Planning a trip to South America
 

Hello my brothers.

Me and my boy DJ Sensei are thinking of taking a trip to South America for 2-3 weeks. We definitely want to hit up Argentina but are uncertain what else we want to try to do. Should we just spend the whole time in Argentina or maybe try to check out Chile or something?

We travelled together in Europe and ended up having the best time in the smaller towns or beach towns as opposed to the big cities. So if you guys could recommend some places like that it would be great.

Oh one more thing. A friend just told me that Americans cannot travel to Brazil right now. Is that true? If so, is it really dangerous?

Re: Planning a trip to South America
 

Money isn't really an issue, but I think we'd have more fun at young-people hangout kind of places as opposed to luxury hotels. So long as they're safe, of course.

I'm also quite pro-mountains, if those could be involved.

Re: Planning a trip to South America
 

We have some really big mountains down here called the Andes. You may have heard of them.

What time of year are you going to visit?

Don't bother with Santiago del Chile. You aren't really here very long for 2-3 weeks. I'd say a week in Buenos Aires is the minimum I'd like to spend here. Then spend the other 1-2 weeks traveling through Argentina & the other countries around here that you find interesting.

Edit: Do either of you speak any Spanish?

Re: Planning a trip to South America
 

If you're really interested in mountains, I would say just stay in Argentina because of your time contraints. A week in Buenos Aires (maybe a couple of days at the begining, a couple at the end). Spend the rest of your time around Mendoza (wine country) and in the lake district (Bariloche, San Martin de los Andes, and Bariloche). Heaps of hiking around there. Bariloche is good times as well.

I don't know when you're going, but if it's in our winter, you could go to Mar del Plata south of Buenos Aires or Punta del Este in Uruguay for beaches. I personally wouldn' because of your time restraints.

Re: Planning a trip to South America
 

My cousin just spent a year teaching in Brazil. You can travel there but it's a huge pain in the ass. They have a reciprocal policy regarding visas, so because it's hard for Brazilians to visit the US, they make it hard for Americans to visit Brazil. I'm not sure about the exact details, but I'm sure they can be easily googled.

Re: Planning a trip to South America
 

Didn't know about Brazil. Seems strange. Didn't think it was such a big deal to travel there.

As has been mentioned in other threads here, you may want to consider Cuzco, Peru include a side-trip to the Machu Pichu ruins.

The clubs in Cuzco can be fun and touristy so if you're looking to party with fellow young-ish backpackers then that's a decent place I guess.
Pretty much a small-townish atmosphere there.
In the other discussion about it a couple guys mentioned they were easily able to score drugs there if that's something you[re interested in.

Re: Planning a trip to South America
 

Cerro Torre
http://www.everestnews.com/exp2005/p...erro_Torre.jpg

and

Torres del Paine
http://attravel.epublish.cl/images/epimg022.jpg

are two places I'd consider checking out. Somewhat tough to get to, but you can travel between them by bus relatively easily.

You should be thinking about Rio, too.

Re: Planning a trip to South America
 

Let me reiterate this before everyone starts giving you the grand circle tour of South America.

2-3 weeks will let you see one country in a very brief way. Don't try to do much more than that and you'll enjoy it more.

Re: Planning a trip to South America
 

Thanks for the advice so far, this is a great forum.

I think we are planning to go sometime in winter, probably sometime between October and January.

I don't speak spanish fluently, but probably know enough to get by (took it for 7 years in school). DJ Sensei does not but is a smart guy and will probably pick it up pretty quick.

Re: Planning a trip to South America
 

3 weeks is such a short time...don't even think about other countries (maybe Uruguay or over to Chile if you're on that side of the country). South America is huge, and going to "check out Cuzco" really isn't practical for a 3 week trip to Argentina. .. that's like saying "check out Montreal" when you're doing a California trip.

Buenos Aires - Mendoza - Lake District - Patagnoia (time permitting/better if you fly down there) - Buenos Aires

or

Buenos Aires - Uruguay (Montevideo/Punta del Este) - Iquqzu Falls - Cordoba/Rosario (optional) - Buenos Aires

My suggestions.