Maggie Wilson
Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.
Fuelled by her passion for wildlife and landscape photography, Maggie made the most of long university holidays by doing various trips across SE Asia, Australasia and Latin America.
After completing her studies in Fashion Buying and Merchandising at the University of Manchester she began working within the Raw Materials department at Sweaty Betty. After a few years of working here, she left her job to organise a trip through Central America. This reignited her love of Latin America and sparked a new career path, bringing her to Journey Latin America.
PersonAL favourites:
Place:
I would have to say Salar De Uyuni in Bolivia, although it was possibly the coldest I’ve ever been in my life. The vast, unique landscape, interesting salt-brick buildings, colourful lakes and incredible sunsets completely won me over.
Hotel:
Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge in Ecuador – nestled just two hours northwest of Quito, this hidden gem is a tranquil oasis enveloped by lush cloud forest and vivid birdlife. The rooms are cosy and inviting, featuring large windows and private balconies that offer breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. When I arrived, the lodge was shrouded in the mist typical of the cloud forest, creating a magical atmosphere. By the next morning, the skies had cleared revealing the stunning beauty of the forest in all its glory. You don’t have to go far to see an abundance of birdlife, but you do need to be prepared for an early morning start to get the best display.
Excursion:
As someone who loves trekking, I found the 4-day Santa Cruz trek in Northern Peru to be an unforgettable experience. Although it was a personal challenge battling with the altitude, the scenery in this area is unforgettable and waking up surrounded by nature every day was wonderful.
Try to allow enough time to truly immerse yourself in the areas you visit. The temptation is always to fit as much in as you can, but from personal experience I’ve found myself regretting not giving one destination the time it deserves.
SPF! SPF! SPF! Even on cloudy, colder days I found the sunburn made a surprise appearance. I discovered it was quite hard to find in Latin America, and when I did it was very expensive!
