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Paul Jones

Originally from Bristol in the UK, I have lived and worked in Peru for 15 years. My wife is a Latina, my children mestizo and my dog German! Latin America is a destination full of exceptional and fulfilling travel experiences. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to travel to the far reaches of the continent, experiencing just about everything these magical lands have to offer. My favorite destinations are Machu Picchu, the Galapagos Islands, Iguazu Falls, Buenos Aires, and Patagonia. For me, travel is about gaining a new perception of the world around us. Each time you travel I believe the experience should broaden your mind, teach you something new, connect you with local people, places, and nature, be fun and safe, but moreover it should leave you yearning to travel more.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"Latin America as a whole is my area of expertise. Whether you want to discover the endemic animals in the Galapagos, hike in Torres del Paine, or experience exploding geysers in San Pedro de Atacama, I can help. I also specialize in multi-destination trips that combine several countries. I love the outdoors, and have hiked, biked and rafted as much of Latin America as possible. Therefore, if you are like minded then I know I can advise you well on the best things to see and do. Of course, after living in Peru for so many years, there isn’t much I haven’t experienced, tasted, hiked, discovered, visited or lived through. Use my knowledge to help create an exiting and rewarding trip just for you."

How did you get involved in travel?

"On a wet and windy British day during summer, a childhood friend of mine sent me a picture via email. He was sat on a beach on Australia’s Gold Coast. I knew at that moment that I had to escape my daily routine and travel the world. After backpacking from New York to Peru, I soon realized that speaking Spanish was not my strong point. On arrival at the Inca Capital of Cusco I decided to sign up for Spanish classes. I never left. With my passion for travel, I soon found myself working at a local travel agency. A few years later after getting married, I decided it was time to set up my own company. Needless to say my Spanish is much better now, but I could probably brush up on my past tenths a little."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"As our skiff gently parted the vegetation ahead of us, the vast expanse of the oxbow lake became apparent. This remote natural wilderness was just breath-taking. The black mirror like water gently rippled away from the boat as blue and yellow macaws flew overhead. The tranquility of this surreal setting was a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of my typical daily life in Cusco City. It occurred to me that this was one of those special life moments – this was a connection with mother-nature that I had never experienced before. This moment was a highlight of my visit to Peru’s Amazon Jungle, if not one of my top travel experiences ever."

Paul is part of the following groups: Chile Travel Agents, Argentina Travel Agents, Uruguay Travel Agents
Mountain scenery and city life in Santiago, Chile
10 Days in Chile - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With ten days in Chile, you have time to visit more than one region. On these five unique itineraries, you'll combine a visit to Santiago with active adventures in the Atacama Desert and Torres del Paine National Park, gourmet lunches and tastings in Chile's wine regions, and following the footsteps of poet Pablo Neruda in the port city of Valparaiso.

The Marble Caves of Chilean Patagonia
2 Weeks in Chile - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas

If you have two weeks in Chile, you can visit a range of diverse landscapes or focus your energy on one region, like Patagonia. Explore the natural wonders of Chile, from the Atacama Desert to the glaciers of Torres del Paine National Park, take a boat tour through the Marble Caves, taste wines made at coastal wineries, and wander through the colorful streets of Valparaíso on these four unique itineraries.

7 Best Active Adventures in Chile
7 Best Active Adventures in Chile

Chile's rugged landscapes lure active travelers from all over the world. Thrill-seekers go whitewater rafting in the Lakes Region, sandboarding in the Atacama Desert, and paragliding high above Iquique. Down-to-earth alternatives include horseback riding on the beach and cycling in Pan De Azúcar National Park.

The ethereal landscape of Los Tuneles
1 Week in the Galápagos Islands - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas

If you have a week to spend in the Galápagos Islands, choose between a cruise and a land-based tour. You could sail around the archipelago on a yacht, stopping at various islands to hike and view wildlife, or you could base yourself on one or more of the islands, going on daily excursions to snorkel with penguins, kayak in the sea and look for blue-footed boobies in the wild. Alternatively, get an overview of Ecuador's top highlights by combining a few days in the Galápagos with a trip to Quito and Cotopaxi National Park. Learn more about your options by reading over the itineraries below.

