South America

[Croí na hÉireann]

Heading to South America for nearly 7 weeks next January, probably gonna head to Lima & do Machu Picchu first & take it from there. Will prob try to take in Buenos Aires & fly back from Rio but what are the other sites to visit & what is to be avoided at all costs, bearing in mind we only have 7 weeks in total?

[longball]

Is it just a holiday or is it a honeymoon?

[stevo-08]

I've spent a bit of time in SA - Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Venezuela & a bit of Chile.

For 7 weeks, If I were you I'd stick to 2 countries only, either Peru & Ecuador or Peru & Bolivia. Buenos Aires is a great city but huge distance from Peru so I think it'd be a bit of a waste.

Havent been to Bolivia but the scenery is supposed to be fantastic with salar d'uyuni the main attraction.

Ecuador is just a fantastic country and very cheap - Quito, Banos, Cuenca and of course the magnificent Galapagos Islands. Couldnt recommend this place high enough, you'll be blown away. Just make sure you book your trip out at the islands rather than from the mainland, much cheaper.

Peru is another fantastic place - Lima is alright for 2-3 days, cusco is a great city although a bit touristy, that's where you'll do your machu pichu trip from. make sure you do the 4 day inca trip (you might have to book a few months in advance). Arequipa is another great spot and where you can take a trip to Condor Canyon. And also puno and lake titicaca.

You probably wont manage all those sites in Ecuador & Peru in 7 weeks but could do most of it and have one hell of a trip.

edit - forgot to say that you could do a jungle trip easily from either ecuador or peru. it's the one thing i didnt get to do, and will always regret it..

[Mr. Nakata]

Croi, when I go to South America I go 1 country at a time, but here's a few recommendations for the long haul. When I was in Peru, I went on a day trip to see the Nasca Lines. This was brilliant and I would thoroghly recommend. You get a 1 hour tour of the lines from a small cesna aircraft and then lunch and a tour of the region. Maybe a bit pricey but I suppose it depends what your after. I also spent about 3 days in Arequipa and the Sacred Valley. Again this mightn't be on many people's list of priorities but I loved it. A tour to Lake Titicaca and an overnight stay with the locals is an absolute must. Cusco is a tourist trap but necessary for Machu Piccu. When you get there definitely climb the other mountain Wayna Picchu which is an absolute nightmare, but well worth it in the end. Buenos Aires is some city. Unbelievable. From there you can organise a tour south to the glaciers in Patagonia and north to the Iguazu Falls. Apparently there's a serious drought over there and the falls aren't as spectacular as usual but I'd say on a 7 week trip you'll have it pencilled in. Rio is a beach city, sensational for evening entertainment. My highlight there was a guided tour of the favela, which you can get organised from your hotel. You must be counting down the days, I'm jealous as fook.....

[Croí na hÉireann]

Honeymoon but will be slumming it. Gave her the option of lording it up for a couple of weeks or backpacking for a couple of months, she was only too happy to take the latter. Fucked now for the O'Byrne Cup...   

Thanks for that stevo, we'll prob take a couple of internal flights to cut down on traveling time although I heard they're expensive? Got a fantastic airfare with trailfinders, nearly €800 return including stopping over in NY on the way back  Trailfinders have a decent option for the Inca Trip but they have a hidden extra of a local payment of US$200. Anyone book this trip with them & know what it's for? (It's not gratuities either)

Yeah Nakata, the more I look into it the more appealing it is. Ideally I'd like to do one country at a time but I imagine it'd be a long time before I'm back again so that's why I want to hit the major sights. Have heard good reports of Patagonia and a friend of mine was in Iguazu Falls recently & the snaps don't look half bad. The Favelas are on the must do list, loved City of God...

[Donagh]

As stevo says don't try to take in too much but you could easily do three countries in 7 weeks. The Inca stuff in southern Peru you could easily do in a week or two but personally I've a gra for Bolivia. Nowhere near as touristy as Peru, beautiful country and wonderful people. I wouldn't bother with the Trailfinders Inca trips as you can book them much cheaper when you get there. Don't plan for two much time in Lima as it's a bit of a smog ridden dump to be honest but there are a couple of excellent 5* hotels you can use to get over the jet lag. For internal flights Lan Peru is usually the most reliable and best value, though remember to confirm all your flights 48 hours before flying. Let us know if you want recommendations for hotels/hostels, etc as I know a few gems in Cusco, Arequipa and La Paz. I also recommend trying to book a few places to stay before you arrive in a town as it's not a pleasant experience hauling your luggage around in blazing sunshine at very hight altitude. 

