South America Travel guides

South America has 12 country guides, all in a single subregion. The continent is long and narrow, so distances are large: a journey from Colombia to Chile covers several climate zones and takes days overland. Long-distance buses are common and often comfortable, and domestic flights save time on the biggest gaps. Seasons run opposite to Europe in the south, and altitude matters in the Andes, where cities such as La Paz and Cusco sit high enough to affect how you plan your first days.

Read the guide for the country you are entering first, then use its location pages to build a route, and the neighbouring guides if you plan to cross a border.