Stone mask on the ancient temple at Chavin de Huantar
10 Days in Peru - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With 10 days in Peru, you can explore up to three regions by taking internal flights or focus on one off-the-beaten-path area like Northern Peru. The highlights of the Cusco and Machu Picchu region can easily be combined with Lake Titicaca or the Amazon jungle. Alternatively, head north to enjoy lesser-known archaeological highlights, spectacular treks, and beaches. See more ideas in this great list.

Tourists in front of the obelisk marking the beginning of Argentine Independence in central Buenos Aires
24 Hours in Buenos Aires

Have just one day in Buenos Aires? Plan on waking up early and going to bed late. It's the only way to fit in the modern art, cathedrals, and classic cafés—and still have time to linger over leisurely meals, Argentine-style. From morning sightseeing to late-night bar-hopping, here's the best plan for spending 24 hours in Buenos Aires.

Favorite experiences

Hike Torres del Paine National Park - The French Valley

This excursion involves a visit to one of many iconic areas of Torres del Paine National Park: The French Valley. Led by an expert guide the adventure begins at the Pudeto Ranger Station, which is located on the shore of Lake Pehoé, which sits beside Lago Grey and is fed by the Paine River. From...

Iguazú Falls - Argentine Side

The famous Iguazú Falls, located at the tri-borders of Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil, are split into two parts: the Brazilian side and the Argentine side. The latter is a much larger section of the falls and comprises the protected area of Iguazú National Park. There are three circuit routes...

One day Inca Trail Machu Picchu

The most famous trek in Peru is the Inca Trail, a five-day hike from Cusco that culminates at the ruins of Machu Picchu. But for those with scheduling constraints, there's one-day, abridged version of this trail that allows folks to experience all the stunning scenery in a mere 24 hours. The tour...

Atacama Desert: Tatio Geysers & Machuca Village

The Atacama Desert abounds with geologic wonders, and discovering them is why travelers visit this region of northern Chile. You'll find one such gem, the Tatio Geysers, located about 1.5 hours from the town of San Pedro de Atacama. At an altitude of 4,320 meters (14,173 feet), these are the...

Gaucho Experience in Argentina

Just as North Americans have their cowboys, Argentines have their gauchos. This frontier culture is strongest in the Pampas (prairies) immediately surrounding the capital, as this is where the country was first settled. Gauchos are national symbols in Argentina, whether it's the real-life...

Full-Day Buenos Aires Walking Tour

To properly experience Buenos Aires, you must do so on foot. The city is a European-inspired metropolis with beautiful sights and hidden secrets nearly on every street corner. This excursion involves visiting the main points of interest in Buenos Aires aided by an English-speaking guide. The...

Recent trip reviews for Paul

Our trip to Chile was amazing. Full of WOW m.
Chile | Oct 7 - Oct 28, 2022

H
Howard Z.
Wilmington Island, GA | Reviewed on Nov 13, 2022

Our trip to Chile was amazing. Full of WOW moments. Chile is a varied and beautiful country.
We started in Santiago, staying at the Cumbres Lastarria Hotel. Great location; terrific service from the staff. Highly recommend. Only drawback was that it was a holiday weekend (Columbus Day) and many restaurants and sights were closed on the Sunday and the Monday. Did a free walking tour with a very good guide - you tip what you would like at the end of the tour. Had a very good meal at... read more

Our trip to Chile was amazing. Full of WOW moments. Chile is a varied and beautiful country.
We started in Santiago, staying at the Cumbres Lastarria Hotel. Great location; terrific service from the staff. Highly recommend. Only drawback was that it was a holiday weekend (Columbus Day) and many restaurants and sights were closed on the Sunday and the Monday. Did a free walking tour with a very good guide - you tip what you would like at the end of the tour. Had a very good meal at Ambrosia.
We then took a drive to Valparaiso stopping at 3 vineyards along the way with tastings at the first 2 and lunch at the 3rd. I can recommend that. Valparaiso is visually very interesting - the way the houses are painted with art is great. Again took an informative free walking tour which was a little too long - 3 hours turned into 4. Again ran into trouble finding places to eat and a visit to Pablo Neruda house because of the holiday weekend.

