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What Do I Need To Know Before Going on a Galapagos Cruise?
by Tom Shearman on
A Galapagos Cruise is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Follow Charles Darwin’s footsteps through a wildlife-rich and dramatic volcanic landscape. So take the pressure out of planning your Galapagos cruise with these travel tips. You’ll find everything you need to know before you go to this paradise. We’ll cover everything from the big questions like when to …
Hidden Gems: 8 Alternative Buenos Aires Day Tours
by Tom Shearman on
You’ve seen the traditional tours. Now try alternative Buenos Aires day trips. Classic day trips include a walking tour, a great way to take in the highlights, Recoleta cemetery, a tango show, and the antiques on display at the Feria de San Telmo. Opera fans may visit a show at Teatro Colon, and football fans …
Best Time To Visit Guyana: Weather and Seasons
by Tom Shearman on
The best time to visit Guyana is during one of its two dry seasons: February to March or late August to September. Like most destinations, the best time to visit Guyana may depends on travel preferences. Weather is never defined simply and Guyana’s seasons are a little more nuanced. Many people visit all through the …
Chile and Easter Island Theories
by Tom Shearman on
Debunking the Myths: Easter Island Theories Explained Rapa Nui’s giant and ancient moai statues have stumped academics and archaeologists for centuries, sparking myriad Easter Island theories. Aliens, rats, and human greed have all been credited with the dramatic collapse in Easter Island’s population and abandoned statues that scatter the land. This triangular island, 14 miles …
A Guide to the Best Festivals in Peru
by Tom Shearman on
Peru festivals are some of the most colourful and spectacular celebrations in the world. Peru festivals include fiestas, parades, and processions throughout the country at various times of the year. Visitors are welcome on many of these special occasions. The main celebrations mark Inca history and the country’s independence whole newer festivals show Peru’s modern …
Volunteering on Horseback in Ecuador – a traveller’s review
by Kat Dougal on
Volunteering at a riding stable in Ecuador is a dream for me. Patti McCarthy is spending a month volunteering on a horse ranch in Ecuador, and is full of enthusiams albeit the hard work she is putting in every day. Read her blog on her volunteering holiday and maybe you’ll get inspired, too! …
Cotopaxi Lodge to Lodge Trek: a Traveller’s Review
by Kat Dougal on
Trekking in the foothills of Cotopaxi Return customers Patti McCarthy and her family recently travelled with Andean Trails around Ecuador and shared their experiences of trekking the Lodge to Lodge trek in Cotopaxi National Park with us. Up close to the mighty Cotopaxi Mountain weather is notoriously unsettled and unpredictable, but the volcano Cotopaxi is …
Nibeko Aike Estancia, El Calafate, Argentina: Travel Review
by Tom Shearman on
Nibeko Aike offers a genuine Estancia stay near El Calafate. Patagonia is synonymous not only with incredible landscapes and high winds but also with the Estancia and Gaucho cultures. Here, a hundred years ago, people started a new life working the land, including at Estancia Nibeko Aike. Now, visitors can live the Estancia experience with …
Self-Guided Paine W Trek, Torres Del Paine National Park
by Tom Shearman on
Chile’s Paine W is on many trekkers’ lists. Patagonia is a trekker’s paradise, Kat headed off on a self-guided hike along the famous Paine W trek to find out where its appeal lies. She came back with everything you’ll need to know about hiking the Paine W. Getting to Torres del Paine …
A Guide to Spotting the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights)
by Tom Shearman on
Seeing the night sky dancing during an aurora is on rightly many people’s bucket lists. Watching solar activity painting the Earth’s atmosphere shades of purple, green, red and white is an unforgettable experience. Aurora hunters often head to northern countries to glimpse this natural phenomenon, to destinations like Iceland or Canada. But the north’s Aurora …
A Guide to Eco-Tourism Holidays in Guyana
by Tom Shearman on
Eco-tourism comes as standard in Guyana. This is a country whose lands are 75% covered by lush, verdant forests interspersed by mighty, life-giving rivers. Indeed, Guyana’s original name, Guiana, means land of water. Wildlife as diverse as jaguars, giant river otters, and black caimans traverse these watercourses in one of South America’s best-protected natural landscapes. …
Travel & Money in Argentina: The Blue Dollar
by Tom Shearman on
Travel Money in Argentina: Currency Exchange, Best Rates, and Blue Dollar (Updated March 2024). The Argentine Peso has been experiencing a volatile time on currency exchanges for several years. The country’s rampant inflation and unstable currency do indeed make it a little more complicated to pay for things in Argentina, but the latest devaluation of …
Meet Gill Christie, South America Travel Expert
by Tom Shearman on
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 …
Amazon Rainforest Travel Guide
by Tom Shearman on
The Amazon rainforest is the world’s most famous wildlife habitat. This iconic forest covers 6.7 million square kilometres, making it twice the size of India, and spans eight countries. Some 10% of all species on planet earth live in the Amazon, and more than two million indigenous people call this rainforest their home. Join them, canoeing …
Galapagos Animals: Wildlife Spotting Tips and Checklist
by Tom Shearman on
Galapagos animals help make the Galapagos Islands unique. Tame wildlife on land and sea makes it the perfect destination for nature enthusiasts, photographers, and families. Fascinating animals share their dramatic volcanic landscapes with visitors, often pulling photogenic poses while they check out their human guests. Every Galapagos island has flora and fauna distinct from their …
Guided Mountain Climbing in the Peaks of Bolivia
by Tom Shearman on
Bolivia is home to some of the most spectacular climbing peaks. Yet, its Andean tops remain blissfully free from large numbers of mountaineers. There are several attractive climbing options near La Paz, giant, ice-clad volcanoes with tantalising summits. However, Bolivia’s remoteness means its climbing routes are less well-known than some of South America’s classic ascents. …
Galaxy Galapagos Cruise Review
by Tom Shearman on
Choosing the right cruise for your Galapagos holiday is always tricky, so we do our best to see the boats we sell. Kat decided she was up for writing a Galaxy Galapagos cruise review. It was a sacrifice, but Kat was lucky enough to recently cruise the Galapagos Islands on the lovely Galaxy. Here’s her …
Machu Picchu: Guide to Tipping & Porter Welfare on the Inca Trail
by Tom Shearman on
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru is one of the world’s most incredible treks, one which 200 keen hikers and 300 hard-working Inca Trail porters embark on daily. The four or 5-day hike over 28 miles/44 kilometres is a high-altitude walk past Inca ruins, soaring Andean peaks, and breathtaking views while walking on …
Travel Guide: Things To Do in Salento, Colombia
by Tom Shearman on
Some of the world’s finest coffee comes from picturesque Salento, a colourful town of 7,000 souls nestled among Colombia’s verdant Andes. Growing coffee beans led UNESCO to bestow World Heritage Site status to the Salento coffee triangle for its contribution to the ‘Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia.’ And while this delicious brew is undoubtedly one …
Animal Wildlife Guide for Bolivia’s Madidi National Park
by Tom Shearman on
The steamy Amazon rainforest is the world’s most incredible living laboratory, a biodiversity hotspot and home to thousands of unique species. Land-locked Bolivia is home to unique and varied Amazonian wildlife. Just over half of the country is rainforest, with two-thirds considered primary rainforest. Bolivia’s most important jungle area is Madidi National Park, where jaguars, …