Things to do in South America
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FEATURED
Inca Trail & Amazon
12 days (ex Lima)
by Intrepid
Experience Cuzco's Inca culture, Be amazed by the Ollantaytambo ruins, Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Explore the mysterious rainforest of the Amazon, Wan…Not LP reviewed
from USD$2,975 - All things to do
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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.
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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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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.
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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.
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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.
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Crepes & Waffles
This chain of restaurants serves, obviously, crepes and waffles, plus salads and a range of desserts. It's a professional operation with a good philosophy - they only hire single mothers and women in need.
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Eco Yoga Park
And for something completely different – Eco Yoga Park, located about 1½ hours west of Buenos Aires, near Lújan.
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Zazá Bistrô Tropical
French-colonial decor and delicately spiced cuisine await those venturing inside this charming converted house in Ipanema. Inventive combinations, blending East and West, match the seductive mood inside. Upstairs, diners lounge on throw pillows, with candles glowing along the walls. Those who prefer fresh air can dine on the porch out front.
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.
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Museo Rafael Larco Herrera
An 18th-century viceroy mansion built on the site of a pre-Columbian pyramid houses the highly recommended privately-run Museo Rafael Larco Herrera , has one of the largest ceramics collections to be found anywhere.
It is said to include over 50,000 pots, many of which were collected in the 1920s by a former vice president of Peru. The first rooms resemble a storeroom, stacked right to the ceilings with an overwhelming jumble of ceramics. Further into the museum, the best pieces are displayed in the uncluttered manner they deserve. They include a selection of gold and silver pieces, feathered textiles and an astonishing Paracas weaving that contains 398 threads to the lin…
reviewed
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Cementerio de la Recoleta
Wander for hours in this amazing cemetery where ‘streets’ are lined with impressive statues and marble sarcophagi. Crypts hold the remains of the city’s elite: past presidents, military heroes, influential politicians and the rich and famous. Hunt down Evita’s grave, and bring your camera – there are some great photo ops here. Tours in English are available at 11am on Tuesday and Thursday (call to confirm). For a great map and information, order Robert Wright’s PDF map at www.recoletacemetery.com.
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Jack’s Café
The only food outlet in the world that you may consider worth standing in line for, and you will clearly not alone in your appreciation – the ever-present crowd of hungry travelers waiting outside Western-style, Australian-run Jack’s tells you how popular it is. One breakfast here and you’re hooked. You have been warned.
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7 Angelitos
This tiny hillside haunt is the city’s unofficial hipster lounge and late-night backup: when everything else has closed and the sun has come up, knock on the door. Happy hours are 7:30pm to 9:30pm and 11pm to 11:30pm.
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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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The Inca Trail
The most famous hike in South America, the four-day Inca Trail is walked by many thousands of backpackers every year. Although the total distance is only 33km (20.5mi), the ancient trail laid by the Incas from the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu winds its way up and down and around the mountains, snaking over three high Andean passes that have collectively led to the route being dubbed 'the Inca Trial'.
The views of snowy mountain peaks, rural hamlets where llamas graze and cloud forests flush with orchids can be stupendous, and walking from one cliff-hugging pre-Columbian ruin to the next is a mystical and unforgettable experience. Except for the sad fact, of course, that …
reviewed
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Wayna Picchu
The most famous of several short walks around Machu Picchu, the climb up the steep mountain of Wayna (also spelled Huayna) Picchu is located at the back of the ruins. At first glance, it appears a difficult climb but, despite the steep ascent, it's not technically that hard. The scramble, which takes anything from 45 to 90 minutes, takes you through a short section of Inca tunnel.
The fabulous views from the top are definitely worth the huffing and puffing, even for trekkers just stumbling in off the Inca Trail. Take care in wet weather as the steps get dangerously slippery. Beyond the central plaza between two open-fronted buildings is a registration booth, where you hav…
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Fallen Angel
This ultra-funky restaurant and lounge is falling all over itself in the rush to cram in as much kitsch as possible, with glitter balls, fake fur and even bathtub-cum-aquarium tables complete with live goldfish. Deservedly popular for many years, Fallen Angel has now become expensive beyond the means of many travelers, but the decor really is worth seeing and the occasional theme parties held here are legendary. The same folks also own jungle-themed restaurant Macondo ( [tel] 22-9415), at Cuesta San Blas 571.
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Parque Lezama
Scruffy Parque Lezama was once thought to be the site of Buenos Aires’ founding in 1536, but archeological teams recently refuted the hypothesis. Today’s green park hosts old chess-playing gentlemen, bookworms toting mate (traditional Argentine tea) gourds and teenagers kissing on park benches. Don’t miss the striking Iglesia Ortodoxa Rusa (Russian Orthodox Church) on the north side of the park.
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Kaupé
For an out-of-body seafood experience, head to this candlelit house. Chef Ernesto Vivian employs the freshest of everything and service is nothing less than impeccable. We can’t leak our faves, since the chef protests that customers always repeat the order! Service is attentive, the wine list extensive and the views of the bay, well, we doubt you’ll bother to notice them. Reservations advised.
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El Boliche de Alberto
It’s worth dining at this esteemed parrilla simply to see the astonished look on tourists’ faces when a slab of beef the size of a football lands on the table; it’s the AR$46 bife de chorizo (the AR$35 portion is plenty). If the place is full, check out the nearby sister restaurants at Elfein 49 and 158.
reviewed
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Cafecito
A few steps above street level, this open-air café serves imported beers, desserts, cocktails (caipirinhas and mojitos), tapas plates and gourmet sandwiches (with ingredients such as smoked trout, artichoke hearts, prosciutto).
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Granja Heidi
Follow the pictures of cows upstairs to this light Alpine cafe with terrific fresh produce, yogurts, cakes and other snacks on offer. The hot breakfasts are gigantic, and can satisfy any carnivorous cravings you may have.
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Magic Bean
Long the epicenter of the Mariscal, the Magic Bean serves a variety of well-prepared breakfasts, lunches, juices and snacks for the ever-present crowd of hungry travelers.
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Amauta Spanish School
Big, professional and popular. Also offers Spanish programs in the Sacred Valley and the Amazon jungle.
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AndesXtremo
Offers climbing, rafting, canyoning, trekking, and paragliding excursions.
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