The knowledge: South America in three weeks
Every week a reader gets a chance to put a travel question to the Been there community and travel experts. How does this work?
The dilemma:
We are getting married in February and we are looking to take three weeks in March to tour Chile, Argentina and Brazil. There is so much information on all these countries and we realise that our time there is limited so we would really appreciate some advice on where we could go and what we could see over this time. We are both feeling a little overwhelmed and would really appreciate some advice from readers to ensure this trip really is the holiday of a lifetime.
Paul Liddell and Ann Marie Allan
The expert reply:
Laura Rendell-Dunn from Journey Latin America
Three weeks is just the right amount of time to visit the highlights of each country.
Here's the itinerary I would suggest:
Fly from the UK to Rio de Janeiro
Three nights Rio
Fly two hours direct to Iguazú
Two nights Iguazú Falls
Fly two hrs direct to Buenos Aires
Three nights Buenos Aires
Fly two hrs direct to Salta
Five nights Salta - the Andean foothills around Salta shelter blood-red canyons, sunlit vineyards and dainty oases studded with orchards and tiny colonial villages. Venture into the Andes proper for excellent hiking and horse-riding. Stay on one of the area's exquisite estancias or ranches.
Overland journey by car - eight hours approx from Salta to San Pedro. This road journey is one of South America’s most spectacular - you travel over the Andes crossing over white pristine salt flat, pass through multi-coloured canyons and as you enter the Atacama you’ll drive close to turquoise lagoons which have pink flamingos dotted around them and the majestic Licancabur volcano greets you as you enter Chile.
Four nights Atacama
Fly direct to Santiago two hours 30 mins
Three nights Santiago
Fly overnight back to the UK.
If you're interested in Easter Island, then I'd suggest reducing your time in Salta, Atacama and Santiago by one night each and include three nights on Easter Island.
The cost, without Easter Island, will be start from approximately £4,000 per person and approximately £5,000 per person to include Easter Island. This price includes flights, land transfers, most excursions, most meals and accommodation.
For further information give us a call at Journey Latin America on 020 8747 8315; journeylatinamerica.co.uk
Reader replies:
It is absolutely possible to have a three-week trip of a lifetime in Chile, Argentina and Brazil. March is a nice time to go, too – towards the end of the South American summer. As for how you spend your time, it all depends what you’re into, but for a bit of everything I’d suggest the following itinerary.
Fly into Santiago and take a couple of days exploring possibly the most westernised of the South American capital cities and marvelling at the mountain backdrop. If you’re into wine, take some time to explore a bodega or two just outside the city – most hotels will be able to arrange trips. Take an overnight bus south to the charming, Alpine-like small town of Puconand spend a day or two exploring, climbing the snow-capped Volcano Villarrica (not as hard as it sounds!) and relaxing in the natural hot springs.
Cross the border into San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina) by bus and take 2-3 days to relax by the lake and cycle the wonderful surrounding countryside, before flying at the end of your first week to Buenos Aires – a city of many contrasting districts such as bohemian San Telmo and edgy La Boca which you’ll want three to four days to explore. The tango shows are not to be missed!
Head north to Iguazu Falls– stay at least one night, probably on the Argentinian side to save the pennies – and experience both the up-close-and-personal boat trips on the Argentinian side and the wider vistas available once you cross the border into Brazil.
Make a beeline east to Rio de Janeiro, city of wonderful beaches and breathtaking views from Pao de Azucar (Sugar Loaf Mountain) and El Corcovado (the statue of Christ) – probably by plane; buses are more expensive and less comfortable in Brazil. Take a few days to see the sights and sample the wonderful fruits, before heading to any one of Brazil’s wonderful beach resorts for a relaxing few days at the end of your trip and probably to Sao Paolo for your flight home.
One thing to consider is language. English is spoken fairly widely in Buenos Aires, Rio and the tourist hotspots such as Iguazu Falls, but if you don’t speak much Spanish (or, for Brazil, Portuguese) outside this you may be relying on the set phrases in your phrasebooks.
Enjoy!
Dave Foot
Whatever you do in Argentina, please please go and see the Cataratas de Iguazu (Iguazu Waterfalls); they are in the province of Misiones, bordering with Paraguay. You can see them too from Brasil but the view from Argentine side is more dramatic and you can get much closer. There are walkways that take you really close to the falls, particularly the Devil's Throat which is awesome. And you can take a dinghy in the rapids.
Try to stay in the hotel inside the national park, you'll go to sleep with the roar of the falls and the calls from the toucans. Also take a guided tour to the jungle which can include a jeep ride plus a boat ride in the Paraguay river.
Since you are in the North already, try to fit a trip to Quebrada de Humahuaca, dramatic gorge, fabulous geology. If you rent a car you can do the beginning of the Inca Trail picking it up from the Provinces of Jujuy (where Humahuaca is) or Salta.
If you change plans and you go instead between August and November, go to Peninsula de Valdez in Patagonia to see the whales. You will never forget this.
Cheers and bon voyage
Constanza Lezama
As you haven't mentioned budget, I'm going to miss out accommodation from my suggested itinerary ...
Firstly, in three weeks I think you can see more than you think:
Week one:
Fly to Buenos Airies and spend the weekend romancing in the salsa suburb of San Telmo, fine dining with Argentina's sumptuous steaks and delectable red wines. Take a luxurious cama night bus, complete with complimentary champagne and fully reclining leather armchairs, west to Mendoza, Argentina's winemaking capital. Here you can go on an independent, or organised, wine-tasting cycling tour to nearby vineyards. Next, take a spectacular half-day overland journey across the Andes to Santiago. Two nights in Chile's capital and south to the 'Lake District' region, skipping south through delightful scenery and back over the border to beautiful lakeside town of Bariloche.
Week two:
From Bariloche the awe-striking sights of Patagonia await you further south. First stop, Moreno Glacier. The less well known Cerro Fitz Roy region near El Calafate offers magical glaciers, breathtaking peaks and beautiful autumn colours thrown in the time you'll be there, all within walking distance of the nearby village of El Chalten - a short bus ride from El Calafate. This will easily compensate for missing Torres del Paine or the rugged Tierra del Fuego regions due to time constraints. A flight from Rio Gallegos to Foz du Iguazu (via BA) will take you to the world's widest waterfall, Iguacu Falls. Spend two days there - viewing from both the Argentinian and Brazilan sides - before a short flight (or bus journey) to the bustling city of Sao Paulo.
Week three:
Catch your breath in Sao Paulo - if those words can go in the same sentence - before some real relaxation, and beach, time on the picture perfect Ilha Grande, three hours southwest of Rio de Janeiro. Your last five days will begin by deciding how much longer you're going to remain soaking up the sun and sipping cocktails on the beach before hitting the sites and sounds of Rio, and that flight home...
