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One point about the Carnaval post (#40). We just got done with the Recife carnaval (and loved it!). The Silencio dos Tambores ceremony is on Monday night, not Sunday night. I would highly recommend it, but get there a few hours before the ceremony to find a spot near the stage and hold your ground - it gets packed on the narrow street!

61

Galapagos – Do it yourself.

I read that it is possible to organize a visit to the Galapagos on your own. There is a whole webpage devoted to how to do Galapagos on a budget. His information is very helpful. The problem is I didn't have 17 days to do it in. I decided to do a land based tour that visited the 3 inhabited islands (Santa Cruz, Isabella and San Cristobal). I discovered that the towns are set up with tourism in mind and because of that everything is fairly simple to organize on your own.

My opinion: I think the boats probably offer a lot that you can't do just on the inhabited islands. However, as you probably know they are extremely expensive, small and if you are prone to sea sickness – uncomfortable. I don't think I would want to be on a boat for more than 5 days, but I would have liked some of the opportunities the boats offer.
My suggestion would be to take a 4 or 5 day cruise and then go to Isabella and/or San Cristobal for 4/5 more days depending on your time frame. That way in 8-10 days you can see the best of what the islands have to offer.
Of course we would all love to spend more time there and for those who can – go for it! There is quite a demand for English teachers and volunteers if you have 1-3 months to offer.
But, for the rest of us...

Some things to think about if you are organizing the trip yourself.
*Many of the guides and employees in the travel agents don't speak English or don't speak it well. I would suggest that you have at least a basic knowledge of Spanish if you are doing it yourself.

*It is very easy to go in by yourself or with 1 other person and become a part of a tour group on Santa Cruz. It is different on San Cristobal and Isabella. The boat captains generally charge between $200-300 for a trip, so to make it affordable 8-10 people are needed. That means you might have to spend some time finding other people who are interested in going on the same tour as you are. Not too much of a problem in high season. Might be difficult in the low season.

*We spent just under $1000 per person including everything I mention below for our 8 day trip in high season and an undeserved commission for the travel travel agent. I think we could have done it for more like $850 -900 without the travel agent.

Flights
Right now the airlines fly into Santa Cruz and San Cristobal from the mainland. They are working on building a small airport for Isabella and it should be ready in the near future.

If you are touring the islands on your own I suggest flying into one airport and out of the other. That way you aren't wasting extra time and expense backtracking.

Santa Cruz
Arrival- The airport is on a little Island called Baltra. If you are not part of a tour there is a very simple process to get to the town of Puerto Ayora.
There are buses waiting at the airport to take you to the ferry – free 10 minutes
ferry across a little channel to get to Santa Cruz – 80 cents 2 minutes
bus into town - $2 40 minutes (there are taxis too. Not sure the cost). The bus takes you to the main harbor. The town is very small so you can easily walk or take a taxi to your hotel.

Hotel- There are many different kinds of hotels in town. They range from very fancy $200+ a night to cheap and very basic.
We stayed at Lirio Del Mar. It isn't really worth writing about. Just a concrete block with a bed and a fan in it.
But in general $10-15 per person will get you a basic room with a fan and cold water shower.
$20-25 per person will upgrade you to hot water, air conditioning and maybe a TV if you are so inclined.
Organizing Tours – Santa Cruz is filled with travel agencies. The best way to find a good one is probably to ask people who just came back from something and ask them how the service was. A lot of times I think they merge their business to make the boats full.
From there you can organize local 4 hour trips, full day trips to Islands like Plazas, Floreana etc., diving trips, the boat cruises etc.
(On that note, I asked 2 different agencies how much they were charging for a 8 day cruise that I knew was about $1100. if you booked online One agent who seemed confused about a lot of stuff, so I don't know how trustworthy she was, said it was $850. In the other agency she told me it was $1100. So, I'm not really sure how much you actually save by making the arrangements there)

Two popular local tours
*Highlands – walk in underground lava tunnels and see giant tortoises on a farm. About 3 hours at a cost of about $20

*Bay tour – The brochure says you go visit 6 places. Our guide only took us to 4, but I was pretty tired and cold from the chilly water, so I wasn't upset about missing the last 2 places, but I still don't like being told I'm going somewhere and then not go to it. $25 for a boat I thought would sink if the sea got rough or $35 with glass bottom boat and snack.

If you want an English speaking naturalist, then check with the company to make sure that's what you are getting. The language and knowledge of the guides really seemed to vary.

There are also many places you can go to on your own that are completely free including the Charles Darwin Research Station, Tortuga Bay, Las Grietas, and other little swimming cove's.

You can also hire a taxi driver to take you to a place you are interested in visiting. They won't provide you with much naturalist information, but they will get you there.

Food - There are tons of restaurants. The prices are high for Ecuadorian standards. Dinners are typically between $6-10. For lunch try to order the Menu del dia (set lunch). That will save you quite a bit of money. The tourist section of town follows the beach line. The farther you go inland the more you will find where the locals live etc. There are probably cheaper places hidden in there if you are on a tight budget and care to go exploring.
One of the nice hotels called the Red Mangrove has a really nice restaurant overlooking the ocean. They had a sushi menu with really fresh sea food. It seemed like the sushi was more reasonably priced for what you got than some other the other places in town, so we would recommend it.

Leaving Santa Cruz
There are speed boats that go between Santa Cruz and Isabella and San Cristobal.
They leave every day at 2pm and cost $30
There are only 2 boats that go taking a total of maybe 40 people. So, you want to make sure to buy your tickets that morning or the day before. You also probably want to get there about 20 minutes ahead of time so you don't end up sitting at the back in the sun trying to avoid getting splashed during the 2 hour ride.
We saw dolphins on the way. However, the boat is a transportation service, so they don't stop to view the sea life. They just keep going.

Isabella

Most boat cruises don't go visit this island, so you have to organize the trip here yourself if you are interested.
Arrival
The boat docks a little ways outside of town (1 ½ km). If you have a reservation, someone should be there to meet you. Otherwise there are taxis you can take. A couple of times we just hitched a ride on the back of a truck with someone heading into town

Hotel
I can't remember the name of the place we stayed (sorry). But, it is really easy to find. Just outside of town on the way from the dock there is a hostel called Ballena Azul. The lady who owns that also owns nicer rooms right across the street. You have to go into the Ballena Azul to talk to her.
Ballena Azul has smaller rooms with less character. I think some have shared baths, so they are cheaper. They cost more like $10 per person.
The one we stayed at across the street were large nice rooms with fans and hot water. $15 per person. They serve a good breakfast, but it isn't included in the price. You can hear and see the ocean from the room.
The lady who runs the place is extremely helpful and efficient. She will help you organize any tours you want to go on.

San Vicente in town was highly recommended by some other people we met there.

Organizing Tours
The hotel San Vicente is one of the major organizers of local tours. You can go talk to them about anything you are interested in doing. They keep a list of other people who want to go on the same trip and then you can check back in at the end of the day to find out if enough people signed up to give it the go ahead.

These are the two tours we went on.
*Horse riding to the Sierra Negra Volcano. 1 ½ hours riding to the volcano. Then another hour or so of walking into amazing lava fields. Then 1 ½ back down to the mountain. Beautiful, fascinating, but painful on the way back. $25

*Boat ride, visiting the ocean lava tunnels and snorkeling. The trip lasts all morning. We saw hundreds of sea turtles on the boat ride there. The lava tunnels are some of the most fascinating scenery I've ever been to. There you can see more sea turtles, rays, birds, fish etc. from the bridges made of lava. Then you go snorkeling with penguins, turtles, fish etc. Not the greatest snorkeling ever, but good.
There are many places you can go on your own such as the tortoise breeding center, on the way to the center there is a stinky lake that flamingos and other interesting birds visit, on your right hand side if you are leaving the docks go down the path into the mangroves to a lagoon with some interesting snorkeling, the water at the beaches is a tad cold, but still very nice for swimming or lazing around for a while.

Food
Food is cheaper here than on Santa Cruz, but there is less variety. It is more along the fish/chicken and rice vain at around $5.

Leaving Isabella
The water taxi heads out for Santa Cruz at 6am. Your hotel should be able to organize a taxi to take you there in time for the departure.
When we were leaving I was surprised that a boat was heading out for Floreana. It may just have been a special charter, but you should ask around if you are interested.

San Cristobal

Arrival
We took a boat from Santa Cruz to San Cristobal. It was 2 hours long and arrived at 4pm. The tour company who was supposed to pick us up wasn't there, but there is a giant map of the town at the end of the dock including the location of hotels, travel agencies etc. So, it is really easy to find your way around the small town. If you don't have a lot of luggage walking shouldn't be much of a problem. There didn't seem to be taxi's waiting there like they were in Santa Cruz.

Hotel
The place we stayed at here was again not worth writing about. Northia was another concrete box with a bed in it. This time there was air conditioning, but no hot water. I think it was about $30 for 2 people, but I wouldn't really recommend it. There were fewer options of places to stay here, so it wouldn't take too long to visit a couple of the places and choose one.

Organizing Tours
There are a couple different travel agencies in town that can help you. Good hotels should also be able to organize things for you or at least point you in the right direction.
These are the two tours we went on

*Snorkeling at Kicker rock and swimming with the sea lions. I don't think I have ever had so much fun in my life. We were in the water with the juvenile sea lions all around us. One even grabbed on to my bright pink flipper and played with it for a minute. They were swimming, playing and dancing with us! Absolutely amazing. The snorkeling was cool we saw sharks, but very very cold and pretty deep. I think it would have been a better dive spot. 5 hours. $30.
You can't count on always being able to do this trip. You need to have a minimum of 6 people or so for it to be a go.

*Highlands tour. Drive up to El Junco lake. It is a beautiful drive and lake. Short hike up the mountain and around the lake. Go to the tortoise breeding center. This one is different than the others because the center is fenced in, but the tortoises can roam around anywhere in the area, so it looks more natural. Stop at a vista point of kicker rock on the way back. 2 hours. Not sure on the cost. It was included in our tour. My guess is $20. If I had to pay that amount, I think I would have forgone the trip. You might check on how much it would be for a group of 4 or 5 to just hire a taxi. I have no idea how much that would cost, but it might be less than with an organized group.
There are many places you can go on your own such as the interpretation center. An interesting museum that talks about history and ecology. Little beaches to swim in, and my favorite, the main beach in the middle of town in where the sea lions come up to sleep on every evening. You can easily spend an hour sitting on the bench watching all their antics in the evening. We ran out of time, but my friend who lived there said the best snorkeling spot is La Tijeraretas.

Food
We kept picking bad restaurants, so I don't have much to recommend. My friend also says La Playa has good sea food. This town has a mixture of local and tourist restaurants. You can easily get a cheap almuerzo or merienda for a couple bucks or pay the $5-10 asked at the tourist places for more variety. The breakfast place was really good. I don't remember the name of it, but it was on the main street that runs along the ocean. It was next door to the chamber of commerce.

Leaving San Cristobal
Boats return to Santa Cruz at 8am.
There is an airport just outside of town. You can even check in early and then leave. We had a taxi driver take us to the loberia to see the iguanas. Then he took us back to the airport because it is all in such close proximity to each other.

62

Itinerary Suggestion For South America

My Boyfriend and I are leaving in 2 weeks for South America and would love some advise on a rough Itinerary and must do items.
We are thinking of leaving on Dec 15th and returning March 1st (2 months and 15 day trip). We'd like to do some adventure and take in the culture through sight seeing. Some of the things we want to do is Machu Pichu, Amazon, Inca Falls, Wine Touring in Argentina/Chile, Golfing in Argentina...etc. We'd like to end with the Carnivale in Rio. I do have the lonely planet South America, however there is alot to do.

Any insights into an Itinerary and travel between countries would be very beneficial. Also the must do countries and places to see. To date we've decided on Columbia, Venezula, Equador, Peru, Boliva, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil.

Thanks in advance.

