Dirt roads and grandiose landscapes: a road trip around Salta (Argentina)

 I always said that you can go almost anywhere by bus in South America. That’s true. But sometimes that the journey which matters and not so much the destination. This post is not about how to get to Cafayate (from Salta you can hop on a bus which drives on the RN68). This article is about taking the dirt roads, going into exploration mode and letting the real fun starts.
Amazing landscapes, dirty roads and at end wine… what else? For the ones who want to take the time to enjoy the landscapes changing km after km,  here is a 2 to 3 days road trip. Rent a car and get lost in the spectacular colours, canyons and rocks of the National Park Los Cardones and of the Sierra de Carahuasi. Adventure starts where good roads end.

 

road trip Salta Cafayate

On this kind of road trip, the co-pilote should not only know how to read a map, but also how to use a camera!

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Highlights of Ecuador, 2 and 3 weeks itinerary

If you want to discover South America but have only a few weeks in front of you, Ecuador is certainly the destination I will recommend. Andes, coast, amazon rainforest, traditions, colonial history… you can experience in Ecuador most of what South America has to offer, without wasting too much time in transportation (the country is one of the smallest of the continent).

In this article I put together my recommended itineraries for 2 or 3 weeks, both will allow you to discover the country and many of the things it has to offer. You will also get ideas for alternatives and practical information about transportation.

Friendly locals to help you find your way (from Sigchos to Insinlivi)

Friendly locals to help you find your way (from Sigchos to Insinlivi)

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Trekking options in Torres del Paine NP in Chile

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Ice as far as the eye can see, granite towers, turquoise waters, forest, tundra, wildlife and more than 150km of trails: Torres del Paine National Park in southern Chile has everything Patagonia has to offer to explore. With 8 days and 8 nights of adventure  on one of the most beautiful trails of the planet, our South American exploration ended up in apotheosis.

In this article, I tell you all you need to know about this magical place. You will get:

  • an overview of the trekking possibilities in Torres del Paine National Park,
  • some tips to navigate between the different options,
  • a zoom on the “circuit” trek
  • some advices for the hike,
  • all the online resources I used myself to prepare my trek.

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7 months itinerary in South America: a trip of a lifetime

Are you looking to spend several months travelling in South America? This article is for you! In June 2014 we left Europe for a trip of a lifetime, exploring South America. It took us 222 days to go “From the Caribbean to the end of the world“. It was magic.

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Highlights of 6 months in South America

This is always a difficult question: what did you like the most in South America? Impossible to pic one thing but here is a list of few experiences that make it to the “top list”.

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Exploring Salar de Uyuni: the good, the bad and the ugly

Uyuni. If you are planning a trip to South America or simply love travelling, you probably have heard this name before. This small town on the west part of Bolivia is world wide famous for its the salt flats that have its name, the biggest in the world, spreading over more than 10.000 square km (4.000 square miles). For many travellers, it is a bucket list item and a top attraction to visit during their trip to South America. But behind the dream and the attractive pictures the reality can sometimes make you frown or get you scared.
 In this article, I am talking about what you should know before getting on a Salar de Uyuni tour.

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Hiking around El Chalten (Argentina) – a 3 day trek by Fitz Roy

After 22 hours of bus, on a straight road in the middle of flat and boring steppes land, we saw its silhouette in the distance: the famous Fitz Roy chain. Slowly, the silhouette becomes sharper and bigger, until revealing a fantastic mountain range like created from shark tooth, surrounded by a beautiful grey laguna and several glaciers. We arrived to the promised land of El Chalten, self-proclaimed capital of trekking of Argentina.

El Chalten_Fitz Roy

The dream starts at the end of a 22h bus ride.

El Chalten offers plenty of hiking possibilities: you can easily take day hikes but why not going for a mini trek for a more immersive Patagonia experience?

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How much does it cost to travel 7 months in South America

“How much did you spend for the trip in South America?” This is probably the question that we have been asked the most since we came back from South America (ok maybe after “How was it?“). And I know that actually, many more didn’t dare to ask it. But it’s ok to ask. I have been so much under the charm of South America that I am whising everybody to have the opportunity to go and travel on this beautiful continent one day. People usually skip the continent because they think South America is too expensive for a long trip. But is it really?

During our 222 days (more than 7 months) in South America, we tracked our expenses on the road day by day and upon our return I did a proper financial reconciliation to check that our travel budget figures were right. – 🙂 Yes, that’s a professional deformation.

So here you get it all: the full break down of our spendings, cost item by cost item and country by country, figures you can use to plan your RTW trip, a 6 months long trip or even just a nice vacation in South America!

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5 ways to get close to glaciers in Patagonia

 Ever since I watched the fantastic documentary Chasing Ice by James Balog (see the trailer here) I have been fascinated by glaciers. I wanted to get close to them, to touch them, to explore them. In Patagonia, my dreams became true.
The glaciers of Patagonia are among the most accessible in the world. Did you know that the Southern Patagonian ice field is actually the world’s third largest reserve of fresh water? It stretches between Chile and Argentina, over 12.000sqkm. It feeds more than 40 glaciers in the area among them the famous Perito Moreno (El Calafate,  Argentina) but also glaciers Viedma (El Chalten, Argentina) and Grey (NP Torres del Paine, Chile) , all really accessible to the active traveler.
Getting close to glaciers is the number one  on the list of my must do in Patagonia.

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A guide to prepare your visit to the falls of Iguazu

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You can hear them from far, way before you can get a glimpse of them. A constant throb, deafening. More than 1.700 m3/second.  More than 270 falls spread over 2.700m (almost 2 miles) in a semi circular shape. Iguazu Falls are a gigantic nature wonder. At the border of Brazil and Argentina, the falls have everything to get on every traveller’s bucket list. Here are my tips to get the best out of your visit to the cataracts.

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Sao Paulo’s gourmets’ secrets

19 millions inhabitants, 13.000+ restaurants, 15.000 bars. The figures talk for themselves: Sao Paolo is a monster city that can easily intimidate travellers. But it’s an excellent destination that gourmets should not miss during their visit to Brazil.

Thanks to my dear brazilian friend Regina, I discovered a trendy, sophisticated and hipster Sao Paolo that delights even the pickiest gourmets. For those who aren’t lucky enough to have a brazilian friend -get one!-, I am sharing a few local secrets…

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