Che Guevara's Revolutionary Road

Heading south from Buenos Aires in 1952, 23 year-old Che Guevara circled South America on a motorbike, with a friend. His diaries of their epic journey are a tale of high drama, low comedy, disaster and discovery. Retracing his route even approximately may not influence your political philosophy, but it will provide you with a particular insight into the nature of South America as a continent, and to the historical and geographic reasons for collective aspects of its social cultures. 

 

Of course, your trip will be much more comfortable but if the main roads are paved, and you travel in an air-conditioned bus or car or train, you can still find the sleepy, sun and wind-parched villages in the dust of Patagonia or the Atacama desert, the stone hut shelters of the Andean altiplano, and the broiling humid shacks in the Amazon jungle in which Che sought to quantify workers conditions.

Down Argentina, across the Andes, up Chile to Peru, then from Cuzco through the Amazon headwaters to Iquitos and (via Leticia) Colombia and Venezuela - Che's diaries provide much more than just the inspiration to keep your eyes properly open.

 

His carefree exuberance is infectious, a reminder to take opportunities to share the back of a dusty truck with whoever, or to swim when the ferry needs pushing. His route goes deep into remote backcountry, to borders and regions which can still be dangerous. Seek help where you can from local people - but use the tourist infrastructure where it is useful. Balance some of your curiosity with caution (eg when hitch-hiking, as Che did), but enjoy unexpected adventures when they happen.

Che's journey did not end in Venezuela. Choose to follow him, and nor will yours: you'll share his lifelong respect for the magnificence of South America, and of its peoples durability.

HOW

By motorbike or bus and by boat

WHEN TO GO

Year-round (remembering that in the southern hemisphere, June to August can be very cold; and rainy seasons vary, and are subject to micro- climates along some of the route).

TIME IT TAKES

Che famously took nine months.

Recently, two actors took a year, making a film on the way. You can travel the road by bus and boat in roughly a month, but nearer three months is considered the minimum.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Chuquicamata copper mine, biggest open-pit mine in the world, in · the Atacama Desert south of Iquique - primary source of Chile's wealth, and Che's indignation that it was US-owned.

The Amazon jungle around the leper  colony of San Pablo - with indigenous Indian guides recounting tales and lore of the dense forest.

Cuzco, once capital of the Inca Empire, overprinted with the Hispanic colonial boot - a dangerous but charming city, and base for Machu Picchu.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

1. Outside cities and major tourist attractions, a knowledge of Spanish is invaluable and occasionally vital.

2. Throughout South America, local rules j.. and regulations may not always be those decreed by official federal agency. You must check at the time  you want to go.

3. Check, if you plan to enter Colombia via Leticia, how you can proceed either into Colombia or elsewhere in the Amazon basin. It can be notoriously difficult to leave without great expense. Che flew to Bogota.

On this journey, Che never visited Bolivia. But aficionados traveling from Chile to Peru may want to pause and take one of several Bolivian tours based on his later exploits.

 

Gobi Desert Trek

The Gobi is one of the strangest places on the planet. The largest desert in Asia and the fourth largest in the world, it is a cold desert of high plateau and mountain where it is not uncommon to see frost.

It stretches some 1,600 km (1,000 M) east to west, covering the whole of southern Mongolia and extending into northern China, gradually expanding southwards all the time. Although at first sight it looks totally barren, the Gobi supports many unusual mammals and more than 200 species of bird as well as endemic plants.

 

From Dalandzadgad, a town 540 km (336 M) south of Ulaanbaatar, you can ride either by camel or jeep through the stunning landscapes of Gurvansaikhan National Park where three mountain ridges rise up to 2,600 metres (8,500 ft). The dramatic scenery is extraordinarily varied - rocky and sandy desert, precipitous cliffs and ravines, oases and saltpans. You can climb to the top of Hangar Sands, a giant 180-km (110-mi) long 300-m (1000-ft) high sand dune, explore the glaciated Yol Valley, and wander in the other-worldly terrain of the Bayan Zag 'flaming cliffs' - a vast red sandstone amphitheatre of weirdly eroded pillars, rock canyons and ridges, where in 1923 Roy Chapman Andrews famously discovered dinosaur remains and fossilized eggs.

 

The surreal empty landscapes and the insubstantial beauty of the dunes give you a strangely comforting sense of your own insignificance. You are surrounded by silence, only the singing of the wind; and at night, the only light is a twinkling sky thick with stars.

A trek into the Go hi is a life-changing experience that leads one to re-assess man's place on the planet.

