Villa Pardo is much more than a rural tourism destination; it is a small town that has harnessed its history, identity and natural heritage to look towards the future. Located just 220km from the Argentine capital, members of the community have come together to reverse the town’s decline and champion a kind of tourism firmly rooted in the principles of …
In this final post of the blog series, Ann and Geoff take us on a journey down Ecuador’s famous ‘Avenue of the Volcanoes’. For the last leg of their fascinating tour of the country, our Happy Travellers leave their low-lying Amazon retreat well and truly behind and head off to colder climbs. Exploring the area just south of the capital Quito, …
In our last post, Happy Travellers Ann and Geoff told us about the lovely time they spent in the small traditional town of La Calera in northern Ecuador. There they enjoyed three and a half weeks staying with a local family and getting into the swing of rural life. After leaving La Calera, Ann and Geoff headed to visit the …
Happy Travellers Ann and Geoff spent an incredible five weeks travelling in Ecuador with our trusted local partner. During their first three and a half weeks, they opted to stay with a local family in the small traditional village of La Calera, just 3kms from the town of Cotacachi in the north of the county. Here, they really got into …
In a remote and pristine corner of the Peruvian Amazon, the indigenous Shipetiari community is welcoming travellers to their home. Shipetiari is located in the buffer zone of Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve, one of the most well-preserved parts of the Peruvian Amazon. Located in south-eastern Peru, the park is the meeting point of the Tropical Andes and the Amazon …
Cuetzalan del Progreso, located in the state of Puebla, Mexico, is a town steeped in indigenous legacy. Due to its climatic and geographic characteristics, many refer to it as a sanctuary of biodiversity and the area is indeed known for its dense vegetation, mountain ranges and multiple waterfalls. The indigenous inhabitants of Cuetzalan maintain their traditional culture and way of …
Every Chilean has heard about Chiloe Island. If you ask anyone in Chile, they will tell you Chiloe is a place of magic, where witches and mythological creatures still wander around. And if they are lucky to have visited the island, they will definitely speak about the friendliness of its inhabitants, known as chilotes. When I first went to the …
Atacama: few words sound so mystic and appealing. The idea of deserts has always blown humans’ minds because of the openness, the toughness and the challenging conditions for life. When it comes to the Atacama Desert, it is no wonder that this enigmatic place has been one of the main destinations for explorers of South America in the last 40 …
Located on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, El Paredón is a quiet village of fishermen near the Sipacate Naranjo National Park. Its mangroves provide a home for a vast biodiversity, and its volcanic black sand beaches are great for surfing. Each year, the humpback whale migrates along the coast. Also, hundreds of turtles nest and then embark on the journey …
This post is a contribution by happy travellers Gemma and Andrew who planned their Patagonia holiday through Sumak Travel. This was their third trip with us, and we were thrilled to be able to provide them with a personalised adventure, again! In Andrew’s words:
As our plane circled high above the curving contours of the River Plate, little did we know what …
