…with Lydia and Sarah, Senior Travel Specialists In the next instalment of Our Routes series dedicated to sharing travel experiences from our experts all over Latin America, we have a doubleheader treat of pura vida for you! Two of our senior travel specialists, Lydia Groom and Sarah Slocomb, both went to lush Costa Rica together but took different routes across the country to experience the great variation it has to offer. Read on to find out where they went and what really stood out for them there. YOUR MAIN DESTINATIONS? Lydia: Turrialba, San Gerado de Dota and Golfo Dulce in Costa Rica. Sarah: Tortuguero, Arenal and Monteverde in Costa Rica. HOW DID YOU GET THERE? Sarah: We overnighted in Madrid from Heathrow on the way out – it was easy enough to navigate through the airport to collect our bags and check back in the following morning. In Tortuguero when coming home, we…
…with Product Executive, Hannah In the next instalment of Our Routes series dedicated to sharing travel experiences from our experts all over Latin America, we take a look at a road less travelled with product executive Hannah Finch, who had a blast over the sandscapes of the Route of Emotion’s Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in the northeast of Brazil. YOUR MAIN DESTINATIONS? Route of Emotions – Sao Luis, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Parnaíba, Jericoacoara. HOW DID YOU GET THERE? Via Lisbon and Recife with TAP, then overland travel by 4X4, dune buggy, boat, and ferry-raft. FIRST TIME OR REPEAT TRIP? First time to Brazil… definitely not my last though! FAVOURITE LOCATION? Lençóis Maranhenses National Park – I’d seen pictures but they don’t do it justice. The park is so vast, pristine, stunningly beautiful and feels out of this world. MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? Driving around the dunes in Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, taking in…
Hailing from the lush lands of northern Costa Rica, Isaac Méndez Valerio is a professional tour guide for Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in Golfo Dulce, near the Osa Peninsula. We found out what inspired him to be a guide and what he loves most about living out his passion in a remote part of this Central American wildlife wonderland. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this role? I have always been a curious person and always wanted to see more of the world around me, to understand more. I grew up near Juan Castro National Park surrounded by nature: from endless woods to rivers and waterfalls, and having family at the beach alongside friends who are farmers, provided me with a lot to learn, observe, and explore. There was not much of a surprise when at 19 years old I heard…
A native of Cusco in Peru, Marco Serrano is a professional tour guide with several years of experience leading different groups throughout Peru. Growing up in a tourist city, he was amazed by the stories he read and heard about the adventures of explorers and local people. Here he discusses his love for different cultures and the great outdoors. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this role? I have had a lifelong passion for travel and exploration, plus an interest in archaeology, history, nature, and the living culture of the Andean people. At the age of 11, my interest in learning about other cultures began and grew, so I began to study the English language at ICPNA Cusco. Later I graduated from university in Cusco with a Bachelor of Tourism having learned that this activity encompasses many things, which is why…
..with Senior Marketing Manager, Felipe Francisco In the next installment of Our Routes series dedicated to sharing travel experiences from our experts all over Latin America, we dive into Colombia with thoughts from Senior Marketing Manager, Felipe Francisco, who recently enjoyed a special trip across this dazzlingly varied country. YOUR MAIN DESTINATIONS? Bogota, Coffee Region, Medellin, Cartagena, Minca and Tayrona National Park. HOW DID YOU GET THERE? Flight to Bogota via Madrid with Iberia and a mix of domestic flights and driving in Colombia. FIRST TIME OR REPEAT TRIP? First time – after years and years dreaming about exploring Colombia, I finally made it! FAVOURITE LOCATION? Colombia is one of the most exciting destinations in Latin America, there is so much to see and do, the people are amazing, and the food is superb! It’s hard to pick favourites as the entire country is impressive but I was especially surprised by Medellin – I can…