R

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Update on Carnival in Brazil - South America FAQ #40

Hi everyone, OP here. This update is long overdue; I’ve been postponing it for a couple of years in hope that the safety situation in Salvador would get any better, to no avail. Almost one decade ago we started posting on the Thorn Tree details about carnival in Salvador, a street party that was then unknown to most travelers. We organized our first TT Piss Up in Carnival 2001, and then every year, sometimes every day of carnival, until the year 2006. We had the pleasure of personally meeting over 400 TTer’s here in Salvador in that period of time. Many were repeat visitors, many became addicted and came back every year, and many still keep in touch regularly from far away lands...

Unfortunately, since 2006 the safety situation of Salvador only got worse with staggering official crime rates year after year, whereas crime rates in most other Brazilian cities became lower or remained stable:
- Homicides in Salvador in 2006: 1,223 = 36.7% higher than 2005
- Homicides in Salvador in 2007: 1,665 = 36.1% higher than 2006
- Homicides in Salvador in 2008: 2,189 = 31.5% higher than 2007
Moreover, since the Health Department took over and looked directly at death certificates of victims of violence, it became clear that homicide rates were about 10% higher than those released by the local police. Therefore, homicide rate in Salvador has tripled in the last three years. According to the local police, rape is underreported 7-fold, theft outside carnival is underreported by anywhere between 20 and 50-fold, and during carnival by about 200-fold. For more details on this check my recent reply #74 on the Safety in Brazil - Do’s and Don’ts thread. It’s unlikely that a visitor will get involved in a homicide in Salvador. The same can not be said about other types of violence (physical or not); it’s no longer a matter of “IF”, it’s a matter of “WHEN” a visitor will be robbed, attacked, thrown on the floor, abused, scammed, etc. As a consequence of all this, hotel bookings for Carnival in Salvador for the third year in a row didn’t sell more than 85% of the space available, whereas Recife reached 97% and smaller and safer cities all over the country 100%. The three major sponsors withdraw from renewing their contract with carnival in Salvador and won’t be coming back for 2010. Unfortunately, I don’t see any change for the better before year 2011-2013.

My own first hand account of carnival in Salvador this year:
- Saw 5 white solo female tourists on 4 different days getting thrown on the floor by groups of 3/4 kids and left with their faces in blood after being robbed in front of everybody, 3 in Barra, 1 in Pelourinho and 1 in Ondina.
- Saw a little foreign baby boy being pulled down by the legs from a camarote and smashed to the floor by local men in the pipoca in Barra, “just for fun”.
- Saw a white female foreign tourist who got raped in the middle of a bloco in Barra, then robbed of all her belongings, and then spent a full day hospitalized in shock unable to remember her own name, neither in which hostel she was staying.
- I was with a group of 12 students from Harvard. Within a two-hour time span, four of them had gotten robbed of their belongings.

All that said, it’s still the biggest street party/music festival on earth, so, worth coming if you are well prepared and well informed on what to expect and willing to accept the risks involved.

On a lighter note, advice for those with a strong sense of humor: carry a dummy old wallet in your pocket without any money, just a piece of paper with the word “OTÁRIO” written on it, and see how long it will take until you get robbed…don’t resist, just watch.

64

Just some thoughts and advice I posted elsewhere about safety considerations when booking activities in South America.

There seemed to be a sense that one should expect lower standards of professionalism in South America than elsewhere and I think that's flawed. Wherever you are in the world if you are paying for an activity service then you have the right to expect that to be delivered well, I don't for one moment believe that because it's South American you should accept that it be delivered shoddily.

It is entirely reasonable to expect a guide of any adventure activity to be suitably trained and equipped to deal with a crisis situation. That must include reasonable access to some means of communication and first aid training plus a crisis plan to implement when something does happen.

Presumably most readers of this post are price sensitive or price led when it comes to choosing excursions and activities.

However, please do yourselves a favour and ask a few questions before throwing yourself on the mercy of an activity organiser.

1) RIDING. If you are riding, ask about helmets. If they don't have them (and they probably won't) find out where you can get one - a bike helmet's better than nothing. Seriously, you might feel like a bit of a lemon but it's better than breaking your skull.

2) MOUNTAIN BIKING. Don't even think about it without a helmet. These at least are pretty commonplace nowadays in South America. Have a quick check of the tyres, the tightness of the wheel nuts/fasteners. Check your seat post (try hard to wiggle it around). Brace the front wheel and try to turn the handlebars to check that they are well tightened.

3) RAFTING. Ask about licenses. Ask to see them - they should have them in the office. Ask what training the rafting guides have. Ask about numbers (in the group) vs numbers of safety kayakers. Ask to see the wetsuits/lifejackets and check for wear and tear. When putting your money down make it clear that if you get to the put in and any of their answers are not true or their kit is not up to scratch that you will be refusing to board and you'll be back for a refund.

Finally, crucially. The 'put-out' i.e. the bit where you get out of the water. Where is it? What happens if you miss it? Some put-outs are just above major (unraftable) rapids. If you were to miss the first put-out you want to make sure there is a back up plan. Much of the time rafting takes you down through the rough stuff and gradually calms down as you get downstream so this is not an issue. However, if you are doing some more serious white water then the above scenario can come into play.

4) GUIDING>HIKING. Depends on the environment but in high mountain environments guides should be qualified by the regional mountaineering association (Bolivia has one!). Ask about guide ratios. Ask about communications systems. Ask about emergency plans. The 'what if?' questions. Ask to meet the guide or to see their qualifications. Remember that asking fellow travellers for advice might get you the nicest guide on the planet to take you up a mountain but they might be as much use as a chocolate teapot in an emergency. Pick the guy with the best credentials.

Obviously this is in the context of the risk involved. If you're doing a day walk around Valparaiso then you don't really need to sweat it. If you are summiting Cotopaxi, you do.

Anyway, those are some thoughts. Don't let price compromise your safety. Do ask questions, if the operator is reputable, they will be more than delighted to show off the fact that they are responsible. Do walk away if you are getting the brush off of if you feel nervous about any aspect of the activity.

That's your South American health and safety lecture for the day. It's not a comprehensive list by any means but a plea to have somewhere in the back of your minds.

We are actually part of a working group on health and safety operated by the Latin America Travel Association so this stuff comes from a variety of hopefully sound sources. While we're at it - do check your fire escapes at hotels & hostels. Nothing major, just have the question 'What would I do if there was a fire?' in the back of your mind - would you go left or right out of your room or out of the window? Is the fire exit locked with a key (it shouldn't be)?

