Adventure Travel & Culture Blog
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North West Argentina – the painter’s palette
North West Argentina NOA to the locals, North West Argentina is dazzling our Alan with its diversity – he’s seen frogs, ships, cathedrals and devil’s throats, to amphetheatres, ships, monks and much more. Check his stunning photos on our Facebook page. He writes….. “NOA is a place to let your imagination soar and wonder, …
Charango – the sound of the Andes
Charango… This week Andean Trails’ traveller Paul Crowther describes his love affair with the Charango instrument and the Andes, with some great pictures on Facebook. He writes: “For me, the charango is the essential sound of the Andes. The pipes and flutes are also typical, but the charango sound is not found anywhere else. …
Best family holiday destination: what to do with kids in Cusco, Peru.
Family holiday destination Best family holiday destination in South America? This week travel expert and parent of two kids Mark Smith gives us his top tips for what to do in Cusco for families and kids. He writes… “Cusco is the best family holiday destination” says our guide Mark Smith. The Essex-born 41-year-old’s opinion …
Top 10 things to do in Quito, Ecuador
Quito: Top 10 things to do Guest blogger Abby Clark shares her Top 10 things to do in and around Quito, Ecuador. She writes: “Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, is on the equator, and is the highest capital city in world, at 2800 metres above sea level. Its old town, Centro Historico, boasts …
Travelling as a new parent: nappies, sleepless nights and wanderlust
Holidays and travel as a new parent Kat has returned to work after maternity leave and looks forward to her new lifestyle with her husband Dave and their lovely wee daughter, Lina. Kat writes: “It will change your life, they told me. And how right they were. In February my daughter Lina was born …
Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu: Standard tour or luxury service?
Luxury or standard Inca Trail? The iconic Inca Trail trek to the Machu Picchu ruins in Peru is deservedly the most famous walk in South America. This once-in-a-lifetime hike requires planning, permits and porters – and the decision of whether to go on the standard trek or the luxury trek or, of course, by train. …
Out and about around Santiago de Chile
Discovering Chile’s capital: Santiago Santiago, Chile’s capital, is in a privileged location; a mere stone’s throw from the highest peaks of the Andes; a short drive from the Pacific and in the heart of Chile’s wine country. If you are passing through Santiago, take a few days to explore some of the delights the area …
Galapagos Islands holiday: Cruise or hotel?
Galapagos Islands holiday: Cruise or hotel? Cruise or hotel? It’s the biggest Galapagos Island holiday decision you will make; Galapagos cruise, or Galapagos hotel based trip? The Andean Trails’ team has used its experience of both trips to come up with a handy ‘Galapagos cruise / Galapagos land based trip?’ guide. The similarities Once-in-a-lifetime, fully guided, …
Sacred Valley: Top 10 things to do
Top 10 things to do in the Sacred Valley Sacred Valley now rivals Machu Picchu ruins, the Inca Trail and Cusco as one of Peru’s biggest holiday draws. The Sacred Valley offers good weather, great accommodation and a wealth of activities to keep you occupied and active before or after a trip to the famous Inca …
Horse riding in Ecuador
Horse riding in Ecuador The final, horse riding part of a brilliant and in-depth blog from Andean Trails’ travellers Jane and Greg Windsor, who spent four fantastic weeks in glorious Ecuador. We are horse riding today, having visited the Ecuadorian Amazon and cloud forest, the Galapagos Islands and Quito, with photos on Facebook too: Horse riding in Ecuador As we approached Otavalo and its colourful …
Ecuador Cloud Forest Travel Advice
Cloud forest travel advice The fourth and penultimate part of a brilliant and in-depth blog from Andean Trails’ travellers Jane and Greg Windsor, now in the cloud forest, as part of four fantastic weeks in glorious Ecuador. We are in the Ecuador Cloud Forest today, having visited the Ecuadorian Amazon, the Galapagos Islands and Quito, with horse riding to follow and we have photos …
Top 5 reasons to travel solo
Top reasons to travel solo This week, Andean Trails’ Tom exhorts why we should travel solo, and why it’s one of the best adventure holidays you’ll ever take. He writes: “Like going to the cinema on your own, solo travel is often more about how you feel about yourself than how you think other …
Ecuador Amazon Rainforest Travel Advice
Amazon rainforest travel advice The third part of a brilliant and in-depth blog from Andean Trails’ travellers Jane and Greg Windsor, who spent four fantastic weeks in glorious Ecuador. We are in the Ecuadorian Amazon today, having visited the Galapagos Islands and Quito with cloud forest and horse riding to follow, with photos on Facebook too: Amazon rainforest in Ecuador “Wilson provided us with a …
Galapagos Islands holiday report
Heading to Galapagos Islands The second part of a brilliant and in-depth blog from Andean Trails’ travellers Jane and Greg Windsor, who spent four fantastic weeks in glorious Ecuador. We are in the Galapagos Islands today, with Quito featured last week and Amazon and horse riding to follow, with photos on Facebook too: Jane and Greg write: “The …
Ecuador, Quito and Andean life
A tour around Ecuador This week we start a brilliant and in-depth blog from Andean Trails’ travellers Jane and Greg Windsor, who spent four fantastic weeks in glorious Ecuador. Horse riding, Amazon and Galapagos Islands are all to follow, but we start with their arrival in Quito and some observations of what they saw during …
Family holiday travel tips and advice – travelling with kids.
Travel advice for a family holiday This week, Andean Trails‘ Kathy Jarvis and Sarah Bennett from Azores Choice share their family travel experiences and top travel tips with kids. Kathy writes: “When my son, who is now aged 6-years-old, was about to turn one we went to Peru for a month. He spent his …
Travel – what MUST you see before you die
Travel to which place before you die? The question, the ultimate for people that like travel. Do you go for something remote? Personal? Unaffordable? To impress dinner guests? Where is the one place you’d like to see before you die? Here are the places Andean Trails’ staff want to visit before they die. Where is …
Argentina: Top 10 off-the-beaten-track sights
Argentina: Top 10 alternative things to do Argentina has many famous destinations from Buenos Aires to Patagonia. Here we look at 10 of its unknown nooks and crannies to whet your Argentina travel holiday appetite. We can help to arrange any of these trips, contact us for more. Moconá Waterfalls An incredible site. Unique, …
Happy 90th Birthday South America Handbook
South America Handbook’s birthday This year the South America Handbook celebrates its 90th birthday, and here we look back at some of the travel advice handed out by the book through the decades. Somethings will never change In some ways, things are reassuringly similar now as they were then. Thomas Cook was operating guided tours …
