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This blog is available with more photos on my website https://heatherjasper.com Waqra Pukará is one of the most spectacular Inca ruins in Peru and one of my top recommendations for alternatives to Machu Picchu. It’s an isolated tower, with two giant stone “horns” that give the site its name. Waqra is the Quechua word for horned and Pukará means fortress. The Apurímac River Canyon far below makes the high promontory even more dramatic. The ruins are at 4,140 meters above sea level (13,583 feet) and the river is at about 3,230 meters (10,600 ft). I think the location is much more impressive than Machu Picchu. From a distance, Waqra Pukará seems completely natural. When you get closer, you’ll see the remnants of walls surrounding the site, flat areas that were obviously leveled by people and stairs ... read more

Visit Tilcara for an Inca fortress, good food, plenty of lodging options and easy transportation. This blog with more photos (and all my blogs) is available on my website . The town is very walkable and on almost every block I passes several small, family-run hostels and B&Bs. Between the center of town and the main tourist attractions are also a few campgrounds. I saw almost as many restaurants, but only had time to try one, which I thoroughly enjoyed. (Restaurant review is at the end of this blog). Tilcara is one of the main towns in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a valley that runs north and south between the high altitude altiplano on the west and the valleys that lead to the Amazon Basin on the east. The location made it an important trading center ... read more

Do hotels deserve a whole blog to themselves? No. Does Pristine Camps at Salinas Grandes deserve its own blog? Absolutely. This blog is available url=https://heatherjasper.com/argentina-blogs-southamerica-travel-tips/pristine-camps-salinas-grandeson my website with lots more photos . In a country full of spectacular places, Salinas Grandes are one of the most beautiful places in Argentina. Pristine Camps has made that beauty accessible for people who want to see the full 24 hour wonder of the salt flats. The Salinas Grandes salt flats in northern Argentina are the most otherworldly place I’ve ever seen. I’ve been in spectacular deserts before, especially in the Four Corners area of the US, but I’ve never seen anything like the salt flats. It was like being on the moon. I was very comfortable but also kind of felt like I was in a spaceship because of ... read more

This blog with more photos is available on my website . Say Hueque organized my tours in Ushuaia and did a fantastic job of finding the most environmentally responsible local tour operators. I highly recommend them for sustainable travel in both Argentine and Chilean Patagonia! I spent three weeks in Ushuaia and got to do just about everything! Here are my favorite hikes and places to get outside and enjoy the spectacular nature that Tierra del Fuego has to offer! Alarkén Nature Reserve The easiest hikes with fantastic views leave from Arakur Resort. There are three trails, all clearly marked and easy to follow. They are public trails on the Cerro Alarkén Nature Reserve that you can... read more

This blog and lots more photos are available on my website https://heatherjasper.com/brazil/salvador-beaches Salvador has beaches for everybody. There are sandy beaches and pebbly beaches. There are beaches for surfing and beaches with benches of rock just offshore that break the waves and leave the beaches calm. My favorites were the beaches with giant tide pools that people use as heated swimming pools. The black rock absorbs the sun and leaves the pools even warmer than the already warm ocean. Praia Farol da Barra One of the most popular beaches in Salvador, Praia Farol da Barra has soft sand and low waves. The big rollers from the Atlantic are broken by benches of rock that serve as a reef and protect the beach. Praia da Gamboa The heart of Salvador is built right to the water’s edge. ... read more