We’re staying in Salta, a pretty colonial city surrounded by mountains. We’ve visited the Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña, home to three fascinating Inca mummies who, as human sacrifices to the gods, froze to death on a mountain top and were left undiscovered for 500 years. We’ve toured the main square, and we’ve gone up on the cable car for a bird’s eye view of the city.

After a couple of days we have itchy feet, and decide to take advantage of the nice weather with a trip into the mountains. Salta is bursting with tour operators, but we manage to find a good deal with a girl who works at our hostel (pretty much everyone works for or knows someone in the tourism industry here).

Early the next morning, a chap called Juan Jo is waiting for us in his 4×4. After a bevvy of bad jokes and a sing-along to Phil Collins (Phil is huge in Argentina) the simple homes on the outskirts of the city are becoming less and less frequent. We pass tobacco crops almost ready for harvest, and Juan Jo is waving to all the farmers.

It’s rainy season, so we’re lucky to have a clear day. From December to March, main roads can close due to high rivers and dirt tracks can be washed away. Having missed out on the region’s Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds), which re-opens in April each year, we’re pleased to have a decent run at this.

This is my first glimpse of the Andes, and the blue giants take my breath away. We enter the Enchanted Valley and begin our ascent along the snaking track. The rocks are green in some places and red in others, due to the different minerals in its makeup. Geology enthusiasts should head to Seven Colour Mountain, which can also be visited in a day from Salta.

We pass a little cemetery, and push through a stream that’s trying its best to seal off the road. It seems quite shallow, but we’re told not to underestimate the power of the water here.

The locals are very wary of the elements, and at the little chapel called Capilla San Rafael (at 3457m above sea level, where you can touch the clouds) there’s a little shrine for travellers. A handful of little flames are already flickering amongst the flowers, sweets and pictures, so hopefully the mists and storms will keep at bay.

Entrepreneurial locals have set up stalls along the route to Cachi. We are serenaded by two young boys, who bang a drum and sing a local folkloric song. Later, we chat to trinket-sellers about the weather and purchase a few spices.

On one of these stops, we see condors drifting high above us. Condors have a wingspan of up to three metres, so from where we’re standing they look like hang gliders. Later, I see one swoop much lower as we pass in the car, but no-one believes me. Apparently you are lucky to see them at all in these parts.

The landscape is changing all the time and before we know it we’re in Los Cardónes National Park. The cardón cactuses look like an army; spaced out as far as the eye can see. They only grow a couple of centimetres a year, so these towering specimens must be hundreds of years old. Some are punctured with holes where birds have drunk from the water inside them. It’s silent, and it feels like another world.

Cachi itself is a quaint little town with adobe houses and a colonial-style centre. We wander the streets and have a hearty chicken stew for lunch (sadly llama wasn’t on the menu today). After my first taste of the Andes, I can’t wait for more.

A day trip to Cachi from Salta is around $180 pesos and takes about 12 hours in total. Bring sun screen and money for lunch in the town. Trips are easily arranged, weather permitting, until 8pm the night before. We travelled with Alas Nubes Tours http://www.alasnubestours.com.ar/. It’s also possible to hire a car and there are places to stay in Cachi.

Cath Millman

It’s just before dawn, and I’m rudely awakened by my alarm clock. It’s that freakishly early stage of the morning that normally passes me by, but today I have to haul ass into the paddock for my first ever horseback ride in Latin America.

Those looking for the gaucho experience have plenty of estancias to choose from in the Pampas of Argentina and the Uruguayan countryside. These vary from huddling around the fireplace with no electricity, to enjoying gourmet food and air conditioning on slick day trips from the city. You can also volunteer on an estancia and really get stuck in.

We settle for El Galope, near Colonia del Sacramento. Not having the time to head up to Tacuarembó for the ‘real deal’, nor the cash to splash on a luxury estancia on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, it seemed a good compromise.

Grabbing the horse’s mane (it doesn’t hurt her) and swinging my leg over Chimanga, a Uruguayan-bred beauty, I realise I’m in for quite a ride.

“She’s very calm, but she loves to gallop,” her owner tells me.

