Trans South America, Complete Circuit
217 days
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Group Tour
Epic overland, takes us full circle through eleven countries all the way around South America. A unique adventure, that takes on the dense rainforest, dry deserts, high altiplano, pristine coastline and many of Latin America’s most vibrant and dynamic cities. Get into the heart of and up close to South America.
From$8,335
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Overview
Trip type
Group Tour
Lodging level
Camping
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule
Highlights
- Ecuador - 3-night Jungle Trip - includes accommodation and meals (op activities extra)
- Peru - Chan Chan Ruins - entrance and guided tour, Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu - 4 days trek, meals & guide, Entrance to Machu Picchu with guide, Lake Titicaca boat to homestay
- Bolivia - Andes mountain range, Llama, Alpaca and Vicuna, Altiplano
- Chile – Santiago, Pucon Chile's Lake District
- Argentina - Salta, Cafayate and Mendoza, - wine growing region, Torres del Paine National Park – entrance, Iguazu Falls - entrance to Argentina side, Buenos Aires- 4 nights
- Brazil - Pantanal - meals, camping, activities, Ferry over Baia de Todos os Santos, Bale Folkloric do Bahia Show
- French Guiana – Cayenne
- Suriname - Paramaribo UNESCO World Heritage site
- Guyana - Georgetown, Jungle Lodge
- Venezuela - La Gran Sabana Waterfall, Henri Pittier National Park
What's this trip about?
Epic overland, takes us full circle through eleven countries all the way around South America. A unique adventure, that takes on the dense rainforest, dry deserts, high altiplano, pristine coastline and many of Latin America’s most vibrant and dynamic cities. Get into the heart of and up close to South America.
Compare to similar trips
Details
Itinerary focusActive and Outdoor Sports
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityQuito
End CityQuito
Travel Themes
Destinations
Activities
Trip includes
- Transport on expedition truck with crew
- El Totumo Mud Volcano
- 3-night Jungle Trip - accomm & meals - activities extra
- Bale Folcorico do Bahia show
- Chan Chan Ruins and tour
- Ferry over Baia de Todos os Santo
- Henri Pittier National Park
- La Gran Sabana Waterfall
- Pedra Caidra Waterfall & walk
- Camping fees & equipment: tents, tables, chairs & cooking gear
- Accommodation - 50% camping in tents, 50% basic hotels & hostels
- Boat trip & overnight homestay on Lake Titicaca
- Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu - 4-day trek incl; meals, guide & entrance
- Meals prepared by group or provided - approx 50%
- Pantanal - meals, camping, activities
- Torres del Paine National Park
- Rio de Janeiro New Year
- Jungle Lodge Guyana
View Similar Trips
Itinerary
Week 1:
Ecuador: Quito, the start of our journey, is a beautiful heritage city nestled in the mountains. We cross the equator to the Otavalo Indian markets. Taking the mountain roads over the Andes we descend into the Amazon basin. At the river port of Misahualli on the Rio Napo...
Week 2:
On the side of a nearly tame volcano is the spa town of Banos, which is popular with Ecuadorians who come to the hot springs. There are massive gorges and white-water rafting on the rapids of the Rio Loco. At Alausi you can take the Devils Nose Railway down the mountain ...
Week 3:
We visit Lima, which was the centre of the Spanish conquest of South America
The Nazca Lines are a series of enormous drawings of animals, geometric figures and birds. They seem as though they are drawn in the desert by a giant hand, from the air. Opinions as to their...
Week 4:
We leave the coast and climb into the Andes to Chivay Hot Springs. To Arequipa a beautiful colonial town overlooked three old volcanoes. On the fields by the road, we see Llamas also their relatives the Guanaco, Alpaca and Vicuna. The Colca is the deepest canyon the world, you can stand on the edge and watch Condors soar high on the thermals, rising from below.
Week 5:
We drive across remote passes in the Andes to Cusco, the Incas Holy city; it’s the archaeological capital of the continent. The Spanish colonial buildings are built on the indestructible foundations of the unfortunate vanquished Inca. We spend time among the ruins of the...
Week 6:
Set dramatically against the mountains, high in the Andes, at 2,100 feet is La Paz; a magnificent Andean Indian city, surrounded by snow-capped mountains.
Week 7:
We cross the stark, high country of the Altiplano and Potosi where a tour of the silver mines is a must. Mining is still carried out deep into the earth, as it has been for over 400 years since the Spanish opened it. The story of silver mining and slavery in the mines is...
Week 8:
We enter Chile to Santiago for a short break. From Santiago, set against the backdrop of the snow-covered Andes; we head south, past vineyards and wineries to Pucon Lake District. You can hike up an active Villarrica Volcano, (gas masks at the top), go white rafting then relax in thermal springs
Week 9:
Argentina. We cross to the Andes to Bariloche alpine resort, it’s a beautiful area for hiking and chocolate supermarkets, for chocoholics. We head south through the vast grasslands of Patagonia.
In Los Glaciares Park is the massive Moreno Glacier - 60 metres high and ...
Week 10:
In the Torres del Paine Park (Towers of Pain) are immense granite towers, which soar 2,000 meters above the national park. We go hiking around the trails surrounding the peaks.
Week 11:
[Week 11 weather permitting]. We cross the Straights of Magellan to the most southern tip of the habitable world - Ushuaia town in Tierra del Fuego. You can take a boat to the Island of the Wolves in the Beagle Channel. We turn north following the coast to Punta Tombo Pa...
Week 12:
Buenos Aires, we have a couple of days here to eat steak till you moo, go night clubbing and drink till you think you can dance the Tango.
