Hi Everyone!
My name is Hugo, and I’m a solo traveller from France
Welcome to my travel blog – HorizonHugo
What You’ll Discover Here
HorizonHugo is a travel blog focused on adventures in Latin America (with a bit of Southeast Asia too).
Latin America is vast, filled with amazing countries. Each unique, with its own cultures, landscapes, and unforgettable experiences.
You’ll find detailed blog posts on many countries to help you discover the best each has to offer.
I love this continent because it still feels raw and largely unexplored, like discovering new territories that few have dared to travel to.
Through my website, you’ll find a variety of posts designed to assist you in different ways, including:
- Practical guides to navigate cities across Latin America
- Insights into smaller towns and local adventures
- Essentials and personal tips about specifc multi-day trips to make yours unforgettable
- Itinerary comparisons so you don’t have to spend hours researching, helping you choose the best fit
- Listicles packed with ideas showcasing the natural beauty and cultural richness of Central and South America
My content is aimed at travelers in their 20s and early 30s who crave adventure and have some budget flexibility. While I don’t focus on luxury travel, some experiences may seem costly—but they are always worth every cent for the adventure and memories they create.
I’m passionate about adventures, breathtaking landscapes, and authentic cultures. Those moments that challenge you, help you grow, and leave you saying, “Wow, I actually did this!”
More and more people today choose backpacking and crafting their own itineraries. Not just to save money, but to travel on their own terms.
Here, you’ll find most, if not all, the information you need for your next trip to Latin America.
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Who I Am and What I’ve Done
I started this travel blog at the beginning of 2025, in the middle of a year-long road trip.
But this wasn’t my first long journey.
After doing many trips and finding few reliable resources online, I decided to create my own travel blog to help people like me—those who aren’t afraid to travel far and immerse themselves in completely different cultures.
It’s a bit intimidating at first, but soon you’ll crave more moments like that.
I believe you can only truly speak about something you know well.
So here’s a brief overview of my personal travel experience, so you know I understand what I’m talking about:
2000-2014
I took many family trips, more like resort vacations, not very independent.
But I was already amazed by the landscapes I saw (Malaysia, Punta Cana, Brazil, Morocco, Egypt, USA, Spain, Portugal, Italy).
I did a two-week family immersion in Dublin when I was young, which was daunting at first.
But I learned you can connect deeply with others even without speaking the same language—something that has stayed with me ever since. That trip also helped me learn English.
2015
My first backpacking trip was with family in Thailand.
It was amazing!
The country, the experience, everything!
It was a bit rough at times (carrying a backpack while leaving the train station at 5 AM), but I discovered a new way of traveling.
2016
We repeated the backpacking adventure in Indonesia, even better prepared this time.
I was also in the middle of a master’s degree in Aeronautics Engineering and decided to take a gap year to relax and explore more.
I spent two months deep in rural China, learning kung-fu at a remote mountain temple. What a trip I know !
It was intense and transformational, both culturally and spiritually.
2017
I continued my gap year with a proper backpacking road trip in South America—six months from Brazil to Panama, through Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
I explored cities, villages, and remote spots where few go. I navigated the Amazon for weeks, surrounded by the most incredible nature I’ve ever seen.
That trip deepened my understanding of the world and myself.
2018
Motivated by what I’d seen, I resumed my studies with renewed energy.
Thanks to my program, I spent a semester abroad in Medellín.
I passed through there quickly the year before and felt like it wasn’t enough.
I wasn’t disappointed.
I learned what Latin life was like—with the parties, meeting great people, and enjoying its lifestyle.
I also explored more of Colombia and enjoyed a month-long trip through southern Brazil.
2019
I could do a second semester abroad, and I moved to Lisbon, Portugal.
The city surprised me with its perfect balance of affordability, nightlife, and nearby trips.
Meeting the Brazilian community there felt like reconnecting with old friends.
2020-2023
COVID made big travels difficult, but I persevered.
Thanks to remote work (a silver lining of the pandemic), I traveled while working in various European countries—living in France, Portugal, Spain, and Italy, plus visiting Hungary, Montenegro, and Croatia.
I also spent several months living and working in Rio de Janeiro, embracing the Carioca lifestyle.
When borders reopened, I jumped back into backpacking with a trip to the Philippines!
An archipelago full of paradisiac islands and some of the most stunning turquoise waters and limestone cliffs I’ve ever seen.
2024-Today
After years working in my industry, I felt something was missing. The routine and city life wore me down.
I decided to take a full year to travel more deeply, visiting small villages and places off the beaten path, just like in my early travels.
I began with several months in Southeast Asia, revisiting favorites like Thailand and Indonesia, and discovering Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
Then I flew to Latin America, starting in Mexico and journeying south.
This continent is enormous, so I couldn’t see everything, but I stayed long enough to explore classic routes and go off the beaten path, visiting Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina.
I have so many stories and lessons to share from all these amazing countries I’ve explored over the years!
What I want to make clear for you is that I’ve traveled. A lot. But not in a luxurious way. Traveling like this is a lifestyle, kind of. It’s a passion for me. There is always a way to travel without spending too much and still have amazing adventures.
If you have a steady salary and save a little, you can do these same travels! It takes more courage and a sense of adventure than money to make them happen.
All the posts you’ll read here relate, to some extent, to my own travels. For me, it doesn’t make sense to share something I don’t know well, haven’t explored, or don’t plan to explore soon. So, I’ve either been there and experienced what I’m talking about, or it’s on my bucket list and planned for the coming months.
Not all blog posts are exhaustive, but I try to share as much information as possible—from my personal experience to the best resources available online—so you have everything you need here. I do all the research for you, so you don’t have to.
Transparency is important to me.
I only recommend places and experiences I genuinely believe in.
More Than Just a Travel Blog
I love photos and videos.
I travel with two bags, and one of them is full of tech equipment—computer, cameras, drones—all I need to record everything and remember every moment of my trip.
If you’ve read some of my posts, you’ve probably seen lots of photos 😄. I’d say 98% of them are mine. The other 2%? Well, sometimes I need to fill in the blanks.
One of the reasons I started this travel blog was to share my photos with you.
I love taking pictures and videos. I post them on Instagram, but you can’t really share the full adventure there. Here, on my blog posts, people can see shots from my cameras and read along about how hard it was to reach that specific spot to capture the moment.
Another place you can follow my trips is on YouTube, where I make travel videos. I love taking drone footage—being able to see landscapes from another level is just amazing.
When I started traveling, I never thought that was possible. Now it’s like “easy peasy”—you take your drone and capture what it’s really like.
On YouTube, I try to make informative videos that entertain you about my travels, plus some videos with only drone footage (those are my favorites).
Creating a travel blog takes time—a lot of time. I’ve lived so many adventures that I haven’t posted about yet. So be patient! I’ll post all my trips here, one post after another.
If you think I can help with your next trip—say you want to go somewhere I’ve visited or nearby but can’t find the info in my posts—send me a message here or on Instagram. I’ll get back to you!
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