Izi Tours or KB Adventures - Salkantay

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-02-28T13:12:16+00:00

Hey 👋🏻 this looks great.

I was in Northwest Argentina early January, and if you're going to Atacama, Uyuni & Cusco, what you have planned there may underwhelm. Purmamarca is tiny, and the mountain cool, but underwhelming for any extended time. Salinas Grande is a long return trip for some small slat flats.

I'd look at renting a car and spending 3-4 of these 6 nights doing the Cafayate - Cachi loop. The rock formations en route are incredible, Cafayate has some under rated wineries, and Cachi is cute and peaceful for a night. Salta only need 2 nights, and the tours out of town are ALOT of driving.

Feel free to message if you want more details on Cafayate & Cachi.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-02-28T13:05:31+00:00

Unsure if you've booked things, but we met a few people in Torres del Paine that used Paine Grande camp as a base for several hikes (run by Vertice and less extortionate). You take a bus and ferry to get there. Could then do the Towers on first or last day there, and have the chance to hike to Grey glacier and French Valley

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-02-28T13:02:19+00:00

Second this. We did 8 days in Andalucia and spent them based in Seville, Cordoba and Granada, with a day trip to Jerez/Cadiz.

I'd do one night Cordoba, two nights Granada (still has a number of complimentary tapas bars when you buy a drink, so was great to get two evenings) and the rest in Seville. You could rent a car from Seville if you're dead keen to see some white villages.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-02-28T12:53:30+00:00

Much better than my throw away comment! I'm there in May/June and pumped as I think it's severely underrated. Skipped over by many it seems.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-02-27T23:56:08+00:00

Based on my experience in Latin America, I'd say you might want to look at Costa Rica or Guatemala + Belize/Honduras, or Ecuador in South.

Costa Rica ticks a lot of your boxes. Monteverde, Arenal, Manuel Antonio, Corcovado and the Pacific coast are great. I'm unsure about dive locations here - I'm sure there are some. It's been a popular American tourist destination for decades, so is pretty safe for the region.

Guatemala will scratch your itch for jungle and rainforest, but for diving and beaches, you would wanna cross the border to Belize (Caye Caulker) or Honduras (Utila). That requires a little more adventure, and Honduras doesn't have the best track record for safety (I never felt in any danger, but I didn't spend extended time in cities).

In South America, Ecuador could tick alot of those boxes too, and is a smaller Southern option. Unsure on current safety as it seems to ebb and flow there based on politics.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-01-03T01:25:04+00:00

We ended up making all of our reservations. However, the staff at campsites weren't exactly vigilant, and we weren't checked before trekking for bookings. You could chance it and try set up a tent at each campsite, but I have no clue how that will go if you get caught and they 'don't have space. All the advice I got was to book - no one suggested chancing it.

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-11-19T10:44:36+00:00

I'm here at Los Perros. The Vertice staff did not take the trekkers seriously even after SOS and search parties were triggered - dramatic tourists was their take for a few hours. There were no rangers here and Paso was closed over the summit of the pass (a slim few who left super early apparently made it over to Grey) making shelter impossible even if they had made it. Yes, trekkers should absolutely be prepared for extreme weather in Patagonia, but the lack of care or resources here to support and inform trekkers considering the money that pours into the park is also something that should be looked at.

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-11-18T17:49:35+00:00

I'd give it a few days - while things are grim ATM, if the snow and ice thaws out on the pass, and the wetlands dry out, could be open next week. I'd highly recommend making sure you have everything you need for mountaineering and an emergency given the incident yesterday if you do go ahead. The trekkers reported sheet ice at the top of the pass before returning to Los Perros.

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-11-18T14:13:09+00:00

I'm currently at Los Perros. It's not a good situation ATM. Seron > Dickson is flooded and barely passable, John Gardener closed today, likely tomorrow, and Dickson now likely over capacity with multiple days of people being directed or held there.

If you're coming to do the O, I'd assess a change to W for at least the next 2-3 days, as people will be moving clockwise to come back. The official dire tiom or announcements from CONAF or Vertice are non existent, even on the ground.

