My name is Katja Johnson-Schmidt and I am the founder and travel consultant behind Beyond Breathtaking Travel. Over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of traveling to over 30 countries and all 7 continents before I turned 30. My travels have ranged from exploring Christmas markets in Europe, to summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, to cruising on a small ship below the Antarctic circle. Every photograph on this site comes from one of my many adventures throughout the years.
I proudly identify myself as a "traveler“ rather than "vacationer”. I love being immersed into a new culture, interacting with local people, and experiencing new sites, smells, and tastes.
My favorite trip so far was my first trip to Africa, where I hiked through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda to see Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat.
Travel planning is more than a hobby for me. It's a true passion. I believe every one should be able to experience a seamless vacation. I will use my personal experiences, my international connections, and my research skills to plan unique and memorable vacations.
By day, I work in Business Development at a Aerospace and Defense contractor. I received my Bachelor's Degree in Unmanned Aircraft System Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and my Master's Degree in Applied Business Analytics from Boston University. I have been married to my husband and travel partner, Matthew, since 2019 and am the proud mom to my daughter, Seraphina.
The rise of artificial intelligence has brought a variety of applications to both daily life and advanced technologies. Many people use Large Language Models (LLMs) to help with writing emails, creating grocery lists, and even travel planning.
While I believe that AI is a groundbreaking tool that will help make advancements in science and technology, I will not be using it for any part of creating travel itineraries.
Artificial intelligence is exactly that - artificial. Travel is one of the most human experience you can have. AI can‘t possibly quantify the experience of landing in a new city, brain fogged from jet lag, and having to navigate the French metro system in order to get to your hotel, only to find out you can’t check in until hours from now. It hasn‘t felt the rush of adrenaline you get after summiting Mount Kilimanjaro. And it certainly won’t know about that hole in a wall restaurant in Kathmandu that serves the best naan you’ll ever have.
When planning travel, I use recommendations from real people through personal connections and online forums and extensive research through a variety of websites, books, and social networks. If you would like references for how I picked each stop on your itinerary, please let me know in advance so I can be sure to track my research.
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