65

If you carry a BRITISH PASSPORT, the process for renewing or replacing a passport have changed in South America. All passport applications are now sent to Washington D.C. via the courier of your choice and returned via UPS to you or the local embassy.
This adds to both the cost and the time needed to get your passport. If your passport is stolen, the local embassy will issue you with an emergency passport but it is only good for a one-way trip back to the UK. If you wish to continue your travels, you will have to wait the usual 10 day period for the replacement plus the time it takes for delivery. This can take up to 10 more days.
This can seriously put a dent in your budget and travel plans. Be extremely careful of your passport.

66

Venezuela trip report - travelling independently using public transport

Within November/December 2009 we have been to Venezuela, travelling independently and using public transport. My route included Roraima, Ciudad Bolivar, Puerto Ayacucho, the Llanos, trek in the PN Sierra Nevada, Merida, Coro, Puerto Colombia / Choroni, PN Henri Pittier, and Caracas. We have not found Venezuela as dangerous as it is often presented here and on other sites and never felt threatened in any way.

When preparing the trip I used information often gathered at this site - to repay this help I have put a rather detailed report on my experience for others to use on the internet - if interested check it out at my site .

Happy travels to everyone.

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Details about Medellín Colombia

JoseKevo has written a detailed and informative trip report about Medellín Colombia (December 2009) featuring accommodation options, transport info, as well as plenty of advice on food, sights, and activities. Worth a read for travellers heading to Colombia.

Cheers.

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Please remember that this thread is for general information answering frequently asked questions regarding South America. You should not posts questions here as they are unlikely to receive a response. If you have a question you would like to put to the rest of the community, please go back to the branch and select 'Post New Thread'. Thanks!

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Independent travel in Galapagos – National Park Visitor Rules

The Galapagos National Park has rules which are designed to protect the visitor as well as the unique environment. Many people have come to an unhappy end in Galapagos; outside of the populated areas the environment is harsh and can be dangerous.

97% of the land area of Galapagos is designated National Park, and including the visitor sites covered by these rules. Visits outside of the designated sites are only permitted with special permission by the Galapagos National Park and this is not an option for tourists. At the end of this post I have added information about recreational zones in the Galapagos National Park, which under certain circumstances are open to groups without a qualified guide. All other visitor sites must be visited with a guide.

Visitors in organized groups will be told the rules by their Guide, who will reinforce them during the tour. Independent visitors are also covered by these rules, and there are fines for non-compliance. Local inhabitants’ activities are also covered by the National Park Rules. Please do not ask us to help you break them. Please respect that guides and park guards are held responsible for your behavior.

This information is taken from the Galapagos National Park website http://www.galapagospark.org and where the English translation did not quite match the Spanish original I have added extra translation, indicated {like this}. The use of the word “please” is for politeness’ sake, not because the rules are optional.

These islands and their species are unique and fragile and that is why (most) people want to visit them. Please help us keep them that way.
_______________________________________________________

Rules for Visitors

Welcome, and thank you for visiting Galapagos. Please bear in mind the following information during your stay.
1. To visit the National park you must always be accompanied by a certified Galapagos National park guide.
2. Galapagos is a unique and fragile environment; avoid causing change in the environment. Take only photographs and video. Professional {filming} needs authorization from the National Park.
3. Please stay within the limits of the walking trails, for your safety and that of the flora and fauna. {Respect the signs}.
4. To avoid affecting the wildlife’s natural behavior please avoid getting closer than two meters to the animals.
5. Camping is only allowed in specific sites. If you wish to camp you must first obtain a permit from the Galapagos National Park.
6. Help conservation by cooperating with the authorities in their inspection, monitoring and control duties. Report any anomalies to the National Park.
7. Do not introduce foreign organisms to the islands, as these can have a negative impact on the ecosystem.
8. Please do not buy souvenirs which are made from black coral, sea shells, sea lion teeth, tortoise shell, volcanic rock {or endemic woods}.
9. Galapagos animals have their own feeding behavior. Never feed the animals. Feeding them can be detrimental to their health.
10. Galapagos landscapes are unique. Do not spoil them by writing or etching on rocks, trees {or walls}.
11. Do not litter while on the islands. Always dispose of rubbish in a safe and appropriate way.
12. Smoking or making camp fires in the national park areas is forbidden and can cause devastating fires.
13. Fishing is strictly forbidden, except on those boats specifically authorized by the Galapagos National Park for that purpose only.
14. Jet skiing, submarines, water skiing, and aerial tourism are all forbidden.
_____________________________

Recreational visitor sites
(listed Page 123 of the Management Plan, url below). All are on the inhabited islands. http://www.galapagospark.org/documentos/DPNG_plan_de_manejo.pdf

Organized groups in recreational visitor sites must be accompanied by a guide qualified and certified by the Galapagos National Park. There is no definition in the Management Plan of an organized group. A park guard will make their own assessment based on factors such as, size of group, and obvious leadership of the group by one individual.

70

Getting Around in....
South America
By Air:
International airfares across South America are generally very expensive and even more if flying from South America to other parts of the world than coming into South America from elsewhere. Therefore it's recommended to plan on buying a round trip ticket before going, than to fly in one way and than buy another one way out, while in South America. Besides that, immigration laws may require the traveller show a round trip ticket out upon request by the immigration officer. Even if immigration authorities seldom ask for it the airlines will before they allow the traveller to board the flight going to South America. If asked, and then turned away by immigration authorities the airlines are responsible to transport the traveller back to the point of origin. Therefore, they're doing this to protect themselves. See post #11 of the of the Brazil FAQ thread.

