Every year around August and September the requests roll in, "I want to visit Patagonia over the holidays", and it breaks our heart to say that the hotels have been sold out for months. We don't want to break hearts, which is why we've pre-paid for five rooms and scheduled the guides over peak holiday season to form a 10 person group departure. This year the trip will take place from December 23rd...
Photo by danilo.alvesd on UnsplashChile is a gorgeous country full of diverse landscapes and rich culture. A trip to Chile is always full of delicious food, premium wine, exciting adventures, and distinctive history. The range of experiences that you can have in Chile is so vast that it is nearly impossible to see everything in a single, short trip. The reality is that, if you want to truly immerse yourself in all...
Well, it is finally happening: the days are getting shorter, the temperature is dropping, and Halloween decorations have made their debut in stores. Fall is here! While we love crisp mornings and the leaves changing colors, Fall’s arrival is especially exciting because it means you can start daydreaming about your holiday travel plans! The holiday season is an immensely popular time to travel and the...
A multi-generational family trip is a wonderful way to bring loved ones together and make meaningful memories. Each trip is special – so why don’t more people plan them? The truth is that multi-generational trips can take a little extra planning, which is intimidating for some people. The extra planning is worth the rewards! Before we get ahead of ourselves, we need to make sure that multi-...
Photo by Kyle Frost on UnsplashGive your loved one a gift that will endure time and distance with a trip to South America for the holidays. The memories of a visit to Central or South America will endure long past that new tablet or InstantPot (which, to be fair, is a handy kitchen tool), spurring smiles and great stories for years to come. Watch your partner or children’s eyes shine every time they remember...
Southern Explorations is excited to announce a new magnificent lodging option near El Chaltén for Patagonian explorers at Explora Lodge El Chaltén In Patagonia. Nestled in the breathtaking mountains in the heart of Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park, Explora El Chaltén is conveniently located near the trailheads of some of Argentina’s most legendary hikes, including Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy. Relax...
 We have great news for everyone who has been pining for a trip to Chile or a trip to Argentina: Chile has opened their borders as of October 1st and Argentina will open beginning November 1st.  We are ecstatic by the timing of these border openings as the summer travel season is just beginning in the Southern Hemisphere. What you need to know about traveling to Chile Starting November 1,...
Slowly, the world is starting to open up. And while we certainly aren’t past this pandemic yet and many questions still remain, people are starting to think about what our post-pandemic world is going to look like. We’ve been thinking about that ourselves as we monitor daily the destinations we visit.We’re in constant communication with our team members on the ground across Latin America to ensure...
At Southern Explorations we’ve had a lot of time to reflect and take stock of the beautiful Latin American places, people, and adventures we’ve connected travelers with for nearly two decades. While we are at home, we’re still working hard planning new and exciting journeys and ensuring that those of you who have trips scheduled are able to take them when the time is right.  Our motto...
“What’s the best souvenir to get here?”It’s a great question and one that our guides get from guests traveling with us all the time.You have to pick up a souvenir, right? Everyone wants a keepsake from the places they visit. It just makes sense, when you experience the trip of a lifetime you are going to want to have something to remind you of your treasured moments once your return home....
**DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME CONTEST IS ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE**Southern Explorations’ ‘Trip of a Lifetime’ Story ContestCelebrating 15 Years of Award-Winning Latin and South America ToursAs we prepare to celebrate our 15th anniversary in 2020, 1 lucky winner and a guest will WIN a "Trip of a Lifetime" to Experience Machu Picchu or Classic...
We did. And we can make it happen for you this year.Cap off 2019 right. Relax, get some peace of mind and leave all the details to us this holiday season. From December 22, 2019 to January 3, 2020 we’re going to be exploring Patagonia on one of the more spectacular trips we could conjure. It’s a 13-day twist on our Luxury Patagonia trip and includes a Christmas Day hike to Mt. Fitz Roy & Laguna...
There’s a good chance you’ve seen the word “rewild” with much greater frequency recently. While it has been a favorite concept among conservationists for a little while now, these days the general public is becoming increasingly aware of the term and the vision of conservation that it represents. We now face the reality that approximately 75 per cent of our planet has been significantly...
We love being able to show you things you’ve never seen before by taking you to the underappreciated spots or trekking into the underexplored regions of South America and Central America, inspiring a feeling of discovery. We live for the chance to have our guests experience something only a few lucky travelers have ever experienced and we take incredible pride in our ability to craft Central and South America...
