South America

October 2 2024

Road trip to northern Brazil - the most beautiful beaches in South America 🏝

baacon Backpacking, South America, Travel Brasil, travel

Big City bustle in Rio de Janeiro 🏙

Before we headed to the north coast of Brazil, we spent a week in Rio de Janeiro. From the start, I had high expectations of this city, and they were not disappointed, as there is just so much to experience here, and so many different cultures coming together in one place. We could have easily spent two more weeks in Rio without getting bored. Our highlights included the Museum of Tomorrow, the hike from Praia Vermelha to Sugarloaf, and of course, the incredible view from Christ the Redeemer. Additionally, you should definitely try a typical Caipirinha at Copacabana or Ipanema Beach - starting at 1.50 €, you can enjoy a first-class Caipi that is rarely served in Europe, with the option of passion fruit, strawberries... 😉

At the wrong time, in the wrong place

From Rio, we continued our journey by plane to Fortaleza, where we arrived in the middle of the night. Luckily, it is easy to book an Uber anywhere in South America, because Fortaleza is one of the most dangerous cities in South America, and you don't want to walk through the streets at night with all your luggage. The next day, we found out that it would have been smarter to go directly to Cumbuco by Uber instead of staying a night in Fortaleza, because Cumbuco was our actual destination for the first week. This small village, located only 30 minutes away from Fortaleza, is well-known among kite and windsurfers. Throughout the year, there is always an excellent wind for these activities, and the entire north coast is well-visited by surfers. However, there is only one month in a year where there is no wind, and that happened to be the month we were there! 😀 So, there wasn't much kiteboarding for us, and I only managed to get on the water with a huge 14-meter kite for one afternoon. The whole town was deserted, so we had to focus on work, swim in the sea, and sip cocktails in the whirlpool in the evenings.

The only tourists around

Since we still wanted to explore the north coast despite the bad wind conditions, we rented a small VW Polo in Fortaleza for less than 10 € per day and drove along the coast to Jericoacoara - one of the most famous holiday resorts in Brazil. Along the way, we passed many beautiful beaches that were deserted because even the locals don't vacation here during the rainy season. However, the off-season should never stop you from traveling, as it offers many advantages, such as cheaper prices and empty beaches.

Stress test for our Polo

Just before Jericoacoara, we were surprised when we were stopped several times on the road by supposed tourist guides who wanted to "escort" us safely to Jeri. We found out why shortly after: there is no proper road to Jericoacoara, only an unpaved path along the beach. During the rainy season, there are often floods, so you sometimes have to cross pretty deep puddles. After a quick check on the internet, we weren't deterred and tried to reach Jeri through the sand dunes in the dark. Luckily, we had a local woman in front of us who knew the way well and checked the small streams and puddles in front of us for depth. Some were easily 30 cm deep. However, our Polo held up, and after about 45 minutes of off-road driving, we reached the place where we had to park our car by the roadside, as only residents are allowed to use their cars here.

Jericoacoara reminds me a bit of the Gili Islands in Indonesia, as it is quite quiet due to the ban on cars and has its own unique vibe. Additionally, the beach of Jericoacoara is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen – it is definitely the shallowest beach I know, and you can walk infinitely far into the water. The water temperature is almost like the Indian Ocean, so you can stay in the water for a long time without getting cold. Over the next few days, we spent our time with extensive beach and dune walks, and we explored the wildlife between the stones on the cliffs.

From Jeri, we went to the small village of Tatajuba, which is about 20km away as the crow flies. We were on the road for a total of 2 hours with our Polo, as we encountered the same problem as on our way to Jericoacoara: the incredible amount of water during the rainy season. To avoid most of it, we roughly circumvented the flooded area. After we had managed the familiar sandy road, we drove 50 km along the highway in pouring rain, dodging holes every 100 meters where children and sometimes adults can hide. 😀 Then we continued through the hinterland, where the rain made things pretty tough for us. After an hour of constant rain, we could no longer see the sandy road, and we were basically driving in a big river. Fortunately, our Polo survived this too, and we reached Tatajuba without any problems, which was even emptier than all the other places we had been to so far. In our entire five days here, we saw only one other tourist – so it couldn't be any more peaceful! 😀 Nevertheless, we didn't get bored because we had a lot to do, found interesting animals in the hotel, and were entertained with beach tennis. Janet also had the opportunity to take a few lessons in the nearby kite school, and on the last day, I was lucky enough to get back on the water, even if it was only for two hours. 🏄‍♂️ 🏄‍♂️

