South America Tours

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Tour Overview

On this journey across South America you'll explore the continent's highlights both on and off the beaten path. Experience an eclectic blend from ornate buildings in Buenos Aires, the province of Corrientos and its traditional gaucho traditions, to the wildlife of Ibera Wetlands and the tremendous Iguazu Falls. Try a genuine asado (Argentine BBQ), brave the altitudes of the Atacama Desert, and absorb the vast Uyuni Salt Flats. Now that's an epic adventure!

• > Tour of Buenos Aires
• > Discover wildlife at the exclusive Ibera Wetlands
• > Overnight on a typical Corrientes Ranch
• > Wildlife and ornithological experts at key places
• > Jesuit Ruins of San Ignacio
• > See the breathtaking Iguazu Falls
• > 3 day 4WD adventure across Uyuni salt flats
• > Sample South American cuisine
• > Boat trip on the Ibera Marshlands with guides
• > Yerba Mate tea plantation visit
• > Visit the Tropic of Capricorn
• > Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley)
• > Geysers del Tatio
• > Enjoy a traditional gaucho experience
• > 15 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 6 dinners
• > Services of a professional bilingual tour leader and local guides
• > Private vehicles and one night local sleeper coach
• > 11 nights hotels, 2 nights basic mountain hut (sleeping bag required), 1 night ranch camping, 1 night lodge + 1 first class sleeper coach.

• > Gauchos party at Estancia Santa Susana US$90
• > Full day tour of Tigre US$90
• > Evita half day tour US$90
• > Puerto Iguazu National Park adventure US$65
• > Half day Iguazu Forest adventure US$50
• > Astronomical tour San Pedro US$50
• > San Pedro sandboarding US$40
• > Hiking Toco Hill US$200
• > Archaeological Tour US$35
• > Private half day mines tour to Cerro Rico US$35
• > Private full day tour to Chacaltaya & Moon Valley US$110
• > Private Tiawanaku ruins tour US$20

An optional single supplement is available for £375 (2013) / £390 (2014). This does not include Iberá Wetlands, Oberá or Uyuni 4x4 Adventure as single rooms are unavailable.

Why not arrange your own TrekAmerica departure? For groups of 8 or more, we can offer private departures on any of our published itineraries enabling friends, families or organizations to enjoy our classic "Trek" style of travel at special rates. Although tours will run as per our standard itinerary shown here, slight modifications may be considered and dates can be chosen to suit your needs. (Subject to seasonal/operational restrictions). So contact us today and start planning your own adventure.

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Flexible Itinerary

Our routes have been carefully chosen to include the best night stops and highlights. However, as local conditions and passenger requests vary, no two trips will ever be the same. With the guidance of your Trek Leader you may modify certain night stops and highlights to give a truly unique experience!

As this tour departs at 0730 we recommend that you book pre-tour accommodation. Please request hotel details at the time of booking.

Local Payments - US$375 for flight from Iguazu to Salta (must pay in unmarked US currency notes)

Important: You will need adequate travel insurance to join this trip. Download our insurance tips pdf for more information.

• Day 1: Buenos Aires

  Welcome to 'B.A', where we'll start by exploring the neighbourhoods of Palermo, Recoleta, Avenida de Mayo and its famous square, Plaza de Mayo. The bustling neighbourhoods of San Telmo and La Boca with its colourful buildings give a perfect introduction to this diverse and vibrant city. We take the "collectivo" (public street bus), local taxis as well as the subway for a real local's view.
  
  Today is a fantastic opportunity to try an "asado" (Argentinian BBQ)! Argentina is famous for its cuisine, but the most famous of them all are the sumptuous steaks - so tender you could cut them with a spoon! In the late afternoon you transfer by overnight coach (reclining seats / 8-10hrs) to Mercedes, Corrientes.
  Accommodation: Sleeper Coach | Dinner included

• Day 2: Ibera Wetlands

  With a warm welcome from your expert local tour guide, you'll be introduced to the "gaucho" culture and beliefs by hearing about Gauchito Gil - Argentina's Cowboy Saint. You'll also enjoy a traditional lunch. Your unique hotel is built on "sustainable construction" with the traditional "Corrientes" local style using local ecological thermic materials. A boat trip with a skilled naturalist and birdwatcher, gives a fascinating insight into the local wildlife, and you may spot marsh deer, otters, capybaras, black caimans and yellow anacondas. For a very different side to the marshlands opt for a guided night walk and experience the amazing night sounds of the marshes and mysteries of the Ibera wetlands.
  Accommodation: Hotel included | Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included

• Day 3: Marshland countryside

  After breakfast you leave on this exclusive adventure to Cambá Trapo Marshlands to experience the life of an authentic Corrientes Gaucho. You'll see and (if you wish) be part of duties in the fields; preparing food, milking cows, and making cheese and home-made sweets. Ride on horseback and walk through the marshlands and palm forests, share a family meal and finally spend the night camping on a typical Corrientes ranch.
  
  A wildlife interpreter and ornithologist will take us through a genuine enchanted forest. Wildlife such as foxes, raccoons, skunks and brocket deer leave their footprints at every step, and endangered species like the yellow crested cardinal fly above.
  Accommodation: Gaucho camping included | Meals: Breakfast, lunch (asado), afternoon tea (you can try Mate and typical pastries) and dinner included

• Day 4: Obera, Misiones

  Your 4WD journey awaits, and fascinating landscapes dominate the day. Enter the province of Misiones which is world known for being the centre of Yerba Mate (traditional herb drink) production. You stop to visit the Jesuit Ruins of San Ignacio which is one of the most important in South America.
  Accommodation: Hotel included | Meals: Breakfast and dinner included

• Day 5: Iguazu Falls

  Continue north to the incredible and quite breath-taking Iguazu Falls where you will have intimate views of this unforgettable series of waterfalls from the Argentine side. Lower and upper walkways permit up close and personal experiences with this magnificent spectacle of nature. Eagles soar above, rainbows cast themselves at every turn, and literally thousands of butterflies will make you feel as if you're in a dreamland! Make sure you bring a poncho as you will get wet!
  Accommodation: Hotel included | Meals: Breakfast included

• Day 6: Iguazu Falls & flight to Salta

  Depending on the flight time there may be time to cast your eyes upon Iguazu Falls one more time with a half day optional trip to the Brazilian side of the falls; this presents a much wider panoramic view. (Please note this requires a visa to cross over which can be purchased at the border for most nationalities.)
  You fly from the lush surroundings of Iguazu to Salta; a beautiful colonial city with a rich heritage. The impressive architecture in the central squares will guarantee you some great photos.
  
  Please note the flight on this tour is charged as a local payment due to fluctuating prices. The approximate cost is US$375 per person. Please bring American dollars free from marks, tears and folds otherwise notes are sometimes refused.
  Accommodation: Hotel included | Meals: Breakfast included

• Day 7: Humahuaca Gorge & Tilcara

  Early departure for your tour along the Humahuaca Gorge, declared a UNESCO Heritage Site. You visit Maimará, a small town in the core of the Humahuaca Ravine, famed for the most colourful and picturesque mountains which are said to have been painted by the divine hand, and Paleta del Pintor which is also a UNESCO World heritage site. Today is full of natural beauty along the Tropic of Capricorn, so make sure you pause to take it all in. Spend the night in the cactus-studded town of Tilcara.
  Accommodation: Hotel included | Meals: Breakfast included

• Day 8: Tilcara

  After breakfast enjoy a guided walking in Juella Valley near Tilcara. The scenery is a true green oasis surrounded by impressive Andes Mountains and a wide variety of flora set amongst the adobe houses.
  Accommodation: Refugio included | Meals: Breakfast

• Day 9: San Pedro de Atacama

  Begin crossing the Andes through the "Paso de Jama" (one of the highest international passes in the world) to the desert paradise of San Pedro de Atacama. Arrive in the afternoon and savour three nights here to unwind, explore and absorb all this small, typically Chilean desert oasis has to offer. Make sure you stock up on alpaca wool jumpers, as it gets chilly at night!
  Accommodation: Hotel included | Meals: Breakfast included