[Irenses]

I did a similar trip a couple of years back. Flew into Cuzco and out of Buenos Aries 6 weeks later and bussed the rest. I went via lake Titcaca onto La Paz, spent a few days doing the jungle tours in Rurrenabaque then down to Chile via the salt plains and from Santiago across to BA via Mendoza. It was slightly rushed but not too bad. The highlight had to the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia and Inca Trail, and well Bolivia and Peru in general, they just so different to home. I found Santiago and BA almost European like. If you like your wine and steak Mendoza is a great place to relax for a bit.

You could spend months there very easily but if your organized you can get a lot done in 7 weeks.

[give her dixie]

Agree with Donagh on Bolivia. It is one magical place and the scenery is the best I saw in S. America.
When in Cusco, make sure you go to dinner in "The Fallen Angel", and have a drink in the highest Irish bar in the world.
A couple of Irish guys own a great hostel there. It is a former monastery, and is a great place to stay.
Macchu Piccu is amazing, and you will love every minute of it. Make sure and climb the mountain while there to appreciate it.

From Cusco, you can take a bus south to Puno, (about 8hrs), where you can take a trip out on Lake Titicaca.
Its about another 8 hour bus to La Paz which is a great city.
Another 8 hr bus south takes you to Uyuni. From here you can do a 3 or 6 day trip out around the Salar De Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world.
Make sure to be up early to see the sunrise on the Salar, its breathtaking.
You are only 5 hours or so to Potosi, the highest city in the world.
A visit to the mines there is amazing, but altitude is a killer.....

From there, you can make it to Sucre in 2 hours, and then onto Santa Cruz in another few hours.
From there take a sort flight to Iguazu Falls. This place is a must, and will blow you away. Amazing....
A 3 hour flight takes you to Buneos Aires, which is a great city.
Make sure you drink Malbec wine, and eat the best steaks in the world while in Argentina.
The glaciers are worth a visit, and only a 3 hour flight away. Mendoza is also a great place to see
while in Argentina. It is the wine region, and beautiful.

7 weeks will see you around most of these places, and try and take a night bus to save time.
Below is a link to photo's I took in South America, so have a nosey......
You will love S.America, and I too am jealous........

Bolivia       http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhurson/sets/72157594256122149/
Peru         http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhurson/sets/72157594276416791/
Argentina  http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhurson/sets/72157594255566422/

[stevo-08]

Honeymoon but will be slumming it. Gave her the option of lording it up for a couple of weeks or backpacking for a couple of months, she was only too happy to take the latter.

Croi, we had a 5 week honeymoon in venezuela & peru. 1 week all inclusive in a magnificent resort in isla margarita, off venezuela, and then 4 weeks around peru. We used www.beaconsouthamerica.com and had the trip of a lifetime. Should contact them, they have an office in cork.  They can tailor the trip to suit so if you want a week relaxing in luxury after the wedding followed by 5-6 weeks backpacking, that can be arranged.

Seriously give the galapagos islands some thought (although as i said, dont book that trip from home). Without doubt the most amazing place i visited in South America. And I still think you should stick to 2 countries, 3 absolute max.

Cusco is a tourist trap but necessary for Machu Piccu. When you get there definitely climb the other mountain Wayna Picchu which is an absolute nightmare, but well worth it in the end. 

We climbed that mountain and it near killed us, the hardest couple of hours of the 4 day trip. Granted is was an absolute scorcher when we got to machu pichu. But as you say, worth it in the end.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Some great ideas there folks, keep em coming, the photos are class John. We hadn't really considered Bolivia but the more we look into it the more people keep telling us how good it is. Will definitely be taking in the steaks & Malbec in Argentina anyway, love the stuff. I'll be back in a while for those recommendations once we figure out a route, last major holiday was in Cuba & u couldn't beat getting into the bus station & seeing someone there with your name written on a piece of cardboard. It certainly is no fun carrying half of Ireland around with u in the searing sun looking for accomodation. Thanks again folks...

[Donagh]

Don't underestimate the affect the altitude will have on you in the Andes Croí, especially in La Paz if you make it down that way. Do the Stations of the Cross for a dander in Copacabana    What looks like a gentle hill walk soon morphs into a battle for life itself.

[Mr. Nakata]

Croi, my jolly later this year is a toss up between Bolivia and Cuba. Going by flight prices I'm veering towards Cuba, though these discussions have me thinking to hell with the prices, head to Bolivia. Maybe you or anyone else who's been to Cuba before could  give me an insight into Havana and Cuba in general. If that's were I decide to go I'd be looking at a 3 weeker, avoiding the resorts, taking in Havana and maybe Caracus, or Dominican Republic.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Croi, my jolly later this year is a toss up between Bolivia and Cuba. Going by flight prices I'm veering towards Cuba, though these discussions have me thinking to hell with the prices, head to Bolivia. Maybe you or anyone else who's been to Cuba before could  give me an insight into Havana and Cuba in general. If that's were I decide to go I'd be looking at a 3 weeker, avoiding the resorts, taking in Havana and maybe Caracus, or Dominican Republic.

