South America Travel Guides: Ancient Peaks and Living Cities
Sugarloaf Mountain at golden hour, Machu Picchu wrapped in cloud, samba drifting up from a Rio side street. South America moves at its own rhythm, and honestly it will rearrange your sense of scale. Pick a country below and start planning.
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A Continent Built on Extremes
Here is the thing about South America. It does not really do subtle. The Andes run the entire length of it like a spine, the Amazon swallows a third of the continent whole, and then somehow Rio still manages to out-party everywhere else on the planet. We have stood on Sugarloaf watching the sun drop into Guanabara Bay, and stood in the clouds at Machu Picchu wondering how anyone built a city up there without modern tools. This hub is your jumping-off point. Real routes, honest costs, and the lessons that keep a big trip running smooth.
- 2 countriesCovered on this hub
- Visa-free, mostly90 days for most passports
- £30 / $40 / €35Backpacker daily, from
- Apr to OctDry season sweet spot
- The Andes7,000km of mountain spine
Best Time to Visit South America
The continent straddles the equator, so seasons flip depending where you land. Here's the honest breakdown.
Peru's Dry Season
May to SepThe window for Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail. Clear skies, cool nights, and the whole Sacred Valley at its most photogenic. Also peak season, so book permits well ahead.
Brazil's Summer
Dec to MarBeach season in Rio, plus Carnival if you time it right. Hot, humid, and lively. It is also peak season for prices, so expect Copacabana to be packed.
The Wet Months
Nov to AprPeru's rainy season closes some Inca Trail routes but the Amazon comes alive, rivers rise, and wildlife spotting gets easier by boat. Fewer crowds, lower prices.
Shoulder Months
Apr & OctThe sweet spot most people miss. Weather is settling either side of peak season, and you get a decent mix of clear days without the June to August crowds.
What to Expect, Region by Region
South America is enormous. We currently cover Brazil and Peru in depth, with more of the continent on the way.
Brazil
Beaches, Carnival, and a mountainous backdrop that makes Rio one of the most striking cities on earth. The Amazon and Iguazu Falls sit within reach too.
Peru
The Andes, Inca heritage, and Machu Picchu leading the charge. Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and some of the best food on the continent round it out.
Patagonia & The Southern Cone
Glaciers, wind-battered plains, and Buenos Aires tango till 4am. Argentina and Chile sit firmly on our list to cover next.
The Andean North
Colourful colonial cities, cloud forests, and the Uyuni salt flats. Bolivia, Ecuador, and Colombia are all high on our to-write list.
Guides by Country
The South American destinations we cover so far, with more of the continent on the way. Each card opens that country's full hub of guides, itineraries, and budgets.
Ready to Book the Big Stuff?
Two searches sort most of any South America trip: where you'll sleep and how you'll get there.
Find Your Stay
Hostels from £10 / $13 / €12 a night, boutique guesthouses, and beachfront hotels. Compare thousands of places in one search.
Search Hotels on Booking.comBook Tours & Activities
Machu Picchu tickets, Sugarloaf cable cars, and Amazon day trips. Sort the big permits and experiences before you land.
Browse GetYourGuideTop 5 Things to See and Do in South America
Famous for a reason. Here's our honest take on five experiences that live up to every bit of the hype.
Machu Picchu, Peru
The Lost City of the Incas, and somehow it still catches you off guard even after seeing a thousand photos of it. Hike the Inca Trail if you have the time, or take the train if you don't. Either way, go early for the light and the quiet.
Explore our Peru guides →Christ the Redeemer, Brazil
Arms open over Rio from the top of Corcovado, with Sugarloaf and Copacabana laid out below. Go up early or take the sunset slot, and skip the midday crowds if you can.
Explore our Brazil guides →Iguazu Falls, Brazil
Bigger than Niagara, louder than you expect, and split across Brazil and Argentina. The Brazilian side gives you the big panoramic view, the Argentine side gets you right into the spray.
Plan an Iguazu trip →The Amazon Rainforest
A third of the world's rainforest, and genuinely one of the wildest places left on the planet. Toucans, pink river dolphins, and nights so loud with insects you will not believe it. Accessible from both Brazil and Peru.
