Ted Dziadkiewicz may be born Polish, but his heart is in the spectacular mountains, rivers and cities of Latin America.

For over forty-five years, Ted and the team at Contours Travel in North Melbourne have been  designing unique itineraries for Australians looking to experience the wonders of the continent.

“In the 70s, I got a job with Contiki Tours, driving tours all around Europe”. Ted caught the travel bug so that when he came home to Australia, he didn’t want to go back to his day job at the Errol Street branch of ANZ Bank.  Instead, he partnered with a good friend, Graham Strachan and they made the decision to pioneer overland tours in Latin America.

“I was drawn to Latin America because it was a bit more unknown compared to North America or Europe. We organised the first trip and engaged drivers who operated the tours, and it was a success. I was the salesperson here in Melbourne while Graham worked on location. Eventually, I led a tour in 1975 and drove from New York to Rio and got to like it even more.”

Now Ted and the team at Contours Travel specialise in developing holiday itineraries that are uniquely tailored to each client’s needs and interests. 

The most important thing for Ted and his team is the relationships that they have with Latin American partners on the ground. These bonds have taken many years to cultivate, and their business associates are now good friends. 

These strong relationships mean that Ted knows that wherever he sends his clients, they will be looked after by local suppliers.

Even after many decades promoting Latin America to travellers and over a hundred visits to the continent himself, Ted is still enthralled by the people, cultures, experiences and sightseeing that the area has to offer. 

“The mighty Andes; the Amazon River; Patagonia;  ancient ruins - nothing else compares. Add the food, music, history, culture and the people you meet. It makes for a great holiday destination.”

Out of the twenty-one countries that the team specialises in, Ted’s favourite destinations are the small countries of Guatemala and Ecuador.

“In Ecuador, you can swim in the Pacific in the morning and then, a few hours later, you can swim in the Amazon River. In between is this amazing scenery. The same thing happens in Guatemala - it features compact mountains, colourful marketplaces, and indigenous people dressed in traditional costumes.”

While the last few years have seen an interruption to international travel, Ted’s focus is to grow and continue to showcase the incredible experiences, colours and flavours of Latin America.

“We bring years of knowledge and experience to all the work we do - the stuff you won’t find in a brochure or on the internet.  My travel advisors often receive thank you cards and gifts from our clients because they have such a great time. We have many repeat clients who choose to return to Latin America on their next holidays and with our specialist knowledge we help them to explore the magnificent continent.”

Words by Joyce Watts & Photography by Anna Encio