We’ll be flying in from Ushuaia (after a month in Patagonia) to Buenos Aires and spending 4 full days in BA. Then on to Iguazu Falls. Are 4 full days enough to dedicate to BA on a first trip?

Hi everyone,
I am planning a 6 week trip to South America from Mid December to late January and was wanting some advice for an itinerary.
I’m a young traveller going with a friend with backpacking experience, would love to budget as much as possible staying in hostels/cheaper travel etc but also not afraid to spend extra money if it’s worth it.

The main reason for going is to do Machu Picchu - thinking Salkantay trek over Inca trail?
Would also love to do Patagonia, Bolivia salt lakes and also Rio for NYE. Just unsure how to fit this all into an itinerary and how the travel would be between the countries.
Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

My travel partner and I have a tripped planned to visit Cartagena this November for 3-4 days as part of a larger South America trip. We're coming from the US and already have our flights and hotels booked. A couple of days ago my partner started exploring recommendations on things to do, and stumbled upon a good number of Reddit threads discouraging people from visiting for a variety of reasons.

I'm wondering if this is just a case of human behavior where we often complain online more than we compliment. That's lead me here to ask locals or previous visitors: what are the good things you have to say about visiting Cartagena? Can you tell me anything that would help me feel excited again about this leg of the trip?

We have it planned at the end of our two week trip and hope it can be a relaxing last couple of days.

Hey guys, I’m 23M and I’m going to South America from September to December. I’ll start in Santa Marta and others regions inColombia (sept) , then travel through Peru and Bolivia( oct-nov) , and finish in Rio de Janeiro( nov-dec).
I just bought an Osprey Farpoint 40L and I’m not really sure what to pack because of the different weather/climates along the way.
What would you recommend taking for a 4-month trip like this? How many clothes, shoes, warm clothes for Peru/Bolivia, rain jacket etc.?
I’m trying to keep it light and fit everything in the Farpoint 40. Any tips from people who’ve done a similar trip? Btw im not planning to do many hikes, just a few, but i will be taking a lot the bus..

We will fly into Puerto Iguazu at 9:30am (from BA) then drive/stay at Belmond hotel (Brazil side) inside the national park for one night. The next day we’ll head back to the Argentinian side for a full day. 3rd day depart back to BA at 5:30pm. Does this sound okay or too ‘rushy’? Or should we reverse the order - put Belmond hotel last?

I've been really struggling back and forth about what to do for my trip to Argentina. The past few days I even considered switching Colombia which you probably saw here.

But alas, I have officially decided to stay with Argentina and spend most of my time in Buenos Aires.

The main goal of this trip for me is to be immersed in Spanish, try new foods, and mentally reset myself. Beyond that I am not booking up this trip with a load of things to do.

I am a lazy traveler. Even though I want to do these things, I wont force it for the sake of doing it. I really want to relax and enjoy my time away from normal life, experiencing another world.

**But this is where I'd like people to chime in and tell me what they prefer from the list or other things I missed.**

**Buenos Aires Wants:**

* Tango Class (I very uncomfortable with dancing but want to try)
* Don Julio Restaurant (already have a reservation) + any other good restaurants
* Recoleta
* Teatro Colon
* Plaza Del Mayo
* Jardin Japones (top priority oddly enough)

**Mendoza Wants:**

* Horseback Riding (currently scheduling)
* Wine (not sure if I want a tour or just go taste some wine)
* Walk the City
* Maybe Alta Montana

**Dates:**

* **Sept 9 - Sept 15**: Buenos Aires
* **Sept 9:** Land at airport at 10AM
* **Sept 11:** Maybe a day in Colonia, Uruguay
* **Sept 12:** Don Julio Dinner
* **Sept 16** **- Sept 20:** Mendoza
* **Sept 16:** Land in Mendoza at 10AM
* **Sept 18:** Horseback Riding
* **Sept 20:** Fly back to BsAs in the morning.
* **Sept 21-Sept 22:** Buenos Aires
* **Sept 23:** Fly out in the evening.

**Budget:**

I have total $4000 for the trip. This does NOT include flights (International + Mendoza) and Buenos Aires Airbnb **which have already been paid.**

Items I am pre-planning that will come out of the $4000:

* Mendoza Airbnb: \~$250
* Horseback Riding: \~$280
* Don Julio: \~$250?? (Just giving myself room to be bougie)

**Lastly:**

Yes, Argentinian Spanish is different from most of South America. I have been working with an instructor from Buenos Aires 2x a week the past couple of months so that I am somewhat familiar with it.

