# Travel Destinations > South America >  Need Help Planning My South America Trip

## Travel4

Please advise me on my trip to South America - I have never done this before (21 years old).

Any advice related for anything to the trip is appreciated.

I am still in the beginning phases of planning out my trip to South America this Summer.  I am going to be graduating mid-May.  I want to leave late May or early June of 2010, and stay there for 3-5 weeks.

Cost is a factor, but I do not want it to be a deciding factor.  

I have a job waiting for me starting July 19th, so I won't mind spending 3-5 grand, because I probably won't have a chance like this for a long while.


I haven't even begun to plan out the logistics - i.e. costs, flight, transportation, living accomodations, visas, other documentation (?), immunizations, exchange rates, weather, what places I should avoid due to crime, what I will need to bring to the trip, etc.  (I am probably missing a lot).  I am going to be using Lonely Planet's and Frommer's travel guides to help me with some of this stuff, along with internet resources.

For flight, I am thinking of doing it through oneWorld.  Is this a good idea?


Here is what I REALLY WANT to see: 


(2) Peru - Machu Picchu
(3) Bolivia - Lake TitiCaca ( on the border of Peru/Bolivia), Río Madidi watershed (Parque Nacional Madidi) also (Noel Kempff Mercado National Park)
(1) Brazil - Amazon River/Rainforest/Pantanal/Iguazu Falls/Brazilian Beaches/Rio de Janeiro
(1) Argentina - Iguazu Falls (I hear both sides of the falls are amazing to see.

Here is what I wouldn't mind seeing, but will probably skip due to cost/time reasons: 

(4) Costa Rica - rainforests/other activities (ziplg, river rafting, white water rafting, etc.)  (this is nice but the rainforest isn't so great compared to the Amazon, right?)
(5) Galapagos Islands (very expensive)
(6) Kaieteur Falls, Guyana - (this place looks beautiful, but again, expense and time).
(7) San Pedro de Atacam in Chile (I don't know how exciting this will be)



What do you think of that list?  Is it realistic to do 1, 2, and 3?  Should I get rid of (3)?  Is it possible to include (4)?  

Like I said, I haven't planned much of the logistics yet.  I have no idea how long I will stay at a particular location, let me know if you have any estimates.  

Here is the specific journey, in my mind so far.

I am thinking that I will land in Peru, somehow find a safe place to stay that is not far from Machu Picchu, and then use a guided tour to visit Machu Picchu.  I want to avoid guided tours due to expense, but I am told that it is a good idea to do this for Machu Picchu.  After that, go to the border of Bolivia to see Lake TitiCaca/Parque Nacional Madidi.  Then somehow travel east to see Parque Nacional Noel Kempff.  After that, I will be pretty much on the border of Brazil.  Then I will somehow go South to see the Pantanal and the Parque Nacional do Pantanal Matogrossense.  After that, I will continue to go further south (a lot).  Until I reach Iguazu Falls (Parque Nacional Iguazu).  Then, if time permits, I will head northeast to Rio de Janeiro and spend some time there and find a nearby airport to come back to Chicago.


In the above trip, I did not include the Amazon Rainforest/River because I have NO IDEA yet where in Brazil I should go to see this.  I do not want to go to Manaus because I understand that this is a beaten path, and I want to go somewhere less traveled, but not overly expensive.  I am thinking I visit the Amazon rainforest/river before I head south for the Pantanal, but that will depend on where I want to see it.  As for the Brazilian beaches, I am clueless on that as well so far.  Please let me know where I should go.

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## critinamori

lease advise me on my trip to South America - I have never done this before (21 years old).Any advice related for anything to the trip is appreciated.I am still in the beginning phases of planning out my trip to South America this Summer. I am going to be graduating mid-May. I want to leave late May or early June of 2010, and stay there for 3-5 weeks.Cost is a factor, but I do not want it to be a deciding factor.I have a job waiting for me starting July 19th, so I won't mind spending 3-5 grand, because I probably won't have a chance like this for a long while.

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## GFI

You have vast range of choices to visiting in South American countries which are good for honeymoon as well. I’d like to recommend visiting Brazil which is one of beautiful destination in the world.
Tourism is the big business of Brazil and numbers of visitors would be thronging all over the world. The top places like Fernando de Noronha, Porto de galinhas, Rio de Janeiro, Pantanal, Bonito, Rio Grande do Sul and Sao Paulo.

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## riverrider

South America is endowed with the incredible Andes Mountain ranges. And, I am sure that anyone who is going for vacation to South America, will definitely enjoy there. Just like to add that water rafting is the best thing to do and months of September to February are best for that.

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