From Tatajuba, we drove all the way back to Fortaleza with two short stops. In Fortaleza, we spent the last week on the north coast, worked a lot again, and explored the dreamy beaches that can be found here as well. In addition, there is a huge shopping mall in almost every district of Fortaleza, so it never gets boring. From Fortaleza, we will fly back to Rio, where we will finally experience Carnival – what a thrill we have! 😀

September 13 2024

The Costa Verde – My Highlight of Brazil 🇧🇷

baacon Backpacking, South America, Travel Brasil, travel

From carnival bustle to paradise 🏝

After the carnival in Rio was an incredible experience for us, we had another exciting week ahead: we embarked on a rental car tour along the beautiful Costa Verde (from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo), organized by Gateway Brazil. Before we set off with our own rental car, however, our tour started a little more relaxed for the first few days - we were driven! Our driver picked us up at our hotel in the morning and drove us to Angra dos Reis, about 3 hours away from Rio. From there, we took a small boat to Ilha Grande - a dreamlike island with crystal-clear water and Caribbean-looking beaches. The Ilha Grande had already been on our minds before our trip to Brazil, as we had been recommended this island by many people - and it quickly became clear why. Here you find this very special "island vibe", great people, and an incredibly beautiful nature! 😍🍀

When we arrived on the first day, we walked 5 minutes along the beach to our hotel and were initially thrilled with the view from our balcony - we could look directly into the beautiful bay of Abraão from our room. Then we explored the town, which is the largest on Ilha Grande, on foot because there are no cars on Ilha Grande! We ended the evening in one of the many small restaurants. 😊

The Lopez Mendez Beach - one of the most beautiful beaches in the world! 🏝

The next day, we had a hike planned - we wanted to see the Lopez Mendez Beach, which is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil and even the world! But first, we walked for nearly 3 hours through the rich jungle and saw many different animals, including giant worms (easily 30 cm long!), lemurs, large iguanas... We also passed by other beautiful beaches, all of which reminded us of the Caribbean. 🌴🥥

Finally, we reached Lopez Mendez Beach and it earned its title - the beach is infinitely long and the yellow sandy beach forms an incredible contrast to the turquoise blue water. Another bay away is another beach: Santo Antonio Beach, which is also beautiful and especially deserted! We took the taxi boat back, which takes you home in just 15 minutes. We also had a fantastic sunset! 🚤🌅

Swimming with giant fish and turtles 🐠🐢

Our last day on Ilha Grande was coming up and we had something special planned - we took the "Meia Volta" snorkeling tour with stops at a total of 5 different beaches and bays. We set off with the speedboat and at each of the beaches, we had the opportunity to explore the underwater world with the snorkel set, which I did at every single beach! 😂

I just love snorkeling and diving because there is nothing more calming for me than watching the underwater creatures in their activities and "drifting" among them. But we didn't just see many colorful fish, we also saw two turtles. With one, I was able to glide side by side through the water for several minutes, which was an incredibly beautiful feeling! I also saw two giant fish, about a meter long, but unfortunately, I still don't know what kind of fish they were. 🙈

Off to Paraty - a city entirely in colonial style! 🏠

Unfortunately, we had to leave Ilha Grande the next day - it was an incredibly beautiful few days, and it won't be the last time we're here! We also had a very nice hotel, right by the beach, with a delicious breakfast. On this tour, Gateway Brazil provided all the organization, including rental cars, hotels, schedules... so we didn't have to worry about anything and could finally concentrate exclusively on our trip and experiences. Back in Angra dos Reis, we got our rental car - a brand new Chevrolet sedan with automatic transmission. With this, we drove a relaxed two hours to Paraty - our stop for the next two days.

