Create a route through the countries of South America. South America - travel guide for holidays. What Others Say

South America is European languages, colonial churches, secular politicians, beach culture and exoticism. Colorful, playing with the warm sparkles of carnival, the cool breeze blowing through the Andes, the fiery Argentine tango and the soft silence of the Ecuadorian rainforest. South America is replete with attractions, from the rocky slopes of the Galapagos to the dawn-lit ruins of Machu Picchu. South America is one of the hottest tourist destinations, especially for enterprising people.

When it comes to the most impressive countries in South America, the Republic of Ecuador is certainly one of the chosen ones. If you visit Ecuador, be sure to check out the amazing Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos Islands are famous for their natural beauty, there is a national park and biological marine reserve where you can learn all about the flora and fauna of Ecuador.

Among the attractions of these places: the stunning Bartolome Bay, Fernandina Island, where you will meet marine iguanas, penguins, sea lions and much more. On Isabela Island there are giant turtles that you can see all year round. The islands also offer scuba diving and swimming with dolphins.

Canaima National Park is located next to the Gran Sabana Park (Venezuela) and is one of the world's largest parks, with an area of 30,000 km². Canaima has some of the most high waterfalls in the world - Angel, 1 km high., Salto Sapo and Salto Kukenam. The park is a paradise for ornithologists; unique, endemic bird species live here. Laguna Canaima is very beautiful place with red shimmering water caused by a high degree of mineralization. Canaima National Park was founded in 1962 and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994.

Nazca Lines, Peru

The Nazca lines and geoglyphs are located in the arid coastal zone of Peru and cover an estimated 450 square kilometers. Scratches on the ground, they number in the thousands, depicting creatures as natural world, and human imagination. They include animals such as spider, hummingbird, monkey, lizard, pelican and even killer whale. Plants, trees, flowers and unusually shaped fantastic figures are also depicted. Geometric motifs such as wavy lines, triangles, spirals and rectangles are illustrated. The vast majority of lines date back to 200 BC, with the earliest lines dating back to almost 500 BC.

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

The narrow streets of this old city are home to mystical ancient cultures and all the trappings modern tourism. This unique combination of past and present has made San Pedro one of the most photographed places in specialized magazines. The city is located 102 km from the city of Calama (the nearest city), the lands around San Pedro de Atacama belong to indigenous peoples engaged in agriculture and tourism. Its Old Town Square has a church (built in 1774), which is built in the local architectural style: wood, adobe and leather beams. Nearby you will find Archaeological Museum Gustav Le Page, where you can admire mummies and everyday objects that offer a glimpse into the area's rich past.

You can also enjoy beautiful views of the geothermal area at sunrise; the geysers are one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area. On the way back, treat yourself to a relaxing visit to the hot springs. Pure delight!

Manaus – The largest city northern Brazil, which is located at the confluence of two rivers - the Rio Negro, flowing from Colombia, and the sandy Rio Solimões, from Peru. “Meeting of the Waters” is a phenomenon that occurs in the Amazon Basin after the confluence of the Amazon River with muddy water and the Solimões River with black water. For six kilometers (22 km in certain time) two rivers flow side by side, without mixing their waters, due to different densities and speeds. This is a very interesting effect that you can look at, photograph and tell to everyone who is interested.

Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is one of the most unique and beautiful places in the world. A 45-minute drive from the city of Uyuni, you will find the largest salt marsh in the world - 10,000 square kilometers. During the wet season salt desert turns into a big one salt Lake several centimeters deep. Visitors can travel across the lake by boat or truck. During this time of year, the lake reflects the sky, creating the illusion of infinity. Here you can see the peaks of the Andes and take a bath in the warm water of the lakes that are located next to the geysers in the area. Salar de Uyuni also promises one of the best sunsets in the world. Surreal but very a nice place and very “photogenic”. The hotels here are built from salt blocks taken directly from the Salar. The train graveyard and abandoned tracks are major tourist attractions and are definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

Hidden in the Andes between snow-capped peaks, Lake Titicaca lies on the border of Bolivia and Peru, at an altitude of 3182 meters above sea level - the most... big lake by volume on the continent and the highest navigable lake in the world. Lake Titicaca was formed due to precipitation, meltwater from glaciers in the Sierra Mountains. There is crystal clear air, stunning panoramas during the day, and at night the sky is completely covered with stars - from horizon to horizon.

Around the lake you can find signs of the past, from Inca burials to the tombs of Spanish conquistadors. The flora and fauna here are no less unique than the culture. One of the most unusual animals found here is the Lake Titicaca frog. On the Bolivian side of the lake you will find the fascinating town of Challapampa with the famous Chinkana labyrinth. Also on the Bolivian side you will see the most big Island lakes – Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun), with more than 180 Inca ruins.