 

HOW

On a camel or by 4x4

WHEN TO GO

May to October

TIME IT TAKES

Eight to nine days

HIGHLIGHTS

Bayan zag flaming cliffs

Hongor Sands

Yol Valley glacier

Staying with local herdsmen in a ger village.

Seeing rare wildlife.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

According to National Geographic Adventure Magazine, the Gobi is one of the top six trekking destinations.

The Gobi is a wild and remote region with no roads and dangerously powerful winds. You should not attempt to explore it without a guide.

 

Helsinki to Tampere

The Finns are right to be proud of their trains. Fast, punctual and meticulously clean, they set a standard that is hard to match. In an age where people are increasingly looking for enviromnentally friendly holidays, VR Ltd Finnish Railways sets the benchmark, giving you every reason to leave the car at home.

If you can tear yourself away from the cultural and architectural delights of Helsinki, the train journey to Tampere is one of the real gems of European travel. This sparsely populated land is a place of great natural beauty, where the modern sits well with the traditional.

 

Summer brings never-ending daylight, while the winter landscape has an ethereal elegance often lit up by the hauntingly beautiful Northern Lights.

As the majestic red and white train glides through the open - countryside, passing lakes fringed by forest, you cannot help but be struck by the serenity of it all. It is hard to think of any other intercity journey in the developed world that passes through landscape of such untamed beauty.

 

The only complaint one could have is that the journey is over so soon. The memory of sumptuous lakes, verdant forests and grand farmsteads is one that will linger long in the mind. The next time you are on the train to work, you will be tempted to close your eyes and try to imagine that you are back on the Helsinki-Tampere Express.

 

HOW

By train

WHEN TO GO

Year round

TIME IT TAKES

Ninety minutes

HIGHLIGHTS

The train is the real star, as you view pristine countryside through immaculately clean windows.

Helsinki Station - a green trimmed Art-Deco style masterpiece.

The 200 or so lakes that surround Tampere.

Central Museum of Labour (Tampere) a quirky museum full of interesting things.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

One cannot say this too often: train travel in Finland is fun, affordable and stress-free.

 Hotels in Helsinki and Tampere

 

Krom River Trail

Sadly this great river, along with its associated wetlands, is coming under increasing pressure from the development demands of modern South Africa, with consequent degradation. But it is still possible to experience the pristine beauty of the Krom River and environs as it has always been by hiking various marked trails in Limietberg Nature Reserve, which is located in the De Toitskloof Pass between Paar and Worcester in the Western Cape. To hike the Krom River Trail, approach through the Huguenot Tunnel from the Worcester side and park. A permit from Cape Nature is required.

 

The Trail is 7 km (4.4 mi) long, and can be comfortably walked in half a day. No guide is needed, though sensible pre-hike precautions (appropriate clothing plus a basic supply of food and water) should be taken. The Trail crosses the Molenaars River and ascends along the right-hand slope above the Krom River. It passes through an area of indigenous forest and reaches a waterfall with pool beneath. There is then a hair-raising climb up a chain ladder to a second fall and pool - this waterfall in its lush setting is one of the very best in the whole Western Cape. The Trail then returns by the same route.

 

There are other rewarding trails in the park - each different, each taking no more than a day. The Rock Hopper Trail from Eerste Tol to Tweede Tol is more adventurous, and involves finding your own way down (or up) an 8-kru (5-mi) stretch of the Witte River's boulder - strewn riverbed, using a combination of walking, swimming and rock - scrambling. This Trail requires a drop-off at the beginning and pick - up at the end. The Elands Trail initially involves a steep climb, providing great valley and river views, before descending to Fisherman's Cave with its inviting pool.

 

HOW

On foot

WHEN TO GO

October to May

TIME IT TAKES

A few hours

HIGHLIGHTS

A plunge into one of the splendidly cooling swimming pools that greet you enticingly at either end of the Krom River Trail.

Views of Du Toits Peak – highest point of the Limietberg Nature Reserve at 1,996 m (6,557 ft).

The animals and birds – including klipspringer, baboon, caracal, an occasional leopard, Cape sugarbird, protea canary and black eagle.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Be prepared to meet anglers along the Trail- the Krom is a popular trout-fishing river.

Hotels in Western Cape

 

Rota Romantica (Romantic Route)

Rota Romantica is Portuguese for 'Romantic Route'. In the mountains of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil's southernmost state; it's the name for the 184 km (114 mi) scenic road that winds from São Leopoldo to São Francisco de Pallia through the Serra Gaucha. It is a fairytale landscape of wooded hills, vineyards, broad rivers, canyons, waterfalls, bluffs and green pastures. It looks almost · European, a look enhanced by the predominant German and Italian cultures of its original colonists. Many of the local Brazilians have blond hair and look northern European; and even speak the local Riograndenser Hunsruckish German dialect. The towns are full of black-and-white half-timbered, or Swiss chalet-style, buildings. The shops are full of German and Italian specialities; and Oktoberfest is sacred. Add to this an arcadia worthy of Poussin, in all the moods and colours of four full seasons, and the Rota Romantica is unlike any other Brazilian experience.

