Walking kilometers, we have done. Trekking for several days too. Climbing submits, as well. But so far, all our hikes always ended up with a nice meal not cooked by us, and a night in a tent nor carried nor pitched by us. In prevision of our upcoming 9 days of trek in south Patagonia, we decided it was time to take the pluge and do our first trek in autonomy. A recommendation from an outdoor shop sales guy and here we were: on active volcano Villarica close to Pucon, Chile ; ready to conquer the first part of the Villarica traverse with a bit less than 20kg of equipment between us two. What could possibly go wrong?
Tag: Activity
Did you say tango?
Tango: a dance of improvisation, born in the bordels of Buenos Aires at the end of XIXth century. Despised for decades by the sophisticated Argentinian class, it’s in Europe and particularly in Paris that the tango gained its recognition. A century later, travelers from all over the world book a night in Buenos Aires milongas (dance halls) to vibrate with the performances of the best tango dancers in the world.
Mountain biking in the Atacama desert
Biking in the Atacama desert was one of my most highly anticipated adventure of the trip. Picturing majestic canyons, colorful rock formations and gigantic duns of sand, I couldn´t wait to be there. It didn´t disappoint. Get on your bike, this half day self guided tour to Vallee de la Luna at sunset will delight even those who have never done mountain biking before!
A good way to discover Vallee de la Luna on your own
Renting a bike gives you the opportunity to explore the beautiful Valle de la Luna on your own, and cheaper (around CH$4000 to rent the bike) than if you will book a tour or rent a car. Non technical but sometimes a bit tough -steep- with landscapes rewarding the braves at every turn. At the end of the day, you will have biked in the driest desert in the world!
Coroico: when it´s time to unplug
When you spent several days trekking, biking, kayaking or on other active explorations, comes a time to slow down and take a day off. Treating yourself with a couple of nights in a cozy hostel with pool and a great view. is just the perfect way to recover.
Exhausted after our conquest of Huayna Potosi (6088m), we found ourselves taking it easy in the touristic town of Coroico, just 3h of La Paz. The weather is warm and the views splendid, here it´s so simple to indulge yourself in being lazy and regain energy for your next adventures.
In Coroico, Little Big Explorations recommands:
We loved the hostel El Cafetel with its great pool over looking the valley and the Cordillera Real. Located 10min out of town, it´s an oasis of tranquility. The rooms are basic but clean and cozy and the on site resturant serves a delicious breakfast. (Double room with shared bathroom B$100).
Best of all: admiring Huayna Potosi at the sunset (summit on the left)
Joining the 6000 club
People say you can´t describe this feeling. They are right. Few things in the world compete with the sensation of accomplishment of conquering a summit. After 5 intense hours of climbing, on Monday the 7th of October at 6.30am, I conquered Huyana Potosi, 6088m (Bolivia). I am on the top of the world. And I just caught the summit bug.
The salineras of Maras, an other inca heritage site you should visit
There is more than Machu Picchu as Inca ruins you can visit in Peru! Just 40km north of Cusco, in the middle of the Sacred Valley, lies the Salineras de Maras, another demonstration of the Incas’ agricultural and engineering skills. For thousands of years, locals have harvested the salt of a mountain stream via traditionnal evaporation method on 3000 salt pools.
Tip to get a stunning view from Machu Picchu
For almost every traveller to Peru, a visit to the mythic Inca city of Machu Picchu is a must. Are you planning to visit the ruins? Make sure your ticket includes the entrance to Machu Picchu mountain, the little hidden gem of the most popular archeological site of the continent. It´s from there you will get the most spectacular views.
View from Machu Picchu montana: the ruins and on the left Huayna Picchu!
Snorkelling in Galapagos: because you don´t need to dive to see sharks (or sea turtles)
“Did you say sharks?”
I never thought I would ever swim with sharks. I recently took my diving open water certificate, but I didn´t really feel at my ease, so I started to accept that I will never see sharks and other sea turtles in wildlife. So when the sales guy from the agency talked about seeing sharks during a snorkelling session in Galapagos, I was suspicious. Was it one of his sales trick?
A taste of peruvian gastronomy at Mistura food festival, Lima
If you are in Lima this week (5-14 September 2014), you shouldn’t miss Mistura, the biggest food festival of South America! Mistura is the perfect place to try many local specialities -included the famous guinea pig!- on a budget.
Here is what we tried when we visited the fair (I must admit, everything was really tasty!).
Gastronomic peruvian menu:
Ceviche (fresh raw sea food marinated in lemon)
Diving in the Galapagos in 2 min
With clear waters and a large variety of marine species, the Galapagos archipelago is considered as one of the best spots in the world to dive.
Adnan went down to 20m below the surface to check what the buzz was all about. Here is what he saw:
Make it happen: diving in the Galapagos
- Dozens of diving agencies are competing on the Galapagos islands and it might be difficult to make an educated choice. Don´t go too cheap to preserve your security. A day tour with 2 dives cost around $170.
- Choose your spot wisely (the diving school is the best one to advise you depending on your level). Gordon Rock, is one of the most popular diving spots of Galapagos but you need to be experienced (minimum 30 dives).
- Be aware that the Galapagos islands are both cursed and blessed with strong currents, making diving over there challenging for beginners. On the flip side, this means that there is plenty of life under there!