Chilean Patagonia is full of beautiful natural wonders. One of them you should not miss is biosphere reserve UNESCO Torres del Paine, the most impressive landmark in the southern hemisphere, with a number of world classics walking routes. The park is located in the largest southern region Chile Magellanes and Chilean Antarctica, where the main economic activities are sheep farming, oil production and tourism. The park covers ancient forests, glaciers, rivers, lakes and fjords, fauna including guanacos, foxes, pumas and a variety of birds. The park attracts approximately 100,000 visitors each year, who visit Paine Towers, Los Cuernos, French Valley and Gray Glacier.

The Perito Moreno Glacier, located in national park Los Glaciares in Patagonia, in the southern desert of Argentina, is widely known as one of the natural wonders of the world and is an integral part of any visit to the southern part South America. Named after the legendary Argentine explorer, Dr. Francisco R Moreno, the glacier begins its journey high in the southern part of the Patagonian Glacier in the Andes. Over 250 square kilometers in size, the Perito Moreno Glacier is one of three glaciers in Patagonia that is not retreating, and the ice field is the world's third largest with fresh water reserves.

Huge chunks of ice regularly break off the glacier and it is a spectacular sight as the ice groans and creaks until it finally falls into the lake. The shards can be 5 km wide and almost 80 meters high, so try to find where the next piece of ice will fall!

The Falkland Islands are a group of islands located in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 460 km east of the coast of South America. They belong to Great Britain, but with self-government. The Falkland Islands have always been disputed between Argentina and Great Britain for centuries, resulting in a military conflict between the two countries in 1982. About 3,000 people live on the islands, most of whom are British citizens. The Falkland Islands consist of two main islands and hundreds of smaller ones. Coastline replete with fjords, bays and bays. Summer temperatures average 13°C in January, while winter temperatures drop to 4°C in July. The islands often experience storms and heavy rainfall. Despite the controversy, the islands are beautiful and definitely worth visiting. The Falkland Islands Tourist Board is based in Stanley (the capital and only town).

October 29, 2013 3:58 pm + 1 city - Argentina, Montevideo + 1 city - Uruguay, Valparaiso + 2 cities - Chile, Lima, Mancora - Peru April 2012

Description of the route (exclusively by ground transport):

A Rio de Janeiro, B— Sao Paulo (Brazil);

C-Punte del Este, D-Montevideo (Uruguay);

E-Buenos Aires, F-Mendoza, G-Uspalata (Argentina);

G— Valparaiso, H-Santiago, I-Arica (Chile);

K-Mankora, L-Lima

Yours big Adventure for 6 countries of Latin America, we had to break it into 3 parts, otherwise even a simple description of the road with the removal of almost all the lyrics would not fit into the format of the competition (15,000 characters). To give an idea of the entire journey, a map is provided for the entire route.

Part I. Two Oceans

1. Uruguay

So, for 2 Lufthansa tickets to Rio de Janeiro and back, I paid 45,000 rubles using the card. I bought a Fujifilm camera with a 10x zoom and a cheap DNS netbook with the Promt translator program installed. We took dollars, 1 debit card and 2 credit cards with us. The stored alcohol (for disinfection), a boiler, and a universal adapter for sockets were very useful. Just in case, my wife and I were vaccinated against yellow fever (in Moscow) and against hepatitis, but, as it turned out, it was unnecessary. To pay for the trip to Moscow, they issued free visas to Bolivia.

On March 22, we met at Domodedovo airport. During the flight, the Alps gave way to the desert Sahara, and only near Dakar did human settlements appear again. Then, from the white caps of the ocean surf off the African coast, visible from above, the plane turned west. The distance from Africa to LA does not look huge, about 4 hours by plane, but on the map we are used to finding it in the other hemisphere, as if looking out the next window.

At 18.40 (the difference from Moscow is 8 hours) we landed safely in Rio. The Brazilian border, like all others (except the Chilean one), was passed easily, like a knife through butter. At the airport information kiosk they gave us an excellent map of the city and several books for free and told us where the bus to the city stopped. At 19.05 we were already boarding it for 12 BR per person ( 1 Brazilian real equal to the end of March 2012 16,08 rub). Being intimidated by the rampant crime in Rio, we were afraid to look for a hotel at night and wanted to leave the city as soon as possible (as I later found out, the bus makes a stop at Flamengo Beach, from where it is 100 safe meters to the Catete area with many hotels). Having got off at the Rodovario bus station, we left for Sao Paulo on flight “Company 1001” (1 ticket 73 BR) at 20.30.

On March 23 at approximately 2.30 am we arrived in Sao Paulo. The station is the largest and most convenient of all seen in LA, with excellent free toilets, waiting rooms with free chargers for gadgets, a fountain with drinking water, metro station with funny name Portugesa Titien. Everything is there, but there is no Wi-Fi. At the information desk we found out which companies go to Uruguay (each company has its own window at the station). We bought a direct ticket to Uruguayan Punta del Este at window 386 of the EGA company (departure only on Fridays at 23.30 for 283.90 BR plus a couple of reais fee, on Friday the ticket office is open from 13.00 to 19.00 and from 20.00 to 23.30). After lunch we walked around cathedral square city, planted with tall royal palm trees.

