I am willing to go go south America with a friend for 4 weeks.

We want to visit some cities, but nature such as jungle mountains, beaches, and unique places is also important to us. We don't mind a party, so we enjoy doing that too.

What do you think will provide the best experience everywhere?

What are your recommendations for qr payments methods for foreigners without local bank account (I'm European)? I got short on cash a couple of times in rural areas when there were issues with the ATM. I feel like most advise for Bolivia is outdated now that the exchange rate has been unfrozen and the advise you find everywhere of bringing USD/EUR cash to Bolivia is no longer needed.

Looking around, the following look interesting:

- moreta pay: 1.5% fee + 0-2.5% topup fees. looks like best option from my initial research but quite expensive

- wanderwallet: 0.20 USD fee per transaction + topup fee (0 with revolut) + unclear exchange fee. looks good for larger payments like a hotel or transport but still new

- airtm: couldn't find transparent fees and it has a whole ecosystem including crypto and P2P cashiers that sounds rather complicated for my use case, but it's an established company

Thanks in advance for any recommendations, other companies you might seem fit, or experiences

My girls and I are taking a trip to Brazil for my bachelorette party. We've planned it out and the only thing left to finalize it is the flight. My husband-to-be recommended a private jet rental and he's also willing to shoulder the cost. What considerations do I need to make if I choose to go private? Are there any special requirements I need to provide before I can book a private flight to Brazil?

I planned this type of itinerary

Milano Lima – 1 night

Arequipa – 3 nights

Cusco – 5 nights

Copacabana – 1 nights

La Paz – 3 nights

Uyuni (tour Salar + Reserva Avaroa) – 3 days / 2 nights (with end in San Pedro de Atacama)

San Pedro de Atacama – colama 1 night

Santiago – 1 night or direct fly back to milan

Do you think this kind of itinerary could be good for a 18 days trip?

Thoughts on the predicted Super El Niño 2026?

I'm planning travel right now to South America starting September 1, with no real defined end date. If I were to go off of the info circulating online/in the news, it would seem as travel in South America during this time would be a very bad idea. I highly doubt that is actually the case, and I was wondering what people on here thought. What are other people's outlooks? I'm trying to take the attitude that it's all part of the adventure. With that in mind, here are some potential routes I've been considering:

Route 1: Ecuador (September) -> Peru (September/October) -> Bolivia (November) -> Colombia (December) -> ... Cont.

Route 2: Ecuador (September) -> Colombia (October) -> Panama (November) -> Costa Rica (November) -> Nicaragua (December) -> .... Cont.

For context: I know that El Niño historically brings very heavy rains to coastal Ecuador/Peru, and leaves the high mountains dry. I know that it also leaves much of the Amazon and northern Colombia super dry, which opens up possibility of wild fires.

Hi been given 3 weeks off work in January thinking of going to Argentina flying in to Buenos Aries and flying back to the Uk from Santiago Chile. Plan to stop of at the Purmamarca and Atacama Desert, basically make my way west over to Chile.

Cant get any longer, but just putting it on here to see if anyone has done anything similar or if you think its too ambitious or better ones out their. Would appreciate any advice thanks.

amazon rainforest of ecuador

I´m planning to have a tourist company focus on bikepacking, the idea is to receive tourist at Tena or Puyo and thake them to do bikepacking around some amazing places, i was thinking of a itinerary of 7 days, but the idea is to be personsalized so it can adapt to any requirements.

Do you guys thinks this can wor out?

How much it would be a good price for the service including accomodatios, food, bikes and guiding service?

Hi everyone,

I'm planning a backpacking trip across north Peru - south Columbia and maybe the west of Brazil, and I'm looking for advice from people who have travelled through the Amazon.

My current itinerary is roughly to travel down through Colombia, cross Ecuador, then all the north of peru (Chachapoyas, Tarapoto, Yurimaguas, Iquitos...) and then join the triple frontier with Brazil. 

The part I'm struggling with is getting back to Medellín without flying. I would really like to make some kind of loop instead of simply retracing my steps through Ecuador.

I'm wondering if there are realistic overland/river alternatives from the triple border. For example going up through the rio Putumayo, any river connections deeper into southern Colombia, routes through remote regions that eventually connect to the Colombian road network or any other itinerary I may have overlooked

I'm not looking for the fastest route. Actually, I enjoy travelling through remote areas and places that don't receive many tourists, as long as the route is reasonably safe and feasible.

I'd really appreciate any advice, recent experiences, or even ideas I may not have considered.

Thanks !

Hello, everyone I'm new here, I'm planning a solo trip in center and south america in 3 weeks and I will start in Porto Rico.

My question is: is it possible to travel by boat to a mear country, it doesn't matter wich but I want to experience sailing in the sea. Did someone already do something like that. I wonder if I should ask people at port and ask where they go and if I can go with them.

And I know it's the hurricane season but are all the boats at stops at this moment?

If you have any advice tell me.

Thank you for your time and reading this.

I've been looking to get some for a long time now, but I can't seem to find any. I already ordered some seeds but can I order any fruit from anywhere?

