I’ve spent years exploring South America, and it’s hands-down one of my favorite continents on Earth. From glacier hikes in Patagonia to beach-hopping in southern Brazil, every country here offers something wildly different, yet equally mesmerizing.
This section brings together the best things to do across South America, based on my personal experiences traveling through Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and beyond.
A Few of My Favorite Places…
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Patagonia (Chile & Argentina) – Towering peaks, turquoise lakes, and trails that feel like another planet. I’ve hiked through Torres del Paine, driven Ruta 40, and explored the windswept edges of the continent.
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Medellín, Colombia – A city that surprised me in the best way. Incredible weather, innovation, digital nomad energy, and access to nearby coffee farms and waterfalls.
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Florianópolis, Brazil – A laid-back island paradise with hidden beaches, great surf, and an authentic Brazilian vibe that’s hard to beat.
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Other highlights: The Amazon Basin, Cusco and the Sacred Valley, Buenos Aires, the Galápagos, Bariloche, Cartagena, and the Atacama Desert…just to name a few.
Top Experiences in South America in 2025
Here are my top picks for bucket list experiences and things to do across this vast continent:
- Explore the Inca citadel ruins at Machu Picchu
- Spot rare wildlife in the Galápagos Islands
- Experience Carnival in Brazil
- Taste high quality wines in Mendoza and Maipo Valley wine regions
- Check out the largest waterfall in the world at Iguazú Falls
- Tour Colombia’s coffee region
- Explore the Amazon rainforest in South America
- Go stargazing in the Atacama Desert
- Look out over Rio de Janeiro from the Christ the Redeemer Statue
- Hike to Rainbow Mountain in Peru
- Visit the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia
- Learn the Salsa dance in Colombia
- Go sailing on Lake Titicaca
Looking for more unique places and experiences across this continent? You’ve come to the right place. Here are my travel guides, itineraries, and other articles of South America:
