nous partons au pérou en oct nov de cette année, voici notre itinéraire. dites moi ce que vous en pensez, s'il y a des choses a rajouter, a enlever, etc...
merc 28 oct: arrivée a lima a 7h. journée a lima. bus jusqu'a pisco (3h-3h30) en fin de journée (il y en a? parce qu'on voudrait eventuellement visiter un musée et un autre a la fin de notre sejour...). nuit a pisco
jeu 29 oct: visites des iles ballesta (depart a 8h) et/ou de la reserve naturelle de paracas.
bus de nuit jusqu'a arequipa
vend 30 oct et sam 31 oct: arequipa: visite de la ville et du monastere santa catalina. nuits a arequipa
dim 1er nov: bus juqu'au canyon del colca (4 a 5h jusqu'a chivay) nuit a cabanaconde
lun 2 nov: rando ds le canyon. nuit dans le canyon (a cabaconde ?)
mar 3 nov: bus jusqu'a arequipa (5 a 6h) puis jusqu'a puno (5h). nuit a puno (on ne pourra pas dormir a amantani ca me semble trop juste...??)
merc 4 nov: visite du lac titicaca puis bateau jusqu'a amantani où on passera la nuit(3h de bateau)
jeu 5 nov : bateau jusqu'a l'ile de taquilé où l'on dejeunera puis bateau jusqu'a puno ou juliaca (d'ou part le bus touristique stp?)
ven 6 nov: bus touristique jusqu'a sicuani qui s'arrete aux sites intéressants, visite de raqchi et des sources chaudes, nuit a sicuani
sam 7 nov: train jusqu'a cuzco où l'on passera 5 nuits, visites des différents sites. nous achèterons le boleto turistico (43 dollars) dès le premier site visité. visite du machu picchu le dimanche ou mardi (1h30 de train) il parait qu'il y moins de monde ces jours la...
merc 11 nov: cuzco - lima en avion (on laisse tomber le train des andes) car en bus ca a l'air galere et je voulais savoir s'il y avait des choses a voir ka tu a me conseiller?
on est un peu genés de zapper toute la region entre cuzco et lima on ne profitera pas du paysage non plus...qu'en pense tu? n'y a t il pas des choses a voir...??
jeu 12 nov: visite de lima soit jusqu'au 14 nov jour du depart
2 jours a lima ca suffit ?
ps: les iles ballesta ca vaut le coup ??
et sinon notre programme te semble t il réalisable et le plus judicieux?
merci beaucoup pour ta reponse si rapide et complète 🙂
Bonjour
je te propose des modifications de ton circuit:
merc 28 oct: arrivée a lima a 7h. journée et nuit a lima
Il est preferable de partir pour Pisco ou Paracas le soir et dormir sur place . Le depart pour les Ballestas se fait vers 08.00 heures le matin
jeu 29 oct: bus jusqu'a pisco (3h). visites des iles ballesta et/ou de la reserve naturelle de paracas. nuit a pisco
Tu peux prendre le bus de nuit . Le nombre d'agressions de nuit est infime pour les compagnies serieuses. Cela te fait gagner 1 journée et une nuit d'hotel)
vend 30 oct: bus jusqu'a arequipa (de nuit ca craint pas ?? des guides me le deconseillent... ca nous ferait gagner du temps...)
sam 31 oct: arequipa: visite de la ville et du monastere santa catalina. nuit a arequipa
dim 1er nov: bus juqu'au canyon del colca (4 a 5h jusqu'a chivay) nuit a chivay
Si tu fais la rando en bas du canyon, il est preferable d'aller à Cabanaconde, depart de la descente
lun 2 nov: rando ds le canyon nuit a chivay
Nuit au fond du canyon
mar 3 nov: bus jusqu'a arequipa (4 a 5h) puis train jusqu'a puno sinon 5h de bus. nuit a puno (il parait que le bus est plus rapide que le train !!??!! c vrai??)
