Steve Yates Travel Expert

Steve has travelled extensively over the years, experiencing destinations in many different ways. From backpacking through basic hostels, hitchhiking and taking overnight buses, to enjoying stays in some of the world’s most luxurious hotels and lodges, he has developed a deep appreciation for every style of travel

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A llama grazing in front of Machu Picchu

Fascinated by David Attenborough documentaries since childhood, Steve is particularly passionate about wildlife and has been fortunate enough to see many of his bucket-list species in their natural habitats – with plenty more still on the list.

It was hearing stories from a friend’s backpacking adventures across Latin America that inspired Steve to embark on his most epic journey to date: a year travelling through the Southern Hemisphere, beginning with five months in South America. The South American leg proved to be the most rewarding, traversing this vast continent overland and truly appreciating the incredible scale and diversity of its landscapes, cultures and climates.

Starting in Rio de Janeiro, Steve travelled south through Argentina and Chile, discovering the Alpine Lakes region, Patagonia’s rugged mountains and glaciers, remote Ushuaia, whale-watching opportunities, and the colourful rock formations of northern Argentina. He then continued into Bolivia and Peru, experiencing indigenous cultures, the dramatic high-altitude landscapes of the Altiplano, and two unforgettable highlights: the Salar de Uyuni salt flats and the Inca Trail.

Moving on to Ecuador and Colombia, he enjoyed tropical climates and some of the most beautiful towns and cities of the journey, including Cuenca, Villa de Leyva and the vibrant streets of Cartagena. Before returning south to Santiago, he visited the Atacama Desert – the perfect finale to an extraordinary adventure. Since then, Steve has returned to South America several times, including a visit to the Galápagos Islands, and has also travelled extensively throughout Mexico.

“I know how magical travel can be, and I love speaking with like-minded travellers, sharing my experiences, and helping create those unforgettable moments that make every journey special.”

What is your favourite...

Place

Salta and The Altiplano of Bolivia. This was a very memorable part of my backpacking trip, which started in the city of Salta surrounded by gorgeous scenery – red and orange-hued valleys and canyons and, the little adobe town of Pumarmarca and nearby Hill of Seven Colours. Heading across the border into Bolivia the landscape evolves at the higher altitudes and has breathtaking mountain ranges, cacti, and salt lakes studded with rose-hued flamingos. This culminates in the jaw-dropping Salar De Uyuni – the vast salt lake with a white turtle shell pattern, which blends into a surrealistic landscape, perfect for some mind-bending photos. Where else do you have the chance to stay in a hotel made of salt?

Hotel

Belmond Das Cataratas. This is a legendary hotel, looking like a glamorous landmark hotel from a bygone era and I was so excited to finally be able to stay here, courtesy of Journey Latin America, after many years. Its location was splendid – overlooking the thundering falls and river from an elevated position. Inside, the styling was beautiful, especially the glamorous bar evocative of the twenties. After a busy day of sightseeing, the hotel was a pink beacon among the green forests and the pool area was an oasis – cooling off in the refreshing water, cocktail in hand in the sunshine was a welcome indulgence! We did a helicopter ride over the falls and the Belmond looked equally as spectacular from the sky.

Excursion

Hot-air balloon over Teotihuacán (outskirts of Mexico City). Some sites in the world are so huge that it is hard to take in the scale of them at ground level. This was one such example. It’s an exhilirating feeling arriving at the balloon site at dawn, feeling the puffs of hot air as your balloon is prepared. On the slow ascent and journey towards Teotihuacán, you silently glide over villages and hear the sounds of the residents starting their days, dogs barking, birds singing. Then you arrive at the ancient city and marvel at the scale of the pyramids and the Avenue of the Dead, all blushing apricot in the sun’s first rays. The ingenuity of the Mayan architects still impresses today and the whole site has a magical feel at this time of day, away from the crowds.

Top travel tip

I’m a light sleeper so I find it useful to get an ambient noise playlist on my favourite music app to help mitigate any noise around me. Also an eye mask really helps if any light is coming through the hotel window in the morning, or during the flight.

Top packing tip

A geeky clothing tip: Instead of folding each of your T-shirts individually, layer them all together and fold/roll them in your suitcase and they don’t get creases so no need to iron again while travelling!

My Destination Highlights

Machu Picchu

This is without a doubt the single site which impressed me the most in the whole of South America. We’d just arrived in an unconventional way as we were doing the famous Inca Trail and due to the rainfall we’d had to leave the trail early and walk along the train tracks to get to Aguas Calientes. After a night in a hotel we were finally ready to ascend and were greeted with the most amazing panorama I’ve ever witnessed. The mist rose and we had the vibrant green hills and mountains, backed by bright blue skies dotted with fluffy clouds and there was the incredible citadel of Machu Picchu, hugging the contours of the mountainside. A moment I will never forget.

Cartagena

I really loved the look of this beautiful city, with the old walled centre being a picture-perfect collection of vibrantly coloured buildings. Meandering through the cobbled streets was a pleasure, with a lovely view around each corner. There are lovely cafes and bars here and sunset from atop the fortified city walls was a very special moment. It can be a busy city but it’s easy to see why.

El Calafate and Los Glaciares National Park

An early highlight of my journey was seeing my first ever glacier – Perito Moreno Glacier outside the town of El Calafate. The glacier is vast and rolls away into the distance as far as the eye can see. So many unexpected shades of blue and purple can be seen in the ice and the top of the glacier looks like a million crystals, while the sheer edges rise dramatically from the water.

Papagaio

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