…with Nicole, Georgia, and Milly For the latest installment of Our Routes series dedicated to sharing travel experiences from our experts all over Latin America, we have a bumper edition to share with you all! Three budding explorers from our team – Travel Specialist Nicole, Business Development Executive Georgia, and Operations Team Leader Milly – enjoyed an incredible trip across Peru during the spring. Read on to hear about their shared experiences in this epic country. YOUR MAIN DESTINATIONS? Peru; Lima, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Puno for Lake Titicaca, and Aquas Calientes for Machu Picchu. HOW DID YOU MAKE YOUR WAY FROM PLACE TO PLACE? Nicole: We flew from Lima to Arequipa, then drove for half a day to Colca Valley from Arequipa, making many stops on the journey for site seeing. We first stopped off to get Coca leaves and various other local treatments for altitude sickness. When…
Colombian Chocolate aficionado José Luis Pérez is a host at Casa Rivera del Cacao. Here he discusses the child-like magic of his small natural paradise in the foothills of the Andes, Córdoba, Quindío – the perfect place to explore the gastronomic applications of Colombian biodiversity and where several of the best cocoas in the world are grown and produced. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this role? I fell passionately in love with cacao and chocolate. Its history, biology, and all the agricultural process around it. Cacao is something that is very dear to our hearts as humans, but most of us don’t know much about it. When I started to discover all that surrounds chocolate I didn’t want to be anywhere else. How does a typical day start for you? A lot of the experience in our property revolves around…
…with Latin Team Leader, Charlie For the newest installment of Our Routes series dedicated to sharing travel experiences from our experts all over Latin America, Team Leader and Travel Specialist Charlie Mason shares with us the highlights of his marvellous multi-centre trip to the Ecuadorian Amazon and the Galapagos Islands. YOUR MAIN DESTINATIONS? Quito, Galapagos, and the Amazon. HOW DID YOU GET THERE? I flew into Quito via Houston with United Airlines. And then flew on to the Galapagos and Coca (Amazon). FIRST TIME OR REPEAT TRIP? Repeat, this was my second time in Ecuador and Galapagos. Last time I did a land-based stay in Galapagos whereas this time on a cruise. I also visited Mindo cloud forest, Cotopaxi, and Antisana Volcano as day trips which are places I didn’t manage to visit on my first trip. I Have also visited Amazon in Bolivia so it was good to see the…
…with Co-Director Martin and Senior Product Executive, Sarah For the latest installment of Our Routes series dedicated to sharing travel experiences from our experts all over Latin America, our co-founder and director Martin Johnson and wife, Senior Product Executive Sarah Johnson, share with us the highlights of their whistle-stop tour of Sao Paolo and the beauty of Bahia in Brazil. YOUR MAIN DESTINATIONS? Sao Paulo and Bahia (Santo Andre and Trancoso). HOW DID YOU GET THERE? We flew LATAM to Sao Paulo and then onwards to Porto Seguro. FIRST TIME OR REPEAT TRIP? First time in these areas. FAVOURITE LOCATION? Trancoso was really beautiful and we loved the Quadrado. The beach at the Fasano Trancoso was spectacular. MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? A walk along the beach from Estrela D’Água in Santo Andre and getting caught in a rainstorm. We managed to find a great little local bar and spent the afternoon there watching…
Nestled in the Pacific Ocean over 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador lays the archipelago which gave Charles Darwin his revolutionary theory on evolution: the legendary Galápagos Islands. Having evolved in unique ways over thousands of years, its isolated wildlife is known amongst biologists and adventurous travellers as some of the most diverse on the planet. Let’s take a look at some of the wild endemic delights to be found in and around this amazing chain of islands. Giant Tortoise The name Galápagos is derived from an old Spanish word referring to the tortoise’s saddle-like shape, and they have become internationally known as the symbol of the islands since, with an estimated 20,000 living there now across fifteen different sub-species. They can grow over 4ft long and weigh over 40 stone, living on average to 150 years old. There is even a tortoise gifted in the 19th century to the…