Le train n'existe plus depuis pas mal de temps. Le bus c'est 5-6 heures
merc 4 nov: visite du lac titicaca et des iles taquilé (3h de bateau) nuit a puno
Tu as la possibilité de dormir sur Amantani et revenir sur Taquilé pour le dejeuner et ensuite Puno
jeu 5 nov: train jusqu'a sicuani, visite de raqchi et des sources chaudes, nuit a sicuani
Le train , Perurail ne fonctionne que 3 jours par semaine en novembre lundi, mercredi, samedi et coute très cher (220$). Il est preferable de prendre soit un bus local avec arret à Sicuani, comme tu le prevois, ou bien le bus touristique qui s'arrete plusieurs fois pour visiter les sites interressants et à Sicuani pour le lunch ( beaucoup moins onereux que le train)
ven 6 nov: train jusqu'a cuzco où l'on passera 5 nuits, visites des différents sites. nous achèterons le boleto turistico (20 dollars?) dès le premier site visité. visite du machu picchu le dimanche ou mardi (1h30 de train) il parait qu'il y moins de monde ces jours la...mais est on vraiment en pleine saison? apparemment c'est plutot d'avril a octobre...
le boleto turistico coute 130 soles ( 43$ environ), il ne permet pas de visiter les edifices religieux et s'achète dans l'office av del sol ( les entrées de sites sont souvent une simple personne avec un perforateur
merc 11 nov: cuzco - huancayo en avion, nuit a huancayo.
Il n'y a pas d'avion entre cuzco et Huancayo seulement le bus sur une mauvaise route de montagne entre Abancay et huancayo. Tu peux t'arreter à Huancavelica et prendre le train jusqu'a Huancayo qui fonctionne tous les jours
jeu 12 nov: huancayo - lima par le train des andes mais il parait qu'il circule que de mi-avril a octobre et une fois par semaine ?? donc s'il ne circule pas (dommmaaagggeeeuuu) nous prendrons l'avion cuzco- lima et passerons plus de temps a lima soit jusqu'au 14 nov jour du depart
Pas de chance , le train ne fonctionne pas le 12 Novembre ( a titre d'information les trains du 8 et du 22 nov de huancayo a lima fonctionne de nuit donc ne presente aucun interet
un grand merci d'avance pour vos reponses !! 🙂
😊une question pour finir: en octobre novembre au perou c'est bien l'été, non? alors pourquoi parlent t'ils toujours de haute saison entre avril et octobre comme pour le petit train des andes
La haute saison est la periode la plus touristique et n'a aucune liaison avec la periode climatique
Cinq nuits à Cuzco, c'est beaucoup trop car cela t'oblige à revenir tous les soirs à Cuzco ce qui est une grande perte de temps !
Voici ce que tu peux faire pour visiter Cuzco et sa région :
J 1 : visite de Cuzco. Nuit à Cuzco.
J2 : les quatre ruines autour de Cuzco + le site de Pisac. Nuit à Pisac.
J3 : départ de Pisac vers Ollantaytambo. Visite des ruines d'Ollantaytambo. Train en fin d'après-midi pour Aguas Calientes. Nuit à Aguas Calientes.
J4 : machu picchu. Train en fin de journée pour Ollantaytambo. Nuit à Ollantaytambo.
J5 : Ollantaytambo - Salinas de Maras - Moray - Chinchero puis retour en fin d'après-midi à Cuzco. Nuit à Cuzco.
Si tu décides d'aller sur le Titicaca, je te conseille de dormir sur Amantani. Le lendemain, tu visites Taquile puis tu reviens sur Puno.Visiter les îles dans la journée, c'est beaucoup trop court.
"Il faut faire aujourd'hui ce que tout le monde fera demain" Cocteau
merci pour ta réponse le programme que tu me proposes pour cuzco et les alentours me convient c'est que nous n'avions pas encore bien décidé des détails il n'est pas evident de réaliser les distances et les temps de trajet !!
nous aurions voulu dormir a pisac pour faire le marché dominical penses tu qu'on peut faire sicuani pisac dans la journée?
revenant du canyon del colca nous irons dormir a puno et le lendemain nous irons a amantani ou nous passereons la nuit, le surlendemain nous irons sur taquilé pour dejeuner et le soir rejoindrons puno ou juliaca pour prendre le bus touristique jusqu'a sicuani : sait tu d'ou il part ? combien ca coute etc...
nous avons pensé prendre l'avion entre cuzco et lima car les moyens de transport st limités (et notre temps aussi !!) n y a t il rien qu on ne ratera ds cette region ???
ps: qd etes vous allés au pérou ?
auriez vous des liens ou adresses pour se loger, nous cherchons des gites chambres d'hotes ou auberges pour etre proches de la population mais tout en etant assures de la propreté et de la securite des lieux...
un grand merci a vous deux
a bientot de ta reponse j'espere...
clotilde
Je suis allée au Pérou en juillet dernier, un mois.