Paraty has a unique touch, as the entire old town is in a colonial style, which is especially colorful! Our beautiful hotel was also in this style and in the best location. We had a very nice suite and were even greeted with a handwritten, GERMAN card, including handmade chocolates from Paraty. However, a special highlight for us was breakfast at the hotel, as we could choose from a large selection of dishes the night before, and breakfast was super delicious. During our time here, we extensively explored the old town, which not only has beautiful houses but also many small boutiques, cute cafes, and really great bars and restaurants. 😊

Exploring the Atlantic rainforest 🎋

On the way to our next hotel (near São Sebastião), we visited several waterfalls and saw the old town of São Sebastião, which, like Paraty, was built in a colonial style and also offers many colorful colors. Our next hotel was in a fantastic location right on the beautiful beach of Maresias and offered not only the beautiful location but also a very nice pool and delicious cocktails. In addition, we had another wonderful breakfast the next morning with a large selection, such as a sandwich with smoked salmon and avocado or freshly baked tarts. 😍🥞 In general, the entire tour with Gateway Brazil offered beautiful hotels in perfect locations.

Ending the tour luxuriously 💎

The next day, we continued. However, we didn't have to drive many kilometers as our next stop was only about half an hour away. On the way, we took another little detour into the rainforest and hiked to the waterfalls Cachoeira Pedra Lisa & Cachoeira Samambaiacu, which are also very popular with locals. We quickly understood why because the waterfalls were not only very beautiful to look at, but you could also refresh yourself in the many different pools - with the high humidity and difficult ascent, that was urgently needed! 💦

After the short refreshment, we continued to the next accommodation, which really impressed us! 😍 Not only did we have a very nice room with a large bathtub and two bathrooms, but the hotel was also right on a beautiful beach again, with a pool, whirlpool, and its own spa area. Again, we were provided with a magnificent breakfast the next day - and directly on the beach, with a view of the surfers who tried their luck at the beach's high waves. What more could you want? 🤷🏼‍♂️

The final stretch to São Paulo 🚙

On our last day, we drove the car all the way to São Paulo, where we easily returned it. By the way, this can be done at any of the countless drop-off stations in São Paulo, including at the airport. The last week went by incredibly fast and we would have loved to extend the trip, as the Costa Verde truly has an incredible number of beautiful places to offer and there are enough attractions to easily fill three weeks. However, our one-week tour included the best highlights of the coast between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and impressed us mainly due to one thing: variety! From the hustle and bustle of Rio to the idyllic tranquility of Ilha Grande, to the Atlantic Rainforest with its countless waterfalls - in one week, you can experience exactly what makes Brazil so special! 👌

Be sure to check out our partner Gateway Brazil , who put together this wonderful tour for us. At Gateway Lateinamerika Be sure to check out our partner Gateway Brazil, who put together this wonderful tour for us. On Gateway Latin America, you can also find tours in other beautiful countries in South and Central America. It's worth it! 😊

Below, I'll show you my personal highlights of this tour so you can get an idea of what the Costa Verde has to offer. Here you can directly see the tour we took:

Check our Tour

August 28 2024

Chile - 4 weeks at the driest place on earth 🏜

baacon Backpacking, South America, Travel chile, travel

But first: 3 days in Santiago de Chile

Before heading towards Calama, we spent 3 days in Chile's capital - Santiago de Chile. Firstly, of course, because we wanted to see the city, and secondly, because we had to quarantine again - until our second PCR test, which we had to take upon arrival at the airport, came back negative. However, we were very lucky because we arrived in Santiago at around 11 pm and didn't have to wait at the airport for the test or for the results for long. Our negative result arrived the next morning at 10:30 am, and we could set out to explore the city. 😎 There wasn't much to see, though, as Santiago isn't very touristy. Nonetheless, we explored the city center, tried the famous hot dogs with avocado, tomatoes, and lots of mayo, and then checked out the many modern buildings in the business district. That was enough for the three days, and then we were on our way to Calama, a mining town located in the middle of the Atacama Desert - the driest place in the world! ☠️🌵🌵

