The entrance tickets for Machu Picchu are running out more quickly than ever! The relatively new, more controlled ticketing system at the UNESCO world heritage site and world wonder has brought a measure of relative calm to the overall experience, but availability for certain circuits (routes) and times of day has become tricky even months […]
Uruguay – a hidden gem all together! This relatively small country, bordering its much larger neighbors Argentina and Brazil, punches above its weight, with fascinating natural, cultural and culinary offerings for intrepid globetrotters. This lesser visited country has some of the best beaches, wine lodges and colonial towns on the continent, but apparently it’s a secret! Montevideo and Colonia de Sacramento top Colonial Uruguay highlights
Chile, South America’s longest and thinnest country, is best known for Patagonia and the Torres del Paine National Park, Easter Island and its wine. There are a plethora of world-class vineyards in the valleys near its capital city, Santiago, and the fascinating UNESCO world heritage port city of Valparaiso. In addition to its world-famous cable
Colombia is well known for its coffee and sunny Caribbean beaches, with colonial Spanish Cartagena now boasting direct flights from the US. The cloud forests of the country’s coffee zone boast an enviable mild climate, encompassing traditional farms and plantations, not far from the world’s tallest palm trees at Cocora. Both are worth a visit
The Galapagos by land and sea One of our favorite features of the Galapagos Islands is how close we can get to these special creatures. Not only are there animals found nowhere else on the planet, but we can also experience them out in the open, just steps away. As part of Ideal South America’s
Off-the-beaten-path: Hidden Gems in Chile Chile, South America’s longest and thinnest country, is best known for Patagonia and the Torres del Paine National Park, Easter Island and its wine. There are a plethora of world-class vineyards in the valleys near its capital city, Santiago, and the fascinating UNESCO world heritage port city of Valparaiso. In
After an amazing four days in the Peruvian Amazon’s Tambopata National Reserve, a 45 minute flight brought me from Puerto Maldonado to Cuzco – the Incan capital and gateway to Machu Picchu. Although hotel inspections kept me in the city for the night, our passengers usually go straight to the Sacred Valley, to better acclimatize.
