Andean Trails Review: Patagonia Highlights by Tom Shearman on 19th February, 2026 Andean Trails Review: Patagonia Highlights Trekking Tour The brief: A once-in-a-lifetime trip for a honeymoon, exploring Patagonia. The solution: Three national parks in two weeks on our Patagonia Highlights trip. Tyler and Khalid approached Andean Trails in September 2024, looking for the perfect honeymoon after their June 2025 wedding. Patagonia was at the …
Top Things to Do in Puerto Natales, Chile by Tom Shearman on 13th February, 2026 The Best Things to Do in Puerto Natales, Chile Puerto Natales is more than a gateway to Chile’s world-famous Torres del Paine National Park. There are many wonderful things to do in this seemingly sleepy Patagonian town. Get up close to hanging glaciers, go horse riding like a gaucho on an Estancia, enjoy fine food, …
Andean Trails Travel Review: Torres del Paine, Chile by Tom Shearman on 30th January, 2026 Andean Trails Travel Review: Torres del Paine, Chile What better Andean Trails’ review than one direct from our happy travellers. We helped design an incredible two-week Patagonia research and hiking tour for two teachers and 12 teenage students from Dollar Academy, Scotland. Fortune accompanied the Clackmannanshire school team, with stunning weather—and adventure—all the way. Read …
Top Things to Do in Punta Arenas, Chile by Tom Shearman on 21st January, 2026 Best Things to do in Punta Arenas, Patagonia, Chile There are many things to do in Punta Arenas, before, as most do, visiting the nearby Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. As one of Patagonia’s most southerly cities, Punta Arenas is the perfect destination for wildlife-spotting tours and walks, and it boasts a rich …
Our Top 10 Things to do in Futaleufú, Chile by Kathy Jarvis on 15th December, 2025 Futaleufú: Top 10 Things to do Futaleufú is a small colourful town in Chile’s stunning lake-filled Los Lagos region. It has wide streets lined with colourful wooden-shingled houses, lush gardens, and productive smallholdings. Wandering around the town feels like stepping back in time. This part of Chile is far quieter than the busy south, and …
Our Top 10 things to do in Santiago by Kathy Jarvis on 25th September, 2025 Santiago: Top 10 Things to Do If you’re travelling to Chile, chances are Santiago will be on your itinerary Santiago, the capital of Chile, is a city full of energy, tucked between the Andes mountains and the Chilean coast. You can spend the morning exploring historic plazas, the afternoon enjoying a glass of local wine, …
Top Treks in Patagonia by Kathy Jarvis on 16th October, 2024 What Are the Top Treks in Patagonia? Discover the top treks in Patagonia, as picked by Andean Trails’ director, Kathy. She’s been exploring Patagonia’s vast wilderness for more than 25 years. Here are her top treks in Patagonia, surrounded by fabulous mountains, sparkling glaciers, and welcoming hosts. Top Treks in Patagonia: How to Choose? …
Guide to Tipping in Chile by Tom Shearman on 7th October, 2024 Tipping in Chile: Know How Much to Tip Here’s our guide to tipping in Chile. Want to know how much to tip in Chile? This tipping in Chile guide helps you understand why people tip when visiting and how much to leave. Do I Need to Tip in Chile? Chile has a stable and …
Chiloé Island Tours and Things To Do by Kat Dougal on 20th June, 2024 Chiloé Island Tours, Activities and things to Do There is so much to do and see on Chiloé Island that the main issue may be how to fit all those tours and activities into your travel itinerary. The island of Chiloé, in Chile’s Lake District, was once a strategic point of interest for seafarers and …
Self-Guided Paine W Trek, Torres Del Paine National Park by Tom Shearman on 19th May, 2023 Chile’s Paine W is on many trekkers’ lists. Patagonia is a trekker’s paradise, Kat headed off on a self-guided hike along the famous Paine W trek to find out where its appeal lies. She came back with everything you’ll need to know about hiking the Paine W. Getting to Torres del Paine …
Day Trips From Santiago de Chile by Tom Shearman on 18th October, 2022 Most people travelling to Chile will pass through its capital, Santiago, at some point during their trip. Santiago’s official name is Santiago de Chile. This stunning city has some fantastic day trips for those who linger longer. Excursions vary from wine tasting to skiing to street art. Such variety stems from Santiago’s dramatic geography — …
Plan the Perfect 4-week Trip Around South America by Tom Shearman on 22nd August, 2022 South America is a vast destination with so many attractions. Often, the question is ” How can I fit in as much as possible — in my 4 weeks in South America?” We have a quarter of a century of experience putting together the logistics for top tours and making dream trip ideas a reality. …
What you Must See on Easter Island and How to Get There by Tom Shearman on 5th August, 2022 Easter Island, one of the world’s most famous tourist attractions, is once again open to visitors. COVID visiting restrictions have been lifted from this UNESCO World Heritage Site, famed for its towering Moai statues carved centuries ago by Easter Island inhabitants. People can once again visit the island, real name Rapa Nui, and enjoy the …
The Patagonia Mountain Ranges Explained by Tom Shearman on 19th May, 2022 The vast open spaces of Patagonia’s mountain ranges remain an enthralling draw to visitors from around the world. Be it climbing, hiking, rafting, or wildlife watching, Patagonia’s mountain ranges hold something for everyone. Soaring, ice-capped peaks, glaciers, dense and verdant forests line crystalline lakes and tumbling waterfalls. Let’s look at Patagonia’s inspiring geography, and the …
Behind the Scenes: Planning a Trip to South America with Andean Trails. by Tom Shearman on 24th January, 2022 There’s nothing we love more at Andean Trails than helping people when they’re planning a trip to South America. We hope our passion for this incredibly diverse continent shines through and inspires people to travel. Our connection with the destinations we offer comes from personal experiences spanning decades. You’ll find we ask lots of questions …
Sustainable Travel at Patagonia’s Hotel Las Torres. by Tom Shearman on 26th November, 2021 With Chile’s border entry arrangements relaxing from December 1, travellers can now look forward to taking the first steps back to an adventure holiday — including a sustainable trip to Hotel Las Torres. And what better than a green, responsible, and ecological path to follow. Hotel Las Torres in Patagonia has taken the time the …
The Best Hikes & Treks in Chile. by Tom Shearman on 24th November, 2021 Chile’s sleek and elongated geography helps make it one of the best trekking destinations in the world. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the best hikes in Chile. The country stretches some 2,690 miles (4,329km) from north to south; South America’s distinctive spine formed thanks to Chile’s mighty Andean mountain ranges. It’s …
What to Wear: Packing Guide For Your Patagonia Holiday by Kathy Jarvis on 31st July, 2020 Patagonia, mythical land at the end of the earth. What a wonderful part of the world. This is one of my all time favourite places. Patagonia is remote and stunningly beautiful. It is a land of vast landscapes, with sharp granite spires such as Cerro Torre and Fitzroy, big mountain ranges, extensive ice-caps, masses …
When and Where to Go Stargazing in Chile by Kathy Jarvis on 24th July, 2020 The skies over Chile’s Atacama Desert are blessed with over 300 clear nights per year, ideal for stargazing. These clear skies mean that this part of the country has become one of the world’s principal sites for astronomic observatories. Chile is now a major astrotourism destination. Best places for stargazing The towns in the …
Bucket List: Birds of Patagonia by Kathy Jarvis on 24th April, 2020 Patagonia is a magical territory that covers the southern tip of South America. A land of plains, fjords, mountains, glaciers, rivers and lakes; an extraordinary place and home to the amazing birds of Patagonia. There are nearly 300 bird species to be found in Patagonia, so it is the ideal place for birding. These …
