Best places to visit in South America
32 destinations across 8 countries, each with its seasonal window and budget tier.
Arequipa, PeruWhite-stone city under volcanoes, sunny gateway to Colca Canyon
Banos, EcuadorWaterfall gorge and canyon swings under drier autumn skies
Barichara, ColombiaColombia's prettiest stone village, golden in the December dry
Bariloche, ArgentinaAndean lakes town for winter skiing and summer trail days
Barreal, ArgentinaAndes foothills with some of Earth's clearest stargazing skies
Buenos Aires, ArgentinaSteak, tango and jacarandas in the mild spring of November
Cafayate, ArgentinaHigh-desert Torrontes wine country, harvest February to April
Cartagena, ColombiaWalled Caribbean old town, breeziest and driest December to March
Castro, ChileChiloe's stilt houses and wooden churches, warmest in austral summer
Colchagua Valley, ChileCarmenere wine country at harvest during the March vendimia
Colonia del Sacramento, UruguayCobbled Portuguese old town on the Rio de la Plata, summer breezy
Cuenca, EcuadorAndean cathedral city of red domes, sunny in the June dry season
Cusco, PeruInca capital and Machu Picchu gateway, clearest May to September
El Chalten, ArgentinaArgentina's trekking capital under Fitz Roy, austral summer
Galapagos, EcuadorSnorkel with sea lions in the warm-water season, January to June
Guatape, ColombiaClimb the monolith over a maze of lakes, sunniest in dry January
Inhotim, BrazilOpen-air art pavilions in tropical gardens, warm dry-winter strolls
Jose Ignacio, UruguayUruguay's chic beach village, buzzing in January high summer
Mancora, PeruPeru's warm north-coast surf beach, sunniest December to March
Medellín, ColombiaCity of eternal spring, mountain barrios reborn
Mendoza, ArgentinaMalbec vineyards under the Andes, grape harvest March to April
Paraty, BrazilColonial port between rainforest and sea, driest in winter
Potosí, BoliviaSilver-mine city at 4000m, cool clear Andean winter skies
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilBeaches, Christ the Redeemer and Carnival in the February summer
Salar de Uyuni, BoliviaRainy-season floods turn the salt flat into a vast sky mirror
Salento, ColombiaWax-palm cloud forest and coffee fincas, greenest in dry January
San Pedro de Atacama, ChileDriest desert on earth, geysers and clear stargazing skies
São Paulo, BrazilSprawling art museums and Liberdade ramen, mild dry-winter days
Sucre, BoliviaWhitewashed colonial capital in the Andes, mild in dry winter
Torres del Paine, ChileGranite towers and glaciers on the classic W trek, austral summer
Ushuaia, ArgentinaThe end of the world, Beagle Channel cruises in austral summer
Valparaiso, ChileBohemian port of funiculars and murals, warm in austral summer