The Marco Polo bus (a Brazilian manufacturer of bodies on the chassis of Mercedes, Volvo and Scania), the service (they provided hot food and even alcohol in the cabin), and the road were the best of the entire trip. In LA, intercity buses have seats that fold down for sleeping.

On March 24, well-groomed pastures with buffaloes flashed before our eyes. Through Florianapolis and Porto Allegri we reached the Uruguayan border, which we hardly noticed. The steward only collected our passports, but we neither left the cabin nor presented our luggage, nor even saw the border guards. Crossing the border was impersonal, and using our passports it was possible to take anyone out.

On March 25 at 5 o'clock in the morning we arrived. The main attraction of the city's beach is a sculpture in the form of five fingers protruding from the sand with two phalanges of fingers. By the end of March the water is no longer very comfortable for swimming.

On March 26, in the morning they indulged beach holiday, but after lunch it started to rain. The city of Punta del Este is located on a cape between Atlantic Ocean and the bay (from the window of our room we could see both shores at the same time). In the middle part of the cape there is a city with high-rise buildings, at the base and at the end there are villas. Each villa is given a sonorous proper name by its owner, for example, “The Egoist’s Dream,” as indicated by a sign. The villas are surrounded by a variety of subtropical trees and shrubs, over which small green parrots fly.

On March 27 at 11.00 we left by bus for Montevideo. From the capital's station we took a city bus to Mercado del Puerto, inside which there are many restaurants with parilla (barbecue), where meat is cooked over an open fire.

At 22.00, we took a Pullman bus for 930 UP (1 Uruguayan peso was equal to 1,572 rubles) for 1 ticket to Buenos Aires.

2. Argentina

On March 29 at 7 o'clock in the morning we were at the Byres station. Of all the countries in LA, Argentina is the most problematic for currency exchange. They require a passport to be copied, you have to go through two or three clerks and spend a lot of time. There is no exchange office at the bus station or nearby. The recommended bank on Florida Street was a bit far, even for my long legs, but when I found it, I learned that it didn’t open until 10. Since I didn’t have local cash, I had to get cash for the only time during the whole trip from an ATM, where Due to the fixed commission, withdrawing a small amount is unprofitable. We took the metro to central station Piedras, where we rented a double room at the Kapac hotel on Tacuari street for 170 AP ( 1 Argentine Peso equaled 6.71 rubles) per day.

We walked around the center with its spreading banyan trees. In the park near the theater, an installation was discovered in the form of music stands for an entire orchestra with hay instead of notes. Probably, under the impression of successes in cattle breeding, Argentines are invited to chew fresh hay and moo in unison with satisfaction.

The Ricoletto cemetery is impressive with narrow streets with solid crypts instead of houses; Evita Peron is buried in one of them. Lots of sculptures. I remember one on the Manvel Cerini crypt in the form of a man with a gaze and an hourglass: be prepared to die! And the surrounding crypts demonstrate this readiness with funeral items left until the next occasion, which can be viewed through glass doors.

Ricoletto and I walked for a long time along the coastal parks to the Las Canitas area (sorry, we missed the art gallery) to visit a restaurant between the hippodrome and the Carranza metro station, where there was no menu in English. The Malbec beef tenderloin was delicious.

On March 29, at 11 o’clock they came to the Congress, where at this time they were holding free excursions(with passport). From Congress we took a city bus to the La Boca quarter, where tango once originated.

We sat at the famous Tortoni cafe (100 AP). In the evening, in the basement of the cafe we watched a tango show (240AP for two). When buying tickets, you need to inquire about the seats; at the end of the hall, the heads of the spectators are obscured by the legs of the dancers

30.03 at 17.45 on 380 AP we took a ticket to Mendoza from El Rapido Argentino.

On March 31, we didn’t make it to the local tourism administration, which was open until 2 p.m. We went to tasting room and to the best wine store in the country, and therefore in the world, in terms of price-quality ratio.

On April 1, we learned that there was no special excursion to the foot of the highest mountain in LA, Mount Aconcagua (6962 m). You need to take the Uspallata express, which leaves at 6.00 (7.00 on weekends), 10.15 and 15.30 from the bus station for 20-something AP. On a morning flight you can get to the very checkpoint at the foot, but on a lunch flight you will have to get off a few kilometers before it. We learned that on Sundays all wineries (bodegas) in Mendoza have a rest.

On April 2 we left Mendoza. About three and a half hours later we arrived at the so-called Inca Bridge. We walked 3 km along a mountain highway in about an hour. For access to the park (without a single tree) of Aconcagua you have to pay 60 rubles per person.

