What to do in South America for 2 month Jan/Feb

Hi there
I'm a 37 y.o. man who would to do a bit researching of how to spend 2 month in South America
First of all my Spanish is very very little. However I would consider mig self as a nice, friendly and openminded person.
I'm not really that much into cities unless there are things which are musts. I would love to explore the countryside - don't mind travelling together with someone for a while. Spend a bit of time at a beach, do a lot of hiking, see some wildlife (know a lot about parrots), love plants...

Regards

Anders
Denmark

Esteros del Ibera

Jorge Daniel Barchi.
Buenos Aires.

I think it would be worth your while to look at the South American Pass: http://tinyurl.com/3335nl<BR>Look at suggested itineraries. With 2 months, you could visit two or three countries if you got the itinerary right. It would be rainy season in somewhere like Cusco/Macchu Picchu, but I went once in January because that's when I could go. Again in Perú, you could fly to Iquitos and stay at a lodge on the Amazon. Chile and Argentina have wonderful national parks. Some countries in SA are a bit cheaper than others, but they will all be a lot cheaper than Denmark. You need to look at a few guidebooks to get an idea of what there is and then focus on the countries you choose.

Agree with above, costs vary a lot if money is a issue, Chile Brazil and Argentina much higher than Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia-eventhough prices are rising. If you like mountians traveling the spine of the Andes is a good option start in either Colombia or Ecuador, both countries have nice beaches, esp Colombian carribean around Santa Marta is nice, there is plenty of Jungle, Mountains, Volcanos, and the breathtaking landscape of the salt flats in the south of Bolivia. Another option is to start in Lima or La Paz and make your way down to Patagonia, as this is a good time of year as it is the South Hem. summer, prices rise though as you move south., but you would not see much time on the beach altough Mar de Plata is alright and so is Vin Del Mar, check out the guide books it is a massive continent full of great people epic beauty and plenty of fiestas...ENJOY

I think that Chile, Argentina and Bolivia could be interresting places. I would like to spend a bit of time in the Pagonian, don't really know what to expect.
Probably I have to see Buenos Aires - a 4-5 days trip, visit Titicaca. Yeah I know have to get a Lonely Planet Guide. I also have to learn a bit spanish before heading south.

If you go down to Patagonia, there are a lot of things to do, hiking, climbing, rafting, canopy etc.... and the best is you can cross from Chile to Argentina very easily, it won't take you more than 2 or 3 hours, both countries have very nice national parks, nature over there is just beautiful, mountains, forest, lakes etc....i can give you very detail info about Torres de Paine ( used to work there), so PM if you need some extra info.... Good luck

Anders - if you enjoy hiking, you should definitely get down to Patagonia. People often fly in to El Calafate (Argentina), take a tour (or rent a car) to Perito Moreno Glacier, then drive over the El Chalten (Argentina), do 3-5 days of hiking over there, return to El Calafate for a night, then move on (usually by bus) to Torres del Paine (Chile) for 4-8 days. You can also start by getting to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales in Chile, seeing TdP, then going to Argentina. Being so far south, people often add a visit to Ushuaia on Tierra del Fuego. Lovely hikes at TdF National Park, cool boat trips on the Beagle Channel - certainly worth at least 2-3 days. Nahuel is an expert on the area, I'm sure he can offer great advice.

If you're going to be in BA anyway, you should consider getting up to Iguazu - there aren't many sights like this in the world.

Nils

i'm also planning a trip to SA for about 2 mths from Feb. At this moment I'm thinking about Peru, Bolivia, Chile (Torres del Paine) and Cuba. Like you, I also plan to do hiking. Perhaps we can exchange ideas and hopefully meet along the way, if our paths cross.

i'm a 36-yr-old avid traveller from Malaysia.

Also thanks for the tips from the replies, am taking note of them.

Angela

Hej Anders

From my South American experience, which includes Argentina, Chile, Bolivia & Peru, I would regard these as must sees:
As you'll notice, it nicely fits into a circuit.

Inca trail. Touristy, yet worth it. Machu Picchu is of course great - but the trail is IMHO the best part of the experience.
Cuzco (various Inca ruins).
Titicaca lake. Simply beatiful.
La Paz. A big city, yes, but somehow it is my personal favourity city (I am no particular fan of major cities).
South Western circuit (from Uyuni or Tupiza).
San Pedro de Atacama. Desert town.
Easter Island (reached from Santiago de Chile)
Southern Chile - Valdivia/Puerto Montt area
Torres del Paine natioanl park.
El Calafate Chaltén (Glaciars superb mountain scenery)
Peninsula Valdés & Punta Tombo - wildlife
Iguazú Falls. You need a 3 days stay - 2 days for the Argentinian side, 1 for the Brazilian.

Regarding Spanish - Copenhagen University used to have an excellent 3 weeks summer holiday course - it was even free (for students). I know it might be too late. However, even a basic command of Spanish will make a huge difference for you!

Get a South American guide book in the library...

PM if you want more info (Danish is perfectly OK:-)

Peter
Fellow Dane

We were in Chile in Jan/Feb of this year and were able to catch the "Tapati Festival" on Easter Island (which was spectacular) and the "Feista de la Columbista" (sp?) on Chiloe Island. It was great as well. Try to time accordingly. Both are highly recommended if you like food and culture festivals.