineraries to some of the continent’s most magnificent world heritage sites: a deluxe journey through Peru to Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas; guided hikes to Chilean and Argentine Patagonia’s gleaming blue glaciers (…); island hopping around Brazil’s Angra dos Reis archipelago after a few steamy nights in Rio.”
“Though Blue Parallel’s trips to the rainforests in South America cost roughly $1,000 per person per day–because clients fly around by private plane and the company adds extra touches, such as providing guests with their favorite wine–the priciest part of a rainforest vacation is normally the airfare.”
“Blue Parallel, a high-end, customized tour company, specializes in private tours and will plan an itinerary designed to keep travelers away from crowds.”
“Spend a day kayaking around the southern tip of Patagonia with Norberto Mendez, who was on Argentina’s 1988 Olympic kayaking team. Polish your paddling technique with this former national champion while he leads you through the Beagle Channel, which winds around the Tierra del Fuego archipelago and attracts a wide variety of wildlife, from penguins to sea lions to Antarctic fur seals. Source: Emmanuel Burgio, Blue Parallel.”
“In the Austrian Alps you’ll find this wonderful lake that meets a mountain, but then you’ll look around and every fifty feet you’ll see a fence and a little house,” says half-Austrian, half-French Emmanuel Burgio, founder of Blue Parallel, an agency specializing in South American travel. “In Argentina, it’s all wild, open space.”
“Many of Burgio’s clients come from his past life as an investment banker, and they’re willing to pay top dollar for his white-glove service with authentic touches – like a bossa nova show at your pousada on a private Brazilian island – and a focus on the region’s World Heritage Sites.”
“Blue Parallel offers the best of both worlds, with a train ride most of the way up, followed by a guided hike to the top (from $5,500 a person for a seven-day trip including the Sacred Valley; blueparallel.com).”
“Arranging a trip to Peru, Brazil or Argentina with the travel company Blue Parallel is not as simple as choosing an itinerary from a catalog and plonking down your platinum card: It’s more like sitting down with an architect to discuss your dream house.”
“Though he specializes in luxury outdoor adventures to places like Machu Picchu and Patagonia, Burgio didn’t skip a beat when I asked him to plan my Argentinian vacation around antiquing. Within hours, he emailed a comprehensive list of shops and arranged for Yvonne Videla, a personal shopper for guests at Buenos Aires’s posh Alvear Palace Hotel, to be my guide.”
“Of course, there are plenty of low-key pursuits in Patagonia, one of the world’s great natural playgrounds, a place so pristine in makes the word ‘immaculate’ sound dirty. I could put a kayak into the water at Peuma Hue, or take one of the horses out for a ride, or organize a day of trout fishing […] Blue Parallel creates custom trips to Patagonia, as adventurous or luxurious as you like.”
“My husband and I recently returned from a fabulous trip to Argentina – fabulous because of your recommendation to contact Blue Parallel [‘South America Perfected’, May/June 2004]. Emmanuel Burgio was all we needed. We are well traveled and enjoy the very best that life can offer. Blue Parallel took care of our every need. Our hats are off to Emmanuel and his wonderful staff.”
“The Americas: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. This region’s natural wonders are Burgio’s strong suit, and as a former investment banker he knows from personal experience what appeals to busy professionals: white glove service with authentic touches. He’s also well-versed in Brazil and can organise a bossa nova show at your pousada on a private island.”
“Burgio vive entre Nueva York y Buenos Aires, donde creó Blue Parallel que ofrece viajes a executivos con escaso tiempo, alto poder adquisitivo y acostumbrados a viajar en estilo a las más espectaculares maravillas del mundo, entre ellas la Patagonia argentino-chilena y las ruinas de Machu Picchu, en Perú.”
“The dynamic new company Blue Parallel specializes in private tours to extraordinary South American locales. Its most popular trip is its long weekend (Thursday through Tuesday) to Machu Picchu, featuring luxe accommodations, gourmet meals, personal guides, spa treatments, and even a hike along the Inca Trail.”
“Founded in 2002 by former investment banker Emmanuel Burgio, Blue Parallel offers high-end custom trips to South America. Its outdoorsy Peru, Argentina, Chile and Brazil itineraries can be packed with private perks like after-dark tours of Machu Picchu.”
“The bespoke travel company [Emmanuel Burgio] founded two years ago, Blue Parallel, makes much better use of his wonderful hospitality. Catering to individuals and families, Blue Parallel specializes in rarely visited places, like the Patagonian glaciers and Chile’s Atacama Desert, while making sure that accommodations, service, and excursions are the very highest levels.”