Activities in South America
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FEATURED
Tijuca Rain Forest Jeep Tour from Rio de Janeiro
4 hours (Departs Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
by Viator
lt;pgt;Take a morning or afternoon tour from Rio to the Tijuca Rain Forest, in an open jeep. The four-hour jeep tour includes an easy hike, giving you the…Not LP reviewed
from USD$70.99 - All activities
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Reserv Cusco Ltda
Offers cheap Sacred Valley mountain-biking trips and Inka Jungle Trail tours, which start with mountain biking downhill from the Abra de Malaga, then trekking to Aguas Calientes to reach Machu Picchu.
reviewed
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Joel Souza Ecoverde Tours
Top-notch company with 25 years of service and experienced guides. Working with local pousadas towards an ecofriendly approach, Joel Souza and his son Lauro can guide you in English, German, French, Portuguese or Spanish. You can also contact him at Pousada Ecoverde.
reviewed
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Amigos
- Cuzco, Peru
- Activities › Other
A long-established non-profit school with an admirable public-service record.
reviewed
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CEICA
It charges S400 for 20 hours of private lessons per week and can arrange family homestays including/excluding meals for S265/173 a week. Call in advance and they’ll pick you up from the airport or bus terminal.
reviewed
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Amauta Spanish School
Big, professional and popular. Also offers Spanish programs in the Sacred Valley and the Amazon jungle.
reviewed
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Pantanal Nature
A new agency run by Ailton Lara that has quickly built up a sterling reputation for its professional tours and expert guides. It also runs a Jaguar Camp near Porto Jofre with excellent success rates in seeing the animal in the dry season. The company has an office in Hotel Ramos.
reviewed
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Samana Spa
- Cuzco, Peru
- Activities › Other
For some pampering or a post-trekking splurge, a blossoming number of spas offer massage services, one of them being the luxurious Samana Spa. Beware of cheap massages touted in the street; there are reports of massages getting much more, er, intimate than expected.
reviewed
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Spanish in Rosario
The Spanish in Rosario offers enjoyable language programs. It can arrange family stays and volunteer work placements.
reviewed
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Gulliver Tours
Well regarded operator offering trekking, climbing, mountain-biking and horseback-riding trips in the Andes. Excellent prices, daily departures. Does Cotopaxi, Ilinizas, Quilotoa and more. Most daytrips cost around US$30 to around US$45 per person. Five- to seven-day Cotopaxi trips with acclimatization programs are based out of its Hostería PapaGayo.
reviewed
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Zarcillo Connections
Zarcillo has daily tours to the Islas Ballestas and Reserva Nacional de Paracas with guides who speak English and some French and Italian, too. It occasionally takes groups to Tambo Colorado and will arrange customized trips to Nazca. Mountain bikes may also be rented per day.
reviewed
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AndesXtremo
Offers climbing, rafting, canyoning, trekking, and paragliding excursions.
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VOS
Very welcoming language institute located just outside Recoleta.
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Naturaleza Activa
A favorite of those seeking adventure tours, and offering a full range of trekking, climbing and mountain-biking options. One popular tour is a three- to four-hour bike trip down El Misti (US$45) including transportation and bike, helmet, guide and snacks. It’s also possible to rent mountain bikes for S9 per hour. Guides speak English, French and German.
reviewed
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Pura Vida Patagonia
Offers kayaking trips on the Lago Nahuel Huapi, ranging from half-day stints to overnight camp-‘n’-kayak trips, custom-designed to match your skill level.
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Compañía de Guías de Patagonia
Full-day treks with climbing and ice-hiking on Glaciar Vinciguerra (AR$175) and two-day high-mountain treks to Cerro Alvear (AR$520) with glacier camping.
reviewed
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Casa do Caminho Language Centre
The Casa do Caminho Language Centre offers intensive group classes – three hours a day for five days for R$320, or 60 hours of class time over a month for R$820. Profits go toward the Casa do Caminho orphanages in Brazil.
reviewed
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Language Courses
Studying Spanish is the perfect excuse for a prolonged stay in Quito. There are more than 80 Spanish schools in Quito, with classes for all levels. Courses can last anywhere from a couple of days to months or more. Most schools offer one-on-one instruction and can arrange accommodations with local families. Make sure you get what you want by visiting several schools before deciding. Rates for private lessons vary. Some charge an inscription fee.