Explore our Peru guides →The Sacred Valley, Peru
Terraced Inca ruins, market towns, and mountain views that make Cusco itself feel like a warm-up act. Pisac and Ollantaytambo alone are worth a couple of unhurried days.
Explore our Peru guides →Latest South America Guides
Our newest articles, itineraries, and city guides from across the continent.
South America Travel Resources
The booking sites and tools we actually use on our own trips. No filler, just what works.
Hostels
Dorm beds and guesthouses across Brazil and Peru, with millions of traveller reviews.
Search Hostelworld →Hotels & Stays
Our go-to for everything from £10 / $13 / €12 guesthouses to beachfront resorts.
Search Booking.com →Car Hire
Compare rental prices across South America. Handy for road-tripping Brazil's coast.
Compare with DiscoverCars →Tours & Activities
Machu Picchu permits, Sugarloaf cable cars, and Amazon lodges in one search.
Browse GetYourGuide →eSIM Data
Land connected. One eSIM covers Brazil, Peru, and beyond from about £4 / $5.50 / €4.70.
Get an Airalo eSIM →Travel Insurance
Non-negotiable at altitude and in remote regions. Good cover costs less than a nice dinner.
Compare with VisitorsCoverage →Flight Compensation
Delayed or cancelled flight to or from South America? You might be owed money.
Check with CompensAIR →Airport Transfers
Pre-book a driver and skip the taxi haggle after a long flight into Rio or Lima.
Book a Transfer →When Travel Goes Sideways
Lost passports, pickpockets, cancelled flights. It happens. Here's how to handle it like a pro.
Travel Problems Hub
From missed connections to lost luggage, the fixes for travel's most common headaches.
Visit the Hub
Robbed Abroad?
The exact steps to take in the first 24 hours after a theft, from police reports to emergency cash.
Read the Guide
Health & Wellbeing
Altitude sickness, jet lag, and staying healthy on the road. The stuff that keeps a trip on track.
Stay WellSouth America Travel FAQs
The questions we get asked most, answered honestly.
Do I need a visa to visit South America?
For Brazil and Peru, most UK, EU, US, Canadian, and Australian passport holders can enter visa-free for tourism, usually for up to 90 days. Rules do shift though, Brazil in particular has changed its visa policy more than once in recent years, so always check the official government advice for your nationality before booking flights.
When is the best time to visit South America?
It depends which country you're prioritising. Peru's dry season, May to September, is the classic window for Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail. Brazil's best weather for Rio and the coast runs December to March, though that's also Carnival and peak pricing. April and October are solid shoulder months if you want a mix of good weather and thinner crowds across both.
How much does South America cost per day?
Backpackers can get by on around £30 / $40 / €35 a day in Peru and Bolivia, staying in hostels and eating local. Brazil runs a bit higher, especially in Rio, closer to £45 / $60 / €52 a day for a comfortable backpacker budget. Mid-range travellers should plan roughly double that in either country. Machu Picchu entry and Inca Trail permits are the one cost worth budgeting for separately.
Is South America safe for travellers?
The tourist areas we cover, like Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Rio's main neighbourhoods, are generally well set up for visitors and heavily used to tourism. That said, both countries have real petty crime risks, pickpocketing and phone snatching in Rio especially. Stick to well-known areas, avoid flashing valuables, use official taxis or rideshares, and skip Rio's favelas unless you're on a guided tour.
Do I need to worry about altitude sickness?
If you're heading to Cusco or Machu Picchu, yes, it's worth planning for. Cusco sits at around 3,400 metres, high enough that altitude sickness catches a fair few first-timers off guard. Spend a day or two acclimatising before any serious hiking, drink plenty of water, go easy on alcohol at first, and consider coca tea, which locals swear by.
Can I drink the tap water in South America?
Play it safe and stick to bottled or filtered water in both Brazil and Peru. Tap water isn't reliably safe for visitors in most areas, even in bigger cities. Bring a reusable bottle with a built-in filter, be cautious with ice in smaller local spots, and you'll avoid the trip-ruining stomach issues that catch out a lot of first-timers.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Take the pressure off. Our Start Here page walks you through planning step by step, or browse every destination we cover and see what grabs you.