Let’s go South America!
11 months, 4 countries, 2 backpacks and 1 girl who wants to travel the world.
Hey, everybody! My name is Ellie, my backpack is almost bigger than me and although I can only say hello in Spanish so far, I'm about to travel across Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile.
How did I come up with this idea? Ever since I was little, I've been drawn to nature, sports, travel, exploring new places and cultures. Studying tourism, where I tried my first temporary jobs abroad, confirmed me in this idea. It was already clear: travel, hike, photograph, write and inspire!
By the time I was studying photography in the UK, I was travelling all the time. Well, now that I've finished my second year, they've given me a year to see if I have the balls to be a freelance photographer and traveler and can handle living on the road with a backpack. So here we go!
I'll be wandering through the Amazon jungle, along the fierce but breathtaking Andes, up the west coast, and across countless national parks, exploring the local culture and unique wildlife.
On September 3, I'll fly into Quito, Ecuador, from whence the Ecuador adventure begins. I'll travel to the Napo River valley in the Amazon as well as to the coastal cities and Machalilla National Park. And don’t forget about the Andes full of volcanoes, multi-day treks and finally a charity climb to the highest mountain in Ecuador - Chimborazo (6263 m) which I am doing together with the non-profit organization Globalteer.
In mid-October I will move to neighboring Peru for 6 months, where I will work with the non-profit Globalteer and travel between several charity projects as a photographer and media content creator. I'll also be trekking the Peruvian Andes with an expedition group. Of course the famous Machu Picchu and the Rainbow Mountains and I am also not going to miss the historic cities, the west coast and the Sechura desert.
Bolivia became a complete last minute decision. So many people have been recommending it to me, so why not make a little stop and explore it properly before I set foot in Chile? And later in Chile I'll have 3 months to travel all of it from the dry and harsh north to the south into Patagonia. I'd also like to continue volunteering and work with mountain guides and expedition organizations along the way.
Along with my clothes, I pack my camera, lenses, tripod, drone, GoPro, and laptop (oh the photography). I don't think I'll ever be an ultralighter. I can't forget a quality sleeping bag, a camping mat, and a tent, which I've used before, so the premiere will be somewhere in the mountains (I'm pretty sure I'll end up sleeping under the stars).
Well, I'm not going to kid myself, I definitely don't have it all planned. Why should I? you can always improvise and it makes it all the more interesting! So keep your fingers crossed.