Keven Osborne, Chichester.
The best way to use three weeks on honeymoon in South America is to avoid the Amazon and Andean Plateau for starters – rainy season. You've already mentioned Chile, Argentina and Brazil so that’s a good start.
I would suggest arriving in Santiago, seeing a little of the area there for a few days, perhaps travelling through to Mendoza for some wine and mountain action. A flight down to Bariloche gives some of the most romantic Alpine scenery on the planet, before heading up to Buenos Aires. A few tango lessons, and a tango show in the Tango City before heading up to Iguazu Falls. The photos alone make Iguazu the perfect honeymoon spot.
From there, a flight to Sao Paulo - don’t stop there though, oh god no. A trip up the Costa Verde is called for, to Paraty first. Paraty is a beautiful colonial town with amazing history and scenery. After that, a visit to Ilha Grande is called for – ‘the most relaxed I’ve ever been’ as previous clients have told me. I love that place. No cars, no roads, just boat trips, beautiful quiet beaches, turtles, coconuts and mountains. After that – finish in Rio. And don’t be scared of its reputation. It is still the most amazing city on the planet ...
Also – Carnaval in Rio is 12-16 Feb this year. Depending on the dates, this is certainly something that I would consider including as well. Starting a honeymoon at Carnaval in Rio ... Sounds perfect. We can easily swap things around in that case.
Adam Hirst
Destination Specialist - Brazil & Argentina
Class Adventure Travel
Bolson in Patagonia is essential. wooden cabins, home made ice cream
and the view of the mountains in Chile make for a very quaint and cosy
vacation.
Rowan Blades
You could start by visiting Brazil. Go directly to Rio, it’s just amazing. Then you can go to the north to look for more beaches with white sand and crystal clear waters. You could arrive even to Bahia and Salvador where the Afro culture is very much present. You could try Sao Paulo but other than a couple of museums you wouldn’t have much to do there since is the financial capital. Very active in the evening, lots of bars, live music, etc. but I’d definitely recommend the above mentioned places.
Then go to the Iguaçu to visit the Falls. You MUST go there and get a view either from the Brazilian side and the Argentinean one (Iguazú). Enjoy outdoor activities and nice hotels in a very natural almost savage environment. It’s really worthwhile. Being in Argentina (the place is called Misiones) fly to Buenos Aires and stay in the city 2/3 days. Do not miss the glorious asado (grilled meat, a local specialty) because the meat is excellent in Argentina. If possible, go one day to visit an “Estancia” (around one hour form Buenos Aires) but just for a visit during the day. Do not sleep there even if the countryside is charming as rooms are quite expensive, I’d say. But having an asado or other type of lunch should be a nice experience. Especially if you can be in touch with horses and the old way of living and working of the gauchos or the countrymen.
Your next place go should be south of Argentina, Patagonia, for an exciting tour to the Perito Moreno Glacier . There are also many lakes around. Food also is very good.
Then you can go to Chile which is very close. The South also offers magnificent views and thermal waters. I’m quoting a website: “Among the other wondrous sites in this remarkable region are: the Torres del Paine, a spectacular mountain range, which frames the Park of the same name, and extend to heights of up to 9,000 feet.”
You can end your tour visiting Santiago and there a whole-day-trip to Viña del Mar and Valparaiso, the latter a small city by the sea with a poetic decadence longing for times where it used to be part of most renowned commercial routes.
Enjoy!
Walter Rodriguez
I spent three weeks in Chile with my partner celebrating our 40th birthdays. The one thing I would recommend above anything else is a stay in the Hotel Explora in Patagonia. It was the best holiday experience of our lives. Amazing location, choice of superb guided walks and great food. It's expensive but worth it.
Dave Moody
I was faced with the same angst and dilemmas this time last year but, fear not, there is a great adventure to be had, and much that can be achieved in three weeks (I had but two and a half). Never having been to Argentina or Chile before, I was faced with a bewildering set of possibilities, but settled for the more obvious choices, and I don't regret that because I saw some genuine wonders of the world. So, if you are prepared for a bit of a working honeymoon, you are in for a fantastic experience. Using Buenos Aires as my base, beginning with a couple of days in Palermo, I flew south to El Calafete, and rented a car for some serious Patagonia excursions. The Perito Merino glacier is a must, not least because there may not be much longer to see it in
its majestic and mobile form. A long drive to Torres del Paine
followed, with some of the most impressive mountain scenery (and
walking) to be found anywhere. Then, an even longer drive back up
the fabled Ruta 40 to El Chalten, to explore FitzRoy and its
neighbours. From BA, I took an overnight bus (much more civilised
than it sounds) to the Iguazu region ... again, the falls seem like an
obvious destination, but they are an amazing place to wander for at
least one day.
Ian Slater
In Chile, if you like the river, forest and lakes (but really beautiful) you must go to the South, some nice place are (in order from the north to south) : Caburgua Lake, Calafquen Lake, Ranco Lake, LLanquihue lake, Todos los santos lake, and Yelcho lake, in each lake appointed you cand find very nice villages with typical food. Some of the most common are Pucon, Villarrica, Riñihue, Futrono, Puerto Octay, Frutillar, Puerto Varas, Puerto Montt and Futaleufu ( if you enjoy fishing or fly fishing there are a very good places to do it). But as well you can go to Chiloe Island and it is quite near Bariloche (Argentinian City). In Puerto Montt you must go to the local market and restaurant place known as "Angelmo" you'll find the best seafood in the world (Erizos, Locos, Machas, Centolla, etc) very, very cheap .
If you want the extreme South you can go to "Torres del Paine" that place is amazing but is not too near from the Lakes District, there you can find Glaciar, Torres del Paine Peaks (Mountain) and a lot of ice and not common places.
I think the best way to see all these places is by car, maybe you can rent one in Puerto Mont and start your trip from this city because Santiago, capital of Chile (International Airport) is quite far, 12 hrs by car you can find fly from Santiago to Puerto Montt or Punta Arenas(Torres del Paine.)
In the north of Chile you can find some good beach but my advice is if you want a nice beach you may go to the North East, Recife, Salvador de Bahia, etc. This part of Brasil is amazing.
Remember that in Chile the seasons are the opposite, the south is a little bit rainy but I think for the English people is not problem. The driest and bestmonths are January or February.
Enjoy your trip wherever you'll go.
Bartolomé
We (my partner and I) returned in July after spending a year travelling in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru and covered a lot of it in detail. These were our highlights:
Brazil
(We saw Rio, Paraty, Ihla Grande, Iguazu falls, Curitiba, Florianpolis/Ihla Santa Catharina, Torres, Porte Alegre)
Highlights for a three week trip would be:
1. Iguazu Falls - Visit both sides or 1 side. We think it's okay to just visit 1 side if you are short of time.
2. Head to the beaches. Our pick in three weeks would include one or two of the following ...
Ihla Grande -
What: An island off the coast, south of Rio. Sandy beaches large and small with crystal clear waters. Day hikes through Atlantic rain forest from one side of the island to the other where amazing beaches await. Wildlife spotting includes little monkeys, huge butterflies and much more. Contrary to popular belief you don't need a guide. Trails are clearly marked and safe.