We were there in 2006, 3 weeks, spent it living with families mainly in their "Casas Particulares", basically B&Bs, fantastic. Spent 3 nights in Havana at the start and 3 nights there at the end, toured the country in between. Country highlights were Santa Clara, Trinidad and Baracoa. You can rent cars to get around but we just used the bus network & I couldn't fault it. The scenery and drive over the mountains from Guantanamo to Baracoa is out of the world. If you're into diving, some of the best diving sites in the world are just off the coast. Havana is class, loads to see and do. If you do go make sure you visit Paladar La Guarida, it's a private restaurant and visited by all sorts of international celebrities, you'll need to reserve it at least a week in advance. One of the nicest meals I've ever ordered. Beware though that Cuban food is very plain, the staple dish is rice and black beans. We dined on lobsters that the families we stayed with would buy fresh on the black market and cook for us. All in all, Cuba is one of the safest countries I've ever visited, the tourist industry is their lifeblood, couldn't recommend it highly enough. We went with Air France, beware when you land in Havana the passport control takes an age, not exactly ideal standing around in heat after a long flight. If you need recommendations don't hesitate to ask.

[KT]

Croi, I was in South America for three weeks two summers ago.  In that three weeks, we managed to fit in Machu Picchu and a jungle trip followed by a flight to Sao Paulo and working up the Brazilian coast, stopping off in Paratay, Ille Grande and finishing in Rio.  For the life of me I can't remember where the name of the place we stayed on the jungle trip so my number one piece of advice is keep a journal!!  You seem to be set on Machu Picchu and I couldn't agree more.  The mountain climb is a must.  The jungle trip we were on came as part of a package with Machu Picchu and we payed through the nose for it from STA Travel but there's bound to better deals around.  Anyway, my point is you can easily fit in Machu Picchu and a jungle trip in a relatively short space of time.  I think we spent 3 days in the rainforst and we saw lots.  The others on our tour had been to Galapagos and their photos and stories were amazing, I definitely regretted not being able to fit it in.

Sao Paulo was crap but a means to an end for us.  I don't think I would do Paratay/Ille Grande again, would rather spend my time seeing Bolivia or Buenos Aires.  Although Ille Grande was pretty and we walked across the island from the main settlement to a military prison on the opposite side which should be mentioned on the abandoned places thread.  The prison was still operational I believe but the whole area was in a complete state of disrepair (grass growing knee-high up through the footwalks,etc) but it looked out on one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen - surreal!

Rio was phenomenal.  We started off staying in Mellow Yellow a hostel with a good european/irish contingent but as it was the last stop in our trip we stayed in a nice hotel for the last few nights.  Fairly reasonable if I remember correctly.  We went back to Mellow Yellow for tours of the favelas and the organised nights out because the people who were staying there were more similar in age and interests to ourselves than the hotel's residents!  Also I think it was better value to do the tours through the hostel.  As far as safety goes, one of the older tour guides we read listed Rio along with the four Bs you don't want to visit:  Basra, Beirut, Belfast and the last I can't remember.  We didn't have any problems but maybe that was due to all the training we had from studying in Belfast!!!

Do you reckon you could fit Cuba into two weeks as thats all the hols I'll get this year!

Mr Nakata, do you mind telling us roughly how much Cuba is costing and where the best deals are to be found?

[Mr. Nakata]

KT, I always go on my jollies in November, so I haven't anything booked yet. Every time though I just go flight only, maybe book the first night in a hotel. There really is nothing better than getting met at the airport and taken to your hotel as the amount of cowboys trying to rip you off is unreal. Then I do everything off the hoof, tours and the like. The only thing I've looked at is the flight price to Cuba and compared it with Bolivia. La Paz is a nightmare, it's easier to fly to Lima and get a short flight over which is only 1-2 hours. This is working out at about 700 lids to Lima and 150 more to La Paz, nightmare. Air France to Havana from Heathrow is between 450-500 lids. Massive difference in moolah, but Croi's description of Cuba has me back thinking it's the place to go. From my research, staying with the locals in Casa Particulars is the best way to meet people, they cook your grub and take you to parties. Now I am a man attracted to the bright shine of the neon lights and I have a feeling that Havana is party central. So I'm going to sit tight, wait another few months, then make a decision. The difference in flight prices could probably keep me a fortnight in Cuba, yet everyone who's been to Bolivia, say it's the best place ever. Decisions, decisions.........