Atacama was definitely a highlight of the trip. Spectacular! Stayed at the Cumbres Atacama which was a very nice hotel but the food was mediocre and repetitive night to night. First day went on excursions to Moon Valley and Cejar Lagoon. Moon Valley is spectacular and definitely feels like being on another planet. A lot of walking and some climbing. Cejar Lagoon is highly saline and you can swim/float there. Harriet did, I just waded in a little. Next day I had some difficulty because of the altitude so Harriet went without me to the Rainbow Valley which was also spectacular. In the afternoon we went to Chaxa Lagoon where there is a nice walk and wonderful experience with the flamingos who come back in the late afternoon to feed. We had wonderful guides for the two days, Sebastian and Rudolfo. We were supposed to go to the Geysers of el Tatio the next day which is located at 14,170 feet altitude. Because of my problem with breathing at altitude we opted out of that trip and went into San Pedro de Atacama.

From there a trip to Pucon whose primary attractions were being very close to the active Villarica Volcano and a trip to Conguillio National Park. We had a very helpful guide there, Daniella who went beyond the call of duty to help me deal with the local hospital and with an audiologist. The volcano was awesome to look at. Conguillio was a long drive but also beautiful scenery - lakes, waterfalls, a walk to a lagoon. The visit to the Termas Geometricas hot springs on our free day was also a nice experience, although again a long drive. Pucon itself was touristy. Food not very good. If you needed to shorten your trip, I would skip Pucon.

The next highlight was the trip to Rapa Nui. A never to forget experience. Our guide there, Martin Hey, was a major contributor to our enjoyment. He was very knowledgeable about the Rapa Nui history and customs, spoke excellent English (he had lived in the USA), and was just a pleasure to be with. We would recommend that you request him if you have an option. Note that it was necessary to have a Covid PCR test within 24 hours of going to Rapa Nui. This was well arranged by KimKim. No matter what you've read about the moai or the pictures you may have seen, seeing these huge sculptures in person is an amazing and perhaps spiritual experience. There was a fire the week before we went that damaged several of the moai at the quarry, Rana Raku, where most of them were created, but we saw no evidence of that when we visited that site. Perhaps our favorite site was Tangariki where there are 15 Moai representing important people from the different clans. We went back there on our own to commune with them on our own. We visited several other sites including Orongo, the site of the Bird Man culture and the beach at Anakena. Definitely worth spending 3 days on Rapa Nui.

Our last stop before returning to Santiago and home was in Patagonia, staying in Puerto Natales.
We spent a day in a group tour to the Torres del Paine National Park, stopping to see several lakes, flocks of guanacos, and a prehistoric cave. We stopped for a very nice lunch after which there was a scheduled walk, but because it was raining and we had met a couple on the tour we enjoyed being with, we stayed at the restaurant with them. We later took a nice walk to the cave. The next day we took the Glacier Navigation on a very comfortable catamaran boat to the Serrano glacier stopping to view waterfalls, condors, sea lions. To get to the glacier you had the choice of a 10 minute walk to view it from a distance or a one hour plus walk to get closer. In spite of the rain and the cold we opted for the long walk which was challenging but we were happy we did it. It was sad to hear that the glacier had receded 200 meters in the last decade. Afterwards we stopped for a good lunch of roast lamb and chicken. The hotel was basic but adequate. The food there was mediocre except for the steak which was good. We also ate in Puerto Natales.

We returned to Santiago for one night before flying home. We had a very good dinner that night at Bocanariz. Our last day before taking the flight home we spent with the cousins of a good friend in Savannah for a home-cooked lunch and the afternoon. Probably the best meal we had in Chile.

All in all, a trip to remember. The hotels were mostly quite good to excellent. The guides we had were excellent. We also met a number of people who were traveling in Chile from various countries that we became friendly with. I also want to compliment the service provided by Liane from CTS Turismo who answered all our questions and made some adjustments in the schedule in a timely manner. We would not go to Chile for a culinary experience as we found that outside of Santiago most of the restaurants we ate in were not very good.

Lastly, want to thank Paul for leading us through the many changes we made along the way dealing with the uncertainty of whether Rapa Nui would open up or not.

Howard Zabusky and Harriet Zabusky-Zand

Local specialist: Paul Jones