Having reached the highway, we frivolously hoped to stop a ride to the Chilean border, which was some 30 km away. Although we were warned that trucks do not stop here. The failure did not bother us at first, and we did not board the Uspallata express, from which we could catch the train to Mendoza. night bus to Valparaiso. We decided to move to the Inca Bridge, passing oncoming trucks. But all the Chileans drove by calmly. Only once did a bus stop to Santiago, but the offered price and destination did not suit us. On the Inca Bridge, the voting was just as unsuccessful - the Chileans, with their firmness and reluctance to cut off the left peso, reminded me of the Germans with their “Nein!” The private owner from the bridge charged too much. Meanwhile, in the mountains it began to quickly get dark and cold. Since neither today nor tomorrow a bus was expected from the bridge to the border, we had to return back by the last bus (departure at 20 o’clock, to Uspalata 14 AP per person), hoping to catch a passing bus in Uspalata to Valparaiso. While we were unloading and getting to the ticket office, our bus left for Mendoza. And at the box office they made us happy that until tomorrow there would be nothing in either Chile or Mendoza, although during the day they said something different. Night, unfamiliar city, we are with our things at a closed deserted station. I had to go to the first one I came across, and, of course, the most expensive one in the city, which raised prices even more due to Easter week (420 AP double room).

On April 3 we went out of town, where 3 hours of mountain sun burned our hands. At 18.15 we left for Mendoza (1 ticket - 22 AP), where at 22.20 we took an inexpensive ticket to Valparaiso.

3. Chile

On April 4, we crossed the Chilean border at night. The import of many food products is prohibited in Chile, so all luggage was carefully checked at the border. at night with high mountain far below you could see the fireflies of road trains spinning into dangerous spirals. Like the descent of sinners into the underworld!

In Valparaiso, near the station, for 18,000 PE (1 Chilean peso was equal to 0.06017 rubles), we stayed in a hostel, where the hostess handed us a Lonely Planet guide to Chile and wrote down my profession, which sounds like “consultanto” in Spanish. We are walking around, people around us greet each other, and in Spanish hello sounds like ol I. At first Olya shuddered at hearing her name, but then she got used to it. That's how I walked around Valparaiso - as a consultant with Hello and Lonely Planet (remember Bulgakov)! The streets approaching the Mercado (market) were lined with stalls selling the freshest produce. On the second floor of the market there are inexpensive fish restaurants. We ordered a very hearty seafood paella (5000 PE).

On April 5 at 10.20 for 2700 emergency per person we left for Santiago. The road (about three hours) is easy and beautiful. We reached La Moneda Square with the presidential palace and the monument to Salvador Allende. We took a walk on the park Mount Santa Lucia with good views to the city. We took the funicular to the top, where there is a statue of the Virgin Mary. At 23.26 we left the bustling bus station for Arica at 43,500 PE for 1 ticket in the semi-kama class of the Tur-Bus company.

On April 6, we traveled all night, day, and half the night on a bus, including through the Atacama Desert. Due to the outside heat, the bus air conditioner became incontinent with water, which began to drip more and more from the ceiling. But there was no air conditioning crash, and we didn’t feel the desert heat.

On April 7 we arrived in Arica. The city is located on the ocean; to get to the beaches you need to pass El Morro de Arica - a bare stone cliff 110 m high, on which in the 19th century Chile finally defeated the Peruvians in the Pacific War.

We went to the Catholic Church of San Mar, designed by Eiffel, assembled from stamped and cast iron brought from France.

