Parting Shots: Deanna & Brett Hike the Inca Trail

Deanna & Brett created a unique itinerary in Peru. They spent a day meandering around the barrio of Miraflores after their arrival to Lima and before their flight to Puerto Maldonaldo, in the Amazon Rainforest. Here they spent three days enjoying the tropical cuisine, rainforest excursions, and intense hammocking at the jungle lodge Reserva Amazonica.


Next Deanna & Brett flew up into the Andes and explored Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, before heading to the Sacred Valley to visit the Amaru weavers and to get their legs working on some hikes near the Pisac ruins. A couple days there and they felt acclimatized to the Andean altitude to start their 4 day, 3 night trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, arriving to the Sun Gate just in time for sunset. They spent their last couple nights at the world-renowned Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel where I’m sure those thermal baths were appreciated!

Thanks again to Deanna and Brett for these wonderful shots.

Featured Itinerary: Northern Patagonia Odyssey

The Story

We are thrilled to be kicking off another great Patagonia travel season and would like to share an itinerary that will always remain close to our hearts with you all. Just after we got hitched three years ago (wow, how the time flies!), Jordan and I hopped a flight down to Chile to start the journey that is Knowmad Adventures. Chile’s about as diverse as you can get, with the Atacama Desert stretching north, the vineyards and cities of Santiago and Valparaiso in the central region, and all the way down to the end of the world – Patagonia. We decided to start with Northern Patagonia, a region that held a lot of intrigue for us. It saw very little international tourism, and even the Chileans that had visited there were few and far between. But what we had heard of it sounded like a little slice of paradise; giant volcanoes sleeping over lush green landscapes, gauchos living off the land as they had for generations, German immigrants brewing tasty beers and serving up that delectable kuchen. Who wouldn’t get lured by that?

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Good Eats in Santiago

The travel magazine Afar boasts in its October issue about a yummy find in Chile’s capital city:

“The chef behind Santiago’s restaurant Boragó is on a mission to promote his country’s overlooked ingredients, such as the superacidic copoa fruit, which grows in the Atacama desert.“

Pictured above (courtesy of Afar) is grouper baked in a mud oven, a technique used by the indigenous Mapuche peoples for centuries.

Knowmad Adventures provides restaurant recommendations for each destination that you arrive to in your Buen Viaje document before you depart. The Buen Viaje document also contains handy info like 24-hour emergency contact numbers, your hotel addresses and maps.

Win this FREE Daypack & Knowmad Gear!

Win this FREE daypack and Knowmad gear! How?

1) ‘Like’ the Knowmad Adventures page on Facebook.

2) Get your Facebook friends to ‘like’ our page too. (Hint: More the merrier! The more friends of yours that like our page, the better chance you have to win.)

3) Once we reach 1,000 likes we’ll choose a winner at random and if you suggested they like our page you win too.* (Can you say win, win?!)

It’s simple. Get Knowmad to 1,000 likes, and you and a friend could be hiking in style in no time!

*The chosen winner will be contacted via Facebook message.

World Wide Image

Oh my life is rough – here I’ve been finding myself going through countless amazing images of South America as my job. Couldn’t help but share some of these that haven’t quite made it into any of our publications yet…

Un Beso, Tara

Ps. All of these photos were taken on travels to South America – click on any photo for an itinerary that will bring you there.

8 Women, 8 Days in Peru

Amy is one of eight women recently returning from eight days in Peru. The women’s group connected through AdventureHer and created a custom Knowmad itinerary journeying through Lima, the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu and more.

Muchisimas gracias to Amy for her delightful travel journal. Below are just a couple morsels from the full journal.

 
“Each of us has different backgrounds, occupations and life experiences but were all brought together by the desire to experience a new culture.”

Money Matters in Chile

Today one U.S. dollar equals 484 Chilean pesos and of course exchange rates fluctuate, so check online before your trip to Chile – I like www.xe.com. For those of you out there like me, quick math has never been my thing (especially when in a foreign language!) so the following is a little system I’ve come up:

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Pin Us on Pinterest

Because images are some of our most beloved things here at Knowmad (after traveling of course), we are more than thrilled to announce our arrival to one of the most amazing image sharing sites out there – pinterest.com.

If you haven’t heard about it, and beautiful photos of anything and everything from pets to hair to food and more are something you’d be into, then check it out. But be warned: it’s addicting!

And if you’re already spending way too many of your waking hours pinning and repinning (you know who you are) then Knowmad’s Pinterest can’t be missed. Follow us for stunning photos, good reads, tasty dishes, gear, and all around good, clean inspiration from the Southern Hemisphere!

 

Trek Check: Peru Treks Comparison – Inca Trail, Salkantay + Choquequirao

Most Popular Peru Treks - South America

An incredible country with gorgeous, sweeping landscapes, Peru has long been revered as a destination for hikers and adventure-lovers from across the globe. All Peru treks can vary in difficulty, climate, scenery, and sights, so it’s important to find the perfect trek for your travel style and interests. Three of the most popular Peru treks are the Inca Trail, Salkantay, and Choquequirao. Each attracts experienced hikers for a different reason, and whether it’s the archaeological sites, the incredible surroundings while on the journey, or the thrill of a new challenge, they all offer an unforgettable and unique experience.

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3 Phenomenal Things to do in Ecuador: Hidden Gems + New Experiences I Discovered on My Recent Trip

Things to do in Ecuador

Part of my job as a Knowmad Adventures Peru + Ecuador Trip Specialist is to scout out new and exciting experiences for our travelers. I stay at the new hotel everyone’s talking about, dine at that hot, up-and-coming restaurant, and experience the latest adventure that’s getting all the press. But I also search for the unknown: the tucked away restaurant only the locals know about; the small, five-room property that’s so welcoming you feel like you’ve found your long-lost family; the handicraft workshop where you will learn about culture and tradition from a local; and all of those hidden gems that turn a good trip into a great trip, one that’s completely authentic and unique.

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