Hi everyone,
After a lot of hesitation due to the season, I finally booked my tickets to Lima from June 30 to March 11—I’ll be crossing my fingers for the weather!
We’re planning the classic southern loop with a rental car, either the whole thing or part of it.
I’ve got a ton of questions:
Is it possible to drive to the Salinas y Aguada Blanca Reserve with our own vehicle?
Is the road to Cusco (the 34 E) in good condition?
Is it better to return via Andahuaylas, Pampachiri, Nazca? Or through Ayacucho toward Paracas?
I’m also hesitating about heading to the Cordillera Blanca and pushing on to Trujillo and Chan Chan because of the weather. The other option would be to spend a week or 10 days in northern Chile, which I think is amazing...
Hi everyone, here’s a little trip report from San José del Guaviare, in the Guaviare department of Colombia.
First, the journey: an overnight bus from Bogotá. The bus terminal is a 20-minute taxi ride from the airport (30,000 COP). The bus company that goes down to San José is Flota Macarena, located in sector 2 of the terminal.
The bus terminal is big, with plenty of places to eat and lots of little shops.
The bus seats are pretty small but manageable—comfortable enough. We left at 10:30 PM and arrived around 7:00 AM the next morning.
First thing to note: the center of San José, right by the river, is really dirty, noisy, and not very pleasant. We stayed at Hotel Malecon, by the river, where the Malecon promenade is supposed to be the nice spot to walk along the river. Well, no—it’s completely abandoned, with trash everywhere.
The hotel itself is in what we nicknamed the "scrap metal district," since that’s pretty much all you see—scrap yards and garages. Not exactly pleasant and kind of sketchy at first glance. A room with AC and a balcony at Hotel Malecon costs 120,000 COP per night. For one night, it was fine since we hadn’t booked anything in advance.
After that, we moved to an Airbnb in the neighborhood with the soccer stadium—a really nice and quiet area. The little tip here is that there’s a pool behind the stadium—8,000 COP to swim, and there’s a bar right across the street. Honestly, it’s great to have a place to cool off because it was *really* hot in San José.
Now, let’s talk about the main attraction here: the natural sites. We visited Puerta de Orión (free entry, but the guide—mandatory—costs 10,000 COP per person), the natural pools (15,000 COP entry), Balneario La Lindosa (5,000 COP to swim), and Las Delicias waterfall (10,000 COP)—that last one was our favorite.
The sites are really cool, and I’d definitely recommend visiting them. It’s pure nature out there.
For accommodations, a lot of places are located outside San José, near the tourist sites. At first, we wanted to stay out there, but without a car, it’s a real hassle. So if you’re not driving, stick to San José.
Getting to all these sites by taxi costs around 30,000 COP one way, except for Las Delicias waterfall, which is farther away—70,000 COP one way.
Taxis within the urban area of San José cost 6,000 COP.
The bus from San José to Villavicencio with Flota Macarena costs 78,000 COP and takes between 5 and 6 hours.
To wrap up, our 5 days in San José were really great. We were pleasantly surprised by how friendly the people there are—it really stands out.
So if you’re looking for a spot that’s still off the mass-tourism radar, come here! It’s nice, and there are plenty of other sites we didn’t get to see.
I’m planning a trip to Argentina in February. I’ll be starting from Buenos Aires and want to do a loop that goes through Salta and Mendoza before returning to Buenos Aires.
I’m still undecided on the direction:
• Buenos Aires → Mendoza → Salta → Buenos Aires
or
• Buenos Aires → Salta → Mendoza → Buenos Aires.
I plan to explore each region, alternating between buses and a rental car.
In your opinion, which direction makes more sense for this itinerary (climate, roads, logistics, etc.)?
I’d love to get your thoughts on the itinerary we’re planning for this summer (August) with our three older teens.
We’ve booked our round-trip flight from Lyon to Rio.
Originally, we were thinking of heading down to Paraty / Ilha Grande... but after checking, the water temperature seems a bit too cool, so we’d prefer to go to Bahia state for a bit more warmth.
Our interests: discovering the people and cities, enjoying the beach and relaxation, a few short hikes, etc.
What do you think of this itinerary?
Too much time lost in transit?
Day Stop
J1
Flight
J2
Early morning arrival in Rio
J3
Rio
J4
Rio
J5
Rio
J6
Flight to Foz do Iguaçu
J7
Foz do Iguaçu
J8
Foz do Iguaçu
J9
Flight to Salvador
J10
Salvador
J11
Salvador
J12
Ilha de Tinharé: Morro de São Paulo
J13
Ilha de Tinharé: Morro de São Paulo
J14
Ilha de Tinharé: Morro de São Paulo
J15
Ilha de Boipeba
J16
Ilha de Boipeba
J17
Ilha de Boipeba
J18
Ilha de Boipeba to Salvador
J19
Salvador to Rio
J20
Flight
J21
Arrival in France
Thanks so much for your help!!!!
Flo
Hi everyone,
I just got back from a trip to Colombia and wanted to share my experience with you—maybe it’ll help some of you out.
