33 Highlights of my South American Journeys

In February of 2022 I set out from St Petersburg, Florida to explore South America for the very first time. I planned to take two years to visit all 13 countries, exploring as many of their beautiful outdoor places, historic towns, glamorous cities and other renowned attractions as I could.

Fast forward to late 2023: in mid-September, I finally left South America from Brazil, heading to the Riviera Maya coast of Mexico for a big assignment reviewing 38 luxury resorts and boutique hotels. I ended up completing my South American sojourn in 19 months, several months shy of my calculated 24 months.

Sadly, I was only able to explore eight of the continent’s 13 countries, missing out on five: Bolivia, Venezuela and the three tiny countries in the far northeastern corner of the continent, Surinam, French Guiana and Guyana.

Despite my best attempts at visiting Bolivia (going to four Bolivian consulates/embassies in three countries) I was unable to obtain a Bolivian visa as an American citizen, due to the extensive documentation required. The other four countries I missed because of some combination of extremely dangerous, very expensive and/or complicated to enter.

If I had been able to visit those five countries, no doubt it would have taken me the full two years I’d predicted. On the bright side, I did get to explore the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil. Throughout, I experienced tons of amazing adventures, beautiful natural sights, wonderful people, fantastic historic & cultural towns and wonderful indigenous animals.

Following are what I consider to be the 33 greatest highlights of my travels around South America. I’ve subdivided them by people, accommodations and countries just to make it more organized. Overall, the list also follows the chronological order of my trip, starting with the Galapagos Islands on through to Brazil.

I recently wrote an article detailing the 20 highlights of my 2023 travels (the second year of my South American adventures). Rather than repeat the same information in this article, I’ve made a simple list of those highlights (which include my adventures in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil and a few in the Paragonia region of Chile) and share a link to the other article, where I’ve written in more detail.

In addition, I wrote many articles about specific places and adventures while I was traveling around South America. So I’ve also added links to those articles, where applicable.

1. Great People I met in South America

During my explorations of South America I met several people I would consider ‘soul mates’. We clicked instantly and had so much in common, including our ‘vibe’, that we felt like we knew each other ‘intimately’. Among them were Amma in Uruguay, Guise in Paraguay, Clau in Chile and Gloria in the Galapagos Islands.

Many others were great new people I met who I loved and clicked with, though I wouldn’t go so far as to call them ‘soul mates’. We liked each other right away, got along very well and enjoyed each other’s company.

There was my hostess Beth in Rio, Oscar from Peru living in Rio, my adorable hostess Tracey at Iguazu Falls, my friendly hosts & pets at Punta del Este, Paraguay, two separate hostesses Thais and Olivia in Olinda, my landlord Daniel in Buenos Aires, hostess Cio and traveler Daniel in Salvador, Chris from Germany down in Puerto Natales, my host Humberto in Punta Arenas and a few BlaBlaCar drivers who gave me lifts along the coast of Brazil.

2. The best accommodations I enjoyed in South America

In 2023 I was treated to a few of the best accommodations I’ve come across in my entire 26 years of world travels. Each consisted of a great private room in a host’s apartment/house or a full private apartment to myself, some with pets. And all the hosts were people I really clicked with.

Included were my stunning boutique apartment with hostess Guise & Dario in Ascuncion, Paraguay; my lovely all-white room in a Bohemian beach house with Amma at Buenos Aires Beach, Uruguay; the super quiet condo in Salvador, Brazil with hostess Cio and cats; and my lovely & quiet room in an adorable little house in Olinda, Brazil with Thais & her dog, Biscuit. Thank all of you for such wonderful accommodations and friendship!

3. Galapagos Islands

I kicked off my South American adventures by spending one full month out on the renowned Galapagos Islands. I strolled with giant tortoises, swam with sea lions and a penguin, walked on languid beaches, watched blue-footed boobies and Frigate birds, and observed schools of baby sharks. golden rays and marble rays.

Mainland Ecuador

From the Galapagos, I flew back to mainland Ecuador and spent another two months exploring various historic towns and cultural spots in the country’s central Andes. I found Ecuador to be a very easy travel destination, especially for Americans. Here’s why.

4. Cuenca, Ecuador

Cuenca is a charming historic city filled with gorgeous architecture, cobbled streets & museums. The high-elevation city is set at 2550 M / 8370 ft in Ecuador’s central Andes.

5. Overnight at Andes mountain church – Sisid Anejo – near Ingapirca Inca ruins

6. Banos

Amazing Baños is set atop a high cliff above fast-flowing Pastaza River gorge and surrounded by soaring mountains, including 5023 M / 16,475 ft high Tungarahua Volcano, which is South America’s most active volcano.

As it’s name implies, Baños is most famous for its natural hot springs, but I found them much too commercialized, crowded and noisy.

