Patagonia Park by Alan Lyall on 15th November, 2019 The Patagonia National Park in the Chilean region of Aysen was formed in 2018 and is the combination of the Lago Jeinimeni National Reserve, Lago Cochrane/Tamango Reserve and the Parque Patagonia also known as Patagonia Park in the Chacabuco Valley. The latter was created by Conservacion Patagonica, a nonprofit incorporated in California whose mission …
Dream honeymoons in South America by Alan Lyall on 18th October, 2019 Honeymoons are a wonderful cause for a celebration and should provide memorable experiences. South America offers opportunities for all types of honeymoon, something to suit every couple. Here are some picture postcard memories which could be created on your honeymoon. Wildlife cruise and adventure: M/Y Grace, Galapagos Islands Picture this: You are sitting …
Chile, self-drive holiday suggested routes by Alan Lyall on 20th September, 2019 Chile’s long thin geography gives it an amazing variety of landscapes and topography which can be explored in full on a self drive holiday. The country boasts awe inspiring desert landscapes, majestic mountain scenery, craggy rocky coasts, lush forests, pristine lakes and much more. We have put together our favourite self-drive tours, which we …
Self drive – guide to driving a hire car in Chile by Alan Lyall on 13th September, 2019 Chile is the perfect country for a self-drive holiday. Here is our handy guide. In the Central part of the country there is a good network of “autopistas” – motorways/highways. These are good quality, tarmac surface, private and have frequent toll points. The Panamerican highway runs from Arica in the north to Puerto Montt in …
Five Vegetarian Restaurants in Santiago, Chile by Alan Lyall on 23rd August, 2019 South American countries with their traditions of eating and producing meat are not the easiest of destinations for vegetarians never mind vegans. However, things are changing and more and more vegetarian and vegan establishments are beginning to appear although mainly in the big cities or destinations that have a high percentage of foreign tourists. …
The Best Eco Camps and Lodges in Patagonia by Alan Lyall on 16th August, 2019 We’ve compiled a quick guide to some of the best eco camps in Patagonia, from eco-friendly domes to lodges and refugios, perfect for your Patagonian holiday. With many places filling up quickly, it’s important to get places booked up a long way in advance, especially in the busier season of November to March. At …
Chile family holidays travel guide by Alan Lyall on 24th July, 2019 Chile is a thin long country stretching around 4,300 Km and only 360 Km at its widest point. It is a country of incredible contrasting nature from desert to glaciers and from some of the highest mountains in the Americas to the sea. As such, for adults and children alike, its main attractions are …
Plan the perfect Patagonia honeymoon by Alan Lyall on 19th July, 2019 Patagonia – remote, wild and inspiring – a unique destination at the end of South America for the perfect adventurous honeymoon between October and May. In her poem “Patagonia”, Kate Clanchy begins: I said perhaps Patagonia, and pictured a peninsula, wide enough for a couple of ladderback chairs to wobble on at …
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 …
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 …
Patagonia Traveller’s blog: Fitzroy, Paine and Ushuaia by Kathy Jarvis on 15th March, 2019 Larry and Gillian are coming to the end of their month of travelling with Andean Trails in Patagonia. We put together a tour designed to take them off-the-beaten-track – read the first instalment in their blog – covering Santiago and Aysen and remote border crossings. Once in Argentina, Gillian and Larry trekked to the base of …
Adventure holiday highlights in Aysen, Northern Patagonia, Chile by Kathy Jarvis on 1st March, 2019 Larry and Gillian are on a 4 week adventure through Patagonia. Currently they are just half way through and enjoying the small Argentinean frontier town of El Chalten, and walks to the magnificent granite spires of Fitzroy and Cerro Torre. They have sent some fabulous photos and some comments on their highlights so far. …
Self-drive and self-guided trekking holiday in Patagonia by Tom Shearman on 1st February, 2019 Steve Smith and Karla Miller took a 4-week trip with Andean Trails to celebrate Steve’s 50th birthday. The couple started at the mighty Iguazu Falls then flew to Ushuaia to start a series of treks; Montes Martial, and then self-guided in Chalten and Chile’s Paine W in Torres del Paine National Park. After …
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 off the Beaten track: Villa O’Higgins to El Chalten by Kathy Jarvis on 30th April, 2018 Driving south on the Carretera Austral you eventually reach the end of this amazingly spectacular road, at the small town of Villa O’Higgins, 550 km from Coyhaqui and 48°28 S (on a par with Washington, Ontario and much of central Europe). The River Baker The scenery driving south is stunning all the way, …
