Travel Experiences: Hiking & Outdoors

After crossing 15 borders in the last ten months, we felt pretty relaxed heading from Belize into Mexico and spent our first week exploring Campeche and Quintana Roo.

In the serene waters off the coast of Belize lies a true gem of the Caribbean: Caye Caulker. The island motto demands that visitors “Go Slow” - this is a place to unwind and soak in the natural splendour of the world.

The sun was still rising above the jungle as we entered Tikal national park. Somewhere in there, hidden amongst the tangle of leaves of vines - almost reclaimed by nature - is the remains of one of the most powerful citadels in the ancient Mayan world. Tikal.

In the eastern reaches of Guatemala there is a place like no where else we had visited during our month in the country so far. Welcome to Rio Dulce... you’ll never want to leave.

Nestled in the Guatemalan jungle, Semuc Champey is a natural marvel renowned for its turquoise pools cascading over limestone formations.

From living our best brunch lives to barely breathing at the top of a volcano, Antigua was a Central America highlight.

Strolling the colourful and history-packed streets of Nicaragua’s rival cities, Granada and Leon.

We packed a lot into our time on Ometepe island. Stunning nature and authentic experiences made it our favourite Central America stop so far.

The next two weeks felt like a holiday within our trip, as we welcomed our good friend Jay to Latin American shores.

Nestled on the Pacific coast of the country, the town of Quepos is a hub for accessing Costa Rica’s most visited national park: Manuel Antonio.

We continued our Caribbean coast adventure across the border in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - where we had amazing wildlife encounters!

We made our way back to the Panamanian coast to spend New Year on Bocas del Toro - a group of paradise islands located in the north of the country.

Our Central American journey begins in Panama. After a few days in the capital, we made our way to the Central Highlands in time for Christmas.

Known for its lush rainforests, postcard-worthy beaches, and crystal-clear waters, Ilha Grande was just the tranquil escape we were looking for.

Over 40 pristine beaches, from tiny coves to surfers paradise, party destinations and playgrounds for the rich and famous, Floripa has it all.

“Poor Niagara,” were Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous words upon seeing Iguazu, the incredible complex of waterfalls that straddle the border between Argentina and Brazil. She wasn’t wrong.

Mendoza is perhaps best known for its thriving wine industry, its long history of grape cultivation dating back to the Spanish colonial era thanks to the combination of fertile soil, a range of microclimates, and the influence of the Andes' pure meltwater making the perfect conditions for wine production.

Bariloche sits on the shores of the magnificent Nahuel Huapi Lake, one of the largest in the region full of sapphire lakes, and is surrounded by an awe-inspiring natural landscape reminiscent of the Alps.

Wild, windswept and beautiful. Although only 40 minutes away from the mainland, life on the Isla Grande de Chiloe felt a world away from the Chile we had travelled through to date.

Pucon is part of the Chilean Lake District, a name evocative enough to paint a picture of our surroundings for the following 5 days: lush forests, sparkling lakes, and towering volcanoes.

We entered Northern Chile and experienced our lowest days on the road so far… but there were still some highlights to take away from our time in San Pedro de Atacama and La Serena.

Travelling through Bolivia, it seems all roads lead to Uyuni. Everyone we met, everyone we asked for advice on where to go - backpackers and locals - pointed us south to the famous Salt Flats.

It’s not hard to see why the Inca people believed the Andean world was born from the depths of Lake Titicaca - we spent a week exploring the lake from the Peruvian and Bolivian sides and were captivated by these sacred waters.

The Rainbow Mountains of Peru are quite rightly famous and popular sights - but did you know about the “other” Rainbow mountain? All the colours, none of the crowds.

Long before Graeme and I knew each other, we were two nerdy kids pouring over Horrible Histories books, dreaming of one day walking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu… so to do it side by side was a dream come true.

We spent a week exploring the South Coast of Peru - Huacachina, Paracas and Lima.

Huaraz is a hiker’s paradise, with hundreds of options to get out into the mountains of Huascaran National Park. We spent 3 days in the city, including an attempt to break the 5000m barrier!

Mancora is a popular surfer and kite surfer town thanks to consistent waves and year round sun. Visiting in July, we were technically out of beach season, but at the height of whale watching season.

There are few things that excite the imagination like the Amazon Jungle - it's the pinnacle of exploration.

Leaving Quito rested and refreshed, we arrived in Latacunga on a sunny, Sunday afternoon to start the week with a new challenge: our first multi-day hike.