 

For visitors, Gramado and Canela are the hub of the Rota Romantica's attractions, and of the serra alemana, the towns with the Rota's typical German flavour. From Gramado it is easy to join the Rota's sister routes, the Italian-influenced Caminhos da Colonia, which runs through the Italian wine-making towns in the parallel serra italiana, and the specifically wine-inspired Rota de Uva e o Vinho. 

 

Gramado, Canela and the shoemaking and dairy town of Novo Petropolis also form part of the stunning Região de Hortênsias – a shorter road tour through miles of dazzling blue hydrangeas. One of the region's greatest delights is the constant incongruity of its Euro-Brazilian character and the Rota Romantica's popularity thrives on it. It is also the Rota's only drawback: for many northern Brazilians, the emphasis on old-world cultures practised in the Serra Gaucha's communities is a political issue about 'being Brazilian'.

 

HOW

By car

WHEN TO GO

Year-round. March/April is iI is especially lovely. Come for the December Film · Festival in Gramado, the biggest of various events along the Rota throughout the year.

TIME IT TAKES

3-4 hours to drive from end to end.

Most people come for 3-8 days.

HIGHLIGHTS

The late 19th century medieval-style half-timbered buildings of Picada Café, along with Novo Petropolis, among the most obviously Germanic towns on the Rota.

The Plateau of Araucarias, part of the National Forest of Ibama, 6km (4 mi) from Canela. The 131m (430 ft) waterfall plunging off the cliff into the dense growth of Canela's Parque de Caracol - a landscape typical of the Serra Gaucha's beauty.

Vale dos Vinhedos, north and west of the Rota, centre of Brazil's best vineyards.

The grandeur of the ltaimbezinho canyon country in Aparados da Serra National park, north of Gramado, a reminder of what Brazil is really like just beyond the charming Rota.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

The temperature in Gramado, Canela and Novo Petropolis (580 m/1900ft up in the Serra Gaucha) is usually about · 5 oC (41°F) lower than in Porto Alegre.

Hotels in Rio Grande do Sul

 

Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre are five little coastal villages set in steep valleys surrounded by rugged, mountainous terrain. This region remained isolated until roughly 100 years ago, when railway line was built, but the area's unique landscape and culture has been well preserved, and it's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Cinque Terre region is characterized by a multitude of terraces carved into the hillsides over hundreds of years. Vineyards and olives groves are cultivated here, and the villages are linked via a maze of footpaths. The main, coastal path, or Sentiero Azzuro, is the most direct, but there is another, more difficult ridge path too, and many shorter, ancient tracks up to the village sanctuaries.

 

Starting in the west, at Monterosso al Mare, the cactus lined trail climbs through terraces to Vernazza. This is the toughest section of the coastal path, but Vernazza is stunning - rose and ochre painted houses nestle at the base of the mountain, jutting out on a promontory beside a natural harbour, with the ruins of an ancient castle high above. Corniglia offers the Gothic-Ligurian style church of San Pietro (1334) while Manarola, situated beside a stream, is known for its wine. The famous 'Lovers Walk' starts here: a paved path through vineyards to Riomaggiore, the most easterly of the five villages. Here a picturesque cascade of pastel houses tumble down to the small dock below. Sleep in Cinque Terre

 

Whether you decide to walk the coastal path directly, or stay in one or two of the villages on the way, this is a magical place. The air is fragrant with wild herbs, the views inspiring, the wine and food delicious. Take your time, walk and swim, drink local wine in the sunshine, visit some beautiful churches - this is a splendid place for a break.

HOW

On foot

WHEN TO GO

April to November, but avoid July and August if you don't like crowds.

TIME IT TAKES

Five to six hours direct, but so much more pleasurable to stay a night or two along the way.

HIGHLIGHTS

Vernazzo - Santa Margherita di Antiochia

Manarola - San Lorenzo

Riomaggiore - San Giovanni Battista

Riomaggiore - The sanctuary of Madonna di Montenero

The renowned local pesto - a sauce of basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and pecorino cheese.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

You don't have to walk the whole way. Instead, use the train, or go by boat, for part of the way. A small fee If is payable to use some of the most popular trails.

