A Seven-hour Drive

CATEGORIES: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Latin America, Places, South America

Bogotá

THE COFFEE TRIANGLE

Colombia’s world-famous coffee has a sanctuary seven hours from Bogotá in a triangle formed by the cities of Manizales, Armenia and Pereira. The fragrant bean fuels the local economy, so a complete infrastructure has been designed around coffee culture. One of the main attractions in Quimbaya, 20 minutes from Armenia: at the Parque Nacional del Café, tourists can learn about the production process, explore nature trails, admire local architecture and even enjoy rides like the park’s roller coaster. Just 12 miles away, at the Parque Nacional Agropecuario (also known as Panaca), visitors can get a hands-on experience of rural life: milking cows, playing with pigs, riding horses, spotting exotic birds and enjoying shows that feature trained dogs. Next stop: Salento, a colorful, little town filled with traditional cafés and folk-art shops. From there, you can venture on horseback to the Valle de Cocora. Surrounded by wax palms (the national tree) in a charming cloud forest, you’ll ford crystalline streams and pass old manor houses restored today as tourist hotels.

Text: Sebastián Vélez

LAN FLIGHTS
To Bogotá daily from Lima and three times a week from Miami and Santiago (Chile), with connections to Pereira.

WHERE TO STAY
$$$ Hotel Decameron Panaca

$$$ El Bosque del Samán

KEY
$$$ Budget
$$$ Moderately Priced
$$$ Expensive

Buenos Aires

VILLA DE MERLO

In the province of San Luis, 485 miles from Buenos Aires, you’ll find Villa de Merlo. After a trip primarily spent on well-maintained highways, you’ll arrive in this colorful mountain village, famous for its temperate microclimate, which is a boon to visitors year round. Once there, you have two main options: enter a state of total relaxation at one of its numerous spas with mountain views or enjoy adventurous activities like zip lining, paragliding or mountain biking. Don’t miss a chance to do some trout fishing nearby or explore the town’s surrounding attractions. The Parque Nacional Sierra de las Quijadas boasts magnificent views, breathtaking cliffs and the Valle Potrero de la Aguada. History buffs will love the ghost town at the Mina de los Cóndores. This abandoned mine was once a source of provincial pride thanks to its prodigious tungsten production.

Text: Walter Duer

LAN FLIGHTS
Villa Merlo is 155 miles from Córdoba. Flights to Córdoba from Lima five days a week.

WHERE TO STAY
$$$ La Barraca Resort

$$$ Hotel & Casino Howard Johnson

WHERE TO EAT
Mirador Cabeza del Indio: A combination restaurant-tea house located in the area of the Comechingones Sierra known as Paraje Pasos Malos.

Finca Irideus: Restaurant and rainbow trout hatchery.

Guayaquil

MINDO

Approximately seven hours drive from Guayaquil (but only two and a half hours from Quito), this small town is located in the cloud forest ecosystem of the Bosque Protector Mindo-Nambillo reserve. Mindo is popular among tourists for its variety of activities, which include walks to the waterfalls, horseback rides, canopy rides and inner tubing. The reserve is also home to a wealth of flora and fauna and is a world-class site for bird watching. Visitors get a chance to spot some 350 varieties of bird, such as the golden-headed quetzal, the toucan barbet and the Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruviana), which can be seen in all its glory at sunrise. Another essential stop is the Finca de las Mariposas. See scores of butterflies in their natural habitat during a tour of the greenhouse (there are also small farms with butterfly houses). Some 40 types of butterfly can be found in the region.

Text: Shirley Estrada

LAN FLIGHTS
Mindo is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Quito. Flights to Quito daily from Santiago (Chile), Lima, Madrid and New York, six days a week from Miami and once a week from Caracas.

WHERE TO STAY
$$$ Resort Arashá

$$$ Hostería Mariposas de Mindo

WHERE TO EAT
El Caramelo: The traditional dish in Mindo is trout, served here criolla-style, fried or with mushroom sauce.

Lima

THE LIMA – TARMA – MERCED ROUTE

This seven-hour tour will take you through several of Peru’s ecosystems. We start in Lima, the largest city in the country, located in a coastal desert, and ascend past the fog and humidity to enter the beauty of the sierra. The highest and coldest point is Ticilo, at over 6,200 feet above sea level. About 60 miles further on is Tarma, also known as “The City of Flowers,” for its spacious fields filled with all kinds of blooms. Tarma is also home to the beloved Señor de Muruhuay. In the Valle de Chanchamayo, 49 miles away, the towns of San Ramón and La Merced welcome you to the central jungle. San Ramón was founded in 1847 as a fortress to ward off constant attacks by the indigenous population. Just a few minutes away, past orchards and coffee farms, you’ll find La Merced. This important coffee-growing region also boasts the Cascada del Tirol waterfall and the Jardín Botánico El Perezoso, where you can take in the region’s native plant life. Without a doubt, it’s a trip for those who value the journey as much as the final destination.

Text: Cinthia Delgado

LAN FLIGHTS
To Lima daily from Buenos Aires, Miami, Bogotá, Caracas, Santiago (Chile) and Madrid, six times a week from Montevideo, five times a week from Córdoba and Brasilia, four times a week from Quito, São Paulo and San Francisco, three times a week from Los Angeles and twice a week from Cartagena.

