the slightly surreal lago nordenskjold, torres del paine national park, chilean patagonia

Introduction

We’ve taken two trips to South America. The first was in 2007/08 for 8 weeks with our then teenage sons, Alex and Zac. Probably the best family holiday ever. On that trip we went to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia.

on a trek to a glacier on aconcagua, the andes highest peak - 2008

Cally and I returned in 2016 to fill in some of the gaps left after our first trip. This time we spent four and a half months visiting Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Ecuador, and Columbia. It was a fabulous experience. We blogged about our travels in South America as the first part of our Gap Year Trip, which lasted one and a half years, and took us from the tip of Patagonia to the far north in Alaska.

woman in candomble costume salvador, brazil

In this post we’ve chosen our favourite photos from our two trips. We hope you like them.

PS If you’re interested to know more about our travels in South America click these links Brazil, Ecuador, Columbia and Chile, Argentina, Uruguay.

Argentina

La Boca

La Boca is a working class area of Buenos Aires settled by Italian immigrants. It is famous for its brightly coloured houses and being the home of Boca Juniors soccer team – Diego Maradona’s team. (2007).

Perito Moreno Glacier

Perito Moreno Glacier is a spectacular sight. It is 5km wide, 35 km long and stands 60m high – a huge wall of ice which regularly carves great icebergs into the adjacent Lago Argentino. It appears on various lists of ''great natural wonders of the world”. (2016)

Mount Fitz Roy

El Chalten is a small town of around 1200 and Argentina's trekking capital. It is the gateway to treks around the Fitz Roy Range at the north end of Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. The star attraction is Cerro Fitz Roy at 3441m. (2016)

Rio de los Vueltas

This shot is an expansive view of the river valley, Mirador Valle de las Vueltas in Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, not far from Mount Fitz Roy. (2016)

Catedral Cordoba

The impressive terra cotta coloured cathedral is in Argentina’s second biggest city, Cordoba. (2016)

Bolivia

La Paz

We crossed the Altiplano (high plain) before we caught site of the world’s highest capital city, La Paz at 4000m above sea level. (2008).

Colourful Streets

Parts of La Paz have some colourful edifices. (2008).

World’s Highest Ex-Ski Resort

Until Global Warming melted the local glacier and the snow falls started diminishing Chacaltaya was the world’s highest ski resort. You can still visit it but there ain’t no skiing, as 14 year old Zac can attest. (2008)

Brazil

Rio Beach Shot

We start this section by drawing your attention to the banner shot at the top of this post which was taken on a warm afternoon in Rio de Janiero looking down Ipanema Beach. (2106)

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls is, without doubt, one of the world’s great natural wonders. It spans the border between Argentina and Brazil. This shot, of visitors getting up close and personal to the falls, was taken on the Brazilian side. (2007)

Selaron Steps, Rio

These incredibly colourful steps are made up of over 2000 tiles from 120 countries and were the work of Chilean artist Selaron. (2016)

House Painting Daredevil

This daredevil was spotted as we wandered the Rio suburb of Santa Teresa. Now that’s taking external house painting to another level! (2016)

Night Café, Salvador

This night scene was taken in the northern city of Salvador, in Bahia State. (2016)

Historic Church

This is the Church of the Third Order of St Francis, Ouro Preto, in Minas Gerais. The Brazilian Michelangelo, Aleijadinho created the facade of the 18th century church. (2016)

Chapada Diamantina Waterfall

The spectacular Chapada Diamantina National Park is inland from Salvador. This is Mosquito Falls. (2016)

Chile

Reserva Nacional Altos de Lirca

Horse riders in the parque, which is close to the city of Talca, 4 hours south of Santiago. (2016)

Puerto Varas Fashion Shoot

From the waterfront of the southern town of Puerto Varas, on a clear day, you get a fantastic view across the lake of snow-capped Volcan Osorno. When we visited a fashion shoot was just concluding. (2016)

Palafito Stilt Houses

The island of Chiloe, 1200 kms south of Santiago, is famous for the strong independent spirit of it's seafaring population, it's wild seascapes, it’s UNESCO listed wooden churches and it's palafitos (stilt houses). (2016)

