We love Cape Town! As the first European port in Africa dating back to 1682, Cape Town’s historic mash-up of cultures still makes it one of the most diverse and exciting cities. With 3.5 million people you would think this peninsula would feel crowded but with jagged coast on all sides and mountains pouring down…
Before heading to the volcanic stone-town of Arequipa, we thought we’d spend a day hiking the “nearby” Colca Canyon. Perhaps this section of Lonely Planet was a bit vague or we just wanted to believe this could be done in a day trip, but this town was about two connections and two days away by…
Everyone knows about Lake Titicaca, even if just for its socially awkward name, but what puts this massive high-altitude lake on the map is its culturally significance for both Bolivia and Peru. The famous Uros Floating Islands and the Incan religious site Isla del Sol are two major draws to this 12,507-feet high lake and…
For a crash course on Bolivia, start in the 1-million-person capital of La Paz, ride the cliffs along the Death Road down to the jungle town of Corioco. Chaos, beauty, and character collide for quintessential Bolivia. At 11,975 feet above sea level, La Paz is one of the highest cities in the world with incredible…
South Africa was once described to us as “Africa Light,” but when baboons dart across the roads, sharks fill the surf beaches, and circumcisions are done by medicine men, we initially doubted this comment. South Africa has its wild side to be sure, but after traveling around southeastern Africa, we now know this description is…
When your country is 2,653 miles long, a lot changes from the far north to the deep south. Going from glacier-riddled Patagonia through the volcano country of PucĂłn, bustling Santiago, quirky ValparaĂso, to the driest desert in the world, we loved the extremes of Chile. Though with a place so geographically and culturally diverse, “Chilean”…
Okay we did more than survive, we basked in every second of our time in Chile’s Atacama Desert. In planning our trip, everyone kept saying we had to visit “the driest desert in the world,” but to be honest, that description triggered unpleasant images of tumbleweeds, cow skulls, and the antithesis of paradise. Now, having…
We had no plans of coming to Purmamarca nor had we even heard of this northern Argentinian town, but once we saw its “Mountain of Seven Colors” on a postcard, we re-routed our journey north to include a visit. No buses went directly there but we were told if you tell the bus driver to…
Visiting ValparaĂso, Chile was a great reminder to never put too much faith in a guide book. Lonely Planet gave this beyond-adorable town mediocre reviews to the point we almost didn’t go, but instead we made a day trip to one of our new all-time favorite towns. For where to roam, eat, drink and adore…
Birthdays are for relaxation, so when choosing a spot for my 30th, the hot springs of PucĂłn, Chile had my name all over it. Set on the shores of Villarica Lake, below a majestic volcano of the same name, the town was a b-day wish come true. Backpackers flock here to hike the active Villarica…
Friends, music, picnics, pitstops, car games, scenery, and silliness…there is nothing quiet like a good road trip. And to make it all the more amazing (for my birthday, no less) my dear friend Yessica and her sister Erin flew in from NYC to journey with us around Argentina’s gorgeous Seven Lakes Loop. Here the lakes…