Once again on the South American continent at exactly New Year The Dakar Trophy Raid starts. It's time for your own travels around South America.
By the way, today the Dakar organizers threw a lot of surprises at the participants. The race will begin, one might say, on the languid beaches of the Argentinean Mar del Plata, and will end in the capital of Peru, Lima. I can imagine these places very clearly, fortunately I traveled around them last year, one might say, far and wide. Again, the most difficult stages will be the roads through the Chilean Atacama desert - the fact is that there, in addition to the sandy desert such an unpleasant factor as height is added. Many places in Atacama are located above 5000 m above sea level. It can be unbearably hard there not only for engines, but also for people. And after Atacama, the race route will go along the Chilean and Peruvian part of the Panamericana, along sandy hills with rocky sections. Hmmm, the route is more than difficult these days. And it’s also gratifying that this year they reached an agreement with Peru. The fact is that Peru is not a Mercosur country. Mercosur is the unification of several more or less civilized (or at least as they consider themselves) South American states into a single trade and customs union. It includes Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile, and also partly Paraguay and Venezuela. But Peru is not included. You cannot drive a car rented in the Mercosur countries into Peru. But somehow we came to an agreement, and that makes me happy. Maybe in the coming years something will change for the better in matters of crossing borders by car between South American countries.
Yes, that's it. This post is about the features of traveling in South America, and about best routes, so let's move on.
First, a little about travel methods.
Everyone knows how to travel to other continents. But in South America there are specifics that cannot be ignored.
1. Airplanes. Of course, you can fly by plane from one place to another, but this is the most, excuse me, stupid way of traveling. From the air you cannot see even a hundredth part of what people usually travel for. There are not airports everywhere. Expensive. Not dynamic. Tight connection to the program. In general, minus on minus. I once met a group of such travelers. It was a little boring for them. And surprising to me. At least I haven’t seen any reports on such trips in LiveJournal.
2. Railway. It also disappears immediately. Nobody travels like that here. This is not Europe with TGV with Alstom or Pendolins. This is South America with far from the best train connections, not to mention service. And in Argentina, from Buenos Aires you won’t be able to go further than Rosario and Mar del Plata, and even then, it’s a shame, because railways in this country, for some time now, simply not. They privatized them so cleverly twenty years ago that they ruined and destroyed the entire industry. So the railway in South America is a very limited means of transportation only when necessary, and nothing more.
3. Buses. Well, this is already significantly better. This is entirely possible, especially for budget travelers. True, where there is a focus on buses, there are also any other means of transportation in use, from fairly cheap airplanes to trivial hitchhiking. By the way, hitchhiking is a no-no, and you will meet some travelers on these roads. True, it should be noted that hitchhiking on this continent is quite difficult. Automobile traffic is not developed everywhere, there are not many cars themselves, so sometimes you can get into various troubles and get from point “a” to point “b” with all sorts of adventures. And further. There are several areas on the continent in which it doesn’t really make sense to appear at all - neither on foot nor on anything else. These include mainly the “red zone” in the very north of Peru and, accordingly, the south of Colombia. This is a drug trafficking zone controlled by the FARC (Colombian guerrillas). There are similar zones in the “crescent” of Bolivia, where its mountainous part (“Altiplano”) ends and coca begins to grow rapidly. It is also not at all recommended to visit the poor suburbs of all major South American cities, be it Buenos Aires, San Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Lima or Caracas. These are the famous favelas, where it is better not to stop. Do you like this type of travel? - Then read the blogs of these people who trampled this continent with their feet: dimaberkut , wolfgrel , nasstep , _nikolya_ .

4. Rented or even your own vehicles. Let’s talk about this in more detail, especially since it was here that I gained three years of experience, which I consider very rich for the South American continent.
Well, first of all, car rental in South America is a fairly young business. Overwhelming majority Car Rental rents out cars with a mileage limit and only within its own country, which is unacceptable for a normal traveler. And those Car Rentals that allow their cars to travel to some other countries install quite expensive rentals on their cars. But what to do - this time, after analyzing all possible options, I was forced to settle on renting a car for 35 days for a total amount of $3,250. There's nowhere to go. No, there was another option: you can bring your car to this continent from Russia or Europe, and it will cost very reasonable money - no more than $1,500 one way, plus they will also give me discounts. But, there are also some subtleties here. The bill of lading does not contain responsibility for transportation times, and if some incident occurs in logistics, you will wait for a car sent across the ocean for you exactly until the day when your stay in South America comes to an end. Not very convenient, is it? Well, we still need it here, that is. at your place of permanent residence, have a car that sending it to another continent for several months would not affect your plans here. And in South America, there must also be someone who will pick up this car from the pier in a timely manner, so that you do not receive interest for downtime. In general, there are enough hemorrhoids in this option. True, there is one plus, for the sake of which, it seems to me, I will still try to implement this idea in the foreseeable future. The fact is that if you drive through all countries without exception, then you can only drive your own own car. And not on any other.
Secondly, with a car rented in Mercosur you will only be allowed into other Mercosur countries, and no further. And in countries not included in Mercosur - nowhere at all, only in this country. No, of course, I think if you are planning to travel to South America for the first time, then countries such as Chile, Argentina and Brazil will be enough for you (for the first time). I think even Argentina alone with its Patagonia will be enough for the first time, “don’t play around.” Well, next time you will already be learned experts in the local rules and decide for yourself what you need and what you can do without.
So motor transport is perhaps the most decent way to travel around this continent. In any case, read about such trips from andreev_org , and it will become clearer to you how this is done.

5. And there is another popular way to travel around South America. This is a motorcycle. The first motorcyclist to ride across the continent and pioneer good tradition, is considered Che Guevara. I've also met a lot of traveling motorcyclists. So, if this method of transportation does not contradict you and if you are ready to put up with some of the hardships and hardships that riding motorcycles brings you, go ahead to this continent. With a motorcycle you can even overcome insurmountable areas such as the Isthmus of Darien, which divides the Panamericana between Panama and Colombia. And this is done very simply - in Panama you can rent an ordinary yacht with a captain, load your motorcycle there and calmly ride it to Cartagena. And so on. There are also individuals among us who have made such journeys. Read them - gercewin , olegkapkaevs and etc.