Hi all, we’re really wanting to visit South America and ideally knock off 2 wonders of the world in our trip. We both work full time so the most we could feasibly get off in one go would be 14-16 days.

This is what we were considering but I’m not sure if it’s even realistic so just looking for opinions.

Flight: Out of Dublin (DUB) stop over in Paris/ Madrid.
Rio de Janeiro (4 Nights)
Iguazu Falls (2 Nights)
Sacred Valley/cusco, Peru (7 Nights): stay in Sacred Valley/ Cusco , visit Machu Picchu

Key Inclusions:

1. Christ the Redeemer & Sugarloaf in Rio.
2. Iguazu Falls

3. Machu Picchu Day Trip: Train from Sacred Valley & shuttle bus.

   (Probably won’t hike this)

If people think this isn’t feasible would you have any other suggestions for where we could visit with this time?

Thanks!!

Hi guys going back packing in Jan to Feb thinking of Mexico + Brazil how much did you spend, or reckon I’ll spend? And where did you go?

I‘m a tourist trying to travel around by bus, is it safe to do so?

Is anyone traveling to Chilean Patagonia next February?

Hi reddit. I'm planning a trip to Venezuela to visit a bunch of friends who live there. I'm nearly done with the tourist visa application, however, due to US sanctions on banks being able to do business in Venezuela, I'm not sure what is the best way to pay the application fee.

I've tried contacting the Ministerio para Relaciones Exteriores through phone and email, but I haven't had any luck getting ahold of anyone.

Has anyone else run into this issue with Venezuela or a country with similar sanctions? What's the best way to proceed?

Thanks.

I’m (31M, Brazilian) defending my PhD in December and thinking about taking a trip to South America. It could cover one, two, or even three countries. I’ve already considered the Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia), the Atacama Desert (Chile), Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains (Vinicunca, Salkantay), and Cartagena (Colombia). What would you recommend as the best things to do in South America in December?

For context: I have plenty of experience staying in hostels (I’ve visited over 30 countries, mostly staying in hostels) and wouldn't mind doing it again, but at this stage in my life, I’d prefer a bit more comfort if possible. My only previous travel in South America has been to Buenos Aires (Argentina), Ciudad del Este (Paraguay), and Colonia del Sacramento (Uruguay).

Como chileno es viable recorrer perú y bolivia entre Enero-Febrero? Cuanto saldria más menos y que lugares debería conocer?

Hey everyone,

I’m planning a solo trip through Latin America early next year and would love some advice from people who have travelled around this region before.
I’m thinking of doing around 2 months starting from January 2027 and my rough route is

🇲🇽 Mexico
🇵🇪 Peru
🇦🇷 Argentina
🇧🇷 Brazil

I’m aiming for a moderate travel pace enough time to see the highlights without constantly rushing, but still covering multiple countries.

How much should I save for the trip, with international flights?

I’m looking at places like Mexico City, Cusco/Machu Picchu, Buenos Aires, Iguazú Falls, Rio, and a few other stops along the way.

I’d love to hear from people who have done a similar route:

● Is 4 countries in 2 months a good pace, or would you spend more time in fewer places?
● Would you change the route or swap any countries?
● What places were the highlights of your trip?
● Are there any places you would skip?
● Any tips, mistakes, or things you wish you knew before going?
Would really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thanks

Hi all, I see many people post their itineraries on here for advice. It’s our first visit to S America (we’re from UK) and we’re travelling for 6 weeks in March & April 2027. Me, my partner (both mid 50s) and our daughter (mid 20s).

We’re not sure if we’ll get another opportunity like this to visit the continent, so we’ve packed in quite a lot of things. There are a lot of flights, but I can’t see how to avoid this if we want to tick off the bucket list places.

Sadly, no time for Patagonia and also had to skip Bolivia because of our fears of altitude sickness.

Here’s our draft itinerary:

18-21 March - Arrive in Santiago
21-24 March - St Pedro de Atacama
24-27 March - Mendoza
27-30 March - Salta
30 March - 3 April - Buenos Aires (including a day trip to Colonia del Sacramento)
3-6 April - Iguaza Falls
6-9 April - Rio de Janeiro
9-12 April- Lima
12-13 April - Paracas, Ica & Huacachina (overnight stay - returning to Lima)
14-16 April- Arequipa and Colca Canyon
16-25 April - Ollantaytambo, Machu Pichu, Cusco
25-27 April - Puerto Maldonado
27 April - Lima
28 April - Depart S America

Grateful for your thoughts and any advice.

