South & Central America Tours
South America and Central America offer a myriad of choices to those looking for adventure on tour. From lush rainforests to arid deserts, white sandy beaches to active volcanoes, these landscapes contain a treasure trove of natural wonders to discover. Manmade marvels add to the mix, with ancient ruins waiting to be explored and effervescent cities welcoming you with rich cultures the rhythmic sounds of salsa.
Popular South & Central America Tours
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Must do experiences and highlights of South & Central America
Thundering Iguazú Falls
Straddling Argentina and Brazil, this thundering series of falls drop up to 80m (262ft) and feed the lush green forests that ring the impressive cascades.
Havana by Vintage Car
Explore the city by vintage car taking in colonial squares, museums, and streets lined with candy coloured buildings that illustrate Havana’s history and creativity.
Unique experiences await in this mecca of wildlife, where sea lions, giant tortoises, iguanas and blue footed boobies call the waters, volcanic terrain, and vast skies home.
Torres del Paine National Park
Sharp pillars pierce the frosted skyline and turquoise lakes pool beneath them, catching their reflection. Glaciers spill from the valleys and calving icebergs groan as they break away and are set adrift in this spectacular landscape.
Machu Picchu at First Light
A puzzle of legend and stone. Visit at sunrise when the mist parts, and the sun’s first rays reveal this ancient Incan citadel atop the Andes. It is intriguing, awe inspiring, humbling and goose bump inducing.
South America Brochures
703 South America trips sourced from 40 Operator brochures
Recent Reviews
What our clients are saying about their journeys through South America
“Extremely insightful”
Well Travelled Duo - NT, Australia Dec 2019
Overall this was a comprehensive, well paced, cultural and scenic tour with a wide variety of experiences especially as Mexico and Cuba are both rich in both geography and history. Tour highlights included Oaxaca, Mexico (indigenous prominent region) and Vinales, Cuba (tobacco region). Mexico: Tour group size: Five (over Xmas/ New year period). Accommodation and services: Generally pretty good however the Merida accommodation was a bit depressing (drab rooms, smelly, sweaty pillows). Hotel Geneva
...read more was centrally located in Mexico City, close to everything. Internet was generally widely available in hotels. Plenty of laundry opportunities (e.g. nearby laundromats) or hotel service along the way. Inclusions: Excellent local guides - very professional and knowledgeable, included breakfasts were plentiful. So much history was generously shared during each tour. Sumidero Canyon boat trip kind of felt like participating in an organised cartel (e.g. boat captain stopped the boat in the middle of river to ‘ask’ for tips from every person on board before taking boat back to home base). Tour bus driver (Carlos) was exceptional. Tour guide: In comparison to other similar tours (costings, time frames, itinerary), the tour guide did not meet expectations. Examples include: no Peregrine attire worn during entire trip (e.g. promoted other economical tour company, in attire), limited proactive, practical, logistical information shared during trip which would have significantly enhanced the experience (e.g. key info before arriving at each destination, advanced knowledge of time until next toilet stops on long journey, that bus facilities included onboard charging stations for electronic devices, why tour coach was being stopped by officials or specific Indigenous communities en route to destinations). In addition, the tour guide was unable to target communication to small group of experienced, seasoned travellers (e.g. repeatedly referred to bathrooms as place to go ‘pee pee’), allowed a single traveller to dominate tour leader’s time to detriment of others on tour, unreceptive to receiving constructive feedback (e.g. became emotional when presented with suggestions for improved service), was unfamiliar with layout of airport in Mexico City especially when navigating internal flights changes, overly reliant on an English-Spanish speaking member of travel group to assist with translation, particularly when tour logistics went ‘pear-shaped’. The trip would also have been enhanced if the tour guide used the bus microphone, as per the bus drivers suggestion, despite the small group. This would have allowed travellers at the back of the bus to listen attentively to limited logistical information shared. It is recommended that Peregrine invest in additional retraining for the tour guide. Top tip: Keep plenty of small change for tipping and using public bathrooms (five or ‘cinco’ pesos is norm in Mexico per bathroom stop). Cuba: Tour group size: Eleven. Accommodation and services: Pretty good. Hotel Nacional in Havana was excellent as was hotel in Cienfuegos. Lovely to stay at ‘homestay’ experience in Vinales and Trinadad. Good service at homestay ‘casa’ accommodation including in-house laundry services. Internet was available at Hotel Nacional (free) and/or available at ‘free wifi restaurants’ in Vinales. Internet access in Trinadad required purchasing an internet card and go to designated tourist area in township square to access internet signal. Inclusions: Plentiful food especially at home stays, Vinales tobacco farm tour was brilliant, salsa lessons in Vinales were a blast. Bus driver (Lazaro - who also happens to be a mechanic) was amazing - especially when our bus unexpectedly broke down en route. Tour guide: Superb, super professional, well organised, insightful and sincere. Olexis (tour guide) was kind, thoughtful, full of (relevant) information and went out of his way to ensure everyone's needs were met. He left a lasting, positive impression on the whole tour group. Top bloke. Peregrine: You are extremely lucky to have Olexis guiding your Cuba tour. This guy single handily saved the ‘Peregrine experience’ for travellers that participated in the earlier Mexico tour. He deserves a trip to Aussie and NZ for his efforts. Dude was EXCEPTIONAL. Top tip: Keep an open mind (and be patient) when travelling in Cuba. Also for Aussie and Kiwi travellers, if entering Cuba from Cancun you can purchase a Cuban Visa at the Cancun airport on the day of your departure to Cuba (yes, you read that correctly). Drinks outside of Havana are cheap (e.g. 1CUC per beer, Pina Colada, Cuba Libre etc) although CUC’s will be obsolete soon (recent government change).
