At 29, Camila Zilveti has one of the most distinctive stories in professional pickleball.

A lifelong traveler, she’s visited 98 countries and is aiming to reach 100 before turning 30 in September. Her love for travel traces back to childhood, when exploring the world was already a central part of her life.

“My parents were the original backpackers. They were traveling before the internet, before Google translate. They were traveling when they had to use an atlas. But they brought me up traveling, so it’s always something I’ve done. Growing up, every summer we would take three months and we’d travel through South America or Asia,” explained Zilveti.

“I grew up in Guatemala because my parents were there for work. My mom is German and my dad is from Chile. I grew up with my mom speaking to me in German and my dad speaking to me in Spanish, and they would speak to each other in English. So, English was actually my third language and I didn't speak a lick of English until I was 13 years old because I hated it. But then we moved to the US, so I had to.” 

Zilveti now calls Austin, Texas home, but her journey has been anything but stationary. After high school, she spent a year in the Netherlands for college before returning to Austin to attend the University of Texas. Along the way, she studied abroad in Spain and later moved to Sweden, where she worked in marketing for a year after graduating.

When COVID-19 hit, Zilveti returned to Austin, but her passion for travel never slowed. Even as a pro, she continues to explore the world, recently adding several countries in the Middle East to her list. Still, India remains one of her favorite destinations.

“I love everything about India—the food, the culture, the people. It's just so stimulating, like everything's stressful in a really good way,” shared Zilveti. “We actually met some people in a hostel and they invited us to their wedding in India a year later. We went for the wedding and 600 people attended. It was four days long and the entire city was involved. It was genuinely one of the coolest experiences.” 

Zilveti also adores Columbia. 

“The food is great and the architecture is amazing. It’s just a good vibe there,” she praised. “Everyone is relaxed, and there's a lot of activities to do. I've been there a few times. I even spent a month there and I didn't feel like I did everything.”

Of all the places she’s been, Zilveti points to the desert in southern Africa as her wildest experience.

“It looked like the moon there. It’s the kind of place where you drive for two hours and you literally see no cars the entire time,” she described. “But the nature, dunes, and wildlife was insane.”

When it comes to her favorite destination, however, Zilveti points to Vietnam.

“I'm biased because I got married there, but I love Vietnam. It’s very safe and it has all the elements of a developing country, without the dangerous aspects. It's just the perfect level of cultural difference,” she mentioned. “In Ninh Binh, they have these canyons where you get on pedal boats. It’s like a paddle boat, but crazier and with actual oars with their feet. That whole little experience in the canyons and the nature is amazing.”

Despite her extensive travels, Zilveti hasn’t yet made it to Australia or New Zealand. She’s hoping to change that this summer, and in doing so, officially hit the 100-country milestone.  

To keep up to date on all things pickleball, follow us on Instagram.