South America

South America Overview

Visit the tropical paradise of Parque Nacional Tayrona in Colombia

From the tropical, pristine Caribbean beaches of Colombia, to the thick, dense jungles of the Amazon in Brazil, to the abundant, never before seen wildlife of the Galapagos, to the magical, mystical ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, to the surreal, otherworldly terrain of Bolivia, to the friendly, red wine drinking, red meat eating locals of Argentina, to the glaciers and hiking mecca of Patagonia in southern Chile and Argentina, South America truly offers something for everyone.

The otherworldly terrain of the Salar de Uyuni tour in Bolivia

This massive continent literally has it all.  Think of anything you want, and South America will be there offering it to you.  Do you want a pristine, tropical beach with palms swaying in the wind while you sleep in a hammock?  Then head to Parque Nacional Tayrona in Colombia.  Do you want to dance the night away until the wee hours of the morning with some of the best dressed, friendliest, and laid back people in the world?  Make a trip to the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires.  How about hiking through the jungle on a search for the world’s largest snake or seeing landscapes that seem like they’re from another planet? Bolivia has both and is just the thing for you.  What about you hikers out there?  Don’t worry, there’s plenty for you as well with the stunning scenery of Patagonia in southern Argentina and Chile.  History buffs?  The 4 day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu, Easter Island, and Ciudad Perdida are calling your name.

What to Expect

Being in the gloom and doom age of the modern media, you may have overlooked South America as a legitimate travel destination.  But I’m here to inform you that this colossal continent is perfectly safe so long as you stay current on what’s going on politically and don’t stray in areas that can be dangerous.  In short, use some common sense, and more than likely you’ll come home perfectly fine and happy from a wonderful trip.

All locals we met were as nice and friendly as could be

South America can appease any traveler, from the solo backpacker out on his or her first international trip after college, to the young, married couple looking for adventure before settling down, to the family looking to expose their youngsters to fascinating cultures, to the retirees wanting to get off the cruise circuit to see countries and cities unique to the rest of the world.

How to Get Around

Not all South American airports are what we're used to

South America is a huge continent, about 75% of the size of North America.  With an infrastructure that isn’t as modern as other western, more developed areas, travel can be slow here in South America.  Flights within the continent tend to be expensive, so keep an eye out for deals and specials if you’re short on time and need to utilize air travel in order to get around.  While flights are nice, they aren’t all what we’re used to in the western world.  If you have the time, traveling overland can be a delight in many countries and, let’s just say an “experience,” in others.

There aren’t many rails in South America, so buses are the way to go.  Argentina’s buses will spoil you into thinking you’re royalty.  Hot meals, reclining seats that allow you to lay down, and even wine and champagne are not uncommon on certain trips, all at a fraction of the price of flying. Peru’s roads and buses have been described as dodgy and dangerous, but we experienced nothing but comfort and safety while we were there.  Overland travel in Bolivia is an “experience,” but hey, you’re in Bolivia.  It’s not going to be all sunshine and rainbows, but you’re guaranteed to come out of this stunningly beautiful country with some classic public transportation stories.

Costs

You won't have to break the bank while traveling in South America

Costs vary from country to country throughout South America, and you’ll find detailed budget  information on each country page informing you what  we spent each day in each country.

Overall, traveling in South America is very affordable.  In a country like Bolivia, it’s not uncommon to be able to get by on $20/day or less.  Living it up a bit would cause you to spend more, but a $50/day budget would have you living like a king.

On the whole, we spent $88/day total (both of us) during our five plus months in South America.  A price breakdown of how much we spent per country can be found on every country page.  And cost breakdowns are in all city guides as well, with the cost of every hostel we stayed in, activity we took part in, and many meals we ate and beers we drank on our RTW trip.

Countries

Click on any of the country names below for an overview of that country.  Each country page will have city guides with specific hostel, hotel, restaurant, and activity information.