South America Travel Guide

Plan your South American adventure with the aid of our Travel Guide. Decide when to go with our overview of the seasons and learn what visas you'll need across the continent. You'll find a section explaining the style of travel we offer on our South American group tours with details on the accommodation & transportation. Delve deeper into the New World Wonder of Machu Picchu with a guide on visiting the citadel and trekking there on the Inca Trail. You can also see what our travellers say about our South America tours & what multi-country touring combinations we offer.

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Best Places to Visit

The top attractions in South America from wildlife-rich islands to Inca citadels

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Best Time to Visit

Plan when to go to South America with our guide on seasons and weather

Visas

South American Visas

Tourist visa requirements for travel to South America including Peru, Chile and more

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Visiting Machu Picchu

The best ruins, when best to visit, recommended places to stay and more

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Traveller Reviews

See what our travellers say about our tours to South America and why they like them

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Multi-Country Tours

Available touring combinations in South America for cross-country adventures

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Visiting the Amazon Rainforest

A guide comparing visiting the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, Peru and Ecuador

South America Country Guides

Start planning your trip to South America with our detailed guides about visiting each country in the region on our tours.

Get to know South America

Recommended Reading

  • Viva South America! A Journey Through a Restless Continent
    by Oliver Balch
  • The Motorcycle Diaries
    by Ernesto Che Guevara
  • Love in the Time of Cholera
    by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Did you know...?

Facts about South America

  • There are only two landlocked countries in South America - Paraguay and Bolivia.
  • Evidence of human life in South America dates back to 9000BC and many indigenous cultures still survive today.
  • South America is home to the driest place on earth as well as the world's largest river basin and longest mountain range.

South America Travel Advice for New Zealand Travellers:

Safety of our travellers is of prime importance and we closely monitor current travel guidance on South America. We recommend that you check the latest travel updates on the countries in South America you are travelling to with Safe Travel New Zealand when planning your trip. For more country specific information, please visit the relevant destination page on our website.