From a childhood fascination with world capitals to exploring remote tribes in East Africa, this week’s NomadMania interview takes us on a journey with the passionate and adventurous Mauro Ortiz, the biggest Bolivian traveller on NomadMania. Mauro’s travel story began with a high school exchange in Belgium and has since expanded to nearly 100 countries.
With a love for off-the-beaten-path destinations, cultural immersion, and meaningful human connections, he’s turned the challenges of traveling on a Bolivian passport into a powerful story of persistence and purpose. Join us as we dive into Mauro’s inspiring journey, his favorite hidden gems, and the lessons he’s learned across continents.
Can you tell us a little about your travel journey so far? Tell us about your early years and what motivated you to start traveling.
I started traveling when I moved to Belgium in 2011 for a high school exchange year. Since I was a minor, my ability to travel was somewhat limited, but that year sparked my passion for exploring the world. However, my fascination with travel began much earlier. During one of my parents’ business meetings in Dallas, Texas, I was given a globe, and from that moment on, I became obsessed with countries and continents. I memorized all the world capitals and was especially interested in lesser-known countries. Countries like Guinea-Bissau and Burkina Faso were fascinating to me and this fascination turned into a goal to travel as far as possible. Moving to Vienna for my undergraduate studies in 2014 marked the beginning of my major travels, particularly my solo trips.
What would you say your typical travel style is in terms of time spent, budget, and what interests you most.
It really depends on the destination. I’ve stayed in hostels, hotels, and with Couchsurfing hosts. Since I work full-time, it’s difficult for me to stay in one country for long, so I try to experience as much as possible in the short time I have. I’m especially drawn to nature, cities, historical sites, and, of course, food!
I love learning about different cultures through their traditions, architecture, and local customs. You can learn so much by simply observing and asking questions.
What was your most surprising or unexpected experience during your travels?
Honestly, it’s hard to choose just one. But my first time visiting Asia was a huge (and positive) culture shock! I was traveling with my best friend, and at just 20 years old, we found ourselves in a continent we had never visited before. It was an incredible experience.
Another unforgettable and unexpected adventure was traveling through East Africa. Before leaving Vienna, I was quite nervous, but everything went surprisingly smoothly—well, with a few hiccups here and there. South Sudan, in particular, was truly eye-opening for me. We visited the Mundari tribe and their lifestyle is very unique. The best part was how friendly and curious they were! We had such a great time together.
NomadMania is all about exploring both well-known and off-the-beaten-path destinations. Do you have any favourite lesser-known spots you’ve visited that you think more people should explore?
I honestly fell in love with Eritrea. It is still to date one of the most unique places I’ve visited. Just starting at the fact that it is incredibly hard to visit (visa can be a pin to get and few airlines fly there) already signaled that it would be a truly out of the beaten path experience!
I do have my favorite countries, which I categorize by continent. Portugal in Europe, Japan in Asia, Mexico in North America, Brazil in South America, South Africa in Africa and Australia in Oceania. I must say that I am just at 94 countries at the moment so this might change of course 🙂
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a traveller, and how did you overcome it?
Definitely visas. I only have the Bolivian passport and it’s ranked 67. This means that I spend a lot of time and money applying for visas for most of the countries I visit. This is a big challenge. So far I have only been rejected twice (UK and Tunisia).
I can’t really overcome this but persistence is key. Now that I am eligible to apply for Austrian citizenship (I live in Vienna), this may make traveling easier for me.
Can you share a particularly rewarding or fulfilling travel moment that made all the challenges worthwhile?
Sometimes I just stop and tell myself, “you are living your childhood dream, enjoy!!!”.
Seeing the places I’ve always wanted to visit is something I feel incredibly grateful for. I’m writing you as I’m about to go on a west African adventure through Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ivory Coast; if I told this to 12 year old me, I’d be over the roof!
You’re from Bolivia; tell us how aspects of being Bolivian have impacted your travels.
First the passport haha. Jokes aside, I love being from Bolivia. We are just 12 million people so I’m almost always the first Bolivian people meet. This makes for great conversation and I love sharing about my country.
And what are some of the hidden gems of Bolivia that you feel foreign travellers may not know about.
Omg it is such a big country with so much to see, do and taste! I would say that the national parks of Madidi and Noel Kempff Mercado are, although harder to reach, worthwhile stops for breathtaking nature views. I also feel few people visit my hometown, Santa Cruz, although it is Bolivia’s largest city. The list of food to taste is long so better write me when planning a visit.
What do your friends and family back home think about your travels?
They follow my adventures through Instagram! My mom is always worried whenever I go to a country she does know about. But my family and close friends know that this is my passion.
How has traveling transformed you as a person? Has it shaped your worldview or influenced your life in unexpected ways?
Totally. I feel it has made me more empathetic, understanding and appreciative. I strongly believe that 98% of people everywhere are kind hearted and willing to help you, regardless of their nationality.
Looking ahead, what are some of your travel goals or dream destinations that you hope to visit in the future?
I love this question. As I mentioned before I am at country number 94 at the moment. Planning to reach 100 this month (Azerbaijan). My ultimate goal is reaching the 197!
Countries I am most looking forward to visit are Mali, Burkina Faso and Sudan (I really hope the situation improves there). Seychelles and Mauritius are dream destinations too, just haven’t been able to find the right moment to go.
Antarctica is also high on the list, planning it for my honeymoon (wink, wink)
If you could invite 4 people to an imaginary dinner, anybody from any period in human history, who would you invite and why?
Definitely Ibn Battuta, Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, and the first person to visit all of the countries: Rauli Virtanen.
The first three for their innate adventurous minds. I could probably just sit and listen to them for hours narrating their dangerous trips through rough seas, crossing desserts and perhaps being chased out of a territory by furious locals. Traveling was difficult back then and hearing these stories from these men would be quite an experience itself.
I’d love to at some point also meet Rauli. Being the first person to visit every country is an extraordinary feat. I’m sure he has great stories to tell and perhaps some tips for my journey!
Finally, what is your message to the community/travellers of NomadMania?
Keep exploring and sharing your journey! Its a wonderful world out there. Whether you’d like to get tips for your next trip to Bolivia or Austria or for potential travel buddies, you know where to find me 🙂
