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Author: Werner

Waking up to screams on a mountain road in Peru

Posted on 30 April 202530 April 2025 by Werner

What was supposed to be a simple night bus ride from Cusco to Ica turned into the most terrifying experience of my travels.

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Unpacking a 5 day trek to Machu Picchu

Posted on 8 November 20248 November 2024 by Werner

As with most things in life, the true essence lies in the journey, not the destination.

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Trek to Machu Picchu Day 5: The final 2 hours up to the infamous citadel

Posted on 8 September 20248 September 2024 by Werner

“..Standing on the edge of a grassy platform, the jungle suddenly cleared, revealing the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu perched majestically atop the cloud covered peaks. “

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Trek to Machu Picchu Day 4: The almost final day

Posted on 5 July 20245 July 2024 by Werner

In some ways, today was the final day of our trek. While we wouldn’t reach Machu Picchu just yet, we would get to the tourist village of Aguas Calientes at the foot of the mountain on which the citadel is built. There, we would stay in a hotel for the night and trek up to…

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Trek to Machu Picchu Day 3: An easy day on the legs

Posted on 18 June 202418 June 2024 by Werner

Unlike the other days, the third day was an easy walk, but that doesn’t mean it was without challenges. They just came in a different form, as we dealt with bitter farewells and some exploitation.

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Trek to Machu Picchu Day 2: We were tested

Posted on 1 June 20241 June 2024 by Werner

Cold, misty, and wet conditions over the trek’s highest peak made for the most challenging day. Each step through the fog felt like a battle against the elements, testing our endurance and resilience.

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Trek to Machu Picchu Day 1: Introductions, a 3 hour drive and the start of a magical 5 day adventure

Posted on 24 May 202424 May 2024 by Werner

I finally set off on a highlight of any South American adventure, and for that matter, the world—the trek to the legendary Machu Picchu. Day one had all the hallmarks of an adventure in motion and a taste of the wonder ahead.

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Arriving in Cusco, Peru: The gateway to Machu Picchu

Posted on 17 May 202417 May 2024 by Werner

Navigating the vibrant streets of Cusco, Peru, from impromptu encounters with locals to the suspenseful nightlife antics.

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Copacabana: A quick sprint through my last stop in Bolivia before reaching Peru

Posted on 10 May 202411 May 2024 by Werner

Eager to promptly reach Peru, I regretfully underplanned and missed fully absorbing Isla de Sol, an enchanting island on lake Titicaca. However, my lack of planning was offset by newfound friendships.

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Thrills and Chills: Conquering Bolivia’s Death Road

Posted on 3 May 20243 May 2024 by Werner

A journey down Bolivia’s Death Road, where treacherous paths wind through mountains and jungle. Discover the heart-pounding descents and breathtaking scenery of this notorious route, a test of nerves and skill for adventurers seeking an unforgettable experience.

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Returning and leaving again always stirs mixed emo Returning and leaving again always stirs mixed emotions. The past few months has been a wonderful ride. Filled with family, friends, a wedding, hours in voting queue, mountain adventures, plenty of sunrises and a masochistic amount winter surfing. Until next time, South Africa. ✌️✈️
For four unforgettable days, our trusty land cruis For four unforgettable days, our trusty land cruisers carried us from Tupiza through the surreal and awe-inspiring landscapes of Uyuni. 🌍✨ From the peaks of the high Andes, across the Altiplano, to the shimmering white expanse of the world's largest salt flats.

🗓️ 2022-05-28

#UyuniAdventures #Bolivia #SaltFlats #TupizaToUyuni #NatureWonders
Sites like these were plentiful on the 4 day tour Sites like these were plentiful on the 4 day tour to the Uyuni salt flats. The vastness of the landscapes are just indescribable. I don't recall the exact location of this photo, so I also don't know the exact altitude. However, I'd estimate it to be on the higher side of 4000m. 

📌 Somewhere in Bolivia close to the Chilean and Argentinian border.

