Vacations in South America

South America tours is great experience for the travellers, Argentina is ripe for the person as you can eat, drink, be merry, and take a tango lesson without a partner in sight. Buenos Aires may have the most sophisticated cafe culture on the planet and the cafe notables will have you imbibing history along with your coffee. And the hip-swiveling, lip-pouting, hair-poofing habits of the portenas—as people who live in the Federal Capital call themselves—will keep you amused for days at a time. For spectacular fine dining, check out the puerta cerrada, restaurants operated out of chef's homes.

Want to disappear off the face of the earth? Some of us figure Uruguay is the place to do it. The banking system is so liberal that a considerable number of people from neighboring Argentina run their bank accounts there to avoid having to pay black market prices for USD. Montevideo is an easy place to get around in on your own. Relatively tourist free, the air is fresh and the locals still promenade. Charming.

Buenos Aires - south america tours

Do you long for the Leave it to Beaver days of the 1950s? Head for Paraguay and pull up a stool at The Libo Bar. The waitresses there wear pillbox hats kept in place by bobby-pins. Sweet. Foreigners are still a bit of a novelty; and if you are on your own people are more likely to speak to you. 

Brazil is massive so figure out what you want to do on your own and it is likely on offer. Check out an excursion to the Amazon. Really, why would you want to go to the Carnival with someone? Chances are you would get separated anyway and for some it would cramp their inclination to be decadent.

Nature types love Peru and, yes, you can go to Machu Picchu on your own. Lima has some of the best restaurants in the world—hen making a reservation, insist that you want a good table for one to avoid getting slammed somewhere in the back between the men's loo and the kitchen.

Visiting Machu Picchu - Best Peru Tours

Ecuador is a country of contrasts. Besides the eternal spring of Quito and the constant heat and humidity of Guayaquil, Ecuador uses American greenbacks as their currency. And any country that gives Julian Assange asylum—which has cost the British tax payers about three million pounds for round-the-clock security—must have a sense of humor. When going out for lunch on your own, order the guinea pig. Although it has a reputation as being a rich person's retreat, the Galápagos Islands can be done cheaply on your own—with a bit of planning.

Galapagos Island - Explore South America

Colombia is coming into its own as "the" new place to go. You don't need to be hand-cuffed to someone to wander around La Candelaria—the historical and cultural heart of Bogotá—or lay on the beach at Medellín. Want some eco-lessons? Check out an innovative home-stay.

Venezuela is off the radar screen for travelers, solo or in a group. Until things stabilize there, it is a good idea to spend your time in other countries in South America. I was once kidnapped in Pakistan and can attest to the fact that it isn't any fun.

Tips for going Alone - South America Tours:

• Just go; expect the best, but prepare for the worst.

• Pack light.

• Scan your passport and tickets to an internet address and email them to yourself as back up.

• Set up a check-in system with someone you trust to act in your best interest if you are worried about it.

• Relish your freedom and the sense of independence that encourages you to collect amazing travel stories.

 • And if you are landing in Quito or La Paz or Bogotá, don't forget to pick up some mate de coca for altitude sickness.

Enjoy South America and planing your trip with SA Peru