I met a French guy living in Bogota who offers airport transfer services, so you can arrive with total peace of mind and confidence.
He’s really friendly, punctual, and can even drive you around for your sightseeing trips in Bogota.
He’s just starting out, and I promised I’d mention him, so here it is!
Have a great day.
Hi everyone,
We’re two women of a certain age heading off to discover Chile for three weeks starting at the end of December.
We’re not really hikers, but we’re planning a few days in Torres del Paine (flying from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales), though we’re having trouble getting around the park by transport and finding reasonably priced accommodation...
There are a lot of bad reviews about the services on-site and the prices—overtourism! Is it still doable this season? Rent a car from Puerto Natales airport? Or would it be better to focus on another region that’s just as beautiful but less touristy?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
Hi, I’ve booked a cruise on the Stella Australis for early February 2026. Departure from Punta Arenas, arrival in Ushuaia in 5 days with 4 nights on board, and stops (zodiac landings).
Has anyone already done this cruise or hung out… way down there? What I’m wondering is what kind of clothes to bring, since I’ll need to gear up. Thanks in advance for your tips.
Xabi.
Hi there, we're heading to Antarctica in February for the trip of a lifetime!
After spending 3 weeks on the boat, we'd love some advice on how to extend our trip.
We were thinking of staying in Buenos Aires, which we’ll have visited on the way there.
So we’re considering exploring the areas around the capital. Any ideas for a week of discoveries?
Thanks so much for your input!
I’m planning a trip to Argentina where I’ll be arriving at Buenos Aires EZE airport. I’ve seen that there are buses to the city center, but you need a card to board them.
Does anyone know the name of the card, and if so, where can I buy it?
Thanks, and have a great day!
Yesterday, President Macron visited Salvador da Bahia.
Alongside the obligatory political visit and meeting with all the local bigwigs (the mayor, the governor, and the Minister of Culture, Margarete Menezes), he also took the time to visit museums like the MAM (Museum of Modern Art) and the Museu Afro Brasileiro… for those looking for something to do :/
Hi! We’re planning to spend a month (February or March 2026) in southern Chile, starting from Santiago (Lake District, Torres del Paine Park, Punta Arenas).
Can we do this itinerary by car, or do we need to take internal flights?
Has anyone done this trip and can give us some tips?
Thanks!
Fabienne and Jérôme
Hi,
Does anyone know where to exchange money on a Sunday at the best rate in Arica, please? We arrived last night and don’t have any pesos!
Thanks in advance.
Brigitte
Hi there,
I’m planning a trip to Colombia this summer. I’ve been reading a lot about safety in Colombia—everything and its opposite.
For those of you who know Colombia, currently, would you say it’s a country where you can travel safely? I don’t plan on going to narco or paramilitary zones. What about the political situation? I’m traveling as a couple, without any tour organization.
I just signed up and I’m still figuring out how this forum works—I didn’t know where to look for answers.
Thanks.
Hello everyone,
I'm just starting to plan a two-week trip I'd like to take with my wife in early May.
This trip would include the Atacama Desert, which I was lucky enough to visit alone once and would love to experience again with her.
But I'd like to add one or two other places to visit, keeping in mind that we're much more into nature than cities.
I was thinking about part of adjacent Bolivia... but since we'll have already seen quite a few stunning high-altitude lakes around Atacama, what would be some interesting and very different spots?
We would have loved to include Peru as well, but it might be tricky to combine in just two weeks.
I'll go through the many posts on this forum, but if any of you have some tempting ideas for this time of year (late April - early May), I'm all ears.
Thanks! :)
Hi there,
I’m reposting this because the two replies to my question were really nice, but one was from someone who traveled to Colombia five years ago, and the other from someone who’s never been. Plus, my question got buried in a completely off-topic discussion.
To clarify, I’d love **RECENT** info on safety in Colombia right now.
So, here it is again.
I’m planning a trip to Colombia this summer. I’ve read a lot about safety there—everything and its opposite.
You, Colombia experts, after your recent return from Colombia, would you say it’s a country where you can travel safely today? We don’t plan to visit narco or paramilitary zones. What about the current political situation? We’re traveling as a couple, without a tour.
Thanks for your replies.
I only found two really old discussions on this topic, and the links are dead, so here’s a new thread.
I’m getting back from Bahía Solano this Saturday and haven’t planned anything from the 25th (I’ll be in Medellín).
I’m traveling with my 9-year-old son… and I figure, if we’re gonna get caught in the rain here, we might as well do it somewhere nice…
I’m thinking about spending a week or so in the archipelago, but I can’t really tell what the weather’s like this time of year—is it just a few showers here and there, with life going on as usual, and we can still swim, snorkel between rain, read quietly… or is it really non-stop downpours?
Hi, I’m heading to Brazil soon and wanted to know the price of drinks in restaurants/hotels—like wine, beers, or cocktails—just to budget. Also, is there any risk with ice cubes? Thanks!
Hello,
We’re planning our first trip to Brazil from October 10 to November 7, 2025.
We’re a couple traveling with light backpacks using local transport.