🗓️ May 2022
It's actually been almost two years since my trip It's actually been almost two years since my trip through South America. Back then, my interest in posting to social media was minimal, so I never shared any photos from that trip or many of the amazing places I've visited since then.

I still have plenty of beautiful photos, and now that I'm settled in South Africa for a while, I think I'll share a few of my favorites.

📷 📌 Bolivia, Uyuni tour day 3.

On a short hike to Laguna Colorada, we were welcomed by a handful of llamas enjoying a hot bath in the otherwise bone-chilling Andes morning, all at a breathtaking altitude of 4200m. 🏔️🦙
This morning, I found myself reminiscing about Chr This morning, I found myself reminiscing about Christmas 2023. I decided to flee the typical commercial scene of Western Christmas and head to one of my favourite places on earth: the spellbinding Varanasi.

Varanasi is a place that challenges all of your preconceived notions. It's a place where a glimpse into the raw essence of human life can be found in all its forms. While movies portray European cities as the epitome of medieval times, today that view is merely reflected in their architecture. In Varanasi, however, it still feels like one has stepped back in time. Life here seems simple and hard by western standards, yet there's a radiating essence to it. Your senses go into overdrive as you witness the full spectrum of human nature. From routine chores like doing laundry and bathing in the Ganges river to witnessing open cremation ceremonies for the deceased, Varanasi offers a truly profound experience. 

It's a place unlike anything on earth, a place that will always hold permanent residence in my heart.

#varanasi #India #travel
It's been a month since I left Sri Lanka, and toda It's been a month since I left Sri Lanka, and today I find myself reminiscing about the three months I spent there. It's a place of sun, surf, sea, storms, and the occasional scorpion. A place where the days were filled with friendships, and our bellies with of curry and rice.

Balancing surfboards while dodging the killer buses from hell on a scooter or rushing the paddle out to avoid the traffic on the waves, the morning commutes meant something different here. I usually had more surf sessions a day than cups of coffee.

The sunsets were absolutely magical and we always find ourselves in their presence. Whether sneaking in wave session until it's so dark we can't see the waves anymore, or relishing a freshly opened coconut as we watched the sun slowly sink below the horizon lighting up the skies in the most beautiful hues.
One of the most famous hikes in Patagonia, the Lag One of the most famous hikes in Patagonia, the Laguna de los tres route up to behold the monumental Fitzroy mountain up close was without a doubt the most adventurous trek I've ever done.

The route itself is actually really easy, but as soon as we arrived we were head on against the elements... 

For an in depth account of the adventure, check out the polar steps link in my bio and go to the "El Chalten" section for the full write up.

🗓️ 2022-04-25
 
#patagonia #fitzroy #lagunadelostres #trekkingpatagonia #mountainsover #landscapephotography #travelphotography #naturelover #trekkinglovers #wanderingworld #theworldisbeautiful #wintermountains #sigma16mmf14 #sonyalpha6000
It's been quite a while since I've last posted a It's been quite a while since I've last posted a  picture of somewhere pretty. It's not that I haven't been anywhere pretty. On the contrary. I've been backpacking South - and Central America for the last 7 months and have certainly stumbled onto many picture worthy locations. This time, however, I wanted to travel more mindfully by limiting how much I integrate social media into my travel routine. I wanted to be present in my surroundings and not concerned about keeping up appearances. I still enjoy taking photos, but for various reasons I have also taken significantly less than my last big trip in Asia.

Enough of my life story and on to the picture... This one was taken on my birthday where I visited the seriously impressive Perito Moreno Glacier down in Patagonia. Shortly after this photo was taken, the large block of ice you see floating in a background had a piece of itself broken off resulting in a thunderous smash into the water. I later realised this would be going on throughout the day as the massive glacier parts with hundreds of shards on a daily basis.

📷 2022-04-21

#glacier #patagonia #argentina #landscapephotography #traveling #travelphotography #mountains #lake #landscape #landscapepic #ice #south #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #a6000 #sigma16mmf14
The magnitude of the horrors that occurred at this The magnitude of the horrors that occurred at this place still haunts me years after my visit. Unimaginable suffering at an unfathomable scale. It's difficult to convey in words how heavy the mere thoughts of the events weigh on you as gaze upon a place that knew only suffering. 

