Swimming with a Sea Creature Like No Other
Submerged a few feet below the surface of the Pacific, I spot a curious creature chomping something on the ocean floor. The rest of our group is swimming in the other direction, dangling their GoPros toward a darting Galapagos penguin, but I decide to drift down solo toward the dark figure lurking below. The face… Read Full Post
Trekking Perito Moreno: A Day at Los Glaciares National Park
One of my most memorable travel experiences in Patagonia was trekking across Argentina’s Perito Moreno Glacier, a 97 square mile formation that is part of the enormous Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Once I arrived at the pier, the excursion started with a boat ride on Lago Argentino to the face of the Perito Moreno glacier…. Read Full Post
Bariloche’s Enchanted Valley
For those who have heard of Bariloche, the name typically evokes images of blues and greens: sparkling lakes, immense forests, and tree-covered mountains. While this gorgeous scenery is rightfully a key attraction of the Lakes District region, there’s a less-visited side of Bariloche that also deserves recognition: The Enchanted Valley. This is where, 38 miles… Read Full Post
Dispatch from the Sacred Valley
“All of this will be an airport someday,” explained Vetor, our Quechua guide, motioning out to the fields beyond the Inca terraces and quaint Andean town of Chinchero. “How soon is someday?” I asked. “They say 2024.” “Hopefully it will take longer.” I’m all for efficiency and progress down here, but this valley is considered… Read Full Post
Easter Island Unique Entry Form
One of the remotest inhabited islands on earth, Easter Island, is a diminutive 63 square miles located over 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile, in the South Pacific. The island was “discovered” by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen on Easter day in 1722, but it was already populated by the Rapa Nui tribe at that… Read Full Post
Brazil drops visa requirements
As of June 17, passport-holders from the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan no longer need a visa to visit Brazil, joining already visa-free travelers from Europe and Latin America. Travelers can visit Brazil for up to 90 days with no visa, with the possibility of extending that up to 180 days. In the past,… Read Full Post
Andes to the Amazon: a Journey That is All About the Journey
I really enjoy looking back at different trips I’ve planned for Vaya travelers. It’s amazing to see how some destinations have changed over the years, while others have remained largely untouched. For me, an incredible way to experience a place that has had minimal outside influence is on an overland trip to the Amazon. This… Read Full Post
Traveling to South America with Minors
If you plan to travel with your underage (17 years or younger) child without their other parent, or if you plan to travel with your underage grandchild, niece or nephew without their parents, we recommend visiting the US Customs and Border Protection website (hyperlinked). This site provides information about what documentation you need in order… Read Full Post
A Day on a Galapagos Cruise
Our travelers often ask what life is like on a Galapagos cruise. What excursions will be available, what is the schedule, and what can be expected? The exact answers to these questions will, of course, vary between ships and itineraries, but as a general rule, it goes something like this: Early morning (often at about… Read Full Post
Santiago Metropolitan Park
The Santiago Metropolitan Park, which stretches across 1,780 acres, is currently the largest metropolitan park in South America. The park has two main entrances, located at Pio Nono 450 in the Recoleta neighborhood and Pedro de Valdivia Norte in the Providencia neighborhood. The northern end of each road (Pio Nono and Pedro de Valdivia Norte)… Read Full Post