Category: South America

  • A Cruise at the End of the World

    From September to April, Australis Expedition Cruises’ vessel the Stella Australis cruises between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia. Stella Australis can accommodate 210. Passengers sail in comfort, treated to fine food and expert service, through the Straits of Magellan and the channels and fjords between Tierra del Fuego and the islands that cling to its southern…

  • Tapati festival in chile

    Tapati festival in chile

    or Semana Rapa Nui Held each year in late January/early February, Tapati is organized on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) as a huge competition between groups, many of them families, each of which elects a beauty queen. It begins slowly but builds momentum as the fortnight goes on. Families score points by participating in a wide…

  • 6 Best Colombia National Parks

    6 Best Colombia National Parks

    Colombia has 42 Parques Nacionales Naturales (PNN), as well as numerous other sanctuaries and reserves, spread throughout the country, covering virtually every type of terrain, and comprising more than 20% of the national territory. Although some are very remote and difficult to access, others offer visitors the best chance to get to know the country’s…

  • Best of Argentina

    Best of Argentina

    1 San Telmo The oldest barrio in Buenos Aires, colonial San Telmo is destination number one for an authentic tango experience. But it’s more than antique shops, bustling street fairs, poetic cafés and fish-netted dancers twirling in milongas. Here tourists, artists, vagabonds and business people mingle, strolling the cobbled streets and frequenting the dive bars,…

  • Visiting Machu Picchu, Peru

    Visiting Machu Picchu, Peru

    A visit to Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, is a must for world travelers, and to stay near the ancient site allows you more exploration than most. A whopping 70 percent of visitors see the ruins only as day-trippers, which is a shame because that’s not enough time to experience the magic…

  • Iguazú Falls in Argentina

    Iguazú Falls in Argentina

    Any trip to Argentina should include the Iguazú Falls. They’re the biggest falls in South America – half as high again as Niagara – and a spectacular experience. In all, there are 275 falls stretching over 2.7 km but the main attraction is the Garganta del Diablo (devil’s throat), where walkways take you right above…

  • Best of Ecuador

    Best of Ecuador

    Our round-up of the top things to do and see in Ecuador 1 Colonial Quito and around The capital’s treasure trove of religious art and architecture is the heart of a vibrant city, offering many urban delights. It also provides access to outstanding natural areas nearby, such as Mindo and the cloudforests of Pichincha volcano,…

  • Chile’s Best Treks

    Chile’s Best Treks

    Parque Nacional La Campana Although not one of Chile’s more fashionable national parks, La Campana is a hidden gem. Split by two cerros in the middle of the park, the northern side is sun-baked while the southern side lies in the shade, giving rise to two utterly contrasting ecosystems: a day hike across the park…

  • Scuba Diving in the Galápagos

    Scuba Diving in the Galápagos

    The Galápagos are among the most desirable scuba diving destinations in the world. So what’s the big attraction? Marine Life There is a profusion and variety of animals here that you won’t find anywhere else, and so close up that you won’t mind the low visibility. Not just reef fish, schooling fish and pelagic fish,…

  • Whales of Ecuador

    Whale watching is a major tourist attraction along Ecuador’s coast. A prime site to see these massive mammals is around Isla de la Plata but whales travel the entire length of Ecuador’s shores and well beyond. Between June and September each year, groups of up to 10 individuals of this gregarious species make the 7200-km-long…