J'ai fait Andahuaylillas, Raqhi, Sicuani, La Raya et Pukara avec le bus touristique Inka Express qui part de Cuzco et qui arrive à Puno (ou inversement).
Pour rejoindre Lima, nous avions pris le vol Cuzco - Lima, rapide et correct au niveau tarif.
Concernant les logements, voici les adresses que je te recommande. Je ne voyage pas "à la routard" et ne cherche donc pas le moins cher mais le meilleur rapport/qualité avec un certain confort.
A Arequipa : Posada Nueva Espana (25 euros). Tenu par un français marié avec une péruvienne. Excellente adresse. Il organise aussi les excursions au canyon.
A Pisac : Pisac Inn (28 euros). Super également.
A Ollantaytambo : El Albergue Bed and Breakfast (40 euros). Très très bien et très pratique car il se trouve sur le quai de la gare (aucun bruit)
A Amantani : Kantuta Logde (25 euros). Propre mais très rustique comme tous les logements sur l'île qui n'ont ni eau ni électricité. Un super souvenir !
A Nazca : hôtel Oro viejo (32 euros). Très très bien lui aussi.
A Cuzco : Mosq'oywasi que je ne te recommande pas.
A Puno : La Hacienda (38, 5 euros). Super également.
Tous ces hôtels ont un site internet.
"Il faut faire aujourd'hui ce que tout le monde fera demain" Cocteau
Le circuit que tu envisage est a peut pres celui que j'avais fait en juillet 2007 (sauf les îles ballestas et paracas, je les avait zappé).
Quelques petites remarques par rapport àc e que j'ai fait :
dim 1er nov: bus juqu'au canyon del colca (4 a 5h jusqu'a chivay) nuit a cabanaconde
lun 2 nov: rando ds le canyon. nuit dans le canyon (a cabaconde ?)
mar 3 nov: bus jusqu'a arequipa (5 a 6h) puis jusqu'a puno (5h). nuit a puno (on ne pourra pas dormir a amantani ca me semble trop juste...??)
Bus Arequipa - Cabanaconde : environ 6 heures
Le lundi 2 tu descend dans le canyon et tu dors dans le canyon (donc pas à Cabanaconde qui est le point de départ de la rando)
le 3 nov tu remonte à Cabanaconde, tu reprend le bus pour Arequipa, et oui il est possible de reprendre dnas la foulée le bus pour Puno. Reserve ton billet Arequipa - Puno avant de partir dans le canyon.
Il y a une bus toursitique qui fait Puno - Cusco.
J'ai aussi passé 5 nuits à Cusco, c'est quand même agréable de poser son gros sac uen fois pour toute pendant plusieurs jours. Depuis Cusco il est très facile de circuler dans la Vallée Sacrée.
J'ai mis tout le détail de mon voyage ici, si tu veux y jeter un coup d'oeil : http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=1186089;#1186089
merci Carole pour toutes ces infos ca va beaucoup nous aider pour la préparation de notre voyage !!
j'ai une dernière question : nous prenons le bus de nuit entre pisco et arequipa l'as tu deja pris ? (ou quelqu'un que tu connais) j'ai entendu ou lu plusieurs témoignages d'agressions et de vol (et même plus...) ca m'inquiète...est ce vraiment risqué ?
j'espère que tu pourras me rassurer...
ciao
clotilde
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Hello,
my wife and I will be in Cusco for a week in March 2027.
I’d like to organize the visit to the site on our own, combining the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.
We’d leave Cusco on Day 1 to arrive at the site in the morning, then stay in Aguas Calientes or Ollantaytambo, and on Day 2 return to Cusco while visiting the Sacred Valley.
Is this doable?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Cédric.
Hello,
We’re spending 3 weeks in Rio between February 20 and March 15, 2027, to visit our son and daughter-in-law. We’re thinking of one or two "escapes" from Rio—3-day trips to get away from the city (so not too far, max 3–4 hours by car or bus). We’re all ears for suggestions! We love beautiful nature and authentic experiences, not so much the touristy spots... even though those spots are often in beautiful places, we’d rather avoid them.
Thanks for your insights!
Catherine
Hello,
we’re arriving in Fortaleza on February 14, 2027, and planning to rent a car to drive to João Pessoa in two stages. We’ll leave from there on the 20th or 21st to head to Rio. Our questions:
- Which stop between Fortaleza and João Pessoa would be the most enjoyable?