Domestic airfares within some of the can be more reasonable and within some countries could be below US$100 (in double digits) thus rivalling the 'budget fares' in Europe, SE Asia, and other parts of the world. To find the best fares is to search individually on the company's website or inquire locally than to use outside booking or aggregate sites like Kayak, Odopo, Skyscanner, etc. because there is a multi-tier pricing scheme where foreigners could pay considerably more than locals with some carriers in some countries. For example a one way fare between Lima and Cuzco on Lan is US$62-65 OW if booked locally or through the local version of the company's website, but it's US$200-250 OW if booked online through a third party booking site like Orbitz or Lan's foreign portals like the U.S. portal. So to travel internationally in this context, one could fly to the border city, take the bus, taxi or boat across the border to the next border city, and fly out from there. For example a one way fare from Lima to Santiago de Chile could be US$350. But, to Tacna could be US$73 OW, take the bus to Arica for $3 (plus taxi fares between airport & bus stations) and fly from Arica to Santiago for US$110. to a total of US$186+. Keep in mind, that other posters have had problems booking online through the airline's website as they are programmed to only recognise credit cards issued domestically. Therefore it may be necessary to book these fares with local travel agents or the airline ticketing office once in South America than from aborad. The other reason, to search individually, is that a number of the smaller airlines (TAM Bolivia, Pluna, Peruvian, etc.) don't show up on outside aggregate sites. TransitionsAbroad.com explaines more on here about air travel. Many posters had also recommended a Latin American booking site on Despegar.com. There's a portal site for each control which give quotes in local currency as well which may yield some good deals for international travel in S. America or whithin a S. American country.
.
Note the name of each country in the below links to the immigration authorities websites to see what the visa and long term stay requirements are.


By Land:
Buses are the most common way to get around South America. Air travel within the continent can be expensive, and nowhere in South America boasts an extensive train network. Long bus trips lasting more than 24 hours are not uncommon and it seems as though top bragging rights will go to the person who has endured the longest bus ride.

However there is a significant difference in the quality of both the roads and the buses between and within the countries. Also, what may appear on the map to be a relatively short distance, can take hours longer than you expect, due to the quality of the roads or large changes in altitude along the way. The available trains in South America are limited to a few places and none available to travel the entire continent at great distances nor within some of the countries. Where available, trains are generally slower than buses going the same distances. TransitionsAbroad.com explains more on here

To go across the continent one usually one takes the bus across a nation from one end to another, go across the border, and continue onwards on another bus at the other side Other buses cross through to the next country and on to the next major stop. There are a few a companies that travel great distances across multiple nations as follows:
Caracol Argentina, Brasil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela
El Rapido Internacional Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay
Rutas de Americas Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, & Venezuela
Bus-America.com compiles the list of bus companies, links (if any) and schedules from several south american cities.


Argentina
By Air
In Buenos Aires there are TWO airports. The Ministro Pistarini/Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) is the international airport for Aerolineas Argentina, LAN Argentina and a variety of foreign carriers in the Ezeiza partido south of Buenos Aires while the domestic airport is at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP) in the Palermo neighborhood, 2 km (1.2 mi) northeast of the center of Buenos Aires. At Jorge Newberry there are some international flights to Montevideo and Punta Este, Uruguay so check with the airline.

AeroVIP(2D)
Aero Chaco(VM)
Aerolineas Argentina(AR), Austral
Andes
LADE (Linea Aereas del Estado(5U)) is a state owned airline operated by the Argentine Air Force providing domestic scheduled services mainly in the Patagonia region.
LAER flies mainly between Buenos Aires, Concordia and Parana.
LAN Argentina(4M)
Sol Lineas Aereas(8R)
Manual Tienda Leon provides bus & private shuttle between the two Buenos Aires airports and from the BA airports to their terminal at Terminal Madero (Av. Madero esq. San Martín). They also offer bus sevice to other places further out such as Mar de Plata, Santa Fe, Rosario, etc from the EZE international airport.

By Bus
Argentine long distance buses are fast, affordable and comfortable; they have become the primary means of long-distance travel since railway privatizations and downsizing in the early 1990s and higher cost of airfares. Competing providers differ little on their time-honoured formula, offering three different services regarding the number of stops and type of seats: the Regular, Semi-cama (semi-bed), and Cama (bed), with Cama being similar to an airline's business class. Some services have also on-board dining, while others stop at restaurants by the road. Long and middle-distance buses cover almost all paved-accessible cities, towns and villages.

The below are the major companies that DO traverse the entire country with some leaving Argentina to neighboring countries and beyond:
AndesMar
Bus Plus
La Nueva Chevallier
Rapido Argentino
El Rapido Internacional
Tramat
Via Bariloche
Via Tac
South Pass Argentina by Bus is the South American version of the European Rail passes only on buses instead. It can be used in Argentina and to some places in Brazil, Bolvia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Link is pointed to the FAQ page of the site (written in Spanish though).

The below are some of the smaller companies originating from Buenos Aires Terminal de Omnibus de Retiro to the surrounding provinces of Buenas Aires, Entre Rios and/or Santa Fe. Others may go further out like to Cordobas, Corrientes, La Pampa, Mendoza, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, San Luis and/or elsewhere in the northern & central regions. Some go to more places than others and not all go everywhere so check their respective links below:
CATA Internacional
Condor Estrella
Curcero del Norte
Expresos Alberion
Plus Mar
Sendas
Ko Ko S.R.L.
Mercobus
El Turista goes from the capital only to San Francisco, Cordobas and Cordobas city.
El Rapido operates from Mar de Plata to other places within the Buenas Aires province

See Tebasa.com.ar for additional bus company listings not listed above that originates from the Buenos Aires Omnibus de Retiro station, Omnilineas for information of other bus companies and links to their presepective websites from anywhere to anywhere in Argentina or Platforma10.

