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South America Bossa Nova, the Amazon rain forest, Machu-Pichu, Incas, Grazie Jiu-Jitsu, salsa dancing, exotic women...

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Old 10-03-2006, 03:58 PM   #1
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Default What's good with South America???

Hey everybody

I finally got money to travel again and a couple friends and I have decided to do a spontaneous trip to South America and need some help. We will have about a month. Definetly love the adventure rainforest stuff, the acient ruins and all the culture.

I don't really know much, so a list of some cool places you guys have been to will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
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Old 10-04-2006, 06:15 AM   #2
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Haven't been there myself, but we've got a few local experts. While you're waiting for their reply (should be pretty soon now), check out the other threads in the South America forum - you'll probably be able to pick up a few good suggestions from those, and more when our SA punks see your question.

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Old 10-04-2006, 10:02 AM   #3
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It's a major big country man and varying degrees of coin can be spent.

Give me a budget idea and then I can help a bit more with narrowing it down. From what you've said so far though I am thinking that the typical "Inca Trail" based trip would be up your alley...
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Old 10-04-2006, 11:53 AM   #4
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Like anything, it really depends on what you're into.

If you're interested in Argentina, Chile, or Uruguay, let me know!
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Old 10-04-2006, 05:10 PM   #5
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If you have one month you'll have to pick one country, two at the most, to make the best of your trip, otherwise you'll find yourself spending half of your time in a bus.

So it depends on what you like.

If you are really into ancient ruins and that sort of things, Peru should be the main country of your trip may be sneaking into Ecuador or Bolivia for a week or something.

If you want to go a little more cultural movement and worldly style Argentina is my suggestion, with Uruguay attached. And prepare to see really cute girls and eat the best/cheapest steak of your lifetime.

Now if you guys want to see beaches and beatiful landscapes then a mixed Colombia-Venezuela would be awesome, my advise is that Venezuela is not so good to travel alone, not because of security reasons but there are few hostels and peoples i not as kind to backpackers as in the rest of SA, but since your going with a party I guess it will be great.

Chile and Brazil I can not recommend since I dont know those countries that well, though I can say that you will be quite surprised to see a city like Santiago in SA and that Brazil deserves a whole trip to know it well. One more thing those two are the most expensive countries in Southamerica (now you guys have a clue of why I dont know'em that well :P ) so be prepared.

Ok those are my suggestions, ask again if you have doubts or post us your decission

Have fun planning and see you around!!
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Old 10-04-2006, 08:12 PM   #6
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bakwoi @ Oct 3 2006, 06:58 PM) [snapback]141594[/snapback]</div>
Quote:
Hey everybody

I finally got money to travel again and a couple friends and I have decided to do a spontaneous trip to South America and need some help. We will have about a month. Definetly love the adventure rainforest stuff, the acient ruins and all the culture.

I don't really know much, so a list of some cool places you guys have been to will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
[/b]

Dude I leave for Peru on Monday...And I could not be happier. It seems to have a little bit of eveything that one would want in South America. Check it out.
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Old 10-05-2006, 04:54 PM   #7
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Thanks for the info...Peru sounds like it will be a main attraction


i'll give it a little bit more thought and get back

thanks again
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Old 10-05-2006, 07:20 PM   #8
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Sigh. Another Tpunker will get to Macchu Picchu before me....

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Old 10-23-2006, 12:32 PM   #9
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Hi again,

so i'm finding my ticket and come across this great deal but there are some stops. Im cool with that but one is in Bogota. I know they've had problems in the past but is Colombia a stable and safe place for a 2 hour layover
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Old 10-26-2006, 05:25 PM   #10
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well 2 hours is not a lot anyway is barely enough to find your gate and check for the connection flight, however whenever you feel like coming to colombia, go ahead is as safe as the rest of southamerica, there are plenty of backpackers around here.

congratulations on your trip, have fun and keep us posted
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Old 10-26-2006, 10:08 PM   #11
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(worldwidemike @ Oct 5 2006, 07:20 PM) [snapback]141798[/snapback]</div>
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Sigh. Another Tpunker will get to Macchu Picchu before me....

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Mike... eventually you'll get there!! Of course, I might before you, as well, but
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Old 06-08-2007, 06:41 AM   #12
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yoyo,

the original 06 SA trip was crushed by the evil hand of the man and did not happen, so now i am reviving this post since i I will finally be headn there in july.

SO Inca Trail in Peru sounds great along with the rest of the country. I got a month for the trip so you think thatll be a good amount of time for Peru??

also anything off the beaten path there that is way cool ??

thanks
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Old 06-09-2007, 12:56 PM   #13
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hey congrats on the SA trip... im thinking of doing south america as well, how much money are you bringing if you dont mind me asking?
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Old 06-11-2007, 10:28 AM   #14
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after airfare im thinking around 350 for a month of hostels..prolly less, and then like 600 - 800 more for food, booze, and fun
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Old 04-07-2008, 02:54 PM   #15
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i've been to bolivia twice and love it there.

the uyuni salt plains are something really worth seeing.











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Old 04-08-2008, 03:02 AM   #16
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Wow...that's some really cool looking stuff! How hard is it to get there? Did you have to buy a tour, or can you just take public transport there and wander...?

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Old 04-08-2008, 12:22 PM   #17
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Everyone I met in Peru that had been in Bolivia raved about the salt flats...I really wanted to go, just didn't have the time. Everyone seemed to have taken a 4WD tour and camped on the flats. The salt is really hard on the vehicles so I think tours are most common.

If you go in winter it gets frigidly cold there so you'll need warm clothes and a 0 degree sleeping bag. I'm not sure what the deal is during the summer, I think the flats melt and that's when they skim off the salt to sell. I don't know if it's worth seeing then or not.
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Old 04-08-2008, 02:03 PM   #18
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there are overnight buses from la paz to uyuni if i remember correctly.
both times i went was in the summer and i don't recall the salt melting :D
you can book a 4wd tour once in uyuni from various agencies there. i don't think there's any other way of doing it. even if you had your own car you'd probably get lost! although you could probably stay in uyuni and walk into the plains for a day's trek if you wanted to.
the tours last 3-5 days i think. we didn't camp but rather stayed in various "houses" provided by the tour operators. but even so and even during the summer, temperatures will go below zero at night so a good sleeping bag is definitely needed. there's a volcano you can hike up somewhere in the plains too. i forget the name...
also, you might have to share the 4x4 with other tourists if there's less than 4 of you.
sorry for the vague info but it was a while ago. google will help i'm sure
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