For long term travel in South America, I can stress enough how helpful it will be to know at least a little bit of the language before you go. On the whole, the locals speak little or no English – even in big cities and popular tourist destinations – and …
For those of us that maybe aren’t quite fit enough to take on the most popular of the treks to Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail, or who simply didn’t book it early enough (the trek is now so popular that you need to book at least five months in advance), …
Mama Waldy, Getsemani, Cartagena (Colombia) First the good news: the hostel is conveniently located in the heart of Getsemani, a cool area of Cartagena that is undergoing constant restoration, where you can meet many locals and other fellow travellers. This is about the only positive thing I can think of …
Hi Patagonia – Puerto Madryn, Argentina – By Claudia Tavani I can easily say this is the place that changed my life, for the best. I had read good things about this hostel before arriving, but nothing prepared me for such a fantastic time. I arrived after a long day of travelling, …
America del Sur – Buenos Aires and El Calafate, Argentina – By Claudia Tavani America del Sur hostels are, possibly, the best ones I have ever been in South America. There are two: one located in the San Telmo area of Buenos Aires, and one in El Calafate, in the Patagonia …
Hiking the Inca Trail was something I’d wanted to do since I was a kid. Now that I’ve actually hiked and camped one of the best trails in the world, I can safely say it was one of my top five travel highlights ever. Before I left the UK, I …
Looking for the best things to do in the Amazon? While you’re in South America, a trip to the rainforest is an absolute MUST! With an area of six million square kilometres (1.4 billion acres), the Amazon rainforest spans nine countries and takes up about one third of South America. …
For better or worse, one of the most popular activities among backpackers in South America is drinking. With Irish bars and traveller dives springing up across the continent, it seems impossible to avoid. But instead of paying extra for imported beer at the hostel bar, why not drink like a local and get to …
One of the biggest pieces of advice I can offer to anyone headed to South America is to learn at least a bit of the language before you go. Don’t under estimate how helpful this can be. While other popular traveller destinations, like Asia and Europe, tend to spoil us …
If you’re heading to more than one South American country, you may need more than one travel adaptor as each country is different. There’s a full list below of the exact requirements for each country, but if you’re travelling throughout the continent I recommend the fantastic World Wide Travel Adaptor. It’s …
There are plenty of articles out there about the best foods and meals in South American countries, but what about the drinks? Of course, you have to try the fruit juices and smoothies, the coffee, the wine, the pisco… but don’t miss some of these popular soft drinks as well! Inca Kola …
Most people travelling overland from Colombia will probably take the very long-winded bus route into Ecuador, and travel into Peru from there. But for those looking for something a bit more adventurous, or who simply want to head straight into Peru, there is another option. It is possible to sail from …