Here’s our planned route:
Arrival in Rio de Janeiro, 5 days,
Tiradentes, Ouro Preto, Belo Horizonte, 7 days,
Flight from Belo Horizonte to Recife,
Recife, Olinda, 4 days,
Maceió, Penedo, 3 days,
Aracaju, 3 days,
Salvador de Bahia and surrounding areas, 5 days
Departure from Salvador de Bahia to Paris
Thanks in advance for any feedback you can share!
Of course, everything is flexible except for our arrival in Rio and departure from Salvador de Bahia.
Could you also recommend a neighborhood to stay in Rio?
Alod
I’m heading to Morro de São Paulo in the first half of September.
I’ll spend a day in Bahia and then take the fast ferry to Morro from the Terminal Turístico Náutico. I’ve heard this ferry can be canceled depending on sea conditions. Locals from Bahia, can you tell me if cancellations are common in early September or if it’s usually not a big deal?
After Morro, I’ll spend a few days in Boipeba.
My question is about the return trip to Bahia to catch my flight home.
Is it better to go back through Morro to take the ferry in the opposite direction, or can I leave directly from Boipeba to Bahia?
I want to avoid long trips and bus rides.
If there’s no way around a road trip, I could take a taxi, Uber, or something similar.
Obrigado pela ajuda for helping me optimize my route: Bahia → Morro / Boipeba → Bahia! :)
We’re just back from a 2-week tour of the Northeast; we booked our flight tickets ourselves and landed in Fortaleza. From there, we used an agency to handle our circuit all the way to São Luís. It was an incredible adventure—flawless organization, no hiccups, and landscapes that felt like another planet. We rarely use agencies, but we don’t regret it at all. Given all the 4x4s, buggies, and boats we took, it would’ve been impossible to do it on our own, at least for the full route we covered. Our wishes were respected, the accommodations matched our requests, and we had a fantastic French-speaking guide for the last 5 days. If you’d like more details, just ask!
Assuming our flight takes off, we’re leaving on September 10th...
On the 30th, we need to go to Valparaiso by bus—round trip in one day. I tried booking tickets on either Turbus or Pullman from the Alameda station, but neither site lets us enter our nationality because it’s not listed in the dropdown.
Is it really necessary to book the bus tickets online, or can we just grab them the morning of—or even 48 hours ahead at the station?
Thanks!
Odile
Hello,
We’re arriving at Rio Galeão on October 10th at 4:40 PM. We’ve booked a hotel near Ipanema.
I’ve seen there are several options to get to Ipanema—bus plus metro, taxis—but I haven’t found any shuttle bus. Could you tell me if one exists and, if so, where to catch it at the airport?
Thanks in advance
Hello everyone,
This coming November, I’ll be joining my family who lives in Villarrica, and I’d love to take the opportunity to climb the volcano.
I’ve been dreaming of doing it with my 16-year-old little brother, who’s in excellent physical shape and very athletic.
However, after checking out the "reputable" booking sites, I noticed that most guides systematically refuse anyone under 18, with no possibility of an exception—even though I’d be fully prepared to take full responsibility.
I think that’s really too bad.
Do any of you know if there are any serious agencies or guides who accept young people who are at least 16?
Your feedback or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks so much! 😊
hi there
I’m thinking of heading to northeastern Brazil in January or February—I don’t really have a choice with the dates.
Apparently, it rains a lot during that time.
Is it really a big issue for traveling? Are these tropical downpours—heavy but brief—or more of a continuous rain?
I’m especially curious about the stops in Lençóis, Atins, and Parnaíba.
For Lençóis, I know the lagoons are almost empty at this time of year.
I’ll also be passing through São Luís, Jericoacoara, Fortaleza, Olinda/Recife, and Salvador da Bahia, and before heading back to Europe, I’ll visit the Iguaçu Falls.
What do you think?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Best regards
Hi,
I’m heading to French Guiana for 15 days in March and I’m wondering if I should prioritize Saül given the distance.
We’ve rented a place near Cayenne for two weeks; factoring in one day to get there and another to return, that’s 3 days... For a first-time visit, wouldn’t it be better to explore other sites instead?
Is it really that different, especially if we’re only staying one day and aren’t big on hiking?
Thanks for your help.
Hi there,
Our departure is coming up soon... Since we’ll be mostly in the San Pedro de Atacama area and Chilean Patagonia, is it better to bring only Chilean pesos or is it wise to also take some US dollars?
Thanks!
Odile
Hi everyone,
We’re a group of 3 friends traveling from Salvador de Bahia to Belém in November for a month. To plan our route, I’d love some tips on the must-see spots. We’ll be traveling by bus and are mostly looking for nature, as well as pretty towns and villages.
Your advice will help us avoid missing too many great places. Thanks in advance to all of you!
Thierry
Hi everyone,
Our travel plans to Brazil in October are moving forward. Now we're looking for the best way to put it all together. Starting from Montpellier, probably connecting through CDG, arriving in Salvador de Bahia, stopping in Belo Horizonte, then a flight to Rio, and the return trip. How can we manage to finalize such a circular flight? Thanks in advance for your tips.
Best,
Serge
