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Continent guide · 6 countries · 5 city & region guides

South America Holidays: Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Chile & More

Andean ruins, Amazon rainforest, glaciers and beaches across one vast continent, best seen in two to four weeks.

The Inca terraces and stone buildings of Machu Picchu with the peak of Huayna Picchu behind
Photo: Martin St-Amant (S23678), CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Countries in South America

The snow-covered granite spires of Monte Fitz Roy rising above the Patagonian Andes in Argentina2 guides

Argentina

Tango in Buenos Aires, glaciers in Patagonia and thundering waterfalls in the north, plus the gateway to Antarctica.

Buenos Aires · Patagonia

White sand dunes and a rainwater lagoon in Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in north-eastern Brazil1 guide

Brazil

Beaches, rainforest and the world's most famous carnival, in a country so big it is best tackled a region at a time.

Rio de Janeiro

Eroded ridges and sand dunes of the Valle de la Luna in the Atacama Desert near San Pedro de AtacamaCountry guide

Chile

A ribbon of a country running from the driest desert on earth to the glaciers and granite towers of Patagonia.
Tall wax palms on green hillsides in the misty Cocora Valley in Colombia's Coffee Region1 guide

Colombia

Colonial Caribbean cities, coffee farms in green mountains and some of South America's friendliest welcomes.

Cartagena

The snow-capped cone of Cotopaxi volcano rising above the grassland of the Ecuadorian AndesCountry guide

Ecuador

The Galápagos, volcanoes and cloud forest in a compact country where the Andes, the Amazon and the Pacific are a short…
The striped red, yellow and green slopes of Vinicunca, the Rainbow Mountain, in the Peruvian Andes near Cusco1 guide

Peru

Inca ruins, Andean markets and some of South America's best food, with Machu Picchu as the unmissable centrepiece.

Cusco

TL;DR
  • Peru for Machu Picchu, Brazil for Rio and Iguazú, Argentina and Chile for Patagonia, Ecuador for the Galápagos, Colombia for Cartagena
  • Seasons are reversed: Patagonia is best November-March, the Andes best May-September
  • Direct flights from London reach São Paulo, Rio, Bogotá and Lima in seasons, others need one stop
  • Allow at least two weeks; distances are huge

South America is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for many UK travellers, and it lives up to it. Inca citadels in the clouds, the roar of Iguazú, penguins and glaciers in Patagonia, samba in Rio and giant tortoises in the Galápagos all sit on one continent.

Where to go in South America

Peru

Peru is home to Machu Picchu, reached from Cusco, plus Lima's world-class food scene.

Brazil

Brazil has Rio de Janeiro and Christ the Redeemer, Amazon lodges and the Brazilian side of Iguazú Falls.

Argentina and Chile

Argentina pairs tango in Buenos Aires with the wild south of Patagonia and the Perito Moreno Glacier. Across the Andes, Chile has the granite towers of Torres del Paine. Ushuaia is also where most Antarctica expeditions begin.

Colombia and Ecuador

Colombia has colourful colonial Cartagena, coffee country and Caribbean beaches. Ecuador is the gateway to the Galápagos Islands.

For a full route, read our South America itinerary.

Best time to visit

RegionBest months
Andes (Peru, Machu Picchu)May-September (dry season)
PatagoniaNovember-March (southern summer)
Rio and Brazil's coastDecember-March for heat, April-June and September-October for value
GalápagosAll year; December-May warmer and calmer seas

Getting there from the UK

Direct flights from London take around 11-12h to São Paulo, Rio, Bogotá or Lima when routes operate, and around 14h to Buenos Aires. Many trips fly via Madrid, Lisbon, Amsterdam or Paris. Open-jaw tickets (into one city, home from another) save backtracking.

Landmarks & things to do in South America

The Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado with its arms outstretched against the sky beside the moonLandmark

Christ the Redeemer

Rio's art deco statue on top of Corcovado, with the best view over the city, beaches and Sugarloaf.
A marine iguana resting on black lava rock on Santa Cruz island in the GalápagosWildlife

Galápagos Islands

Volcanic islands where sea lions, giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies show no fear of people.
Panorama of the Iguazú Falls cascading through green subtropical rainforestNature

Iguazú Falls

Hundreds of waterfalls thundering through subtropical rainforest on the Argentina-Brazil border.
The Inca terraces and stone buildings of Machu Picchu with the peak of Huayna Picchu behindHistoric site

Machu Picchu

The Inca citadel on a ridge above the Urubamba river, and the one sight in Peru you must book well ahead.
The jagged blue-white ice front of the Perito Moreno Glacier meeting Lago ArgentinoNature

Perito Moreno Glacier

A wall of ice up to 70 metres high, close enough to hear it crack and crash into Lago Argentino.
The dark-capped granite peaks of the Cuernos del Paine above a lake in Torres del Paine National ParkNature

Torres del Paine

Chile's most famous national park, with granite towers, turquoise lakes and some of the best trekking in South America.

South America on the map

Frequently asked questions

How long do I need for South America?

Two weeks covers one or two countries well. Three to four weeks lets you combine Peru, Argentina and Brazil without rushing.

Do British passport holders need a visa?

Not for tourist visits to Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia or Ecuador at the time of writing, but rules change; check GOV.UK travel advice before you book.

Is South America expensive?

Flights are the big cost. On the ground, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador are good value, while Chile, Brazil's cities and Patagonia cost more.

Written by

Thomas Ski, mountains & expeditions editor

Thomas is happiest above the tree line or below the Antarctic Circle. He writes our ski, mountain and polar expedition guides.

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