As part of our continuing commitment to sustainability, we provide support to leading organizations dedicated to the conservation of the ecosystems in which we operate. Last year, we introduced you to our partners at the Torres del Paine Legacy Fund, an organization whose mission is to ensure a sustainable future for Torres del Paine National Park and its surrounding communities. The park, a crown jewel of...
Have you ever wondered how we craft our trips? Have you ever wanted to see for yourself what goes into mapping out and creating a quintessential Southern Explorations itinerary, complete with the thoughtful and creative touches our team is known for? If you have, then you’re in luck! We are now pulling back the curtain and bringing you into our trip creation process as we go in search of options and...
There’s one particular episode of Netflix’s Chef’s Table that tends to stick out in everybody’s mind. It features the biggest food star in the Latin world and it speaks to the soul of what it is that people love about travel, about food, about drink, about freedom, about life. It demonstrates a unique and enrapturing appreciation for each. If you’ve watched the show then you’ve...
It’s the eighth world wonder.  One of the most legendary treks on the planet. National Geographic’s fifth most beautiful place in the world; Torres del Paine’s famous W and O circuits, trekked by visitors from around the globe daily. And yet, these renowned trails weren’t created by trail designers or experts. None of it was plotted or planned at all. No, for these famed paths...
As part of our continuing commitment to sustainability, we provide support to leading organizations dedicated to the conservation of the ecosystems in which we operate. We’ve recently teamed up with the Torres del Paine Legacy Fund in support of their inspiring and ambitious Tu Mejor Huella para el Paine campaign.To kick-off it off, we chatted with Emily Green, Director for the Torres del Paine Legacy...
If you’ve always dreamed of witnessing penguins in the wild, then our team of South America and Central America travel experts has you covered. While Antarctica is famously the best place to go if you’re looking for the ultimate penguin trip, there’s also no shortage of opportunities to do some penguin watching everywhere from the Galapagos Islands all the way through Peru, Chile, Argentina,...
  This past week you may have noticed penguins taking over your Instagram or Twitter feed as World Penguin Day was celebrated on April 25th and proved once again that pretty much everyone, everywhere loves penguins. Penguins are without a doubt the most sought after wildlife viewing experience we offer at Southern Explorations, and it’s no mystery as to why. Across the 17 species of penguins,...
Yes, it feels like 2018 just started, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to start thinking about your 2019 South America and Central America travel plans! In fact, for some of our trips, if you don’t start planning now, you’ll miss out entirely, especially if you’re thinking of exploring South America in 2019 on a Southern Explorations luxury trip, particularly Luxury Patagonia....
Born and raised in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, a rural region of Vermont right on the edge of the Canadian border, Kaitlyn was an outdoorsy kid, snowboarding in the Green Mountains as Vermont kids are apt to do. She studied psychology in college and worked in mental health (child and family services) for a few years before finding herself crafting intricate and compelling South America and Central America...
Whale Watching In AntarcticaWhale watching in Antarctica is at its height in February and March. Of the eight whale species that visitors may see, six are baleens: the southern (Antarctic) minke, humpback, sei, fin, blue and southern right. Perhaps Antarctica’s most extraordinary whale watching experience is encountering the largest whale of all, the blue, in part because of its gigantic proportions and also...
Planning a Patagonia vacation is a challenge, in part because the area is so vast but also because its sights are so numerous. First decide whether to visit Chile or Argentina or both. You can’t go wrong. Both countries offer their own pleasures. Here are some to ponder that may help you choose.Witnessing one of South America’s Top Sights, the Perito Moreno GlacierTurquoise and massive, the terminus of...
SOUTHERN EXPLORATIONS 10 YEARS OLD AND GROWING!2015 marks Southern Explorations’ 10th year in business. What started as a two-person operation in a garage has grown into a company with destination coordinators in several countries, customers from throughout the world and awards from the national travel media for our authentic trips and sustainability values. Southern Explorations has become one of the leaders...
Laguna Blanca National Park is one of the Western Hemisphere's top two places to see the magnificent black-necked swan plus a thousand other aquatic species in a stark volcanic landscape. Though the park attracts birdwatchers year-round from throughout the world, the most birds are found in the park between November and March. Lanin National Park is named for 13,000-ft Lanin volcano and famous for its...