Uruguay Optional ferry across the River Plate for a visit to Montevideo.
Week 13:
We follow the Parana River, to the Jesuit Missions; which were built in an attempt to save the Indians, these mission stations featured in the film The Mission with Jeremy Irons.
Iguassu Falls; one of the biggest waterfalls in the world, spreading over hundreds of cascades. There are rainforest walkways below the falls and boat dart into the cascades below.
Week 14:
We enter Brazil at Iguassu Falls and head northwest to Bonito, where you can swim and dive in the crystal clear river and lakes and hike into forests to search for wildlife. The Pantanal is a large tropical wetland - organise treks out into the vast wetlands, home to birds and fish.
Week 15:
Parati on the Atlantic Coast, a relaxed historic coastal village without cars, take a schooner to the nearby islands.
Rio de Janeiro, Carnival & New Year’s Eve celebrations are great times to be here and party.
Other sights in Rio are the statue of Jesus Christ overlooking the city, map-like below, and the famous Copacabana & Ipanema Beaches.
Week 16:
A week’s break in Rio to really see the sites, enjoy the beach life and stretch out on Copacabana Beach with the Brazilians – you can spend all day on the beach with real Brazilian food and drinks supplied by strolling vendors. Take a favela tour and see how the other half really live. The Carnival is the biggest reason to be in Rio – get a ticket to the Sambadrome and see the best of the festival.
Week 17:
Northwards to Teresopolis a town in the mountains beside Serra dos Orgaos or Pipe Organ Park, so named because this series of mountain peaks resemble church pipe organs. You can go walking in the park. On to Congonhas and to Ouro Preto, descend in old cable cars down into the 200 year old gold mines to see how getting gold out of the ground was done in the old days.
Week 18:
We follow the Atlantic coast of Brazil visiting Linhares and Itaunas; empty beaches and old beautiful towns. We camp on the way and sometimes stay in local guesthouses. Parque Estadual de Itauna is on the beach, with sea turtles hatching in season. To Caravelas in Bahia state on the Caravels River, the park Parque Nacional Marinho de Abrolhos is also home to nesting sea turtles.
Week 19:
On the coast the Pataxo Indians run the Monte Pascoal Park. Porto Seguro is where Brazil was first taken by the Portuguese half a millennium ago. The Old City is a living museum and with great beaches and nightlife.
To Salvador, which is the biggest historical port in...
Week 20:
We head inland to Palmas city to Taquarucu, in an eco-tourist park where you can see dolphins, giant river turtles; all amidst waterfalls, rivers and caves.
Week 21:
To Belem city on the coast, using the Amazon highway, crossing under the canopy of the rainforest. Here we wait for the riverboat cross the Amazon; to Macapa; a journey of 200 miles which takes 24 hours.
We explore Macapa this commercial hub where gold, iron, timber, ...
Week 22:
Oiapoque on the Oyapock River is the border town before French Guiana. French Guiana, is actually a Department of France so many people don’t need a visa and the currency is the Euro. On to the capital city or in this case the Prefecture of Cayenne which is full of colo...
Week 23:
Following the coastal road west we cross the Courantyne River by ferry to Guyana and follow the coast to the capital Georgetown.
As a former British colony, Guyana is more like a Caribbean island than a South American country, people paly and follow cricket and everyo...
Week 24:
After free time in Georgetown, we then head south, away from the coast, and into the dense rainforest of Guyana. The main road has been massively improved in recent years following investment provided by the Brazilian government, but we will allow four days to fully expl...
Week 25:
we re-enter Brazil to Boa Vista is our overnight stop back in Brazil, where enjoy locally caught fish in one of the riverside restaurants. We drive southwards through an Indigenous Wairmiri Reserve to rejoin the Amazon River at Manaus.
Manaus is far inland, though a p...
Week 26:
In Venezuela, we enter the Great Savannah, with wide open grassland. We pass by and you can explore the Tepuis Mountains, which rise up into the clouds beside us – though only when it's cloudy, with waterfalls pouring over their sides.
To Ciudad Bolivar, on the Rio Or...
Week 27:
To Merida in the mountains, where you can go walking on the hill as well as paragliding, canopy tours, zip lining, canyoning and white water rafting, good nightlife and lots of restaurants.
From Merida, you can take a three-day trip to the wetlands of Los Llanos where you can see caiman, capybara, anaconda snakes, anteaters, tapirs and the secretive jaguar.
Week 28:
In the west of Venezuela is San Cristobal, the last city before we cross into Columbia to Bucaramanga and to Santa Marta on the Caribbean Coast. Go snorkeling, hang out on the beach and visit Tayrona National Park
Week 29:
We spend a few days in Cartagena, an old city surround by stone walls; they were built mainly to defend the city against British and American raids – which it successfully withstood. It’s the first Spanish colonial city built in South America and one of the most visited...
Week 30:
We cross the Tatacoa Desert, with ocher and gray arid eroded cliffs surrounded by mountains. We take the Pan-American Highway to Parque Purace; with giant condors, the active Volcano Purace, with hot springs and a Sulphur Mine.
Week 31:
The white city of Popayan is a colonial town worthy of a film set high in the Andes make a small stop to admire the chalk white facades and stock up on supplies, before following the Andes south towards Pasto. Our last stop in Colombia is Ipiales, with the Santuario De L...
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Dates & Availability
Price From $8,335
Price per day$38
Last Updated: 2/17/2025
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with African Trails.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- Flights, visas, transfers, personal insurance, drinks, meals out, tips
- Optional excursions/side trips
- Meals while in hotels
Accommodation
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Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
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Trip ID
africa6-TraAmeComAfrTra
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