Recommended schools include: Beraca, Bipo & Toni's, Ecole Idiomas, Guayasamín Spanish School, San Francisco Language Institute and Vida Verde.
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San Miguel del Bala
San Miguel del Bala is a glorious community ecolodge in its own patch of paradise right on Madidi’s doorstep, 40 minutes upstream by boat from Rurre. Accommodations are in cabins with mahogany wood floors, separate bathrooms and beds covered by silky mosquito nets. There are several guided walks, including a visit to the San Miguel community. This Tacana community consists of around 230 inhabitants who’ll be happy to show you their traditional agricultural methods or weaving and wood-carving. Guests can also chill in hammocks in the communal hut. What the guides lack in English, they make up for with their enthusiasm and knowledge. If you go for the three-days/two-nights…
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Cook in Rio
Travelers have an opportunity to take a locally run cooking course, Cook in Rio. Run by Simone Theisen, who was the head chef and creator of the restaurant Fogo Carioca (now a bar), Cook in Rio teaches aspiring chefs how to make some of Brazil’s most famous dishes. Each one-day class runs from 11am to 4pm and includes the preparation of either moqueca (seafood stew) or feijoada completa (multi-dish black bean and pork stew). You’ll also learn how to make other sides and drinks including aipim frito (fried cassava slices), a perfect pot of rice, dessert and a masterful caipirinha (the secret is in the slicing of the lime). The best part is that you’ll get to devour…
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TelefériQo
For spectacular views over Quito’s mountainous landscape, hop aboard the telefériQo, a multimillion-dollar sky tram that takes passengers on a 2.5km ride up the flanks of Volcán Pichincha to the top of Cruz Loma. Once you’re at the top (a mere 4100m), you can hike to the summit of Rucu Pichincha (4680m), an approximately three-hour hike for fit walkers. Don’t attempt the hike to Rucu Pichincha until you’ve acclimatized in Quito for a couple days.
reviewed
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Rio Adventures
Offering a range of outdoor activities, Rio Adventures leads hikes through Tijuca National Park, including short treks up Pico Tijuca – an easy one-hour hike to a rocky summit that affords fantastic views over the Tijuca forest and the beaches of São Conrado and Barra. For something more challenging, the company offers ascents up Pedra Bonito.
Rio Adventures also offers sightseeing tours, rock climbs (Pão de Açúcar, Corcovado and Pico da Tijuca), rafting excursions (to Paraibuna River, 175km northwest of Rio) and parachuting and paragliding trips. It employs experienced guides, who speak Portuguese, English and Spanish, among other languages.
reviewed
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Tijuca Rain Forest Jeep Tour from Rio de Janeiro
4 hours (Departs Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
by Viator
lt;pgt;Take a morning or afternoon tour from Rio to the Tijuca Rain Forest, in an open jeep. The four-hour jeep tour includes an easy hike, giving you the…Not LP reviewed
from USD$70.99 -
Day Trip to Colonia from Buenos Aires
10 hours (Departs Buenos Aires, Argentina)
by Viator
Escape the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the historic Uruguayan town of Colonia del Sacramento. On this day trip,…Not LP reviewed
from USD$402.99 -
Tupiza Tours
Based in Tupiza, runs reliable tours from there to Uyuni or vice versa.
It's impossible for us to reliably recommend Uyuni agencies, and we strongly suggest that you speak to several companies after doing some research of your own in town. This company was performing well in travelers' eyes when Uyuni was researched.
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Feria San Pedro Telmo
On Sundays, San Telmo’s main drag is closed to traffic and the street is a sea of local families and tourists browsing craft stalls, waiting at vendor’s carts for freshly squeezed orange juice, poking through the antique glass ornaments on display on Plaza Dorrego, and listening to street performances by tango orchestras.
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