Tulane Alumnus Founds Sustainable Travel Company

Jared Sternberg: Beyond Tulane

Jared Sternberg

Jared with tribe in Ecuador

It’s a classic story: Student acquires degree in specific field, then ends up with a different career. Such is the case with Gondwana Ecotours. “Founded by Tulane University Law School alumnus Jared Sternberg, the New Orleans based company provides sustainable travel through its curated itineraries.” Gondwana has caught a lot of attention from travelers and the media, so when Mary Cross of Tulane University News wanted to cover us, we jumped at the chance.

Though the company started in 2013 when Jared graduated from Tulane’s Law School, his lifelong love of travel is what originally fueled the company. ““Seeing other parts of the world — both beautiful and impoverished places — opened my eyes. It lit a fire in me to see more,” said Sternberg.” Volunteering and traveling around the world gave Jared the experience and passion to start his own company. The goal: To help travelers visit unique places around the world, while supporting the local economies and environments that they visit.

What Does Gondwana Ecotours Offer?

With 9 different ecotours covering several continents, Gondwana offers a variety of adventures for the sustainable traveler. Our curated itineraries, professional guides, transportation and customer service take away the stress of planning an international trip for our guests. Since Gondwana does all the heavy lifting, travelers can focus on enjoying their vacation. ““We offer a very intimate, educational experience that you can’t get on your own or with another company,” said Sternberg.”

Non-profits, Community & Sustainability

Putting his Environmental & Human Rights Law education to good use, Jared envisioned starting a socially and ecologically responsible company. Gondwana’s mission ensures that the locals and the environments that we visit benefit from our ecotours. We “…also collaborate with nonprofit groups, work with locally owned and eco-friendly hotels and pay carbon offsets for guests’ flights.” Working with sustainability in mind attracts like-minded customers and press, and helps fill a niche that was missing in the travel industry.

Tips for Entrepreneurs 

“To Tulane students hoping to launch careers as entrepreneurs, Sternberg offers this advice: “Know what you want, and don’t give up. Also, work backwards. Ask yourself: where do I want to be, and how will I get there?””

Jared’s personal values impacted the creation of Gondwana Ecotours greatly. From volunteering all over the world, a sense of responsibility to the earth and it’s people can be seen in the company’s sustainability efforts.

Check out our ecotours and learn more about what we do!


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