Lima, Peru is a city that has a lot to offer but doesn’t always make a good first impression due to the cloak of chilly fog it wears for months of the year. Not to mention the press of nine million residents in the capital city. However, it is rich in history and there is …
Three weeks isn’t much time to sample such vast countries as Argentina and Chile, but within the huge scale, a hop from Buenos Aires to Santiago looked reasonable. Iguazu Falls to the north and Bariloche to the south created a jagged route from east to west. This allowed us to sample enough to know we …
After a few days dodging protests and pickpockets in Santiago, it was a relief to land in the peaceful township of Bariloche, Argentina. I hoped that a week exploring the Lake District of Northern Patagonia around Bariloche, Argentina would be enough, but after a quick look at potential hiking trails, I knew I’d be wanting …
Iguazu Falls, the largest waterfall system in the world, are nothing short of spectacular. It’s a place that, no matter how many photos or videos you see, is stunning in person when you can hear the roar and experience the mist on your face. If you’re in Argentina or Brazil, don’t miss Iguazu Falls, even …
Peru has an abundance of cultural riches, starting with the crown jewel of the Inca empire, Machu Picchu. Add Cusco, the historic capital of the Incas, the blue waters of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable body in the world, and the vast Amazon jungle and it’s no wonder that Peru’s treasures of the forgotten north …
Day 4 of backpacking the Santa Cruz Trail in the Cordillera Blanca dawned with welcome sun to help us dry out. For more information on planning a backpacking trip on the Santa Cruz Trail, see other articles listed at the end. In the morning the group who had camped near us was up and out …
We were on our 3rd day of backpacking the Santa Cruz Trail in the Cordillera Blanca, a mountain range in Peru, and were ready to tackle the Punta Union, the highest point on the trail. My husband and I were hiking independently but had camped in a designated campsite near a guided group. For more …
We had completed our first day of backpacking the Santa Cruz Trail in the Cordillera Blanca, a mountain range in Peru, and were ready to tackle the second day. My husband and I were hiking independently but had camped in a designated campsite near a guided group. To see how we planned for our independent …
Located in the Cordillera Blanca, the spine of the Peruvian Andes closest to the coast, the Santa Cruz trail cuts through the Quebrada Santa Cruz Valley in Huascaran National Park. Snow-covered peaks, hanging glaciers, gushing waterfalls, aquamarine lakes and fascinating sub-tropical flora all await discovery. After acclimating to the altitude in Huaraz, located at 10,000 feet, …
I had trouble finding detailed information about how to hike the 31 mile (50 km), four-day Santa Cruz Trail in Peru. For being such a popular trail, planning a backpacking trip on the Santa Cruz Trail was difficult. Most people do it as a guided hike, but the track is well signed, and backpackers with …