Go Trekking in the Atacama Desert, San Pedro, Chile by Alan Lyall on 5th July, 2019 San Pedro de Atacama, in the heart of Chile’s Atacama Desert is a great place from which to enjoy half day or full day hikes or set off on a desert trek adventure over several days camping in the high Altiplano. Where is and how to get to San Pedro de Atacama San …
Ecuador Honeymoon Holiday Ideas by Alan Lyall on 14th June, 2019 Are you a nature lover, adventure seeker and culture enthusiast looking for that special honeymoon? Well, Ecuador might just fit the bill. Sitting on the Equator in South America, this small country offers incredible diversity from the spectacular scenery of the mountains and volcanoes of the Andes to the rugged Pacific coast, from the unique …
Visit to Kaieteur Falls, the highest waterfall in Guyana by Alan Lyall on 24th May, 2019 The Kaieteur falls in Guyana are one of the world’s tallest single-drop waterfalls by volume of water. At 226 metres they are almost 5 times higher than the Niagara falls and have an average flow rate of 663 cubic metres per second. They are located in the Kaieteur National Park which is roughly 241 …
Top 10 things to see and do in Buenos Aires by Alan Lyall on 26th April, 2019 Buenos Aires is Argentina’s exciting, enticing and elegant capital city. Flanked by the River Plate on one side and the immense Argentine Pampa on the other, this bustling city is normally the first port of call for visitors to Argentina. It is certainly worth spending a few days there to get a …
Buen Provecho: Tasty traditional food to try on your Chile holiday by Alan Lyall on 12th April, 2019 Chile has an array of tasty traditional dishes for you to try when on holiday. They are made of great quality ingredients and in general are not spicy but let the ingredients themselves tell the story. Chile‘s climate and geographical position has blessed it with great conditions for growing crops, fruit and vegetables as …
Top 10 things to see and do in Easter Island, Chile by Alan Lyall on 5th April, 2019 Easter Island is a remote Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The nearest land mass is a 4 and a half hour flight away – that is similar to London Cairo, or New York Denver. Easter Island or Rapa Nui as it is known by the islanders, is Chilean territory and is …
How to get to the marble caves of Chile, Patagonia by Alan Lyall on 22nd March, 2019 Some people dream of sailing through caves of polished marble in a spectacular setting away from it all……. This dream can become a reality in Chile’s remote northern Patagonia where one can find the “Capilla de Marmol / Marble Chapel” which was declared by the Chilean government a Nature Sanctuary in 1994. The nature …
Visit South America’s Top 10 Tourist Attractions by Alan Lyall on 11th January, 2019 South America has many tourist attractions being a large and diverse continent. It covers an area greater than that of Europe. The west of the continent is dominated by the Andes mountain range and bordered by the Pacific Ocean whilst the east is flanked by the Atlantic. The North of the continent edges into the …
Best Hikes to Trek in South America by Alan Lyall on 4th January, 2019 South America is a great destination for adventure lovers especially those who are looking for a good trek. Mountains, forests, jungle and desert provide spectacular backdrops for hikes on and off the beaten path. In no particular order, here are our top 10 treks or hikes in South America. Paine W Trek, …
Happy Holidays by Alan Lyall on 21st December, 2018 The Andean Trails team is full of Christmas cheer as 2018 draws to a close. 2018 has been a busy year and we are delighted to have provided our many customers with fabulous holiday experiences and memories of a lifetime. Arlene Kropf was moved to send us the following message whilst visiting Machu Picchu …
Wildlife spotting in the Iberá wetlands, Argentina. by Alan Lyall on 14th December, 2018 Black caiman, capybara, howler monkeys and rheas are just some of the species you might come across in the Iberá wetlands, the second largest wetland in the world. Covering an area of over 6,500 square miles in north-east Argentina, the wetlands are a collection of lakes, bogs, swamps and rivers and are an important …
Top 10 places to visit on holiday in Argentina by Alan Lyall on 21st September, 2018 Argentina covers most of the surface area of southern South America and is the eighth largest country in the world. As such, it offers the traveller a cornucopia of vistas and experiences. Here is our choice of 10 unmissable experiences which Argentina has to offer. Iguazu falls Great Adventure Tour The Iguazu falls, straddling the …
Argentina – its weather, seasons and best time to visit by Alan Lyall on 14th September, 2018 Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world, covering an area of 2.78 million km² (1.074 million mi²) which is about 1/3 the size of the USA. It covers most of the Southern part on the South American continent and as such has a varied climate. It is flanked by the Andes mountains …
Chile – Climate and when to travel by Alan Lyall on 24th July, 2018 When planning a trip, one usually takes into consideration the weather at their chosen destination in order to make good choices for activities as well as when to travel. Chile is a thin sliver of a country running from north to south. It extends around 4,500 Km (2,750 miles) and as such has …
The Patagonia Highlights Trekking Tour Experience by Alan Lyall on 20th July, 2018 The majesty of Southern Patagonia can be experienced along the trekking trails of the Glaciares National Park in Argentina, infront of the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier, under the granite spires of Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park and driving across enigmatic Tierra del Fuego. This can all be experienced on Andean Trails fully escorted small group Patagonia Highlights trekking …
Guide to wine tours in Chile by Alan Lyall on 17th July, 2018 How would you like to go to Chile, visit a winery and taste the wines produced in situ? Chilean wines have placed Chile firmly on the world map and a great addition to a holiday to Chile is to include some wine tours to your itinerary. In and around Santiago The Chilean capital …
The Tierra Hotels Experience, Chile by Alan Lyall on 3rd July, 2018 Have you ever wondered what it would be like to experience a luxury adventure holiday? Alan was invited to Chile at the end of 2017 to experience the newly renovated Tierra Chiloe Hotel. He says: “When the invitation came through to visit the Tierra Chiloe Hotel in Chile, I jumped at the chance …
Patagonia bucket list by Alan Lyall on 25th April, 2018 Patagonia as a destination has inspired many an explorer, author, poet and simple traveller and is on many a bucket list. Below you will find a sample bucket list that we hope will inspire the explorer, author, poet and traveller in you, and which would be entirely feasible in one incredible holiday to …
Patagonia holidays for families by Alan Lyall on 24th April, 2018 Chilean and Argentine Patagonia is an incredible destination with spectacular scenery, wildlife and a plethora of activities and outstanding trekking especially during the main season from October through to April. For families, especially with slightly older children there are many activities that can be considered. Here are some ideas you might wish to consider: …
Fly to South America by Alan Lyall on 24th April, 2018 Andean Trails’ Alan recently flew out to South America. Here he lets us know how he got on. He says: Being a canny Scot I was looking for the best deal to get me from Edinburgh to Santiago. Routings and airlines vary depending on times of year, how busy the airlines are on your chosen …