I’m used to naughty British horses that sometimes need a thwack of the crop to actually do what you want them to do. Gaucho horses are trained to herd cattle, and are so responsive it’s like driving an automatic car.

I gently hold the reins across the left side of Chimanga’s neck, and she turns so sharply we go in a little circle.

I’m warned not to keep pulling on the reins after she’s stopped, not because she’ll rear up or get pissed off, but because she will actually reverse! I look over my shoulder to check she doesn’t have tail lights.

The Gaucho style of riding is badass cool. You hold the reins in one hand, and hold out your other hand for balance (or to whirl around your bola). Leaning forward into a gallop, you aren’t holding onto anything – you’re literally flying.

It’s quite a rush, and once I start to remember my childhood lessons, I’m really getting into it. If only the girls in Pontcanna Riding School could see me now! No proper riding hat! No crop! And no attempt at a ‘rising trot’!

We slow down for a stroll and are being followed by a pair of redheaded woodpeckers while we spot birds’ nests made of mud and hares hiding in the grass.

The myth of the gaucho is something visitors can only speculate about, but if you are in this amazing part of the world it’s well worth going out for a spell.

Cath Millman

We were looking for a place to chill out for a few days, and in Montevideo we found exactly what we needed: a secluded country house with a huge garden and spacious, airy rooms with high ceilings. Hostel Portones de Carrasco is a relatively new hostel but it’s already a big hit with discerning backpackers and budget holidaymakers looking for somewhere to relax.

There’s a shopping centre and small square full of restaurants and bars close by and Montevideo centre is an easy bus trip away. Treat yourself to a steak dinner at the Port Market in Old Town, or explore one of the quirky museums.

You can walk to one of the many beaches that surround the city, or maybe take a day trip further east to a chic beach resort or surfing town. 

Despite all the attractions nearby, you’ll find it hard not to curl up with a book and just chill out in the house. The hostel’s original period features (open fireplace, wood beams and thatched roof) are thanks to a British architect, who certainly left his mark on a street filled with less quirky but equally classy houses.

With a huge garden, terrace, breakfast room and lounge, there are plenty of places to relax in this very civilized retreat. Portones has all the usual mod cons – wifi, hot showers, lockers, fans, and comfortable beds, but it’s also bursting with character.

The hostel’s owner, Mercedes, cooks the best scrambled eggs I’ve ever tasted, and is really friendly and helpful. The hostel is a family business and you’re very much taken in as one of their own. It really is a home from home.

Cath Millman

Hostel Portones: Pedro Murillo 5826, Montevideo, Uruguay

Carnaval time is just around the corner, and although our budget and timescale doesn’t allow for a jaunt to Brazil, we have another idea. While planning our route from our hostel in Montevideo to the festival in Gualeguaychú in Argentina, we hear about the city’s own event. A fellow traveller tells us that not only is this carnival just up the road, it’s also starting tonight. We immediately dump the maps and laptop and head into town to check it out.

The opening ceremony begins at the end of January, and the party continues for about 40 days. This makes the Montevideo Carnaval the longest in the world. Luckily for locals (and their livers), the event doesn’t involve drinking and dancing the entire time – there are a number of different events in the proceedings that are unique to the country.

At the parade, the atmosphere is jovial and friendly, with families sharing mate tea and dancing along to the drumming. Children are spraying the passing performers with silly string and confetti, while the grownups are giggling and taking photos.

The music, the costumes and the party atmosphere keeps us dancing until late into the night, and despite our hangovers the next day we’re keen to do it all over again.

Tonight, samba groups young and old are strutting their stuff. Scantily clad girls (and guys) with plumes of feathers and brightly coloured costumes are shaking what their momma gave them to the sound of llamadas.

The llamadas (Spanish for “calls”) are drum parades where the drummers combine syncopated beats with some snazzy footwork like a Latin-style marching band. This is serious stuff for the participants, who are battling it out for various awards (the presentations and judging events are partly why the carnival is so long).

Each group dresses up as a certain character, which is a special Uruguayan tradition. We see gaggles of men in drag and also pirates being led by a sexy Tinkerbell fairy. Apparently, dressing up as old men and women is also a popular choice.