Next I will try to present the most interesting routes traveling around South America. This is my first time doing this here. This is the quintessence of my idea of the continent, the cost and relative prestige of such travel, the degree of risk in each specific case, the visit and the completeness of perception best places South America. All routes in my purely subjective view begin and end in Buenos Aires, as the most convenient location to fly to South America.

1. Route "Cruise around the perimeter of Argentina." Its complete diagram is given here:. http://jung-le.livejournal.com/81792.htm l
I drove through it in 2010. And I recommend it to everyone. Firstly, you can simply rent a car to travel through almost one country (you just need to remember that travel to Ushuaia lies through the territory of Chile and get a “white sheet” from Car Rental - a special document for the car for customs). Secondly, Argentina is one of the most civilized, pseudo-European countries on this continent, and you are unlikely to encounter any behavioral excesses from local population. Rather, on the contrary, you will be pleasantly and forever amazed by the sincerity, cordiality and hospitality of ordinary Argentines. The downside of this route is the long and monotonous drive along the dirt roads of Patagonia, but there are also advantages. A very big plus in this route is the opportunity not only to drive along the beautiful Route 40 and see such Patagonian relics as the Los Manos cave, the Los Glacieros glaciers, the Sierra Torres with the Fitz Roy peak, the Valdes Peninsula and the Chilean natural Park Torres del Paine, but also to visit the most Southern City The land of Ushuaia with the opportunity to take a cruise from it around Cape Horn (whoever wants to do it - you can on a motor ship, or you can, like me, under sail on a small yacht with all the real extreme inherent in this cruise). In addition, from the Chilean Punta Arenas it is possible, by prior arrangement, for example with the travel agency Paralelo54 from Buenos Aires (on its website there is even a Russian-language page and Russian-language contacts), to fly to Antarctica to King George Island to the Chilean Antarctic station Puerto Frame, located nearby with our Bellingshausen station.
In general, this Argentine route is one of the best in South America, especially for those starting their acquaintance with the South American continent.

2. Route “Through the countries of Mercosur”.

What is its advantage: you can drive it in one rented car, for example, in Buenos Aires. As I already said, Mercosur countries now include visa-free for Russians Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil and visa-free Paraguay (some also include Venezuela, but you definitely won’t be given the right to drive there in a car rented in Argentina). To Paraguay - with great difficulty. To Uruguay - yes, but not from Brazil; there are passages between Brazil and Uruguay, but not for cars rented in third countries. These are almost idiotic rules. In Peru - no and no. To Bolivia - God forbid! And so on. Ecuador and Colombia are also on the stop list.
In short, the Mercosur route looks something like this:
- arrive in Buenos Aires;
- leave through Mendoza to Chile, pass through uninteresting Santiago and stop in Valparaiso. Do you know why exactly there? - And you open the UNESCO list of cultural and natural heritage for the countries of South America on the Internet, and it will immediately become clear to you why I suggest this or that place to visit. There will be almost complete compliance. And I assure you, it's worth it.
- across Chile up to the north, but not for long. Somewhere after La Serena or near Copiapo, you need to return, for example, through rue 60 to the Argentine rue 40, because there is little interesting in Chile higher up. No, you can, of course, get to Antofagasta, cut through the Atacama Desert at a 5000-meter altitude and drive with fanfare into the Argentine Salta via the 51st or 52nd road... But does this make sense? From the point of view of overcoming difficulties - yes, but otherwise it’s unlikely.
- take route 40 to Salta. This is one of the most beautiful sections of rue 40. I definitely recommend it. And besides, around the bodega of the best wine-growing region in Argentina and all of South America (Salta - Cafayate), stop by, try this wine, it’s an indescribable feeling. Wine tourism in Argentina is by no means an empty phrase.
- from Salta to the province of Formosa is relatively close, less than 1000 km. On the other side of the Parana, the second deepest river in South America after the Amazon, or as it is called Paraguay, stands Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay. Visas are required there. Paraguay remains one of the most closed South American regions to this day. But there are also many Argentines there - unlike Russians, they are allowed visa-free entry into the 60-kilometer border zone of this country.
- in Paraguay you can and should get to Iguazu (possibly through the entrance back to Argentina at the border checkpoint near the city of Posados and then along Route 14 to Iguazu). Anyone who has set foot on this continent should visit Iguazu. This is one of the most impressive places in South America.
- further - to Brazil. Brazil is interesting from several sides. I'll try to explain. Some people admire the endless beaches of its Atlantic coast. And it's worth it. The beaches are truly endless and fantastic. Others are attracted to the Jesuit missions of the church. Still others like untouched nature, and they strive, at some risk to their health, to visit the shores of the Amazon with Area Protected, inhabited by Indian tribes. In Brazil, there are more than 50 protective zones protected from civilization, in which the Equatorial Indians live in accordance with their norms and ways adopted many centuries ago. A sort of zoo in nature. Participating in off-roads on the Brazilian off-road, especially during the rainy season, is a special thrill. Who wants to tickle their nerves - go to You Tube for the Transamazonica link, this is a road that runs through the very heart of Brazil along the Amazon River, and everything will immediately become very clear to you. Our Siberia with its impassable roads will seem like children's entertainment.
But seriously, I would recommend taking a “small cruise” in Brazil for the first time: almost immediately after Foz de Iguazu, turn left, along the border with Paraguay, drive through Campo Grande to Cuayaba, from there turn due east, get to the capital of the country of Brazil , and then through Belo Horizonte, visiting the most beautiful Jesuit missions along the way, get to Rio de Janeiro. Next - along the ocean shore, enjoying all the delights of the beach, to Sao Paulo and through Curtiba to return to Iguazu on the Argentine side.
- and only then - to Uruguay. It is also famous for its beaches, its warmth and regularity. A must visit to Montevideo. You can travel back to Buenos Aires either by car or by ferry, whichever you prefer.
This is also a completely acceptable route, without any special opportunities for extreme tourism (except, of course, for Brazilian roads in the Amazon region) and quite feasible, as they say, from the first visit to this continent.
In general, I was planning to take this route this year and, no matter how simple it may seem, wish me luck...

