Travelling around South America Safely

decoleftside

Hi,

Myself and my girlfriend are hoping to travel around South America at the start of 2011. We have not decided our route yet and would like some suggestions on places to see and things to do.

I have heard that South America is alot safer then some reports would have you believe but I would appreciate any helpful suggestions for traveling safely.

What would the best travelling means be ie Buses or trains or by car.

Cheers

gafferino

Ive just recently spent 3 months there with my girlfriend - its actually a very safe place. You just be sensible and dont go walking off by yourself at night waving gold around!! Know what I mean?
Didnt have any trouble there at all. Often reports of people being pick pocketed and things like that so this is where being sensible comes in. I went to Brazil, Arg, Uruguay, Peru and Bolivia and had an amazing time. You will meet plenty of travellers along the way too.

dory

It's a very safe place. I travelled Ecuador,Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina and a few others as a 21 year old single female. Never once felt unsafe.
Every story I heard of someone being robbed involved some bit of carelessness on that person's part. I fell asleep on a bus with my ipod on, and someone relieved me of it. Most people are drunk when pickpocketed. But generally I would say it's as safe as travelling Europe.

Civilian_Target

In general, there's a few simple things you can do to travel safely - and even more so to protect yourself when things go wrong.

• Use your common sense. If you're trying to decide whether something you're about to do is safe or not, imagine you were telling it back as a story of something that went wrong. If this story would make you look like the fool, don't do it!
• Take your time. Don't rush, be polite and personable. Always negotiate prices correctly, smile, and pay with the right hand. In general, respecting others will lead them to respect you
• Have travel insurance. You hear this a lot... and it's true!
• Don't flash the cash (also applies to phones, cameras...) Keep a regular wallet with a little local cash in your pocket, and stash the rest.

decoleftside

Thanks very much for getting back to me, it puts the mind at ease alot for both of us.

Just a couple more questions if you can help.

can you give me your highlights of the trip and obviously the money thing. would it be a cheap place to travel for a few months without blowing the savings.

Thanks a mil

dory

decoleftside wrote: »

Thanks very much for getting back to me, it puts the mind at ease alot for both of us.

Just a couple more questions if you can help.

can you give me your highlights of the trip and obviously the money thing. would it be a cheap place to travel for a few months without blowing the savings.

Thanks a mil

I wouldn't say it's incredibly cheap. I spent 1600 Euro in a month in Argentina and I barely drink at all. But that was Christmas and New Years, hostel was 50 Euro a night for NY where we were and all that. Usually I was doing 1000 Euro a month on average. Less for Bolivia and Ecuador, about that for Brazil and Peru (esp if you're doing Inca Trail), and more for Chile, Argentina, possibly for Uruguay.

To get a better idea look up accommodation online because that's your biggest expense.

Buses in Argentina were between 35 - 55 a pop, closer to 50 for longer trips. So if you're going South allow for that.

As for highlights - all of Bolivia, salt flats, Tupiza, Potosi and the scary mines, the Amazon and everything is cheap. Wonderful country.

Peru - Cusco, which is great not only for Machu Picchu but also white water rafting (depending on season) and horse riding.
Closer to Lima, sand boarding in Huacachina is unmissable. Nazca Lines, Arequipa is a gorgeous city. Mancora is great for surfing and fresh fish. Iquitos - never been there but it's a city in the rainforest, what's not to like.
Lake Titicaca - can be seen from either Peru or Bolivia.

Ecuador - Galapagos if you can afford them. Rainforest if you didn't go in Bolivia or Peru. There's a great hostel in Quito that organises trips caled the Secret Garden. I went to their other hostel up a volcano for a few days, info here: http://www.tuisligh.com/?p=123 One of the very best things I did.

Best advice is to read people's blogs. I read the one of a guy called Conor Grennan (google and you'll find it). He gave me great ideas of what to do. My blog also contains details of just about everything I did in SA.

Have fun!

darrenh

http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Wanderly-Wagon/Trips/2613

Thats my blog from South America. South america is amazing and fairly safe.

My favorite thing was the Inca Trail and Perito Moreno glacier in southern Argentina. If I was to list every thing I liked it would go on forever!

decoleftside

Thanks a mill Dory & darrenh, it all sounds class. can wait to get it all together and head.

Cill Chainnigh

I'm planning to go to South America at the start of the November for 2 months. I would like to fly into Rio, travel down to Buenos Aires through Uraguay and then travel up to Lima. Can anyone advise routes? Is this possible in 2 months? Are internal flights required?

dory

CC, definitely possible. I know people who've done it in less. You might want to skip the very south of Argentina (unless you really want to see the glacier). It takes a lot of time.
Easiest if to go from BA to Salta, up through Bolivia and into Peru.
Remember no matter how much of a rush you're in, leave time to acclimatise to the different air pressure up there. I met so many people crying with the pains of headaches, on oxygen, and lately two have died from altitude sickness (more chance of being run over by a bus, but in general, acclimatise!!).

Bruz82

Don't know if anyone mentioned it but Iguazu falls on the Brazil/Argentina border is definitely unmissable, Highlight for me, Travelled for 5 months and lived in Rio for 1 1/2 months, only place in SA that I thought was a bit dodgy but luckily nothing happening, Brazilian/Peruvians I found to be very friendly people.

Not to be missed I would say is

Christ Statue in Rio
Football match in the Maracana and Boca Junior/River Plate
Treking to Macchu Picchu (we done 5 days)
Iguazu Falls
Camping in the Amazon (we done Iquitos in Peru)
Sandboarding in Huacachina in Peru
Endless partying with fellow travelers and the locals e.g. Rio, BA, La Paz, Cusco etc.