In a remote corner of the northern Peruvian Andes lies Chachapoyas, a region steeped in an ancient culture unlike any other you’ll find in the country. Whether you want to explore unusual and pristine ruins, hike through lush forest to one of the highest waterfalls in the world or climb along cliffs to witness ancient […]
Peru
Chachapoyas: The Complete Traveler’s Guide
Peru’s Choquequirao Trek: The Ultimate Hiking Guide
We’ve all had dreams of the Inca Trail and walking a path so steeped in history and beauty. But the reality is you have to book months in advance and the experience offers very little in the way of real adventure. If the idea of authentic exploration excites you, consider the Choquequirao trek, the best […]
On the Community-Run Coffee Trail in Peru
I hold the coffee beans in my hands, their parchment skin still on, like little tissue paper jackets or the discarded chrysalis of a transformed caterpillar. There is something very fragile about them in this form. I’m told that what I’m holding in my hand has a 73g yield and is worth 6 soles 40 […]
Should You Visit Kuélap in 2018?
I’ll admit to not being a huge follower of travel lists published by the big travel companies (even if I’ve contributed to them over the past few years). Although they can be a great way of highlighting truly fascinating travel destinations that would otherwise get overlooked, they can also help to perpetuate the challenges that […]
Going Far Beyond The Beaten Trail: My Favourite Northern Peru Tours
Stood on top of the 1000-year-old Huaca las Ventanas (Temple of Windows), just 40km from Chiclayo in northern Peru, I feel quite the thrill. Aside from my guides, I am alone. Every way I turn, views of other pyramids, weathered by the years, are visible from our vantage point in the middle of the Santuario […]
Two Months Backpacking in Peru: A World Away from Cusco
When anyone ever asks me which are my favourite countries that I’ve lived in during my three years in South America, my response has always been the same: Bolivia and Chile. The former for its seeming limitless wells of indigenous culture, coupled with a certain bat-shit craziness that just really appeals. The latter for its […]
12 of the Best Books About South America to Add to Your Reading List
There’s no better way for preparing for a trip abroad (or merely satisfying your worldly curiosity) than with a good list of reading material. Over the past three years, I’ve had my nose in a healthy selection of books set in South America, both fiction and non-fiction to help me get to grips with life, […]
How To Visit Machu Picchu On A Budget Of Only $100
*This is a guest post written by my wonderful mum from her visit to Machu Picchu! You can also read her other article on the site about the world’s best places to watch the sunrise!* So, you’ve just arrived in Cusco and are all fired up to visit Machu Picchu. There are a variety of […]
The Ultimate Guide to Volunteering in South America
Volunteering in South America is a life-changing way of travelling and can help you see a completely different side to the continent, all while making a tangible difference. But with 12 countries to choose from, a surprising eight different official languages and environments ranging from jungle to mountain and desert, it can be difficult to decide […]
Is It Ever Safe to Hitchhike in South America?
For some, hitchhiking is a way of travelling that changes perspectives, allowing you to meet local people and really get underneath the skin of a new country; for others, it’s a dangerous, irresponsible act that they’d never, ever do. It follows that there’s little agreement about whether it is safe to hitchhike in South America. Speak […]
6 Indispensible Tips for Safe Hitchhiking in South America
I’ve done my fair share of hitchhiking in South America. I’ve ridden on the backs of trucks in Peru and Bolivia, thumbed a lift along Chilean Patagonia’s most famous road, the Carretera Austral and even used it to get me out of a sticky situation in the remote Bolivian pampas. I’ve hitchhiked with friends – both […]
Why I’d Rather Be Sandboarding in Huacachina
This is a guest post from my friend Heather from Free-Spirited Foreigner about her experiences of grabbing her fears by the ankles and sliding down an epic mountain of sand on her stomach when sandboarding in Huacachina. Check out her other adventures around South America and the world on her blog, The Free-Spirited Foreigner. The calmness of […]
