Eco Travels in South America - Green Mochila Travel Blog

🇨🇴 Super-Easy Gluten-Free Arepas Like in Colombia

Arepa truly is the #1 street food in Colombia and Venezuela. You’re sure to come across this snack if you’re travelling in those countries. But returning back home, you don’t have to leave arepa behind. In fact, it’s a quick, tasty and versatile dish that can be served for any meal or as a snack. In this post, we’ll tell you all about Colombian and Venezuelan variations and how to cook gluten-free arepas at home. What is an arepa? An arepa is a disc-shaped flatbread made of cornflour, a very popular snack in Colombia and Venezuela. In both countries, arepas …

Women in typical dress at Lavagem do Bonfim festival, Brazil

Culture & Society

🇧🇷 10 Festivals in Brazil for all Kinds of Travellers

For many, Brazil’s name resonates with the drum beats of the world’s most famous Carnival. Yet in a country that takes up almost half of the South American continent, you can expect a plethora of festivals and celebrations in all shapes and sizes. So even if you’re not keen on loud drums and half naked dancers, read on! On this page, you’ll find plenty of inspiring options if you prefer the more authentic, less crazy, but very cultural festivals throughout Brazil. Hopefully something will coincide with your trip; or take it a step further and choose your Brazil travel dates …

Culture & Society

🇨🇴 10 Colombian Snacks You Need to Try

Colombia is full of surprises. This is true not only about its diverse landscapes but about its gastronomy as well. Since taking our first steps on the Colombian soil, we were keen to have a taste of the local cuisine. Because we love munching on street food several times a day, the flock of food carts and little shops kept attracting our eyes constantly. I know you are curious as much as we were: what are those yummy things locals keep nibbling all day long? Here’s a list of Colombian snacks you’ll often see on the street and you should …

Great Outdoors

🇪🇨 A Hiker’s Guide to the National Parks in Ecuador

Step off the beaten trail and take a dive into the unexpected. Ecuador, despite being the 4th smallest country in South America, abounds in natural wonders. The land of volcanoes, famous for the mythical Galápagos islands and the Middle of the Earth, offers stunning and varied landscapes to nature lovers and adventure hikers. It counts with 11 national parks and 24 more areas –reserves and refuges– that are nationally protected. Making their way from the top of high-standing plateaus down to the ocean’s coast or into the midst of the jungle, we’ve asked fellow travellers to introduce us to their …

Culture & Society

🇦🇷 Super Easy Veggie-Filled Empanadas Like in Argentina

Is there anything better than the feeling of vacation while being actually in the (home) office? (Well, probably to be on actual vacation, I get you.) To spice up your weekday lunch breaks, try out these veggie filled empanadas from Argentina – the country’s favourite. They’re fast, easy to prepare, and convincingly yummy. I was super happy to find ready-made empanada sheets in my local grocery store in Portugal, it felt like instant vicarious travel. Otherwise, it’s perfectly possible to cut down normal puff pastry sheets, or to bake your own if you feel brave. How to bake veggie filled …

Culture & Society

🇦🇷 10 Festivals and Celebrations of Argentina to Dive into its Culture

When planning holiday in Argentina, I often think of visiting cities, hiking in nature, or even planning a fun activity. After arranging flights, accommodation and maybe transportation, the next thing I do is to check out museums, interesting spots outside the city, and nature trails. And it’s only when I’m already there that I hear from locals what an awesome festival I just missed! Well, I don’t want to miss those anymore. So I promise myself to include in my next Argentina trip some of these cool festivals, so I can join the fun. Here’s what I found out about …

The ochre cliffs of Paracas National Reserve, Peru

Great Outdoors

🇵🇪 A Hiker’s Guide to Peru National Parks

Let’s dive into the mysteries of Peru. In a country where nature is closely related to beliefs and traditions, it’s no surprise that many natural landmarks are sacred for one part of the population or another. Hence the creation of 12 national parks, 9 national sanctuaries, 15 national reserves and many more protected areas. Following in ancient footsteps from the jungle to glacial lakes to the top of mountains, hoping to spot the wild vicuña or the elusive condor on the way, we’ve asked fellow travellers to tell us a bit about their favourite national parks in Peru. Best national …

The best view on the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park, Colombia

Great Outdoors

🇨🇴 A Hiker’s Guide to the Best National Parks in Colombia

Let your mind wander through the diversity of the Colombian landscapes. From lush forests to stunning beaches, from savannas to colourful rivers, from remote islands to mountains and even an active volcano. Although not the largest country in South America, Colombia is one of the most biodiverse, with about 60 national parks on its varied territory. It’s a patchwork of fascinating places and unique ecosystems, the Mecca for wildlife lovers of all stripes. We’ve teamed up with other travel bloggers to present you here with some of the best national parks in Colombia. All prices expressed here are in Colombian …

Travel Resources

Our Eco Trip Turned Out to Be a Life-Changing Experience. We’re Telling You How.

So everything started out like this: On a sunny September afternoon, we jumped on a plane to South America, ready for a life-changing eco trip. Well, not exactly. Nobody embarks on a travel, knowing it will change their life. Truth is, we needed to plan a bit beforehand and much was left to surprise. But we were sure of a few vital things, including the fact that travelling in an eco-friendly way would be the constant light on the horizon of our travel. And as we found out, an eco trip doesn’t have to be boring, rather the opposite. It …

Jau national park, Brazil, seen from above

Great Outdoors

🇧🇷 A Hiker’s Guide to Brazil National Parks

Let the wilderness of Brazil put a spell on you. From steep canyons to jungle rivers, from impressive sand dunes to roaring waterfalls, from howling monkeys to colourful birds. At the end of long bus journeys, Brazil fascinates and captivates. With more than 70 national parks, the country tries to protect the nature of its vital ecosystems – and that’s for the best. We’ve partnered with other travel bloggers to guide you through some of them, in this selection of their favourite Brazil national parks. Best national parks in Brazil: Tijuca National Park Stephanie from History Fangirl visited Tijuca National …

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