Mention the words ‘South American’ and ‘border crossing’ in the same sentence and travelers will often take a sharp intake of breath. They can be places of frustration and nervousness, with ramshackle government buildings, long queues, stern faces, bag searches and occasionally demands for bribes. In contrast to this image, one of our most pleasurable border crossings in all of South America was from Tigre in Argentina to Carmelo in Uruguay by small passenger ferry through the beautiful Parana River Delta. This crossing is not only simple and straight forward but also offers gorgeous scenery, a chance to experience local life and a taste of adventure.
Tag Archives: Explore
The Art of Booking Bus Travel In South America
21 May
If you’re heading off on a South American adventure then you’ll definitely be using the extensive bus network to get around due to the limited rail and hire car options on the continent, and relatively expensive flights. Long distance or short distance, each bus trip will undoubtedly be an experience in its own right. We had some great fun on buses, saw some amazing sights and met great characters, but we also had plenty of less positive experiences too! Each country does it slightly differently, but by asking a few essential questions at the outset you can save yourself some money and a whole world of pain!
Rio de Janeiro – City of God
8 Nov
Rio de Janerio is a city living life at full throttle. It’s energetic, vibrant and dedicated to pleasure. Famous for its hedonistic carnival, fanatical beach culture, pulsating music and passion for sport, nothing is ever done half-heartedly. Rio’s intense urban beauty is also nothing short of mind-blowing. Undulating mountains covered in lush forests overlook curving bays of golden sand and sparkling blue sea. Old districts with colonial mansions and leafy parks blend seamlessly with soaring skyscrapers and modern stadiums. Even the ramshackle favelas stacked high into the hillside add colour and life to this diverse and open-minded city. Locals love to boast, with a cheeky smile, that “On the eighth day, God created Rio” and it’s easy to believe this city has truly been blessed.
Explore Beautiful Olinda
7 Jun
Olinda is a highlight of any trip to Brazil’s north-eastern Atlantic coast. It has bags of personality and looks to die for. The historic centre offers one of the largest and best preserved examples of colonial architecture in all of Brazil and earned Olinda UNESCO World Heritage status in 1982. The city is built into rolling green hills and is studded with beautiful painted houses, baroque churches and tree-lined plazas. The views out to the turquoise sea and back towards Recife from one of Olinda’s many look-out points are simply magnificent. Over past decades artists and creative types have settled in Olinda, making it a hotspot for art and creativity. The city is also home to one of Brazil’s most famous carnivals, rich in folklaw traditions.
Naked Ambition – Praia de Tambaba
24 May
Wanderlust, literally translates as the desire to roam, to travel, to explore every inch of this beautiful planet. But what happens when strict conditions are imposed on your exploration that make you question your longing to wander? Praia de Tambaba is a stretch of Brazilian coastline often deemed to be one of the Country’s most beautiful and enchanting spots so it was high on our travel itinerary. However, to reach said location, we discovered it was necessary to remove all traces of clothing!! Travelling for us meant a chance to be completely free, to cast aside daily worries and to embrace new adventures. But could we really enjoy something that pushed us so far from our traditional beach-going-norm?
Canaima National Park – Finding a Lost World
14 Dec
Rugged, remote and insanely beautiful Canaima National Park stretches over three million hectares in south-eastern Venezuela along the border between Guyana and Brazil. Comparable in size to Belgium, this area is the sixth biggest national park in the world. It was established in 1962 and in just over a decade its protected areas more than doubled whilst being championed by scientists, geologists and historians. The small settlement of Canaima is a mixture of native village and tourist hub. It’s the jumping off point for Angel Falls, undeniably the highlight of any visit to the area, being the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall at an enormous 979 metres but many will be surprised, as we were, to find that Canaima has plenty of attractions in its own right to offer tourists. Here’s our top 6 reasons why Canaima is worthy of spending an extra day or two exploring.
Mind Blowing Perito Moreno Glacier
11 May
At 30km long, 5km wide and 60m high (equivalent to a 15 storey building) – the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina’s Parque National Los Glaciers is a special place guaranteed to give you goose bumps.
Welcome
Featured posts
-
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 […]
latin chattin' 