On 27 January 1945 the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated and today serves as a remembrance to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust.

The photo is taken of flowers and candles added by visitors and laid on top of the rubble of the destroyed gas chamber in Auschwitz 2 - Birkenau close to the city of Krakow in Poland.

#holocaustremembranceday
Fede showing me one of her favourite valleys, Val Fede showing me one of her favourite valleys, Val Monzoni, which is also the location of the hut she regularly volunteers at in summer.

Even though it was still autumn, we had to get to the hut via a rather treacherous trek that required snowshoes. It was my first snowshoe experience and ended up being a lot of fun, even though it turned out I am terrible at snowshoeing 😂

#Italy #dolomites #italianalps🇮🇹 #mountains #snow #winter #snowhike #trekkingitaly #travelphotography #naturephotography #naturelover #landscapephotography #mountainsover #snowlover #snowflake #hut #rifugio
The postcard village of Molveno located at the foo The postcard village of Molveno located at the foot of the soaring Brenta Dolomitic Group. An absolute gem of a town especially when decorated in the gold and bronze of autumn.

#italia #molveno #dolomites #Italy #italianalps #pictureperfectvillage #landscape #mountains #alps #autumn #autumncolors #lake #turqoisewater #landscapephotography #landscapeshot #travelphotography #naturelover #backpacking #wonderful_places #beautifuldestinations #amazingplaces #landscapehunter
Another beautiful late autumn hike in Trento, Ital Another beautiful late autumn hike in Trento, Italy. This one was quite mild compared to the hike we did in the dolomitic group a few days before. Nevertheless, it still registered at about 600m altitude gain to 2170m and the snow just added so much to the already beautiful landscape. 

#Italy #italianalps #italia #snow #hiking #trekkingitaly #naturelover #landscapephotography #landscape #landscapepic #snowhike #autumn #hikingmountains #mountainlandscape #blueskies #travelphotography #naturephotography
What an epic introduction to the Italian Dolomites What an epic introduction to the Italian Dolomites this was. The first two shots were taken on the other side of Val d'Ambiéz via Ferrata route that takes you over the peak to this partly snow cover skree valley. The pictures don't capture the awe of the landscape as you cross the peak to the other side. Besides being awe struck, I also had a great sense of relief to have reached the peak as my hands were desperately cold from clasping on to the iron holds at zero temperature without any gloves.

#dolomites #Italy #italianalps🇮🇹 #valdambiez #trekking #backpacking #mountains #landscape #trekkingitaly #naturelover #nature #landscapephotography #mountainsover #snow #alps #winter #northernitaly #beautifulearth
This tiny chapel can be found at 2400m in Val d'Am This tiny chapel can be found at 2400m in Val d'Ambiéz in the Italian Dolomites.

I'm not entirely sure what this chapel is used for, other than normal chapel-ly stuff, but those looking for the most grammable wedding shots, this will not be a bad gig. 

#hiking #trekking #Italy #dolomites #dolomiti #travelitaly #mountains #landscape_captures #landscapeshot #naturelover#nature #landscapephotography #landscapehunter #travelphotography #hikingadventures #wintersun #italianalps🇮🇹 #a6000 #sigma16mmf14 #stonehouse #stonearchitecture
My final weekend in the berg was spent scoping out My final weekend in the berg was spent scoping out caves to sleep in on my next visit, when it isn't winter ❄️

I'm standing right on top of Tarn cave, a well covered, north facing cave that would be a great spot to spend a night or two to enjoy this magnificent view at dawn. One can't really see the mountains in great detail here since this was shot directly into the sun, but they're quite spectacular and aptly named the Devil's knuckles.