Dancing amongst all the glitter and campness, we haven’t even noticed that we are the only non-Latin Americans in the crowd. The event is popular with tourists from Argentina and Brazil, but it feels like word hasn’t got much further than that.

The fact that we were in town and didn’t even know it was on sums up the lack of advertising. The most famous part of this carnaval in February, but many people don’t realise it’s already over a week into the proceedings.

At the event itself, it’s hard to find any information (especially in English), but luckily it’s easy to just turn up and find a (free) spot to stand in the street. After another night of laughing with entertainers and gawping and the amazing colours and floats, all to the soundtrack of carnaval spirit, I can see why the Uruguayans want to keep it to themselves.   

Cath Millman

The reality is that those pretty cobbled streets with houses painted in primary colours are only in El Caminito in the barrio of La Boca.

El Caminito is a pocket of houses near the harbour that’s been carefully maintained so tourists can take pictures and watch tango dancers (participation optional). Tour buses set down visitors who wield expensive cameras for an hour or two, then everyone gets back the hotel in time for a steak dinner.

Shiny and cheesy as it may be, it’s well worth a look. Just make sure you get a cab or the bus – La Boca has the highest crime rate in the city and the surrounding area is supposedly a little sketchy. We caught the 29 and were treated to a tour of the town for a few coins.

We passed the old streets of San Telmo, which come alive on Sundays with an enormous flea market, pretty churches, and a few parks. But no ‘stand out’ sights.

In fact, when we start walking around in the 30C heat, getting splashed by air conditioning units above, dodging dog poo and inhaling the fumes from the frantic traffic, I began to wonder what all the fuss is about.

One place we wanted to see was the Plaza de Mayo. The scene of many protests, rallies and speeches, including Eva Peron’s famous speech (not Madonna’s), it’s pretty battered and down at heel. The hundreds of pigeons seem to be having a good time though, and some scruffy protesters have set up camp opposite the Casa Rosada.

We walked around this huge city for a few more days, and as our jetlag subsided and we came across lots of happy, helpful and friendly Porteños, I started to see BA in a new light. Not the postcard-perfect BA in my daydreams, but the cool, unpretentious, laid-back BA that’s full of energy and life.

Artists are doing their thing in spacey warehouses, musicians have come to town to make it big while making friends, tourists are happily soaking up everyday Spanish lessons from enthusiastic locals and fashionistas actually smile back.

At night, the place really gets into the party spirit and young revellers dance well into the next morning. Their love for music and dance is in the genes, and they’re equally comfortable dancing to DJs or tango (tango songs will crop up in even the coolest clubs).

Palermo is a great place to sample the boutiques and cafes then chill out in the balmy evenings. This chic barrio is also home to La Cabrera, which serves up thick, buttery steak with pickles, breads and salads for a very reasonable price. Tourists and locals wait patiently for tables as free drinks and snacks are handed around. Our 40 minute wait is full of interesting conversation, tasty morsels and people watching, so it flies by. This is typical BA – it’s all about absorbing the atmosphere and enjoying the simple things with friends and family. It’s going to be hard to leave this place.

Cath Millman

Usually travellers stick to the south of Mexico, where there is lush jungle, ruined temples and tourist attractions galore.  Up north (by which I mean anywhere north of about halfway up) there are a few fabulous areas that shouldn’t be missed, including the fantastic Copper Canyon, where you can cycle and hike and generally admire the splendour.

Well, now there’s another reason to go up there:  Mexico is newly home to the highest bridge in the world, the Baluarte Bridge (according the BBC, anyway; Wikipedia is a bit more conservative and hedges bets with “one of the highest bridges in the world”).

This extreme height measures up at 403m.  If you’re having trouble picturing exactly how high that is, fear not: the BBC are on hand to put it in perspective for you.  It’s so tall, they declare, that the Eiffel Tower could fit easily under its central span.  It also extends for well over a thousand metres, so you’ve got a good long stretch of awe, or possibly vertigo, as you zoom across it.