Immersing in the lives of locals

At the Calama airport, I had a big reunion with my good friend Moritz, whom I hadn't seen in almost a year. He is currently working as a mountain guide in a luxury hotel in San Pedro de Atacama and takes his guests on magnificent tours every day. He will also take us on one or two tours! But first, we got to know his family, who welcomed us warmly and let us sleep in a guest room for the entire time. Moritz's family has a farm with many different animals, including llamas, ostriches, and a variety of birds. During our tour, we also watched the beautiful sunset, which is said to be particularly intense due to a volcanic eruption in Ecuador - as you can see in the pictures, I believe. 😁👍

Over the next few days, we planned our stay and tours and explored the tranquil village of San Pedro de Atacama, which is practically a small oasis in the otherwise dry Atacama Desert and the largest "city" in the surrounding area. In addition to hundreds of souvenir shops, there are also super delicious empanadas and small supermarkets. However, the selection is manageable, and the prices are comparable to Europe, sometimes even higher. There is always something to do here, as not only tourists want to be entertained, but also the many guides who work in the surrounding hotels. So there are pool parties almost every day, and the bars are also busy daily. 👯🪩

Gargante del Diablo & the Guantin Gorge

Many attractions of the Atacama Desert are located in the immediate vicinity of San Pedro, such as the Gargante del Diablo - a beautiful rock gorge that we crossed by bike. Bikes can be rented at many shops in San Pedro at affordable prices and are the perfect mode of transportation in/and around the city. You should not miss Gargante del Diablo as it is truly an incredible adventure to ride a bike through the narrow rock gorge. However, it is essential to bring enough water and sunscreen as the tour lasts about 3 hours, and there is little shade! ☀️🌵

Another highlight near San Pedro is the Guantin Canyon, about 30 minutes by car. I have never seen so many and especially large cacti before! It's worth visiting Guantin just for this alone. However, there is much more to see, and so we followed the river downstream until we reached a beautiful waterfall. You can also hike further down, which many agencies offer as a separate hiking excursion. Additionally, many locals come here to swim, which I can also highly recommend. 🙂💦

The Jere Valley and the Puritama Hotsprings

The next place that Moritz and I explored together was the Jere Valley, a dreamlike oasis amidst the rocky desert. As often in the Atacama Desert, there is an astonishing contrast between the absolute dryness of the desert and the fresh green of the oasis. Wherever there is a small river, trees, bushes, and flowers sprout, and there are an incredible number of different animal species in one spot - it's indescribable, you have to see it with your own eyes! 😊😍

The same was true for our tour to the Puritama Hotsprings. Here, too, we experienced the stark contrast between the dry rocky desert, where only a few cacti grow, and the green oasis by the river. Along our way along the riverbed, we saw an incredible number of animals and various plant species. After a few kilometers, we reached the hotsprings, passing small natural pools where the locals bathed. Upon arriving at the hotsprings, we had time to bathe in one of the warm springs and enjoy delicious snacks, fresh juices, and good Chilean wine. On each of our tours, we were served delicious food by the Explora Hotel staff, who always had it ready for us at the destination. 🤩👍🏽

My first time horseback riding and the Volcano Blanco

Another special highlight was on the program a few days later - I was going to ride a horse for the first time! 😍 And not just on the meadow, but right through the desert. It was a magnificent experience and definitely not the last time! Afterwards, we spent a few hours at the 4 huge pools of the Explora Hotel, drank delicious wine at the bar again, and ended the evening in one of the two large hot tubs - what could be better? 🙈

The next day, we continued with more action and took the tour to the Volcano Blanco together with Explora and our guide David, up to 4600 m altitude. The tour started with a highlight as we visited a lagoon with many flamingos in their natural habitat. It is incredibly calming to watch these animals in their "daily life". 😁 30 minutes later, we reached the next sensation - the Tatio geysers. Here you can see the truly impressive power of the earth as it shoots boiling water out of the ground. From here, our hike began, which was again marked by an incredible contrast. Starting again in the rocky desert without any plants, we went down to the river, which we followed throughout the entire hike. The further we walked, the greener it became, and the more animals we saw. In addition, smaller geysers also appeared along the way. When we reached the Volcano Blanco, we were all a bit confused - the Volcano Blanco is also a geyser, which has piled up over the centuries due to the high mineral concentration in the water and then sealed itself off. On it, we could discover an incredible play of colors, which arises from the many minerals that the water brings up from the lower layers of the earth.