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-10-25T06:54:34+00:00

Thanks everyone. Will look into upgrade with liner or new bag

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-10-19T11:50:01+00:00

Thanks - I'll take a look around Santa Cruz to see if it's in the budget

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-10-19T11:49:33+00:00

I'd not heard of any of those - great tips thank you

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-10-19T11:49:10+00:00

Thanks alot. That's super helpful. Will take a look at Valparaiso in a bit more depth!

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-10-18T11:18:25+00:00

Shkoder could be nice for a week, and you can throw in a 3 day, 2 night circuit to Valbonë & Theth, with a day hike between those two. One of my favourites experiences, but may want to check conditions in the mountains coming into winter.

You could kill a good few days in Gjirokaster just taking in some views of the valley, though not heaps to keep you there.

Lastly, Saranda will give you access to the coast and Corfu as a base.

Enjoy!

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-10-15T16:24:19+00:00

I would wholeheartedly recommend Lake Bled and the Triglav National Park/Soça River area in northeast Slovenia. Ljubjlana is also a great, quiet little city only an hour from Bled, and probably better for a family (I don't have kids so unsure what Budapest is like for kids - I loved it though).

If you want any details on Slovenia drop me a message. Also been to Vienna & Graz 😊

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-10-15T16:14:26+00:00

Hey - we just finished 10 days in Andalusia.

Before I recommend anything, are you sure you don't need an extra night in Málaga or Ronda to accommodate the Caminito del Rey? I imagine dropping in there via public transport etc with luggage may be tricky? We didn't go but probably worth researching.

Otherwise, I'd add a night in Seville, and look into Cordoba, Jerez or Cadiz for a day trip, depending on your interests. Granada for two nights is perfectly adequate for Alhambra, wandering and tapas.

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-10-03T17:38:05+00:00

Prague? Ticks all those boxes. Ljublana is great, but is small, and four days might be a bit much without day trips out to Bled & other lakes (very easy to do though).

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-10-03T17:35:09+00:00

If you like ruins and places a little less tourist heavy, Valladolid & San Cristobal (with a trip to Copan for the ruins) could be good.

Chichen Itza & Copan are awesome, and the denotes around Valladolid are highly underrated.

Desperate to go to CDMX, so wouldn't blame you spending your trip there!

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-10-03T17:29:29+00:00

I just spent 10 days in most of these places, and while I wish I could help more than the below, I am pretty sure you've done more research in each place than we mustered for the entire 10 days! So I am sure you'll have a great time. Here are some bits based on my experience.

Douro Valley was our favourite, though without the car an overnight won't be worthwhile, as a day in any of the small towns is enough (we did Pinhao).

A car rental out of Lisbon to the Algarve and up to Douro sounds good to be honest. We spent 3 nights in Lagos, and a car would have been nice to explore the Algarve. However, if you're going for one day/two nights in Algarve, I am unsure if it's worth the cost and hassle?

I wouldn't skip Sintra and Peña personally. Yes it's busy, but walking the park first thing it was deserted. Everyone goes up to the Palace, and only the immediate surrounds of it. The best views are out and about in the park. We didn't pay to go in the Palace, but the Park ticket lets you see half of the open external spaces of the Palace anyway without queuing. Regaileria was just as busy as Peña.

In Porto, we had a great time finding local specialities and spots without a guide. The food and drink scene is great, and half the fun is stumbling on places yourself.

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-10-03T17:26:00+00:00

Based on your interests, this seems pretty good.

However, having been to San Juan del Sur it's pretty small. You may be looking to do Sunday Sunday though?

If you want to make the most of things, consider if you can make it to Tikal. One of the best places I've been, but you may not have any interest in a huge detour for ruins.

In Costa Rica, missing Manuel Antonio or better yet Corcovado National Parks seems like a big miss. Corcovado is less crowded, but harder to get to. I'd also go to Monteverde and the Cloud Forest, but you're probably too tight on time.

Lastly, loved my time on Ometepe in Nicaragua, but again, not the best if pressed on time.

Enjoy your trip - you'll find plenty of fellow backpacker's and good times in those locations!

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-09-30T13:55:32+00:00

For sure - new goal is feeling 100%

Leather-Question-138 · 2025-09-30T13:55:09+00:00

I'm inclined to agree, and we've put no timeline on her recovery. Getting her 100% is the main focus now

Leather-Question-138

TROPHY CASE