The largest travel blog in South America

High Altitude Travel Tips - Know Before You Go!

One of the most important questions we receive from our guests is how to prepare for high-altitude adventures when arriving from lowland areas. It is a good question to ask because if you don't prepare, your experiences in the Andes may not go as planned. The higher you climb above sea level, the less oxygen there is in the air. The oxygen level becomes very low at altitudes above 1500 masl (8,000 ft) and this can cause problems for people who normally live at lower altitudes because their bodies aren’t used to working on so little oxygen. If you stay at a high altitude for a long time, however, your body gets used to the low oxygen level, and the symptoms usually go away. High-altitude sickness can be serious, with some of the first signs being Headache Lightheadedness Weakness Trouble sleeping Upset stomach More severe symptoms include difficulty breathing even while you’re resting, coughing and liquid in the lungs, confusion, and the inability to walk in a straight line. Unless you are arriving from other highland areas, we recommend you spend a couple of days in your arrival destination to acclimatize. That doesn’t mean

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Check out the 6 most frequent problems when traveling through South America

Machu Picchu, Salar de Uyuni, Ushuaia and Torres del Paine are just some of the numerous must-see destinations in South America but, in order to travel serenely in South America, it is better to be well informed and know the main pitfalls to avoid. 1. Informal tourism Anyone who has traveled to South America knows that informal commerce is everywhere. And tourism is no exception! Cheaper transport here, a reduced price ticket there, informal tourism is easy to identify but nonetheless very tempting for its competitive prices. The problem isn't just losing money or being cheated, a lot of these services actually do exist and operate but they don't offer any security. The risk then is traveling relying only on luck! We suggest using a regulated agency to avoid unpleasant situations. 2. Spanish language In South America, the official language is Spanish (and Portuguese in Brazil). Most people have only a vague notion of English and the farer from big cities you are, the less English you’ll be able to speak. For sure, you will be able to cope on your own when it comes to the daily routine, however, when it comes to solving problems or trying to negotiate, it is recommended

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Bolívia: Everything you need to know to make the most of it.

For those who have already decided to travel to Bolivia and want to plan their travel package in advance, it is good to pay attention to some details and precautions before boarding. After all, last-minute rush and headaches can't be part of the planning, do you agree? Therefore, check out the tips we have separated on how to travel to Bolivia with flexibility, support, and security. So let's go! Some featured destinations for traveling to Bolívia Here, we separate just a list of our main suggestions to be visited on your trip to Bolivia. Check out: La Paz — the Bolivian capital can be your gateway to the country and an opportunity to get to know the city, located at almost 4,000 meters above sea level. Gastronomy, nightlife, culture, and historical monuments are everywhere. Death Road — also called Camino de Los Yungas is, without a doubt, one of the most amazing walks in the country. Have you ever imagined being dropped off at the top of a mountain and having to ride your bike down the immense valley? Prepare the camera — and the heart. Copacabana — a friendly town on the Titicaca River, surrounded by mountains and full of traditions

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A complete Patagonia travel guide: Everything you need to know before traveling

No one doubts South America is full of extraordinary destinations. However, if there is one particular place on the continent that stands out for its stunning landscapes and which particularly excites travelers and adventurers, it is Patagonia: a huge territory shared between Argentina and Chile. Patagonia is an exceptional destination for all those who dream of space, silence, and nature. The massive Andes and vast steppes, crystal-clear lakes and snow-capped volcanoes, rugged coastlines, and huge glaciers are ideal places for trekking, hiking, rock climbing, mountaineering, fishing, and much more. This is the perfect destination for adventure travel. If you’re planning to visit the region, have a look at this Patagonia travel guide to learn what it has to offer in terms of nature, wildlife, and how to best prepare for your trip. Have a good read! Travel through the Patagonian history Patagonia is a region full of wild landscapes seemingly untouched by human activity. Yet this territory has been inhabited for more than 10,000 years! The discoveries of the Milodon Cave nature reserve (Chile) or Los Toldos (Argentina) have shown the ancient presence of fishermen and

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Uyuni Salt Flats: A Complete Guide

