New HOT Destination: Cartagena, Colombia

Colombia
Cartagena de Indias. Photo courtesy of ProColombia.

by: Dana Johnson, Southwind Director & Adventure Travel Specialist

At Southwind Adventures we like to keep our finger on the pulse of Latin America and its hidden treasures. For the past ten years we’ve been watching as Colombia grew into one of the newest must-sees in South America. Make no mistake, Colombia is not the politically charged country of the 1990’s. Though still riddled with the perception of guerilla warfare and drug cartels by people stuck in the 1980’s, Colombia has blossomed Continue reading →

Top 12 Reasons to Visit Chile’s Atacama Desert, the DRIEST Place on Earth!

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by: Dana Johnson & Luis Felipa

Having such an otherworldly appearance, the majestic Atacama Desert of Northern Chile has been compared to the surface of Mars. So similar to our neighboring planet, NASA has even tested instruments designed for their Mars missions in this region. The Atacama Desert sees an average of less than .004 inches of rain per year and some areas have not had rainfall for over 400 years. As one of the rising travel destinations in South America, why should you visit Atacama? Below are the top reasons to explore this unique and magical place. It can be reached by a 2 hour flight from Santiago to Calama, followed by 1.5 hour scenic drive to San Pedro de Atacama (elev 7,898 ft), the base for our adventures. Continue reading →

12 Exceptional Restaurants in Cusco, Peru

Family Andean Discovery, Flavors and Culinary Traditions, Peru, World of the Incas, World of the Incas Iconic
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by: Dana Johnson

Peru is fast becoming a top travel destination on any foodie’s bucketlist. While Machu Picchu remains as the main highlight in any extraordinary Peru voyage, it is important to know the top dining establishments in the friendly and historical city of Cusco–gateway to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the famous hilltop citadel. Continue reading →

10 Fabulous Beaches in Costa Rica

Costa Rica, Costa Rica Family Odyssey
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Costa Rica has nearly 300 different tropical beaches along its stunning Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, each with a unique draw and distinct setting. Virgin rainforest with exotic animals, nesting sites for sea turtles, long beaches with white sand, amazing snorkeling, sea kayaking, surfing and swimming – you name it! These beautiful beaches in Costa Rica offer incomparable adventures for nature lovers! Continue reading →

What to Do at Machu Picchu

Peru
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Exploring the Ancient Citadel’s Top 12 Treasures

At Southwind Adventures, we make sure your journey to Machu Picchu is special and rich in discovery. We’ve put our heads together with our top Peru guides Romulo Lizarraga, Rosa Garcia, and Francis Casapino to highlight what to do at Machu Picchu within the citadel itself. These local Machu Picchu experts have led visitors through the citadel hundreds of times. We’ve also gotten input from Dr. Federico Kauffmann-Doig, a renowned Peruvian archaeologist, historian, and celebrated author of the definitive new book Machu Picchu: Enchantment in Stone – the culmination of 50 years of his research.

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Aboard the M/V Aria: Cruising and Conserving the Peruvian Amazon

Peru
M/V Aria
In September 2014, Southwind Adventures Travel Specialist Cynthia Ord embarked on the M/V Aria, a 32-passenger deluxe vessel, for a five-day Peruvian Amazon river cruise. The voyage departed from Iquitos, the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest.

For me, cruising the Peruvian Amazon in the luxury of the M/V Aria had its obvious perks. The experience felt almost like spectating a grand performance. In my cabin I had a floor-to-ceiling panoramic window framing an unbeatable view of the river, and a California king-sized bed with fine Peruvian cotton linens where I could curl up and just watch the rainforest landscape drift by. Continue reading →

Southwind Adventures Evolves Its Brand with Launch of New Website

press release
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CENTENNIAL, CO – Southwind Adventures, a boutique travel company specializing in upscale adventures to South America, is pleased to unveil its fully-redesigned website, www.southwindadventures.com. The business has partnered with Fusionbox, a studio based in Denver, CO, for the website’s design and development. The site has been crafted to reflect Southwind’s prestigious, well-established brand, showcasing its growing collection of signature small-group trip itineraries as well as its talent for tailoring private trips.

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New Family Adventure Explores Ecuador’s Top Wildlife Destinations

Ecuador and Galapagos, press release
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Southwind Launches Family-friendly Itinerary in the Amazon and Galápagos

Small but mega-biodiverse Ecuador is becoming a wildlife mecca in South America. Its eastern slope intersects with the mighty Amazon rainforest, home to 10% of the known species on the planet. Its Galápagos Islands form the best conserved tropical archipelago in the world, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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