Followers of this blog will know that I love Scotland and I love wildlife. Well it is in the name of this blog, after all.
But I am at a point in my life where I have the desire and the opportunity to plan a bit of an adventure, along with my wife (Helen), beyond these shores. I’m 49 years old and so far I have been to 59 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, North America and Australasia. But there is one continent I have never been to – South America – and over the last few years a plan has begun to form. My employer has been amazing and a full 8 month career break has been agreed (my wife Helen has sadly has to resign from her work to join me) and we have been busy scanning the Lonely Planet guide books and maps of Central and South America.
So on 1 January 2024 we will be flying to Mexico City and slowly travelling south by public transport (avoiding flying as much as possible). We are due back in Scotland on 1 September (so I can restart my job), So this gives us 8 months to explore this amazing part of the world. We have deliberately not set an end point as we are not sure what pace we will be able to sustain – La Paz (Bolivia), Buenos Aires (Argentina) or Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) are all possible contenders. If we keep cracking we could visit as many as 17 countries on this trip – Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil) albeit we are almost certainly going to skip some of these if the political situation remains as it is currently.
We have even been putting some pins in a (google) map for the places we would like to visit. What do you think? Leave a comment if we are missing somewhere out that we really shouldn’t.
Just like a compass has four cardinal directions, I am planning to have four key focus points on this trip by which to plan and navigate our trip, which are as follows:
- Culture – I want to explore the rich history, arts, traditions, architecture and food of Central and South America. I hope by travelling overland we can build layer upon layer of understanding of the culture of this part of the world. In seeing what is different and what is the same hopefully we will get some insight into what we value about the human condition. We will also get much better at Spanish too which will hopefully be a plus, albeit it is more a daunting necessity at this point!
- Adventure – we love Scuba Diving and Trekking/Mountaineering so these will be a big part of our trip. We are going to some great diving locations in Central America. South America, in the Andes, has the second highest mountain range in the world and therefore features some great multi day treks and perhaps a few peaks to bag. Beyond this if there is an opportunity to try new activities and see the world from a different angle I hope to grab it with both hands. So hopefully hot air ballooning, paragliding, mountain-bike riding, horse-riding, white water rafting and more will all feature at some point.
- Nature – we love birding and seeing other wildlife too and this will absolutely be the major focus of this trip. I have set the ambitious, but hopefully achievable, goal of seeing 1,000 species of birds on the trip. Seeing different habitats and scenery (from mountains to waterfalls and deserts) will also be wonderful and should provide lots of wider wildlife encounters. I will be taking my camera and therefore hope to get some amazing photos to remember the trip and share here.
- Self – It has been said that travel is an outward journey that can also facilitate an internal one. I hope this will be true for us. Travelling for 2 weeks is one thing, 8 months is another. We need time for rest, relaxation, reading and reflection. Plus doing this trip with my amazing wife offers an opportunity for us to further strengthen our relationship and re-evaluate what is important for the the next chapter of our lives. I hope to come back different to when I left.
So these are our plans for 2024. Hopefully you will share this journey with us by following my posts here.
WildScot Photography 
What a fantastic way to spend the career break! I did the same, minus the wildlife photography focus, for 11 months in 2013/14, and I had previously traveled around Mexico for 2 months on my own. From the Mexico trip Chiapas stands out in my memory. Our South American adventure began in Colombia and ended in Brasil, via Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Agentina and Uruguay. Not sure about current conditions but in Colombia (overall utterly stunning) I especially loved La Guajira, Mompox and the coffee region (incl Valle de Cocora). In Peru the North was great: Kuelap comes to mind and there were some great treks in the area we could not do unfortunately, but then also the Santa Cruz hike and that general area is something I would not miss if I got back. Further down Salary de Uyuni is a must, and in Chile the ireland of Chiloe was a wonderful surprise, plus of course Careterra Austral and the Torres del Paine trek. There is (or at least was) a cheap ferry from Chiloe to mid-point or so down Careterra Austral that was quite an experience, with stunning scenery. We did everything overland and with public transport, only part of La Guajira trip and the visit to the Amazon region required alternatives.
LikeLike
This sounds wonderful! Latin America is a beautiful part of the world. In my experiences with traveling in Mexico via bus public transport, it can be difficult getting to reserves, parks, or other natural places to observe wildlife. I got into some sketchy situations attempting to do things that way. I expect the same limitations obtain throughout the region. My advice would be to use public transport to get from one town to another, and once there, connect with a trusted local guide who has access to a vehicle. (An alternative would be renting a vehicle). That might go a lot better if arrangements are made in advance. You might ask other birders / travelers in the UK about guides in the various places you’re interested in visiting. This will add some expense, but I had a much better experience in Panama doing this then going it completely alone. That’s my two cents! If you’re already on it, my bad! I wish you well, and a safe, happy journey.
LikeLike
Thank you really good tips, I was mostly coming to a similar conclusion but it is helpful to have it confirmed. I have used My Birding Pal to find a few people willing to host us but expect to pay a bit for bird guides in each country. We have already booked a birding guide for two half days near Mexico City and a guide for two days from Merida. I have a contact for a birding guide in Belize too. As well as the practicalities you refer to is how bewildering it might be for me as a UK birder early on with 95% of the birds all new. Thanks again fro the well wishes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
An exciting, epic journey, I’m excited for you! I backpacked through Guatemala (attended a language school there first), Colombia, Ecuador and Peru many decades ago and it is a very different place now from what I’ve read. If I were to go back, I’d avoid the big tourist hotspots and find less trampled byways. I’d go to Belize for both the jungle and the Caribbean side, Costa Rica in the cloud forest for the flora and fauna, and the Altacama desert in Chile. A blogging couple from Montreal went there last winter and I was amazed at its desolate beauty. (start here: https://parisexpat2012.wordpress.com/2023/05/24/santiago-chile/) They also went to Peru the previous year (Aug.’22). They would be a good source of first hand info. They also travel off the beaten track.
I’ve also read that the Chilean coastline is great for birding, but not sure if it is a seasonal thing. Breeding season is probably Sept/Oct. I suspect. Cindy Knoke is a great photographer/traveler. Her South American trip starts here: https://cindyknoke.com/2019/03/13/cafe-de-pintor/ Another great source of info and both bloggers are eager to answer questions.
Happy planning!
LikeLike
Thanks, some great tips here. I have been looking at the blogs you shared. Some lovely photos for sure
LikeLiked by 1 person