The Prices of Outdoor and Nature Tours to South America
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Explore the awe-inspiring natural wonders of South America! Perfect for thrill-seekers, nature lovers, and wilderness explorers, these outdoor and adventure tours are thoughtfully designed to bring you a mix of excitement and serenity. Discover towering mountains, lush forests, and more as you uncover the true spirit of South America.
Using our extensive travel experience and detailed analysis, we've reviewed top tour options, destinations, and operators to identify the best adventures at every price point. Check out our findings for tour costs and top-rated experiences to help you make the most of your next trip.
Why does South America appeal to outdoor enthusiasts?
South America appeals to outdoor enthusiasts due to its diverse and beautiful landscapes, offering something for every kind of adventurer. Rio de Janeiro, Foz do Iguacu, and Florianopolis are world-renowned for hiking, with gorgeous trails and stunning natural landscapes. Rio de Janeiro, Florianopolis, and Salvador are popular with beach lovers. Whether you're exploring on foot, two wheels, or just admiring the scenery, South America offers something for everyone.
How much do Outdoor Tours in South America cost?
The average price per day for outdoor and nature tours in South America is $315, based on our analysis of 147 tours. While the overall prices can vary greatly, when we look at the daily price of these tours, the costs range from $90 to $1,018 per day.
Budget-friendly tours average around $158 per day, while higher-end luxury tours average about $513 per day.
Budget tours will usually provide less luxurious accommodation, have larger group sizes, and visit less expensive destinations. They will also sometimes have you pay for more activities on your own instead of including everything up front.
Mid-range tours often provide a step up in accommodation and transportation, and include more guided activities.
Luxury tours usually provide the highest levels of service, luxury hotels, more gormet food choices, comfortable transportation, and offer more all-inclusive payment options.
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The Best Tours in South America
Budget-Friendly Tours
Budget-friendly and affordable outdoor and nature tours in South America average $158 per day, with daily prices from $90 to $215. Budget tours usually include hotels, meals, and activities that are not quite as nice as other tours. Often, they might only include transportation, lodging, and some activities, leaving you on your own to pay for meals and other attractions during the tour. This can be a very convenient and economical way to visit France without spending too much money, as it gives you control over the amount you spend on meals and extra services. If you're looking for a really great option, check out Ecuador Trekking The Avenue of Volcanoes here.
Mid-Range Tours
For typical outdoor and nature tours in South America that fall in the middle range of prices, the average cost is $273 per day. Daily prices range from $216 to $322. Taking this step up in price from the cheaper tours to mid-range will often get you plenty of extra amenities and service for a great price. These tours usually include very comfortable hotels, meals at delicious local restaurants, comfortable transportation, knowledgable guides, and entry to many of the top attractions. One of the best tours is Galápagos Multisport.
Luxury Tours
Luxury outdoor and nature tours in South America average around $273 per day, with daily costs ranging from $327 to $1,018. At this price, you'll be very well taken care of and pampered on your journey through the scenic destinations. Knowledgable guides, the best accommodation options, the finest restaurants, comfortable transportation, and quick entry into attractions are all part of the itinerary. Every luxury and detail has been planned and thought about so that you don't have to deal with any hassle, you simple show up and enjoy your vacation. One of the best luxury tours here is Galápagos — North, West & Central Islands aboard the Yolita.
Which tour companies offer outdoor and nature tours?
A number of fantastic tour companies offer outdoor and nature tours in South America. These are a few of the best, because they offer the highest rated service, provide the best overall quality, and have the most five-star guest reviews to prove it.
G Adventures
G Adventures is a large international travel company offering tours all over the world. Some of their most popular destinations include Thailand, Peru, South Africa, and Vietnam. Many of their tours are priced in the mid-range category. The company's adventures often highlight activities such as camping, island hopping, snorkelling, surfing, wine tasting, kayaking, cooking classes, water sports, jungle surfing, and canyoning.
See All Tours from G Adventures
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel is a large international travel company offering tours all over the world. Some of their most popular destinations include Australia, Thailand, Tanzania, and Italy. Many of the tours fall into the mid-range price category. The company's adventures often highlight activities such as camping, wine tasting, snorkelling, kayaking, cooking classes, island hopping, white water rafting, surfing, horse riding, whale watching, and bird watching.
See All Tours from Intrepid Travel
Collette
Collette is a large international travel company offering tours all over the world. Some of their most popular destinations include the U.S., Italy, Great Britain, and France. The company appeals to travelers of all ages, with many tours focusing on families with children. Many of the tours fall into the mid-range price category. The company's adventures often highlight activities such as wine tasting, island hopping, and camping.
Signature DMC
Signature Tours is a smaller tour company that offers tours to 6 countries, including Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Uruguay. There are opportunities to customize some tours to specifically meet your needs. The company appeals to travelers of all ages, with many tours focusing on families with children. Many of the tours fall into the mid-range price category.
See All Tours from Signature DMC
Outdoor Destinations in South America
Wondering where outdoor tours visit in South America? With a variety of stops and destinations along the way, there's something for everyone.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is a world famous megacity that is filled with colorful neighborhoods and a population that knows how to have fun. The city has iconic beaches such as Copacabana and countless urban hikes that take you to dramatic mountain peaks. At night, people come out to party, and you're sure to have a good time, particularly during the Carnival season.
Foz Do Iguacu
Foz do Iguaçu is the main hub for visitors going to the waterfall on the Brazilian side. Iguaçu Falls is the largest waterfall in the world and it sits on the border between Brazil and Argentina. The are many separate cascades as well as walkways and trails around the falls. Devil's Throat is the tallest of the cascades.
Fortaleza
Fortaleza is the capital city of the state of Ceará. It's a popular tourist destination with Brazilians, and it has a growing reputation with international tourists as well. The city has a long stretch of sandy beach that's lined with high rise buildings and bars. There's also a rich cultural scene and a big city energy.
Salvador
Salvador is the capital city of the state of Bahia. It has a historic area that is filled with colonial architecture that dates back to the Portuguese colonial period. Today the city's culture still reflects its Afro-Brazilian roots. The city also runs along the coastline and is home to several beautiful, sandy beaches.
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Other popular destinations for outdoor tours through South America include Cusco, Aguas Calientes, Ollantaytambo, Quito, and Lima.
Outdoor and Nature Tours vs. Independent Travel: Pros and Cons
Choosing whether to join a guided tour or organize your own adventure? Be sure to think about the unique benefits of each option.
Organized Tours
Pros- Some outdoor activities and adventure sports are best enjoyed in a group.
- Local guides know the best areas and the top rated activities.
Independent Travel
Pros- Many people enjoy the peacefulness of nature, which is best enjoyed independently with a few friends or family.
- Traveling independently means you'll be able to move at your own pace and enjoy the activities that mean the most to you.
- If transportation is limited and you don't have your own vehicle, it can be hard to get outside the major cities and towns and truly enjoy nature.
Which is cheaper?
Is independent travel cheaper than guided outdoor and nature tours? The answer is not simple. Tours provide many of the services that you would otherwise pay for yourself on an independent trip. Hotels, transportation, food, entry tickets, guides, and activities are provided on organized tours, whereas you would pay for everything separately on your own. To deterine the difference in price, you would need to compare the combined price of everything in a tour with everything you would book separately. Sometimes you might want to stay in a cheaper hotel, or eat at a more expensive restaurant, so the price of a tour could be more or less than what you would otherwise pay on your own. Make sure you know what is included before making your comparison.
Also, before booking a tour, make sure you know exactly what is included as tour companies sometimes change their itineraries or included amenities to keep them updated with seasonal changes and customer interests.
More Tour Options
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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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