How: Get a bus (two hours from Rio) to Angra Dos Reis then jump on a ferry boat (one to two hours) to the island.
Accommodation: hostels and more upmarket B&B's abound. Take your pick.
Nightlife: As quite or noisy as you like. There are no high rises here or nightclubs that I know of. But many little beach hut bars where you can drink away the wee hours with delicious Caiparhinas while the waves lap on your feet.
Paraty
What: A cute colonial town if architecture/ culture is your thing. If it isn't, while the beach in the town is not really for swimming because of mud and boat traffic it is an excellent place to catch a 4/5 hour boat for about £6 or £7 on a tour around some stunning islands. Local buses take you to many stunning beaches in the area.
How: Get a bus from Rio (four hours?)
Accommodation: Hostels and more upmarket B&B's abound once again.
Nightlife: Improvise. There's a ton of different stuff going on and Brazilians know how to enjoy themselves.
Florianopolis - Ihla Santa Catharina
How: Fly from Rio or bus it to Florianopolis. Then hop on a local bus (the station is next to the long distance one) to Ihla Santa Catharina. Helpful tourist office at long distance bus station. Ignore the touts.
What: Amazing beaches where you can swim or novices can learn to surf - book lessons on the day
Accommodation: Hostels or rent an apartment (very cheap in mid/ low season) with incredible sea views.
Avoid: Torres, Porto Alegre, Curitiba on such a short trip. They didn't stand out for us but we did visit Torres in the low season.
Argentina
(We saw B.A, Tigre, Rosario, Salta, Cordoba, Mendoza, Uspallata, Puerto Madryn w/ penninsular Valdes, Rio Gallegos, Ushuaia, El Bolson, El Calafate, El Chalten, Bariloche, Villa de Angostura)
1. Buenos Aires
What: Take Tango lessons at La Cathedral Milonga night club. Visit the artesanal market in Recoletta. Eat steak at a parilla restaurant. Shop, drink, party in Palermo, San Telmo districts. Go to a football match in La Bocca.
How: Flights and long distance national and international buses abound.
Accommodation: Many options to choose from as with any city. There are many nice areas depending on your preferences. Palermo very upmarket and lots of nightlife, shops and restaurants. San Telmo is cheaper and a little more edgy... Covent garden versus Brick Lane perhaps in London terms?!
2. Pennisular Valdes -
What: Best place to see elephant seals, sea lions, whales and penguins. We did a few tours. The best by far was a visit to Punta Tombo (south of pennisular valdes), the largest penguin colony outside of Antarctica. You can walk among the penguins so long as you take care not to cross their path. There are literally thousands of them going about their daily business! Hire a car if you can and see them in your own time.
How: Long distance overnight bus from Buenos Aires.
Accommodation: Stay in Puerto Madryn. Tours and car hire available from here.
3. Bariloche -
What: Day hikes + cable cars or longer 3 day trekking to breathtaking views of lakes and volcanoes. (Club Andino can provide all info for these) Good restaurants, bars and nightlife not to mention chocolate shops.
How: Flights from other parts of Argentina and Chile. Buses from almost anywhere come here including to Chile.
Accommodation: Hundreds of options from low key hostels to upmarket hotels.
El Chalten:
What: Describes itself as trekking capital of Argentina. One of our favourite places in Patagonia for trekking. If you are not into trekking perhaps skip it as it is a long way to come and the town itself is more a base for activities in the surrounding area than a place of interest in itself. If you are there are one day to 3/4 day treks to be done up to lakes, glaciars and views of Mt. Fitzroy to be seen.
SKIP... Ushuaia if you only have three weeks. It's real attraction is the trekking, which is fabulous but the town itself is full of overpriced cafes and restaurants claiming fame for being the at the end of the world. Considering how far it is from everything if trekking is your thing you are better off finding it in El Chalten (ARG) or Torres del Paine (CHILE), Bariloche (ARG). Skip El Bolson and Mendoza also. They are nice places but don't have the wow factor.
Chile
(We saw San Pedro de Atacama, Calama, Valparaiso, Santiago, Talca, Temuco, Valdivia, Osorno, Puerto Varas, Puerto Montt, Most of Isla de Chiloe, La serena, Chillan, Concepcion, Puerto Natales & Torres del Paine, Valle Elqui and some)
San Pedro de Atacama
What: A touristy spot but very laid back Andean feel to it at 2400m. Go sandboarding, see geysers, the desert, moon valley, horse riding, salt flats and more. There are dozens of things to choose from.
How: Long distance bus
Accommodation: A large range of choices from upmarket B&B's to cheap hostels. You can negotiate prices in this town.
Pucon
What: A town by a lake it offers many outdoor activites. We tried horse riding (western style) and kayaking. Huerquehue National Park with the massive Araucanía trees - do the popular 3 hour trek to the lakes at the top and refuel with tea and cake in the very friendly refugio Tinquilco at the base of the trail when done. To recover visit one of the many hot springs in the area. The cheapest and most natural ones are at the end of main road where there are many. There are hotels also which tap into the hot springs if you want total luxury. Combine your trip to Pucon with a day in Villaricca and climb the volcano here before sliding back down it!
How: Buses - local and long distance.
Torres del Paine national park
What: Do the 'W' trek (4 - 5 days) depending on how fit you are or do bits of the park e.g. visit the glaciar at one end or the towers at the other and use the boat which crosses a beautiful glacial blue lake to avoid walking.
How: Fly to Puerto Natales (base town for the park) with low cost airline www.skyairlines.cl from a range of Chilean cities.
Accommodation: Again a wide range of spots from cheap hostels to more upmarket options. Eat Cordero at a parilla (slow roasted lamb). It's the local speciality.
Skip Valdivia, Santiago, Puerto Montt, Talca, Osorno, Concepcion, Temuco,
Consider as fill ins or stop overs, Valparaiso, Chiloe, Puerto Varas. All great places but perhaps too much in 3 weeks.
Useful info when planning your trip
Take into account the seasons when planning your trip - Parts of patagonia e.g. Torres del Paine National Park, trekking (though not sight seeing) in Bariloche and El Chalten are probably off the radar in winter as snow means trails close and with them restaurants, hostels and other activities. Pucon is also quite dead out of season. Beginning or end of season can be good as fewer people, cheaper prices and less booking ahead required especially for long distance buses e.g. November to Dec and End of Feb to Mid March.
