Condoriri trailhead Bolivia
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The ABC’s of Hiking South America

“Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are the cathedrals where I practice my religion.” – Anatoli Boukreev

While North America has the Rockies, South America is blessed with the spectacular Andes Mountain Range. The Andes are an incredible mountain range passing from north to south through seven countries making it the longest continental mountain range in the world. There is something about the Andes that is simply magical. The grandeur, scale and scope of the Andes is mind-boggling. Over 4,300 miles long (7,000 km) and at points up to 430 miles wide (700 km), the Andes are immense and are blessed with some of the highest volcanoes in the world and largest ice fields.

I have been lucky to have set foot on the Andes in Peru, Chile, Argentina and most recently, Bolivia. There is no way I can pick favorites as each place has been unique and special in its own way. Here are the A,B, C’s of the best hikes in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, some of my most favorite places on earth to hike.

Argentina

Located at the end of the world, in the tiny Patagonian outpost El Chatlen lies Los Glaciares National Park, one of the finest in Argentina. The landscape is serene and the raw beauty of remote Patagonia is sure to inspire. There are several day hikes in the park and instead of camping, you can spend the nights at a local inn indulging in delicious local food and wine. You are also a bus ride away from the famous Perito Moreno Glacier, definitely worth a visit.

Adventure Travel Argentina Bolivia Chile TRAVEL TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking
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The Magic of Hidden Places

Often when I travel, I am drawn to the unexpected surprises of places hidden beneath the non-attentive eye. From the mysterious hutongs of Beijing to the labyrinthine of a souq in Morocco, there is always a surprising hidden place to explore.

Perhaps these hidden places open a window into the unknown about the foreign culture you are visiting. Yet they always seem to leave me questioning, thinking and guessing about what it is really like behind these hidden windows of life.

The secret paths within a souq. Rabat, Morocco.

The whitewashed and baby blue walls in a Moroccan kasbah.

Inside the deep alleyways of the traditional Chinese hutongs. Beijing, China.

Another look at a Chinese Hutong.

Peering deep inside a hutong and wondering who lives there? How many homes are tucked away inside?

A hutong without a name or address.

Inside an ancient Chinese Water Village with numerous mysterious alleyways.

Many Chinese Water villages are threaded in waterways like this one that wind around the village and flow out to sea.

The open-air entryway of a home or cafe in Uruguay.

An open-air room of women making fresh torillas out of a building in Guatemala.

An alleyway in Guatemala where a Mayan women hones her craft.

Peeking inside the reddish brown wooden doors of a teahouse kitchen in rural Nepal.

Looking outside a “hotel” window in Himalayan Nepal at the donkey train passageway where modern day trucking is at its best.

TRAVEL BY REGION TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY