Put your feet up, click on National Geographic’s wondrous new Animals Up Close With Bertie Gregory and feel remarkably energized. This six-episode series is a re-imagination of a previous program, Epic Adventures with Bertie Gregory. Premiering September 13th on Disney+, Animals Up Close is an eye-opening, horizon-expanding show — daring and dazzling in its content and cinematography — leading viewers on exceptional journeys to remote destinations. It is steered by 30-year-old visionary filmmaker Bertie Gregory, whose passion, charisma and engaging expertise entice aplenty. He soars and dives, climbs and splashes. An avid globetrotter, born in England, Gregory is a bright star among a fresh, fun, gifted generation of wildlife filmmakers. Gregory and I talked about some of this season’s prime highlights, below.
The best road trips in Chile offer the drive of your life
23.08.2023 - 17:27 / lonelyplanet.com / El Chalten
Diverse landscapes are Chile's biggest asset. Traveling around this long, narrow country, you'll be greeted by an ever-shifting panorama of rolling vineyards, dazzling lakes, towering volcanoes, deep fjords, high grasslands and sprawling salt flats. To do this terrain justice, you really need a set of wheels.
Road trips in Chile range from the comfortable to the epic. Along the coast and in the Central Valley, roads are generally paved and in tip-top shape, but if you plan to tackle the wild terrain of the Altiplano and the Atacama Desert in the north, or the rugged countryside of Patagonia in the south, you'll need to be ready for long drives on dirt roads with limited infrastructure along the way.
Whether you're drawn to Chile by big or small adventures, here are the best road trips across this long and lovely sweep of South America.
Puerto Montt–Villa O’Higgins; 1200km (745 miles); allow 2 weeks
Chile’s Ruta 7 (better known as the Carretera Austral) charts a 1200km (745-mile) course through some of the most remote and untouched landscapes in South America. The first stretch of the highway opened in 1988, but the final section was only completed in 2003, and even today, much of its southern half remains unpaved. In fact, several sections of the route are so impenetrable that you’ll need to hop aboard a car ferry just to keep moving forward.
The Carretera Austral route begins in the bustling port city of Puerto Montt, winding its way south through temperate rainforests and national parks such as Pumalín and Queulat. Coyhaique is the biggest city in the region and the best place to stock up on supplies before continuing south to the marble caves of Puerto Río Tranquilo and the wildlife-filled steppes of Parque Nacional Patagonia.
The fascinating village of Caleta Tortel, a few hours south, is a fairytale of wobbly wooden boardwalks and tiny stilt homes perched over a milky-green fjord. The Carretera Austral ends in the frontier village of Villa O’Higgins to the east, the starting point for boat expeditions and hiking and horseback tours to the Northern Patagonian Ice Field.
Planning tip: Keen travelers can skirt around the edge of the icefield from Villa O'Higgins to reach Argentina's Parque Nacional Los Glaciares and El Chaltén. The trip takes from one to three days, traveling by bus, boat and on foot or horseback, but the crossing is only possible between November 1 and April 30.
Puerto Saavedra–Puerto Saavedra; 100km (62 miles); allow 2–3 days
Lago Budi is a saltwater lagoon in south-central Chile that was formed after the devastating Valdivia earthquake and tsunami of 1960 (the most powerful tremor in recorded history), but the main lure for travelers is visiting the nearby villages, which are vibrant
Bartlett Steps Up Multi-Destination Tourism Drive as Jamaica Targets LATAM Market
As Jamaica seeks to unlock the vast potential of the Latin American (LATAM) visitor market, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has emphasised the importance of multi-destination tourism and ‘co-petition’ to this initiative. Minister Bartlett highlighted the issue during his address at the ‘Keys to LATAM’ Conference, organised by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and Adtelligent Limited. The conference, held earlier today (September 7) at the Spanish Court Hotel, brought together industry professionals to explore business opportunities in the lucrative Latin American (LATAM) market.
Backroads Launches Women’s Adventures
Backroads, the world’s leading active travel company, has just announced Women’s Adventures, a new collection of trips just for women. These new departures feature 26 of Backroads’ most popular walking & hiking itineraries, from Yosemite and Yellowstone to England, Peru, and Bhutan. Founded in 1979 by Tom Hale, these women-only adventures debut at a time when more than 50 percent of the company’s executive team and trip leaders are women. The driving force behind the new trips is Hale’s wife, Liz, and daughter, Avery, now EVP of Backroads.
This Airbnb in Chile Offers a Private Hot Tub and Pool Overlooking the Mountains
Whether you’re headed to Chile for the deserts of the north, glacial parks of the south, or the vast Pacific Coast, no itinerary is complete without a closer look at the Andes. Overlooking Mount Mocoen, within Fundo San Francisco de los Andes, this Airbnb gives you tiny house living with the Andean Range as your backyard – a mere two hours north of Santiago and 35 minutes from San Esteban, Valparaíso.
Five Stunning Cycling Routes To Explore Across Asia
When it comes to outdoor adventure, cycling offers the perfect blend of exercise and enrichment, providing participants with an opportunity to bask in the stunning scenery around them while simultaneously keeping their heart rate up—and few companies understand this as well as Art of Bicycle Trips. Launched in 2010, this expert-led tour company offers detailed itineraries across three separate continents, with locations ranging from the lakes of Chile to the mountains of Albania.
I visited my grandmother's birthplace for the first time since she died. It made me miss her even more.
Every couple of years when I was growing up, my family would embark on a European vacation. My dad is Italian, and my mom is Spanish, so we'd fly to their respective countries to see family and do some sightseeing.
J2 adventures introduces a start-up touring concept that offers Jewish travel adventures around the world
J2 adventures is designed to meet the needs of families and groups by integrating thematic, custom-designed excursions around specialized topics and interest areas.
Explore South America At Its Best With These Dazzling Relais & Châteaux Properties
Spanning from the tangled depths of the Darién Gap to the frigid reaches of southern Patagonia, South America offers a spectacular array of stunning natural landscapes to explore—and as an added bonus, the continent is no stranger to luxury accommodations either. While polished resorts can be found from northern Colombia to the southern tip of Argentina, South America’s resident Relais & Châteaux properties offer a glimpse into the rich culinary culture of each destination, with no shortage of incredible outdoor adventure and wellness experiences to explore along the way.
I had my kids try one of the most expensive kinds of seafood in the world. They loved it despite how it looks.
Growing up, I would travel from Argentina — where I'm from — to Galicia in the north of Spain to visit my mom's side of the family. Galicia is on the country's northwest coast and is known for its delicious seafood, which includes grilled octopus, tuna empanadas, and percebes, one of the most expensive kinds of seafood in the world.
The best places to visit in Chile, from urban glam to natural highs
With the soaring Andes to the east, the pounding Pacific to the west, Patagonian fjords down south and an immense desert up north, Chile is the kind of diverse natural playground that adventure lovers dream about.
Colombia Blocks Avianca and Viva Air Merger
The Avianca and Viva Air merger has hit a major roadblock with Colombian authorities objecting to the proposed combination. The move could be a blow to Avianca’s plan to create a pan-South American airline group with Brazil’s Gol.
The World Cup of Tourism by the Numbers
The FIFA World Cup is one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year, and this Sunday France and Argentina will face off in the final match in Qatar. The winner will be determined by a heated playoff, but who takes the title in the World Cup of Tourism?