August - Nov in Rio and Southern Brazil brings low prices, fab sunny days at around 25 - 28C and beaches to yourself. Summer hols for South America are Jan and Feb and bring plenty more parties and excitement but higher prices and more booking ahead needed.
Useful websites are:
CHILE -
www.skyairlines.cl
www.lan.com
Buses - There are many and lots of journeys can be booked online. They are generally a million times comfier than in the UK!
www.turbus.cl
www.busescruzdelsur.cl/
www.pullman.cl (although not always the best)
BRAZIL
Buses from Rio http://www.novorio.com.br
ARGENTINA
By plane
Aerolíneas Argentinas (cheaper) or LAN Argentina
By bus
Andesmar - the oldest and one of the most reliable in our experience of bus companies. But there are many
Retiro is bus station in BA'S. Check out http://www.omnilineas.com/argentina/retiro/ for destinations.
HAVE FUN!! I have heard northern Brazil is also fabulous especially for the music and culture. I am saving for my next trip out there already!!
Lottie Ford
I've just come back from living in Chile for a year, so I hope I can be of some help. I was in Antofagasta, a city in the north of the country in the Atacama desert and although I wouldn't recommend going there (too much dust and too many stray dogs!), there is an amazing place not far from it.
San Pedro de Atacama is a town in the middle of the desert (its closest city being Calama - also not worth staying at) with so many things nearby that will take your breath away.
Top tips include:
The Geysers del Tatio (the highest in the world- hot water turning into steam then freezing in a matter of seconds),
The Flamingo Park,
Ojos del Salar (Eyes of the Salt Lake- usually included in an amazing tour to the salt plains, these are two pools in the desert where the water is so clear that it gives a clear mirror image as a reflection)
La Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley- fear not, the trek up there is worth the view at the end!)
Other places to recommend in Chile include Viña del Mar and Valparaíso, although both could be done in 1/2 days if you're in a rush and want to fit the south in. Valparaso, especially, is very picturesque with architecture in the style of that in San Fransisco and a strong British influence. Viña is worth visiting for the concert venue and the parks.
Obviously, Buenos Aires is a must, make sure you visit Boca and San Telmo! If you have time, you can travel to/ from San Pedro to/ from Argentina by bus. If you'd like to visit a city in the desert, I'd recommend Iquique or Arica rather than Antofagasta, however, Antoagasta would be on your way.
Also, if you're travelling by bus down to Santiago, it's worth stopping off at La Serena and doing a tour to Vicuña, a beautiful town in the Central Valley where the poet Gabriella Minstral grew up and lived most of her life. The ice-cream's pretty good there too! (Believe me, you'll need it!)
There aren't really any low-cost airlines in South America, I used Lan, Sky and Taca but there are other companies, it's always worth shopping around. The two main bus companies are Turbus and Pullman Bus. Turbus allow you to book online so it may be worth checking them out in advance if you want to forward plan.
I hope I've been of some help, any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me! Enjoy your trip (and congratulations on the forthcoming marriage!!)
Jemma
To be honest you should start the trip in Argentina, have a very good week in Buenos Aires and then go to Brasil, one week in Rio and then the other week chilling around, Recife for instance or something like that. Unless you are in a rush and see so many places in three weeks without really seeing too much!
Francisco Sarria
What a trip. There are so many beautiful places in all of these countries I can imagine why you're over-whelmed.
It would help to know more about you. Do you like mountains? Trekking? Cities? History? Peace and Quiet?
Whatever you like, Santiago would be a good city to fly into. It's less interesting than Buenos Aires but less chaotic and not a bad place to get your bearings. Spend a day getting over your jet lag doing a historical bike tour of the city with Bicicleta Verde or take in the Andes while swimming in the pool at the top of Cerro San Cristobal before having a terremoto in La Piojera (watch your wallet) and dinner in Bellavista.
Valparaiso (90 minutes by bus from Santiago) with it's higgedly piggedly houses perched on cliff tops next to the sea is a must see and a great place for seafood.
Then fly with LAN to Southern glaciers and penquins at Torres del Paine and Punta Arenas or go north for some star-gazing in the driest place on earth in San Pedro de Atacama.
Going into Argentina, you can go from Torres del Paine to Bariloche, from Santiago you can head to Mendoza for the wine-tasing or from San Pedro bus it to lovely Salta.
Whatever you do, book ahead for February as it's peak holiday season in Chile and Argentina and everyone will be escaping the city heat.
Make sure you make it to Iguazu Falls in on the Argentinean/Brazilean border. Apparently they make Niagra look like a dripping tap ...
Natasha Young
Personally I would have done Peru and Brazil. So much American history is put in perspective in Peru (Machu Pichu, Cuzco,) plus a few days in the Amazon jungle. The I'd blow the rest of my time
in Rio.
Lars Pardo
My wife and I spent 5 1/2 wks around South America in 2004. Our itinerary was:
Fly to Lima
Fly to Cusco (must see in Peru)
Machu Pichhu (must see in Peru)
Cusco - Puno (first class for a treat) then coach to ...
Lake Titicacca - La Paz (for 67km of downhill mountain biking, absolutely terrific fun)
Fly to Santiago (recommend horse-racing at Hippodrome and wine-tasting at Concha y Toro vinyard)
Fly to Atacama desert (mountains of the moon an experience, but the hot springs in the mountains were really worthwhile, and salt flats a different world)
Fly to Punta Arenas (visit penguin colony - any day you see a penguin is a good day)
Overland to Puerto Natales to see Torres del Paine (another must)
Coach to Rio Gallegos for Perito Glacier (a must)
Fly to Buenos Aires (great value hotels, good fun, lively or genteel style, it has both)
Home
We did not do Brazil, not enough time. One point to bear in mind, we bought a multi-flight ticket, for our five flights within the continent - very good value and service. Flights in Chile are like a long bus route, up and down the country, you virtually hop on and off.
Three weeks for Chile, Argentina, Brazil is not long. Knowing nothing about Brazil, and assuming two weeks for Chile and Argentina, you could probably manage:
Santiago (parks, markets, wine-tasting, horse-racing) 2d
Fly to Atacama (desert, salt flats & flamingos, mountain hot springs - take your cossie) 3d
Fly to Punta Arenas (change of climate and mood, (long days in Dec/Jan), penguin colony) 2d
Overland to Perito Glacier (incredible) in Argentina, crossing a bit of pampas on the coach as you go, then flying out of Rio Gallegos 3d
Fly to Buenos Aires (tango, party, cafes, football, people watching like nowhere else). Expect to buy a piece of fashion, you can't not. 3d
If you can fit in Torres del Paine, then great. You may feel this is a little rushed, including travelling as it does; if so, cut out either the Atacama or Punta Arenas - though you will kick yourself if you do not get to see a penguin colony in the wild.
Throughout you get to see llamas, and its relations, which have to be the most fabulous animal.