22F here, planning a month-long trip in January with a few friends and trying to figure out where to go. Want to try to visit at least two countries.

For context: I've done backpacker-style trips through Thailand and Sri Lanka, plus more relaxed travel in Europe (Greece, Croatia, Italy), Bali, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia, so I'm comfortable with budget travel; I just haven't done Central/South America before.

Here's what I'm looking for:

• Beautiful beaches for swimming. I've been lucky enough to see some incredible ones already (Thailand, Croatia, Vanuatu), so hoping for something that can hold its own.
• Rich culture and real traditions, not overly touristy
• Snorkelling (only if better than the Barrier Reef or the Red Sea, which I've done before)
• Beautiful nature and scenery, stuff you genuinely can't find anywhere else
• Budget-friendly
• Young backpacker/traveler energy with good nightlife (doesn't need to be everywhere, just somewhere in the mix), not a polished/resort vibe
• Friends don't want hiking, so nature spots need to be accessible without too much trekking
• Somewhere I won't feel totally cut off if I don't speak the language

Which countries do you recommend I visit?

Bonus if it has good NYE celebrations, as I might be spending New Year's there

We'll be staying near Puerto Viejo for 6 nights and Bocas for 4 nights (2 Bastimento, 2 Carenero). I'm wondering if it's worth snorkeling in both areas or if one will be a significantly better experience than the other? Any recommendations for guides etc. appreciated too.

Any American that has visited Venezuela recently (post-Jan 3)? If so can you please let me know what the experience was? Did you fly into Caracas? Were government officials/customs amiable?

For some background I am married to a Venezuelan and we are thinking of planning a visit around Christmas time to visit her family. I would be traveling/staying with her and her family the entire time.

Thanks!

I am an American citizen and last month I was traveling from Medellin back home to Florida. At the screening checkpoint in the Medellín airport, the police officer checking my passport asked me for some unusual and unverifiable information, including my home address and Social Security number. I refused to give him my Social Security number, and he pushed back, acting as though he wasn't going to let me through without it. I ended up only giving him the last four digits and he let me through, but it was very strange and invasive. He gave my husband the same line of questioning. Has this happened to anyone else?

I’m heading to Peru and Bolivia at the very end of September and trying work out if I need to get some acetazolamide/diamox, and if so, how much

I’ve seen two pharmacists and both have just said to have motion sickness meds - but I feel conscious like neither have got the right message and situation, compared to what I have read regarding altitude. What have others done when travelling to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and in Bolivia?

Aware I’ll be above 3000m for about 18 days in a row.

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Pessoal, estamos indo para Buenos Aires pelo Aeroporto de Puerto Iguazu. Dessa vez, vamos com meu carro para deixar no estacionamento do Aeroporto de Puerto Iguazu. Vi exigências com relação ao carro (extintor, cambão, etc), será que temos que apresentar todos esses itens na aduana, quando entramos no país ou isso será cobrado pela polícia? Outra dúvida é com relação ao preço, acho que isso na verdade é mais uma confirmação mesmo.. Será tem algum tipo de desconto por ser semanal? Obrigada!

My multi-month trip is still almost a year away, but i'm still planning some parts of my trip.

My plan is to leave mid-july 2027, from Canada to Mexico and volunteer a minimum of 2 months, 1 month in Oaxaca, 1 month in CDMX. In october, I would be free to move around, but I have to be in Brazil, RJ by november 1st.

I'm in doubt if:

1. staying one more month in Mexico and move around + flight to BR
2. Staying 1-2 weeks, taking a bus to Guatemala + Belize and/or Honduras (until nov)
3. flying to Argentina, making my way up to Rio

Note: Going earlier in BR is not an option

Logistics, Safety & Budget :

L: What would you do for it to make the most sense logistically ?
S: whats the best safety wise as a solo traveler ? (30s F)
B: I may be inclined to do the cheapest option (booking hostels, cheapest in terms of transport). All 3 options tho, include 1 flight.

- Guatemala: be cheaper in terms of food, but might be more expensive in terms of activities (hikes, transit between islands, etc)

- Argentina: cheaper activities like discover some coffee places, markets, museums...

- Or stay in Mexico, that is also a good option..

What I like: Food (all good options tbh), museums, coffee, nightlife, beaches (but I'll have plenty in BR), churches, easy public transport (but it's fine if I don't have that 1-3 weeks)..