Leo Cuesta
I'm the founder and president of Uncharted Earth, an adventure travel company that specializes in lesser known and relatively undeveloped travel destinations. We seek out unspoiled nature destinations and authentic experiences to give our customers exceptional adventures that go way beyond typical tours.
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"Mountains, rainforests, tropical islands and volcanoes; hiking, snorkeling, diving, climbing, kayaking and mountain biking. Anything active in a beautiful and unspoiled nature setting. We also specialize in interacting with indigenous people and immersing people in traditional culture. "
How did you get involved in travel?
"I've always loved nature-based travel. As a kid I couldn't wait to escape the city to spend weekends at my dad's farm or longer vacations in the mountains or by the sea. I'm a professional dive master and also love to go climbing, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, skiing, kayaking --- pretty much any active endeavor done in nature. In my mid twenties I decided to make a career out of my passion for nature and adventure. I went to business school then worked for adventure travel companies in the US and Colombia before setting up my own adventure travel company. "
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"In 2011 I had a new company and also a new dog that I adopted. I wanted to explore some very remote islands in the Philippines, accessible only by very long rides in a small boat, braving big waves in the Pacific. I couldn't find anyone to leave my dog with so I had to bring him with me. It was a fantastic trip to some of the most spectacular islands in the Philippines that few people have ever been to, and I had my big white fluffy dog with me riding huge waves, exploring caves, camping on pristine beaches and snorkeling coral reefs. You can read about the adventure here: http://www.uncharted-earth.com/en/community/travel-stories/babuyan-islands-reconned/ "
Featured trips & expertise
The Cordillera: Banaue, Batad & Sagada - 6 Days
Trek through the Philippines' Cordillera and marvel at its natural and cultural heritage. Discover famous rice terraces, quaint villages, sacred waterfalls and rivers, extensive cave systems, and the hanging coffins of Echo Valley.
Palawan: Adventure in Paradise - 6 Days
Palawan's exotic geography and diverse vegetation are exceptional in a country that already has its fair share of awe-inspiring sights. This six-day adventure will have you snorkeling, seeking out wildlife, riding an underground river, and kayaking the El Nido islands. Discover why Palawan is in a league of its own when it comes to tropical destinations.
Secrets of Palawan - 6 Days
Go deep into the Philippines' "last frontier" to discover beaches, rainforests, and waterfalls that few travelers explore. See endemic cockatoos in their natural habitat, snorkel coral reefs, and meet the indigenous Batak people. This is a unique trip that takes you away from crowds and lets you experience Palawan's nature at its best.
Ifugao Village Trek - 5 Days
Immerse yourself in the land and culture of the Ifugao on this five-day itinerary. Trek from Banaue stopping at four different native Ifugao communities along the way. You will hike deep into the Ifugao region to places most tourists don't see, trekking through ancient rice terraces and forested mountains.
Mountain Province Trek: Maligcong & Sadanga - 6 Days
Be among the first visitors to the remote Mountain Province in the beautiful Philippine Cordillera. This six-day itinerary will have you hiking through centuries-old rice terraces and mountainous landscapes, breaking bread with locals in traditional villages along the way.
Birding Tour of Coastal Colombia - 6 Days
This itinerary is primed for tropical bird viewing in Colombia: the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. You'll start your birding adventure in the town of Minca, where its green dry forest harbors some diverse species, from toucans to trogons and hummingbirds to red-crested woodpeckers. Then, continue towards the higher reaches of the Sierra and the San Lorenzo Ridge— you'll lodge here amidst mountain scenery, with views all the way to the Caribbean Sea.
Recent trip reviews for Leo
I wasn’t sure what to expect as this was my first trip to the Philippines and my first experience with kimkim. The trip more than met my expectations and frankly, I was blown away. Leo from Uncharted Earth kept in touch, answered my questions, and made and adjusted arrangements quickly and graciously. He sent photos, bios and cell numbers for everyone I would be guided by in the Philippines so I knew who was supposed to be meeting me. While in the Manila area the guides, Don-Don, EJ and Jhon... read more
Thank you for the detailed review Sara, my team and I are all very happy that you had such a wonderful time with us! You were a great guest and we hope to go on another adventure with you in the future!
Law family tour, Philippines - Dec 27 - Dec 30, 2018
Our trip was wonderful..Our drivers Ana and John were excelkent .Friendly and amazing druving skills and patient with our regular stops. They were wonderful to accomodate another person in our tour at the last minute.Marvin our guide was good and found great restaurants fir lunch Hillside Inn in Batad and Misty Inn in Sagada were both charming and served delicious food.
The terraced rice fields and Echo Valley were amazing and despite the long drive well worth it.Abother trip off my bucket list.Thanks Leo for your help and advice
Carina Law
Hi Carina, thank you for your feedback and I'm glad you had a wonderful trip! It was a pleasure for my team to show you a bit of our country.
We also do tours in Colombia, another amazing country. You might want to consider that for your next vacation!
Thank you for traveling with us and we hope to take you on another adventure in the future!
Johnas was WONDERFUL. Thank you for a wonderful trip. Everything was handled expertly.
Thank you for your review Blair, I'm glad you had a great trip despite the less than perfect weather! Thanks for choosing to travel with us and we hope to go on another adventure with you in the future (we also do trips in Colombia, you might want to consider that for your next vacation)!