Very jealous, we still talk fondly of our trip.
AG
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The dilemma:
We are getting married in February and we are looking to take three weeks in March to tour Chile, Argentina and Brazil. There is so much information on all these countries and we realise that our time there is limited so we would really appreciate some advice on where we could go and what we could see over this time. We are both feeling a little overwhelmed and would really appreciate some advice from readers to ensure this trip really is the holiday of a lifetime.
Paul Liddell and Ann Marie Allan
The expert reply:
Laura Rendell-Dunn from Journey Latin America
Three weeks is just the right amount of time to visit the highlights of each country.
Here's the itinerary I would suggest:
Fly from the UK to Rio de Janeiro
Three nights Rio
Fly two hours direct to Iguazú
Two nights Iguazú Falls
Fly two hrs direct to Buenos Aires
Three nights Buenos Aires
Fly two hrs direct to Salta
Five nights Salta - the Andean foothills around Salta shelter blood-red canyons, sunlit vineyards and dainty oases studded with orchards and tiny colonial villages. Venture into the Andes proper for excellent hiking and horse-riding. Stay on one of the area's exquisite estancias or ranches.
Overland journey by car - eight hours approx from Salta to San Pedro. This road journey is one of South America’s most spectacular - you travel over the Andes crossing over white pristine salt flat, pass through multi-coloured canyons and as you enter the Atacama you’ll drive close to turquoise lagoons which have pink flamingos dotted around them and the majestic Licancabur volcano greets you as you enter Chile.
Four nights Atacama
Fly direct to Santiago two hours 30 mins
Three nights Santiago
Fly overnight back to the UK.
If you're interested in Easter Island, then I'd suggest reducing your time in Salta, Atacama and Santiago by one night each and include three nights on Easter Island.
The cost, without Easter Island, will be start from approximately £4,000 per person and approximately £5,000 per person to include Easter Island. This price includes flights, land transfers, most excursions, most meals and accommodation.
For further information give us a call at Journey Latin America on 020 8747 8315; journeylatinamerica.co.uk
Reader replies:
It is absolutely possible to have a three-week trip of a lifetime in Chile, Argentina and Brazil. March is a nice time to go, too – towards the end of the South American summer. As for how you spend your time, it all depends what you’re into, but for a bit of everything I’d suggest the following itinerary.
Fly into Santiago and take a couple of days exploring possibly the most westernised of the South American capital cities and marvelling at the mountain backdrop. If you’re into wine, take some time to explore a bodega or two just outside the city – most hotels will be able to arrange trips. Take an overnight bus south to the charming, Alpine-like small town of Puconand spend a day or two exploring, climbing the snow-capped Volcano Villarrica (not as hard as it sounds!) and relaxing in the natural hot springs.
Cross the border into San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina) by bus and take 2-3 days to relax by the lake and cycle the wonderful surrounding countryside, before flying at the end of your first week to Buenos Aires – a city of many contrasting districts such as bohemian San Telmo and edgy La Boca which you’ll want three to four days to explore. The tango shows are not to be missed!
Head north to Iguazu Falls– stay at least one night, probably on the Argentinian side to save the pennies – and experience both the up-close-and-personal boat trips on the Argentinian side and the wider vistas available once you cross the border into Brazil.
Make a beeline east to Rio de Janeiro, city of wonderful beaches and breathtaking views from Pao de Azucar (Sugar Loaf Mountain) and El Corcovado (the statue of Christ) – probably by plane; buses are more expensive and less comfortable in Brazil. Take a few days to see the sights and sample the wonderful fruits, before heading to any one of Brazil’s wonderful beach resorts for a relaxing few days at the end of your trip and probably to Sao Paolo for your flight home.
One thing to consider is language. English is spoken fairly widely in Buenos Aires, Rio and the tourist hotspots such as Iguazu Falls, but if you don’t speak much Spanish (or, for Brazil, Portuguese) outside this you may be relying on the set phrases in your phrasebooks.
Enjoy!
Dave Foot
Whatever you do in Argentina, please please go and see the Cataratas de Iguazu (Iguazu Waterfalls); they are in the province of Misiones, bordering with Paraguay. You can see them too from Brasil but the view from Argentine side is more dramatic and you can get much closer. There are walkways that take you really close to the falls, particularly the Devil's Throat which is awesome. And you can take a dinghy in the rapids.
Try to stay in the hotel inside the national park, you'll go to sleep with the roar of the falls and the calls from the toucans. Also take a guided tour to the jungle which can include a jeep ride plus a boat ride in the Paraguay river.
Since you are in the North already, try to fit a trip to Quebrada de Humahuaca, dramatic gorge, fabulous geology. If you rent a car you can do the beginning of the Inca Trail picking it up from the Provinces of Jujuy (where Humahuaca is) or Salta.
If you change plans and you go instead between August and November, go to Peninsula de Valdez in Patagonia to see the whales. You will never forget this.
Cheers and bon voyage
Constanza Lezama
As you haven't mentioned budget, I'm going to miss out accommodation from my suggested itinerary ...
Firstly, in three weeks I think you can see more than you think:
Week one:
Fly to Buenos Airies and spend the weekend romancing in the salsa suburb of San Telmo, fine dining with Argentina's sumptuous steaks and delectable red wines. Take a luxurious cama night bus, complete with complimentary champagne and fully reclining leather armchairs, west to Mendoza, Argentina's winemaking capital. Here you can go on an independent, or organised, wine-tasting cycling tour to nearby vineyards. Next, take a spectacular half-day overland journey across the Andes to Santiago. Two nights in Chile's capital and south to the 'Lake District' region, skipping south through delightful scenery and back over the border to beautiful lakeside town of Bariloche.
Week two:
From Bariloche the awe-striking sights of Patagonia await you further south. First stop, Moreno Glacier. The less well known Cerro Fitz Roy region near El Calafate offers magical glaciers, breathtaking peaks and beautiful autumn colours thrown in the time you'll be there, all within walking distance of the nearby village of El Chalten - a short bus ride from El Calafate. This will easily compensate for missing Torres del Paine or the rugged Tierra del Fuego regions due to time constraints. A flight from Rio Gallegos to Foz du Iguazu (via BA) will take you to the world's widest waterfall, Iguacu Falls. Spend two days there - viewing from both the Argentinian and Brazilan sides - before a short flight (or bus journey) to the bustling city of Sao Paulo.
Week three:
Catch your breath in Sao Paulo - if those words can go in the same sentence - before some real relaxation, and beach, time on the picture perfect Ilha Grande, three hours southwest of Rio de Janeiro. Your last five days will begin by deciding how much longer you're going to remain soaking up the sun and sipping cocktails on the beach before hitting the sites and sounds of Rio, and that flight home...
Keven Osborne, Chichester.
