Blog

Encompassing a range of dramatic mountains, rugged river valleys and charming pueblos, Santander is the newest captivating region in Colombia’s north Andes. It’s established a reputation as the country’s adventure hub and home to Colombia’s largest canyon, with no shortage of outdoor pursuits where you can be immersed in its natural beauty. But Santander is also rich in culture, with atmospheric colonial towns that boast incredible architecture and myriad opportunities…

Land-based travel is good for the Galapagos and why you should choose it… Hotel-based travel in the Galapagos Islands has undoubtedly had a rough start. Since the mid-2000s, hotels grew rapidly and incoherently against the conservation objectives set out by UNESCO and the Galapagos National Park. Today, almost half of visitors opt for land-based tours. So, is it really sustainable, and what is really going on in Galapagos hotel-based travel?…

All the news and media buzz about war in Colombia have left you wondering if it is safe to visit? I might know where that’s coming from: The rise of Narcos, cocaine and Escobar as part of the pop culture haven’t helped much in the past few years. In this entry I will do my best to paint the whole story so that you can make up your mind and…

Flakey, black iguanas make their erratic, daily shuffle from the wetlands to the beach, carving tracks in the cream sand with their tails as, feet away, a pair of bubble-gum pink flamingos dip their heads in a slush-colored swamp. Behind, the Sierra Negra volcano looms dangerously, just perceptible in the highland mist – ahead, the Pacific Ocean stretches as far as the eye can see. This is not a take…

All prices are given in Colombian Pesos (COP). 1 USD = 2.900 COP approx. Empanadas, carimañolas, arepas, pandebonos, tamales, patacones, aborrajado, sancocho, lulada… my brain works at full throttle when I think of Colombian food. It will be hard to settle which to recommend, so I’ll try to keep it short and sweet -no pun intended-. Before getting into it, you should know the reason why it is not possible…

Tell the head teacher of your children’s school that you’re taking them on a trip to Disney during term-time and you know what reaction you’ll get. But tell – let’s call her Ms Trunchbull – that you’re taking a Galapagos family trip, and she’ll probably send you off with a blessing. Why? Because your children will learn more in a morning in the Galapagos Islands than they will from fusty…

Alfredo Meneses was supposed to be a lawyer. But, as he would learn throughout his life and career, things don’t always turn out to plan. Sometimes, they turn out better. From an earnest law student to adventure tourism kingpin, Alfredo’s path has been anything but obvious. An adventurous introduction to tourism   Alfredo’s introduction to tourism began as it would go on: with an adventure. In the midst of a…

“The boat moved noiselessly over the calm surface, the water so clear it was almost imperceptible, as if we were gliding over emerald green air. The captain steered expertly, close enough to the stony islands to look pelicans in the eye, far enough to never scratch the boat on the surreal lava bridges. We passed over turtles and parrot fish, by blue-footed boobies and palo santo trees. None of it…

To all who visit it, the Galapagos National Park is as visually stunning as it is scientifically important. The 7,970 square kilometers (a total of 97% of the terrestrial part of the islands) of protected volcanic lands are unique for their wildly diverse lunar landscapes and the amazing animals who dwell there, a live laboratory in which every one of the specimens and case studies is a work of art.…

Choosing between Galapagos by boat or land is like deciding whether you’d prefer a round-the-world trip or to live half the year in your version of paradise: ideally, you’d do both. The same goes for a trip to the world-renowned natural hotspot in the most remote location in the Pacific Ocean: a combination of a Galapagos hotel and cruise yields the richest, most rewarding experience. But what if you could…