*This article may contain affiliate links. We receive a small percentage of sales made through them at no extra cost to the reader. For more information see our privacy page. These days it seems like anyone and everyone with a foot in the tourism marketing door is spouting the words ‘eco-friendly’, ‘green’, and ‘sustainable’ tourism. There has been such a proliferation of these terms that we have managed to step into some pretty murky waters, where meanings have become obscure and – ultimately

Think of wildlife safaris and you probably conjure up images of binocular-wielding tourists marvelling at long necked oddities from their jeeps.  I was like you—I certainly never imagined the cool slopes and granite boulders at the south of the Americas to be a wildlife haven.  However, wildlife spotting in the Americas is a growing trend heralded by big names like Frommers and The Telegraph, and perhaps the most glittering jewel in the safari crown is Patagonia.

Your trip has come to an end. You’ve battled the wind (maybe more) and felt the whip of your hair lashing your face. Your toes know the feeling of blisters born from mountain climbing and the unbelievable bliss of holding a hot mug with frozen hands, and you have counted more stars than you can remember seeing before. Your camera contains photo after photo of epic valleys, stark plains and drops, granite mountains, and close-ups of strange creatures that you had only ever seen before in a book

Our roundup of the top news from Patagonia from May: Each year EcoCamp s closed between May and September due to the harshness of the climate. Part of EcoCamp’s eco-policy is to conserve energy and avoid electricity, and during the cold winter months, Patagonia gets just a bit too chilly for the Domes This does not mean that our treks in the region are also on hold – quite the opposite! Winter in Patagonia is one of the most extraordinary seasons for a trekking adventure, a wintery white parad

A remote speck between the waves of the Pacific Ocean and the far reaches of the Polynesian Triangle, Easter Island is well-known for being an archaeological paradise and home to the unnerving moai statues. However, Rapa Nui (as the locals call it) is actually bursting with things to do, with enough adventures to keep the adrenaline junkies happy as well as all you history buffs.  Here are our top ten picks to immerse you in the culture and nature of this incredible Pacific island.

Sunlight filters through branches touched by green. The wind sings, edged with birdsong and the rhythmic calling of insects.  The air, once brushed over you, is crisp and cool while all around the colours are freshly washed. As you push yourself onwards, you feel each breath fill up your lungs and each muscle pull and stretch in a way they never did before. Moments are exquisite. Suddenly - a sound. Up ahead, there! The graceful puma, a mountain lion all sleek strength, grace and muscle.

I have lived in many Santiago suburbs, but mostly in Cerro Navia. I have a degree in International Business but I work during the night renting my father’s taxi. I like to drive and I like the idea of transporting people. I like to talk to my passengers, who often see me as some type of therapist because they are usually very open and trusting.  I also like that I make decent money while being my own boss. Once you have had a drivers licence for two years you are able to begin the process. I h

When the smog hangs like a blanket in the sky, it can be hard to remember days of blue. You breathe it in, sucking it deep into your lungs to send it swimming through your veins, day after day, until the moment comes when you cannot remember how fresh air is supposed to be.stead it just lingers there above you, always reaching you but not always seen, a heavy cloud of grey that taints a place that could almost be perfect.

My name is Rosa Catalan Liempi and I am from the city of Temuco, 8 hours south of Santiago. A few years ago, I moved to Santiago to begin a Masters in Linguistics where I specialize in Indigenous Phonetics. My second surname, ‘Liempi’, is from my mother and means “white spirit” in Mapundungun. [language spoken by the Mapuche people] I have always had a very close relationship with my mother’s family, and I identify as a Mapuche woman.  For this reason, I decided to give myself a Mapuche name, s

Santiago is not exactly known for having the cobbled streets of Europe, but venture into Barrio Concha y Toro deep in the city’s heart and that is precisely what you will find. This neighbourhood is a declared national monument with architecture dating back to the 1870’s. Picture small winding lanes and looming historical facades that peer out beneath a blanket of silence, and you will be pleasantly surprised by what you might encounter here. There isn’t much to do here except walk the few quiet streets while clutching your camera, but visit at night and this tiny sector takes on an eerily romantic quality that makes it perfect for couples looking to idly stroll hand in hand beside the picturesque fountain.

On street level, Huechuraba is a conundrum. Originally (with Recoleta) it formed part of Conchali, one of Santiago’s oldest suburbs, but in 1981 it was reborn as the Municipality of Huechuraba. In those days it was composed of campamentos (squatter camps) and poblaciones (of the working poor). In the 1990’s, the Ciudad Empresarial was built that today is a bubble of business headquarters, restaurants and flats. A very large hill crosses Huechuraba and effectively breaks it in two, on one side Pedro Fontova Norte, a modern residential area, and on the other, Huechuraba Antiguo.

From the wild open spaces to the starry sky, the snug fields of green tucked between snow-capped mountains and the raw expanse of open ocean, Chile has got to be one of the world´s most beautiful specimens of Planet Earth. It seems only fitting, then, that it is also a country taking the business model and embedding it with an environmental conscience (as we have seen with TTANTI and Apicola del Alba).

Santiago has a wealth of quality attractions and is also emerging as one of the world´s top food destinations, thanks to restaurants such as Borago. There is nothing quite like waking to the view of the Andes Mountains covered in snow, before exploring a city with a history as passionate as Santiago has. The General Cemetery (metro Cementerios) makes a fantastic place to walk and spend an hour or two. As well as being incredibly photographic, it also provides an interesting look into the past.