However, the scenery is spectacular and the hiking diverse, making Baños one of my favorite places in Ecuador. I spent one wonderful week hiking, visiting stunning waterfalls and exploring the area.

7. Views of volcanoes

Ecuador has a whopping 47 volcanoes. Most are extremely tall, many of them conical and easily seen from various Andes towns throughout the country. I was lucky to view several stunning volcanoes from different historic towns I visited. They were always a spectacular sight.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attempt climbing any of them since I was traveling during the cold rainy season, making them too treacherous to hike.

8. Japanese gardens of Quito, Ecuador

Ecuador’s capital, Quito, has a wonderful Botanical Gardens. Within the gardens I discovered an amazing Japanese Bonsai club, where dozens and dozens of Bonsai are on display. I also got to chat with a few Bonsai gardeners about the delicate Japanese trees.

Colombia

After traveling around Ecuador for three months, I took a flight to Bogota, Colombia. I only spent five weeks in Colombia, including three weeks in Bogota and two weeks in Medellin. I loved Bogota, hated Medellin.

Sadly, I didn’t get to travel through Colombia’s renowned mountainous coffee region or its historic coastal city of Cartegena (TOO hot!), so my knowledge of Colombia is rather limited, but I did greatly enjoy Bogota.

9. Bogota, Colombia

Bogota is awesome! It’s a very cosmopolitan city with a fresh, vibrant health-oriented vibe to it. Everyone seems to be cycling, walking dogs, going to professional gyms. There are many interesting neighborhoods, a large and stunning historic center, fantastic museums, a diverse & hip gastronomy and bar scene, and beautiful parks. I enjoyed my three weeks there immensely.

Peru

From Colombia I flew to Peru’s capital city, Lima. Overall I didn’t like Lima, mainly due to the absolutely awful weather and terrible traffic. But the city does have some great neighborhoods, museums, natural spots and cultural attractions.

Luckily, once outside Lima I found a whole slew of wonderful places in Peru, especially in the arid coastal areas south of Lima and up in the high mountains around Cusco. I ended up exploring the country for four months.

10. Paracas

Paracas consists of a large national reserve that preserves a stunning arid desert region along the coast. I spent one week there, walking along the shores, watching flocks of birds and cycling out to multi-colored cliffs and beaches. It’s a wonderful place.

11. Huacachina Dunes

A few hours south of Paracas is another amazing nature spot – Huacachina Oasis. On the outskirts of city is a tiny desert filled Math tall undulating sand dunes. Just inside the border is a small lake, an actual desert oasis.

Sadly, it’s way over-commercialized, but I stayed in a little-known guest house set on its own plot of desert dunes. It was sublimely quiet. Sunsets and sunrises were stunning. I stayed one week.

12. Nazca, Peru

Nazca is considerably more famous than Paracas or Huacachina, due to its mysterious ancient giant figures etched into the Earth, the Nazca Lines. The town is nothing special, but I greatly enjoyed hiking out to old Inca and Paracas Indian ruins, glimpsing a few Nazca Lines, being immersed in desert hills and marveling at the unique old Inca aquaduct system, all just outside town.

13. Cusco

Besides Machu Pichu, Cusco is Peru’s most famous destination. The historic, high-altitude city is set at 3400 M / 11,152 ft. It’s the base for trips to/from Machu Pichu and has a spectacular historic district. Plenty of native Incas dressed in traditional clothing, wander around town with pet alpacas in tow, buy & sell produce and cooked meals at central market, and sell many traditional fabrics, clothes and trinkets. The city is utterly charming.

I absolutely loved Cusco and spend a full two months, in total, exploring the historic district, various Inca ruins, remote weaving villages and other mountain towns in the region. Cusco is easily one of my favorite places in South America.

14. Sacred Valley

About one hour’s drive from Cusco is the beautiful Sacred Valley. Historically, it was a major base for the Inca civilization.

Today the long narrow valley is filled with agricultural fields, tiny villages and traditional lifestyles. The valley follows the Urubamba River and is lined by two long mountain ridges. It’s hard to convey how beautiful the valley is.

I spent one week hiking in the valley, climbing up to high viewpoints, strolling along the voluminous Urubamba River, and taking buses with locals to visit further villages.

15. Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo is the most beautiful historic village in Sacred Valley. It’s filled with original golden stone houses lining cobblestone streets. Absolutely adorable. There’s also a major Inca ruins of the same name, which overlooks the town from steep hillsides.

Ollantaytambo is also the starting point for trains to Machu Pichu, which is how I discovered the beautiful town. Once I saw it, I decided to stay there for one week after exploring Machu Pichu. I explored the ruins, sauntered the cobblestone streets and enjoyed more hikes in the valley.

16. Machu Pichu, Peru

World renowned Machu Pichu is Peru’s most famous destination. No roads go there. Access is by train (extremely expensive) or by 3-4 day hiking routes. These options land visitors in Machu Pichu town, set at the base of the soaring mountains where the actual ruins are located.