The best way to use three weeks on honeymoon in South America is to avoid the Amazon and Andean Plateau for starters – rainy season. You've already mentioned Chile, Argentina and Brazil so that’s a good start.
I would suggest arriving in Santiago, seeing a little of the area there for a few days, perhaps travelling through to Mendoza for some wine and mountain action. A flight down to Bariloche gives some of the most romantic Alpine scenery on the planet, before heading up to Buenos Aires. A few tango lessons, and a tango show in the Tango City before heading up to Iguazu Falls. The photos alone make Iguazu the perfect honeymoon spot.
From there, a flight to Sao Paulo - don’t stop there though, oh god no. A trip up the Costa Verde is called for, to Paraty first. Paraty is a beautiful colonial town with amazing history and scenery. After that, a visit to Ilha Grande is called for – ‘the most relaxed I’ve ever been’ as previous clients have told me. I love that place. No cars, no roads, just boat trips, beautiful quiet beaches, turtles, coconuts and mountains. After that – finish in Rio. And don’t be scared of its reputation. It is still the most amazing city on the planet ...
Also – Carnaval in Rio is 12-16 Feb this year. Depending on the dates, this is certainly something that I would consider including as well. Starting a honeymoon at Carnaval in Rio ... Sounds perfect. We can easily swap things around in that case.
Adam Hirst
Destination Specialist - Brazil & Argentina
Class Adventure Travel
Bolson in Patagonia is essential. wooden cabins, home made ice cream
and the view of the mountains in Chile make for a very quaint and cosy
vacation.
Rowan Blades
You could start by visiting Brazil. Go directly to Rio, it’s just amazing. Then you can go to the north to look for more beaches with white sand and crystal clear waters. You could arrive even to Bahia and Salvador where the Afro culture is very much present. You could try Sao Paulo but other than a couple of museums you wouldn’t have much to do there since is the financial capital. Very active in the evening, lots of bars, live music, etc. but I’d definitely recommend the above mentioned places.
Then go to the Iguaçu to visit the Falls. You MUST go there and get a view either from the Brazilian side and the Argentinean one (Iguazú). Enjoy outdoor activities and nice hotels in a very natural almost savage environment. It’s really worthwhile. Being in Argentina (the place is called Misiones) fly to Buenos Aires and stay in the city 2/3 days. Do not miss the glorious asado (grilled meat, a local specialty) because the meat is excellent in Argentina. If possible, go one day to visit an “Estancia” (around one hour form Buenos Aires) but just for a visit during the day. Do not sleep there even if the countryside is charming as rooms are quite expensive, I’d say. But having an asado or other type of lunch should be a nice experience. Especially if you can be in touch with horses and the old way of living and working of the gauchos or the countrymen.
Your next place go should be south of Argentina, Patagonia, for an exciting tour to the Perito Moreno Glacier . There are also many lakes around. Food also is very good.
Then you can go to Chile which is very close. The South also offers magnificent views and thermal waters. I’m quoting a website: “Among the other wondrous sites in this remarkable region are: the Torres del Paine, a spectacular mountain range, which frames the Park of the same name, and extend to heights of up to 9,000 feet.”
You can end your tour visiting Santiago and there a whole-day-trip to Viña del Mar and Valparaiso, the latter a small city by the sea with a poetic decadence longing for times where it used to be part of most renowned commercial routes.
Enjoy!
Walter Rodriguez
I spent three weeks in Chile with my partner celebrating our 40th birthdays. The one thing I would recommend above anything else is a stay in the Hotel Explora in Patagonia. It was the best holiday experience of our lives. Amazing location, choice of superb guided walks and great food. It's expensive but worth it.
Dave Moody
I was faced with the same angst and dilemmas this time last year but, fear not, there is a great adventure to be had, and much that can be achieved in three weeks (I had but two and a half). Never having been to Argentina or Chile before, I was faced with a bewildering set of possibilities, but settled for the more obvious choices, and I don't regret that because I saw some genuine wonders of the world. So, if you are prepared for a bit of a working honeymoon, you are in for a fantastic experience. Using Buenos Aires as my base, beginning with a couple of days in Palermo, I flew south to El Calafete, and rented a car for some serious Patagonia excursions. The Perito Merino glacier is a must, not least because there may not be much longer to see it in
its majestic and mobile form. A long drive to Torres del Paine
followed, with some of the most impressive mountain scenery (and
walking) to be found anywhere. Then, an even longer drive back up
the fabled Ruta 40 to El Chalten, to explore FitzRoy and its
neighbours. From BA, I took an overnight bus (much more civilised
than it sounds) to the Iguazu region ... again, the falls seem like an
obvious destination, but they are an amazing place to wander for at
least one day.
Ian Slater
In Chile, if you like the river, forest and lakes (but really beautiful) you must go to the South, some nice place are (in order from the north to south) : Caburgua Lake, Calafquen Lake, Ranco Lake, LLanquihue lake, Todos los santos lake, and Yelcho lake, in each lake appointed you cand find very nice villages with typical food. Some of the most common are Pucon, Villarrica, Riñihue, Futrono, Puerto Octay, Frutillar, Puerto Varas, Puerto Montt and Futaleufu ( if you enjoy fishing or fly fishing there are a very good places to do it). But as well you can go to Chiloe Island and it is quite near Bariloche (Argentinian City). In Puerto Montt you must go to the local market and restaurant place known as "Angelmo" you'll find the best seafood in the world (Erizos, Locos, Machas, Centolla, etc) very, very cheap .
If you want the extreme South you can go to "Torres del Paine" that place is amazing but is not too near from the Lakes District, there you can find Glaciar, Torres del Paine Peaks (Mountain) and a lot of ice and not common places.
I think the best way to see all these places is by car, maybe you can rent one in Puerto Mont and start your trip from this city because Santiago, capital of Chile (International Airport) is quite far, 12 hrs by car you can find fly from Santiago to Puerto Montt or Punta Arenas(Torres del Paine.)
In the north of Chile you can find some good beach but my advice is if you want a nice beach you may go to the North East, Recife, Salvador de Bahia, etc. This part of Brasil is amazing.
Remember that in Chile the seasons are the opposite, the south is a little bit rainy but I think for the English people is not problem. The driest and bestmonths are January or February.
Enjoy your trip wherever you'll go.
Bartolomé
We (my partner and I) returned in July after spending a year travelling in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru and covered a lot of it in detail. These were our highlights:
Brazil
(We saw Rio, Paraty, Ihla Grande, Iguazu falls, Curitiba, Florianpolis/Ihla Santa Catharina, Torres, Porte Alegre)
Highlights for a three week trip would be:
1. Iguazu Falls - Visit both sides or 1 side. We think it's okay to just visit 1 side if you are short of time.
2. Head to the beaches. Our pick in three weeks would include one or two of the following ...
Ihla Grande -
What: An island off the coast, south of Rio. Sandy beaches large and small with crystal clear waters. Day hikes through Atlantic rain forest from one side of the island to the other where amazing beaches await. Wildlife spotting includes little monkeys, huge butterflies and much more. Contrary to popular belief you don't need a guide. Trails are clearly marked and safe.