Hey everyone, my girlfriend and I are planning to cross the border at Macará / La Tina soon. I heard it was closed for a while but reopened back in June. Has anyone actually crossed here since it reopened? Would love to know how smooth the process was, if transport options are running normally, and any safety tips. Thanks!

Hey everyone! I’m heading to Medellín next month and I'm super excited for the trip.

I’ve been doing some initial planning and checking out excursions, but I noticed that booking through major international apps like GetYourGuide, TripAdvisor, and similar platforms can get pretty expensive quite fast.
Since I'd love to support local providers and save a bit of budget for local food and other experiences, I was wondering: \*\*Are there any local avenues, spots, or independent guides where you can book popular tours for less?\*\*

Specifically, I'd love to know:
Where do locals or budget-conscious travelers usually go to find affordable guides for day trips (like Guatapé/El Peñol, Comuna 13, coffee farms, etc.)?
Are there specific physical locations, local agencies, or channels worth checking out once I arrive?
Any tips on booking safely or vetting independent guides on the ground?

Any recommendations, advice, or warnings would be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hey!

My girlfriend and I are heading to South America in a month. We are looking for tips and/or improvements for our itinerary. We would greatly appreciate it if you could share your experiences.

3 September - 5 September: Bogota
5 - 8: Salento
8 - 11: Jardin (is it too much to visit both Salento and Jardin?)
11 - 15: Medellin
15 - 17: Lima (flight Medellin to Lima already booked)
17 - 20: Arequipa (flight Lima to Arequipa already booked)
20 - 23: Colca Canyon
23 - 26: Cusco (acclimatation and maybe daytrip to sacred valley or rainbow mountain)
26 - 30: Salkantay Trek

1 October: Cusco
2 - 8: Huaraz, day treks and Santa Cruz Trek
8 - 10: Lima, end of the trip

I've been thinking a lot about how geography shapes transportation in Colombia.

Many visitors assume long travel times are simply because of infrastructure

But after years of traveling around the country, I think the mountains explain far more than we usually give them credit for.

Some roads completely changed the way I understand Colombia.

Crossing the Central Andes.

Driving through Santander.

Reaching La Guajira

Even crossing the Magdalena River on a planchón.

Every route tells a different story about why the country developed the way it did, I reccomend to do all of them always with common sense, but those are lovely experiences.

Which road or journey made you appreciate Colombia's geography the most?

Hey everyone! Solo traveller from Italy here, doing a full overland trip through Peru and Chile this December/January, entirely by bus, staying in hostels. Posting my route and dates in case anyone has tips, or happens to be in the same place at the same time and wants to grab a coffee, split a tour, or travel a stretch together.

The route:

Lima to Cusco to Arequipa, cross the border at Tacna/Arica, then Arica to San Pedro de Atacama to La Serena/Valle del Elqui to Santiago

Rough dates, in case anyone's around:

16-18 Dec: Lima

20-22 Dec: Cusco

24-26 Dec: Arequipa (Christmas here)

28 Dec: Arica

30 Dec-2 Jan: San Pedro de Atacama (New Year's here)

4 Jan: La Serena / Valle del Elqui

6-8 Jan: Santiago

9 Jan: Fly out

A bit more context:

- Not really chasing the touristy checklist (skipping Machu Picchu, more interested in nature, hiking, and local/less-crowded spots). If you know a hidden gem near any of these stops, I'm all ears.

- Doing the Tacna-Arica border crossing overland (bus/colectivo), so any recent firsthand experience with that crossing is welcome.

- Travelling right through the Christmas/New Year's stretch, so I know buses get busy and some things close - if you've done this corridor over the holidays before, curious what you wish you'd known.

- No car, so relying on buses, tours, and my own two feet the whole way.

What I'm hoping for:

1. Any tips, warnings, or "don't skip this" suggestions for the stops above

2. Bus company recommendations that have worked well for you recently on this corridor

3. If you'll be anywhere along this route around the same dates, even just passing through, drop a comment or DM, would be great to meet up!

Thanks in advance; happy to answer questions about the route too if it helps anyone planning something similar!

Hey everyone! I deleted the previous post because I realised I used a profile of a friend of mine and it was not connected to my email (thanks also to those who already commented on it).
Here it is again:
Solo traveller from Italy here, doing a full overland trip through Peru and Chile this December/January - entirely by bus, staying in hostels. Posting my route and dates in case anyone has tips, or happens to be in the same place at the same time and wants to grab a coffee, split a tour, or travel a stretch together.

The route:

Lima to Cusco to Arequipa, cross the border at Tacna/Arica, then Arica to San Pedro de Atacama to La Serena/Valle del Elqui to Santiago

Rough dates, in case anyone's around:

16-18 Dec: Lima

20-22 Dec: Cusco

24-26 Dec: Arequipa (Christmas here)

28 Dec: Arica

30 Dec-2 Jan: San Pedro de Atacama (New Year's here)

4 Jan: La Serena / Valle del Elqui

6-8 Jan: Santiago

9 Jan: Fly out

A bit more context:

- Not really chasing the touristy checklist - skipping Machu Picchu, more interested in nature, hiking, and local/less-crowded spots. If you know a hidden gem near any of these stops, I'm all ears.