However, this was not our last highlight and we also saw gatherings of tens of thousands of flies along the river (which was truly impressive to see live). At the end of the tour, we arrived at a large grassland where we saw hundreds of vicuñas (the wild "ancestors" of llamas) in their natural habitat - some from less than 50 meters away. Back at the car, we were greeted with a buffet of fresh fruit, delicious juices, snacks, and a sandwich which we enjoyed while looking out at the wild vicuñas. Can life get any better? 🥰 Many thanks to the Explora Hotel for these incredible experiences! 🙌🏼

If you like the pictures and the tours, I can highly recommend checking out the Explora Hotel. Along with the amazing accommodations, it offers daily experiences that can only be described as once-in-a-lifetime experiences!!! 🙌😍

Check out the Explora Hotel

5649 m – my highest mountain yet! ⛰

A few days later, Moritz had some time off, and we were able to undertake a "private tour" with him. He rented a jeep in the city, and early in the morning, we set off towards Cerro Toco. We drove the jeep up to about 5200 m altitude and parked it right next to the James Ax Observatory - the third-highest observatory in the world! I was surprised that the jeep made it that far up - but at around 5000 m, you could feel the jeep struggling with every meter of altitude. 🙈

From there, we hiked the final 450 m on foot. What usually sounds like an easy hike is definitely anything but easy at this altitude! Although we had no problems with our conditioning, we felt our hearts beating stronger and our heads starting to ache more with increasing altitude. Nonetheless, we made it to the summit in about an hour, which according to Moritz can take up to two hours. I think we have simply gotten used to the altitude by now, as we have been at elevations of up to 4000 m in Peru in recent weeks. I still find it incredible how high the mountains and especially the cities are here in South America. 😳

From the top, we had an incredible view of the surrounding area and could even see Bolivia on the other side! There was also a very special delicacy for us to enjoy: dried llama meat. It sounds disgusting, looks disgusting, and even smells disgusting - but it tastes incredibly delicious! 😂 After 30 minutes of rest and many photos and videos later, we began our descent and stormed back to the car in just 30 minutes - what an experience!

After a few hours of rest, we headed out again in the evening. This time, we went deep into the desert, where we viewed the stars with a large telescope belonging to Moritz's cousin. Unfortunately, due to the full moon, we couldn't really see the stars, but I was able to take a great picture of the moon with my phone! 😳

The Lama Festival - a very special tradition!

The day of departure approached quickly as we had done so many things. Just before that, however, Moritz surprised us with a very special plan: his family invited us to accompany them to the Lama Festival of a friend's family in the nearby village. At the Lama Festival, all family members, distant relatives, and friends come together to celebrate and honor the well-being of the animals. In addition, the llamas are adorned with colorful decorations and marked so their origins can be determined. The festival lasted all day, and along with lots of beer and singing, there were occasional ceremonies. The highlight was the "adornment" and marking of the llamas, goats, and later, the sheep. Additionally, at the end, one animal was given away to each of the hardworking participants. We could have even won one, if we hadn't left a few days later! 😂 It was super interesting to experience this tradition of the local families and especially their hospitality. 👏

A few days later, when we were leaving, we had one last dinner with Moritz's family and were then bid farewell. Moritz's grandmother even knitted a sweater for Janet and a hat for me! 😍 Now we finally have traditional clothing from South America. ☺️ Overall, it was a fantastic time in Chile, and I thank my friend Moritz and his family very much for their hospitality and the many great experiences we were able to have! ❤️

August 3 2024

5 Day Salkantay Trek to the Machu Picchu 🏞

baacon Backpacking, South America, Travel hiking, peru, travel

During our stay in Cusco, as I mentioned in the other post about Cusco, there was a very special highlight: the 5-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. Of course, Machu Picchu is one of the biggest highlights in Peru, if not the whole world – it is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World for a reason! Before our tour, we extensively researched the tour options available and which provider to go with – there are hundreds of travel agencies in Cusco. However, there are only a few that are truly professional, so we ultimately decided to go with the provider Salkantay Trekking – a decision we did not regret! ☺️👍

