South America Holidays

Reaching Machu Picchu on foot via the classic Inca Trail is one of South America’s best-known treks. The classic route reaches Machu Picchu via Intipunku, or the Sun Gate. Other trekking routes may approach the site differently. 

The Galápagos are famous for wildlife. Sea lions, marine iguanas, giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies are among the species visitors may see on land and while snorkelling. Visitors must stay at least two metres from wildlife, in line with National Park rules.

 A few nights at a jungle lodge in Brazil, Peru or Ecuador can include canoe trips, guided forest walks and night excursions. Possible sightings include monkeys, macaws and river dolphins, depending on the location and season.

Patagonia is known for jagged peaks, glaciers and open steppe. Torres del Paine National Park in Chile and the trails around El Chaltén in Argentina are two popular areas for day hikes and multi-day treks.

On the border of Argentina and Brazil, Iguazú is a vast system of waterfalls surrounded by rainforest. Visit both sides: Brazil for the panoramic views, Argentina for walkways that bring you right up to the water.

Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat. After rain it becomes a giant mirror, and multi-day tours continue on to coloured lagoons, flamingos and high-altitude desert.

Brazil's Pantanal, one of the world's largest tropical wetlands, is among the best places anywhere to see wild jaguars. Capybaras, caimans, giant otters and hyacinth macaws are common too.

Mendoza in Argentina is best known for Malbec, grown in the shadow of the Andes. Across the border, valleys such as Colchagua and Casablanca in Chile make easy bases for vineyard visits and long lunches.

Chile's Atacama is one of the driest places on Earth, with clear skies that have made it home to major observatories. Evening astronomy tours near San Pedro de Atacama are a highlight, as are its geysers and salt lagoons.

At around 3,800 metres on the Peru–Bolivia border, Lake Titicaca is dotted with island communities. Boat trips visit the floating reed islands of the Uros and the weaving community of Taquile.

Tango developed among the working-class communities of Buenos Aires and Montevideo around the Río de la Plata and is recognised by UNESCO as a shared heritage of Argentina and Uruguay. Visitors can experience it at traditional milongas as well as staged performances. 

Oruro's carnival, recognised by UNESCO, is famous for its devil dance, the diablada. Thousands of dancers and musicians in elaborate masks and costumes parade through the city in a celebration mixing Andean and Catholic traditions.

Held every year on 24 June, Inti Raymi recreates the Inca festival of the sun. The main ceremony takes place at Sacsayhuamán, above Cusco, with music, costume and ritual.

Textiles have been central to Andean life for thousands of years. On Taquile Island in Lake Titicaca, whose textile art is recognised by UNESCO, knitting and weaving are part of daily life, and garments signal a person's role and status.

 Capoeira combines martial arts, music and acrobatic movement, and has roots in Afro-Brazilian communities. Recognised by UNESCO, it is closely linked with Salvador in Bahia, where visitors can watch a roda or join a class.

Drinking mate, a herbal infusion sipped through a metal straw from a shared gourd, is part of daily life in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Brazil. Being offered one is a sign of friendship.

The gaucho, or cowboy of the pampas, remains a proud symbol in Argentina and Uruguay. Estancia stays offer horse riding, traditional asado and displays of riding skill.

This Afro-Brazilian music and dance tradition from Bahia's Recôncavo region is recognised by UNESCO and is widely seen as a forerunner of modern samba. Performances bring together singing, clapping and dancing in a circle.