One cannot travel to Peru without visiting the famous Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. Constructed around 1450, the former royal retreat for the emperor Pachacuti was a symbol of Inca power and influence, as well as an astonishing feat of engineering. The citadel sits on a mountain ridge at an elevation of 2,500m/8,000ft and boasts […]
Ever since I was a kid I’ve been awestruck by mountains. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I grew up in central Illinois, a place devoid even of slight hills, let alone mountains. It also probably didn’t help that my family would travel to beautiful mountain-filled Oregon every few years […]
When I first began researching travel information about Bolivia I came across numerous stories of Americans having a hard time getting a Bolivian visa and crossing the border. I read about people having to present bank statements, copies of credit cards, proof of travel itinerary with proof of hotel reservations for every night in Bolivia, […]
Chile is a land of amazing diversity. In the south, winds blast across the beautiful Patagonian mountains and glaciers, while cold antarctic waters stream into the thousands of fjords along the coast. As you move north, you are greeted by the Aysen region, a rain-soaked area of green loaded with lakes and rivers. Moving north […]
In the far south of Chile lies one of the world’s most beautiful national parks, Torres del Paine. This national park has become famous due to it’s namesake rock towers, “Las Torres” which thrust themselves up from the earth in the center of the park. However, it isn’t just these towers that attract hikers and […]
At a latitude of 54 degrees south, the city of Ushuaia is commonly referred to as the “southernmost city in the world”. Situated on the southern end of Tierra del Fuego, this city is indeed far from civilization. In fact, this Argentinian city is three times closer to Antarctica than the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. […]
My first stop in South America was the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires. Known for being the birthplace of Tango, this lively city didn’t disappoint! My first impression of the city actually came from a lovely elderly lady named Marta who sat next to me on the plane. She was from Buenos Aires and was incredibly […]