What if we told you that there is a hidden gem in the Sierra Nevada Mountains where rest and relaxation go hand in hand? That you can listen to the running waterfalls all day and your alarm clock is a fresh breeze humming outside your big screen windows which overlook the mountains? Welcome to the Reserva Natural Tierra Adentro in Minca, Colombia!
Read MoreThe town of Salento is located at the heart of the Eje Cafetero in the department of Quindio, Colombia. Don’t let the size of this town fool you, although small, there is plenty to do here to keep you busy for a few days. If you have the time, Salento is not to be missed. You will be able to see a very different Colombia from the busy cities or the Caribbean coastline.
Read MoreSalento is a small town located in the heart of the Colombian Coffee Region. This small town is packed with colorful buildings, charming streets and cute cafes everywhere you turn. During the weekend you will find the town very lively with lots of people and lots of music. One of the main reasons why you are probably in Salento is to visit the famous Cócora Valley! A green lush valley as far as the eye can see.
Read MoreThe time has arrived… we are packing our bags and leaving Ecuador to head over to Colombia! Colombia was one of our top destinations that we wanted to visit when we started planning our world trip. Our route has changed several times and now we find ourselves in Otavalo, Ecuador. Great! But how do we get to Colombia from here? No worries, we have completed this trip and it was really a breeze. It was actually one of the easiest border crossings we have ever done in our 22 months of travel!
Read MoreToday we woke up to hundreds of birds chirping away in the middle of the Andean Cloud Forest. We got up from our bed and walked out to the terrace to enjoy the views... nothing but lush and green as far as our eyes could see. We jumped in the hammock, sat back and enjoyed the wild noises of the Mindo Cloud Forest.
Read MoreQuito was among the first World Cultural Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO in 1978. As soon as you arrive into Quito you will notice the hustle and bustle. Quito is a large city which offers many accommodations for all types of budgets. Before we arrived to Quito we knew we wanted to stay near the Centro Histórico.
Read MoreAs we continued our travels around Peru, many travelers spoke about visiting Huacachina. The name sounded funny and interesting so we decided to do some research about this spot. Oh my… I was sold as soon as I saw the first picture on Google. This place looked unreal. As we continued doing our research we found out that it is located only 5 hours from Lima and easily accessible by bus. So guess what… we were going to Huacachina!
Read MoreRainbow Mountain is a top must-do when visiting Cusco. This famous “Montaña de Siete Colores”, officially known as Vinicunca is unreal! Being able to see a mountain full of different colors in the Andes is incredible. Although the way it was discovered is not a fun story to tell. The Vinicunca mountain was once covered by snow. Due to climate change, the snow has all melted unveiling the beauty of Rainbow Mountain.
Read MoreCan I tell you a secret... but you have to promise and TELL EVERYONE! We’ve discovered the best kept secret in Ecuador…the beautiful Secret Garden Cotopaxi! I don’t even know how to put this experience in words...it’s like a retreat. Picture this...waking up to a gorgeous snow capped volcano right in front of your eyes.
Read MoreThe first time I heard about Baños one thing came to my mind… why are we going to a bathroom? (Baños in Spanish translates to bathrooms) I am not going to lie, but I laughed and joked around with the name a couple of times. I soon realized people were speaking about Baños, Ecuador.
Read MoreOnce we arrived in Ecuador, everyone we met immediately told us the Quilotoa trek was not to be missed! We’ve heard Quilotoa is a dormant volcano with a beautiful turquoise lagoon in the crater. We knew we wanted to visit, but we were not interested in doing a day visit to Quilotoa or pay for an expensive tour. We were told you can do a multiple day trek to Quilotoa on your own and visit a few villages along the way. This was exactly the type of experience we were looking for!
Read MoreOnce we determined we were going to Baños, we knew we were ready for some fun filled adrenaline adventures. As soon as you arrive into town, you notice the hundreds of agencies competing for your business. In reality, it can be a daunting task trying to figure out which agency to use and make sure you get a good level of service.
Read MoreAnother of our favorite activities in Baños was waterfall chasing! Although we didn’t jump in (the ones we visited were not swimmable), we did have a fun day discovering them. If you are in Baños, we highly recommend doing the famous “Ruta de las Cascadas” on a bicycle. This is really fun and allows you to go at your own pace and admire them. The best part…you avoid all the tourists on the Chivas!
Read MoreAs everything goes with Peru, we decided to keep exploring the outdoors. Our next stop in our travels was Huaraz, Peru. We heard about this town from our good friend and decided to check it for ourselves. Once we arrived, we didn’t see many people in town. We arrived in the middle of the day and later found out that everyone is outdoors doing activities and then return to Huaraz in the afternoon. Yes.. everything you want to visit will require you to hit the outdoors and work for it.
Read MoreVisiting the islands on Lake Titicaca is the main reason people visit Puno. Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable body of water sitting at an altitude of 3,812 meters (12,507ft). The islands and landscape around Lake Titicaca are beautiful and one of the main reasons it attracts many visitors.
Read MoreIf you have extra time in Cusco, a day trip to Moray and the Salineras de Maras is a good option. This trip will help get you acclimated to the altitude if you plan on climbing Rainbow Mountain or Laguna Humantay. The trip can be combined with the Sacred Valley tour or you can do it completely separate. If you chose to combine it with the Sacred Valley tour you will have less time in Moray and the Salineras, but if you are short on time this will work for you. Be prepared for some awesome views at Moray and the white wonderland of the Salineras!
Read MoreIt’s our first time in Peru and we couldn’t be more excited! We flew into Lima from Mexico City and immediately took a flight straight into Cusco. If you’ve got time, people usually recommend the normal backpacker route by bus to get your body acclimated to high altitude, since Cusco is 3,399 meters (11,152 ft) above sea level. Although we will say we got lucky with the altitude and didn’t feel it as much as others...I guess I’d have to thank the Mate De Coca or Te de Coca to be honest!
Read MoreAs soon as we arrived to Cusco we knew one thing… we were going to visit Laguna Humantay. Laguna Humantay is located in middle of the mountains and surrounded by an incredible valley and landscape. This lake sits at 4,200 meters (13,779 feet) and it is surrounded by snow capped mountains. If you have the time, make sure to plan a visit to this gorgeous lake. Here you will find everything you need to know to be prepared for your visit.
Read MoreYou’ve got your ticket booked to Peru and Machu Picchu is on your to do list, but where to start? So much to research..so much to prepare for?! Ahhh! That’s exactly how we felt, lucky for you we’ve got you covered. Here are some important things to know before you get ready for a trip of a lifetime!
Read MoreIf you are planning a trip to Peru, chances are that Machu Picchu is the main reason. Thousands of people flock to Peru to get a chance to visit the breathtaking Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. Now that you decided to visit this wonder of the world, you may ask yourself “How do I get to Machu Picchu”?
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