Those who want to take part in an adventure trip in a group of perfect strangers surely love challenges and are endowed with a great spirit of adaptation, indispensable qualities if South America is the chosen destination. The wildest and most inaccessible naturalistic sites alternate with cities that seem to be painted, rich in history, traditions and with a local culture all to be discovered.
If you are looking for the ideal destinations for an adventure trip to South America, we present some of the most beautiful, mysterious, but also welcoming places in Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Brazil.
Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Iguazu Falls
From Argentina to Uruguay for a journey that starts in Buenos Aires, one of the most cosmopolitan cities in South America, full of important monumental buildings such as the Casa Rosada, home of the executive and the Rocoleta Cemetery, surrounded by large gardens where Argentinians gather to relax and get together. An iconic place in the city, however, is the Plaza de Mayo, overlooked by the city’s cathedral and the Argentine National Bank.
From Buenos Aires you can reach Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, developed on the east side of the Santa Lucia river, where the most important museums are located in the old part of the city. Heading north, inside the Argentine territory, it is possible to reach the Iguazu Falls, generated by the homonymous river on the border between Misiones and Paranà.
Composed of 275 waterfalls that extend for almost three kilometres with heights that, in some points, reach more than 80 metres, have been designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
From Peru to Bolivia
One of Peru’s classic tours starts in Lima, famous for the variety of products that make its gastronomy the richest and tastiest in all of South America. Lima, however, is not only a great place to eat and enjoy delicious fishing dishes, it is also a colonial city rich in monuments and history, which you can get to know by visiting the Larco Herrera Museum, which houses exhibits dating back 500 years.
Moving south of the city, the desert region of Ica allows the most adventurous excursions on the dunes in 4×4 vehicles. From here you can reach, on board trains and buses, Machu Picchu, which has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and houses the ancient ruins of an ancient Inca civilization at 2500 meters above sea level.
Moving southeast you can easily reach Bolivia with which Peru shares Lake Titicaca, which is characterized by the intense blue of its waters. Not far away is La Paz, known as “The Highest Capital of the World”. Overlooked by the Illimani, the city is characterized by an original architectural and cultural mixture rich in colors.
Walking through the streets of this town, you will come across several workshops, as well as cable cars and gondolas that allow you to admire it from above in all its particularity.
Discover Chile
An adventure trip to Chile cannot fail to include the Torres del Paine National Park, south of Chile, in Patagonia. It is a protected area where mountains, lakes, rivers, valleys and glaciers alternate. Pumas, condors, grey foxes are some of the specimens that make up the varied fauna of this park that presents postcard landscapes.
Second stop is Carretera Austral, also in the southern part of the country, to be covered by bike or on foot to admire the unspoilt landscapes it crosses. Perfect for sports lovers, it allows you to go trekking, fishing in the Baker River or rafting in the Futaleufú River.
The large town of Pucon, which lies right on the shores of Lake Villarrica, is the perfect place to spend a quiet day to stop and refresh yourself, as there are plenty of shops and restaurants. North of Chile then, in the Atacama desert, there is another unique destination: San Pedro de Atacama. It is a place famous for the beauty of its landscapes, from the geysers of the Tatio to the valley of the Moon and Mars, to name a few.
Speaking of Chile, however, we can not fail to mention the evocative Easter Island, a magical place where more than 900 moai (monumental statues) and unique natural beauty are preserved, although the flora and fauna have suffered greatly from its isolated location.
Rio de Janeiro and its coast
The Brazilian coast that Rio de Janeiro overlooks is famous worldwide for its Carnival, its beaches, including Ipanema and Copacabana, and the statue of Christ the Redeemer on Mount Corcovado that dominates and protects the entire city.
Proceeding south, without straying too far from the coast, another interesting destination is São Paulo, famous for the famous Ibirapuera Park, a large recreational and cultural area in the middle of greenery, the great Museum of Art, the State Art Gallery of São Paulo and Avenida Paulista, where you can shop and relax.
Inside the State of São Paulo, but more on the coast, there is the town of Santos, the main Brazilian port, where you can find the Coffee Museum, seat of the ancient Stock Exchange where the price of the famous blend so dear to us was negotiated. Santos, however, is also known for its beaches, such as Paraia de Esnada and the wildest Praia Branca.
Travel insurance for South America
South America is a fascinating destination, especially if you are looking for adventure and contact with a culture different from ours. However, you have to keep in mind that choosing such a distant destination can also involve risks, such as having to face a medical emergency in a country with a different health care than Italy and where a different language is spoken. To protect you in these situations, Columbus offers its travel insurance for South America, thanks to which, in the event of a medical emergency.