• Day 10: San Pedro de Atacama: Moon Valley Tour

  Feel like you've landed on the moon with an included half day excursion to Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) where for thousands of years the wind has carved strange, desolate shapes, creating a dramatic lunar landscape. You can combine the tour with an optional mountain bike excursion, but whatever you do, don't miss the sunset, it's out of this world!
  Accommodation: Hotel included | Meals: Breakfast included

• Day 11: San Pedro de Atacama: Tatio Geysers Tour & Machuca

  Rise early to catch the sunrise over the amazing Geysers del Tatio, located at an altitude of 4300m and the highest geyser field in the world. Take extra clothes because the temperature regularly dips below 0º. Warm up with a relaxing bath in the natural hot spring water pools and the rest of your day is at leisure.
  Accommodation: Hotel included | Meals: Breakfast included

• Day 12: 4WD Salar de Uyuni adventure

  This is what you've been waiting for. The monumental 3 day adventure into the Salar de Uyuni. The dramatic and perpetually changeable scenery has you crossing pure and vast salt pans, valleys of cacti, rolling mountains and towering landscapes. Our first stop is the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia across the Andes, the perfect place for having fun with photos, as your sense of perspective is altered in such a baron white moonscape. We visit the National Reserve "Eduardo Acaroa", Laguna Blanca, Laguna Verde, thermal waters, Geysers del Sol and Laguna Colorada. Given the remoteness of the area we overnight in the middle of the Bolivian Puna in a Mountain Hut in shared rooms.
  Accommodation: Basic mountain hut included | Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

• Day 13: 4WD Salar de Uyuni adventure

  Climb aboard your 4x4 for something quite unlike anything you have experienced before with some of the best landscapes in South America. A photographer's dream, you'll be spoilt for choice with volcanoes, geysers and abstract rock formations, as well as flamingos, lakes and llamas! This is an incredible opportunity for stargazing - it's not unusual to see the entire Milky Way in high-definition. Sleeping in your basic mountain hut, it can get very cold, but it's worth it for this truly unique experience.
  Accommodation: Basic mountain hut included | Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

• Day 14: 4WD Adventure to Uyuni and Potosi

  Drive across the Salar de Uyuni reaching Isla del Pescado (Fish Island), an oasis full of tall cacti in the middle of the salt flats, but interestingly, not a fish in sight! Make a quick visit the city of Uyuni, with its famous street markets, where you can barter for clothes, salt sculptures and woollen blankets, before continuing on to Potosi arriving in the evening.
  Accommodation: Hotel included | Meals: Breakfast and lunch included

• Day 15: Potosi

  Once one of the continent's largest and wealthiest cities, Potosi still has the feeling of grandeur. There is plenty to see, including the Royal Mint with its fantastic history and splendour, the ornate churches, monuments and the other remnants of this grand colonial city. It sits at 4070m above sea level and is the highest city of its size in the world. The silver mines nearby have been depleted, but iron ore has taken its place and a visit to these working mines is a sobering experience, but highly recommended.
  Accommodation: Hotel included | Meals: Breakfast and lunch included

• Day 16: La Paz

  La Paz, a city built on steep hills with a towering, triple-peaked, snow-capped mountain as a backdrop is your reward for a long day's drive. The winding streets and frenetic atmosphere of the second largest city in Bolivia ensure a memorable stay, and you have the rest of the day to explore the city on your own.
  Accommodation: Hotel included | Meals: Breakfast included

• Day 17: La Paz

  Your tour finishes after an included breakfast.
  
  Should you wish to extend your stay please contact us to book post tour accommodation.

Book Your Trip Online

You can easily book your trek online using our secure booking engine. You only need to pay a 10% deposit or (whichever is greatest) with full payment due 8 weeks before departure. We are members of ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) and are fully financially bonded so your money is 100% safe and protected at all times whether you pay by debit, bank or credit card. If you prefer to book by telephone, please contact our sales office and speak to one our friendly travel consultants.

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