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Top 10 things to see and do in Easter Island, Chile
by Kathy Jarvis on
Easter Island is a remote Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The nearest land mass is a 4 and a half hour flight away – that is similar to London Cairo, or New York Denver. Easter Island or Rapa Nui as it is known by the islanders, is Chilean territory and is …
Travel Guide to Chalalan, Bolivia’s Amazon jungle lodge in Madidi National Park
by Tom Shearman on
The journey started with a short, 30-minute and spectacular flight from La Paz (sit on the left), up and over the Bolivian Andes before dropping down into the steamy Amazon at Rurrenbaque airport. A tiny airport increased the special feeling that accompanies visiting a remote area. My backside did not feel so special after the …
How to get to the marble caves of Chile, Patagonia
by Kathy Jarvis on
Some people dream of sailing through caves of polished marble in a spectacular setting away from it all……. This dream can become a reality in Chile’s remote northern Patagonia where one can find the “Capilla de Marmol / Marble Chapel” which was declared by the Chilean government a Nature Sanctuary in 1994. The nature …
Patagonia Traveller’s blog: Fitzroy, Paine and Ushuaia
by Kathy Jarvis on
Larry and Gillian in Patagonia Larry and Gillian are coming to the end of their month of travelling with Andean Trails in Patagonia. We put together a tour designed to take them off-the-beaten-track – read the first instalment in their blog covering Santiago and Aysen and remote border crossings. Once in Argentina, Gillian and Larry …
Adventure holiday highlights in Aysen, Northern Patagonia, Chile
by Kathy Jarvis on
Larry and Gillian are on a 4 week adventure through Patagonia. Currently they are just half way through and enjoying the small Argentinean frontier town of El Chalten, and walks to the magnificent granite spires of Fitzroy and Cerro Torre. They have sent some fabulous photos and some comments on their highlights so far. …
2019 Machu Picchu – New visitor rules
by Kat Dougal on
Years of popularity and increasing visitor numbers have left a toll on the world famous Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. For a few years now authorities have been thinking of ways to limit the damage that millions of yearly visitors are causing to the site. After a first introduction of rules in 2017 regulating …
Self-drive and self-guided trekking holiday in Patagonia
by Tom Shearman on
Steve Smith and Karla Miller took a 4-week trip with Andean Trails to celebrate Steve’s 50th birthday. The couple started at the mighty Iguazu Falls then flew to Ushuaia to start a series of treks; Montes Martial, and then self-guided in Chalten and Chile’s Paine W in Torres del Paine National Park. After …
Know Before You Go: Our Top Tips for Holidays to Peru
by Tom Shearman on
Thinking about a holiday in Peru? Andean Trails’ Peru travel expert Tom Shearman has visited Peru more than 10 times and shares his top travel tips and what to know before you go. When to go The best months for hiking, highlands and jungle are in the dry season – May …
Peru’s Rainbow Mountain High Altitude Trek – Our Guide
by Kathy Jarvis on
The fabulously coloured Rainbow Mountain, also known as Vinicunca, Montaña de Siete Colores, or Montaña de Colores is a mountain ridge in southern Peru, at an altitude of 5,200 meters above sea level. In recent years it has become one of the top attractions for visitors to the nearby city of Cusco. What …
Visit South America’s Top 10 Tourist Attractions
by Kathy Jarvis on
South America has many tourist attractions being a large and diverse continent. It covers an area greater than that of Europe. The west of the continent is dominated by the Andes mountain range and bordered by the Pacific Ocean whilst the east is flanked by the Atlantic. The North of the continent edges into the …
Happy Holidays
by Kathy Jarvis on
The Andean Trails team is full of Christmas cheer as 2018 draws to a close. 2018 has been a busy year and we are delighted to have provided our many customers with fabulous holiday experiences and memories of a lifetime. Arlene Kropf was moved to send us the following message whilst visiting Machu Picchu …
Wildlife spotting in the Iberá wetlands, Argentina.
by Kat Dougal on
Black caiman, capybara, howler monkeys and rheas are just some of the species you might come across in the Iberá wetlands, the second largest wetland in the world. Covering an area of over 6,500 square miles in north-east Argentina, the wetlands are a collection of lakes, bogs, swamps and rivers and are an important …
When to visit Galapagos Islands: weather and wildlife
by Tom Shearman on
When is the best time to visit Galapagos? There is no real ‘best’ time to visit Galapagos on holiday as there is always wonderful wildlife and weather to enjoy. Most animals – tortoises, sharks, sea lions and boobies – are found all year round and many of the species here are non-migratory. The Galapagos …
Visit Peru with the family – expert advice and tips
by Kathy Jarvis on
Peru- top tips for taking the kids Andean Trails director Kathy and her son (now eleven) are frequent travellers to Peru. Their latest trip was earlier this year and top of their list was the Lodge to Lodge Lares trek, a community tourism project in the Sacred Valley and a homestay with some day …
Top 10 places to visit on holiday in Argentina
by Tom Shearman on
Argentina covers most of the surface area of southern South America and is the eighth largest country in the world. As such, it offers the traveller a cornucopia of vistas and experiences. Here is our choice of 10 unmissable experiences which Argentina has to offer. Iguazu falls Great Adventure Tour The Iguazu falls, straddling the …
Argentina – its weather, seasons and best time to visit
by Tom Shearman on
Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world, covering an area of 2.78 million km² (1.074 million mi²) which is about 1/3 the size of the USA. It covers most of the Southern part on the South American continent and as such has a varied climate. It is flanked by the Andes mountains …
Travel guide to Peninsula Valdes National Park, Punta Norte
by Tom Shearman on
Where can you see almost a millions penguins, hundreds of sea lions, dozens of whales and even orcas, all in one place? Andean Trails’ travel expert Tom describes his trip to Argentina’s wildlife haven – Peninsula Valdes. He writes: “What’s that? Did you see that? Looking like a….Can’t be. Quick, let’s get a …
Incallajta, Cochabamba, Bolivia
by Tom Shearman on
Want to visit Inca ruins, far away from the crowds? Then head to Incallajta, write Andean Trails’ Tom, to remote and beautiful Inca ruins that are the largest in all Bolivia. He writes: More than 500 years ago and having conquered much of what are the modern day mountains of Peru and Bolivia, …
Bolivia – things to know before travelling on holiday
by Kat Dougal on
Land-locked Bolivia is a country of dramatic landscapes and fascinating native cultures and traditions. Being prepared for travel means you will enjoy the country at its best, so we have put together a list of essential and useful tips and facts to know about Bolivia, before you go. OVERVIEW Bolivia’s Altiplano (High …
Bolivia – its best cuisine and top restaurants
by Tom Shearman on
What is the food like in Bolivia? Find out in our food and Top 10 restaurant guide, all sampled by our travel expert, Tom. He writes: “Bold, big and burgeoning – the best way to describe the food scene blossoming in Bolivia. Servings are often as enormous as the Andean mountains that define …




