This guide offers essential advice for planning your visit to the Uyuni Salt Flats: the necessary documents and equipment, practical tips and information, the unmissable sites to visit, etc. Why visit the Uyuni Salt Flats? For its unique landscapes The landscapes of Salar Uyuni and its surroundings are so exceptional and grandiose that they regularly feature on the list of the most beautiful and unusual places in the world. This explains the attraction of millions of tourists to go there to see these surprising landscapes with their own eyes. Demand keeps growing: now is the time to plan your trip! There's more in the Uyuni Salt Flats area than the possibility to take funny pictures as you usually find on the Internet. In fact, it is much more! Imagine a huge salt desert surrounded by the Andes and reflecting the light of the sky; but also volcanoes and colorful lakes, geysers, and hot springs, not to mention the typical fauna of the region: llamas, alpacas, and colonies of pink flamingos. Also discover the Andean communities and their ancestral traditions: a unique and enriching experience. This wide open spaces region offers the perfect potential to combine different

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Perito Moreno Glacier: the most popular in Patagonia

Listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981, Perito Moreno is one of South America's most spectacular sites. Its name comes from the 19th-century explorer, Francisco Moreno, known as "perito" for his knowledge of the region. Located in Los Glaciares National Park, southwest of the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina, the glacier is part of the Southern Patagonian ice field, including several other well-known glaciers and touristic sites in Chile and Argentina such as El Chalten or Torres del Paine. The Perito Moreno Glacier is characterized by its remarkable dimensions, 250 square kilometers and 30 kilometers long, and is famous for its massive front forming an impressive iced wall. One intriguing thing about this glacier is that even though it is getting thinner, it continues to advance while most of the world’s glaciers are retreating. This slow movement towards the peninsula of Magallanes causes frequent ice falling under the enthusiastic gaze of the visitors. Another interesting feature is the accessibility to the site. Only two hours by bus from El Calafate, it is the only glacier in Patagonia that can be visited from the mainland, without having to take a

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Visit Peru: discover 8 must-see destinations

Peru is a fascinating country as much by its great biodiversity as by its thousand-year-old cultural heritage. But it is also a very big country and it can be hard to decide where to go. This article will help you, presenting the 8 must-see destinations in Peru. 1. Lima Lima, the capital, is the main gateway to Peru. The city has many interesting sites that are well worth spending a day or two in. Visit the historical center, its museums, and its great buildings of colonial architecture such as the monastery of San Francisco. On the seaside, there are ultramodern neighborhoods, such as Miraflores, the most popular area for accommodation. Don't forget to treat yourself with a good restaurant to enjoy Peruvian cuisine, one of the most famous in the world! 2. Machu Picchu We don’t present it anymore, Machu Picchu is THE main tourist destination of Peru. Its reputation however is not overrated, after all, the site was elected one of the 7 wonders of the modern world and is also classified as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Machu Picchu is really unmissable in an itinerary in Peru. However, keep in mind that the entrance to the site is limited so it is highly recommended

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The Secrets of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is undoubtedly the flagship destination of Peru and one of the most visited tourist attractions in South America! One and a half million tourists go there every year to confront the reality of this magical and mythical site. A Brief History Machu Picchu, which means "old mountain", is an ancient Inca city, built in the 15th century, at the top of a mountain near Cusco, the center of the empire. It would have been commissioned by the emperor Pachacútec, but its use remains a mystery: military citadel, religious center, or retreat place for the royal family? The site is divided into two areas, an agricultural zone, in the south, made of terraces dedicated to the culture, and an urban zone, in the north, where were built step pyramids, temples, solar calendars, and even a university. The domestication of animals, such as the alpaca and the llama, was widespread and formed the Quechua people´s economy basis (from these animals was extracted the wool and they were also used to transport goods and food). For a long time, Machu Picchu was called the "lost city of the Incas", because it was only "found" in 1911 during an expedition of the American

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PSS: Explora's travel strategy

In our more than 20 years of experience operating specialized multi-destination travel packages in South America, we have been able to identify that the success of any complex trip depends on meeting 3 fundamental points. 1) Flexible Planning A multi-destination trip requires attention to many details. Therefore, it is essential to research the itinerary and plan a strategy that works perfectly. In this type of trip, a mistake can be very expensive. In this sense, having an Explora specialist who understands the script is a differentiator. After all, he can plan the trip in the best way for you, identifying the best options for each destination according to your profile. 2) Operative support day by day With so many things to take care of, the trip can stop being a pleasure and become a “headache”. Do not fall into this trap of underestimating the work of wanting to organize everything in this type of travel with complex logistics, during the itinerary, putting the responsibility for something going wrong on your back is very stressful. Leave all the hard work in the hands of the experts at Explora and let your only concern be to make the most of the

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