- How long does it take to drive from Fortaleza to João Pessoa?
- Are there any easy hikes (no guide needed) around João Pessoa?
Thanks for all your replies—I’m hoping for lots!
Catherine
Hi there,
I’m planning a trip with my partner (no kids this time—thanks, Grandma!) for two weeks to celebrate her 40th birthday. I’ve been thinking about Chile. We’re looking at leaving around September 18, 2027, starting in the south and returning in early April.
Here’s what I had in mind:
8 nights in a van in the Lake District and the start of the Carretera Austral (up to the Chaitén area). We’re set to arrive in Puerto Montt around 2:00 PM. We don’t want to go too far south since we’re planning to explore the heart of Patagonia (Chile and Argentina) with the kids when they’re older. The idea is to spend 3 nights discovering the lakes (up to Cochamó) and 3 nights in Pumalín Park. I’ve also added two transition nights.
7 nights in the Atacama to experience another side of Chile (San Pedro), taking a domestic flight from Puerto Montt to Calama in the early afternoon. We’ll depart for France in the early evening from Santiago.
IMPORTANT NOTICE for those planning to take a bus to another city, state, or destination from Salvador!
Starting January 20, 2026, the intercity bus station Rodoviária is changing its address!
The Rodoviária is leaving the Iguatemi area and will now be located in ÁGUAS CLARAS (about twenty kilometers from downtown Salvador).
A brand-new station (the most modern in Brazil) has just been set up there, accessible by car/taxi/Uber/metro.
Allow for much more transfer time (especially during rush hours), so leave early if you're heading to Chapada Diamantina or other Brazilian cities by bus.
Remember, there are also private transfers (even French-speaking ones) that can take you directly from your hotel in Salvador to your hotel in Chapada. Sure, it’ll be more expensive, but you’ll save on transfer time and comfort.
Tropical greetings from Salvador,
@ivanbahiaguide
Loyal member of the French-Speaking Brazil Forums for over 15 years already 😊 🇧🇷
Hello,
We’re thinking of spending 1 month in Chile, maybe doing a loop?
From 12/23 to 01/22.
What are the must-see sights, given we’re more interested in the country’s cultural side than the beaches?
Thanks
Hi everyone,
We're planning a trip to southern Chile in November. Here's our tentative itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival in Santiago, then a flight the next day to Balmaceda where we'll pick up a rental car to reach Coyhaique.
Day 3: Walk in the Coyhaique National Reserve, then continue to Puerto Chacabuco. Return to Coyhaique for the second night.
Day 4: Drive to Villa Cerro Castillo for a hike in the national park. Continue to Puerto Tranquilo and stay there for 3 nights.
Day 5: Boat tour on Laguna San Rafael.
Day 6: Day trip to Monte San Valentin Glacier.
Day 7: Excursion to the Marble Chapels, then drive to Puerto Guadal. We'll stay there for 3 nights.
Day 8: Walk along Lago Carrera and return to Puerto Guadal.
Day 9: Rio Baker Valley and, if possible, a glacier excursion.
Day 10: Drive to Cochrane and hike in Tamango National Reserve. We'll stay 2 nights in Cochrane.
Day 11: Walk in the Chacabuco Valley.
Day 12: Drive to Caleta Tortel. We'll stay there for 2 nights.
Day 13: Cruise in the Rio Baker delta.
Day 14: Return to Cochrane.
Day 15: Return to Balmaceda in two stages.
Day 16: Continue the return journey.
Day 17: Return the rental car and head back to Santiago.
After this, we're also planning to explore northern Santiago. I'll post about that part once I have a clearer idea of the route.
What do you think of this itinerary? Is it doable in 17 days?
Thanks in advance for your tips and recommendations.
martine
Hi everyone! So happy to be back on this forum—it’s packed with such useful info! 🙂 My husband and I are planning a 2.5-week self-drive trip to Colombia at the end of the year, including some domestic flights. My first question is: is it possible, easy, and safe to do a road trip in Colombia?
Below is our draft itinerary (with questions at each stop):
29/11: France → Colombia. Overnight in Bogotá.
30/11: Exploring Bogotá: La Candelaria and Montserrate.
01/12: Gold Museum (closed on Mondays). Drive to Zipaquirá (1.5 hrs) to visit the Salt Cathedral. Then drive to Villa de Leyva (3 hrs). Explore the town. Overnight in Villa de Leyva.
