South America Bucket List: The Trips We Want to Take Next

From Patagonia to the Galapagos

Between Patagonia glaciers, the Galapagos, and Iguazu Falls, South America has enough bucket-list destinations to fill a year of trips.

South America has been climbing our travel list for years. Between Patagonia’s glaciers, the Galapagos Islands, Iguazu Falls, and the Andes, the continent has enough bucket-list destinations to fill a decade of trips. Here are the ones we are planning and researching, with rough budgets and timing notes for each.

Patagonia: Torres del Paine and Glaciers

The best time to visit is january-February (Southern Hemisphere summer)
Fly into Punta Arenas or El Calafate
Plan for 5-7 days

Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia is the crown jewel. The granite towers, turquoise lakes, and massive glaciers create some of the most dramatic scenery on earth. The W Trek (4-5 days) is the classic hiking route, taking you past the base of the towers, along Grey Glacier, and through the French Valley.

On the Argentine side, Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still advancing. Watching car-sized chunks of ice calve into the lake is mesmerizing. The boardwalks give you front-row access.

Budget: Guided treks through Patagonia run 2,500-4,000 USD per person for 5-7 days including accommodation and meals. Independent trekking is cheaper but requires more planning and gear.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

The best time to visit is year-round, but January-May is warmest with calmer seas
Fly from Quito or Guayaquil
Plan for 4-5 days minimum

The Galapagos are unlike anywhere else. Giant tortoises, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and penguins — all completely unafraid of humans. The wildlife viewing is extraordinary precisely because the animals have no natural predators and treat visitors with complete indifference.

A multi-day cruise is the best way to see the islands, as many of the most interesting sites are only accessible by boat. Land-based itineraries are cheaper and give you more flexibility but limit which islands you can visit.

Budget: Galapagos cruises range from 2,000-5,000 USD per person for 4-5 days. Flights from mainland Ecuador add another 300-400 USD. The national park entrance fee is 100 USD.

Iguazu Falls: Argentina and Brazil

The best time to visit is year-round, best March-May (less rain, lower crowds)
Fly into Puerto Iguazu (Argentina) or Foz do Iguacu (Brazil)
Plan for 2-3 days

Iguazu Falls is a system of 275 waterfalls spread across nearly 3 kilometers of the Iguazu River, on the border between Argentina and Brazil. It makes Niagara look modest. The Argentine side has extensive boardwalks that take you right to the edge of the falls, including the Devil’s Throat — a U-shaped chasm where the water drops 80 meters in a roaring curtain of spray. The Brazilian side gives you the panoramic overview.

Visit both sides — they offer completely different perspectives. Two days (one per side) is ideal. The surrounding Ibera Wetlands in Argentina are worth an extension if you have time — they are one of the best wildlife-watching areas in South America.

Budget: 1,500-2,500 USD per person for 4-5 days including flights from Buenos Aires, hotels, and park entry.

Ecuador’s Southern Highlands

The best time to visit is year-round, driest June-September
Where: Fly into Quito
Plan for 5-7 days

Beyond the Galapagos, mainland Ecuador packs incredible diversity into a small country. The Avenue of the Volcanoes between Quito and Cuenca runs through the Andes with snow-capped peaks on both sides. Cuenca is a colonial gem with cobblestone streets and a lively market scene.

Banos is the adventure capital — hot springs, waterfall hikes, and the famous “swing at the end of the world” on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Tungurahua volcano. Cotopaxi National Park has one of the highest active volcanoes in the world (5,897 meters) with a glacier-capped summit that is climbable for experienced mountaineers.

Budget: 1,500-2,000 USD per person for 5-7 days. Ecuador is very affordable on the ground.

Argentina: Ushuaia and the End of the World

The best time to visit is december-March
Where: Fly into Ushuaia
Plan for 4-5 days

Ushuaia claims to be the southernmost city in the world, and it feels like it — sitting on the Beagle Channel with snow-capped mountains rising directly behind the town. Tierra del Fuego National Park has excellent hiking with views of glacial lakes and sub-Antarctic forest.

The Beagle Channel boat tour takes you past sea lion colonies, penguin islands, and the famous Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse. Ushuaia is also the departure point for Antarctica cruises if you want to take the bucket list to its logical extreme.

Budget: 1,000-1,500 USD per person for 4-5 days including flights from Buenos Aires.

Colombia: Cartagena and the Coffee Triangle

The best time to visit is december-March (dry season)
Fly into Cartagena or Bogota
Plan for 7-10 days

Colombia has emerged as one of the hottest travel destinations in South America. Cartagena’s walled old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with colorful colonial buildings, rooftop bars, and some of the best Caribbean food anywhere. The Rosario Islands off the coast have excellent snorkeling and beach days.

The Coffee Triangle (Eje Cafetero) in the central highlands offers a completely different experience — lush green mountains, coffee plantation tours, and charming small towns like Salento, where you can hike to the towering wax palm trees of the Cocora Valley.

Budget: 1,200-2,000 USD per person for 7-10 days. Colombia is very affordable.

How We Plan to Tackle This List

The strategy is one major South America trip per year, timed around the best season for each destination. Patagonia and Ushuaia are best in January-February, Galapagos is flexible year-round, and Colombia peaks December-March. We will use American Airlines miles for flights (many South American routes are available through AA partnerships with LATAM) and mix hotels with Airbnbs to keep costs manageable.

The continent is massive, and trying to do too much in one trip is the biggest mistake. Better to do one region well than rush through three countries in two weeks.

Related Reading

• Caribbean Island-Hopping Bucket List: Six Dream Trips
• South Africa Road Trip: Kruger, Garden Route, Cape Town
• Seattle to LA: A West Coast Trip on Marriott Points

Gear and Guides We Recommend

Planning a similar trip? Here are some items we found useful:

• South America travel guide
• carry-on luggage
• packing cubes
• portable charger
• hanging toiletry bag
• noise-cancelling headphones

These are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps support this site.

Book Tours and Activities

• Machu Picchu Tours
• Buenos Aires Tours

Find Flights to Lima

Cheapest Flights to Lima

Departure at	Return at	Stops	Airline	Find tickets
22 September 2026	29 September 2026	Direct		Tickets from 435

Compare flights on Skyscanner — and grab an Airalo eSIM before you land so you have data the moment you arrive.

Tours: SA tours on Viator

Book Activities: South America tours on GetYourGuide

Travel Insurance: We use SafetyWing for travel insurance on every international trip. It covers medical emergencies, trip interruptions, and lost luggage starting at $45/month with no fixed end date — perfect for multi-country itineraries.

↑

Written by Jenna Fattah

I have visited 25+ countries across 6 continents, attended 7 Formula 1 races, and spent 4 years writing about what actually works and what I would do differently. Every recommendation on this site comes from trips I planned and paid for myself. Read more about me