The Llama Travel Blog

I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to many countries throughout the world, but none have left such a lasting impression as Colombia. The main reason being that Colombian people are just about the friendliest in the world. From walking you the whole way to your destination when you ask for directions to patiently listening to and correcting my pretty terrible Spanish, the generosity and kindness of the Colombian people will stay with me forever.

The Sol y Luna is a fabulous hotel by anyone's standards. Located in Peru's Sacred Valley, surrounded by the Andes, and Relais & Chateaux accredited, you know it's going to be a good experience before you get there. What you may not know though is that this isn't just any upmarket hotel. Set up by an intrepid and big-hearted French woman, it exists to support an education project in the valley, and to help improve the lives of the people who live there. Below is an interview with Petit (as she is known), the driving force behind the Sol y Luna Association.

We got our first sight of Mexico City as we circled above the metropolis after our 11 flight from London. Viewing this sprawling city from above at night truly emphasised the sheer size of the capital and we couldn’t wait to start exploring. What follows is what we got up to, and what you might want to do too. 

Our Sales Supervisor, Mari, is a Peru native, born and bred in Lima. She returned recently for a holiday and was pleasantly surprised by how the city has changed. 

Returning to Lima after 3 and a half years and seeing how much it has improved and grown was mind blowing. To many people Lima is just another city but to me it is a place that holds many great memories with family and friends. Some people think there isn´t much to do there, but Lima has well preserved archaeological sites and museums, not to mention a great gastronomic offering with many Michelin Star restaurants. In fact, Lima’s Central restaurant was voted 4th in the World’s 50 Top Restaurants in 2016.

Costa Rica is renowned as an eco-destination, with an excellent track record in sustainability across their tourism industry. If you're looking for a wildlife holiday in Latin America, it's a great option, because not only is it a biologically diverse little country, but its diversity is extremely well protected, meaning there is more of it in a concentrated area. Therefore the chances of you spotting some interesting species on a Costa Rica holiday are high. One of the most entertaining of these species is the monkeys, which these photographs attest to!

After so many years living in the UK, my annual visits to Brazil tend to be more about food than anything. To be fair, it is not just me, I think it’s a cultural thing, or my family is just crazy, who knows? It suits me! Numerous queries about menus, restaurants, barbeques and dinner parties’ start flooding in as soon as I book my flights, coming from everywhere: my mum, dad, other relatives, friends…

Recently back from Peru having successfully completed the Salkantay Trek (read the day by day account here), Graham has a few tips for those planning on trekking in Peru.

Reaching the famous Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu, on foot is high up on many travellers’ bucket-lists. Whilst the accomplishment brings a huge sense of achievement and satisfaction it is an extremely challenging endeavour. Here are some tips to help you prepare for one of the most famous trekking expeditions in the world.

Graham, a member of the Llama Travel sales team was lucky enough to be sent on the 4 day Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu, a popular alternative to the renowned Inca Trail. This is his account of a magnificent four days, giving you an idea of what to expect on the Salkantay Trek.

Latin America is a special part of the world, and each country offers its own gems. As the original Llama Travel destination though, Peru will always hold a special place in our hearts. Furthermore, as one of our most popular destinations, it is clear that our high opinion of Peru is widely shared. If you are wondering what all the fuss is about, read on for the reasons everybody loves Peru.

Last December, I was lucky enough to spend two weeks in the depths of wild Patagonia, the vast, almost-unpopulated area found in the very southern end of South America. This unique area is known for its varied landscapes, amazing birdlife, and the feeling of being completely cut off from reality. One could easily spend months exploring this part of Chile and Argentina, but here, in no particular order, I have outlined my top five, unmissable Patagonian experiences.