Situated between the balmy Caribbean coast and the soaring Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, you'll almost certainly find yourself passing through Colombia's oldest surviving city during your travels. And while it's far from the prettiest or most exciting destination in and of itself— easy access to the nearby jungle, charming coastal towns, and stunning national parks make Santa Marta the ultimate base for[...]
Situated in the misty foothills of Volcán Tungurahua, the jungle air thick with a palpable, infectious energy as countless cascadas drum out a beat amongst the trees, Baños is THE place to go for outdoor activities in Ecuador. Amazingly, its high adrenaline offerings are every bit as spectacular as the setting. Perfectly blending Baños' lush water-rich scenery with an adventurous DIY excursion through the moun[...]
Said to be the most visited island in the Galápagos, Isla Bartolomé is a barren and small but intensely striking island located just north of Santa Cruz. It's not possible to stay on the island overnight and all visitors must be accompanied by a guide, but even a day tour out to Bartolomé is a guaranteed highlight of your time in the Galápagos, offering colourful volcanic vistas, world-class snorkelling at Pinna[...]
With pristine white-sand beaches, tranquil swimming bays, vibrant reefs, and pumping surf, it's no secret why Rottnest Island has become one of Western Australia's most popular travel destinations. Coupled with the fact that it's one of only a few places in the world where you can see quokkas, the adorable little marsupials that have gained internet fame for smiling in selfies alongside giddy tourists, and that the[...]
Welcome to Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud. Māori people originally used this word to refer to New Zealand's North Island, but it has since come to define the entire country— and it seems a perfectly mystical name for a positively magical place. High alpine peaks and imposing glaciers border dense rainforests and wild beaches, while textured valley, vibrant lakes, and gushing waterfalls cut th[...]
As we prepared for our trip around New Zealand and looked into the seemingly infinite number of incredible hikes on offer, the trek to Mueller Hut was an immediate standout. If the stars aligned and we were lucky enough to have clear skies, we'd be rewarded with unparalleled views of the majestic, snow-capped Mt Cook nearly close enough to touch. I've done this trek twice now, obsessed with the alpine scenery and[...]
When people think of trekking destinations, it's usually the Himalayas or the Alps that immediately spring to mind. Flying somewhat under the radar, the Peruvian Andes attract far fewer hikers but seem to leave every single one with the resounding impression that this is the best trekking on the planet. Imagine 6,000m snow-capped peaks towering in every direction, the world's largest canyon, mountains in e[...]
Once considered the spiritual and political heart of the vast Inca empire, Cusco (meaning "centre of the universe" in Quechua) is still one of the most vibrant and historically significant cities in Latin America. Its close proximity to Machu Picchu and some of the country's best high-altitude trekking have made this enchanting city the centrepiece of nearly every Peru itinerary and cemented its spot on the classic&[...]
After camping at Yaucha Punta last night, I've got some real ground to make up on today's hike, the final leg of an incredible journey through the Cordillera Huayhuash. As sad as I am that it's all coming to an end, the route up and over Cerro Huacrish, Sambuya Punta, and Rondoy Punta is the ultimate conclusion to this epic trip, and arriving back exactly where I started in Quartelhuain 10 days ago is immensely sati[...]
Hoping to get back on schedule after our short day yesterday, we set off from Huayllapa with the plan of climbing steeply to Huatiaq, further to Tapush Punta, down and then back up to Yuacha Punta, and finally descending to Incahuain. The guidebook estimates an 8.5hr walk, so we fully expect 11+ hrs on the trail, including frequent breaks that the 1,600m climb is sure to demand. We don't quite make it as far as inte[...]
Although today's hike is quite short and lacks a lot of the previous day's dramatic scenery, it is incredibly dramatic and memorable in other ways. From our camp at the base of Rasac and its chilly glacier, we descend to Huayllapa, passing waterfalls and the most green vegetation we've seen in days, to find our missing family member and make some amazing local connections that will become a distinct highlight of the[...]
Deviating completely from the traditional Huayhuash Circuit today in favour of a scenic side trip, we spend the day exploring Quebrada Sarapococha and its surreal blue lagunas, all the while surrounded by towering, snow-capped peaks. These are, without a doubt, some of the most spectacular landscapes I've ever seen. As beautiful as the day is, though, it's also fraught with challenges and worrisome circumstances tha[...]
Following a second ascent of Paso San Antonio for sunrise views, today's hike takes us up and over Paso Santa Rosa and down to Laguna Juraucocha for a spectacular wild camp at the base of a glacier. Snow flurries in the early morning blanket the trail in white and greatly complicate the already challenging navigation, but the views we enjoy today are dramatic and completely wild, the unpredictable conditions only ad[...]
Today's hike from Viconga camp, up Punta Cuyoc, and down to Cuyoc camp is surprisingly spectacular, close glacier views dominating the entire walk. Even more spectacular, though, is the challenging side-trip up Paso San Antonio— the highest peaks of the Cordillera Huayhuash tower above ice-blue lakes, and it's genuinely hard to believe that places like this really exist. Trail stats: Viconga to Cuyoc & Paso[...]
Following a physically demanding day on the trail yesterday, we are all relieved to enjoy a relatively short and easy day up and over the Portachuelo de Huayhuash to Viconga camp. The scenery on the gentle climb is absolutely stunning and the promise of hot springs at camp (!!!) is truly the ultimate motivation to hustle forwards. Trail stats: Huayhuash to Viconga Distance: 12.2km Elevation gain: 490m Hi[...]