The evening before the tour, we met with the other participants of the tour for a briefing – there were eight of us in total plus our guide, Freddy. Our tour was a mix of different people, and Freddy was just perfect. The tour is divided into 5 days and rated as challenging – and some stages were indeed challenging! 🙈 Here is an overview of the whole trek:

Day 1 – to Humantay Lake & overnight in the Sky Camp

We left at four o'clock in the morning and were picked up by minibus. From Cusco, it took about 2 hours to get to Mollepata, where we had a hearty breakfast before driving another 30 minutes to Challacancha, where we left the car behind and started the first 3 hours of the trek to Soraypampa and the Sky Camp. We settled into our cozy Sky Camps, which supposedly offer a wonderful view of the stars at night. We also had a super delicious lunch before heading to Humantay Lake. 🔥

On the way, we got a little preview of what awaited us the next day (the second day is the hardest of the whole hike) – challenging hiking at an altitude of over 4000 meters – definitely something different than hiking at "normal" altitude. Nevertheless, we arrived at Humantay Lake in a brisk hour and enjoyed a fantastic view, took beautiful photos, and listened to our guide Freddy tell us about the history of his people and the ancient Incas. We then returned to the camp, where we had a delicious dinner and quickly disappeared into our small houses – to look at the stars and go to bed early because we had to start on time the next morning. 😬👏

Day 2: over the Salkantay Pass to Chaullay

We were woken up at five in the morning with a hot Coca tea – the best prevention against altitude sickness. We then had an hour for breakfast (with a large buffet and the best view of the mountains) before heading straight to the Salkantay Pass – the highest point of the trek at 4630 meters. Half of our group had some trouble with the altitude, but everyone persevered, and we all made it to the summit without the help of horses. We then indulged in some snacks and took a short break. 🙋‍♂️

Then came the most difficult part of the route for me – not in terms of endurance, but physically. We had to go down the next few kilometers over endless loose stones – first to Huayracmachay (3850 m), where we had lunch, and then down to only 2900 m in the Cloud Forest to Chaullay, where a surprise awaited us...

Normally, we should have stayed in huts (small wooden huts in the Cloud Forest) here in the Andes. However, Salkantay Trekking surprised us with brand new huts, which we were the first tour group to occupy. In the new huts, we not only had a super comfortable bed but also a large private bathroom with a warm shower. However, the best part was the huge window front with a fantastic view of the mountains! 😍

Day 3: making our own coffee & bathing in the hot springs

This time we had a bit more time in the morning and were awakened (in the midst of the clouds) around 6 am - once again with a hot Coca tea. 😎👍 The weather today was very changeable, so during the first hours of the hike, it was still dry, while it started raining after the lunch break and didn't change until we reached our destination, the Jungle Huts in Lucmabamba. Fortunately, we had all been given raincoats, so the rain didn't bother us. Anyway, today was a bit more relaxed, so we could recover from yesterday a bit. 😜

When we arrived at our destination for day 3, we learned about traditional coffee production in Peru and were able to prepare our own fresh coffee. Next up was another very special activity: we went to the hot springs! 😍

Day 4: the last day of hiking to Aguas Calientes

As we woke up in pouring rain, there was a spontaneous change of plan. As a group, we decided to skip the first leg of the day and bypass Llactapata by car, as it had been raining all night and the path was super muddy. Actually, we were quite happy about it because we still felt the previous days in our bones. 😁

We drove to Hidroelectrica, where we took a short break for lunch and then walked through the beautiful forest, always along the railway tracks, in the best sunshine. Along the way, we saw many different species of animals, beautiful plants, and of course the surrounding mountains, including the Machu Picchu for the first time from a distance, which is on the agenda tomorrow. 🥰

When we arrived in Aguas Calientes, we checked into the hotel and then went for a delicious lunch - right on the Urubamba River, a raging river that flows through Aguas Calientes and is really impressive. After lunch, we enjoyed the peace and quiet in the hotel and took a hot shower before heading out again to explore the town and have some ice cream - followed by another fantastic dinner, where we got our tickets for tomorrow's highlight, Machu Picchu.

