Looking For Your Next Adventure?

A Conversation With Sebastian Reidel of Global Base Camps
937 S. Coast Highway, Encinitas, California.

Founded:         2007.

BAKES:          How did you choose your business and what makes you passionate about it?

RIEDEL:         My business partner, Michael D’Amico, and I have always been passionate about traveling. As a child, I lived abroad in Germany, England and Australia and have continued the passion for traveling throughout my adult life. So, the idea was to combine our mission of corporate sustainability and responsibility along with our passion for travel. The concept for Global Basecamps was to create a service that allowed our clients to travel the way we like to travel.  Our trips have an emphasis on culture, adventure, community interaction, and getting off the beaten path.  We provide our clients with completely customized travel itineraries all over world, but focus mostly on South America, Southern/Eastern Africa and Asia

BAKES:          What made you decide to open a business in Encinitas?

RIEDEL:         Encinitas is where we live and is also a perfect place to start a small business.  We love Encinitas for its natural beauty, vibrant community, and the comforts of a smaller town. It also has the infrastructure that allows us to support local clientele as well clients throughout the United States.

BAKES:          What makes your business unique? What distinguishes what you do from other travel agencies and tour operators?

RIEDEL:         What really separates us is the unique nature of the trips that we create, coupled with the quality of our service.  Like most successful businesses, our lifeblood are the personal relationships we create with our clients. Our staffs’ personal and intimate destination knowledge as well as the unique lodging and activity options included in our trips is what sets us apart.  Whether someone is looking to hike the Inca Trail, for a muti-sport adventure in the Galapagos Islands, or stay in a tented camp in the middle of the Serengheti, we can build a trip for them.  We also pride ourselves in the quality of our service and support our clients from planning stage, throughout the trip, all the way until they get home. Global Basecamps also believes in practicing sustainable tourism by minimizing or eliminating any negative impacts of tourism. We believe in creating travel experiences that will enhance communities, preserve natural habitats, and improve local economies.

BAKES:          What are some of the things that you would like Encinitas residents to know about your business, that they may not know?

RIEDEL:         Our presence in Encinitas. While we have been operating Global Basecamps in Leucadia since 2007, we recently moved into a new office in the Lumberyard, so we want people to know we are here and want to serve as a resource to the community and let everyone know where we are, should they be looking for a unique travel experience unlike any other. 

BAKES:          What is your opinion on the local economy in San Diego?

RIEDEL:         Since we founded Global Basecamps in 2007, we have seen a dramatic increase in travel.  Additionally, more and more people are realizing the inherent value in traveling more responsibly.  Our clientele is typically 30+ years of age, what we refer to as “grown-up backpackers” who are looking for adventurous activities, a certain level of comfort, and (unlike their backpacking days) are limited by a finite period of time.

BAKES:          What direction would you like to see for Encinitas?

RIEDEL:         Growth is seemingly inevitable. It would be great if Encinitas could move in a direction where development happens in creative ways that maximize our limited space, protect our natural surroundings, and that maintains Encinitas' inherent identity.

BAKES:          What other types of businesses would you like to see come to Encinitas? 

RIEDEL:         There are numerous independent locally owed businesses that call Encinitas their home. It would be great to see this trend continue and grow, and see more and more locally owned businesses continue to develop and flourish in Encinitas. On a lighter note, an Asian noodle shop would be a great addition to the local lunch options in downtown Encinitas!

BAKES:          Any closing comments?

RIEDEL:         At Global Basecamps, we believe the perfect trip exists. The perfect lodge, the perfect tour guide, the perfect sunrise hike and the perfect cultural experience are all out there, and we’d like to help the people of Encinitas find them. Our team brings expertise to the mix, with firsthand destination experience, a deep knowledge base incorporating culture and properties, to ensure a truly “one-of-a-kind trip”. You can find more about our trips on our website (http://www.globalbasecamps.com)and join us on Facebook(https://www.facebook.com/SustainableTourism).

George Bakes is a commercial real estate broker, in the Del Mar office of Coldwell Banker Commercial, 2651 Via De La Valle, Del Mar, CA 92014, (858) 602-2799, george.bakes@coldwellbanker.com,www.sandiegogocommercial.com