Visiting Lagunas Miscanti and Miñiques in the Atacama Desert: Everything You Need to Know
The Atacama Desert is one of the most popular destinations in Chile—and for good reason! This beautiful region—which has lots of impressive titles, like the driest non-polar desert and one of the oldest deserts on the planet—has a lot of incredible places to explore, including Lagunas Miscanti and Miñiques. These lakes are renowned for their natural beauty, thanks to their dark blue waters and the neighboring volcanoes, and, more importantly, the abundant wildlife that hangs out on its shores. If you want to add these lakes to your Atacama Desert itinerary, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Lagunas Miscanti and Miñiques, including how to get there and some tips to make the most of your visit.
Piedras Rojas near San Pedro de Atacama, Chile: Everything You Need to Know
San Pedro de Atacama is largely considered the basecamp to explore the beautiful Atacama Desert of Chile, which is bursting at the seams with colorful geysers, hot springs, and mountains. One of the most popular things to do here is to visit Piedras Rojas, a series of rounded red stones along the base of a salt lagoon and surrounded by snow-capped mountains. If you want to explore Piedras Rojas from San Pedro de Atacama, here’s everything you need to know about planning your visit, from how to get there to how to dress (it’s probably not what you’d expect!).
17 Incredible Things to do in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
If you’re exploring Chile, the otherworldly Atacama Desert is probably at the top of your bucket list. The best place to base yourself to explore the world’s driest non-polar desert, which sprawls over 40,000 square miles in northern Chile, is the small town of San Pedro de Atacama. Given Atacama’s massive footprint, it can be hard to know exactly how to spend your time exploring this vast and mysterious place. My husband, Justin, and I spent over a week exploring the driest non-polar desert and discovered all of the best things to do in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile.
Visiting Copacabana, Bolivia: Everything You Need to Know
If you’re traveling through Peru and Bolivia, there’s a good chance you’ll be stopping in Copacabana, Bolivia, a small town on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the largest navigable lake in South America. This sleepy, little town has a lot of charm—but what’s there to do and see here? My husband, Justin, and I spent a week in Copacabana, Bolivia and are breaking down everything you need to know to enjoy your time here.
Visiting the Uros Islands in Puno, Peru: Is it worth it?
The Uros islands are quite interesting, with their location near Puno, Peru in the waters of Lake Titicaca, the largest navigable lake in South America. But the islands' uniqueness goes far beyond its location in this iconic lake—they’re actually manmade and constructed from Totora reeds, a vegetation found throughout this part of South America. You can actually visit these islands—and the hundreds of residents who still inhabit them—while visiting the city of Puno. But what do these visits consist of—and is it worth it? My husband, Justin, and I recently visited the Uros islands in Peru and can tell you exactly what you’ll experience on the tour, as well as whether they’re worth a spot on your Peru itinerary.
20 Incredible Things to do in Cusco, Peru
If you’re headed to Peru, it’s likely that you’re going to hit one city—Cusco. This city once served as the capital of the Inca empire and now acts as the gateway to Machu Picchu, the iconic Inca ruins that have been named one of the Seven Wonders of the World. While most travelers base themselves in Cusco to visit Machu Picchu and the surrounding Sacred Valley, there’s tons to see and explore in this beautiful colonial city itself. So if you’re looking to dive in and experience this incredible city, here are 20 awesome things to do in Cusco.
How to Get to Machu Picchu from Cusco, Peru
Machu Picchu is one of the best preserved Incan ruin sites on the planet AND is one of the Seven Wonders of the World! So, it’s no surprise that this is the most popular attraction in Peru, with a whopping 1.5 MILLION visitors per year. And, yet, it’s actually not straightforward to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco, the city that serves as the main springboard for most people exploring the Sacred Valley and other Incan sites in the surrounding area. In fact, it actually generally involves at least three modes of transportation! Sounds confusing? It is! But we’ve broken down in this article exactly how to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco, so you can experience this Wonder of the World all for yourself.
Two week Patagonia Itinerary (with Ideas if You Have More or Less Time!)
Patagonia is one of the most magical places I’ve ever visited—rugged mountains, abundant wildlife, and some of the most spectacularly colored lakes on the planet. But it’s also HUGE—encompassing the southern tip of both Argentina and Chile, Patagonia stretches for over 730,000 square miles! So, if you don’t have YEARS to explore this massive area, it can be hard to know where—and how—you should spend your limited time here. But not to fear! After exploring this special part of the planet for over two months, I’ve put together the perfect two week Patagonia itinerary—with lots of ideas on how to tailor your trip if you have more or less time here.
The ULTIMATE Two Week Colombia itinerary
The country of Colombia is known for its warm people, beautiful beaches, and vibrant culture—and with over 440,000 square miles of the country to explore, there’s a LOT of adventures you can get up to. So, if you’ve only got a short period of time to explore Colombia, it can be hard to figure out exactly where to spend your time—and what to do—in this incredible country. My husband, Justin, and I recently spent a month exploring every corner of the Gateway to South America and have put together the perfect Colombia itinerary if you have two weeks (and recommendations if you have even less time!) here.
Visiting Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay from Buenos Aires, Argentina: Everything You Need to Know
If you’re visiting Buenos Aires for a few days, you might be considering heading across the Rio de la Plata to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay—I mean, who doesn’t like visiting a UNESCO World Heritage Site, plus getting a new passport stamp? During my husband, Justin’s and my recent month-long stay in Buenos Aires, we did just that—and are breaking down everything you need to know about visiting Colonia del Sacramento from Buenos Aires, including how to get there and what to do.