has anyone travelled south america?

I am planning a trip to south america and central america in september. I am not really sure where to start and finish so am looking for any advise on routes to take at this time of year.... should I start inmexico and work down or chile or argentina and work up? does it matter where I start and should I just take the cheapest flight out there and start from there? any suggestions would be appreciated

I've only ever Been to Bolivia in South America, it's not as well known as Chile, Argentina or Mexico... but for sure I would recommend that you visit there.

I went to two cities while I was there, Cochabamba and La Paz. My favourite of the two is La Paz.

I don't think it matters too much where you start, but I would personally start from the place I could get the cheapest flight, or work out the place you can get the cheapest flight back home and end there.

I want to visit Argentina & Brazil myself, and I'm going back out to Bolivia later this year. So hopefully I will do these too countries also.

Also if you can get too Miami airport, that tends to be the cheapest way into South America.

Why has somebody put a Thumbs down to my answer? This is just an opinion.

visit Peru :)

look:

www.peru.info

:)

It depends where you're coming from. If you're somewhere in the E.U. start then from Mexico and end up in Argentina or Brazil.Nothing is cheap now adays. They are just starting to jack up the cost of airline tickets.

That question is a function of how much money you want to spend. You can spend a lifetime in one country and not see it all. That being said, and if this were my only trip to SA, I would see The Galapagos, Easter Island, Iguazu Falls, The Plains of Nazca, Uruguay to get the European flavor, Buenos Aires just to have a steak. Bariloche -you can still ski in Sept - Ciudad Perdida in Colombia, Cartagena, (Spirit air flies there directly from Miami) Quito, The amazon, The list goes on and one. It all depends on your time and your cash.

Having lived,worked and traveled in Mexico,Central and South America for several years I don't think it makes a lot of difference where you start and finish your trip especially if this is your first time.The bigger question is how long you can make your money last. *It will last up to twice as long if you can understand & communicate in Spanish and /or Portuguese(Brazil)*.Brazil accounts for 51% of the population of South America.If you don't speak Spanish you should begin your trip in Guatemala,the least expensive place to learn Spanish quickly and efficiently.

In some countries the immigration officials will often ask to see your return flight ticket so you should book a round trip flight even if you will be arriving and departing from different places(countries).

I don't think weather is a big factor except at the higher elevations.I will usually get a 5 or 10 day extended forecast for wherever I'm going next from the Internet when I stop somewhere to check my email.If the weather looks like it could be a serious problem I will just alter my itinerary.

My best advice is to do as much research as you can first and then begin with a loose plan and enjoy yourself .The worst thing you can do is to spend a lot of time and energy trying to micro manage everything. A trip like this seldom works out exactly how you planned it anyway.
Buena suerte y buen viaje!
juan23

It seems that you are only interested in Spanish speaking South America and not the English, Portuguese, Dutch, and French countries. So I will only mention the Spanish speaking countries.

I have been to Colombia and Venezuela. They are both very nice places, and more culturally diverse than Chile or Argentina. If you are looking for a modern, fun, and exciting country, Colombia or Venezuela is where you need to go!