The Central Highlands in Ecuador is an area of fire and ice containing eight of the country’s ten highest peaks and volcanos. Extinct but picturesque Volcan Chimborazo is the biggest of them all – lording over the landscape at a gigantic 6,310 metres. Chimborazo sits only several hundred kilometres away from the Equator and due to the Earth’s natural ‘bulge’ at this point, this volcano’s most amazing fact is that it’s summit is the furthest point on the planet away from the Earth’s core! Take that Everest baggers!
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Riding a sand tsunami in Huacachina
10 Nov
We collapsed into a heap after climbing to the top of a 60 metre sand dune and paused to catch our breath. We stared in awe at the scene before us – immense, golden dunes and nestled in the middle a picturesque lagoon-filled oasis surrounded by palm trees. Huacachina was once a prestigious holiday destination for Peru’s rich elite, however, nowadays it’s a regular stop on the Gringo trail and an adventure theme park for international backpackers.
Inner tubes, bamboo and string – river travel the Bolivian way!
4 Oct
Five days – drifting 250 kilometres down river – from Guanay to Rurrenabaque – on a home-made raft – with no engine…I must have got that all wrong. Was there a way such a trip could really be possible? The voice on the other end of the phone took a deep breath and repeated what they’d already explained. The ‘No noise’ jungle rafting experience through Bolivia’s chunk of Amazonas was created for people looking for unparalleled adventure. Six people, a guide and a cook, along with rucksacks, food supplies and camping equipment, would pile on top of a raft no bigger than 5 metres long and 2.5 metres wide and float to their destination using only the natural flow and currents of the river. There would be jungle walks to spot exotic animals and indigenous tribes were never far from the river banks. Home each evening would be under canvas in a rustic camp and to wash ourselves there would always be a crystal clear river or a gushing waterfall nearby. Rendered speechless as my head span with all of this information – all I could muster were the immortal words – “Sign us up!”
Dicing with death on the World’s Most Dangerous Road
25 Sep
The Most Dangerous Road in the World stretches 61 kilometres from La Paz to Coroico and descends over 3,000 metres from spell-binding Andean mountains drenched in snow, to lush sub-tropical hills covered in rich forests and dotted with waterfalls. This stretch of unpaved dirt track earned its name by taking the most lives (annually around one hundred) of any road in the world. A newly opened bypass has significantly reduced the flow of traffic on the Death Road and the number of fatalities has been drastically reduced but the fearsome reputation of the road remains as strong as ever. In places the road is little more than three metres wide with sheer drops one side plunging up to six hundred metres below and vertical walls of rock on the other.
Bonito – the Caribbean of central Brazil
16 Sep
Bonito is a small, charming Brazilian town set on the edge of Parque National de Serra de Bodoquena – a beautiful nature-lovers paradise complete with dense forests, stalactite filled caves, crystal clear lakes bursting with fish and scenic waterfalls. Bonito and the Mato Grosso do Sul region have become increasingly popular as a tourist destination in the last few years, especially amongst holidaying Brazilians. We’d heard that out of peak season (December – February) Bonito was a laid back, friendly town and an excellent place to relax for a few days so we headed there after our trip to the Pantanal and before returning to Bolivia.
Ride ’em cowboy – Tupiza
13 Aug
The president waved and gave us a generous smile – two white faces in the front row, waving madly with excitement in a sea of Bolivians – we certainly stood out from the crowd! It was our fifth day in Bolivia and we’d arrived in a small town called Tupiza to find a beautifully decorated plaza, locals dressed in their Sunday best and an infectious hubbub on every street. It was so nice of them to give us such a warm welcome!
Cafayate – you may never want to leave…
20 Jul
Warning – If you love warm, sunny climates, access to excellent wineries, and beautiful countryside to explore, you may find it difficult to leave this place! Located in the Calchaqui Valley in the North of Argentina, Cayfayate is fast becoming a ‘must’ on the traveller itinerary and from the moment we arrived we knew we were going to love it here.
Mendoza – wine & wheels
4 Jul
Most people would agree that the idea of touring wineries in sunny weather while surrounded by beautiful scenery would be a heavenly way to spend the day and doing it all by pedal power so everyone can indulge in a healthy sized glass of wine – even better! And that was exactly our prime reason for visiting Mendoza. Continue reading
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Torres del Paine – the ‘W’ trek
Visitors from all walks of life converge on the small hamlet of Puerto Natales to visit Chile’s and perhaps the Continent’s number one national park – Torres del Paine. Located in the Southern Patagonian ice fields at the end of the Andes, the park offers diverse wildlife and incredible mountain scenery, glaciers, lakes, rivers and […]
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