Hotels in Cinque Terre

 

Tasmania Coast Trek

After exploring the mainland, a trip across the Bass Strait to Tasmania seems like a visit to another country. This island is the most distinctive of Australia's states, with the relatively unspoiled envirornnent that permits its self-proclaimed status as 'The Natural State'.

Those who wish to underline Tasmania's eco-credentials – and prove their own advanced self-sufficiency qualifications – should undertake the marathon hike along the connecting South Coast and Port Davey Tracks in the vast Southwest National Park. This is an epic wilderness adventure often described as 'the hardest trek in Australia', so it isn't for the faint of heart or weak of leg.

 

The easy part is getting there, with regular shuttles from Hobart servicing each end of the route. The heaviest part is the pack, which must contain everything needed for two unsupported weeks. That  includes food and camping gear (there are basic campgrounds at regular intervals), plus a selection of all-weather clothing. It is essential to get a Backpacker Pass in advance and sign the registration book before starting (and after finishing).

 

Any hike in Tasmania involves battling against mud. The 84 km (52 mi) South Coast Track has plenty of it, plus two mountain ranges to cross where the coast is impassable and shoreline sections where the waves can be dangerous. The route is Cockle Creek, South Cape Rivulet, Granite Beach, New River Lagoon, Deadmans Bay, Louisa River, Cox Bight and Melaleuca. The demanding 80-km (50-mi) Port Davey Track begins at Melaleuca and goes inland via Spring River, Watershed Camp and Junction Creek to Scott’s Peak, offering serious tests like bottomless mud and leech-infested swamps. Those who crack can be airlifted out from the mining camp at Melaleuca, but otherwise the only way out of the spectacular but dangerous wilderness is on two feet - or feet first!

 

HOW

On foot

WHEN TO GO

December to March are the best months but can still produce cold winds and heavy rain - even snow flurries on the high tops!

TIME IT TAKES 

Eleven days if tramping the recommended daily sections.

HIGHLIGHTS

Two rowboat crossings during the great trek - at New River Lagoon and Bathurst Narrows.

The beautiful Osmiridium Beach - check the map and look for a small path from the South coast Track.

Staying in one of the hikers huts at Melaleuca - they may be primitive, but seem like the height of luxury after days of hard trekking.

A chance to see the rare and  endangered orange-bellied parrot from the Deny King Memorial Hide near the airstrip at Melaleuca.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Some of the deadliest snakes on the planet lurk along the way - they tend to be shy but carry anti-venom in the First Aid kit, just in case!

Hotels in Tasmania

 

London River Journey

Nearly two million commuters (a number that is rising fast) now travel to work on London's river each year, using stylish catamarans with on-board coffee bars, airline-type seats and bicycle racks for those who pedal on from boat to office. These frequent scheduled services run up the River Thames from Woolwich (which has a free car ferry across the river to North Woolwich) to Waterloo and Embankment in Central London, and downriver from Putney via Chelsea Harbour and Embankment to Blackfriars. Taking both trips will allow the voyager to see the many famous sights along the river.

 

However, there are some 25 major piers and terminals along the London river, and commuter services are supplemented by a wide variety of tourist boats, most of which offer a running commentary on the sights and history of this vibrant capital city as the Thames weaves its way through the heart of historic London and the chosen journey unfolds. Some of these sightseeing services extend the distances that can be travelled on the river down to the Thames Flood Barrier and up to Kew (for the world-famous Kew Botanical Gardens) and Hampton Court (Henry VIII's wonderful palace).

 

Most tourist cruises concentrate on the central area, from Westminster Pier (close to the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey), Waterloo Millennium Pier (for the London Eye and South Bank arts complex), Tower Pier (Tower of London) and Greenwich Pier (National Maritime Museum, Queen's House, Old Royal Observatory and former Royal Naval College). It is possible to buy 'hop on, hop off' River Rover tickets that permit travellers to disembark at any pier to explore, before resuming their tour. These are also valid for the Docklands Light Railway, to enhance a day's exploration of the River Thames and its environs.

 

HOW

On foot

WHEN TO GO

Any time (but note that specific tourist services are reduced in winter).

TIME IT TAKES

Around 100 minutes from Putney to Woolwich (end-ta-end on the commuter service, including one change).

HIGHLIGHTS

A ride on the riverside London Eye (more correctly the Millennium Wheel) for a bird's-eye view.

The famous clock tower at the Palace of Westminster, housing the world's largest four-face chiming clock – the tower is generally referred to as Big Ben, the name of its main bell.

Tower Bridge, the iconic bascule bridge that is recognized the world over as a symbol of London.