So where is this bridge, and will you be able to fit it into your travel plans?  Potentially, yes, it would seem.  The bridge is located on the Mazatlan-Durango highway, so if you’re heading to the beautiful beachy coastal city of Mazatlan and thinking of heading into the mountainous interior from there, this could work for you.  Durango is famous in its own right, not just for the dodgy mountainous railroads and paths, but for the Wild West feel which has encouraged many a filmmaker to use the region as a set.  Think Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and you’ll get the idea.

The terrain of the interior of Mexico is spectacularly rocky and jagged, with the road prior to the building of this bridge affectionately known as the Devil’s Backbone.  Not a particularly safe road at the best of times, the Mexican government has seen fit to work on a modern highway to put in its place, of which Baluarte Bridge will be part.  There are going to be another eight bridges (though not quite as high) and over 60 tunnels, the idea being that the journey time between Mazatlan and Durango will be cut by six hours.  And presumably not carry so much risk of falling off a cliff.

So, if you’re heading to Mexico, see if you can fit Baluarte Bridge into your itinerary.  The government are very excited about it, hoping it will bring more tourism – but improved roads alone through the Sierra Madre Occidental will open up areas of Mexico that travellers previously wouldn’t have had time to work into their schedules.  Eventually – though exactly when is anyone’s guess – the modern highway will extend from east to west, ocean to ocean, making travel in the region a million times easier and safer.

Sophie Carville

One of the big questions which arises with all travellers between Central and South America involves… well, getting between Central and South America.  Making that leap.  As previously mentioned, I hadn’t thought further ahead than Mexico when I started travelling from the top of Central America downwards, and realising in Nicaragua that it wasn’t going to be another standard case of just getting on a bus from Panama to Colombia came as a shock.

All because of the dreaded Darien Gap.

But that’s fine: there were options.  Boats.  Planes.  Cheap flights, if you looked long and hard enough…

Wait.  I’m afraid you can’t anymore.

Let’s hear it for the global recession – plenty of airlines have closed down various routes or gone bankrupt, and one such airline was the Colombian AIRES.  98% of AIRES shares were bought out by Chile-based LAN, and LAN aren’t even so much as keeping the name, let alone the flights or the low, low prices.  Very sad indeed.

So, if anyone comes across cheap-ish flights or reliable airlines flying between Panama and Colombia, do let us know.  In the meantime, as of Jan 2012, Copa Air do one-way flights for about US$450 with all the tax and extras tacked on, so it’s actually better value to do the boat trip via the San Blas Islands.

Sophie Carville

Our arrival in Antigua was a welcome relief after the overnight bus journey to Guatemala City and then another bus to our final destination. After a much needed sleep we donned our shoes and hit the streets to explore.

Antigua is definitely a city in which you can visit all the churches, of which there are a large number, or like us happily wander the streets and see where your feet take you. From old ruins to beautiful squares there is plenty to discover in the city.

We arrived in the middle of a religious festival which gave the city an added dimension. It is quaint with beautiful colonial buildings and cobbled streets. There are wonderful antiques shops to explore as well as modern galleries offering a wonderful juxtaposition of the old and the new.

After lunch we wandered the central craft market and enjoyed the atmosphere of the bustling city. We were told that the streets aren’t always so busy but due to our arrival during a festival we were seeing the city at full capacity.

The following day was a Sunday which was when the festival really kicked off with men of all ages dressing in something resembling a monk’s habit in a rather imperial purple colour with white headdresses resembling biblical shepherds.

We heard rumour there was a procession and after lots of turns down different streets we found a rather ramshackle procession of men and women, many weighed down by heavy saintly figures and others swinging incense. It was a really wonderful display of traditional values and great to see these being passed on to younger generations.

That night we headed into town and treated ourselves to a wonderful steak dinner. Feeling fully satiated we made a slow ramble back through the streets. Whilst we had been at dinner people had appeared and made beautiful pictures out of coloured sand in the street. They were meticulous in the detail. What was upsetting is that when we got up the next day these beautiful works of art were gone.

The next day was a mad dash round the market to pick up some souvenirs before making our way to Guatemala City and our aeroplane home.