“An unforgettable adventure”
Karen & Richard - NSW, Australia Nov 2019
Group travel was a new thing for us and South America was a destination that we approached with trepidation but the lure of remote Patagonia provided the inspiration to overcome our fears. We met our fellow travellers in the city of Buenos Aires, the vibrant home of the tango with a history that enveloped us with both intrigue and admiration. It’s a city with a European heart and a modern skin whose soul comes from its inhabitants who love life, eat late and gather in the cafés to chat away the night.
...read more Our group of 18 were all of similar age with a spirit for adventure and a knack for loving life – a perfect fit. We spent the next 17 days in one of the most fascinating destinations on the planet and thanks to Global Journeys and Explore it ran like a finely tuned Swiss watch, never missing a beat. Our tour guide was a delight and made sure our every need was met and with an impeccable plan for every stop, soon gained our confidence that every recommendation would provide the best possible outcome. The itinerary was amazing encompassing the most breathtaking scenery; Tierra del Fuego and the city of Ushuaia was the conduit to the Beagle Channel and the infamous Cape Horn. Across the border into Chile and Torres del Paine National Park with its snow covered peaks, soaring Condors and abundant wildlife was the perfect backdrop for many a trek. Further north and back into Argentina, the Perito Moreno Glacier was mesmerising as it creaked and groaned and shed its ice into the waters of Lago Agentino. El Chalten was a remote mecca for hikers and climbers and the track to Mt Fitz Roy provided a challenge for those who were brave or a more gentle surprise for those who were not. The Iguazu extension was a complete contrast to the south and we were plunged into tropical jungle and the river itself on one of the many boat tours that ferry you to the base of the falls. It was an unforgettable journey that will inspire us to explore more of this remarkable continent.
“Perfect holiday”
Shanghao - Singapore Oct 2019
We took a trip to Patagonia with Global Journeys/G Adventures and it was the best we could ever have had. Everything was taken care of, the guides were great and went the distance to add on extras so we could experience what the locals did. Response was quick as well, thanks Jemma for the wonderful trip.
“Well organised tour”
Sophie - NSW, Australia Oct 2019
Booking with Global Journeys was easy. Intrepid are a great company to travel with. Their tour leaders are supportive and know how to organise a trip! It was flawless. Great local guides - this trip had a bit of everything and it was a great trip for a glimpse of Peru. Very fast paced and active tour!
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Your guide to travelling through South America
28 August, 2019 5 Top Places to go Rafting in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and thrill seekers – you can hike and bike through the landscapes, or even zipline over them. It is also a popular destination to take a rafting trip, with some incredible waterways offering rapids of varied difficulty. Here are five of the best..
30 July, 2019 Why You Need to Book Early to Secure Your Inca Trail Trek Permit
Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is an incredibly special experience and a privilege to undertake. Traversing the mountain passes and cloud forests over four days en route to the fascinatingly beautiful Incan citadel, and reaching it at sunrise, is an experience reserved for a lucky..
15 November, 2018 Inca Trail vs Quarry Trail
Whether you’re a history buff, keen trekker or just a traveller up for a challenge and some epic scenery, the dream of hiking to Machu Picchu is a commonly held one. As recently as 2007, this UNESCO World Heritage-listed site gained status as one of seven New Wonders of the World and won..
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