02/12: Return to Bogotá via Laguna de Guatavita (5 hrs). Is it worth the detour? Overnight in Bogotá.
03/12: Flight to Pereira. Drive to Salento. Overnight in Salento.
04/12: Cocora Valley (hike among the wax palms) followed by a drive around the area. Are there any waterfalls or other sights nearby?
05/12: Visit a coffee finca—any recommendations? Then explore the surroundings: Filandia, Manizales, waterfalls? Hot springs? Which ones?
06/12: Flight to Medellín.
07/12: Exploring Medellín: Centro, Plaza Botero, Comuna 13. How do you visit Comuna 13? Is it easy to get around Medellín? Metro? Buses?
08/12: Drive to Guatapé (2 hrs). Visit the town, stroll around the lake, then El Peñol. Overnight in Guatapé.
09/12: Return to Medellín.
10/12: Flight to Santa Marta. Drive to a hotel near Tayrona Park.
11/12: Tayrona—El Zaino entrance.
12/12: Tayrona—Palangana entrance, then Bahia Concha and Santa Marta. What do you think?
13/12: Drive to Minca (45 mins). Can we reach the village by car? Pozo Azul and Marinka waterfalls. Overnight in Minca (or back in Tayrona?).
14/12: Drive to Puerto Nao (5 hrs). Stop in Ciénaga on the way + boat tour in Nueva Venecia and/or Buena Vista? Not enough time? Overnight in Puerto Nao.
15/12: Exploring Cartagena: Centro, Getsemaní, the walls + La Boquilla if we have time.
16/12: La Boquilla (is it really worth it?) if we didn’t have time yesterday, then back to the beach.
17/12: Return to France.
So, what do you think? Is this doable, or should we tweak it? Thanks in advance for your invaluable feedback and tips! 🙂
Hi there, I’ll be in Brazil from December 10th to the end of February.
I’ve sketched out a rough itinerary but I’m not sure how to arrange it—considering the climate, year-end holidays, and Carnival.
Basically, I’m thinking of the Amazon, the Northeast coast with Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (but skipping Chapada Diamantina),
Ouro Preto, Paraty, and Ilha Grande—but no Rio visit.
Is this doable in 3 months?
Which direction should I take for this itinerary?
Thanks in advance!
Hi everyone, does anyone know the agency Ventura Travel Agency (not ventura travel)? After lots of research and quotes, it’s the only one offering Uyuni at a reasonable price while meeting all the criteria: transfer to the border, private-room accommodation, and a very fair rate. Other agencies or guides either offer shared rooms, no border transfer, or prices that are way too high. But I’d love to hear some reviews about this agency. Thanks in advance!
Hi everyone,
We're planning a trip to Chile to visit the Atacama Desert and then head toward Putre, Lauca, Salar de Surire, etc.
Which would be the better time to go, April or November?
Is an SUV enough?
Looking forward to your tips!
Hi everyone, French travelers in Chile—what credit cards do you use for your various car rentals in the country? I’m traveling in September and was planning to switch my regular debit card (a VISA PREMIER in deferred debit mode) for the deposit guarantee.
My rentals are with Figal in Punta Arenas, Econautos in Arica, and Chilean Rent a Car in Temuco, and all of them want the deposit on a credit card. For me, deferred debit *should* work, but I’ve read comments saying the opposite.
How’s it actually working on the ground with these rental companies right now? Will a deferred debit card work, or not at all?
In France, banks don’t issue credit cards, right—or am I mistaken?
Hi everyone, is it still possible to travel in Ecuador outside the Amazon region? If so, do you have a reliable agency to recommend? All your recent experiences from the past few months would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much
Hi,
We’re heading to Buenos Aires for 3 days in November and would like to do a guided tour of a few neighborhoods. There are "free" tours, but none in French. Does anyone have a guide to recommend so we can really get to know the city beyond just the architecture?
Thanks
Hi there,
I’m desperately looking for info on the schedules and routes of (shared) boats to visit the islands of Lake Titicaca.
From what I’ve found, there’s a *combi* (bus) that leaves from Puno to go to Llachon. Where do you catch it? What are the schedules and frequency? Does it take about 1 hour?
Then in Llachon, you can take a boat to Amantani (45 min). Same question—where do you check for frequency and schedule?