3. Route “Along the Altiplano”.

This is something I partially succeeded in last year, and I reported on this adventure in detail on my blog. Partly because I didn’t have my own car, and they weren’t allowed to drive a rented one, no matter how hard I tried. I had to rent cars in Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador separately. And between these countries you can travel by plane. In the end, I admit: it is expensive and inconvenient. Interesting though. Each of these countries is unique and attractive in its own way.
The altiplano is a flat highland in the Andes, a plain located at a level above 4000 m above the sea. For comparison, the Tibetan capital Lhasa stands at an altitude of about 3400 m, approximately the same as the Peruvian Cusco, ancient capital Incas. On the Altiplano you need to adapt hard to the altitude. Often you have to drive to altitudes of up to 5000 m and even higher. The Altiplano has many interesting natural and cultural sites. The Incan heritage led by Machu Picchu and the sacred Copacabana on Lake Titicaca. Bolivian Death Road and Peruvian Colca Canyon. Salar de Uyuni salt flats and engineering creation - railroad bridge Polvorilla in Argentina. And this is not a complete list of altiplane attractions.
Ideally, of course, this route should be done in your own car. Take it from here or buy it there. You can do both. But this must be done thoughtfully. Definitely not suitable for a first visit to South America.

4. I can apply the same to the next route, which is called "All over Panamericana". Drive along this diverse and mysterious route from the north of the USA to the very southern point Argentina is, one might say, a very standard dream of any resident of the American continent. And often unrealistic. Because there are a lot of obstacles on the way to it. For cars, the Isthmus of Darien usually becomes an insurmountable difficulty, where you have to check in your iron horse as cargo luggage for a month or more, buy a plane ticket to Colombia yourself and wait tediously for its arrival. For motorcyclists (see above) it is much easier, but the length of the roads, especially dirt roads in Patagonia, is more tiring. In short, this route is absolutely unrealistic with a rented vehicle. On my own - I saw several heroes and even talked about them in my notes. For example, here: www.RidingTheAmericas.com If you are interested in this route, be sure to read this site. And go for it. There will be a lot of impressions. I especially remember the stories of Vadim Ovchinnikov from the above-mentioned site about terrible Mexican and Colombian roads.

5. Well, and finally, another super route around South America is slowly ripening for me. This is for the future. This must also be done exclusively using your own vehicle. It's about about a real big circumnavigation of the continent. Naturally, without the northwestern countries of Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana, since with them road connection only one-sided and extremely unstable.
"Great South American circumnavigation."

So, it is proposed to go on this round-the-world trip from Buenos Aires through Iguazu (possibly with a stop in Uruguay) straight to Brazil, there to visit Rio de Janeiro and the capital, and then get to administrative center Amazonas province of the city of Manaus, cross the Amazon in this place (almost the entire road, oddly enough, is asphalt), drive through many Area Protected areas inhabited by natives, then, driving through the equator, enter Venezuela and see plenty of the Table Mountains. This is a real adventure game on wheels. From there there is a completely sane route through Caracas to the border crossing into Colombia. If all precautions are taken, this can be overcome. It is better to cross Colombia along the main highway, the same Panamericana. Then it will be quite difficult to enter Ecuador - these two countries have not been very friendly in recent decades. But this is not a problem either. And from Ecuador to Peru and beyond - it’s already easy. Be sure to visit Lima, it is one of the most beautiful and civilized cities in all of South America. Well, then - everything is quite simple - along the coast to Chile and further to Argentina. I have already spoken about these roads in great detail above.
Time for such a trip around the world should be allocated at least two months. I think that our spring or autumn would be ideal, so as not to fall into the equatorial rainy season.
Go?))