By Train
Since the 1993 break-up of Ferrocarriles Argentinos (FA), the state railroad corporation, several private and provincial railway companies have been created and have resurrected some of the major passenger routes that FA once operated.
Ferrobaires operates extensive long-distance passenger trains throughout Buenos Aires Province in Argentina,
FerroCentral operates long-distance passenger trains from its base at Retiro Station in Buenos Aires to several locations in northern Argentina.
Servicios Ferroviarios Patagónico goes across the Rio Negro province between Viedma and Bariloche.
Trenes Especiales goes between Posadas and Federico Lacroze along the Rio Uruguay
Buenos Aires Commuter Trains
Buenos Aires City's metropolitan rail system is extensive with 267 stations, 6 main rail lines and one light rail line, covering 899 kilometres (562 miles) and 1800 trains carrying over one million passengers each business day in the city of Buenos Aires, its suburbs in Greater Buenos Aires and several far-reaching satellite towns. Service is provided by private companies and spreads out from five central stations in Buenos Aires: Retiro (the busiest), Constitución, Once de Septiembre, Federico Lacroze – all serving both long-distance and local passenger services – and Buenos Aires Station which despite its name is a secondary rail terminus serving only local commuter services.
Ferrovias operates the Belgrano Norte line
Trenes de Buenos Airesoperates the Mitre and Sarmiento Lines
Metrovias Urquiza line
Tren de la Costa is a 11-station light rail line in Greater Buenos Aires, between Maipú Avenue station in the northern suburb of Olivos and Delta station in Tigre, along the Río de la Plata. The line connects directly to the Linea Mitre at Maipú–Bartolomé Mitre station for direct access to Retiro terminus in the centre of the city.
UGOFE (Unidad de Gestión Operativa Ferroviaria de Emergencia) is a consortium of Argentine companies formed on 7 January 2005 by Ferrovías, Metrovías and Trenes de Buenos Aires to take over the running of commuter railway services in Buenos Aires after concessions granted to Metropolitano in 1994 for the operation of these services were revoked. The union operates the Belgrano Sur, Roca and San Martin lines.
Wikipedia Image showing the commuter rail lines in the greater Buenos Aires area.

Bolivia
By Air:
Aerocon flies from Trinidad to the harder to reach places of Bolivia like Cobija, Guayaramerin, Riberalta and Santa Ana (La Paz region). They also fly to La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz. In Santa Cruz,
Aerosur(5L) offers domestic scheduled services and some international flights, as well as charter services and is the other flag carrier of Bolivia
Amaszonas(Z8) offers services from La Paz, Cochabamba (in central Bolivia) and Santa Cruz (in eastern Bolivia) to 7 towns in the Beni Department and the Pando Department and between towns in this area. The major destinations are Trinidad (capital of the Beni Department) and Rurrenabaque (on the Beni River).
Boliviana de Aviacion (BoA)(OB) successor company of the defunct LAB (Lloyd Aero de Bolivia) as the flag carrier.
TAM (Transportes Aero Militar) is the civilian wing of the 'Fuerza Aérea Boliviana' (the Bolivian Air Force), operating passenger services to remote towns and communities in the North and Northeast of Bolivia.
By Bus
Bus transportation in Bolivia is a nice cheap way to get to see the beautiful scenery while traveling to your destination. Unfortunately the buses often travel solely at night. Keep in mind that roads are occasionally blocked due to protests, often for several days. So ask several companies at the terminal if you hear about blockades, unless you are willing to spend a few days sleeping on the bus. Bus travel is usually pretty cheap. Estimate that it will cost you about US$1 for every hour of travel (it's easier to find travel times online than actual price quotes). Prices do change based on supply and demand. Sometimes you can get a deal by waiting until the last minute to buy. Hawkers are constantly crying out destinations in the bigger bus stations cajoling potential riders to take their bus line.
BoliviaBella.com explains about bus travel in Bolivia.
BoliviaEnTuManos.com has a page on their site on bus travel from La Paz, Potosi, Sucre and Cochabamba to various places. Shows schedules and which companies as well as their local contact number.
Bolivian embassy to Argentina outlines the transport options including planes & trains into Bolivia.
By Train:
On some routes, the roads are in such a dire condition that the train becomes the alternative of choice. Trains are more comfortable than one would expect, having for example reclinable seats.
FCA (Empresa Ferroviara Andina SA) goes between Oruro and Villazon in the Potosi and Oruro departments in the southwest..
Ferroviaria Oriental S.A. goes between Quijarro and Yacuiba via Santa Cruz in the Santa Cruz and Tarija departments in the southeastern region.

Brasil
See #29 of this thread for an airline list. See Post #4 and on #15 of the of the Brazil FAQ thread for additional airline and bus company listings not on #29.
By Air:
Booking online for domestic flights can be frustrating for non-Brazilian citizens. Often, you will be asked for your CPF national identity number while paying by credit card. Of course, as a foreigner, you don't have one. Some airlines such as GOL will accept American Express cards (but not VISA or Master Card) without a CPF. One trick that often will work is to visit one of the airlines' foreign websites (such as Gol´s in Argentina) If all else fails, try calling or e-mailing the airline and ask how to proceed. Most flights can also be found on international ticket offices such as ebookers, edreams etc. to the same price (or lower) than the Brazilian sites, and are, of course purchased without CPF.
By Bus:
Brazil has a very good long distance bus network. Basically, any city of more than 100.000 people will have direct lines to the nearest few state capitals, and also to other large cities within the same range. Pretty much every and any little settlement has public transport of some kind (a lorry, perhaps) to the nearest real bus station. Mostly you have to go to the bus station to buy a ticket, although some of the large companies now have internet sales. In a few cities you can also buy a ticket on the phone and have it delivered to your hotel for an extra charge of some 3-5 reais. Some companies have also adopted the airlines´ genius policy of pricing: In a few cases buying early can save you more than 50%. The facility of flagging a bus and hopping on (if there are no available seats you will have to stand, still paying full price) is widespread in the country. This is less likely to work along a few routes where armed robberies have happened frequently, such as those leading to the border with Paraguay and to Foz do Iguaçu.

Most major bus companies make reservations and sell tickets by Internet but you must pick-up your ticket with some time in advance. There is no one bus company that serves the whole country. Therefore you need to identify the company that connect two cities in particular by calling the bus station of one city. ANTT, the national authority for land transportation, has a Search engine (in Portuguese) (or See Post #4 of the Brazil FAQ branch for all available domestic bus lines.

Bus services are often sold in three classes: Regular, Executive and First-Class (Leito, in Portuguese). Regular may or may not have air conditioning. For long distances or overnight travels, Executive offers more space and a folding board to support your legs. First-Class has even more space and only three seats per row, making enough space to sleep comfortably.