After that, from Amantani, boats go to Taquile and then Uros. Do you have enough time to visit the islands between two boats? Frequency and schedule?
The goal is to do this tour independently (no agency) over 2 days. Thanks for any tips you might have!
I just got back from a trip to Bolivia and wow—what a wake-up call. It’s not the easiest country, but it’s absolutely stunning.
I started with Isla del Sol, perfect for easing into the altitude at a relaxed pace. Try to stay in the northern part of the island—it’s quieter and the views are insane. And the trout there? Unreal. Quick tip: bring cash in small bills; they almost never have change, and cards are rarely accepted.
Next up, La Paz. The city’s pretty wild, built in every direction. I did a few hikes in the area, including the famous Charquini Lagoon (the blue lake) at over 5,000 m—let’s just say I struggled 😅 but it was so beautiful it was totally worth it.
After that, I headed to Sajama. It’s cool, especially for the hot springs, and I stayed in Tomarapi. But honestly, if you’re short on time, you can skip it without too many regrets.
The highlight of the trip: the Salar. I did it starting from Tupiza, and I *highly* recommend going Tupiza → Uyuni. Way less crowded at the start and the landscapes are super varied. For the tour, I used SplitYourGuide to find a group, and it worked out great. Super handy for splitting costs and meeting people.
I wrapped up in Sucre—this city is gorgeous, all white, with such a chill vibe. And the salteñas + ice cream? Next level 😋
Bottom line: Bolivia’s a bit rough around the edges, sometimes exhausting (shoutout to the altitude), but it’s 1000% worth it.
If you’ve got questions or need tips, I’m happy to help!
Martin
I was planning to go to Réunion and stay in half-board accommodation with non-professionals, but it seems that’s not really the custom there—or maybe my budget isn’t big enough.
So, since I’ve already traveled around Ecuador and Peru, I’m now looking at Argentina, especially for its mountains (like the ones in Réunion that tempted me, even though—frustratingly—I could only admire them from below).
I plan to get around by bus and don’t know in advance where I’ll sleep, so I won’t book ahead. If I like a place, I might stay for several days.
I know that in Chile, it’s easy to find half-board accommodation, but what about in Argentina?
I’d like to stay with locals in half-board without it being a professional setup. I’m not sure if this is common practice there. It’s up to me to find someone willing to host me.
What do you think?
What would be a fair price (keeping in mind that 40 to 50 € is the max I can spend on accommodation, breakfast, and dinner)?
Hi everyone,
We’re heading to Patagonia for three weeks in November, starting from Coyhaique in Chile.
We won’t have a car, and I’m struggling to find information about transportation options for a few parts of the itinerary we’d like to do:
1) From Perito Moreno (the town, near Los Antiguos), we’d like to travel down Ruta 40 to visit Perito Moreno National Park and then cross into Chile via the Paso Roballos (at the latitude of Bajo Caracoles) to reach the road to Cochrane. Without a car, it seems we’ll need to use private agencies to get to the national park—do you have any recommendations or suggestions? Also, does anyone know if it’s possible to cross into Chile via Paso Roballos (from Bajo Caracoles) without a rental car? That is, without having to go all the way down to El Chaltén or back up toward Perito Moreno/Los Antiguos, etc.?
2) The second stretch that seems a bit tricky (though still easier, in theory) is from Caleta Tortel to Villa O’Higgins on the Chilean side. Do we have to go back through Cochrane, or are there ways to get directly from Tortel to Villa O’Higgins?
3) Finally, we’d like to hike into Argentina (El Chaltén) from O’Higgins. Any recommendations for this? Do we need to go through an agency? What’s the estimated duration of the trek?
As you’ve probably gathered, we want to visit some off-the-beaten-path spots but don’t have a car, so we’re looking for the best possible compromises.
Thanks so much in advance for all your suggestions!
Thomas
Hi,
we’re planning a round trip from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, to Salta, Argentina, in two months. On the way there, we’ll take the northern route via Susques, Route 27, then 52. But for the return, we were thinking of taking the southern route via San Antonio de los Cobres, Route 51, then 23. Is it similar to the northern route in terms of road surface? How busy is it, and are there gas stations? Basically, should we be worried about doing it in an SUV that’s supposedly 4x4 but has regular road tires and no second spare wheel, obviously...
I’ve seen that we can stop over in San Antonio de los Cobres.
Thanks for your feedback.
Raf.
