South America Living

Picture Yourself at the Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

When planning a trip to South America many travelers want the worry and hassle of organizing their adventure taken out of their hands. That’s what tour companies are for. Yes, it’s often more touristy – and expensive – than adventuring on your own with a backpack but very effective for seeing top attractions in a limited amount of time.

In addition, it is a very safe way to visit the continent. The majority of these folks know their business well and want satisfied customers, not emergency situations to deal with. Plus, it is always safer to travel in a group as opposed to solo. In addition, they provide travel insurance with packages, or at least advise on how to purchase for the duration of your trip.

When planning your trip know what the visa requirements are for the country you are visiting, and whether you have to pay a reciprocity fee!     Reciprocity Fees in South America: USA, Canada, Australia & UK

How to Choose a Tour Company

So where to go and how to choose a tour? Do your research. The below is a list of companies who provide this service but you should read carefully their terms and conditions, do a search for the company on Google or Bing to see if they have good customer reviews or a long list of complaints. You can also go into a travel agency in your home country to see what is on offer, and be able to arrange a trip face to face as opposed to online or over-the-phone.

Note: To search for tour companies who specialize in South America and are located in your home country do a search online like this: “tours to South America from — (enter your country of residence)”.

Tour Companies Specializing in South America Tours

• Thomson Holidays – cheap holidays, cruises and organized trips to beach destinations in Brazil and Venezuela by Thomson, a UK-based company. They own the charter airline Thomson Airways.
• Intrepid – My Adventure Store – Excellent selection of South America tours including the Amazon, Argentina, Brazil, Inca Trail, Patagonia, Bolivia and Venezuela. They have 3 day tours for under $500 USD and many longer (8-21 days) multi-country adventures from $1500 – $3000 USD.
• Affordable Tours.com – not all the tours to South America are low-cost, but they do have a few that are very affordable such as an 8 day Ecuador & Amazon tour listed for $670 USD. Company is based in the U.S.
• Journey Latin America – figure out what type of trip you are looking for then check out their site. Offer expedition cruises, beach holidays, family holidays, off-the-beaten-track adventures, etc. all throughout South America. Company is based in the UK.
• G Adventures - has over 200 tours to choose from on the continent, with prices all over the map. Worth a look.
• Viventura – this company specializes in South America (many of the above have tours throughout the world) and offers two main types: classic or comfort. They have a 15 day tour that includes Machu Picchu and the Galapagos for $2720 USD. Both destinations are very pricey, so is quite a deal.
• Holiday Tours – tours offered by an Australia based company with locations throughout the continent plus guaranteed “lowest price or you fly free” flights from Australia.

Best Resources for Traveling Independently to South America

You are at the best online site! At South America Living we have online destination guides to over 37 locations – such as Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, Colca Canyon, Rio de Janeiro, Lima, Santiago, Bariloche, Quito, and many more.

To receive regular updates about cheap places to travel or live, travel tips and special deals sign up for our newsletter: South America Living Monthly Newsletter.

Photograph courtesy of Flight Centre, all rights reserved.