5 Experiences to Ignite the Wanderlust

“If you had to choose only one trek to do in South America, it’s this one.”

SALKANTAY TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU

You’re probably already familiar with the world-famous Inca Trail. The Salkantay Trail is its lesser known and far less travelled cousin known in the community as the “scenic route” to Machu Picchu. The route is 2 days longer than the classic Inca Trail, is far more remote, pristine and rugged. It also boasts the most spectacular glacial, forest and valley views in the Peruvian Andes. If you had to choose only one trek to do in South America, it’s this one.

TORRES DEL PAINE

The famed pinnacles of the world’s southernmost national park aren’t just iconic because of their shape, but because the Patagonia region of Chile is one of the most ecologically diverse on the planet. Between the gigantic glaciers, freshwater lakes, deep forests, volcanoes and coastal area, it’s no wonder this experience is the stuff of legend. Patagonia inspired some of the greatest explorers of modern times and it’s something you have to see with your own eyes to truly understand why.

HAUTE ROUTE

The most remote trail in the alps is the mountaineer’s route from Chamonix to Zermatt. This meshwork of glaciers and pinnacles leads through the high plateaus of the European Alps along the border region of France, Italy and Switzerland and includes sleeping in a collection of the most remote and outrageously picturesque mountain huts in the world.

“The 3 great trails of this region are the Trek to Fishtail Mountain (Mardi Himal), Annapurna Base Camp Trek and the more challenging Annapurna Circuit Trek.”

This one is a bigger challenge than your typical trek and requires some degree of preparation but it is absolutely worth it.

BROMO

Think volcanoes as far as the eye can see and we don’t mean volcanic mountains. We mean volcanoes exactly as you’d imagine them as a kid. Perfect cones jetting out into the sky with deep lush rainforests and waterfalls at the base. That’s the picture this Indonesian trekking experience is like and no amount of poetic interpretation is ever going to really do it justice. You have to see it to believe it.

ANNAPURNA

Annapurna is the Hindu Goddess of plenty and is the name given to an entire range of mountains above the Pokhara region of Nepal including the 8000 meter Annapurna I itself. This lush, dense and immersive landscape is as captivating as it is immersive. From the deep monkey filled rainforest at its base, up to the glaciers and back down to the hot springs, this region is a trekker’s paradise. The 3 great trails of this region are the Trek to Fishtail Mountain (Mardi Himal), Annapurna Base Camp Trek and the more challenging Annapurna Circuit Trek. If you only plan on visiting the Himalayas once, this is definitely the region to explore.

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