The Alto Parana region is to the east of Paraguay and its main city is Ciudad del Este on the shore of the Parana River.
Across the Parana River is where you will find Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil and the Iguaçu Falls.
The Itaipu dam – one of the largest of the world – can be visited and just South of Ciudad del Este the Monday falls are worth a visit.
The Tati Yupi Biological reserve offers the outdoors enthusiast interpretative trails of the wildlife and fauna as well as bike trails for the more energetic.
The best way to get a feel for the famous Amazon rainforest region is aboard a river cruise.
From these comfortable boats, you will be able to explore the mighty Amazon and Negro rivers. There are also jungle lodge options, so you can immerse yourself in nature.
The city of Manaus in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon and is the gateway to the rainforest.
Boasting its famous opera house, built at the end of the 19th Century on the back of the rubber boom, the city itself is well worth a day of exploration, too.
The beautiful colonial city of Arequipa is replete with history and culture, and is the gateway to the condors of Colca Canyon.
Nestled at 2,325m/7,627ft, the ‘white city’ sits at the foot of three tremendous volcanoes: El Misti (5,821m/19,098ft), Chachani (6,075m/19,930ft) and Pichu Pichu (5,542m/18,182ft).
Arequipa’s attractions include the Cathedral, Compañía de Jesús Church, Santa Catalina Convent and the Dama de Ampato (Juanita Mummy) Museum.
With a year-round spring climate and sunshine guaranteed for 300 days of the year, it is the perfect place to begin acclimatising before continuing upwards.
Nearby is the famous Colca Canyon. At hundred kilometres long, this incredible gorge is said to reach a maximum depth of 3,400m/11,155ft – twice that of the Grand Canyon.
An overnight tour to Colca gives you the chance to see the iconic, soaring condors of the canyon.
Asuncion is the capital of landlocked Paraguay and sits on the shore of the Paraguay River.
Asuncion is one of the oldest cities in South America and its character reflects the harsh and varied history of the region.
It also represents the diverse nature of Paraguay where Spanish and Guiarani – the indigenous language – are the official languages.
Places to visit include the National Pantheon of Heroes and the Independence House Museum.
A guided tour is recommended, to help you get the most out of your visit.
Get up into the trees like monkeys at Atta Lodge, for some up close and personal wildlife viewing.
The major attraction here is a 154m/505ft long canopy walkway, with four platforms some up to 30m into the canopy.
An array of birds and animals you struggle to see from the forest floor soon zoom into view.
Among these are endangered and protected species such as the jaguar, the bullet wood tree, greenheart and the waramadan (endemic in Guyana only to the Iwokrama Forest).
The lodge provides comfortable accommodation with 8 private rooms, three home-cooked meals per day, and ample opportunities to explore the surrounding rainforest by foot, canoe, or 4X4.
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Rob Lawley, Galapagos Cruise, April 2024 The Galapagos Island Cruise on the Aida Maria was one of the best holidays I've ever had. Right from the start Andean Trails answered every question quickly, efficiently and gave useful information. The yacht itself was fabulous, perfect size, spotlessly clean and looked great. The staff were very friendly, helpful and prepared really good food. Alex, our guide for the week, was superb. Knew everything about the Islands and shared his knowledge in an interesting, engaging, friendly way. The itinerary was excellent, so many interesting places and the animals/fish we saw was just amazing. There were so many highlights but mine was probably snorkeling with Hammerhead Sharks, also the 50/60 strong pod of dolphins we saw who were swimming with the yacht for ages and also the nightly visits from sharks, sea lions, pelicans and a variety of fish at the back of the yacht whilst i was watching, enjoying a glass of red. Just incredible to see. The whole trip was brilliantly organised and its something I'll never forget. I hope to return at some stage to these amazing islands and would definitely recommend Andean Trails and the Aida Maria
Rob Lawley, Galapagos Cruise, April 2024
Kate S., Ecuador and Galapagos, April 2024 I had a fantastic adventure! So many things to thank you for! The highlight was the trip to Galapagos. The combination of the Bonita, the activities (snorkelling and kayaking in particular), the wildlife, the weather, the companions and the crew made it easily the highlight of the trip. I was sorry to leave and could have stayed another week. The low point was when I suffered from vertigo on day 2 of the Highlands walk. We came across a narrow ledge with a steep drop. Pablo, our guide guided me across the ledge confidently. I also found the final ascent to the Ruminahui volcano too steep to attempt. Accommodation was very good. All the staff at every accommodation were excellent, very welcoming, friendly and happy to help us with anything. The food at every accommodation on the trek, on the cruise and at the cloud forest was very good - I loved eating new fruits and fruit juices. The food was always freshly made and of good quality. The only 'satisfactory ' food was at the hotel in Quito! Guides were excellent, a particular shout out for Pablo on our trek. He was very knowledgeable, good company and good fun. Excellent organization, we were looked after every step of the way. It would be helpful to say in your information that some sections of the walk are very steep (the Ruminahui volcano) and there are some narrow ledges which may not be suitable for people with any kind of vertigo. We had a somewhat frustrating day in Quito as two of the churches and a museum we had planned to visit were closed. Perhaps a note in your information to tell travellers to check websites of churches/museums/places of interest before they set out might be useful. A fantastic adventure! The trip was so well organised and you have been incredibly helpful in sorting out our itinerary. So many experiences and memories, thank you!