During your journey through the Ecuadorian Andes, visit Tigua in the valleys of the Andes and learn about Ecuadorian traditional art. Tigua is a collection of small communities southwest of Quito, between the majestic slopes of the Cotopaxi Volcano and the Quilotoa crater. The local artists became internationally famous for their colorfully naïve paintings of rural life in the Andes. Their delightful folk art, painted with chicken feather brushes on sheep hide, celebrates their mountain life with its festivals, legends, and traditions dating back centuries. During this workshop you will not only learn about their painting techniques but also about their daily life in the mountains to understand the meaning of this art. The scenes convey an image of communal life, with villagers herding livestock, spinning and weaving wool, harvesting crops, with market scenes or bullfights. Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, presides over many of these pictures, symbolizing the spirit of the Ecuadorian landscape. Paintings are also inspired by nearby Quilotoa lagoon, a spectacular crater lake with ethereal electric-blue water. Although the Tigua community has adopted to modern life in some ways, they continue to speak their ancient Quechua dialect. Most Tigua villagers, including the artists, are still engaged in farming activities and herd sheep, spin wool, and weave the most beautiful cloths. They live a simple life deeply bound to their lands. For further info, please contact us! 

Picture credit: Alfonso Toaquiza

Carnival in Rio never stops, and preparing the world’s most famous Samba party is a year-round community-wide job. So get a glimpse behind the scenes, and the good news is: you can do it all year round. To experience the making of Carnival, you head to so-called Cidade de Samba, Samba City, a specially designed warehouse complex used by the most important samba schools in Rio to build and house the elaborate parade floats and amazing costumes. In Samba City visit the Grande Rio Samba School, one of Rio’s top samba schools and the reigning champion of the 2022 Rio Carnival. Here is where musicians, choreographers, dancers, artisans, and samba masters work year-round to prepare the parades, and thousands of volunteers assemble floats and make costumes in the run-up to the next carnival. After a tour of the shed, visit the colorful exhibition room to learn about the history of Samba and Carnival parades. Numerous authentic Carnival costumes are on display, flamboyant headdresses and sheathes of colourful fabric of the pasts carnivals.  Dress-up with your favorite costume, try a few Samba steps, and learn the basics of a samba beat from local drummers. Important to know: those samba schools play an important role in social work, taking care of getting young people off the streets. Not only do they provide children with a safe place to dance and sing, but they also give education and healthcare to the most vulnerable members of society. Good to know: every year the schools invite tourists to take part in the Carnival parade, including costuming, so this might be a new idea on your bucket list and next time you come to Rio for Carnival and dance the night away! Then contact us!

Buenos Aires is often being compared to Paris and it can certainly be said to be South America’s most elegant capital. Its European-oriented architecture, wide boulevards lined with palatial mansions, combined with spacious parks and the countless cultural activities are one-of-a-kind within South America. There are many impressive palaces, mostly built between 1890 and 1930, belonging to some of city’s most famous families. One of the palaces which can be visited is Barolo Palace in Montserrat district, a stunning landmark office building that hides a number of architectural curiosities. Inaugurated in 1923, it was designed by Italian architect Mario Palanti for impresario Luigi Barolo, an Italian immigrant who had arrived in Argentina in 1890 and had made a fortune in knitted fabrics. Palanti´s design of the building was inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, including its division into three sections, heaven, hell and purgatory. For many years, the 22-story building was the tallest building not only in the city, but in the whole of South America. It combines neo-romantic, neo-gothic, and also Indian styles of architecture. The building is topped by a searchlight which originally was meant to communicate with a twin building, the Palacio Salvo, located on the other side of the Río de la Plata in Montevideo, Uruguay. A visit of the palace at night is a very unique experience! Stroll around the elegant building with its impressive lights, learn about its history and the city. Ascend the roof top in a vintage 1920s elevator and admire the panoramic views from the lighthouse, including a stunning view of “Avenida de Mayo” and the Congress building. End your visit in an old style, 1920s office and enjoy a glass of wine and appetizers. For more information please contact us!

