South America Archives - Page 3 of 8

valparaiso, chile: exploring the colorful city

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When my original plan of heading to the wine region of Argentina after San Pedro de Atacama collapsed (how are buses full for ten days?!), I realized I had a lot more time in Chile before I needed to fly down to Patagonia to meet my friend from home. I had some beach recommendations, but as I had heard how people fell in love with Valparaiso, I figured hey, may as well spend more time there.

Not a bad decision! Like others, I fell in love with the city. There is no real stand out “must visit” place in Valpo, but really the vibe of the city is where the attraction is. Below is how some suggestions on what to do on your travels to Valparaiso.

Chile, Mountains, South America

torres del paine, patagonia: views from the o circuit

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Torres del paine o circuit lago grey mountain

Torres-del-paine-o-circuit-Dickson-to-Los-perros-view-2

By the time I got to Santiago, it seemed everyone I met had already been to Torres del Paine, and it started to feel a little less special that I was going because it felt like the entire world had already been there. But the fact is, less than 300,000 people visit the park every year. Planning and reserving all the campsites may be a hassle, but there is a reason for all the hype surrounding Torres del Paine – it is absolutely beautiful.

After reading my previous post, it is probably clear that if you have the time, I 100% recommend doing the full O circuit in Torres del Paine. Need proof as to why? Check out the pictures below!

Chile, Mountains, South America

torres del paine, patagonia: guide to the o circuit

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Torres del paine o circuit seron to Dickson

The O circuit, Torres del Paine. Which campsites do I stay at? How do I plan when there are three different companies (YUP)? What do these names even mean? How much can I walk in a day? These were all questions I had before heading to South America. Patagonia was my number one spot to visit, but figuring out the O circuit in Torres del Paine seemed especially daunting to me.

As of the 2016 season, it is required to book all campsites in advance! Gone are the days where you can just walk however you feel like walking, show up at a site, and be able to stay there. Sure, this process is HIGHLY annoying, but it is helping preserve the park.

I don’t have some magic website that will save you from the hassle of booking, but find out below tips on trekking the O circuit in Torres del Paine.

Bolivia, South America

salar de uyuni: exploring the salt flats of bolivia

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UPLOADING 1 / 1 – uyuni salt flats reflection couple .jpg ATTACHMENT DETAILS uyuni salt flats reflection couple

Hey now, hey now, this is what dreamsssss are made of

So yeah, the song from the Lizzie McGuire movie may or may not have been in my head as my jeep drove through the Salar de Uyuni (Salt Flats) of Bolivia.

I may have gotten hit with some rain through my travels in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia… but seeing the Salar de Uyuni during the rainy reason made it allllll worth it. During January and February, the normally pure white salt flat is transformed into a gigantic mirror. Really, I’m not sure I’ve seen such a surreal place.

Before I met people who did the Salar de Uyuni tour, I honestly had no idea that you see more than the salt flats. Sure you can opt to do a 1 day tour where you only see the salt flats, but I highly recommend doing a 3 day tour to see the beauty of the entire area.

Enough words, I’ll let the pictures do the talking.