Colombia
By Air:
Copa Airlines Colombia / (formerly) AeroRepublica (P5, CM)
Aires (4C)
Avianca (AV), SAM
Easy Fly (EF)
Satena (9N)
By Bus:
Berlinas
Bolivariano
Copetran
Grupo Coomoter
Expreso Brasilia
Expreso Palmeras
Rapido Ochoa

Chile
By Air:
Aerovias DAP (3I) operates scheduled and charter services in the southern Patagonia area, and also operates flights on behalf of the state-owned oil company, ENAP
Lan, Lan Express, Ladeco
Principal (PAL)(5P)
Sky (H2)
By Bus:
Condor
Cruz del Sur
Expreso Norte
Pullman
Tas-Choapa
Turbus
Transantiago local buses & metro in and around Santiago de Chile.
By Train:
EFE (Empresas de Ferrocarriles del Estado) is the national railway in Chile operating both passenger and cargo transport thorughout the country and the local commuter trains in Santiago, Valparaiso and Concepcion
Terra Sur operates inter-city services connecting Santiago to Concepción

Ecuador
Click here for INGALA (Instituo Nacional de GALApagos) which is the local government or local council for the Galapago Islands. The link explains the rules & regulations on tourism on the Galapagos in an effort to control the impact tourists may have the fragile island ecosystem.
By Air:
Airfare within Ecuador generally costs US$65-100OW within the mainland rivalling the "budget" airfares in other parts of the world. For travel to the Galapagos there is a multiered system where foreigners pay the most (US$200 OW) and locals the least ($128-172OW) plus there's a $100 national park tax asessed on arrival.
AeroGal (Aerolineas Galapagos SA) (2K)
Icaro (8x)
Lan Ecuador (XL)
TAME (EQ)
VIP Ecuador(V6) a subsidiary of the Avianca-Taca SA group.
or see here see the airline schedule on TAME and AeroGal between the Galapagos and the Ecuadorian mainland.
Emetebe provides passenger & cargo air transport within the Galapago Islands
By Bus:
Cooperativa Loja
Manabi
Transportes Esmeralda
Union Cariamanga
Color
The rest are third party and bus station sites showing which company goes where from the station.
GetQuitoEcuador.com. Also keep in mind that the bus station in Quito has moved. See this thread.
Terminal Terrestre de Guayaquil Look at "Buses con destino a:" and use the scroll menu to find your destination and hit the "ir" button. Shows the company and frequency of buses to that destination from Guayaquil.
GoEcuador.com
Cuenca.com.ec

Guyana
By Air:
BlueWing
Georgetown Airport
Other caribbean airlines serving Georgetown:
Caribbean Airlines Ltd (Trinidad/Tobago)
LIAT Airlines

Surface Travel
Minibuses travel throughout Guyana and are the cheapest way to travel. Minibus fares range from GY$60 - GY$1,000 (US$0.30c - $5 @ USD$1=GYD$200) depending on the length of the journey. Travel in this mode at night could be risky.

Many parts of Guyana are separated by large rivers. These areas can be traversed by way of river taxi. Go to the port village and ask from where the speedboats launch. Ask other passengers what the fare is while traveling as boat operators tend to seek higher fees from tourists. Do not take "specials" without first negotiating the price.

Taxis are a good way to get around in Georgetown. Fares should never be more than US$2.50 (GY$500) for travel within the city and most fares should be around GY$400.

One can also rent cars or 4x4s; check the local telephone listings for car rentals. Consult more than one rental agency as prices can vary. You might also be able to negotiate the prices charged to some extent. Deposits are usually required. If renting a vehicle, be sure to enquire whether your driver's license will be acceptable. Violations of traffic laws can result in much time wasted and possible trips to the local courts.

There are set prices for taxis for different destinations, e.g. from the airport to town costs GY$4000, from the airport to Moleson Creek is GY$24,000, etc...

Paraguay
By Air:
BQB
TAM Paraguay a Brazilian Airline w/ Paraguay subsidiary. On the site chose the country as 'Paraguay'.
By Bus:
La Encarnacena
NSA (Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion
Sol del Paraguay
Are the above two are the only companies w/ internet presence.
Terminal Omnibus Asuncion is the main bus station in Asuncion. Shows depature times by city then by company.

Peru
By Air:
Airfares in Peru varies widely but in general it's cheaper to book internally with local travel agents or on: TraficoPeru.com or Go2Peru.com than from outside the country even on some of the airline's websites

Lan Peru (LP)
LC Busre (W4)
Peruvian Airlines (P9)
Star Peru (2I)
Taca Peru (TA) operates mainly as an international carrier between Lima and other South American cities. Additional flights to/from Mexico City and San Jose, CR are offered. Domestically they only fly between Cuzco and Lima.
Aerocondor only operates chartered & scenic flights, like the tours above the Nazca lines on smaller planes. They no longer operate scheduled flights on the bigger Boeing 737 jets over longer distances.
By Bus
Buses are the cheapest and most popular form of transportation in Peru, for many Peruvians, they are the only means of getting around and they have by far the greatest reach. A complex network of private bus companies crisscrosses Peru, with many competing lines covering the most popular routes. Many companies operate their own bus stations, and their locations, dispersed across many cities, can be endlessly frustrating to travelers. In other cities, such as Cuzco, there is a centralised bus station, called terminal terrestre or terrapuerto. Luggage theft is an issue on many buses; passengers should keep a watchful eye on carry-on items and pay close attention when bags are unloaded. Only a few long-distance companies have luxury buses comparable in comforts to European models (bathrooms, reclining seats, and movies). These premium-class ("Royal" or "Imperial" class) buses cost up to twice as much as regular-service buses, although for many travelers, the additional comfort and services are worth the difference in cost (which remains inexpensive).

For many short distances (such as Cusco to Pisac), colectivos (smaller buses without assigned seats) are the fastest and cheapest option. (Usually not online). The below are the major companies operating across long distances in Peru:

Caracol
Civa
Cruz del Sur
Expreso Cial
Flores Hermanos
Grupo Ormeno
Oltursa
Soyuz, PeruBus
Transportes Chiclayo
Transportes Linea
Tepsa - Transportes el Pino
Turismo Cavassa
In Lima there is no central station. Each company have their own terminal(s) in various locations. The below sites serves as a directory on the information.
Adonde.com lists the above bus companies and others not shown in the above. Shows their Lima address, contact information and where they go from Lima.
TraficoPeru.com provides a the same links as above as well as local contacts and other companies without websites as well as local and international car rental companies.
By Train:
Ferrocarril Central Andino S.A. goes between Lima & Huancayo
Peru Rail operates trains between Puno and Machu Pichu via Cusco through the Sacred Valley
Lima Metro local trains in the Lima area.

