Before the Incas – Chan Chan and the Chimú Kingdom of Peru
The first thing that occurred to us when we arrived at the entrance to northern Peru’s Chan Chan ruins, was that we might have been dropped off at the wrong place. Considering the importance and span of the settlement itself, the entrance area seemed surprisingly...
The Breathtaking Beauty of Bolivia’s Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve
Bolivia is often overlooked in favour of its more accessible neighbours Peru and Chile, but to bypass it is to miss out on one of the most captivating countries on Earth. With Amazonian jungle, Andean plains, colonial cities and the incredible Salar de Uyuni salt...
Why Cuenca is Ecuador’s Loveliest City
Some have said Cuenca stands on the site of what was once El Dorado, the mythical city of gold which the Spanish Empire searched for in vain. Today, this city in southern Ecuador owes its architectural heritage to those marauding Spanish Conquistadors themselves, and...
The Rare Ecosystem and Alien Landscapes of Paracas National Reserve in Peru
With the gold and russet dunes folding into each other in the distance, I stepped straight out onto the arid Martian landscape. Or so it seemed. If it wasn’t for the bold blue of our earthly sky, I could have sworn I’d just set foot on our neighbouring planet. That,...
