They say travelling is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer, a statement borne out by listening to anyone tell their stories of places and sights seen. So it was with some excitement I sat down with Fran and Gary Tate, owners of Latin Link and South America Journeys.

As the names suggest, the couple specialise in travel to South America. That’s where the couple spent their honeymoon, and two children and more than 30 years later they still love introducing others to the sights and sounds of the "continent”.

"We’ve been back there annually since those days,” Gary said, "developing new styles of travel tours, bike trips which we’ve initiated - we’re constantly doing new things.”

The Tates’ love affair with travel started in Auckland in 1984 when they launched Adventure World, a wholesale travel company which grew significantly with 45 staff and offices around the world. In the late 90s they decided the Auckland lifestyle wasn’t for them and moved to Wanaka. After a transition period they sold Adventure World. "We’d like to think we helped initiate interest in South America. There’s lots of different areas; we still haven’t seen two thirds of it,” Fran said.

On moving to Wanaka the Tates decided to start a lodge and operated Minaret Lodge for 15 years, selling the Eely Point Rd property this year. Their interest in travel and South America never waned and with loyal clients and industry contacts they started Latin Link Adventure and South America Journeys, operating from Wanaka.

"We’ve kept it fairly low key, but of recent times South America is back in the trend again, especially with Air New Zealand flying directly,” Fran said.

"We do about 15 trips a year now,” Gary said. "I do all the organising. It’s a mixture of general interest type tours, nature, wildlife, kite surfing, wine tours. My latest project is organising a car rally for three months.” Fran’s specialty is guiding mountain bike tours through the Andes, aided by her proficiency in Spanish.

Trips for 2017 and 2018 are now being marketed. "We have a maximum of 14 people on the tours, it’s quite intimate with personalised service,” Gary said. Fran is quick to nominate Bolivia and Peru as their favourite places: "The scenery, the mountains, the remoteness and the culture, and the people. It’s very different yet there are similarities in the landscape to Wanaka.”

As for the future: "We’re just going to keep doing what we do, and what we know how to do,” Fran said. "And it’s fun.”

For more information see http://www.latinlink.co.nz/ and http://www.southamericajourneys.com/.

PHOTO: Wanaka App