The Tower of London, the beautifully preserved Norman (and later) complex beside the Thames that is one of the world's major tourist attractions.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

The oft-quoted tale of the American entrepreneur who bought London Bridge thinking he was getting Tower Bridge simply isn't true – the reconstructed 1831 original now sits happily at Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Hotels in London

 

Perfume River Dragon Boat Trip

Though not yet described as 'The Venice of the East', the imperial city of Hue - fonner capital of Vietnam's Nguyen Dynasty - is divided by the Perfume River and has numerous canals. So taking to the water is a great way to see the city's sights, and the famed Hue Dragon Boats – the local motorized equivalent of Venetian gondolas are the way to travel.

 

These long-tailed, brightly painted boats ply the Perfume River, and most do indeed have some resemblance to those fearsome if mythical fire-breathers, though tencling to be of rather haphazard construction.

It's possible to enjoy the Dragon Boat experience by taking one as though it were a water taxi. Any trip around town will have the added dimension of revealing the sights and sounds of Hue's busy river life with houseboats everywhere, laden sampans heading for market or undertaking another important mission like sand dredging ... and of course there are more of those in-your-face Dragon Boats at every turn. This in itself is a worthwhile outing.

 

But the Hue area has many fascinating monuments and historical sights, and a Dragon Boat journey up river through lush countryside is a splendid way of visiting some of the best. There are many options to choose from, but a typical tour will include the Linh Mu (Thien Mu) Pagoda, Hon Chen Temple, Tu Due Tomb, Emperor Minh Mang's Tomb amidst tranquil gardens and lakes and Khai Dinh Tomb. Some require a moto-taxi from the bank and the stops (usually 30 to 45 minutes) are not long enough to allow proper exploration, as these tombs are often large complexes. However, the Dragon Boat trip is an experience in its own right, and it's always possible to return on another day and spend more time at particular sights.

 

HOW

By boat

WHEN TO GO

Any time January to April is best, from June to August it sometimes rains very hard.

TIME IT TAKES

Around eight hours for a typical day tour by Dragon Boat.

HIGHLIGHTS

A Dragon Boat ride to Thuan An Beach for a bit of typical tropical sun-sea-and-sand relaxation.

Sunset over the Perfume River – take a stroll beside the river as night falls for a wonderfully romantic light show.

A side trip to the Imperial Citadel of the Nguyen Dynasty, damaged by American bombing during the Tet Offensive of 1968 but partially restored and still mightily impressive.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

The Perfume River is so named from the traditional ritual of scattering flower petals on the water.

The White Villages of Alpujarra in Sierra Nevada

After the official expulsion of the Moors from Spain in 1492, refugees retreated into La Alpujarra, an inaccessible region of steep valleys in the southern Sierra Nevada, where      they survived in isolated pockets for a further 150 years by cultivating the fertile silt washed down from the mountains. Today some 70 'white villages' are testimony to the Moorish cultural roots of the inhabitants. On a hike through this beautiful rugged country the Moroccan Berber influence can be seen all around - in the inimitable terracing of the fields, intricate irrigation techniques and cubic architecture.

 

The land is so steep that the quaint whitewashed houses with fiat roofs and crooked clay chimneys seem to be piled on top of each other, each village an idiosyncratic jumble of narrow streets. The beautifully   tended terraces of olive, fig, mulberry and nut trees are constantly watered by melting snow, directed down the mountains along acequias (irrigation channels). A network of ancient walled trails and mule paths takes you along ridges dotted with cacti, down into rocky wooded gorges, through almond groves and wildftower meadows, always with breathtaking views of the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada.

 

From Mairena, a typically picturesque white village, you head westwards to the charming village of Yegen, leaning precariously on a narrow ledge. The twisting trail leads through several hamlets up to the pretty village of Mecina Bombaron and then across ridge and river to Berchules in the high mountain grasslands. A steep descent through pine forest followed by another climb through flower-filled meadows takes you to your destination - the village of Trevelez.

Toppling over a frighteningly steep gorge, it is arguably the highest village in Spain. Here you can reward yourself for your long trek with  what is indisputably the best-tasting Serrano ham in the country.

 

HOW

On foot

WHEN TO GO

March to May for the wild flowers or September to October for the autumn colour.

TIME IT TAKES

Six to seven days

HIGHLIGHTS

Moorish cubic architecture.

Outstanding natural scenery.

Trevelez - highest town in Spain with a church at 1,476 m (4,840 ft).

Yegen - village made famous in the 1920s and 30s by the Hispanophile English writer Gerald Brenan, a friend of virginia woolf who came here to stay with him.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

This is a moderately easy trek for anyone reasonably fit. La Alpujarra is excellent walking country, criss-crossed by trails of varying difficulty, but can equally well be toured by car, bike or horse.