Torres del Paine National Park

The iconic image of Torres del Paine, and of Chile’s reputation as a place of amazing beauty and grandeur, is the three Torres (towers). (2016)

Cerro Paine Grande

Still in Torres del Paine, Cerro Paine Grande is another memorable sight. (2016)

Colombia

Museo de Oro (Gold Museum)

The Museo de Oro in Bogota has an amazing collection of Pre-Colombian gold pieces from all over South America. Definitely a must see. (2016)

Bogota Central Plaza

The central plaza with the Catedral, parliament, law courts, and a legion of pigeons. The pigeon population doesn't quite rival San Marco Square in Venice, but they're giving it a red hot go. (2016)

Graveyard - Convento del Santo Ecce Homo

This is the entrance to the graveyard of Convento del Santo Ecce Homo. It was founded in 1620 in the regional town of Villa de Leyva. (2016)

Cartagena Street

Cartagena is the star of the Colombian tourist industry. The historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Spanish founding of the city was in 1533. (2016)

Ecuador

Religious Votives

These votives, icons and other religious items were for sale near the main cathedral in Quito, Ecuador’s capital. (2016)

Chunchi

The Ecuadorian highland town of Chunchi in the early morning. (2016)

Panama Hats

Panama hats do not come from Panama, they are from Ecuador and, in particular, the southern city of Cuenca. (2016)

Waterfall Staircase

This shot is of the Pailon del Diablo Waterfall. This is a dramatic thundering affair with walkways that take you up close and personal with the falls. It’s close to the town of Baños. (2016)

Highland Market

This market in the town of Saquisili is in the Ecuadorian Highlands where the majority of the population are indigenous people. (2016)

Laguna Quilotoa

Laguna Quilotoa is an outstanding crater lake in the Quilitoa region of the Ecuadorian Highlands. (2016)

Paraguay

Paraguayan Bus

A small boy is envious of our seats on the long ride to Asuncion, Paraguay’s capital, from the border town of Ciudad del Este. (2007)

Colourful Asunsion

Most of Asunsion is pretty drab, but this up-market suburb is a bit more colourful. (2007)

Street Performers

These street performers were spotted in downtown Asuncion on Christmas Eve. (2007)

Peru

Hostel Patio

Our accommodation at Hostel Patio in Lima for a few days was a floral affair. (2008)

Classic Tourist Shot

Couldn’t resist a shot with these colourful locals in Cusco. (2008)

Machu Picchu

No explanation needed. (2008)

Guinea Pigs

Yes, they eat guinea pigs in Peru. The dish is called cuy (pronounced kwee). (2008)

Uruguay

Sunday Afternoon on the Rio Negro

An elderly Uruguayan spending Sunday afternoon doing a spot of fishing.

Fray Bentos Factory Museum

The now closed Fray Bentos factory, that had operated for 117 years, exporting beef and other products from Uruguay to the world (eg Oxo stock cubes and Fray Bentos pies to name but two), had been turned into a museum: the Museo de la Revolucion Industrial. Here Cally checks out some old equipment.

Fray Bentos Horses

We found these guys grazing behind the museum.

Colonia

Colonia del Sacramento, generally just referred to as Colonia, is a popular day trip visit from Buenos Aires as it's only 1 hour by boat.

Plaza Independencia - Montevideo

Uruguay's capital Montevideo, with 1.3 million people, is by far the country's biggest city (Uruguay's population is 3.3million) but it feels quite manageable and approachable to the visitor. The main area for tourists is the old city (Ciudad Vieja) and nearby Plaza Independencia.

Punta Del Diablo

Punta Del Diablo is a small beach town close to the Uruguay - Brazil border. Very laid back.

Mate Gourds

Mate is a popular drink drunk from gourds. Here are gourds in there natural state before being seconded to be used for mate.

Conclusion

Can’t add much other than to say, if the world is ever able to return to international travel, and you haven’t been to South America, put it at the top of your list. It’s a fantastic and diverse continent.

Ken