#drakensberg #drakensberghikes #adventureincosprey #landscapephotography #mountainsover #menseselense #gomagsa #wegtydskrif #kznlife #lesothomountains #africa #africaportraits #trekking #landscape_captures #landscapeshot #naturelover #nature @ospreysouthafrica @adventureincza @gomagsa #sigma16mmf14 #sunset #beautifulearth
These last few weeks I've been spending my weekend These last few weeks I've been spending my weekends exploring the magnificent landscapes of the Drakensberg. With so many hiking routes and reserves to chose from, the novelty just doesn't wear down. Here I'm gazing at Hodgsons peaks which towers 3200m into the sky.

#hikingsouthafrica #drakensberg #drakensberghikes #southafrica #trekking #mountains #landscape_captures #landscapeshot #naturelover #nature #landscapephotography #mountainsover #menseselense #gomagsa #wegtydskrif #kznlife #lesothomountains #africa #africaportraits #adventureincosprey @adventureincza @ospreysouthafrica @gomagsa
Winter in the Drakensberg definitely has its charm Winter in the Drakensberg definitely has its charms. For one, the day temperature is perfect for hiking. It might start off on the chilly side, but once it gains momentum it can brighten up to sizzling 20 C. The perfect temperature to seek out the sun as apposed to cursing it. Due to it being the dry season, the mountains are dressed with golden brown coat. So if lush green is your thing, best come during the summer months.

#drakensbergsun #drakensberg #drakpix #drakensberghikes #hikingsouthafrica#hikemzantsi #hikemzansi #hiking #trekking #backpacking #wilderness #underberg #mountainsover #mountains #amateurphotography #landscape #wintersun #southafrica #meetsouthafrica #menseselense #gomagsa #joureisbeginhier #sunlovers #landscapephotography #landscapeshot #sunsethunter #beautifuldestinations #amazingplaces
The Transkei, a place still so wild not even winte The Transkei, a place still so wild not even winter has managed to infiltrate it.

I immediately jumped into my Transkei journey by hiking 61 kms through the rural villages along the coast from Port St John's to infamous Coffee Bay. An experience that humbles you in so many ways.

The entire stretch embodies a rural lifestyle that beats on a different rhythm. Traditional thatch roofed rondawels scatters across the never ending grass covered hills that roll right up to the coastline ending in majestically towering cliffs that overlook the warm Indian ocean. The Xhosa people, the majority inhabitants, are incredibly friendly and along the way I was only ever greated with warmth and kindness. Everyday I was welcomed into their villages and spoilt with delicious traditional Xhosa bread and other treats whilst being enlightening on their way of life. I can honestly say, a piece of my heart now belongs to the Transkei. 

#transkei #meetsouthafrica #travelsouthafrica #easterncape #africa #traditional #thisisafrica #menseselense #gomagsa #wegtydskrif #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #cometosouthafrica #africaportraits #africanpeople #wildcoast #coffeebay #walking #hiking #trekking #backpacking #culture #travelphotography
Early morning moments on the Wild coast. I met som Early morning moments on the Wild coast. I met some amazing people who invited me to join them for a sunrise trip to the aptly named hole in he wall. I've seen pictures of this place before and like this one too, it absolutely doesn't compare to the real thing. This rock feature, and the entire coastline for that matter, is absolutely breathtaking to behold. 

#wildcoast #transkei #southafrica #southafricaza #coffewbay #holeinthewall #landscapephotography #landscape #ocean #coastline #beautifulearth #naturelover #menseselense #gomagsa #wegtydskrif #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #meetsouthafrica #travelsouthafrica #easterncape #beach #mountains #cliffs #a6000
#tbt Throwback to a time when things were equally #tbt Throwback to a time when things were equally crazy, just in a much more lighthearted way. Like that time we evaded a security guard to trespass into an abandoned amusement park to have this "model" photo shoot session in front of a gigantic dragon.

#throwbackthursday #beforecovid #traveling #backpacking #wonderful_places #wanderlust #travelphotography #pose #modelshoot #takingthepiss #abandonedplaces #abandoned_junkies #architecture #epictravels #bettertimes #takemeback #travelgram #traveladdict #nomadlife
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