I can’t believe the trip is over. I am sure I will be back, but for now I will have to look at everything I have done to remind myself of the wonderful times Stuart and myself have had in South and Central America.

Alice Bevan

The Hotel Palacio de Doña Beatriz is modern building that harks back to the colonial period with tasteful design complete with rich interiors. It is in one of Antigua’s best residential districts only a few blocks away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

The hotel is designed around a beautiful courtyard where guests can take breakfast each morning. The breakfast comes with a multitude of traditional and western choices including some truly tasty pineapple jam accompanied by lovely fresh white bread.

The hotel is composed of a master suite, three junior suites and four boutique bedrooms. The rooms are all finished with unique touches giving the rooms a personalised feel. All rooms come with cable television, and wireless internet. In the courtyard there is a swimming pool and Jacuzzi. For relaxation out of your room and away from the pool there is a living room with a computer for guests use and a wide range of books on Guatemala and other fictional offerings.

The staff are very friendly and always on hand to help you with anything, whether a restaurant recommendation or the organisation of a trip to the nearby Tikal or Atitlan Lake.

It is a beautiful elegant hotel that lives up to its title of boutique with all the luxuries and service required to fit under that name.

Alice Bevan

Hotel Palacio de Doña Beatrice: Las Gravileas, Calle de los Duelos, La Antigua – Guatemala

www.hotelpalaciodebeatriz.com

Tel: (502) 7832 – 4052; Email: info@hotelpalaciodebeatriz.com

After San Ignacio it was time to get some culture and we headed for Tikal, Guatemala. We thought it seemed eminently plausible to get from San Ignacio to Tikal, spend the day there, then catch the overnight to Flores.

Our first problem was that getting over the Belize/Guatemala border isn’t all that easy, and the bus we were hoping to catch on the Guatemalan side seemed very elusive. However, as luck was on our side and we met a very friendly Canadian lady travelling on her own with a whole taxi to spare who invited us along for the ride – a complete life saver as who knows how long we would have been waiting otherwise. So unfortunately I’ve not got much advice except to say that getting a bus from San Ignacio to the border is very easy, and getting one after you have crossed the border is a little harder – we just didn’t want to pay the exorbitant prices being asked by tour companies, although this seems to be the only option. If anyone has any further info on bus times it would be useful!

We arrived at Tikal about 11am, having decided to forgo the sunrise option. Tikal is everything I had hoped for: A wonderfully mystic maze of temples created by the Mayans with architecture dating back as far as the 4^th century BC. We had a fantastic time getting lost and finding ourselves at the bottom of monumental temples. Whenever I look around places like these I am amazed at how much was achieved with manpower alone.

We opted for using a guidebook we picked up along the way rather than getting a guide but there are plenty available at the entrance if you want a more inclusive tour of the area.

Climbing to the top of some of the temples is slightly gruelling in the temperatures but the views across the jungle are amazing with just the tops of distant temples poking through the canopy.

Once in a while we found ourselves in the middle of a ruin on our own, with only background noise of birds, and I could almost imagine the Mayans going about their everyday life.

After a good exploration of the site we headed back to book ourselves onto one of the mini-buses that do regular runs into the nearby town of Flores. This is not a tour bus and as such stops along the way to pick up locals. Once in Flores we headed for the bus company we were hoping to use for that night’s journey, reportedly a cut above the rest. Disaster struck when we were told they had sold out! So in my very poor Spanish I asked to be put on a waiting list and we checked our other options. I did find another company with spaces, so at least we had a back-up but I wasn’t too keen to spend all night on their bus, but beggars can’t be choosers – or can they! We headed out for a tasty spot of dinner in Santa Elena and feeling uninspired eventually ate at Burger King. After this we returned to the bus station to find out our fate. And praise the gods – due to popular demand they decided to put on another bus to Guatemala City going that night. It wasn’t the luxury bus we were hoping for but was a definite cut above the alternative.

In summary Tikal is definitely worth a visit but I would probably recommend trying to accomplish the trip from San Ignacio over the border and a visit to Tikal over two days. This will ensure you have time to book a night bus to Guatemala if you need to and time to enjoy the amazing atmosphere of Tikal.

Alice Bevan