South America and beyond
Guides
Everything worth knowing before you go — gear, language, routes and places to seek out.
Medellín and Cartagena — Salsa, Please
Two Colombian cities beyond the clichés — dance schools, a food market, a salsa institution, a quiet beach.
Bogotá and the Boyacá Province
The good parts of a huge grey capital, then north to Boyacá — a salt cathedral and the treks of El Cocuy.
Patagonia — A General Guide
The southernmost inhabited region on Earth, and why it's the one place you really do have to plan ahead.
The Salar by Self-Drive
Hire a jeep and cross southern Bolivia yourself instead of joining a tour. The car, the kit, the day-by-day route.
La Paz — Hope Is Just Around the Corner
The world's highest capital. Where to stay away from the traveller strip, and how to reach Tiwanaku on your own.
Torres del Paine — A Full, Up-to-Date Guide
No booking, no entry since 2017. Every campsite on the W trek, how to reserve, and what to do when they're full.
Valparaíso — A Paradise of Colour
Chile's cultural capital — graffiti, salsa, Pablo Neruda's house, and a hidden beach an hour from the city.
The Carnival of Northern Argentina
While everyone flies to Brazil, northern Argentina sends devils dancing down a mountain. When and how to go.
The Beginner's Guide — Gear, Apps and What You Need to Know
What's actually worth carrying for months on the road, and the apps worth having. Written for travelling alone.
Mendoza — The Complete Winery Guide
Skip the bike ride in Maipú. The wine that made Mendoza's name grows in the Uco Valley — which wineries to book.
Northern Argentina — The Salta That Will Lift You
A desert road trip out of Salta through Inca country — villages, the Cafayate wineries, and a pearl called Iruya.
The Language Guide — Spanish for Beginners
Why it pays to arrive with Spanish, and how to learn it — apps, channels, podcasts and my own grammar notes.
Tips for Going Your Own Way
Things you may not have thought of — volunteering, local festivals, and how to actually meet the people who live there.