Gill Christie
Ecuador, Galapagos, Peru
Meet Gill Christie…
Gill is the latest travel expert to join the Andean Trails team. Find out more about Gill, her passion for travel, and seeing the bright side of early morning hoof soup.
How did you catch the travel bug?
I fell in love with travelling as a teenager, starting with Interrailing around Europe. After finishing university, I went to Australia for a year and returned home overland. Those early experiences really got me hooked on travel.
I’ve lived and travelled worldwide, teaching English in China, Japan, Ecuador, Spain, and the Middle East.
When away, I like to try everything and take lots of (bad) photos. I especially look forward to the food and drink at the markets. I love to experiment when I cook, making new dishes with the different ingredients I find.
I love long hikes, especially through forests, bird-watching and spotting wildlife, or along the coast. Artisanal markets, finding pockets of indigenous cultures, and anything off-the-beaten-track interests me. That’s why South America really appealed to me.
My travel companions say I am annoyingly positive and always try to see the good side of every situation and have a laugh about it. That’s how I ended up being the only one eating cow hoof soup at 5am at a deserted train station in Ecuador after that day’s only train was cancelled.
Back home in Scotland, as well as rediscovering the Scottish countryside, another pastime is ‘slow art’, visiting galleries and museums regularly, but just taking in a room or two at a time.
My passion for South America
South America is where I spent most of my adult life.
After working for the British Council, I lived in Ecuador for over 20 years and set up my own language school in Quito. Over time, I got to know the country really well. Mindo, Cuenca, old colonial quarters, and markets are among my favourite destinations in Ecuador.
An overland trip took me to Peru through Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Lake Titicaca. From there, it was on to La Paz and the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia, then a train into Argentina and Buenos Aires.
I’ve also visited Chile, Brazil, and Colombia.
Talk to me about…
Where would I love to go back to…
Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni because it is so different to anywhere I’ve ever been.
And Mindo cloud forest in Ecuador because every day there is different. It’s like living in a zoo, surrounded by birds and wildlife.
My top travel tip…
It has been said before, but after you pack, look again and remove half the clothes.
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Testimonials
J. Parks, USA, Terra Luna, Aysen Chile 2026
Visiting the Marble Caves has been on my bucket list for some time. With our planned trip to SA ending in Santiago this was the chance I had been waiting for. I started researching how to get to the Marble Caves and stumbled across Andeans Trails and Terra Luna by chance. The more research I did the more this seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. (a shuttle to and from the airport, lodging, food, and other outdoor activities besides the Cave Tour) Plus it had good reviews and seemed reputable. I contacted Andean Trails and Kathy (you) responded immediately, and our conversation continued until we had everything booked and in place. I was extremely pleased at how promptly every question or concern I had was addressed! I was a little nervous about flying to such a remote area where I did not know the language very well. A few days before we arrived our guide Andres sent me a msg that had such a welcoming tone all my fears were erased.
From the minute we landed in Balmaceda until we returned home the trip was magical!!! Part of it was like taking me back to my childhood. A long gravel road I walked often to my grandma’s log cabin in the woods with a wood stove. And so much of the vegetation was the same! I found out Puerto Gaudal is close to the 45th parallel S, and I live on the 45th parallel N! I was like deja vu! (Except for the Andes, GC Lake and Northern Icefield.)
I knew there were other outdoor activities available but I didn’t do any serious research on them, my mind was on getting to the Caves. That lead to a wow moment around every corner! My love of glaciers was rewarded in the trip to Leones Glacier with lunch on the moraine. The horseback ride on Erradica taught me new glacial terms! The time spent in Patagonia NP was very moving, esp Doug Tompkins grave. The hike to the Confluence and the waterfall was awesome. The fossil bed hike was challenging but Andres took his time with us and was so encouraging. Well worth the effort to get there!
To sum this up: Andean Trails very nicely made my dream to see the Marble Caves come true. They were easy to work with, replied promptly and did everything they could to make sure the trip went smoothly.
Terra Luna – A hidden gem in the heart of Patagonia! the lodging - wonderful, the scenery - breathtaking, the activities – invigorating , food – delicious, staff – top notch (every single one), Phillipe – so welcoming, Andres – (guide) top notch!
The only critique would be Terra Luna needs to clean the hot tub. It is a beautiful tub, beautiful view and the water was hot but the boards were a little slimy. Overall the place was awesome and I give them 99.9 rating.
JoAnn
JoAnn Parks, Dec 2025
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