From the Atacama Desert in Chile to the Pantanal wetlands in Brazil, our Latin America specialists have travelled far and wide of late. Their mission? To brush up on the destinations they sell – the hot spots and crowd-free corners, the high-end resorts and historic haciendas, the exclusive experiences (kayaking through flooded forests or cruising around the Galapagos Islands on a luxury yacht, anyone?). It’s been tough! Read on for our team’s Latin American highlights...
Colombia
On her latest trip to Colombia, Henrietta spent just over two weeks exploring the country’s most coveted corners. During her trip, she visited the trendy city of Bogota with its colonial-era landmarks and cobblestoned centre; the Coffee Region, where she stayed on the working farm that inspired Disney’s Encanto movie; Cartagena, where she recommends checking out the bustling Mercado Bazurto for everything from exotic fruits to children’s toys; and Tayrona National Park, on the Caribbean Coast, for its winning combination of tropical beaches and azure waters.
Check out a similar trip – Highlights of Colombia
© Matthieu Salvaing
Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands
More recently, Henrietta also returned from an epic two-week research trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos islands. She travelled high into the Andes Highlands, where she stayed on an authentic family-run farm; ventured into Cotopaxi National Park, where she biked around a volcano; and then enjoyed a four-night cruise around the Galapagos Islands aboard a luxurious yacht, where she snorkelled with tropical fish and visited the Charles Darwin Research Station, home to a giant tortoise breeding centre. The most memorable moment of her trip? Swimming with sea turtles, which has left her desperate to learn how to dive.
Read the full story – Henrietta’s Trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos islands
Check out a similar trip – Grand Tour of Ecuador
Chile
Oliver is our Head of Americas and a Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist for Mexico, Colombia and Chile. He has embarked on a number of research trips in the last couple of years, most recently to Chile and Bolivia. Part one of his trip saw him drive a section of the Carretera Austral, also known as Chile’s Southern Highway; hike and bike across the Atacama Desert and trek through Patagonia National Park where he learned about the wonderful work carried out Rewilding Chile, an organisation dedicated to restoring areas ravaged by over-farming. Highlight? Coming face-to-face with a puma outside his lodge room and standing his ground until the big cat slunk off!
Read the full story – Ollie’s Trip to Chile and Bolivia
Check out a similar trip – Summer in Chilean Patagonia
© Alix Pardo
Bolivia
Part two of Oliver’s trip was to Bolivia, where he journeyed to the salt flats of Uyuni in the southwest of the country. It’s the largest salt flat in the world (formed by a prehistoric lake that dried up) and at times the surface is covered in a layer of crystal-clear water which transforms the landscape into a natural mirror – ‘a truly jaw dropping sight’. He also journeyed between a remote chain of luxury lodges, walked among spouting geysers at 16,000ft above sea level, and took part in a local dance – a cheerful, colourful experience, although one he plans to leave to the locals next time.
Read the fully story – Ollie's Trip to Chile and Bolivia
Check out a similar trip – The Ultimate Andean Adventure
© Heiko Meyer/LAIF-REA
Mexico
Moving onto Mexico, Ollie has visited the country many times, often with his wife (who was born there) and children in tow. One of his favourite destinations is the Yucatan Peninsula, where he’s stayed at historic haciendas, swam in cenotes (collapsed sink holes), explored Mayan ruins and feasted on excellent food. Next stop was Baja California, on the country’s north-western tip, where he drove along off-road trails through the mountains; the Pacific Coast where he saw humpback whales breaching while eating his breakfast; and finally Mexico City, where he took part in taco and Mescal tastings in the city’s hip Condesa and Roma neighbourhoods.
Check out a similar trip – Explore the heart of Mexico
© Olivier Romano
Brazil
On his two-and-a-half-week research trip to Brazil, Pat sampled some of the country’s most original experiences. He stayed in a lodge deep in the Amazon jungle, soaked up the history of Salvador, explored the tropical Pantanal wetlands and kayaked through a fantastical flooded forest. The highlight of his trip? A jaguar safari by boat from Porto Jofre. The river itself was beautiful, but following a jaguar as it swam alongside the boat was the icing on the cake. What’s more, if you visit during the dry season, you’re almost guaranteed to spot jaguars.
Read the full story – Pat's trip to Brazil
Check out a similar trip – The Brazilian Amazon & Primal Pantanal
© Ignazio Sciacca/LAIF-REA
Written by: Ella Mawson | Header image © Grant Harder
