South America

Situated on the Bolivian shore of Lake Titicaca, Copacabana is a picturesque town with pastel buildings and beautiful vistas. The lakeside town is also the original inspiration behind Rio de Janiero’s famed beach of the same…

Taquile is one of 40 inhabited islands in Lake Titicaca, situated on the border of Peru and Bolivia. Taquile is best known for its beautiful textile art and community of knitting men. The island and its…

Amantani, a tranquil island in Lake Titicaca, was the site of our first overseas homestay. In Puno, we arranged an overnight stay with an island family. By going through a local organization with no government or…

For hundreds of years, the Uros Indians have lived on 40 or so manmade islands in Lake Titicaca. The indigenous Andean people believe the lake to be the birthplace of civilization and as such, a sacred…

Colca Canyon is considered the Grand Canyon of Peru, but much more challenging to access. Traveling from Arequipa, we opted for the cheapest, most traditional way to Cabanaconde, the town closest to Colca Canyon. This turned out…

Picturesque squares, wide boulevards and cosmopolitan flair give Arequipa a different vibe than the rest of Peru. Known as “The White City”, Arequipa is the second largest city in Peru. It has an upscale, European feel…

Machu Picchu, also known as The Lost City of the Incas, is an ancient archaeological site discovered fairly recently. In the early 1900s, American archaeologist Hiram Bingham uncovered it with the help of a team of…

Salta is an elegant colonial town with balmy weather, leafy plazas and an easygoing way of life. Known as Salta la Linda (“Salta the beautiful”), it was also the ideal setting for us to regain our…

In northwest Argentina, Cafayate is a charming wine town and the main tourist base for exploring the region’s plentiful wine bodegas. From Salta, we rented a car to make the incredibly scenic drive through the Calchaqui…