How: Get a bus (two hours from Rio) to Angra Dos Reis then jump on a ferry boat (one to two hours) to the island.
Accommodation: hostels and more upmarket B&B's abound. Take your pick.
Nightlife: As quite or noisy as you like. There are no high rises here or nightclubs that I know of. But many little beach hut bars where you can drink away the wee hours with delicious Caiparhinas while the waves lap on your feet.
Paraty
What: A cute colonial town if architecture/ culture is your thing. If it isn't, while the beach in the town is not really for swimming because of mud and boat traffic it is an excellent place to catch a 4/5 hour boat for about £6 or £7 on a tour around some stunning islands. Local buses take you to many stunning beaches in the area.
How: Get a bus from Rio (four hours?)
Accommodation: Hostels and more upmarket B&B's abound once again.
Nightlife: Improvise. There's a ton of different stuff going on and Brazilians know how to enjoy themselves.
Florianopolis - Ihla Santa Catharina
How: Fly from Rio or bus it to Florianopolis. Then hop on a local bus (the station is next to the long distance one) to Ihla Santa Catharina. Helpful tourist office at long distance bus station. Ignore the touts.
What: Amazing beaches where you can swim or novices can learn to surf - book lessons on the day
Accommodation: Hostels or rent an apartment (very cheap in mid/ low season) with incredible sea views.
Avoid: Torres, Porto Alegre, Curitiba on such a short trip. They didn't stand out for us but we did visit Torres in the low season.
Argentina
(We saw B.A, Tigre, Rosario, Salta, Cordoba, Mendoza, Uspallata, Puerto Madryn w/ penninsular Valdes, Rio Gallegos, Ushuaia, El Bolson, El Calafate, El Chalten, Bariloche, Villa de Angostura)
1. Buenos Aires
What: Take Tango lessons at La Cathedral Milonga night club. Visit the artesanal market in Recoletta. Eat steak at a parilla restaurant. Shop, drink, party in Palermo, San Telmo districts. Go to a football match in La Bocca.
How: Flights and long distance national and international buses abound.
Accommodation: Many options to choose from as with any city. There are many nice areas depending on your preferences. Palermo very upmarket and lots of nightlife, shops and restaurants. San Telmo is cheaper and a little more edgy... Covent garden versus Brick Lane perhaps in London terms?!
2. Pennisular Valdes -
What: Best place to see elephant seals, sea lions, whales and penguins. We did a few tours. The best by far was a visit to Punta Tombo (south of pennisular valdes), the largest penguin colony outside of Antarctica. You can walk among the penguins so long as you take care not to cross their path. There are literally thousands of them going about their daily business! Hire a car if you can and see them in your own time.
How: Long distance overnight bus from Buenos Aires.
Accommodation: Stay in Puerto Madryn. Tours and car hire available from here.
3. Bariloche -
What: Day hikes + cable cars or longer 3 day trekking to breathtaking views of lakes and volcanoes. (Club Andino can provide all info for these) Good restaurants, bars and nightlife not to mention chocolate shops.
How: Flights from other parts of Argentina and Chile. Buses from almost anywhere come here including to Chile.
Accommodation: Hundreds of options from low key hostels to upmarket hotels.
El Chalten:
What: Describes itself as trekking capital of Argentina. One of our favourite places in Patagonia for trekking. If you are not into trekking perhaps skip it as it is a long way to come and the town itself is more a base for activities in the surrounding area than a place of interest in itself. If you are there are one day to 3/4 day treks to be done up to lakes, glaciars and views of Mt. Fitzroy to be seen.
SKIP... Ushuaia if you only have three weeks. It's real attraction is the trekking, which is fabulous but the town itself is full of overpriced cafes and restaurants claiming fame for being the at the end of the world. Considering how far it is from everything if trekking is your thing you are better off finding it in El Chalten (ARG) or Torres del Paine (CHILE), Bariloche (ARG). Skip El Bolson and Mendoza also. They are nice places but don't have the wow factor.
Chile
(We saw San Pedro de Atacama, Calama, Valparaiso, Santiago, Talca, Temuco, Valdivia, Osorno, Puerto Varas, Puerto Montt, Most of Isla de Chiloe, La serena, Chillan, Concepcion, Puerto Natales & Torres del Paine, Valle Elqui and some)
San Pedro de Atacama
What: A touristy spot but very laid back Andean feel to it at 2400m. Go sandboarding, see geysers, the desert, moon valley, horse riding, salt flats and more. There are dozens of things to choose from.
How: Long distance bus
Accommodation: A large range of choices from upmarket B&B's to cheap hostels. You can negotiate prices in this town.
Pucon
What: A town by a lake it offers many outdoor activites. We tried horse riding (western style) and kayaking. Huerquehue National Park with the massive Araucanía trees - do the popular 3 hour trek to the lakes at the top and refuel with tea and cake in the very friendly refugio Tinquilco at the base of the trail when done. To recover visit one of the many hot springs in the area. The cheapest and most natural ones are at the end of main road where there are many. There are hotels also which tap into the hot springs if you want total luxury. Combine your trip to Pucon with a day in Villaricca and climb the volcano here before sliding back down it!
How: Buses - local and long distance.
Torres del Paine national park
What: Do the 'W' trek (4 - 5 days) depending on how fit you are or do bits of the park e.g. visit the glaciar at one end or the towers at the other and use the boat which crosses a beautiful glacial blue lake to avoid walking.
How: Fly to Puerto Natales (base town for the park) with low cost airline www.skyairlines.cl from a range of Chilean cities.
Accommodation: Again a wide range of spots from cheap hostels to more upmarket options. Eat Cordero at a parilla (slow roasted lamb). It's the local speciality.
Skip Valdivia, Santiago, Puerto Montt, Talca, Osorno, Concepcion, Temuco,
Consider as fill ins or stop overs, Valparaiso, Chiloe, Puerto Varas. All great places but perhaps too much in 3 weeks.
Useful info when planning your trip
Take into account the seasons when planning your trip - Parts of patagonia e.g. Torres del Paine National Park, trekking (though not sight seeing) in Bariloche and El Chalten are probably off the radar in winter as snow means trails close and with them restaurants, hostels and other activities. Pucon is also quite dead out of season. Beginning or end of season can be good as fewer people, cheaper prices and less booking ahead required especially for long distance buses e.g. November to Dec and End of Feb to Mid March.
August - Nov in Rio and Southern Brazil brings low prices, fab sunny days at around 25 - 28C and beaches to yourself. Summer hols for South America are Jan and Feb and bring plenty more parties and excitement but higher prices and more booking ahead needed.
