Deep into Guyana’s enormous rainforest lies Iwokrama, a one million acre wilderness full of wildlife.
Birds, trees frogs and the elusive puma live in the forests, whose verdant canopy you can enjoy from the Turtle Mountain vantage point.
The area is protected and known as Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation, with the full involvement of the local people.
You can see their history in the Amerindian petroglyphs close to some rivers, a fascinating insight into how animals and humans have coexisted for centuries in this pristine rainforest.
Ushuaia, in Tierra del Fuego, is Argentina’s southernmost city and is perched on the Beagle Channel.
What was once a remote penal colony is now a bustling port and the gateway to Antarctica.
Ushuaia is historically interesting, Charles Darwin wrote much about it, and it is home to some interesting museums of naval history.
Visitors can take a sailing tour on the wildlife rich Beagle channel, visit a Penguin colony during the season, trek into the mountains behind the city and kayak in the Tierra del Fuego national park.
Cruises set off from here for Antarctica or Punta Arenas in Chile – via Cape Horn.
North west Argentina is one of those places that is still off the beaten track but when you get there you wonder why.
The main gateway is the city of Salta – famous for its pasties, known locally as empanadas.
Places to visit are Cafayate – famous for its wines and the “Quebrada de Las Cochas” with its incredible rock formations.
North of Salta don’t miss Humahuaca with its multicoloured hills, Tilcara with its Pukara (pre-Columbian fortress) and the Salinas Grandes salt flat.
The mighty roar of the water poring over the cliff edges is the soundtrack to this incredible spectacle of nature.
Iguazu Falls is made up of some 275 individual cascades which line the rim of a crescent-shaped cliff about 2.5 miles long.
From here, the waters plummet up to 82m/269ft into the gorge below, in one of the most dramatic settings in Argentina, with the thunderous roaring of Iguazu heard from miles away.
Walk the paths among the different falls and for those with a head for heights take the walkway that leads you into the heart of the Devil’s throat, the biggest, deepest, most impressive fall.
There is the opportunity to take a boat ride at the foot of the falls or to just walk and admire the lush tropical vegetation and wildlife, as well as the scenery.
It is well worth visiting both the Argentine and Brasilian sides of the Falls to really experience and appreciate the true power of these waterfalls.
Buenos Aires is Argentina’s elegant capital city.
It is a city of culture, art and music and gateway to the rest of the country, well worth a few days of exploring.
Must sees are the Casa Rosada Government Palace, the Cathedral, La Boca district with its colourful houses and tradition of tango and football.
Also not to be missed are the flea market and streets of the bohemian neighbourhood of San Telmo and the Recoleta cemetery where Evita’s tomb is to be found.
After a guided tour by bike or on foot, take the time to sit at one of the many excellent coffee shops and watch the sophisticated Porteños go about their business.
The city has a plethora of good restaurants and is a haven for meat eaters, with plenty of veggie options too.
The night life is buzzing and the district of Palermo will have a meal and bar to suit all pockets and tastes.
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Pam and Paul, Australia, Paine W self-guided, Chile. March 2025 As an older non Spanish speaking couple hailing from Australia, booking our 5 day solo Torres del Paine W trek with Andean Trails was the perfect start to realise our adventure. Having all our accommodation, transfers, inclusive meals and comprehensive pack list sorted to suit our itinerary by such knowledgeable, professional and amenable travel experts meant we could focus our efforts entirely on the trek. We were blessed by great weather - a considerable bonus given we took a few hours longer to complete each daily walk as some of the trails were challenging too but the stunning views that unfolded along the trails provided impetus for us to persevere. We also found our walking poles were essential for ascents and descents on steeper slopes. Our last night was a fixed tent camping spot - comfortable enough and allowed for unreal Milky Way stargazing in the wee small hours. Our 3 nights in Refugios were good - took a bit of getting used to sharing space with 4 other bunk bed mates and it helped being organised the night before when setting off for a pre-dawn start with head torches. The food provided was fine and portions adequate to needs and the Chilean staff were all friendly and helpful. In summary whilst we have physically come down from the mountain tops we are still on an emotional high! Our entire Patagonian trip was nourishment for the heart and soul and a truly awesome experience to be immersed in such an incredible, diverse and unique natural environment - the sound of roaring rivers, the thunder of shifting glaciers , the winds through the forest and high peaks further complimented our sensory experience. There are many options for trekkers to explore in terms of walks and destinations within this mighty National Park to suit fitness and/or time constraints. Our advice would be take your time considering what you feel comfortable with challenging yourself (I was certainly apprehensive about my ability to complete the full 70km circuit and we ended up doing less kms towards the end which felt just fine and meant we we could have more time sitting on a rock admiring Grey glacier from a greater distance) and then make it happen, one beautiful step at a time - you might even glimpse a Puma along the way!
Pam Christmas » Self-Guided Paine W Trek
C. Cooper, UK. Photography Tour, Chile and Bolivia, April 2025 We had a truly amazing experience. Chile and Bolivia are stunning. Our guides were professional, knowledgeable and friendly. All of the guides said we had a very well planned itinerary that gave us the best chance of acclimatising to the altitude properly (the hike in Atacama and the trek to the Hot Springs before departing for Bolivia). Our driver in Bolivia was fantastic. He was professional and very competent. Despite the condition of the roads and the amount of time we spent travelling we always felt completely safe. The hotels in Bolivia were basic but charming. Some of the facilities were a bit more rustic than we had expected (no heating and/ or no hot water in the mornings) but we managed. Food was simple but good. Overall, it was a very special trip and has given us a lot of amazing memories. If someone asks what the best part was, I couldn’t decide because there were so many best bits….Moon Valley, the flooded Solar de Uyuni, The Milky Way, Sunsets & Sunrises, the Flamingos at Laguna Colorado. It was exhausting and unforgettable - just how we like it :-) I will eventually get to reviewing my photos and will send you some. Many thanks for your help in organising everything.
C. Cooper » Bolivia Uyuni Salt Flats 4WD Tour
