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Tips For Backpacking South America

Jessica Festa — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Hiking, Learning, Food and Drink, South America, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Camping, Budget Travel

Backpacking South America is a worthwhile adventure I recommend everyone to have at least once in their lives. Before I arrived on the continent, I was unsure of what to expect. To help prepare you before you go, here are some things I wish I had known before I left for my trip.

Know the Exchange Rate

The exchange rates vary considerably from country to country in South America. For example, while travelers can spend a lot of time in Bolivia and Peru, stretching their dollar very far, popular tourist cities in Brazil, Chile and the Galapagos Islands can be expensive. If you're on a budget, look up which cities are the most affordable beforehand. For example, I noticed in Argentina that the farther south I went - basically the farther into Patagonia - the
more expensive things cost. For example, my usual chicken sub went from being 10 to 15 Argentine Pesos ($2 to $3) in Buenos Aires to 45 to 60 Argentine Pesos ($10 to $14) in Bariloche.

Moreover, don't always think "roughing it" will save you money. Making use of the shelters on the "W" circuit in Torres del Paine and camping your way through the Inca Trail to Macchu Pichu are quite expensive. In fact, one night in a "refugio" in Torres del Paine will cost about $40 to $60 - and that only includes the mattress. Camping in the park is free if you bring your own gear; however, this can be tricky as the hike is difficult at times and you will have to carry your own
equipment. Moreover, to trek with a good company for the Inca Trail will cost about $500 to $650 for the trek.

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Tips For Backpacking South America originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Isolated tribe discovered in Paraguay

Kraig Becker — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: History, Learning, South America, Brazil, Paraguay, News

Officials in Paraguay say that they have found evidence of a never-before contacted tribe living in a remote region of that country's Chaco forest. The discovery came about as two Brazilian ranching companies moved into the region and began encroaching on the tribe's space. Now there are fears that these indigenous people could be unfairly forced off their land due to increased deforestation and a growing number of cattle ranches.

Experts believe that the tribe belongs to the Ayoreo Totobiegosode culture, which is a reclusive group that has had violent encounters with the outside world in the past. While this particular tribe has yet to be spotted, authorities say they have found numerous footprints, broken branches and traps designed to capture turtles. Those traps resemble the ones used by other Ayoreo tribes encountered in other parts of the forest.

Brazilian companies River Plate and BBC recently purchased the land on which this tribe lives. Those two organizations have been systematically logging the forest to create more land for grazing cattle and both were cited for illegal deforestation in the region just last year. As these two companies continue to remove trees from the Chaco forest, they force the natives living there onto increasingly smaller plots of land or into a situation where they can no longer avoid contact with outsiders.

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Isolated tribe discovered in Paraguay originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 countries Americans need advance visas to visit

Meg Nesterov — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Cuba, United States, Australia, Brazil, Paraguay, Suriname, Middle East, Caribbean, Hong Kong

We live in an increasingly borderless world and we have access to many countries that were closed (or non-existent) 20 years ago. As reported earlier this week, Americans are especially lucky with access to 169 countries visa free. Still, there are still many countries that Americans need advance visas to visit. Visa applications and processing services can cost several hundreds of dollars and take a lot of time and energy to obtain, so figure in that into your travel planning but don't let it discourage you from visiting.

Nearly all countries in Africa, the Caribbean, Central America, Western Europe, and the Middle East will give you a visa free or for a fee on arrival. See below for our guide to countries you will need to apply for advance visas, along with fees, useful information and links to consular websites.

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10 countries Americans need advance visas to visit originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Classic Treks: The Inca Trail, Peru

Kraig Becker — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Hiking, History, South America, Paraguay, Camping

Peru is, beyond a doubt, one of the top adventure travel destinations in the entire world. It offers an amazing array of things to see and do, perfectly blending culture with both mountain and jungle settings, along with ancient artifacts and ruins that rival those found in Egypt. Of course, the most spectacular and famous of those ruins is the lost city of Machu Picchu, located at 8000 feet above sea level, in the Andes Mountains, near the town of Cusco.

Machu Picchu is the number one tourist attraction in a country full of tourist attractions, and there are multiple ways of getting there. Most take a train to the site, preferring to enjoy a scenic ride through the mountains. But one of the other ways of reaching the "Lost City of the Incas" is hiking the Inca Trail, an option that has grown in popularity over the past few years.

The Inca Trail traditionally consists of four days of trekking through the Andes, culminating with hikers catching their first glimpse of the fabled city while passing through the Sun Gate, another small ruin not far from Machu Picchu itself. Along the trail, travelers will experience tropical jungles, cloud forests, and high alpine passes. They'll also have the opportunity to visit several other ruins as they travel the ancient Incan highway.

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Classic Treks: The Inca Trail, Peru originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ciudad del Este - South America's black market hotspot

Jeremy Kressmann — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: South America, Paraguay, News

The tiny country of Paraguay doesn't often pop up on the "must-see" list for those traveling to South America. Sitting landlocked between Argentina to the south, Bolivia to the west and Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay has been described as "the forgotten country of Latin America." But Paraguay has nevertheless attracted quite a bit of attention lately, less for tourism than because it is an important hub in the global smuggling trade.

