r/SouthAmericaTravel

I’ll be crossing the border into Bolivia from Puno in about 2 weeks. My route is Copacabana > La Paz > fly to Uyuni > bus back to La Paz > buz to Cusco. I already had everything booked months ago, and I’m wondering if my trip will be super disrupted. Im not sure where to go if we can’t get into the country, we will be travelling through Peru before and after going into Bolivia. Should I be worried about the road blocks? I’m not sure how to go about this

My husband has a conference in Bogota that he could go to for 4 days in mid July. He would like to go as he likes the topic but it is not mandatory (he is self employed so we would be paying everything). I would like to go just for the travel, the conference is of no interest to me. We have a couple of acquaintances who are from Colombia who tell us it is perfectly safe and we should go. They are not coming with us and their families are not in Bogota

I am not sure if the conference has made arrangements for spouses (the meetings are from breakfast to just before dinner) so it is possible I may be walking around by myself. Is that realistic or will I be stuck in the hotel?

My husband and I look like we are in our mid 50s, we are not flashy but look like typical overweight Americans if you know what I mean. My husband tends to be trusting, I am not. We are both reasonably well traveled but my husband has mostly traveled with guard rails in place (organized tours or programs, places I have been to previously or where I speak the language or have made arrangements).

Originally I thought we would add some days on our own. Should we stay in Bogota? We are not planning to be away more than a week for business reasons

My husband speaks minimal high school Spanish although he seems to speak it better than he believes he does. I learned a little in high school but did not absorb much. I have a weird thing with Spanish, I can say whatever I need to in a simple sentence (it will be using the infinitive and will not be grammatically correct) but I cannot understand whatever is said back. I have google translate on my phone but according to the little I have read, having your phone out is not a good idea.

The decision is whether we should go at all, or whether my husband should go alone for the conference or whether I should go as well because there will be things for me to do and see on my own. I do not know any of the other spouses who are going and I have no idea how many are going if any. Thank you for any thoughts and any other sources for research or other groups

We’re booked on a cruise next year that finishes in Buenos Aires. We’re from the uk and it’s unlikely we’ll be able to visit South America again, and as we’re so close we’ve decided to take a trip to iguazu falls post cruise.

The ship docks at 7am. For anyone that’s done this, when should we be done with disembarking and how early could we book the flight?

Bonus question… is there a luggage storage where we can leave the large suitcases? We’d prefer to take a small case only for the short trip.

Hello everyone!

I am between jobs and want to spend this July abroad, prepping for my next job in a beautiful place where I can explore nature, rock climb, and meet some cool people. I've done quite a bit of travel in Latin America (including the Cusco/sacred valley area) and I'm looking at Peru and Ecuador once again due to a combination of affordability and good weather during July. I also really value a quieter city with less nightlife and a chiller vibe. I want to rise with the sun, get my work done, and spend time in nature.

I'm torn between settling in Arequipa, Cuenca, and Huaraz.

Here's my understanding and thought process right now.

Huaraz: the smallest city, with easily the most outdoor activities and phenomenal multi day trips. It seems like the Boulder/Denver of Peru. It seems like it might have the most of that "chill" vibe but I saw somewhere the city itself is not much to look at and I might burn myself out if I'm in the area for a while. The big unknown I have here is if the surrounding area is worth checking out such that I won't feel trapped if I'm there for a while.

Cuenca: this seems like my top pick atm. In the middle in terms of size. Could take an excursion to Baños, it is much more lush than Huaraz. The city itself seems beautiful too. I've seen some scary stuff about a crime spike in Ecuador but despite Cuenca's geographical proximity to its epicenter it seems to be pretty safe still.

Arequipa: I'll be honest, I haven't looked much into it but reddit post after reddit post says it has a lot of what I am looking for and everyone seems to love it. I'm wondering if its worth considering more heavily.

Any advice or extra information on these three towns would be very helpful!

Planning a trip to Argentina in late June and early July for about 10 days.

Definitely a couple of days in BA and likely a couple of days in Iguazu Falls. Was wondering what others think it would be better to visit Salta/Jujuy or El Calafate/Perito Moreno?

We are first time visiting Argentina. Not much into skiing. It’s a winter season there, so more time in Patagonia for hiking doesn’t seem like a good idea. Maybe another time.

Appreciate all your insight!

Most people don't even realize Suriname is in South America, let alone how to get around the interior or what to eat in Paramaribo. I noticed the online info was either outdated or non-existent, so I built exploresuriname.com to change that.

Whether you're looking for jungle expeditions or just want to know how the bus system works, I’ve tried to cover it all. Happy to answer any specific questions about the country here too!

Hey, I'm an Irish male (22) who has an intermediate level of written and spoken spanish. I'm starting a job in september, and am interested in spending a bit of time in South America before I go to America on the 30th of July, probably 2/3 weeks. I have lived in Ireland my whole life, Los Angeles for a college semester, and Vancouver for a summer, and lived in Spain for 6 weeks a few years ago, but have never solo travelled. I am looking for any advice for places to start researching. My main goals are to meet people my age and also learn some spanish. I understand it's tough to balance as tourists who likely have the same travel plans as me will not be the best way to understand spanish, but was thinking about doing a week or so of full immersion, and then another week of travelling after I've gotten my ear in a bit with Spanish. Sorry for the vague post, but any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!