Hi,
we’ll be in Calama at the end of March 2026, and I’m looking for a reliable car rental there for a 7-day road trip to Salta, Argentina. But I’m struggling with the car rental agencies in Calama because the reviews can be scary. I saw Gyg, which has great ratings, but I’m a bit wary (5/5 from 59 reviews—either the guy’s amazing or it’s fake...), but I can’t find any recent reviews on VF in general.
For Punta Arenas, I booked with Dachelet and didn’t have any issues with email exchanges.
Thanks in advance.
Raf.
I’m planning the trip of my dreams for next November—Chile!
I’d love to get your thoughts on my potential itinerary. I know it’s a big investment in terms of both time and money, so every bit of feedback, suggestion, or info helps immensely. Thank you in advance!!
1-Flight to Santiago
2-Explore Santiago
3-Explore Santiago
4-Bus from STG to Valpo (2h) + visit Valparaíso + night in Viña
5-Visit Valparaíso + bus back to STG (2h)
6-Flight to Calama + bus to San Pedro + explore and acclimate in San Pedro + car rental in the afternoon (+Chaxa?)
7-(Very early) Valle del Arcoíris + Laguna Cejar + Valle de la Luna
Good evening,
We’d love to go in November to enjoy some beautiful beaches for about two weeks, preferably around Bahia, as November/December seems like a great time.
We’ve already traveled to Brazil several times and know the south of Rio as well as the region between São Luís and Fortaleza, and Chapada Diamantina...
What advice would you give us: the south with Itaparica, Morro de São Paulo, Boipeba, Barra Grande—or all four? Or maybe the north?
Thanks in advance for your help
Hi everyone, it’s been a while since I last posted!
First time in South America for me, my wife, and our 7-year-old son. I’ve put together this itinerary and would love to hear your thoughts:
Bogotá 28/07 – 30/07: Arrival. Which neighborhood and outings would you recommend?
Flight to
2 Filandia 30/07 – 03/08: (255 €). Waterfalls and horseback riding,
Cocora Valley,
Hiking,
Nearby villages.
Flight to
3 Tayrona 03/08 – 07/08: Hotel La Casablanca
Hike with Tierra Nevada and the Kogui village (any feedback?). Return by inner tube for the little one.
Short night hike.
Second hike to La Piscina, etc., return by 🐎.
4 Cartagena 07/08 – 10/08: Air-conditioned bus.
Staying in Getsemaní? Mangroves & the Castle, exploring the city.
5 Bogotá 10/08 – 12/08
Feel free to share your feedback!
Have a great day!
Hi,
During an upcoming trip to Peru, we’ll have one day to explore around Arequipa (excluding Colca Canyon) with a car and driver.
We’ve got a few options:
- Toro Muerto petroglyphs and dinosaur footprints at Querulpa
- Ruta del Sillar and Quebrada de Culebrillas
We’re a group of 6 friends with an average age of 70, all mobile, and we’re planning a trip to Peru in September/October 2026. Below is an idea of what we’re looking for: a French-speaking guide, accommodation in 3-star hotels or homestays with comfort.
Duration: 16 to 20 days on-site.
Visit the main sites with immersion in the culture and way of life.
Which francophone agency in Peru would you recommend? Thanks
Hi there!
I’m putting together my itinerary for Brazil, looking for beautiful natural spots with wildlife, flora, and great hikes...
I’ve come across the Cananeia / Super Agui / Ilha do Mel region and the PETAR / Intervales / Alto Ribeira area.
Has anyone here been to these places? If so, do you have any recommendations for accommodations and activities?
Thanks in advance!
Best,
Olivier 🌍
I’ll be in ARICA in northern Chile at the end of May 2026 and want to get to TACNA.
Are there taxis, buses, or collectivos that run the border crossing route?
After that, bus to AREQUIPA (Peru): any bus company you’d recommend?
Hi there,
We’re spending 3 weeks in Brazil, arriving in São Paulo—a couple plus a teen—and we’ll have a rental car.
We especially love nature: hiking, wildlife watching, birds, etc.
We’re planning to wrap up with a week around Paraty and Ilha Grande.
We’re not really into visiting big cities like São Paulo or Rio unless you think we’d be missing out big time.
So we’ve got 2 weeks to explore the south/southwest region of São Paulo.
What do you recommend?
National parks? Off-the-beaten-path nature spots? Iguazu Falls?