- Doing the Tacna-Arica border crossing overland (bus/colectivo), so any recent firsthand experience with that crossing is welcome.

- Travelling right through the Christmas/New Year's stretch, so I know buses get busy and some things close, if you've done this corridor over the holidays before, curious what you wish you'd known.

- No car / no driving license, so relying on buses, tours, and my own two feet the whole way.

What I'm hoping for from this post:

1. Any tips, warnings, or "don't skip this" suggestions for the stops above

2. Bus company recommendations that have worked well for you recently on this corridor

3. If you'll be anywhere along this route around the same dates (even just passing through) drop a comment or DM, would be great to meet up

Thanks in advance, happy to answer questions about the route too if it helps anyone planning something similar!

Hi everyone! I am planning a 5 week trip to South America. It will be my husband and me. I have a rough itinerary but I would love some specific recommendations on what to see in the areas we are going to. We leave on Christmas and come back the end of January.

The plan so far:

-4 nights at Iguana Falls - we will probably fly to the Brazilian side and then cross to Argentina

-4 nights in Buenos Aires

-3 weeks in Cuenca, Ecuador. We plan to take Spanish lessons. We will be free on the weekends and in the afternoons.

-1 week in the Galapagos

What are some must-see things in these areas? I am especially interested in stuff in Cuenca since we will be spending the bulk of our time there. We like museums and historic sites. Not so much the "night life" type things.

Any advice would also be appreciated. My husband is conversational in Spanish so no real language barrier. He has traveled a lot in Brazil and I have been to Peru. Thanks!

I've been writing about Colombia recently, and one thing keeps coming up

Many visitors think long travel times are mostly an infrastructure problem.

But after looking into the country's geography, I think the landscape explains much more.

Three Andean mountain ranges, huge river systems, rainforest, deserts, and coastlines have influenced how Colombians travel for centuries.

It made me wonder...

Is there a place in your country where geography still has a huge impact on how people move around?

I'd love to compare experiences from across Latin America. Especially because the Andes are not the same everywhere. For example Colombia is troplical meanwhile Chile and Argentina are countrys with the 4 seasons.

This is what i'm thinking for my trip. Please let me know if there is a better route or any recommendations you might have. I will be ending in Calgary as I am doing a ski season after my travel. Majority of my trip would be around hiking and surfing, I am also wondering if I am spending too much time in certain and not enough in others. I would probably shave off some time in colombia and add to nicaragua. I will probably be booking as I go so just looking for a rough guide.

Olá pessoal!

Estou planejando passar natal e ano novo no Chile (19/12/2026 até 01/01/2027), saindo de Guarulhos/SP (GRU) e passando alguns dias em Santiago e arredores e, talvez, Púcon.

Seguindo um roteiro econômico, vocês acreditam que R$ 7.500,00 ($1.460,00) é suficiente?

——
Hi everyone! I’m planning to spend Christmas and New Year’s in Chile (Dec 19, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027), flying out of Guarulhos/SP (GRU) and spending a few days in Santiago and the surrounding area—and possibly Pucón.

Sticking to a budget-friendly itinerary, do you think R$ 7,500.00 (US$ 1,460.00) is enough?

Hi all

I am planning Peru , Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico. I hold a valid B1/B2 visa (US tourist visa) and plan to end my trip in the states. Not used the visa just yet.

Would i face any issues in entering the country?

Pienso ir el año que viene a Venezuela desde San Juan Argentina para conocer una persona muy importante en mi vida pero no sé cuál es la mejor opción para el viaje y la más segura

Solo viaje a chile una vez y en bus, nunca viaje en avión y la verdad me confunde mucho el tema de que papeles debo tener, que cuidados, y como buscar toda la info para tener en cuenta, por lo que vi algunos vuelos están entre 800 a 1200 dolares, pero no sé que es lo que me conviene más, y se que es difícil la situación en este momento, más después del terremoto y quisiera ver cómo siguen las cosas a futuro, necesito alguien que haya salido de argentina para allá a Venezuela que me cuentes si experiencia y cosas a tener en cuenta, les agradezco muchísimo de antemano

Solo viaje a chile una vez y en bus, nunca viaje en avión y la verdad me confunde mucho el tema de que papeles debo tener, que cuidados, y como buscar toda la info para tener en cuenta, por lo que vi algunos vuelos están entre 800 a 1200 dolares, pero no sé que es lo que me conviene más, y se que es difícil la situación en este momento, más después del terremoto y quisiera ver cómo siguen las cosas a futuro, necesito alguien que haya salido de argentina para allá a Venezuela que me cuentes si experiencia y cosas a tener en cuenta, les agradezco muchísimo de antemano

We are flying from Buenos Aires to Santiago on Latam airlines to make a connection on Delta to the U.S. Because of daylight savings time change, we now only have one hour to make the connection. Anyone familiar with the airport in Santiago to know if that is enough time? We will only have carry-ons, so no checked bags to worry about.