Andes

Visiting the Avenue of the Volcanoes was a real highlight of my tour to follow in the footsteps of Alexander von Humboldt. His passion for understanding the natural world inspired a generation of scientists including Charles Darwin.

Our guide Antonio shared his passion for the mountains (and one of his lenses) as he gave detailed descriptions of the geography of this fascinating landscape.

This series of photographs shows the magnificence and aridity of the landscape. Just a few days to soak in the wonders here was not enough. I was pleased though to have climbed to the Whymper Refuge at Chimborazo. At 5000m the air was thin but the views of the glaciers ahead were well worth the climb.