Win a Trip to the Galapagos (with airfare!) from LAN Airlines!

The following branded content post is brought to you by LAN Airlines . This piece made the cut because this is an outstanding contest with one of the best travel prizes I’ve seen in a long time. I really hope that one of my readers is the winner!

LAN Airlines recently announced their Only in South America contest, and they are giving away a trip to the Galapagos Islands! That’s fabulous in and of itself — but the prize is so much more than just the trip. It’s the trip AND airfare AND a nice camera AND more!

This contest is for US residents only — more specifically, residents of the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia.

I hear a lot about different travel contests, but most of the time they only give away a trip without a flight. This contest is a most pleasant anomaly.

One winner will receive the following prize:

—Round-trip flights for two people from the US to The Galapagos Islands aboard LAN Airlines

—A seven-day, six-night expedition in the Galapagos Islands for two people aboard a small (20-person) ship operated by Ecoventura , a Rainforest Alliance-verified travel operator

—Photography tips, pointers and lessons from professional photographer Nils Schlenbusch , who will accompany the winner and guest throughout the trip

—A new Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR

—Two new, high-end ONA camera bags

—Two copies of Lonely Planet’s Guide to Ecuador and The Galapagos

Click here to enter the contest. The contest closes February 5, 2014. Before entering, please be sure to read the terms and conditions .

This sounds like a dream trip and I will be profoundly jealous of whoever wins! I’d be entering the contest myself if I were eligible.

You may have noticed that I’ve hardly been to Latin America, with only a few trips to Mexico and one to Argentina under my belt. One reason why I haven’t traveled much in Latin America recently is because if I move back to the States in the next few years — a valid possibility — it will be much easier and cheaper to travel from there rather than from Europe.

That said, I have always wanted to go to the Galapagos, and my interest has skyrocketed in the past year. Maybe it’s because I’ve read more about them and learned about what a Galapagos trip actually entails, or maybe it’s because many of my friends have been in the past year. The Galapagos look spectacular and are a lot more than just sea lions and blue-footed boobies.

Best of luck to you all! I really hope the winner of this contest is one of my readers!