Guest Bio

Nuno Santos Fernandes is a mentor and partner at Walking Mentorship, a Portugal-based personal and team development company that uses walking in nature as a powerful setting for reflection, clarity, and growth. A lifelong walker with a curiosity for paths less traveled, Nuno’s professional journey has moved through marketing, entrepreneurship, animal care, environmental work, veterinary clinics, land management, agriculture, forestry, and development projects. His wide-ranging experience has given him a practical, grounded perspective on people, purpose, and the many ways life can unfold.

After joining one of Walking Mentorship’s early Camino de Santiago programs, Nuno experienced firsthand how walking, thoughtful prompts, and open conversation could help people make meaningful decisions and reconnect with what matters most. That experience changed the direction of his life, and he has continued walking, mentoring, and helping others slow down ever since.

Show Summary

In this episode of the Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Podcast, host Jason Elkins speaks with Nuno Santos Fernandes, mentor and partner at Walking Mentorship, about the connection between walking, nature, reflection, and personal transformation.

Nuno explains that Walking Mentorship is not a trekking company or a traditional adventure travel operator. Instead, the company creates personal and team development programs that are elevated by walking in nature. The physical journey is intentional, but the real focus is the inner journey: slowing down, reconnecting, gaining perspective, and taking action in everyday life.

The conversation explores Nuno’s path from an introspective child and wide-ranging entrepreneur to someone deeply committed to helping people live with more awareness and intention. He shares how a Camino de Santiago experience introduced him to Walking Mentorship, helped him make long-postponed decisions, and eventually led him to join the organization as a partner. Along the way, Jason and Nuno discuss emotional intelligence, the value of slowing down, why nature helps people think more clearly, and how walking side by side can create space for honest conversation.

Big World Made Small guest features are invitation-only and selected based on story, experience, and fit with the show. Guest support helps make the episode possible, but it does not determine who is featured. This helps keep the show free of third-party ads and interruptions while keeping the focus on real, story-driven conversations.

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