The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is known for its amazing sceneries, sand dunes, salt lakes which you can float in, geysers at almost 5000m altitude, and some of the best stargazing on the planet. For the more adventurous guests there are plenty of options from mountain biking to sand-surfing. But what can be more exciting than seeing it all from above, during a hot air balloon ride! Lift off into the Andean sunrise and float in a hot air balloon across the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world! Enjoy a unique and unforgettable experience at dawn, as the sun rises behind the Licancabur Volcano, and experience an incredible bird's eye view of Moon Valley and the breath-taking Andes Mountains. During the ride over San Pedro de Atacama, you'll also admire the Atacama salt flat, the Domeyco mountain range or the La Paciencia plains. The small balloons carry 8 guests each, providing an intimate and exclusive experience. The flight takes about an hour, and as you eventually drift back to earth, you will enjoy a small breakfast and toast your Atacama adventure with a glass of champagne. Click here to get more adventurous info. 

One of the most authentic culinary options in Lima is a street food tour. Nowadays street food is popular in many places; in Peru’s capital, it has a long tradition and is an essential part of Peruvian culture. As you walk through Lima’s historic centre and lively neighbourhoods, you will find the typical ‘Carritos’ (small stands) around every corner, and it is not uncommon for these food stalls to be held for generations, so recipes and secret ingredients are passed on from generation to generation. As Lima draws foods and traditions from national and international influences, you can sample a wide range of treats. Taste the most incredible delicacies of the local gastronomy: Sweet, Salty, Sour and Spicy. The tour leads to the old town of Lima with its colonial sites. Must-sees include Lima’s Central Market, the largest market in the city, as well as China Town, the very local side of Lima. Along the way, you will have the chance to sample finger foods, all popular on-the-go options which locals prefer. Taste exotic fruits like chirimoya, granadilla or aguaymanto, fresh baked goods, grilled meats, snacks like popcorn or local cheese, or the popular Chinese-influenced Chifa dish, based on fried rice with vegetables, egg, chicken, and soy sauce. Enjoy Churros for dessert, a Spanish heritage, with a sweet pastry filled with dulce de leche. And there is a lot more to taste. Typical regional drinks like the very popular local Inka Kola, a rather sweet experience, or Chicha Morada, a natural drink made of purple corn, complete the culinary experience. While enjoying the local food, learn interesting facts about the local - informal - economy and everyday life in Peru. Joining this tour, you will support the NGO Action Against Hunger Peru, which fights malnutrition and anaemia in Ayacucho. Contact us for more information.

Cartagena is a city unlike any other you will find in Colombia, and for many visitors it is one of the most impressive colonial cities in South America. Located at the Caribbean coast, it shows an amazing colonial architecture with houses painted in warm, vibrant colours with cute balconies and flowers. The old quarter, surrounded by fortress walls, is full of shaded parks, nice little cafes, and wonderful courtyards hidden behind old, wooden doors; you will find wonderful hotels and restaurants for any budget, hidden in impressive colonial buildings. Being on the Caribbean coast, we suggest doing as the locals do and enjoying some of the best local rums, or ron as they say, the national liquor of Colombia. During a rum tasting you will discover new flavours and textures and learn to distinguish a good cocktail and an exquisite liqueur. One of the most important Mixologists in Colombia will talk you through the ingredients, distillery process and creation and give a brief history of the glorious spirit; then a selection of Colombian rums, spirits and infused rums will be introduced and contrasted. The spectrum of rum spans the coastal and mountain regions, from small artisan houses to large producers. You first train your senses by going through a table of flavours and aromas that stimulate the senses, to then describe the aromas and flavours that you can find in rums with notes of coffee, caramel or vanilla. And to refine your foodie experience, the different rums are paired with a selection of fine handcrafted Colombian chocolate; the flavour of the chocolate, like a rich Colombian truffle, enhances the characteristics of the rum. Each grade of rum and chocolate are carefully paired, to give you a unique sensory experience. Contact us for more info and foodie experiences in Colombia.

Montevideo is the birthplace of great artists such as Jose Gurvich, Petrona Viera and Joaquín Torres García, among others. There are many themed tour options to learn about Uruguayan artists. One beautiful option is the visit of Torres García Museum, one of Montevideo's most visited art museums, located in the old town. It mainly displays an extensive collection of the eclectic artworks of Montevideo-born artist Joaquim Torres-Garcia, one of Uruguay's most prolific and influential modern artist. As with many artists, Torres Garcia's work evolves, changes and transforms over the years, but several of his most iconic works consist of symbols, use of golden ratio and primary colors among other characteristics. He is the creator and developer of the style of art Universal Constructivism. The museum offers interesting educational art workshops, the "dynamic visits”, for art students and also for tourists. The aim is to accompany the visitor's experience, sharing ideas, sensations and feelings during the tour, including analysis and creative work. For more info please contact us!