On October 1st 2014 I embarked on 6 months traveling around South America. I divided my expedition into two trips: 10 weeks in Uruguay, Argentina and Chile, and in January 2015 I spent 4 months in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.

Links to weekly travel blogs

• Week 1 – Uruguay
• Week 2 – Buenos Aires
• Week 3 – Mendoza
• Week 4 – Road Trip from Mendoza to Bariloche/Patagonia
• Week 5 – Southern Chile
• Week 6 – Santiago & Valparaiso
• Week 7 – Pisco Del Elqui
• Week 8 – San Pedro De Atacama
• Week 9 – Crossing Argentina, Salta & Cordoba
• Week 10 – Colonia De Sacramento & Iguazu Falls

Why You Should Go

European architecture, favorable exchange rates, relative stability, and breathtaking natural beauty.  If you have been to Europe, explored Asia and are looking for your next distention turn over your global and check out South America.

 Getting Around

International flights will land you in Buenos Aires, Santiago, Rio, Lima, and Bogota will relative ease and for about the same price as a flight to Europe.

Bus systems are private and outstanding in most countries.  Pay for first class – between $10 and $40 depending on where you are going – some buses have wifi and lay flat seats. I have listed a few companies I have used bellow, however because each location is serviced by different private companies, for the most options you really need to go to the bus station to see about prices and times, generally between major disdains buses leave every hour and rarely sell out of seats – some companies bring in as many buses as they have sold seats.

• Uruguay – COT bus
• Argentina – to/from airport Tienda Lion
• Chile – Turbus
• Peru – Cruz Del Sur, Soyuz, and Hop on-off Peru Tour Bus

Warnings

Argentina – Know  your currency exchange rates, pay in cash, and bring USD or Euros.  For example Argentina has two currency markets, the office bank market and the Blue Market – click link for rates only available outside of the traditional banking system.  We had luck with recommendations from the people we rented apartments from and from other locals.  However with any less than legal endeavor use caution.

Roads and Rental Cars – Off the major highways there are few paved roads, don’t plan an off the beaten path road trip unless you have an SUV and plenty of patience. Rental cars here charge massive additional fees for dropping off your car in different location, in one case we had to pay $920 to drop off in the next town over. Get to know the local driving culture before you hop in the car, traffic laws are more like guidelines.