Founder
Akuma Akuma-Ukpo
Founder of Destination Guru — traveler, engineer, and storyteller helping more people see the world.
My story
Where I'm from — and why I travel
I grew up in Nigeria, then built a life on the East Coast — Maryland, Delaware, and now Alexandria in the DMV. Travel has always been how I learn: new cities, new plates, new people.
By day I'm a quality engineer and SaaS builder (Computer Engineering at the University of Delaware, ASQ CSQE). By passion I'm the founder of Destination Guru — a first-person guide to destinations, deals, and experiences I actually want you to take.
Lens & film
Photography & videography
I also shoot as I go — film photography and travel videography are how I document the road. Building a visual archive of places, light, and people is part of the trip, not an afterthought.
- Most images across the Destinations tab are photos I took myself on location
- Film and digital stills, plus video, shot while traveling so the guides feel lived-in
- The same camera bag that travels with me is what fills Destination Guru with original scenery
Browse the Destinations tab to see that work in context — the places and the frames that came back with me.
Places I've been
On the map
These are places I've explored firsthand — starting with destinations I've published on Destination Guru, then more of the road.
On Destination Guru
Canada
Cross-country (Virginia → Los Angeles)
More of the United States
International
Mission
Travel more. Connect deeper.
My goal is simple: get more people to travel the world, live life, enjoy international cuisine, learn cultures, and make lifelong connections.
That means practical itineraries, honest food notes, and an emphasis on deals, affordable getaways, and exclusive experiences — especially for travelers based in or flying out of the DMV.
DMV & partnerships
Home base, better bookings
The Washington–Maryland–Virginia corridor is home base. I write with that lens: weekends you can actually pull off, longer trips worth the flight, and local Maryland and Virginia stories that remind you adventure starts close to home.
New affiliate partnerships help keep the guides free. When you book stays, tours, or experiences through our links, you support the site at no extra cost — and I keep hunting for cheaper vacations and standout bookings.
Background
Engineering & building
I've spent a decade in software quality and product engineering — Alarm.com, Appian, and now AI quality work at Zvolvant Solutions — plus earlier iOS and startup builds like PocketFarmer and ConnectHub.
Those habits show up in how I ship travel content: verify, iterate, and only publish what you'd actually use on the ground.
- ClutchNBA
NBA & WNBA analytics hub with player props research, projections, and the ClutchBasket iOS companion.
- Festival Ops
Film festival management for schedules, venues, credentials, and day-of ops — with a built-in AI assistant.
- ImpulseLock
iOS mindful spending app that pauses impulse buys so you can reflect before you checkout.
Music
Clutchboy Kuma
Outside of code and travel, I make music as Clutchboy Kuma — the nickname stuck for showing up when it counted. The sound pulls from Nigerian roots and Baltimore culture into alternative hip-hop, R&B, and pop.
- Producing and releasing under Clutchboy Productions since around 2016
- Cinematic, mood-driven arrangements that sit next to the same storytelling impulse behind Destination Guru
- Find the music on Spotify and the day-to-day on Instagram
Next stop
Come travel with me
Browse destinations, grab a deal, or follow along — I'm always plotting the next trip.