The Pan-American Highway is the longest highway in the world, with a total length of 48 thousand kilometers, connecting Alaska with Chile. It has good coverage, crosses a large number of countries and has many other advantages. However, if you want to see the real South America, you need to get off the smooth tarmac and onto one of these legendary trails.

1. North road Yungas or Death Road, Bolivia. Considered the most dangerous road in the world. The route partially runs along the edge of the cliff at an altitude of up to 600 meters, without any fences. Almost along the entire length of the road its width does not exceed 3 and a half meters, which poses great difficulties for passing oncoming cars. Especially in the rainy season, when dangerous road turns into a deadly attraction. Now the Death Road is used mainly for tourism purposes, since a bypass route was recently opened.

2. Trans-Amazonian Highway, Brazil. The largest transport route in the country, with a length of 5.5 thousand kilometers. The road was built in the 1970s with the aim of connecting remote regions of the Amazon to the center of the country. During the rainy season, part of the road becomes impassable, when dust and dirt on unpaved areas turn into a reddish clay slurry, and bridges are completely washed away.

3. Carretera Austral or Southern Road, Chile. The only highway connecting the north and south of the country. For 600 kilometers this gravel road winds between volcanoes, tropical forests, fjords and glaciers. Ideal route to immerse yourself in the wild nature of South America. The road was built during Pinochet's reign.

4. Route 9 or Trans-Chaco Highway, Paraguay. Passes through the sparsely populated, hot tropical region with the semi-desert landscape of the Gran Chaco. For a long time it was considered the worst and most unpredictable road in South America. Mennonites live in these places - descendants of radical representatives of the Protestant movement, who followed their spiritual leader, Menno Simons, back in 1543, whose activities in the Netherlands were outlawed. Mennonites consider the modern world to be the kingdom of Satan and try to reduce contacts with him to a minimum, are principled pacifists, highly value the path of moral self-improvement in life, baptize only adults and lead a humble lifestyle, trying to reveal themselves in simple everyday work. Some Mennonite communities can be visited, but permission must first be obtained.

5. Ruta 40 or National Road No. 40, Argentina. This legendary Argentine road, built in 1935, runs along the western border of Argentina. It begins in the south of the country at Tierra del Fuego and ends in the north at the border with Bolivia, passing along the Andean ridge and crossing 20 national parks, 18 large rivers, 236 bridges, 13 large lakes and salt marshes. Ruta 40 passes through 27 mountain passes, one of which reaches a height of 5000 meters.

6. BR-319, Brazil. Another Brazilian road built with the aim of developing the Amazon. Due to the lack of sufficient knowledge about the region, the road was built through marshy areas, which affected its quality. During the rainy season, entire sections of the road, along with bridges, are washed away. However, during the dry season the road is walkable. The most die-hard adventurers complete the 800-kilometer journey in about a week.

7. Uyuni Salt Flat, Bolivia. It is an endless expanse of dried salt with a very smooth surface on which you can set world speed records. Of course, this is not a road in the full sense of the word, but you can ride along it, and it’s worth it. I exist on the salt flat of Uyuni organized tours, but you can come on your own. But don’t forget that the plateau is located at an altitude of 3800 meters.

8. Swampy Pantanal lowland, Brazil. The Pantanal is a vast swampy area in southwestern Brazil that attracts tourists with the opportunity to plunge into a rich world wildlife South America. It is home to 120 species of mammals, 200 species of fish, 100 different types reptiles and 600 species of birds. The roads here are mostly dirt, so a four-wheel drive vehicle is required to get around.

9. Interoceanic Highway, connecting the Atlantic coast of Brazil and the Pacific coast of Peru. This multi-billion dollar road was designed to boost... economic development Peru and Brazil to open access to the Pacific Ocean. Construction of the road is still ongoing, although the official opening took place in 2011. This is the easiest route listed in this post, and the only one completely paved.

Are you looking for more information? There is a lot of information on the Internet. Here are some tips: South America may have different names on various languages. For example: South America, Jižní Amerika, Südamerika, L'Amérique du Sud, Sudamérica. You can paste these names into the search engine. You must specify exactly what you are looking for. If you need information about a place, paste the name of the place into the search engine. You can insert other place names. And one example: if you want information about the history of a place, add the word history to the search engine.

What Others Say

South America is a continent crossed by the equator, most of which is located in the Southern Hemisphere. South America is located between Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. It was connected to North America very recently (in a geological sense) with the formation of the Isthmus of Panama. The Andes, a relatively young and seismically unstable chain of mountains, extend along the western border of the continent; The lands east of the Andes are occupied mainly by tropical forests, the vast Amazon River basin. South America ranks fourth in area, after Eurasia, Africa and North America. It ranks fifth in terms of population, after Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. It is believed that human settlement occurred through the Bering Isthmus, now the Bering Strait, and there is also speculation about migration from the South Pacific Ocean.