Useful websites are:
CHILE -
www.skyairlines.cl
www.lan.com
Buses - There are many and lots of journeys can be booked online. They are generally a million times comfier than in the UK!
www.turbus.cl
www.busescruzdelsur.cl/
www.pullman.cl (although not always the best)
BRAZIL
Buses from Rio http://www.novorio.com.br
ARGENTINA
By plane
Aerolíneas Argentinas (cheaper) or LAN Argentina
By bus
Andesmar - the oldest and one of the most reliable in our experience of bus companies. But there are many
Retiro is bus station in BA'S. Check out http://www.omnilineas.com/argentina/retiro/ for destinations.
HAVE FUN!! I have heard northern Brazil is also fabulous especially for the music and culture. I am saving for my next trip out there already!!
Lottie Ford
I've just come back from living in Chile for a year, so I hope I can be of some help. I was in Antofagasta, a city in the north of the country in the Atacama desert and although I wouldn't recommend going there (too much dust and too many stray dogs!), there is an amazing place not far from it.
San Pedro de Atacama is a town in the middle of the desert (its closest city being Calama - also not worth staying at) with so many things nearby that will take your breath away.
Top tips include:
The Geysers del Tatio (the highest in the world- hot water turning into steam then freezing in a matter of seconds),
The Flamingo Park,
Ojos del Salar (Eyes of the Salt Lake- usually included in an amazing tour to the salt plains, these are two pools in the desert where the water is so clear that it gives a clear mirror image as a reflection)
La Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley- fear not, the trek up there is worth the view at the end!)
Other places to recommend in Chile include Viña del Mar and Valparaíso, although both could be done in 1/2 days if you're in a rush and want to fit the south in. Valparaso, especially, is very picturesque with architecture in the style of that in San Fransisco and a strong British influence. Viña is worth visiting for the concert venue and the parks.
Obviously, Buenos Aires is a must, make sure you visit Boca and San Telmo! If you have time, you can travel to/ from San Pedro to/ from Argentina by bus. If you'd like to visit a city in the desert, I'd recommend Iquique or Arica rather than Antofagasta, however, Antoagasta would be on your way.
Also, if you're travelling by bus down to Santiago, it's worth stopping off at La Serena and doing a tour to Vicuña, a beautiful town in the Central Valley where the poet Gabriella Minstral grew up and lived most of her life. The ice-cream's pretty good there too! (Believe me, you'll need it!)
There aren't really any low-cost airlines in South America, I used Lan, Sky and Taca but there are other companies, it's always worth shopping around. The two main bus companies are Turbus and Pullman Bus. Turbus allow you to book online so it may be worth checking them out in advance if you want to forward plan.
I hope I've been of some help, any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me! Enjoy your trip (and congratulations on the forthcoming marriage!!)
Jemma
To be honest you should start the trip in Argentina, have a very good week in Buenos Aires and then go to Brasil, one week in Rio and then the other week chilling around, Recife for instance or something like that. Unless you are in a rush and see so many places in three weeks without really seeing too much!
Francisco Sarria
What a trip. There are so many beautiful places in all of these countries I can imagine why you're over-whelmed.
It would help to know more about you. Do you like mountains? Trekking? Cities? History? Peace and Quiet?
Whatever you like, Santiago would be a good city to fly into. It's less interesting than Buenos Aires but less chaotic and not a bad place to get your bearings. Spend a day getting over your jet lag doing a historical bike tour of the city with Bicicleta Verde or take in the Andes while swimming in the pool at the top of Cerro San Cristobal before having a terremoto in La Piojera (watch your wallet) and dinner in Bellavista.
Valparaiso (90 minutes by bus from Santiago) with it's higgedly piggedly houses perched on cliff tops next to the sea is a must see and a great place for seafood.
Then fly with LAN to Southern glaciers and penquins at Torres del Paine and Punta Arenas or go north for some star-gazing in the driest place on earth in San Pedro de Atacama.
Going into Argentina, you can go from Torres del Paine to Bariloche, from Santiago you can head to Mendoza for the wine-tasing or from San Pedro bus it to lovely Salta.
Whatever you do, book ahead for February as it's peak holiday season in Chile and Argentina and everyone will be escaping the city heat.
Make sure you make it to Iguazu Falls in on the Argentinean/Brazilean border. Apparently they make Niagra look like a dripping tap ...
Natasha Young
Personally I would have done Peru and Brazil. So much American history is put in perspective in Peru (Machu Pichu, Cuzco,) plus a few days in the Amazon jungle. The I'd blow the rest of my time
in Rio.
Lars Pardo
My wife and I spent 5 1/2 wks around South America in 2004. Our itinerary was:
Fly to Lima
Fly to Cusco (must see in Peru)
Machu Pichhu (must see in Peru)
Cusco - Puno (first class for a treat) then coach to ...
Lake Titicacca - La Paz (for 67km of downhill mountain biking, absolutely terrific fun)
Fly to Santiago (recommend horse-racing at Hippodrome and wine-tasting at Concha y Toro vinyard)
Fly to Atacama desert (mountains of the moon an experience, but the hot springs in the mountains were really worthwhile, and salt flats a different world)
Fly to Punta Arenas (visit penguin colony - any day you see a penguin is a good day)
Overland to Puerto Natales to see Torres del Paine (another must)
Coach to Rio Gallegos for Perito Glacier (a must)
Fly to Buenos Aires (great value hotels, good fun, lively or genteel style, it has both)
Home
We did not do Brazil, not enough time. One point to bear in mind, we bought a multi-flight ticket, for our five flights within the continent - very good value and service. Flights in Chile are like a long bus route, up and down the country, you virtually hop on and off.
Three weeks for Chile, Argentina, Brazil is not long. Knowing nothing about Brazil, and assuming two weeks for Chile and Argentina, you could probably manage:
Santiago (parks, markets, wine-tasting, horse-racing) 2d
Fly to Atacama (desert, salt flats & flamingos, mountain hot springs - take your cossie) 3d
Fly to Punta Arenas (change of climate and mood, (long days in Dec/Jan), penguin colony) 2d
Overland to Perito Glacier (incredible) in Argentina, crossing a bit of pampas on the coach as you go, then flying out of Rio Gallegos 3d
Fly to Buenos Aires (tango, party, cafes, football, people watching like nowhere else). Expect to buy a piece of fashion, you can't not. 3d
If you can fit in Torres del Paine, then great. You may feel this is a little rushed, including travelling as it does; if so, cut out either the Atacama or Punta Arenas - though you will kick yourself if you do not get to see a penguin colony in the wild.
Throughout you get to see llamas, and its relations, which have to be the most fabulous animal.
Very jealous, we still talk fondly of our trip.
AG
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