This pleasant coastal town of palm lined streets, seaside promenade and some good beaches also offers many wildlife and adventure activities.
Sandboarding, dune carting, parachuting, hot air ballooning, bird watching and wildlife cruises are available in Swakopmund and near by Walvis bay.
Swakopmund has a holiday feel about it and is very popular with Namibians who flock there during the summer and at weekends.
The cooler coastal climate offer relief from the intense heat of the interior.
The granite spires of Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park are one of the great draws to Patagonia.
The Horns of Paine and the Towers of Paine look down on a network of valleys and lakes punctured by the odd glacier, which are a trekker’s paradise.
There are two classic treks, the Paine W and the more challenging Paine Circuit.
As well as the spectacular scenery the flora and fauna are great attractions and you will find many herds of guanacos as well as rheas, the odd Pudu – a rare miniature deer.
And if you are lucky, even a puma.
Flung way out to the north of the archipelago, this spectacular island is a Galapagos in miniature.
Its remote location meaning very few people make it this far.
Sea lions, sharks and Flightless Cormorants will no doubt accompany you on snorkels in deep waters as well as close to the beautiful, white-sand bay.
A multitude of birds nest at Tower, and it’s the only place you’re sure to see the Red-Footed Booby, as well as the chance to spot petrels, owls, gulls and more.
Trinidad, with its Spanish architecture, beautifully preserved cobbled streets, brightly painted colonial style houses, tiled roofs and fine palaces is one of the loveliest cities in Cuba.
The main square, Plaza Mayor, is surrounded by colonial buildings and small bars and restaurants and the open air Casa de la Musica is a wonderful cultural experience.
Trinidad has been a World heritage site since 1988.
Nearby is Sugar Mill Valley, a former sugar plantation area, Playa Ancon, a beautiful beach with snorkelling options and Topes de Collantes national park. Here, you’ll find numerous trails for hiking at all levels, in beautiful natural surroundings.
Chile is home to world famous wines and vineyards.
Its wine country surrounds the Metropolitan region of the capital, Santiago, making visits easy.
Many wineries can be visited as day trips from Santiago or there is the option to stay in a winery or hotel in the wine country.
The Colchagua Valley, a 3-hour drive from the city, has become a popular destination with a good offer of hotels in and around the town of Santa Cruz.
There are opportunities for visits to the wineries with tours of the production facilities and tastings. Mountain bike and horse back rides are also an option.
This part of Chile’s is also the heartland of Chiles rural traditions and the Chilean Huaso – cowboy and its traditional dances and music.
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Alexandra and Daniel, Tailor-made Ecuador, Galapagos and Colombia, July 2024 Kat provided us with the most amazing holiday to Ecuador, the Galapagos and Colombia. She planned it to meet every single need and want we expressed as well as more! The time and effort she went to make the trip as smooth and easy was incredible! We felt totally looked after both by her before the trip as well as during the trip with all the guides and timings of everything that she had arranged. We chose Andean trails as they were the most accommodating, organized and efficient in their communication and coming up with an itinerary with matched 100 % with what we wanted. The tour guides/ drivers both in Ecuador and Colombia were exceptional and every tour arranged in all three destinations was perfect. The whole planning of the trip ran without a single flaw. The dream holiday! Thanks so much Kat!
M. Boerman, Galapagos Land-based tour, May 2024 We loved the wildlife - learning about Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands during the planning of this trip did not prepare me for really being able to see so much diversity in the ecosystems. All the locals we interacted with were very welcoming and friendly. The food was fabulous and hotels were beautifully located and well maintained. We chose Andean Trails because I Googled “eco travel to Galapagos Islands” and Andean Trails came up as one with the best reviews. Kat, I know I have said thank you but really THANK YOU, your attention to details and fine tuning of our trip were wonderful! You were a pleasure to work with for so many years and you gave us the best vacation we could have asked for. Like most of our tour guides they can't guarantee what we will see or experience but I think we checked off all our boxes with this vacation. >> Galapagos Land Based Tour 2024