SW Chile Oct 2023 – Copy

Stuart Whittington Product & Marketing

Stuart was a tour leader in South America before taking on senior positions at several tour operators. He has a deep love for Latin America and Antarctica.

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Sunrise in Torres del Paine, one of Chile's most popular national parks

Stuart joined us with an impressive travel pedigree, having earned his stripes as a tour leader in South America before managing product and commercial for Explore, Hurtigruten and Asia specialists Wendy Wu. Though he has travelled all over the world his connection to Latin America has never waned, and as well as regularly returning to the region he was heavily involved in the Latin American Travel Association and its charitable foundation for a number of years.

Stuart’s first encounter with South America was on a 6-month backpacking trip around Brazil, where the energy, joy and warmth of its people left an impression which has stayed with him ever since. Having grown up in the Lake District, Stuart feels an affinity for the great outdoors and perhaps his favourite memory of his very extensive Latin American travels is trekking around Cerro Torre in Argentina with the Southern Patagonian Ice Field laid out before him. Another memorable experience was the craziness of Carnival in Salvador, when what little sleep he had was on the floor of a local house with the South American Handbook for a pillow!

Top travel tips

Don’t be tempted to cram too much in. Every Latin American country has something different to offer, and a trip is often more rewarding if you take the time to travel at a slower pace building up a full picture of the culture, history and geography.

Travel with an open attitude ready to absorb all the richness of the South American experience: be ready to welcome every new sight, flavour and rhythm with open arms. Get out and about as much as you can so you can really make the most of each place you visit.

What is your favourite...

My favourite places tend to lie at the extremes, from the remote Caribbean beaches of Tayrona National Park in Colombia to the wilderness landscapes of Patagonia; I think part of the beauty of Latin America is in its extraordinary variety and contrasts. Antarctica is also somewhere that’s incredibly special to me.

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Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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