Hey guys!

I'm graduating high school this spring and I want to do a senior trip to Latin America. I'm a budget traveler and I was looking at sleeping in dorms and travelling by bus. I'm looking at Guatemala- staying in Antigua and then taking the bus to Lake Atitlan. Using Antigua as a home base and then taking bus trips. How was your experience in Guatemala? Did you feel safe as a solo female? Do you think it a good destination for a young, first-time solo traveler? I'm planning on taking a big backpacking backpack and a small day backpack. How is it like in July? How much did you spend per day on food, transport, activities?

I'm low-key scared because I have never done anything like this alone.

Do you have any other destination you would recommend? Preferably Spanish speaking?

They always make you check in your bags. They won’t update the delayed flight time to the real time. They already delayed by 25 minutes but boarding doesn’t start until 15 minutes after the original departure time. But wait, that’s a joke. They don’t even board. You wait until the listed departure time and the gate isn’t open. Lie to all the passengers saying you’ll make it to your next flight. Lie about when you’ll get to your destination. Lie about when departure is (if you even get lucky enough to find a worker who knows the word). The workers can’t even answer anything related to the flight. Doesn’t seem to understand simple words and doesn’t seem to understand Spanish bc why would Peruvian workers know Spanish. Oh maybe because the workers can’t do their jobs. And while you wait you can enjoy looking at their workers walk around like vultures to pressure you into checking in your bags because why else would you pay more for a carry on. Try your luck or maybe not. I think you’ll have a more enjoyable time walking time to your destination.

Planning a trip to South America in November and the airlines we will be using are these, has anyone had any problems booking with them directly on their website from the UK?
- GOL
- LATAM
- Argentina Aerolineas
- Copa

UPDATE Just realised my laptop was stolen!

This morning I witnessed pickpockets on the Amazona bus in Baños. There was one man who was asking people to move to the back of the bus with their belongings "because of the police". He then sprayed their belongings with something and was rushing round opening windows. Another man was sat quietly at the back of the bus. The two men left the bus and a woman said her phone and money had been stolen...

Just a heads up for anyone if they see something similar happening.

I will have a 5am flight out of La Paz to Santa Cruz Viru soon... wondering how safe it is to take Uber from the city to the airport after midnight ?

As the title asks. I can't seem to find a show/Youtube video detailing individual countries.

Thank you!

Me and three friends are staying around two blocks away from La Plaza de la independencia around Bolivar street. How safe is the area we are staying. I already know the basic safety stuff about money but should I even be walking around this part of the neighborhood? Or is it too dangerous or it's fine during the day? I have traveled to South America a few times to Colombia, mainly the coast and bogota but I feel overwhelmed in Quito and think it may have not been what I was expecting and more than I can handle. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
~

Hey Guys, I’m currently traveling through Peru and staying in Cusco. My plan was to go from Cusco to Bolivia but because of roadblocks Bolivia is inaccessible. Now I’m doubting between going to Chili and wait there till Bolivia is accessible or just completely change my route. Going north of Peru and then Ecuador and Colombia. I fly back in 2 months from Lima. I was curious what your guys experience is with the second route. And if anybody maybe has an idea if Bolivia will get accessible in a few weeks. Thanks!

Disclosure up top: I'm one of the founders of Moreta (moretapay.com). Mods, if this isn't the right fit, totally fair to remove. But I'd rather hear from this sub than almost any other travel one, because backpackers actually hit the edge cases regular tourists never see.

Short version of what we built: an app that lets travelers scan local QR codes the same way locals do, without needing a local bank account. You top up from your home bank or card and FX happens at the moment of payment. We've been running it across SE Asia for a couple years (Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, etc.) and just flipped it on across South America.

What's live now:

• Brazil: Pix
• Argentina: Mercado Pago, Ualá, MODO, Personal Pay, BNA+
• Peru: Yape and Plin
• Bolivia: BCB and Simple (interoperable QR)
• Colombia: not yet, working on it

Fee is 1.5% on top of FX. That's it, no monthly, no top-up fee.

Reason I'm posting in a backpacker sub and not a generic travel one: you all stay longer, spend smaller amounts more often, and end up in places where the "just use your card" advice falls apart. Fees stack up over months in a way they don't on a 10-day vacation. And Argentina is its own universe with the blue dollar / MEP situation, so I want to hear how something like this fits or doesn't fit your current setup.

Stuff I'd genuinely like feedback on:

• Would this actually replace cash for you on a long trip, or only ever be a backup?
• Argentina specifically: what are you using right now (Western Union runs, blue dollar cash, regular ATMs, MEP via broker)? Where would this slot in, if at all?
• Networks or wallets we're missing that you rely on
• Anything that smells off about the pricing or flow

I'll answer anything in the comments and not going to argue with criticism. We did this same kind of post when we launched in Thailand and the harshest replies were by far the most useful.