WHERE TO STAY
$$$ Fundo San José

$$$ Hotel Cerro Verde

WHERE TO EAT
El Shambari Campa: Regional cuisine served in a simple atmosphere. Good location.
Jr. Tarma, La Merced

El Parral: This pleasant eatery serves grilled fare.
La Merced, Chanchamayo

MORE TO EXPLORE
The oldest hanging bridge in the province offers access to two beautiful waterfalls, Borgoña and La Reyna.

Canoeing on the Rio Chanchamayo.

The indigenous community of Pampa Michi.

The popular Puente Raither offers dining and entertainment options.

Quito

PÁRAMO DEL ÁNGEL

Are you on the hunt for unusual images? Do you treasure the luxury found in nature? Then this may be your ideal destination. Located in the province of Carchi, about 105 miles north of Quito, the Reserva Ecológica del Ángel is a verdant paradise surrounded by the magnificent steppe covered with frailejones, a plant that resembles grayish rabbit ears, and dotted with thousand-year-old lakes and valleys. Polylepis Lodge, in the Cañon del Colorado, offers 20 comfortable cabins, a restaurant and a protected area of Polylepis trees, known as a “paper trees” for the red bark that peels easily off the trunk. The lodge is an excellent base camp for excursions to different parts of the ecological reserve, such as the Mirador de Morán, the Lagunas de Voladero, Yanacocha, Créspo and the Reserva Ecológica Golondrinas.

Text: Maripaz Murillo

LAN FLIGHTS
To Quito daily from Lima and from Santiago (Chile) via Guayaquil, six times a week from Miami and four times a week from Medellín.

WHERE TO STAY
$$$ Polylepis Lodge

PRACTICAL INFO
Altitude: 11,560 feet above sea level.

Traditional Beverage: Zunfo, a natural drink with a greenish hue, made from a local variety of mint.

Type of Clothing: The frequent rains call for warm, waterproof gear.

What to Bring: Binoculars.

Río de Janeiro

DOMINGOS MARTINS

A paradise for lovers of nature, eco-tourism and fine dining, the beautiful and peaceful town of Domingos Martins is located 331 miles from Rio de Janeiro, nestled among hills in the state of Espirito Santo. The town’s main attraction is the gorgeous Parque Estadual da Pedra Azul, a verdant, 3,000-acre home to wildflowers, birds and impressive mountains, including the peak that gives the park its name (a challenge for trekking and hiking enthusiasts). Colonized by Germans in the 19th century, the town retains influences from that period in its architecture, folk dances, festivals and customs. But perhaps its most alluring feature is the food, known locally as capixaba cuisine. Special flavors, with touches of haute cuisine.

Text: Mari Campos

LAN FLIGHTS
To Rio de Janeiro daily from Santiago (Chile), with connections to Victoria, the state capital.

WHERE TO STAY
$$$ Pousada Rabo do Lagarto: lovely views of the Piedra Azul mountain, Egyptian cotton sheets, warm décor, gourmet food, highly personalized service and breakfast served any time.

WHERE TO EAT
Don Lorenzoni: Italian-Brazilian fusion cuisine. The torre polenta is the house specialty.

Domaine île de France: Organic cuisine with impeccable French touches. Highlights include the organic coq au vin.

Santiago

VALLE DEL ELQUI

Head 373 miles northeast of Santiago to the Valle del Elqui and don’t leave until you’ve seen everything. Start your tour in the town of Vicuña, where you’ll find the classic restaurant Halley and its homemade cinnamon and papaya ice cream. Further along, in the town of Montegrande, pay homage at the tomb of the Nobel Prize-winning poet Gabriela Mistral. Let the magic of the valley carry you on to your next stop, the bar/restaurant La Escuela, located in the town of Pisco Elqui. Unwind in gloriously comfortable wicker chairs on the shady terrace. The sun is always shining here, and the sky is so clear that the area is home to a number of observatories. Continue on to the remote Alcohuaz, which offers a great view of the Hacienda y restaurant Miraflores, and take a tour of the Los Nichos manor house and artisanal pisco factory. For tranquility, spiritual relaxation and natural therapies, stay at Refugio la Frontera, where a cook will come right to your cabin. In Alcohuaz, you can relax among the rune readers, mud therapists and Reiki practitioners…or simply breathe in the spirit of Valle del Elqui. No wonder it’s said to be a favorite visiting spot for extraterrestrials.

Text: Soledad Castro

LAN FLIGHTS
La Serena is 62 miles from the Valle del Elqui. To La Serena six times a week from Santiago (Chile), four times a week from Antofagasta and once a week from Copiapó and Calama.

WHERE TO STAY
$$$ Refugio la Frontera: Four cabins among the willow trees by the riverside. Pure relaxation.

WHERE TO EAT
Halley: This spacious colonial home serves traditional fare.

Bar-restaurante La Escuela: A great place to meet for cocktails.

Hacienda & restaurant Miraflores: Specializing in grilled meat, empanadas, pasta and more.