Uruguay
By Air:
Pluna serves mainly as an international carrier from Montevideo to Argentina and nearby areas (to Uruguay) in Brasil and from Punta de Este to Buenos Aires.
Air Class flies mainly between Montevideo and Buenos Aires
By Bus:
Buquebus (Bus & Ferry)
Colonia Express (Bus & Ferry)
Copsa
C.O.T.(Compania Oriente de Transporte S.A.
Ega Keyguay
Nossar
Turil
TransUruguay (Ferry & Bus)
Turismar
OmniLineas is a bus booking site providing links to the bus companies.
Tres Cruces is a shopping center and central bus station in the Tres Cruces neighborhood or barrio of Montevideo. Their site provides bus schedule information on multiple lines.

Venezuela
By Air:
Aeropostal(VH)
Aserca (Aero Servicios CArabobo)(R7)
Avior(9V)
Conviasa(V0)
LASER(QL)
Rutaca(RZ)
SBA (Santa BArbara)(S3)
Venezolena
By Bus:
There are 100s of companies and co-ops operating buses throughout Venezuela. The below are the few major companies that maintain an online presence showing their schedules, destinations, fares, etc.
AeroExpresos Ejecutivos C.A.
BusVen
Expresos los Llanos C.A.
Rodovias
Expresos Merida
Expresos Occidente had suspended their website and instead provided the link to their Facebook page. Contact the e-mail in the Facebook page for more info.
The below are third party sites found on:
SITS (Sistema Intergal de Transporte Superficial SA government operated bus company.

Edited by: anyone101

71

You can also check out Playas Peru for information about the location of the beachs.

72

very useful website and fun! thanks

73

Some things you may not know.

With more and more people buying their airline tickets online and through third party websites, you won't always get the additional travel information you need. They just sell you a ticket. They don't tell you that they have routed you through a place where you need a visa to get in. So do your homework. Things to note:

-*Visas*: Citizens of some countries will have to get a visa for some destinations before they travel. This can take time. If you need a visa and don't have it, the airline will deny you boarding. (Brazil, any entry point) Others will allow you to pay at entry, but require other documentation - which may or may not be checked, but you have to have it.(Bolivia)

-*Reciprocity fees*: Citizens of some countries will have to pay a reciprocity fee on entering certain countries. This will usually only be charged entering via the main international airport in the capital. (Argentina and Chile).

-*Connections*: If you are connecting between flights and you buy the two flights separately, your luggage will probably get delivered at the connecting point and you will have to check in again. This can be very important if the connecting point demands a visa or reciprocity fee from people of your nationality. To get that luggage you are going to have to go through passport control - note the points above about visas and reciprocity fees.

-*Vaccinations*. There is plenty of information on government websites about what you need for where. Sometimes a vaccination is recommended and sometimes you won't be let into a country without proof you have had it. Find out. Some take a few days to become active (yellow fever) so get it as far in advance as you need to. The CDC has a very good website no matter what your nationality.
http://www.cdc.gov/

-*Register*: If your country offers a place to register yourself while you are traveling, do so. The US State Dept. has a place to register. UK citizens can use LOCATE. In case of an emergency it makes it a lot easier to find you and offer any help you need. Keep in touch with family and friends. Change of plans? Let someone know. Check travel advisories too. They usually try to cover every awful possibility so may be a bit over the top, but things have made it onto their list for a reason.

-*Money*. Although most travelers will tell you to just get money out of a cash machine as the best option, it isn't always. (Venezuela) Or there may be ATM charges on top of your bank's charges (Argentina, Chile) Not every bank charges the same, so find out. Let your bank know if you are going to be withdrawing money abroad so they don't freeze the card. Always carry some emergency funds. This can be a few traveler's checks, some cash or a second credit or debit card. Things happen.

-*Ticket for onward travel*. Most immigration employees do not check you have a ticket to leave their country. They don't have to as the airline does that for them before you get on the plane. If you don't have what they want to see, you won't be allowed to board. Any doubts about that, phone the airline. Sometimes a return ticket from another country on the continent will suffice. Sometimes not.

-*Internal flights*: are sometimes cheaper bought in country than online from abroad. That's fine if it isn't high season. Prices will rise as dates draw nearer. In general, low cost airlines like the ones in Europe do not exist in South America. But some airlines are cheaper than others and buses are often a good alternative. Some countries have different prices for locals and visitors. It is what it is.

-*Safety*. Depending on their own personal experiences, people will describe the same place as perfectly safe or a thieves' paradise. If you live in a large city you just need to find out what the local types of criminal activity consist of. If you have lived all your life in a quiet suburb, you need to do a lot more research.

-*Holidays*: Holidays vary from country to country. Holidays are perhaps celebrated in different ways than you are used to. Google 'holidays + XXXX' and find out what the holidays are in each country you will visit. See what day of the week they fall on for the present year. Then go on the forum and see how this might affect your plans. Transport might be packed, everything might be shut.

The more you know, the more relaxed your trip will be with no sudden surprises.

Edited by: vnrose

74

BUILDING IN DELAYS TO TRAVEL SCHEDULES

Yes, there have been many posts here (including in the last few days, not to mention the hundreds over the past few years) about not cutting your connections too fine, either because of delays, cancellations, or rescheduling by the buses, trains or planes, or because of social problems like strikes or roadblocks. That is why I laugh when I see all the complicated schedules people are proposing for intineraries, you have to build in the real expectation of 2-or-3-day delays, especially for arriving at the place where your connection home is scheduled to leave.

Delays, cancellations or reschedules happen all the time, in the US or Europe as well. So why should it be different in South America? The only difference is that the liklihood is much higher here. LAN is much more reliable than many airlines around the world, especially compared to airlines like Aerolineas Argentinas.

I am truly sorry your Christmas plans are ruined.