Soft adventure hiking is one spectacular way to explore Patagonia. Geographic Expeditions

Welcome to our Travel Theme page showcasing Travel with a Challenge‘s feature article collection of Latin American destinations, taking you from Central America and Cuba to South America’s Patagonia region straddling Argentina and Chile. These stories provide exciting travel windows on cultures and countries, nature and wildlife holidays, and adventure vacations suitable for active, adventurous senior travelers.

Music is a characteristic element of Latin America, like this mariachi duo. Randall Wood

Our Latin American Theme Page sponsor, Metropolitan Touring is one of South America’s best-known and most-respected travel companies. The company runs its own ground operations in Ecuador, Argentina, Peru and Chile, and owns and operates expedition cruises in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands aboard the M/V Santa Cruz, Yacht Isabella II and Yacht La Pinta, as well as the Finch Bay Eco Hotel. Come explore with us!

Feel free to explore our other Travel Theme Pages for vacations well suited to senior travelers, their families and friends. Please click on image buttons or titles below to read each educational inspiring article, taking readers to Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, and more.

Please click on image buttons or titles below to enter each richly-illustrated feature story.

Best Sea Kayaking Destinations for Seniors

Age or active physical ability may close some adventure vacation doors for avid travelers, but other doors open. A great way to explore natural environments without the joint strain of hiking or cycling is to take to the water in a sea kayak with Mother Nature ready to meet you right there at eye level. We check out kayaking vacations in the Galapagos Islands, Corsica, Cuba, British Columbia and Mexico’s Sea of Cortez.

Two senior hikers take on Argentina’s and Chile’s most challenging Patagonia trails trekking from refugio to refugio and carrying moderate-sized backpacks. Regular contributor, MaryAnn Gerst, celebrated her 75th birthday by proving she can still take on wilderness adventures and come away smiling!

This Central American country is rare in the world, with an enviable 25% of its land set aside as national parks and reserves. Book a community-based eco-lodge holiday to immerse in nature at its most impressive with animals, birds, rich habitat and river explorations all near at hand. Costa Rica tree frog image: © La Quinta Sarapiquí Lodge.

For many decades, tiny Costa Rica has garnered the world’s respect for dedicating over 25% of its territory to national parks and protected reserves. CR guidebook author, James Kaiser, has visited all 26 national parks in the country and he shares with our readers his pick of the best five for international visitors to enjoy.

In 2007 the Mayan archaeological site of Chichen Itza on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula was selected by 100 million cyber voters as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Travel with a Challenge editor, Alison Gardner, visited this spectacular destination to discover what makes it worthy of such an honor.

Fly into Quito with Travel with a Challenge editor, Alison Gardner, for a week of exploration at 10,000 feet along the Andes Mountains and Pan American Highway. You will take in colorful market towns and grassroots cultural experiences, plenty of Spanish colonial and Inca history, and spectacular national parks where volcanoes rule the landscape.

Heading south from Cancun’s airport, Mexico’s Riviera Maya soon leaves behind the mass tourism resorts and drops into a smaller-scale, slower-paced, more distinctively Mexican Mayan world where history and culture, enriching educational attractions and unique natural biosphere reserves are highlights of any holiday to this rich Caribbean coast of Quintana Roo state. Share the editor’s picks.

Active adventure travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, takes us to Patagonia, one of the world’s less-visited regions straddling southern Argentina and Chile. On a small-group tour, she experiences the physical challenges of the landscape and encounters unique wildlife and local people along the way. Don’t miss her award winning article!

From manatee to sea turtles, from quetzal birds to crocodiles, from spectacular natural canals and tropical rainforests to lively volcanoes, Costa Rica continues to surprise visitors whether on a short vacation or an increasingly-popular long term stay. Guidebook author, Erin Van Rheenen, shares her insider knowledge.

As a Cuba watcher for over three decades, guidebook author David Stanley reveals his love of the country and its people by sharing ten [non-political] reasons to consider a vacation there to explore its colorful culture, multi-layered history and compelling natural attractions. Vámanos todos!!

Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands are one of the world’s best known destinations for unique wildlife. Find out which animals island visitors have selected as their Favorite Five in 2008 out of 29 types of land birds, 19 different sea birds and dozens of land and marine mammals, many rare or in danger of extinction.

Mexico’s State of Sonora is most often viewed as a corridor to the country’s high profile west coast resorts to the south. With a 560-mile shoreline facing the protected Sea of Cortez, mountains, desert and tropical forests and a rich native and Spanish colonial history, it is worthy of a vacation in itself.

Join anthropologist and travel writer, Susan Stafford, as she explores the upper reaches of Peru’s Amazon Basin. Abundant wildlife viewing, pink-toed tarantulas, colorful stinkbirds, and visits to isolated Amazon villages are all accomplished from a comfortable river boat custom-built for international visitors navigating in a challenging environment.

All aboard for a three part exploration of Mexico’s fabled Copper Canyon, including a spotlight on a unique rail journey, the canyon system’s natural history and geology, and perfect places to stay and explore along the way. This extraordinary natural phenomenon makes the Grand Canyon look small!

Just 33 kilometers from Mazatlan, step into the exciting new world of Mexico’s rural tourism offered by the agricultural pueblito of El Quelite, where you will experience grassroots Mexican culture and a traditional Spanish colonial history.

LEAD Adventures’ local specialists offer over 30 different volunteer and adventure travel programs in Ecuador for individuals or groups. Volunteer with us and experience Ecuador’s four worlds: Andes, Amazon, Coast, and Galapagos Islands! Consider our Grown Ups programs or Multigenerational Family programs with added attention to luxuries and privacy older that adults seek. www.lead-adventures.com.
 

Check out our other theme pages, clustering richly-illustrated feature articles by travel theme or regional destination:
Travel Adventures in Africa
Bird and Nature
Sleeping with History Accommodations
Multi-Generational Family Travel
European destinations
Hawaiian Islands
South Pacific destinations
Cruise and Train Travel
Volunteer vacations
Asia and India destinations
Mediterranean destinations
Wellness and Spiritual vacations.