Adventure Travel & Culture Blog
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Who prints holiday photos?
Printing holiday photos This week Andean Trails’ Tom’s sister posted him a collection of real, hold-them-in-your-hand photos of family memories from the last three years. There were weddings, births, parties and forgotten moments, all bringing a smile, and causing Tom to ponder if the post-holiday photo printing ritual has died. Tom writes: “After my …
The best things about travelling
The joy of travelling As Andean Trails’ Tom prepares to go on holiday to Spain’s Cabo de Gata, he thinks back to long travels, short travels, all travelling – and what he feels that he misses about them all. He writes: “Some of things that I miss and love about travelling when I’m at …
Magical San Pedro de Atacama desert
Discovering Atacama desert This week Andean Trails’ Alan Lyall talks about Atacama and thinks back to Chile, where he lived for more than a decade. He recalls one of his favourite parts of the country, where he has seen space shuttles, 3km-long poems and spouting geysers: This is Atacama. Alan writes: “San Pedro and the …
Journey to Falkland Islands and Patagonia
Travel to the Falkland Islands Former RAF man John and his partner Helen recently decided to fulfil a life’s dream and visit the Falkland Islands and Patagonia. They flew with the RAF via Ascension Island to the islands in the south Atlantic – check their photos on Facebook here. John and Helen write: “Ascension …
Top 10 things to do in Cusco, Peru
Cusco is one of Peru’s top holiday destinations, thanks to its proximity to Machu Picchu and its own vast array of attractions. Andean Trails’ owner Kathy Jarvis has been visiting Cusco for more than two decades, while Fiona Cameron lived in the bubbly and bustling Inca city for more than 12 years. Here we share …
Peru Family Fun: holiday ideas with kids in Peru
Family fun in Peru All you need to know about a family holiday to Peru, from a family that went… Sarah was aged four and due to start school. Her mum Alison McDonald decided that the best preparation for Sarah was an adventure in Peru. Alison recalls a fantastic family trip (organised by Andean Trails) …
Galapagos Islands Cruise: Alan’s dream
Alan tours the Galapagos Islands Alan Lyall has just got back from a dream trip to the magical Galapagos Islands, where he cruised for a week on the Letty, one of the first class Eric, Flamingo and Letty series of boats. Check his photos on Facebook, and read his colourful and honest day-by day account of Galapagos …
Ecuador: Part II of Alan’s tales from Ecuador
Alan’s Ecuador tales, part II Alan’s second Ecuador blog sees him think he’s back in Scotland, take a taxi through the clouds and scour Cuenca for a cannily-priced Panama hat…. Alan writes: “Cuenca is a beautiful city in the southern Ecuadorean Andes with a well-preserved colonial centre, and is the home of the Panama …
Ecuador: Alan’s travel tales from Ecuador
Ecuador travel tales, by Alan Andean Trails’ Alan reports back after his first week exploring Ecuador, which has seen him befriend ice cream sellers, cross the equator three times in a day and sleep in a hotel with a plane in the garden…….. Alan writes: “We landed on time and the new airport at …
Patagonia Ice Field trek – the revenge!
Patagonia Ice Field trek Tom writes about his South Patagonia Ice Field trek in Fitzroy National Park, Argentina – a tale of hiking, food and revenge…. ¡Raton! ¡Raton! There was hardly time to translate as tent mate Ezequiel sprang towards me wielding his metal water bottle, shouting ‘Raton!’. The first bottle blow was to …
Know before you go: Top 10 holiday tips for Peru
Top tips for Peru holidays Know before you go – read our Top 10 holiday tips for a successful holiday to Peru. Money Take twice as much money and half the amount of clothes you think you need. There are an abundance of markets to buy clothing should you need, as well as launderettes. You only …
Peru – the best trekking in the world
Trekking in Peru – the best! Andean Trails’ Tom Shearman explains why Peru is the best trekking and hiking holiday destination in the world. He writes: Peru is the best trekking country in the world. That’s my humble opinion, and it’s going to take a country of Himalayan hiking proportions to, possibly, change it. I love Patagonia and …
Top 10 things to do in Huaraz, Peru
Huaraz: Top 10 things to do Here we look at the Top 10 things to do in and around Huaraz, Peru. Huaraz is Peru’s famous trekking capital and is nestled between the stunning mountain chains of the Cordillera Blanca and Negra. Andean Trails’ owner and founder Kathy Jarvis was very much inspired by this region …
Tips for trekking in the Andes
Top trekking tips for the Andes Here, Andean Trails’ Tom gives his top tips and some know-before-you-go advice about hiking in the Andes and trekking in South America in general. Check your fitness The fitter you are before the trek starts, the more you will enjoy hiking. This seems an obvious tip, but it’s …
Part 1: Trekking from Bolivia to Peru
In the first of a three-blog series, Peter Farrington recalls his journey on Andean Trails’ exploratory 33-day trek through Bolivia’s Andean peaks via Lake Titicaca and up to Peru’s Inca capital, Cusco. Peter begins: “It was a cold dark night at 4,000m. I staggered under the weight of my pack. Within a few …
Travel diaries from South America
A travel diary like no other In the true spirit of adventure travel, Lucilla Butler – aged 70, six kids, 21 grandkids – has sent us a good old-fashioned letter in the post after her epic 68-day journey through South America with us. She describes in candid detail her experiences – much of which she …
Torres del Paine – Summer Wonderland
Torres del Paine National Park The last time I went to the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, it was with a group on our Patagonia Highlights tour. We approached the park on a brilliantly sunny day with the wind forcefully propelling us towards this UNESCO Biosphere reserve. On nearing the park, the granite …
Top ten things to do in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires: Top 10 things to do What’s new, Buenos Aires? What are the Top 10 things to do in Argentina’s amazing capital. Buenos Aires – written about, sung about, loved, despised, paraphrased and generally dreamt about. The rising saps of spring have re-energised this famous city, summer is nigh and the Buenos Aires is bursting …
Are you ready boots? Start walking…
The joy of walking boots Boots. My boots. Ten years we’ve been together, hiking through rain and hail and snow and, of course, the sunshine times. As a team, we’ve walked the Andes of South America – from the windy plains of Patagonia to the high, beastly flanks of 6,000m+ on Aconcagua and Chachani. We’ve …
Top Ten things to do in Lima, Peru
Lima: Top 10 things to do Check our Top Ten things to do in Peru’s vibrant capital city – Lima. Here are our Top 10 ideas from our office staff here in Scotland and from our Peruvian friends, on the ground. Enjoy them and let us know if you have any to add…..(we added three …
