A few of our most memorable experiences include:
Trekking in Patagonia – Torres del Paine, Chile and Mount Fitz Roy, Argentina
Patagonia was definitely one of the highlights of our time in South America. We did a 4 day trek in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile which included long hours of walking with bags and camping for 3 nights. It was an incredible experience considering the challenges brought about by the terrain and the remarkable beauty of the landscape dominated by the peaks of the Torres del Paine.
READ MORE: Torres del Paine W Trek: One of the Best Treks in Patagonia
Another trek we did in Patagonia was in Laguna de los Tres in the Argentinian side. It was a scenic day hike which ended in the frozen Laguna de los Tres and the amazing view of Mount Fitz Roy.
READ MORE: Laguna de los Tres: A Day Hike towards Mount Fitz Roy
Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand
I thought Hobbiton would be our Lord of the Rings destination in New Zealand. It wasn’t. Instead, we chose to do the 8 hour Tongariro Crossing trek. One of the volcanos, Mt Ngauruhoe, was used as Mount Doom in the movies. During the hike, we went through colourful rocks, bluish green lakes and boiling hot pools. It is definitely a must-do in New Zealand.
READ MORE: Tongariro Alpine Crossing: One of the Best Day Hikes in New Zealand
Erg Chebbi Dunes, Sahara Desert, Morocco
Orange sand! While the camel trek during sunset was not as comfortable as we had imagined, the awe-inspiring scenery more than made up for it. The Sahara desert was incredible and to have the chance to sleep overnight in a tent amongst this landscape was surreal.
READ MORE: Camping in the Sahara Desert: A 3 Day Tour to the Erg Chebbi Dunes in Morocco
Semuc Champey, Guatemala
Semuc Champey is the kind of place that you see on a photo and you instantly know you have to go there. These natural pools of clear blue water were definitely a unique sight. We did a tour to see this pools which included an adventurous caving experience. Everyone in our group only had candles for lights and the cave was about halfway filled with water. We went through different areas in the cave and even had to jump through narrow rocks into a pool of water. Good thing I had a life vest (I’m not a very good swimmer.) Health and safety isn’t a big concern in a country like Guatemala but it was a lot of fun.
READ MORE: Semuc Champey: A Not So Off the Beaten Track Destination in Guatemala
Uyuni Salt Flat Tour, Bolivia
The Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia was one of places we were most excited about in South America and it didn’t fail to deliver. The seemingly endless salt flat was mesmerizing but that was just the beginning. In the next couple of days we saw different coloured lakes in red, white and green with flamingoes scattered in some of them. We also saw mountains, deserts and geysers. It even snowed on our last day, my first time to witness proper snow fall.
READ MORE: 3 Day Salt Flat Tour: Salar de Uyuni and the Colourful Lakes of Bolivia
The Amazon Tour, Ecuador
Considering money, time and difficulty to reach the jungle we decided to do an Amazon tour in Ecuador instead of Colombia, Peru or Bolivia. We had our own room in one of the jungle lodges in the Cuyabeno Reserve. During the tour, we saw lots of wildlife including caimans, anacondas, monkeys, sloths and river dolphins.
READ MORE: 4 Day Amazon Tour at the Cuyabeno Reserve, Ecuador
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Thanks for sharing your most memorable experiences! The Uyuni Salt Flat Tour sounds like a fantastic experience.
Thank you! It definitely was! Do you have any plans to visit Bolivia?