Most people make an extremely fast trip into the village, up to the ruins and back out again, all in just 1-3 days’ time. But I opted to stay a full week and explore the town, mountains and stunning Machu Pichu at my leisure. As I also discovered, visiting Machu Pichu is actually a very complicated, multiple-step venture, which I wrote about in this article.

17. Meeting llamas and alpacas

Ever since I was a young girl I’ve been enamoured with llamas. So one of my big, exciting expectations for visiting South America was the chance to finally meet real live llamas.

Much to my delight, I met lots of llamas and in many different places. I also met alpacas, vincuñas and guanacos, all cousins of llamas. I discovered that it’s actually alpacas whom I’m so smitten with. I learned a lot about all these wonderful animals and wrote about them here.

18. Boat Trip on Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is another of Peru’s super famous destinations. It’s the world’s highest navigable lake, set at a whopping 3812 M / 12,507 ft on the high Andes plateau. The lake is most famous for its traditional inhabitants who live in small villages set on thick, man-made raft islands. Taking an all-day boat trip out to the raft islands and another real island to experience the local’s culture was one of my best experiences in South America.

Chile

19. Valporaiso, Chile and stay with host Clau

Valporaiso is a colorful historic coastal town about 1.5 hours west of the capital, Santiago. It’s set on steep hillsides running down to a big port, beaches and a thin coastal strip of grand historic government buildings.

I ended up finding a wonderful little wooden house perched up on the hillside Math a marvelous host named Claudio (Clau for short). He and I clicked immediately and decided we were ‘soul mates’, though just good friends. I ended up staying Math Clau and his sweet cat, Denver, for more than one month while awaiting my new US passport from the US Embassy in Santiago.

Valpo was wonderful, as was Clau, Denver and the cozy house. It was one of my best experiences in South America. Clau and I will be life-long friends for sure.

20. Bus trip over Los Libertadores Pass to Argentina

The ultra-high peaks of the long, long Andes mountain range separate Chile (on the west) from Argentina (on the east). Several high elevation passes cross between the two countries from northern Chile all the way down to the bottom of South America.

Los Libertadores is one of the highest passes, topping out at M / ft. Regular buses run up over the pass between Santiago, Chile and Mendoza, Argentina. It’s spectacular road, featuring a series of serpentine switch-backs on the Chile side anda glimpses of the Andes highest peak, Aconcagua, at M / ft on the Argentinian side.

I was thrilled to take the amazing bus trip over to Mendoza, enjoying staggering and varied views throughout the entire trip. I wrote about the journey here.

All of the following highlights I’ve detailed in my article:

20 Highlights of my 2023 World Travels

Chile

21. Crossing the Straights of Magellan

I took a ferry across the Straights on a bus trip from Ushuaia, Argentina to Punta Arenas, Chile

22. Visiting Museo Nao Victoria in Punta Arenas, Patagonia

I marveled at life-size replicas of the sailing ships of Magellan and of Darwin

23. Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia

I enjoyed stunning views of the jagged black peaks of Torres del Paine mountains

Argentina

24. Walking through beautiful parks and playing with dogs in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is a cosmopolitan city full of big beautiful parks, fantastic museums and lots of dogs

25. Seeing Rojo Tango show in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is the birthplace of Tango dancing. I was invited to one of the most famous shows

26. Iguazu Falls, Argentina

Famous Iguazus Falls is a much larger version of Niagara Falls. I marveled at them for two days

27. Ushuaia, Argentina

Spectacular Ushuaia is known as the World’s Southernmost City, at the bottom of South America.

28. Cruise on Beagle Channel

In Ushuaia I took an all-day cruise on Beagle Channel to see penguins, sea lions and more.

29. Witnessing Perito Moreno Glacier and El Calafate in Patagonia

OMG! This amazing glacier is one of world’s easiest to visit and most dramatic.

30. Hiking in the Andes at El Chalten, Patagonia

Tiny El Chalten is a surrounded by rugged Andes peaks. It’s a meca for hikers. I hiked for one week.

Uruguay

31. Beach and homestay in Uruguay

I stayed with an amazing woman in her Bohemian beach house at a nearly untouched beach.

Paraguay

32. Amazing apartment stay in Ascuncion, Paraguay

In Paraguay’s capital city, I stayed in a beautiful boutique apartment and connected with a ‘soul mate’

Brazil

33. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

OMG! Rio is the best, most beautiful city in the world! I explored Rio for two months. Amazing!

34. Olinda/Recife Brazil

Olinda is a charming, hilly historic suburb of Recife. I stayed in a historic house with a dog

35. Paraty, Brazil

Paraty is an adorable historic Portuguese port town on the coast south of Rio. I reviewed hotels there.

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