INSPIRATION & EXPERT ADVICE FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS
All it takes is a day trip from Buenos Aires to Uruguay to be charmed by Colonia del Sacramento, one of Uruguay’s original towns. With cobblestone streets, plenty of colonial-era architecture, a riverside location, and an interesting history of Portuguese and Spanish influences, a day trip to Colonia del Sacramento is easily enjoyed. Here’s everything...
There are plenty of parks in the Palermo neighbourhood of Buenos Aires but one of the most beautiful and tranquil spaces is the Buenos Aires Japanese Garden (Jardín Japonés de Buenos Aires). Nestled in a corner of the Bosques de Palermo (Palermo Woods), this pretty piece of Japan brings many of the best elements of...
I’ve always thought of Patagonia as the quintessential destination for adventure travel. With wild, windswept landscapes of rocky mountains, sprawling ice sheets, turquoise lakes, and vast treeless plains, there’s an endless amount of far-flung places to explore. Visiting Patagonia had long been a dream of mine, and as a lover of nature and remote locations,...
Buenos Aires is a big, sprawling city and one of the best ways to see much of what it has to offer is by going on a bike tour. During our Buenos Aires bike tour we got to actively explore the city, visiting important historic sites, noteworthy monuments, and interesting neighbourhoods, all while learning about...
I’m always in awe of glaciers, so it’s no surprise that our day trip from El Calafate to Perito Moreno Glacier was a highlight of our trip to Argentina. Perito Moreno Glacier is just one of several glaciers in Los Glaciares National Park, but it’s one of the most impressive and accessible, making it a...
El Chaltén, Argentina has so many fantastic hiking routes but there’s one trail that stands out above the rest- Sendero al Fitz Roy, the trail to Mount Fitz Roy and Laguna de los Tres. From start to finish, the Mount Fitz Roy hike is packed with incredible scenery. There are wide-ranging river valley views, mountain...
Tierra del Fuego National Park (Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego) is the southernmost national park in Argentina and one of the top attractions near Ushuaia, the world’s most southern city. The park is known for its coastal scenery, subantarctic forest, and having the southern terminus of the Pan-American Highway within its boundaries. We had a...
Torres del Paine National Park, in Chilean Patagonia, is an incredible destination for day hiking and overnight treks. One of the park’s most famous routes is the W Trek, a 4-5 day hike that visits three stunning valleys with overnight stays in refugios or campsites. If a multi-day backpacking trip doesn’t appeal to you, the...
Torres del Paine National Park is known for its impressive glaciers and beautiful lakes, and one of the best ways to experience both is by hiking to Grey Glacier (Glaciar Grey) at the end of Lago Grey. As the biggest and most spectacular glacier in Torres del Paine, Grey Glacier is not to be missed....
The hike to the French Valley in Torres del Paine National Park is a scenic route that takes in plenty of quintessential Patagonia scenery, from glacier-fed turquoise lakes to distinctive mountain peaks. Valle del Frances, as it’s known locally, is home to the French Glacier (Glaciar Frances) and several points for admiring Cerro Paine Grande,...
Torres del Paine National Park, in Chilean Patagonia, is known for its spectacular hiking trails, but the most iconic hike is to Mirador las Torres, a lookout at the base of the park’s three distinctive granite peaks. Known as Torres del Paine, or the “blue towers”, these rocky peaks overlook a dazzling turquoise lake nestled...
Nearing the end of our 3 week trip to South America we spent some time in Lima, a city that didn’t really impress us apart from one (literal) bright spot- the Magic Water Circuit. With 13 fountains, the Magic Water Circuit in Lima has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the...
As the first stop on our 3 week trip to South America, Cusco was an introduction to the Inca history and Quechua culture that make Peru such a fascinating destination for travellers. In Cusco’s historic centre we discovered a city quite literally built on Inca foundations. Spanish colonial cathedrals and churches stand over Inca temples,...
Cusco is the point of arrival for people wanting to visit Machu Picchu, the most famous Inca ruin in Peru, but there are many fantastic, lesser known ruins near Cusco that are also worth exploring. As one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in South America, and capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco is rich...
The uphill walk from central Cusco to Sacsayhuaman was slow going, since our bodies hadn’t adjusted to the high altitude yet, but the excitement of seeing our first Inca ruin kept us motivated to push on. In between frequent breaks and gasps for air, I hoped that the effort would be worthwhile and Sacsayhuaman would...
The Urubamba Valley is not simply an area to travel through en route from Cusco to Machu Picchu, it’s a destination in its own right. Known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas, this scenic expanse of land is packed with archaeological sites, small villages, colourful markets and weaving communities. If an adrenaline rush is more your style, you’ll find...
When I was researching possible destinations to visit in Bolivia, I stumbled across Sucre. Over and over again I read how Sucre was “The Most Beautiful City in Bolivia”. Intrigued, I did a quick image search on Google and was instantly sold on visiting once I saw the photos that showed up. White washed colonial...
As we wandered through the colourful markets of Pisac, all I could think about was visiting the Pisac ruins. “No more shopping,” I urged Mike, “let’s get to the ruins!” I was eager to see this spectacular site, known for its steep hillside of agricultural terraces. The Pisac ruins were the only archaeological site in...
On our last day in Cusco we drove part of the Andean Baroque Route, a scenic road in the South Valley known for its four churches of the Andean Baroque artistic movement. We visited only one, San Pedro Apostol de Andahuaylillas, about 40 kms from Cusco. San Pedro Apostol may not look very grand from...
Take a name like Moon Valley, combine it with a penchant for unique landscapes, and you can bet I was intrigued to visit Valle de la Luna in La Paz, Bolivia. In a city surrounded by dramatic terrain, Moon Valley is a showpiece of the region. Tall, tan-coloured pinnacles rise up from the eroded hillside,...
We are Rhonda and Mike, a Canadian couple who make it a priority to travel every chance we get!
We describe our travel style as "laid back luxe" and enjoy a mix of outdoor adventures and historic sites.
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