Day 5: Christmas at Machu Picchu

Today was not only a highlight in terms of our adventure, but also the day - it was Christmas! 🎄🎅🏼 In the morning at breakfast, we all had our Christmas hats on - which we wore all day. 😂 We took the bus about 20 minutes up the steep switchbacks to Machu Picchu, where we put on our raincoats again. We were lucky enough to get to know Machu Picchu from both sides: with lots of clouds and rain and just a few minutes later with sunshine and no clouds. It is absolutely impressive to see how quickly the weather can change here! 😍

We had an intensive tour of the holy city and our guide told us many interesting background information about the city itself and the history of the Incas. Of course, we also took lots of photos! 😂 For the return trip, we all decided to walk and made it back to Aguas Calientes in just under an hour, where we all had lunch together and toasted to the last few days and the beautiful tour with a self-made Pisco Sour.

Afterwards, we headed to the Aguas Calientes train station with our luggage, where we took the Peru Trail back to Ollantaytambo with its large panoramic windows. We had a fantastic tour that could not have been any better, and our group was simply great. Many thanks to Salkantay Trekking for this unique experience - for those who are staying in Cusco and planning a tour to Machu Picchu, I highly recommend this agency!

Check Out Salkantay Trekking

July 24 2024

Exploring the wonderful Peru 🇵🇪

baacon Backpacking, South America, Travel peru, southamerica, travel

After all the stress with the entry into Chile, we actually made it to a new country - we are in Peru! 🙂 The first peculiarity we encountered was before the entry - it was mandatory to wear 2 masks on the plane, as it is also everywhere in Peru, which we simply could not get used to/wanted to during our entire 2-month stay. 😂

At the beginning, we stayed in the capital Lima for a week, specifically in the district of Miraflores. We didn't expect much from Lima since we hadn't heard many good things about the city. However, once again it was confirmed: always make your own experience! We really liked Lima overall - all in all, it's very European (at least the tourist center), very well-maintained, and everything was beautifully decorated for Christmas. Additionally, the people were super friendly, the food was good, and the prices were quite cheap (except in Miraflores). A visit to the capital is a must for every trip to Peru for me! ☺️

From Lima, we took a bus to the village of Paracas, which is about 4 hours away. The village doesn't really have much to offer for tourists, except for the well-known Belestas Islands - a group of islands under nature protection, where you can observe thousands of birds, pelicans, seals, and even penguins. We did this tour the next day and didn't regret it at all. 🙂 However, you don't have to stay in Paracas for longer, so we moved on one day later...

Our next stop was Ica, where we stayed for an entire week because we also worked a lot in between. Ica is actually not touristy at all, since there really isn't much to do here - however, it looks completely different in the oasis of Huachina, which is only 15 minutes away. Huachina is located in the middle of huge sand dunes and has many restaurants, bars, and especially huge amounts of tourists to offer. 😂 Here we did a sand buggy tour, which you shouldn't miss! We drove through the desert with the buggy all afternoon, went sandboarding, and then enjoyed the sunset in the desert - a great experience! 😬

From Ica, we took another bus to Cusco. 18.5 hours, overnight, and through hundreds of curves - the worst bus ride of my life! 😂😂 For anyone who wants to visit Cusco (which should definitely not be missing on any bucket list!), I recommend taking the flight from Lima, which costs almost the same but saves many nerves...

Cusco itself is beautiful! There are so many things to experience in the city and its surroundings, especially if you like being in nature. In addition to magnificent viewpoints, many alpacas, traditional Inca buildings, and great people, there is of course one main attraction near Cusco: Machu Picchu. However, there will be a separate blog post about this because it was a very special adventure. 🙂

Moreover, in Cusco, there is the right food for every taste and especially many markets with super delicious fruit & vegetables for very little money. Because life is so good here, we spent almost 3 weeks in Cusco overall, and I am sure that this was not my last time here! 😋

In Cusco, we revised our plan and decided that Arequipa would be our final destination in Peru. Before heading there, we made another special stop at Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world! 😎

