2019 Vaya Photo Contest Winners!
Throughout 2019 we were delighted to receive photos taken by our travelers. To everyone who sent us photos, thank you! We look at every one of them, and we appreciate the chance to experience our destinations through your eyes. Whether they’re showcasing outstanding natural beauty, untamed wildlife, or vibrant culture, your photos allow us to… Read Full Post
The Jemmy Button Story: A Kidnapping, a Hoedown and a Massacre in Wulaia Bay
Travelers on our Patagonia cruises know they will be visiting some of the most remote glaciers, fjords and islands of southern Chile, but many don’t know that they’ll also be visiting the Yahgashaga: the homeland of the Yamana indigenous people of Tierra del Fuego, and the scene of an incredible 19th century true story that… Read Full Post
Christmas in Argentina
For those used to a white Christmas, the experience of the holidays in Argentina, and South America as a whole, is very different. The main celebration is on Christmas Eve, when family and friends gather to share in festivities much like 4th of July in the States. It’s the middle of summer, often very hot,… Read Full Post
A Traditional Chilean Culinary Class
A reporter once asked famed chef Anthony Bourdain what his least favorite cuisine was. He replied that he didn’t have a least favorite cuisine, but when pressed, he said he found Chilean cuisine “boring.” I’ve lived in Chile for four years at the time of writing this post. While it is true that the capital,… Read Full Post
Ode to the Tomato
My husband is a native of Chile, and we lived there for several years before moving to the United States. Like every Chilean I know, he is justifiably proud of Chilean agriculture, which produces some of the creamiest avocados, sweetest apples, and juiciest grapes I’ve had the pleasure of consuming. During our years in Santiago,… Read Full Post
Alone in the Devil’s Cave in Atacama, Chile
Alone and deep in a cave beneath the Pukara de Quitor archeological site in northern Chile’s Atacama desert, I lost sight of the last light from the narrow entrance I’d come through and shuddered in the utter darkness. “Hmm… I wonder why they call this cave La Cueva del Diablo (The Devil’s Cave),” I pondered. … Read Full Post
Luxury River Cruises in Northern Peru
An Amazon River cruise in northern Peru is a great way to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Amazon jungle without forgoing the comforts of a luxury accommodation. During a recent trip to Peru, I embarked on a luxury Amazon River cruise out of Iquitos. The cruise traveled through the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve,… Read Full Post
The Magic of the Coca Leaf
It may come as a surprise and sound a little strange at first, but every hotel you encounter during your adventure to Machu Picchu will almost certainly offer you a hot cup of mate de coca, tea made from coca leaves (yes, the very same leaves that cocaine comes from, but the tea is non-addictive)…. Read Full Post
Book Report: Darwin’s Ghosts
It seems safe to say that we all know the name Charles Darwin. Widely credited with proposing the theory of natural selection, Darwin is considered one of the fathers of evolutionary theory. In the Galapagos Islands, where his travels as a young man led him to many of his theories, his name and story are… Read Full Post
The Unexpected Side of Easter Island
Easter Island is probably best known for its moai, the enormous and mysterious stone heads that cover the island, but on my last trip there I spent 10 days digging into the more unexplored and unexpected parts of the island. While a full two days is sufficient to explore the moai and the highlights of… Read Full Post