A vast bazaar of illegal weapons, counterfeit goods and illicit substances is spread out for sale in the markets of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay's smuggling capital. The city is conveniently located at the convergence of the borders of three countries (Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay), making it the ideal transit point for tax free and often illegal goods headed to all points beyond. GOOD magazine has an interesting profile on Ciudad del Este in its most recent issue. Author Sacha Feinman dives into the city's back alleys and sidestreets, where he discovers everything from AK-47's to Montblanc pens to bricks of marijuana can be easily obtained for purchase. Feinman also befriends some of Ciudad del Este's many porters-for-hire, who package illicit goods and carry them over the city's 1,600-foot "Friendship Bridge" to neighboring Brazil. Instead of crossing through customs, the men drop their packages off the side to the riverbank below, where waiting teenagers sort through the packages for distribution. So much for filling out that customs form...

As long as the Paraguayan and Brazilian authorities continue to turn a blind eye to the thriving smuggling practice, Paraguay's black markets will continue to thrive. For a country that doesn't see much tourism (or other industry for that matter) it seems to be as much an economic necessity as it is a fact of life. Do exercise caution if you're even considering a visit. Aside from all the petty lawlessness, Wikitravel warns that Paraguay is currently experiencing its worst outbreak of Yellow Fever in over 60 years. Yikes.

Ciudad del Este - South America's black market hotspot originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World's largest menorah may be in New York City, but there are others

Jamie Rhein — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Festivals and Events, Spain, Paraguay, Holiday Ideas

Starting tomorrow, the first day of Hanukkah, the Jewish holiday that celebrates the triumph of the Maccabees over the Syrians and God's protection, the world's largest menorah will take center stage on the corner of 59th St. and 5th Ave. The menorah, a 32 feet-tall candelabra, has gas lamps that function as wicks. A cherry-picker will lift the lamp-lighter high enough to reach the lights each night at 5:30, except for Friday when it will be lit at 3:40 pm before the Jewish Sabbath starts, and at 8:30 pm on Saturday when Sabbath ends.

Although this is the largest menorah on display, it's not the only one. Here's a link where you can find other public menorah lightings around the world. For example, here's an address for the Chabad in Paraguay, in case you wanted to know. The one in the photograph is from Barcelona, Spain. Here's a link to other thumbnails that lead to larger photos.

World's largest menorah may be in New York City, but there are others originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The world's cheapest city

Neil Woodburn — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 08:33:00 EST

Filed under: Paraguay, Budget Travel

The cheapest place on earth?

Well, according to the annual Cost of Living Survey conducted by the multinational consulting firm, Mercer, the cheapest place on this planet is Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay. In fact, this is the fifth year in a row that Asuncion has captured this honor.

So how cheap is it? Lonely Planet writer Rob Crossan recently visited the region where he enjoyed quaffing 60 cent beers and wolfing down $3 steak dinners. It sounds like Prague in the early days, if you ask me.

But there is more to this cheap country than inexpensive gorging. Crossan responsibly points out some of the worthy tourists sites to be enjoyed alongside those 60 cent beers--such as the second largest dam in the world as well as the 18th century town of Trinidad, a beautiful Unesco heritage site. Of course, with the average mid-range hotel room selling for just $4.45, you'll have plenty of time to soak up all that Paraguay has to offer without going over budget.

The world's cheapest city originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 20 Oct 2007 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Megan Lyles Travel Writer

Adrienne Wilson — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 06:49:00 EST

Filed under: Learning, Blogs, Photos, Stories, North America, South America, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, United States, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay

When really good travel blogs manage to remain secret to me, I get bummed wishing someone had called me sooner to say, "Hey, Adrienne you need to peep this right now!" No personal calls were ever received which leads me to wonder how many folks even know about the travel writing goodness of Megan Lyles? It really makes no huge difference that I didn't follow Megan and her fiancé/photographer, Michael Simon, while they were blogging on the road. It just means I have a ton of catching up to do.

Back in the summer of 2005 Megan and Michael took off on a one-year long bus trip from Manhattan to the tip of South America. The trip has since been wrapped up and Megan and Michael are back in Manhattan, but the site is still up and there for your viewing pleasure. And I do mean it is a pleasure to check out. I read through some of the Mexico, Paraguay, and Uruguay stops not wanting to stop, but catching up is going to take a while. Before I departed I clicked on just one more plug while they were in North Carolina attending the Vans Warped tour. All I can say is Megan, where ever you are - I can totally relate.

Megan Lyles Travel Writer originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 26 Dec 2006 06:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Word for the Travel Wise (03/10/06)

Adrienne Wilson — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Learning, South America, Paraguay

Looks like my three vacation abroad is officially over and as I take a short break away from emptying my suitcase to step back into dreamlands where exploring the world never ends here on Gadling I'd like to point out a unique site in Paraguay and Spanish word.

Today's word is a Spanish word used in Paraguay:

realidad - reality

My reality - I've returned home only to sort through a heap of mail, email, and have billions of phone calls to return in the very near future. (Yes, billions - really.) In addition to the basics worse part about this whole reality thing is I've got to head right back into work first thing tomorrow. On the brighter side it'll help fill my empty pockets and travel piggy bank back up for the next great escape which could be this Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná site found in Paraguay. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Lonely Planet notes you can camp outside of the ruins for free. Free sounds great right about now.

As you begin to plan your first or next trip to Mexico, Central America or South America think more about making the lingo part of one of your pastimes to better bring the trip planning into reality. Amerispan, Cactus Language and IMAC are all good starting points to learning abroad. A free membership at Spanish Unlimited gives you the opportunity to learn a new word everyday by email, gain pen pals and hear audio of the words. Their website is actually a good resource tool for many different Spanish related topics. I won't even begin to list some of the texts out there that could further your studies because there are entirely too many. If you know of some language books that would be useful please feel free to list them.

Past Spanish words: escalar, cercano

Word for the Travel Wise (03/10/06) originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 10 Mar 2006 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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