Activities, Tours, and Day Trips in South America

Patagonia: the Ultimate Hiking and Travel Guide
South America is a massive continent just waiting for exploration. From the warm beaches of Brazil to the stunning mountains of Patagonia in Chile and Argentina, to the rugged Andes Mountains full of history and adventure in Peru, this land has something for everyone.

Types of Activities

The countries of South America offer plenty of spectacular sights and activities to keep travelers busy. If you're on a tight budget, many South American countries tend to be very affordable and offer plenty of fun and breathtaking activities and day trips at reasonable prices. Backpackers love to flock here and stay for long periods of time, as it is very easy to jump from one country to another by plane or bus. From the tropical beaches of the Caribbean to the awe-inspiring power of Iguazu Falls and the dramatic landscapes in Tierra del Fuego, backpacking South America guarantees a treasure trove of adventures that has driven the imagination of travellers for centuries, with fabulous landscapes, irresistible cities, astonishing ancient ruins and an impressive variety of living and ancient cultures.Throw on your hiking shoes, haul on your backpack and hike past ancient temples first laid down by the Incas, contemplate the crazy wildlife of the Amazon rainforest or follow the famous footsteps, from Darwin's voyage through the Galápagos and Che Guevara's across the Andes to the destructive path of the conquistadors in Peru.

Cities

The big cities of South America offer a great mix of exotic culture, historical sights, and nightlife right along with modern conveniences. Urban centers such as Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Lima among many other, offer thriving art and music scenes, world-class restaurants, accommodation options for every budget, old world architecture, a dynamic and intricate history, a raging nightlife, and more. Walking tours, bike trips, historical overviews, and other activities await your arrival. Discover in one of the world's greatest music destinations, the rhythms of Brazilian samba, Colombian salsa, Argentine tango and Andean folk music. South America loves a fiesta, by far the most famous festival is the legendary Carnival of Rio. For something spiritual, head to Inti Raymi, a week-long Inca festival in Cusco, Peru to honour the sun god. As for something a little more exhilarating, travel down to Argentina for the Feria de Mataderos, which lets you mingle with gauchos at one of Buenos Aires' most exciting events.

Outdoors

The countries of South America offer plenty of outdoor activities. Most of these countries have large national parks and beautiful coastlines where the scenery and wildlife is preserved and protected. South America attracts plenty of hiking-lovers as the region provides an enormous amount of possible hikes in the striking and exotic jungles, forests but also around local villages. The diversity of landscapes in South America is simply unbelievable, which allows the availability of plenty of various activities such as hiking, trekking, camping, climbing, paragliding, fishing, or biking. Travelers can switch from the stunning Patagonian lakes, mountains and forests scenery to the fabulous Brazilian jungle and beaches. Indeed, the Latin nations boast rich rainforests, a biodiverse Amazon, soaring Andes peaks, impressive Patagonian glaciers, bone-dry deserts, Incan ruins, colonial towns, white-sand beaches, towering volcanoes and abundant oceans, rivers and lakes.

Water sports

The waters of South America set the stage for incredible adventures. The coastline of South American countries is what usually draws visitors to this region. The coasts of Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Colombia and Venezuela alone are the main attraction for millions of visitors every year. They abound with beaches and other water activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving, boating, fishing, and sailing. The water sports on the lakes of Argentina and Chile are also extremely popular amongst tourists who come to enjoy kayaking, sailing, rafting, windsurfing, paddle boarding and canoeing in beautiful settings.

Food and Cuisine

Latin America is one of the world's trendiest new foodie destinations. Both the cities and the rural areas of South American countries, from Mexico City to the Tierra del Fuego tip of Argentina are home to world class culinary treats. The cities of Buenos Aires, Cuzco, Bogota and Mexico City just to name a few, have multiple restaurants that are world famous and ran by Latin chefs who studied in top kitchens and culinary schools around the world before returning home to apply these innovative techniques to the land's local ingredients. But if you're on a budget, don't worry, there are plenty of hole-in-the-wall places with exquisite options as well. Latin America also enjoys culinary fusions that merge European and sometimes Asian influences with local cuisine.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.

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