Mary Anne Nelson
Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.
Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary has always had a particular fondness for the area. However, she grew up in the Chilean capital Santiago and also spent over 10 years living in Cali, Colombia. An enthusiast for outdoor activities, she enjoys rock climbing and walking up mountains.
Favourite places in Latin America include the salt flats of Bolivia and the colonial Caribbean city Cartagena in Colombia, though these were relegated to second place after visiting the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica. She looks back on an unforgettable close-up encounter with a huge condor in Torres del Paine National Park as one of the wildlife highlights of her extensive travels, and her first view of the southern ice fields of Patagonia as one of the most unforgettable; swimming fully clothed in the Orinoco during a monumental storm; and horse riding in the Atacama Desert will also long be remembered!
Mary’s many years experience and encyclopaedic knowledge of Latin America make her a highly valued Travel Expert in ourTailor-made Holidays and Group Tour department, where she also has additional responsibility for agency relationships.
PersonAL favourites:
Place:
A bit biased as I was born there, but my favourite place is still the Atacama desert; a vast expanse of land that changes at every turn with a myriad of deep colours and intense russet sunsets, of night skies so clear you can follow the milky way with the naked eye, and eerie silences that allow you to stop, breathe and enjoy the moment.
Hotel:
My favourite hotel, so far, is any of the Explora properties. Located in Torres del Paine, Atacama, Easter Island and the Sacred Valley in Peru, the excursions on offer makes you want to go out, explore, be active and find out more about each of these places. The cherry on the cake is knowing that you will have a luxurious room and delicious food to return to!
Excursion:
Whilst choosing a favourite excursion is difficult, the one I found most exhilarating was the ATM caves in Belize. This one includes adventure, exploration, fitness and history all rolled into one as you wade into rivers, explore underground caves, undertaking some rock scrambling and learn about Mayan history and their sacrifices
If you only have 2 weeks to travel, don’t rush trying to visit several countries or even several regions of the larger ones. Consider slow travel and concentrate on one area or just one smaller country as the distances involved in travelling between or even within Latin American countries can be significant!
Layers! You don’t need a separate set of clothes if visiting different regions, only clothes that can be used in all places. Just pack light layers which can be used singly or in combination depending on your location and remember that daytime heat can often dissipate into cool evenings for example in the desert or at altitude.
