Author: Tom Shearman
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
by Tom Shearman on
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile Andean Trails’ Tom updates us on his South American voyage of exploration. He writes: Atacama is the driest place on the planet, where rain has hardly fallen in 40 years in some places and some villages are now without water. And yet people and animals survive. There are pampa …
Sleeping on the floating islands of Uros, Lake Titikaka
by Tom Shearman on
Floating islands of Uros, Lake Titikaka Andean Trails’s Tom shares his overnight experience on the floating Uros islands, Lake Titikaka. ‘Kamisaraki!’ “Wa-lee-kee!’ Squelch. He writes: After the warm Aymaran welcomes, my first impression of standing on a Uros floating reed island was one of sponge meets swamp. These unique people and islands now offer overnight …
Spring in Patagonia – best time to travel
by Tom Shearman on
Spring in Patagonia – best time to travel What makes spring one of the best times of year to visit Patagonia is that most people don’t know that it is so special. Here are some reasons that you should get planning your Patagonia tour for the southern spring: Torres del Paine – blaze a …
Top 5 things to do in Ushuaia, Argentina
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Top 5 things to do in Ushuaia Our Argentina representative, Alexandra Smirnova, shares her favourite activities in this stunning, remote city. Tierra del Fuego, or literally ‘Land of Fire’ is in a very remote part of Argentina. In spite of this, it is an accessible and welcoming land with friendly people, delicious food and …
Classic destinations, pioneering travel and the art of being popular.
by Tom Shearman on
Classic destinations You’ve got to be known to win a popularity contest, or so it seems in travel. The Top 10 dream trips, as voted by Trip Advisor users this week, include three of South America’s most iconic destinations: Trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (no. 4); The Galapagos (no. 5); Antarctica …
The windy Patagonian road to Torres del Paine
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The windy Patagonian road to Torres del Paine Simon Heyes has worked as a guide across South America. He now markets luxury products across the continent, and shares one of his favourite destinations with us… He writes… The wind was whistling as I raced across the unwaveringly straight road towards my goal – the iconic …
Paradise? Galapagos Safari Camp
by Tom Shearman on
Paradise? Galapagos Safari Camp Andean Trails’ Tom decided that as he is no longer as young as he used to be, it would be nice to treat himself to a spot of safari luxury at the end of an active trip to the Galapagos Islands. This is his story: “That’s the best sunset in …
Galapagos guides – an insider’s view
by Tom Shearman on
Galapagos guides Meet our Galapagos guides – an inside look at guiding on Galapagos Islands When you plan a trip to the Galapagos Islands, your mind races between the animals you will see and the waters you will snorkel through. Your Galapagos guide is one of the most vital components to making your trip a …
Salt Flats of Bolivia, know before you go
by Tom Shearman on
Salt Flats of Bolivia, know before you go See the famous salt flats,Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, through Andean Trails’ Maria’s eyes, in this week’s blog, and check our Pinterest Uyuni board here. Maria writes: Through the world’s largest salt flat With an area of 12,000 km² and a layer of salt almost six metres deep, …
Top 10 things to see and do in Patagonia
by Tom Shearman on
Top 10 things to see and do in Patagonia Patagonia has so much to offer – so this week we look at some of the less well-known Top 10 things to do in Patagonia in both Chile and Argentina. The classics on the Chilean side are the famous Paine W hike and Circuit trek. On the …
Trekking South Patagonia Ice Cap, Los Glaciares, Fitzroy
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Trekking South Patagonia Ice Cap, Fitzroy Andean Trails’ Tom describes the once-in-a-lifetime trek in extreme conditions on the South Patagonia Ice Cap in Los Glaciares, Fitzroy National Park, Argentina. He writes: The avalanching ice that was rumbling slowly towards us was completely forgotten about as I suddenly dropped 10 feet into a crevasse. No …
An ode to Galapagos Islands
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An ode to Galapagos Islands Andean Trails’ Maria has just returned from an inspiring Galapagos Islands trip that made her pulse race like nowhere before. She writes: “I wear a smile that will last forever. I was in the middle of the Pacific surrounded by volcanic islands full of exotic animals, with deep seas …
A guide to Floreana Island, Galapagos
by Tom Shearman on
A guide to Floreana Island, Galapagos Tom writes about his visit to the remote and sparsely populated Floreana Island on Galapagos. He said: “I’ve left out the much publicised Wittmer history, which you can watch in The Galapagos Affair, because it’s been often told. “These are my impressions of the people and the place, somewhere I’d …
A day at Machu Picchu – guided tour & highlights
by Tom Shearman on
A day at Machu Picchu – guided tour & highlights Machu Picchu. Peru. The Inca Trail. These ruins inspire people to travel and hike great distances to view a wonder of the world, crossing high Andean passes to reach the mysterious Machu Picchu. Nothing can truly prepare anyone for the moment you first fix eyes …
Choose the best rucksack for trekking in the Andes
by Tom Shearman on
Choose the best rucksack for trekking in the Andes This week, outdoor clothing specialist Rachel Keir talks us through the maze of which rucksack to choose for which trekking trip, drawing on her experience at Silverfox Travel & Outdoors. She writes: Choosing a rucksack for trekking So you’ve made the decision to book a trekking …
Top 10 reasons to join a group tour in South America
by Tom Shearman on
Top 10 reasons to join a group tour in South America Travelling solo doesn’t have to mean travelling alone and we are experts at dovetailing group tours with independent travel – the best of both worlds! In this week’s blog Tom shares his top tips with us. Tom writes: Some people prefer travelling only, …
Book your South America holiday early or late?
by Tom Shearman on
Book South America holidays early or late? Early bird catches the worm – or do they – does it really pay to book early for South America holidays? Tom looks at the merits of planning in advance. He writes: “South America is a distant holiday destination. Almost every country is vast and even those …
Eat your way to summit success
by Tom Shearman on
This week Tom remembers how important nutrition is when taking on peaks in cold conditions, all part of a mountaineering course. Tom writes: “The clouds whisped over the creamy white summit of Cairngorm, creating a game of show and tell of the mountain’s lethal mashed potato cornices. That February morning in Scotland’s Highlands was a …
Being at high altitude – expert advice
by Tom Shearman on
Being at high altitude – expert advice This week Tara Guerin and Georgia Upjohn, performance specialists at the Altitude Centre, share their expert advice with us on going up high. Altitude: Be the tortoise, not the hare. As a mountaineering destination, The Andes offers no end of attractions. The scenery is peerless, and with …
South America honeymoon planning and travel advice
by Tom Shearman on
South America honeymoon planning Pros and cons of private and group tours in honeymoon packages, plus recommendations some super South America honeymoon destinations in this week’s blog. Tom writes: “The honeymoon dream; the romantic getaway, be that trekking up a mountain, or relaxing on a beach with a glass of something cold. A joint …




