As befits such a special stop, we stayed in a very special accommodation - right in the middle of the lake! We spent wonderful nights on our small floating island in close proximity to breeding Titicaca divers, pigs living on small islands, and many other local animal species. Our host, Julio, also explained a lot to us about the culture of the floating island inhabitants and showed us all the beautiful spots on Lake Titicaca. Moreover, we were able to explore the lake on our own with the kayak or canoe whenever we wanted. In the evening, we enjoyed super fresh and regional food and spent the evening at our small fireplace, with a view of the lake. So, if you're looking for a very special overnight accommodation, check out Titicaca Lodges! ☺️

Check out Titicaca Lodges

Finally, Arequipa was on our itinerary. We also traveled there by bus, and this bus ride was terrible - the bus system in Peru is well developed, but the buses would probably not be in operation in any other country in the world because neither air conditioning (at over 30 degrees Celsius outside temperature) nor the seats work (some seats cannot be reclined, while others only have the recline function… 😂).

The center of Arequipa does not offer much in terms of tourist attractions, but there are many things to explore in the surrounding area, such as the Colca Canyon. Since we only had one week and had already done a lot of hiking in Cusco, we skipped this adventure. Instead, we only explored the city center, worked a lot, and went rafting for the first time - a very special experience that we will definitely do again! 😁

Next, we were supposed to fly to... or so we thought! Once again, COVID threw a wrench into our plans. We had packed our bags again and were planning to go to the airport the next day when the results of our PCR tests came in. Janet's test was fine, but mine was positive - what a bummer. Although I had no symptoms, it was time for me to quarantine and postpone our flight... again! Well, if there's one thing we've learned from traveling, it's that things never go exactly as planned. And sometimes you just have to stay positive, even when life doesn't deal you a good hand! 😬🙌

July 1 2024

Another Adventure in South America 🌎

baacon Backpacking, South America, Travel brazil, south-america, travel

Since we snagged a super flight deal to Brazil, our next adventure starts in South America - I visit here regularly, but there's still so much to see! First up is São Paulo, where I got a shock right away. 😂

I have never seen so many homeless people in one place before, despite having been to many international cities, including poorer areas. São Paulo took it to another level because you can find people in tents, under tarps, and even without any form of shelter over their heads in every single street! In front of the cathedral, we saw the extent of the problem because instead of tourists, there were only hundreds of homeless people and many police officers trying to keep everything under control. According to a local, the situation has worsened significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more and more people are ending up on the streets. 😳 During our five days in Rio, we were approached countless times by locals (sometimes in the middle of the street) to watch our belongings, phones, etc. - I've never experienced this before, and it was a strange feeling! 🤨

Nevertheless, we still explored the city and did some activities. We were particularly impressed by the food in Brazil - in local restaurants, you usually pay per 100g, so you can get a plate of fresh ingredients and lots of vegetables for less than €3, and sometimes there are even all-you-can-eat buffets for less than €5 per person. 😍🔥

From São Paulo, we took a flight to Foz do Iguaçu - the border town with Paraguay. Besides an incredible number of restaurants and bars, the main tourist attraction here is the Iguazu Falls - the largest waterfalls in the world. I've been here twice before, but it's always fascinating, and it should definitely be on everyone's bucket list! There are 275 individual waterfalls spread over a huge area, no matter where you look! 😱 Additionally, with a bit of luck, you can see the small coatis searching for unsuspecting tourists to snatch their food. 😂

However, we didn't stay in Foz do Iguaçu for long because we went directly across the Friendship Bridge to Paraguay. Since there isn't much to do in Paraguay, we took a bus directly to Asunción, the social and economic center of Paraguay. We worked a lot here and did a few smaller activities. Additionally, we experienced Christmas vibes for the first time here, as everything was beautifully decorated - in 30-degree heat. 😂

Initially, we planned to take a bus from Paraguay to Argentina, but we found that many of the country borders in South America were closed due to COVID-19, and entry is usually only possible by airplane. So we changed our plans and booked a flight to Chile with plenty of time in between. However, due to COVID regulations, there are countless requirements for entry into Chile, including having to verify vaccinations with the Chilean health authority. When we arrived at the airport after more than a week, we were sent back home because this verification process can take up to 40 days! Spontaneous travel is no longer possible... 🥺

So we had to change our plans again and decided to take flights to Peru since we only need a negative PCR test result here... Let's see if it works this time! 😁👍