Photo of the Month: Machu Picchu, Peru

June 4, 2012

It’s one thing to ogle other people’s photos of the mythical Inca city of Machu Picchu. It’s another, I discovered, to huff and puff your way up Andean mountainsides and steep Inca staircases to take your own. That’s the glory of a Peru walking vacation: Each step reveals a new vista more impressive than the last.

The ancient Inca citadel as viewed from Machu Picchu Mountain.

While hundreds of visitors queue up before dawn each morning to climb Huayna Picchu (the distinctive horn-shaped mountain that appears in the background of many Machu Picchu photos, including this one), we wisely opted to make the the steep sixteen hundred foot ascent up the lesser known Machu Picchu Mountain to capture this bird’s eye view of the ancient metropolis, the iconic Huayna Picchu pinnacle, and snaking below, the silvery streak of the Urubamba River.

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Valle California, Chilean Patagonia

April 21, 2012

A gaucho works his horse at Valle California, Patagonia Sur.

There are many reasons to travel: relaxation, escape, service, adventure, learning, etc. For me, the perfect trip is simple - it immerses me in the world’s natural beauty while providing the opportunity to observe and engage in the daily lives of its people.

In Valle California, a remote conservation property in Chilean Patagonia, not only was I smack dab in the middle of one of the most majestic landscapes on the planet, but also introduced to the region’s rich cultural customs by the people who live and work there: My dream combo.

Framed by the snow-capped Andes, a Valle California wilderness lodge vacation offers guests extensive hiking and horseback riding trails, opportunities for river kayaking and float trips, mountain biking, bird watching, fly fishing, and a five-star experience with an environmental sensibility.

In the above photograph, Valle California gaucho, Gustavo Neumann, works a horse in the estancia corral.

See more Patagonia Sur pictures

Read about Patagonia Sur at National Geographic Travel Favorites

Learn about getting back to basics at a Leica/Patagonia Sur photography workshop

Plan a visit

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Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

February 14, 2012

I could read about it forever. Look at other people’s photos. Dream about going. But until I personally came face-to-face with the extraordinary wildlife that inhabit this special part of the world, it was impossible to fully wrap my head around what an amazing vacation a trip to the Galapagos really is.

Marine iguana, Española Island, the Galapagos. ©Ellen Barone.

What makes the experience so unique is the opportunity to get up close and personal with the unusual creatures that define the famed archipelago where animals have no instinctive fear of humans. For wildlife lovers and photographers, the Galapagos Islands are as good as it gets.

Crouching down inches from this colorful marine iguana on Isla Española, I was able to capture this tight portrait during a recent week long voyage with Ecoventura, a leader in responsible tourism to the Galapagos Islands since 1990.

Click here to view more Galapagos photos or here, to read my recent article ‘GALAPAGOS ADVENTURE CRUISE: Reptiles, Preservation and Paparazzi, featuring the voyage.

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Las Isletas, Lake Nicaragua

December 6, 2011

One of the most memorable features of a visit to the lakefront colonial-era city of Granada, Nicaragua, is Las Isletas, the miniature archipelago of 365 tiny islands situated in bordering Lake Nicaragua.

Net fishing, Las Isletas, Lake Nicaragua. ©Ellen Barone.

Only minutes away from the city center, a short boat ride transports you into a rich natural landscape eons removed from bustling Granada.

I captured this photo of a local family out fishing late one afternoon during a stay at Jicaro Island Ecolodge, a tranquil island retreat situated on one of the Isletas. More Photos

About Ellen Barone: Consumer travel expert Ellen Barone is the founder and publisher of EllenBarone.com and YourLifeIsATrip.com. Learn more here and connect on Twitter at,Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.

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Day of the Dead, Oaxaca, Mexico

September 11, 2011

This month’s featured photography comes from photographer Eric Mindling of Traditions Mexico.

Once a year, for the first two days of November, daily routine is put on pause in Mexico for the Day of the Dead festival. Food is made in abundance, graveyards are swept clean, tombstones washed, home altars built, and the flor de muertos (marigolds) fill every home and cemetery. It is moving, beautiful, respectful, and all about death, family, and remembering. Those who are alive, cry and sing, laugh and gossip, or stare into the skies, beside the graves of their beloved on the night when the spirits of the dead are believed to return for the party and annual feast of their favorite foods.

Day of the Dead is an all-inclusive community celebration, with friends and extended family at the tomb, and most of the villagers in the graveyard for the same purpose. Hundreds of candles, thousands of flowers, soft voices, a night sky, the spirits of the deceased in the air, and the spirit of those alive everywhere. And though the moments may be happy or sad, Day of the Dead is, above all, a celebration; a party of remembrance, appreciation and eating and drinking. And as with any good party, everyone is welcome.

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Baja Yacht Cruise: Mexico's Sea of Cortez

April 1, 2011

I’m just back from hosting a photo-themed adventure yacht cruise in the nature-rich Sea of Cortez - “Mexico’s Galapagos.” Bountiful wildlife combined with a unique landscape of desert and sea make this remote region an ideal location for a photography expedition. Click thru to view the complete gallery of images from the voyage.

NEXT UP, Hawaii! Who’s in? To learn more, visit www.AmericanSafariCruises.com.

About Ellen Barone: Consumer travel expert Ellen Barone is the founder and publisher of EllenBarone.com and YourLifeIsATrip.com. Learn more here and connect on Twitter at,Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.

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